User blog:GamerNerd i/On Christmas Morning

Yeah, yeah, it's five days late. Who cares? Better late than never.

Also, I think I'm going to shift over to linking a Google Doc rather than posting the entire thing on the blog itself. Sometimes, finding the parts in italics just to put the wiki text on them lengthens what should be just a few minutes into almost an hour. Won't do it for this one yet, but if anyone has issues with Google Docs this is just a heads-up.

On a more serious note, I want to dedicate this to anyone who celebrated Christmas and/or New Year's this year in the absence of a loved one. Whether separated by time constraints, location, or, to connect to the story itself, death, sometimes a gathering feels empty without that specific seat filled. Personally, I'm thinking of a particular classmate who last his father (and my former teacher) this year to suicide. I can only hope that he remembers his dad in a way that doesn't ruin their holiday cheer...

On Christmas Morning
Angelic voices rang out from within the neighborhood church, singing out of first noelles, silent nights, and mysterious children. The midnight mass at Christmas Eve soared to the heavens on its beautiful music — but at the head of the assembly was a self-identifying atheist.

The final song ended, proclaiming joy to the world for a savior its cantor didn’t even believe in. She walked out beside one of the altar boys, who had a smug grin on his face.

“So how was it singing about only one God tonight?” He asked jokingly.

The girl rolled her eyes. “Not bad, considering that you needled me into it.”

“Come on, N. I didn’t force you, did I? Or are you going to pull the thing people are doing with Baby, It’s Cold Outside?”

“I won’t, because frankly those claims are as dumb as you, Aidan.”

“Hey, look.” the boy put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “I’m sorry. If you feel like I pressured you into this, it wasn’t my intention. The church just…” Aidan dropped his hands and his gaze. “We needed someone, since the usual leaders weren’t able to come.” He smiled a little. “And I mean… It was nice to hear you sing when our lives weren’t in mortal danger.”

Nadia was silent for a moment. “Yes… I guess it was. I’ve always liked Silent Night anyway.”

Aidan looked up again in relief. “Thanks. I know you’re not really comfortable with modern religions, but I’m grateful that you still decided to do this.”

The two began walking again. There was a time when being together was awkward. But now…

“You know, you used to tell me to stay as far away as possible when we weren’t saving the world and stuff,” Aidan laughed. “Now, you’re the one who’s huddling up to me.”

“Tacete, caudex.” Nadia said as she shoved him away. He laughed again. Slowly, the two gravitated back together. “You’re just warm, and I’m cold.”

“Aw, that’s sweet, coming from the one who could roast me alive if she wanted to.”

“If you don’t shut up, I just might.” She waved a flaming finger in front of his face as a threat. He just laughed it off as usual. “So… Did you get anything for Azura?”

“Did you get something for Frey?”

“I paid Hephaestus to make an indestructible stick.” She took a long rod wrapped in gift paper out of her pocket.

“You what?”

“So he can play fetch with his dragon. I doubt that any material lasts long in a dragon’s bite.”

“Oh yeah… I forgot about that.” Aidan pulled out a small box. “I originally thought of giving Azura a weapon, but… Y’know. She complains that she can’t ever find the brush or pencil that she needs, so this should help her. I think.”

“You think?”

“The prototype before this one had a few issues… But as long as she doesn’t try to call something bigger than a car, this should be okay.”

Nadia rolled her eyes as the boy put the box away. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

He shrugged. “No point delaying any longer. Let’s greet our kids a merry Christmas.”

With the blink of an eye and the snap of a finger, the two teens vanished.

“Shouldn’t we tell Mother and Father about this?” Azura asked. For once, she wasn’t wearing her usual denims. Instead, she wore solemn, black pants and a shirt under a slightly lighter cardigan. Her brother, dressed similarly but with a trench coat instead of a cardigan, shook his head after some hesitation. “I don’t want to worry them. Besides, we can probably be in and out without them noticing. They didn’t show up for the other holidays anyway…”

“But it’s Christmas. Do you really think they wouldn’t visit, even for Christmas?”

“I don’t know. But in case they do, we should be quick.”

Someone knocked at the twins’ door. Before the two could do anything, Aidan poked his head into the room.

“Merry Christmas you two! Sorry N and I haven’t-” His smile faded into confusion. “Hey, uh… Are you guys okay? You look like you’re going to a funeral.”

“We’re just going to visit somebody. Back home,” Frey says hurriedly. “We promised that we’d spend some time with them every Christmas.” Azura nodded in agreement. Aidan wasn’t convinced.

Nadia entered the room. “That still doesn’t explain your clothing. Who are you visiting?”

“Family,” Azura blurted out. Frey stiffened a little.

Both Aidan and Nadia dropped their guard.

“Oh… Oh jeez. Well uh...” Aidan began to back out of the room. “I… Guess we’ll come back later.”

Azura grabbed Aidan’s sleeve. “Father, wait! Could you… Come with us?”

Aidan and Nadia looked at each other nervously.

“To see our own graves?” Aidan said. “Azura, I’ve seen a lot of things, but I… I don’t think this is something either of us can just… Take in stride. It’s unnatural.”

“We’re unnatural, Dad,” Frey said. “Just the fact that the four of us can be here in one room, in this place, under these conditions, is against the laws of nature. Azura and I shouldn’t even be here. We don’t exist yet. And you took us in without issue.”

“Because time-travelling children is something we’ve seen before, Frey. Other than surprise, it’s not a big emotional strain. Coming face to face with one’s death is… Different.”

Nadia was strangely silent. Aidan seemed heavily reluctant. Azura let go of his sleeve slowly.

“We’ll go,” Nadia said decisively. The others turned to face her. “It’s the least that we can do for forgetting you the last few months. And… We’ll have to come to terms with it eventually.” She took Frey’s hand. “Come on. There’s no one better to accompany us than the ones who saw us die.”

Several years in the future, four figures stood solemnly around a pair of graves. For the children, it was a yearly memorial, a promise kept to visit their parents at Christmas, no matter what was happening at the time. For the teens, it was a surreal experience, to see their names carved into the stone right beside each other.

After a long time, someone spoke.

“You don’t have to stay with us,” Azura said through tears. “I know… I know you didn’t want to do this.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ll stay.” Aidan held her close as she buried her face in his shirt.

Frey gently put a flower under his mother’s grave as she stood behind him. Neither of the two teens could -- or wanted to -- believe what they were seeing. And yet…

“People come to accept the deaths of others in their own ways,” Nadia whispered to herself. “But to face the fact that we too will die…”

“Even the gods may die eventually,” Frey said. “You told me that a long time ago, Mom. I just never thought… I never thought it would apply to you, too.” Frey backed up into Nadia’s open arms as his tears trickled down.

The four stared at the graves in silence and contemplation. In the distance, a clock tower’s bell sounded the time. Twelve midnight, Christmas day.

Postscripts

 * Yes, people are doing #metoo things with Baby, It's Cold Outside. Don't ask, I don't understand why either.
 * Tacete, caudex. -> "Be quiet, blockhead." -> "Shut up, idiot."
 * I feel terrible for making the title a pun.