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Night 228:
Nick didn't show any other major improvements before Christmas, but Zoldrak wasn't disappointed—the changes he'd already shown were more than enough.
Tierza, meanwhile, seemed determined that Nick and Zoldrak would not be alone for Christmas. Knowing that Nick couldn't travel, she insisted that the family had to come to them.
They were concerned how Nick might react to a bunch of new people, so together they made a plan that if Nick seemed distressed, either Zoldrak or Tierza would take him into his room and try to calm him down.
When the day came, Tierza arrived first and helped Zoldrak with some of the last-minute preparations, and then Zoldrak's brother Pozkirk and his wife Rizala—Tierza's parents—showed up. “Hey, Zoldrak! Look, I haven't thanked you yet for talking some sense into me after Thanksgiving.” At those words, both Rizala and Tierza tensed up and carefully avoided looking at each other.
Zoldrak got a bad feeling about it, but he just smiled and patted Pozkirk. “No problem! You have an awesome daughter, little bro. I couldn't bear to see the two of you not getting along.”
He was soon distracted from the tension between his niece and his sister-in-law when his parents showed up. “Zoldrak!” His mother exclaimed, hurrying over to give him a hug. “Why aren't you wearing the sweater I sent?”
Zoldrak cringed, and his father rolled his eyes. “Because you always get the most ridiculous and gaudy-looking sweaters you can possibly find to send him every Christmas.” His father said drily, just as Nick moaned.
“Oh, there's my cue.” Zoldrak said, and fled.
He decided that instead of springing the surprise guests on a hungry Nick, he'd feed Nick some of his own blood as a special treat, so he changed Nick, cut himself and fed Nick, and then changed him again. He dressed Nick in one of his more modest onesies and led him out.
“All right, guys, try not to make too much noise.” Tierza reminded everyone just as he was returning. “He gets overwhelmed easily.”
When Nick saw all the people around the kitchen table, his eyes widened and he moaned. “It's OK, buddy.” Zoldrak said. “You've met these people before.”
“Hi, Nick.” Pozkirk said. “I'm Zoldrak's little brother, remember me?”
Nick glanced at him, then smiled briefly before looking uncertainly at the others. Taking their cues, each one introduced themselves one by one, and Nick gradually calmed down enough to join them at the table.
“So, does he understand what we're saying?” Zoldrak's mother asked.
“Not really.” Zoldrak said. “But he's better at telling apart voices than faces, so I think talking to him helped him figure out who you guys are.”
“Is he going to drink anything while we eat?” Rizala asked.
“No, I fed him already.” Zoldrak lifted his bandaged arm. “Besides, it's too much work. He can't really hold a cup steady, so I'd have to help him.”
Gradually, as the meal progressed, the awkwardness began to fade. Nick watched everything with a look of wary confusion, while the others shared their various updates and gossiped about the people they knew.
At one point, Zoldrak's mother leaned over to whisper in Tierza's ear, a mischievious smile on her face. Tierza nodded, then got up. “I think I'd better take Nick for a quick break.” She said, and led Nick out, with Zoldrak's mother following.
“OK, so what's that about?” Zoldrak asked after they'd left. “What are those two up to?” His father started to snicker, while Pozkirk and Rozala shrugged.
“You'll see, son.” Zoldrak's father said mysteriously.
When Tierza and his mother led Nick back, Zoldrak groaned. “Seriously?” He waved his hand at the sweater Nick was now wearing over his onesie.
“Well, if you don't appreciate my sweaters, I'll find someone else who will.” His mother said airily. Nick moaned and rubbed his sleeve against his face, frowning.
“Well, if you call that 'appreciating', I guess.” Zoldrak shook his head, chuckling.