Dedicated to ADashOfInsanity, as a sort of ongoing Christmas present. :)

Day 1.

In which we give Marth sugar. A lot of sugar.

"Heeeelllloooooooo everybody!" A small blue streak skipped down the corridor, two rather worried-looking girls trailing quickly behind him.

"It's the first day of December!" the bluenette announced brightly to no one in particular. "You know what that means?"

"Er –"

"Twenty five, that's five and twenty, two-five whole days until Christmas!" he yelped gleefully, not waiting for a reply, and promptly bursting into song. "On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to meeee –"

"Marth, shhh!" Peach giggled.

"What is he on…?" Zelda muttered beside her, her tone a little more concerned. "Well at least he's in tune," she remarked dryly.

"- A partridge in a plum treeeeeeee…Oh wait, it's 'pear'! Silly me…" He took a deep breath and began again. "On the first day of Chr –"

"Marth, people are staring," Zelda warned in a hushed whisper.

He completely ignored her, continuing to sing. But then, suddenly, he stopped mid corridor and turned back towards her with a look of panic, one hand flying to the top of his head. "My tiara! Where did it go? It must have fallen off when I was skipping…"

"I've got it," Peach smiled reassuringly, returning the beloved item to its prince.

"Oh." He paused, took it, and carefully repositioned it over his hair. For a moment it looked like normality might resume. But with the tiara in place a wide grin once more spread over Marth's face.

"Thanks Peach!" He turned around and resumed skipping, reaching the end of the corridor and bursting into the classroom in time for registration. Zelda shot Peach a worried look, and they quickly hurried in after him.

"Such a brilliant day! The sun, it's just so gold for a December day, isn't it Peach? It's like the gold of a coin, like the yellow stripe of a bee, like the soft radiance of your hair – and it smells fresh – not your hair, though I am sure that does as well – but the air in here, it's like it's been cleaned with Fairy Liquid, mmm…"

"Marth!" Zelda hissed at him, trying to get his attention in the hope of persuading him to calm down. But he was already bounding across the classroom, towards the boys.

"Marth!" This time both Peach and Zelda's voices were raised with concern. Marth almost never talked to the boys, not unless he had to. They watched nervously as he approached Ike.

"Ike! Hello! Happy first of December!" And, beaming, Marth hugged him.

Both Zelda and Peach both froze, anxiously looking on as Marth flung his happy self at the older male. Ike looked equally stunned, staring at him without moving until Marth let go, at which point he continued to stare, looking slightly alarmed. Marth turned away from him, still beaming, and flounced back towards the girls.

"Marth, I think we need to talk." Zelda took a firm grip on his arm and pulled him quickly out of the classroom.

"Hey!" Marth protested. "Let me go!"

"Marth, what have you eaten or drunk this morning?" Zelda asked without preamble the moment the door was closed.

"Hmm? Why?"

"You're hyper!" Peach giggled.

"No I'm not." He pouted.

"Answer my question," Zelda persisted.

Marth frowned, thinking for a moment. "Syrup," he said decisively. "Syrup on toffee sponge, chocolate mousse, lemon meringue, a slice of Victoria sponge cake, a Bakewell tart…" He paused. "Two Danish pastries, and a frosted doughnut," he finished.

"Oh Marth." Peach giggled some more.

"Marth, why?" Zelda asked.

Marth blinked. "Oh, because I was talking to Kirby and he asked me if I had eaten the first chocolate from my Advent calendar yet. And I said no, because I've never had an Advent calendar, and he looked horrified and dragged me off to the kitchen to 'fix that'."

"I think he overdid it," Zelda commented unnecessarily.

"Marth?" Peach's voice was laced with concern and Zelda quickly looked back towards the sugar-filled male. Marth, though, instead of being hyper, was now rapidly paling, his eyes growing wide.

"I…I h– I…I hugged…I hugged…" he choked out, swaying backwards against the wall.

"You've only just registered it, haven't you?" Zelda murmured sympathetically.

"I hugged him. I hugged Ike. I…flung…myself at him." From being alarmingly pale he suddenly flushed bright red, suddenly overwhelmed with embarrassment. He slumped down against the wall and buried his head in his hands. Peach patted him on the head.

"Just breathe, Marth," Zelda advised. "Just breathe."