Santa!FinlandxHomeless!Child!Reader

Christmas; a time for peace and good will towards men.  A time for peoples everywhere to relax, children to play, lights to light up the night, and families to get together and spend time together.  A time for presents, food, and lots of snow.  A time where happiness is as abundant as the air itself.
So, why weren’t you happy?
It was because you sadly didn’t have any of those things.  Snow, there was plenty of that… probably more than you’d prefer.  Sadly you had no presents, food, family, or even a roof over your head.  It wasn’t fair for a 9 year old girl to be alone and without a home on Christmas to go to, but who said life was fair?  Anyone that did was probably trying to sell you something; that much you knew.  You had been living on the streets for as long as you can remember.  You ran away from home a while back and were very very lost.  You were living off of scraps at the nearest trash bin.  You slept behind a dumpster in an alley way on top of some cardboard.  Of course, you weren’t completely alone; you had a small stray dog as well named Rudolph.  He was the closest thing to family you had right now, and you enjoyed having him around.
Still, the overall fact that you were a little child without a home to go to and it was Christmas Eve was a saddening fact on its own.  You should be celebrating the holiday, but sadly you couldn’t.  It was late at night – you didn’t know how late, thought – and you were alone in the ally way with Rudolph.
“What do you want for Christmas, Rudolph?” you ask the little white dog.  The little dog yips a few times at you in response.
“I see…” you say, as if you could understand the tiny furball, “Me too.”
Rudolph snuggles in close to you as you lay down on the piece of cardboard that was your bed.  You pull over the large dirty blanket that just barely covered your upper body over the two of you and try to relax.  It was snowing heavily and you were terribly cold.
“Night, Rudolph,” you say to your companion.
You close your eyes, hoping that the cold will rock you to sleep…
“What are you doing out here?” someone speaks to you, gently shaking you awake.
You open your eyes, rubbing them as you sit up.  Rudolph gets up next to you and starts yapping at whoever woke you.  You look up to see a man with light blond hair and purple eyes in a red and white suit.
“A little girl like you shouldn’t be out in the cold!” he says in a friendly voice, “Especially not tonight of all nights!”
“Who are you?” you ask the mysterious man.
“My name’s Tino.  What’s your name?”
“I’m _________,” you answer, “This is Rudolph, my dog.”
“Well, _________,” Tino says, crouching down so the two of you are at eye level, “You shouldn’t be out here in the cold like this.  And especially not on Christmas Eve!”
“Well, where do I go then?” you ask, “I don’t have anywhere to go!”
“What about your parents?” he asks, “Aren’t they worried about you?”
“I doubt it,” you answer, “This is the only real home I have… I don’t even think my parents remember me…”
Tino had a look of absolute pity for you on his face.
“You poor thing…” he says.
A cold breeze blows into the ally, bringing more snow in with it.  You shiver as the breeze hits your skin, holding the blanket close against you.
“Here,” Tino says, as he reaches a hand out to touch the blanket.  The instant his fingers touches it, the blanket changes into a large quilt, as if like magic.  You’re surprised that the blanket, once too short to cover you entirely, now was large and warming.
“Wow,” you say in surprise, “Thanks…”
“No problem!” Tino says with a smile on his face.
“Are you magic?” you ask.
“I guess you could say that.”
Just who was this person?  Was he an angel?  Death?
“Just who are you?” you ask, “I know your name, but… who ARE you?”
“You’d be surprised.  I’m actually well known around the world…”
You didn’t quite understand what he meant.
Rudolph quiets down, and starts to whimper.
“What’s wrong, boy?” you ask him.  Tino turns his attention to Rudolph as well.
Rudolph yips a few times, before whining again.
“He sounds sad,” Tino comments, “You’re both homeless?”
“Yeah…” you say sadly.
Tino raises a hand to his chin, as if he were thinking.
“Would the others mind?” he mutters to himself, “It wouldn’t hurt… I still have a few rounds left…”
“What are you talking about?” you ask.
“It’s nothing,” Tino answers, “Are you afraid of heights?”
“No…” you say.  Why was he asking you about heights?
“Well,” Tino says, “I have to make a few more stops before I head home myself… do you and your dog want to come with me?”
“What do you mean?” you ask.
“Well…” Tino says, holding his hand out again, “Come with me.”
You pick up Rudolph and take Tino’s hand.  Tino helps you up onto your feet and wraps the quilt around you to protect you from the cold.
“Tonight’s my biggest night of work, you see,” Tino explains, “I visit each house in the world, leaving behind gifts at each one tonight.  However, I usually have to do it alone and… well it’s nice to at least have someone by me, so… would you, _________, like to be my helper?  There’s an especially big gift for you if you say yes, but it’s fine if you don’t want to.”
A big gift?  Visit each house?  Helper?  Just who WAS this guy?  You think about what he’s telling you.  It sounds rather shady, but what did you have to lose?  You nod your head, “yes.”
“Alright,” Tino says, “But first you have to close your eyes.”
“Are you going to shove something in my mouth if I do?” you ask.
“Huh?  Why would I do that?”
“Sometimes when adults say they have something for me, they tell me to close my eyes, then they shove something in and out of my mouth until something squi-“
“HEAVENS, NO!” Tino shouts in disgust, “I would never do that!”
“Why?” you ask, far too innocent to know what that was.
“Eh…” Tino tries to explain, sounding rather uncomfortable, “I’ll… tell you when you’re old enough to understand.”
“Okay.”
You close your eyes and wait.  You feel Tino spin you around a few times.
“Just keep your eyes shut,” Tino says.
You do as he says and just go along with it.
“Okay!” Tino says, “You can open them now!”
You open your eyes, finding that the scenery changed to the town park.  Even stranger than the question of how you got there so fast, was the sight that met your eyes.  There was a large red sleigh that had room for two people in it. In the back of it was a large white sack.  Attached to the reins of the sleigh were 9 reindeer; 8 of them were in pairs, and the ninth, which had a glowing red nose, lead them. Recognizing this from several books and shop windows, you realize who this Tino person was.
“That’s-that’s-that’s-” you try to speak, but you’re too shocked.
“A Reindeer Drawn Sleigh?” Tino asks, “I know it doesn’t look like much, but it’s a beauty!”
“But I thought…” you turn to Tino, “Are you… S-Santa Claus!?”
“That’s what people have come to call me,” he answers.
“But where’s your white beard?  And your fat belly?” you ask.
“Oh, that’s my grandfather you’re talking about!” Tino clarifies, “I took upon his job when he...”
You were able to tell what word he’d say next.
“Died?” you ask.
“Yeah,” Tino says.
“Wow…” you were still shocked, “Does this thing really fly?”
“Hop in and see for yourself!”
You run up to the sleigh and get inside, laying the quilt over your legs and placing your dog in your lap.  Tino gets in next to you and takes the reins, saying the phrase that several children have come to recognize over the years.
“Now Dasher!  Now Dancer!  Now Prancer!  Now Vixen!  On Comet!  On Cupid!  On Donner!  On Blitzen! ON RUDOLPH!”
With those words, the 9 reindeer begin to gallop, driving the sleigh forward.  After a few minutes picking up speed, you see the reindeer begin to raise from the ground, and feel the sleigh begin to lift itself from the earth.  Soon, you and Tino were in flight.  You were hardly able to contain your excitement.  You were flying with Santa in his sleigh!  Rudolph the dog was panting happily in your lap.  The world seemed so much smaller up in the air.  With Rudolph the reindeer lighting up the night and providing the sleigh with light, you flew.
“Let’s go, __________,” Tino says and you took off into the snowy night.
The two of you flew over several buildings and houses.  With each house you passed, the sack behind you opened, and the presents inside flew out, and carefully made their way down to the houses below, landing in each home safely.  The night air felt exhilarating.
Soon, the sack was empty, having delivered all the presents inside it.
“So that’s it?” you ask, “That’s all the presents?”
“Almost,” Tino says, “There’s still your gift!”
“What is it?” you ask.
“You’ll see when we get there!”
 You’re not sure what Tino had in mind, but you waited patiently in your seat.  Rudolph the dog looked up at you with curious eyes, wondering what was going on.  You simply look back down at him and shrug with a smile on your face.  Soon, you arrive in a large house.  It looked warm and safe, and you could smell a hint of baked goods in the air.  Tino steers the reindeer, and lands the sleigh safely on the ground.
“Here we are!” Tino says.
“Where are we?” you ask.
“My home,” he answers, as he gets out of the sleigh and releases the deer, letting them run off into the woods.
“So… why’d you bring me here?” you ask.
“Well… _________,” Tino says, “I want you to live with me.”
“Huh!?” you say in surprise.
“I know, it might feel sudden, but… I couldn’t bear to see you living in that ally behind that dumpster.  A girl as young as you shouldn’t live though what you have.  You should be in a nice house with a good family.  Your dog can stay here too, if you want!  You’ll be fed, have clothes… most of all you’ll have love.  This is my gift for you… do you accept it?”
Do you accept it?  Did he really have to ask you?  You felt tears of joy well up in your eyes, and your lips curl up into the widest smile you ever had.  You jump out of the sleigh and up to Tino, giving him a big hug.
“Thank you so much,” you cry happily, “This is the best gift I could ever have… I accept.”
Tino joyfully hugs you back, crying tears of joy as well.  You hadn’t felt so happy in your life.  You finally had a home.  After a little while, your hug ends, as Tino takes your hand.
“Let’s head inside,” he says, “Welcome home, _________.”
With that, Tino leads you and Rudolph inside your new home.