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 Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:07 pm
Lori nodded. "Of course! You're my boyfriend. We decided this. You signed up for accompanying me to holidays." His ex hadn't been able to, not that he'd wanted to.
"It is," Toby said.
Dari just smiled, mouth full of ambrosia. He ate with his mouth on holidays purely for the comfort of others.
"We can do this more often, you know. Have people over and cook for them. That's a thing," Toby said.
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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:30 pm
Luca flashed him a smile. "That's right," he agreed. He started to cut up his turkey with his fork. "Do they Do this for Christmas too? What would you like?" He had something in mind, but maybe it was too soon to give it to him? They'd only been together a few months.
"Once every couple months?" Maia suggested. This many people too often seemed like a hassle.
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Posted: Fri Jan 01, 2016 6:38 pm
Lori's smile broadened and he began to eat. Luca was wonderful. Maybe even perfect. "Usually Toby goes away for Christmas, back off to New England where he grew up, or uh. He spent a lot of his life there anyway. We could do something." He took another bite and thoughtfully chewed. "I don't need anything. I'd like to see you for a while, though. I imagine your parents don't do Christmas either."
"Sure," Toby said back at the table. He was pleased that Maia enjoyed his friends so much. They were the only family he had left. "We'll make it our own thing."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 1:08 am
Luca only paused in his eating to speak. "I'd like that," he said. Seeing Lori for Christmas would be wonderful--seeing him on an ordinary certainly was. "No, they don't. But they celebrate the winter solstice. What do you normally do for Christmas?"
Maia tried a bite of the green bean casserole, chewed, and swallowed before looking to Toby. "Not a turkey every time," She said. They took too long!
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 7:22 am
Lori nodded as he chewed. Good! So he wouldn't have to spend Christmas alone again. He swallowed before speaking again. "So does my clan. I normally don't do much of anything. No tree or anything. I buy presents for friends and spend the night watching TV. So nothing, really." It was sort of depressing when he said it that way!
"Oh lord no," Toby said with a little laugh, "Easy stuff. Fun stuff. I eat turkey once a year, otherwise it's already cooked and sliced and shoved between two slices of bread."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:43 am
"I've never observed it," Luca said. "Well. Apart from what the library does for the kids. We do crafts And they make marshmallow snowmen or ornaments or something." Lori's Christmas sounded lonely. "Could we do a tree this year? We could get a potted one." Luca didn't want to cut one down. Humans did enough of that.
Maia finished her casserole. "Pasta, we could make enough for everyone."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:52 am
"Cute," Lori said with a little smile, "Yeah, sure. That'd be nice." He wasn't too keen on killing trees for holidays either, but they could just as easily get a plastic one that lasted forever. "Do you want to stay over my place? could grab you a timed feeder for your frog." They were planning a month in advance, but Lori was already excited.
"I'd rather it only be a few people at a time," Toby said, "So we can make steak or chicken or whatever, not always pasta."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:58 am
"Yeah, that'll be fun," Luca smiled at the invitation. Staying over for Christmas sounded nice. He'd never spent the holiday with anyone. "I think they have those at the pet store."
"We can do a few people each time," Maia agreed. Or just invite their closest friends for dinner. "We should ask Lori if he and Luca would like that. Neither of them cook."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:06 am
"They do. I had to help get Toby set up with his fish tank," Lori said, "So it's a date, then."
Toby nodded. "Sure. - Hey, that's not entirely true. Lori's a master at the grill. Or at a fire."
Dari piped up then. "They're talking about spending Christmas together. Did you know that Lori doesn't do anything?"
"Did you know that eavesdropping is generally frowned-upon?"
"I just overheard."
"You overhear everything."
"Exactly. I choose what I share."
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:15 am
"Great," Luca smiled. "I'm looking forward to it!" He busier himself with his plate for a moment, and then said, "I'd still like to get you a gift."
"He still can't make pancakes without a mix," Maia pointed out. She paused at Dari's words. Lori didn't do anything for Christmas? That sounded lonely. "We could invite them over," She suggested.
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:20 am
"I'd like to get you one too," Lori agreed, "but I'm just not sure what yet." Buying presents was the hardest part.
"That's true," Toby nodded, pointing with his fork for a moment. Then he and Dari shared a moment of silence, looking at each other. Maia didn't know. They'd never told her.
"Well, I'd been hoping to keep it a surprise," Toby said, "but the slimebag and I usually go out to New England for Christmas. We have a vacation home out there." It was far bigger than necessary as they'd always planned to invite other people, but most everyone seemed to already have plans, even the secular entities. Maybe bringing a pair of elves wouldn't be so bad after all.
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:29 am
"I think I already have an idea of what to get you." It was half done, and he was a bit nervous to actually give it to Lori, but it was an idea.
Maia looked between the two guys and smiled brightly. Toby had told her a lot about his old home. "So we will have snow for Christmas?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:37 am
Aha! Luca was a step ahead of him. "Do I get to know what it is?" He was curious!
Toby smiled and nodded. "We might! Maybe a little before or after, but we do try to catch at least some snow." Maia already looked excited. Good!
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 9:57 am
"No," Luca said. Because he didn't know if he had the nerve to actually give it to him. It was something special--but what if Lori didn't like it? What if he laughed? "Its a surprise."
"Christmas eve is a full moon," Maia remembered. "Will we come home for it?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 10:13 am
Lori shrugged and smiled. "Alright. I like surprises."
Oddly enough, their planned night wasn't on his mind after that brief flicker at the buffet table. He was happy here and now. "What's your favorite?" he asked, gesturing to Luca's plate.
Toby shook his head. "Nah. I just work from home, so unfortunately we'll be busy a bit of the day, but like Luca and Max are at other safe houses near their families. I'll just wolf-out out there. It's got nice high ceilings, we'll be fine." It took him until just then to realize that Maia had been tracking the full moons if she knew that Christmas Eve was one. Aww... He smiled fondly.
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