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Merry Christmas from Embracing Hope! 
Merry Christmas from Embracing Hope! 
Posted from 2024 Christmas on Patreon! Kinn hated the holidays. They were a painful reminder of his past and everything he no longer had, a stark contrast to the joy that came with families celebrating a day of triumph and togetherness.
The academy, fully dressed in festive greens and reds, only added to his disdain. Magic made everything sparkle with a warm glow, but Kinn rolled his eyes as he walked through the dormitory halls. Groups of students exchanged gifts and laughter behind decorated doors. He ignored it all and finally arrived at his own room at the very end of the corridor.
Throwing his bag down, he flopped onto his unmade bed with a tired groan. The dim evening light filtering through his window cast shadows on the walls.
“Christmas... again,” he muttered. “As if I need to bother with it this year.”
His gaze drifted to a battered picture frame on his desk. The only undamaged part of the photo was the face of a female wolf. Kinn’s ears flattened as he sat up, staring at the image.
“Isn’t that right, Mom? You didn’t bother with me after what happened... so why should I bother with a day about love and family when you didn’t even care to save me?”
He sighed, but his attention was drawn to a package on the desk. A note from the headmaster was attached:
Kinn, A lot of presents have been delivered for the holidays. I’m assigning you to deliver them to the appropriate dorms and students. To make things festive, I’ve included a ‘jolly-themed’ costume. Enjoy it or don’t. Just get it done. Thanks,Gon.
Kinn crumpled the note with a growl, lifting the box to reveal a red and white costume.
“Ugh... seriously?”
Elsewhere in Yui’s dorm, Benjamin sat with Karen and Yui, exchanging snacks and chatting while soft music played from a device. A knock on the door interrupted them. When Benjamin opened it, he found Satomi standing there, holding a tray.
“Mind if I join you?” Satomi asked, offering a small smile. “The family parties are... tiresome.”
Karen snickered. “You mean you’re tired of fancy folk yapping about things you don’t care about.”
Satomi pouted, but Yui shot Karen a sharp glare. Karen cleared her throat awkwardly. “I mean, I get it. Those council gatherings with my parents were so boring.”
Satomi’s smile returned as she entered. The group gathered around the fire, chatting and enjoying the cozy atmosphere. Benjamin stared into the flames, lost in thought, until Yui flicked his face with her tail.
“Don’t look so glum,” she purred. “You’re supposed to be our host!”
Another knock at the door startled them. Benjamin stood to answer it, but his face turned bright red as he squeaked in surprise.
“K-Kinn?!”
Karen burst into laughter at the sight of the tall wolf, dressed in a Santa themed outfit, complete with a sack of presents slung over his shoulder. Kinn growled, clearly uncomfortable. He fumbled inside the sack and threw a gift at Karen’s face, cutting off her laughter with a surprised whine.
“Hey! Santa is supposed to be nice!” she protested, rubbing her nose.
“Not if you’re on the naughty list,” Kinn shot back.
As he handed out the rest of the presents, Benjamin hesitantly accepted his, glancing up at Kinn’s annoyed expression.
“M-Merry Christmas, Kinn,” Benjamin said nervously, offering a small smile.
Kinn blinked, caught off guard, before grumbling, “Yeah, yeah. Merry... stuff. I’ve got more deliveries to make.”
With that, he turned and left, leaving Benjamin standing by the door, clutching his gift.
A few hours later, Kinn returned to his dorm. He tossed the now empty sack aside and tore off the costume, replacing it with more comfortable clothes. He had swiped some food from the hall but had no intention of socializing further. As he reached for the sack to retrieve his food, his eyes caught another package on his desk.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he muttered. “If this is another errand, I’m going to his office myself.”
But it wasn’t an assignment. It was a gift. The tag, hastily scrawled, read: To Kinn, From Secret Santa. Kinn rolled his eyes but opened it anyway. Inside were a red scarf, soaps, fish snacks, and a few other small items. He stared at the contents, his expression softening.
“That... idiot,” he mumbled under his breath.
The Christmas feast was the highlight of the holiday at the academy. The great hall buzzed with life as students gathered to eat, laugh, and celebrate. Even Kinn showed up, though he was immediately swarmed by girls offering him gifts. He accepted them with a cold, distant politeness before finding a quieter spot at a table.
Benjamin, sitting with Karen, watched the wolf from afar. His eyes caught a glimpse of a red scarf peeking out from beneath Kinn’s cloak the very scarf that Benjamin’s mother had lovingly crafted for him as a gift.
Benjamin smiled softly to himself, feeling a warmth that the holiday spirit often promised but rarely delivered. Character's Owned By Icarus Skyhawk and Artwork done by Lycander
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Category All / All
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File Size 3.06 MB
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