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 Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:42 am
Toby laughed. "Maia! Seamus does not need a waffle twice as big as his head. He'll get stomach-sick and sleep all day."
Lori was glad someone was on his side with feeding the animals people food, even the cat sidhe. "What did you say?" he asked, " 'Do you want to burn breakfast'?"
"You can't really burn these," Toby says, "They go off when they're ready. You wanna make one, Red?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 9:50 am
Toby was probably right. Stomach sick was never a good thing, and no one should sleep all day on Christmas! "I'll make sure you get the biggest piece,"she said, glancing at her favorite cat sidhe. She bent again, and added, "Can you teach Muffin the ropes?"
"Okay," Luca agreed, smiling at Toby. "How do I make one?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 10:09 am
Seamus purred and lifted his butt for scratchies.
"Come on over," Toby said, and then handed the bowl and ladel to Luca. "Scoop out a whole spoonful, then put it right in the middle." He waited for Luca to do that, and then said, "Now just close it and flip it over. Easy, right? It'll beep when it's done."
"Lori, would you like to help me cut fruit?" Dari asked.
"Sure thing," Lori said, joining Dari with the knives. Luckily the kitchen was rather open and the counter space large.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 10:38 am
Maia obliged and and scratched Seamus happily.
Luca went to Toby's side, and did as instructed. He was smiling brightly. "Like this?" he asked, scooping a ladle full. He poured it into the center and closed it. He flipped it.
"Do you want to play a board game later?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 10:43 am
Toby nodded. "Sure. I know we brought a few. There's only so much TV you can watch."
"I saw a pool room," Lori said, "I challenge you later."
"Also sure," Toby said.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:26 am
"Pool room?" Maia echoed. Oh, pool, like the game with balls? She scooped Muffin up and went over to Toby. "Presents after breakfast?" she asked.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 11:59 am
"Yeah, sure, if you want to," Toby said with a smile. The machine beeped. "Okay, Red. Flip it back around and open it, and you'll ave your waffle."
Once everyone had had their fill, the group gathered around the tree where various presents lay wrapped in various papers.
"Who's first?" Dari asked.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:07 pm
Maia went over to the tree and started handing out gifts to each of the guys. "These are from me," she said. She placed one in front of Seamus too, and then Rosie, promising to get Muffin something later. He seemed content though, with the paper ball she'd gifted him after breakfast.
"You go first," Luca suggested, smiling at Dari.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:18 pm
Oh, him too? Dari smiled to Maia and then opened the gift she had handed him. What in the world would it be?
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:25 pm
Dari's present was actually a number of small things. An indie game for the Xbox at home, a bag of Christmas tree shaped marshmallows, and something that had been wrapped carefully. A picture frame holding a picture of Toby, Maia and Dari.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:43 pm
Dari grinned the entire time, but the photo got the biggest smile. He looked down at it and then up at Maia. "Thank you."
"Here, might as well do mine next," Toby said.
He had bought Dari online XBox time and a gift card, plus Korean marshmallows from Korea itself.
For Toby, Dari had bought a new tie... wrapped around a gift certificate for a very fancy restaurant outside of town and an iTunes gift card, and a box of 60s candy and 70s candy respectively that he'd ordered from a book store.
From the boys, Lori got a gift certificate to his favorite Asian restaurant and a leather journal and movie theater gift card. For Luca, an old, rare copy of The Fellowship of the Ring and a stylish scarf. From Toby and Maia both, there was a copy of the photo Maia had taken earlier under the mistletoe in a nice little frame, obviously pre-planned.
Rosie also got a festive -3429-p.jpg]long dog toy, a Kong to stuff treats in, and a fancy bejeweled name tag. Seamus was likely going to have to share his toys with Muffin.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 12:53 pm
"Open yours, Toby," Maia said, smiling at him. She'd gotten him a new watch; having realised fairly quickly that nothing could top the birthday present she'd given him in October, she'd picked out something simple.
She'd gotten Lori a conch shell for his desk, and she'd gotten Luca a book about "dragons and other fantastic creatures".
For Seamus she'd gotten a stocking full of cat toys, including catnip, and Rosie got a squeaky ball she was sure would drive both elves crazy.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:01 pm
Lori took the stocking Maia had given Seamus immediately, held up a hand, and gave Seamus his own present first. It was a custom printed cat-board for cat-chatting, just the right side and on a flexible rollable material. Immediately Seamus danced out "thx" and then, looking toward the stocking "plz" as per usual, stomped one at a time ... "plz" with three legs all splayed out to each letter. Lori took out one of the n** toys and tossed it to the sidhe who ran of with it in a frenzy. Muffin was content with the jingle ball Lori tossed him for a moment, and then went back to wrestling wrapping paper.
Toby admired the watched honestly, looked it it on his wrist, and leaned over to kiss Maia. "Thank you, love!"
Rosie, excited to have yet ANOTHER thing, took the squeaky ball and pranced around delightedly, then just laid down to squeak it a while.
Lori grinned at the conch shell. Neat! He had never been anywhere seafaring except on missions, and even then it wasn't often. "Thanks, Maia!"
"Alright, my turn," Lori said.
For Toby, a new iPod and ear buds to replace his worn, half-broken tangle and for Maia a book of legendary sea creatures. Then for Luca an old bound Elvish tome of fae-Elvish rituals. He loved the damn thing, but he loved Luca more. Rosie of course got a box full of toys that, when emptied behind the couch after Rosie had taken a few, sent her into a frenzy of overwhelmed dog-ness. Muffin immediately hopped in the box and purred, squinting happily even though it was a bit too small for his girth.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:21 pm
Luca pulled out a large present from under the tree and offered it to Lori. "This took ages to come," he said. "But it finally did! I thought you might like it." It was a book of fairytales, children's stories in elvish. Luca had read over it a million times as a youngster--but maybe Lori hadn't?
He hugged Lori when he opened his own gift. "Thank you!" He'd be reading until they got home!
Maia took Toby's hand. She had another surprise for him, upstairs.
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Posted: Sat Jan 16, 2016 1:35 pm
Lori opened the book and a grin split his face. He had not, in fact, ever seen this book before. Undoubtedly he'd know a few of the stories but to have a copy in Elvish was something special! He wrapped Luca in a hug and kissed him. "Thank you."
Toby looked to Maia as she took his hand, then back to the group, then to Maia. Eh, they seemed distracted enough. "We'll be back soon." Maybe? Maybe not.
Lori looked up, arched a brow at Toby, smiled, and then shrugged and looked down at his book, then leaned over.
"Let me see that picture."
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