"Tommy. You're not in trouble, I just-- how long have you had it?"

"...Just a day, I got it, I got it yesterday evening, it was, it was a Christmas present, please don't take it--"

"From who?"

"Just let me keep it. Pleeaaaaase let me keep it."

"I'm gonna let you keep it for now. Who gave it to you?"

"What the fuck, why 'for now'? Just let me keep it!"

"Fine. Just--stop being annoying and tell me who gave it to you."

"No one. I made it myself. With my own two, my own two hands, I made it."

"Then why did you say it was a Christmas present?"

"Sometimes, you know, I'm gonna let you in on a little secret here, sometimes I, I just say things."

"...That's true."

"...So I can keep it?"

"Yeah, that's fine. We can--we can even make more, if you want. Not, not much more, but--"

"Pogchamp."

"And that can be--that can be part of your Christmas present, what do you think?"

"I think that sounds incredible."

Then after class they can make two more mana storage crystals for Tommy. They're much smaller than the ones he came in with, but Clay starts carving one in the shape of a dick and Tommy immediately catches on and starts cracking up and mirrors it in the one he's working on, and Clay pretends to jerk it off and has to watch Tommy struggle to keep a straight face and insist that it's an abstract art piece, really, and it's-- it's genuinely, honestly a good time.

He decides he'll let Tommy keep it if he gives up his mana without a fight on Christmas. And then night comes, and morning again.

"Hello."

"Merry Christmas to you too, asshole."

"You know what, yeah, Merry Christmas."

He's trying not to get too excited, he really is. But it's hard. "D'you have my present?"

"That depends. Do you have mine?" Hand out.

....Tommy stares at the outstretched hand. "I don't want to."

"Just give it to me."

"...Okay." Handshake. At least he has some mana storage, now, he's not completely helpless.

"Do you want your gift here or in the library?" Clay wiggles and bounces a little on his toes. "I brought it in my backpack, in case you wanted it right away."