Page 35 of Hollow

“I am not festive.”

“Well, you kind of are.” Jack gestured to Dimitri’s antlers.

“These are not for the Christmas.”

“Dude, you’re going to see tons of people with reindeer antlers on tonight.”

“These are not reindeer.” Dimitri pointed to his antlers. “I am not a reindeer.”

“Well, yeah, but people are going to see them and think you’re wearing them like everyone else. I mean, yours will be fancy in comparison. Most of the antlers will be cheap and probably made of cloth, but folks are going to assume you dressed up for the occasion.” Jack held up the string lights that would make a nice decorative necklace or belt or both. “You might as well embrace the festivities.”

“I agreed to attend the festival.” Dimitri crossed his arms in protest. “I never agreed to participate in Christmas joy.”

“Okay, Grinch.”

“You are a Grinch, all monsters are Grinches,” Dimitri countered. “We are isolated from the world because we are different.”

“Speak for yourself, bitch,” Jack said with a bit more sass than he’d intended, but fuck it, he went with it. “I’m a Martha May all the way.”

Jack popped his hip and posed. Hell, he was half a breath away from strutting circles around Dimitri just for the entertainment.

“Where did you even keep those?” Dimitri eyed the string lights.

“In my shadows, duh,” Jack said, mind wandering to gaming of all things. “You know, I’d make the ultimate D&D companion for any campaign. I’m funny, I have practical applications for all my powers, and I’m OP as fuck. I’m the whole package.”

Dimitri blinked, not saying a single word or shifting his expression in any way. It was a sign he didn’t understand what Jack had said and was resisting the urge to let his eyes glaze over, but Jack knew if he kept rambling, Dimitri would eventually surrender and space out.

“All right, Grinchy Grinch. Let’s get going.”

As Jack tucked away the string lights, he noticed Dimitri’s antlers began to shrink.

“Seriously?”

“Now, no one will confuse me for being festive.”

The antlers turned into tiny pencil-thin nubs atop Dimitri’s head. They almost looked like twigs caught in his hair or broken off pieces of a crown. Jack liked that idea better, imagining Dimitri as some mythical king of the forest.

“Well, I’m dressing up.”

“Yes, I see.” Dimitri nodded to the sweater and jingly balls hanging from Jack’s belt.

Jack took it a step further and ran his fingers along his pumpkin until the buzz of magic thrummed against his palms.

“What is that?” Dimitri stared wide-eyed. “Your pumpkin is white.”

“And blue too, right?” Jack asked, retrieving his phone to check his image.

He’d shifted the natural orange into a wintry white and frosted blue, giving the pumpkin the perfect holiday flair.

“It’s a glamour,” Jack explained. “While I’m useless at magic, my extended lifespan did help me learn some of my mother’s basic spells. This only took me a century to master.”

“It is very impressive.”

“Yeah, well, I still can’t do many types of glamours. Just little things and only for a few hours at most.” Jack smirked. “So, like Cinderella, this pumpkin has to leave before midnight.”

“Understood.” Dimitri extended his elbow, with his arm folded just enough for Jack to slip his arm in between.

Dimitri escorted Jack as they walked with their arms interlocked. It was such a lovely gesture, Jack found himself blushing.