Similar Yearnings

Ch.26

It's Christmas Day as everyone huddles under the roof of the Lalonde house with the fire place lit up and their tree completely loaded with gifts for everyone. Everyone was happy and well fed as their feast had also ended with nothing left behind.

"Oh hey fuckers their's one more gift at the top of the tree! And fuckign Santa can't fucking reach it! Grab it!" Karkat shouts noting himself as the Santa Clause for the year.

Dave jumps up from the couch and sighs in a mockingly prideful manner as he rolls his shoulder and walks over, "Alright shorty step aside,"

"I am not short you bastard!"

"That's what they all say," he says with a laugh as he grabs his sword and pokes the bottom of the gift with enough small force to have it fall into his hand.

"You fucking prick,"

"Ouch not nice, Jade Karkat is being a mean one!"

"Karkat what did I tell you about cursing at others?!"

"What the fuck is this?! A parenting intervention?!" He shouts.

Dave laughs and looks at the small green bag, "Alright lets see sho this is from," He lifts the tag and opens it. "Well what do you know...it's for Jake."

"Huh me?" Jake asks as Dave nods and hands him the small gift. The Brit stares at the bag and wonders about the contents on the inside. He checked the tag, but it had no writing claiming who it was from. Jake reaches into the bag and pulls out a wrapped up small box. He gives a look of disbelief, but unwraps it anyway. It was jewlery box. He looks around at everyone for a moment, but then Dirk suddenly is kneeled before him.

"Open it Jake,"

The Brit does as told and removes the lid. Inside was a necklace with a black string and a dog tag attached to it. He lifts it up and notices a symbol on it. It consisted of the skull from his shirt with two pistols crossed behind it.

"Merry Christmas Jake!" He looks up and notices everyone wearing the same tags with the same symbol.

"W..what is this?"

"Jake thats the symbol we decided for our group...it represents our leader who practically had to do everything to keep us out of harms way...we wanted you to know that we're your group. Your family and your friends. We're always going tl be here," the blonde says with a smile. Jake smiles and sniffles in tears as Dirk ties the necklace around his neck. Everyone smiles and claps with joy.

"Group hug!!!" Roxy shouts.

"More like tackle," Dirk clings to Jake just as everyone immediately tackles the two in massively large, small, and strong arms. It was what Jake needed after all the mental stress he endured on his own. But his fear grew into a new found strength that would eventually lead to more than he could ever bargajn for.
With New Year's approaching at rapid speed with days to prepare, plans to cover, weapons to build, and training to be put to use; the gang is left to wait til the clock strikes Midnight as the fate of their town will soon be changed. And the fate of their bonds, tested to survive beyond just sheer will power. Ready or not, the day arrives. New Year's eve. With only two hours kn the clock everyone lies in position.

'Now or never,' Jake thinks to himself as he stands before a camera in a dim lit room.