âMaybe next year, ya can come tâ one oâ the festivals we have.â It was an idea to consider. Most major holidays, that coincided with a change in season, were celebrated in the village the hybrids were from. Volt would happily set them up with a room for the night if that was the case. Something to discuss later, when Harmony wasnât focused on dragging along Bless towards the tree.
   âCan ya blame me?â Some of that energy from the snowball fight was still running through her, but Volt knew it was only a matter of time before the preteen finally crashed. Either from overexcitement or an adrenaline crash, he was preparing for having to carry her back home by the end of everything.
    For now, she was just grinning from cheek fluff to cheek fluff as they admired her work. The question getting a wag of her tail and a nod of her head. âUh huh. I like tâ make friendship bracelets and necklaces, so I ordered some special ones online so I could make those fer ya.â
   She was so proud of her work and just how much the couple liked them. Already the preteen was going through in her head of what else she could make for them the next time they shared gifts, but her focus was soon shifting to the gifts being handed to them. Volt had to chuckle as his daughter wasted little time in opening her gifts and looking at the detail on the box and display.Â
   He didnât think her emerald eyes could sparkle any brighter until she opened the second gift and was told exactly what it was, just barely stifling his chuckle as Harmony nearly tackled both of them for a hug each. âThank Ya so Much! I love âem! Iâm so gonna be usinâ the camera everytime we go anywhere. And Iâll send ya copies too so ya can see where we been!â
   If allowed to, sheâd continue to snuggle them both, but her attention went to her father as he opened his gifts. Watching his features soften brought a smile to her own face as she released Bless to get a better look at the gifts.Â
   âI think I have the perfect spot for this at home.â His organic fingers gently felt the surface and he looked back to them with a smile. Unlike his daughter, Volt only closed the space and gave a gentle kiss to a cheek with a whispered thanks. Some traditions were ones he had picked up and forget they werenât common, but hopefully the couple didnât mind them. He carefully placed them next to him so that he could secure the necklace with a light wag of his tail. âThank you both. For the gifts and inviting us.â
   âYeh. This was epic. We gotta do this again sometime, oki? âS fun tâ hang out with ya both!â Harmony added and held her gifts close to her chest. Safe to say she wouldnât be loosing them anytime soon.Â
   âHappy Holidays Bless, Node.â
âSounds like fun, so... Hereâs to hopinâ!â A festival in the othersâ town.... Admittedly, it sounded a bit more people-centric than Node would be able to handle for long, but they would still get a kick out of winding through the village with them all, all the same.
âOnly as much as I can blame myself.â Bless chuckled at the kidâs enthusiasm. Several holidays had passed during his worldâs rebuilding, with many more on the way- so the holidays were a trite less energetic for him than they had been in his youth... Although he wouldnât lie about finding it fun to be infected with the sort of enthusiasm heâd had when he was a bit smaller, a bit more positive in his ways (not that anything could ever destroy his sunshine of a disposition, or so heâd like to think).
The gifts theyâd received were nearly enough for Bless to go on his own hugging spree, but Harmony beat him to it- tackling him and Node in turn with hugs that nearly knocked each off their feet (with Node actually having to perform a light teleport to keep from falling over). He returned the hug full-heartedly, encasing the other in part in his own fur before letting her go with a chuckle.
âWell, Iâll do my best to keep this in mint condition!â And that was a promise.- Bless wouldnât be losing that trinket any time soon.
Node had been far more reserved, but still returned the hug with a soft smile- their movements a fraction more wooden than the werehogâs had been, although that was to be expected from them.
âYâbetter.â Node chuckled quietly at the otherâs joy. âIf you ever need it repaired, just let me know and Iâll get Tails tâtake a look at it.... Canât wait to see where yâtravel, Harms.â They were grateful the pair at least seemed to enjoy both gifts in turn- the carved objects and the camera/drawing. It had felt a hint cheap on their part, but- the others had also done DIY gifts, and those... Felt priceless, so they could only assume the feeling was mutual.
âPhew!â Bless gently waved a hand across his forehead, as if heâd been nervous- which he hadnât, but humor was always nice, especially on the holidays! He assumed- as the hybrid gave each a peck on the cheek alongside a thanks- that it was some tradition from the otherâs village. After enough world-traveling... Heâd gotten used to the unexpected. For the most part. Some things... Some things could still knock him on his butt. âNo problem!â
Inviting the two had taken a bit of time, but it was by far worth it in the end- from the two meeting some of the others across the multiverse to the snowball fight, and now seeing the two hybrids each happy as could be... It made the whole night worth it, to both werehog and fox.
While it had brought a faint burn to their face, theyâd also assumed it was little more than tradition- they knew it was more common in some countries than others.
âWell, I canât speak for the entire Writerverse Christmas Party, but... Yeah, itâd be nice to hang out again sometime.â They cast a glance around, the crowd slowly thinning as the night itself began to come to a close. â.....somewhere less crowded next go, though.â They hummed. The portal to the multiverse had been re-opened for some time outside, which meant the four could leave when they wished... But a part of them had hoped the night would last forever. It was so rare for everyone to be in such light spirits...
âHappy Holidays, guys.â The two had spoken in tandem, glancing to each other for a second before laughing.- The laughter was quickly ended, but neither could resist a few moments.
âLet me know if you wanna come back next year... Or if yâwonât mind Bless nâ I checking out the village during its festivities.â Node murmured, an ear twitching. â....danke for the gifts, by the way.... Gonna be usinâ the blanket real soon.â That night. Absolutely, utterly that night.
â--whaddya say we all head on home?â Bless offered, smashing the hint of hesitancy in his mind on the spot. â...I donât know about you all, but that snowball fight took a lot out of me....â And out of all the competitors.... Inevitably, eventually, the two mobians would have to lead their companions to the swirling vortex that was the portal, one way or another... But the memories of this night would be sticking around for quite some time.