(Untitled)

[sir_samuel]

There were still four whole days until the island's more commonplace winter celebrations, but the Vimes family was already gathered in the rec room amidst a small pile of gifts to celebrate their own personal holiday. Having grown up on Tabula Rasa, Young Sam had come to expect not to usual one day of presents, but two - on Hogswatch eve, whenever

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[iwhinny4dragons]

"Sam, you mighten't shake all of them," Sybil said, setting down a set of absolutely perfect macaroons, the result of so many years on the island and all the coconuts in the world to practice with, before sitting herself.

"What if one's breakable?"

Sam took a moment to look chagrined before his expression screwed up in a way that could only be described as suspicious.

"But you don't give me breakable things," he pointed out in his ever so cultured five year old voice. Sybil smiled almost wanly, struck not for the first time by her son's resemblance to his father and by the fact that he was no longer 6 months old.

"A fair enough point," she murmured. Errol climbed up the back of Vimes' chair to drape his goggly-eyed head on its arm and snuffle happily at nothing.

[sir_samuel]

"She doesn't give me breakable things, either," Vimes told his son conspiratorially. He rolled his eyes faintly as Errol settled comfortably into his lap, his drool sizzling just slightly each time it hit the upholstery. "But if you don't choose one soon, we're gonna be here all night, and then no one will get presents of any kind."

[iwhinny4dragons]

"All night?" Sam said, expression brimming with the sudden prospect of staying up so far past his bed time that it actually became the next day.

"Oh, no," Sybil said, casting a Look at Sam the elder, "if you stay up all night you'll be far too tired tomorrow to show your friends your Hogswatch gift or walk Moon Rat. And that won't be any fun at all, will it?"

Sam pursed his lips slightly as he turned his head fro side to said, looking over one of the wrapped up packages.

"....No," he admitted.

"That one looks good," Sybil suggested. "Or at the least, it looks like Da wrapped it."

[sir_samuel]

Which meant that it didn't look 'good' as much as like an awkwardly taped together ball of paper. Vimes generally left the gift-wrapping to Sybil for such occasions, but there was always one thing for Sam that he wrapped himself, no matter how ridiculous the outcome. "Go ahead, open it. Bet it'll be the most interesting one. Well- unless the Hogfather does me one better."

[iwhinny4dragons]

Sam set to, and Sybil reached a hand over to squeeze her husband's. Then, rather than withdraw her hand from the gesture (since the gesture was enough), slipped their fingers together and left it their. Around this time the year prior, things had been bad, and she hadn't known how much. It had taken them ages to come back from it, but she felt they had, now, and that things seemed... bright. And warm.

But that might have just been the holidays.

[sir_samuel]

Vimes exchanged a warm smile with his wife, the sort that only Sybil and young Sam ever saw. Had it been two years now since he had done that damn fool thing - he never dared even speak it aloud - and could it be that he could finally be truly happy again? Content, even? When he looked at Sybil, he was certain that the answer was yes.

Sam had torn open the rough wrapping with all speed to reveal a wooden train, complete with turning wheels and gears, something Vimes had got one of the members of the IPD to carve for him. Now completely ignoring his parents in order to concentrate on his new toy, he was crawling about the room, rolling it across tables and up walls. Vimes grinned.

He squeezed Sybil's hand. "I'm gonna get some air while he's distracted, mm?" He needed a moment alone to savor this bit of peace. And a cigar wouldn't be bad, either.

[iwhinny4dragons]

"Of course," she said, returning the squeeze. Errol slunk down to chase the train as Sam moved it around.

"And when you're back, we'll see if we can't get him to focus long enough to pick out a present for his da to open."

[sir_samuel]

Vimes snorted softly. "We'll see how well that goes," he said with a twist of a smile. He kissed Sybil's cheek, bundled himself into his jacket, and headed out into the cool, crisp air outside