The world outside sparkled under a thin coat of frost, the kind of frost Athena, Princess, Miss Pants, Blanket Connoisseur, Lawn Destroyer, considered personally offensive. She stood regally at the back door, gazing out across the grass with her mismatched eyes, one sky blue, one rich chestnut. She lifted a single paw. Then she glared at the ground like it had insulted her ancestors.
The back door opened.
Her paw immediately retracted.
She would sooner file her own taxes than step onto wet grass.
Inside the house, things were no calmer. Obito the Malamute, one-year-old, fluffy beyond reason, gentle as a cloud, dumber than a bucket of glitter, trotted through the living room like he owned it. His black-and-tan eyebrows wiggled with excitement. His huge tail swooshed like a snow-covered broom. And his oversized paws, the famous Mr Toe Beans, clopped against the floor like small hooves.
He was, as ever, thrilled to exist.
Athena watched him with the exhausted patience of an older sister who had seen too much. She loved him, deeply, but she also loved peace, silence, clean blankets, and not being kissed directly into the next century.
Unfortunately, Obito’s favourite hobby was giving wet, sloppy kisses strong enough to exfoliate the soul.
The house was decorated beautifully for Christmas. A tall tree glittered in the corner, covered in lights, ribbons, baubles, and one very questionable-looking felt reindeer ornament that Athena had been eyeing suspiciously all week. Stockings hung neatly from the mantelpiece. Fairy lights glowed softly. Snowflake cutouts dangled from the curtain rod.
It was perfect.
Too perfect.
Dangerously perfect.
Because peace never lasted long with these two.
It began with Obito noticing a new stuffed reindeer toy under the tree.
It was plump.
It was soft.
It smelled faintly of cinnamon and destiny.
Obito froze. His ears perked. His mouth fell open in slow, blissful wonder. His tail began to wag so fast it nearly lifted him off the ground. Athena, unfortunately, was positioned directly behind him when this tail-propeller engaged, and the sudden WHOOSH of fluff slapped her across the snout.
She sneezed aggressively.
Obito didn’t even notice. He was already creeping toward the toy in the most un-stealthy stealth attempt ever performed by any living creature.
He stepped on a bauble.
It crackled.
He froze.
Athena’s eyebrow twitched.
The humans in the kitchen called out, “Leave the tree alone!”
Obito interpreted this as:
“Continue your mission, sweet child.”
And so he did.
The moment he grabbed the reindeer, it all fell apart.
For a start, he grabbed its leg, which stretched in a way legs are not meant to stretch. The reindeer made a high-pitched squeak that startled him so badly that he yelped, lost his balance, spun around in panic, and crashed directly into the tree.
The tree swayed dramatically, as though preparing to faint.
Athena leapt backward with the grace of a professional ballerina being threatened by plumbing equipment. Obito, convinced he had awoken some sort of tree demon, barked at the branches in fear and pride. The reindeer toy flew out of his mouth, arced through the air like a doomed Christmas comet, and landed squarely on top of Athena’s head.
Athena froze.
Obito froze.
The tree fell.
The humans screamed.
Obito, disaster incarnate, did the worst possible thing.
He ran.
Not far, he ran in a circle. A very fast, very large, very destructive circle. His paws skidded. His nails clicked. His tail knocked over three candles, six baubles, a mug of cocoa, and one innocent candleholder desperately minding its business. Athena dodged him with all the grace of a ninja who regretted her life choices. Every shelf and surface trembled as Mr Toe Beans the Malamute Thunder Machine tore through the room.
“OBITO, NO!”
Obito heard:
“OBITO, YES, RUN FASTER!”
Athena decided to save Christmas herself. She marched to the toppled tree, snatched the reindeer toy off the ground, and held it high in her mouth like a queen presenting her victory trophy.
She strutted.
Obito stopped mid-sprint.
He stared.
His eyes widened.
His tongue slopped out.
Athena realised, too late, what she had just done.
She had taken The Toy.
His Toy.
Obito launched himself toward her with the enthusiasm of a boulder thrown off a cliff. Athena bolted, leaping over the sofa like Santa’s most athletic reindeer. Obito followed, not leaping over the sofa, but THROUGH the space beside it, scraping half the cushions into oblivion. Athena sprinted across the hallway, skidding once because a single droplet of water touched her delicate paw, causing instant dramatic outrage.
Their chase continued through the kitchen, past the humans who yelled in horror as Obito’s tail swept an entire tray of cookies off the counter, and right back toward the fallen Christmas tree.
That was when Athena saw it.
The felt reindeer ornament.
It dangled crookedly on a lower branch, scruffy, suspicious, possibly mocking her.
She dropped the toy in shock.
Obito seized the moment.
With surprising gentleness for someone who weighed roughly the same as a small refrigerator, he leaned forward and planted a long, enthusiastic, slobbery kiss right on Athena’s shocked face.
She yelped. She shook her head. She glared.
But then, as always, she forgave him.
Because he was Obito.
Because he was her goofy brother.
And because he looked so proud, so pleased with himself, that her heart melted like chocolate on a radiator.
The humans restored the tree.
The cookies were replaced.
The baubles were re-hung.
The reindeer ornament was straightened, though Athena continued to keep her mismatched eyes on it, just in case.
Later that night, wrapped in a mountain of blankets (Athena’s natural throne), the two dogs settled to sleep. Obito curled up like a fluffy snowdrift, his giant head resting dramatically across Athena’s back. She pretended to be annoyed. She huffed loudly. She rolled her eyes so hard they nearly squeaked.
But she didn’t move.
Snow drifted gently outside the window. The world fell quiet and soft.
And as the humans tiptoed into the room to check on them, they found Athena and Obito fast asleep, forehead to forehead, paws intertwined, the reindeer toy lying safely between them.
A peace treaty.
A miracle.
A Christmas wonder.
Obito snored like a tractor.
Athena drooled slightly onto the blanket.
And on the tree behind them, a single bauble rolled off a branch, landed in the presents, and made a soft thunk.
Obito perked an ear in his sleep.
Athena muttered, “Don’t you dare.”
But Christmas was saved.
For now.
Reindeer down, chaos contained, stockings intact, love overflowing, it was a Christmas nobody would ever forget.
And that is the story of Miss Pants and Mr Toe Beans, two furry disasters who accidentally brought more magic to Christmas than any reindeer ever could.