Party, Party

Party, Party Special!: Christmas AU

As I narrowly escaped from Kei chasing me down, I was able to take cover for a short while behind a pillar before I ran into the two knights. The pair had grown close over the past weeks as they'd both been through the same academy and had the same experiences—I was glad that Spades made a friend.

My hands clasped behind my back, I rock on my heels with my cheek puffed out.

"Even though we're... close—all he does is work while I'm around. I've never seen him do something he enjoys." I stifle. "Does he collect anything?"

They look at each other simultaneously before return their stare to me.

"Guns."  They both say.

"Guns? Ugh, you guys are all the same." I shake my head profusely at the suggestion. Even if I bought him a new AK or S12, he'd probably already have them. No one could beat Atlas's gun collection. "What about a Deus ball?"

"Deam, he's one of the most powerful men in Stellarum." Spades cocks an eyebrow at me, leaning on the wall. "You can't upgrade the best."

"You could however," North gestures to the back drop of the city plastered behind the window, it's dim light shimmering in the molten dark of night. "See if he's looking for some parts. He's always missing a screw or two, just vaguely ask him if he needs anything."

"Yeah but..." I pout, kicking the floor. "I don't wanna' get him something he'd just get himself, ya' know? I want it to be... Special."

They look at me blankly, and I decide that he both of them are a lost cause. We talk a bit further into the subject before I'm on the verge of losing my brain—two dead headed knights not the right people to ask about thoughtful gifts. Waving them off and ushering them to continue their job, I skip down the hall, my eyes peeled for an answer.

***

"Boo!"

"Ah-!"

I cackle as Ran almost topples off the ladder, his feet swaying unsteadily over the rusty metal. A loud clang goes of as he reaches for the safety of a ledge of a shelf.

Down in the garage where the Nox kept most of their vehicles and high fire weapons, Ran would be tinkering on who knows what. Even thought a bumbling fool with the opposite sex, he could do up a car in second flat—whipping it into shape faster then you could say 'Ran's scared of girl's'.

"Deam!"

"The one and only."

"God damn it, I coulda' died."

"If you did, can I have your car?"

He rolls his eyes at my childish banter, obviously not in the mood. Around Christmas, the twins had warned me that Ran gets into an oblivious stupor. While many men his age look forward to the holiday break, Ran could be any more resilient, locking himself up in the garage to continue working through the weeks.

"What do you need? I'm afraid your gun's still in the lock up while your grounded."

I push the grating feeling away, being reminded of my 'grounding' the worst thing he could bring up right now. Shaking it away, a grin returns to my face as I follow him towards the car he's working on.