"Finally!" Eliana exclaimed as she skipped ahead of her teammates towards the cliff, pulling her coat closer to her body and turning around to make sure that they were keeping up with her. "I didn't think that classes were ever going to end today! Also, did anyone else think that the last question on the Grimm Studies exam was a trick question?"

"What makes you say that?" Neela asked, noting that Titus and Ilia were both preoccupied with their scrolls. She shook her head.

"The question asked how many different Grimm there are in Remnant, but how can we know? What if there are more? The study guide was based off of a report from Dr. Oobleck that is close to twenty years old, how do we know that there haven't been new ones since then?" Eliana asked.

"That study was the last published by Oobleck. It was the penultimate edition. Without Salem there can't be any new Grimm, only the same ones we already have can be born, or however that works with Grimm," Titus explained. "Wasn't that also in the study guide?"

"Maybe," Eliana replied dejectedly. They walked closer to the cliff in silence for a few moments before Eliana piped up again. "I think we should have a gift exchange between the four of us!" They all glanced at each other as they stopped and shrugged.

"Sure, why not?" Ilia agreed. "How are we choosing names?"

"I just figured that Neela and I would buy for each other and the two of you could buy for each other," Eliana explained. Neela laughed. Eliana was such a free spirit, wasn't she?

"Should have seen that one coming," Titus muttered under his breath.

"Awww, afraid that my gift is going to blow yours out of the water?" Ilia asked Titus teasingly.

"As if," he scoffed. "I'll have you know that out of all the gifts that my mother received every year, she always enjoyed mine the most."

"Macaroni necklace," Ilia said as she began walking again and the other two girls followed.

"What?" He called after them running to catch up.

"You strike me as the kind of kid that probably made his mom a macaroni necklace every year," Ilia told him as they boarded the airship.

"Haha. You're hilarious. Just the funniest," he replied sarcastically. Eliana laughed and moved to the window. Every time that they flew anywhere, Eliana wanted to be able to see the water below, and Neela was sure that it had something to do with Eliana's father.

"Every year for Winter Festival my mom would give me some money and I would run to a nearby village and buy ammo for my dad. Normally vendors wouldn't sell ammunition to children, but they knew my dad and they knew who I was and so they let me do it and I felt so special, my heart light and my eyes mystified as I would run home as quickly as I could so my mom could wrap it. My dad was always so happy when he opened it every year!" Eliana exclaimed smiling.

"What did your mom normally get him?" Neela asked.

"Dad was usually busy all the time, so when he was able to have off for Winter Festival, my mom would make him a home cooked meal to show him how much she cared about him," Eliana replied.

"What's so special about a home cooked meal? Didn't she normally do that if he was home?" Ilia asked. She wasn't mocking, she was legitimately curious.

"Well yeah, she made him home-cooked meals whenever he was home," Eliana said quietly. Her eyes moistened as she looked out at the water, trying desperately to see Vale from the corner of the window. "We were poor, but we made it work with what we had. It wasn't any different than the other meals she normally made, roast and potatoes. But every time…" Eliana gasped and turned to look at Neela. Neela felt her heartbreak, Eliana's face twisted in agony as she cried and threw herself against Neela's chest. Ilia and Titus watched in shocked silence, unsure what to say. "Every Winter Festival he would say… 'Violet, that was the best roast I've ever had.' And my mom would smile… and it was enough!" Eliana sobbed into Neela's chest and Neela held her close. "I'm sorry Neela."

"It's okay Elli," Neela told her. Titus moved over to them, rubbing Eliana's shoulder and looking at Neela who smiled at him.

"I'm sorry Eliana, I…" Eliana freed herself from Neela's bosom and turned towards Ilia, smiling despite the tears and mucus running down her face.

"It's okay!" Eliana exclaimed wiping her nose. "It's a happy memory, really!" Eliana looked back out the window again. "I miss you." It was barely audible, but Neela's Faunus ears picked up on it. "What about you Neela?"

"Yes, what did our great and awesome leader get for her mothers?" Titus asked with a smirk. Neela scoffed.

"One year Yang convinced me to buy a ball of yarn for Blake," Neela admitted. Ilia burst out into laughter and Titus turned red in the face trying to contain his own.

"What?!" Ilia exploded. "Are you serious?!" Neela laughed.

"Yeah! Blake acted grateful because she didn't want to hurt my feelings, but she was none too pleased," Neela explained.

"Your mom Yang is too much!" Ilia said still laughing. They all laughed about it for a moment longer before a silence set in and the airship neared the dock. "Nobody wants to ask me?"

"We just thought…" Neela tried to explain but Ilia raised a hand.

"It's okay," Ilia told her. "It's not a gift that I bought for my parents, but a gift that my dad bought me before he turned into an asshole." Ilia tried to laugh about it, but it was painstakingly clear to them that she was hurting. "He bought me a mirror when I was a little girl and told me that if I was ever missing my mother, that I could just look into it because I looked so much like her," Ilia smirked before frowning. "I used to look into that mirror a lot after she first died, but then that bastard smashed it."

"Ilia…" Eliana tried to offer comfort but Ilia stood and brushed past Neela towards the door.

"I said it's okay, didn't I?" Ilia replied defensively. They stood on the dock, watching the commotion around them as people left and arrived, the crowd larger than it normally was. Winter Festival was just around the corner, and the shopping district in Vale capitalized on the fact by opening every shop and stand early and closing them later than usual, discounting everything available in order to turn a quick profit as most people weren't finished shopping at this point, despite the holiday being less than two weeks away.

"Wow!" Eliana exclaimed. "Look at the lights!" She took off without them for the main drag and they slowly followed, Eliana laughing as she spun around and took in all of the sights. Neela's mind flashed to the dark stormy night, imagining a flaming bus sliding down the hill and crashing at the bottom as it reached the docks. She shook it off and kept on slowly, trying to act as normal as possible.

"So if you're not working over the winter break, what are your plans?" Titus asked Neela. Neela watched Eliana and smirked as she looked back at him.

"Elli and I are going to spend it on Patch with her mom and my family," Neela told them. "See where things go from there." Ilia and Titus glanced at each other and kept their eyes on her as she once again watched Eliana.

"Going to tell her finally?" Ilia asked. Neela stopped and her face grew dark for a fleeting moment.

"I shouldn't risk what I've got now, right? I mean, I was acting like a lunatic for two weeks when I thought that she was with Ivory, but I should just be content being her friend if that's what she wants," Neela told them, trying to convince herself. "Right?"

"I've never met anyone more in denial," Titus told her. Neela stumbled back as if she'd been shot. "Clueless." Another step. "Confused." Another step. "Knows exactly what she wants yet has no clue." She fell back into the snow behind her. Titus reached his hand out and helped her up, brushing her off. "You need to tell her Neela." She looked up at him, he shook his head in disbelief as he always did.

"I know," she replied quietly. "It's just…"

"What are we talking about?" Eliana asked standing behind them. Neela screamed and dove forward, landing in more snow and Ilia, Titus, and Eliana exchanged glances. "Is she okay?"

"In a manner of speaking," Ilia replied. Eliana helped Neela up this time and they walked together again towards the shopping district.

"What about you?" Neela asked after calming down. "What are you going to do over the break?"

"As a high ranking officer in the Atlas Military, I was invited to attend a Mantle charity ball that will be taking place at the Schnee residence," Titus explained to her, puffing out his chest and sounding pompous. "Ilia will be going with me as my plus one seeing as I don't have anyone, and she doesn't really have a home to return to."

"I've already told you that I'm not dancing with you," Ilia reminded him.

"You think I want to dance with you?" Titus asked. Eliana laughed.

"Alright you two lovebirds, break it up," Neela told them. "So that we don't know what we're getting each other, we'll need to split up. I'll go with Ilia and Titus can accompany Elli. Sound good?" Ilia nodded and Titus shrugged.

"I feel like I'm always just along for the ride," Titus said as Eliana whisked him away.

"Just shut up and have some fun!" Ilia called back to him. "He complains more than anyone else I've met in my entire life!"

"Tell me about it," Neela agreed. Neela walked with Ilia for a few moments until she was sure that Titus and Eliana were out of earshot and moved in close to Ilia as she looked over a selection of scarves on one of the vendor's stands. "What are you getting Titus?"

"Pfft. A macaroni necklace of course," Ilia said without showing any signs of joking. Neela snickered and shook her head.

"Don't you think you could maybe give him something that has a little more use?" Neela asked.

"For Mr. Modern Major General? Nah, I think the noodles will do just fine," Ilia replied. "I don't want him to think that I care too much."

"I do not think he'll get that impression," Neela said. Ilia smiled and moved on to the next stand.

"Good," Ilia said and she picked up a small leather sack, unzipping it and examining it.

"What are you getting for Vincent and Ivory," Neela asked. She laughed but it almost came off as a nervous chuckle. "Titus made it sound like Ivory is still very much attached to Vincent." Ilia chuckled and set the sack back down, picking up another that was slightly bigger.

"I don't know why he'd think that, Ivory fights with him constantly, but she's always really nice to me. I guess they just have conflicting personalities. No, but she's fun and energetic. She and I went out the other night to gossip about Vincent," Ilia explained. Neela's eyes went narrow as she looked back towards the direction that Eliana and Titus had headed. Ivory has a thing for somebody else… Ohhh… "Do you think that he'd prefer an ammo sack or a scarf? I get all hot and bothered by a guy wearing a scarf."

"I guess the scarf then," Neela told her in agreement. Ilia nodded.

"What do you plan on getting Eliana?" Ilia prodded. "Something that says 'I love you, but I'm never going to tell you because if I do and you say no then I will probably die of the deepest and darkest depression imaginable, but if you say yes my heart will explode with excitement and contentment unlike anything I've ever known before with the exception of the day that I was adopted?' Sound accurate enough?"

"Haha," Neela chortled with snark. "You're a very on the nose kind of person aren't you?" Neela looked away in thought. "Then again you didn't have a problem asking Vin out, did you?"

"It's different with me I guess," Ilia offered as she moved back to the stall selling the scarves and looked them over once more. "I don't have an issue with asking, I just have issues after they say yes. A fear that they'll end up being like my dad and leave me for some stupid reason." She glanced at Neela. "You don't have issues with trust Neela, you just have issues with committing. You have to know that you want it badly enough that you're willing to risk it all. That's the first step."

"But what if everything changes?" Neela asked. Ilia paid for the scarf and spit out a bout of fake laughter at Neela.

"You're kidding right?" Ilia asked. "Whether or not Eliana says yes or no, she'll still be at your side all day, wondering what you're doing, how you're feeling, what you're thinking. She thinks too highly of you to let any of that ever stop. You should see how lost she looks when you're off at work. So what can it hurt to ask her? She says no, so what, you can both move on. And if she says yes, I'm going to have to buy earplugs because I don't want to hear any of it late at night." Neela blushed and hit Ilia.

"Ilia!" Neela shouted.

"What?" Ilia asked coyly. "I'm guessing she's a moaner."

"Ilia!"

"So, what are you going to get for Ilia?" Eliana asked as they stepped into one of the shops so that they could get out of the cold. It was a music store, which wasn't anyone on Team NITE's thing, but they could pretend to browse for a couple of minutes as they warmed themselves up.

"That is a surprise," Titus said winking at Eliana who laughed.

"Cool! I bet it'll be something awesome!" Eliana exclaimed. "So, what was it like being in the military? I mean, I know you still are being lieutenant general and all, but did you go on a lot of dangerous missions? Have you killed anyone? Is that really the reason you know how to dance so well? Am I asking too many questions? I feel like I might be, but you and I don't really get to talk to each other all that often, you know?" Titus smirked at her and puffed his chest out again.

"It was an honor to serve and still serve, being a member of the Atlas Military gives me a purpose and an outlet to protect the people that I care about and my homeland. I do it not for the recognition or privilege that comes with being a high ranking military officer, but for the knowledge that I have done everything in my power to protect all of humankind," he told her. She snickered.

"Sounds like something off of a recruitment pamphlet," she told him. He felt the wind knocked out of him as she walked away.

"That was off of the recruitment pamphlet," he mentioned under his breath.

"What about the rest of my questions?" Eliana pried, spotting Cobalt on the far end of the store.

"Well, the last training mission that I had with Admon was probably the most dangerous thing that I've ever done. I'd rather not talk about how many people I've killed. Yes, that is the reason that I can dance-" She cut him off.

"So you have killed someone!?" She shouted. Everyone in the store glanced at them, Cobalt included. He looked frantic and shielded his face with his coat as he walked over to the counter.

"Can you keep it down Eliana, people are going to get the wrong idea," Titus pleaded.

"I'm sorry!" She gasped exasperated. "I just can't believe that!"

"It's okay," he reassured her as they left the store. "So, what do you plan on getting for Neela then?" Eliana beamed at him with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

"A picture frame!" Eliana told him. "I want her to have a picture frame so that we can put a picture of our team in it. That way when she gets nervous, upset, or anxious about the White Fang being back, she can look at it and know that we're always there for her, even when things get rough." Titus nodded.

"Not a bad idea," Titus said. So she can be serious.

"Yeah, and I'm getting Blake a ball of yarn!" Eliana burst out into laughter and Titus rolled his eyes. For a moment anyway. "Titus, when you asked me the other day if I had a thing for Neela… Why were you asking?" Titus swallowed hard and looked directly ahead as they walked, despite her looking up and staring at the side of his head. Think man, think!

"It just seems like you two are really close," he told her. "I thought maybe there was more to it than the two of you just being really good friends, but it's possible that I misread the situation. Hell, maybe my unconscious was projecting my own feelings into the scenario, maybe I secretly have feelings for Neela."

"I know that's not it," Eliana replied. "You said that you think of us as no more than sisters, and I know that it's the truth." Eliana stared up at the ice blue sky, pulling her coat tight to her body. "Neela means more to me than anything or anyone in this world. That's the beginning and end of it. I'll stay with her for as long as I can. She's my everything." Titus stared down at Eliana. How? How was it possible that Eliana felt the exact same as Neela, but didn't know it? Was it that Eliana didn't fully realize the depth of her own feelings? Was this not the same as Neela's feelings, was he mistaken? He couldn't tell her how Neela felt if he valued his life, so he kept it to himself. Did Eliana not know how to love someone like that…? No, that wasn't it. He had heard the story about Eliana's father, she knew full well how to love like that. Maybe for Eliana, it was just enough to be close. But what if the same didn't hold true for Neela when it was all said and done.

"Does Neela know that?" Titus asked. Eliana stopped and looked at him.

"Of course," Eliana said without a sliver of doubt. Titus smiled softly.

"Good," he replied as they continued on. Two girls that felt exactly the same about each other, and yet, different. There weren't words to describe his confusion on the matter. The best that any of them could do was let it run its course, and hope that both of the girls made it out without heartbreak.

"What do you think Ilia's going to get you?" Eliana asked.

"A macaroni necklace."

"Alright, now what?!" Eliana asked. "We're all done shopping, but it's not even dark yet. I don't want to go back to the dorm until this day has realized its full potential!"

"Have any ideas?" Ilia asked.

"No, that's why I asked," Eliana responded sheepishly. "How about it fearless leader Neela?! Do we go back, or do you have an idea for what we can do?" Neela glanced about the park until she spotted an ice skating rink in the middle and she looked back at them smiling.

"Ice skating?" Neela asked. Titus shook his head and folded his arms.

"Nope," he said.

"Why not?" Ilia asked.

"Too cliché!" He stated. Ilia grabbed his arm and dragged him into the park.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" Ilia asked. Neela and Eliana laughed at him.

"But what if I twist my ankle?" He asked.

"You can ballroom dance, but you're afraid of skating?" Ilia teased.

"I never said that!" He shouted.

"That's what it sounds like to me!" Neela called out.

"Nobody asked you!" Titus replied. Neela glanced over at Eliana who had extended an arm to her.

"Shall we?" Eliana asked. Neela looked her over and they smiled at each other.

"Yes, let's," Neela answered. They hooked arms and skipped down to the rink.

"We don't have any skates with us!" Titus exclaimed.

"I can help!" Bái called out, approaching them from the road with Lykos. Ilia forced Titus to the ground and Bái formed skates made of ice on the bottom of their shoes. Ilia nodded at Bái with a smile.

"Thanks! I'm going to take this pansy out on the ice now," she said. Ilia looked at them all and grinned as she dragged Titus once again.

"You guys came into town to shop too?" Eliana asked. "We saw Cobalt earlier."

"Yeah, he was getting a gift for Tawney," Lykos told her. Eliana nodded.

"Makes sense," she replied. Bái pulled on Lykos arm.

"Let's go skate!" She told him. He chuckled.

"Alright," he told her giving in. "See you two out there!"

"Sure!" Neela responded. Neela watched Eliana who had taken a seat on a nearby bench and was putting on a pair of ice skates that Neela recognized from years ago. "Hey, those look familiar." Eliana looked down at them and smiled.

"Yeah, my feet haven't gotten much bigger since then," Eliana grunted, struggling to get them on. Neela knelt in the snow and grabbed the shoe.

"Let me help," Neela told her. Neela helped push it onto her foot and Eliana smiled down at her.

"Thanks, Neela!" She exclaimed. "Want help with yours?"

"I didn't bring mine," Neela told her.

"I'm sure Bái could whip you up a pair!" Eliana informed her. Neela laughed.

"I think I'll just watch for a bit," Neela replied. She moved up to the bench and sat beside Eliana.

"Suit yourself," Eliana told her with a grin and was gone in a flash. This was the part where normally Neela's mind would welcome in a happy flashback moment between the two of them or a fantasy where Eliana would skate over once she walks to the rink, acting like she can't stop and then tackling her. Then they kiss. That was the way it always played out, but this time Neela's felt different. She had been here two weeks ago, and she'd nearly died. Images of her battle with Ebony filtered quickly through her mind in a flash, she could barely keep up.

"Same thing on your mind still?" Lykos asked. She sighed and nodded, the last time she'd seen him was in the library the other day when she'd lost her cool.

"I'd rather not talk about it," she replied. He nodded and waved Bái over. She sprinted over, stopping next to him and he pointed at Neela's feet, nodding to her. Bái formed a pair of skates on the bottom of Neela's shoes and she looked them over in confusion before looking up at Lykos who was smirking.

"I don't see that preoccupied look on your face when you're with Eliana," Lykos told her. "Go skate." Neela nodded with a smirk and ran out to join Eliana, the girls laughing as they were reunited.

"You really are amazing Lykos-kun," Bái told him, embracing his arm. He looked down at her thoughtfully. He could hardly call himself amazing. If only she knew.

"I think now would be a great time to consider getting food!" Cobalt called from the tree line, stepping out and joining Bái and Lykos.

"Chicken?" Tawney asked, whispering in his ear. He nearly leapt out of his skin and turned around to face her.

"No! And why would you sneak up on a guy like that?!" Cobalt demanded.

"Show of hands. Who thinks Cobalt can't ice skate?" Tawney asked. Lykos, Bái, and Tawney all raised their hands and Cobalt chuckled, nodding in disbelief.

"Fine. Okay, alright. But if I take back your gift now, I can exchange it for something nice that I'd like," Cobalt told her. He raised his eyebrow as she frowned in frustration. "Hm? What's that? You still want your gift?"

"But we just got here senpai!" Bái exclaimed.

"Yeah 'senpai'," Tawney agreed. Cobalt bit his lip and pointed towards the rink.

"Fine! Go!" He shooed them off. "And I'd prefer the term sensei!" Tawney waved him off as she motioned towards the rink with her head and she took off running with Bái. Cobalt sighed as he sat on the bench, Lykos joining him there as they sat in silence.

"What did you get-" Cobalt began.

"No," Lykos replied. Cobalt looked at him, blinking hard a few times before watching their friends skating again.

"I got Tawney a CD she wanted," Cobalt told him. "Maybe it's obvious, and maybe it's the impersonal choice, but it's something that she wanted, right?" Lykos nodded and the silence enveloped them again. "Yeah… So… Anyways… Skating. Great time, right?"

"Bái is happy. That's enough for me," Lykos replied.

"Good man, taking care of your woman," Cobalt told him.

"We aren't together," Lykos replied dryly. Cobalt gave him a bewildered look.

"What?" He asked in shock.

"We are not together," Lykos answered again, practically spelling it out. Cobalt moved closer, glancing at Bái on occasion and looking Lykos dead in the eyes.

"Lykos, what do you mean? You are that girl's entire world, how are you not together? Are you guys…? You know what, none of my business, but still, I can't figure that one out. This is a joke, right? That girl is attached to you at the hip. If she's awake, she needs you by her side to function. Sometimes she even needs you that close when she's sleeping, but you're going to tell me that you two aren't an item?" Cobalt blurted out. Lykos shoved him back and stood.

"I don't want her that close to me!" He snapped. Cobalt knew it was a lie, he could hear the uncertainty. Why was Lykos hesitant? What was holding him back? Clearly, they both had feelings for each other, and both of them were overly self-aware of their feelings, so what was Cobalt missing? "If anything I'd rather be considered more of a bodyguard or an older brother." Cobalt looked at him, Lykos staring daggers through him.

"Okay. I'm sorry," Cobalt apologized. He looked out at the rink again and whistled loudly. They all looked at him, including a few others who were simply there to enjoy themselves. "Anybody on Team CBLT and NITE want food? My parents are paying, so I was thinking we could go get something from the Mistrali restaurant across the street here!" They all looked at each other and called back in unison.

"Sure!" Cobalt smirked and waited for them to arrive.

"Thanks, Cobalt!" Eliana exclaimed hugging him tightly.

"Don't mention it," he told her, "My mom and dad wanted us to have a good time today and I kind of figured that we'd run into you guys."

"Oh hey!" Eliana exclaimed realizing the opportunity at hand. "Just a minute guys!" She ran up to someone passing by and talked to him for a moment, handing him her scroll. She ran back to the group and waved for the stragglers to hurry. "We're going to take a group picture! It'll be great!" Neela shook her head and smiled. Eliana was something else. Always had been, always would be. She ran up to the group, challenging Ilia to keep up with her.

"Let's do this!" Bái exclaimed excitedly.

"Alright! So, we're going to do this one at a time okay?!" Eliana exclaimed standing in front of the TV, both teams had piled into the rec room of the dorm, some of them sitting at one of the tables and a few of them on the two couches. "Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go," Tawney said as Eliana sat and she moved to the front of the room, holding out Cobalt's gift for him to come and take from her. She snatched it away several times as he tried to grab it and they all chuckled.

"Alright, okay. Very funny!" He exclaimed.

"Helpless without your visor," Tawney told him.

"As if. Just thought I'd let you enjoy your little moment," he taunted. She rolled her eyes.

"Just open it," she told him. He tore the paper off slowly, his face twisting in shock as he destroyed the rest of the paper.

"This is a limited release, premium gold edition, pre-order only, Volume One of Demon Ninja Knight, complete with an autograph and one extra panel exclusive to this print!" Cobalt exclaimed. He looked back up at Tawney and looked away quickly. "I… I feel like an ass now."

"It's cool Cobalt," Tawney said. "You just wouldn't shut up about it, so I just had to get it for you." Cobalt held out his gift to her and she looked it over, a smirk on her face as his wrapping made it super obvious as to what it was. She opened it up. "It's Jeff and Casey's new album. Awesome." Cobalt and Tawney smiled at each other. "Thanks, sensei."

"Thank you, Tawney." He replied. They both took their seats and Titus slowly stood, moving to the middle of the room.

"Alright, enough of the sappy nonsense, Ilia, come and get your gift," Titus said sounding bored. Ilia stood slowly, moving to the middle of the room and opening it, discovering a brown cardboard box beneath the wrapping and opening it. Ilia dropped the box, Titus catching it before it could hit the floor. Ilia covered her mouth, shaking her head.

"No, Titus. No," she told him. "Why?" Titus slowly removed the mirror and handed it carefully to Ilia who was reluctant to take it.

"My mother is the most important person in my life and I would never want to forget what she looks like," Titus told her. "I didn't think you'd want to forget what yours looked like either." She couldn't speak, the words wouldn't have come out anyway. Titus took a step forward and wrapped his arms around her, she clung tight to him. He's just like an older brother! Titus! You don't know how much this means to me!

"Thank you," she gasped. He let go of her and smiled as she held out her bag towards him. She laughed through the tears. "It's not nearly as nice as the mirror, but I hope you still like it." Titus looked in, his eyes searching for what he assumed would be inside, but was unable to find it. He slowly pulled out the black cloth, holding it out in front of him. "It's a cape. It has the Atlas Kingdom's crest in white on it. I thought that maybe you could wear it every now and then instead of that plain white and purple one." Titus smiled, unclasping his gargoyle broach and trading the capes out.

"Thank you Ilia," he replied admiring the new cape. "I will wear it at all times." Eliana sniffed loudly and they all looked at her.

"You guys are killing me!" She exclaimed. "Bái and Lykos can go next."

"I didn't get him anything too crazy, rest assured!" Bái exclaimed as she blushed and handed over the bag to him. He peaked in, smirking as she hit him. "You can't look, you have to just pull it out!" She shoved him and he chuckled as he reached in, closing his eyes for over exaggeration and pulled out a pair of earmuffs. "Do you like them? You're always telling me that your ears are cold and since it's winter, I thought that you might want a pair." He reached up and adjusted where his pelt sat on the top of his head.

"I love them," he told her. "And here's yours." Bái's was wrapped inside a shoebox and she opened it up, wasting no time and throwing the two halves of the box away as she reached the middle, quickly gripping onto the item. She looked the dark grey scarf over and held it up so that everyone could see. "I'm sorry that it wasn't as thoughtful as the ear muffs, but I thought that you'd still like it." Bái held it close to her chest and ran forward to Lykos, throwing her arms around him.

"Of course I love it, it's from you! Thank you, Lykos!" She shouted. He held her for a moment, his eyes meeting Cobalt's as they exchanged a glance. Cobalt's was teasing, still not ready to accept the fact that the two of them were nothing more than friends while Lykos glared daggers back at him. He smiled at Bái as she let him go and Eliana leapt up out of her seat, bouncing up and down as she held her gift for Neela behind her back. Eliana grinned from ear to ear as Neela slowly stood, seeming labored as she did so, and everyone waiting with a fake enthusiasm as to humor Eliana.

"Hurry up already!" Eliana demanded. Neela waltzed over slowly, holding out her hand in a lackadaisical manner and Eliana handed her the frame with the picture that they took from earlier in the day in it.

"This is amazing, Elli! Thanks!" Neela replied. "You'll have to wait until later to receive yours."

"What?" Ilia asked.

"Come on!" Titus demanded. "There's no cop-outs here!"

"It's not ready yet!" Neela yelled back at them.

"What is it?" Cobalt asked.

"It's a surprise!" Neela shouted back at them in response. "Sheesh." Cobalt leapt up, racing quickly to the doorway and using his clone as a stool, placing mistletoe at the top and leaping off, his clone disappearing.

"Alright people, you know the drill. Leave in pairs and whoever you leave with, you have to kiss," Cobalt told them. He extended his hand. "Ilia?" They all stared hard at Cobalt before looking back and Ilia. She smirked, adding extra sway as she sauntered over to him and grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him in close. His face turned bright red and he was instantly confused by what was happening. "Wait… what are you doing?!"

"You wanted a kiss, didn't you?" She asked. She forced one on him aggressively, his mouth unsure whether or not it could enjoy it at first but he gave in, only a second before she disappeared.

"Happy Winter Festival!" Cobalt shouted before punching himself repeatedly in the face and stumbling down the hall. They all stood in a shocked silence for a moment before they remembered that they were leaving, glancing at one another.

"So that happened," Titus said. "And I am going to leave the room by myself now." They watched as he left, followed closely by Tawney, though no one would have dared as they were aware that the end result would be less than desirable unless it was Ilia again. Bái and Lykos left with each other, Bái hesitating beneath the berries and leaves, letting Lykos kiss her on the cheek before blushing and skipping away. Eliana began to leave, standing in the doorway and glancing up at the mistletoe.

"Funny that people are supposed to kiss under this silly little plant," Eliana said. "What's the logic behind that anyway?"

"Some legend that no one really knows all that well," Neela told her standing a few feet away. "On each of the season's festivals, the brothers called for a truce from one another for that one day. Each one has a different tradition that was created by the humans that were around at the time of the brothers. Painting eggs and filling pumpkins with candles was rumored to keep Grimm and evil spirits away. Every year on the day of the Summer Festival there is a meteor shower, which humans believed to be the brothers working together to remind the people of the beauty the brothers had created."

"What about the mistletoe?" Eliana asked again. Neela shrugged.

"That one seems to be the most obscure myth of them all, but rumor has it that the brothers promised those that kissed under the mistletoe everlasting friendship and an unbreakable betrothal that was recognized by both the spirits and humankind," Neela told her. "But again, it's just a myth. People just do it now because it's the 'thing to do'." Eliana stared at it for a moment longer before looking back at Neela.

"It seems that neither of us has someone to kiss," Eliana told her. Neela chuckled nervously before shrugging.

"We could kiss each other," Neela suggested. Eliana watched her and Neela felt as if something inside of her was ready to implode. Why would I suggest that? This is crazy Neela, that's obviously not what she wants! Pull it together! Fix this! "I was just joking Elli, that would be absurd."

"Would it?" Eliana asked. Neela looked at her in disbelief. Were they actually having this conversation?! "I mean, if it's just the thing you do when you're under the mistletoe, it would be no different than painting eggs or putting lights in gourds, right?" Neela stared long and hard at Eliana. Was she following along with what she was suggesting? Did she really think it would be that harmless if they kissed? And if Eliana saw it as being that plutonic, would Neela be the same after the fact, knowing that she wanted it to be far more? "Come here." Neela was hesitant, looking at Eliana as though she was confused, Eliana with her hand extended much like Cobalt's had been a moment ago. She heard the door close, they were alone.

"Eliana, really. It's just silly. We don't have to do this," Neela reassured her. Eliana laughed and wiggled her fingers towards Neela, suggesting for her to come closer.

"Are you scared, little hawk?" Eliana asked. Neela's jaw quivered but it was unnoticeable to Eliana. She used that name again. "Afraid that you might like it?"

"Don't be… Don't be ridiculous Elli," Neela replied taking Eliana's hand. I'm more afraid that you might not like it. Eliana brushed Neela's braid and Neela looked at her hand, her eyes trying to decide what to focus on. Oh my Oum, she's serious. She's actually going to do it, isn't she?

"Relax Neela," Eliana told her. "It'll be over in a moment and we'll have another great memory that'll stay with us forever." Neela inhaled deeply, letting it back out and closing her eyes, trying to focus. This wasn't the way that she had imagined their first kiss in her head, but it wasn't a big deal, right? It never went as people planned it, a romantic dinner along the ocean side, a nice cafe. There was music playing softly, perhaps coming from inside of the restaurant, maybe echoing gently out of a music hall on the other side of the city. Eliana would look completely stunning in the same dress that she'd worn to the dance, Coco probably did Neela's make up. "Are you ready?"

"Yes…" Neela barely managed, her throat constricted and dry, nodding hard so that Eliana would know she meant it. Eliana gently caressed the back of Neela's head, her other hand still lightly manipulating Neela's braids, she pulled her in slow. Neela's mind was mush, her eyes were clamped shut, her lips pursed but quivering, her knees knocking together hard enough to create seismic activity. Nothing was functioning properly at this point, Neela was close to collapsing on top of Eliana which would only make matters worse. The only thing that was audible to Neela at this point was her own heart pounding in her chest, and Eliana's soft, hot breath that grew heavier and more evident with every passing millisecond.

Neela's mind lit up, her body becoming rigid as she swore Eliana's lips brushed her own, Eliana's breath giving her life for just an eclipsing moment before Eliana drew back, Neela unwilling to open her eyes just yet. She needed the moment of release, but her pride and heart crashed violently as she felt Eliana's soft lips on her cheek. Neela took a deep breath in as Eliana pulled back and laughed under her breath.

"You okay, Neela?" Eliana asked looking at her as Neela opened her eyes again. "You're cheek was burning up." Neela looked at the floor, nodding lightly and licking her lips. She looked back up at Eliana, Eliana looked pleased with herself, smiling at Neela, but it almost seemed different. Was this the same smile that carefree and perpetually joyful Eliana typically had on her face?

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." Neela replied when she was finally able to speak again.

"Was that so hard?" Eliana asked. Eliana walked away, leaving Neela standing under the mistletoe and perplexed, staring up at it and trying desperately to figure out what happened. "Come on! We have to catch the next flight or we aren't going to make it back to Patch tonight!" Neela heard the door close and she pulled her glove off of her left hand, putting it in her mouth and biting hard, screaming through it. What are you waiting for Neela?

Neela's still got it bad and is going to have to tell Elli eventually. Next Week, the beginning of the Winter Break Arc as Titus and Ilia head to Atlas in Chapter 46 - Mantle and Salutem!

A big thank you to Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. All of their artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.

Until next week, stay classy!