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“Lookit here.”, you mumbled to yourself as you opened another cupboard in the house you were currently staying at. Life was not easy on the run, even more so as a mutant, but at least you were no longer alone. A few weeks ago, Erik had found you behind a restaurant, trying desperately to snatch some food so as not to starve. He had promised to help you and he had, so now you were living with him, always on the run, always trying to find others who would support your cause.
But that did not mean that you could not celebrate Christmas.
Yet instead of finding Christmas decorations in the empty, “borrowed” house, its family on vacation, presumably, you found a candle holder. You were not absolutely, but fairly sure that it was more than just some plain old candle holder. So you took it with you, for now abandoning your search for Christmas decorations, and entered the living room.
“Look what I found.”, you quietly said to Erik who had just gotten a warming fire started in the fireplace. When he turned to you, his expression was curious, but then his face fell and now you were sure about what you were holding in your hands. A menorah.
You had no idea what exactly its part was in the celebration of Hanukkah, but it meant something to Erik, this much was sure. He said nothing, just turned back to the fireplace to kindle the flames.
“Do you… want to light it?”, you questioned awkwardly and Erik scoffed, “The fire is lit, is it not?”
“You know what I mean.”, you retorted and placed the menorah on the table, unsure about whether or not this was an acceptable place for it. Were there rules? You had no idea.
“Can you…”, you began, but stopped. You were curious, yet you did not know how to begin your request. The silence stretched, became uncomfortable and you fidgeted, standing there, just staring at the menorah you had found. It was old, its surface blotched and obviously not well kept. Shame, really.
“What?”, Erik asked disgruntled and turned around to you, glaring at the menorah as if it was a thing of evil.
“Would you…”, you began anew and this time went through with your request, “Would you explain to me how Hanukkah is celebrated? I don’t know much about it…”
Erik’s eyes bored into yours, but you willed yourself to withstand his gaze. Whatever there was in him, he was troubled, you just did not know by what.
For a long moment, Erik did not say a word, he only stared at the menorah. Then, finally, he let out a sigh and shook his head: “I have not celebrated since… I was a child, since…”
Absent-mindedly, he touched his left forearm and by that one gesture, you knew. Ever since the worst moments of his life he had not engaged in this festivity.
Your words were out before you were able to think them over: “Why not?”
This time, his glare hit you full-square and you flinched, you even took a step back as he advanced at you, hissing: “Why should I? Why honour a god that has forsaken my people?”
“It’s not… about that.”, you stuttered and this got his attention, so you continued, “It’s not about God, it’s about believing, regardless of whether or not there is a God, still believing.”
He scoffed at that and turned his back, walked away, but you followed him and tried to bring your point across: “Just like Christmas. It’s not about believing in God, not necessarily. It’s about belief in family instead. Belief in unity, in hope.”
He stopped and you could practically hear his mind work. When he softly sighed, you knew that you had convinced him. He then chuckled to himself, which caught you off guard and he smiled at your surprise, explaining quietly: “Today is the first day of Hanukkah.”
“Oh.”, you softly breathed, surprised, then you smiled, “It’s a good thing I found the menorah when I did then. Is it not?”
“In a way.”, Erik allowed and you squinted your eyes at him, but he did not look at you. Instead, he was focused on the menorah, his figure absolutely still until he quietly mumbled: “It is supposed to be visible from the street.”
“We could…”, you began, but Erik shook his head, “Don’t be foolish. From the shameful state the menorah is in, it’s clear no one has used it in a long time. We cannot make ourselves visible like that.”
You nodded, seeing the reason in his words, but at a loss for what to do then. With a sigh, Erik stepped to the side, mumbling quietly: “There must be candles somewhere.”
You could not help it, you smiled. It was good to see him focused on something else than his brooding plans. Quickly, he had produced two candles from a drawer, placing one of them in the outmost right arm of the menorah. The other candle he lit with a match and you took this as your cue to leave him.
“Stay.”, he asked quietly as you reached the door. The plea had been so quiet, barely more than a whisper so you were not sure if you had actually heard it, but you did not leave the room. When Erik turned around to you, he gestured for you to come closer and inch by inch, you stepped to his side. Only when you firmly stood there next to him did he light the candle, quietly mumbling under his breath what sounded like a prayer to you. The words you did not understand, but that was of no matter. What mattered was the reverie on Erik’s face, the shine of the flames in his eyes.
The one moment of peace you saw on his face.
When the words were spoken, Erik let out a deep sigh: “I have not done this in… in a lifetime.”
There was nothing you could say, so instead of trying to find useless words, you gently touched his arm. You gave him a smile when he looked at you, but Erik surprised you by taking your hand in his and saying: “Thank you.”
You merely shrugged bashfully and tried to step away, but Erik stopped you and told you: “The flame has to burn for at least half an hour. It’s customary to play a game in its light.”
You looked around and your eyes lit up as you spotted a chessboard in the corner.
“I’m rubbish at chess compared to you.”, you giggled, “Ready to crush me anyway?”
Erik chuckled at this and promised: “I’ll be gentle.”
You blushed at this, out of nowhere, and dashed away to get the chessboard. But behind your back, you could swear you actually felt Erik grin.