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As everyone had ended up enjoying the presents that went around, 007n7 was stuck, tied-up underneath the tree watching all the presents get given out. Pictures, games, guns, all kinds of things that are of interest to the special person. People rejoiced, hugged and had a laugh over the good times, maybe the bad, too. Deivy had his hands scrunched into his pockets, Brandon reciting whatever Christmas song that could come into his programmed head right beside him.
He wasn’t one to feel bad over the own karma of others, but seeing 007 sit with ropes strangling him on Christmas Eve? Looked a little pathetic in a way that made him feel some kind of shame for the guy. MrRealism and Brandon were busy being jolly, as they should be.
They put the gifts they’d gotten in boxes that Dued gave them so their stuff wouldn’t be lost. He would’ve given them a bag, but all of them were used for other gifts, but it didn’t stop the kids from getting creative. Brandon had even got the idea to decorate them and color them to personalize it with the crayons he’d just gotten, inscribing their names on the supposed front of their respective boxes. MrRealism had color and clowns, somehow drawing a flea circus on his while Brandon had action, the guns, the explosions, helicopters, all the thrill the original would’ve gotten from Heli-Wars.
For Deivy? Just his name.
The other two decided to color it in pretty for him, though. Lights and even a portrait of him from Brandon and MrRealism! They were mostly just sloppy since neither have drawn on cardboard before, but he appreciated the gesture. After they had fun doing that, they decided to do the one thing you can only really do on Christmas: Christmas carols.
“For he’s a jolly good fellow!-“ Brandon harmonized with the jester, who had taken the number “Which nobody can deny!” Into a loud yell. The two had big ol’ smiles on their faces, before MrRealism had spotted Deivy zoned out.
“Hey, Deivy!” MrRealism called out, waving his hand into the other’s face. “Are you okay?” He said, his dopey smile poking into Deivy’s vision. Deivy hadn’t even noticed he’d zoned out while staring at the distant 007, who had his back slouched and grumpily looking at the rest. Deivy shook his head, crossing his arms. “I’ll be alright.” He said.
“Are you sure?” Brandon’s voicebox chattered, tilting his head with a smile. “We could chat about it if you want! How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about it.” Deivy brushes off quickly. He shot a glance at the hacker again before 007 had conveniently turned his head to face him. He couldn’t exactly see where 007 was looking under his glasses, but he could’ve sworn they’d locked eyes. He turned away, his face still blank. MrRealism caught on, his head poking out from behind Deivy’s shoulder.
“Poor, poor Mr. 007…” MrRealism shook his head.
“You can’t say he didn’t deserve it though.” Brandon replied. “He almost stole all the presents!”
“Yeah… we wouldn’t have gotten our stuff! That wouldn’t be very Christmas-y!” MrRealism nodded. “But maybe he needed a gift, too… I bet he feels left out.” MrRealism frowned briefly, before the dopey smile went back on his face. “Should we-?”
“I’ll be right back.” Deivy interjects, his hands shuffling deeper into his pockets as he walks off. Brandon frowns, sensing something off.
“Is he okay?” Brandon asks, his white wings folding at the thought.
“We’ll check on him later.” MrRealism said. “Maybe… maybe he forgot a present at home!”
“Maybe!” Brandon said. “Want to continue the carols? Father never let me do them at home, so I want to take any chance I can get at them!” He chirped.
“Sure!” MrRealism smile widens before they try picking another carol together.
Deivy was unsure of approaching the hacker. He has before, countless times, so what made right now any different? He only took a breath, before making his way over to 007 under the tree. 007’s head perked up at the sound of footsteps crunching against the snow, that was also wetting his pants (thanks for the great spot, Telamon). 007 stared right at Deivy with a straight face. To Deivy, it was a little unreadable. It wasn’t until the frown had shown on the hacker’s face that he began to break the silence.
“What? You here to rub it in my face, too?” He asked with some hostility. “For the record, I was making it easy for the big chicken! I didn’t actually mean for it to go down like that!” He tried to ration as an excuse. Deivy stared with a not-very impressed look.
“I wasn’t.” He flatly says.
“Oh.” 007 looked taken aback. He soon eyed Deivy more confused. “Then why are you over here?”
Deivy stayed quiet. He slowly dug something out of his pocket. It was a yellow gift box, pizza slices decorating the gift wrapping. It wasn’t any big present, more like a gift that would hold a ring or some gift card.
007n7 stared at Deivy with some intrigue. “And that present is..?”
“For you.” He said. “I was going to give it to you when I saw you before, but you tried stealing all the presents.” 007n7 chuckled.
“That’s sweet of you, kid.” His lips cracked into a small smile. “I’d love to open it, y’know… if I could move my arms around.”
Deivy squinted. “How do I know you won’t just try taking the presents again?”
“I won’t this time, promise!” He looked up at Deivy with a sincere look under his glasses. “If you untie me, I’ll just open the gift, I swear!”
Deivy raised an eyebrow, still suspicious of 007n7. 007 held the innocent look for a moment before Deivy gave in with a sigh.
“Okay, fine.” He says. “But if you try anything…”
“I won’t!” He grins.
Dued1 was setting the gifts back into place when he spotted Deivy messing with something under the tree. He didn’t mind it at first, until he realized that 007 was up and stretching out his arms right infront of the kid. His head snapped over towards the two, staring as 007 grumbled about the snow making his butt cold.
“Hey… HEY!” He called out, sprinting towards them. The others quickly turned to look, their expressions varying from confusion or irritation (or for Sean, absolutely 0 care).
“Relax, bluey. I’m just getting something.” He dismisses the other, taking the gift from Deivy. He eyed it with curiosity before shredding it into bits. He tore open the box it was being stored in and looked inside. A small keychain of two similar looking girls was inside. One had strange looking black hair, the hair tied back into a bow with a black and pink outfit matching her hair. The other also had her hair tied up into a white bow with a black and green outfit matching hers. The two had similar yellow eyes and were in a pose dipping their hands onto the same direction of the other, tilting into the pose.
Everyone around 007 looked at the small keychain with details none of them could really see. He held it up with a confused look.
“Is this a squid sisters keychain??” He asked, his voice didn’t sound unsure of the gift, but it sounded like he was almost taken aback by the gesture. It jingled as it swung around, the back having alternative and more glittery outfits.
“Uh… yeah.” He nodded. “I honestly didn’t know who either of them were, but I heard you liked the series. I didn’t know which one you liked more, so I got both.”
007 stared with an unreadable expression before staring back at the keychain. He slipped it into his pocket, using his gui to flick away the box and wrappings into some trashcan and making Brandon in the distance flinch at the sound of the items dropping into the trash nearby. MrRealism next to him peaked into the trash with interest.
He walked up to Deivy, facing him directly. Setting a hand onto his head, he began to pet the boy on the head for a few moments before it became a ruffling of his poor bald head.
“Thanks, sucker!” He chortled, pulling his hand away so Deivy can adjust the uneven glasses on his head. 007n7 held up the keychain. “All of you are lucky I have this little trophy or else I would’ve seriously started considering getting my revenge here and now. Starting with you Telamon!” He spat, pointing at the bird that was glaring at him. He didn’t even attempt to share the same look and rolled his eyes, waving a hand before teleporting away with his GUI.
Dued quickly rushed over to Deivy, grabbing him by the shoulders and tilting him left and right, ensuring 007 hadn’t hurt him. Then, he proceeded to shake him.
“WHY would you let him FREE? We put him in those confines so he wouldn’t hurt anybody!” Dued1 scolded Deivy. Dued continued to yell at Deivy, him catching some words along the lines of “he could’ve hurt you!… he could’ve been lying!…” but it fell on deaf ears. Deivy looked to be elsewhere. His eyes holding eyebags and thoughts drifting elsewhere. Dued1 noticed slowly that he hadn’t been listening.
“Hello?? Do you understand?” He asked in an irritated tone. As agitated as he’d looked, he was personally just worried for Deivy. The kid always looked so out of it. Dued looked for the words to keep speaking but he’d just patted Deivy’s shoulder, snapping the other out of his trance.
“Just be careful next time, okay?” He said, squeezing his shoulder lightly. “I just don’t want you getting hurt. I don’t want any of us being hurt.” He clarified. “007’s a dangerous man. You can’t trust his word on everything he says.”
Deivy said nothing but nodded. Dued1’s hand lingered for a few seconds before he removed it from his shoulder. Dued1 walked back to Telamon, who was still staring at the spot 007 had been in.
MrRealism and Brandon waddled back over to Deivy, neither looking very concerned and instead happy.
“That was nice of you, Deivy!” Brandon chirped, clasping his hands together.
“It was nothing.” Deivy replied with a casual tone. MrRealism nudged him playfully.
“C’mon, don’t sell yourself short! That was really nice of you, Deivy.” MrRealism says as he backs up Brandon’s previous statement.
“I wouldn’t look that deep into it.” He said. “I just wanted to get him something to get him something.” Deivy hesitantly dropped his head. “Everyone deserves.. a present.”
“Mmm… that IS true..” MrRealism put a hand to his chin before nodding. “Okayyy, if you say so!!” MrRealism turned to Brandon. “Ouh, you reminded me… we should get him something, too!” MrRealism pitched, his feet bouncing him in place. “Maybe a drawing! Drawings are always so colorful and nice! Just like you, Deivy!” MrRealism complimented, getting a minor glance away from the other.
“Yeah! We could use the crayons I just got like with the boxes!” Brandon added with a wide grin.
“…I could help.” Deivy had suggested with a hint of intrigue. The other two said nothing but smiled and tugged Deivy by his sleeves, pulling him along to go find somewhere to draw, MrRealism pulling the other two along with more force out of excitement.
“What was the kid thinking?” Telamon mumbled.
“I don’t know.” Dued1 said, slouching onto a nearby bench.
“At least he didn’t do anything, but he could’ve. That kid could’ve been burned alive if he wasn’t watching himself.” Telamon bluntly states.
“I don’t think he’d go that far..” Dued1 replied quietly. “At least I hope not.”
“You don’t know what hackers are capable of, Dued.” Telamon argued with a serious tone. “I mean, I could beat him any time of the day, but a kid? Let’s be honest, if none of us were around, he would’ve been burnt toast.”
The reply left Dued1 shifting his gaze to the trio that was drawing under the shade of the large Christmas tree, chattering happily.
“You’re right.” Dued1 sighed, crossing his arms. “I shouldn’t have froze up like that… urgh..”
“Relax.” Telamon switched to a calm tone. “The worst hasn’t happened, which is a good thing!”
“Yeah.. the worst hasn’t happened.” Dued took a few deep breaths before he exhaled a heavy breath he felt like he’d been holding in for a while.
“Just enjoy Christmas! Everyone else is.” Telamon grins. Dued stared around at the others minding their own business. It was as if the tense moment was already in the past. His worried look faded into an unsure one. Telamon just patted his shoulder, and walked off. Dued1 was left to his own thoughts.
Things did seem lively again. After all, what’s the point in feeling scared at a party? 007 was gone and god knows where he went, but who cares? After some contemplating, he went back to the party with a smile.