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“Hey Cam, are you sure we ought to be--”
“...Well, we really shouldn’t, actually.” Cam wasn’t one to cut into his best friend’s questions, but the evening was panning out to be more than he had initially set out for. He neatly pressed his-- uh… top… down with his hands, gingerly filing out the wrinkles.“But, I suppose… we should go by our word to Howard.”
“I mean you’re not wrong but this is a little…” Ash tilted his head to one side, tapping his chin as though he were pulling words from a metaphorical hat.
“Flamboyant?”
“I was gonna say extra but yeah, bud, does Howard really think this’ll make Laney happy?”
Musing on it quietly, he wondered. And immediately veered off tracks, like he always did when he wandered grassy hills beyond their little nook of town.
“...She’d probably be happy with an album of pressed flowers. And, well.” Cam rolled his wrist, coolly pausing for a moment just to sigh. “Maybe a dinner made by someone other than herself for once. You know how she is.”
“Yeah! Sentimental and stuff, I totally get it. Cheryl was saying that lots of girls appreciate slowing it down a bit. Don’t know where she got so wise so quick but--” Ash sniffed for a moment, and Cam actually had a mental double-take trying to figure out if he was actually tearing up over it but-- Of course, he wasn’t.
His poor best friend had a lot of worries, but the guy had a good head on his shoulders. He was sentimental himself, but he wasn’t going to cry over his sister at the drop of a hat. Besides, Cheryl was definitely in on this somehow. Cam just had a hunch, somewhere, somehow that they were in for a lot more than he had originally signed up for.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Reina flash their signal.
…They got Reina in on this? Who…? He saw a flicker of white hair and an exchange of gestures between the two, before Ash ushered him to follow close behind. Mikhail? He didn’t know the guy very well, but was he the sort to get tied into Howard’s festivities? Or was he one of the top chairs calling the shots?
This was. Really. Not. What. He. Signed. Up. For.
As he trudged up the snow-drawn path, he saw another trail of warm breath smoke up a road leading back to them. And Kana was dressed up, raring to go. The guy looked like he had gone through a few stages of grief before getting here, but pride hadn’t cut him out of the equation just yet.
“Yo! Guess you guys are totally reined in to this too, huh? I was thinkin’ it’d be easier if we all just got this over with together--” Whatever hope that Kana had in his eyes was smeared to a blot as soon as they saw that usual bushel of fiery locks. “Ugh! Well shit, I might as well be wearing a skirt then, huh?”
“Haha…” Ash was trying his best to ease the tension, arms up as though he were trying to calm a horse down. “Take it easy, will ya? Listen, if she, err-- laughs or something I'll come up with something! You know I've got the funnier looking outfit anyway!”
Reliable, as always.
“Where's…” What was his name again? Oh right. Konohana's doctor in training. Humble, a bit stiff thanks to the whole ‘polite manners, standard niceties’ thing… but overall, beyond mature for someone so close to Cam’s own age. “Hiro, right? Did Howard manage to convince him, too?” Diversion was a subtlety Cam could work with.
“Oh he should be right behind--” Abruptly, Kana turned full circle, as though Hiro could materialize out of thin air. “Ooooooor not.”
“OI, HIR--” Before Kana could call for his good friend, Ash muffled his mouth shut as best as he could given-- well. Their outfits didn't lend for the easiest maneuverability. They all had it rough. With a tired sigh, Cam raised a finger to his lips to silence him.
“...Laney's supposed to be distracted by Sister Alisa at the moment, but who knows if she's in ear shot, you know?”
“Th’ guy's right, ya little--” Georgia popped her head over the hedge row they were prepping behind. She didn’t finish her sentence, but it was probably because she didn't intend to. Best left for the imagination. “I know ya'll good people for doin’ all this but please tell me ya aren't gonna blow this before she even steps out! Christmas is Christmas no matter what but…”
“Wouldn't want all'uve this ta go to waste, yeah?”
She didn't laugh. Cam wondered if all these guys had the wrong impression or something, because she was certainly nicer than all that exasperation was worth.
“Yeah!! Georgia, you're so right,” Ash gave the girl a friendly pat on the shoulders, as the snow picked up and frost scattered a little harder since they started.. Well, that's what they get for taking a little too long to get this all set up. “Not that it matters too much, but why aren't you with Lane--”
“Heya! What's up, dudes? Can you guys give me a hand here? Or am I gonna have to carry a doctor popsicle all the way down cherry lane?”
Cam and Ash met each other's gazes for a moment, sharing a knowing look. Howard had literally managed to rope in both towns like he had them all wrapped around his finger.
“Dirk, I-I… a-am quite fine, I would think.” Hiro's teeth were chattering as he appeared to be two times smaller than usual. He was shivering like a man possessed, and Cam could only feel sorry for him. Raising an arm to pat the snow off his shoulders, Kana got to him first.
“Hiro!! Buddy! Oh my Goddess, what happened to you? You look worse than Hayate when she has a fever…” He muttered something about how Hayate always looks good, but no one was paying attention. “You good or...?” He dusted Hiro off frantically, letting Dirk hold him up.
“Haha, yeah I found this HUGE pile of snow tryna get here and it nearly scared the hell outta me when it started moving!” Dirk scratched the back of his head, as though remembering this made him a little embarrassed by the thought alone.
“Y-yes I evidently took one too many trips in the wrong direction and got myself stuck. Might I ask you not to tell Nori this? She would appreciate a good laugh, sure, but she and Oracle deserve better news than--.”
Dirk cleared his voice, trying to mimic Mako for a moment giving bad news. “Hiro got snuffed out and took your costume with him, Nori.”
“Hey, do not talk about me like I am gone, Dirk!” Hiro gave off a good natured laugh, not at all offended really.
Ash and Dirk pressed their hands together in wholehearted prayer.
“Don't ya gotta worry about yourself first?” Georgia rolled her eyes at all the guys, adjusting Hiro's outfit and dusting the snow off his head.
“What's going on…?” A calm, yet stern inquiry came from-- ah. Their ruckus brought over Reina and Mikhail. “Is there an issue or… are you all observing the…” She pulled on a pine branch above her, as snow sloshed on her head. “...Pinus species? I didn't think there were admirers.”
And Cam didn't know she had a sense of humor. He gave a curt scoff-chuckle, that neither Ash nor Georgia could miss.
Ash mouthed the words ‘It's always about the plants with these guys.’ to Georgia. Shaking her head, Georgia waved him off.
“...Alright, we should go then,” Cam intercepted before they could take a shot at him for laughing once this holiday season. He laughed again, a little gentler this time around. Guess everyone could be in good spirits around this time of the year.
He sloshed up ahead, leaving light footsteps in the snow. The others kicked up a storm, and he could hear nearly everyone buzzing excitedly over the grand scale of this. Nearly everyone.
Edging to the right to walk side by side with Mikhail, he shrugged and spoke up first. “Why aren't you in a costume?” That wasn't what he wanted to ask, but he didn't know how strange it'd be to ask how Mikhail walked without a sound. Even the crunching beneath his feet wasn’t all that loud, really.
“Ah,” Mikhail blinked for a moment, as though he were pleasantly surprised that Cam struck up conversation. Was it because it was rare for Cam to do so or rare for Mikhail not to do so? His surprise didn't last so long, since a warm smile graced his lips. “Can't play the violin so well if I'm dressed in one of those, no?”
“Oh right,” Cam smiled awkwardly, realizing that that was probably not the smartest question to ask.
“But I undoubtedly regret not being able to prance about in those. What a loss~”
Cam scoffed softly under his breath, leaving a trace of a smile on his face. The guy also had a sense of humor-- it made it oddly easier to breathe, in one way or another. “...Oh yeah, aren't you the unlucky one?”
“You guys! You guys!” Alisa's voice rang out from the distance. Her distress could be heard a mile away, but it was the look on her face that really nailed it in. “I couldn't hold her for long enough in the chapel…! She's headed back to Howard's!”
“Sounds to me like she's the unlucky one here,” Mikhail whispered under his breath, only to Cam. He laughed drily before Ash ushered them all to hurry up.
Dirk and Kana decided the best way to help Hiro was to lift him up, a guy under each shoulder, and run. Oh my Goddess, they were really doing this.
They were really doing this.
Georgia was trailing up close right behind them with an exasperated “Watch his head, ya guys!” And Ash was escorting Reina and Alisa slowly, walking in between them and the guys... just in case they tripped over themselves and took the girls with them.
They were really doing this.
Skidding slightly on the frosted over roads, Cam made his way over first and knocked on Howard's window. The secret code, to signal they were all there and Laney was in position.
And no one answered.
Again, Cam knocked on the window and the whole lot of them waited squeamishly for Howard to open up.
“What's… going on?”
Cam breathed into his hands, warm puffs spreading between his fingers. Rubbing them a couple of times, he was about to knock again when Howard abruptly yanked the door open.
“Howard what's up? Where's Laney?” Ash piped up, before any of the other guys had a chance to.
“What do you mean? Laney's not--” Howard didn't look like he was ready yet, and that meant--
“...She hasn't come back yet.” Reina finished their thoughts before crossing her hands over her chest to keep herself warm.
Georgia was the first to turn around, and everyone immediately followed along, pivoting on their toes.
Well.
There goes the surprise.
Laney had stopped in her tracks, mouth slightly agape behind a little polite hand. And she immediately started laughing, hand pressed onto her mouth as she tried to hold it in.
“What are you guys wearing?”
Cam opened his mouth to answer but, by the sound of the violin, it looked like Mikhail answered first.
“You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…” Kana and Dirk swelled first, as Hiro swiftly began to stumble on the names.
“Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen..!” Alisa and Georgia awkwardly picked up where they left off.
“But do you recall…?” Reina handed Ash the red nose, which he passed to Cam.
“The most greatest reindeer of all?”
Cam sighed for a moment, before laughing softly and trudging over to Laney. His reindeer hoodie slumped over to one side, as he held out the nose to his old friend.
As soon as she took it, Howard bursted into the scene in a full Santa suit.
“Laney, my red nosed Darling! 💖”
Oop. There comes the father-daughter embarrassment.
“Had a very shiny nose~
And if you ever saw it
You would even say it glows~☆”
“All of the other reindeer, shouldn't ever call her names--”
“We'd never, sir!!” Ash piped up.
“Says th’ guy who locked her in a barn!” Georgia, giving the low blows this Christmas. Good thing Howard couldn't hear her.
“I was 7!”
“They'll always let my Laney, join in all the reindeer games!”
“Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say
"Laney, with your nose so bright
Won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"
“Dad… you're embarrassing me!” Laney giggled bashfully, pressing on her nose. It started glowing.
“ Then how the reindeer loved him
As they shouted out with glee”
Dirk, Ash, and Kana whooped and cheered. And the windows from Howard's opened up to reveal Nori inside clapping her hands softly.
"Laney the Red-Nosed Reindeer!”
And all at once, the voices converged in one sweeping motion.
“You'll go down in history!"
They went a few more rounds, making Laney laugh quite a lot for a Christmas. And hey, what's this about a couple of town rivalries, a couple of teases, a couple of heads butting?
With Ash's arm wrapped around his back, for a second Cam thought things were a little simpler than that.
Ash lifted his voice for one last time, raising his free hand to twirl a finger towards the stars.
“We'll go down in hiiiiisstory!”
Yeah, sometimes things were simpler like that.