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"OYE!" Roch said. "That's downright mean," he told Danny, making a face at her. "But I ain't ever heard Granddad play," he said thoughtfully. "So I'm in!"

"Here we are!" Monica said, coming in with the cake. It was a double layer, covered in chocolate frosting and green designs. "Isn't it beautiful?" she asked happily as she sat it down and started slicing pieces and handing them out.

Austin shrugged and got up, having finished his cake. His hand came out, and his FEAR gathered, turning into his sharp, shiny sax. "Something a little classy, since it IS Christmastival," he said as he started to play.

Roch's eyes grew heavy lidded. He looked as if he'd fall asleep at any moment as the song lit the air. Vegas snorted, shaking his head with reluctant amusement.

Vegas summoned his dagger. Then he fanned them like a deck of cards before sliding them out into their full piano version. Smaller daggers appeared for the black keys, all of which floated in the air in front of him. "My turn, then?" he said, slamming on the keys once to jerk Roch awake.

Roch almost fell out of his chair. He blinked at the man, looking like a guilty child. "What?"

"Stay awake, you little jacker, it's my turn to play." The oldest reaper popped his knuckles, then began to play.

"The lazy jacker never bothers to show the entire summons," Austin muttered, rolling his eyes. "Do it right, you old geezer!!" he bellowed.

Vegas stopped, then rolled his eyes and the grand piano he was playing came into view. It was huge. It was beautiful. It was all sleek black and silver, the daggers finally making sense where they were. "It's a pain in the a**," Vegas complained.

"Holy candlewax, it's jackin' GORGEOUS," Roch muttered, his eyes huge.

"I see it, I see it, I see it," Roch said, rolling his eyes at her reaction. "But jack, playing the daggers like that--it's like just summoning the strings and being able to play the guitar," he said, frowning. "How does he--"

"He's got two forms," Austin said. "One's like... an electric keyboard I suppose, the other's the grand piano, just like you got a bass and an electric and I got a bass and a tenor. It's just he figured out how to make the keyboard really simplistic, hell if I know how."

"We ain't playing instruments," Vegas said. "We're playing FEAR. Don't get the two mixed up."

"Screechie," Austin said patiently. "That there is a sixty year old Grim Reaper's scythe. You're a fire demon. Even when you're sixty you won't have one. And that one... that's a one of a kind, I'm afraid, just like mine is and Roch's is."

"Besides, you don't play a piano," Roch added with far too much logic.

Vegas let his piano dissipate. "How about we open presents now?" he asked, changing the subject. Roch almost let out a sigh of relief, because distracting Danny was a perfect way to get her off of something ridiculous.

"Sure, but I didn't get you guys anything, either," he told his dad and granddad callously. "If SOMEONE would let me play here regularly I might have spending seeds for that sort of thing," he added with a pointed look at Vegas.

"Now's not the time to discuss business, boil. Now's the time to open presents!"

"We didn't get one," Vegas admitted. "Too flammable. Monica, darklin, come in here already, would you?" he said as he got to his feet, heading into the back. "Keep them occupied while I get the things together."

"Okay!" Monica said, coming out of the kitchen and smiling at them. "Oh, I can't wait until you see your gifts!" she told Roch, sitting down next to him. "I'm sure you'll love them!"