Grunting and swearing could be heard from the back of the house. Aubrey, ever mindful and aware of his surrounding ventured towards the sound of the noise. Unprepared for what he was about to see.

Erica was struggling with a tree, a freshly cut tree. If he wasn’t mistaken, an Abies fraseri- if he were to be scientific. He watched his lover battle with the tree like a confused cat would watch his human companion do something nonsensical.

“ Erica…. Are you feeling alright?” he asked, concerned.

“ Oh Aubrey! I’m glad you’re here! You can help me decorate for Yule.”

“ Yule..?” he titled his head.

“ The Winter Solstice! Yule!" In her excitement, She failed at getting a good grip on the tree and got a mouth for of needles. “ Dammit.” Look just, help he get it inside inside the little tree holder thingy and I’ll explain everything.”

“ Why are you bringing an extremely flammable object into your home?”

“ Just.. Listen. It’ll make sense. Trust me. And there’s gifts and feast involved.”

With a defeated sigh the disguised eldrich alien effortlessly helped her carry the tree inside her humble home. Finding the ‘tree holder thingy’ by the window, far from the fire place- thank the stars. Straighting the tree out, he noticed her art studio was covered in boxes of various decorations and small trinkets attached to hooks. Whatever was happening- it was very important, and clearly these strange artifacts were probably older than her- and held sentimental value.

It was going to be a long night.

Erica walked over with a pitcher of water and poured it into the base of the tree. Sitting another pitcher filled with water by the window. “ As long as we keep the base filled with water it won’t try out and explode into flames.” She smiled.

“ It’s.. Far enough from the fire place but I wager there are other dangers you’re going to put on this thing..”

“ Hahaha, don’t say it like that. Silly! Here, help me wrap lights around the tree and we’ll decorate it.” She handed him a string of white lights and she gently guided him around it, putting the lights around the tree. “ So, since as long as humans have been around, during the darkest times of the year- at least in the northern parts of the world, we have celebrations to help is through the bleakness of the dark months of the year- at least that’s my understanding of it.”

“ So you bring in trees from outside, decorate them, and-

“ We decorate outside too. A long time ago there was this whole religious aspect to it, but not too many people believe in that anymore. And the old traditions had nothing to do with their old god anyway, really. I don’t know. I never paid it much mind.”

“ I appreciate your abridged version of this birth of Christ.” He rolled his eyes.

“ You know about the Christians?” she froze, like he said something forbidden. “ No one really talks about those old religions anymore, like they do fire arms, and bombs, it’s a bad omen. A lot of terrible things happened because of those things, lots of people died.” She fidgeted with a ordainment of a deer.

“ I’ve….” He paused before finishing- had he said what he wanted to, he might had given away who he was, who he really was. And that wasn’t a conversation that he wanted to have just yet. “ I studied them, and their beliefs. I was… researching privative humans, er people. Before the… great fall. So, I am aware of their god and his birth- and how the Romans basically turned Saturnalia into the birth of the Christian god- so everyone would convert to the new religion- no body wanted to give up their traditions and holidays, so… they merged the two.” He was talking with his hands, and put his index fingers together. “ But, heh, Saturnalia was Halloween on methamphetamine.” He chuckled. “ At least, from my studies. I am not familiar with what happened on Earth before the 600 EC.”

“ … that’s a bit specific.” She side eyed him.

“ It’s a long story, and even then, the run down of what I have told you probably isn’t very accurate. I’m simply paraphrasing. But— I have never practiced these ancient pagan customs celebrated.” He glanced at the tree- and admired the warm glow it gave off. The sun was setting behind it.

“ Some of us just do these old traditions to combat the depression of winter. It’s something to look forward to as the days grow colder and darker- at least that’s why I do it.”

“ Hmm.. From my observations I always figured hum- people did it for children, to keep them well behaved all year in return for presents…. But you have no children, and live alone in the woods. Why?”

“ Because I like to see the decorations, and well, now that you’re around, we can celebrate it together.” She smiled at him. Aubrey felt a faint warmth with in him, and smiled back, gently. It felt good to be loved by someone.

The two decorated the tree- and Aubrey learned that some of the ordainments were filler- the others were more ‘important’ and festive and had energy behind them which signified how treasured they were. When they were done Erica went over to get something for him she had hidden away. It was a small box, wrapped in golden wrapping paper.

“ It’s… its for you well. Just open it.” He cupped the small box his his claws. “ This isn’t your actual Yule gift but its something small, for now.” Aubrey slowly opened the box, his heart felt light. No one had ever given him a gift before. Inside the box- was a something wrapped in a purple ribbon. Talathia’s ribbon. Inside that was a little wolf, sewed with a claw head and claws- the wolf was wrapped around a teal gem stone. It was one of His gem stones from his mask- which had lost during the war. Talathia’s ribbon he recalled was tied around his mask.

“ Where did you get this?” he blinked at his old jewel. Holding it up by another smaller purple ribbon that allowed him to hang the ordainment from a tree.

“ Oh uh,” she scratched the back of her head. “ It was from this collection of things after the war, dad let me have them. It was really bad time for all of us, and I figured I don’t know. I could just let it sit in a box from those darker days.. And I feel like you kind of had some what an of an sympathy for the sky demons.. Like I did, so I figured you should have it. The little white wolf is supposed to be me. Because you like to call me “wolf girl”.. So it’s like me wrapping around you. Since you’re my treasure, and I wanna keep you warm.” Aubrey blinked a bit, and nudged his eye with his knuckle. Trying not to cry.

“ This is very sweat of you.” He sniffed. Worried he’d weep himself out of his disguise.

“ Are you okay?” she bit her lip.

“ No no these are-“ he hyperventilated a bit. “ These are good tears- I think, it’s sad but.. Its love it’s emotional tears- I.. Just I need a moment.” He sat on her sofa, across from the tree. In the pile of garland and lights. Erica quickly got up to make him a hot chocolate.

When she came back to sit next to him, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. Kissing the top of her head. She set his warm drink on the table in front of them.

“ The war took the life of someone very important to me.” He finally spoke. “ It took my entire family. They died protecting me from humans- those assholes- who had mistaken her and myself as a threat. Because we didn’t fit into their narrow minded would view of what a human.. Or what a person ‘should be’. So, to have this- is like.. It’s like I got… a piece of them back.”

“ You can keep it, it’s yours. I’m sorry if I hurt you with it-“

“ Nonsense. No. You made me feel emotions I haven’t felt in a long time. I love you for that.”

“ I love you too, Aubrey.”

“ Forever, and even after that.” He said, squeezing her hand.