Poth Short Stories and One-Shots

All Wrapped Up: Chapter 3

"... And then mom chased him around the house with the other slipper, swearing that dad would replace them or else," Raven laughed along with everyone present; the group had been exchanging funny stories in the blanket fort for half an hour now and there seemed to be plenty more to go around between Palette and the Afterdeath family.

Wiped his sockets, Goth exhaled as he calmed himself, "So that's why mom was wearing his old slippers last year."

"Hey, that was a very nice plush orthopedic slipper he disintegrated," Geno shouted from the kitchen where he was making a stew with Sorell's help, "it took me forever to find that p-AIR?!"

"Aww, I found ya brand new ones, didn't I?" Reaper's voice cooed from the kitchen, signaling that he had just arrived. Goth untangled himself from his blanket cocoon and headed for the kitchen, followed by Raven and Shino. Joining the group in the doorway, Palette watched as Geno flailed around with his friend's dad draped over their shoulders.

"Get off, you overgrown popsicle!" Geno squirmed, trying to remove him to no avail.

"But it was so cold without any heat in my office; can't ya warm me up?" Reaper nuzzled against their skull.

"At least wait for the kids to fall asleep before you act like this!" the glitched skeleton spat.

It was at that point that Reaper looked up to see the crowd they had garnered. "Heya kiddos," he waved, taking on a conversational tone, "ya get home okay, Goth?"

Seemingly unsurprised by the scene, Goth casually responded, "I ended up in a snowdrift at one point, but I floated out of it and made it home alright."

Reaper sagely nodded his skull, "Good, good; how about you, Pal? Your mom here?"

Palette grimaced at the reminder; luckily, Geno responded so he didn't have to, "Dream's away this year."

"Of course he is," Reaper's ever-present grin twitched; it looked like he wanted to say more, but was holding back for some reason.

"Anyways," Geno tugged at Reaper's robe in an attempt to dislodge him, "you should make yourself useful and help bring the stew out to the living room."

Shino was nearly vibrating with excitement as she whisper-shouted, "Are we eating in the blanket fort?!"

"Aww, but I just got home," Reaper sagged to the side, giving Geno a sad puppy face while still clinging to them.

"Don't pull that face with me; we both know your habits," Geno chastized, giving up the fight to pull a stack of bowls from the cabinet, "If I'm going to have an ice cube stuck to my back for the next hour, then I might as well get some help out of it."

Palette felt Goth grab his hand, looking up at them as they announced, "We'll stay out of your way; we'll be in the living room if you need us."

Leading Palette back into the living room, Goth pulled him into the fort and murmured, "Are you alright? You got quiet."

Putting on a half-hearted smile, Palette reassured them, "Of course, I'm getting to spend time up my best friend and his family for Christmas." While he was upset that his mom had once again prioritized their job over spending a holiday with him and a little jealous that Goth's dad still made time for their family despite having an equally demanding job, he wasn't alone either; the last thing he wanted to do was bring the mood down when there was no reason for it.

Goth made a face, then grabbed a blanket and tossed it over Palette's skull; searching for the opening, he felt a body lean into his side, "You're allowed to be sad or angry; you don't have to hold it in, you know."