#(they were all wonderful and i cried at wren’s cat note like agsgd oh my god…..)

[theaterism]

Much like before, the wrapped gifts can be found laying on the siblings' pillows, though it's uncertain when or how Wren managed to break in and out of their room undetected. This might become a habit...

Charlie has received a set of brand-new prettily-wrapped paintbrushes, as though to accompany the last gift she was given. These ones had no special magic on them, save for the little messages Wren has painted on the wood themself! There's colorful emojis and comments, such as, "This belongs to a nerd", "owns the diabolical braincell", "big rabbit energy", and so on...

Victor's gift is... obvious by the shape of it, but unwrapping the thing anyway will reveal a cute mug with an even cuter face of a cat stamped on it! There's a note inside as well, which reads: "Until you realize that rules are made to be broken, here's a substitute cat for you. :3" Yes, they drew an emoji. They think they're so creative.

Foxtrot's gift is a small box in night blue wrapping paper, which contains two things: one is a golden sun necklace hanging on a black string, as though to stick to a joke shared only by the two of them. What's especially important about this necklace is that the sun spins: it can be twirled and rotated, made specifically for busy, restless fingers. Below the necklace, resting inside the box, is a polaroid photograph that seems to move like a soundless, repeating movie. It's a candid shot of something silly Foxtrot did in a theater costume. Wren's twinkling eye can be seen in the bottom of the shot. Behind the photo, in Wren's cleanest handwritting, reads:

"Incriminating evidence of you being adorable. Merry Halloween Part 2 And Happy Anniversary."

True, presents had appeared on the siblings’ pillows before, but this didn’t diminish the sense of wonder and joy they brought in the slightest.

Charlie adored the paintbrushes, and she laughed at the messages on each one. Her excitement didn’t stop her from donning the mindset of a detective, however. After all, this gift came with clues: 1) The messages had a familiar chaotic energy to them, and 2) the set went marvelously with the sketchbook from her birthday. The puzzle pieces clicked together in Charlie’s mind and left her with a strong hunch about who had delivered the gifts. Still, she barely kept herself from peeking beneath the wrapping of the other presents to gather more evidence.

Regret sparked within Charlie at the same time. She wished she’d remembered to give them a present as well. They deserved one. Not simply for the gratitude she felt for their gifts, but as an attempt to ease lingering tension between them. The seriousness of the incident had stuck with her, shaken something fragile in her, and she’d begun genuinely trying to hold herself accountable for her mistakes. She knew it would take much more time and effort to truly earn forgiveness from the person she’d hurt the most, but she’d committed herself to making amends.

In any case, she was now wholeheartedly determined to give Wren something in return. Something special. Surely it would be even more of a surprise to deliver it on a non-Christmas day, wouldn’t it?

(And another gift did mysteriously appear for Wren on the day after Christmas — a painting of an evening sky over Wetherton, with moving fireworks that burst again and again, their colors vibrant and glimmering. Charlie had used a page from the sketchbook and the new paintbrushes to create the piece. A message written in one corner reads: ‘The sketchbook and brushes are lovely! Thank you!! ☆’)

- ☆ -

Victor loved his gift as well, for more reasons than he could express. It was simple and practical in a way he appreciated, and the cuteness of the substitute cat made him smile. It mattered to him on a deeper level as well. He wasn’t used to being remembered by many people aside from his siblings. His quietness meant he often went overlooked. He usually didn’t mind, really, but it did feel a bit cold at times.

So, the thoughtfulness of this present — and the thoughtfulness of the blanket from several days ago — left a warmth in his chest he rarely experienced, and when he first sipped tea from the new mug, the warmth grew so great that his vision blurred a bit.

His brother asked if he was alright. Victor nodded and mumbled something about the drink being too hot. An unconvincing lie. Foxtrot didn’t press him for answers. Instead, he settled himself nearby and fiddled with a sort of necklace as Victor sat on his bed reading, the mug of tea close beside him. The brothers often offered comfort to each other in this manner — they simply provided a stable presence for the other, silent more often than not. But it was a comfortable silence, and Victor appreciated it.

(And Wren received another gift a day after Charlie’s — a small wooden rabbit, hand-whittled with great care. A note tied to it reads: ‘Thanks for the mug. It means a lot to me. Also, Juliet loves the blanket.’)

- ☆ -

Foxtrot’s pillow wasn’t empty this time. The box itself didn’t give many clues about its gifter, but Foxtrot had seen enough of his siblings’ presents — and he knew enough about Wren — that he could guess who had broken into their room so sneakily. A soft smile stole onto his face as he unwrapped the box.

With no small amount of surprise, he also realized the guilt in his chest didn’t ache as much as usual. The voice in his mind that liked reminding him he didn’t deserve anything had hushed to a low mutter. It was an unfamiliar feeling — though not unpleasant — and one he still struggled to trust and accept. But he was slowly getting better at adjusting to it.

A necklace. Amusement glimmered in his eyes at the inside joke it carried, and surprise leapt within him when the sun twirled beneath his fingers. There was thought put into this present — a deeper layer beneath the jests, a sense of familiarity with his habits. Warm appreciation washed over him.

He’d spotted motion beneath this gift. He carefully lifted the photograph, and a breath of wonder left him. It moved. His face warmed at the scene itself, but his grin widened all the same — especially when he spotted the unmistakable hint of Wren at the bottom. Something melted in him at the note.

“Silly,” he hummed softly, fiddling with the necklace that now hung around his neck. He tucked the photograph in a safe spot — in a drawer beside his bed, where his siblings couldn’t tease him for it, but where he could easily find the memory later on.

#magickedhat #(HI THIS GOT LONG TOO AND I CRIED WRITING IT AGSGDGDG) #(they absolutely loved the christmas gifts!!) #(they were all wonderful and i cried at wren’s cat note like agsgd oh my god…..) #(wren making a habit of breaking into their room unnoticed…. iconic………….) #(the necklace for fidgeting was super sweet!!) #(and!! more gifts from the lyles!! charlie and victor rlly wanted to give them something in return as well!!) #(i love them all so much agdgdg they’re good…..) #(BUT YEAH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!! <3) #|☆| inbox #|☽| foxtrot ( clever fox ) #|☽| charlie ( nice rabbit ) #|☽| victor ( gentle bear ) #|☆| ic #|☆| save