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 Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 1:31 pm
Melvin hadn't slept well for the past few days, but he had coffee and he had a project. Ever since Rin told him that no one really did anything for the holidays, he fixated him as a self-nominated event planner and was narrowly focused on the single task of Thanksgiving. He had a set in mind. Clearance for a room big enough for many people. Decorations like centerpieces that could either be made or bought. Backup plan if the portals never opened (mainly involving a lot of bartering among the other hunters), and a set list of what could be done once the portals open. He also had Rin listed if he might send someone to grab things when portals opened if he didn't have clearance as a trainee yet.
Then there was the list of food. Who did he talk to about food allergies? How many turkeys and how many hams? Considering how much everyone worked out, how much was too much or too little? What would be a nice wine that wasn't too expensive given the volume of people.
He already had a clipboard filled with neat notes as he looked at a food list, wondering exactly what he was leaving out.
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:35 pm
Candace was going to check on Lance again today, and whenever she did that she made sure to always bring him decent food since he often complained about what the Life Hunters provided for him. She stopped when she spotted Melvin poring over something in the cafeteria, backing up a few steps to peek over his shoulder. She blinked. Turkey, dinner rolls, pies...
"Whatcha doin'?" She suddenly asked, her arms moving to rest on his shoulders as she leaned over his head as best as she could. "Grocery list? Probably going to be waiting a long time for that at this rate..."
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 3:53 pm
He instantly tensed as she leaned against him, making him grit his teeth. "Don't..lean on me." He reached over to turn a chair for her to take.
"It's for Thanksgiving." He told her, wanting to smile but too frustrated at being reminded that the portals might not be an option, meaning shopping would be out. "I'm hoping the portals will be fixed in time though I've thought of alternatives if that doesn't work out."
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 6:20 pm
At the clear request Candace stood, sitting down in the chair and scooting close enough to see the list while still giving Melvin a bit of a personal bubble. Ah, he had been asking about Thanksgiving! That could be a nice pick-me-up for the island if he was actually able to pull it off. The needed more good things on this island, all the negativity was getting dangerously toxic. "It'd be nice if they were...been awhile since I celebrated Thanksgiving." Candace hummed. "What're your alternatives?" She sounded wary now. When Candace thought alternatives she thought of Leon style alternatives.
Nobody but Leon ate Leon's way.
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 6:24 pm
"If the portals don't go into working order before I can get leave or have Rin help me out..." He turned a few pages on his clipboard. "...I'd have to work and haggle whatever I can from the cooks and other people on the island. Basically make a request for what I could get. The only bad thing is that I doubt they have half the big things that make Thanksgiving dinner. I'm really hoping the portals work." He said, tapping his pen. "I'm not great at haggling, and I don't have much to haggle with." He only had a bit of cash along with the money he had from the volunteer weapon testing. That and Candace's shoe funds.
He sighed. "I really hope it doesn't come to trying to scrap up what I can here."
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:08 pm
Ah, that's what he meant. That didn't sound so bad. It was the thought that counts, right? And the fact that he was trying at all spoke wonders. Everyone needed that. There was way too much negativity on the island lately, just too much of it. "Eh, so what if it isn't traditional? Not many of us are really traditional people. Like that episode of Charlie Brown where they had thanksgiving with popcorn and sandwiches, but it was still a good time~." She smiled, turning so she was facing the back of the chair and folding her arms on top of it to rest her head on them.
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Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:11 pm
"Are you kidding? Charlie Brown was a depressed kid whose friends treated him like dirt." He pointed out. "I'm not having a depressing Thanksgiving. Anyone can scrounge up popcorn. I'm not just going to find anything to eat on Thanksgiving. I'll make it work." He was not going to let his holiday just be eating some scraps like some hobo who found the best he could in the trash.
"The fact you can say popcorn is the same thing...just..." It was just crazy she would even go there. "Exactly how bad were your Thanksgivings?"
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:36 am
Candace rolled her eyes. "Hey it took some time but he had happy moments! Stop ruining it." She reached out to flick her finger against the side of Melvin's head in punishment and then brought her arm back to settle her chin on it again, humming thoughtfully and glancing toward the kitchen. "Did you try the pantry? It's pretty huge. I'm pretty sure it stocked in preparation for the end of the world, like those bunkers you see on television that usually belong to some ******** crazy person convinced the world is going to end because some French from the fifteen hundreds said so." She shook her head. That was totally it, guys. Nostradamus and the Mayan calendar were totally the deciders of all world distastes. Yup.
Idiots.
"I'm not saying exact I just meant the--no, my Thanksgivings were not bad." Candace sat up straight and actually looked offended by the suggestion. "They were nothing grand or extravagant. My dad and my mother would invite family over, I'd come home too, we'd all have a big dinner and then I'd go back to Boston. Average family, average event." She shrugged and settled down. For someone who was supposed to be smart how could he be so stupid as to take her literally? "I wasn't saying to actually offer popcorn and sandwiches, I meant it just won't be a big deal if the meal isn't exactly traditional. Check the pantry first, it's open to everyone."
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Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:19 pm
Melvin rubbed his head, looking at Candace as if she just punched his arm. It was not only surprise, but Why did you do that? look, but he let it pass. He'd just have to watch her.
"I haven't tried the pantry. I'll go check. Thanks." Maybe he could mark a few things off his list by what was hanging about. If the portals were down, he'd have to get what he could get. Maybe someone had a extra turkey he could buy off them. He'd still need more, but it was better than nothing.
"Sounds like my Thanksgivings. Do you miss it?" He wasn't sure how he'd feel as this would be one of those very rare occasions where he wouldn't be with his family. He was once in a airport where a flight delay had kept him there and missed the holiday. He did arrive home the next day and there was leftovers and his family waiting for him. He never just didn't see his family.
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 5:35 pm
Did she miss it? The question actually made her pause, blinking and looking as surprised as she felt. Did she miss it? She actually had to think about this. Thanksgiving meant her entire family was there, it meant..during the years she was in Boston she had to leave and go back to Texas which was sometimes a hassle, and then she had to deal with..you know...relatives. "I guess..." She frowned, toying with the end of her hair as something to distract herself with. This was her home now, she felt right here..she didn't think about her family much. "Sometimes. Not as much as I probably used to. I mean, there are days where I do stop and wonder how my dad took it...or my mother, or my friends, you know?" She draped her arms over the back of her chair again and shrugged. "It gets easier with time..."
She was quiet for a bit as she just folded her hands on the back of the chair and rest her chin on them. The holidays were usually her favorite time of year with Christmas being her absolute favorite holiday of all...hm. "I think this is a really good thing you're doing. We need more good things on this island, keep everyone from killing each other."
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Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 11:04 am
It gets easier with time...
Time. It had been about two years while in a pod from his supposed death in the real world. Two years for his family to be shocked, mourn, and then let it sink in that he wasn't there. How did the funeral work with no body? How hard was it for them to go to his dorm and pack his things? Two years had given them time, but it was barely 2 months for him to know that his family was dead to him. No, not dead to him, but he was dead to them. It was different. He knew, for the most part, that they were alive. That come a few weeks, they would gather at his grandmother's place for Thanksgiving, surrounded by family, mourn a moment at a vacant chair, and move on.
He had been drawing circles on his clipboard before 'aheming' and rising up.
"It shouldn't be a holiday that keeps everyone from going at each others' necks. I thought everyone fighting together would make better bonds than this." He had spent a good time in the Infirmary giving cafeteria meals to those in beds due to short tempers. This was supposed to be his family now? It seemed like a very poor trade.
"You said that pantry there?" He started to move over, adverting his gaze as he took measured breathes.
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Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 9:55 pm
"It shouldn't be, but any distraction will do. Something positive and uplifting, you know? Sometimes nearly dying together just isn't enough...people get stressed, they have nothing to take their mind off the stress, and they're cooped up on this small island...it can take its toll." She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, sitting up straight a moment before she got up and sat properly in the chair again.
At the mention of the pantry Candace smiled and nodded. "Yeah, a big one. The island needs to be self sufficient for times like now when we can't leave it except when on mission so we need a big pantry kept stocked. It doesn't hurt to check there first before making plans..." Hm...was Melvin okay? Her smile remained as present as ever as she watched him, trying to figure out what his problem was. Had it been the hair ruffling? Was she too close? She could scoot back. Was it the subject?
"Something troubling you, Melvin?"
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Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 11:50 pm
He moved to open cabinets, checking inside and moving boxes and cans about. "Hmm....just never really had a Thanksgiving that wasn't, well, home." Every time November came around, the holiday anticipation and expectations of food and family usually rose to it's peak the week before Thanksgiving. Now what did he have to look forward to? A horrible meal with people who couldn't even get along with themselves even before he showed up? It really didn't warm your heart much.
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