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Nothing makes Gyftmas morning more special in Horror's mind then being surrounded by all his loved ones and watching as they eat the food he makes and the gifts that get opened. As his and Lust's child Attica got older the Gyftmases became all that much more special. Their first Gyftmas with Attica filled everyone with more emotion than most of them could handle. Nightmare had to go out and get negativity before coming back that morning and soon everything was settled as much as it could be with the excitement of Gyftmas in the air.
Horror woke up as usual. Likely before anyone else got up that morning. To him this Gyftmas felt different than all the other ones over the last few years. However, he pushed that from his mind and the first thing he did was look next to him and in bed was Lust with their arms over Attica. He chuckled to himself. Despite the little bones having their own room they always wormed their way into their bed. A little whine snaps him out of his head space and the next thing he sees are pink and red eye-lights staring up at them with a gaze of pure innocence.
“Da!” They squealed.
“Shhh mommy still sleeping.” Horror whispers as they put a bony finger to their lips.
“Ok. I'm hungry.”
“Then come on. Let's go make breakfast.”
Horror held out his hand for the little one to take as he slowly got up out of bed. Careful not to disturb Lust from their slumber. Attica looks so small in Horror's arms, but Horror loves it all that much more. After all Attica was an early Gyftmas present for both him and Lust. The babybones snuggled into their father's neck as they made their way down to the kitchen. He could already smell coffee brewing and he wiggled his phantom eyebrows... Who would be in the kitchen this early in the morning? A quiet laugh comes from him when he sees both Dust and Killer sitting at the kitchen island.
“Mornin'.” Horror grunts as he sets Attica down on one of the chairs next to Dust.
“Mornin' H. Attica.” Killer groans as he rubs the back of his head.
“Mornin' you two.” Dust mumbles.
“Couldn't sleep?” Horror asks as he gets down a few mugs.
“Just it feels weird.” Dust groans.
“I know buddy. I know.” Killer comforts softly as he pats Dust's back.
“Attica.... Chocolate or Strawberry?” Horror asks after he finishes pouring three cups of coffee.
“Choc.” Attica beams as they swing their legs from the high kitchen stool.
“Sans genes down to the bone.” Killer laughs.
There is a quiet laugh passed between the three friends as Attica looks up at them lovingly. They don't have a bad memory of the gang at all. They wished though that the other boys were here and they looked sad for it.
“Whats the matter baby?” Horror asks as he sets a warmed cup of chocolate milk in front of their kid.
“No Pally, Grad, PeeJ, Gothy or Rav.” Attica frowns.
“I'm sure we'll see them later in the day.” Dust smiles softly as he pats the baby bone's head.
“Yeah. Sometimes being with family in the morning is really important bud.” Killer nods.
“But... they are family.” Attica points out.
The gang turns to look at Attica in that moment and they realized that everyone Attica had ever interacted with has become family to them. Killer and Nightmare had no kids yet. Dust was off in his own world realizing that his date-mate was still so far away and kids were out of the equation for the time being. Horror smiles softly and goes over to them before they started on breakfast.
“Yeah you're right kiddo. As big as our family is. Sometimes being with the ones that we see everyday is just as important.” Horror nods.
“Hmmm hmmm. I'm sure Error, Ink, Reaper, Geno, Dream and Cross will be bringing everyone over later to celebrate with us.” Killer grins wide as he tops off everyone's coffee.
“Yeah. Sides Reaper has to down a pot of coffee before he even leaves the house in the morning.” Dust grunts as Killer tops him off first.
“Da?” Attica asks.
“Yeah buddy?” Horror responds as he heads over to the fridge.
“Will Noot and Mama becoming soon?” They ask.
“I'm sure Noot will be back soon.” Killer smiles as he passes by Attica patting their head.
“Back soon? He went out?” Dust inquires raising his eye-lights.
“Yeah. He wanted to load up on negativity before everyone woke up and started going crazy.” Killer laughs.
“That early?” Horror asks as he brings eggs, cheese and hash browns out of the fridge.
“Yeah. Moonlight said he was finishing work on something and no one was to leave the castle yet.” Killer hums as he puts the empty pot back, takes a sip out of his own cup and starts another pot.
“Makes sense, but also no. Night hasn't gone out on a solo project since before the X-Event. He's up to something.” Dust mumbles as he pulls his hoodie back.
“Wish I knew more Dusty, but I've got no idea. But he did say that he will ” Killer shrugs.
“I hope Granpa Noot is safe.” Attica declares proudly.
“Me too bud. Me too.” Killer smiles as he rubs the top of their skull lovingly.
It was quiet for a moment as Horror began making breakfast. Killer and Dust were talking about random things as Attica dangled their legs and watched their father move effortlessly in the kitchen. They then felt two hands lift them up from their seat and spin them around. Little squeals of laughter fill the kitchen as everyone turns to see Lust had woken up and was peppering Attica with soft kisses and giving gentle hugs.
“Good morning boys, Attica baby. Did everyone sleep okay?” Lust asks as he sets Attica back down, going over to Horror.
“Yes momma.” Attica beams as Horror places another cup of milk in front of them.
“Hmmm we had a little visitor last night to keep us company.” Horror grins as he gives Lust a hug and a kiss.
“You three are just too cute.” Killer grins.
“Hey I'll be right back. I forgot something in my room.” Dust mumbles as he gets off the stool he was on and shortcuts to his room.
Horror, Lust and Killer turn their heads to look at each other, while Attica looks towards Dust's room with a frown on their face. Each Gyftmas after The Yearly Ball was hard for Dust. Everything he cared about was ripped away from him, but Attica just saw that their favorite monster was sad and wanted to help.
“Is DustDust going to be okay?” They asked as eye-lights soften.
“Yeah baby. He will be. This time of year is just hard for some monsters.” Lust nods as he tries to smile softly.
“It's unfortunate, but it happens sometimes Attica.” Nightmare continues as he materializes into the kitchen next to Killer.
“Back already boss?” Horror asks as he slides tea over towards him.
“Yes. It's all set as well. Horror if you could pause for a moment. I want us all to go outside....” Nightmare starts.
Before anyone can stop the small monster Attica shortcuts out of the kitchen and they are in front of Dust's room. They don't enter, they don't knock, but wait patiently outside of the door. Inside they hear soft crying and stayed. Attica wasn't sure what they were doing, but they had a feeling that going into the room was not a good idea and so they waited. Inside Dust was sitting on his bed, sniffling back tears as in his hands, now without his usual gloves he turns over the small bone heart he was given all those years ago. He had closed the balcony sometime during the night as it was starting to get cold again for it to not be open, but he pushed that chill that seeped in the room aside as he twirled the stone in his gloveless fingers.
“Every Gyftmas you've been gone I want only one thing.” He starts to say out loud.
He puts the bone heart away into his inventory and he lays back on his bed. The tears have stopped for now and he stared up at the ceiling where they had pasted stars to the ceiling that glowed in the dark. Dust loved those stars because of the days he did not feel like going to OuterTale. It brought him a quiet peace when he would think of her. Then after a few moments... he hears a gentle rapping on his bedroom door. It could only be one monster....
“Not now Attica.” Dust calls out.
“DustDust.... Please?” Attica's small voice came, it sounded sad.
“Attica.... I just need some alone time....”
Right as about Dust was to finish his sentence Attica had already shortcuts into the room and was facing them with their arms crossed. Dust gives a small smile as he sighed. He couldn't tell who the kid really took after, but for all that it mattered they took after Lust and Horror together when it came to monsters that they cared about.
“Granpa Noot came home. Come on!” Attica chirped.
“Attica... I'm sure Night will come up if he wants to when he wants to see me.” Dust sighs as he stands up taking the little monster's hand in his.
“Nuh uh. Come please. Daddy is almost done with breakfast and mommy is awake. Kiki too.”
“How can I say no that face?”
Attica lets out a big smile as they stare up at Dust, who picks them up with a swing and shortcuts down to the kitchen. They find that everyone has gone, except for Nightmare who stares with his arms crossed, but a soft smile can be seen.
“Attica did you get Dust to come down all by yourself?” He smiles.
“I did! He was sad. Shouldn't be alone.” Attica nods as Dust puts them down.
“I just need a minute Night. That was all.” Dust nods as he straightens out his hoodie from where he had carried Attica.
“Attica sweetheart, can you head out to the front of the castle for me? Your daddy and mommy are waiting for you. There's a surprise outside for everyone.” Nightmare grins as he pats the little one's head.
“OK!”
Attica takes of running instead as the front of the castle wasn't too far and the clack of their feet on the pavement makes both of them smile wide. Dust continues to stare after them as he then feels a cold hand touch his shoulder.
“It's still okay to miss her.” Nightmare says softly as he leads Dust towards the front slowly.
“It's getting easier, but I haven't given up. I can't Night. I just can't.” Dust admits.
“I know. We're doing everything we can to bring her home.”
“I talk to her sometimes like she's here. It helps, but every year I want the same thing... And she never shows up.”
“It's a long process Dust, but let's put it from our mind for now. Come there is something I want to show you.”
Without another word they arrived at the castle's front doors. Nightmare pushes it open with one hand as he guides Dust with the other. Dust's eye-lights grow wide in shock... For the first time since they have all come to the castle, the sky was clear... And all around the castle was snow.... Dust looks to Nightmare who has a giant smile on his face. Everywhere there is snow and Dust has to rub his sockets to keep from losing his mind any further. Horror and Killer are throwing snowballs at each other as Lust and now Attica are making bone angels in the snow. Deep and light laughter filling the air around them. It was cold, but it wasn't the biting cold of Nightmare's realm that they were all used to. Snow fell gently around them
“Night?! How did you manage this?” Dust asks as they go down the stairs.
“I had a lot of help from Error and Dream. Slowly, over the last month I was pulling the negativity out of the atmosphere.... Error helps lessen that load by deleting most of it from the AU's code and adding normal weather cycles like some surface AUs. Dream helped keep an illusion spell on the place. So now.... It's just a regular AU that we all call home.... I don't think I ever told you that this place used to originally be a Snowdin in the woods.” Nightmare answers as he follows behind Dust.
“I don't think you've ever told any of us. Night... this is amazing....”
“And now when we do bring her home.... She won't be surrounded by more darkness. There will be light when she does come home and we can make sure that she will feel safe again.”
Nightmare then gets a shocked look to his face as he feels Dust suddenly embrace him in a hug. A gentle smile comes to his face as he looks down at the monster.
“You really are Dadmare.... Thanks.” Dust grins as he pulls back from Nightmare with a soft smile on his face.
“It's time I started trying a little more. But make no mistake Dust...” Nightmare starts.
“Yeah yeah I know... You're still the Boss at the end of the day and I better not fuck up.”
“Eloquently put. No....”
Nightmare doesn't get to finish his sentence as they both get hit in the face with snowballs from Killer and Horror. The pair let out loud hardy laughs as the point towards Nightmare and Dust as the fragments of the snowball dripped off their faces. Lust and Attica were equally cackling as they watched Nightmare make four snowballs with his tentacles and one with his two hands. Dust was already with his own. Wide grins formed all around as they engaged in a snowball fight. Lust would shortcut with Attica in their arms to watch from the stairs as they watched snowballs get thrown at everyone by anyone.
“DustDust looks better mommy.” Attica pipes up as they cuddle in Lust's lap.
“Hmm hmm baby, but what do you say we go inside for something warm to drink? Daddy will be in soon to finish breakfast and then we can open presents.” Lust tells them as they go to stand up with their baby in their arms.
“Ok mommy.”
Dust shortcuts away to the base of the stairs and turns his head as he sees them walk into the castle. After they had disappeared from sight Dust looks up to the sky and smiles as snowflakes continue to fall hitting him in the face like soft sky kisses. He believes then that she will come home... Just have to wait a little bit longer is all.