"Good night." Silvana wished her guests with a yawn. "Hrrrrrrngggh!" She stretched.

This had been a filled week for the ringmaster.

"Pshoo!" She threw her mask like a frisbee and it hung exactly where it needed to. The hook on her bed. "Yeah." She fist-pumped.

Seven days ago she was getting drunk at Akuma's. She overestimated how strong vodka was.

"Aaaaah." Silvana took off her bathrobe, still feeling fresh after her bath. Her room had a nice temperature.

Six days ago she experienced a hangover, canceled everything, and apologized to Akuma.

"Hmmmm. ❤" She put on her pajamas. They were ironed so they were nice and warm compared to outside winter air she had spent the day.

Five days ago she nagged at Amitie about the importance of stretching when she pulled her fourth muscle since employment. She practiced without her and did a birthday party.

"Santa's dropping by tomorrow night~~" She smiled as she laid on the bed, wrapping herself in her blanket.

Four days ago she did a lot of things that didn't exasperate herself so she could enjoy her exquisite date with the boy she's infatuated with. Like reading, and practicing her accordion. Oh, and the delicious date itself of course! The next one couldn't come soon enough.

Sil spotted at Arms lying next to her and frowned.

Three days ago it was a Circus day, her turn to do groceries, be a gym teacher (canceled without notice because of a snow day), and cook.

*Begging monkey* Sil's lip quivered. She slowly reached her arm out to Arms.

Two days ago the Circus crew threw a party for themselves at the tent, for Christmas, New Years and celebrate the last time they'll work there this year. And it was a successful year. It was a good time.

She reeled her in. "Come here, you stinking liar, it's warmer here with me." She held her close to her chest as usual. They've missed this.

Yesterday Sil practiced some more, she didn't do much more outside of her breaks.

*Grateful, but passive-aggressive monkey*

Today Sil did the same thing. She should socialize when there's a lull in the celebrations.

"Oh, now you talk to me. And screw you too, Bud." She said a bit dejected as she wrapped both arms around her. The human let out a moan. She felt really sentimental.

Tomorrow she was gonna spend Christmas with a family dinner she doesn't really wanna be at. Awaiting Santa's presents the next morning is kinda tied to it though… Maybe someday she'll get that troubleless Christmas someday...

"Sorry. I just didn't know who you were, you know I struggle with identity… Merry Christmas."

Chapter 76: Christmas at Silvana's

"SISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSISSIS-!" Amitie said in her pajamas pitched above Silvana.

"Ammy… Lemme sleep in a little, please... I need to be in a good mood."

"But it's Christmas!"

"Aren't the presents supposed to be delivered while we sleep later today?"

"Oh! Yeah. Okay. I'll let you sleep." Amitie petted Arms on the head and gave her a wink.

The elder clown groaned. She looked down. Sil held Arms tighter.

Silvana kept sleeping until her alarm went off.

"Good morning, Sourpuss." Melody greeted her host cheerfully.

"'rning, Narcoleptic."

Melody pouted. "Would you call your boyfriend by his disorder on Christmas?"

"He wouldn't call me a Sourpuss unprovoked on Christmas." Sil countered.

Melody scrunched her face. "Touché. You missed breakfast."

"That's fine."

The family plus Silvana started playing board games to pass the time. Unbeknownst to Silvana (but she could guess this was the case) the Rose family kept family talks (talks about family) to a minimum. Sil enjoyed her time, a few unlucky dice rolls aside.

"So kids, what presents do you think you'll get?" The father asked the girls.

"That I get the missing volumes of my collection." Amitie replied.

"Oh, I already know what I'll get." Sil said with confidence. "In fact, my prediction is gonna be accurate." She brought out her performer ham.

"Oh, really now?" Melody was the skeptical one while the rest of the family was more gullible.

"Yep." Sil put her middle three fingers of each hand onto her mask's forehead and traced them in a circular motion. "Aaaaaaaand… I… Forsee…" She drew it out for suspense. "Waterproof makeup." Spoke out fast for contrast.

"Why?" Does it really matter who said this? It wasn't Melody though.

"Wanna bet?" The mother grinned. "I'll do your trash duties for a week if you're right."

"And the winner gets 10 credits if you're wrong."

Melody extended her hand. "Deal?" They shook hands.

"Deal." Sil had the biggest grin on her face but she made sure her mask didn't convey it.

Later in that board game, there was knocking at the front door. "I'll get it!" Amitie rushed to the door.

"Are we expecting anyone?" Sil asked.

"We didn't tell you Lidelle's coming over?" Melody said with a sheepish grin.

"No." Sil got up and followed Amitie to the door. She spotted Amitie lifting Lidelle up by her torso.

"Merry Christmas, Liddy!"

"You too, M-Miss Ammy. Hello, Miss Sil." Lidelle waved her flappy sleeves at her former classmate.

"Hi, Liddy. These jerks didn't tell you'd be here."

"Oh." Lidelle clammed up a bit as Amitie put her down. "Y-You want me to g-go then?"

"Please don't do that, Sis!" Amitie lifted Lidelle up as if she was a kitten and shoved her in Silvana's face. Lidelle was a little embarrassed but the way she was held didn't make moving her arms to cover her face an option. "She'll be so lonely on Christmas in her cottage, she's been at our Christmas dinners for years now. Please don't kick her out."

"Please don't be moody now, Miss Sil." The two begged.

"Have I kicked you out yet?" Sil pointed at Amitie.

"Uh… No." She gently put Lidelle back on the ground.

"Right. Just lemme know next time you wanna invite someone! LIKE WE AGREED UPON!" Sil made sure the adults heard her.

"C'mon in, Liddy." Sil said with a smile as she closed the door. "It's cold outside."

"Th-thank you."

"You're welcome. How was Christmas with that Tarutaru guy? Wait, weren't you supposed to spend Christmas with him today?"

"H-How do you know?"

"Sig told me."

"I see. I actually already celebrated with him. The Gongon and Rose families are really important to me, both."

Lidelle was welcomed by the rest of the Roses. And for the rest of the game, Amitie and Lidelle formed a team.

Later to entertain themselves, the teens played Puyo Puyo. It was just Amitie vs Lidelle matches because Sil did not wanna relive that moment. Or doesn't wanna shut off with those parents around. Silvana did supervise Lidelle side of the game.

"ThatPuyooncolumnsixturnleftandwatchthefireworks."

"Uh…"

*Loss*

Later they just had some chit-chat, and then Mr. Amitie's Dad announced something. "Lidelle, it's time. Come and join me in the kitchen!"

"Oh, dear. That time already? Coming!" Lidelle hurried to the kitchen.

"Lidelle's cooking?" Sil turned to Amitie.

"She always does."

"Well, I'm not complaining. We'll get a good meal out of it."

"Yep." Amitie agreed.

Amitie's eyes shifted around the room. *Scoot* *scoot scoot* *scoot*

"Ammy, what the heck are you doing?" Sil asked as Amitie's face got closer. A million wrong thoughts entered her head.

"Can I have your old makeup set?" Amitie whispered his Silvana's ear.

"Oh." She was worried for nothing. "Yeah."

"Thank you. Can you teach me how to apply it? I wanna look good for the photoshoot with Raffi."

"I'm pretty sure Freckles can teach you better…" She gave credit where it was due. "Is Liddy staying the night?"

"We always have a sleepover on Christmas~"

"A sleepover" Sil blinked. "Will you ever grow up?"

"Oh shut up, Sil. Like you don't want a sleepover." Amitie felt pretty confident she 1-upped Silvana.

"…" Amitie wins.

*Dinner time…*

"So ladies, is it to your liking?" Mr. Amitie's dad asked his partner, daughter, and clown on Lidelle's behalf.

"Is it ever not? Good job, you two."
"It's super yummy."
"It's good."
They answered respectively while Sil added more pepper to it.

"You so sullen, Miss Sil." Everyone agreed with Lidelle.

'Nooooo, rrrrreally?' "They know the reason." Sil nudged her head to the left where the Roses were sitting three-in-a-row. All their heads lowered.

"What is the reason?" Everyone wished Lidelle didn't ask that.

Silvana beat them to the punch. "I don't feel right sitting at this family and Lidelle dinner. I feel really awkward about taking part in your traditions. I want out. Can I take a plate to my room?" Her voice and tone were neutral.

"Please stay, Sis. You're welcome here."

"I should hope so, this is my home." She snarked.

"Sil," Her head turned to Melody. "we are flexible. And we owe you multiple favors at this point. If you charged us we would be paying you off for years to come."

"Please don't sweat it."

"It's not too late to change things up. Right?" Melody asked for confirmation from those around the table. "We can make room to accommodate you. What's your Christmas tradition like, Sil?" Amitie and Lidelle's bodies had a shock. They of all people, they have the tendency to obliviously exactly say the wrong thing, recognized that was bad. They were trying to prod Melody to drop the issue.

"Shut up, you two." Sil politely asked, pointing with the piece of cutlery in her dominant hand. Amitie covered her eyes with her hat and Lidelle hid her's with her sleeves.

Sil took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"I have spent my Christmas days traditionally as a homeless, friendless little girl, out in the cold, hungry, broke, nightmare having, depression laden, skewed priorities having, ruled by depression, and Santa Claus not knowing you exist to give you presents just so you know at least someone cares about you!" Sil slammed on the table and it shook everything just a bit. "WANNA DO THAT!?"

Everyone had shut up. They were thinking about what to say next.

"We care, Sis!" Well, Amitie didn't think. She'd hug her if they were sitting next to each other.

"And that's partly the problem, Ammy… I'm not ready for this. Please, can I take my plate to my room?"

"Please don't, there's nothing to be worried about!"

"Please then explain to me why I feel so uncomfortable."

"Traditions are stupid." Melody said, it was the best argument she had.

"I agree. That's why I wanna eat alone in my room. So may I leave this table?"

"Sure."

"Thanks! You guys are so easy, bye! Thank you~" Sil said very mirthfully with a blow kiss before she just teleported to her room.

"What just happened?" The father asked.

When the dinner was over Sil came back and all five of them just lollygagged all around the dust-free parts of the caravan as if nothing happened.

Lidelle finally conformed and put on her pajamas, and the girls hung out and had amicable chats and varying gossips, games, no one answering who their crushes are (different reasons for each), until they decided to go to sleep on the couches near the Christmas tree and the milk and cookies.

The next morning everyone gathered around the tree.

Sil was amazed, this is the first time she witnessed presents under the tree and the empty glass and tray on this side. And they weren't there before last night. This felt very supermagical, and as such Sil felt very wonderous all over her body she was that giddy, and took as much as she could from it.

Time to ponder how all these presents got in was put to the side. The excitement that some of those boxes were actually for her overwhelmed her! She's finally on the other end of the window now. She almost felt her childhood getting overwritten this is so overwhelming.

Everyone spotted her trembling with excitement.

"Come on, Sport. Open one." Amitie's father nudged. He and his partner asked Amitie and Lidelle to not rush to the presents this year.

"Me?" She pointed to her first. Everyone nodded.

"You first."

"O-Okay." Sil searched for a present. "This is so surreal to me." Even more surreal was that she spotted at least a few boxes with her name on it, these were no doubt for her. Everyone tried to put themselves in her shoes.

Sil picked up the first box. She felt it in her hands. "A book." She didn't know what to expect. She ripped off the wrapping paper.

"How to Magically Fake Makeup with Mana Efficient Spells
(for when you're bad at it or just can't be bothered)"

"Awesome." Amitie said. Looking in envy at the book Sil was flipping threw.

"I can work with this!" Sil shouted excitedly. "What a present~ And it's waterproof? YES! EYELINER, HERE I COME!"

Her friends were so happy for her and just a bit envious that their parents wouldn't allow yet or didn't want the attention that came with it.

"Dear," The father whispered in the mother's ear. "she lost the bet."

"Not now, Honey… I'm getting nostalgic, it's like Ammy's and Lidelle's first Christmasses with us…"

Author's Notes:
Cut scene:

Amitie: Mommy, when can we go home.

Mom: Sweetie, you know that big word we say when you put off your homework?

Amitie: Procrastinating?

Mom: They're doing that.

Ware did throw it in the last chapter that Lidelle was gonna be at Tarutaru's celebrating. But he couldn't have known I was doing this. No harm. Nice that he cares.

Next up: Id, Ego, Superego, Sig, more