“Firework, this is a holiday party. A calm night to celebrate moderately for once. Don’t you dare try anything!”
 
”But bro!” Firework protested. “The booze is on sale! What are we supposed to do, drink water like a bunch of boring old ponies?”
 
Lightning was about to continue scolding Firework when Dusk interjected, “We only want you to be safe. Remember when you sprained your leg dancing on the table? You don’t want that to happen again, do you?”
 
”Hmph, fine.” Firework scoffed. “I’ll just have some boring old eggnog.”
 
Lightning and Dusk watched him go and ordered their own drinks. “Finally, he’s drinking something non-alcoholic once! Lightning sighed.
 
”I wouldn’t be so sure,” Dusk turned a concerned eye towards Firework, who seemed to be calmly sipping a glass of eggnog. “He could easily purchase alcohol later while we’re not watching.”
 
”He won’t do that,” Lightning leaned back in his seat and sipped his drink. “I ordered all of the bartenders not to sell him alcohol. Now there’s a more responsible way to look out for him!”
 
“Ah yes, responsible.” Dusk agreed. “You’ve come a long way since our younger days when you-“
 
”Ho Ho Hoooo!” A voice called from behind.
 
Lightning swiveled around in horror to find his brother, with his face covered in foam. “Firework! What have you been drinking?”
 
”Milk and cookies!” The deep blue pegasus hiccuped and stumbled over to Dusk. “Yo hottie, wanna frost my cookies?”
 
”B-but…how is this possible? How did you even GET alcohol?” Lightning sputtered in surprise.
 
”This ain’t alcohol…hic This is eggnog. I put snow in it!”
 
Lightning nearly screamed. “yOU drUGGEd ThE EggNOG-“ With a concerned look from Dusk, he paused and took a deep breath. “I…I don’t know what I expected…”
 
Firework ignored this and clumsily slung an arm around Dusk. “We oughta have some fun tonight! hic Ain’t it the season? We can suck each other’s candy canes! Roast chestnuts! Stuff stockings!” He tried to lean in, but missed and hit the floor, passing out.
 
The unicorn gazed at the drunk pegasus in concern, watching helplessly as the pegasus fell under the influence of the drugged drink. “Um…”
 
”Let’s go home.” Lightning cut in sternly. “We’re done here.”
 
”You know,” Dusk remarked. “You could have been more responsible in monitoring his beverage intake.”
 
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
 
“Ugh…” Firework cracked his eyes open and rubbed his throbbing head. “What happened last night?” He sat up and gazed in awe at the Hearth’s Warming decorations strewn about his room, forgetting that he’d put them up himself. He then looked at the ground, which was covered in white, sticky frosting from his drunken baking session. “Holy buck! Did Santa come?”
 
Dusk picked up a Santa hat from the floor and smiled, playing along. “Yes, I’d say Santa came early this year.”