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 Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 6:38 pm
Quote: Backdated to December 15th
“Sasha, come on, time to get up. We’re going out -we need to get a Christmas tree.” The other didn’t know the customs but that was ok, he’d help with that, he figured rather than having Sasha read up on it, though he might still do that, he was going to have him watch Christmas movies today while they decorated the tree they’d pick together. There would be some cooking, lunch and dinner, as well as some baking perhaps. He had the day loosely planned for them both, and it started now.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 6:44 pm
Curled up under the blanket with it pulled over his head, Sasha yawned and stretched for a bit before pulling it down to look at Ian with hazy and tired eyes. It was still slightly bright out, the sun coming through the window by his side of the bed and taunting him.
“Tree?” Rubbing his eyes and face for a moment, his antennae twitched slightly. His hair was a mess as always and he took a moment to gently brush the crinkles out of his antennae from how he slept. The whole process dragged on before he slid out of the bed and stood in front of Ian while yawning. His tank top and shorts were all twisted around and he still slumped a bit forward, not quite awake yet.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 6:45 pm
“Yes, a christmas tree. I know it’s early, far too early for you to be up, but I’d like to get a tree for us to decorate. I’ve already brought the decorations down from storage and we can get to that once a tree is picked out, which I doubt you’d like to help with.” he’d figured the other would pout, and be very sad, if Ian had gone and picked a tree for them. It would especially be sad, for the other, once Sasha got to seeing Christmas shows and saw people picking out trees and saw how it was such an event of sorts. It was one of those things people enjoyed and took their time doing, finding the perfect tree, it needed to be well balanced and not too tall…but still tall enough.
“Today is the first day you start learning about Christmas. Remember learning all about Halloween?” He had shown him histories on the holiday while also showing him other things, even taking him to a halloween shop or two, he’d done his best to try and give him an idea of why it was such a beloved holiday as well as how long its history went back. It wasn’t that halloween was an old holiday on its own but it took from all over the place, from older things, and put them altogether into something new and unique. “Today is going to be like that but for a different holiday.” It was, he knew, close to the winter solstice and so he would include that in lessons as well. He would try and leave as little out as possible, wanting the other to get a well rounded idea of things, to grasp the warmth of the festive season.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2024 8:10 pm
Brightening up at the mention of a tree indoors, Sasha started to wake up a little bit more and straightened up what he was wearing. It wouldn't be enough for outside but then again he had plenty of things to wear that were warm after the few shopping trips.
Halloween had been an odd sort of holiday, something that seemed to have changed a lot from what it originally was but he had the base idea of it from what Ian had shown him and talked about. So if this was another holiday based around the cold he was curious what it meant aside from getting a tree and bringing it indoors.
"Sun bright...." Squinting as he looked out the window before stepping forward and bonking his head into Ian's chest. He was still really tired and hoped they'd grab his clothes and help him get ready.
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Posted: Tue Dec 31, 2024 7:25 pm
"I know it's bright, it's early morning. I wanted to get to a tree lot early so we have time to find a tree and than get it home and we can decorate it." And he could work on teaching the other about Christmas, slowly of course, he wasn't planning on rushing things and knew he'd still be teaching him about Halloween and Christmas next year as well. There was, he figured, always things to show and teach when it came to holidays. Everyone celebrated in different ways and thus all sorts of traditions and other things.
"I thought you'd be upset if I picked a tree for us without your help." Ian had figured the other would pout at him for being left out, among other things, he also didn't want to leave the other out of traditions while trying to teach him about them - it seemed hypocritical to do so,
"Come on, let's get you dressed and ready to run out. We can get hot chocolate on the way." Because he figured the other might like a hot drink, something sweet, in order to get a bit of energy. "You can relax once we get home...decorating can be done slowly and I'll turn on the tv and you can relax while we do things." Now though it was time to get Sasha to the bathroom and grab some clothing for the other, because Ian had not in fact done so ahead of time.[/cololr]
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2025 6:45 pm
Getting ready was a sluggish affair with Ian doing more work than Sasha was over the whole process. More often than not Sasha was rubbing at his eyes and yawning, even as that odd minty stuff that was supposed to keep his teeth good made his nose twitch as usual.
"Tree good... hot chocolate...mmm.." Mumbling more than talking, he had grown fond of the non-fruit-based drink, one of the few things he'd branched out into trying as he tried to learn more about what Ian liked or what other humans ate.
With his pants on and a hoodie and shirt borrowed from Ian, something he was always adamant about wearing, Sasha followed the other along and down the stairs.
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Posted: Thu Jan 02, 2025 9:37 pm
Ian knew the other liked hot chocolate, seemed to really enjoy it, so Ian had decided to make a Christmas purchase for the other...a gift that was already wrapped but with no tree for it to rest under...well it was hidden elsewhere for now. Once he had the tree up, and decorated, he'd leave the gift under it. He was working on getting other things for Sasha, slowly, as he figure dout what the other would like. Those things were, or would be, wrapped and placed under the tree as well. He was going to give the other a good first Christmas on this planet.
Once he had the other ready, well as ready as he could given how sleepy he was, Ian bundled him up and headed for the front door with him. "How about we get hot chocolate first and then the tree. You can wake up that way." What would he think of a cut down tree being bought and put in the house? It would have a stand, of course, with water to keep the tree mostly alive for a bit of time. He did worry he wouldn't like it or be sad...or something else. There was always the worry about these things.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 4:31 pm
"Mhm good." It sounded good enough to him as he followed them out into the cold and bright sunlight. Squinting up at the sky, he frowned at it and pulled his hood up to try and keep some shade on his face.
The hot chocolate they got on the way after getting out of another of those things called a car helped wake him up. The warm drink helped heat his hands up as well from where they'd gotten chilly. Part of him wondered where the tree would come from, a lot of the ones in the city weren't the type to have leaves or branches in winter and it wouldn't make sense to bring that inside.
"Where tree from?" Mumbling between sips of hot chocolate, he kept close to Ian as they walked and kept hold of their sleeve.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 5:51 pm
"You'll see." He didn't own a car, though he did have a license, so they were taking an uber to the place. The driver knew it was to pick up a tree, he'd ordered one with that information attatched, they'd wait a short time so they could get a tree and get it home. Ian knew he was paying a lot, for the uber, but it was the only way to get a tree and get it home. They'd have to get it up the driveway and to the home they had on the property, but that wouldn't be too hard. If he had to he could try and power up and make it as quick as he could, even if he didn't like the idea one bit, it would make things easier for them both in the long run.
"When we get there you'll see." Pressing a finger to the others lips, not wanting the driver to think too much about the other suqestions. Ian was trying to keep the driver from getting suspicious of them somehow, of thinking the wrong thing about Sasha, he had to keep the others image in mind so people didn't think he was some sort of shady character. There was no telling who their driver was at night, if they were anything other than a civilian. He wasn't taking risks.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 7:28 pm
Watching as Ian hushed him, Sasha got an idea and pulled his phone out to type on. It always seemed to fix his speech as he typed things out, something that was slowly helping him figure out how others talked.
Are we close? Is it from the forests?
Keeping the phone in his hands but tilted it so they could see and maybe type back to him from their phone. It wasn't something he did too often, considering how long it took him to type things out. Sometimes the words it corrected didn't make sense to him though but he hoped they'd understand even if he didn't since they were used to how things were with the language.
Can't you say I'm from Europe? Or is that too hard to make it make sense?
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 8:38 pm
Shaking his head in answer he pulled out his own phone and typed out a message for the other to read.
No, no forests for this tree.
He really did hope the other would mind what sort of tree that they were getting, that it was a cut down tree that wouldn't get to live and grow any further. Maybe they'd have ones that could be planted? He had seen that though it had been awhile. He couldn't remember the prices either. If they had them it might be worth it, it would make the other happy.
Shaking his head again he tapped out another message on his phone for the other to read.
No, I think they do the same, or similar, so it would raise suspicion. He wasn't entierly sure but he was fairly certain it was the same here and in Europe and the other would gain unwanted attention, attention neither of them would want in fact. He just needed to explain things when they got there, when people would be less likely to be paying them any attention. As they turned a corner he took note of the large lot they were approaching...he was really hoping they'd have some which they could plant at the end of this all...it would make things better if they did. If not...he'd deal with it. But he was having sudden second, and possible even third, doubts.
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Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2025 9:47 pm
Nodding back he typed another message out after he cleared the words from before.
If not a forest, then a store? Tree store? Did Julienne say gardens, is that it?
Squinting at the last word on their second message he wasn't sure of it but he got the gist and nodded again. Looking out the window, he saw a bunch of trees lying against displays with numbers over them. Some of them looked like they were wrapped in big orange spider webbing but he'd never seen spiders that wove orange webs. Was it like the fake spider webs he saw in some bushes around Xander's house?
Then he understood and perked up, typing quickly on his phone. It was sad that the trees wouldn't continue to grow but if this was some sort of tradition then that meant they were grown for it. Just because they weren't dried into herbs like some things had been done on his planet didn't mean humans didn't bring nature inside for holidays. He'd seen flowers inside some places and potted plants in some cafes so it made sense and had him looking back and forth between Ian and the towering cut trees as they got closer. Now it made more sense why the car they were in was a lot bigger than any of the other times, it had to be to fit a tree in or on it.
Like flowers! Cut but inside even when it's too cold for them! Do numbers mean big or small?
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 8:27 pm
Laughing as the other figured it out, and more importantly didn't seem upset, Ian tapped out a quick responce to him.
Some might have root balls with them, so they can be planted after, but most are cut. More places grow new trees in place of the ones cut down. So a whole area is used for trees with groups at different ages as trees are cut down and replaced.
Those were the sorts of places he prefered to go, as it tried to keep things as good for nature as possible, rather than just chopping down a whole load of trees and leaving nothing but stumps behind. Though most places did that, replacing what was cut down, it was the best way to keep in buisness if you kept your supply going and growing. It was better all around really and made the best sense.
I thought you'd like to pick a tree with me, something well balanced. If they have ones which can be planted we'll go with that option. The tags are prices on them and their heights. Some were tall, really tall, because some homes had high cathedral ceilings and could fit massive trees. Maybe he'd show the other a picture, or maybe video, of the one in New York City - that was a massive tree. But it was, in his opinion, sad to see such an old tree cut down...that he did feel sad over. When the car parked he stepped out and thanked the man, especially since he'd be waiting.
"We won't take long, promise." Nodding his head as he held a hand out to Sasha. "Come on, let's get to looking."
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Posted: Sat Jan 04, 2025 10:13 pm
Taking Ian's hand, he followed them and waved back to the Uber driver. "Be back soon!" It was a line he heard said in some of the places Ian had taken him and at least it seemed normal enough that the driver nodded and didn't seem weirded out.
Once they were away from the vehicle, he looked over all the different trees and tried to think how they might fit in their home. The whole area smelled of them and also of sap. It was a smell he really liked and was more than a bit eager to look at thing, pulling a bit on Ian to get closer to the trees.
"Trees to decorate, not grow?" Keeping a bit quiet as he asked the question, it was more for confirmation since if they were for a holiday and grown just for it then it made sense they didn't grow fruit or anything to eat. "Smells good." Brightening as he looked at all the trees, he saw little humans running around just as excited over things as he was.
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2025 8:27 pm
"I know I've been talking about a house of our own...but maybe first a car would be a good idea..." Because if they were going to do Christmas, including getting a tree, he might need a car to get that tree home with first. "Well yeah, these trees that are cut are just for decorating and than, after the holidays, thrown out. Sometimes though they sell some with the roots all covered up so you can plant them after." They were more expensive, of course, but he thought Sasha might like it more. "I was thinking we could get one to plant, if you want, and we could do that with the tree...rather than throw it out. It'll continue to grow and become a home to animals."
Taking a deep breath he nodded. "Yeah, pine trees are ever greens...they don't die during winter from the cold. They keep their needles year round and the smell on them is amazing, it's part of whatg makes up this time of year." They even sold pine scented sticks you could add to fake trees, something he was not going to try and explain to Sasha yet.
Watching as children ran about he shook his head, smiling just a bit, as he took the other with him to find a worker and question if they had ones with the root balls, rather than just cut down trees.
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