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 Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:18 pm
"Yep," Harrison said, wiggling another softly-wrapped package and putting it in Rep's pile, "Those are yours. This one's frommmm...Jerry."
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:06 pm
What little colour normally lay in Rep's features drained away and he looked as if he was considering passing out. "I..."
There were a lot of gifts and the pile for him was getting bigger than he could even handle. And the gifts for the guys, gifts he should be prepared to blow out of the water with his own lavish presents but wasn't. Gestures of friendship and affection.
He felt ill, he'd bought things for himself and now it would look like he didn't care, like they weren't even worth thinking about.
"..I didnae get anything."
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:10 pm
Jordan looped his arm around Rep's waist, pulling him close, an instinctive reaction to his obvious distress. "Hey," he said. "It's fine." What had Christmas been like for Rep before now? Probably not something particularly special, from what Rep had said about his life before the island. His reaction now, the clear unhappiness at not having gotten gifts, conveyed that it wasn't lack of care, just lack of thought.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:22 pm
Harrison snorted at Rep's stricken expression. "You forget?" He smiled lopsidedly, holding up another envelope to the light to see if there was any cash inside.
Just a card, it looked like. He tossed it on his stack.
"Well don't worry. You can owe me."
The presents were just about sorted. Harrison put the last gift in its appropriate pile. "Okay. Think that's everything."
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 5:50 pm
Jordan said it was fine, but it wasn't fine at all. This was important, it was meant to be perfect, and now he had nothing but cringeworthy embarrassment where he should have felt smug and proud that he'd done right by his guys. He wilted against Jordan but the guilt didn't ease, even as Harrison waved it off casually he knew he was probably just hiding his disappointment.
Well okay maybe not, but it was the principle of the thing. He wanted to give them gifts, to surprise them by how much he paid attention, to surprise other people with the same thing. And now there was nothing he could do, it was way too late.
"I'm sorry. I didn't forget I didn't think."
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 1:42 am
"Next year," Jordan said, smiling, and leaned over to kiss Rep gently.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:17 am
"Except," Harrison said, "for these two," and he pulled out two small packages. "Tracey," which he put in Rep's pile, "and Ferros," which he put in Jordan's. Rep was still looking like someone punched him in the stomach.
"Or next week. It's not a big deal," he reiterated for Rep's sake. "We haven't had leave in six ******** months." He nudged one of the presents from Rep's pile towards him.
"Cheer up," he said. And don't look so sad. "We're not mad."
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 10:45 am
Rep relaxed into the kiss, the cringing fear of a scolding thawing gradually as none came. A little of his colour came back, perhaps a little too much around the cheeks as he smiled gratefully. He could make it up to people, he would make it up to people.
<wait a ******** minute?>> he mentally sighed.
"If you two say so. I'm just. I wouldn't do that intentionally, you know that right? I just assumed like, presents were for kids and s**t, didn't realise like adults really gave them." None of his friends ever had.
He reached out for the first present in his pile which was apparently from Jerry - it had cool alien writing on it - he'd never heard of Hebrew. He read the card first out of habit, brows narrowing initially before he outright smiled in surprise. He approved when he opened the gift too, out here with Arctic missions on any horizon, you just couldn't get enough socks. And these had what looked like dragons on. Any socks with dragons were his kind of socks. The b*****d had even returned his share of the stash, he noticed as he opened the bag. Okay maybe Jerry was okay after all, he grudgingly thought, nerdy forever but his heart was in the right place.
"Tracey isn't going to shut the ******** up till I open this one." he grudgingly stated, picking up the package Harrison had just added to the pile.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 11:54 am
"I know," Jordan answered. Then he remembered that he hadn't gotten his gifts out yet. "Oh, just a sec." He slipped off the bed and retrieved three packages from underneath it; he put one in Rep's pile and one in Harrison's, and kept the smallest box to the side for the moment.
He blinked at Harrison's addition; neither he nor Ferros had thought to get gifts for B0nez or Tracey, but it was a thought to remember for the next occasion. Ferros rumbled interestedly, his curiosity piqued.
Jordan picked up the envelope from Robert first, though, curious as to what Robert might have written in a card; writing wasn't the big man's strong point, and he hadn't included a card last time. When he saw what was inside, though, he laughed and held it out so the others could see. "Robert's being thoughtful, I guess."
He then picked up Ferros's present, urged on by the dragon's silent, excited prodding.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:12 pm
Harrison grinned as Jordan added his gift, picking up the box.
He snorted at Robert's present, catching a glimpse of what looked like a giftcard with abs on it. "What's that for?"
As for the presents, he had considered getting a polishing kit like the one he used for B0nez, but after some more considering, put together a homemade kit. Ferros's came with about three bottles of cooktop cleaner and a soft, oversized dishcloth. It also had a few Godzilla DVDs.
"Those were just fifty cents each," Harrison pointed out. "I didn't know if you liked movies or not, but I thought you might get a kick out of it."
Tracey's had a dishcloth too, and a tub of the fancyass sword oil. With it were a couple rolls of black yarn. Glittery red threads ran through it.
"Reminded me of you and Ferros," Harrison said. He undid the wrapping from Jordan's present.
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Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 8:31 pm
Rep smirked approvingly at Tracey's gift, the fallen angel likewise voicing his appreciation in his thoughts. It had nuanced meaning for both of them.
demand you test it as soon as possible, you've been neglecting me lately William.>
<>
"He likes it", he offered, though it was somewhat evident from the long suffering expression he tended to wear whenever Tracey was being talkative. "Likes it so much he's guilt tripping me about not polishing him enough."
He picked up Jordan's gift to him and tried to ignore Tracey being dramatic, pausing only to eye what Robert had decided to gift them with suspicion. How gay did he think they were?
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 2:33 am
"Giftcards for a Vegas show," Jordan said, amused. "Date night sometime?" He put it aside and unwrapped Ferros's gift. "Oh, this is nice." We will use it later, Ferros said, pleased. Tell him thank you, I am very happy. He paused thoughtfully at the sight of the DVDs. I think I knew a guy like that.Jordan laughed. "Ferros says he thinks he knew someone like that," he conveyed, nodding at the DVDs. "And to say thank you. He's really pleased." Tracey's gift made Ferros rumble softly, a wordless sound of happiness, and Jordan added, "We'll give you a hand if you want," to Rep. Harrison's gift contained two books and a belt pouch that could be strapped around the thigh to keep it in place. "Looks a little dorky, but it should be useful," Jordan said as Harrison opened it. Rep's present also included two books, as well as an amazing shirt. "Even if you do like the books, no dishwashing required," Jordan added with a quirk of a smile. No, he hadn't forgotten the bet, even after nearly a year.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 4:20 am
"You guys are welcome. And yeah, you two need any help polishing, you just let me know. Don't mind at all."
Harrison stretched out the pouch, exploring the pocket. "Hey, thanks man. This is great."
He was already thinking about the kind of stuff he could keep in there. Medkit, bandaid tin, binoculars, supplies. Whatever he needed to, and it was unobtrusive.
B0nez like it too. More equip carrying bonuses.
The books seemed useful. He flipped through the DIY book, looking at some of the plans. Now that they had more space, they had a place for the extra furniture. Maybe Rep could handle the upholstery.
"These are real nice." He showed Rep the titles, and the pouch, tapping the cover of the Old West medicine book. "Just better hope I don't use any of these on you. Looks like leeches are in everyone's future." It would make for good reading for submarine duty.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 10:09 am
Rep shrugged, why the hell not? "Could be like, research.", he conceded.
The offers of help polishing Tracey were a relief to say the least.
<>
"I think I'd need it or I'd just be at it all bloody day."
He opened his gift and smirked at the books, they were very much in the vein of what he enjoyed, and slow reader or not, they would be getting read cover to cover. The shirt was met with absolute delight as well, and he held it up to his chest to see how it might look. Tigers were badass, rainbows were the colour of greed, it was absolutely perfect. He nodded, folding it again and leaned over to kiss Jordan on the cheek gratefully. "Ta man."
Harrison also got a broad grin. "I think leeches at this point would have half the facility screaming like women." He almost made a joke about snake oil, but that involved actually saying the word snake.
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Posted: Fri Dec 28, 2012 11:50 am
"Research," Jordan agreed solemnly. "That's it, yeah."
He snorted at Harrison's comment. "Man, I'd pay to see that. With a camera on hand."
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