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P3 - Chapter Twenty-seven

December 24th, 2020:

~Part One~

"And finally, we will all be matching. Any questions?"

We all sat in front of Kinkajou, blinking up at her.

Glory slowly and calmly raised her hand.

"Yes, Glory?"

"Exactly what will we be wearing?" she asked. We were all at Kinkajou's house in her living room. There was Glory, Turtle, Anemone and Tamarin, Qibli, Winter, Deathbringer, and finally, me.

Turtle had wanted to spend Christmas with his sister, Anemone, and Anemone invited Tamarin to also come. Glory was there because, well, this was her house, and Deathbringer was there because I didn't want my cousin by himself on Christmas.

"That is an excellent question," Kinkajou said cheerfully. "Don't worry, you guys get to choose."

"Good," Glory muttered.

"As long as what you're wearing matches the Christmas theme: red and green." Kinkajou cleared her throat importantly. "So, who wants to help with the Christmas tree?"

"*"

"Can you pass me the blue one?" I asked, and Deathbringer handed me a blue ornament. I was standing on a ladder in front of a tall green tree.

Qibli, Winter, Turtle, Glory, and Kinkajou were all hanging up lights as Grandeur busily made cookies. Anemone was angrily issuing where the lights were supposed to go while Tamarin was crouched on the floor, her head tilted down a little sadly.

"So," Deathbringer said, making sure no one else could hear our conversation. "Your dad called me quite a few times. Told me you were ignoring his calls and asked me to check up on you."

"Mhm," I said, reaching forward to find the perfect spot to place the ornament. "Since you and Morrowseer are all buddy-buddy now, tell him I sent him my Christmas gift yesterday. It should be in the mail by tomorrow."

"He's just worried about you," Deathbringer pressed, handing me another ornament. "And isn't he your father? Shouldn't he get the chance to talk to his daughter?"

"And you'd know, wouldn't you?" I snapped and immediately regretted saying that. "Sorry," I quickly said. "I didn't mean that, I'm sorry."

Deathbringer quietly chuckled to himself. "No, you're right, I wouldn't know. I'm just saying. He really misses you, Moon."

I sighed, turning back to the towering tree. "I'm going to visit Secretkeeper later tonight to drop off my present for her. You coming?"

"Sure," Deathbringer said and handed me another ornament. "I went to check up on her yesterday, by the way. She isn't doing as well as you had said."

"Yeah," I said apologetically. "I probably should've at least told you she wasn't. I mean, you're family and everything." I paused, stopping my process of decorating a Christmas tree to turn and look at Deathbringer. "Anyway, you're so invested in how I'm doing, but how are you?"

He shrugged, reaching down into the brown box to receive another ornament.

"I'm fine," he said casually, passing me one. "Never been better."

I cast him a skeptical look. "Really?"

"Really," he said positively. "I mean, there's Glory, and nothing's better than Glory."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you guys even dating yet?"

"Not even remotely!" he replied optimistically, grinning. He lowered his voice. "But between you and me, I'm planning to ask her tonight on Christmas Eve so that I'll have a girlfriend by Christmas."