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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 4:33 pm
Harrison liked Christmas. The pleasant, consistent spike of Joy hadn't come down yet. Real snow was falling outside their window (and further out, on the beaches).
The week from the Binoculars had been up by Christmas Eve. Harrison had finished his gifts by then too. The amount of work he could do when he didn't get tired surprised even him. He didn't even have to take breaks. He ate while he worked.
And since he'd been using scraps and discarded pieces of wood from the Moon building materials, it hadn't cost him anything. Well. Mostly scraps. The rest he'd put down as "furnishing supplies", which was honest. He'd made mostly small shop projects, easy stuff, that B0nez had looked up and he'd put together with some cutting and wood glue.
He had enough privacy in his old room, 130. Most of the stuff he dropped off at the doors of friends and coworkers.
But what remained was an extremely large, extremely mysterious object set up against the wall and covered some of the standard-issue sheets. It was taller than all three of them. Harrison had scrounged up a single bow, and tucked into it, an index card that just said Jordan. It wasn't fancy, but hell if he had that many yards of wrapping paper. He'd made sure both guys were on duty when he'd moved the gift in and thrown the sheet over it, and semi-trusted them not to peek (although he had his doubts).
Rep's was smaller, but had been wrapped to the best of Harrison's ability. Which meant tape, a lot of awkward folding, and brown butcher paper. But it had a bow too, and the same index card. It was a pretty large (about hip-height) square box.
There was one last object, of comparable height to Jordan's, although curved instead of boxy, just said for Everyone. He'd used the same sheet method.
While he'd been out on his supply run he'd caved and gotten a tinsel-wreath for the door and a miniature, ready-made plastic tree that already had multicolor lights strung around it. They'd been cheap, and low effort. He didn't have any ornaments to decorate it the tree with. And none of his presents fit under it.
But it was nice having the soft, rainbowy light to wake up to.
He got up early, like usual, but didn't bug either of the guys, edging out from between them to the foot of the bed and turning on the kitchenette counter light so he could get started on breakfast. He wasn't a master chef, but he could read instructions, and they had a can of cinnamon buns just for the occasion.
He peeled the can open and plopped them onto their one baking tray while the oven preheated, then got Jordan's coffee started. He was trying to be more nice than naughty in the waking-up department, and was hoping the combined smell would do most of the work for him.
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Posted: Tue Dec 25, 2012 5:30 pm
Christmas in Rep's life to date had encompassed a wide variety of experiences, most of them negative. But this year, for whatever reason those painful Christmases of the past were fading out of reach of memory, mere specks of sorrow on a canvas of happier times painted on the island. There had been strife this year but it was over - for the time being - and the brief interlude of peace allowed them to organise their lives a little neater. Still, despite the success of the holiday thus far, Rep was still very much learning as he went along and playing festivities in general by ear. There had been a lot of talk of presents since he arrived - but in Rep's world before the island, those were given to only children and the wealthy - of which he was neither. He didn't imagine that gifting could apply to hunters - to people like them who lived on the cusp of reality and to whom Christmas was as much an enemy at times as Halloween. It didn't help that he'd never been festive before the island, his relationship with gifting was merely that he'd stolen them before, stolen peoples hopes and dreams and sold them for a bit of cash. Binned the little tags with their hopeful and well meaning wishes of good will. They hadn't deserved any of the things they had. In his opinion back then, how could they? Their happy little lives didn't compare to his, they didn't understand deprivation to appreciate moments of plenty, as he cashed in their consoles to the pawn, he found himself thinking only that perhaps the theft would teach them early the innate cruelty of the world.
He hadn't bought presents. People had mentioned them in passing to him, asked him what he was going to get, made jibes he'd be made to sleep on the floor if he didn't. He hadn't taken them seriously and had bought things for himself, looked out for numero uno, the guy that mattered. He had no idea that other people might have had the consideration to gift him anything at all, that arguments feuds and day to day bickering might be set aside in the spirit of the season.
That morning he slept comfortably, no longer confined as he so often had been in the past to the cleft of two shoddy mattresses, instead nestled comfortably in an expanse of fabric and sheets, curled against Jordan and dreaming contentedly of grand battles and glory. Grand battles that slowly but surely merged into grand victory, and then for some inexplicable reason into a grand sugary post-battle dessert that was somehow incongruous with the hazy dream imagery.
He stirred in bafflement and took a deep breath of cinnamon scented baking.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:33 am
Jordan liked Christmas anyway; the light edge of Joy just helped the feeling along. He'd gotten his shopping done in time and quietly. Harrison and Rep's presents were hidden under the bed, neatly wrapped and secured against peeking by the simple fact that he was the one who did the cleaning and made the bed, though he'd had to shuffle them hastily and temporarily into the closet before they'd moved the mattress.
He'd folded a few paper cranes out of construction paper to tuck into the little tree Harrison had picked up, and at some point when the others were out of the room a sprig of plastic mistletoe had gotten taped to the wall over the bed. He had then staunchly and totally unconvincingly maintained his innocence in the matter.
He'd slept deeply and comfortably that night with the company of both his guys and the amazing new bed, and so it took him a few extra minutes to register the smell of coffee and cinnamon. Once he did, though, he stirred, yawned, and opened his eyes, peering muzzily across the room to where Harrison was making breakfast. "You're awesome," he said through another yawn, though he made no effort to extract himself from Rep and the covers yet.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:26 am
There were other boxes and cards that had made their way into the room too, dropped off at their doors. Somebody had even taped peppermint to the door itself. The other boxes had been stacked. A lot of those had real wrapping paper and everything.
Harrison scratched his calf with a socked toe, busy with getting mugs out of the shelf.
"Mmhm," he answered Jordan, and added quietly, "Merry Christmas."
He'd kept the noise minimal, but there was still the muted clink of mugs and the drip of the coffee brewer.
"...Rep awake yet?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:40 am
Rep had resurfaced into conciousness as Jordan shifted, but had resisted the urge to open his eyes, just too ******** comfortable to invest the effort. He wasn't often happy but this was just one of those moments where he was so inexplicably content it felt like he was still dreaming, a soft comfortable bed, Jordan's warm body alongside him, Harrison nearby and the easy smell of cooking. He had been convinced for the longest time that things never happened like the movies, that everything was imperfect and wrong in life. But he wasn't so sure about that standpoint right now and groggily committed a snapshot of the sensory moment to memory.
"M'awake."he groaned reluctantly, before burying his face against Jordan's chest.
"M'ry Chrstmss"
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 11:44 am
Jordan lazily combed his fingers through Rep's hair, smiling fondly. "Merry Christmas," he answered, then, to Harrison, "He's sort of awake. You know." He was content to watch Harrison for the moment, petting Rep like a big, lazy ginger cat. He was more a dog person, but there were certain exceptions.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:15 pm
"Coffee's ready. Got a couple more minutes on the rolls," Harrison told them, heating up some powdered milk in the microwave for Rep's hot chocolate.
Light had started to filter in through the curtains.
After going through some of their newly-bought supplies and stirring in the proper packets, he brought the mugs over. Jordan's was straight from the pot. Rep's was piled high with whipped cream and sprinkles.
He waited on the side of the bed for them to sit up before handing them over.
"Careful. Still hot."
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 12:26 pm
Rep let himself simply bask in affection for a bit, relaxed and confident, completely free from all the anxieties and problems that seemed to dog his every waking moment outside the room. He could have stayed there all day left to his own devices, but a sidelong glance alerted him to the presence of fresh hot chocolate made exactly how he liked it and meant that there was reason to get up. Untangling himself from Jordan, he sat up alongside and took the mug from Harrison with a tousle-haired grin.
"Ta."
Regardless of the warning, it didn't take long for him to help himself to a long slow sip of the drink when he was done lowering the mug with a satisfied hum. "Nothing better.", he declared, diligently setting about licking off the gentlemanly whipped cream moustache he found himself sporting.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 1:14 pm
Jordan sat up and took the mug, leaning over to brush a grateful kiss over Harrison's lips. "Nothing better," he agreed, and sipped the coffee, then hummed blissfully. "You know how I like it," he purred.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 2:56 pm
Harrison leaned in to return the peck, and made sure they were both settled in okay before going to get his own mug.
He laughed a little at the knowing comment.
"And I know more than that, too," he teased.
Harrison wasn't tired in the mornings. Once he was up, he was up. He turned on the desk lamp, since everyone was already stirring.
He joined them a while, waiting on the rolls, and when they were done squeezed out globs of icing packs to melt into the cinnamon. He got them all forks. There'd been no news from the Horsemen yet, and the whole facility was on alert. If Harrison had to guess, they were holding off the Apocalypse until after. That way they wouldn't have to fight pissed-off Christmas ninjas. The Joy-addled part of him just plain knew that nobody could attack anybody else. Not on Christmas.
"What do you guys want to do first?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:10 pm
Rep sipped his drink quietly, normally when he was happy he ran off what seemed like several hundred words a second, but it turned out you couldn't do that and drink at the same time. It was only when he was out of chocolate flavoured sustenance and helping himself to a roll that he actually got his brain up to speed.
"Is there like some sort of Christmas agenda?"
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 3:19 pm
"Thanks," Jordan said, accepting the plate and fork, and nestled against both of them while they ate. "I feel spoiled," he commented, grinning. "In the best way." When he'd finished his roll (he appreciated the fork; sticky fingers weren't really pleasant and especially not with new sheets), he set the plate and mug aside on the nightstand and stretched lazily.
"Presents first," he said. "Nobody to tell us to wait, right?" He was still a little anxious over one of the presents he'd gotten. He wanted to give it to them, see their faces and reactions.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:03 pm
Harrison grinned back, taking the used plates. "Well, I dunno if you guys had any like...rules or traditions or anything. I was hoping you'd say that."
He put the dishes beside the sink before going to the assorted present pile.
He crossed his legs and started sorting.
"Jordan," he announced, placing that gift over near his own gift to Jordan. "Rep," he said, pushing that one left-ward. "...Me," he said, starting a pile for that one. "This one's for all of us. Frommm," he flipped the envelope, "Robert," and set that aside as well.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:10 pm
Rep raised a brow as if the penny had finally dropped and along with it what felt like the bottom dropped out of his stomach. He sat bolt upright.
"Wait. People gave you guys presents?" He hadn't even considered the gifts set around the room, on some level he'd discarded them like the tree and decorations, as if they were props in a supermarket. He'd completely blanked them and only now did his sheer dumb ignorance really ********. ******** ******** <********>. And they'd probably think he was just covering for actual gifts he'd bought.
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Posted: Wed Dec 26, 2012 4:17 pm
Jordan picked up the envelope from Robert curiously, then paused and blinked at Rep. "Yeah, you too," he said, not sure why Rep was acting like this was a complete surprise. Did Rep really think that he didn't have any friends close enough to give him presents, even after all this time? Rep might be abrasive and occasionally an a*****e, but Jordan knew that there were at least a few people who genuinely liked him, and likely more who felt that giving presents to Jordan and Harrison without giving anything to Rep would be an insult they weren't prepared to deliver.
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