Work Text:
X Ivy x
Ivy🥀: This is the place, right?
~Sophitia~: Yeah why do you ask lol?
Oh no don’t tell me Patroklos screamed again
RaphieoftheNight: No he is fine so far, but…there is no santa!
Raphael lifts his phone up and takes a picture of the hollow throne and sends it to the group chat.
RaphieoftheNight: Amy will not stand for this. If she does not see him, her entire season will be ruined mademoiselle, and this cannot happen.
Cass, not CAS: whaaaaaat?! Ugh I knew we should’ve just bothered Kilik this year. He’s the only Santa who’s consistent and doesn’t scare the kids.
I look over to him, “Raphael, we should leave poor Sophitia out of this. We did this so she could have a day off despite the holiday chaos.”
Raphael adjusts his black coat, “I suppose you’re correct.” he answers. Amy, wearing rose-themed headphones, gently tugs on his sleeve. “Oh?”
“Maybe the department store knows?” She says, pointing at the department store behind us.
He gives a dramatic shrug, “It’s worth a try, I suppose…Do you want to come Amy? Or do you want to eat at the food court?”
She shakes her head, “I ate before we left. I might want pretzels later, though…”
“Who doesn’t?” He says very gently. The two of them walk away, and I swallow the deep envy and sorrow I feel every time I see fathers with their daughters, knowing I will never have that peace or joy.
***
~ Raphael ~
I forgot how chaotic department stores were during the holidays, and keep my distance from Amy. She struggles with sound and noise, and sometimes she wants to hold on to me, other times she doesn’t, and I try to understand that, hard as it is for me.
A large crowd approaches us, and like ships in a storm, I’m swept up, and Amy is swept away. I see her bump into a tall, thin man, who recoils. “Please don’t–” He begins in almost a whisper, but when he turns around and sees me, he gasps. “Raphael?”
“My apologies, but, do I know you?” I ask the man. He’s wearing sunglasses indoors, and has a scarf wrapped around his mouth.
He takes his glasses off, revealing pale-blue eyes and lowers his scarf, “Recognize me now?” he says with a slight smile.
I gasp, “Voldo! So this is where I find you again, old friend–” Amy stares up at me, confused. “Ah, Amy! This is one of your papa’s old friends from the theater, and an accursedly good Phantom actor, too!”
Voldo laughs silently, “You got to play Jean in Les Mis, and I’m still bitter about it. So perhaps we’re even?” he tilts his head, putting his sunglasses back on before he speaks, and his words seem less hesitant when he has them on. “Now, who is this Cosette here? Did you finally find the one and this is your little batling?”
I laugh, but as I scan his outfit–strange as it always is, with odd patterns and cuts– I notice a most unholy brand resting above his heart.
“Voldo…why do you have a name tag? Don’t tell me that…!”
Voldo lowers his eyes in shame, “Yes…I’m working retail.”
“My friend…what horrid tragedy has happened in your life to cause this?” I plead, stepping aside from the avenue to avoid being swept away again.
Voldo shrugs, “Side gig. I just need some extra cash until I get promoted at work.” he raises his wrist and checks his steampunk-themed watch. “It’s almost break time, maybe we can catch up then? There’s a really good shake place.”
“Of course! But, first…do you know where–” I look to Amy, realizing I almost committed the crime of saying santa actor “Santa is?”
Voldo folds his arms, “He’s off today. Got a bad cold that’s been going around. I’d wear a mask just to be safe, by the way.”
I ball my hands into a fist, “Curses! We’ll have to find another mall, then–”
My phone buzzes, and I see Ivy has sent ten texts in the group chat;
Ivy🥀: WHY IS HE HERE?!?!?
She’s sent a picture of a man on Santa’s throne, tall, broad, muscular, in a red pirate costume.
“Can I see?” Voldo asks, and I raise my phone and show it to him. He breathes through his teeth, “Oh. Oh. It’s Cervantes.”
***
X Ivy x
The moment I heard “Yo ho ho, happy holidays!” was the moment I knew today was not going to be a pleasant day.
Patroklos hides behind me, and rightfully so. Pyrrha merely tilts her head, “Why is Captain Hook on Santa’s throne?”
“Because apparently Peter didn’t give him a thorough enough beating.” I hiss, and I stomp forward, the children following behind me.
Some poor child sits upon his lap, staring up at him like the last moment between the raptor and a victim in a Jurassic Park film.
“Yo ho ho! Well, little boy, what do YOU want for Christmas?” He barks out like an order.
“I…uh…I just…want…A Nintendo Switch 2…”
“Oh! So you can play Soulcalibur II, the best version of it, on the Gamecube, starring ME, as well as Link from the Legend of Zelda series!?” Good grief, he’s trying to shill for royalties to a CHILD!
“I…I just wanna play the new Pokemon…” The child answers. “I don’t even know what a soulcalibur is.”
“And why’s that? Playing that GACHA stuff instead?!” Cervantes interrogates. Oh goodness, he’s being a pirate boomer again.
“I don't know what a gacha is!” The child answers, crossing his arm and pouting. “Why can’t you be like other santas and just be nice?”
I stomp forward, too tired to see another life fall to his madness. “Cerv– Santa de Leon Claus, why are you here? And why are you trying to harass this child?”
He looks up to me, and cringes. “Oh…Ivy.” he picks himself up, “Yo ho ho! Look, little boy, it’s Santa jr!”
“No, I am…some sort of Jack Frost of the house Valentine, NOT de Leon Claus!” I shout back.
The child’s parents finally lose their patience, “I did not fight for this country and tunnel run, then shoot down a superweapon just so some brute can yell at my son!” says the father, gently walking over to his son, “Come on, Chopper, let’s find another Santa.”
The boy hops off of Cervantes’ lap, and waddles over to his father, giving him and his mother a hug.
Cervantes looks over at me, “Come on now, my girl! It’s the time for family and reunions, just like Home Alone!”
“I don’t think the old man from Home Alone was a PIRATE!”
“Tch, always so frigid.”
“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t get enough of those warm VALENCIAN DAYS, instead I was raised in CLOUDY ENGLAND!”
Someone taps my shoulder and I turn around, “Could you not do this in public, ma'am?” the mall security asks. “And you too, sir.”
Cervantes looks offended, “Me? But I am Santa! Yo ho ho!”
Things can’t get worse, can they?
Then Pyrrha tugs on my hand, “Look! It’s Mr. Kilik!”
I turn around with the dread of a thousand byronic dukes, and see Kilik, walking with his candy cane staff and red robes he always wears around the holidays(though he always likes wearing red to begin with).
Kilik steps back, “Wait…did you already have someone filling in today?”
Behind him is Xianghua, in her Ms. Claus attire. She tilts her head. “Wait…Kilik, it’s that pirate guy Maxi told us about!”
Cervantes stands up, “Aye, it appears another be wanting to compete with me crown as the Dread Claus!”
Kilik facepalms, “This is illegal, right? Or at least against some sort of rule?”
“At the very least, it’s not socially acceptable.” She tenses, and then adds, “And not like, stimming or something, that should be acceptable but isn’t.”
Patroklos, usually so quiet and polite, walks up to Cervantes, and sticks his tongue out.
“You dare show insolence, boy?!” Cervantes bellows, putting his hands on his hips.
As if challenged by the cyclops itself, Patroklos gives a raspberry.
Cervantes steps back, aghast. “Agh! Too many foes…then it appears I must flee!” He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a smoke bomb, and throws it on the ground.
Nothing occurs.
Patroklos looks down at it. “Hey, that’s the ones we buy for July 4th! You need to light them.”
Cervantes looks up, blinks, and then runs away, mall security chasing after him.
I breathe a sigh, and sit on a bench. Kilik and Xianghua give a look, and Xianghua comes over to talk to me, as Kilik goes to check up on the kids.
She sits down, tapping her feet. “I’m really sorry you had to go through all of that. Do you need to talk?”
I shake my head. “Just…a few moments of solace in Teyvat.” I pull out my phone, the newest model, equipped with a controller, and boot up my comfort game.
She gives an understanding nod, “Does Sophitia need any help with the kids? I think I could handle them.”
“No no, I should do it. You and Kilik are busy with your own things.” I stand up, “Thank you, though.”
Xianghua gives another understanding nod, and stretches when she stands up. She walks back over to Kilik, who is trying to fix up Santa’s area after Cervantes’ flight.
“Can we eat now?” Patroklos asks me, tugging on my coat.
“I think we need a feast.” I answer, giving him as gentle a smile as I can muster.
***
~ Raphael ~
Amy sketches absentmindedly as we wait for our food, while Voldo slinks into the chair with an agonized awkwardness.
“How’s the group been?” Voldo asks me, adjusting himself.
“Theater group? Or the actors?” I shake my head, “Pardon, that was confusing.”
He raises his hand, “No no, I know what you mean– and I meant the actors. How’s Sophie been?”
I raise an eyebrow. Since when did he care about Sophitia? “Well, it’s been hard after the divorce–”
“Divorce!?” His hand slams against the surface, and Amy jolts. He rubs his hand through his hair, “Sorry Amy. I’m still learning how to manage…this stuff. I’ll tell you about it later, Raph– So what happened?”
Raphael looks around awkwardly, “We’re not quite sure why her and Rothion divorced, outside of him just…not helping much in their family. Sophitia hasn’t told us much about it.”
He sighs, “Poor, poor woman…she’s always been so sensitive, but always trying to be strong for others. If she’d rather go through a divorce then tough it out for the kids…it must’ve gotten bad.” He leans against his hand.
“Were you two close?”
Voldo jumps back, “Wh-what?! No! We were not close–”
“No no, not close like…that. Close like friends.”
He calms down. What a strange reaction to have… “Oh, my mistake, misunderstood because– again, I’ll explain later. But yes, we were friends, talked a lot, like most of the mocap actors did. Is everything alright, for her, though?”
Raphael nods, “Yes, a bunch of us gathered around to help her with Pyrrha and Patroklos– oh, her kids–”
“Yes, she told me about them.”
“Good– when she moved back in with Cassandra, and we helped with the bakery too. It was more us who helped with the motion capture for SC1 and SC2, though. The Soul Blade group kind of…disolved, or went their separate ways. But you would know more than me, likely.”
He adjusts his sunglasses, “Can’t say I do, unfortunately. I know Long takes odd jobs, Siegfried had some issues that made him take a break, and Mitsurugi is…Mitsurugi. But Taki should be fine, right? Her and Sophitia were really close.”
“Taki had some issues with her clan that she’s been busy with for a while. It’s been mostly Kilik, Ivy, Xianghua, Yoshimitsu, myself, and sometimes Rock if he isn’t busy with trying to start up his family’ business again and raise Bangoo.”
“Aw, I forgot about that kid! How’s he doing?”
“Probably the only child here who isn’t having difficulties. Him and Rock are planning a cross-country tour as part of his rite of adulthood, but I think Rock just wants to go to Pac-Land on the west coast.”
“Who doesn’t? Theme parks are incredibly fascinating. Oh, did you ever hear about Digi-Kingdom?! They planned to add it as part of Pac-World, and even hinted at it before it was built–” Voldo stops himself, sighing. “I’m sorry, I infodumped again. I’ll explain that too– but, does Sophie need any other help? Because I can do that, if she wants.”
He’s so curiously invested in Sophitia…I’m not sure why. “I’m sure she’d appreciate it, and I’ll text her about it. Or you can– did you ever get her new number?”
Voldo nervously taps his fingers. “New number? I thought…she…stopped answering my texts.”
I shake my head, “No, she…I think it would be best if she told you. But it wasn’t a good time. Here, let me send you her number,” I tap away at my phone, and look over to check on Amy, who is drawing a bunch of festive sketches as well as food.
“Do you think I can eat paper?” She asks, and laughs in that weird way she does.
“I wish we could, what is taking so long?” I look over at the kitchen, which seems fine. The restaurant is packed, so perhaps it’s just that kind of day. “I could’ve sung the entirety of No One Mourns The Wicked in the time it’s taken.”
Amy winces. “Oh no, you’re not going to start singing in that falsetto again trying to imitate Glenda, are you?”
Voldo snorts and covers his mouth. I notice he took his gloves off, and he has an awful scar over his hand, but I don’t comment on it.
I see Ivy approaching, the children following behind her, and I wave to her. She walks over to us and sits down with a sigh. While we’re all busy, I notice Voldo takes the opportunity to take his sunglasses off and administer some eyedrops, then gently rubs his eyes, subtly groaning.
“Cervantes Claus is not, in fact, coming to town.” She answers sharply. “Oh, and hello Voldo, so that’s where you’ve been hiding, retail.” She looks down at his nametag with a concerned look. As she sits down, I offer her my hand, and she takes it. “Thank you.”
Voldo blinks a few times, and it’s not because of the eyedrops. “Wait…you two…?”
I nod, blushing. “Yes…me and Ivy are…” I lean on her. “Turns out our medical fields weren’t the only thing that were similar.” Amy clasps her hands, muttering something about how romantic it is, while Pyrrha gags.
“Grossssss! Get a room!” She says, sticking her tongue out. Beside her is Patroklos, who smiles at us.
“Well, the year still has surprises it seems…congrats.” Voldo says, and taps his fingers again. “The food…” He nearly hisses. “Where…”
“Why don’t you go, Mr…?” Pyrrha asks, tilting her head. “Wait a minute…who are you?”
Voldo looks down at her, “Oh, I forgot you haven’t met me yet…I’m Voldo. I’m an old friend of your mother’s, and a friend of Raphael’s. Oh, and–” He looks over to Amy and reintroduces himself again. “Apologies for not doing that sooner. As for the food…I’d rather not be face to face or have to navigate socializing right now…I’m burnt out.”
Amy looks up, “Sounds like me with my autism.”
Voldo tilts his head. “Oh? You have it too?”
Amy nods excitedly, more happy than I’ve seen her in a while. “Yeah…Can I talk about it to him, papa?”
I nod. “If you ever feel overwhelmed, I can help you.”
She smiles, then begins. “I was struggling a lot at school, even though they said I’m really smart, and a lot of girls were freaked out over how much Poe I read– and memorized– and bullying got really bad until one really nice teacher suggested to papa that my shyness might be autism. Then he researched and found a doctor who wouldn’t misdiagnose me with something else, cuz it’s a really big issue with women, papa says–”
“He’s right.” Voldo adds.
“Don’t interrupt me please.” Amy says with a pout.
“Oh, I’m sorry, I hadn’t considered it even with my own experiences. Continue.”
She reluctantly smiles, “No one’s that considerate outside of papa. So papa and I have been working together with books and videos and helping me learn how my brain works and coping tools. This place is really bright, but sketching makes me happy,” She lifts up her sketchbook to show it to him.
“Those are very nice sketches,” He compliments, and folds his hands. “As for me…well, Raph, that’s what I’ve been alluding to this whole conversation; I got diagnosed. Remember how I had to alter the mask during Phantom? Or had to alter my costumes? All sensory sensitivities and autism. Or how I had far too much energy but also never focused? All ADHD. Apparently being a weirdo my whole life wasn’t my fault, I just had…a different brain.” I can see the exhaustion in his face, the twitch in his hands. This wasn’t a relief like it was for Amy, this is…a life long sorrow finally answered.
“How did they not notice it?” Ivy asks, concerned.
Voldo shrugs, “Too many variables. My best guess is that I had a more sensitive, gentle presentation and not the “typical” blunt kind, and that my ADHD muddled it even more. They didn’t even think you could have both until a few years back–which makes no sense to me, by the way– so I guess that’s how it got missed. But now I know why working in the office is essentially a torture session for me, now.”
“Oh Voldo, don’t tell me–”
“Yes, I’m still working at the Money Pit.” As he finishes, I can’t help but shudder. Corporate life is always difficult, but I’ve heard Vercci’s business is particularly quite harsh, forcing his employees to come in for work even though most of it could be done from home.
“I swear he only does it so he can flaunt how cool his skyscraper is and how many people it can fit in.” I answer dryly.
“It’s an open secret that it’s that exact reason.” Voldo answers, becoming more tired just by talking about this.
A waiter comes, holding a tray, “Sorry for the wait! Enjoy your meal!” he places it on the table, and we tell him thank you. It all smells delicious, and Amy reaches immediately for the shake.
“Desert first,” She jokes before taking a sip.
“Oh, they still have the cheese dip, good…” Voldo murmurs, stirring a fry in a small cup of cheese.
“Finally, after a long day, food…” Ivy says, before quickly tapping at something on her phone. “Resin full, good. I’ll grind when I get home.”
“But what about Santa?” Patroklos asks before nibbling on a nugget.
“We'll just go see Kilik when he's ready.” I respond, “We have all the time in the world. For now, let’s rest and enjoy our meal.”