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It was snowing on the Hermitcraft server.
Now, this wasn't a phenomenal thing, really. After all, most regions snowed constantly. But this year, it just so happened that the whole server was being subjected to icy wonder.
This WAS something to get excited about.
In fact, every single Hermit was outside, enjoying the snow.
Well, almost every hermit.
A brunette stood in the doorway of Doc's lab, and leaned against the doorframe, looking out into the vast white and watching a few Hermits running around in the snow.
Ren smirked, steam from his breath nearly a smoke that covered his face due to just how above average his body heat was, and the plaid jacket didn't exactly aid his case.
“I want to join in." He states, side-eyeing Doc expectantly. Already ready with a rebuttal in case Doc attempts to make some excuse about his work. Because he knew his work was finished and all of the shows Doc watched routinely were between seasons.
“That sounds nice actually.“ The centaur sighed, his little nub tail stirring as he pranced in place a bit, bouncing on his paws. “I don't think my paws are damaged enough for the snow to do anything. So maybe we should.“
“Really??" Ren gasps, the Grinch HIMSELF is gonna join in some holiday fun?!“
"I- I'm not a Grinch!" Doc stammered, looking genuinely hurt that Ren would even suggest such a thing. “I- I- love Christmas!“
Ren let his own tail wag at Doc's apparent distress, snickering a little.
It was common knowledge that Doc was one of, if not, the best Christmas gift giver on the server. He always put so much thought into what he made or bought that all the other hermits had trouble even comparing some years. Xisuma had even joked about appointing Doc as the resident Santa much to the creeper goat's dismay.
“What?!" Doc whined, sounding similar to a pouting child, “Ren, what's so funny!?"
“Nothing, nothing." The wolf laughed, "Just... You really thought I didn't know Christmas is your favorite?“
The centaur's cheeks flushed pink. “I- I mean-"
“What kind of friend would I be if I didn't know your favorite holiday!“ Ren chuckled, poking his flustered friend with an elbow as he trod outside. “A normal one, that's what. Anyway, come on get out here!“
Doc flicked his ears to recompose himself as he padded out onto the snow, his paw pads leaving tiny dents in the snow.
...
“We can go back inside if you want to Jev," Hypno calls at his quite literally blue friend.
“I'm fine!" Jevin laughs as he calls back to the disgruntled-looking hybrid. “Seriously, it's not even all that cold!"
“You're starting to solidify Jev." He offered, walking over and taking the slime's icy fingers in his own sensitive hands, which were gloved. “I don't want a popsicle of a friend."
“Yeah but you could actually have FUN with a popsicle of a friend.“ Jevin laughed, "Like you could actually comfort me without gloves."
Hypno's eyes immediately scrunched up and he frowned, looking at the senieant slime with his deep black eyes. “Jevin what's that supposed to mean? I don't like what you're insinuating.“
"I'm joking." Jevin sighs, pulling his solidified fingers and stretching them a bit, listening to them click and clack against each other. “I just wanted to see what happens if I'm out here long enough.“
The slime extended like he was cracking his spine and Hypno watched as Jevin grinned when nothing happened. “I guess if I'm in the cold long enough I get a kinda humanoid body, just made of ice instead of flesh.“
"Or you could just call it what it is and say you start to freeze to death?“ The Shulker hybrid huffed. “Now come on, let's get back. I want hot chocolate, and I made you some, that you will be drinking, too.“
“You're a real downer you know." The slime laughed, suppressing little shivers as he trudged slowly after his friend.
“It's called being a caring friend" Hypno laughs, "and you, my good fella, need one.“
...
Scar stuck his tongue out to catch a snowflake and grinned when he got one of the little things.
"Childish much?" Mumbo jokes, nudging him as Scar smiles down at him.
"Well I'm sorry for wanting to be able to keep something so unique it was only ever made once with me for however long." The Vex hybrid giggled, smirking at the obviously shaken expression on the post-human's face. "After all wouldn't you?"
Grian swooped in before the vampire could pass out from overthinking the statement, "Scarrrr! Come on! Don't do this today!"
The vex responded with a giggling sound like the tinking of crystals. "Awe come on! Just joking! When does it ever snow on the full server? Never!"
The avian rolled his eyes, shaking the vampire's shoulders."Cub come get your dog!“
Cub motioned for Scar to bend down a bit and the other vex complied, grinning softly at the warm touch of the raventte's hands as cub places them on his cheeks looking in his eyes. "Scar."
"Cub." The brunette responded, giving him a sharp-toothed smile.
"Don't traumatize or deeply concern your friends please."
Scar gasped, and had he not been wearing a jacket his little wings would have flared up and flapped for emphasis."I would never! I was simply bringing up an argument about his snowflakes being on a kind so if you dissolve on your tongue you'd be the first ever to destroy a snowflake of its structure and the last ever Because no two are the same."
"Yes, but Mumbo wasn't ready for that today." Cub scolds, smirking a bit at the taller's antics. "If you can do that for me I'll bake cookies later."
"Done." The brunette responded immediately, standing back up and going to run off with Ren with whatever he was doing.
...
"It's head is crooked." Joel grumbled, the little rounded ears utop his head flicking back in annoyance.
Etho huffs, “Don't say that, he's just proportionately challenged.“
"Oh my Void-, Shut up.“ Bdubs grumbles, rolling another ball of snow for the head. “To criticize your own snowman."
“No, but ours are flawless. Yours is...“ the tanuki hybrid hums, waving his hand dismissively at the snow version of himself he'd been sculpting.
"A work in progress," Etho suggests, the two both snickering as Bdubs nearly crumbled the ball of snow by balling his fists in annoyance.
“Fine! Well if you think it's so easy to try and replicate my flawless figure do it yourselves!“ He spits, glaring especially at the smirking Joel who he knew would not only take the challenge but excel.
“Maybe I will." The mentioned purrs at him, raising his eyebrows with a sly smirk.
Bdubs wants to kick Joel into Etho and then stomp on the both of them. But he refrains.
Because it's Christmas.
Etho looks like he's about to say something when he is pelted in the head with a snowball and falls forward into the snow, bleeding.
Gem jogs over and whoops a few times before picking up the rock she'd covered in snow and turning it on a still shell-shocked Joel.
Bdubs stands next to his snowman with wide eyes and he and The red fox hybrid make eye contact.
“Were these two bothering you?" She asks, taking the bloody rock and stepping over the dissolving bodies. “I thought they were bothering you."
“They were but that's nothing new.“ The glad e hybrid sighs, Patting the snowball into his sculpture. “Thanks."
“No problem." The orange-haired girl chuckles, tossing her rock at Ethos's snow version of himself and leaving a hole in the side of the head. “These two get weird around Christmas. It's the competitiveness that the season brings out.“
"Seems like they aren't the only ones.“ Bdubs chuckles, readjusting his moss hood with his icy-cold fingers. “You're not immune to it either I'm assuming.“
"You could say that.“ Gem shrugs, chuckling as she turns to a very upset-looking duo of hybrids racing towards them. “Well looks like I've, gotta get going, wouldn't wanna end up with my head on Etho's snowman."
Budubs chuckled, "Yeah best avoid that."
“It was nice talking to you!" Gem smiles, laughing as she gets off through the snow followed shortly by an Etho with a very disgruntled-looking Joel riding on his back.
...
The shopping district is desolate and peaceful and snowangles line the streets.
Two figures pad their way down the streets, trying their best to avoid them.
Xisuma hums a little Christmas tune, reindeer slippers squeaking with each step he took down the cobbled street. His arm wrapped around Doc's waist, as the creeper centaur padded along next to him, Xisuma in his unveiled form, sighing and leaning deeper into the support of the hybrid.
"S', it possible you can carry me?" The blonde murmured, rubbing his eyes. "I hate to ask 's just that I've been having the worst episodes where I pass out suddenly."
"It's like you've been barely sleeping, staying well up into the night, scouring the code, burning yourself out by looking through old code, and then panicking when you don't have enough time to write in the new patches." Doc scoffed without any real annoyance.
"You can't say you're much better. You literally have whole workshops full of unfinished experiments that you always say you'll commit to, then panic about when you feel your motivation sucked from you." The voidwalker quipped back, rolling his own eyes but still laughing about it. "So in conclusion we're both just two different sides of the same messed up cycle. Working so hard only to panic and pretend that we're just effortlessly doing what we do."
"Damn, you, calling me out." The goatman huffs, ear flicking against his horns as he kneels a bit, motioning with his head for Xisuma to climb on. "Now let's get you home Xisu."