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*bang bang bang bang*
“Hold on, hold on, I’m comin’!”
Keeper opened the door to their hut to see Buck bouncing in place with Certainty standing behind them looking very amused.
“Well come in then if yer jus’ gonna stand there!”
“Thank you, Keeper.”
“Ya, ya.” Keeper replied, waving a claw dismissively. Their friends have been much more excited for this they have, this holiday hasn’t been the same for them since their father passed; but! They were not going to let their personal problems ruin Buck’s first Crystalmas!
“I jus’ need ta grab a few things then we can go.”
“It’s no problem, my friend.”
Keeper nodded, gathering up their wicker basket and geo pouch before digging out their cloak. They didn’t wear it often, but if they were going to the surface they didn’t want the snow to damage their wings.
“Alright, let’s go.”
Certainty had never celebrated Crystalmas, but he was quite interested in learning how this holiday was celebrated in Hallownest.
Keeper had promised to teach them, though had admitted that this was their first Crystalmas in a while.
Apparently the infection had cast some kind of stasis on the kingdom and it stopped having seasons long ago. Really it seemed Little Ghost had fixed much more than they first thought by getting rid of the infection.
He’s quite touched that Keeper invited him to spend the holidays with the two of them. While he knows how important he is to them - both of them - from what he understands there is a difference between celebrating this holiday with someone and spending it with someone. That difference being: family.
To know that Keeper and Buck consider him as such is a knowledge that he will treasure for the rest of his days. This he swears.
Buck was close to bouncing off the walls they were so excited, they had spent all of last night going over their plans for today:
First, they would meet up with Greenpath Friend and Music Friend and head to Dirtmouth. They would then spend some time there with their siblings and friends, while Greenpath Friend got the ‘supplies’.
Greenpath Friend wouldn’t explain what those were (they said it was a surprise, Buck used to hate surprises, but now they find them exciting!), but after they got them they would have lunch with Buck’s siblings before going back to Greenpath Friend’s home to ‘decorate’.
They would have dinner there and then Greenpath Friend said they would have a sleepover! The three of them! And they said that the next morning they would spend time together too, giving presents in there cozy home!
This was going to be great! Buck just knew it!
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot, this is for you, Buck.”
Keeper pulls out a small red cone-shaped hat with fluffy moss on the rim and a large bell on the end and pulls it over Buck’s smaller pair of horns.
“And you, nerd.”
Keeper plucks the fern out of Certainty’s hat and replaces it with a pink crystal carved to be thin with branches.
It had been a long time since Keeper had carved crystals, the last time had been with their father, when he had decided that they were old enough to have a crystal-kit of their own. They had been so excited to officially participate in the holidays for themselves...
.... that had been the last Crystalmas they celebrated..
It didn’t matter, they had mostly come to terms with the thought of their father with the infection gone, a little bitter nostalgia wasn’t going to hurt them.
Time to get this show on the road, huh?
Buck had bounced all the way to Dirtmouth, climbing out of the well they get their first look at the town since the turn of the season.
The whole town was covered in crystals!
But not like Crystal Peak. Though the crystals clearly came from there, they were carved into all different shapes and sizes! Plants like roots and ferns, animals like elder baldur and tiktiks (and a particularly accurate brooding mawlek that appeared to be damaged), with small spheres of crystal hanging from houses and street lamps. The gentle glow from the crystals reflecting off the sparkling snow and dyeing it a soft pink. It looked like some kind of magical forest!
“My word.”
“Huh, wha’ da ya know; it seems everyone’s in the spirit of the holidays.”
Looking out at the beautiful town, Buck catches sight of Ghost and Hollow sculpting things out of snow. Not wasting another moment they race over to join them.
Hollow startles at their sudden appearance and Ghost waves cheerfully, they appear to be making a snow-Hornet. A fine project if Buck does say so themselves. They give Hollow a little cuddle for comfort (it has always helped them when they were anxious) and get to work sculpting Hornet’s needle.
“It would seem Buck has the right idea.”
“Ya...”
Certainty watches his friend carefully, they are clearly troubled though he doubts they want to talk about it. However, he knows they need to, it will do them no good to keep it all bottled up inside. He won’t push for now though, he’ll give them a chance to come to him on there own first.
“Well then, since Buck is perfectly settled, why don’t we head over to Sir Sly’s, hm?”
“Ya...”
Not even the usual comment on the address, troubling.
“Ah, I had wondered when you would show up, brat. It is nice to see you in good health as well, brewer.”
“Good morning, Sir Sly. Keeper has volunteered to educate myself and Buck on this ‘Crystalmas’.” Certainty chirps, the joyful air about the town is clearly contagious.
Keeper was going to content themselves with allowing those two their pleasantries but-
“Teach? Keeper? Hah! Hahahaha! Oh this should be entertaining. Have they explained the holiday yet? If not I want to be there when they do.” The little fucker was cackling.
“I can teach!”
“Uh-huh, sure brat, we all know that the reason the kid can’t weave isn’t completely because of their claws.”
“Whatever, they just have to watch me do it ya?”
“And you’re not going to explain anything? Why we celebrate it? What it means?”
“... i dnn kn wh..”
“What was that?”
“I said...”
“Yes?”
“I... I donno why..”
By the Beast of Blood this was humiliating. It’s not their fault no one explained it to them! Their father had died before he could and everyone else assumed they knew! By the time they realized they couldn’t figure it out on their own it was too late to ask!
“*sigh* alright, where’s the kid?”
“Just outside with their siblings, why?” Certainty asked though the look in his eye was knowing, he clearly saw where this was going and was all for listening to a historical tale.
“Come on then.”
Buck had just finished packing in the snow around the snow-needle that Hollow was holding to the snow-Hornet’s back to make it stick when Music Friend and Greenpath Friend came over with the Geo Bug.
“Alright listen, I’m going be giving you a brief explanation of Crystalmas.”
Buck and their siblings perked up. Buck had thought Greenpath Friend was going to do that, but they seemed to be paying just as much attention as the rest of them.
“Now, a long time ago there were two bugs, both had lost everything, their homes, their families, their friends, but they had each other, and their faiths. One to the Green Mother Unn, and one to the Beast of Lifeblood.
These two bugs had come to see each other as family members and very much wanted to spend holidays together, the trouble being, that with only their faiths left to guide them, they did not want to risk the possibility of offending their respective gods by participating in another religion’s festivities.
Distraught, the follower of Lifeblood went to contemplate their situation up in Crystal Peak. There, he watched crystal’s glow bounce off the snow and listened to their songs, it was soothing, and he was struck with an idea.
If they could not celebrate each other’s holidays, then would make their own, with family and community as the focus. It was soon that those around them at the time joined them in their festivities, adding their own ideas for ways they could celebrate the joys of relation. And so; Crystalmas was born, a holiday to enjoy with everyone from all walks of life.”
Buck... didn’t really get it, but it was great that there was something that everyone could enjoy! No need to hold back in fear of hurting someone’s feelings! Maybe they do get it a little bit, festivals are fun but not if they make someone else feel confused or left out! Even if those people are gods!
“As for the festivities themselves, bugs usually celebrate Crystalmas by taking a large crystal from Crystal Peak to their homes and carving it to look like a root, they then use the remaining crystals to carve statuettes - typically of animals or plants - and decorate their homes with them. They will also have large feasts with families and friends, and on Crystalmas day they exchange presents of appreciation with their families.”
Now that sounds like fun! They’ll have to find the perfect gifts for their family! Nothing but the best will do!
“Thank you, Sir Sly, that was very informative.”
“My pleasure.”
Oh yeah, he says that now. It’s a just coincidence that he seemed so happy to do it now that he was being handed 600 geo for his troubles. Obviously. (Keeper calls gruzshit).
“So, what’re your plans fer the holidays then?”
“Well, if you can believe it, I actually managed to convince the boys to visit.”
“Even Oro? How’d ya manage that?”
“I told him that if he didn’t come he would be depriving his student of time with their siblings.”
“Ah- guilt-tripping, gotcha. And the other two?”
“Sheo’s lover did most the convincing for me, and I really only had to tell Mato that the other two would be there.”
While Keeper bantered with Sir Sly, Certainty watched them carefully.
He was having second thoughts about waiting to confront them. Knowing his friend as well as he did, he wasn’t sure they would come to him.
No. While they would occasionally come to him for advice and never passed up a chance to vent their frustrations, this matter seemed to be something personal and likely painful. His friend had a habit of repression when it came to such matters.
“Well, we’re gonna go get a crystal, I got Certainty to help me so goin’ to the Peak shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Yes, I will help in anyway I can.”
“I jus’ need ya ta watch my back... literally.”
“Ah- yes, of course.”
“Right, well then, good luck you two.”
“Later, old man.”
“Until next time, Sir Sly.”
The vessels were very purposefully doing something they weren’t meant to; thinking, and they were thinking hard.
What could they do for presents? Simply buying or finding something didn’t feel right, making something felt more appropriate, but what to make?
As they sat there racking their minds, Hollow glanced back at the town. It really was beautifully done, the pink glow of the town was a very comfortable hue, and the crystals almost looked like pink ice sculptures... that’s it!
Hollow tapped Buck who was closest and tried to get Ghost’s attention, before going up to a crystal carved to look like a mosscreep and lightly tapping it.
They could carve personalized crystals for their loved ones!
Buck and Ghost looked at each other before nodding, it was a good idea. The three of them agreed to wait until Kin arrived and then the four of them would head to the Peak for crystals... after they got Hornet’s permission of course.
Certainty and Keeper rode the lift in silence before stepping foot into Crystal Peak.
“Alright, so we wan’ one that will seem large from the perspective of my living room, remember that. We’re not just lookin’ for the biggest we can find.”
“Of course...”
“Somethin’ wrong?”
Keeper doesn’t look back as they ask, already absorbed in the task of finding the perfect crystal.
“Not per say.. it’s just that I can’t help but notice you’ve seemed a bit.. distant as of late, my friend.”
“Distant?”
Keeper looks over a large crystal before taking a metal rod of some sort out of their basket and tapping it on the gem.
A resonating tone rings out from the crystal and the rod vibrates. Keeper listens for a moment before shaking their head and murmuring “to weak”.
Certainty shuffles a little, looking around at the crystals but not really taking any of them in. This is why he hates having coax sensitive topics out of Keeper, he has to be cautious.
With Buck he can advise and comfort them with no issues, and normally Keeper isn’t much different. However, Keeper has a dangerous temper and a tendency to get defensively angry with sensitive issues unless they’re the one coming to him for assistance.
“Yes, and forgive me if I’m over stepping, but I cannot help but notice this distance began around the time the topic of the holidays came up.”
Keeper stops in front of a large crystal about a head and neck (theirs of course) taller than them with their divining rod in claw.
“... yah and?”
Though their face reflects in the crystal he can’t read their expression through their mask, but he can hear from the tone in their voice that they’re glaring at him suspiciously.
“I just want you to know, that should you need to get something off your thorax I am willing to listen.”
They don’t answer for a moment, going back to their task of checking over the crystal for cracks and structural damages.
“*sigh* look nerd, I’m fine, I don’t want to talk about it.”
Certainty knows he should drop it, he really, really should, but he can practically see the heavy weight on his friend’s shoulders. He knows this is a problem of his, that he prys and prys and can’t seem to mind his own business, but he just can’t let it go! He can help!
“There is no need to shoulder a burden alone, my friend. You know that Buck and I will always support you in any way that you need.”
“I don’t need you to shoulder anything, nerd.”
“I just know that you tend to bottle things up unnecessarily, Keeper, and it’s not healthy.”
“Hypocrite.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh you heard me! Like you don’t keep your worries private, heck you might be worse! You keep things to yourself even when it might be dangerous to do it!”
“I.. l just believe I tend to overreact sometimes and others shouldn’t have to worry over unlikely scenarios.”
“Uh-huh sure.”
“Well would you rather I cause a panic every time I over think a situation?”
“No, I just think that ought ta be more open yourself before you go prying into other’s business.”
“I just worry for you!”
“Well I didn’t ask you to!”
“You didn’t have to, I’m your friend!”
“Are you?! Cause I thought friends trusted each other more than this!”
“Well so did I!”
A loud gong rings out from the crystal as Keeper struck it with their divining rod, seeming to solidify the tension as the room vibrates with it.
Keeper has turned to look him in the eye and they glare at each other in silence for a moment.
Then a muttered “this one.” through tense mandibles and they begin delicately harvesting the crystal. The air is tense as they work in silence, they transfer the crystal into a mine cart and bring it back to the lift.
The ride down is just as silent as the ride up was.
“Alright kid, this is where I leave you, I’ll come get you tomorrow.”
Buck and their siblings watched as Kin said goodbye to their teacher. Buck didn’t really understand Oro, Ghost told them that he’s mean to be nice like Tiso, but that comparison didn’t really help because they were still so different.
Music Friend tried to explain why that was to them but they didn’t really get it, something about how bugs hide ‘vol-na-billies’ in different ways for different reasons and they kinda blanked when he started using even bigger words they didn’t know. They tried asking Greenpath Friend, but they just called him a ‘soon-dare-ae’ and then wouldn’t tell them what it meant.
Bowing to their master, Kin bid him goodbye and wandered over to them. It took the three of them working together and a lot of charades, but they managed to fill Kin in on what they missed. They agreed it was a good idea and the four of them went to find Hornet.
They found her.. seeming to be sneaking out of her own room? She jumped when she saw them and quickly turned back to make sure her door was closed.
“How long have you been standing there?”
The vessels merely looked between each other.
“Nevermind, did you need something?”
Hollow held up the mosscreep crystal and Ghost mimed carving it.
“Ah, you want to get some crystals for carving? Alright, just let me get my kit, I’ll teach you how to harvest them.”
Buck and Ghost raced back outside with Hollow and Kin following at a more calm pace. Hornet turned back into her room, the cloaks she was weaving still on her bed.
“Really, how am supposed to finish their presents when they have no sense of privacy?” She grumbled.
Keeper made no effort at hiding their fury, stomping out of the lift dragging the mine cart behind them. Certainty on the other claw, followed at a sedate pace, a grim expression and tense silence heralding his anger.
As Keeper made their way to the stag station, their anger momentarily stilled at the sight of Buck, and they took a calming breath.
“Buck.”
Buck looked up from where they were waiting for Hornet.
“I’m heading back now, I’ll see you at dinner, ya?”
Buck hesitated before nodding slowly, clearly sensing that something was off but not certain if they should call on it.
Keeper nodded back before heading for the station, looking back just in time to see Certainty talking to Buck before he headed for the well.
Whatever. They didn’t care what he was doing.
Ducking into the station, they carefully maneuver the crystal through the doorway and onto the elevator. The rickety old thing groaned and rattled the whole way down, clearly unused to the weight.
Smacking the station bell with one of their claws, they dig through their basket for the cargo harness they brought while listening to the stag thunder up to the platform.
They hadn’t been sure if he would have one anymore so they took the liberty of bringing their own.
“The Crossroads please, and I have some fragile cargo if you will?” They ask while holding up the harness.
“Of course, it’s been so long since I last ferried goods but I promise I am still just as careful.”
“Thanks.”
It was a little difficult strapping the cart to his back by themselves (Certainty was originally supposed to help them) but the old stag assisted as best he could by kneeling down and staying as still as possible. Assessing the straps, they were good to go.
“Alright, you’re good.”
“Then hop on.”
“Hello Buck, how are things going?”
Certainty will be damned if he lets this new tension between him and Keeper affect poor Buck. They don’t need to deal with the drama.
Buck turns to the nearest crystal and mimes carving it before gesturing to the Peak and themselves, then miming a needle.
“Ah, your sister is taking you crystal harvesting? Well, good luck. It seems the actual act of harvesting is quite simple, it’s the choosing that proves a challenge.”
Buck nods in understanding before leaning back on the bench to wait for their siblings.
Certainty glances at Keeper in front of the station from his peripherals.
“Well, I’ll be off then. I’ll see you later, my friend.”
Buck nods and waves.
He turns, making for the well and hops down it, headed for the tram that will take him to the resting grounds.
The Crossroads have long since returned to their cool, calming atmosphere though with less aggressive wildlife. Well, perhaps that is inaccurate; the vengeflies have returned to their tiny form (as had everything the infection physically altered) and they were no longer infected, but they were just as aggressive as ever, swooping in on anything that moved fast enough to be considered prey in their mind.
This was the case for all non-sapient wildlife. It appeared that unless they contained enough infection to mutate or had a sense of self; the infection did not actually effect them adversely, it merely took them as a host, much like how mortal diseases took animals as hosts to spread to sapient bugs (though this was pointless as the infection did not spread through common means).
In the end this was a good thing, though the civilians could not be saved once infected- their minds too shattered to function, no husks of any self-aware bugs remained after the infection was obliterated- the animal population survived, saving the still living carnivorous bugs from starving or resorting to.. *ahem* “desperate measures”.
Glancing down the corridor, he takes note that the aspid mothers that nest here appear to be sleeping, perfect. He quietly leaps down to the tramway and slips inside, absentmindedly hitting the button for the resting grounds and making himself comfortable in one of the plush seats.
Miss Hornet and Little Ghost went around to all the trams a few moons ago and used the King’s Brand to disable the mechanisms in them that made a tram pass required to use them, making them available for all who still lived in the kingdom. A relief for bugs who had reason to avoid the stagway... like him now.
He was just trying to help! Is that so wrong?
The tram comes to a stop. Perhaps he will feel better after a cup of tea with Lemm.
By the time Hornet comes to the bench where they and their siblings were waiting, Buck was bouncing in their seat, unable to keep still in their excitement.
“Alright, let’s go. The lift won’t hold all of us so Hollow and I will go first and then you three.”
They all nod and head for the lift, Buck bouncing the whole way while Ghost sprinted ahead. Hollow bringing up the rear while Kin keeps an eye on their bouncing sibling. Hornet takes a moment to wonder how anyone could have thought they were mindless;
She believes the reason was because they had only seen Hollow. With nothing to compare them to, she supposed that their shyness would have come off as stoicism. Although they were a very curious bug, they were often too shy to ask questions, and they didn’t tend to question directions from bugs they trusted. With father having no experience to read them, she supposed it made some kind of sense.
Kin might have gone under the radar for awhile... until they got angry. Kin had quite the short fuse and could be quite animated when pushed. A single conversation with them would have outed them as well (the amount of sass that could be stored in such a small body), but she doubts anyone would have talked to them or understood sign. Nailmaster Oro had apparently taught them and they and Hornet were doing their best to teach their siblings.
Ghost would have lasted all of five minutes before one of their antics tipped someone off. Ghost’s sense of maturity seemed to come and go as it pleased, they could take things seriously- they had proven that- but that only lasted as long as the situation was dire and there was nothing more interesting to engage with.
Buck would not have lasted a second- though for different reasons. It’s not that someone would have realized they weren’t hollow, it’s that they would have bolted the moment they could, especially back then. Hiding away as fast and efficiently as they could, their anxiety telling them that every glance from another bug was a threat. She was glad that they were managing it well now, she doesn’t think she could make herself less intimidating for them anyway.
“Alright listen, this-“ she pulls out a two pronged metal stick from her kit “is a divining rod. When you hit it against a crystal- gently-“ she looked sternly at Ghost “a sound will resonate from it. The tone of the sound will tell you how sturdy the crystal is. If the crystal you have chosen is too brittle, your attempts at craving it will only shatter it. The higher pitched noise the rod makes- the more brittle the crystal, so you want one with as deep a tone as possible, got it?”
The vessels nod, listening attentively.
“Good, you’ll also want to make sure the crystal you’ve chosen has no cracks or internal breaks, those will lead to shattering as well.
Smaller carvings are made from the refuse of large centerpiece crystals, so will we find a large crystal to use as a centerpiece in the living room, then I will show you how to harvest it. Here, I brought extras for you to use.”
Hornet hands out a divining rod to each vessel and they all spread out to start checking crystals.
Kin looks around at the crystals. Centerpiece for the living room, huh? Well then; they approach Hollow and begin dragging them around for a size comparison.
Ghost- *shatter*
“I said gently!”
Well, at least they’re having fun...
Buck is completely engrossed in the sounds the crystals make, tapping crystals of all sizes, shapes, and durability, they sound so pretty! Almost like their bells but not quite. They start collecting different kinds together and tapping them in succession to make music, seeming to have completely forgotten their original objective.
That’s fine though, while they’re doing that and Hornet is trying to corral Ghost; Kin has found a crystal that seems the perfect size (Hollow is not sure their hunched form is a good comparison to judge from, but Kin seems confident so they go with it).
The two siblings quickly check for cracks or breaks (of which they find none), before gently tapping the crystal with the divining rod.
*gong*
The deep sound grabs the attention of their other siblings.
“Ah, good, you found one.” Hornet sounds a little tired from supervising and entirely grateful for the excuse to stop.
“Ok, now to harvest it; watch carefully.”
Hornet retrieves a shovel from the kit, revealing why it was the size of a nail.
“First, you need to find out how deep it goes.”
Hornet begins to dig out one side of the crystal.
“Oh, huh...”
Only to find it doesn’t go any deeper than 3 inches into the ground.
“How has this thing not fallen over yet?” She whispers to herself.
“Well, lucky us I suppose! When the crystal is this shallow it’s a simple matter of just digging it up. Hollow, you grab a mine cart for us to bring it back in, Kin, you and Ghost hold it steady, Buck you help me dig it out, alright?”
The vessels nod and get to work.
Keeper steps back from the crystal they’ve set up in their living room. They were right about it being a good fit, it was short enough to just miss the ceiling and it’s width was perfect to just reach the fire pit when placed in the corner of the room.
Retrieving their carving kit, they open it intending to get out their chisel...
... in the corner of the case, they see a small crystal carved to look like two maskflies sitting together; one that is clearly a hatchling sitting in front of their parent, looking up at it. The other with their wings wrapped around the hatchling, nuzzling it with it’s beak... the last carving their father made for them, they thought they had lost it.
They can’t help it, gently lifting the crystal in their claws and holding it to their thorax, they begin to cry. The memories this holiday brings are just too much, and with their fight with Certainty their emotions are running high. They know their defensiveness was unwarranted, the things they said uncalled for, but they can’t help it.
They are so used to bugs mocking their pains that even when the one probing is trustworthy, experience takes over and they lash out. They’ll have to apologize, ugh, they’re not good at that. Not with serious, meaningful ones anyway. They’ll try though, their friend is worth it, and- glancing down at the carving in their arms- they know just the way to do it.
“Here you are.”
“Thank you, Quirrel.”
Certainty had honestly forgotten that Quirrel likes to spend most of his time away from the archives with the relic seeker. Really, it’s no surprise they get along so well; Quirrel’s cheerful, curious demeanor seems immune to Lemm’s cynicism and awkwardness.
Not that he’s complaining! Quirrel is good company and is always up for joining them for tea, he has quite a few traveling stories of his own and is plenty interested in history himself.
“Are you alright, Certainty? You seem quite distracted.” The irony...
“I admit I am not well, I had a.. disagreement with Keeper.”
“Oh no, whatever for?”
“It was partly my fault, I should not have pried, but they had seemed so stressed I could not help but worry. In the end they did not tell me what was bothering them- they had diverted the topic back onto my habits and away from them, it spiraled from there.”
“Oh dear, are you alright?”
“I’m fine, I don’t think I was ever truly angry- though perhaps a little hurt, I knew the likelihood of them lashing out, I felt the threshold, but I pushed anyway. *sigh* I’ll have to make it up to them somehow.”
“Well you know, a little while back I found this text that struck me as something Keeper might be interested in, and it is Crystalmas, now where was it?-“ Quirrel begins rifling through a bookstand of old wanderers journals and scrolls “Lemm?! Did you see where I put that weaver’s journal?!”
“What?!” Lemm called from the kitchen.
“THE WEAVER’S JOURNAL! THE ONE I SAID WOULD HAVE BEEN BANNED IF THE KING WAS STILL AROUND!”
“I PUT IT IN THE BOTTOM DRAWER OF THE DESK!”
“THANK YOU!”
Quirrel turns to the desk and opens the bottom drawer, pulling out a weaver silk scroll.
“Here you are.”
Certainty takes the scroll and opens it to give it a once over; this, now this is something Keeper would truly appreciate... but first-
“You keep some of your things here now?”
Certainty asks, perhaps a little slyly. It’s worth it to see Quirrel’s flustered stuttering.
Hollow and Kin help Hornet set the crystal in the adjustable stand while Ghost and Buck explored her crystal kit. It had some neat stuff and Buck didn’t know what any of it was for, but it looked cool.
“Okay, let me make the first breaks and then you can have your crystals.”
Hornet takes a chisel from the case and starts carving branches out of the crystal. The vessels grab some of the larger pieces that fall off and a chisel each.
Buck looks at their crystals and thinks on what to carve. They can’t do anything too fancy (they’ve never done this before after all), but they want it to be clear who it’s meant for! Hmm...
*gasp* they’ve got it!
Certainty steps up to Keeper’s hut and knocks. The door opens Keeper looks like they can’t decide if they’re surprised to see him.
“Hi.”
“Hi...”
Certainty lets the silence sit for a moment before starting;
“I’m sorry I backed you into a corner like that. I knew you didn’t want to talk about it and that I was overstepping boundaries, but I pushed anyway and I shouldn’t have. I admit I have issues with that and maybe that does make me a bit of a hypocrite, however I am trying to do better. If you could perhaps help me with that by pointing out when I’m indulging bad habits I would appreciate it.”
Keeper looks at him blankly before sighing.
“And there you go with yer fancy apologies, that make the one I been workin’ on look pathetic... not that it would have seemed like much anyway...”
Certainty doesn’t say anything to that, he doesn’t think he’s supposed to.
“... Look, I’m sorry, ok? I was bein’ a bitch ‘cause I forgot you’re not an asshole, alright?”
He can’t help but smile, it’s a terrible apology- the worst he’s ever heard really- but it’s so them that he’s just relieved everything is back to normal.
“Do you still need help setting up... my friend?”
Keeper huffs a quiet laugh.
“Get in here, nerd.”
Crystalmas morning comes as those who celebrate it will tell you it’s meant to: quietly and warmly, with the bugs above ground bathed in the sparkle of the sun off the snow and crystal ornaments, and the bugs below ground swathed in cozy darkness broken by gentle glows from the Peak’s seasonal visitors.
Buck is first to wake in the communal nest they and their friends set up in Greenpath Friend’s room, and they are tucked between them- curled into Greenpath Friend’s neck, with Music Friend’s arm over them, and one of Greenpath Friend’s wings blanketing all three of them. It’s nice, but...
They gently move Greenpath Friend’s wing safely behind their back... before leaping up and jumping on their friends to wake them! It’s Crystalmas after all! No time for sleep!
“Oof, Buck, come oooon..” Greenpath Friend is grouchy but they’ll just have to deal with it!
“Mmmgh, my friend, please, I don’t know what hour it is but I’m sure it’s ridiculous.”
“Holy fuck, how are you talking so good at stupid o’clock, my god.”
“Language.”
“Hallien.”
Buck giggles, even this early and barely awake their friends love to bicker.
“Alright, alright, we’re getting up.”
Music Friend declares, rising from the nest.
“No we’re not.” Greenpath Friend smacks them both back down with a wing.
“Oof, oh come now, Keeper. Didn’t you say Crystalmas is best experienced in the early morning hours?”
“Fuck, did I say that? I must have been drunk.”
“You didn’t drink last night.”
“Really? I should have.”
“Keeper.”
“Ok, ok, I’m up.”
Greenpath Friend finally concedes and Buck dashes ahead to the living room.
“Breakfast first, squit.”
Buck stops, turning to give Greenpath Friend their best grub-eyes.
They snort, “yes, we can eat in the living room.”
They cheer and go make themselves a comfortable spot with blankets and cushions.
Music Friend moves a large table-rock into the center of the room goes into the kitchen for some dishes and silverware, they can hear the kettle going. He returns with the dishes and the tea pot on a shellwood tray and starts pouring the tea.
Greenpath Friend comes in with a tray holding some maskfly eggs, honey-glazed strips of crawlid meat, and some mushroom salad (made with cooked mushrooms and crunchy leaves!).
They put it on the table next to the tea and plates and start serving themselves some eggs.
“Ok, Buck‘s probably not going to be able to wait anymore so let’s let them go first.”
“Agreed.”
Buck hops over to the “root” and pulls out the two presents with their name on them.
They open the one that says it’s from Music Friend first. The box is small, about the size of a.. oh! They open open the box to find they were right! A journal! But, it’s empty?
“A potions journal of your own, my friend. So you may write down your own ideas and experiments.”
A journal.. for them to write in? They look back and forth between the blank stone slab and their friend, before throwing their tiny arms around the scholarly cricket.
He chuckles “I’m glad you like it, Buck.”
“Mine next! Mine next!” Greenpath Friend urges, picking it up and holding it out to them. By their bouncing they assume it’s not fragile, though they note it doesn’t make any noise.
They take the box and open it carefully, to see beautiful silvery silk. They pull it out to find it’s a scarf! Very cozy and soft.
They love it! And they wrap their friend in a hug to show them.
“Alright, Certainty next.” They say through their giggles.
“Oh?”
“Yeah, we’ll go by age.”
“Buck is older than me.”
“Maturity.”
“...”
“What? Why are you looking at me like that?”
Music Friend just shakes his head while Buck giggles, putting their scarf and journal in the little nest of pillows they’ve made in front of the couch.
Buck decides to take control of the gift-giving however, and takes the presents they made for their friends and hands them both out.
“Oh!”
“Alright, squit, alright.”
Music Friend opens his first to find.. it’s a bell, kind of lumpy and misshapen, but a bell all the same. Like the first gift he ever gave them. He looks a little choked up.
“Buck... come here.”
They wander over and get swept up in a hug.
“It’s lovely, my friend.”
Greenpath Friend watches them with soft eyes that are so rarely seen without their mask, before opening their own gift.
“Aww, Buck!”
It’s clearly meant to be a lifeflower, an understandable choice given their easy shape, what is not obvious but the halfling picks up on anyway; is that Buck tried to carve the flower’s wing-like petals to look like their friend’s wings, with semi-success.
“Come’ere scaredy-squit!”
And Buck let’s themselves be pulled into another hug.
“*ahem* this, is for you, Keeper.”
Greenpath Friend looks up at Music Friend’s gift.
“Thanks, um, this one’s for you.”
And they reciprocate.
Buck leans over Music Friend as he opens his gift.
“Are these...?”
“Yep, I don’t know if it makes a difference or if they’ll just look fancier than your others but; crystal vials.”
“They do, make a difference that is. The minerals in the crystals would effect whatever I put in them.”
“Oh, well, good then...”
Greenpath Friend changes the subject by opening their own gift.
They pull a weaver silk scroll out of the box and open it up, their eyes widening as they read.
“Is.. is this a journal on how to weave lifeblood into fabrics?”
“It is.”
“How- where did you get this?”
“I’m lucky to know some fellow ‘nerds’.”
Greenpath Friend’s laugh is a tad incredulous.
They school their features and roll it up, placing it back it the box with their crystal lifeflower. They grab the surrounding blankets and wrap them around themselves and their friends, wrapping Buck’s scarf around it’s new owners little neck and wrapping their wings and arms around their friends, holding them close.
“You know? I think this has been the best Crystalmas I’ve had in a long time.”
“They’ll only get better from here, my friend.”
Buck nods while nuzzling into their shoulder.
“Yeah, ‘til next year then?”
“Until next year.”