|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 6:58 pm
What was this? Toby perked as Kevin came to him, and then just followed the kelpie out into the hall. He was well past the point when he might have been suspicious. When the card was presented, he took it and smiled to Toby.
"Merry Christmas, Kevin." Then he opened his card to read.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2017 10:08 pm
The card didn't have a long message. But for the kelpie who was all too willing to admit his failure at sharing emotions, this was...different. Unique, maybe, to Toby. It read simply: I love you Dad! Inside was a gift card to the movie theater and a certificate for one thousand tokens at the arcade.
"I thought we could do something fun," he was explained.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 2:31 pm
Toby's smile broadened as he took the card and certificate in his hand to move them away from the message. It was hard to remember that he'd hated Kevin when they'd first met him, that they had been prepared to take him out if need be. It just went to show you how important their job really was.
"I'd like that," he said, and then reached out to give Kevin a one-armed hug. "I love you too."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 3:42 pm
Kevin returned the hug with a smile. "You can't show anyone that," he said. He didn't want everyone knowing he'd become soft! "When we get back home, I can teach you to be better at the arcade games than Dari, even!" He pulled away and smiled again.
"Maia says someone named Santa's coming tonight. Want to wait for him?" Whoever santa was, what was he doing invading their house? He hadn't really paid attention to that book Cody had insisted he read.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 4:23 pm
"Oh, no, of course not." Toby gave a frown of understanding, nodded his head, and waved his hand as if to punctuate his words. He relaxed a bit as Kevin continued, then, and laughed slightly.
"Of course she would. Kevin, Santa is a figure people made up, and you tell little kids that he comes to bring their presents because... well. Because kids need magic in their lives, and it makes them so excited. The motivation is usually that Santa won't bring a kid toys if they were bad through the year. It's the parents who put the presents out after the kids are asleep, because 'Santa won't come if you're awake' or whatever. We don't think he's based on anyone real, but we can't really know for sure unless we found him, right?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 4:39 pm
"...Oh..." Kevin looked thoughtful. "That's really sneaky! I didn't think humans were that smart!" What a clever way to get their children to be obedient. He shook his head and grinned. "I guess we should go to bed, then." He suggested. "Want to go sledding tomorrow after presents?"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 4:57 pm
Toby laughed. "I was a human once, you know."
He nodded and smiled. "Yeah! We can do that for sure. Sleds aren't exactly what they used to be but it's still fun."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:27 pm
"Yeah, but you're different," Kevin pointed out. "The other agents were never very smart," he added. The agents before he'd come to HQ hadn't impressed him. "And people at my lake weren't, either."
He smiled again. "Great! It'll be fun!"
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 5:33 pm
Toby decided to not mention that the agents he knew before their family probably didn't like Kevin very much. The kid wasn't dumb, but he might be avoiding thinking about it, and Toby didn't want to be That Guy. Instead he reached out and smiled and ruffled Kevin's hair.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 6:25 pm
Finally the time came for presents. It'd taken Maia a long time to decide on Michael's gift. More than it'd taken her to select gifts for everyone else; months, even. Michael was a special friend. He'd been there when she'd needed someone most, and then he'd saved Toby's life.
Stores didn't really have anything meaningful enough. Not for someone who meant so much. She'd gotten him a flower kit--it was carefully placed on the bottom of the gift bag--but she'd sewn him two pillows to use in his room, too. "Michael, this is from me."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 6:48 pm
Michael hadn't been particularly involved in gift-giving until Toby had produced his first gift. The spirit hadn't been expecting any sort of presents on this day. He was dead, after all, and not truly a member of the family. Apparently he was more welcome than he'd thought, though, so he'd come to sit on the floor, though he was mostly just a tangible pair of hands and a torso floating above the carpet.
He reached out to take the bag, brow furrowing, and began to gently go through it. The pillows were sweet, even if he had no practical use for them (but really what did he have a use for that he decorated his room with?), but the flower kit struck him. A smile spread across his face and he closed his eyes a moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2017 7:07 pm
Michael seemed to like his present. Good. Maia had thought his room could use some brightening up--but that wasn't the real reason behind the gift. Michael loved flowers. She planned on taking him out again, when Spring came. Maybe he'd enjoy the cherry blossoms and the dogwood trees in bloom.
"I thought you'd like something to take care of," she said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:21 pm
Michael rose in the way only a ghost could. His waist and lower remained invisible, but he came up to kiss Maia on the cheek and touch her shoulder.
"Thank you."
Toby couldn't even bring himself to tease the spirit about it with how sincere he was being.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:46 pm
Michael surprised Maia, but she turned and stood to hug him. Was he tangible? She reached towards him. Oh... no. "Merry Christmas, Michael."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2017 4:47 pm
Michael realized what Maia was doing a little too late, let her pass through him, and then became tangible again to truly hug her back.
"Merry Christmas, Maia."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
