It is December! Snow was falling on campus and the students were more than happy to have a three week break from classes.

 

Since most of the students were going to be going home for the holidays and that Candi didn’t want to choose between her family and her friends she decided to throw a holiday party before everyone had to leave. It was set for December 22nd which gave them all more than enough time to enjoy the holiday with their families. Candi also convinced Violet to hold the party in her dorm since it was bigger than that of any of the others.

 

Of course Love, Maka, Violet, Ash, and Takeru were going, but Candi went out of her way to ask the other students as well.

 

Jazmine, Shiro, and Zypp all said yes.

 

Zahid respectfully declined because of his religion, but he wished the others well and insisted that they had their own fun without him.

 

Samara and Poe also said yes…well…at least Candi thought that they did…in their own specifically creepy yet oddly charming way.

 

Candi also set up a gift exchange. There are ten of them in total which conveniently was an even number for the exchange. Each of the students was randomly assigned a classmate to shop for.

 

It was 4 PM on December 22nd as the others started to arrive at Violet’s dorm.

 

Love notices that she went all out with decoration as she entered her friends room. There were various small Christmas themed trinkets littered around the room, a roaring fireplace that she had placed more than enough seating around, and a Christmas tree that was so tall that Love honestly wasn’t sure how Violet even got it into the room.

 

“...Wow…” Love says as she glances around. “...This must have been expensive…How did you come up with the money?”

 

“Let me just say that I called in a favor.” Violet replied.

 

She turned to her butler Baldemort. Even though her family had financially cut her off, that didn’t mean that she still didn’t have her butler’s phone number. It was also convenient that they were very much still on good terms. He honestly preferred working with her than anyone else in Violet’s family.

 

Candi was already there helping Baldemort prepare some food. More specifically, Baldemort was cooking the main meal which consisted of ham, mashed potatoes, and various vegetables with rolls on the side. Candi was more focused on making gingerbread cookies.

 

“Love!” Candi quickly leaves her station to hug her friend. “Happy holidays!”

 

“...Hi Candi…Happy holidays to you too…”

 

Candi immediately released the hug as she noticed smoke coming from the oven.

 

“Oh no! My cookies are burning!” She says as sprints back to the kitchen.

 

The rest of the students arrive fairly quickly.

 

As the food was finished being prepared the others struck up various conversations around the room.

 

Love was currently sitting alone by herself on a couch eavesdropping on some of these conversations, but was currently involved in none of them.

 

Violet was walking around the room making sure everyone was having a good time.

 

Candi kept trying to balance talking with friends and baking. She kept on eating cookies to keep her super speed active. Love doesn't know how many cookies that she has eaten at this point, but is kind of afraid to ask.

 

Ash and Takeru have found the mistletoe and are now just making out.

 

Maka was telling a story to Jazmine, Shiro, and Samara. It was about her fighting a sea serpent. Love wasn’t sure how much of this story (if any of it) was actually true, but decided to hold her tongue and let her have fun.

 

Love suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped in her seat.

 

She looked over to see who it was which turned out to just be Zypp.

 

“...So…” They strike up a conversation. “...How are things?”

 

“...Actually pretty good…Thanks for asking…”

 

“...Is there…anything on your mind that you would like to talk about…Anything at all?” Zypp said with a hand on their chin and a small yet noticeably smug smile on their face.

 

“...Not particularly…”

 

“...Come on, you know what I am talking about! This should be exciting for you!”

 

“...What do you mean?”

 

“If I am not mistaken this would be your first Christmas out as trans, am I correct?”

 

“...Oh…yeah…I hadn’t thought of that…”

 

“...and that would also mean that the person who got your gift would be aware of this information, right?”

 

“...Yeah…” Love starts to realize what Zypp is actually talking about and starts to get a little excited.

 

“There’s your holiday spirit!” Zypp says as they notice a small smile on Love’s face. “I am not sure who got your gift, but I am sure that it will be something that you will love!”

 

Love’s smile slowly yet surely got wider as she truly realized what this meant.

 

‘Was I finally going to get some girl clothes? Girl clothes that were mine and that I could truly call my own? That I could wear whenever I wanted without worrying about what my family thought about it?’ She thought to herself as her mind raced with possibilities of what exactly she might have gotten.

 

“The food is finally ready!” Candi announces as she and Baldemort finish setting everything on the table.

 

After everyone eats their fill they gather around the couches and chairs around the fire. They were all cozy, warm, and full from the food they had just eaten so Violet decides that this is the perfect time to start opening presents.

 

Violet has random slips of paper in a small container.

 

“Okay, so as I call out your names,  you will give your gift to the person you got it for.”

 

She reaches into the box and pulls out the first slip of paper.

 

“...First up is…me!”

 

She grabs a gift from underneath the tree.

 

“My gift is to…Candi!”

 

Candi quickly sprints over and grabs the box.

 

“Thank you Violet!”

 

She tears the wrapping paper off in the blink of an eye. After she notices what it was she gives Violet a big hug.

 

It was a box full of many different baking ingredients. There were things for cookies, pies, and cakes inside.

 

“Thank you so much! I love it!”

 

“You are quite welcome!”

 

Violet goes back to the box and grabs another paper.

 

“...Next is Ash!”

 

Ash gives Takeru a small container.

 

“Happy holidays babe.”

 

Ash and Takeru share a quick kiss before Takeru opens the package.

 

“...Wow…”

 

Takeru’s gift was two concert tickets for his favorite band.

 

“I know. I’m an amazing boyfriend!”

 

Takeru has an awkward smile on his face as he pulls a small box out of his pocket and quickly hands it to Ash.

 

“...Open it…”

 

“...Okay?” Ash says with a confused expression.

 

He notices that it is two more tickets for the exact same concert.

 

“...Oh…” Ash responds. “...Did you keep your receipt?”

 

“...I am honestly not sure…do you have yours?”

 

“...You know what…We will figure this out later…”

 

The next name Violet pulls is Samara’s.

 

Samara grabs a gift and walks towards Violet.

 

“Here you go!” She says with a small smile on her face that was only a little creepy.

 

“...Thanks…” Violet says as she braces herself for whatever might be inside of the box in front of her.

 

“...This is…just Poe…”

 

“I know right! Isn’t he great!”

 

“...Isn’t he…your doll though?”

 

“Yep!”

 

Violet sighs and hands Samara her doll back.

 

“Yay!” Samara says as she hugs Poe.

 

The next name is Shiro’s.

 

She has a large gift box for Jazmine.

 

“Thank you!” Jazmine says as she opens up the box.

 

“...Oh…my…God…THIS IS SO  COOL!”

 

Inside of the box was a Shamisen (which was a Japanese instrument which was similar to that of a guitar, but with a longer neck).

 

“I am glad you like it!”

 

“This must’ve been expensive! You didn’t have to do this for me!”

 

“Don’t worry about it! I got it from my family a few years ago.”

 

“...Wait…if this was a gift to you then why get rid of it?”

“My family got it for me, but I am not a musical person in the slightest and I knew that you would appreciate it more than I do.”

 

Jazmine gives Shiro a hug.

 

“Thank you! As soon as I head back to my room I am going to start to learn how to play this thing!”

 

Next up was Maka.

 

She walks over to Samara with a medium size box.

 

The girl quickly opens the box.

 

“Wow! I love it!” Samara exclaims.

 

“...No…” Violet says softly.

 

It was a ouija board.

 

Violet walks over to Maka and Samara tries out her new gift.

 

“Get that thing out of my room!”

 

“Why?” Maka says with a smug grin.

 

“Because it is creeping me out!”

 

“Come on Violet, lighten up a bit!” Maka puts an arm around Violet’s shoulder. “Let creepy girl have her fun!”

 

Violet takes a deep sigh.

 

“...Fine…but only until the end of the party! After that, it is never allowed in my room again!”

 

“Hooray!” Samara says as she continues talking to ghosts.

 

After that the next name is Zypp’s.

 

They have a huge gift that they plop down in front of Shiro.

 

Shiro quickly opens it up and…is confused…

 

“...What the…”

 

It was a punching bag with Zypp printed on it. The image of Zypp on the bag was blowing a kiss.

 

“I know you love to train and I think that this will help you with that.”

 

“...I get that much, but why does it have your face on it?”

 

“...Oh…” Zypp says as a devious grin appears on their face. “You want to know why? Well, let me show you!”

 

Zypp bops the punching bag right into Shiro’s face.

 

“Hey! What was that for?”

 

Zypp giggles and does it again.

 

“Stop that!”

 

“Make me!” Zypp says with a wink as they bop it towards Shiro for a third time.

 

“That’s it!” Shiro yells as she punches the bag. It flies into one of the corners of the room.

 

Zypp slowly goes to sit down on the couch with a smug grin as Shiro chases the punching bag and starts wailing on it.

 

After that Jazmine’s name was pulled.

 

She gave a thin gift box to Zypp.

 

They ripped it open and pulled out two flags.

 

A small smile climbs onto Zypp’s face.

 

They were specifically a small pair of nonbinary flags.

 

“Thank you Jazmine, but…why are there two of them?”

 

Jazmine takes the flags from Zypp and presses a button on the side of them that extends the flags out a few more feet.

 

“I know you like to show off, so I thought that these would help with that.”

 

“You know me so well already! I love to show off because I am amazing!”

 

Jazmine then performs a quick and simple ribbon dance. It was short, but still very well coordinated and elegant.

 

She hands them to Zypp.

 

“Now you try. I know you probably won’t get it on the first try, but practice makes progress, you know?”

 

Zypp nods and does the same routine Jazmine did perfectly on their first try.

 

“...Show off…” Jazmine says under her breath.

 

“You know it!” Zypp says with a wink.

 

The second to last name was Love.

 

She walks towards Maka with a medium sized bag stuffed with red and green tissue paper.

 

Maka quickly tears it open and pulls out a small shark plush.

 

“...Hey…” Maka said. “Isn’t this yours?”

 

“...No…I got another one…I would never part with my little shark buddy, but I thought you might have wanted one too…you know…because you love sharks and all…”

 

Maka extends her arms out with the shark plush still in her hands.

 

“...I don’t really care for cute things…but…it is a shark so it is still cool! Thanks, Love!”

 

Love gives a small smile in response to this while she tries to hide her blush.

 

The last name was Candi’s.

 

Candi walks over and slowly drags a giant box into the room towards Love.

 

After Candi is done moving the box she sits next to Love.

 

“Since this is a very important time for you, me and the others decided to pull together to get you something that we know you have been wanting for a while now.”

 

“...I thought ...that we were only supposed to get gifts for the person we randomly got before?”

 

“I know. Even though it is actually from basically all of us I am the one who organized this gift. If you are worried about getting me something then don’t! You being my friend is more than enough of a gift already!”

 

Tears form in the corners of Love’s eyes as she gives Candi a hug.

 

After the hug ends, Love wipes her eyes and begins to open her gift.

 

As soon as Love saw what it was she put her hands over her face.

 

She started to cry even more tears of joy.

 

It was a box full of a ton of girl clothes. Almost everything she wanted and more from dresses to skirts, blouses, short shorts, leggings, overalls, sweaters, crop tops, and many, many more.

 

“...I…this is…I can’t…”

 

Candi hugs her friend again.

 

“Happy holidays Love!”

 

“...I can’t…what? There is no way…”

 

“...But it is!” Candi says with a small smile.

 

Love breaks the hug.

 

“...But…aren’t these things expensive? You didn’t have to spend so much money on me…”

“That’s the thing!” Candi says with a small grin. “Almost none of these are actually new clothes. They are almost all some of our old clothing, but with a couple of new things mixed in for good measure. These are from me, Violet, Maka, Jazmine, Shiro, Samara, Zypp, and Ash. Actually, especially Ash. Almost all of his old girl clothes are in here.”

 

Ash shrugs.

 

“What can I say? They will look much better on a cute girl than a guy like me.”

 

“...I…I don’t…know what to say…” Love says as she wipes tears from the corner of her eye.

 

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to!” Candi responds with a small yet knowing smile. “All you really need to do is enjoy your gift!”

 

Tears were now streaming down Love’s cheeks.

 

“...Thank you…Thank you all so much…”

 

Candi hugs Love again.

 

“Come on everybody! Group hug time!”

 

Soon after Candi said this all of the friends were in one gigantic hug.

 

As the hug ends they all return to where they were sitting before.

 

“...This…might be…no…this is the best Christmas that I have ever had…” Love wiped tears out of the corners of her eyes again. “...My parents never got me anything that I actually wanted…I mean…they did get me toys and video games and stuff, but since they were never supportive of who I really was they would have never done something like this for me…”

 

“...Hey…” Candi says. “...It’s okay…they aren’t here right now…You are surrounded by people who love you for who you are…”

 

This causes Love to tear up again, but only briefly this time.

 

“...I am so happy right now!”

 

After they were done opening gifts they played a couple of board games and chatted for a while.

 

As it started to get dark Zypp, Jazmine, Shiro, and Samara left and went back to their own dorm rooms. Baldemort also left to drive back to the Newton family mansion.

 

“...Violet…” Candi said with a yawn.

 

“Yes, Candi?”

 

“Would you mind if we sleep here tonight?”

 

Violet thinks for a moment before she nods.

 

“That sounds like fun. Why not.”

 

“Thank you.” Candi says as she closes her eyes and immediately drifts off to sleep.

 

The others followed Candi’s lead soon after.

 

Love changed into a pink tank top and blue sweatpants with pink hearts on them that she got from her box of new clothes.

 

Candi was already asleep of course, but Violet was sleeping on the couch right next to her.

 

Ash and Takeru were both fast asleep while sitting on a recliner in each other’s arms.

 

Maka was splayed out on the middle of the floor that she passed out on and was soaking the nearby carpet in her drool as she snored.

 

Love found that the other couch was still completely open so she readjusted the blankets and pillows that were already on the couch and tucked herself in.

 

‘I am lucky to have such good friends’ Love thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep.