Welcome to Gaia! ::

His boots scuffed across the snow-drifted pavement, kicking up clouds of white with each footfall; he wasn’t being stealthy, but there was no need for it. In a way, it was a show of bravado--I’m here, stay the ******** away from us--in some form of male dominance. Panic wasn’t one for violence, but threaten the people he loved and he’d be on you…and he wanted the world to know. For the longest time, he’d only ever had his twin sister. Bipolar was fickle and tortured and beautiful and innocent…and he would protect her with his life.

Now the same would be said for the boy whose hand was laced in his, the wintry wind blowing bangs away from EKG’s face. The bruises were fading on the outside, but on the inside? Panic felt that EKG was fragile, something to be handled tenderly, like a butterfly with bent wings. All the more reason to protect him like a looming guard dog, wary and watchful.

Thankfully there was no reason to be watchful today. The day was bright and pretty but cold, Christmas fast approaching despite Panic’s lack of Christmas spirit.

The holiday cheer rather amused Panic, to the point where it filled their cozy little apartment in the form of lights and tinsel, Bipolar dancing through decorating at every little whim, singing Christmas carols at the top of her lungs. It was hard to be a grinch when it came to EKG and BP--and again, it wasn't that he HATED Christmas...he just hadn't had a good one in a long while.

He was hoping this year, to change that. That maybe his twin and his mate--that word was so new to him, but he loved it--would fill his life with holiday cheer just like they filled their home. Because that tiny apartment went from being a house to a home with a snap of fingers.

And he loved it. Truly loved it.

A grin crept up on his face as EKG tugged him along and he followed the smaller boy, his own strides long. He was aware of his size, but he wasn't ashamed of it. If he had to throw his weight around a bit with EKG's customers, he would, no questions asked.

"Money burning a hole in your pocket, E?" he teased lightly, poking EKG in the ribs in a gentle way. He laughed and surged forwards; why anyone would have a fair during the winter, he wasn't sure, but surely there was something perfect here... "Let's split up. You go that way, I'll go this way, and we'll meet in the middle?"

Panic laughed softly as the smaller boy squeezed him in a tight hug, gave him a peck on the cheek as if Panic might up and disappear before they met back up, and then scurried off and a goofy grin spread across his face and for a moment he just stood there and watched him go. Shaking his head, green bangs falling across his face just to be flicked back away, Panic took off to browse the goods.

His pouch of money he’d saved back specifically FOR Christmas sat in his pocket, wanting to be spent, but he browsed aimlessly before finding a little shop selling trinket-like jewelry. His fingers flitted across the glass as he peered into the display case. The first thing he saw was an intricate, feminine piece of fractal glass in the style of a peacock’s feather. BP would go nuts--she collected feathers, of all things. He bought it and tucked it into his pocket. From a different vendor he found a blade made of rainbowed steel, to add to her collection.

And at the farthest booth, he found what he would buy his mate. A smile tipping up his lips, he paid the vendor and the man was kind enough to wrap it for him in neon green paper. He folded the box into his coat pocket--he’d put it under their tree, along with the other gifts, and expect them not to be touched until Christmas morning. Then he headed back to meet up with EKG, his stomach rumbling.

“You hungry?”