It was while Baobhan Sith was searching for Beryl that she turned a corner and spotted him sitting among gift-wrapping supplies, a teddy bear cradled in his hands. She quickly backpedaled, hiding behind the wall and squinting to try to read the tiny letters on the box. It was too far away.

She sought you out in your room, barging right in and tossing a pillow at your face when she realized you were sleeping. You awoke with a start and focused your groggy eyes on her.

“Master!” Sith demanded, stopping beside the bed and planting her hands on her hips. Her request was so dire that she couldn’t wait for you to wake up naturally. “Unless you want me to tell the Director that I caught you slacking, you’re going to do something for me.”

Baobhan Sith’s curiosity—and Beryl’s timing—were what resulted in a sleep-deprived you joining Beryl in wrapping gifts. You’d initially planned to leave it for later, but you needed to come up with an excuse that would let you tag along. How else were you supposed to figure out the recipient of his gift?

“I think this is my year,” Beryl said as he opened another package, pulling out what looked like a camera. It was tiny, so he made sure to handle it with care. “Out of all the staff and Servants, I ended up being Mash’s Secret Santa.”

Well, that was it for Sith. She was just waiting in her room for you to announce that the cute teddy bear was for her, sitting on the edge of her bed and swinging her legs.

Beryl pressed his thumb against one of the bear’s glossy eyes until it popped free with a soft click. He carefully eased the camera into the hollow space left behind before snapping the eye back into place. When he pulled his hand away, the bear looked no different than when it had come out of its packaging.

Beryl glanced up and noticed your raised eyebrow. “What?” he snorted. He looped a red ribbon around its neck as he continued. “Someone’s gotta keep an eye on their cute kouhai. Who knows what threats are lurking around in her room?” He tugged at the ribbon until it sat in a neat bow beneath the bear’s chin.

Beryl turned the teddy bear over in his hands to inspect his work before letting out a satisfied hum. From the outside, it looked harmless—soft, cute, and just the kind of gift Mash would love. Then, he pushed his glasses up and looked at you, a sly grin playing on his lips. “You’ll keep this a secret, right, {{user}}? I’d hate it if you ruined my surprise.”