Day 4: Christmas Memories

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As part of a yearly tradition with yabamena, we write each other drabbles for the 12(+1) days of Christmas. Day 4: Corvus bound by a sorcerer who can command him into raven form. Because of this bond, Corvus doesn't remember much of his past, Then he meet Mars. Now he's strugglng to break free and at the same time, protect Mars from this same sorcerer.

Christmas was one of the things Corvus struggled to remember. It came to him in scents: pine, peppermint, apple-cinnamon, burning logs, sugar cookies, and roasted chestnuts. It was flashes of memory: torn paper, laughter, screams of delight, falling snow -- though sometimes he remembered rain and warmer skies instead -- and faces he could never quite focus on. Christmas was feelings he clung to: warmth, love, cheer -- things he hadn't had in too many years to count.

And while he was opening himself, what was left of himself, to Mars, these were feelings and memories Corvus never expected to have again. So it was a surprise when he woke up, his hair a floppy, curled mess on his head, to find Mars hanging lopsided ornaments on an even more lopsided tree. As Corvus watched, the scents in the room struck him and he stared in open wonder at the candles lit in various corners of the rooms. Pine. Peppermint. Apple-Cinnamon. Sugar cookie. And how had Mars found a roasted chestnut scented candle that smelled like the real thing?

Corvus swallowed hard, at a loss for words and Mars hummed and spun around, setting down a box of tiny ornaments just made for tiny trees like the one he stood over. He caught Corvus' gaze and grinned. "Hey. You're awake. Sorry I was so late. You were asleep when I got here so..."

Corvus sat up all the way as Mars came over and handed over the star. "Saved the star for you." Mars hesitated a moment and then asked, "Is this...okay?"

Corvus stared at him quizzically, confused until he realized that holidays weren't something they had talked about. He had no idea if Mars was a huge Christmas person, nor did Mars really know if Corvus was either. It was something they hadn't brought up, mostly because Corvus just couldn't remember.

He took the star from Mars and stood up, crossing over to the tree and placing it carefully on top of the little tree. Despite the whole thing looking like it could fall over any second, it remained balanced and Corvus loved it. Immediately he headed right back to the couch, sat next to Mars and tugged him close. "Yeah. It's perfect."

It was okay that Corvus couldn't really remember a Christmas before this one. He was making new memories with Mars.