Candle Lit Christmas
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Chapter Fifteen | Candle Lit Christmas
First thing the next morning, one thing was absolutely certain – it was freezing. Ashlynn huddled under her blankets in every clothing layer she possessed and still she was insufferably cold.
Were her thoughts occupied with the dangers of her interaction with the three brothers last night?
No.
Was she thinking about how to keep herself safe and to avoid any unnecessary confrontations with the three humans she had decided to trust?
No.
Was she considering the possibility of returning?
No.
All she could think about was how cold it was.
What on earth is going on? It's absolutely frigid! Did Soren turn off the heat? Is there something wrong with the heater? Is this some kind of human ploy to get me out of the walls? What time is it even?
Ashlynn dared to poke her head out from under her layered blankets, brow and eyes instantly stiff with an unforgivable chill, as she looked around her home. It was here that something caught her eye – her lights weren't on. The little lights she'd tapped into and borrowed from the neighboring apartments were completely out.
That's weird. The chances of this being a simple fix dwindled fast. What made it weird was that the power for the lights came from lots of different places. If there was a short or something along those lines, just one strand would be affected. Did this mean something happened to the power in all of these places?
It was with regret and reluctance that Ashlynn bundled up and hauled herself out of her bed, the imprint of warmth left behind in a perfect silhouette of her body. She shuffled over to the plugs and places she'd wired together just in case, but found nothing in the light of her hip lamp that indicated that the wires were bad or that something had burned out. Bulbs tested. Wires checked.
Ashlynn watched her breath form a steaming fog with every breath out, and every breath in felt like she little icicles were jabbing her lungs from the inside. She quickly retreated back to the warmth and safety of her bed, relieved her warm spot was waiting for her, and extinguished her lamp.
Just a few minutes longer, and then if nothing happens I'll go check and see if the boys are here. Maybe Soren is doing something with the electricity. Then again, I haven't heard them all morning. Hope everything's okay…
~~~^*^*^~~~
And, for the boys, everything was more than okay. It was great!
First thing, early in the morning, Soren woke up his brothers and showed them the fresh layer of snow spread across the yards. Layers and layers of gray snow already scraped from the road was once again concealed by a duvet of white, frozen flakes. He usually let his brothers sleep, but sledding on Christmas Eve day was too good to pass up.
So, he picked out the warmest clothes they had and bundled them up into the car to go to his favorite secret sledding spot. It was a treasured place. Sometimes hard to get to, and rarely visited since everything happened, but it didn't diminish the special meaning it had for Soren.
The trio set out into the snow, unaware that moments after they left that the power would go out for them and the rest of their neighborhood.
"Soren? Where are we going?" asked Dorian, interrupted momentarily by a yawn, as he peered out the window.
"Sledding. I told you that," reminded Soren as he glanced back at his brother.
"I know, but… you turn left to go to the part; or we walk. You… see? You took a right," pointed out Dorian. Rey's eyes gleamed as he attempted to bounce and squirm. His efforts were severely thwarted from his layers of puffy winter coats and the seatbelt protecting him.
"Oh! OH! I know! I know! We're going to The Hill, right?" grinned the youngest brother. Soren couldn't hide his smile.
"Maybe."
"Oh! I knew it!" cheered Rey.
"Wait. The Hill? Really?" Dorian chimed in eagerly.
The Hill, as Soren called it, was a place that he and his parents used to go to whenever it snowed because it had the best hills, hence the name. There was a park he and his parents used to enjoy when he was younger right next to a thick, wooded area. The park was an old-fashioned one, with rusted spring bound horses and metal slides. The swing set rocked back and forth due to years of abuse and the earth leveling beneath it.
It also had the best places to sled down. Old trails took you to several quiet, steep hills. It was here that Soren and his father, Aaron, had the all-time record for hills to jump. If you started at the top of one, you could crest over some of the smaller ones beside it, and Soren and his dad had managed to make it all the way to the end during one particularly icy snowfall.
That was before he got sick…
As if the brothers behind him could read his mind, Dorian asked, "Isn't this the place your dad brought you to?"
Soren had to clear the tension in his throat before responding, "Yes, it is." His eyes flicked up to the rearview mirror to see Rey and Dorian exchanging elated glances.
"Just like you're dad took you!" Rey smiled. Soren swallowed hard and continued to nod rather than respond.
"But you're not our dad," stated Dorian in a matter-of-fact tone. It made Soren chuckle.
"No, I'm not. I'm something better – your pesky older brother," he said as he glanced over his shoulder at his brothers. Rey started giggling before going off into his own side tangent.
"Soren? Soren? Do… wasn't that so funny yesterday? When Ashlynn was like, 'Isn't Soren your dad?' And! And…"
"That definitely was interesting," admitted Soren. In a way, Ashlynn wasn't wrong to guess Soren's roll here in the family. He had taken on quite the heavy mantle after the accident with the boys' father and their mother. It still made his blood boil, the way it all had to happen.
Brady should've never been behind the wheel. Soren's grip tightened on the wheel. Serves him right. Drunken scumbag.
He was so focused on his loathing that Soren almost missed the turn. Quick jerk to the left with a little skidding that made the boys giggle and squeal and, all of a sudden, Soren felt like he was back in a memory. He followed the unplowed road through the arcing trees up one road and down the next before, just like before, he saw the all-too-familiar sight of the place he'd adored as a child.
"We're here!" the boys cheered in tandem.
Yes… yes we are.
"Alright you two, unbuckle and let's get going. We have some sledding to do."
Soren hoisted the sleds onto his back and led the way around the park, over the creek, and then began the trudge up the series of small hills. He and his brothers paused frequently, mostly because of Rey wanting to eat icicles and draw smiley faces in the undisturbed winter around them, until they saw it.
The Hill.
It towered over them, a mass of white that made both boys pause and look up with their entire bodies since their bundled bodies couldn't simply move their neck. The motion reminded Soren of the original Batman costume, but the reference would be lost on his brothers.
Maybe we'll watch that if they don't want to watch something else more Christmas themed tonight. Soren thought.
"Alright. Final push, and then we slide down," huffed Soren.
"Soren? I'm tired. Could you carry me?" asked Rey. Soren looked over his shoulder to see his brother standing pitifully in snow almost to his knees with his lower lip puckered out. Whether Rey knew it or not, Soren could never say no when his brother made that face.
"Alright. Get on," he relented as he knelt in the snow.
"Hey! Can I go too?" Dorian asked.
Figures. I knew this would happen. I did the same thing at their ages.
"Pile on!"
It took some finagling, but Soren managed to get both his brothers onto his back while dragging the sled behind. With both boys secure and Soren realizing this was going to be quite the challenge, the eldest forced his quaking knees to push him upright as he began the climb. The boys knew better than to flail and bounce. They knew Soren would make them walk if they weren't going to behave themselves, so they remained motionless and fastened tight, clutching onto Soren's shoulders for dear life.
Step after step, Soren ascended The Hill.
Each step made Soren feel stationary. No matter how much he pumped his legs, the top was nowhere to be found. He didn't relent. Everything worth having was worth working for, and his brothers deserved this. Finally, out of breath and a bit achy, Soren crested over the top and partially as a joke and partially because his legs were screaming in protest, fell face first in the snow.
"Soren! Are you okay?" Rey squeaked.
"Did you get hurt?" asked Dorian immediately after. Soren rolled over and, in the blink of an eye, had grabbed his brothers and rolled them into the snow. The chorus of laughter erupted as the three were now covered in snow.
"Ugh, just crushed by you two. When did you decide to get so big?" groaned Soren as their laughter died down. The boys opened their mouths to protest, but paused as they saw the look in their brother's eyes. It was unidentifiable for the youngsters, but it was unlike any way he'd looked at them before. Pride? Nostalgia? Realization?
Their mom had that look a few times…
As fast as the moment came, it went and soon Soren was on his feet and setting up their three person sled.
"Okay, Rey first, Dorian, and then me. Let's go!" Soren's commanding voice set the boys to action immediately. If only I could get them to do chores that easily, thought Soren sarcastically. Snow crunched under their feet as they assumed the correct order. The oldest remembered how his father did it, and now he was going to do the same. "Alright. Hang on tight and don't lean, bounce, or let your feet drag. Ready? Set!" On "Go," Soren pulled the sled back and ran with it, only jumping on at the last moment as it careened off of the edge.
The boys' squeals were caught in the top of their throat as the frigid wind whipped past their faces. They held on tight, death gripping the edge of the sled by the improvised handles Soren made for them last Christmas. The weightlessness carried them down the hill and over the first two bumps before sliding to a stop on the third.
Almost! Thought Soren. Gotta get the record though. Not worth the trip without it.
He turned around and, using the handle, began dragging his brothers back up the series of hills. Thankfully, the boys didn't make the next few climbs difficult, stomping through the snow beside Soren instead of getting a free ride off of his back. It wasn't until the fifth try that, finally, the snow was flat enough for them to make a proper run of it.
"Ready? Set! GO!" Soren sprinted as he pushed the sled, his muscles aching in the cold, as he leapt on at the last moment. They soared over the first hill and the second, caught air on the third, and coasted through the last one all the way to the tree line before coming to a skidding stop right before the creek.
"We did it! We did it!" cheered Rey, bounding like a puppy in the snow with Dorian cheering right beside him.
Yeah… we did. See that mom? Dad? Keeping the tradition alive.
"Ready for another round?"
"Yeah!"
~~~^*^*^~~~
Hours passed in the freezing cold before, finally, the boys returned home. Everything felt numb, but neither boy could stop talking about what an awesome time they had. Now, a promise of hot chocolate and a warm bath lured them back to the car to make the drive home.
Soren had to admit that he could also use some time in a nice hot shower, but hot chocolate and getting the boys warm took precedent. They would pass out like played out puppies and nap the moment Soren left them alone for more than a minute, and it would be better if they were already PJ'd up and ready for a night in than trying to wake them later.
They rounded the final corner to their neighborhood and up to their place. Soren tapped the garage door and, to their surprise, nothing happened. Twice. Three times. Nothing. Soren put the car in park and stepped up to the keypad to press the frozen through buttons when he noticed the light failed to come on.
"Oh no," he grumbled. This wasn't good. He tried once more, just to be safe, and sadly received the same result.
The power was out.
How long has it been out? We've been gone for a while. Please tell me the pipes haven't frozen. Looks like it's improv time.
"Soren? Is everything okay?" Dorian had unbuckled himself and was leaning out of the car, concern etching its way into his thawing features.
"Maybe. I think the power's out. Storm must've taken out the power lines and the generators," replied Soren, who returned to the car and shut it off. "We'll have to go in through the front. Come on."
He guided the boys inside and, to keep them from tracking in snow, quickly undressed at the front door step so he was in nothing but his long pants and long sleeved shirt before picking up one boy and then the next, shoving them in the garage to rid themselves of their snow covered gear. The moment he stepped inside, Soren could've sworn he could see his breath. Evidently, the power had been out for a while, and that wasn't good. The emergency flashlights flooded the room with small beacons of light, but that was all with the blinds closed and curtains drawn.
At least I remembered to keep the curtains sealed. It would be unbearable if I'd thrown open the blinds first thing.
He was prepared, as always, for emergencies, but it would add time and, sadly, the boys wouldn't be getting a bath today unless the power came back on. Jammies on the boys and his own gear drying in the garage, Soren set to work.
"Soren? Why is it so cold in here?" asked Rey as he shivered and pulled his sleeves over his fingers.
"Well," sighed Soren as he grabbed one of his own jackets and slid it onto his brother, instantly dwarfing the youngster, before pulling up the hood to cover his head. "When the power goes out, that means there's no electricity. The heater runs off of electricity, so no power means no heat." Soren pulled Dorian closer and slipped one of his jackets on him, zipping up the front all the way to Dorian's chin.
"So… does that mean…" Soren knew where Rey was going with this.
"Yes. Operation Survival. You know where the flashlights are," grinned Soren, biting back a shiver as he pulled a hoodie over his head.
"Yeah! Tent city! Campfire burner! Candles and fire! Let's go!" Dorian cheered as he and Rey scampered off.
"Flashlights first!" Soren called. He rolled his eyes and stared at the kitchen sink, daring to reach forward and flicking the tap on.
Nothing.
Curses. Either the pipes are frozen or the backup generator is out too.
Soren crouched and opened the cabinet to see if he could find any signs of freezing pipes when he heard something on top of the counter directly behind him.
"S-s-soren?"
He glanced over his shoulder to see Ashlynn bundled in blankets to the point he could only make out part of her face.
"Ashlynn, hey," he breathed.
"Wh-what's g-going on?" Ashlynn's teeth were chattering hard. "Is the p-power out?" A million things were going on in his mind to help get everything prepared for a potential power outage long haul, but pausing for a second to explain wouldn't do any harm.
"Yeah, unfortunately," Soren grumbled. "Usually, there are generators and stuff to kick everything back on, but this snow storm must be hitting a lot of people all at once. So, we're going into what myself and the boys affectionately call 'Survival mode.' We've also called it pioneer night, but operation survival motivates the boys."
"Ah, I s-s-see," muttered Ashlynn. "Explains the c-cold."
"Oh… oh yeah, wow. So… gosh yeah, that would probably affect you more than any of us since you probably don't have access to direct heat, huh." Soren saw the small woman nod sheepishly. I couldn't imagine not having access to electricity and modern tech. Basically every night is like pioneer night for someone like her. Soren shuddered to think of what it would be like to have to take care of him and his brothers if he were Ashlynn's size with basically nothing to his name.
It made his heart ache, but then an idea hit him.
"Well, I don't know what your plans are for the evening, but you're welcome to join us. Dorian and Rey are going to be back here in a second and I'm going to set them on tent duty, which is basically a giant fort made of blankets so we can all be together and keep warm if the power doesn't come back on. If you want to join them, I'm sure they'd love to have you," suggested Soren. "Or not. Whatever you prefer. You might've just come down to figure out what was going on."
"And… what are you doing?" asked Ashlynn.
"Me? Checking for leaks and breaks in the water pipes, but I don't see any here and I can't do much else except wait and see if there are any leaks," replied Soren as he ducked back into the cabinet and, using his keen eyes, started seeking for any seam splits.
"Why can't you do much else? Why wait?" asked Ashlynn, who knew the dangers of water leaking for more reasons than one. If there was a leak in the pipes, walls and floors were instantly torn up. She'd seen it happen to a friend's family when they were growing up, and they had to move shortly after. The damage water could do was also dangerous. It could lead to mold and would ruin everything if not dealt with properly.
"Well, a lot of that stuff is either under the house where I can't reach it right now or it's in the walls," explained Soren. It was like a bolt of lightning struck them both, giving the same idea at the same time. "Ashlynn…"
"Soren… er…" They accidentally started talking at the same time. They both chuckled as Soren gestured for Ashlynn to go first. "Well… if you need someone to check the walls, I could do that. It's easy enough. I've already mapped out most of the pipes and stuff. It's how I… well… er… let's just say I know how to check for that kind of stuff."
Soren's smile was nearly from ear to ear.
"That would be great. Seriously, Ashlynn, thank you." It felt like a boulder had been lifted off of Soren's chest. With Ashlynn checking the walls, I can get everything else going. If she finds something, it'll be a quick fix. If not, I'll know it's a generator. "Come back as soon as you're done."
"Sure," Ashlynn replied. It was the first time she actually felt useful, like she was paying back a debt that wasn't being asked for.
She'd almost made it to the walls when she heard Soren's soft, "Oh." She paused and looked back at him. "By the way, what kind of hot chocolate do you like? Have you… had it before?" Ashlynn had heard of this drink, but had never had a chance to borrow any. So, she shook her head. "Little of a few different ones then. Good to know. Thanks."
Ashlynn clicked on her hip lamp and, like the shadow she was, slipped into the darkness in search of a leak.
Soren, in the meantime, gathered up a few pots and set them on the gas stove to start boiling snow for hand washing and other miscellaneous things. He had drinking water reserved in the closet and the garage. He retrieved the electric generators from the shelves and set to work making a big bowl of ramen for lunch and then soup for dinner.
When he told the boys Ashlynn would be joining them, they just about lost their minds.
"Twice? In two days!" They cheered as they set to work on the tent, saying, "Let's make this one the best one ever so Ashlynn will be impressed. She's probably never been in a fort before."
Ashlynn determinedly began scouring the walls for every water pipe she could remember in the apartment. Up walls. Down corridors. She placed her hands on each frigid pipe and examined it up one side and down the other looking for bulges or poking out ice. She even made sure her area was secure before snagging a few things she would need if she was going to spend the evening with Soren and his brothers.
Brothers. Ridiculous. I should've seen it. They just… whatever. They look related, but not by much. Dorian and Rey must take after their actual father or Soren just really takes after his. Ashlynn crouched and flipped over some of the nearby pipes when she heard something.
*Hiss… Drip… Drip…. Drip…*
Everything stopped. She held her breath. Every little motion froze in place. Ashlynn listened as hard as she could, turning her head one way and then the other to tell where it was coming from. She picked up the pace, following the sound down one corridor and having to crawl on all fours under a support beam, but still finding nothing.
"Well, shoot," she muttered, hands on her hips and reaching up to scratch the back of her neck. "Where are you? Sounds like it's coming from… hm…"
She had an idea.
Ashlynn had a good sense of direction, and she knew this part of the house was near the outside of the house. If I'm right… Ashlynn slid down a line she'd secured when she first arrived in case of emergencies and, instantly, felt the bitter cold freezing her solid. It was the passage that led to the outside, and she was beginning to wonder if this was such a good idea.
Just a peak. Just a pe-AK! Ashlynn was halfway down the line when, suddenly, her foot hit solid ice. The jolt made her lose her grip and, as she slid down the rest of the line, she saw the culprit.
The water hose on the outside had indeed burst, and the spray had coated her emergency line in a thin coating of ice. Ashlynn plummeted straight down into a frozen mud pit, water spraying over her and into her hair. The wind kicked up again, sending millions of tiny snowflakes rushing right past her. The frigid air nearly brought Ashlynn to her knees once she was upright again.
Shoot! This is bad. Curses! Of course this happens to me. Ashlynn thought as she wiped the mud on her pants. She thanked her lucky stars she had her spare line and didn't have to spend any time knocking the ice off of her safety line. It was that one more second that she needed to get inside instead of sitting outside freezing to death.
Though it took a bit longer to get inside because of her mud slicked hands and pants, Ashlynn was finally back inside and certain the pipes were alright.
"Great. Now I just have to get back and be a muddy mess for the rest of the night," mumbled Ashlynn as she made the long slog back to her bag and the electrical cover on the counter.
~~~^*^*^~~~
"What happened?!" Soren's voice was saturated with concern as he watched Ashlynn march back onto the counter, mud and ice on her clothes and in her hair. "Are you okay? Did you find a leak? Gosh, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"
"It's fine, Soren," Ashlynn interrupted, feeling a bit flustered that Soren was fussing over her so much; not that she minded. In fact, she kind of liked it. She reached up and scratched the back of her neck, body still shivering from her exposure to the outside world. "Really. I just need to change and I'll be good. On the positive side, at least we know it's just a split hose outside and not something in the house."
Soren sighed, right hand reaching up and pinching the bridge of his nose between his index finger and thumb, before glancing over at the lit stove where he had successfully melted several bowls of snow.
"Well, at the very least you can wash off that mud if you want. I've got some warm water here, and we'll give you the bathroom to get changed and everything," said Soren. The mention of warm water instantly made Ashlynn's body tingle. She'd only ever had warm baths here, and she liked the experience. "Though technically, if you're cold, it's skin to skin that is recommended, but…"
Ashlynn didn't hear the rest. Her ears instantly started ringing and her cheeks began burning hotter than her candle burning stove at the thought of skin to skin with Soren. Gosh! What's wrong with me?!
"Ashlynn?"
The Borrower woman startled as she suddenly realized Soren's hand was only a few inches from her. She looked down at his hand and then back up to his features, only now noticing the bowl of steaming water in his left hand.
"Is that… something you'd like?" he asked.
She swallowed hard and, realizing he was talking about the bath, nodded bashfully and stepped onto his fingers as she snagged her bag with her spare clothes in it. The heat radiating off of his palm was soothing, and she was tempted to see if she could just sit there and keep warm. The Borrower thought better of it and let Soren carry her to the bathroom, which was lit with candles.
"Um… there's soap here and give a shout or come into the living room when you're done. I'll leave the door open a crack for you," stated Soren as his hand glided down to the surface of the countertop to set her down.
"Th-thank you," she mumbled as she disembarked and watched Soren go. Good grief! I can't blank out and think about something as ridiculous as skin to skin with a human! What on earth is wrong with me?! Even if I took him up on that, he probably is treating me like he would a little sister. He treats his brothers with this same care. Good grief! What am I even thinking?
Ashlynn stripped and slid into the warm water, dunking herself in the hopes that warm water would cool her head.
~~~^*^*^~~~
Twenty or so minutes later, Ashlynn was squeaky clean with fresh clothes and clean ones drying on the edge of the sink. After getting clean, she scrubbed her clothes free of mud and set them out so she'd have something to get into later if she had another wardrobe malfunction.
Then, she wandered into the living room to see what exactly this "fort" was supposed to look like; and, in all actuality, it looked like a Borrower fort. The blankets were ramshackle and pinned in every which way between the two couches, which were now facing one another instead of being perpendicular. Other blankets and something that looked like foam were on the ground in between the two couches. There were also miscellaneous games and padded boxes that Ashlynn didn't recognize, but one thing she did know for certain.
Heat was coming from somewhere. Based on the mild glow and the cord going from it to one of those padded boxes, Ashlynn guessed it was the reason there was any semblance of warmth anywhere here.
"Ashlynn!" Dorian's face peered out from under one of the blankets on the couch as he gave a little wave. "Do you like it? It's not done, but it will be. Want a grand tour?" Ashlynn spotted Soren not too far away unrolling some kind of plastic thing, so she elected to nod.
Dorian slipped out from the blankets and was at her side in a few simple steps, something Ashlynn would've had to short distance sprint to cross in the same amount of time.
"Okay, here you have the grand foyer. This is where we'll have food and play some games and where the heater is pointed. That's that thing over there," Dorian explained.
"Heater? I thought…" Ashlynn's confusion was evident and Rey, who was carrying in more blankets from Soren's room, dropped everything to answer.
"Yeah! It needs electricity, but Soren has that covered. This thing here. It's called a generator. It is like a big battery that Soren keeps charged in case we lose power. It also plays music and can make emergency Morse code signals if we're in danger." Rey was beaming with pride at his concise answer, and it earned him a scrutinized look from his brother.
"I was gonna explain that," complained Dorian. "Any-who! That one there is my couch, so that's where I'll sleep. And that one there is Rey's couch. That's where he'll sleep. He'll probably also lose some of his toys in there because he always loses his toys in the couch."
"I do not! Not always," Rey claimed indignantly. "I can't help it if I like working on my inventions before bed and… well… sometimes I fall asleep and sometimes things fall out of my hands, but that's part of being an inventor, which… OH! It's Christmas Eve! We can give you your thing!"
Rey scampered off while Dorian continued to talk about the entrance and how it's important to have blankets in a particular order because, otherwise, you'll still be cold even under a mountain of blankets. To Ashlynn's surprise, she actually found this useful.
By the time Rey returned, Soren had lunch in bowls for all of them, even Ashlynn, as well as a cup of hot chocolate for each of them. It was the first time Ashlynn ever had anything like it. It was warm and sweet and made her insides toasty like warm soup. And then adding marshmallows? Something else she'd never tried?
A Borrower could die happy if this was their last meal.
They finished lunch and played a few games, which Dorian and Rey barely made it through because they were exhausted from sledding, and then decided to lay down while Soren cleaned up. It was admirable, seeing the way Soren diligently tended to his brothers, and Ashlynn couldn't stop herself from staring as Soren came back and practically collapsed onto something they called an "air mattress."
But it's not made of air… just filled with it… whatever.
It was when they woke up that the real, as Rey called them, "reindeer games" actually started. They took turns having Ashlynn on their team as they played things like "Cadoo," more Pictionary, Jenga which Ashlynn was especially good at since she could climb and maneuver the pieces so well, and a few others Ashlynn hadn't heard of.
It was only after dinner, yet another meal Ashlynn found herself groaning over, that they celebrated Christmas Eve. Soren did something called praying, which Ashlynn had seen some other humans do, before he retrieved several boxes from under the tree, each wrapped in green or red wrapping paper. He handed three each to the boys and, to Ashlynn's surprise, one to her.
"Sorry I don't have the same to give like I do the boys," apologized Soren. "It's what I could come up with in time." It was a beautifully wrapped blue package that was about as tall and as wide as herself. She worried it would be too big to bring back to her own home, but banished those thoughts as she poked a hole in the paper and tore away the sides.
It was a massive, fuzzy blanket with an elegant "A" stitched into the side which was about the size of her hand. One side was a blue checkered flannel and the other was a cloud like fluffy material that was softer than anything Ashlynn had ever touched before in her life.
"Y-you… made this? For me?" she asked, craning her neck to look up into Soren's golden hazel eyes. The illumination of the flashlights and candles only accentuated the flecks of green in them.
"Yeah," Soren muttered as he reached up and nervously scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry it's not much. But…"
"I love it. I… I just…"
"Wait! What about ours!" Rey interrupted as he quickly snagged a flashlight and darted into the darkness of his bedroom.
"Mine too!" Dorian called as he raced after his brother.
Soren chuckled, completely unaware that they'd managed to pull something together, when he heard a little sniff by his knee. He honed in his attention onto Ashlynn, who was clutching the blanket to her chest and shivering slightly.
"Hey… Ashlynn. Are you okay? Did we… do something wrong?" asked Soren. Ashlynn shook her head, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand and along her sleeve. Her voice barely carried through the air, and Soren had to leave over to hear Ashlynn's mumblings.
"I just… I haven't don't anything to deserve this. You're all just being… being so kind. It's something I would never have thought a human would do for a B…" Ashlynn stopped herself short before continuing, not finishing the word she had in mind. "You know? You hear these stories about others getting captured or killed. It just makes you so afraid, and then someone like you comes along… all three of you… it's just…"
"It's a lot?" Soren ventured a guess after Ashlynn was silent for a minute. When she nodded, he continued. "Yeah, I can understand that. And, please, if this is too much all at once you can just tell us. It's okay."
"See? Stuff like that. You're all just so understanding. I just… I wish there were more humans out there like you. I'd even take more like you for my kind if I'm being honest." Soren felt a rush of flattery making the tips of his ears burn. It was nice to know his efforts were worth it and that she wasn't feeling hostile or as secretive anymore.
"Well, as long as you're comfortable, you're always welcome. It's quick, but it definitely feels like you've joined the crew, if that's what you want," offered Soren. Ashlynn, emotions running wild like a rampant tornado in a jar, found herself nodding. It had been so long since she'd been a part of something – part of a family – and having it happen so quickly only affirmed in her mind that it was meant to be.
"We're back! Here, Ashlynn! Open mine first."
"No, me!"
Dorian and Rey both presented their gifts, which were, at the very least, good efforts that showcased the boys' charm. Dorian had made something that looked like a coat rack out of some pencils and rubber bands. He also claimed it could function as a makeshift tent as he draped a blanket over the edges.
Rey, on the other hand, had managed to create a type of "quick descending" device using a skillcraft lanyard zip and some extra fishing hooks. He was also working on a quick ascension device, but he was having trouble getting it to not lock up.
"I… I don't know what to say." It was true. Ashlynn felt at a loss for words to show her gratitude, but an idea came to mind that she knew she had to act on. She stood and, to each of the boys, she went over and hugged their fingers, seeing that was the only part of them she could actually get her hands around. Despite her body shaking with excitement and so many other emotions, she managed to hug and thank each of the brothers.
Soren's gifts to the boys included one toy they'd both been asking for separately, which was a Lego set of their choosing, something that interested them independently, music box mixing for Dorian and an electronics kit for Rey, and something they could do together, which was two new card games. In exchange, Dorian gave Soren a tool kit with medical and practical supplies, which Soren knew he was getting since he purchased it, and Rey gifted him some homemade flashlight gloves and matching head mount for his flashlights.
So… this is Christmas. I like it, Ashlynn thought as she watched the brothers hug. They crawled into their prospective beds not too long after and, using her new "tent," Ashlynn found herself turning in for bed too. Both Dorian and Rey were breathing softly in their makeshift beds under a warmed tent, obviously knocked out from the events of the day. Ashlynn wasn't far behind. Her eyes were just beginning to unfocus when she heard Soren's signature cough.
"Hey, Ashlynn? You awake?" asked Soren.
"Mm-hmm, yeah," she replied, sleep saturating her voice. How much time had passed since the boys had fallen asleep? Was Ashlynn asleep? Or that odd twilight between awake and not?
"Thanks for spending Christmas with us, and thanks for checking out the house. You really saved a lot of time and eased my mind at least, and I know the boys would say they had a great time with you tonight. So, thanks."
Soren's voice was growing fainter with each passing word until he completely drifted off to sleep. Ashlynn wasn't far behind. Sleep played at the edges of her vision, eyelids lulling like shades that wouldn't pull down. Up. Down. Further down. Up again. Closed. Up.
Sleep beckoned her with open arms as she nestled deeper into the cocoon she'd made from the blanket Soren gifted to her. Weightless. Effortless.
It was everything she'd always wanted – to be part of a fam-…
*WHAM*