Christmas that year was fairly subdued for the Pyropes. They were, of course, still recovering from the news that had hit them barely a week prior, but the three of them still managed to enjoy themselves a bit. Since there were only three of them, the exchanging of gifts did not take very long. Latula's gifts were mostly video game related. Terezi had managed to find a dress that apparently was designed to look like a Gameboy Color- at least, that had been what the clerk told her- and Latula seemed to appreciate it. Terezi's gifts were simple and small; a pack of Braille playing cards and some of the most obnoxiously colored t-shirts. Terezi grinned. She knew if (and when) she wore those to school, Kanaya would call her a fashion disaster, but what did she expect from a blind girl?

After the gift exchange, the girls sat down to breakfast, and then Rebecca started on their dinner, and a wonderful aroma filled the house, something Terezi wanted to tell her mother, but didn't at risk of offending Latula and her "disability". No matter how she thought about it, Terezi couldn't consider anosmia to be on the same level as blindness. Normally, Terezi would have invited Vriska over for Christmas since 1) Vriska was Jewish and 2) Vriska's family didn't always have good holiday experiences, but obviously she was not in a position of wanting to do that this year. But it was kind of nice, having an intimate Christmas, just the three of them. Terezi knew Karkat was jealous; his holidays were always sort of insane with his weird, big extended family. Terezi frowned. It would have been so fun to have a baby sister. It was always so quiet around, and she almost wished she had a bigger family. If nothing else, though, Rebecca had realized that the stress from work WAS too much, and she ended up taking some time off through February, and Terezi was glad her mother would be around more.

"Hey Mom," Terezi said after another moment.

"Yeah?"

"You know I love you, right?"

Rebecca paused, glancing up at Terezi. "I love you too, Ter."

Maybe that was something Terezi didn't say enough. That would be a good New Year's Resolution; spend more time with Mom and Tules.

Terezi's thought was interrupted by her phone.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] has sent file 4 to gallowsCalibrator [GC]-

GC: Well, I can't watch the video but it sounds like you got another cat.

CG: Dammit.

CG: Look at me, being a grade A dipshit as per usual.

GC: I am not going to make you feel bad about it.

GC: You do that to yourself enough as it is.

CG: Oh shut it.

CG: You manage well enough that people who don't know you wouldn't even guess you're blind in the first place.

CG: Seriously, your fucking braille cell phone or whatever the fuck?

GC: Believe it or not, all phones used to come with buttons like that.

CG: Anyway, I just wanted to say Merry Christmas.

GC: Merry Christmas, Karkat!

For a moment, Terezi thought back to her conversation with Dave the day after the party.

GC: Hey, have you talked to Dave lately?

GC: Like, since Feferi's party?

CG: Ugh.

CG: No.

CG: He walked me home because I was feeling like a miserable douchewaffle, but then, nothing.

CG: Why, have you?

GC: Yeah.

GC: He came over the day after to help me deal with some shit.

CG: What shit are you dealing with that you couldn't tell me about?

GC: Karkat, I do not need to tell you about everything.

GC: Why, are you jealous?

GC: Ehehehe.

CG: No!

GC: Well, he seemed a bit distracted.

GC: Said he felt bad for blowing you off.

CG: Yeah well how sorry can he be?

CG: He hasn't even tried to talk to me.

CG: Not that I blame him, I made myself into a total shitting idiot in front of him.

CG: God, I hate this so much.

GC: I am not totally clear on what is happening between you and Dave.

CG: Nothing's happening, that's the damn problem!

CG: I have this giant gay crush on him and he's after you.

Wow. Just. Wow. That was probably the dumbest thing Karkat had said to her in a long time. All this trouble because he thought Dave was crushing on her? And here he was supposed to be this romcom expert. Maybe those movies just made him think everything was so much more complicated than it actually was.

GC: AHAHAHA!

GC: Karkat I

GC: Oh my god.

GC: I am not interested in him that way.

CG: Then tell him to back off or something!

GC: We're not doing anything, we are just two cool friends who like to hang out.

CG: I think he sees it as more.

He was so far off base. And of course Terezi couldn't just tell him that he was wrong, because that would just bring up more questions that she wasn't in a position to answer.

GC: Well that is just

GC: Not really my problem.

CG: Can't you just do me a solid this once?

GC: You want me to ruin the best friendship I have had since ours because you think Strider's trying to get into my boxers

GC: And you like him.

CG: Well when you put it like that…

GC: You're being dumb.

CG: You're probably right. I'm usually being dumb.

GC: Anyway, I need to get going

GC: But I will talk to you later when you stop being dumb about this.

gallowsCalibrator [GC] has ceased pestering carcinoGeneticist [CG]

Jesus, how ridiculous was he being? Terezi shook her head as she re-read the conversation, scrolling up and taking a few screenshots.

gallowsCalibrator [GC] began pestering turntechGodhead [TG]

-gallowsCalibrator [GC] sent 3 images to turntechGodhead [TG]-

GC: Can you believe that dweeb

TG: wow

TG: wow dudes so off base

GC: He has this weird romcom-based complex that boys and girls cant be friends without there being some other motive

TG: he likes romcoms?

TG: brb rethinking this whole 'crush' thing

GC: Ha

GC: He is like OBSESSED with romcoms

GC: They make up about 85 percent of his movie collection

TG: omg

TG: that is so nerdily adorable

GC: Adorable?

GC: Oh my god Dave youre so whipped for him

TG: shut up

GC: :]

GC: I can smell your embarrassment from here

TG: jfc thats not even a thing but coming from you color me unsurprised

GC: Well if you get a chance I do suggest talking to him later

GC: Even if its just to say Merry Christmas or something

TG: yeah maybe

TG: idk im gonna be at roses

TG: you know she and kan are kind of a thing?

GC: Christ how could I miss that

GC: I may be blind but 'lesbian' radiates off both of them

TG: you know what

TG: thats fair

TG: anyway i should probably get going

TG: i still have to trade gifts with dirk

GC: Still?

GC: It's like 12

TG: yeah he just woke up like 40 minutes ago and hes been doing his hair

TG: even though im just chilling in my pjs he doesnt like anyone to see his bedhead

TG: even me

TG: so he told me to wait until hes done spiking it

GC: Your brother sounds like a nerd

TG: we cant both be as cool as i am

TG: anyway ill talk to you later tz

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering gallowsCalibrator [GC]

The rest of the evening was very low-key. Terezi went upstairs to get Pyralspite out of his tank and let him wander outside for a bit before giving him his dinner, and then sitting down to dinner herself. For once, there was no drama. The Pyropes had a peaceful night together, and that was all Terezi really wanted for Christmas.