(December 31, 2020)

I'm sorry for being like, late and stuff. I decided that mental health and family is more important than my hobbies.

And I understand that not everyone reads X and EX stuff, and I was trying to plan something with all the Hermits, but I jut couldn't write anything because motivation has been sucked dry. 

But I just have to say (being high on Discord at midnight led to this), I counted my drafts in this book that has either X or EX included in the title.

22.

Hold me to it that I finish every single one of those suckers. I will do it. *wheeze* One a day... no jk jk, when I feel like it

Anyways, Happy (late) Christmas and Happy New Years <3

Category: Hurt/comfort
Word Count: 1394

------------

Xisuma had waited until the server became silent. He had waited until the moon reached it's apex in the sky, until the snow gently fluttered to the floor unlike it's downfall earlier, until the stars in the sky glittered brightly and the sounds of the jungle calmed to a peaceful ambiance.

Christmas Day was practically over.

 His entire day was spent with the Hermits, like usual. Just... messing around in each other's company, enjoying their time together to celebrate the holiday.

But it wasn't over just yet.

The Admin's finger hovered over a confirm button as he stood in his storage tower. He was met with this screen almost two years ago. This time, however, he thought about the possible consequences.

Last time, he had not.

And without another moment of hesitation, he pressed the confirm button. The Admin screen flashed green before it returned to it's normal purple.

A human-like form manifested on the ground in front of him, their legs crisscrossed and palms on their knees. Their chest barely moved with shallow breaths and their hair (long enough to fall around their shoulders) shifted slightly with it. If not for the clenched eyes, any player would have thought they were meditating.

And no, Xisuma didn't expect his brother to respawn on the server peacefully, but him sitting there, barely moving, completely threw that fear out the window.

Worry replaced it instead.

Worry of his brother's mind, of health, of overall well-being. Dear whatever-higher-ups-that-existed, what happened to the Evil X he knew, the one who would yell at everything and do whatever he so desired?

When Evil X finally moved other than his breathing, weak sparks of electricity flaked off his skin. Still, he barely moved in the first place, the only thing really darting around being his eyes. Though, they lacked the passionate fire that burned in defiance whenever Xisuma looked his way. He seemed... calm for once. Almost as is if at any time he would give up and succumb to the Void he was kept in for two Overworld years.

(Void years? Xisuma didn't know the conversion, but he was quite sure it felt like at least a score or more to players.)

The two finally met each other's eyes--lilac and rose-colored--holding the gaze like they held their breaths.

One second passed.

Then three.

Then eight.

"You brought me back? Why?" Evil X asked, his voice hoarse and dry. "I was convinced that-" His eyes narrowed, his mouth audibly clicking shut.

Xisuma frowned and tilted his head, squatting down to his level. "What?"

"Mmm. Nothing." He acted so much like Xisuma, and yet completely different.

The Admin, in response to Evil X, only tilted his head, fixing a questioning glance on his brother. The two had another stare down, and once again, Xisuma won.

Evil X sighed. "I thought you didn't like me. Or somethin'. I dunno."

'I dunno.' Almost as if Evil X cared that he was wrong.

"So what's the special occasion? Snow? Rarely got any of that in the End, I tell ya," Evil X huffed. And there he goes, quickly moving the conversation away from what he didn't want to talk about.

Xisuma turned, pulling his brother closer and into a tight hug. "It's Christmas," he said quietly, like he was afraid of scaring Evil X with a voice too loud.

"... What?"

"Yeah," Xisuma muttered into his hair. He poked Evil X in the shoulder with no real hostility. "The day all those years ago we accidentally got each other matching armor sets? It's Christmas, Evil X. Maybe a bit late at night and all, but, y'know, I thought I'd bring you back because I-"

"... Wait, stop." Evil X held a hand up, weakly and shaking slightly. From fear or shock, X couldn't tell. "How many years has it been? Since I've last been around?"

Xisuma blinked, but his brother's eyes bored into his, and with no visor separating either of them, it was difficult to lie. "Almost two years. Three updates? 1.17 is probably coming out in the summer, I think."

Evil X pulled away, looking Xisuma up and down, as if he didn't just get told he missed two--or twenty--years of his life (it was difficult to tell in the Void). Right, he never lingered on a topic he didn't like for long, leaving his eyes to linger on Xisuma's yellow armor for the amount of time someone would be judging something.

"This color looks terrible on you, 'Suma," Evil X then said, the faux disgust lining his voice. "Your eyes make the yellow seem weird. Eaugh. How disgustin'."

Xisuma clicked his tongue at that, but a ghost of a smile pulled at his lips. Not like he expected a compliment, though.

The Hermit took out the matching helmet and said, "The helmet makes my eyes look blue, you scumbag. The visor is opaque and reflective on the outside." Evil X poked the glass, and an apparent fingerprint smeared slightly.

"Good, it hides your ugly face from- ow!" Evil X recoiled from Xisuma's elbow that dug into his side. He snickered, "Resorted to petty tricks, aye?"

Xisuma scoffed playfully and slid his helmet onto his head. The straps under his chin securely held it in place, they wouldn't want a relapse of the time Evil X knocked one down a ravine and broke it beyond repair.

The atmosphere around them became heavy again, as if the world waited for something to happen, a phrase to be said, an action to complete. Xisuma and Evil X both wanted to say something, obviously, as told by their uneasy body language, but both were waiting for the other. It was just a matter of who had more pride to sacrifice.

Xisuma confessed first. He always does. It's always been like that, even when they were young. He never avoided it for pride's sake, but for honesty.

"I missed you." He wasn't afraid to say it, but he knew his twin was. What he was afraid of was if he felt the same way too. Maybe Evil X resented Xisuma in his time during the Void because of what he subjected him to. But that wouldn't explain why Evil X had no resilience in his eyes. Maybe Evil X didn't care anymore? No, why would he respond to the playful banter and even bother with talking to him?

And after a moment, maybe Evil X didn't want to break the silence that fell over them again.

"... Me too." Evil X bit his lip, his voice quieting. Hesitance settled. Fear came. Denial neared. "... If this is your Christmas gift... I- just- thank you. So much. ... I thought I was gonna be stuck there forever. I thought you really hated me or somethin'. I... I got scared."

"Well, I don't hate you." The response from X was automatic, almost appalled that Evil X thought he was capable of hating. The mirthful grin came back to his brother's face, and Xisuma almost groaned out loud.

"Not anymore," Evil X corrected, his lips curling into a smirk. "You've had a change of heart, one that I wouldn't have thought possible. Not even I would be able to do a full one-eighty change like you have managed to successfully pull off. It must have been so hard to not hate me with every cell of your body-"

Headbutting Evil X had never been so satisfying.

------------

Dude the transitions- *hacks up a furball* terrible lmao

Have a happy holiday, whatever you may celebrate, and if you don't, happy winter! Thank you for reading and have an amazing New Year celebration (if you celebrate New Years around this time)! <333