I'M JUST TRYING MY BEST TO BE MORE THAN NOTHING (EPISODE END)

It's Christmas Day. I've simultaneously thought the day would never come, and felt like it creeped up on me without warning. I wish I'd had more time before then, but what can you do?

The four of us are nestled around the living room table, which has been filled to the brim with buckets of fried chicken and other miscellaneous sides. On the TV is one of those hour-long fireplace videos with festive music, and all around us are various presents.

I present my gift to Mizu-chan first, followed by Fue-chan and Asa-chan... the latter of which curiously masked up and wearing gloves indoors.. "D-don't get jealous, b-but Mizu-chan gets the biggest one. If I had more time-"

"Hush, Chii-chan." Asa-chan reassures. "We'll love your presents all the same, dork."

I nod, laughing nervously to myself as I watch Mizu-chan tear open her present.

She looks at it, confused. "What's... what's this supposed ta-" Then, realization hits her. She stammers, speechless, staring at the googly-eyed gator hood-- then, matching green gloves, before finally landing on the spiked tail.

Like a burst dam, she starts sobbing. "Oh m-my god... Chisa-tan, c-c-c'mere...!!!" She pulls me in for a close hug, nearly suffocating me in the process. "T-t-thank you so much....."

A wave of relief washes over me. "You're welcome! I was kinda nervous you w-wouldn't like it, but I'm glad you do."

"L-look at this, Asahin, Fuetchi~ I can be a gator now, kehehehe~" Mizu-chan shows my work off to the others like an excited child. I'm so glad she liked it.

The others open up my presents for them right after. For Fue-chan, I made her some horn-warmers.

"It was a bit hard trying to guess where your horns taper off without just asking you, s-so let me know if you need them adjusted."

For Asa-chan, I made a scarf. It's an alternating pattern, ocean blue, seaweed green, ocean blue, seaweed green, made to match Mizu-chan's hair as much as I could.

"I wanted to make something that would keep you w-warm that you could easily take off if it became too much."

...I realize that giving people clothes for Christmas is probably lame, but my options were pretty limited given I was an Anxi until recent. That, and while I'm not ashamed to be a demon, I'm aware that I'll probably turn some eyes were I to go out in public without any sort of disguise. So, I did the best I could with my circumstances.

The two of them examine their gifts, before each smiling.

"Thank you so much, Chisaki. I've been putting off buying something like these for so long, eheh..."

Asa-chan, on the other hand, is more embarrassed. "God, t-thank you, Chii-chan. I know you said to not expect much, but I wasn't expecting it to be so personalized." She chuckles a bit to herself, throwing it on. "Thank you."

"Mmmmm, eheheh~ You're both welcome- ?" I'm caught off-guard as I see Asa-chan pull out a bigger box. "I-I didn't realize this one was for me..."

She sets it beside me, gesturing for me to open it up.

It's...

Oh, my god.

"A D████?! H-holy shit...!! It's even got the VMU's, too!! A-And some games!!" I start shaking with excitement. I never thought I'd see one of these in person, let alone own one...!!

"It might need to be aired out a bit-- it was in my attic for who knows how long. It still works though, I'd tested it before wrapping it up for you."

"Oh my god, thank you so much thank you so much thank you so much!!!" Ehehehehehe~

Fue-chan lightly pries me away to hand me her present, which I quickly tear into.

...

A-ahhh... Ahhh!!! It's a collection of games to play on my shiny new system! Eeeeeee!!!

...I chuckle, seeing the price stickers weren't removed.

Fue-chan panics. "S-shit...! I forgot to-"

"Psshhhh, it's fii~iine. T-thank you so much...!!"

After sighing in embarrassment, Fue-chan would then pass out presents to Asa-chan and Mizu-chan, the latter of which having already thrown on the kigu I'd made her. Asa-chan got some artbooks she'd been looking for for ages, and Mizu-chan got a P██S███ Portable, apparently modded to run emulators.

Asa-chan opted to fuel Fue-chan's husband addiction, getting her a plush of Narce, as well as a novelty T-shirt featuring him. Cute! And for Mizu-chan, she gave her... a smooch. That, and some reincarnation manga with a 10,000 yen note stuck inside. How nice.

After all that, everything was nice and cozy... until Fue-chan tried putting on the horn warmers I made her.

"Ah, let me help." Asa-chan steps in to assist.

"T-thanks... Be careful though, they're-"

rrrrip

"...Sharp." She frowns, guilt washing over.

It's just Asa-chan's gloves that ripped, though, having brushed against the points on Fue-chans horns.

But, wait... is that-- Anxi, sludge?

"A-ahhh, I'm sorry!! I d-didn't realize I'd not fully cleaned your clothes off when I finished them...!" I bow apologetically.

Fue-chan speaks up. "That's... not your sludge, Chisaki." She looks to Asa-chan, concern rising in her voice. "Asahi...?"

Asa-chan looks to Mizu-chan, who shoots her a strange look.

"...Alright, fine." She takes off her gloves, revealing her hands have transformed. Then, she pulls off her mask, revealing the formings of a snout, as well as the fact her teeth have become more crooked.

Was this... my...

"O-oh my god, Asa-chan... I'm s-s-"

"Don't do this, Chii-chan. It's not your fault-- I've been like this for a while." She coughs into her sleeve, sludge staining across her arm as she does.

"She can still think fer' herself," Mizu-chan interjects solemnly, "that's what matters."

"Did you know...?" Fue-chan asks, likely shocked at how calm Mizu-chan's being.

"I didn't want to tell anyone-- I didn't want any of y'all worrying about me." Asa-chan huffs, sitting back down defeatedly. "I'd just confided in her because we're together. Sorry if I'm breaking your trust here."

"Don't be." I stand up, placing a hand on Asa-chan's. "I l-literally ran away from home the first day I became an Anxi, remember? ...So, I get it." I smile, trying to reassure her that everything will be fine. "We're here for you, Asa-chan."

She groans. "I'm supposed to be the strong one, here. The one who reassures the others."

"We'll take turns, then." I chuckle.

...

She looks at me, before laughing a bit, herself. "...Deal."

The room returned to a warm cozy atmosphere, before long. We all finished as much of the chicken as we could, watching shitty Christmas specials on the TV before it was time for bed.

Less than a week to go-- only six days left.

Fue-chan's nervous, I can feel it in her body language as we try to sleep.

...

.....

As she clutches onto her body pillow, I slowly slide my arms around to be around her waist, forming a cuddle chain between the two of us and her pillow.

With her hard scales, and my hardened earth witch skin... I'm surprised we haven't ever cuddled before now. We make a great fit for each other.

Ah, but before I can whisper for her to let me know if I'm being too forward...

...she relaxes, tense body going slack as she starts calming down.

Best... Christmas... ever.