The Estate in Glacia, Tuesday Evening

[not_a_parakeet]

Between the multiple days of Winsol being celebrated by the Blood of Kaeleer, and the fact that Christmas was pretty much upon them now, it had been a hectic week leading up to tonight. Warren hadn't really expected a Christmas celebration on top of all of the festivities of Winsol, no, but Karla had insisted, and so he was going to make certain

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[glacial_queen]

"Okay, Jono..." Karla was saying, "...I know you don't give a damn about Winsol and that's fine, but now it's Christmas and for all that you're a giant Scrooge McDuck about the holiday, I know for a fact that you secretly love it. So why aren't you here, with your family, celebrating your stupid holiday? You said you'd be home in time for Christmas and unless you plan to come down a chimney dressed as Santa--which would be funny, I'll grant--you're supposed to be home by now."

Her voice kept wavering between worried and cross. "Did you decide to stay with Lee and Ange through the holiday? Is that why you're avoiding my calls? Dammit, Jono, I can be reasonable! I can be understanding! But you have to call me back so I can be those things, jerkhead!"

[not_a_parakeet]

Warren glanced away from his wrapping with a frown. He'd probably be happier for the distraction from fingers stuck together with tape if it wasn't for just how upset it was making Karla.

"Still no answer, love? Is this something that he's prone to doing?"

[glacial_queen]

Karla scowled and threw her phone onto a sofa--a completely mature and rational reaction, thank you very much.

"Generally not," she admitted, flopping down beside him and just looking at his hands. How in the world--? You know what? She just wasn't even asking. "Which means he's either in trouble, which is practically par for the fucking course for the X-idiots, or he's just having such a great time with the friends he hasn't seen in a million years that he's forgotten his phone completely or we're looking at some kind of freaky time shift where it's barely been twenty minutes there and he's, just, like in a shower or something."

Either way, Karla was displeased with the whole idea.

[not_a_parakeet]

"Fun with multiple realities," Warren noted, nodding faintly and giving a thoughtful frown as he attempted to unstick his fingers by wiping his hand on his pant leg. "How long are we giving him before we call in the cavalry?"

Look, it had been a while since the cavalry had been called in. Warren almost missed it. Except for all of the life-threatening danger and such.

[never_dull]

Hannibal liked to cultivate friends, especially powerful and interesting ones. Therefor, a number of people were going to find things delivered to them in time for the holiday.

He wasn't entirely certain how the portals functioned with the time difference between Fandom and Glacia, but he hoped they would arrive on time.

Everything was beautifully (and professionally) wrapped in subdued yet classy paper and cloth ribbon.

Warren (whenever he chose to unwrap them) got goggles and a book.
Dear Warren,
I've enjoyed getting to know you, and I hope you don't mind my sending presents. I don't know how often you return to Earth, but if you do, I thought you might be interested in some sightseeing of the type that not many can do. And the goggles seemed useful and appropriate, particularly given the company they're from. Have a lovely Christmas.
Your friend,
Hannibal Lecter

Karla's present was larger and flatter, and she'd open it to see (a very good-quality reproduction of) Artemisia Gentileschi's Judith Slaying Holofernes.
My dear Karla

[not_a_parakeet]

Warren actually grinned a little as he opened his gift. The Alps, hm? Maybe he'd have to keep them in mind, if ever they had another opportunity to take a vacation back on Earth. Affairs in Sidra wouldn't be insane forever, would they?

He could hope.

And the goggles, while not entirely necessary, were also appreciated. His eyes had mutated right along with the rest of him and could handle a bit of wind, but you never knew what else you might have to fly through. The witchblood smoke during the war had been proof enough of that. He made a mental note to write a letter of thanks for Hannibal while tucking the goggles away in a pouch on the same belt that held the sheaths for his bladed sticks.

[glacial_queen]

The paper was torn off of the picture with nary an eye for the lovely wrapping job. Sorry, Hannibal. Karla was pretty much the entire reason she couldn't have nice things.

The bloody painting took her aback for a moment until she read the card that went along with it. And then she looked at it again.

And grinned.

He was getting such a lovely thank you card.

[icecoldfrost]

There were, of course, packages recently arrived from New York. Because Emma loved shopping too much to send just one present.

For Karla, with love, Auntie Em
Karla had a number of small boxes to unwrap. And yes, Karla, those two tiny items were in pink. You can wear colors other than blue.

(You're welcome, Warren)

For Warren. Place them high enough that tiny-you cannot reach them. Love, Auntie Em. Warren's boxes were a bit heavier, as they contained six bottles of Iroshizuku inks in various colors, and three sleek, steel fountain pens with extra nibs.

[not_a_parakeet]

Well, now that Lucivar had spent a weekend teaching tiny-Warren the joys of actually using those tiny little wings of his, it was entirely possible that there wasn't actually a place in the estate that tiny-him couldn't get to. Still, he found himself smiling as he opened his gift, poking through the inks for a while and making a mental note to get her a nice gift and to write a thank-you note using his own later.

[glacial_queen]

Karla held up the first of Emma's gifts and showed it to Warren. "How long do you think this'll last?" she checked. "And will Ems see its inevitable destruction as a compliment?"

[not_a_parakeet]

Oh, Warren was going to get himself snagged in that little number so quickly.

"I can try to be gentle with it," he offered, smirking faintly. "I'm making no promises, though. Unless we set that one aside as the one I make you take off while I watch..."

[trigons_child]

Raven had never celebrated Christmas before coming to Fandom, and she'd grown quite fond of it, especially the giving of presents. She'd learned about Winsol as well, of course, but she was pleased to see Christmas wouldn't be forgotten.

[not_a_parakeet]

"Merry Christmas, Raven," Warren greeted her from where he was sitting, half-folded into a chair that still wasn't quite fitted for a man with wings, claws all stuck up in tape that he was having terrible luck actually getting to stick to the paper, rather than himself. "Um... next year, remind me to invest in gift bags, please."

Less tape.

[trigons_child]

"Merry Christmas," Raven said, pressing a finger to her lips to hold back a giggle at his predicament.

"Would you like some help?"

[not_a_parakeet]

"I think I might need some," Warren confessed, wrinkling his nose at his hands. "I forget sometimes that I'm not half as dextrous as I used to be. For the most part, I'm fine, but..."

Tape wasn't the most agreeable substance even when you didn't have claws.

[never_dull]

Not all of Hannibal's gifts made it through the portal unscathed and at the same time.

Some time after the first shipment, another one showed up, this one addressed to Raven because I completely forgot she was in Glacia, but Hannibal wouldn't have:

The first thing in the package was a book; under that were a selection of chocolates and a bottle of wine.
My dear Raven

[trigons_child]

Raven smiled as she opened her gifts, touched. She would definitely have to visit Dr. Lecter again, if only to thank him.