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_ The Gift of Giving _

Friday night. I was still feeling frosty from heading out to top up on groceries earlier that evening. All the more motivation to wrap myself up extra tight and sink even deeper into bed.

Sure, I was still sleeping in the same wardrobe I'd called a bedroom since first crashing here, but it hadn't come without some small improvements. This old graphics card box that Tomas had torn the side out of made for a great, generously-sized bed. Way better than the bundled up hoodie I was sleeping on during those first few days hiding out. Compared to that, the bedding beneath me felt soft as a cloud, topped off by a blanket that was extra-thick and super-warm. He'd gone to a whole lot of effort and expense to kit out this 'room' of mine. Way more than I'd expected for the small stowaway badger he'd planned on hosting for a couple of days, two weeks prior. Not that I was gonna complain. If Tomas was happy to have me, then I was more than happy to stick around and help him get his money's worth.

All that cosy comfort had me halfway to dozing, barely able to focus on the Visoka-sized phone acting as my big bedroom TV. Not that it mattered. With less than a week to go until New Year, everything always gravitated towards something missably festive. Video playlists included.

See, to me, for better or worse, New Year's Festival was never much more than a few regular days. Back when I _did_have a job, working in kitchens, I'd always take as much bonus pay overtime as possible, saving up to spend on times less geared towards people from big, happy, perfect families. This year though, all these videos about 'great' gift ideas did more to hold my attention. This year, I really wanted to do or to get something for Tomas. Something to thank him for letting me stay in his apartment when I had no place else to go. The question was, _what_would that something be? What could I get with what little money I had cobbled together? Gift giving wasn't something I was much used to, and tight finances aside, the ideas these videos were throwing around weren't all that 'great'.

"Yes!" I heard Tomas yell from outside, drowning out my thoughts. "Nice! Come on!"

If all his cheering wasn't enough to pull me right out of my pleasant drowsiness, then the deep thud that followed made damn sure of it. Everything in my makeshift bedroom jumped and jolted, shifting around as if someone had straight up thrown themselves against the wardrobe. Another solid thump followed, strong enough that time to bounce me in my bed and start my phone TV bumping and knocking against the wall.

Some might've freaked or got annoyed at the disturbance. Not me. In fact, listening to the sound of Tomas celebrating had me smiling as the trembling faded away. "Did you win yet?"

"We did it!" He cried back, his typically soft voice breaking with delight. "We actually did it. Finally... Unbelievable."

"Heh. I'll take that as yes then." I sat up, throwing on my shirt before climbing out of my box bed to take a walk towards the light seeping in from outside.

Tomas started talking to the friends he played that game with, discussing all sorts of names and numbers that I couldn't begin to understand. My eyes adjusted to the light of his relatively cramped bedroom as I nudged the crack in the giant wardrobe door a little wider. Grabbing it, slipping my muzzle out into the open air, I spotted the big, chubby badger up out of his computer chair, pumping his fists, flashing an infectious grin down at his monitor.

"Was that you I felt jumping for joy just then?"

"Um... Maybe." He looked my way, easing into a bashful smile as he jabbed a finger towards his screen. "Our clan just beat Yarrick the Lost for the first time. Ever! After a whole month of trying."

"And that's like... a big boss of one of those... dungeon things, right?"

"Not just any dungeon. Coldcrest Abbey! The endgame of the whole endgame."

"Got it." I scratched at my ear. "So... you've just won."

"Yeah!" Tomas sprang up high, pumping his fists at the peak of his jump. "We won!"

"Figured it must've been a big deal..." I grabbed the edge of the door. A badger his size would only ever come down with a considerable crash. "...All this shaking's a whole lot stronger than usual, y'see."

"Sorry." Tomas corrected his glasses, his chuckling replacing the rumbling of his landing. "I suppose I'm still getting used to having someone else around here."

"Ah, it's fine." I stepped down onto the computer game case he'd set up as a step outside the wardrobe, tapping at my ear. "My Normaliser's keeping the peace, and I'm kinda interested to see how high you can bounce all my stuff."

"Oh..." His own ears began splaying out of sight way up high. "It's that bad then?"

"Hey, I said not to sweat it, big guy." I started my way across the worn out carpet, craning my neck to keep his awkward smile visible beyond his fuzzy white underbelly. "So what's the story? What happens now you've put that Yarrick joker on ice?"

That question brought all his excitement right back to the surface. "Loot!"

I snorted. "I was more talking about the game or the story or whatever, but I guess weapons and stuff's good too."

He tugged up his sweatpants and pulled down his t-shirt, turning his attention back to the monitor. "We've got the Pauldrons of Valour and the Swiftwood Longbow, but what _I'm_looking at is the Staff of the Thaumaturge. I've been itching to get it since they launched this dungeon."

"It's good then?"

"It's great! Forty int, thirty stam, plus five percent crit change and a twelve-point damage boost to all fire-type spells."

Those words were all Velikan... but they might as well have been gibberish. "...It's good then?"

"It's amazing!" His teeth were firmly on display for me. "The best battlemage staff in the whole game. It'll see me through all the way until the next expansion."

"Nice." That breakdown made it a little easier for me to share in his excitement. "So it's yours? You're gonna get it?"

"Maybe! If I win the bid." He pushed away from the desk, arms out and down towards me. "Come on!"

Tomas' first stomp stopped me in my tracks. While I was getting used to being around him these last few weeks, I doubted many Maleni would resist the urge to flee the path of a Visoka-sized badger thudding directly towards them.

"Come here. Come check it out!"

On the other hand, even as his shadow darkened and grew, that cheerful smile helped to prevent my fur from raising too much.

One paw thudded down to my left, jolting the floorboards right before the other followed. I needed to throw back a retreating foot, but only for balance against the vibrations. Between heavy, me-length black paws, I peered up from the bottom of his shins, watching and waiting for those thick hands coming to claim me.

When it came to picking me up, Tomas was a little rough at the best of times. Often, he'd push and press me up and into his palmpads, rather than waiting for me to climb on in. On this occasion, I'd let him off. How could I not? Not while he was grinning and rushing around, acting as if he'd just won the lottery.

As he took us both upwards and returned to his desk, the smooth warmth of his handpaws offset any discomfort from his grabbing. As much as Tomas overshadowed and overwhelmed me without meaning to, rattling and rumbling everything with stomps of annoyance and leaps of celebration, the fact of the matter was, really, he was just a big softy. A fact I quickly, happily learned a while after our first... heated face-to-face following his discovery of me hiding away in his apartment.

He set me down on his desktop, thumping back into his seat in the process. I could hear several muffled voices coming from his earphone beside me. Whatever discussion they were having, it sounded important.

"It'll be my staff that's rolled for next," Tomas confirmed as he plucked up one of his earpieces, slipping it back into place. "Once these guys have stopped arguing over the longbow."

I left him to engage in whatever debate his internet friends were having. My attention was pulled more towards the monitor ahead. I'd never really seen much of this Charge of Heroes game that he played most evenings. Computer games had never really been my thing, but I couldn't deny how much fun Tomas made this one sound.

On screen, there must've been twenty, maybe thirty characters, at least, jumping and milling around some very big, very dead looking knight guy in the middle of a ruined, burnt out cathedral hall. I think Tomas' character was the crow decked out in some snazzy blue and white outfit that resembled a bathrobe with shoulder pads.

"What's funny?" he asked, breaking from the discussion with his friends.

"Oh... Nothing."

I decided to give my neck a rest. All that craning towards big monitors and bigger badgers sure did take its toll. Back towards eye level, I took a moment to admire the 'little' waist-high figurines Tomas had organised beneath his screen. Of course, Star Force nerd that he was, he had plenty of models of the main heroes, baddies, as well as some fighter craft and such. Along with those, there were also a few models of what looked like characters from this Charge of Heroes. There was some proud wolf with a face scar wearing some big armour, wielding an even bigger sword. Next to him was a skulking lioness with a pair of daggers and not much else by way of armour... or clothes in general. Finally, we had some freaky bear guy that looked to be made of stone, holding a hammer in one paw and a gigantic shield in the other. Honestly, as little as they meant to me in terms of characters, they _did_look pretty cool... Though I doubt I'd want to part with however much money Tomas had invested in all of these.

"Okay! We're up!" Tomas cried, pulling my attention back to a grin so huge that it pushed his glasses up and away his muzzle "We're rolling for the staff."

"Good luck," I called, watching his big finger hover, hesitating over his mouse button. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He huffed, puffing out his cheeks. "I'm just so tense."

'It's just a game' came as my first, cringe-inducingly mean thought. My second sounded better. "I get you! Hoping it goes your way."

Tomas clobbered that mouse button. I spun around to see the end result on screen, aided by his announcement. "73."

"Out of a hundred?"

"Yeah."

"Not bad!"

"Could've been better."

We watched the others competing for the staff take their turns, results following one after the other. A 49 came first. Then a 12. A 70 then flashed up, starting Tomas gasping for air. I couldn't stop myself chuckling. "Close one."

"_Too_close."

"It's yours though."

"Not yet."

"I can feel it."

"One more roll--"

An 89 flashed up in big, green writing. The last roll proved to be the highest. I could hear the cheer buzzing out from the earpiece still on the desk. Tomas' reaction was far more muted.

"Damn it," he growled to himself, wincing as if he'd taken a shot to the gut. Sinking into his seat, throwing his head back, the chair started complaining as much as I figured he wanted to.

"Unlucky, man. Sorry."

He jabbed a finger down at his keyboard, leaning toward his desktop mic with the fakest smile forced from pursed lips. "Congrats, Blaven."

The chair squealed all over again, catching his heavy slump even further backwards. Tomas looked dejected and then some, snout dipped towards his chest. A low grumble sent vibrations through the desk. He was taking defeat awfully hard. "You good?"

He grunted a response. A confirmation, maybe. My less understanding thoughts took the lead, starting me wondering why this was such a big deal. I got his enthusiasm and all, but... really? It _was_just a weapon in a game after all. Still, he didn't need to hear that kinda talk from me. "Hey, don't get too down on it. There's always next time."

"Yeah." Tomas huffed. "Provided we can clear it again anytime soon. This just took us all evening. No cakewalk."

"Well whoever's walking away with that staff of yours best up their game next time round. Do a whole lot more killing of stuff and carry you lot through."

He snorted, giving me a much more genuine smirk. "You make it sound like he'll be clubbing Yarrick's undead legions over the head with it."

"If that's what it takes! Besides, I don't know how you'd put a big stick to use otherwise."

His chuckling got harder. I caught the glint of a smile, right before he sighed back down into the depths of disappointment. "I know it's not a big deal, but... Ugh. I _really_wanted that staff."

"You'll get another shot at it. Sooner or later."

"Later, most likely. This'll be the last clan run before everyone breaks for New Year." His snout twisted up. "Not that I'd have much of a chance to play back at my parents' place anyway."

I left him to pout and mutter to himself for a moment, looking and sounding like a kid who'd just opened a crappy present on New Year's morning. Again, I couldn't fully get my head around why he was so cut up about a game, but at the same time, he was, and that sucked.

Tomas' ears flick. Something or someone pulled him at least part way out of his stupor, even if it was only to jab at his keyboard. "Sure. On my way."

"What's happening now?"

He glanced down at me with weary eyes. "I promised I'd help someone finish off an elite quest chain before bed."

I understood 'quest' from that sentence. Hopefully he didn't take my yawn as a statement of opinion. "That's fair."

"No, I don't think I'll be long for my bed, either." His paws started towards me, cupping together. "Want a lift back down?"

I accepted gladly. Partly because of the speed with which my drowsiness was returning, but mostly because of the time a badger-powered lift saved versus the one built into the desk.

Down on the carpet, I left Tomas to have his fun while I trotted back to the wardrobe. I swear I could hear my nice, warm bed calling my name, telling me all about how great I was about to sleep. Still, I had space enough in my tired mind to keep at least half a thought on Tomas' staff. Over those last few days, I'd been thinking hard about gift ideas... but I hadn't had the first idea about what he might like or want. That damn staff, though. Getting that for him would put a smile on his snout and then some. Too bad pixels in a game weren't something you could just pop online to buy... "That's it!"

"Did you say something, Jiri?"

"Nah, no... sorry." I kept my attention ahead, hiding my grin. "Think I've solved a puzzle I've been working on, that's all."

Three Days Later

"Okay," Tomas murmured from the hallway, stepping through the doorway to practically fill this compact living room. "Let's make sure I've packed everything."

"Damn." I pulled myself from the TV, leaning up from my half-sitting, half-sprawling position against a scatter cushion. "I guess travelling light's not your thing?"

"What?" He dropped his backpack onto the couch, springing me fully upright. "This _is_light."

I scoffed, shaking my head at the big red bag looking fit to burst. "If you say so."

Tomas bent down towards it, firing daggers at me the whole way. "If I'm spending the better part of a week at my parents', then I need to be prepared."

"So do they live on the moon, or..."

Those daggers turned into swords. A creeping smirk helped me offer back one of my own. "Right... I've got changes of clothes, my fur shampoo and brush... my laptops..."

"Wait. Lap_tops_?"

"Yep."

"Plural?"

"Mine and my work laptop."

"No wonder you look ready for an expedition on the deepest, darkest metro."

"It's_one_backpack, Jiri."

"What do you need your work laptop for anyway?"

"...Work."

"Yeah, I figured that much." I flopped back against the cushion, folding my arms. "I thought you were on vacation as of today?"

"I am, but there's always the chance that something'll come up. An emergency."

"What kinda emergency's happening over the holidays? Some jobsworth locking themselves out of their account?"

"More like one of the systems going down and forcing us technicians to fix it." He grunted, sneering down into the open front pouch of his backpack. "For half a day."

"Sounds like you're talking from experience there."

"That was last New Year's," he shot back. "But if luck's on my side, I won't need to dial in at all."

"Here's hoping, then." I watched him return to standing, pulling his shirt back down over the bottom of his black-furred hips. "And if something _does_break... maybe you can say your laptop's busted, too?"

"I don't think they'll buy that somehow." He put a paw to his side, smiling through a frown, telling me he appreciated my joking as much as I liked dishing it out. At the same time, the speed at which Tomas had gathered his stuff had me struggling for comfort. "When are you leaving this evening?"

"In an hour or so. It's only a forty-five minute ride on the metro, so I'm in no rush. Just as long as I get there before my parents are in bed, I guess."

"Okay..." The bristling fur on the back of my neck needed attention. "That soon."

"Why? What's up?"

"Oh, no, nothing."

His eyes narrowed. "You sure?"

"Mhmm. All good."

Tomas took that at face value. He went back to his bag, rummaging through it while I moved to start some digging of my own. I pulled my phone from my pocket, calling up the parcel tracking app I'd had open all morning, afternoon, and evening. The supposedly 'express' delivery I'd been waiting on had been due to arrive between 12pm and 2pm... then 2pm to 4pm. At five minutes to 2, it changed again to say 4pm to 6pm. That'd prove to be the last update. Too bad I was making this latest check at close to 7.

"Jiri? Did you hear me?"

"Hmm!?" I dropped my phone into my lap. "What?"

"I asked if you had much planned for your New Year."

"Oh." I shrugged, feeling my spiky fur starting to settle. "Same as usual. Chill out, watch some TV... I'd say enjoy the time off, but I don't think that really counts when it comes to job searching."

"Got it." Tomas shot me a blank glance. "Sounds good."

"Heh, don't worry about me. It's fine."

"I wasn't worried," he threw back, ears perking. "...It... _does_sound nice. Nice and peaceful."

"For sure. And I like it... It's what I'm used to."

"I can see the upside to spending the holidays alone." Back came his smile. "As much as I like spending them with the family, having my parents, sisters, aunties and uncles and all crammed into the house, peace isn't anything I'll get to enjoy for the duration-- Ah..."

"What?"

His ears folded, hiding in his black eye stripes. "Sorry."

"For?"

"Complaining about family when..." He cringed hard, retreating into his backpack. "Never mind."

"I'm okay with it, big guy. Honestly." I spread my arms. Not that he noticed in his hideaway. "My parents might not be around, but that doesn't mean you can't complain about yours or your family. Anyway, that many people in one place _does_sound like a recipe for stress and then some."

"Oh, you have _no_idea."

"Hah, I'm sure." I brought my arms back and folded them. "You know, I'm surprised to have you concerned for me and my feelings like that."

Tomas threw me a sideways glance past the top of his bag. "How so?"

"It was only a few weeks ago that you were ready to toss me, probably literally, right back out onto the street."

"Hey." He huffed hard, pulling himself away from his backpack completely. "It's like I've said a hundred times now, I was a little shocked to find someone hiding out in my apartment like some kind of... I don't know what. And, I'd challenge _anyone_to react better than I did after grabbing some bread for a sandwich, only to have some Maleni badger fall right out of the packet." Fully standing, both paws on hips, his smirk spread wide. "All that aside, I did let you stay here, didn't I?"

"I suppose... Only a few hours later, _after_you kicked me out into the hall."

"Irrelevant."

"Sure it's relevant."

"No, because, as I said, I let you stay."

"Eventually." I snorted hard, unable to stop myself grinning. "And I'm grateful for it... and for letting those couple of days you promised stretch on."

"You're welcome." Tomas' cheeks lifted, his ears along with them. "Much as I wanted you gone as soon as possible when we first, uh, met... It's actually been nice to have you staying here."

"And it's been nice to be here... and not just because it beats freezing my tail off out on the street again."

Tomas' smile softened, easing into sweetness; a far cry from the stern, scowling badger I met after tumbling out of the breadbox. Really, I couldn't blame him for reacting the way he did that day. I _was_trespassing... kinda. I doubt the idea of letting me back in after kicking me out would've even crossed the minds of most Visoka.

A buzzing radiated across my lap. I dipped my snout towards it, finding my phone flashing into life. The front screen told me I had a 'Delivery Update'. A few frantic prods into the app itself gave me even better news: 'Parcel Delivered'.

"Oh cool! Good!"

"Hmm?" Tomas cocked his head. "What?"

"Uh... Nothing."

"It sounds like something."

"No, I, uh. I just remembered... Could you do me a favour?"

His snout creased up with confusion, but still he answered, "Sure."

"I've just had a delivery. Would you mind going to grab it from the mailbox? Please?"

"Is_that_what you've been stressing about? A delivery?"

"No... Yeah. This one's kinda urgent... and, uh, it should be in your name, actually."

"_My_name?"

I nodded in response, keeping as straight-faced as possible.

"...Okay." He shrugged. "I'll just be a second then."

My concern faded fast as I heard Tomas leave the apartment, replaced instead by a bubbling excitement that rose spread from my stomach. At the same time, there were some nerves tagging along for the ride in there, prompting my paws into a gentle grind over themselves. I hoped Tomas liked my gift as much as I thought he would when I picked it out. After all, they say it's the thought that counts, right? And I'd certainly put a whole lot more brainpower into this present than I usually would.

The front door clunked and squeaked again, followed soon after by the plodding pawsteps of Tomas' return. I sat in wait for him to make it back to the living room, grinning from what felt like ear to ear. "Did you find it?"

"Uh... yeah," he called back, looking puzzled by the parcel in his possession as he reappeared at the doorway. "What is it?"

"It's..." Be it anxiety or excitement, something strangled my first attempt at replying. "It's an early New Year's present actually."

He stopped, peering down at me with a dropped jaw at first, followed quickly by a perky, correcting smile. "For me?"

"Yeah."

"...From you?"

"Who else?"

"Wow..." Tomas hooked a finger under his shirt collar, tugging lightly. "I... This is... I didn't get _you_anything. I didn't think--"

"Don't worry about that." I clapped my paws together, rubbing them at speed. "Open it!"

He didn't need to be asked twice. Tomas thumped on over towards the couch, soon positioning himself above the cushion next to mine. The large badger cast an even larger shadow, blocking most of the living room from view with that chunky backside of his. I'd long since learned that clinging onto something was a must for what came next.

Tomas parked himself with his usual grace, sending a stiff, sharp tremor through what felt like the entire apartment. His crashing hips bounced me upwards, though not as high as they would've had I not grabbed two pawfuls of the scatter cushion behind me. "Holy..."

"Hmm?"

Once the couch stopped shaking and my eyes stopped spinning, I glanced back up to find him opening his package with a curious, contented smile. "Ah... It's fine."

I'm not sure if the cardboard was particularly tough or if Tomas was taking his time for the sake of it. Either way, the breathtaking suspense damn near suffocated me. "Come on, big guy. Get a move on."

"I'm trying," he moaned back, having to resort to tearing the outside packaging to pieces. "What have they put in here?"

"Oh, you'll see."

At last, he made it down to the package proper; a small shiny box coloured in a familiar white and purple. "Charge of Heroes?"

"Yeah!" I reached out to prod at his hip. "Open it."

Tomas glanced down at me with the dumbest look on his face. I couldn't help but start chuckling.

"Come on! I don't have all evening, and I _know_you don't either."

Finally, he clawed loose the locking tab, flipping open the top of the box to reveal its contents. His jaw dropped all over again.

"Is it... It's good, right?"

He sat up even taller beside me, cheeks lifting to present the biggest, most beaming grin I'd seen in... maybe forever. "Oh my gods! It's great!"

"Really?"

"Yeah!" With a big, digging paw, Tomas scooped out his gift. "It'll look so cool with the others."

Holding it in his palm, he admired the plastic figurine I'd picked out for him online; a stern-faced badger wearing a chromatic purple cloak, his headfur spiked and coloured to match. In his own paw, raised towards the sky, an intricate golden staff looked poised and ready to channel lightning, or fire, or something equally dramatic. Tomas seemed enchanted by it, but still, I had to say my piece. "I know it's not the same outfit you wear, or the same staff... and, uh, actually thinking about it, your character's not even a badger... but I saw this and..." Damn, my throat got so dry all of a sudden. The back of my neck got damn itchy, too. "It's kinda stupid now that I think about it but... I figured that if you couldn't get that staff you really wanted, maybe I could get it for you instead."

Tomas laughed, eyes still narrow with joy. I had to admit he had me a shade concerned at first.

"What's funny?"

"This is Kirion Skycall. Former head cleric of the King's Guard, before he devoted himself to the Way of the Shadow Walker."

"...And that makes him a good guy, or...?"

He smirked. "Chaotic good, I guess."

"...Right. I--"

"He's a total badass!" Tomas bounced in his seat. By extension, that meant I did, too. Again. "This is great! I... don't know what to say." He hopped again, scooting and turning towards me with perked, flicking ears. "This is _so_sweet of you. Thank you very much."

"You're very welcome." I reached over to offer a quick rub at his hip. "As I said, I'm real grateful that you let me stay here... and I wanted to do something to thank you. So, thank you, too."

Tomas beamed so bright that I thought he might've been close to tears. Not that I got a great look up at him. His grabbing paw made sure of that.

"Woah--!" He less pulled me, more threw me into his side, smothering me from shoulder to tail between his pads and t-shirt with the warmest, most enormous hug I'd ever experienced. "Gods damn."

"Sorry," he said past a snort. "You okay?"

"I'm good," I gasped back, facing little choice but to nose into his hip and squeeze at as much of his doughy muffin top as possible. "I don't think I've been hugged by a Visoka before... I'm gonna get lost in here, big guy."

He laughed a little stronger, easing up the pressure and settling me back down right next to the top of his bulky thigh. "I can't get over this. It's so great."

I leaned against him, patting at his side. "I'm glad you like it."

"But... Oh..."

"Huh?" I craned my neck to find him peering down past himself with worried eyes. "What's up?"

"How much did this cost you? I know you're struggling for cash right--"

"No." I waved that away. "That doesn't matter. Anyway, I probably owe you for at least a small share of the food, the heating, and every other bill."

"Still..." Tomas' head sank with the rest of him. I almost reached out to return a hug, right before he jolted and perked back up again. "Hey, I know!"

His outburst sent me recoiling almost as much as his huge self shifting. "Know what?"

He set his figurine down, emptying his paws before cupping and moving them towards me. "Since you've been so sweet with this gift... Maybe I can do something for you. If you'd like to, that is."

Do something for me? He already had done by letting me stay, just as I told him... I hoped I didn't look too baffled. "Like what?"

"I was thinking..." Tomas helped me up into his grasp, waiting for me to take a seat before whisking me around into position beneath both his chest and a wide, shining smile. "Having some peace alone here might be nice, but maybe you'd like to spend the holiday with some company instead?"

It was no use. With a hard shake of my head, I gave up the ghost and admitted, "Sorry, I really don't follow here."

"Would you like to tag along and spend the holiday with me at my parents' instead?"

"Oh!" I jerked back against Tomas' fingerpads while his paws remained steady. "I... Your parents'?" He nodded. "Are you sure?"

"A hundred percent."

"Would they mind?"

"Not at all." He flashed even more teeth. "It's not like you'd take up much room there."

"Yeah, but..."

"My sister used to date a Maleni, so my family are all well-used to having smaller guests over for the holidays."

"I... thanks, but... I don't know."

I saw his ears tuck, but that sprawling grin persisted. "I get that it's short notice, and... I suppose we haven't really known each other for _that_long, but... I want this to be my New Year's gift to you. Please."

Tomas stared down at me with so much hope in his eyes. I hadn't expected that kind of offer in the slightest. Not in a million years. This here was the same badger that'd tossed me out on my ear not three weeks before, leaving me desperate and alone in a cold, grey hall, with nowhere else to go but into an even colder night. "Well..."

"Plus, believe me, there'll be so much food around, you won't know where to start!" His mouth twisted mischievously. "No need to go hiding in any breadboxes to get at it, either."

I scoffed out a snorting laugh, resting back easy against his fingers. Fingers belonging to the badger that had thrown me out, sure, but had also brought me back into the warm and then some. Nodding firm and beaming wide was my only option. "I'd love to come. Thank you."

"Cool!" Tomas kept up his smirking, bending forward to help me down towards the carpet. "In that case, you'd best go pack. Quick."

As it turned out, I needn't have rushed. Tomas waited around patiently in the living room until I'd packed some clothes, and some bedding, just in case. That whole time, I couldn't stop this nagging, gnawing thought that he'd change his mind or that he'd pull the rug from under me in some other way. Life had form for fucking me over and then some. A fact that made the moment he slipped and settled me into the super-snug collar of his winter jacket even sweeter.

We left the apartment less than an hour after an offer that knocked me sideways, heading off for what would turn out to be a wonderful New Year celebration with Tomas' family. My first proper family celebration since... ever. Just a few weeks prior, I'd been hiding out in the foyer of our apartment building, homeless, alone, searching for someone I figured I could safely stowaway with into their home. From the second I grabbed onto Tomas' grocery bag outside his front door, all the way through to the moment he discovered me those few days later, I hoped to the gods that I'd made the right decision. As it turned out, I couldn't have possibly made a better one.