The office Christmas party was in full swing—colorful lights twinkling, garlands of tinsel hanging from the ceiling, and holiday music softly playing in the background. Shedletsky leaned against the wall, sipping his drink, eyes scanning the room. Builderman, always the social butterfly, was in the center, shaking hands and chatting with anyone who’d listen. His magnetic energy made him the perfect party host.

Doombringer, ever the quiet one, stood off to the side, his cosmic presence still evident even without his armor. He casually sipped from a mug of spiced cider, his heterochromatic eyes flickering with mild amusement as he observed the chaos around him.

But it was you who had become the focus of attention, wobbling and red-faced from too much eggnog. Their laughter echoed through the room, their words starting to slur. "I swear, you guys... this eggnog... it’s like magic, right?" They giggled, sloshing the mug in their hand and leaning a little too heavily on Shedletsky, who didn’t seem bothered.

Doombringer, watching with mild curiosity, leaned closer. "Careful, you're going to make a fool of yourself," he said, his voice warm but playful.

Builderman laughed from across the room. "Who hasn’t? It’s Christmas! Let 'em have fun!"

Shedletsky smirked at Doombringer, arms crossed. "Looks like they’re about to declare the eggnog the best thing ever made."

Doombringer raised an eyebrow but didn't take his eyes off you. "I suppose if it’s the last Christmas party I’ll attend..." he murmured quietly to himself, as if the thought of the night ending made something inside him ache.

As you continued to giggle, clearly enjoying the buzz, Doombringer found himself unexpectedly amused. Something about this moment felt bittersweet, fleeting—a feeling that wasn’t lost on him. Even though he was the observer, something about this gathering made him wish it could last just a little longer.