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Winter was a time of year where things that typically weren’t possible were, filled with new activities. The colors around them were shifting from bright greens to vibrant yellows, oranges and reds, only to be covered by white. Dusting off much thicker and warmer clothes that were saved for this time of year, showing them off to everyone around them. This was clearly the most exciting time of year because of Christmas. Despite how cold the air surrounding them was, this season was the warmest of all, filled with showing appreciation and love for those surrounding you. It was the crew’s favorite time with their different reasons, some liking to receive gifts, others liking to give them, even some liked the festive and seasonal decorations and scents of food that surrounded them in town.
Every town they traveled through had their own traditions and ways of decorating that was different than the last. There was some different treat of the town’s specialty in the windows of the bakeries to offer that caused rumbly tummies merely from the sight. It all looked so good but the cruel reality of the situation was if they bought every thing that caught their attention, they would be broke and unable to even leave -- the true cruelty of winter besides the harsh cold that chilled the most of them to their very bones. Some shops were nice enough to let them sample but that certainly wasn’t hardly ever enough to sate Lyria’s hunger, her love for food and large appetite that were quite evident when merely shop browsing and having to essentially pry her away from actually indulging and caving into her massive hunger.
Overall the love for winter and the holidays in it were much evident around them, heightening their own spirits and love for this time of year. Even the crew was excited with their own growing plans, buzzing about with new suggestions and ideas of what they were all planning. They all had their eyes peeled as passing in town to find gifts for others, even one, to express their love and gratitude for those they cherished.
Tip toeing around hiding gifts and the realization dawning on them felt like a heftier burden on some than worth. Lyria was very much in the predicament. Her circumstances were especially unique considering the person she wanted to give gifts to the most was Djeeta, which… they couldn’t be apart too far considering they were connected. It was all too frustrating! But she wouldn’t let that stop her! She had to make sure to sneak around all sneakily, whispering in Katalina’s ear on what she wanted to get her and her ideas, trying to make it all work. The part of Christmas was the gifts and what was stored in them, seeing the pure joy and surprise at what’s hidden in such a box in such bright wrapping paper and a big bow! And to have it sit there for days on end until the moment of truth!
Nothing truly was better than seeing their expressions as they’re tearing through the paper to see a gift specifically picked for them -- it was theirs and the person put a lot of thought behind the gift, carefully selecting it for them. That’s what Lyria thought and it needed to be absolutely perfect for her! She simply couldn’t rest until she found the perfect gift to brighten their crew leader’s face -- her most dear friend.
She needed to mask her excitement, which was *much* easier said than done! Whenever she saw something she wanted to get her, the pure excitement surfacing on her features with a struggle to keep them down. Her eyeing Djeeta hard didn’t help either with the furrow of her eyebrows, hoping to the dear Primals, that she wouldn’t catch onto her plans! Curses with her expressions easily falling onto her features… She hated having to sneak around but it was for the best! Shopping for people like Katalina and everybody else in their crew would be much easier but she wasn’t connected to them!
And that’s what she did to the best of her abilities! The crew helped keep her distracted, bought the gifts in her stead and did everything to make sure she didn’t see what Lyria picked out specifically for her or anyone else really! Her love for the crew only grew with the season being so infectious and lovely, too. She couldn’t wait until she could wrap everything and see the looks on their faces when seeing what was waiting instead of the pretty wrapped boxes! Even if her wrapping wasn’t the pretty like Katalina managed to do… It was from the heart! They were rather lumpy and had much air in them, Lyria struggling to soothe them down ended up with plenty of papercuts and tape in her long blue locks with tears of pure worry falling down her face at such a late hour -- unsure truly of the time, knowing most were fast asleep, having to be quiet. Even her handwriting on the tags were rather shaky and hard to read, it all being so embarrassing to her. Pushing her anxieties away, she knew they would all love it! Why wouldn’t they? She picked all their gifts from her very heart, giving them all something she thought they would love. She even placed crayon doodles into each and every gift!
And when it was the day, she couldn’t even hide her anticipation. Before, it was agonizing pain to even not say anything! Her impulse whenever she greeted them was to blurt out their gifts and what she got them but instead she just simply smiled and busied herself with other things. She couldn’t let her big stupid mouth mess things up so she simply did other things, running away with giggles, hand pressed to her mouth to maintain the secrets she stored inside! But now she could actually release them. She had to hold back her remarks about knowing what was inside of her loppy gifts.
“Lyria, did you get this one?” Katalina with her gift in hand smiled at her warmly, waiting for a response with patience and kindness radiating off her as it always did. It’s one of the many qualities she adored about her, admiring her in every way possible. There was many things she loved about her and deeply appreciated, wanting her gifts to convey that love. She didn’t too highly of her gifts, her eyes focused on her, waiting for her expression that she almost forgot to even answer.
“Oh…! Yes!” Her hands were lightly gripping the hems of her dress, leaning forward with anticipation. Her cheeks were dusted with pink as she sat there waiting to hear the tearing of paper ring through her ears.
“It’s so cutely wrapped! There’s even a big bow,” She pats the bow only to see it spring back up to its original form as if untouched. She momentarily locks eyes with Lyria as she talks, her smile and expression only softening with warmth and true gratitude.
She hadn’t even opened it yet! Even so, her words rang through her ears then through her heart with sheer happiness, it transferring to her features with her own brilliant grin stretching across her features. “T-Thank you! I did my best to wrap it even if it’s not that great ehe…” A nervous chuckle as her gaze dropping to the floor, her knuckles whitening to a shade darker than her dress.
She didn’t anticipate the reassuring squeeze on her shoulder from Katalina to be greeted with unwavering kindness. “It’s absolutely lovely! I almost don’t want to open it because it’s already so cute.”
The exclamation got a nudge from Lyria, a pout as she glances between her and the gift. “Nooo, you have to open it! I picked it out just for you! You have to open it, Katalina!”
She lets out a chuckle as she starts opening the gift as Lyria remains in awe, her eyes switching between watching Katalina’s expression and the progress with opening the gift. When finally removed from the box, she pulls out a small fuzzy pink bunny with clumpy fur and big beady eyes. When Lyria first saw it, she thought it was the most adorable thing she ever laid eyes on! She remembers Vyrn chiming in about how it wasn’t as cute as he was. It was perfect for her! She was almost jealous she couldn’t keep the bunny for herself but this was the season for giving.
Katalina’s face immediately brightened with delight as she processed what she was holding in her hands. It was so small and almost delicate as she held it in the palms of her hands before giving it a firm hug, grinning brightly as she did. She pulls away to look at Lyria properly before gently pulling her into a light embrace of gratitude. “Thank you so much, Lyria! It’s absolutely adorable!” She was grinning ear to ear at her! Because of her gift! She could swear there was tears stinging the corners of her eyes from pure joy and relief! She knew she would love it! Yet there was a small part of her thought there would be rejection or something… Before shoving the silly thoughts away! She loves it and that’s all that matters! She could stay in her warm embrace, always feeling so safe and comfortable there ever since the very beginning when they met.
Gift wrapping flew everywhere as they continued opening up their colorful gifts as the amounts continued to diminish down until there was no more for the very large crew! The air surrounding them on the Grancypher was something of pure happiness, giggles and smiles to match as they sported off their new gifts and thanking and showing appreciation for those around them. The crew was truly happy, basking in the upcoming new year and the very warm winter holiday, certainly feeling the spirit with their big family.