Christmas Day, SaDiablo Hall, Dhemlan, Kaeleer

[glacial_witch]

After a long time talking and making up, it was a much happier Warren and Karla that had come down for a Christmas luncheon--which, at four courses, was still nothing compared to the Christmas feast that Mrs. Beale was preparing for supper. Karla had given her a bunch of Earth cookbooks for Winsol one year and Mrs. Beale had apparently decided that

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[trigons_child]

Raven had been to Kaeleer many times since leaving Fandom, but that had only for training sessions with Lucivar. It would be nice to come and just relax and spend time with friends for a change.

Once she arrived she began to look around to see who else might be there. It had been nice to see people in Sunnydale not long ago, but with their voices gone and the demons creeping about stealing hearts, there had been little time for catching up.

Hopefully Lucivar wouldn't be waiting with sticks today.

[glacial_witch]

There were probably no sticks today, thank the Darkness. Karla wasn't willing to bet that for certain, but odds were good he'd let Raven go without training. He'd call it her Christmas present and just make her work double next time.

"Kiss kiss," Karla said, doing just that on Raven's cheek while engulfing her in a giant hug. "Good to see you, darling."

From Karla's mood and smile, Raven could probably guess that she and Warren had reconciled.

[trigons_child]

"You are happy," Raven said, smiling as she hugged Karla back. "Did you speak with Warren? And it went well?" There weren't many other things she could think of at the moment that would cause such a good mood in her friend.

[glacial_witch]

"I did and it did," she confirmed. "I mean, it wasn't great? He didn't like most of what I had to tell him, with me being in danger and all? But we managed to talk it out and we're not avoiding one another anymore."

Which was a step! A good one!

[life_inshadow]

After the disaster that was the last weekend in Sunnydale, Tara had made halfhearted plans to go back to Weaverville and see her birth family for Christmas.

By noon Christmas Eve, she was almost wishing the Gentlemen would come back.

So when Karla's invitation came through the next day, it was quite a relief to make some hasty excuses and portal on out to Kaeleer. Anything was better than another week with her family.

[glacial_witch]

"Tara!" Karla said, giving her friend a giant grin. "Isn't it weird to be coming here for some peace and quiet?"

Two out of two holidays had prejudiced Karla slightly against trips to Sunnydale.

[life_inshadow]

Tara was healed enough to giggle. "I think come V-valentine's Day, I'm leaving Sunnydale ahead of time," she noted. "Though ... Thanksgiving was pretty normal."

For her. Not for Buffy, but she didn't know that yet.

"Anyhow, this feels a lot more Christmasy than seeing my family does."

[glacial_witch]

"Good to hear you're making advance plans," Karla said, reaching out for a hug. "I don't even want to know what kind of Valentine's Day horror Sunnydale could come up with."

It would be epic and gruesome and would probably involve a play on the song 'I only have eyes for you' or something equally terrible.

"And I'm glad you're here," she added with a warm smile. "Consider it an open invite. Even if it isn't Winsol season here, we'll be decorating for Christmas and you're always welcome."

[not_a_parakeet]

Of course Warren was here for Christmas. He'd come here on Christmas Eve, and had staked out a corner of the room with the tree in it, mostly because of the comfortable chair.

He'd made up with his girlfriend and he was surrounded by friends, and he was kind of immersing himself in Christmas carols on his phone for the past few days. He was ready for you, Christmas. Totally and completely.

[blondecanary]

"Warren Warren Warren," Dinah chanted, thus deep-sixing any sneakiness of approaching him from the back. "I made it!"

[not_a_parakeet]

"Dinah, Dinah, Dinah," Warren replied, grinning a little as he turned to nod his hello at her. "You did. How was the trip?"

[blondecanary]

Dinah offered the wine bottle and a hug, and answered, "Would've been traumatizing, landing in a harem on some alien planet, if they'd been anything resembling human, and they didn't think I was an adorable pet. I think. Possibly an adorable house-plant. They kept feeding me while I waited for the next portal, though. And pouring water over my head."

[nothornlessrose]

It hadn't taken Cassidy much preparing to decide to take Karla up on her invitation. She had spent a great deal of the break with her family and when the invitation came, Devra had pushed her to go.

So after making sure she had gifts and sweet treats for everyone, Cassidy was cheerfully exploring and greeting everyone she knew.

[glacial_witch]

"Cassidy!" Karla said, giving the little witch a hug. "You've been scarce recently. You're not hiding a boyfriend from me, are you?"

[nothornlessrose]

Cassidy shook her head with a small blush as she hugged Karla back.

"No, I've just been studying and losing track of time outside of my room when I do that."

She wished she had a boyfriend to hide.

[glacial_witch]

"I hate to say it, but that's a lot of what I've been doing, too," Karla admitted. Not really studying for school, but maps of Glacia, terrain studies, censuses, reports from the underground...all stuff that would (hopefully) help her once she graduated.

"How are your parents?" she asked. "Did you give them my respects? Was it Winsol when you are?"

[heromaniac]

Momoko had of COURSE taken Karla up on the offer!

She was totally not at all staring sparkly-eyed and wondering how she managed to be so lucky as to go from one palace to another.

Obviously she had good taste in friends!

Speaking of, she looked around for one of them... any of them? Hello?

[trigons_child]

"Momoko!" Raven said when she saw her friend arrive. "It is good to see you. How are you?"

And why did you shrink Karla went unspoken. For now.

[heromaniac]

"Raven! Happy Christmas! I'm fine! All healed and everything!" She flexed an arm, then reached to offer a hug. "You?"

[trigons_child]

"Merry Christmas," Raven said, accepting the hug and giving one in return. But she frowned at Momoko's words. "You were injured? What happened?"