## Preface

Gift Exchange
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at https://archiveofourown.org/works/5528492.

Rating:
  General Audiences
Archive Warning:
  No Archive Warnings Apply
Category:
  Gen
Fandom:
  Transistor (Video Game)
Relationship:
  Asher Kendrell/Grant Kendrell
Characters:
  Sybil Reisz, Grant Kendrell, Asher Kendrell, Royce Bracket
Additional Tags:
  happy holidays, please let them all be best friends, just this once
Language:
  English
Series:
  Part 2 of What do they do?
Stats:
  Published: 2015-12-25 Words: 1,809 Chapters: 1/1

# Gift Exchange

by preludedArtist

Summary

> The Camerata exchange gifts with one another!

Notes

> This was meant to be like 600 words but I get excited I'm so sorry.

> The whole scenario is sort of like a "secret friend" sort of thing where you put like... names of the people in your group into a hat and the name that you pull out is the person you're going to secretly gift :')

> ( If there are any mistakes I swear I'll catch them ASAP- after some rest. Sorry!! )

See the end of the work for more notes

## Gift Exchange

“I do not have a single idea as to what to give him.” Sybil would rant to her tablet, a low chuckle coming from the receiver of her call.

“Have you tried asking him? It can’t be that hard to find a gift.” Grant would respond, unable to see Sybil’s little glare considering he’s stood up and walked away from his desk.

Back at her place, she’s settled down onto her couch, twisting her wet hair into big braid. Even if Grant left her screen, she knew he was still around close enough to hear her through the tablet. Hopefully. She raises her voice so he could hear her better… wherever he was. “This isn’t fair. You’ve known him the longest out of any of us. Give me an idea. ”

“The secret gift giving exchange was all your idea, Sybil.” Grant would respond from a distance, eventually returning to his desk and sitting, his face finally appearing on Sybil’s tablet once more.

She shoots him with another expression of exasperation. “I know and that’s because none of you ever have anything to do.”

Grant raises a brow. ‘We’re all busy.”

She waves her with a heavy sigh. “I meant besides work. You all never want to do a thing. Who did you get as the person you’re gifting?”

Grant leans away for the moment, looking around briefly as if to make sure there was no one around on his side of the screen. “I got Asher.” He’d answer in a low volume.

“What!!” Sybil snapped and Grant raises a finger to his own lips to tell her to shush.

“He’s just in the other room, don’t shout.”

“Is he writing?”

Grant nods.

“Then he won’t hear a thing.”

“He might if you shout.”

Sybil huffs. She did not demand for Grant to face-call her just to be scolded. She needed to know just what the hell she could gift Royce. “That is not fair . You and Asher are married. You probably already knew what to gift him the minute you got his name.”

“Place your blame on the randomizer, Sybil, not me.” He answers patiently, already used to her temporary highs and lows. “As for Royce, spend time with him or anything of that sort. Perhaps he’ll let slip something he needs or can’t find.”

“I. Okay. No.” She finds herself rubbing the temple. “He’s just not going to let me follow him around his lab all day. Certainly me inviting him out is not an option. It would probably make him suspicious. Plus! He already affiliates me with crowds and parties.”

Grants takes a breath, ready to speak, before right then both he and Sybil could hear the sound of an opening door. Sybil waits patiently as she sees Asher appear on her screen, seeing him press a cup of coffee to Grant’s hand and lean down to kiss his cheek.

“Talking to Sybil?” He asks, looking down at the Grants tablet and seeing the woman on the screen. “Hello.”

“Hey there.” She answers with a wave. “Is your gift ready to go?”

“It’s all wrapped up and ready for the exchange tomorrow.”

“Already?” Sybil nearly looks offended. Was she the only one who didn’t have her gift ready? “How?”

“Got it out of the way pretty quickly. Needed time tonight to finish writing my article. I’ll be seeing you tomorrow when we all group together, alright?”

No, not alright. She needs to interrogate them all.

“That’s fine, dearest.” Grant says, leaning up so that his face disappeared off of Sybil’s screen. She can still hear the sound of a kiss and soon after the sound of Asher’s footsteps as he left to go finish his work. The door shuts. Grant turns to Sybil once more. “I need to get the bed ready. It’ll be easier to convince him to go to sleep later if he sees the bed already unmade.”

Sybil lets out a sigh. “Right, right. Fine.” She nods, frowning a bit considering her problem was never solved. “He’ll probably think anything I’d get him will be ridiculous.”

She sees him roll his eyes. Okay, yeah, she’s being a bit dramatic.

“Royce won’t think it’s ridiculous. Goodnight, Sybil.”

“Goodnight.” She says with another dramatic sigh, tapping on her tablet and ending the call. Guess tomorrow will be the day.

>>>>

“You’re already here?” Grant sounds surprised when he slid the door open to let Royce in.

“Am I early?” he asks, stepping into the Kendrell’s home and holding a white box with a bright red ribbon on it.

“No. You’re on time . Ah, is that the gift for your exchange?” The elder gentleman questioned, already passing Royce a cup of coffee and taking his gift to set it down on the center decor of the dining table. There were two other gifts already there, most likely Grant’s and Asher’s. There was one missing.

“All we’re missing now is Sybil.” Asher would say, walking to the kitchen and meeting Royce with a handshake. “For what it’s worth, you won’t have to hear her be envious about your way of being fashionably late.”

“That’s fortunate.” Royce would say, taking a sip of the cup of coffee that had been given to him. “Though I am pretty used to it by now.”

Grant would lightly bump Asher’s shoulder with the side of his arm. “Didn’t you already have a cup a bit before Royce arrived?”

Asher would just shrug, guiltily taking a sip for himself. He totally already did have a cup. “Perhaps.” He then lowers his voice. “You don’t see me saying anything when you indulge yourself with those little chocolates.”

“Suppose I can’t argue with you without seeming like a hypocrite, hm?” Grant murmurs, wrapping an arm around his husband’s shoulder.

“Today is a day of indulgence. That’s why I’ve brought you a box of them while I was out shopping yesterday morning.” Asher looks pleased with himself when the other’s eyes seem to light up; he lightly presses himself a little more against Grant. “You’re free to have them whenever, I was originally planning to put them under your pillow or give them to you tonight after everyone had gone.”

“My my, Asher. I suddenly can’t seem to decide which one is sweeter between you or the chocolates.”

Asher snorts and nearly spits out his coffee. “You did not just-”

There’s a knock on their door; most likely Sybil. She lets herself in, the door sliding shut behind her. “Grant, Asher, apologies for not being sooner I was-” There was a pause as she joined them all in the kitchen. “You’re already here, Royce?”

He nods when addressed, setting his finished cup of coffee down. “I was free at this time. Caught up with my work for once. All I have to do for the next few days is wait for results.” He then regrets saying that as soon as he finished speaking.

Sybil is beaming. She’s definitely going to take advantage of Royce’s free days and make the four of them go out to eat. “Let’s get these done.” She gestures at her bag, no doubt the gift box of whomever it was that was going to receive her gift inside of it.

>>>

They all took their seats on the couches or smaller seats, in the center of them the identical looking gift boxes were neatly in a row.

“Sybil, since this was all of your planning, you should get to go first.” Asher would say, huddled with Grant on their shared couch. Was he saying this to be nice or was he saying this because Sybil was the name that had been picked out for him by the randomizer?

“If you insist.” She hums, leaning out to looks for her name and finally finding a small looking looking box. Inside was a headband, it’s color a light blue with little diamond patterns organized on it. Alongside it was a pair of bright red earrings, the stone in the shape of an oval. “Oh! These are too nice. Wasn’t there a-” She pauses when she also sees a note neatly folded in the same box.

It wasn’t much. They’re practically casual.

How clever. Instead of the gifter explaining this to her personally, he’d left a note to remain anonymous.

“Since you kindly offered first, why don’t you go next?” Sybil would tell Asher, already trying on the earrings to see how they would look.

Asher moves a bit from Grant’s side and he grabs the box with his own name on it. Opening it, he nearly beams. “Are these… pants for my cat?” He questions, raising the small article of clothing to reveal it’s bright blue and bright green striped pattern. He totally loves it.

“Oh, what’s that?” Grant would point at the box, notifying Asher that there was a second prize in there. It was a pin button that said sorry, I have plans with my cats.

“Is someone trying to tell me something?” He would ask with a laugh, nudging Grant with his knee as he pinned the button to his shirt. “Why don’t you go?”

“Will do.” Grant answers, easily finding his gift and undoing the ribbon.

Inside was a cup with the saying #1 Administrator . Perfect. In the box was also a light green tie. “Oh, this is very nice.” He says, holding the tie against his collar for a brief moment to check if the length worked out.

“That color would look good on you.” Asher advises with an approving look.

“It’d look good with something white or black.” Grant nods, pleased with his gifts. “Thank you very much to the gifter. Royce?” He turns to the man. “Why don’t you open yours? You’re the only one who’s left.”

Royce nods, leaning forward from his seat and taking the long and flat box. The first thing was the shirt. “ Oh . That’s just fair.” He’d chuckle, holding up a shirt that said “enginerd.” It was decorated in protractors and pi and other little math quirks.

“There’s something else in there.” Sybil says oh so casually, most likely blowing her cover but… who cares at this point.

In there was a small device that looked like a timer. “It’ll ring and remind you of something you forgot. Little things, not major things. Goodness knows I could be busy or running around and if it weren’t for the constant reminders, I’d be leaving out a lot little details, you know.”

“Ah, I see.” Royce would comment, looking the small device over and testing out the little rings. “This is good. Especially with such meticulous and careful work; remembering details is very important.”

Sybil looks quite proud, pleased that her gift was deemed useful.

Overall, today turned out to be just fine. Although... perhaps next year… she’ll be more prepared when it comes to gifting.

## Afterword

End Notes

> It was pretty corny and cut up short at the end and sorry if I made anyone act a little goofy-- it's like 5am and it's Holiday season so I hope this was nice enough to enjoy at least little bit ; o ;

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