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Wise Elder Vex always liked Thanktival the most out of every other day in the year. It was the day Ho-Tan told them all she was a woman. It was when Deb-beh told them all about Christmas and gave them those lovely little cards. It was when the youngers won the Thanktival song contest.

Most importantly though, it was when he first told Choop that he loved him. And now, many years later after the confession had first happened. A couple years after Deb-beh had saved them from Cuddly Dick’s bad wig. He was retelling the story now to their friends and family most of which had already heard, so really it was mostly to Deb-beh, Elf, Nick, and Negatus -who had recently said he was tired of being bad and now would only set up minor inconveniences so that he could still call himself bad while not actually being bad-.

“Long, long ago before Deb-beh, before our youngers. When we were barely even out of the ‘younger’ title ourselves, it was Thanktival.”

“Vexie!” Barely Chief Elder Choop -the barely always came in the first year of being an elder- yelled after his dear friend.

“Yes, Choop?” Elder Vex said, turning to see that wonderfully curled hair that had just recently gotten its first gray streak, the sideburns that were growing into something that would look wild but tamed when Choop got the chance to brush them out.

“Happy Day Before Thanktival!” -there has got to be a better way to say that- Choop cried pulling Vex into a hug.

“Wait,” Choop said and Vex was brought back into reality out of his story.

“Yes?”

“You’ve never told it like this before, have you?” Choop looked confused, “you told me about four years after we became Elders.”

“Oh I’m telling the whole story this time.” Vex reasoned, making an engulfing motion with his hands, “now where was I- ahh yes”

Vex smiled into Choop’s shoulder, “Happy Day Before Thanktival, Choop” Vex slowly pulled out of the hug, blush tickling his face. “I got you something.” He led Choop upstairs to his sleeping chamber. Choop stayed outside while Vex got the present.

It was a small box. In reality it was empty, Vex was going to keep what was meant to be inside until he could actually give it to Choop.

“Oh I really wonder what’s inside,” Choop said, sighing sadly.

The next year Vex bumped into Choop, holding his gift, Choop was also holding a box. He handed Choop the gift and it was studied closely.

“This box looks similar to last years, Vexie” Choop ran his fingers along the box. Vex blushed at this. It was the same box, Vex had swapped the boxes and let Chompus eat the fake which had a small trinket in it. Alas he hadn’t been brave enough to give the actual gift to the one he loved.

The gift was two hair curlers, golden. One of the most popular ways of showing romantic love to someone is to give your loved one something to make them beautiful in  a way they cared about. With Choop it was his hair which he took time every morning to sculpt so perfectly he had said that it would be easier if he had curlers but he didn’t have the time to get his own.

It would be so obvious then, it would be as if he just came out and said it.

“Oh I guess I must’ve bought the same box.” Vex laughed. A blatant lie but what was he to do, say it was the exact same?

“I got you something too,” Choop smiled, a light pink tickling his cheeks, “again im really sorry I forgot last year. What with everything going on.”

“Oh it’s alright.”

The next year about the same thing happened, Vex put it up to chance again. But the Fourth year in a row this happened Choop wasn’t as gullible.

“I’m just going to open it. We can put a voucher in it or something.” When he started to take off the ribbon that had been so dutifully tied the first time Vex snatched it back.

“There’s nothing in it,” Vex lied holding the box close to his chest and fiddling with his sleeve.

“Liar, just hand it over chap.” Choop said, shaking his head.

“No”

“Yes!” Choop jumped and gripped the box. They fought for it and finally Vex got it, he ran from Choop but straight into Flowers. “GET THE BOX!” Choop called.

“Sorry, Brother,” Flowers shrugged, taking the box out of Vex’s weakend grip easily. He handed it to Choop.

“Wait, before you open it-“

“Nope,” Choop interrupted untying the bow and opening the box, Vex sighed.

“Choop I can explain…” Vex trailed off, not knowing how he could explain other than to outright say what he really wanted to.

“Is this…” Choop started, he looked at Vex, who was searching for the right things to say without saying his true feelings. “Vex do you…”

“NO!” Vex lied, he thought of ways he could word it to sound true. “I just… “ Choop raised an eyebrow, obviously not buying it. “Can we talk in private?” He jerked his head to Flowers, wanting him to leave.

“Oh!” Flowers exclaimed, stepping back, sounding very apologetic he said, “sorry, I got invested.” He turned around and left.

“My chambers?” Vex said, knowing Flowers would probably try to still listen in.

“yeah, that sounds good.” And they walked to Vex’s chambers.

“I think…” they said at the same time. Choop insisted Vex should go first but Vex was not having any of that.

“I think,” Choop started, then paused, then again started “I think we both know what needs to be said… and we’re both feeling it.”

“But I can’t say it.” Vex said.

“Is there another way you can get it across?” Choop wondered aloud.

“Can I…”

“Yes?”

“Can I put the curlers in your hair… and that can be how I’m saying it?”

“I… would like that.” Choop said with a smile

“And then he did my hair, then we kissed, and then hoo hoo.”

“Pep pep pep,” Vex chided, “this is my story dear.”

“Go on,” Choop said, rolling his eyes.

“And then I did his hair, then we kissed, and then, hoo hoo, well let me just say, the stork came about a year later with you in tow” he nodded to their eldest son, the one that looked like Vex, Bartholemew.

“Vex! Your children are here!” Debbie cried.

“But Deb-beh that’s what really happened.” Vex said, “The stork came and gave us dear Bartholemew all wrapped up in cloth.”

Debbie smiled and shook her head “of course that’s what happened.”

Vex, now focusing on Choop smiled, “I love you Cheepy bird”

“I love you too Vexie.”