I'm a Healer, But...

21

Techno hates the holidays. His cottage aesthetic, already marred by the extension, is destroyed further by decorations cluttering all the living areas. He remembers when Phil insisted the Antarctic Empire adopt it into their religion when they conquered some miniscule nation built entirely on luxuries, that manipulated their citizens into purchasing expensive gifts for each other once a year to keep the most wealth in business pockets.

But despite Techno's protests, it was taken, and altered slightly, the garish green and red turning to white and gold, the need to buy softening to 'getting or doing something for those you care about'. He had begrudgingly accepted it. And yet, centuries later, it's turned right back into consumerism, the cities going crazy as they have to buy buy buy . It makes trips exhausting, which is why Phil really should have realized that Techno wasn't taking Tommy to shops much earlier.

Techno sticks to homemade gifts. It's not hard- he's had a lot of time to work on his hobbies, and he's mastered quite a few crafts. The harder part is deciding what to make. Wilbur and Phil are easy enough- new sweaters for Wilbur, to replace the older ones that have started to fray, and a new necklace for Phil, a traditional gift that makes Techno's instincts purr.

But Fundy and Tommy. After some deliberating, Techno decides to split Fundy's gift in two. The first is a knife, carefully designed to be easy to hold even with Fundy's claws, the hilt inlaid with delicate gold and emeralds. It won't be something he wants, but it's something he needs- and it matches the ones that Techno has made for Wilbur and Phil. The second is a golden ring, one that could be part of a set with the crown he made for him last time they celebrated. This, too, pleases his instincts.

The problem with sating his instincts is that they're never truly sated. They always demand more. Which is why, when he tries to decide on a gift for Tommy, he can't get anywhere, his brain focusing on one idea in particular, one that he can't give him.

And yet, he seals himself off in his workshop to make it anyway. Techno tries to rationalize it. Maybe the act of making it will be enough to let him think. Then he just... doesn't have to give it to him. He can just toss it in his hoard, just one of many pieces of pretty jewelry that would never fit him, but are still beautiful enough to be his.

It takes time- smelting the gold, melting it down, reshaping it- then again and again, making sure it would fit his- fit Tommy. Then he has to sort through his jewels, tossing aside ones that he normally adored because they just aren't good enough. Only the best for-

For their healer. Just an employee.

When it's done, enough to satisfy him, he has to keep himself locked in his workshop for hours, forcing himself to stay put. Otherwise, his feet would have walked him straight to Tommy, his instincts would have forced him to offer it to him. But Techno is stronger than his instincts. He waits it out, until he's able to put it down without wanting to scream.

He still can't think of anything else for Tommy. That actually does make him scream- it was a waste of time, a waste of effort, because he can't give this to Tommy. He just can't. Absolutely he can't give it in front of Phil and Wilbur or they'll mock him for millennia- no, he can't give it to Tommy at all.

Techno almost gives up and goes into town. He genuinely considers it- just buying the kid whatever he finds in a random store that he thinks he might like- but he really hates trying to shop during this season. And also... he doesn't want Tommy to see all the gifts he made for the others, homemade things that he's worked on for days, and then realize he got some commercially made garbage that Techno just pulled off a shelf somewhere.

No, he has to make him something.

In the end, he whittles a cow figurine out of some oak wood and calls it a day. It's low effort, the thought of giving this to Tommy making him feel terrible, but it's all he can do. Tommy will like it anyway, he thinks- he's rattled off about cows being his favorite animal a few times by now, so at least he'll know Techno listens to him. It's something.