Home for the Holidays

[Puck]

"Excellent," Xanatos smiled. Turning to Owen, he said, "Owen, if you wouldn't mind taking their bags to the guest room?"
Owen nodded, grabbing Puck and Clopin's luggage without another word. Alexander, however, had taken to keeping his arms wrapped firmly around Puck's knees, making the older boy smile. Apparently, the toddler was fairly happy that Puck and his friend were going to stay.
"I'm so glad that you decided to visit us, Puck," Fox smiled, laughing at Alexander's display of affection. "As you can see, Alex has really missed having his babysitter around."
Puck grinned, picking the boy up again. "I'm sure that he has. Don't worry; I'm sure that we could find some way to keep him entertained while we're here," Puck said, smirking to Clopin.

[Clopin]

"Oh certainly." Clopin said with a laugh, as he looked back to Puck. "I wonder if he likes magic tricks and unicorns." he whispered to the other. He then turned to the toddler's parents.
"Your son is quite the little explorer, isn't he?" Clopin asked. Xanatos nodded, and laughed.
"Yes, he is. He has a bad habit of sneaking out from under our noses, which usually winds up in him getting into some sort of trouble. But now that you and Puck are here, I'm sure he won't get into that much trouble, now will he?" Xanatos asked.

[Puck]

"Oh no, none at all," Puck snickered, giving the boy's nose a tweak. Alexander giggled, slapping the boy's hand away playfully.
"Well, no more than he gets into than when you're usually around," Fox laughed, rolling her eyes.
Owen stepped back into the doorway, the same unreadable expression from before on his face. "Mr. Xanatos," he said, addressing David. "It would seem that it is getting dark..."
Xanatos frowned slightly, nodding. "Yes, thank you Owen. Puck, do you think that your guest might be willing to meet...?"
Puck raised an eyebrow, catching what his employer was saying. Turning to Clopin, he said, "Clopin, there is a...family that lives here with the Xanatos'. And, as it's about time for them to wake up, would you...like to meet them?"

[Clopin]

"Sure." Clopin said. He recalled Puck saying that the mysterious beings only awoke at night, and that they hid from everyone else during the day. Like Quasimodo, Clopin was sure that the family was kind, just like the hunchback himself.

"Come along then." Xanatos said, as he took his wife's hand. Little Alexander followed along willingly, still clinging to Puck's leg. Clopin looked down at the toddler, laughing a little at the sight.

[Puck]

Puck bit his lip, trying to keep from laughing at how difficult Alexander was making walking for the boy. As they went down the hallway, Puck frowned slightly to himself, hoping that the "Gargoyles" wouldn't be too surprised at the recent turn of events.
After going up a few flights of stairs and down a few more halls, they at last reached a door. Inside, they could already hear the awakening yawns of several of the people inside. As Xanatos opened the door, Puck looked inside, catching a glimpse of the leader of the family, Goliath. He was extremely tall, with large muscles and dark, almost grayish skin. Long, black hair hung over his shoulders, and as he turned to face the door, two distinct features of his face were exposed. Much like the rest of his family, there were two ridges that served like eyebrows for the man. Xanatos smiled, waving cheerfully to the other.
"Good morning, Goliath. Did you and your clan sleep well?"
The male nodded, stepping closer to the door. Upon seeing Puck, he raised an eyeridge, then turned to Xanatos with a grunt. "Yes, thank you, Xanatos. Excuse me for asking, but what exactly is Puck doing here? Shouldn't he be in school?"
"I'll answer that," Puck smiled. "It's winter vacation for us, and I decided to come one a little visit." Puck chose to let Clopin introduce himself. As for everything else, well, he'd just let them figure it out for themselves.

[Clopin]

Clopin raised an eyebrow, and smiled. They weren't as frightening as he thought they would be. "So you're the clan that Puck told me about, no? My name is Clopin Trouillefou. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Clopin said, extending his hand out to Goliath. The others didn't look too frightening either. In fact, they seemed quite kind, as the gypsy had expected.

[Puck]

Goliath slowly took the gypsy's hand, a bit more confused than before. Well, he certainly hadn't expected this.
Puck quickly explained. "I brought he along," he gave a small laugh at Goliath's expression. Glancing inside the room, he saw that several of the others were moving to the door to see the guests, including two males of the clan, named Lexington and Staghart. At the sight of them, Puck's face lit up momentarily. He had nearly forgotten about the younger Gargoyle couple; this was going to be easier then he had expected.
"Hello, Puck, it's good to see you again," Goliath's daughter Angela stepped forward, smiling welcomingly to the boy. Glancing to Clopin, she smiled.
"Well, I'm sure that you're all ready for breakfast?" Xanatos said, clasping his hands together. The others nodded, Broadway in particular. "Come on, then, well head down to the kitchen."
Stepping out into the light, the family made their way down the hall, and Puck followed after them, pulling Clopin along with him. Perhaps they could make conversation on their way down, and any awkwardness could be steadily moved out of the way.

[Clopin]

"Oh, that's good. I'm hungry, especially after all the running around we've been doing." Clopin said with a laugh, as he followed Puck and the others downstairs. It was then that he held the other boy's hand, and walked a bit closer to him. "I'm happy that they took us in, Puck. And most of all, thank you for giving me a home." he said, smiling at the other.
Angela smiled at the two, as did Lexington and Staghart.
"They're cute, aren't they, Lex?" Angela asked. The other nodded.
"Yes, they are." he said with a smile.

[Puck]

Puck smiled back at the other as their fingers entwined. He was fairly relieved himself, and his actions showed it. Glancing at the family walking with them, Puck's mouth raised into a smirk at the mention of he and Clopin.
"Alright, you don't have to whisper," Puck laughed at Lexington and Angela. "I know that we're cute," he teased, giving another laugh.

[Clopin]

"Sorry Puck! But you know it's true!" Angela said with a giggle. Clopin rolled his eyes. At least they seemed to accept the fact that he and Puck were together, and the others certainly didn't seem opposed to it. Already, he was beginning to like this family more than Puck's own.

As they reached the dinner table, the food had already been set out, and it was indeed grand. "I certainly didn't expect this kind of food!" Clopin whispered, taking a seat at the table.

[Puck]

Puck smiled, glad that the other seemed to be enjoying himself. Taking a seat beside the other, he whispered back, "The Xanatos' are sorta similar to my family, at least in the money field."
As everyone began to take their food, Puck started to eat a little himself. He had gotten quite hungry himself, having been too nervous to eat before at his home. But now, he was much more relaxed, as he was surrounded by people who actually accepted and liked him.
Clearing her throat, Fox began the first conversation. "Well, it certainly is nice to have Puck with us again. Alex at least seems to be enjoying it," she smiled at the toddler, who was waving his hands excitedly in the chair beside her.
Puck smirked. "Trust me, it's very nice to be back, Fox," he laughed. Leaning back in his chair, he sighed."So, how had everyone been since I left?"

[Clopin]

Clopin started eating a little bit of the food, and he couldn't help but smile at Alexander's cheerful little face.
Fox and Xanatos smiled at each other before looking back to Puck.
"We've been fine, and so have the others. Besides a few...problems here and there, things have been relatively normal." Xanatos said, as he looked to Clopin.
"So I see that you've brought a friend home. Where's he from?" Xanatos asked.
"Good Monsieur Xanatos, I am from Paris, France." Clopin replied, almost too quickly. Xanatos nodded, and turned to his wife. "Fox, do you have any questions?"

[Puck]

Fox nodded, resting her elbow on the edge of the table as she turned to look at Clopin. "Yes, actually I do. How exactly do you and Puck know each other? Are you in any of the same classes at that school you go to, Puck?"
"Yes, we are," Puck smiled. "In quite a few together. Now, Xanatos, I have a question for you. What exactly did you mean by...a few problems here and there?"
Suddenly, there was the sound of two females yelling coming from the main hallway. It sounded like things were getting dangerous, and fast, and with that, Xanatos and Fox rushed up from the table to see what the matter was.
"Things like that," the man replied. "Owen, what's going on in there?"
"Just a minor-umph! Argument, sir," Puck cousin stepped into view, holding his stomach as though he had been hit. "It would seem that detective Maza and Ms. Destine have arrived."
"At the same time?" Fox groaned, looking up to the cielling. Goliath left the table, walking down to were Owen had been previously. Soon, the sounds of fighting stopped, and Fox and Xanatos returned to the table.
"Demona and Elisa are here," Fox admitted sheepishly.

[Clopin]

"And who, pray tell, are they?" Clopin asked, looking past Fox and Xanatos. Whomever they were, they definitely bickered a lot. Demona and Elisa then entered the room, exchanging angry glances at each other, with Goliath following close behind.
"I'm Elisa, and this is Demona." the detective growled, as she glared at the other woman.
Clopin raised an eyebrow at the two. But before he could say another word, Fox piped up.
"What caused you two to start bickering? Normally it never gets as bad as it was back there!" Fox said.

[Puck]

Still shooting daggers at each other with their eyes, Elisa spoke with a slight bitterness to her tone, "Oh, just someone trying to start up an argument with the wrong person."
Demona rolled her eyes. "Yes, quite, detective. I would advise you in the future to not come in my presence automatically carrying a gun."
"Demona, I'm a cop!" Elisa sighed, shaking her head. This was fairly normal for them. Goliath put on arm on Elisa's shoulder, leading her to the table to sit beside him.
"Um, Lex, what is she doing here?" Puck whispered to the gargoyle beside him.
"Hmm? Oh, she's been coming over here at night lately. I think that she's lonely enough that she's willing to spend time with us," Lexington laughed.
Puck smirked before turning back to Clopin. "Demona's Goliath's ex, and Elisa is his current girlfriend. That's basically all that you need to know to understand it," Puck laughed in a whisper.