75 Godiva Street, Thanksgiving Day, Thursday Afternoon

[geniuswithasmartphone]

It was Thanksgiving! The house smelled amazing too, like roasting turkey and sage and simmering apple cider and baking pies. Eliot had outdone himself in the kitchen this year, whipping up the creamiest mashed potatoes, the fluffiest stuffing, and even the crispiest egg rolls Hardison had ever seen. His own contribution was a platter of the croissant-variety Hot Pockets in various flavors.

Look, his TA had requested them and he was gonna provide, dammit.

Now they were finishing up the last few dishes, setting the table, and preparing for a delicious Thanksgiving meal. Not every member of their assorted families could be here today, but every person who was here was family in their own way. For Hardison, found family was infinitely more precious than people just related by blood. Each person had chosen to be here, to be part of this, and--

Shut up, he wasn't getting all misty-eyed. It was the dust. It got all up in his allergies.

[Up super-early I know, but holiday-related SP expected in a big way and also timezones! Sorry to anyone confused, but this post is definitely set for Thursday, Thanksgiving.]

Comments

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"Hot pockets and egg rolls!" Raven cheered. "It's a Thanksgiving miracle."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Just for you, TA," Hardison declared, coming to sweep her up in a tight hug. "What, you think I was gonna ask an' then not deliver?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"You?" Raven maaaaybe bulked up her arms a little to match him hug for hug. "Never."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

And he did have some crazy nice arms, too.

"Goddamn right," he said, clinging for a moment more and then releasing her. "Also, my Nana says hello an' that Jesus still loves you, even with Hot Pockets on Thanksgivin'."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"You talk to her about me?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Course," Hardison said, looking surprised. "Why wouldn't I?"

The idea of doing any else baffled him.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

Raven shrugged. "I don't know. My own brother barely talked to his parents about me. I'm just kind of not used to it."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

Hardison reached out to hug her again. "You're an important part of my life, TA," he told her. "An' I'm proud as hell of you. So damn right I brag about you to everyone I can."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"So weird," Raven said, sounding cheerful. "What does she say back?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Well, she says hello an' hopes you're doin' okay. I told her that you an' Kathy been through some tough stuff not long ago an' sometimes settlin' back in can be tough," Hardison explained, smiling fondly. "She wants to know when she gets to meet you an' reminded me that the most important thing that any of us can do right now is to just be there for you when you need us. An' that Hot Pockets for Thanksgiving made her shake her head, but if it makes folks happy, then make a double batch."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"Meeting new people." Raven made a face. "Does she know about the. . . ." She gestured generally to her whole blue thing.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[geniuswithasmartphone]

"Not yet," Hardison said. "I wasn't gonna tell her without your okay. I figured you had the right to figure out how you wanted to handle it."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[spin_kick_snap]

"Okay, I'm pretty sure that your Thanksgiving traditions are even weirder than mine," Kathy said, turning to give Raven a grin.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"If we want to go tradition, there needs to be 90% more sherry," Raven said. "And being mistaken for the new maid."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[spin_kick_snap]

"Anders did bring wine," Kathy teased. "But I think we're going to have to skip your terrible traditions and make a bunch of new ones, just for us."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"You never had any terrible traditions growing up?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy frowned, thinking. "Outside of my mom making her special kimchi, I don't think so? We ate a lot of what middle Americans would probably consider weird food, but that was all. Most of our family's back in Korea, so it was just the four of us usually."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"It doesn't have to be a food thing to be a weird tradition," Raven pointed out. "Besides, I like your food."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[spin_kick_snap]

"I know, I'm just thinking of what would count as terrible traditions anyway," Kathy said. "But our Thanksgivings were usually really low-key. I mean, Mom made the big meal, but we just had dinner and then scattered."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"Anything super obnoxious, or that completely devalues you as a person?" Raven shrugged. "Scattering doesn't sound too bad to me. Did you guys ever watch the parade?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[spin_kick_snap]

"I mean, that wasn't a Thanksgiving tradition, that was just a thing that happened," Kathy said with a shrug. "My mom harped on me for not trying hard enough to be pretty, my dad expected us to flatter and cater to him. Regular day that ended in -y, there."

Between Parent Weekends and staying with the Lis for a few days, Kathy figured Raven had seen it often enough to know what she meant.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

"Your friends were really kind of a piece of work, weren't they," Raven observed. And stopped herself from making a comment bout how that made it easier to kill them.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[whoisalicewhite]

"Yay, someone else who knows how to eat right!"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[tigerundercover]

Raven smiled. "Hardison asked what I wanted to eat." She shrugged. "Those were the best things I could think of."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[whoisalicewhite]

"I'm glad we could provide. And we're really glad you're here. Hardison especially, but yeah. All of us."