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Floyd, of course, was the first to jump.
Nevermind how high they were in the air. Nevermind how there was nothing but snow-white clouds below.
"This should be your stop!" Santa called out merrily, as the sleigh hovered in the air, and in the midst of the first confused mutterings, Floyd grinned over the edge, stood from his seat, and dove down below.
Ortho barely finished his declaration of sensing magic below when before Jack jumped, Ruggie and his sack of goodies on the guy's back. Rook laughed in delight at the danger and thrill and beauté of it all, and plunged after them. Lilia laughed and leapt next, Cater and Kalim clinging onto the fae, the senior with tears in his eyes as Kalim's wish for his carpet disappeared into the clouds with him. Silver, blinking the last remnants of sleep and snow from his eyes, tipped his head in farewell, and seemed half-asleep already as he fell over the side. Ortho dutifully zipped after him, and his blue flame disappeared into the clouds.
The sleigh didn't shake at all, but it was still hard to make himself stand and move to the row where Yuu sat, holding Grim right.
"You ready, Yuu?" Deuce asked beside them. "You can hang onto my back if you want."
Yuu stayed in their seat, and Ace crossed his arms and sighed. "Come on, you can close your eyes. Just imagine I'm like, blow-drying you or something."
That drew a laugh from them, though it was weak. Really, their fear of heights-
Grim suddenly squirmed around their head to bury himself in the back of their coat, to have his head pop out as his paws wrapped around the back of their neck.
"Come on, Minion! Your boss says go!"
They laughed again, but there were tears in their eyes.
"Okay," they said, standing stiffly. "Okay-"
Their eyes were screwed shut. He stayed at their side, Deuce at the other, and they shuffled forward, holding tight, coaxing them on centimeter by centimeter. Everything would be fine. They would be home soon. Just don't let go-
Ace stilled at the edge. He and Deuce looked at each other, then at the endless white below. His stomach began to churn, but it was go time, no turning-
Yuu stepped back, the fingers that had twisted so tightly into his jacket suddenly slipping away.
He turned back, and for a moment, Yuu smiled at him, at Deuce, tears still in their eyes.
"Yuu-?"
"Thank you for everything."
They pushed him.
He fell off the sleigh.
Somewhere in the sky, Ace twisted in the air, reaching out, crying out, trying to focus his magic.
Somewhere beside him, Deuce did too.
Somewhere far above, Yuu looked at them over that crimson edge.
Then everything went white.
"You know, I never really believed in you."
The old man smiled. "And yet, you were good."
". . .was I?"
"Very."
They smiled. "I don't suppose that you could grant my wish then?"
Princes and prodigies and ancient fae couldn't help them, and yet, they still couldn't stop hoping-
"Why of course."
. . . they looked up. Santa smiled kindly at them.
"Everyone deserves to be with their loved ones on Christmas, and you, little one, quite deserve it, I'd say."
"You can do that? Really? You-"
"Though, I'm afraid there are some things even beyond me. It was quite hard for you fellows to come here, wasn't it? I can bring you home, but. . ."
Yuu stared down, hands clenching the side of the sleigh.
"Oh dear," came Santa's voice. "That was a bit naughty."
"Too naughty to go home?"
"Oho, now I didn't say that-"
"Yuu?"
Right. Grim. They stepped back to safe center of the small sleigh as Grim squirmed about, warm, and they held him tight for the last time. The direbeast blinked at them from their arms. He looked between the empty and sky and his traitorous minion.
"Ya pushed them."
". . .yeah."
Grim grinned. Laughed. "Man, that must've scared em! Come on, Minion, let's-"
"I'm going home, Grim."
He snuggled into them, careful as his claws hooked into their coat. "Then let's get to it!"
"No Grim I- I'm going home."
They thought they might have to pry him off. That he'd make them say it, but then, Grim peeled his face from their chest, and he looked up at them with those big blue eyes.
"You're. . .Yuu. . .?"
They swallowed. They didn't know whether they should smile, or frown, but their words wavered anyway. "Santa- he said he could take me home. And, and you know I. . ."
I want to go home. More than anything in the world.
They couldn't bear to speak, couldn't bear to look at him, but if they didn't, this last time. . .
". . .are you gonna throw me away too?"
They wanted to set him on the seat, and kneel so they were eye to eye, like they always did when they needed to have important talks, but that was worse, wasn't it? Setting him down, like a worn-out toy, letting go when he so clearly didn't want them to.
"Do you want me to?"
His fire flared. "W-we're supposed t'be partners-"
"There's no magic, where I am. No real magicians. Your dream-"
"I don't care! You ain't gonna toss me aside you can't-!"
"I don't know what will happen to you, Grim. I don't know if I'll remember, or-"
His tail curled around them, little limbs clutching tight. "I don't care! I'm gonna go with you! Y-your world's got no magicians? Then I'll be the first! I'll be the greatest! So! So you gotta! You gotta now! You've gotta take me, cause you promised! Greatest magician in the world right? So you- you can't just. . .!"
His tears burned as they soaked through their shirt. He could barely keep his eyes open, pressing himself as close to them as he could.
". . .are you sure?"
Grim shifted.
"You're throwing it all away. How far you've gotten. All the work you've done to prove you could be a real sorceror. Our friends and-"
Grim stayed close, voice muffled against them. "You're throwing it all away too, but you're goin' anyway. If you're goin', I'm goin'."
He clung like he'd die if he didn't. Maybe he would, if they made him. Die of heartbreak, his fire sputtering out. Ace and Deuce, they had family. Grim would still have the ghosts, but it wasn't the ghosts he fought beside, studied beside. The one who fed him, held him, loved him-
They couldn't ask him to choose. But if he chose, then-
"Hey Santa, can Grim come?"
"Of course, little one."
Of course.
If he was sure. If nothing else then, if no one else-
They sat down, and moved to tuck Grim's warm, fluffy head beneath their own.
"Alright then," they murmured, and ran their hand over their back like it could be an apology for how he sobbed-
"Let's go home, Grim."
Were you supposed to get dizzy after reading books? Ace said his head had felt fuzzy, and some of the other guys did too, but. . .
Deuce frowned. "Hey."
"Yeah?" Ace said.
It was stupid question, Ace would tell him so, but - "When did we start coming here again?"
They'd gone to Ramshackle after the library like it was habit. And it was habit. They used it a lot as a place to hang out and study. Why else would there be so much their stuff lying around? How else would he have known where the cups and chocolate were? It was some kind of space for students right? A lot of people just didn't use it much because it was so out of the way.
Ace just frowned too. Then, he shrugged.
Deuce lowered the tray and Ace got up from where he was lounging on the couch, finally prying his eyes from door even though Jack had already left earlier, saying he forgot something and wouldn't be back.
"What did you make four for?"
Deuce looked at the tray. Sure enough, four cups stood on it. "I uh. Boiled too much water?"
"Are you trying to use all of their chocolate?"
"It was an honest mis-!. . .didn't you buy this?"
Ace raised an eyebrow at him. "No? Didn't you?"
"Maybe the Headmage stocked-?" He stopped. No. No the Headmage wouldn't do something like that. He didn't even pay to repair Ramshackle. He didn't- you always. . .you. . .?
"You. . ."
"What?"
Deuce blinked. "No I- ugh, nevermind I- let's just get to reviewing for the exams."
"Aren't we waiting for someone?"
". . .are we?"
Jack wasn't coming back. Epel was busy with Vil. Ortho had left to run diagnostics on his memory. Sebek had stable duty. That left. . .him. and Ace. Here, at Ramshackle.
"Are we?" Deuce pressed.
"I. . .guess not. . .man, exam season's got my head mixed up."
And yet, Ace kept watching the doorway.
I think we should get started - the proper, prudent, honor student words were on the tip of his tongue, but they wouldn't leave his mouth, because when he was late, they'd always wait for him. Ace and. . .and one of the others. Who wasn't coming.
Yet he said nothing, only watched the door, just as Ace did, until the sun began to set.
They couldn't help it, setting up the cake. It was the one thing their Yuu ever asked for. It's what made the day their birthday, and not just Christmas.
Nobody took a slice, even as she drank her bitter tea, as he drank his coffee.
She sat at the table, her husband by her, until the candle burned out in the dark. They'd spoken of putting up lights, the old decorations from her own home, but Yuu had always loved being a part of decorating, and they both kept waiting, and now, it was simply too late for it.
The cake was placed back in the box, in the refrigerator. It would be better to bring it to the neighbors tomorrow, or her friends, or whoever would visit. There wasn't room in the freezer for another one.
The cups were washed. The kitchen lights were closed. The bedroom lights were dimmed.
She went to bed, and he did too. It was quiet, as it always was. He read his book. She watched her shows, reading the subtitles until it turned to static.
The door rang around midnight. It would have been a welcome distraction, if she hadn't almost been asleep.
She dragged herself from the bed regardless. It would just be some caroler, or maybe a neighbor who wanted to share some leftovers, but she couldn't stop hoping-
Yuu stood on the doorstep. Their hair was dishevelled and their clothes were strange as they cradled a large gray cat in their arms, but it was their Yuu.
Yuu stared at her like they couldn't believe it, but then they smiled, the tears in their eyes mirroring the ones in her own.
"H-hey Mom-" they managed, just before she flung her arms around them-
"I'm home."