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Purple wrapped their hands around the warm ceramic of their hot chocolate mug. It was a cold December day, December 24th to be exact, and although they were huddled under a blanket in their warm living room by the fireplace, their hands were still cold. They had always been told that their hands were always frigid.. It would be just another day, walking down the street with Orchid, and they’d reach up and grab her hand, only for her to giggle, “Oh, Purple, your hands are freezing!” After a while they just stopped holding hands. Purple became too old for it anyway.
The fire was crackling across from the couch. It was a small fire, Purple didn’t really know how to make one, but at least it was a fire. It made the lonely day feel a little more cozy. Outside, the blizzard was swirling, but inside, it was quiet and warm.
Out of pure nostalgia, Purple had hung their stocking on the mantle, ratty, old, dirty and empty. Purple didn’t see the point in hanging it up much. They had stopped believing in Santa a long time ago. When Navy left, and when Orchid was gone, the presents had simply stopped coming. If that wasn’t proof, they didn’t know what.
To tell the truth, Purple wasn’t the biggest fan of Christmas. The last Christmas before their dad left hadn’t even felt like Christmas. There was no joy in their parent’s smiles, no love behind the presents gifted.
They were sure this Christmas wouldn’t be any different.
It wasn’t like they were going to get anything this year. Not only am I all alone, They thought, But I doubt I’m even on the nice list. They shuddered despite their warmth at the thought of all the things they’d done this year. Putting those other sticks down, just to build themself up. And in the end, it all came crashing to the floor anyway. They weren’t even sure how anyone could forgive them.
It had been nice when they could all play League of Legends with Green and his friends in peace, but even then, they felt so… wrong. Guilty. They hadn’t done anything to prove themself, so why would Green forgive them? Why would any of them forgive them?
Even if the sticks did forgive Purple, it wasn’t like they could spend Christmas together. The biggest blizzard the outernet had ever seen had hit. Everyone was snowed in, and there was no way it was safe for anyone to come from the PCs. It was far too cold, and the roads were unplow-able.
“I just have to face the facts.” They said aloud to the empty room. “There won’t be a Christmas for me this year.”
Despite this fact, Purple tried to make themself jolly. They sipped their powdered hot chocolate, although it was rather watered down, and breathed in the steam. Reaching for the remote, they turned on the television and scrolled through Christmas movies.
No… that was Navy’s favorite…
The way they baked cookies in that one reminded them of Orchid… They didn’t feel like crying tonight.
That one felt a little too close for comfort…
They used to watch that one every year….
After rejecting possibly every Christmas movie to have ever existed, they gave a heavy sigh and stood up. Dragging their blanket along, they made their way to the window and placed their hand on the ice-cold windowsill. The snow was swirling, and it served as a reminder that they would be all alone this year. They let their breath hit the window and condense until the whole pane was fogged up. The cold air stung their eyes, pulling at tears that were already hard to hold back. They closed their eyes in a last attempt to hold it back.
With a shuddering breath, they opened their eyes again to see… something out the window?
Lights, five yellow, shimmering lights were all they could see through the fog and the snow. Those weren’t there before, and they were sure that the people across the street didn’t have any Christmas lights up.
And they were sure that Christmas lights didn’t move.
The lights were bobbing gently up and down, and seemed to be making their way over toward Purple’s door.
They jumped back. Why would there be lights? Why were they heading toward their door? Purple dropped their blanket and raised their fists, ready to defend themself if needed. The lights were getting larger, closer… And then they stopped. Right. In front. Of Purple’s. Window.
Cautiously, Purple reached their hand out and carefully, slowly wiped the fog off the window to see…
“AGH!” They jumped back as they saw a perky, blushing, smiling face in a pom-pom hat and headlamp.
“Hi!” Green grinned from outside the window, although it was slightly muffled. The blizzard swirled into a soft flurry. Behind him, his friends all waved. The lights Purple had seen were actually their shining headlamps..
Purple’s mug clattered to the floor. They rushed to the door and tossed it open, as 5 snow-dusted stick figures rushed in, happy to be out of the cold, and each carrying heaps of Christmas decorations. “Green? What- What are you doing?” They stuttered
Green set his box down and put his hands on his hips. “Celebrating Christmas with you, what else?”
Purple raised their hand to their head. “But- The storm! And… I’m sure you guys were doing your own thing, you didn’t need to come down here, and-” Their last word was muffled by Green’s coat as he swooped them into a hug.
“Of course I did. The storm shouldn’t keep you from having a good time. We all worked together to get here, for you!” He smiled. Purple didn’t see it, but for a moment his face was in perfect Christmas colors.
Purple pressed their face gently into Green’s jacket. “Green… you…”
Green shushed them. “Don’t say another word. This place is so bland, haha! We need some Christmas spirit.” He stepped away and turned to the rest of his friends. Red, Blue, Yellow and Second stood at attention with boxes of ornaments.
“Why in the name of Alan did you bring all these ornaments? I don’t even have a tree…” Purple was so surprised by the unexpected visit that they could barely get the words out.
Blue stepped forward with seeds in one hand and bonemeal in the other. “That’s what I’m for!” They grinned, and rushed to the corner of the room at Green’s point. Like magic, a tall minecraft pine tree stood tall next to the fireplace. Second and Yellow immediately began to string it with lights and hang up ornaments.
Red set up a small pen in one corner of the room and turned back to Purple. “And I’ve got someone who is sure to bring some holiday fun!” Reuben, Red’s pig, stepped out from behind him wearing a bright red nose and a deer antler headband. “Reuben the red-nosed reindeer!” Red proudly presented his pig, and Purple giggled a bit at this.
Purple was so utterly surprised at everything. In the kitchen, Blue was helping Red mix up a batch of cookies. Yellow was standing on Second’s shoulders. She desperately reached for the top of the tree, star in hand, as Second called out from below, “Careful! Careful!”
And Purple stood bewildered in the middle of the room next to Green. “Why…” they turned to Green, who was now setting up a turntable to play some sick Christmas beats. “Why did you come here to do all this? After everything I did…”
Green looked up, the Christmas tree illuminating his face in rainbow lights. “Because you’re my friend, Purple.” He walked over to them, smiling. “No one should be alone for the holidays, right?” He took their warm hands in his, and their heart was beating like the engine of a runaway train.
“I guess so…” They smiled up at him, and their chest felt warm with the love they hadn’t felt in so long. The tree reflected a sky full of stars in their eyes, and they thought that maybe they deserved a nice Christmas.
Maybe they deserved to be warm and happy.
Maybe they deserved to be loved.