I feel like Saint Nicholas is pulling my leg

[cloistre]

[So. THE DAY HAS FINALLY ARRIVED, LONDON. It is Christmas. A light snow falls upon the city, and even the Old Ones seem quiet and non-existent against the hustle and bustle of people giving gifts or doing emergency shopping despite the chances that literally nothing is actually open right now.

But that's probably just wishful thinking. You could pretend, if you tried hard enough.

What are you doing?]

Comments

[hariolor]

[Somewhere, a very annoyed looking redhead is wandering through the streets, and seems to be looking for someone.]

[alethiological]

[And he can continue to wander in annoyance, because Will got kidnapped by a little girl, a somewhat older girl, and an asshole. His best chance at catching him at all is actually on his way home, too busy on auto-pilot to bother noticing anything.]

[virinosa]

[Elsewhere, an Irishman is...actually not terrorizing anyone with the dark ones. He's going door-to-door with cookies and booze if you're old enough.

And carefully marking which houses abuse him for doing so. c:]</small.

[screwreality]

[One house in the rich area is supposedly owned by the owner of trade company - always at home, always an asshole, and that's kind of common knowledge.

Kumagawa's the one who answers the door, glaring and covered in bandages and torn clothes, but then sparkling the moment he recognizes who it is.]

「OH, IT'S--!」 [...He doesn't know your name. ...... OH WELL!] 「COME IN! WHY ARE YOU WANDERING AROUND WHEN IT'S FREEZING OUTSIDE ANYWAY. STOP BEING AN IDIOT!」

[reliquit]

[This bookstore is open.

Defiantly.

And the owner is in like four layers and staring grumpily at his tea while he reads it is fucking freezing.]

[zenithrewinder]

[That obnoxious ding of the 'you have a customer' bell is the only thing that breaks Knight from her reverie. It's that maid again - though only the hairstyle shows as such. Considering she's dressed conservatively and carrying a large nondescript cardboard box.

She is way too relaxed about it to tell how heavy it really is.] Most would be closed today.

[cloistre]

[This one is sitting in the park, with a Hallmark store's worth of Christmas cards set out in front of her.

Eyeing them like they killed her family.]

[eagnafeoite]

[Wandering over, followed by a bunch of deer--wait, what.]

...How many people are you debating lighting on fire instead of sending cards to?

[birdenesque]

[The only time she even notices someone is leaning over her is when black hair like an untamed bird's nest falls over her vision. The source is some russian girl staring at all her stuff.]

Someone's popular today, da?

[leviathaned]

[This one's wandering around kind of aimlessly and...humming?


...he's definitely humming and seems to be threatening to burst into the carol of the bells. It distracts from having no idea what to get ones angeluncle.]

[eagnafeoite]

[And finally, this irish jackass is...

...is giving sleigh rides to children and adults who stare too long.

Where did he get all those deer and a sleigh that works on cobblestones at this time of year? You're happier not asking.]

[hairpine]

[In contrast, if this one smiled any harder her cheeks would probably fall off. Going around delivering presents!

All two of them.]

[virinosa]

[Hey michi you wanted to run into a walking clusterfuck of Their voices right?

Because he just ran into you. Literally. With a box full of cookies.]

Ah! Beggin' your pardon, miss!

[screwreality]

[Not now Michi, someone who looks like they fell through a wood chipper is trying to ever-so-subtly slip a letter into her mailbox. It is a super-secret plot that requires ultimate charisma and subtle and shredded clothes and bandages is totally charisma and subtle okok?

No really, he's being subtle.

So subtle you don't even know.

Really.

Really.

No, but seriously, Fuck off, bracket-readers he'll kill you if you get him caught so help him-]

[fliesbynight]

[HELLO, MICHI.

She smells potential on you and you look happy. Time to take advantage of the Christmas spirit!]

Hello, miss and Merry Christmas! You look like someone finally getting to celebrate this wonderful holiday with all your heart.

[freedentalboon]

[WHO ARE ALL YOU PEOPLE why is he even here

Oh. Right. Staring at store displays like he can afford something, if he gave away his arm, leg, and left kidney. ... Nevermind that this particular one is closed, but—]

[birdenesque]

[HE IS IMMEDIATELY POUNCED FROM BEHIND! He should be entirely used to this by now!]

Steve~! Merry Christmas!

hhhiiiiii angiiiieeeee

[hariolor]

[There is a tall redhead behind you. He's judging.]

I wouldn't recommend it.

[presages]

[So I heard you enjoyed birds! There is... someone, A Person, with an awful birdsnest of black hair and thick glasses, standing behind him, also eyeing the display.]

If you break the glass . . . then . . .

[presages]

[Meanwhile, there is a young man (?) with unkempt hair and rather large glasses stumbling out of the Thames.

Oh yeah I guess there is also a black bird tail coming out from a slit cut in their coat, but.

They don't waste any time dwelling on the fact that they just washed up on a riverbank though. INSTEAD: hopefully no one is wearing a belt, and if they are, it hopefully does not have a pretty or shiny buckle on it. Because if it does, they will also not waste any time kneeling a bit and trying to undo the belt.]

[immortelle]

[Garry keeps fiddling with a neat, nice little box. FOR THE RECORD. Sakuya's gift is the same as what he got for Ib: themed macaroons! Ib's were in reds and pinks and white. Sakuya's in blues and whites (and a single pale green for her ribbons).

But he's nervous because wow having a guest and he really likes this one and MOST IMPORTANTLY Ib has to like her. He hopes they get along! Sakuya deals with...rambunctious children often. Maybe Ib will be a relaxing presence.]

Ib, tell me if you like her, okay?

[fleuri]

[For a few moments, Ib only watches Garry fiddle with the box. He sure does look nervous, doesn't he? Sheesh, she hadn't known grownups could get so nervous over anything like that.

Nevertheless, she nods at his question, smiling slightly.] Okay. She's nice, right?

[una_persson]

[The Alhambra is closed for the holiday, so Miss Persson is exploring. You could very likely run into her just about anywhere—outside the British Museum, inside one a church (or what's left of one, as the case may be), or in some East End den of iniquity.]

[leviathaned]

[And lo, the worst antichrist has gone to find where a little girl lives because he promised he'd spend christmas with her! This in no way is going to end horribly.

Knocking on the door!]

[fleuri]

[A nine year old girl shouldn't be the one to open to the door.

But, after all the... excitement of the day, it's gotten to the point where she's the closest to the door when someone knocks on it. Well, it's Will's house, how bad can it be? Right?

When she opens said door and recognizes the face on the other side of it, Ib grants him a small smile. Oh, yes, she hadn't forgotten.]

Merry Christmas.

[capslockbomber]

[Christmas tends to be a day most people spend with their families and/or friends and/or their loneliness in bars. It is not a day to find someone sitting on a curb in the snowfall, half-frozen and glaring into their coffee.

It fades away the instant anyone gets in communication range, to the bright smile of someone faking joy for their income.] Merry Christmas, sir or madam! I'm here to try conning you into doing something against your free will, so please run away and enjoy your holiday somewhere else!

[The smile goes to a glare when he finishes. Is this being terrible at your job, or good at it?]

[leviathaned]

I don't think you can actually force me to do anything, Zeph. Unless it's like that, in which case I insist on being paid up front.

[Oh hey look a giant. Who's smirk suggests he's joking about being a hooker for you.

...probably.]

[fliesbynight]

[Kumagawa is getting a snowball thrown in his direction when he walks through the park. Not at him. Just to get his attention. Then he gets to see a cheerful, bright smile as Lemina waves at him excitedly!!]

Have a mega horrible holiday!

[....What.]

[screwreality]

[It's hard being sneaky when you've gotten your ass handed to you by an elevator attendant. It's hard and nobody understands. Especially when someone throws things in your direction - not even at you! - but the universe's hatred of you combined with being said universe's biggest loser means you get hit anyway.

Lemina earns him cringing and rubbing the back of his head from the snowball. Staring blankly at the source. Give him a second.

Two.

Three.

OKAY! Theatrics file loaded, holding a hand to his forehead and mildly swooning.] 「DON'T TREAT ME WITH SUCH HARSH WORDS! YOU'LL GIVE ME A TERMINAL CASE OF THE VAPORS, LEMINA-CHAN!」