It was warm, snuggled up under the blanket on the couch. Aiko was propped up on her elbow, a glass of wine in one hand and a tablet in the other.

"Yeah, she loves it Mom."

The older Yumi woman's smile lit up the screen. She hadn't been able to come down to visit, being stuck up in San Francisco with Aiko's sister, but she could at least FaceTime her daughter.

"I knew she would! You kept saying she loves drawing. Is she finished yet? I want to talk to her."

Aiko glanced at the auburn haired girl focusing on the easel in front of her. She'd told Aiko to pose for her and then dove straight in. Her tongue poked out as she concentrated on the brush strokes, golden eyes burning in focus.

"How's it looking Momo? Grandma wants to see you when you're done."

She gave the brush a last dab again the canvas.

"All done! Come see, come see!"

Aiko rose, setting her glass down and holding the tablet steady. She pulled her fluffy dressing gown tight around her, the snow outside was still fairly light, but it was cold nonetheless. She sauntered round to Momo's side to see the fruit of the young girls' last few hours.

"Oh, wow!"

The landscape was incredible. It showed Aiko lounging on the couch under her blanket, with the window behind her as a contrasting light source. The amount of detail Momo had managed to put in was breathtaking. Every slight shadow was perfect, the subtle glow on her arm from the tablet in her hand was flawless, even the light frosting of snow in the background of the window was giving her chills. She'd never seen anything like it, it was like she could step through the canvas and be in her own little world. Just looking at it made her feel warm and cozy.

"Aiko! Turn the camera around, I can't see."

Her mother's outburst snapped Aiko out of her trance. She held the tablet up, letting the woman see her granddaughter's masterpiece.

"Oh Momo, it's amazing!"

"Really!?"

"Of course dear, you've got a talent for this sort of thing."

Aiko patted the little cat girl's head, thankful she was keeping her ears hidden and her tail out of the camera, she dreaded what would happen if her mother discovered her favourite granddaughter wasn't even human. She handed the grinning girl the tablet.

"Here, why don't you tell grandma about your presents, or how school's been."

"Okay!"

Momo trotted off happily to have her chat, leaving Aiko to study her handiwork some more. The young girl had been difficult to buy for, she didn't want for, or need, anything. If she was this happy with a simple painting kit, then maybe art supplies were the way to go in the future. Aiko sipped her wine with giddy glee, she'd have to find a place to hang the painting, along with any other artwork Momo produced.

It was a strange feeling. Her only memory of last Christmas was waking up between Jessie and Lola with a thumping headache and no feeling below her waist. It wasn't that she regretted how she'd been living, in fact she still loved to fool around with the other women on occasion, but watching her adopted daughter get animated as she talked with her new grandmother was weirdly pleasant. For the first time Aiko's house didn't just feel like a place she slept. It was warm. It was full of life. It was a family.

It was a home.

She finished her glass and set it down, for once not immediately refilling it. She took a seat next to Momo, wrapping her in a big hug, and joined her in wishing her mother a merry Christmas.