#tereku

“Griffin, why does Grimsley have a Christmas present over his crotch?” Dainn, the large Tamaranean male, questioned Griffin, the even larger green meta demon as they stood in the living room of the Titan’s Tower.

“Don’t bring it up… if we don’t talk about it will leave us alone.” The grumpy meta demon stated angrily as he sipped from his drink.

“Dainn~ have you seen SNL?” Grimsley questioned with a wicked smirk, grasping the base of the present.

“No, what is this SNL? Is it a person?” Dainn questioned with an innocent look on his face. He looked to Grimsley and then Griffin who only sighed.

“It’s his dick, Dainn… his dick is in that box.” Griffin looked to Dainn who gasped in shock.

“Why did Grimsley cut his dick off and put in in the box? We must run to the hospital at once!” the Tamaranean took a hold of Griffin’s arm.

“No, Dainn, he didn’t cut his dick off… He… cut a hole in the box and slipped it over his dick.” Griffin explained while bringing a hand to his face.

“Oooh, his dick is in the box!” Dainn grinned wide and knelt down to look at the box. His smile slowly fell as he stared at the box. “Grimsley… why would you do this?” Grimsley looked down at the Dainn curiously.

“What are you talking about? It was a joke…”

A lone set of footsteps could be heard traversing the hallways of Wayne Manor. Dylan was home alone; his grandfather was out of town visiting friends, his father was in the city, and Zatanrak was at his boyfriend’s. But Dylan knew he wasn’t alone. When he got home from school he found a letter on a table just inside. It was addressed to him, and the contents said to head to his room for a surprise.

Dylan’s first instinct was to check his brother’s room to see if it was a prank. It was like his brother to pull such a prank... but one quick investigation lead to the discovery that he was alone. Glancing down at the note he shrugged and started walking to his room... on the other end of the manor. If he had his brother’s gifts he would have been able to teleport... another reason why he felt shadowed by Zatanrak. 

Finally reaching his room he saw another note taped to his door. 

“...’take your clothes off’... this has to be a joke...” Dylan glared at the paper with a slight blush crossing his face. He sighed reluctantly and did as the note commanded, folding his clothes and leaving it on the ground. With any luck he’d be able to collect it before the butler got any funny ideas.

“Alright, I’m coming in... this better not be a trap!” Dylan shouted as he took ahold of the door nob and gave it a twist. Pushing the door open he gasped at the sight before him.

Standing just in front of the bed was Alan... dressed in red underwear with white frills, matching suspenders, and a Santa hat. Around the underwear were a few bells and on his nipples were a pair of bells as well. Dylan looked his boyfriend over, glancing at the noticeable bulge at Alan’s crotch. 

“Wh-wh-wh...” Dylan could barely finish a single word as he kept staring at Alan.

“Pachuo! I need your help in the living room! Pachuo? What are you doing?” Lukas shouted loudly, looking to the doorway of the living room. He could have sworn the big pink troll was just headed to grab a glass of water…. but he suddenly went silent. Making his way to the kitchen Lukas peered around the corner to see the large troll with his hand in the cookie jar. 

“Pachuo, you’re going to spoil your appetite,” Lukas explained, crossing his arms as he moved to stand in the doorway. The troll flinched, having literally been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Turning, he smiled sheepishly with a half-eaten cookie in his mouth and crumbs littering his Christmas sweater. 

“Eh heh… you got me…” he blushed a bright pink as Lukas crossed the gap between them in a few steps. His pink eyes studied Lukas as he stopped in front of him and rested both hands on his extra plush stomach.

“I should have bought an extra extra large if you keep sneaking cookies.”

“I’m sorry Lukas…. they’re just so good…” Pachuo whined, giving his human boyfriend puppy dog eyes. Lukas was unfazed as he took the jar, snatching a cookie for himself. 

“We can eat after we finish the tree, ok?” 

“Fine….” the large troll groaned teasingly as the two of them returned to the living room. “Remind me again why we are putting a fake tree in your house and decorating it with small lights?” Pachuo questioned quizzically as he pokes the fake pine needles. 

“Because Christmas that’s why. Is Christmas not a troll thing?” Lukas questioned in return while picking up the star.

“No, not really. We have 12th Perigees Eve, but not everyone celebrates it.” He explained as he looked at the star.

Here, let me get on your shoulders.”

Lukas said with a smile. He laughed softly as the large troll picked him up with ease and set him on his broad shoulders. Lukas had to resist the urge to grab Pachuo’s horns like handlebars before resting the star on the top of the tree.

“Merry Christmas Pachuo.”

Neo Jump city was ablaze with Christmas lights. Most of the Titans had left for their own homes, leaving the Tower all but empty except for two. Eclipser was standing on the roof of the tower looking out at the city bellow. As he did so, the roof access door opened to reveal Brushido. He smiled weakly as he approached Eclipser with a wrapped gift behind him.

“What are you doing?” Brushido questioned as he walked up to the much taller male who was glancing over at the town brimming with Christmas lights.

“It’s so bright…” Eclipser smiled in childlike wonder. Turning to look at Brushido he realized where he was and quickly collected his composer. “And they wonder why we have an energy shortage…” 

“The dopey look you had in your face before told me you weren’t really concerned about the waste of electricity.” He said crossing his arms and smirking in disbelief.  Eclipser rolled his eyes, his body giving off a faint glow as he blushed. 

“Yeah, whatever…” he shrugged, keeping his eyes locked on the lights.

“You know… these lights… they are pretty much like you.” He said with a mysterious tone. “They’re beautiful but only when they are bursting in light… You really try to pretend you’re serious, but honestly, you’re just a big child… and that childlike wonder you have in you is what makes you shine.”

The large man continued to look out at the city below before smiling. “I guess you’re right… I just have sort of a macho man reputation to uphold … and smiling at Christmas lights won’t help it.” He chuckled, looking to Brushido with laugh.

“I never really had the opportunity to shine. I have always been a shadowy figure. Someone who paints the world in pitch black… I kinda envy you… wherever you go. You bring light.”

“But your art, you give it life. You don’t have to use just black ink.” Eclipser explained while reaching around to his back. From somewhere inside his belt he procured a small present.

“Yes but… the art will forever be tainted by the curse of my ancestor, no matter if my curse has been neutralized… I’m still a cursed person… however…” Brushido trailed off for a few seconds, fumbling with the box behind him.

“Hm, however? You know I don’t like people who stop mid-sentence. If you have something to say spit it out.” Eclipser chuckled, tapping the gift on Brushido’s head.

“ Ah…” He blushes softly and the tap before continuing. “Like I said… you… you bring light everywhere you go… and you brought light to my life when we first met… Honestly I… can’t take you out of my head… that’s why I made this for you.” He quickly revealed the gift, which turned out to be a  painting which had a loving portrait of Eclipser, with a faint glow all around him.  Eclipser smiled and took the portrait in one hand and admired the craftsmanship. 

“It’s one of a kind, just like you.” The larger man smiled wider and offered his gift. “It’s not much compared to this….” inside was a collection of various colored inks and a necklace with the symbol for Yin. “I got the other half.” From inside his shirt he revealed the black tome for Yang around his neck.

There was a brief pause where Brushido took the gift and simply stared at it. Eclipser was starting to worry his gift was in pour taste until he heard his friend speak up.

“… T-Thank you! This is so nice I… Nobody has ever been this nice to me…” He started crying. He had been labeled a monster for so long. People had never wanted to approach him due to the curse his ancestor had brought… and now with the curse gone he still was shunned. The large man blushed and wasn’t sure what to do when his friend started crying. But as he listened to Brushido, he pulled the artist in for a hug. 

“It’s alright, I’m here for you.”

“ I love you Eclipser… T-Thank you for being with me…”