Almost Like Family (Invite Only)
It had been a long productive day. Alexander had spent most of it cooking, or getting things ready to cook. According to most of his recipes, much of the action would take place about an hour before the turkey was ready.
Thanksgiving dinner was definitely a massive undertaking for one person. But Eiryk was asleep; he couldn't be expected to pull and all-day stint. Alex had done most of the prep work by himself and secretly he sort of thought that might have been for the best.
It was a good day so far; they were expecting Aishe and Kem over and Eiryk had invited two of his other friends as well. There was work being done (not today of course) on Alex's store and he'd be back in it, and his apartment, before Christmas. Things were looking up and he'd been in a very good mood all day in spite of a few small (and easily corrected setbacks).
Now, however, was time for the Waking of the Beast (and not that beast... they didn't have time). Eiryk had asked Alex to wake him earlier than usual. He almost never woke up when his alarm went off. Alex was pretty sure air raid sirens wouldn't wake Eiryk up.
He walked to the bedroom and went through the door; he'd finally learned after two weeks of being a live-in guest that it didn't actually matter how much noise he made during the day. When Eiryk slept, he was dead to the world. Much as he was now. Alex grinned a little as he looked down on Eiryk, who was sprawled all over his bed. Amazing. It was a king-sized bed yet Eiryk managed to somehow take up more than half of it.
Alexander sat on the side of the bed, then lay down next to Eiryk, slipped his arm under his head, and kissed his forehead. Then he rested his mouth next to Eiryk's ear.
"Eiryk. Time to wake up. Company's coming. Your hair is a mess. Someone scuffed up your shoes. Your shirt is completely wrinkled and your pants have pleats in all the wrong places. There's a bottle of really bad 2005 white wine in the ice bucket and Aishe just called and said she and Kem are bringing a case of Budweiser."
If that didn't startle Eiryk awake, Alex didn't know what would.
Pak lamented subtly leaning into Artemis.
She giggled slightly at Alexander glad he was piping up from the kitchen. She felt bad he was doing all this for people who didn't really eat, so the least they could do was make sure he was having a good time.
The call of soups on roused them all from their various conversations and activities and sent them to the table. Apparently needing to eat wasn't a requirement when things smelled that good. She looked at the spread, impressed.
"Damned Alexander this is a lot and it looks good. I promise to eat slowly to make it worth it."Â?
She was feeling surprisingly warm and fuzzy seated at the table settled next to Artemis and with a number of other friends, the ones who mattered most. She cocked an eyebrow at Kem, suspecting he was helping things along but actually approving.
Kem also gave things a sense of occasion with a toast. She raised her glass with a cheerful agreement, seconding the sentiments.
"Are was supposed to be polite and wait or do we make Alexander try things first to give his stamp of approval or what?"Â?
This was perfect for him. Eiryk was enjoying having everyone together and winding in and out of conversation and just generally socializing. He'd set about chilling the white wine and trying to help Alexander and Aishe in the kitchen and being more or less shoved out of the way. He did manage to help set the table while cheerfully bickering with what ever conversation he was closest to.
The mead, well that bottle, was almost done and he'd set the wine Artemis had brought on the sideboard to be opened when everyone's glass was empty, he'd even set out a separate set of glasses as the flavors wouldn't be complimentary and wine that old should not have to compete with anything.
"And should taste even better than that. Cheers."Â?
He smiled at the other man. Eiryk was a friend of Pak's and a clanmate. That alone was reason enough to open up his home. But who knew, perhaps they would find a way to work together and come up with something new.
As he took his seat next to Pak, he nodded his agreement to her sentiment. Everything did look and smell great.
"Yes, it all looks fantastic. Thank you for going to all the trouble."
Artemis noticed that the others seemed to be enjoying the mood and atmosphere. Well, that was what this holiday was about. Being thankful for the friends and family that you do have. Giving himself a mental kick, he decided to let himself relax and enjoy the atmosphere and company as well. Artemis raised his glass in salute along with the others.
"Cheers"
"Thanks," he said. "It was fun to do. And I don't know, I think the destruction is the good part."
And then to answer Pak he shook his head, "Oh no. How about you dig in while I carve this thing," he indicated the turkey on its platter. "Because it might be a slaughter."
It was a decent-sized bird. Alex had never paid any particular attention to proper carving methods before, but he had taken a few minutes on Eiryk's laptop earlier to look up the correct method. It wasn't difficult and was accomplished in a few short minutes. Having completed it more or less successfully, he finally seated himself and joined in the general carnage.
She began passing plates around, much like she had done in her family, rather than everyone helping themselves to all the dishes from a central location. Since most of Aishe's family still lived in Egypt, their holidays had been fairly small; she and her parents, the occasional family friends, Kiamhaat once he and Aishe had met. This setting suited her perfectly, and it looked like their friends were enjoying themselves too.
The first few bites of wild rice stuffing and cranberry-orange relish confirmed her suspicions.
"I'm stealing your boyfriend," Aishe said to Eiryk. "Just for dinners. You can have him the rest of the time."
There was no reason not to keep up the banter just because they were busy destroying Thanksgiving dinner.
He shot a smile at Pak in response to her cocked eyebrow and questioning gaze and lifted one shoulder in a little shrug. He didn't know how many of them around the table now had ever had a Thanksgiving dinner with friends. For all they knew Aishe and Alex might be the only ones. Kem had never bothered, himself, until meeting Aishe. It just hadn't seemed all that important. Now he was revising his opinion.
Their noses hadn't deceived them, apparently. Everything tasted as good as it smelled. There was something about the roasted acorn squash that reminded him of the melons they'd eaten in Egypt long ago. They hadn't had anything that was exactly like squash as it was on the table before them now, but when the buttery-sugary glaze was added on top it resembled a melon.
"Where did you learn to cook like this?" Having just recently discovered his own kitchen and entering into something of a battle with Reign, Kem was eager to pick up new techniques.
"I second that," Kem said to Aishe's threat, flashing a grin at Eiryk. "Only I'm going to watch and learn."
"It is all fun and games until some one face plants in the wine press and then it is hysterical."Â?
It was half warning half quip as she helped herself to whatever it was Aishe was passing. She rolled her eyes at Alexander and his destruction comment, after all she'd been given permission.
"And since you're dating Eiryk you know -all- about destruction."Â?
Very wise decision not to let Eiryk carve the turkey she decided but didn't say anything.
It was very tempting to shout out 'Fight! Fight!' when Aishe threatened to steal Alexander. Although, Pak was a bit tempted to borrow the man. She could be convinced to eat more often if this was the result.
Nothing being much of a cook she just rolled her eyes.
"Fine you lot cook and I'll sample."Â?
She probably shouldn't have said that with her mouth full but some times it was hard to remember her manners.
Pak gently squeezed his knee, at least two of these people he didn't know at all and she wasn't sure how well he knew Kem and Aishe. She was hoping he was having some fun too.
Eiryk never mass produced his meads. He'd get maybe a dozen bottles out of a batch. But he was also only really brewing for himself and a friends now and then.
And then people started vying for Alex.
"Oh no you don't. I found him first he's mine. Now if he wants to help you out once in a while that's fine but I'm coming too... to"Â? He eyed Kem suspiciously, "chaperone apparently."Â?
He cheerfully piled turkey on a platter as Alex carved it from the bird. Once he thought they had enough for everyone he started that around the table as well. Eiryk only hoped they didn't have leftovers for days.
Artemis listen to the others as they playfully bartered for control over Alex. He had to admit that the food was fantastic. He rarely did this sort of thing. But, if the food was this good they could probably convince him to participate a little more often. Smiling amiably at Alex and Eiryk, he nodded his agreement.
"Eiryk, take the advise of a wizened business man. You should charge rent for his cooking services. And then save up the money to go someplace nice."
To Alex, he added, "The food is excellent."
He had amused himself with his own ironic comment. Even though he was in fact a wizened old businessman, he looked barely out of twenties. The hand on his knee caught his attention. Honestly, what man in his early 1620's wouldn't be distracted. Placing a hand over hers, he gave it a gentle squeeze to reassure her that he was fine.
His ability to cook wasn't a mystery really, he just put things together like the books said. "I'm glad you're all enjoying it though."
Alex had to nod at Pak, giving her a modest little shrug. "More about avoiding it, really. Running damage control."
He hated admitting his coping methods to Eiryk right in front of him, but he suspected Eiryk was aware of it even if he hadn't admitted it.
And just like that he somehow became a commodity. Aishe's playful threat was met with Eiryk's equally (mostly) playful threat, which made Alex's face grow red. The implication... well. Alex almost took the joking the wrong way until he realized it for what it was, which made him slightly more embarrassed.
He jumped on Artemis' suggestion like a convict on a pardon. "That'll work," he said quickly, smiling gratefully at the other man. "The going somewhere nice, that is. I don't know about charging rent though. There's enough of me to share."
As usual, nothing really came out of his mouth the way he intended it. It seemed that when he was trying to temper his own sarcasm, he turned into a verbal Eiryk.
"I'm with Pak, actually," Aishe said. "Other than renting out Alex's cooking skills, I just want to enjoy the result, not the process. I admit to being lazy."
Alexander's admission made her laugh in surprise. She actually had noticed him doing things like that in the kitchen but hadn't quite caught on at the time.
To Kem, she said, "You don't give yourself enough credit. You've been doing fantastic things in your kitchen, now that you know what's what."
He was certainly a better cook than she was, even before he and Reign had begun their unofficial food war.
"You can't be wizened," he protested. "If you're wizened I have to be wizened, and I'm not ready to be wizened."
He looked down at Aishe. "Do I look wizened to you? It's the hair right? I have to dye it. Something bright. And youthful."
He smiled at her when she defended his blossoming cooking skills. Even joking around Aishe always managed to take his side. It was good to know someone was usually in his corner.
Turning back to Alex he shook his head. "Oh there's skill involved," he said. "I've followed recipes and still had tings turn out, uh, poorly."
"If either of you two is wise in any way shape or form, there are gerbils powering the main frame."Â?
Personally she thought Aishe might be the only wise one, other than herself, at the table. After all, she was agreeing with Pak.
Pak turned curiously to Kem. This cooking thing was new and she found it unsettling.
"Why the hell are you cooking any way? You've not cooked as long as I've known you."Â?
Her own cooking skills were a mixed bag. Pak actually could use her kitchen, she just didn't. It was so much easier to either got out, call for delivery or do with out.
Oh... deliver.
"Maybe Alex should just deliver completed meals..."Â?
Eiryk sounded shocked and hurt but this wasn't a surprise to him at all. It was both just like Alex to do something like that and well... he'd noticed.
"Lord no, he's the entrepreneur. I just stand back and watch. But I'm all in favor of him charging rent or by the meal. He can take us some where nice."Â?
Actually Eiryk had a nice vacation planed out for them for the Christmas season. It all depended on the ETA of his store being up and running. Eiryk hated that Alex would lose a lot of business being closed this time of year. Maybe he should suggest that Alex open up an internet store front for a bit, perhaps Pak could help.
"Well, wisdom is a derivative of experience. So, you don't have to be wise if you don't want to be"
He grinned at Kem. The other man did sort of leave himself open for that. Tilting his head slightly to the side, he pretended to consider Kem's hair.
"Although, you might have a point about the hair. You could try pink? Or, maybe purple. Wild colors are in right now. What do you think Pak?"
Artemis turned an smiled conspiratorially at Alex. The man seemed a bit shy and might appreciate the some of the attention moving away from him to someone else for a moment.
"Are you kidding?" he gasped once he could talk again. He stared wide-eyed at Pak. "Don't give him ideas! Please!"
He stopped himself before he was forced to elaborate although it might have been too late at that point. If Eiryk had ever had a dirty delivery-boy fantasy, that suggestion was not going to cool it off any.
He shot a slightly injured look to Eiryk at his suggestion that Alex take them somewhere nice. He'd tried. Several times. The outdoors was nice. But Eiryk wouldn't go. And surely he realized that any sort of paid vacation type deal was so far out of Alex's realm of affordability he couldn't even see it with binoculars. It was kind of a sore topic with him. Eiryk didn't mean to twist the knife.
Fortunately Artemis, Aishe, and Kem were already moving onto another topic, for which Alex was grateful. He returned Artemis' smile with one of his own and watched with what came close to fascination as Kem took his ribbing with grace and ease that Alex could probably never imitate. And not a single blush. How'd he manage it?
Then she laughed at Eiryk's hurt tone. "He likes you," she said with a grin. "Why else would he always be putting himself in your way? Aside from his apparent desire to champion you against the cloud of destruction that follows you around."
As the conversation turned to Kem's de-wizening, Aishe pondered his hair. "I like it like this," she said, "but I guess if you had to choose a color you could go with something purple and green. Just to make sure you stand out."
How ironic of them... because being 6'3" and having long white hair didn't already set him apart? And yet as always Kem took it with good humor, because that was just what he did.
Well, that and Kem lived with Aishe and saw Pak on a regular basis.
Aishe was eying his hair critically and he laughed when she came up, with all things, green and purple. "I'll look like something from Monsters, Inc.," he pointed out. "I don't really think I'm cut out for doing the whole closet-scaring business."
To Artemis he said, "You know, pink is maybe a little more 'youthful' than I had intended. "I was thinking I might go 'normal' for a change and dye it, I don't know... brown."
He shouldn't mention he had been thinking about cutting it all off either. For one Aishe would have a heart attack, if it was possible, and he could only imagine the opportunities for Pak and Artemis then.
Pak said between bites. She was trying to figure out how much of the meal she could eat one handed or how much she could get away with telekinesis before either Eiryk or Alexander noticed.
But Kem distracted her. She almost choked when he suggested coloring his hair. He'd have to rethink that unless he wanted his BMW colored to match. She'd threaten to go blond but doubted Kem would even notice. She didn't say anything but she scowled at him
"Hmmmmm pink doesn't seem butch enough and green and purple is -far- to Mardi Gras. He might just have to leave it as is."Â?
That said, Pak pointed her fork at Aishe.
"And -you- I don't want to hear -anything- about him being experienced. That is ... wrong..."Â?
Pak shuddered a bit to emphasize her point. Something one did not want to know about some people.
Ah, foot in mouth disease strikes again. Not wanting to make too much of a scene he picked up Alexander's hand and kissed it by way of apology.
"Wait... wouldn't Kem have to be in the closet in order to come out of it?"Â?
Who knew Kem's hair could be this much of a topic? It was fun though.
It looked like every one had finished their mead.
"I think maybe we should open that bottle of wine. Artemis did you want to do the honors?"Â?