What… happened?

Shouri's eyes opened to a distressing situation. It was dark, cold, and musty. The dim lights that hung off the walls would take some getting used to. Abandoned mine carts, tracks, and deteriorating wood was all the company he had. The rock against his bare gut was cold, and jabbed into him uncomfortably.

The back of his head hurt.

Those bastards had sucker punched him when he had his back turned. He still had the money in his swim trunks, maybe they'd let him go with that?

What were they planning to do with him?

He was scared.

Tears started to flow.

"I… I just wanted a Maestro… not this…" he sobbed.

It was upon those words leaving his lips that he split from the situation he was experiencing. This wasn't his dream--it was Pacifica's. It was when she was kidnapped by that man.

"No!" Pacifica cried. That wasn't the otter of the past, but the girl in his mind. "I'm sorry Sho… I'm so sorry."

He felt her wrap around him, continuously whispering apologies as she desperately tried to pull him away from her pain.

"It still bothers you." "I thought I was going to die." "I know. I thought you did die." "It was scary." "You're not alone, I love you." "I love you too."

Blue and green would have met, but Pacifica's room was so dark that only Shouri could see he wasn't alone in waking.

They needn't say a word to know what the other was thinking. Thankfully, the agreed upon sleeping arrangement left Pacifica's back free, so the pair slipped out of bed without waking the vixens.

"It's snowing," Pacifica noted as they stared out the back window.

Despite the darkness of early morning Canolapra, visibility was further hampered by the icy fog that had set in. Shouri could barely see the streetlamps between the snowflakes and thick mist that hung the air.

Pacifica trembled at the thought of being out there, holding herself and rubbing her arms to chase off those cold thoughts.

"We could try making out like Rebby suggested."

And that offhanded remark chased away any remaining chill that plagued the otter as she attempted to strangle her Maestro to death.

One quiet play fight later, the pair cuddled up on the couch with a movie; the volume on the television turned low as to not disturb the rest of the house. The clock below the TV diligently displayed 4:13 in bright green.

"Today's gonna be fun," whispered Pacifica.

"Oh?" Shouri started stroking the otter's hair. She nuzzled into his chest, letting out a content sigh.

"I used to get up super early on the Festival of Hope to see if I could figure out my gifts before Mom and Dad woke up. One year they locked the door to my bedroom, but I planned ahead and made sure one of the living room windows was unlocked.

"You're pretty crafty when you want something," Shouri noted with a sly smirk.

"Where's my present?" asked the otter, returning his smug grin with one of her own.

"Right here my dear."

Their lips met, though no experiments in à deux were performed this time--they enjoyed that moment as individuals, the hurt of the past buried by the pleasure in the present.

Time melted away as the pair shared their warmth. It was so comfortable, so nice. Time was but a mere suggestion in their world.

A voice awoke the lovers from their slumber, and perhaps Priscilla's words would be the last Shouri ever heard.

"So, is my gift some lovely grand-kits?"

Pacifica's shriek was one for the history books.

Needless to say, Rebecca stirred in the bedroom, hearing their water's screech from the other side of the house and behind a closed door.

"Where the fuck is she?" asked the fox as she sat up. The faint cracks of dawn's early light poked through the edges of Pacifica's blackout curtains.

"Mmrrgh…" Taika wrapped her arms around Rebecca and pulled her back down. "H-hey!" Rebecca yelped.

"Sleep," Taika demanded, increasing her grip around the toasty fox like she was a body pillow.

"Fine…" and thus Rebecca quietly fell back asleep.

The next the fire fox woke, it was by Pacifica's hand. "Happy Festival of Hope," sang the otter as she gently shook the pair of vixens.

"Mmrrgh…" Rebecca groaned. "You…" she groggily pointed at the otter. "What was with the screaming?"

Pacifica whipped her head away. "Just Mom being annoying," she huffed.

"Day of the week ending in 'Y'." Rebecca closed her eyes.

"Come onnnnn! Sho won't let me open gifts until you two are up!" whined the water element as she resumed shaking the pair.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

And then Taika was annoyed enough to start telekinetically tossing whatever she could wrap her ad-Lib around.

Shouri poked his head into the room only to make a quick retreat when plastic cups and empty soda cans sailed by.

"I guess we're not opening gifts yet," the Maestro chuckled, leaving the girls to it.

He returned to the kitchen where Priscilla and her Resonators were preparing lunch (dinner if Taika and Rebecca got their way).

"By that commotion I assume you're not opening gifts yet?" Priscilla asked as Shouri walked by.

"Hell no. Taika busted out the ad-Lib," Shouri said with a chuckle.

The mother shook her head. "I told that girl she needed to clean her room."

After much struggling and complaining, the two foxes were flushed out of their den and joined the rest of the family out in the living room. Well, at least their own party. Priscilla and her Resonators were in the master bedroom, sharing their own gifts--they'd all reconvene for dinner.

Taking inventory, Pacifica got a pile of small gifts, and Taika got a wrapped box (also a pile of small gifts). Shouri had a small stack he shuffled in front of himself as he waited.

Rebecca looked around and her brows turned up with worry--why didn't she have anything?

As if he read her mind, Shouri scooted over and flashed a tuner to her. The next moment she tackled him, hugging him tightly and tail wagging as she squealed in delight.

"Huh?" Pacifica and Taika peered over at the lost tuner as Shouri was being attacked by excited kisses.

Still on the screen was Emily proudly standing next to Soot and Albarich--a huge flat screen TV hung on the wall across from the bed back home--Rebecca's present.

With that starting gun being fired, Taika opened up her own gift.

Shouri now had two foxes on top of him, attempting to smother him with kisses, the reading tablet set gently aside.

Pacifica meanwhile was having fun opening her many gift cards for her gacha games. "Am I really that easy?" wondered the otter.

"YES," came the resounding answer from all in the room.

Finally, Shouri was allowed to breathe and also open his gifts. All three of his were conspicuously the same size. He furrowed his brows, and shot a peak at his trio. They were all shared nervous looks with one another.

He started with Rebecca's. It was a simple box, and he slid it open to reveal a fancy pair of glasses, red with trim on the bottom of the glass with a gentle flame motif on the arms.

Taika and Pacifica looked like they wanted to die. Rebecca had a mix of relief but also dread on her face.

Shouri couldn't help but smile--they were all too cute.

Without a word, he slipped them on, looking over the top of them at Rebecca--she covered her face.

Next came Taika's box. A second pair of glasses, black frames which had a gradient to white near the tips of the arms and the bottom of the frames.

He put them on, just like the pair Rebecca gave him, and turned to Taika. A simple warm smile was all she needed to hide from him as well.

Finally was Pacifica's--the poor otter was melting into a pile of embarrassment at this point. No one had said a word. Her selection was top framed unlike the previous two, though Pacifica's had black on the outside and an aqua green on the inside. He tried them on just like the other two; staring at the otter his opposite.

She managed to get over herself to sneak a peek, slowly allowing her hands to crawl back up her face. Next she knew, her hands were pushed down and Shouri slipped the glasses onto her face, holding them in place with just a single finger.

The water element felt herself grew hot as he stared intently at her for much longer than she had expected. He must have realized how long it had been as his head suddenly jerked away. "S-sorry, they look really good on you," he admitted shakily.

That was the last Pacifica remembered of gift opening as she fainted on the spot.

"Alright everyone! Dig in!" Priscilla declared.

The group of eight sat at the extended dining room table; a massive spread of food laid out before them.

Everything from potatoes, to meats, bread rolls, veggies, even pastas and cheese were available with enough to feed everyone and then some.

Taika took in in the joy spread around the table. Pacifica chatted with her parents, sharing laughter at stories she told. Shouri and Rebecca compared their food selections poking fun at one another. Aiden and Syrus both sipped from glasses of wine and judged the quality of the drink before breaking out into hysterics at their faux pretentiousness.

The lunar fox didn't even mind that she wasn't part of any conversation, content to listen and observe. Only a year ago she was cold and alone, and now she basked in affection she could only dream of.

In truth, she had no real desire--she had already received the one thing she had ever wanted--love.

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