060 ☣ when we were gone astray

[fridgetothefire]

[Filtered Away from Dean]

...so, I seem to have gotten a few presents I distinctly remember sending to someone else. Anybody else have return-to-sender troubles?

[Because if Dean did what she suspects he did, she's not the only one.]

The real question is, do we gather all his presents together and bring them to his door at once in an enthusiastically festive parade, or do we all go one at a time so he doesn't go more than an hour or two without visitors bearing gifts for the next few days?

[Spam, for Dean]

[The barge being busy and disorganized as it is, I assume everyone will settle on option two.]

Knock, knock.

[Performed and then also spoken. At least she isn't caroling. Yet.]


[Gift List]

Ben - a music box kit, so that he can make them inscribed with any melodies he wants, a book of australian folklore, Unfinished Puzzle, and some of those long distance touch and response bracelets. But magic, please, soft leather, durable, with no distance limit or batteries.

Dean - LED lights set in a few of those small crystal rosette formations from Ville de Rachat, warm and full spectrum. Windowboxes for that sill above his sink, with herbs growing in them. An aloe plant, definitely, and a young little Kilcarnock willow. Things more useful for healing than ritual magic, although if there are any herbs he particularly wants for cooking that overlap, go ahead and include them too. A little watering can with good fortune charms on it. And one of those constant little personal fountains.

[A reminder of a time he got everyone out alive; living things; peaceful things.]

Cassel - some of those ridiculously elaborate outfits he had in the Emperor's world, and a very cheesy #1 Brother coffee mug with a picture of the two of us falling on each other drunk. Matching Erik's #1 Dad mug for font and general design.

Stephen - some Cambrian plushies that tell nerdy jokes when you squeeze them.

Zane - a book of children's tales from his world as it is now, or as it will become. One with Steelheart in it, if you can. And some treats for his bunnies.

Riddick - a plant he discovered during his survey days, or one he just particularly liked. Both, if you can.

Cass - a complete Mystery Baking Companion outfit in her size, please. the decorations on the hat should be in either purple or yellow. A snowglobe that shows her playing with friends in the snow, past present or future, with different scenes when she shakes it.

Morgana - sweets from her own time - honeycakes, maybe? A full set of the Oz books. A sound system, with some modern music and some vocals from the druid traditions of her world.

Jean - a big old fashioned orrery, and a pocket version.

Scott - Muzzy tapes for learning French, Tooth and Nail, a zombie doll to match the one he gave me last year, that resembles him, and the Wolves of Yellowstone documentary.

Touko - the complete works of Ursula Heigl, and a small punching bag with Junko's face on one side.

Peter - a possum plushie.

Steve - A Change of Scenery

Mason - some music he misses, or recordings of concerts he remembers with happiness. Bunny treats as well.

Iris - everyone gives lots of pictures this time of year. Give her a seriously bedazzled hologram locket that can hold them all, just like her hearts can. And throw in a few pictures of friends she hasn't met yet. Also, On the Upswing.

Horatio - charts and maps for seas he's never seen. Topographical maps of the ocean floors from Earth seas that he has. Alpine Navigation.

Clementine - The Devil's Dictionary, by Ambrose Bierce

Andrew - Gossip Girl DVDs

Cambridge - a morbid cookie jar

T'Pol - a beginner's knitting kit

Abigail - Light Flurries

Arthas - a big ridiculous amp to match his guitar. Avalanche of Horses.

Bush - a good toolkit, water, salt, and corrosion resistant. In Search of Sea.

Sylvanas - more futuristic armor

Comments

[ichoosefight]

We may want to wait until New Year's. He was pretty pissed last time I saw him.

[fridgetothefire]

You can wait if you want.

[ichoosefight]

I'm just saying, he might not appreciate it today.

[fridgetothefire]

He's made it very clear that he doesn't want to appreciate it at all.

[ichoosefight]

Fair point. Should I bring kevlar?

[fridgetothefire]

Is that what you're giving him?

[Almost playful. She knows that's not how Steph meant it. But if Dean is determined to hurt Anya, he will probably succeed. She's not going in to fight him, no matter how he ends up taking it.]

[ichoosefight]

[ She makes a face, but it's mostly joking. ]

That's like giving someone toothpaste. Who doesn't need a good set of kevlar?

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

[He was angry, two days ago; he was drinking, as per usual. He's still drinking. He's rebounded fairly quickly, though, for him.

He was always good at shoving everything down. He sounds downright calm from his side of the door, a little distracted, considers telling her to go away; instead:]

It's open. [All the decorations Scott put up before the breach are in a pile in the corner, half-sorted into types; there are a metric shitton of them, some of them broken or pulled apart. Dean himself is leaning over the counter leafing through a book. He doesn't look up, although he's turned so he can see the door in his peripheral vision.]

[ Spam ]

[fridgetothefire]

[She's got the maintenance dolly for all of it plus her tool box, wheels it and starts installing the crystal lights.]

Hi Dean!

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

Anya.

[Dean, by now, is used to her just kind of showing up and going about her business - not usually so literally, but. He tilts his head to be able to see her better for a moment, going otherwise still without actually looking up, then turns another page.]

I don't remember putting in a work order.

[ Spam ]

[fridgetothefire]

[Too bad, Dean, the drill is buzzing away.]

Well, if someone hadn't decided to be a grinch, the admiral could have delivered all of this properly, and I wouldn't have had to spend an hour getting mulch out of my windowseat cushions this morning.

[ Spam ]

[surfaceshine]

There a reason you're taking that out on my walls?

[He's not being intentionally dense. He's just muzzy enough to blunt the edge a bit and, furthermore, has done his best to put the entire Admiral Santa affair right off his radar - a skill in which he has few equals.]

[ Spam ]

[fridgetothefire]

Because I'm a terrible Jew, obviously. It's not my fault I'm so into Christmas, the admiral got me really hard my first year.

[Lightly, but it covers the weight of truth in a way Dean will probably recognize. She was nearly catatonic when her first christmas spirit flood wore off, devastated by the absence of a bright happiness she hadn't felt in years, had long forgotten.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

We could always combine the best of both worlds and just have a really long festive parade.

[fridgetothefire]

With a small brass band stationed in his hallway, perhaps.

[forgetyourusedtobe]

It's probably not too late to ask the Admiral to arrange it.

[But okay, seriously.]

I plan on giving him his gifts. I'm just trying to work out when would be a good time.

[While also realizing the answer to that is probably non-existent.]

[fridgetothefire]

Good luck.

[It's what she wanted to verify - to encourage, in anyone who might be dissuaded or simply too distracted to notice the evasion.]

[forgetyourusedtobe]

Thanks.

I'm starting to think I might be better off just shoving it at him and running before he get a word out.

[fridgetothefire]

I suppose that depends on what your goal is.

[mistconduct]

'He' who?

[fridgetothefire]

Dean's being stubborn.

[News at 11.]

You send him anything?

[mistconduct]

Well, that's new.

No, because I didn't want to get stabbed. Why, did you?

[fridgetothefire]

[She laughs for a moment.]

Of course. I'm stubborn too.

[mistconduct]

He's just gonna throw it back in your face. You have to know that, right?

[fridgetothefire]

Again, you mean?

Maybe, maybe not.