The Scientist

Christmas morning

Zedaph pov

Waking up on Christmas morning had always been one of the best feelings, but today was different—today felt truly special. This was the first Christmas for everyone here, a Christmas where they were genuinely free, able to celebrate without looking over their shoulders. I felt a thrill of excitement, so much so that I wasn’t sure if I’d even slept at all.

After a quick shower, I quietly made my way into the common room, where a crowd of people lay scattered, some on couches, some on armchairs, and others half on the floor or draped across furniture. Their soft snores filled the room, and they looked utterly at peace, as if all their worries had melted away just for today. It was a sight that made my heart swell with gratitude.

The only one who seemed to be stirring was XB. He was half-awake, rubbing his eyes and shifting uncomfortably, his skin looking noticeably dry. I realized that he was probably starting to dry out, which was his body’s natural alarm clock, urging him to get some water.

I approached him quietly, careful not to wake anyone else. “Morning, XB,” I whispered with a smile. “Need a hand getting some water?”

As I helped XB up, he stumbled a bit, gripping my hand tightly, but assured me he was just waking up. Together, we navigated through the maze of sleeping bodies in the common room and made our way to the kitchen. When I handed him a glass of water, he sipped at it gratefully, some of his aquatic features subtly emerging as the water took effect.

"Why is the water so cold?" he murmured, looking up at me with a touch of discomfort.

I gave him a sympathetic smile. "Yeah, winter's not exactly ideal for you, huh?"

He shook his head, sighing into his cup. "Why does it have to be winter? Everything’s so cold." He seemed to be talking to the water as much as to me, a quiet complaint against the season itself.

I leaned against the counter, thinking. "Maybe we can figure something out to make winter a little more bearable. I could talk to Tango about setting up a heated tank for you. Or even some kind of warm bath to help you warm up if things get too chilly?"

His face brightened slightly at the thought. "That would be… amazing, actually," he said, already looking a little less gloomy.

“Then that’ll be my next project,” I promised, feeling a little excitement myself as I thought of ways to make him more comfortable.

I heard the quiet stirrings from upstairs as people began to wake up, footsteps padding softly down the hall. What I hadn’t expected was the sight of Xisuma shuffling into the kitchen, hand in hand with his brother, Xavier, who was still wrapped up in a blanket and barely conscious. Xisuma himself didn’t look much more awake—his eyes half-lidded, his movements slow and a bit clumsy, like he’d just been pried from the warmth of bed.

“Morning,” I greeted softly, not wanting to jolt either of them fully awake. Xisuma just gave a groggy nod, while Xavier seemed entirely uninterested in opening his eyes, leaning heavily against his brother for support.

Xisuma managed a faint smile, glancing around the kitchen. “Looks like the festivities haven’t quite started yet, huh?”

“Not yet. Everyone’s still passed out in the common room,” I chuckled, gesturing toward the living room where the others were sprawled in various states of sleep. “But you’re just in time to grab coffee and claim a seat before the chaos starts.”

Xisuma nodded, guiding his brother to a chair as Xavier settled in, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.

Xavier barely lasted a minute before he settled his head on the table, slipping back into sleep within seconds. Xisuma sighed softly, a hint of frustration escaping him, but he couldn’t hide the gentle smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. I started prepping a pot of coffee, glancing over with a quiet chuckle. “Does that happen often?” I asked.