𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐀𝐍 𝐄𝐘𝐄𝐒 ━ shawn hunter¹

10│SANTA'S LITTLE HELPERS

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❛ ᴏᴄᴇᴀɴ ᴇʏᴇꜱ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐓𝐄𝐍 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ sᴀɴᴛᴀ's ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ʜᴇʟᴘᴇʀs ꒱


❝ YULETIDES OF FUN ❞

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"Oi, Gollum!"

Juliet smiled faintly at the familiar greeting as she closed the door to the practice room behind her. Turning, she saw Kendrick approaching from down the hall. "Hey, Kendrick."

"Practicing again?" he teased her. "What's that, the twentieth time this week?"

"Try the thirtieth," she replied, only partially joking.

He gave her a concerned look that she pretended not to notice. "Anyway, I'm glad I caught you before you left for break. I got you something."

"Oh. I— um— didn't. . ."

"It's alright," he said quickly. He produced a relatively small package from his bag. "I know you weren't expecting it."

Juliet shifted her Violin under her arm and accepted the gift. "Thanks. Do-do you want me to open it now?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

She shot him a curious glance before she turned her attention to the rather clumsily-wrapped present. It only took her a few seconds to open it and when she had, she laughed. "A Gollum statue?"

"So you don't forget who you are," the man told her lightly. "It's part of my nickname thing: all of my friends have statues of the characters they're named after."

"I've never seen Rachel's Treebeard statue."

"Probably because she's embarrassed about it," he admitted, "but I did give her one. Now you can use it as a paperweight."

"For my precious papers?" the redhead quipped.

"Exactly. You got any plans for Christmas, Gollum?" Kendrick questioned her as they walked towards the stairs.

"Yeah. I was planning on going home to see my mom and dad for break and probably spend the rest of the time with the Matthews like I always do. What about you?"

"Same deal," he agreed, "but Celeste is coming with me—"

"Ah, the infamous girlfriend," Juliet said with a grin. "Am I ever gonna meet her or do I just have to trust that you haven't made her up?"

"She is real!" he huffed playfully. "I would've made her a lot more interesting if she wasn't." At the girl's surprised look, he added, "hey, she's my girlfriend. I'm allowed to say that."

"Fair point. I used to call Shawn stupid all the time but only because I put up with his crap."

She sighed at his second concerned look. "Still not any easier then?"

"Nope, but music's really helped. I don't think I'd be where I am— you know, able to have a conversation with him without crying— without it. We're still not friends like we promised to be, though."

He wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "You'll get there, Gollum, I promise."

"That's the hope," she agreed softly.

🌎🌎🌎

After saying goodbye to Kendrick, she made her way up to the dorm to finish packing for the end of term. Topanga and Angela were already there, talking while they folded clothes. She paused at the entrance of the room and wondered if she should maybe come back later; the conversation they were having looked pretty serious. It's your room too, she reminded herself. Taking a deep breath, she spoke: "er— hey, guys."