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“YOU’VE NEVER CELEBRATED YULE!?”
“Yule? Can’t say I’ve even heard of it Sum,” Qrow responded, his hands finding themselves occupied by fidgeting with his rings.
“How have you never even heard of Yule, ya know…The winter solstice.”
“Ah, well, ya know bandits don’t care about those kinds of things,” Qrow said, mumbling under his breath
“So you nor Raven have celebrated Yule?”
“Like I said, never even heard of it”
“Litha?”
“Nope.”
“Mabon?”
“Nope.”
“Ostara?”
“Ostriches? Summer, let me repeat myself, bandit tribe no care about holidays.”
“TAIYANG!” Summer shrieked at the top of her lungs, causing Qrow to wince. “Tai there you are, did you know that the twins have never celebrated Yule, they didn’t even know what it was! We need to make this the best holiday they’ve ever had! We need a tree stat! Oh! And we can make Buche de Noel! Exchange gifts! And have a feast!
“Woah Summer, breathe” Came the response from Tai as he placed his hands on her shoulders to ground her, “Slow down. One,” Tai emphasized by counting with his finger, “we don’t wanna overwhelm them. Two, where are we gonna fit a tree in this already cramped dorm room. Three how are we going to make dessert and a feast without a stove. And Lastly, do we even know if they want to celebrate it?”
“Aweeeeeee,” Summer deflated, slumping down onto her bed.
“Hey now,” Qrow sat beside her, putting his hand on her back, “I never said I would be opposed to celebrating, I uh, just don’t know how”
“Well,” Summer sat up, swinging her legs as she talked, “Yule is celebrated on the winter solstice when the sun is farthest from the earth. Typically around the 21st of December. We celebrate by decorating trees, we exchange gifts, There’s a yule log which we put candles on a log and light them! Or we can make Buche de Noel which is a cake that looks like a yule log! Typically we’ll have a big feast at the end of the day!”
“It’s a day to spend with loved ones and to reflect on the year and the year that is to come,” Tai butted in.
“Well, Yeahhhh but we get to do a lot of fun things too!” Summer whined. “My favorite part about it is exchanging gifts!”
“Welp, I’m in… Have fun convincing Rae to join though.” Qrow responded, causing Summer to screech at the top of her lungs.
***
“Can’t believe I agreed to this,” Raven mumbled, “Stupid stupid domesticated shit”
“Awe lighten up Rae” Summer responded, reaching up to try and put an acorn up high on the tree. Before she had the chance to pout Qrow stepped behind her and picked her up. “Ah! Qrow what are you do–”
“Now you can reach, Shortstack,” Qrow interrupted with a smirk, placing her down once the Acron was secured onto the branch.
“I’m not that short!”
“Yeah and I’m the King of Vale” Tai deadpanned, Qrow huffed with laughter while Raven rolled her eyes. Tai put an Acron onto the top of the tree with minimal effort.
“Ugh, you guys are brats.”
“Hey you love us,” Qrow smirked, ruffling her hair.
“Nuh-uh”
“Yuh hu”
“You guys are utter saps,” Raven butted in.
“I know under all of your ‘I’m Raven I’m emo I love no one’ disguise that there’s a Raven that is a big softy” Summer responded.
“No way.”
“Who always makes sure our favorite snacks are stocked up? Who makes Tai his daily coffee so he gets his butt up?”
“Hey!” Tai interjected
“Okay, okay I get what you’re saying.” Raven walked over to the tree and put the string of cranberries and popcorn on it. “There, I decorated.”
“Aweeeee, it’s perfect!” Summer said, staring at the tree with her silver eyes wide with awe.
“It’s a skinny twig of a tree in a cramped dorm room,” Qrow responded.
“Yeah but we decorated it together, as a team! That’s what makes it so perfect.”
“Utter sap” Raven muttered.
“We just have to put the topper on!” Summer went on, not acknowledging Raven.
“Why don’t you have one of us put it on shortie” Qrow quipped, reaching for the bronze sun tree topper that was in her hand; however, before he could grab it Summer ran off, activating her semblance and running up the walls and jumping off. As she was above the tree she plopped the topper on it, placing it slightly crooked on the top branch.
“There, it’s on.” Was her response, as she landed next to Qrow, who was standing wide-eyed in shock.
“It’s crooked.” Tai reached out and fixed the topper, “There, NOW it’s on.”
“Whatever, group photo time!” Summer reached out for her scroll, taking a selfie of her and the rest of the team. Summer in the middle, brightest smile and her silver eyes sparkling. Tai standing to her right, posing with peace signs. On her other side is Qrow, his hands in his pocket as he’s awkwardly slouching, and lastly, Raven, seeming too grumpy for a holiday photo.
***
“The fire alarm, SHIT” Tai yelled, “Summer grab a towel, Qrow start fanning out the smoke.”
“Brother’s semblance caused the fire alarm to go off?” Raven scoffed, walking into the kitchen.
“Not everything has to do with my semblance Rae”
“No, but this has Qrow written all over it.”
“Stop being a jerk Rae Rae, this ones on me,” Summer said, in between her mad dashes of grabbing towels, something for Qrow to fan the smoke with and opening up as many windows and doors as she could.
“What do you mean this one’s on you Sum?”
“What I mean is…Hot hot hot!” Summer responded, taking the burning pan out of the oven. “What I mean is that I burnt the cake on accident.”
“It’s okay Sum, we can buy one from the store.” Tai put a hand on her shoulder, “It’s no big deal.”
“But everything’s better homemade.”
“Yeah, but you don’t know how to cook.”
“I know how to cook” Summer pouted.
“Then why is the cake burnt?”
“I think Tai’s right on this one shortie.” butted in Qrow. “Why don’t we make some hot chocolate while Tai grabs some cake from the store?”
“Wait why am I the one to go to the store?”
“I voluntold you.”
“Ugh, fine…there better be hot chocolate for me when I get back!” And with that Tai left the dorm to get some cake.
“He’ll be back,” Qrow remarked
“I mean yeah with the cake, that’s like the whole point of him leaving.” Summer responded,
“Before then,” Qrow added on, holding up a leather wallet.
“Is that?”
“His wallet, yup.”
“Ayo, numbskull you forgot somethin” Raven yelled as Tai returned.
“Hey, don’t call teammates numbskull.”
“Nah Sum, I’m on Raven’s side here, he’s a numbskull”
“Qrow!”
“That’s my name.”
“Ugh, here Tai” Summer threw his wallet to Tai, “Don’t slip on the ice.” She added on when the door closed.
“Okay, let’s make some hot chocolate!”
***
“For a store-bought cake that was really good!” Summer said, placing her dish in the sink, “Finish up guys I want to open gifts!” and with that, Summer ran into the dorm room.
“Welp, guess it’s gift opening time,” Tai responded, getting up to clear the rest of the table.
Qrow, Tai, and Raven finished cleaning up and walked into the dorms to be greeted by Summer, sitting on her bed, with a pile of presents waiting for her. “Took you guys long enough! I got your presents. Let’s see...Qrow this one is for you!” Summer said, handing Qrow a small box, gift wrapped with green wrapping paper surrounded by deer, foxes, and other wild animals. “Come on open it open it!”
“Alright Sum,” He responded, as he ripped off the paper, uncovering the present to find a small black box. “Awee you got me a box, how sweet!”
“Nah dummy, open the box!”
“I tease, I tease,” Qrow said, opening the box to reveal a silver ring with a red band running through the middle of it. Qrow took it out of the box and put it on the ring finger of his right hand.
“It’s to match your other ring.”
“I love it Sum.”
“Oh good, you broke him,” Raven grumbled, “He’s soft now.”
“I’ve got your gift next!” Summer pulled another gift out of the pile, this time it was a long black box.
“Aweee you got Rae a box too!” Qrow butted in, receiving a smack from Tai, and a pout from Summer. Opening the box, Raven pulled out a necklace, a mixture of red and black pearl beds.
“Thanks, Sum.” She mumbled, putting the necklace on, having Summer help her with the clasp.
“Tai yours is next!”
“I mean there isn’t anyone else left so I’d hope I’m next”
“Shut up and take it.” She scolded, handing Tai the gift, which he ruthlessly tore apart, revealing a leather armband.
“Awe Sum it’s the armband that I’ve been looking at, that’s so nice of you” Tai responded, putting the band on, “Now when we spare I have better protection and I’ll win even easier!” And, with that Summer tackled Tai to the ground.
“Bold of you to assume I’ll lose,” She threatened, then got up and faced the twins. “So how was your first Yule?”
“Qrow?”
“Uncle Qrow?” Someone was shaking his arms. “Everything okay?”
“Huh, oh yeah Pipsqueak, just uh, remembering some past Yules.” Qrow ruffled Ruby’s hair, keeping attention on the ring he had on his left ring finger, a silver band with a now-faded red center.
“Well if everything’s okay we’re all going to open presents in the common room!”
“You guys go on, I’ll be there in a second.” Qrow signed, looking down at his hands.