Hell of A Holiday
By: Blaze-Lupine
*Content Warning:*
None. This is pretty wholesome. Enjoy!
This work might still have some mature content!
CHAPTER ONE
Guests of The Season
Mistral Morvane's estate wasn?t lavish, but it was impossibly refined - a high-tech manor wrapped in snowy pine garlands and glowing lights that flickered just within acceptable humane tolerance levels. Inside, the decor was traditional with subtle scientific flair: holographic snowflakes, auto-dimming fireplace ambiance, and a punch bowl that adjusted its own spice ratios in real-time.
Totally normal.
Blaze stood awkwardly near the foyer in a festive sweater and jeans, while Mistral moved through the kitchen with clinical grace - scanning platters for pathogens while somehow also arranging mistletoe with mathematical precision.
The doorbell chimed.
Aleu arrived first - snow on her boots, fur shimmering, camera already on and angled to get a casual ``holiday arrival'' post for her followers. ``Hey, Blaze! Hope you're ready to host chaos,'' she beamed, giving him a hug before trotting in with the energy of ten reindeer.
Behind her was Jenna, graceful as ever, wearing a deep orange scarf that matched her eyes. She gave Blaze a warm embrace, and a not-so-subtle once-over. ``Still impress how you've filled out since school,'' she said with a smile that somehow felt both maternal and flirtatious.
Blaze blinked. ``Still the holidays, Jenna.''
``Exactly, dear.'' Her tail matched the sway of her hips as she followed her daughter in.
Muru, the trickster fox, was next. She didn?t so much enter as she appeared, slinking through the door with a sly grin and a coat far too light for the weather. ``You really do collect trouble, don't you?'' she whispered as she slipped past him, tail flicking playfully under his chin.
``Don't encourage him,'' Aleu called from the kitchen.
Krystal and Queen Bee arrived together - how or why, no one was sure.
Krystal sauntered in first, winter jacket half-unzipped, staff slung casually over one shoulder. ``Still playing games, Blaze?'' she purred with a wink. ``Or have you leveled up to something more dangerous?''
``I've definitely leveled the fuck up,'' Queen Bee teased from behind her, arms wide as she glided in with effortless style. ``And this party? Already a 10. You said there'd be drinks, right? Brought my own, but free? Always sweeter.''
``Bottom shelf's safe,'' Mistral called without looking.
``Boring. Got anything stronger?''
``Middle shelf.''
Maid Marian arrived with a tray of homemade spiced cookies and a smile sweet enough to stop traffic. ``I do hope I'm not overdressed,'' she said, smoothing her skirt - blush velvet with just a bit too much slit on one side.
``Not possible,'' Blaze muttered before catching himself.
Roxanne Wolf practically kicked t??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Mangle glitched ominously. ``::h?3r3 ?t0 ?wi?n ?xmas::''
Freya Crescent stepped in silently, cloak dusted with snow, spear slung casually behind her back. She nodded once at Blaze, her quiet presence drawing a moment of pause from even the rowdiest of the group. ``It's good... to see you again.''
``You too, Freya. Hope the cold doesn't bother you.''
``It reminds me of home. Snow is like rain, just colder.''
Following her were Kimiko Five-Tails and Packleader Highwire, arriving in synchronized step like they were still sparring. Kimiko smiled shyly as she handed Blaze a gift bag. ``Um... we brought snacks. Also... thanks for inviting us.'' She glanced at Loona, who was busy snarling at the wrapping paper, and waved at her.
``Don't make me regret it,'' Highwire muttered, towering behind Kimiko, but her eyes lingered on Blaze with that familiar alpha gleam. ``Nice place. Smells like threat.''
``Mostly me,'' Goumang muttered from the stairwell, he red robes adorned with festive accents.
Amaterasu entered like a living aurora, dressed in radiant whites and silvers, divine energy humming softly from her frame. She nodded graciously at Blaze and Mistral. ``I bring peace and sake.''
``...You're the favorite already,'' Mistral commented dryly. ``Nice to see you again.''
And then, like a cold gust behind her -
Demonlord Ninetails slipped inside, smiling with venom-laced charm, tails fanned wide. ``I brought dessert,'' she cooed, dropping a gift-wrapped box on the counter. ``It's poisoned, of course. In the fun way.''
Amaterasu narrowed her eyes. ``You were not invited.''
Ninetails just purred. ``Neither were your manners, darling.''
``She's invited if she's bringing the fucking good shit,'' Bee commented.
Then the ground shook.
Blaze looked toward the door just as the towering, fur-covered figure of Vicar Amelia crouched to enter, her cloak barely covering her beastlike form. She didn't speak - she never did - but placed one massive clawed hand on Blaze's shoulder with unexpected gentleness.
``...Good to see you too,'' he said awkwardly.
Loona, from the other side of the room, muttered as she finally emerged, ``You better explain that one later. How the fuck?''
The room was getting packed.
The air? Warm. Heavy with perfume, pheromones, and vague tension.
And Blaze?
He looked around at a room filled with powerful women, warriors, mischief-makers, robots, goddesses, beasts, and of course the hellhound who'd clawed through his heart. Lovingly.
He smiled faintly.
``...This is going to be fine.''
CHAPTER TWO
Mistral's Rounds
Mistral found Jenna near the fireplace, refilling cider with a patient, almost matronly grace. The flickering hearthlight glowed in her red and cream fur, and her eyes had the kind of sparkle that said she knew exactly how people looked at her.
``Jenna, was it?'' Mistral asked, sipping her own drink.
The older red husky turned with a kind smile. ``Doctor Morvane. It's wonderful to finally meet the mother of such a... spirited young man. I'm surprised we'd barely had time to talk.''
Mistral raised a brow. ``Most people just say `handful.'''
Jenna chuckled. ``He reminds me of the kind of boy I always wanted to raise. Kind, curious, just enough chaos to make things interesting.''
Mistral tilted her head. ``You know he's my only child?''
``Mm. But Blaze gave me... a reason to feel wanted again. Life as a mother can be quiet. Too quiet.'' She leaned in, voice softer. ``He didn't just flatter me. He ignited me. Especially after - '' she cleared her throat. ``Well, never mind on that. You already know.''
Mistral observed her closely, parsing psychology, not seduction. She smiled faintly. ``You speak like someone who's been alone for a long time.''
Jenna's eyes softened. ``Balto was difficult for a while. Still is due to... well, reasons I'm sure you might understand. However, Blaze made me feel alive again.''
``Understandable.''
They clinked glasses in silent understanding.
Aleu buzzed around the snack table like a pup on espresso, documenting her favorite treats on a holiday livestream. Mistral approached with quiet precision and waited until Aleu noticed.
``Oh! Dr. Mistral! Been a while! Blaze talked about you all the time. Duh, you knew that. After what you did in summer camp that one year? Solid!''
``I'm sure. He usually spoke in the context of my locked cabinets and stolen tech.''
Aleu laughed awkwardly. ``Yeeeeeeeah, that... sounds about right.''
Mistral folded her arms. ``You two went to school together, right? You never really... visited.''
``Yup! High school. He was my bestie! And okay - fine - we fooled around a bit during, but it was mutual! Totally casual! We're just super close. Yeah, he never really invited me over, mostly because I think he wanted to gawk at mom more.''
``I've noticed,'' Mistral said coolly, glancing at Aleu's third attempt at balancing whipped cream on a cookie tower.
Aleu leaned in conspiratorially. ``We kept each other grounded. Even when I went viral, he never treated me like a product. He's a dork. But a real one. Y'know?'' The room fell again and she sighed. ``Even when things with me and dad got like, really intense.''
Mistral smirked faintly. ``He did always excel at being real. And a dork.''
Aleu beamed. ``You're way cooler than he said.''
``Don't tell him that.'' Mistral smiled and continued on her way.
Mistral found Muru perched on the edge of the windowsill, legs crossed, swirling a wine glass lazily as she watched the guests mingle. Her eyes were sly and shimmering. A fox at rest, but never truly still.
``I don't believe we've met,'' Mistral said flatly.
``Oh, but I've read about you. Scholar. Surgeon. Sorceress, in a way.'' Muru smiled like she already knew every secret. ``Blaze gets the brain from your side, doesn't he?''
Mistral narrowed her gaze. ``And the libido from nowhere I'll admit to.''
Muru cackled, tail curling. ``Touche.''
Mistral sat across from her. ``Why Blaze?''
``I'd heard stories. A wolf who slips between worlds, unafraid of gods or ghosts.'' She sipped her wine. ``So I thought... why not catch him? Just once. See if fate is truly playing that sort of game again.''
Mistral raised a brow. ``And did he catch you?''
Muru licked her lips. ``We traded leashes.''
``Of course you did.'' Mistral stood, already moving on. ``Try not to hex the punch bowl.''
``No promises.''
In the game room, Krystal had challenged three partygoers to a speed-run race. She won. Twice. Mistral waited until she'd tossed the controller aside to speak.
``I see competition's alive and well.''
Krystal turned, brushing blue hair from her eyes. ``Mistral, right? You're everything I expected. And more intimidating.''
``I get that a lot.''
``Blaze never shuts up about you, y'know.''
``I absolutely believe that.''
Krystal smiled. ``When I met him, I was... restless. Always looking for danger, for something that'd remind me I was still alive. My prior relationship was getting... stale.''
``And he offered that?''
``More than that. He kept up. I tested him in ways that should've made him run.''
Mistral's gaze sharpened. ``And did you ever intend to keep him?''
Krystal shrugged. ``We both knew it wouldn't last. But while it did? We burned bright.'' There was no sadness in her eyes. Only memory.
``Be careful,'' Mistral said. ``He remembers people like fire remembers kindling.''
Krystal smiled, not offended. ``And some of us like the burn.''
Mistral found Bee mid-dance, swaying alone to the music with a drink in three of her hands and glitter on her cheeks. She spun as Mistral approached.
``Ah, the queen of the lab coat herself!'' Bee purred. ``Fucking great at that trial, right? Watching you slay Mammon? Fuck, wish I'd snapped pictures.''
``I've heard you played a... role in my son's latest entanglement. If so... I approve.''
``Please,'' Bee said, grinning. ``I'm not Cupid. I'm Gluttony. I just gave them a nudge. Loona doesn't do feelings. She needed a push. So... I helped them along.''
``And what did you take in return?''
Bee leaned closer, voice velvet. ``A night or two. Maybe three. He's surprisingly tender for a chaos wolf turned hellhound. Fucking best threesome.''
Mistral sipped her drink. ``He's reckless. But careful with people.''
Bee nodded. ``He's not like the others down there. Hell didn't burn him. He smiled at it then caught the heart of the growliest bitch down there.''
``Too much like his father,'' Mistral muttered, half to herself.
Bee caught it, lips curling. ``Oh, now I'm interested.''
``Don't be.''
They stared at each other for a long moment - two queens, different courts, measuring worth in silences.
Then Bee smiled. ``If you ever want to cut loose... just say the word. Got you covered, bitch!''
Mistral raised a brow. ``I'll file that under `unlikely variables.'''
Mistral caught Marian adjusting her gloves near the mantle, speaking politely with Jenna and offering warm smiles to every guest. The perfect lady. And yet...
``Lady Marian, was it?''
``Oh! Yes, Dr. Morvane, what an honor,'' she said with a curtsy too practiced to be awkward.
``Drop the formalities. I know who you are. I also know what you were to my son.''
Marian's ears tilted, but her smile didn't falter. ``Ah. I wondered when we'd have this talk.''
``You let a wolf seduce a noblewoman from Nottingham?''
Marian stepped closer. ``I let him try. I succeeded. Took the boy long enough to just speak his mind. Typical, yes?''
Mistral blinked.
``Robin was lovely,'' Marian continued softly, ``but love without passion is a quiet kind of grief. Blaze... burned, much like his namesake. He looked at me like I was made of lightning.''
``Isn't that dangerous?''
``It was perfect.''
Mistral stared at her.
Marian held her gaze with surprising heat beneath the prim facade. ``He made me feel like more than just a symbol. Knew when to be blunt.''
A pause. Then Mistral murmured, ``...He does have that effect.''
Mistral found Roxanne leaning against the hallway wall, arms crossed, sizing up the guests like she was waiting for a race to start. Her sunglasses were off, her claws painted metallic green, and her smirk?
Confident as ever.
``Dr. M,'' she greeted, tossing a nut from the snack bowl into her mouth and crunching it whole. ``You here to ask about the whole... `me and Blaze' thing? See you doing your rounds.''
``I like to be thorough,'' Mistral said evenly. ``You're not exactly subtle.''
``Neither is your dumb son.'' Yet it was said with a smirk.
Mistral raised a brow.
Roxanne shrugged. ``We met during arcade runs. I thought he was just another dumb fan. He thought I was all bark and no game. Turns out? I am the game.''
``And yet you let him in.''
Roxanne hesitated.
``He helped me,'' she said. ``When the Plex burned... when everyone bailed, he didn't. He stayed. Came back. Even brought friends just to help me get out and put me back.''
``Out of pity?''
``Nah.'' She smiled faintly. ``Out of respect. And okay, maybe some flirting.''
``Of course.''
``We don't talk much about what we did. But it was good. Hot. Fair. Gave my circuits a good buzz.''
``Mutual scorekeeping, then,'' Mistral mused. ``I'll need to question you on how that's even... possible.'' Mistral took the pen from behind her left ear and used it to outline Roxanne's body. ``Machines with feelings are still out of my knowledge spectrum.''
``Exactly,'' Roxanne said with a wink. ``And I'm still ahead.''
Freya stood by the balcony, staring out at the snow with her spear planted beside her like it belonged there. Her cloak flared slightly in the wind. Stoic. Composed. Untouchable.
Mistral stepped beside her.
``Freya.''
``Dr. Morvane.''
``You searched for someone. Fratley, yes? My son mentioned something about it.''
Freya's mouth twitched. ``Still do. But not all nights can be spent in search. Some must be... weathered. I found him, but I have yet to rediscover him.''
``And Blaze was your umbrella?''
Freya gave a rare laugh. ``More like the hearthfire in a thunderstorm. A moment trapped and realizing the only salvation was company.''
``Temporary warmth?''
``Exactly. But... sincere. He never pretended it would last. That's what made it kind. We tended needs. No strings attached.''
Mistral looked her over. ``You seem the type to guard your heart.''
``I did,'' Freya replied quietly. ``Until one night under a broken cavern beneath Burmecia. Then again at Lindblum... he brought me a lantern, and didn't ask questions.''
``That?s very Blaze.''
They stood in silence for a moment.
``I imagine your nights were... efficient,'' Mistral muttered.
Freya smiled faintly. ``Surprisingly not.''
The wind blew. Cold but soft.
Kimiko sat curled on the edge of a chair near the fireplace, ears flicking shyly as she watched the party buzz around her. Mistral approached slowly, and Kimiko straightened.
``H-Hello, Dr. Morvane.''
``You helped my son with... marksmanship?''
Kimiko blushed hard. ``He was horrible at shooters, and he kept aiming too low, and then there was the building and the - ''
``I was speaking figuratively,'' Mistral interrupted.
``O-oh... right. Sorry.''
Mistral took a seat across from her. ``You're quiet. Shy.''
``I... don't really talk about what happened. But... Blaze made me feel like I wasn't just pretty art to be admired. He treated me like a person. He also listened when Highwire and I gave him orders. He's... cute.''
Mistral studied her.
``He listened. Even when I couldn't say what I meant. And then we trained. And... there was a moment.'' Kimiko's eyes flicked upward. ``I let my guard down. He didn't take advantage. He met me there. I was way way way too eager, but I was mostly just nervous and he... we had fun.''
Mistral folded her hands. ``For someone who's quiet, you say a great deal.''
Kimiko smiled nervously. ``Is... that okay?''
``It's preferable,'' Mistral said with the faintest nod. ``Thank you for sharing.''
And then there was Highwire.
Leaning against the archway like she owned the house, glowing blue eyes watching everything. When Mistral approached, the wolf straightened, arms crossed.
``Don't waste time. I know why you're here.''
``You're direct.''
``Predators should be,'' she said coolly.
``Why Blaze?''
Highwire's expression didn't shift. ``He was a lost puppy in the training sim. Had no idea how to aim. I figured... I'd break him in. Good choice.''
``Ah. Education.''
``Sure. But he wasn't like other players. He listened. Took the hits. Got back up. Was terrible at it, but we made him work for it.''
Mistral looked thoughtful. ``And that earned your... attention?''
``Respect. Then curiosity. Then...'' Highwire exhaled. ``Let's just say he held his ground longer than I expected. Even during a three against one. Guy's got stamina.''
Mistral raised a brow. ``And afterward?''
``Still friends. Still complicated.''
Mistral smirked slightly. ``You like complicated.''
Highwire's eyes glowed faintly. ``I like Blaze. Good to see where he's ended up.''
Mistral raised a hand. ``That part's not my responsibility.''
There were so many ladies. Mistral stood at the edge of her own living room, watching this unlikely mosaic of people - past, present, and peculiar.
She wasn't sure if Blaze had built a harem or a support group.
Maybe both.
She'd need wine for the next round, and Bee was quick to provide.
***
Mistral found the wolf goddess by the garden window, gazing out at falling snow like it was foreign.
"Amaterasu," she said with a smile, hands clasped behind her back.
The white-furred goddess turned her golden eyes toward her. Calm. Ancient. Softly amused. ``Mistral. It's nice seeing one another without the strings of a sinful court keeping watch.''
Mistral raised a brow. ``True. Yet I must ask. How did you and Blaze come to...?''
Amaterasu smiled, unbothered. ``He left me a rice cracker. One of those factory-made ones, with a spicy glaze.''
``I'm sure it was heartfelt,'' Mistral muttered.
``That shrine hadn't been worshipped in decades.'' She tilted her head. ``Least, not by one who wanted nothing back for their kindness. And yet he saw me. That, dear doctor, is worth more than all the incense in the world. The smallest favors offer the most bountiful of praise if given through the heart.''
``So you... rewarded him?''
Amaterasu's eyes twinkled. ``I shared with him. A divine moment. A spark. You call it dopamine. I call it... recognition. He showed me the modern world. Resisted for a good time too. I was impressed, but impatient.''
Mistral eyed her skeptically. ``Isn't it improper to seduce a mortal?''
``It is equally improper to pretend divinity doesn't hunger.''
Mistral blinked, then smiled. "...Touche."
``Doctor,'' came the voice behind them.
Smooth. Cold. Poisoned honey.
Mistral turned to see Demonlord Ninetails descending the staircase like it was her throne. Nine tails coiled in the air behind her like blades poised to strike.
``You must be the one who spawned our mutual plaything. Haven't had the pleasure.''
``I don't spawn,'' Mistral replied, ice in her voice.
Ninetails chuckled. ``Oh, but you did. And he's delicious. So reckless. So... good at making gods flinch.''
Mistral frowned. ``You knew about Amaterasu.''
``The divine bitch. I watched. I slipped into their moment. Stirred it. Curiosity, boredom - call it what you will.''
``You seduced him for fun.''
Ninetails grinned, sharp. ``And stayed because he kept surprising me. He didn't fear me. Didn't try to change me. He offered me a peanut butter cup and asked if I `did evil full-time.' That was... impressive.''
Mistral pinched her brow.
``I didn't expect him to say yes,'' Ninetails added. ``But I'm glad he did. I enjoy breaking my toys. But I adore the ones who break back. Besides... '' she cast her gaze towards Loona, who was laughing with Kimiko at the punch bowl as she poured vodka into it, much to poor Kimiko's despair. ``... I like a challenge.''
Mistral muttered, ``I need more wine.''
She'd been quiet all night - massive, graceful, haunting.
Mistral approached Vicar Amelia with trepidation.
The beast-woman stood over a plate of gingerbread, claws too large to handle anything smaller than a turkey.
``I assume you're... Amelia.''
Amelia slowly nodded, one glowing eye dim beneath the hood of her cloak, her long wild mane flowing with each motion.
``You and Blaze... interacted?''
A deep rumble. Somewhere between a growl and a hesitant purr.
Mistral turned to Blaze, who had followed behind with a plate of cheese cubes and an oh-god-here-we-go look.
``She doesn't talk,'' Blaze explained. ``But... we spent some time together. While I was in Yharnam's realm. She had... needs. And I... improvised.''
Mistral blinked. ``How did you improvise?''
Blaze scratched behind his ear. ``Let's just say there was... some biting involved. Maybe... a little transformation. Some blood was passed and, you know.''
Her voice dropped to a whisper. ``Blaze...''
``I didn't ask for it!''
Mistral walked away muttering, ``I should've gotten a cat.''
Blaze went wide-eyed when Amelia cleared the cheese plate with a single lick.
Mistral found Mangle near the tree, her mechanical limbs tucked close, red bow tie slightly crooked.
``Technician Unit 7-B,'' Mistral said with a sigh. ``I remember you.''
Mangle chirped. ``::doc1or??:: ?G00d ?t0 ?see ?u ?a6a1n::''
``You were unstable. Missing half your behavioral restraints.''
``::still a? li7tle w4ck::,'' Mangle admitted. ``::b?u7 ?he? fix3d m3::''
``You mean Blaze?''
``::h3 s4w ?th3 b?its ?w0r7h s?avi?ng::''
Mistral paused. She remembered the prototype's fractured data banks. The horrifying reports. The shredded casing and reports of souls in animatronics.
``You're... better now?''
``::d3fined bY w0lf hugs anD c4re::''
Mistral blinked. Then - genuinely, softly - smiled. ``You were a mess. Now you're a miracle.''
``::t00k a m1r4cle t0 ?fix? ?me::'' Mangle said, casting a glance toward Blaze, tail gently wagging.
The lights flickered nearby.
Mistral turned to the darkest corner of the room, where Mal0 stood half-phased into the shadows, her glowing white skull the only thing clearly visible.
``You must be the SCP that infiltrated my son's phone.''
Mal0's voice came in a distorted, singsong cascade: ``n0t 1n?fil7raT3d. ?he d0wNloaded m3.''
``You manipulated him.''
``n0. he? ?s4id `y3s' aft3r 1 sa7 b3s1de h1m f0r 3 daYs.''
Mistral folded her arms. ``And what do you want from him now?''
Mal0 tilted her head. Her voice slowed. ``2 wa7ch. 2 learn. 2 bel0ng.''
Mistral's tone softened. ``And you do?''
``he 7reated me l1ke I wa5 re4l... befor3 I wa5.''
Mistral stood quiet for a moment.
Then she nodded once.
``Stay real.''
Mal0 whispered: ``try1ng...'' and she loomed back into the shadows after grabbing a turkey leg.
Mistral Morvane stood in her kitchen, wine glass finally empty, staring at the swirling mess of myth, machine, and mystery crowding her living room.
All of them had slept with her son.
All of them had stayed.
Some for answers. Some for warmth. Some for love. Some just because Blaze had looked at them and seen something worth loving back.
She exhaled.
``...Gods help me, I'm proud of that idiot.''
There were more that she required to speak with before her chart could be filled.
Mistral had seen Goumang several times this evening - tall, graceful, aloof. She had glided through the room like she still ruled over it, sipping hot sake with a precise, practiced grace. But Mistral hadn't spoken to her.
Not until now.
``I assume you're the one occupying my son's couch right now,'' Mistral said, walking up with a new glass of wine.
Goumang didn't turn. ``Your son offered.''
``That he did,'' Mistral replied. ``I'm surprised you accepted. You don't strike me as the type to need help.''
Goumang's wing arms fluttered, a mechanical whirr beneath the silky layers of her replacement legs. ``Need is a matter of efficiency. His stubbornness outpaced my pride.''
Mistral folded her arms. ``And your name?''
``Goumang.''
There was a beat of silence.
``...Interesting,'' Mistral said flatly. ``You're Solarian. Fictional.''
``I was a general. A tactician. A god in some circles. And now?'' She shrugged. ``I attend winter parties with hellhounds and candy bowls.'' Her eyes narrowed, a short snort following.
Mistral's expression didn't shift. ``And you and Blaze?''
Goumang turned now. Her eyes - sharp, proud - held a flicker of something else. Regret? Confusion? ``He disobeyed. He intervened. He saved me.''
``And then?''
Goumang's voice dropped, tight. ``Then he brought me here. And I have no function. No empire. No counsel. Only questions.''
Mistral didn't speak. She simply watched.
Goumang's voice softened. ``And the worst part? I don't hate it.''
Mistral's eyes narrowed. ``You're thankful for him.''
``I value him,'' Goumang snapped, then caught herself. She looked down, gripping her glass. ``...And perhaps I envy him. For believing that broken things are still worth fixing. For seeing... that.'' She nodded back where Loona was biting Blaze's ear hard enough to make him scream.
Mistral, quiet for a moment, finally offered a soft sigh. ``You're not the first in this room to say that. Though my son risked a lot to bring you out the way he did. He's got eyes on him after certain events and I don't wish to see him destroyed for reckless urges of heroism. Remember that.''
Goumang's ears flicked, yet she remained silent.
The balcony air bit with crisp winter chill, softened only by the soft golden glow of the lanterns Mistral had strung across the railings. Snowflakes drifted lazily over the Morvane estate, casting the world below in a hushed white calm. Inside, warmth, music, and laughter pulsed through the walls - but out here, it was quiet.
Loona leaned against the railing, a half-empty cider bottle in hand, breath misting in front of her. She'd snagged a red flannel from Blaze's old stash - oversized, unbuttoned over her usual gear - and for once, the ever-sharp hellhound looked relaxed. Maybe even a little lost in thought.
The soft sound of the door clicking open behind her drew a flick of an ear.
``I thought I'd find you out here,'' came Mistral's voice, even and composed, the sound of heels against snow-dusted stone approaching. ``You and balconies. A pattern, it seems.''
Loona didn't turn at first, but her posture tensed just slightly. ``Guess I like high places,'' she muttered. ``Harder for people to get to you.''
Mistral joined her at the railing, hands clasped before her, perfectly composed even in the cold. Her white coat matched the snow, elegant and clinical as always, but her eyes were gentler than usual - a flicker of something personal behind the professional poise.
``I remember,'' Mistral said after a pause, her gaze following the drifting snow. ``Last time you stood on a balcony like this, you were burning through your first heat. Confused. Vulnerable. Dangerous.'' She turned her head slightly. ``And you let my son hold you anyway.''
Loona blinked, then exhaled a dry laugh. ``Yeah. Real Hallmark moment, that.''
``You've changed since then,'' Mistral said. ``Or perhaps... no. That's not it. You've stopped hiding the part of you that felt worthy of being loved.''
Loona shifted her weight, her tail giving a small flick. ``Tch. Didn't think you were the sentimental type.''
``I'm not,'' Mistral replied. ``But I am observant. And pragmatic. And it would be a profound disservice to overlook the difference you've made in Blaze's life.''
That got Loona to look at her. Just briefly. Her expression was a mix of uncertainty and defensiveness - like someone still unsure if the ground beneath her was solid or just a cleverly disguised trap.
Mistral, to her credit, met her gaze without flinching.
``I've seen many of the others he's brought into his life,'' Mistral continued. ``Brilliant. Broken. Beautiful, in their own ways. But most of them stayed in his orbit only so long as it suited them. You? You stay when it's messy. As he does for you.''
A beat of silence.
Loona looked away. ``It was messy,'' she muttered. ``Still is, sometimes.''
``And you're still here,'' Mistral said gently. ``You stood by him in Hell, when all of existence tried to chain him to his past. You stood beside me as a witness, Loona. That's not something I forget.''
Another pause. A longer one.
``...You weren't exactly sure about me back then,'' Loona finally said, quieter. ``When we first met.''
``No,'' Mistral admitted. ``But not because I didn't believe you cared. I simply wasn't sure you knew what that meant yet.''
She let that sink in. ``And now?''
Mistral studied her again - a long, clinical look that softened at the edges. ``Now I see someone who's grown. Who's fought for something she never thought she could have. You're still learning, Loona... but you've proven something important: that you're not just surviving anymore.'' Her voice lowered. ``You're living. With him. And for someone like you... that's nothing short of a miracle, I believe.''
``I hated him when he showed up,'' Loona said, voice quieter now. ``Thought he was just another moron with a death wish. Flirty, loud, annoying. Got drunk with him once, figured I'd shut him up with a kiss...''
``And?''
``He didn't.'' Her grip on the railing tightened. ``Said I was drunk. Said he'd wait.''
Mistral blinked.
``No one waits,'' Loona muttered. ``Not for someone like me.''
``Apparently he did.''
Loona laughed bitterly. ``Yeah. And kept doing it. Every day. Just... being there. Being decent.''
``You don't believe you deserve that?''
``Hell no.'' She looked at Mistral now, eyes fierce. ``But it's not about me. It's him. He doesn't stop. Doesn't matter if you're a killer or a goddess or broken inside - he'll still offer you coffee and ask about your favorite song.''
Mistral let that settle. ``...You love him,'' she said finally.
Loona didn't answer. But she didn't deny it. Instead, she muttered, ``He's my dumbass. So if anyone else here's thinking of taking him home again - they better back the hell off.''
``I'll alert the others.''
Loona gave a dry smirk. ``Good.'' She went quiet. Her throat worked slightly, but she didn't speak. She just stared out at the snowy yard below, her hands tightening faintly around the bottle. ``...Thank you,'' she said at last. Grudging. Honest. ``For saying that. And for... y'know... standing up for me. For us. When we needed it the most.''
Mistral nodded. ``Of course.''
She reached into her coat and produced a small wrapped package, sliding it across the railing to Loona without looking.
``I got you something.''
Loona frowned, taking it. ``You what?''
``It's not much. But it's practical. And a little stupid. You're dating my son. This is the sort of thing mothers do, I'm told.''
Loona cracked it open to find a customized leather utility belt - black with red stitching - engraved with a simple tag on the inside.
Loona Morvane.
Bite first. Ask questions never.
``I hope you don't mind I jumped the gun a little with the name. I see you and Blaze and, well - ''
``Okay, that's actually badass,'' Loona muttered with a smirk.
Mistral smiled slightly. ``I thought you'd approve.''
Loona's smirk faded just a little, replaced by something softer. ``...I'll take care of him. Just so you know. I...''
``You already are,'' Mistral said. ``That's why I'm not worried anymore.''
Behind them, laughter spilled through the open door, Blaze's unmistakable voice calling out her name - possibly slurring it just a little from the wine. Mistral gave a nod toward the sound.
``Go on. He's waiting.''
Loona hesitated only a second before pushing off the railing. As she passed, she paused beside Mistral and gave her a half glance.
``...Merry Christmas, Doctor Morvane.''
Mistral gave a rare, genuine smile.
``Merry Christmas, Loona.''
Inside, the party carried on.
Lights shimmered.
Voices rose.
Blaze, somewhere between the living room and kitchen, smiled as he watched his mother talk with Loona - neither of them yelling. Neither of them leaving. Just... talking.
Maybe the weirdest miracle of the season.
He looked around the room. So many faces. So many lives he'd touched, and who'd somehow chosen not to let go.
CHAPTER THREE
The Dumbass Himself
The night raged on. Later, Blaze spotted Jenna by the kitchen island, chatting with his mother like they'd been friends for years. He gave a soft whistle as he approached, one brow raised. ``Careful, Mom. She might charm you into a dance next.''
Jenna turned, her eyes lighting up like the hearth. ``There's my favorite wolf.''
Blaze smirked. ``You say that to all the guys who wreck your herb garden.''
``Only the ones worth replanting for,'' she said warmly, brushing some imaginary lint from his shoulder. ``You look well.''
``I try to keep up appearances when all the guests have seen me without pants,'' Blaze joked.
Jenna chuckled. ``You always did know how to make a mess look charming.''
``Sort of my special skill.''
``Maybe. But this holiday? I'm just happy to see you smiling again. Loona? She's good for you.''
Their moment held something unspoken - familiar, warm, and tinged with a past neither regretted. Before Blaze could open his mouth -
``Yo, B!''
He braced just in time before Aleu flung herself into a hug that lifted both his feet off the ground.
``Still a social nuke, huh?'' he laughed.
She stepped back, faux-offended. ``Excuse me? I'm thriving.''
``Your last TikTok post said `Thriving in the chaos I create.' So... accurate.''
Aleu grinned wide. ``You caught that?''
``I liked it.''
``Only liked it? Wow. I bring snacks, good vibes, and a solid alibi for that thing back in our campground days, and I get a like? Seriously? Even after I stood by you when you nearly pissed off your girlfriend?''
``You know I hate social media, Aleu. Consider that like an honor!''
She held up a finger. ``Fair. Still - next time, I want a heart reaction. And maybe a comment.''
``Deal.''
They fist-bumped. It was dumb. It was perfect, and she smooched his cheek before going back into the fray to try and get selfies with the others.
Blaze found Muru lounging on the arm of a chair like a smug serpent, sipping red wine with narrowed eyes. ``I see you've survived your little science experiment. Dimension hopping now, are we?''
``Barely,'' he said, flopping down beside her. ``You want to hear how I almost got erased in Hell because of it?''
She licked her teeth. ``If it ends with me tying you up and offering tea, I'm in.''
``It doesn't. Girlfriend, remember?''
``Shame.'' She swirled her wine.
``You know,'' Blaze said, ``everyone else just tells me they miss me. You flirt like it's your primary language.''
Muru smiled. ``It is. You speak it better than most. Plus, the feeling I get from feeding off you is simply electrifying. I gave you one little prophecy and had you groaning under the moon soon after. Easy.''
Blaze shook his head. ``One day, I'll outfox you.''
She leaned close, whispering, ``I dare you to try.''
He heard the soft click of boots and turned just as Krystal caught him with a game controller tossed straight at his chest.
``Up for round two?'' she asked, tail flicking. ``I messed with Fox's AI again. Shouldn't be as sneaky this time.''
He caught the controller instinctively. ``If I say no, are you gonna roast me in front of everyone?''
``Oh, definitely. But only lovingly.''
They sat on the floor near the TV.
``You've been quiet,'' she noted, eyes flicking to his. ``Everything okay?''
Blaze smiled, softer now. ``Yeah. Just weird having everyone here. Weird feeling like... I know what I want now.'' He glanced where Loona was talking with Roxanne, both suddenly falling into an arm wrestling match with Bee drunkenly cheering on Mangle, who wasn't even participating.
``Weird, but... kinda beautiful?''
``Yeah. So many friends. So many things that have happened. Kind of like you showing up at my party even after all the - ''
Krystal nudged him. ``Shut up and pick your character.''
He did.
And let her win.
Mostly.
He didn't even get a full step into the living room before Bee buzzed over - figuratively and literally.
``Sugarwolf!'' she sang, throwing her arms around him. ``I was beginning to think you forgot I made you fucking cool.''
``You helped. I was already cool.''
``You'' two of her fingers slammed into his chest ``were a dumb himbo.''
``Still am,'' he shrugged with a smile.
She cackled. ``True.''
They stepped aside from the crowd for a moment, Bee dragging him toward the tree. ``So? Look at you. Got a house full of lovers and a girlfriend who growls when anyone breathes at you too long. Thank me?''
``She'll bite you if you call her that.''
``Oh I hope so.''
They laughed. Bee rested her forehead gently against his. ``I'm proud of you, mutt. You're a chaotic dumbass, but... you made space for so many all while telling Hell and its rules to fuck the hell off. That's rare. Most importantly... her.'' She glanced at Loona. ``You do anything to harm her, and I'll make you my personal problem.''
Blaze smiled. ``You're still the best wing-woman I ever had.''
``I'm a queen, baby. Not a wing.'' She smacked his ass and swayed back into the crowd.
Blaze spotted Roxanne leaning against the wall near the coat rack after her and Loona finished, arms crossed, sunglasses perched on her head. She watched the crowd like she was waiting to start a fight... or a race. Her robotic weight left a crack in the wall.
``Roxy.''
``Blaze.''
They exchanged nods like two old rivals meeting on neutral ground.
``You still bragging about that one time you beat me at Mario Kart?'' he asked.
``I consistently beat you. One time, you happened to land a blue shell.''
``Strategic chaos,'' he said proudly.
She rolled her eyes, but her smirk betrayed her fondness. ``You still running from your high scores?''
``Only yours,'' he replied, and for a moment, her smugness faded into something warm.
They shared a long glance.
``...Y'know,'' she said, flicking his arm, ``you weren't half bad at handling me when the Plex went down. Granted, you had help from the robotic disaster and your glitch friend.''
``I was terrified,'' Blaze admitted. ``Place was creepy as hell.''
``Smart.'' She shrugged, then ruffled his hair. ``Glad you didn't burn, idiot.'' She punched his shoulder hard enough to make him wince and for the hit to bruise under the fur.
His journey into the party continued. He'd lost count of the drinks he kept getting passed. Marian stood gracefully near the bookshelf, hands folded, chatting politely with Mistral and sipping warm cider. Blaze approached with a careful step.
``Your Grace.''
``Oh heavens,'' she smiled. ``Don't call me that. I've had quite enough titles. Especially since you pounded - ''
Blaze gave a hasty bow. ``Then Marian it is!''
Loona shook her head, flashing Marian a teasing yet visible smirk with enough teeth to be threatening.
She looked him over with soft eyes, amusement and memory swirling beneath the surface. ``Still the same wolf who barged into my chambers declaring I needed `more risk' in my life.''
``...And was I wrong?''
Her smile sharpened - just a touch. ``No. You were painfully right. Which made you even more dangerous.''
He laughed. ``Didn't expect you to show up tonight.''
``I didn't expect to still think of you in the quiet moments.''
That made him pause.
Marian leaned in, her voice a whisper. ``You burned brighter than Robin ever did. And you left a mark, Blaze Morvane.'' Then she kissed his cheek. Chaste. But full of fire. ``Never left that flame burn out.''
Freya stood on the back porch, cloaked in the same rain-scented silence she always carried. Blaze joined her, two mugs in hand - tea for her, cocoa for him.
``You remembered,'' she said.
``You always liked the bitter kind.''
Freya took it with a nod. ``You've been avoiding me.''
``I've been avoiding everyone,'' he said, leaning on the railing. ``Lot of ghosts in one room. Good ones, though. Friends I wouldn't trade for anything else. Friends I risked a lot just to see.''
``Are we ghosts?''
He looked at her. ``No. We're the kind that linger when it rains.''
A long breath passed.
``You kept me warm,'' she said simply. ``When the wind howled and my hope faded.''
``You let me.''
Freya looked down into her tea. ``I still search. Not for Fratley, but for his memories of me. For purpose.''
``And if you find them?''
``Then I will remember you as someone who reminded me I was still alive.'' She gave a rare, soft smile. ``And someone I would fight beside again.''
Blaze smiled. ``Good. Because the night's still young, and adventure is always waiting.''
They clinked their mugs together and stood, feeling the gentle snow fall against them.
Later, Kimiko was curled up on the edge of the couch, her tails gently draped over her lap, trying not to look like she was waiting for him. She totally was.
Blaze approached quietly. ``Heya, Kitsune.''
Her ears perked up. ``H-Hi, Blaze.''
``You doing okay?''
She nodded quickly. ``Mmhm! This party is... very big. But also... very you.''
He laughed. ``Loud, confusing, and full of people I've kissed?''
Her blush hit instantly. ``Y-You - !''
He sat beside her gently. ``Still sparring? Or just terrorizing newbies online?''
``I... both, really,'' she whispered. ``But not as much fun without you shouting every time you got hit. Watching you stumble around was still some of the best fun I've ever had. That and helping you get better.''
Blaze grinned. ``I was very motivational.''
``You were... something,'' she murmured.
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. ``Thanks for coming. Means more than you know. Especially since you and Loona hit it off so well. Her with friends? Now that's a holiday miracle.''
``Heard that, dumbass!'' Loona shouted from nearby.
Kimiko's tails swayed gently. ``I wouldn't miss it. It's been amazing.''
``Cute suits you.''
``Shut up.'' She grabbed his face, kissed his lips, and pulled back quickly, her face more festive than the holly berries. ``We'll have to play again sometime.''
``If you can keep yourself from mindfucking him.'' Highwire stood near the hallway door, arms crossed, eyes glowing faintly. Blaze knew better than to approach with too much cheer.
``Hey, Packleader.''
``Morvane.''
Kimiko retreated into herself at the comment, even though a smile was still visible as her eyes flicked between Blaze and Highwire.
Highwire eyed him like a battlefield.
He smirked. ``Still pissed I beat you at that last paintball match?''
``You tripped. Into the win.''
``Strategic tripping,'' he shrugged. ``Remember, I was the paintball mode master in Goldeneye 64.''
A long silence passed between them.
``You're softer now,'' she said suddenly.
Blaze blinked. ``Thanks?''
``Not a compliment. Just an observation.''
``Getting hit by a truck, fighting a glowing fungus to save people, and surviving hell will do that to you. So will finding that one who gets you.''
She stared at him for a long moment. ``...Still got that fire though. Just buried under guilt and snacks.''
``Rude.''
``But accurate.''
Blaze smiled faintly. ``You still don't regret it?''
``No.'' Highwire looked away. ``You got under my guard. Not many do. Plus... her.'' She pointed to Kimiko.
The kitsune gasped biting a pillow as she screamed into it. ``You did it too!''
Blaze laughed. ``Still would spar you again. You fight like you're hunting. But, you know.''
``I was.''
They nodded once.
Then she added, ``Maybe we'll consider another two versus one. But guess that's up to your girl now.''
Blaze smiled and nodded. He took a breath, soaking in the music, the heat, the noise - and the weird, bittersweet joy of being surrounded by women who all, somehow, still liked him.
Sort of.
Maybe.
Sometimes.
Mostly.
Blaze found Amaterasu sitting by the tree, cross-legged on the floor, nibbling on a ginger cookie from the snack table. The soft glow of the holiday lights lit her pristine fur like morning sun.
He sat next to her, gently bumping her shoulder. ``You always look like you belong in temples, not living rooms.''
``Sacred places are wherever peace resides,'' she said. ``And oddly enough... you've managed to create that. Even here.''
``You say that like it's surprising.''
She gave him a long glance. ``You are chaos. But chaos with rhythm. You have an instinct for healing, even if you mask it behind jokes and sin.''
He looked down at his hands. ``Thank you... again. You keep somehow slipping in to save me.''
``I see something in you,'' she said gently. ``Not just you, but the love as well. For friends. For her. I sense it in your heart, Blaze Morvane. Whether it be offering your snack, or your very self. Selflessness is your biggest shining light.''
They leaned together quietly, laughing at that.
``...I left you a cracker. You took me.''
She smiled. ``Best trade I've made in centuries.'' Her expression then turned somber. ``Blaze?''
His ear twitched at her tone.
``Be careful. I can only rescue you so many times. Your realm leaping? Cease it. No more.'' She turned away, gazing into the tree's twinkling lights. ``You leave a path. A trail in each world you visit. Like breadcrumbs, it carries the risk of being follow. Tread with caution.''
Blaze? He simply nodded, unsure of how to respond.
``Still warm-blooded?'' came the voice, smooth as silk and sharp as a fang.
Blaze turned as Ninetails circled him like a slow storm. Her tails swayed lazily, her eyes drinking in the room and him like wine.
``Survived another year,'' he grinned. ``You didn't think I would?''
``Oh, I hoped you would,'' she purred. ``So many broken toys... but you? You persist. You even party.''
Blaze leaned casually on the doorway. ``Weird, huh? You were just supposed to be a midnight mistake.''
``And you were just supposed to be a clever distraction.'' She stepped close, lips near his ear. ``Yet I still watch you. And get attacked by your hellhound.''
``I'm not just his hellhound, bitch!'' Loona corrected before she bit the head off a gingerbread fox like it was a threat.
Blaze smiled. ``You? Jealous?''
She smiled, dangerous and wide. ``Not at all. I merely enjoy poking divine beasts and demon mutts with mortal sticks.''
Blaze chuckled. ``Just don't poke Loona.''
``She growls so beautifully.''
He grinned. ``You know she bites.''
``So do I.''
And with that, she vanished into the crowd, tails flicking like fire behind her.
Amelia sat on the floor in the den, curled like a giant ghost of fur and muscle beside the couch. Most gave her a wide berth - not out of fear, but uncertainty. Blaze approached without hesitation, handing her a mug of thick warm broth.
``You doing okay?'' he asked gently.
She nodded once, slowly.
He sat beside her, leaning against her massive side like a warm weighted blanket. She let him.
``Thanks for coming,'' he said. ``It means a lot. I know crowds aren't your thing.''
She lowered her head slightly in acknowledgment.
Blaze reached up and gently scratched the side of her neck, just below the jaw.
Her body rumbled softly - contentment, or something close to it.
``I told my mom about how we... bonded. She didn't seem to get it.''
Amelia snorted, almost a laugh.
``I think she's still wondering if I used magic. Which... not entirely false.''
Amelia leaned into him just a bit more.
They didn't speak.
They didn't have to.
Mangle was helping rearrange the snack table when Blaze found her. Her limbs twitched occasionally, a glitch stuttering through her speech even as she hummed something cheerful.
``::Partie5 4r3 wei?rd::'' she chirped as he approached.
``You're doing great,'' Blaze said, slipping her a peppermint truffle. ``You haven't dropped a single part in the jello mold.''
``::r00d::''
He laughed, patting her on the shoulder. ``Thanks for helping with Goumang's legs, by the way. I know that wasn't easy.''
``::she? ?is ?n0t ?frienDLY::'' Mangle tilted her head. ``::but ?yo?u s4w s0m3thing in ?me. I r3pay::''
Blaze smiled, eyes softening. ``You deserved better than what they did to you. I just reminded you you were more than their monster.''
``::and y0u a?re mo?re ?than s7up1d jokes::'' Mangle gleefully replied.
``...Harsh. But true.''
She patted his head with a mechanical paw. ``::mY ro0mmate. My s1gnal::''
``Love you too, static girl.''
``2o ?many 1aughs. n0t useD 2 it.''
He nodded. ``Takes time.''
``U sa1d I wa5 real. even b3fore I wa5.''
``I meant it.''
``do U st1ll?''
Blaze stepped closer, touching her clawed hand. ``You've always been real to me. Even when you glitched out my phone, stalked my dreams, and crashed my music app before forcing me on a very awkward date for coffee.''
She blinked slowly. ``...w0rth.''
Blaze smiled. ``You are.''
She leaned in, her skull mask brushing his temple. ``D0n't 4rget.''
``Never will, roomie.''
With most of the night behind him, Blaze took a slow walk back toward the center of the living room. So many voices, so many memories, wrapped in twinkling lights and sugar.
Blaze found Goumang seated alone near the edge of the balcony door, her new mechanical legs resting quietly beneath her red robes, half-patched and humming low. She held a cup of tea like it was a ritual, not a drink.
``You okay?'' he asked gently, stepping beside her.
She didn't look up. ``This party offends several of my sensibilities.''
``Glad to hear it's working.''
She sighed, long and slow. ``They laugh. They cling to each other. They eat disgusting things with peppermint.''
``Welcome to Christmas.''
``I was a general,'' she muttered. ``A strategist. A survivor.''
He nodded. ``Now you're a guest. A living one.''
Finally, she looked at him. ``You brought me through a portal I didn't understand. Into a world that shouldn't exist. Gave me painkillers and bad coffee. You let me share a bed with glitching animatronics.''
Blaze gave a soft shrug. ``Could've let you rot.''
``You should have.''
``But I didn't.''
She studied him. ``Why?''
``Because... you were more than a villain to me. You were someone worth saving. Someone who never got the chance to feel small, and safe, and... stupidly humane.''
Her lips parted. Words failed.
Blaze offered a soft smile. ``Stay as long as you need. The couch's still yours. Bed too, if the Mangle and Mal0 dog pile hasn't scared you off. Or Loona's snoring.''
``I hate it,'' she whispered.
He leaned close. ``But you don't want to leave.''
She closed her eyes, letting the tea warm her hands.
``...No. I don't. Though your mother made a proposition I am... entertaining.''
Later, Loona stood by the fireplace, arms crossed, sipping the end of a spiked cider and glaring at the embers like they owed her money.
Blaze approached, quiet. Careful.
``You okay?'' he asked.
``I'm at a holiday party. In your mom's house. With like, all your fucking exes. Least they know not to push things this time.''
He scratched the back of his neck. ``Technically, most of them were flings. Friendly ones.''
Loona snorted. ``They're hot, Blaze.''
``You're hotter. The hottest, ever.''
``Shut up.''
He stepped beside her. ``You stayed. Even when I acted like a legit idiot at times.''
``I told Bee I'd keep you on a leash.''
``That supposed to scare me?''
She looked at him then. Really looked.
``You died,'' she said flatly. ``Went to Hell. And instead of screaming or running, you flirted. Annoyed me. Then...''
``Then?''
``You... listened. When I was drunk. When I was pissed. When I told you I wasn't worth anything, you just sat there. When I told you had problems, you didn't run. So when I thought I was going to lose you - ''
``You're worth everything,'' he said. ``To me.''
Loona blinked fast and looked away. ``You're a dumbass.''
``Yup.''
``I don't do love.''
``Then what are we doing?''
``...you know damn well what we're doing is love,'' she admitted, voice small. ``But I'm not running from it this time.''
Blaze leaned in, gentle, forehead brushing hers. ``Not asking you to.''
She paused.
Then, with a frustrated growl, she kissed him. Rough. Quick. And real.
When they broke, she grumbled, ``Tell anyone I did that and I swear - ''
``Wouldn't dream of it,'' Blaze whispered, grinning.
Most the guests had seen anyway.
They stood in silence as the fire cracked low, and snow fell gently outside.
And for once... no one had to say anything more.
CHAPTER THREE
Gift Exchange
RULES (courtesy of Blaze):
Everyone brings one wrapped gift.
Everyone pulls a random number.
Whoever gets the gift opens it without knowing who it?s from... until afterward.
Queen Bee tossed her gift to Vicar Amelia.
Amelia slowly tore open the golden wrapping - nearly crushing the box in the process. Inside?
A glittering, very pink bottle of honey-scented body oil.
The entire room stared.
Amelia looked at it.
Sniffed it.
And gave a quiet, approving grunt.
Bee cackled. ``For the muscles, baby. Hydration matters! Get someone to rub that shit in and you'll feel so fucking lit.''
Freya Crescent slid her gift to Muru.
Muru unwrapped an elegant, leather-bound journal and a handcrafted silver quill. Her sly eyes flickered with surprise.
``...Oh. This is actually... refined.''
Freya nodded respectfully. ``I assumed you?d have thoughts worth recording.''
Muru smirks. ``Oh, darling. You have no idea.''
Mangle rolled something to Roxanne Wolf using her nose.
Roxanne opened the box cautiously and blinked.
It's a full repair kit for vintage arcade machines - with glittery pink tape and a note: ``For a rival worth rewiring.''
She stared at Mangle.
Mangle chirped, ``::M3rRy gl1tchmas::''
Roxy gave a lopsided grin. ``...Fine. You win this round, junkbox.''
Goumang flicked something to Kimiko Five-Tails.
Kimiko gently pulled out a box of beautifully preserved calligraphy brushes, each etched with Solarian symbols.
``I... I don't even know what these mean...''
Goumang raised a brow. ``Neither do I anymore. But they still create. Figured you could use them.''
Kimiko's tails fluffed out in awe. ``They're so cool.''
Krystal dropped her gift into Jenna's lap.
Jenna opened it to reveal a sleek black case with a pair of stylish wireless earphones and a tiny custom playlist chip titled ``Mom Time is Hot Time.''
Her eyes sparkled. ``Krystal, dear... are you encouraging me to rediscover my nightlife?''
Krystal grinned. ``Always.''
Loona threw hers at Blaze's face without ceremony.
Blaze rubbed his nose, smirking at her. ``That's love coming from you.'' He unwrapped the skull and fire decorations to find a heavy, mismatched box - and within... a collar.
A hellhound-style, slightly spiked collar. Black leather. With a tiny tag that reads: ``Dumbass.''
Loona shrugs. ``For emergencies. Or date nights. You pick.'' She kissed his cheek.
He laughed. ``You trying to tame me?''
``Trying? No. Succeeding? Yeah ...maybe. Love you, you fucking idiot.''
Blaze kissed her in front of everyone.
Loona?
Kissed him back harder.
Packleader Highwire had to walk over to where Mal0 was lurking in the dark shade near the tree.
Mal0 carefully tore into the box, tilting her head.
Inside: a carved obsidian figurine of a lone wolf standing in a swirling void, glowing faintly.
``4m I supp0sed 2 feel seen?'' she murmurs.
Highwire grunted. ``You're not the only one who walks in shadows. Make it a good thing.''
Mal0 hugged the box to her chest silently.
Jenna gently placed her present in Krystal's lap.
Krystal's box contains an old leather pilot's jacket, patched and clearly repaired several times, with a note: ``From one guardian to another.''
Krystal ran her fingers over the wear and tear. ``This has... weight.''
Jenna smiles. ``So do we, darling.''
Aleu snuck Freya's gift into her hands and grinned.
Freya peeled the gift wrap to reveal a tiny, plush knight figurine with a stitched tag: ``Fratley Finder 9000.''
Aleu beamed. ``He vibrates when you say his name!''
Freya raised an eyebrow. ``...It's absurd.'' She hid a small smile. ``I love it.''
Maid Marian presented her gift to Queen Bee.
Bee finds an ornate jeweled hairpin, regal and dazzling.
``Well, I haven't worn something this fucking fancy since the royal orgies.''
Marian merely sips her wine. ``Then it's overdue.'' She flashes a wink that made Bee's wings buzz.
Mal0 glitched her gift into Amaterasu's presence.
The goddess carefully unwrapped a smooth black mirror with strange markings etched along the frame.
``tr1n1ty. b4lance. fractal,'' Mal0 whispered.
Amaterasu gazed at it. ``This... is not mortal craftsmanship.''
Mal0 tilted her head. ``N3ither 4re U.''
Amelia gently nudged a massive box to Loona.
``Fuck. Make it big enough?'' Loona fumbled to open her box - inside was a much smaller handmade sweater... that somehow did fit her. Muted red. Cozy. Smelled like fur and pine.
Loona stared. ``...You fucking knit this?''
Amelia didn't answer. Just nodded with a tender growl.
Loona hugged the sweater to her chest and muttered, ``Shut up. I'm fine.''
Muru dropped a box near Mistral.
Mistral opened her gift cautiously - a bottle of enchanted, possibly illegal, midnight-blue wine labeled ``Truth & Temptation.''
She arched a brow. ``This won't kill me, will it?''
Muru grins. ``No promises.''
Mistral smirked. ``Guess I'll test it before I serve it to guests.'' She poured a glass. It shimmered like a night sky.
Mistral stood and gave a box to Goumang.
Goumang opened the box and freezes.
Inside: a miniature custom lab kit. Sleek. Portable. Scaled to her hand.
A note reads: ``For minds like ours. Tread wisely. The position is yours if you want it.''
Goumang looked to Mistral, who sipped her new wine without comment.
``...I don't hate you,'' Goumang admits.
``I know,'' Mistral replies. ``But I mean it. I could use the help.''
``I'll... consider.''
Kimiko shyly gave Aleu her present.
Aleu squeals as she opens a ``Deluxe Streamer's Toolkit'': custom RGB mic cover, tail-friendly gaming chair charm, and a glitter phone stand as themed after Fortnite.
``Oh my gods it's adorable!''
Kimiko shyly nods. ``I watch your streams. Sometimes.''
``YOU DO?!''
Kimiko nods and, slowly, shakily, holds out her -
Aleu snatches the phone before the poor kitsune can even speak. ``We are so trading numbers!''
Mal0 suddenly glitched another gift that appeared before Blaze. She rigged it.
Blaze tore into the second box addressed to him and found a framed photo. Grainy, shadowed, but clear enough.
Blaze, asleep on the couch.
Mal0 curled at his side. Mangle draped over his lap. Loona in the chair beside them.
``wE w4tch over U,'' the caption says.
He smiled and laughed. ``Creepy. But sweet.''
Amaterasu gracefully invaded Highwire's space.
Highwire skillfully opened the present with her survival knife and finds a curved ceremonial blade, its edge humming with celestial magic.
``This is... sacred.''
Amaterasu bowed her head. ``To cut away old pain. Or... defend what matters.''
Highwire runs a claw along the handle. ``I'll use it well. Not bad, goddess. Not bad.''
Then...
It wasn't wrapped in anything flashy.
Just a soft, black velvet box, no ribbon, no tag.
Blaze held onto it through the entire exchange, unsure of when to hand it off - until everyone else had gone quiet. Loona was half-curled on the couch beside him, cider mug dangling lazily from her hand, new sweater warmly embracing her.
``That wasn't bad,'' she muttered, eyes half-lidded.
He cleared his throat. ``Didn't forget you. Was just... waiting.''
She raised a brow. ``Why?''
``Because if I gave it earlier, you'd make fun of me.''
``I still might.''
``Yeah,'' Blaze said, handing her the box, ``but at least now you're too tired to kill me.''
Loona took it warily, flipping open the lid with a soft click.
Inside was a simple dog tag necklace. Matte black, etched with silver script - small, almost hard to see unless you really looked.
It read:
Loona
``Still worth saving.''
She blinked.
Once.
Twice.
``...You idiot.''
Blaze shrugged. ``I figured... hell tried to tear you down. Life, too. You always act like you?re not worth a damn. But you are. To me. Always will.''
She stared at it. Her ears lowered, tail flicking once.
Then she slipped it around her neck without a word.
``Looks good on you,'' he said, softly.
She shoved his face with a clawed hand. ``Don't get sappy on me.''
But she didn't take it off.
Not that night.
Not ever.
And for the rest of the evening, even as sleep crept in, that little tag rested just over her heart - silent, steady, and maybe... warm.
The final gift was laughter. Smiles. A few awkward glances. Some drunken singing.
Even Loona humming along.
And Blaze? He looks around, overwhelmed, exhausted... and more grateful than he can say. ``...Best damn Christmas ever.''
Yet Mistral still had dinner.
The table was long, mismatched, and somehow still not quite big enough. Chairs squeaked. Tails bumped. Tension clung to the air like gravy on mashed potatoes.
Mistral, in an apron that read ``SCIENCE SERVES HOT,'' placed the last dish - rosemary-garlic roasted beast, a fusion of venison and who-knows-what thanks to a few Solarian ingredients Goumang insisted on.
``I don't even eat,'' muttered Mangle, staring at a flickering holographic tray of ?simulated taste loops.?
Mal0, curled shadowlike beside her, whispered, ``i f34st on ambiance.''
Blaze clapped his hands. ``Alright, alright - everyone sit! Or... hover. Or glow. Whatever works!''
At one end, Vicar Amelia sat hunched low to avoid hitting the chandelier. Beside her, Freya politely cut her food into tiny bites, occasionally glancing down the table at Aleu, who was livestreaming her plate with commentary like, ``Y'all this gravy SLAPS.''
Queen Bee had stacked her plate sky-high, grinning. ``This is gluttony in its purest form, you sexy bitches.''
Krystal, across from her, poked at something gelatinous. ``Did this... move just now?''
Highwire and Roxanne Wolf were mid-argument about which of them had the better reaction speed, throwing peas at each other.
Kimiko nervously passed napkins to both, whispering ``Peace... we like peace...''
Muru picked olives off everyone else's plates without asking.
Maid Marian politely corrected Muru's fork etiquette, only to be met with a wink and, ``Darling, I invented scandal.''
Down at the far end, things got spicier:
Blaze sat between Goumang and Loona.
Bad idea.
``So,'' Loona muttered through clenched teeth, ``what did we learn about sitting me next to psycho bird-witch?''
Goumang didn't even look up. ``That you chew like you bite for sport.''
``You wanna test that?''
``Later.''
Blaze tried to fake a smile as he passed Goumang the stuffing. ``More starch, less snark?''
Goumang scooped it like she was at war.
Meanwhile, Jenna leaned across and whispered to Mistral, ``I give that triangle another week before it explodes.''
Mistral sighed into her wine.
A toast?
Blaze stood, finally.
Fork to glass. Clink clink.
Everyone eventually quieted.
He cleared his throat, ears slightly lowered.
``I know this is... a weird group. Some of you are gods, others are ghosts, and a few of you probably shouldn't exist outside video game code.''
A chuckle rippled.
``But you're all real to me. You were there in some of my worst moments - and some of the best. I may joke, flirt, trip over my own tail - but I mean it when I say... I love all of you.''
Silence. Then clapping. Then cheering.
Then Loona muttered, ``Dumbass,'' and Goumang muttered, ``Tch. Sentimental weakness.''
But they didn't leave.
No one did.
Dinner continued. Food was devoured. Debates raged.
Someone, Aleu, tried to livestream the dessert reveal.
Someone else, Muru, switched the pie labels for chaos.
And in all the flickering light and voices - there was a strange, perfect balance.
A home.
If just for one night.
Then a sudden silence rolled through the room. The temperature dipped. Shadows flickered where they shouldn't.
All eyes turned.
Standing in the corner like she'd always been there - but no one saw her arrive - was Demonlord Ninetails.
She smiled with far too many teeth.
``Well,'' she purred, voice velvet and venom, ``I suppose I do have a gift.''
The room held its breath.
She spread her nine tails, glowing faintly at the tips, and said with syrupy menace:
``My gift... is that none of you died tonight. Not Blaze. Not his little pack. Not the divine mutt. Not the walking glitch pile. I even spared the smug hellhound that bit me last time. You?re welcome.''
She gave a slow, mocking bow.
Mistral blinked. ``That... technically counts.''
Blaze muttered, ``You terrify me.''
``Delightful,'' she replied with a wink.
And then - Amaterasu, glowing softly like a sunrise through snow, stepped forward from the other side of the room.
She didn't speak. Didn't judge.
She simply extended a small, ornate paper lantern - one carved from sacred washi, warm with soft golden flame, etched with swirling sun and moon sigils.
Ninetails stared at it.
Scoffed.
Then slowly... took it.
Her grin faded. Not completely. But enough. ``...You're exhausting,'' she whispered to Amaterasu.
The goddess only bowed her head.
``Still... gracious,'' Ninetails muttered, almost too quietly to hear. ``Infuriating.''
Then with a flick of her tails and a shimmer of foxfire, she vanished again into shadow - but the lantern remained, glowing faintly on the windowsill like a ward... or maybe a reminder.
The dessert spread hit the table with the force of a sugar-loaded earthquake.
There were four kinds of pie, sexy-shaped cookies, Solarium candied roots that glowed faintly thanks, Goumang, and what looked suspiciously like Mistral's latest experiment - whiskey mousse infused with memory-stabilizing nanites.
``Do not eat more than one spoonful,'' she warned. ``Or you might remember all your childhood trauma at once.''
Krystal had three.
Meanwhile, Queen Bee cracked open a bottle of something neon purple, handing it around like party favors.
``One sip'll knock out your taste buds and your god damn dignity. Cheers!''
Aleu livestreamed every second, yelling, ``THIS STUFF IS ILLEGAL IN SEVEN STATES!'' and her shirt came off shortly after.
Freya calmly accepted a glass and downed it like water.
Roxanne challenged Highwire to a drinking duel.
``i 4m ?3verywhere.''
Kimiko giggled. ``That's horrifying.''
The Mangle projected festive glitch-lights on the walls, flickering out an 8-bit remix of Jingle Bell Rock, while Amaterasu calmly conjured divine snowflakes inside the living room just to make the aesthetic perfect.
``::d1git4l ?bl1zzard!'' chirped Mangle.
Blaze, now sporting the black collar from Loona's gift, poured cider and tried to keep up with conversations across five realities.
He failed.
But he looked happy doing it.
Loona, somehow tipsy despite insisting she doesn't drink ``stupid bland shit,'' leaned into Blaze's shoulder with a half-snarl. ``I hate that I'm having fun.''
``I love that you are.''
``Don't push it.''
She stayed there.
Across the room, Goumang sipped what she believed was tea... then squinted.
``This is not tea.''
Mistral raised a brow. ``You're drinking an old fairy brew. Strong stuff.''
``...I see my death approaching.''
Mistral grinned. ``Take smaller sips.''
Muru swapped drinks when no one was looking.
Marian caught her, but instead of scolding her, simply took a swig of brandy and said, ``Make it worth the trouble.''
They were making out seconds later.
Eventually, someone, Jenna, pulled out mistletoe.
``Oh, come on,'' groaned Blaze.
Bee snatched it first. ``House rules, wolf slut!'' She kissed his cheek and winked. ``Loona can kill me later.''
Loona, from across the room, raised her bottle. ``I might, bitch.''
Mistral, now tipsy herself, got dragged into a game of ``Never Have I Ever'' with Aleu, Krystal, and Kimiko. She held her own, even admitting to all the times her and Blaze fucked.
Blaze heard it and nearly choked on powdered gingerbread.
CHAPTER FOUR
``Why Her?''
Loona wasn't exactly the social butterfly of the night.
But as the party began to mellow and bodies slumped into cozy, cider-fueled puddles, she found herself... drifting. One paw in her jacket pocket, the other clutching a soda, tail flicking as she stared down the line of Blaze's past.
She wasn't jealous. She wasn't.
She just... needed to know.
First: Jenna.
The elegant, maternal flame who exuded warmth.
Loona found her near the fireplace. ``Hey.''
Jenna smiled. ``Hello, Loona. Good to see you again.''
Loona paused, then nodded.
Jenna's eyes twinkled. ``You're the one he actually calls his. I'm impressed.''
Loona scoffed. ``Why? You had a kid with him from what he said.''
Jenna chuckled. ``Because I've never seen him pull away from temptation. Until you.''
Loona blinked.
``I wanted excitement. I got it. But I also got a man who never turned me into a prize. He just... gave me space. Made me feel wanted without needing to possess me. That's rare.''
``...Huh.''
Then she found Krystal.
Loona found her reclined by the window, lazily tapping a game on her phone.
``Hey, space vixen,'' Loona grunted. ``You hooked up with him too, huh?''
Krystal looked up, tail flicking with an amused smile. ``A couple times. He made me laugh. And made me feel safe. I needed that back then.''
Loona squinted. ``So why didn't it go anywhere?''
Krystal shrugged. ``He was chasing stars. I was trying to remember who I was. We both knew it wasn't forever.'' She tapped her temple. ``But I remember everything. He never lied. Never faked it. You've got a rare one.''
Loona looked away, ears burning. ``He's a dumbass.''
Krystal grinned. ``He's your dumbass.''
The sneaky fox was waiting.
Because of course she was lounging on the couch, sipping eggnog from someone else's mug.
``Loona,'' she said before Loona could even speak. ``The growly one.''
``Yeah, and you're the one who banged him just because you could.''
Muru smirked. ``I'm a creature of chaos. And he... entertained me.''
Loona tilted her head. ``So why not again?''
Muru's grin faltered just a touch. ``Because even chaos knows when someone finds their balance. And when not to get bit.''
``...You think I'm his balance?''
``No,'' Muru said, sly. ``You're his gravity. The one thing that makes the storm stop spinning. You? You'll be there when he needs you the most.''
Loona snorted but didn't argue.
Loona didn't even have to approach. Bee buzzed up behind her with a smirk.
``So, my little honeybun finally caught your eye, huh?'' She slapped her own hips.
``Shut up.''
Bee laughed. ``What? I'm the reason you two got together. I'll take the credit and the crown. That fucking threesome still makes my damn body ache.''
``...Why?'' Loona asked. ``Why did you push me toward him? Why are you so damn invested?''
Bee smiled. ``Because you were both so damn lonely. And neither of you wanted to admit it. Because you two,'' she kissed Loona quickly on the lips. ``Do more for fucking Hell than anything else. That fire? Fucking love it, bitch. Don't you ever fucking stop.'' She leaned closer. ``But mostly? Because he didn't look at you like a conquest. He looked at you like he was scared to break something beautiful.''
Loona?s chest tightened.
Loona found Aleu sitting on the floor, chatting with Mangle, eyes tired but bright.
``Hey,'' Loona said awkwardly. ``You knew him in school?''
Aleu grinned. ``Since we were pups.''
``Ever...?''
``Yeah.'' Aleu shook her head. ``Few times. Was fun. He was always chasing things, but with me? It was comfort. Not sparks. Though when Blaze started feeling like a brother is when we backed off.''
``...Sparks?''
Aleu smirked. ``You two fight like gods and kiss like storms. That's the kind of spark that hurts if you don't hold onto it.''
Loona stared at her. ``You're weird.''
Aleu shrugged. ``Weird recognizes weird.''
Loona drifted back toward the kitchen, soda empty, thoughts full. She didn't need anyone to validate what she felt. But somehow... it helped.
And when Blaze glanced up from his cider and gave her that soft, stupid grin, she felt it -
That same stubborn warmth in her chest that made her punch him when they first met, and later made her... kiss him back.
She shoved the soda into his hand.
``Try not to screw this up.''
Blaze blinked. ``...What?''
``Being mine, dumbass.''
He chuckled. ``Wasn't planning on it.''
***
Loona found Marian on the balcony, sipping mulled wine with perfect posture. Tail curled around her ankles like a practiced noblewoman. Loona leaned on the railing next to her.
``So, you and Blaze. Huh.''
Marian turned, soft smile in place. ``Yes. Brief, but passionate. I'm... not the quiet mouse everyone thinks.''
``No kidding,'' Loona muttered.
``And I don't regret it.'' Marian looked out at the stars. ``He was... persistent. But not crude. He wanted to know me, not just bed me. Well, okay, maybe not entirely true. I hadn't felt truly seen in a long time.''
Loona crossed her arms. ``And now?''
``He's with someone who doesn't need rescuing. Who challenges him. You're not a damsel. You're the fire he can't snuff.''
Loona stared at her a moment. ``You sure you're not secretly a poet?''
Marian smiled. ``Only in moonlight.''
Loona nearly rolled her eyes when she saw Roxanne sharpening her claws with an actual file. Alone. Smug. Competitive even now.
``So. You.''
Roxy glanced up, smirking. ``Oh hey, the alpha bitch.''
Loona scoffed. ``Takes one to know one.''
``I'll take that as a compliment.''
They stood there in tense silence.
Loona finally asked, ``Why him?''
Roxy's smirk faded, just slightly. ``Because he didn't try to fix me. The place was burning, I was glitched, pissed off, and - he played games with me. Treated me normal. And he never once looked scared of me.''
``...Huh.''
Roxy looked at her more seriously now. ``But you're the one who could bite back. That's probably why he picked you. Besides, look at me.''
``Yeah, so?'' Loona snorted.
``Hah.'' Roxy smirked again. ``Love it. You say you love him without saying it.''
Loona approached Freya near the tree, where she was examining a string of lights like a battlefield map.
``You're the dragoon chick, right?''
Freya nodded. ``Freya Crescent.''
``Blaze... warmed your tent or something?''
Freya blinked, then gave a faint smile. ``He did. On a rainy night, in the ruins beneath my homelands. I was searching for someone I'd already lost. Patrolling lands long forgotten. A ghost in the rain.''
Loona shifted awkwardly. ``So it was a comfort thing?''
``Yes. But not just that. He made me feel alive again. If only briefly.''
``And now?''
Freya looked over at Blaze across the room, then back to Loona. ``You... wake the warrior in him. Not the healer. You fight, you clash, you burn. That kind of bond... is rare.''
Loona scratched behind her ear. ``You all talk so fancy. It's weird.''
Freya chuckled. ``We fought dragons with lances. We had to sound poetic.''
Loona found Kimiko hiding behind the dessert table, quietly watching others play games. She jumped when Loona leaned over.
``Boo.''
``EEP! - uhh - hi, Loona!''
Loona squinted. ``Don't need to ask you much, fox girl. Already got everything I needed when my face was buried in - ''
Kimiko nodded rapidly and waved her hands. ``N-n-not in the open, oh my gosh!'' Her face flushed red under her fur.
Somewhere, Highwire chuckled.
Loona blinked, then chuckled. ``So, you doing okay at the party? Not freaking out, are you?''
The kitsune shook her head. ``It's been fun. I even exchanged numbers with Aleu! More friends!''
``Cool. Can make our next outing a girls night.'' She punched Kimiko in the shoulder.
The kitsune's eyes dilated.
Loona approached Highwire with caution. The tall, black-furred wolf woman was lounging confidently on the arm of the couch, glowing blue lines pulsing faintly beneath her coat.
``Well,'' Highwire said coolly, ``if it isn't the one who finally claimed the mutt.''
``You're not jealous?''
Highwire shrugged. ``He wasn't meant to be mine. I just wanted to see if he could survive a few matches. Besides...'' she glanced at Kimiko, who was still sitting like a deer in headlights.
``Matches?''
``Sparring. Shooting. Wrestling.'' She grinned. ``He actually got better. Because he listened. He learned.''
Loona glanced at Blaze. ``Yeah. He does that.''
Highwire leaned in slightly. ``But only with people who matter to him. He never chased me. Never needed to. You, though... he chased with everything.''
Loona narrowed her eyes. ``So what, I'm a trophy?''
``No. You're the reason he kept fighting. Big difference.''
Loona walked away from the last of them, tail low but steady, ears twitching with all the things she didn't quite want to admit to herself.
And still... that dog tag around her neck sat warm against her chest.
``Still worth saving.''
Stupid dumbass.
Loona found Amaterasu in the quietest corner of the house, cross-legged in front of a softly glowing lamp. The wolf goddess radiated a calm that made Loona's usual scowl falter.
``You're the one from the shrine. Blaze left you a snack and you... showed up?''
Amaterasu's eyes opened slowly, glowing golden. ``I had not been worshipped in decades. When he left that offering... it was not a prayer. It was kindness.''
Loona crossed her arms. ``And that made you want to sleep with him?''
``I was lonely. And he was warm.''
Loona blinked. ``That's it?''
Amaterasu smiled gently. ``He did not try to tame me. He just saw me.''
The goddess reached out, her fingers grazing Loona's arm.
``He sees you, too. Not as divine. Not as broken. Just... as you. That is why it hurts. That is why it matters.''
Loona looked away. ``Yeah, well... I'm glad he did. Without your help, I never - ''
Amaterasu placed a finger against Loona's lips and hushed her with a smile. ``I know.''
Loona felt the Ninetails before she even saw her. Her hellhound senses were keen like that.
``Surprised you're not off poisoning the wine,'' Loona grumbled as she approached Ninetails, who was curled near the fireplace like a smug cat.
Ninetails cracked a grin. ``Oh, I did. Mistral just filtered it out already. Shame. Are you here to take another taste of me?'' Her tone fell flat.
``You slept with Blaze just to screw with Amaterasu, didn't you?''
``Partially,'' Ninetails said, lazily rolling onto her side. ``But also because he's interesting. Dumb enough to flirt with me. Smart enough to know what I am. And stupid enough to not run.''
Loona raised a brow. ``And you liked that?''
``I hate that. That's why I did it again.''
They stared at each other for a beat.
Then Ninetails narrowed her eyes. ``You're not like the others. You don't chase him.''
``I already caught him,'' Loona muttered.
``Ohhh.'' Ninetails chuckled darkly. ``That's dangerous. For both of you.''
``Good. So keep your damn claws out of him.''
Amelia loomed near the back of the room, unmoving but very much aware. Her beastly frame was massive, fur pale and eyes gleaming amber. She tilted her head slightly as Loona approached.
``You and Blaze... did stuff?''
A slow nod.
Loona blinked. ``How?!''
Amelia rumbled.
``...Okay, okay. Blaze can apparently do shit. I don't want details.''
Amelia stepped forward and gently placed a clawed hand on Loona's shoulder. There was no threat - just a firm pressure, like a silent blessing.
Loona blinked. ``You like him?''
A low rumble. Affirmative.
``Didn't wanna keep him though?''
A pause. A slow shake of the head.
Loona nodded. ``Guess he calmed your beast, huh?''
Amelia paused, then nodded again. Slow. Sad. Grateful.
Loona exhaled. ``He does that. Freak.''
Loona approached Mangle in the hallway, where she was chewing on a candy cane at a weird angle.
``S'up, toaster strudel. You hooked up with him. You glitched freak.''
Mangle made a warbled, playful fzzz-zrrrp of laughter. ``[01nce. W@5 cute. M1s3raBle. L0n3ly. H3 f1x3d me.]''
Loona tilted her head. ``You mean, emotionally?''
``[N0. L1t3rally. R3w1r3d my s3ntry ch1ps. Th3n, y3ah. Em0ti0n5.]''
Loona snorted. ``So it wasn't just some pity thing?''
``[N0. But... I w0uldn't g0 b@ck. He's yours.]'' Mangle leaned in with a garbled giggle. ``[And y0u'r3 sc@r13r th@n me.]''
Loona smirked. ``Damn right.''
Loona glanced to the glowing screen in the corner, where Mal0 perched like an apparition.
Her eyes glowed faintly as her voice shimmered with 3s and 0s.
``L0ona. W4s w@it1ng.''
``Yeah, yeah.'' Loona folded her arms. ``You stalked him until he said yes, right?''
``Y3s,'' Mal0 answered without shame. ``And st1ll here. B3cause he s4w me. N0t the v1rus. Not the fe4r.''
Loona paused. ``...Why didn't it last?''
``He's n0t mine.'' Mal0 tilted her head. ``N3ver was. I w4s jvst the gl1tch in his path. Y0u're his ch01ce.''
Loona stared at her.
``Y0u h8 him less th@n y0u sh0uld.''
``...Shut up.''
Mal0 smiled. ``G00d. Y0u're perfect.''
Each answer stuck to Loona like thorns in fur. Not because she doubted herself - but because she finally understood.
Every one of them saw something different in Blaze.
But none of them saw what she did.
And maybe that's why it worked.
Because she saw the idiot, the fighter, the annoying mutt...
...and stayed anyway.
Loona found Goumang on the back patio, the soft hum of distant cars beneath the night sky. Her new legs - built by Blaze and his weird friends - shifted quietly beneath her as she stood against the railing, arms crossed.
Loona didn't ask permission before stepping beside her.
``You're the one from the labs. Tortured him. Tested him. The one he went to save even after he was told to stop.''
Goumang didn?t look at her. ``I was dying. So was everyone I knew. I acted on logic. Clinical necessity. Emotion was not part of the design.''
``You still banged him.'' Loona's eyes were narrowed.
``Harvesting,'' Goumang snapped, glaring sidelong. ``It was scientific.''
Loona snorted. ``Uh-huh. That why you joined the cuddle pile on night one?''
Goumang's face tightened.
They stood in silence a moment. The stars above flickered dimly, a faint reflection in Goumang's narrowed eyes.
``I wasn't supposed to live,'' she finally said. ``Yi killed me. That was my fate. And then he - '' she spat the word like it hurt, `` - ripped me from the script. From the Tao. From the death I deserved.''
Loona watched her. ``You're mad he saved you?''
``I'm confused,'' Goumang hissed. ``I'm a villain. In his world, I was data. A challenge to be overcome. Then suddenly I'm... this. A stray kept in an apartment full of patchwork girls being offered jobs by his mother. I am not to be pitied.''
There was venom in her voice. But also... cracks.
Loona leaned on the railing. ``So why do you stay?''
Goumang didn't answer for a long time. Then softly: ``Because he never asked me to.''
``...Yeah,'' Loona murmured. ``He's like that.''
Goumang's voice was thin. ``He looked at me like I wasn't broken.''
Loona didn't respond right away. Then she pulled a pack from her pocket and offered it out. Goumang took a cigarette, fingers elegant even in weakness.
``He looked at me like that too,'' Loona said, lighting her own. ``Pissed me off.''
``And yet you love him.''
Loona froze. Inhaled. Blew smoke out her nose. ``Didn't say that.''
Goumang arched a brow. ``You didn't have to.''
Another pause.
``...Did you have feelings for him?'' Loona asked. ``If so...'' Her fingers curled.
Goumang glanced at her. ``No. But I think... I could have. If it hadn't been you.''
Loona met her eyes.
Goumang held the gaze for a long moment. Then, calmly: ``He would've died for me. You made sure he didn't have to.''
``...Damn straight.''
They smoked in silence.
At the door, Loona stopped. ``Hey. You ever think the Tao's just waiting to see what dumbass thing he'll do next?''
Goumang gave the faintest smirk. ``That would be... balance.''
Loona's tail flicked once. ``Don't get ideas. Couch is still yours.''
``I hate your fur.''
``Right back at you, dandelion.''
Loona?s doubts - not gone, but now quieted. Blaze didn't male sense. But because maybe he didn't have to.
He just... was.
Her dumbass.
The party was deep in slumber now.
CHAPTER FIVE
Don't Ever Stop
The night raged
Somewhere between 3:47 and ``way too late,'' the night began to soften.
The lights glowed lower now - less celebration, more comfort. Music still played, but it was slower, gentler. The kind that drifted in the background like snowfall.
Queen Bee, wobbling slightly with a tinsel boa slung over her shoulders, called from the kitchen, ``Who's still alive?! I got eggnog! Or firewater! Or both!''
No answer.
She turned to find Aleu, equally wired, leaning on the counter with glowing eyes and an empty soda bottle in her paw. ``We are the last defenders of chaos, Bee. The strong shall party on!''
They high-fived with the force of a sparkle cannon.
But even they were slowing.
Aleu yawned mid-spin and flopped onto the beanbag chair, mumbling something about followers and ``content fatigue.'' Bee joined her, curling up with a soft sigh, tinsel now a blanket.
Freya had fallen asleep upright, chin against her chest, hands still resting elegantly on her lap. A mug of untouched cider cooled beside her.
Krystal was curled near the tree, one leg twitching slightly in sleep, whispering names from star charts that only she understood.
Marian lay stretched on the couch, tail twitching, one boot halfway off.
Muru had vanished into the guest bedroom with a smirk and someone's scarf.
Highwire had commandeered a corner with a blanket fort. Inside it? Snoring.
Kimiko had passed out beside Mal0, who simply stared at the ceiling, watching the last flickering lights on the tree reflect across her white glass-like eyes.
Roxanne and Mangle, shockingly, had found an awkward peace. The two animatronics sat in silence near the fireplace, systems humming in low sync as they both pretended they weren't falling into sleep mode.
Amaterasu lay half-reclined in a beam of moonlight, unmoving, divine even in slumber. Her tail curled like brush strokes.
Demonlord Ninetails lingered longest. She watched them all from the window, a strange smile on her face. Not wicked. Not kind. Just... interested. Then she, too, vanished. A blur of smoke and tail.
Vicar Amelia had never moved from her fire spot. She breathed slowly, deeply, peace written into every massive exhale.
Goumang was still awake. Kind of. She sat with her back to the wall, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded. Watching. Processing. Fading.
She muttered something in Mandarin and let her head tip back against the wall.
Sleep claimed her, mid-thought.
Half-eaten desserts left on plates. Mistletoe dangling lopsided over the hallway arch. A karaoke mic abandoned on the floor, blinking with forgotten color. Someone - probably Bee - was still softly snoring into a box of cookies.
Loona stepped back into the living room like a ghost. Silent. Barefoot. Her jacket was draped over her arm, and the ember scent of a cigarette still lingered in her fur.
She spotted him - Blaze.
Curled on the giant beanbag chair he'd insisted could ``fit three or four friends or one emotionally unstable wolf.'' His pink bangs were over one eye, rising and falling gently with each breath. His arm was outstretched from when Mal0 had passed out beside him earlier. He hadn't bothered to reclaim it.
He looked... stupid.
And soft.
And hers.
Loona padded over and just stood there a minute. Watching.
This dumbass had managed to charm a goddess, a fox demon, a dragon warrior, a glitching machine, a feral nun-wolf, a royal vixen, a legendary thief, hell's sin,, and about ten other women - all different, all dangerous - and yet...
He was here. Now.
With her.
Loona knelt slowly, her hands resting on his arm, and gently brushed the pink hair back from his face.
``Hey,'' she whispered. ``Scoot.''
He stirred, groggily. One eye opened, drowsy and blinking.
``Loon?'' he murmured, voice half in dream. ``You okay?''
She didn't answer. Just shoved at him lightly until he moved enough for her to curl into his side. One leg over his. Tail flicking over his lap.
``You talked to everyone,'' Blaze mumbled, smiling lazily. ``That's... a lot of you putting up with other people.''
``Shut up.''
``You didn't have to - ''
``I wanted to.''
That shut him up.
``...I get it now. Why they liked you. Why they let you in. You?re annoying, stubborn, ridiculous... but you don't lie. You see people. And somehow... you got them to see you back.''
She pulled the blanket up over them both. ``And you saw me.''
Blaze smiled softly. ``I still do.''
Loona was quiet a moment more. Then whispered: ``...Don't ever stop.''
His hand slid across her back. Warm. Steady. Real. ``Never even considered it.''
Loona closed her eyes.
No romantic fanfare. No big, cheesy declarations. Just this.
A silent warmth under shared covers.
And that little, stupid dog tag around her neck.
The world could burn later.
Tonight?
They were home.
***
The house was hushed.
Blankets were scattered like snowdrifts. Mugs tipped. Wrapping paper lay in crumpled piles. Tails twitched in dreams. A goddess stirred in her sleep, and an animatronic hummed low in a restful glitch-loop.
And in the pale grey of morning, the only sound was the soft clink of a kettle warming on the stove.
Blaze stood near it, hoodie wrinkled, fur mussed, eyes still heavy with sleep but glowing faintly from the warmth in the room.
``Couldn't sleep?'' came a familiar voice.
Mistral entered from the hallway, her robe cinched tight, a coffee mug already in hand. Not a hair out of place. Of course.
Blaze gave a quiet grin. ``Could ask you the same.''
She moved beside him, leaning against the counter, sipping once before she said, ``You did good, Blaze.''
He blinked. ``That... felt suspiciously like a compliment.''
``It was. Don't milk it.''
He chuckled, rubbing his eyes. ``I thought someone would've killed someone by now.''
``They almost did. You diffused it. With burnt cookies, a glitching tree, and emotional whiplash.'' She looked at him. ``That's impressive in its own way.''
He smiled, then frowned. ``Is it weird? That I brought them all here? People from everywhere... games, myths, hell.''
``Maybe. But it's you.'' She paused. ``You've always had this habit - finding broken things and convincing them they weren't trash.''
Blaze blinked, unsure whether to smile or tear up.
Mistral took another sip. ``I used to think you were reckless.''
``You did ground me. A lot.''
``I did,'' she nodded. ``Still might.''
Then softer: ``But you gave some of them hope. You gave me a reason to set an extra place at the table.''
They stood in silence a moment.
Sunlight finally crested the edge of the apartment window. Warm gold against the cold glow of Christmas leftovers.
Blaze looked toward the pile of sleeping bodies and mismatched beings that now counted as his family.
Then back to his mother.
``I love you, y'know.''
Mistral smiled gently. ``I never doubted that.''
She pulled him into a rare hug - brief, firm, but real.
Then stepped back and said, ``Now... clean this mess before they all wake up.''
Blaze groaned. ``Knew that was coming.''
She smirked and left him to it, mug in hand, robe swaying, the soft click of her slippers fading into the hallway.
And Blaze?
He stayed there just a moment longer.
Smiling.
Watching the light.
And letting the warmth of the night settle gently into morning as Loona's snores filled the room.
~THE END~
