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"No, Varian, you're supposed to put the tape here. Not on the top!" Catalina giggles as she demonstrates yet again how to wrap a Christmas present. "See?"
"This is why I use bags." Varian pouts as he retries the fold.
"You have one of the smartest minds in the world, and you can't fold a little wrapping paper?" Kiera asks with a smirk.
"It's not my fault no one ever taught me. Besides, the only person I've ever had to give a present to is my dad and my mom. After a while I didn't even have her. What's a kid supposed to do? Dad's never been very good at wrapping either, or even if he was, how was he supposed to teach me? On my present to him? On his present to me?" Varian retorts.
"Ok, ok. Put your angsty self away, I get it." Kiera laughs. "It looks like your raccoon is as bad as you are."
Varian and Catalina follow Kiera's eyes to Ruddiger. There he stands covered in tape and suspended by ribbon.
Varian chortles as he shuffles over to his friend. "How'd you even do this buddy?"
Ruddiger chitters indignantly as Varian tugs at some tape on the raccoon's tail.
"I'm trying bud, but you really got yourself tangled up here."
After Varian's finally gotten his friend untangled, he scuffles back to his spot on the floor by the fireplace, long pajama pants scraping the ground.
"He's so cute." Catalina laughs as Ruddiger skitters onto her shoulder.
"You should see him when he gets into the bath bombs." Varian replies with a smirk, and Kiera laughs.
"Ok, V. Let's see your wrapping job." Kiera demands as she tosses some more wood into the fire.
Varian give the two a sheepish grin as he pulls the present wrapped in crumpled green wrapping paper from behind his back. "I think I need to redo it."
"Yeah, maybe. Who's it for?" Catalina inquires. If it's for Rapunzel, he's probably ok. Anyone else and he'll never live this wrapping job down.
Varian pauses, eyebrows furrowed. "I don't remember."
"What do you mean you don't remember?" Kiera asks incredulously.
"I forgot which present I wrapped."
"Yeah, you're definitely gonna have to redo it."
After the two help rewrap Varian's package, which turned out to be Eugene's, it's their turn to show their wrapping job.
Kiera pulls a simple red package with a small green bow from behind her back. A mischievous grin spreads across her face. "It's for Lance. I got him a toy spider."
Varian laughs, imagining his face when he tears open the box.
"You did get him a real present, right?" Catalina laughs, and Kiera nods.
"Ok, Catalina's turn."
Catalina pulls a beautiful parcel from behind her back. It has blue wrapping paper with little golden specks that look sort of like stars. There are no unnecessary wrinkles or creases, and the ribbons on top are perfectly curled.
"Ok, how?" Varian asks, tossing his scissors to the floor in defeat. "You're over here like, 'That's great Var. Keep trying Varian!' and then you just pull out the most perfectly wrapped present I've ever seen."
Catalina giggles and Kiera shoots him a triumphant look. "Yeah, she's always been really good at wrapping presents."
"No, I haven't, I just practiced a lot."
"Mmhm. Likely story." Varian replies, pretending to be suspicious.
"You guys want to raid the kitchen?" Catalina asks, clambering to her feet.
"Oh, yeah! I heard Lance say he might make queso earlier." Kiera exclaims, praying that he actually did.
"I sure hope he did. My dad tried to make queso yesterday, it didn't go well. I banned him from ever touching cheese again." Varian laughs as he follows the girls to the kitchen.
After they had sufficiently filled themselves up with food, they make their way back to wrapping presents.
"So, Varian," Catalina begins with an evil smirk. "When's the last time you slept?"
Varian pauses, looking to the ceiling for an answer. "Three days ago."
"And you're seriously not tired?"
"No, not really."
"Well, I am, and I just slept last night." Catalina jokes, lying out on the floor.
Kiera yawns. "Me too."
Varian continues to struggle with the wrapping paper for a few moments longer, before looking up to find both the girls and Ruddiger curled up and asleep. He chuckles at the sight and struggles to his feet. He's used to his friends falling asleep on him at this point. Quietly, he shuffles out to the living room to give them some privacy. Pulling out his sketchbook from his backpack, he flops on the couch, preparing for the quiet night ahead of him.