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“Well, it's that time of the year again!“
"So what DO you want for Christmas?"
"I'm satisfied with what I have. Though I won't say no to diamonds!"
" Oh come on, there's gotta be at least a single thing you want!"
"Well... There's really only one thing I can think of, and it's both stupid and impossible."
"Oh, it can't be that hard to get, give me a try. I could surprise you!"
"Well... I don't know..."
"Come on, the worst that could happen is you don't get it!"
"If you say so... You see..."
...
Tango awoke in a dim room, light virtually non-existent aside from what little was coming from his anxiety-induced flames.
The rooms of the wall were fireproofed, fully cobblestone, and he'd been stripped of all of his items, which only served to shift his flames from their normal yellow and orange to deep blue and purple.
Where was he?! What in the void was going on?!
The last thing he could remember was simply going to the nether to get some twisting Vines and warped wood to decorate spawn! Was there some sort of Piglin variant he hadn't known about that had been discovered? He hadn't checked the update details yet there had to have been at least one of his friends who would have warned him before he went into the portal!
Plus, Piglins didn't usually build this way... Not with arches and layered ceilings, not with decorative staircases covering the floor... no, this could only have been done by a player. But... Who? And why?
A few people were knocked off the list immediately, Doc wouldn't have risked infection, most likely using normal smooth stone or metal, possibly quartz Because it was much more sanitary... Grian was a builder, but he wouldn't have finished the back of the room... Scar was definitely a candidate but he wouldn't have left him with nothing to do, after all, they were united in their ADHD need for at least some mental stimulation...
More and more hermits were checked off his list as he examined the, now sufficiently lit room, watching with somewhat unfocused eyes as the light shifted and ebbed around as his flames slowly got the message that he was trying to quite literally cool it before attempting to escape.
After all, it'd be pretty useless to try and leave without being caught when he left charred boot prints on the floor.
Tango was nearly back to red when he noticed the door, it was well hidden, extremely well hidden, hardly decipherable to the untrained eye. A crack in the stones, natural-looking enough that it shouldn't have even ripped him off. And it wouldn't have, if it hadn't even ever so slightly cracked open, shooting him straight back to full blue.
The door didn't budge for a few seconds, but in the sliver of a gap that had been triggered by whatever was behind that door, he caught the slightest glint of an eye.
The netherborne attempted to stand, to make himself less vulnerable, but he was in for a ride awakening when he realized that there were chains encircling his wrists, stone shackles. Fully interlocked with some impressive stonework.
"I can see you!" He calls, voice shaking ever so slightly and body practically an inferno of glacier blue.
The figure sighs deeply, sounding less Disappointed about being spotted and much more annoyed mumbling something about how damaging that Tango's very presence was to 'the ice' and closing the gap again, wiping at his now glistening skin.
Tango blinked, definitely not expecting to be once again left alone. "Wait are you not gonna 'ah you're awake' me?" He called, tilting ever so slightly so he could strain against the chains to get a look into the paper-thin slit. "No, 'Well, well, well' or mildly interesting monologue or anything?!"
He gets nothing from the person on the other side of the wall, not even another sigh.
Which... Was definitely unexpected.
He was alone again.
Back on his adrenaline high and practically radiating heat.
...
He doesn't remember drifting off but he wakes with a jolt rivaling that of one who's been electrocuted.
“Oh good you're up." The voice, his captor's voice, rings in his ears as he rubs his eyes. “Those one for all sedatives weren't as bad quality as I thought. I should buy from Lizzie more often.“
Tango strained, realizing he was practically immobile. He was on something hard and cool, a table. Metallic.
The netherborne blinked and the world was blurry for a moment before his eyes narrowed in on a figure in front of him.
Blue hair, eyes to match.
He recognizes that grin, those... Almost crystalized fins cresting around his ears...
But who...
“I do remember you were quite a heavy sleeper from double life.“ His captor chuckles, running his hand thoughtfully down his cheek.
Oh?
OH!
It is him. He knew then, with that comment, who this was.
Scott.
Jimmy had mentioned Scott. Told Tango how annoyed Scott was with his own soulmate, and how much he and Scott got along on empires.
Heck, he'd been in life series after life series with the siren.
He'd been told how Scott was a little bit jealous of Tango for getting Jimmy as a soulmate.
It hit the smoke-brain then that he might have kidnapped him to somehow change Tango's soul tie.
Which was not only a horrifying thought but a deeply upsetting idea to his instincts.
The Blazeborne's eyes were blown as he felt his body go completely white with skin scorching temperature flame, making the elf jump back and swear in a bit so subtle scream as Tango curled up into a ball and turned the table he was on into a smoldering mess of wood and red hot metal.
“Well." Scott breathed, recomposing himself with a sharp-toothed grin and a twitch of his eye. “That was my favorite table."
“What did you do to me?!" Tango yelped, rolling weakly to his side. “More importantly, what did I do to you?!"
"Ugh, this is why it's easier to just knock someone out.“ Scott huffs.
"Oh, right you still expect an explanation.“ The blue-haired siren chuckled, sounding more annoyed than amused. “Well stop expecting one because you're not getting one. I've already wasted enough time talking.“
"No, no, you haven't, please keep talking so that I can figure out why I'm here and how to escape.“
“Cute.“ The man looks at him, slowly, as if scraping every ounce of information he can from Tango's face with his eyes. “I see why Jimmy's so fond of you. Having a sense of humor is something we can both appreciate.“
The netherborne blinked, taking the chance to pick up the subject. “Jimmy! Right! Is this-"
“I thought I told you to shut up." Scott snaps his tail into the side of the floor mere inches from Tango's face, eyes half-lidded and expression unamused. Cold like his kingdom.
Tango gulped, trying and failing to bite back a quip. “I thought you said you were done talking.“
“Persistent too. Yeah, no wonder Jimmy got paired with you. You're very... Him-coded.“
Tango felt more and more confused with every passing moment. "I'm- wait what?"
“I don't think they sell player-sized boxes, so I guess we'll just have to make do...“ The siren sighed, carrying his tail as he walked over to the couch. Plopping himself down so he could look at Tango laid down on the table.
It felt as if someone kidnapped you just for a guy's night. Except for an involuntary guys' night where you weren't sure if you were going to die or not.
Scott sprawled out, dramatic as ever, and looked absolutely exasperated. “You're a horrible kidnapee you know that? Be scared or something so this can go well. You're going to give me a wrinkle between my eyebrows and I'll have to get new foundation!“
The Blazeborne was rendered speechless not because of the comment itself, but because he wasn't sure if that of all things was what Scott should be thinking about. “I'm... I'm sorry...?"
without warning Scott swung his legs over the couch and leaned into one of his open chests. “You should be! It's a travesty to even think about it! Now let me see here... Aha!“
There's a triumphant laugh, as Scott turns back to the immobilized netherborne. Silver Wrapping paper in hand.
Tango blinked. “Somehow I'm not as elated as you think I should be."
Scott rolled his eyes, snorting indignantly at the comment. “You're lucky I don't have duct tape. Now you hold still and try not to squirm."
...
Tin foil.
Fire resistant. One of the the few materials that is fully in fact.
It can also be easily found and is inexpensive.
So It was Not in fact silver wrapping paper. It was Tin foil.
He was being wrapped in tin foil.
Like a living, breathing, burrito that was almost burning down this whole ice palace with his anxiety flames.
Tango felt his whole body warm as Scott kept wrapping tighter and tighter, in the dark it was almost suffocating how compressed his fore was, and he felt hot tears in his eyes as he tried his best to just breathe.
"Can you hold still please?!" The siren asked, sounding annoyed. "It's not like I'm gonna kill you! I bet you wouldn't even taste all that good."
The netherborne almost wanted to argue as multiple sources could testify against that point but he refrained, rolling his eyes and taking in another long breath as his chest started to feel tight.
He tried his best to stop squirming but his ADHD was barely handing on. "Why are you doing this?" He asked once again, knowing his captor would simply ignore him.
"Because." Scott grumbles, "You'll understand in a bit. And hey maybe you'll even say 'Oh my void Scott, thank you for doing this!' like you SHOULD be saying."
The way Scott raised his voice an octave when he imitated the netherborne only served to make
"Right.“ Tango grumbled, flinching once more as he was almost fully encased in the crinkly paper. “Where are my manners.“
“Wherever your class and style went." Scott breathed, putting the few last wraps around Tango's head. “Now get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning.“
The netherborne only got an indignant "Wait- WHAT?!" Out before the siren was out the door he was left in the cold, dark room once again.
This was becoming a trend and he wasn't a fan of it.
...
Jimmy Solidarity wakes up on Christmas morning to a few assorted notes from a song of unknown origins.
At first, he ignores it, rolling over back into his heating pad and pulling the comforter over his head. Attempting to fall back asleep and keep himself from the cool morning air of tumble town.
But to no avail, as his wings thrash around against the sheets without his consent and send a burst of freezing air onto his mostly exposed skin.
The canary hybrid cheeps in shock and curls his traitorous wings around himself to try and preserve what little heat hadn't been released from its confines.
This also did not work and so, not so eagerly, the sheriff got out of bed hand-stretched, pulling on some sweatpants over his boxers and a warm long-sleeve sweater over his previously exposed chest, making sure to turn off his heating pad and tossing his comforter lazily over his sheets.
It's then he hears it.
"I don't want a lot for Christmas..."
Immediately he's a little more awake, rubbing his eyes and stretching his wings out fully.
"There is just one thing I need..."
The sound, from what he can tell, is coming from his living room.
"I don't care about the presents... "
The voice is high pitched, female, and it's grading against his ears and he has to raise his shoulders so that he can stand the sound.
He sighs, slipping on his slippers, horse-themed ones that have an appleloosa pattern.
"Underneath the Christmas tree..."
He rubs his nose bridge, sauntering out into the Hall and down the long hall to the stairs. “Hello?"
He can appreciate the instruments in the background but the song was starting to grate on his ears.
"I just want you for my own..."
He yawned again, trudging down the stairs. “Hello?!"
"More than you could ever know..."
He made it halfway down the stairs in the time of the vocal run.
"Make my wish come tru~hu~U~ue..."
Fully down to the bottom of the stairs, shuffling down the stairs...
"All I want for Christmas..."
He makes it to the living room, rubbing his eyes once more just before they shoot open.
The music is so loud it's nearly blowing out his ears.
"Is..."
His eyes balloon as he took in the scene in front of him.
“Scott?!"
"Yo~Oo~Oo~Ooooh~oh yeah."
The piano beradded his ears and he was frozen, gaping at the Christmas hat-clad siren and his radio while Scott sat innocently on his couch, grinning like a madman.
“MERRY CHRISTMAS JIMMY!!!" He cheers, throwing up his arms and grinning. “Are you gonna open your gift?!"
The avian's wings flare as he whips around, still dumbfounded at the whole ordeal. “Gift?! Scott-"
" Hey.“ Scott shrugs, still smirking smugly at the tin wrap around the oddly shaped gift. "I went through the pains of getting it so you should at least try and open it when I can see your reaction!“
The avian slowly lowers himself down to what seems to be the head of the gift and presses a hand to it, eyeing the siren. “Scott what is this...? Is it breathing?!"
The blue-haired man smirked. “You'll have to open it to find out.“
The sheriff ripped open the tin foil and gasped, watching as the oxygen-deprived Blazeborne let his head loll onto the Christmas tree mat, before taking in his surroundings.
Their eyes meet.
Tango rolls his half-wrapped self to the side to look at his soulmate. “JIMMY?!"
He responds almost instantly, eyes wide and mouth agape, reverting back to his initial shock. “TANGO!?"
The avian immediately turned to Scott with the most WTF-certified look in the existence of any server and watched as the siren smirked at him.
There's a moment of understanding before Tango is picked up and righted, Unwrapped, and spun in a circle surrounded by canary feathers.
“Thank you." The bird-man cheeps, a dopey grin on his face. "You ACTUALLY got him?! “
"I'll tell you it wasn't easy!“ Scott grumbles, “he melted my favorite table! And not to mention I had to break into Hermitcraft to get him! I'm just glad this guy overworks himself and isolates himself for weeks without contact! If he wasn't such a workaholic perfectionist I wouldn't have gotten away with it!“
“So you kidnapped me so I could be with my soulmate for Christmas?!“ Tango yelped, not sure if he should be flattered, terrified, upset, or a little bit of each.
“No, this isn't about you.“ Scott huffed, rolling narrowed eyes at the Blazeborne. “This was for Jimmy."
"And it's an amazing gift Scott” Jimmy interjects, wrapping Tango up in a hug while still smiling at the ice-man, “Thank you.“
“You're welcome." The siren laughed, winking with his long lashes at the blonde, who completely ignored the gesture and rolled his eyes.
“Sorry about that." Jimmy chuckled, rubbing his neck with a slight smile on his lips. “He can be a little much."
"Oh. I know.“ Tango murmured, a teasing tone in his voice. “You have... Very dedicated friends. No fault in that."
"Right.“ The dirty blonde giggles, taking Tango's hands and beaming as he squeezes them. "Now, let's get you some hot cocoa.“