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12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

By: @vetzky
For: @Forever_Rimaine

Prompt:
He believes Santa is real, she does not

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A/N: Merry Christmas Ann! J Because it's Christmas and my right brain is feeling giddy, here goes the second prompt! Hope you enjoy reading this, and Happy Holidays.

P.S. I know that 12 days of Christmas is supposed to start on the 26th, but for the purpose of this story – I counted backwards!

Prompt: He believes Santa is real, she does not.

Day 1

"Ricardo! Anong ginagawa mo? Matutulog na tayo, may midnight snack ka pa."

"Menggay! Bakit gising ka pa?"

"Ikaw ang bakit gising pa? Ako valid na laging gutom, eh ikaw? Mas malaki na tiyan mo sa akin oh."

RJ sheepishly smiled at her, looking like a kid caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Well technically his hands are indeed inside the cookie jar.

It has always been a tradition for RJ, every year, on the eve of Christmas to leave something – most of the time, food – for Santa. Yes, even at his age and father-stature, he still believes that Santa exists.

The Faulkersons did not always have a good life, there are Noche Buenas where they would all share one-half of the Christmas Ham and Queso de bola; and the other half, they would save for Media Noche. But amidst all those, one thing is constant during the Faulkerson Christmas – gifts under the small Christmas tree. Their parents would always tell them that it is from Santa, and he have always believed them.

Him and Riza would stay up late every Christmas Eve to wait for Santa to come, but their parents would tell them that Santa does not come while everyone is still up and about. So they will just leave goodies for Santa and a thank you note, just so that he will come back next year.

There are instances that he would stop believing, but like a lot of unexplainable things... you will just believe again.

He just wish he could say the same for his wife who is already on her last stretch of pregnancy, just counting weeks before they get to meet their little angel.

As much as he believes in Santa, Maine does not. She was very adamant that it was just their parents who are leaving those gifts for them during Christmas. Maine would always say that Santa is a fictional character, the gifts are from their parents.

He would insist they were not well-off before, his parents could have not afford those gifts.

Maine would just shake her head, and tell him that parents would do anything for their children.

It's an unending cycle every Christmas since they found out this little quirky difference about each other.

Him convincing her that Santa exists.

Her convincing him otherwise.

"Pero maiba ako... Hindi pa naman Pasko RJ, 12 days pa... unless para sayo talaga yan at hinahabol mo ang tiyan ni Santa?"

He ignored her comment, he still has 12 days before Christmas... he will be sure to convince her by then.

Day 2

Today is the day. By hook or by crook, he will convince her of Santa's existence by slowly incorporating Santa's presence in their daily lives.

"Ano ito?"