Of course, the moment could only last so long before Cass ruined it. Not entirely on purpose. Just, she was stuck at the bottom next to Leon and could barely reach anyone! So, of course, she grew a few more limbs and stretched them all out to make sure that she could hug [i]everyone[/i]. Even if it meant noodling them around people… It was filled with love! Not creepy at all! [color=d1b300]“... Cass, did you just touch my ass?”[/color] [color=629c3f]”That’s yours? Oops, I thought it was Ed’s! Should’ve known, too much meat there-”[/color] [color=66bb6a]”Common mistake. Squeeze harder.”[/color] Ed managed to joke from beneath most of the pile at this point. Hari had managed to slot into the other side of Mia, arm twisted underneath Trisha and letting her be near the top of the group so she didn’t feel trapped. Only Casey’s arm wrapped in behind her, keeping her safe and secure in the moment as they all enjoyed one another’s company. Eventually, Mia was the first person to call it all to a close. [color=ed145b]”God… Can… Can we sit later? And-”[/color] she asked, pulling up to look Leon in the face. He nodded in return. [color=C67C12]”Anyone who wants to see what happened will be able to see the Recollection. Just ask. But, again… Let’s save that. There’s still gifts, and I want some smiles. And a picture, I think. We can arrange a picture.”[/color] Once more, the smell of honey filled the air. There was a metal clicking, ticking, then the snapping of something before a flash went off. As the group fully broke up, a couple more flashes came from the mantle above the fireplace. A cellphone, standing on the crab-like structure of its own safety case, was taking pictures autonomously. A true testament to Casey’s magical prowess, he’d easily called upon the warmth of Christmas that he’d experienced throughout his life, causing the phone to come alive with his commands. And those commands were simple… Capture the moment. [color=577d06]”Gotcha covered, Lee.”[/color] Leon nodded, smiling up at the phone and waving. It did a wiggling response. [color=C67C12]”Dude… I really wish I had gotten into making things. Like you guys do… The little constructs and stuff? Like, Mia, I- uh, Trisha, block your ears if you don’t wanna hear about this, but like, what exactly did you use to get our hair and stuff, Mia?”[/color] Leon asked with rapt interest as the group slowly dispersed back to their seats. Casey quickly looked at Trisha, arm sweeping around her shoulder with one hand tucking over her ear in case she wanted to avoid the cursed knowledge. Trisha tilted her head into Casey’s hand, one of her own going up to cover her other ear. Not that it really blocked out voices, but it let her muffle it all a bit. She closed her eyes like she was going to have a quick nap through the conversation. [color=ed145b]”We were watching an anime, so that was the inspiration… Uh, they’re little coins. Dime-sized, with the, uh… Crab legs. Like Papa taught us. They had bristles inside, and they’d rub into whatever they found. Easier to get yours and Cass’ because you guys are messier. And that’s all I’ll say about it.”[/color] she explained, not relishing in it anymore than she had to, as she’d understood the previous conversation’s issues easily. There was no glory in rubbing Trisha’s nose in it. Casey couldn’t help but narrow his eyes. [color=577d06]”There’s no finger nails in ours then… Neither of us trim them in a way where we leave any behind.”[/color] he commented openly, knowing full well that Trisha’s process was meticulous, while his was far more primal. She shrugged her shoulders. [color=ed145b]”They ground everything up. I didn’t know what I was getting. The command was to find Keratin, and they did. I just… Figured whatever was gonna be in your guys’ homes was yours. So, yeah, it’s probably just hair. It all works the same.”[/color] Casey gave an expression that told her he was impressed. However she’d managed to get them into their apartment, he had to give their subtleness props. Though, he had been doing his absolute best to cut back on utilizing his powers in the interim, at least while at home. [color=577d06]”Neat… I think.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Pretty fucking awesome in my eyes!”[/color] Cass exclaimed, throwing up all six of her arms. She hadn’t pulled in the extra ones from the group hug yet. [color=629c3f]”But… I’ve lived with Trisha! I know she’s just as messy as me- more, sometimes! So I completely reject that we’re messier! Unless love’s made her into a neat freak!”[/color] She looked intently at Trisha, who raised her eyebrows. [color=d1b300]“Hmm?”[/color] [color=629c3f]”I know you heard me.”[/color] Trisha dropped the hand she had covering her ear now that they’d moved on from the hair collection. [color=d1b300]”Casey’s the ‘neat freak.’ He tidies up after me.”[/color] [color=629c3f]“[i]Ohhhhh[/i].”[/color] Cass grinned, one hand saluting Casey. [color=629c3f]“You’ve taken on a difficult task, but someone had to do it.”[/color] [color=d1b300]“I’m not [i]that[/i] bad.”[/color] Trisha playfully pouted. She really didn’t think Cass had a leg to stand on with how messy she was. Sure, Trisha did it out of laziness while Cass did it because she forgot about something she was doing, but it was still messy! [color=629c3f]”Hmm… Well… I won’t put Casey in the hot seat by asking him if that’s true or not!”[/color] Cass laughed. All six arms folded, one finger on the top set tapping against her bicep. [color=629c3f]”Now we’ve given you all your presents, it’s only fair you give us ours.”[/color] Trisha turned her head away from Cass and towards Casey, so at least he’d be the only one to see the hesitation and growing anxiety in her expression. She was nervous enough about gift giving- unsurprising for someone as anxious as her- nevermind after everything that had been given out up until now. [color=d1b300]“It’s kind of hard to follow up on Leon’s, though.”[/color] Leon put his hands up in a warding fashion, waving the thought off. [color=C67C12]”Intent is intent. I just figured we’d do our absolute best to put the past behind us however we can.”[/color] [color=ed145b]”Any gift that doesn’t make us all cry is probably welcomed at this point. I’m hoping yours is fun!”[/color] Mia admitted aloud. The other girls nodded, with Ed and Mia exchanging very subtle looks. Casey patted Trisha’s arm. [color=577d06]”You want me to go first?”[/color] he asked her quietly. Trisha shook her head. It would be worse if she went last, because then it might be a disappointment to end everything. Honestly, it would have been easiest if she went first, but that ship had sailed. [color=d1b300]“As long as expectations aren’t too high… I’m not so used to gift giving. We’d always do a secret santa during University, so it was only one person to think about. Last year I didn’t even have anyone to give something to.”[/color] She admitted what was a bit of a sad fact. While she hadn’t given anything, technically she had gotten a gift- if relationship self help books from Tansy as a purposeful jab counted. With that said, she did her best to not pre-emptively apologise for what she had to give. Laying her insecurities out like that wouldn’t benefit anyone, after all. They’d just get annoyed. [color=d1b300]“First of all, there’s the expected. Doesn’t really feel like a Christmas gift since I give it away all the time.”[/color] She managed to push down her anxiety to laugh, as she handed each person a mini jar of honey. There could only be about one ounce in there. Though to anyone who looked at it closely with a magically attuned eye, it glowed softly- more than her normal honey did. [color=d1b300]“Though it is the last of what we have until we come back and I harvest more, so I guess it’s more valuable because of that!”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Aw man, I’m gonna have to ration myself!”[/color] Cass groaned jokingly, grinning at her little jar of honey. Trisha’s honey really was the best. [color=d1b300]“There’ll be plenty more in a week.”[/color] Trisha smiled as she went back to her little gift bag. Which one did she do first? The one she felt was the worst, or the best? Maybe start positively. She pulled out an envelope, handing it over to the girls. [color=d1b300]“This is for all of you.”[/color] Ed reached a hand out to meet Trisha’s, taking the envelope and bringing it into Mia’s reach so she could be the one to open it between them. Mia’s finger slid up under the lip of the envelope, sliding between the paper and opening the way for her to pull out the internals. Inside was a fancily designed voucher on cream paper with dark green cursive text. A luxury stay at the Woldoff Lodge. The same hotel her and Casey had stayed at on the date she organised. It had no date on it, so clearly it wasn’t a booking for a specific day. Instead there were simple instructions for how to use it when booking. All three of their names were printed neatly after the ‘for’, so it was clear Trisha hadn’t tried to hide it was a gift for three. Admittedly, they wouldn’t have questioned anything she wanted. Woldoff Lodge didn’t normally do vouchers like this. They had the normal where you could get a voucher for a certain amount off a stay… but Trisha hadn’t wanted something like that. She wanted to treat the girls to a night away, whenever they wanted it. It was a rare occasion where she did lean on her name. Her Father had bailed the place out not long before he’d died, so they were willing to give a Vanburen special treatment. She’d still [i]paid[/i] the full price for a night in the fanciest room, with dinner and breakfast included. She’d just had to ask them to make a new voucher just for her. [color=d1b300]“It’s one night stay in their nicest rooms, or two if you want something simpler. The voucher doesn’t expire for two years… But even if you don’t use it by then, I can easily call them and ask for it to be extended.”[/color] She explained calmly, hands clasped tightly in her lap to cover up her nervousness over how they might react. There were glances exchanged between the girls as they parsed out a group consensus without words. The immediate feeling was mostly from Mia, whose Richoux upbringing had totally numbed her to this kind of gift. Ed was excited for anything, and had no trouble saying something with gratitude aloud. [color=66bb6a]”Damn, this’ll be great like… Sometime next year? While we’re traveling, or whatever. We can fall back on a night at the Woldoff, or, like you said: A couple, if we slide into a cheaper room. That works.”[/color] she grinned, knowing full well that they weren’t done living like they were homeless [i]quite[/i] yet. There was a draw to transience between them. A wanderlust that still needed sating. [color=0072bc]”Actually? You’re so right. We’re gonna wait until we [i]really[/i] fucking need the break. And then, we’ll all melt in a hot tub for a night. Rest our weary bones.”[/color] Hari cooed, leaning into Mia and practically looking over her shoulder at the piece of paper. With encouragement on both sides of her, Mia finally gave a big smile and nodded. [color=ed145b]”It’s great utility. Thank you, Sis!”[/color] Casey smiled between them, hoping that Mia’s gratitude was true, and not just a peer pressured response. Trisha managed to smile back at them all, though she could tell the reaction was lukewarm from Mia especially. Why wouldn’t it be? It probably felt so much more impersonal. Especially when she’d managed to get something so nice for Casey… But she couldn’t get everyone bee necklaces, could she? To her, something like this wasn’t a bad gift- she’d put in effort, and tailored it to the recipient. She’d not been confident in it, but she hadn’t been so anxious until everyone else started pulling out hers. It probably made her look like a rich girl who was just throwing money at them. Like she’d always felt her family treated her… But it wasn’t the same, they never thought about what they gave. [color=d1b300]“I’m glad you like it. I figured a night somewhere where you don’t have to worry about anything would be nice… But I didn’t want there to be any pressure by booking anything, or something where you’re expected to make up the rest of the cost yourself. So I asked if they’d do something like this.”[/color] She managed to respond calmly, smiling like she’d realised her initial anxieties had been for nothing. She wasn’t going to put that on them, or risk dragging the mood down. Maybe later with Casey… No, probably not. It was a small thing anyway. [color=d1b300]“Next year I’ll do something completely different.”[/color] She continued, fiddling with her bag without pulling the next gift out. She wasn’t so worried about Cass’, mainly because it was Cass. Leon on the other hand… But she smiled and even tried to make a joke. [color=d1b300]“Cass clearly got the Christmas gift theme memo when I didn’t.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Oh, nah! I’m just skint as fuck!”[/color] Cass waved a hand in front of her. [color=C67C12]”We’re just… Not used to receiving nice things like that, Trisha. Dad a-”[/color] Casey raised his hand, warding Leon off the topic. [color=577d06]”-Don’t take the bait.”[/color] he said, looking at Trisha and turning his head further so the others couldn’t see him speak. Obviously, if they heard, he couldn’t do a lot about that… But, doing his best to prevent their observation, he spoke quietly to Trisha. [color=577d06]”Sweetheart… The gift’s fine. Saying something like that just… Puts people in a position where they’re forced into assuaging an anxiety that isn’t real.”[/color] he tried to explain simply and cleanly. Leon obviously heard him, though now the girls were forced to consider whether or not their reactions bled too blue. If the lukewarm reception was really that clear, it meant they had to deal with the consequence of action beyond that. [color=ed145b]”I mean, it definitely is great utility. As it stands, we’ll probably walk into that bitch looking like three wise hoes, so it’ll be nice to have a guaranteed in, so they can’t try to deny our business.”[/color] Mia explained aloud, turning the attention back to them. [color=66bb6a]”That’s the God honest truth, Trisha. You don’t know how depressing things can really get until you scrounge up enough cash for a night’s stay in a crummy motel, just for them to deny you entry because of how you look. We spent a lot of nights outside with money in our pockets because we couldn’t get showered and clean our clothes without the use of the facilities included with the rooms.”[/color] Ed explained, hoping that the reality of Trisha’s gift’s usefulness wouldn’t fly under the radar. Leon, of course, saw what Trisha saw. Because he wouldn’t have been able to hide his own dissatisfaction. But, the girls were far easier to please as a collective, and they could easily find a use for anything they got. They were good, kind, and typically warm people who had no problem accepting whatever came into their lives with grace and good will. [color=0072bc]”And, restricting ourselves so we’re not able to just magically rizz up the clerk at the front desk blows. But, that was part of our rules then. It’ll probably be part of the rules again later.”[/color] Hari finished. Trisha just stared at Casey for a few moments with a small frown, processing everything that was said. The throuple speaking up stopped her from making excuses to him at least. She hadn’t meant it like that. It was meant to be a joke… But clamping down on her reactive defensiveness, she understood that it didn’t come across that way. It was her anxiety slipping out even if she tried to not let it. [color=d1b300]“I didn’t mean to do that. I’ll try not to again.”[/color] She said very quietly to Casey. She couldn’t promise she wouldn’t, but she could at least confirm that she’d [i]try[/i]. Keep trying until she really recognised how what she was saying affected other people. She reached it for his hand, shifting to look back towards the group, speaking louder. [color=d1b300]“I understand. I didn’t realise that utility meant it was positive in that way… I didn’t mean to imply I thought you were ungrateful or anything.”[/color] She said, fingers playing with Casey’s. [color=d1b300]“Honestly, you could walk in naked and covered in mud, so long as they see my name on it. Even though it’s been ten years since dad saved the place, they still treat my family like royalty. Normally I don’t like using the family name for things… But I think it’s alright for stuff like this, right? I might as well use it for some amount of good.”[/color] Though when she decided to give them this, it wasn’t them looking homeless that she was worried about but rather them being a lesbian throuple. Seemed stupid in hindsight, because they could’ve just pretended to be friends. [color=d1b300]“Uh, anyway, what I’m trying to say is… I’m glad you do like it and it’ll be useful. That’s what I wanted in the first place.”[/color] [color=ed145b]”We’re glad to have it, and we definitely appreciate the long lifespan of it.”[/color] Mia returned simply, doing her absolute best not to rush to the other end of the couch and cling to Trisha for confirmation. Casey simply placed a hand on Trisha’s thigh, gently rubbing with his thumb to try and shore up her emotional status. He nodded at the girls, then at Trisha. [color=577d06]”See? One down… Not so hard.”[/color] he grinned, leaning in and kissing her cheek before waving along. [color=577d06]”What’s next?”[/color] It had been emotionally difficult, but she guessed that was only because she was anxious. That made plenty of things difficult. Far more difficult than they should be! She’d been getting better with it too, but the last week- Definitely not the time to think about that. She smiled and managed to relax, leaning into Casey for a moment before going back into her bag. [color=d1b300]“[i]Caaassss[/i] is what’s next.”[/color] She laughed lightly, leaning forward to hand another envelope to Cass. [color=629c3f]”Ooo, am I the gift? So true but I ain’t yours to give away- Wait!”[/color] Cass waved the envelope beside her ear as if it would tell her what it was. [color=629c3f]”Is it a gift card for Nasty Drake?!”[/color] Trisha hit Cass with a deadpan stare, holding her hand back out. [color=d1b300]“On second thoughts, I’ll take it back.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”[i]No way![/i] It’s my gift!”[/color] Cass cackled, leaning back and jokingly kicking her legs as if to ward Trisha off. As she did she tore the envelope open, grin widening. [color=629c3f]”Oh hell yeah!”[/color] The card she pulled out was jet black, with all the details written in elaborate white text, mimicking something that’d be written a hundred years ago. Another voucher, but one that Cass was clearly fucking elated over. She waved it at Leon. [color=629c3f]”This is for a tattooist back in San Fran I’ve wanted to go to the whole time I lived there! I just couldn’t justify it cause it’s so fucking expensive… Cause she’s [i]so[/i] good, y’know. Worth the price! But I ain’t rich. Holy shit, Trisha- how did you know.”[/color] Trisha hit her with another deadpan ‘seriously’ look which quickly broke into a smile. [color=d1b300]“You’d moan about it every couple of months.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Awwww, you really do listen to me!”[/color] [color=d1b300]“Obviously I do.”[/color] Trisha said simply, rather than protesting like admitting to being a good friend would kill her for once. Cass’ practically beamed, before pointing to Leon. [color=629c3f]”So… His gift is a Nasty Drake gift card, right?”[/color] What was her obsession with making a sexual joke out of everything? Obviously, Trisha was used to it… But she also knew Leon didn’t need a gift card to anything like that! He had a sex dungeon of a bedroom! It did mean she couldn’t put off the final gift any longer. Leon had been the hardest for her. He was as rich as she was… Probably more, considering there was family wealth and his own. What could she get him that he didn’t already have? On top of that, she didn’t [i]really[/i] know him that well. Sure, she’d not know the girls for long, but she felt like she understood them a bit more. It was difficult for Leon, since their relationship had been so negative to start with. It made it difficult to give him something specifically tailored to him, even if her last two gifts weren’t in quite the same way the handmade ones were. It had still been specific to the people she was gifting them to. [color=d1b300]“His gift was introducing him to you. What else does he need?”[/color] Trisha jokingly waved Cass off. Leon shrugged, nodding. [color=C67C12]”Honestly, pretty good gift. I’ve honestly never been so satisfied. Life’s hard, but I genuinely look forward to spending time with her.”[/color] he explained with a warm tone in his voice. Still managing to smile, Trisha leaned forward to hesitantly rummage in her gift bag. [color=d1b300]“Honestly… I got you two things, because the first thing didn’t feel like it was big enough. But the second one isn’t really… Well, that doesn’t matter. I think the original one itself will be fine.”[/color] She handed him an actual wrapped gift, though it was small. Small enough to fit in the palm of his hand, though he had very big hands, so it wasn’t a fair comparison. His finger easily pressed through the paper and shredded an opening for him to slip the contents out of. Inside was a photo album, just big enough for one standard sized photo per page. Probably unsurprisingly, it was filled with photos of Cass. A wide variety, from a few nice shots to an incredible amount of goofy ones. Not only was Cass goofy all the time, but she pulled faces whenever someone pointed a camera at her too. A good amount were from their University days, which Trisha had collected from all their friends- but there were childhood ones too. [color=d1b300]“I swear I didn’t copy Cass, even though it looks like I did.”[/color] Honestly, the idea hadn’t entirely been her own. It came about when Sal messaged her to complain about Cass not gaming with him one night because she was busy. After letting him complain about her ‘stupidly sexy boyfriend’ for a bit, Trisha had then said about her Christmas gift struggles. Sal had suggested something like this, and helped provide a lot of the pictures. Of course, Cass was trying to muscle her way in to see, which made Leon work extra hard to keep it away from her as he wanted to be the one to selfishly experience the gift he’d been given. After all, when he opened it and saw that face staring back at him from the past, he could only blush and grin. There were obviously a few years between them, but it was completely full of sentiment in his eyes. There was a few pictures that were of her and some of their other friends, probably so hammered that whatever night it had been was foggy at best. And then, as he was pushing up off the couch to avoid a secondary assault for supremacy of the little album, his face lit up like a Christmas tree. [color=C67C12]”Ohhhh! Cass! Trisha!? Where’d you get pictures like this!? Did you, like, find these on her old socials or something? Cassie, Baby, look!”[/color] he finally held it out to her, showing off the final pictures in the album. Both pictures showed a teen Cass, a similar age in both. In the first she was dressed in a put together boxing kid. A tank top and big, baggy shorts in black, purple and gold. The gold was clearly a self addition, painted on top to match Gravity’s boxing kit. She’d even straightened her hair, though it was quite frizzy in this one. Then the other was a similar, but slightly better put together, ensemble in grey, white and red. She’d clearly improved on her hair straightening too when she dressed up as Timberwolf… In both she was making dramatic punches with a wide, goofy grin. Cass’ mouth fell open as she stared at the pictures speechlessly. All her fighting spirit dropped as her face turned a deep shade of crimson. [color=629c3f]”Oh my God, Trisha, where the fuck did you get these?!”[/color] [color=d1b300]“I have an in with a certain childhood friend.”[/color] Trisha giggled. Revenge was sweet, after all, even if that revenge was embarrassing past photos enjoyed by boyfriends. [color=629c3f]”Sal, that bastard, selling me out! What the fuck! This is so embarassing!”[/color] She did seem genuinely, though good naturedly, embarrassed. It was a rare state for her to be in… But it was her dressing up as her [i]now boyfriend[/i]. And his dad! Of course she was embarrassed! [color=629c3f]”Oh my God, Babe, I never thought you’d see these. Thank fuck we’re dating, cause the girlfriend side is stopping my fan side from self combusting outta horror!”[/color] Leon shook his head. [color=C67C12]”He never taught me to cringe at fans. I feel a genuine connection with anyone who wants to support me, inside [i]or[/i] outside the ring. This is just another instance of having an awesome fan. I mean, look-”[/color] He pointed at the picture of her in his father’s ring gear. Mia quickly got up, leaving Hari and Ed a chance to slide into one another with the former swinging her legs up into the latter’s lap for some cuddling as Mia remained distracted. [color=ed145b]”Dude! That’s the Mantis Sports limited run! The one they did for that Halloween one year, as like… Dad’s tenth anniversary for the first Dominance World title! Your parents must’ve loved you, I’ve tried to get that a few times for charity stuff, and it’s like… Never worth it! Collectors love them, and they hoard them!”[/color] Leon’s eyes narrowed, his advanced senses easily parsing out the pixilated details in a way that Mia simply couldn’t. [color=C67C12]”I… Don’t-”[/color] [color=629c3f]”I wish it was the real thing!”[/color] Cass cut Leon off, though not entirely on purpose. She was just excited to talk about it and complain about how difficult the real thing was to get, quickly getting over her embarrassment. [color=629c3f]”I made ‘em myself! Looks better in the photo than in real life, honestly… Well, I ain’t got ‘em anymore, but back then! They were a lil crusty by the end of the night… But yeah, good spot, honestly, I’m glad I got ‘em accurate enough! I spent ages copying the Mantis Sports one… I did [i]try[/i] to convince my parents to ‘invest’ in the real thing, but they didn’t think me promising to not eat for a couple of years was enough to justify it!”[/color] Though she hadn’t seriously asked for them from her parents… The price was practically a year's salary for her Dad. Like Mia said, not worth it! [color=629c3f]”It’s [i]crazy[/i] how expensive that shit is. I wouldn’t mind if they were sitting with fans, but fucking collectors- ugh, they’re the worst!”[/color] Leon’s eyes closed in satisfaction as he internally patted himself on the back. Of course he spotted the difference, but he was also just happy she responded the way she did. It was great to have someone so open and free of the social anxiety that the other women in his life were so prone to. [color=C67C12]”Haha, yeah… Collectors… [i]Awful.[/i]”[/color] He knew there was a matching set somewhere… In one of the many storage sites, either upstairs, or in a different building somewhere else. It was all capital, after all. If ever there was a hard time that needed to be overcome by a bit of gain, he knew he had potential. Credit, credit, credit. [color=ed145b]”We’re his [i]kids[/i], dude… I think it’s a little different that our family keeps a set, isn’t it?”[/color] Mia asked with sincerity in her voice. Leon laughed back, rolling his eyes and looking at Cass. [color=C67C12]”When I find it, I’ll let you put the real one on. You can walk around in [i]just the robe.[/i]”[/color] Mia groaned, shaking her head and bringing her hands up to cover her ears as Leon’s head tilted back and he laughed wildly. [color=C67C12]”That’s fucking great… [b]Thank you, Trisha![/b]”[/color] Leon exclaimed, a wide smile on his face. [color=C67C12]”You said there was a part two?”[/color] he asked, not exactly remembering in the haze of excitement. Trisha was incredibly glad that somehow she’d managed to do really well with one gift, even though it was the one she’d been least sure about. But she hadn’t realised in advance that those were the kinds of gifts everyone actually liked… She did now. She’d have to think harder for next year. [color=d1b300]“Sort of. I got it because I felt that one… Wasn’t as expensive as the others.”[/color] She managed to admit painfully. There was a conflicted struggle when it came to gift giving. She hated expensive gifts with no thoughts behind them, but at the same time her whole life had been filled with [i]money equalling value[/i]. So many people only wanted her for it too. [color=d1b300]“It feels like it diminishes this one, but if you still want it? It would let you get a tattoo with Cass without having to pay for it.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Oh hell yeah, we can get matching tramp stamps.”[/color] Cass laughed, incredibly bouncy thanks to Leon's offer for her to [i]wear the real one[/i]. That would be so awesome! Not that she’d actually sully it by walking around in just the robe… Mostly for poor Mia! [color=C67C12]”Hey, I won’t pass up the opportunity. It just means we can tip a buckwild amount. Make that shop’s week.”[/color] Leon accepted as graciously as he could. [color=C67C12]”That’s real sweet of you, Trisha. I’ll get your name tattooed in smaller print near Cass’, so-”[/color] He was quickly thumped in the head, causing laughter across the couch. He paused for a moment, giggling before bowing his head more graciously. [color=C67C12]”Seriously. Thank you. We’ll make the most of the offer.”[/color] he added formally. [color=d1b300]“Just [i]don’t[/i] get my name tattooed. That’ll be thanks enough.”[/color] Trisha said, honestly more comfortable with the first thanks than the more formal one. She pulled out the last envelope to give to him so he had it. [color=d1b300]“But, you’re welcome. I’m glad you’ll use it… And liked the photos.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Great minds think alike, as they say.”[/color] Cass laughed, grinning widely at Trisha. She just ducked her head, shaking it slightly. At least their ideas had been a bit different. Cass’ was a nice scrapbook for the two of them, while Trisha just gave Leon as many photos of Cass as she could fit in one photo album. [color=629c3f]”Oh, you thought I meant with the photos? I mean with getting your name tattooed, cause I’ll also- Okay, I’ll stop!”[/color] Cass threw her hands up as Trisha glared at her, before anyone decided to give her a thump to the head too. With all of her gifts given out Trisha was able to relax more, leaning in towards Casey with a warm smile. [color=d1b300]“I guess it really wasn’t so hard in the end. The anxiety wasn’t real, like you said.”[/color] She said softly. Casey patted her thigh as he took a deep, comforting breath. If only anxiety worked so simply, that she’d just be over it suddenly. Chances weren’t low, they were non-existent. But, she was satisfied for the moment, and that was enough for Casey to be happy in turn. [color=577d06]”It’s as real as you let it be, Honey… Good job.”[/color] he said quietly in return, gaze passing over to Leon. He noticed, and smiled widely as his body twisted. [color=C67C12]”I’m terrible at giving gifts. They’re usually boring and uninspired. So, this year hasn’t been any different.”[/color] Leon explained, sliding out a box as long as Trisha was tall, and sliding it over to Casey and Trisha. He handled it with one hand, which gave the illusion that it was light. But Trisha would find that it was anything but. Probably a hundred pounds spread out over both their laps. [color=C67C12]”I had someone make these. I think they came out awesome. You may need help rolling them out. Cass? Can you-”[/color] Leon motioned to Cass with his hands, making the shape of a square with his arms to indicate what he was asking. Thankfully she’d been there to see them get wrapped, so he hoped she’d get what he wanted. After all, long cloth pieces like these needed support. [color=629c3f]"Got it!"[/color] Cass was already up and ready. She squatted in front of them with her arms out like she was ready to catch something. Trisha tilted her head in confusion at Cass' posturing and the sheer weight of the box on her legs. It would be painful if it wasn't how they were balanced on Casey's side. But it was still enough that she wanted to open it quickly and get it off her lap. [color=d1b300]“I thought the cat killing was your present?"[/color] She asked as she got to work opening the box. Inside was what looked like a… Rolled up rug? Maybe? A thin one. Nicely woven threads. It was clearly something big. [color=629c3f]"Unravel it into my arms, Trish!"[/color] Cass grinned, wriggling her fingers. So Trisha did with Casey's help, and ultimately Cass' as she walked backwards and held it up for them to see. It wasn't a rug like Trisha had first guessed, but a [I]tapestry[/I]. It depicted a Bee Woman standing tall and regal, with a golden crown shining on her head and more bees gathering around her. The added bee features were enough to obscure any defining facial features, while it was still clear it was inspired by [I]her[/I]. Even clearer as Cass helped roll out the second one. A Knight in shining armour inspired by bees, with a long sword held up in front of him. Even that shone with a honeycomb pattern. A helmet covered his face, but it was just as clear this was meant to be Casey. [color=d1b300]“Wow, I…"[/color] Trisha trailed off, not sure what to say. She was stunned. They were beautiful, with more details becoming obvious the longer she looked… But also insane. A [I]tapestry[/I]. [color=d1b300]“I think you have a different idea of boring and uninspired, Leon… They're beautiful. Makes me feel like we need to build a castle to hang them up in."[/color] [color=577d06]”I mean, we [i]will![/i] I’ll make sure that there’s plenty of places for stuff like this.”[/color] Casey expanded, looking up at Leon to see what he had to say. [color=C67C12]”I’m a liar too. It’s crazy.”[/color] he laughed, having gotten his own subtle joke out before moving to get some more gift bags. Obviously, he couldn’t get through a time like this without spending a bit of money. And magical craftsmen didn’t work cheap just because they could make this easily. For the girls, matching tiaras that fitted together in order to activate an apparitional spell. This allowed Serenity to wear the entire ensemble like a crown for herself. The group seemed happy about it, though Mia did mention something about it being totally impractical. Then he looked at Casey as both he and Trisha were rolling their new art back up. [color=C67C12]”And then, Casey and I worked together for Cass’ gift. So, Cass? It’s really his gift. I just-”[/color] [color=577d06]”I never would’ve had the contacts to make this work like it does without Leon. He’s the resource guy.”[/color] Leon shuffled a bunch of stuff off of the biggest box under the tree, sliding it out and pointing down at it with both hands before hoisting it up onto the counter. [color=C67C12]”I’m gonna go out on a limb and say this is actual artifact-level craftsmanship.”[/color] Leon expressed confidently, tapping the box. Having gotten their art back in the box, Casey kissed Trisha’s cheek and stood up next to Leon. [color=577d06]”I think it’ll help you a lot. Uh… A few people were supposed to be here this Christmas, who helped make this possible. Pay them a little mind whenever you use it.”[/color] The cardboard box wrapped in bright, shiny green and red paper waited tantalisingly for Cass’ hands. [color=629c3f]"Don't mind if I do!"[/color] Cass grinned, wriggly fingers going straight for the paper and tearing it off. The external plain box didn't give much clue as to what was inside, so she quickly got through that as well. [color=629c3f]"Holy shit! Is it a 3D printer? A really fucking massive 3D printer?!"[/color] Cass was immediately all over it trying to figure out how it would work. If it was Artifact level, it had to have something awesome about it. There were no labels… Oh, there was a little instruction paper! [code]Plug USB into laptop, download instructional PDF.[/code] Well that was alright she could investigate it later. [color=629c3f]"Where's the filament go? I ain't see any external feed?"[/color] After she inspected the whole thing she bounced back round to the two brothers with a massive grin. [color=629c3f]"Thank you so fucking much! This is awesome… I won't have to order a bunch've my shit anymore!"[/color] She jumped up to grab Casey in a tight hug first, arms clamping around his neck. [color=629c3f]"And… Don’t worry. I’ll definitely keep those people in mind when I use it.”[/color] Leon pointed at the top of it lazily. [color=C67C12]”Whatever you do with it, be gentle. It’s delicate.”[/color] Casey was being squashed, straining against Cass’ strength before finally wriggling away with a hand pressed down atop her head. [color=577d06]”For the good of everyone, seriously. If you misalign the runes, the portal will invariably explode either this way, or the other way. And we don’t want to gamble with it exploding on our end, because you’ll probably wind up crushed by random bullshit.”[/color] Casey explained, opening the hatch and sticking his head through to look up at the aperture and extruder. [color=C67C12]”Baby… You can forget about soldering with this badboy. You can forget about a lot of things, honestly. Because this bugger right here? Not only does it print with over a hundred different types of materials, including plenty of rare earth metals and other shit you need for computers, but it does it without input! No silly spools of filament, no stripping plastic bottles for free supplies: The external feed is fully internal, and housed around a pressurized material portal linked into a White Lux BUS block that can call up individual materials.”[/color] [color=577d06]”It’ll even print layers of different materials in the same build. Totally customizable in the software. Gin was so proud-”[/color] Casey paused, not being able to hide the sadness in his face. [color=577d06]”-that… She was making one for herself. Bigger, more materials… It’s still half-finished.”[/color] He and Leon both patted the machine like it was a dear friend. [color=C67C12]”But, we know for sure this one’s up to snuff. So, merry Christmas.”[/color] [color=577d06]”Yeah. Merry Christmas, Cass. From the last of Eden.”[/color] Casey finished, wiping a tear away. Cass smiled brightly at them both. There was no sadness in it beyond the hint of solemnity in her eyes. She understood how much something like this meant… The pride of someone now tragically gone. [color=629c3f]”I’ll make sure to give it all the appreciation it deserves. And treat it gently!”[/color] She nodded. [color=629c3f]”And the instruction pdf will be [i]perfect[/i] reading for my flight home tomorrow.”[/color] It was amazing she didn’t need any filament or anything else to fuel it… Though Leon’s mention of her forgetting soldering with it was just a dream. She enjoyed soldering as much as she enjoyed the final creation, so she sure as shit wasn’t going to swap to just making everything with this. [i]But[/i] it would let her make so much more funky stuff. Only the board was made solely out of plastic, so all the other components would use the cool multi-material printing! [color=629c3f]”Maybe I’ll get started tonight- Wait, no, I’ll definitely miss my flight if I do that! Oh my God, I’m going to have to [i]wait[/i].”[/color] She quickly swapped back to her normal goofiness as the moment slipped past. She wasn’t one to dwell… At least, not at times like this. She’d gone through her fair share of grieving in the past and getting stuck in it, but she was always going to be the light in a room. Trisha watched silently with a slight smile, though her gaze had quickly moved from the gift and Cass to Casey. It was warm and loving, like she could support him from a distance… But also watching for any spiralling. Not that she knew what she could do if it happened. Comfort him. But the gift was really nice. Perfect for Cass. [color=629c3f]”I’m gonna have to shuffle shit around in my apartment again… I’m starting to run outta space.”[/color] Cass continued, before grinning up at Leon. [color=629c3f]”You’re gonna have to practice parkour, Babe, cause you’ll need to start stepping over shit to get through my place.”[/color] [color=C67C12]”It wouldn’t be much of a gift if I didn’t let you do whatever you wanted with it. I’m mentally prepared. I think…”[/color] Leon giggled, swinging an arm around her and pulling her tight. Casey, meanwhile, kept staring at the machine for a few moments more. He wanted to pat it, and to hear that voice echo back at him. [color=9399b8][i]”And then we’ll all [b]die![/b]”[/i][/color] He laughed, shaking his head gently. [color=577d06]”It definitely sucks to transport. That was really the only crux. I promise, Cass, we tried to fit it onto a keychain. Just, the math didn’t really math. Shrinking the whole thing pretty much guarantees that the portal inside shrinks to match instead of staying relative in size like other things do. So, it basically starts spewing hot plasma from the pressure and heat the nozzle creates at that size. It’s really fucking dangerous.”[/color] Casey laughed to himself, shaking his head as he thought about the horrifying moment they found that tidbit of information out. Meanwhile, he was moving to the tree, pulling out the box he’d brought for the girls. Trisha had seen what he’d packed in there, and had already heard his long winded explanation of what was going on in there. More wizardry, obviously. Stuff he was incredibly proud of. As he handed the box down to the girls, he turned his head to wink at Trisha as he let Cass finish oogling and appreciating before redirecting the attention. Cass was absolutely itching to get started with her new printer, even though she knew she couldn’t. Both because it would be rude, and for the reason she’d said earlier- she’d miss her flight home! Plus she [i]was[/i] going to miss Leon, so she’d rather spend the whole night with him… It was just so tempting! And there! And awesome! She wriggled against his side as she stared at it, one hand grasping his shirt and tightening like she was trying to control herself. Which she was… And she was more than happy to redirect her attention as there was moving, tearing her gaze away from her gift with a grin. [color=629c3f]”[i]Ooo[/i], another Casey gift! [i]Open it, open it[/i].”[/color] She jokingly chanted, swinging her whole body round to give the girls her full attention. Trisha giggled quietly, smiling back at Casey. She knew what this one was, but she was equally as interested in watching it get opened… She knew how proud Casey was of it, so she really hoped he got a good reaction out of it. One that he’d be happy with. [color=d1b300]“Yeah, better be quick, or Cass will jump in and do it for you.”[/color] She joked. [color=629c3f]”Yeah, I’m a fiend for things with shiny wrapping, especially if there may be teh-”[/color] [color=d1b300]“No spoilers.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Well, I don’t actually know what’s inside!”[/color] Mia shook the box, and the three girls took equal turns passing it around before setting it between themselves and digging in. It was heavy too, though not in the way that a massive double-tapestry set was. Mia took point as the tape splitter, and the three of them very neatly peeled the wrapping paper from the box in a single sleeve. In another moment, they had the box open and were pulling things out slowly. Olive drab was the theme here, maybe… A backpack, and pulling it out revealed it was stuffed full of things. Components, equipment, stuff that one could only put together in such a fashion magically. The girls looked up at him wide-eyed with smiles on their faces. [color=577d06]”I wasn’t here when the three of you made good your escape the first time. I live with a lot of regret, and… That’s definitely one part of the mosaic. So, now that I [i]am[/i] here, and I know you guys are planning on roughing it again once all this is over, I decided that I wasn’t going to let you go without knowing you’ll always be safe and sound.”[/color] [color=66bb6a]”Dude… Is this all orange-packed gear?”[/color] Ed spoke up as she turned a tightly wrapped roll of something or another in her hands. It felt like a propane canister, it was packed so tightly… [color=577d06]”Right. Mia’ll be the key to your guys’ stuff. You’ve got a full canvas tent there, with an easy setup incantation. The poles all form in place, you guys’ll just need to lock everything down. It’s even weighted, so you don’t need to worry about it blowing away.”[/color] he replied. [color=ed145b]”Holy shit, it’s even got a shower?”[/color] Mia asked, holding up a plastic-looking bag. [color=577d06]”Yeah, so it’s gravity fed. Meaning, you’ll need to dump from the top. But, it’s got its own heating element, so the water will be hot from start to finish no matter what you dump in it. I recommend a waterfall, or a bigger basin that you can just let water flow into it from. So, it’s an infinite warm shower.”[/color] [color=0072bc]”Dude, you’re so awesome… You know [i]just how much[/i] we wanna rough it! Like, just enough friction!”[/color] Hari smiled, glancing from Mia to Ed, then back to Casey. [color=66bb6a]”Oh, I didn’t even think about how you kind of had to hold back to get it all like this. It’s all so thematic. But, like… You could probably fit a house on a dolly, right?”[/color] Ed asked curiously. [color=577d06]”Sure… I mean, the luxury camping trip for Trisha is already planned. So, I don’t wanna spoil what she can expect too early.”[/color] he grinned, looking back down at Trisha. [color=d1b300]“Mhm, I want to be surprised by just how luxurious you can make it."[/color] Trisha smiled back at him, eyes squinting happily. [color=d1b300]“Though I did say I'd try normal camping too! Just maybe with a shower…"[/color] [color=629c3f]"Holy shit, that's awesome!"[/color] Cass had wriggled out of Leon's hold, bouncing over to stand behind the throuple. She leaned forward to look at each piece they showed off, grinning widely as she did. He really had made sure there was enough there for them to be safe without making it the same as having a house you could travel with… She'd talked to the three enough to know what they wanted when all of this was over, and they were really free. Of course hearing they wanted to rough it had her big sister instincts getting all worried, but she also totally got it! Her own wanderlust wasn't quite so extreme in that she was happy to become essentially homeless… But she sure didn't want to settle down in one place either. Something like this really helped with the worries [I]she'd[/I] had- nevermind their actual brothers! [color=629c3f]"[I]Ooo[/I]... is there room for four in there, girls? Maybe I'll have to abandon Lee and crawl into your awesome magical extendable tent."[/color] She joked, leaning forward to swing her arms around them from behind. [color=629c3f]"I'll even hold up the big shower tub!"[/color] [color=577d06]”The cot is big enough for the three of you. It blows up, so you’ve got air and structure support. But, the tent itself is big enough for twelve on the floor. That doesn’t mean you should be throwing parties, just-”[/color] He got glares from all three of them, telling him in no uncertain fashion that he was off the mark. Which was fine- As their older brother, he was never [i]not[/i] going to worry. Even with all this stuff, it was nerve wracking thinking that they’d be out in the middle of nowhere without anyone to count on but themselves… He’d been so busy lately, he didn’t even have the chance to check on them normally, however. Thus, he considered that maybe things wouldn’t be so different. [color=0072bc]”Well, Cass is family, so obviously she’s allowed in the tent. I’m sure we can squeeze an extra gap in the cot.”[/color] Hari winked. [color=577d06]”Incorrect, the cot will explode on contact with a fourth person.”[/color] Casey replied flatly, causing the others to start laughing loudly. [color=629c3f]"It's got fucking inbuilt anti-orgy protection!"[/color] Cass cackled, tilting her head back as she imagined a cot that would explode as soon as a fourth person got in. It was a crazy image, she even added a goofy little cartoon of the four of them being blasted off. [color=629c3f]"Don't worry, girls… I can change my biology enough that it doesn't register me as human! Then I'll still be able to squeeze right in, nice and snug, without blasting us off to space."[/color] She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. [color=d1b300]“You’re making bold assumptions that Casey didn't add specific explosive measures to account for that."[/color] Trisha intoned, tone just as flat as his as she played along with his joke to push it a bit further. [color=577d06]”There are zero anti-Cass protocols that can be put into place without a broad risk to the health and safety of those around her. Frankly, she’s got me by the hair.”[/color] Casey shrugged his shoulders, causing Leon to laugh even harder. [color=C67C12]”You’re lucky it’s just the hair…”[/color] Laughing as he grabbed the last box for Trisha, Leon realized that he was being skipped over, and frowned. [color=C67C12]”Am I chopped liver?”[/color] Casey just nodded in response, smug smirk forming across his face as he handed the small box off to Trisha. [color=577d06]”I’m… Not sure how you’ll take this gift. I thought it was cute when I first got it, but I keep psyching myself into thinking you’ll hate it. I’m sure you won’t, but… Well… I love you. Here.”[/color] he said calmly, taking a seat next to her again. [color=d1b300]“Why would I hate anything that's from you?”[/color] Trisha responded softly as she turned the box around in her hands. She’d be disappointed if he started handing her expensive gifts with no care for whether she was actually interested in it… But she knew he wouldn’t do that. As long as he’d thought of her when he got her something, she knew she’d like it. Even if it wasn’t something she normally liked… Because she was starting to like a lot of things she hadn’t before thanks to him. She [i]let[/i] herself enjoy things she would’ve found embarrassing before. Not wanting to make him wait long, she neatly unwrapped the box. Inside was an amber-yellow journal, colour similar to her bees’ stripes. On the front it had the sappy quote ‘I Bee-lieve in love.’ She flipped it open just to check the paper itself. It was nice and thick, with dots grids that journals often seemed to have. Not that she’d ever kept one herself, but she’d seen plenty of nice ones before in her endless social media scrolling. It was incredibly cheesy. With the quote, it was the kind of thing that she would have cringed at under certain circumstances. Not this one. It was cute, and was so [i]Casey[/i] while being for her. Right down to the little bee pun. And it meant more to her than just the surface level sappy meaning. Because before Casey, she’d thought she’d never find anyone that loved her. She hadn’t really loved anyone in that way herself. [color=d1b300]“It’s really cute… Thank you. I love it. Just like I love you.”[/color] She turned her head up to smile adorably up at him, finger tracing the front quote. [color=d1b300]“I even read this in your voice, because it’s the exact kind of thing you’d say. So… I like it. It’s special.”[/color] It was a simple way to describe it, but hopefully he’d understood what she meant. Even if he didn’t, it was fine, because he’d know that she really did like it. [color=d1b300]“I can use it to keep track of all of my bee logistics… Or the honey. Or maybe as an actual journal. There’s a lot I could do with it. [i]Thank you.[/i]”[/color] She leaned in to gently kiss him. He was ecstatic about her reaction, leaning in to be kissed in an equal fashion, smiling as her lips met his cheek and spinning quickly to plant one right back. He hadn’t wanted her to think it was a suggestion, or some kind of subtle hint that she should write her thoughts down. And he really didn’t want her to think that he was going to use it to spy on her… These were, of course, images that he got in his own head. No guarantees that she’d have ever thought any of it, but he couldn’t imagine a world where she didn’t. It was just so human to feel that way… To put such leaps of logic together. Leon was doing his best to peer at the front of it, finally reading the words on the front of the little leather booklet and smiling as Cass’ hands tugged backward on his skull. He figured the only way to get her to stop was equal force, and flung his hands backwards to grab cheeks in both hands. The ensuing struggle only lasted a few moments before he was buckled over laughing, leaving the happy couple practically alone as the room’s focus shifted in several different directions. [color=577d06]”I was worried you were gonna take it the wrong way, honestly. Thankfully, you have plenty of ideas for it. So, I’m really glad. It’s the only gift that doesn’t have any magic.”[/color] he admitted, shrugging his shoulders. [color=577d06]”I guess love’s a magic. It’s got that.”[/color] [color=d1b300]“It certainly feels magical.”[/color] Trisha responded cutely, eyes squinting warmly at him. [color=d1b300]“And I have you for magic anyway. If I want it to float in front of me for some reason, you can enchant it on the fly.”[/color] Though she was more than happy to have a non-magical gift. It was a gift that meant something, even if it was simple itself. Of course she wouldn’t take it the wrong way… Though she wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by that? That she’d get upset because it seemed worth less? No, he knew her well enough to know that wasn’t a problem. It must be that she’d think… Oh, that she should write her worries down instead of talking about them, or something like that. [color=d1b300]“I’m just happy to get something filled with love from you… Too happy to be anxious about it.”[/color] It was funnily one of those situations where her past experience of backhanded gifts meant she could recognise a real one. This time, at least, that won over any anxiety. [color=d1b300]“I love you so much.”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Man, I gotta high tolerance, but it’s getting suffocatingly sappy in here!”[/color] Cass popped their personal little bubble with a loud laugh. She was still clinging to Leon like a backpack, but she’d stopped trying to playfully wrestle with him for now. After all she’d [i]clearly[/i] won. [color=C67C12]”Well… There’s one set of gifts left that we have to get through.”[/color] Leon directed, presuming that he could at least counter the prudishness with equally anti-sap sentiment. [color=66bb6a]”Yeah, y’know I’ll be honest? Did not expect to get a gift from her.”[/color] Ed noted openly, shaking her head as she leaned over the couch to start gathering the small, watch-sized boxes sent from Nana Sylvie to each of them by name. [color=577d06]”I bet they’re practical. Something we’ll get use out of.”[/color] Casey had also grabbed the boxes for he and Trisha, and handed hers off before taking his in both hands. Leon made sure to prop Cass up on the edge of the counter as he handed hers behind himself, taking his in one hand and sliding his thumb through the paper. [color=0072bc]”Secret agent watches?”[/color] Hari asked quizzically. [color=C67C12]”That [i]would[/i] be pretty dope. Alright, everyone on three?”[/color] [color=629c3f]”[b]One, two, three![/b]”[/color] Cass shouted almost immediately, right back into her self chosen role of loudest in the room. She shuffled herself back a bit so she was properly perched on the counter, legs swinging as she tore into the perfectly wrapped gift. [color=629c3f]”Oh- Whoa!”[/color] Trisha was a little slower with her unwrapping, Cass shouting before she really got in. Inside was a simple jewellery box, which opened to reveal a rope bracelet. Hers was dark green with an emerald toned jewel bead at the centre. It almost perfectly matched the most prominent green gemstones in her engagement ring, but it was glowing just a bit brighter. As she pulled it out she could feel that it was [i]vibrating[/i] too. [color=629c3f]”Is it a massage bracelet?!”[/color] Cass asked as she also picked hers up and held it for everyone to see. It was crimson red with a darker jewel bead- but it seemed strangely bright around the dark base colour. Trisha shook her head, even though she didn’t know why it was vibrating. She assumed it wasn’t [i]that[/i]. [color=d1b300]“It’s probably something smarter than that. Right?”[/color] She looked up at Casey, assuming he could check it to figure out why it was vibrating. It wasn’t exactly a comfortable wear if it would always be like that. Mia’s was a bright rose quartz that had a bright, pale shine coming from within. She held it up and cleared her throat before causing it to shine brighter, then disable itself. Casey gave an approving nod, and the scent of honey wafted as he disabled his as well, its molten interior cooling down to a shimmering orange tigerseye. [color=C67C12]”Oh… These are… Callstones. That’s a little difficult for a few of us.”[/color] Casey furrowed his brow, looking down at Trisha’s as it was still causing his stone to vibrate in a very subtle directional way. But, he wasn’t the one piping up to explain things. [color=ed145b]”So, basically… You’re telling it you’re alive. It’s just connected to your Emotional Field, and it’s looking for a little signal bump. So, just feel it, and reach out to it. I guess, spare it a good thought.”[/color] Mia so casually spoke, making sure everyone heard her when she mentioned having a good thought. Leon let Lelou’s field crawl into the polished jet geode, causing it to flare an intense red in the middle before fading away into a more matte finish. Leon nodded, feeling satisfied with the amount of effort required to check in. [color=ed145b]”Casey and I can key into them, change the check-in times… They’re set for once in a twenty-four hour period right now. Otherwise, I guess they’re meant for us to keep in touch with one another, so that we know we’re all okay. She… Let me check them to make sure, when I was over there.”[/color] [color=d1b300]“How do they let us know everyone’s okay? Will they all turn back on if someone [i]doesn’t[/i] give it a good signal?”[/color] Trisha asked curiously, staring down at her still glowing and vibrating gemstone. She wasn’t paying enough attention to Casey’s to realise it was also still subtly vibrating. [color=629c3f]”The vibration’s gonna have to be stronger if it expects me to check in once a day! Sometimes I lose [i]days[/i] to whatever I’m into, and there ain’t anything weak dragging me outta it.”[/color] Cass commented as she concentrated on hers, easily figuring out how to turn it off. After all, her head was full of good thoughts, and her magic was fueled by them! So it wasn’t so different from channeling. Trisha was having a slightly harder time. She was improving with her magic since the Queen had passed over all the knowledge, but it was still a lot for her to handle. Often when she tried to ‘channel’ or send magical signals, she ended up blasting the air with pheromones unwillingly which could affect everyone around them. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing if it ended up the calming pheromones, but she’d rather do this check in thing without it. But she really wasn’t sure how to give it a [i]little[/i] signal bump. It was difficult for her to find where it was connected, even. It wasn’t like when Casey connected to her Emotional Field… The only Emotional Field communication she was used to. The field had been more the Queen’s until recently too, and the sudden full control made things difficult. [color=d1b300]“How-?”[/color] She asked quietly, not actually voicing the full question as she glanced up at Casey and then towards Leon. It would be obvious without having to say the whole thing, right? Her stone was still glowing. Leon smiled gently, taking a deep breath while his face turned rather thoughtful. [color=C67C12]”Ed? What would you say that connection feels like?”[/color] he turned his head toward their other Adjoined contemporary, taking a glance and seeing her pale white opal in a dull matte finish. [color=66bb6a]”I would say, it feels like I’m being nagged by Sylvie.”[/color] Ed admitted with a laugh as she shook her head and looked away. [color=66bb6a]”I guess it feels like Nana. It feels like… Judgement, and… Love? So stupid, God, I wish I could give you something more concrete.”[/color] Leon pursed his lips and shook his head. Looking at Trisha like he had all the answers, he leaned in close. [color=C67C12]”The sound and vibration is annoying. The feeling on your emotional field is where that annoyance is. It should feel like peanut butter and soft bread stuck to the roof of your mouth. And when you acknowledge it, and basically tell it to go away, it ends. It’s like a goofy little sprite.”[/color] he explained openly, very confident in his answer to Trisha. [color=577d06]”And, if it doesn’t work, I’ll just get it for you, Love.”[/color] Casey intoned quietly, kissing Trisha on the top of the head in a comforting fashion. [color=d1b300]“Thank you… Though it’ll be a pain if you have to do that every day.”[/color] Trisha responded softly, tilting her head towards Casey with a slight smile. If it was some kind of check in system, she’d have to learn to do it eventually. It was just a bit embarrassing with everyone around them… And everyone else had managed to do it. Even Cass had done it so easily, and she’d had magic for so much less time. Though, it felt like Adepts often had an advantage when it came to these things. Their Emotional Field was [i]entirely[/i] theirs after all. What Ed said didn’t help much, because Trisha didn’t know Sylvie enough to be able to find something that felt like her on her emotional field. But the combination of ‘judgment’ and what Leon said helped. She had to close her eyes to block out everything else as she searched for it. She could feel a light scratch as she concentrated, and carefully responded to that connection. A [i]good thought[/i]. That was easy right now at least, her eyes opening again to stare up at Casey. As she stared at him, her expression growing increasingly sappy, the gem finally started to dull back to its normal, dark green state. Now it perfectly matched that stone in her ring, and the annoying vibration ceased as she felt the poking on her emotional field go away. [color=d1b300]“Phew… I’m glad I managed to work it out. This kind of stuff is still strange to me.”[/color] She said. Cass nodded in agreement to that, even though she’d sorted it quickly. [color=629c3f]”I’m glad it ain’t such a big presence, cause if it was I would’ve punted it away! That’s what I do to anything I don’t recognise that touches my Emotional Field… But it kinda all feels a bit physical to me. Fucking funky how that works.”[/color] [color=d1b300]“I feel quite detached from mine.”[/color] Trisha admitted. [color=0072bc]”Me too… Sylvie doesn’t know me very well, despite how long I’ve been around. So, there’s no big thing anchoring it to me like there is for the others. At least, I assume that’s what’s going on.”[/color] Hari replied matter of factly, shrugging her shoulders. [color=577d06]”Cass is probably a weird exception, since she’s got no channeler filtering things for her. More or less, a classic case of unfair disadvantage. Not your fault, Babe.”[/color] Casey hugged her tightly, standing slowly. [color=577d06]”And I’m glad you got it. At least I’ll usually be with you in case you can’t muster it one day.”[/color] he stretched his hand out, offering to help her up off the couch. Trisha wasn’t sure why Casey was suddenly standing, but she took his hand to pull herself up with him. Did he want to leave now? She could ask, but she’d just go along with whatever he did anyway. [color=d1b300]“That’s true… Now that I know the feeling, I think it’ll be easier. I know what I’m looking for even if I’m not really anchored to it.”[/color] Though she was surprised it was difficult for Hari too, considering her Pink Lux. She assumed that checking over your own emotional field would be easy as a Pink Adept. [color=629c3f]”Yeah, I can feel it in my [i]boonnneeess[/i]. It ain’t a fair comparison! I’m like, super OP. Got nerfed by the whole ‘could turn into a crystal by lux infecting my blood thing’, but otherwise ultra OP!”[/color] Cass nodded enthusiastically, before putting her hands on her hips. [color=629c3f]”Are you guys leaving?! Or just doing some couple standing stretches?”[/color] Casey looked down tentatively, then back up and around. [color=577d06]”I… Guess I just saw the gifts were done, and my brain said we were done.”[/color] he replied, a genuinely confused look crossing his face. His gaze fell back on Trisha, and he frowned slightly. [color=577d06]”Did… You want to stick around?”[/color] he asked calmly. Trisha looked up at him, tilting her head. She honestly didn’t mind at the moment. But if he’d automatically gone to leave, that meant he wanted to, right? Even if it wasn’t an active thought, some part of him wanted to go back home. She wouldn’t mind doing that, honestly. This had been nice but she could feel her social battery depleting. Instead of immediately answering him, she looked over at Cass. [color=d1b300]“How long until the actual meal is ready?”[/color] [color=629c3f]”Probably like… Fifteen mins?”[/color] Trisha nodded, looking back at Casey and squeezing his hand. [color=d1b300]“Then… Probably not. I’m still not really comfortable eating in larger groups, and I’m more likely to actually eat a proper meal if we go back home.”[/color] It was mostly true rather than being an excuse. She really wouldn’t be able to eat much with all of them around, and she’d not been good about making sure she actually ate recently. It really would be better to give herself the best chance to eat something today. [color=629c3f]”I understand… You guys want some to take up with you? Just bung it in the oven for a lil longer and it’ll be good!”[/color] Cass asked, not bothered at all by her deciding she wanted to go. She’d said it was a chill thing, after all! She was just glad to see them at all. The girls gave up a collective frown before standing and making way toward Casey and Trisha. The two had presents they needed to package back up to bring upstairs, which Casey started to do as soon as he got the okay, but was interrupted by pretty immediate hugs. Maybe Cass wasn’t thinking about it like the others were, but this was the last time they’d see each other with their family as it was. Next time, things would be totally different as far as their surrounding environment was concerned. Mia especially wanted to cherish this last moment with her brother. After all, there was no telling whether or not she’d still be there next week. They could all die, and Lynette could be waiting here for Casey and Trisha with evil in her heart… She hoped that wouldn’t happen, but knew that the explicit chance couldn’t be avoided. So, her arms wrapped around Casey extra tight, with Ed and Hari surrounding the two of them and fully binding Casey tightly between them. [color=ed145b]”We love you guys.”[/color] Mia said, head twisting in the middle toward Trisha, imagining that she was in the middle with them too… But, the sentiment would have to do for now. [color=66bb6a]”Yep! Love you like crazy. Uh… Should we call you and let you know how things go?”[/color] Ed asked with genuine curiosity in her voice. [color=577d06]”Yeah. Just send a text, I think. Let me know what kind of mood we should expect on return. Obviously, I’m not predicting dancing and parties, but I’d like to be able to breathe a little bit.”[/color] Casey replied, explaining his own expectations. [color=0072bc]”Unless you object, I’d prefer keeping you actively updated. That way, if there’s too long of a break in communication, it becomes an unspoken warning.”[/color] Hari added, face becoming slightly grim. Casey rubbed both of their backs, forehead pressing into Mia’s and nuzzling her gently. [color=577d06]”You three are sweet. Just make sure Leon’s supported, and that the connections you’ve built with people are still strong. The only way things go smoothly, is if we maintain the healthy relationships we’ve cultivated thus far.”[/color] he explained, head twisting to look at Leon. [color=577d06]”Jonah will be in contact with you later tonight. Don’t pass out any more info than he asks for… It’s gonna look real fishy when they start showing up, but we’re going to need friends in the coming days.”[/color] Trisha would recognize the name Jonah. When she and Casey took the trip for his discharge, Jonah had clearly been what amounted to Casey’s best friend. They didn’t seem particularly clingy or affectionate toward one another, so much as they acted on just about the exact same wavelength when it came to action. There had been several insecure instances of Trisha watching the two men have an entire discussion in their heads without speaking, leading to subtle conflict resolution and synchronised actions without intention. It seemed like they were connected in their brains… In truth, the black-hood mercenary group Casey had subtly woven together that weekend was packed full of people he’d served with and trusted. No matter how badly St. Portwell destabilized with the disappearance of the Temple, they’d keep his people safe. They’d help. They’d keep the peace. Leon nodded in response, a little sad that the two of them were so quick to leave. But, he also understood Casey had a harder time with the dinner table than the rest of them did. All the freakouts had really stuck with him all these years. Leon couldn’t be upset at it ultimately, and simply accepted what his brother was saying. He wasn’t thrilled about the outside forces being invited into the insular magic scene of St. Portwell. He had his own designs, after all. Subtle ones, unapproved by Elise, but that didn’t quite matter. He just hoped that his own actions wouldn’t be seen as fishy in return. [color=C67C12]”Did you end up getting that lady soldier to-”[/color] Leon’s grin widened as Casey narrowed his eyes and leered at his brother. [color=577d06]”-Cass is going away, and you’re asking about another woman?”[/color] Casey replied with suspicion in his voice. [color=C67C12]”I can ask! Nothing was set in stone, I-”[/color] [color=577d06]”Utterly ridiculous. I’ll let you and Cass figure that one out when she arrives with the others.”[/color] Leon just laughed, throwing his hand around Cass. [color=C67C12]”[i]Are we open like that?[/i] Lelou’s one thing, but-”[/color] [color=ed145b]”Save your hound dogged horniness for after we’ve said our goodbyes to our brother? Pig?”[/color] Mia snorted at him insultingly, still clinging to Casey and not wanting him to go. Yet, he patted Mia on the shoulder and released the tension of hugging from his body to begin receding. [color=577d06]”It’s alright, Mimi. We’ll have plenty of time later.”[/color] he nodded assuringly. Trisha nodded as well, trying her best to give Mia- and the other two girls- what she hoped was a comforting smile. She'd have to be blind to not see the tension and sadness. She knew that no matter what, things would be different when they came back. Even if it was the best outcome… They all still lost their mother or mother figure. Even if she was an awful one, it wouldn't be easy, nevermind dealing with the aftermath. Trisha was glad they wouldn't be there when everything happened, but it also meant it was completely out of their control. They could only plan and hope. At least she hoped, and Casey clearly planned. Getting people he trusted from the military into the city was far more useful than anything she could offer right now. [color=d1b300]“We will. We'll be back in no time, and all be in the same building again."[/color] She said calmly. She couldn't guarantee it, but she really hoped it would be the case. And Leon would still be here. He wouldn't let anything happen to the girls unless something had already happened to him first. [color=629c3f]"I better get all've this loving before I go away!"[/color] Cass laughed, not dragged down at all by the general sadness in the air. She wasn't worried. In fact, she was confident that things would be fine. What would manage to kill Leon, after all? And- [color=629c3f]"I ain't away as long, though. Just five days… And you can't even wait five days, huh?!"[/color] She reached up to grab and tug at Leon's cheek, sticking her tongue out at him. She was obviously teasing… For a start, they'd already talked about this, hadn't they? When they made shit official? And again after Thanksgiving?! She was under the impression they'd already agreed they were open like that… But it was fine! No point making a big deal of it. [color=629c3f]"Go live out your dreams while I'm gone! Just leave some for me, y'know-"[/color] [color=d1b300]“Mia already said to save it for later. Are you really going to ruin the moment talking about that?"[/color] Trisha interrupted, half exasperated and half amused. It was incredibly Cass to go back to a topic that had been cut off with the implication they [I]talk about it privately[/I]. She for one didn't care what they did, but she also didn't want to know! [color=629c3f]"Well I didn't want you two going off and worrying I was being thrown to the side. Which is impossible, by the way!"[/color] Cass grinned, waggling her eyebrows. At the same time she wriggled away from Leon and bounced towards the leaving couple. Trisha didn't get a chance to react before Cass had clamped onto her. [color=629c3f]"I'll miss youuuu. I expect at least five texts a day, or a call! That'd be better!"[/color] [color=d1b300]“You’re acting like we're the ones dating."[/color] Trisha grumbled good naturedly, hugging Cass back. Having been released by one group, Casey did a bit of gathering before Leon moved in to help. [color=C67C12]”D’you guys mind if I help bring some stuff up? All this and food; unless you’ve got an enchantment, it’s gonna-”[/color] A strong honey wafted up as Casey snagged one of the empty gift bags. Tilting the tapestry roll end into the mouth of it, the entire thing slid in like a glove before Casey began to put the other gifts that couldn’t be carried into it as well. He grinned at his brother, shaking his head. [color=577d06]”-Oh, Buddy… I’m like a circus clown. How about you just help Cass with the food.”[/color] Leon pushed forward, smiling and shaking his head in return as he embraced his younger brother. [color=C67C12]”I love you, you ass…”[/color] [color=577d06]”Love you too. Hold down the fort and stuff. I’ll be back as soon as possible to help wrangle people's attitudes.”[/color] They pulled away from their hug, and Leon nodded before turning and poking Cass. [color=C67C12]”As for you, you’re the goddamn energizer bunny… How can you get me used to something, then-”[/color] Casey cleared his throat loudly. Cass let out a little snicker, sticking her tongue out at Leon before looking over at Casey and making a zipping motion across her lips. [color=629c3f]”[i]Goooo[/i] pack up some food. We can talk ‘bout my [i]energy[/i] when the two prude princesses are back in their tower.”[/color] She grinned teasingly, letting go off Trisha to bounce forward to give Casey a quick hug. She didn’t linger, knowing the two probably really wanted to get going by now. [color=629c3f]”Enjoy the food. And… Merry Early Christmas! Hopefully we’ll all spend it together on the day next year.”[/color] Casey squeezed back, happy that she seemed to always be exactly who she was. There was no lasting ill will over anything, and it was relieving to say the least. [color=577d06]”It’ll at least be easier!”[/color] Casey replied, pulling away and looking at the girls. [color=577d06]”And don’t go crazy once everything starts getting weird. It’s not some invitation, right?”[/color] Hari nodded openly, speaking up first. [color=0072bc]”I’ve got you. Everything’ll be fine.”[/color] she smiled and nodded. Satisfied, Casey waited as Leon put together a pan for them to bring upstairs, and looked at Casey sarcastically. [color=C67C12]”How’ll you handle the metal pan full of hot food?”[/color] he asked with a smirk. Casey looked his brother up and down once before shaking his head and moving to get a single paper towel out of the roll. There was another strong scent, and he simply grabbed the pan from Leon before twisting to guide Trisha out of the room. [color=577d06]”Goodnight means goodnight. So, goodnight, family.”[/color] The resounding reply left a warm feeling as the duo tipped back into the hallway headed for the elevator. Casey gave Trisha a calm smile. [color=577d06]”That worked a Hell of a lot better than I thought it would, I can’t lie.”[/color] [color=d1b300]“I did give them an actual reason. It’s hard to protest something like that.”[/color] Trisha smiled back at him, eyes creasing slightly. She felt relatively relaxed for once. It had been nice, though she was glad to be going back home. Casey seemed calm. Hopefully the rest of their evening would be peaceful too. [color=d1b300]“It wasn’t even really an excuse. I wouldn’t have eaten anything if we stayed.”[/color] She shrugged one shoulder. [color=d1b300]“But you’re right… I expected at least Mia to protest. Maybe Leon too.”[/color] Only one thought of reasoning crossed Casey’s mind as he considered why they hadn’t protested so much… [color=577d06]”We were raised by the Queen of guilttrips. I guess it’s finally time to settle down and break some cycles like that.”[/color] he finally smiled back at her, shrugging his shoulders before leaning in to kiss her. His mother… The queen of guilt, and of shame… He wondered then about if he’d see her again, or if their last interaction had been an incidental final interaction. She was growing more and more withdrawn as the month trailed along, and at this point, Casey was expecting the worst. That he’d never see her again, and that there would be no sense of closure between them. Which would prove to be a gravely incorrect presumption.