Chapter Text
Most years, Christmas on the Ark tended to be an exhausting event of unparalleled chaos, unnecessary extravagance, and uncomfortable closeness with the entire Noah family. The Earl always held a huge feast with every kind of food imaginable, a huge pile of sweets and candies present for Road and Skinn, though it rarely turned out to be a peaceful family dinner with the twins pulling pranks and starting food fights. Dinner was followed by eggnog and dessert, and that by the gift exchange that was skewed in favor of Road and the Earl every year. When midnight crept closer and the rest of the family had sufficiently imbibed in “holiday cheer,” Tyki would slip out, avoiding Sheril’s mistletoe and Lulu Bell’s scornful eyes as he made his way back to his other family, determined to spend at least a few hours with them before he crept back onto the Ark.
This year, however, was not like most years, Skinn no longer with them and Road…Road still being gone. Everything seemed half-hearted and muted, though the Earl insisted through midst of his tears that they all celebrate in their honor, praying for the return of their missing brethren. Sheril wasn’t present, taking out his fury on a poor rabbit that had ended up in his clutches. The Earl sat on one of the couches in front of the hearth, staring mournfully into his cup of tea, Lulu Bell sprawled across his shoulders in cat form like an ugly shawl and Wisely passed out against him, head buried against his chest with his arms wrapped tightly around him. Even the twins’ gag-gifts hadn’t been particularly inspired this year, Road usually having conspired with them on some level. Despite everyone being gathered around the fire, they felt their loss more than the heat.
Tyki seemed to be the only one spared the intense melancholia that plagued the other Noah. Naturally he was sad—he loved his niece and Skinn wasn’t completely unbearable all the time, but, given time, Road would be back and Noah’s Wrath would be reborn; there was always a tomorrow for them, and there always would be. They always found their way back to one another. Back to the Earl. Back to the Ark. They may not all be together this year, but for them there would always be a next year, even if it wasn’t them. The other people in Tyki’s life didn’t have that same guarantee, and he had already spent too much time away from them. He slipped out of the room mostly unnoticed, Fiidora wiggling his fingers at Tyki in a wave but making no other acknowledgement of his exit. Slipping out of the Ark might have been trickier if Tyki wasn’t already so well-practiced in it.
He stepped out into the snow on the outskirts of a rural mining town; he and Momo and Clack and Eeez had spent every Christmas since they had all gotten together here in this little town—it was kinda like their own family Christmas tradition. The proprietor of the mining company was devoutly Catholic and a very generous man, guaranteeing all of the miners a day off on Christmas and Christmas Eve, along with free hot meals and lodging both days for anyone who would stay and work the mines after the first of the year. The promise of free food alone was enough to bring them back year after year—that, and the foreman’s wife always made sure that Eeez had a warm coat to last the season.
Tyki wished that he had grabbed his own coat as he trudged towards the brightly glowing lights of the cabins that housed the miners, the flickering of what looked like a bonfire also visible, shivering and cursing the thin dress shirt that he was wearing and trying to think of what he’d say to his friends—somehow ‘Hi, I’m home, sorry I ditched you for most of the year’ didn’t seem like it was going to cut it. Part of him wondered if they'd even recognize him—what lies would he have to spin to explain it all away? They deserved better than that. But while excuses would fall flat, it would be more believable than the truth. At least he wasn’t coming home empty-handed; he had snagged enough money for Clack and Momo to be able to take days off and take care of Eeez without having to work themselves into an early grave and had been collecting knickknacks for Eeez, shiny little tokens of his travels that he knew would make the boy's eyes shine with wonder. It wouldn't be enough of an apology for Tyki's conscience, but it would be a start.
He started his search around the bonfire; it seemed like most of the workers were gathered around it, drunkenly singing and celebrating loudly. Tyki couldn't help but smile as he wove in and out of the groups of men; he may not look the part anymore, but it still felt like coming home, many of the miners offering him drinks and comradery as he passed them by. Not having any luck finding his boys, he located the foreman instead, who silently thumbed him in the direction of one of the cabins, his lips pressed tight in a thin line. Tyki vaguely remembered him to be a livelier man, but shrugged it off and left the man to his drink.
Through the window, Tyki could see a fire burning dimly, in need of another log to continue feeding it. He debated briefly whether or not he was supposed to knock, standing in front of the door awkwardly with his fist raised. After hesitating a moment longer, he gave the door two light taps and opened it.
"Hello, hello? Guys? Eeez? You in here?"
He opened the door fully and stepped inside, only having to immediately have a mostly-empty bottle come flying past his head, shattering against the door frame. Tyki stared at his assailant, wide-eyed at the sight of Momo, who was drunk and disheveled, his chest heaving under his labored breathing, anger in his unfocused eyes. Tyki froze and put his hands up, showing that he meant no harm; it didn't seem to make much difference to Momo, who was already looking around wildly for another projectile. Out of the corner of his eye, Tyki saw Clack passed out on the floor by the dying fire, snoring and oblivious to the scene unfolding around him.
"Momo," Tyki said slowly, his hands still raised, "Momo, it's me, it's Tyki!" He flinched as another poorly-aimed bottle came flying in his direction even though he was never in any risk of actually being hit.
His friend shook his head slowly, his entire body trembling with either exertion or emotion or both, Tyki didn’t know. Momo spat off to the side with a sneer, “That’s a dirty fuckin’ lie, you rotten assh—”
“Look, listen, I know I’ve been gone, and yeah, I’m an ass, but I’m the same asshole that’s spent years travelin’ and gamblin’ and swindlin’ everywhere from here to friggin Lisbon with you guys!”
Tyki’s sudden outburst seemed to shock the majority of the anger out of Momo, who paled, pulling his cap off his head as he sank down onto the bed behind him, suddenly looking ten years older.
“S’it really you...?” Momo’s voice was slurred and shaky.
Tyki crossed the room to crouch in front of him, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. “Yeah, bud, it’s me—late to the party, as usual, y’know?” Both of their brief chuckles were halfhearted.
“Day late and a dollar short too.”
“Actually…” Tyki pulled out the roll of bills that he had tucked in his pocket and put it firmly in Momo’s hand, “I think I’ve got the dollar covered this time.” He waited for the burst of energy and excitement—it was more money than they could’ve hoped to have made in six months—but it never came, Momo just staring down at the money in his palm with an unreadable expression that made Tyki’s throat tighten.
“S-say, where’s my little man Eeez—I brought him some stuff too! I didn’t see him out around the fire, he staying with the foreman’s wife again, or what?” Tyki said, trying to change the subject to something that felt safer to him.
It seemed to have the opposite effect though, his already pale friend blanching to a paper-white that seemed almost deathly. His eyes filled with tears as he choked back a sob, burying his face in his hands. In all their years together, Tyki had only seen either of his friends break down on one occasion—the year Eeez had ended up in the hospital with pneumonia. It had taken them the better part of six months, even with Tyki bringing in extra cash, for them to pay back the hospital bills. If Eeez was sick again, no wonder Momo looked so bleak.
“Look, if Eeez’s sick again, I’ll take care of it—we’ll make it work, you’ll see!” He kept trying to encourage him, promising to be around more, to take care of the hospital bills, to stay and watch over their boy until he recovered until Momo grabbed him by the shirt, shaking him, even as he continued to sob.
“Don’t you get it, you idiot!? Eeez’s not sick! He’s not in the hospital, and he’s never coming home!” He slid forward off the bed, collapsing onto his knees against Tyki, breaking down completely. “He’s gone…he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone…you weren’t here…he tried to wait for you, but you never came, and now he’s gone!”
The world fell away from Tyki, going utterly silent as his heart and mind desperately tried to deny the words that his friend had just said to him. He felt cold and nothingness all at once as numbness overtook him. He wasn’t sure of how long they sat there, barely aware of anything at all.
And then a knock on the door came, two deafening raps that jolted Tyki back to what he was still praying would be a nightmare. The two of them both moved slowly to face the door, neither moving to answer it. Two more knocks, more insistent than the last, pulled Tyki to his feet, carrying him to the door before it even registered to him that he was standing at all. It swung open to reveal a man in a top hat with a smile that spread from ear to ear.
The Earl of Millennium had come to visit.