thanksgiving is, after all, a word of action [set on 11/26]

[triskehale]

Thanksgivings in the Hale house used to be quite the big deal. Feeding over a dozen werewolves, many of them teenagers was no easy feat. Derek loved all the chaos, and he helped out in the kitchen since he was old enough to stand on a step stool and reach the counter.

The first year after everyone died, he and Laura each got a rotisserie chicken and some biscuits, trying to hang on to some semblance of tradition, but the food tasted like ash. Laura went to bed early, and Derek pretended not to hear her cry. They stopped trying to do anything for the holiday after that.

It's been almost a decade since that disastrous attempt, and a few months ago Derek decided that he wanted to try again. While Laura and the rest of his family will always be the cause of this gnawing ache in his heart, Derek has a new family here in Darrow. He has so many people that matter to him, and care about him. It's more than Derek deserves, or ever thought that he would get, but he's grateful. He's thankful.

So he decides that he's going to do his best to put on a Thanksgiving of his own, and invite his new ragtag sort of pack. His new family.

The invitations go out and on the big day, Derek arrives at Semele's just after dawn. He puts two giant turkeys in the oven and quickly sets up the long table and chairs in the middle of the bar. With each chair he places, Derek marvels over just how many people he has in his life. It's astounding to him, and it's the perfect day to show his gratitude.

And then, all that's left to do is cook. And cook, and cook some more. If he's lucky, he'll have time to go shower and put on something nice before all his guests arrive.


[Hale pack Thanksgiving! Treat this as a gathering post. Tag in, tag around, give thanks! ♥]

Comments

[triskehale]

Derek might have gone a bit overboard with the food. There's a huge spread with two turkeys and giant bowls of sides. There are mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, green bean casserole, and all the staples. The tables are straining under the weight, and Derek has to smile a little. His mother would be proud of the spread he put out, and he hopes everyone likes it.

He had enough help getting everything ready that he had enough time to run to Dimera and take a quick shower and change into something a little nicer. People seem to be enjoying themselves and each other, and that's all that Derek could have asked for. The food is good, the company is better, and for the first time in awhile, Derek feels utterly content.

[Catch Derek before, during, or after dinner!]

[myfavoritedream]

"Wow," I said, cutting him a sideways look as I stepped up beside him. The place was done up, there was a spread like I'd never seen before, and he looked... good.

It was easy to pretend like I was talking about just the food.

I'd put on a shirt with buttons and I was wearing a new pair of jeans, but I hadn't known what to bring, so I brought nothing. It was probably poor etiquette but I didn't think he'd care much.

[godless_son]

Castiel knows that Derek understood the choices he had to make in that other place. Castiel also knows Derek's understanding was likely motivated by terrible self esteem and guilt but regardless...

It is the least he can do to contribute a pie and some liquor considering he is certain Dean is likely to make off with the majority of both.

"Hello, Derek. Do you want to exchange declarations of thankfulness, as is custom?" he says, clutching a pecan pie.

[everyonetakes]

"Help," Kate says, dramatically draping herself over Derek's shoulder when she joins him. "Help me, I ate way too much and now I'm in danger of actually just exploding."

That's how she feels anyway, like she's a gigantic, waddling excuse for a human being. Thanksgiving has always been like this for her, especially at home with her family, and it's been years since she's had anything like this, a gathering with so many people. In a lot of way it's better, since her asshole grandparents aren't here and there's no real danger of anyone punching the turkey.

[light_of_the_world]

Hild had already spent much of the morning in Derek's company, helping with the others to prepare for the feast, but still she gravitated to him. She was careful not to cling too much. He was host and all the people here were his friends to some degree. He had to greet and speak with them all, make sure they felt comfortable. But even two weeks removed from that dark place, Hild still felt safest near Derek.

She snuck quietly to his side when he was free, knowing he would sense her despite her attempt at being unobtrusive. Hild slipped her hand into his and gave it a squeeze.

[puckandpie]

I honestly hadn't intended to drink as much as I have. Though I don't really know how many drinks it's been at this point, I just know that everything is a little fuzzy and walking is not as easy as it should be, particularly while carrying plate after plate to the kitchen.

It does make the clean-up process a little more enjoyable though. Not that I ever particularly mind it, especially since Derek's still here. I don't know if I've seen him smile for this long without stopping and it's making my chest feel all full and warm. Maybe now he'll have an easier time believing how much people care for him. And, if not, I can at least use it as proof when he has his rougher moments.

Once the dishes are all clean and the tables have been wiped free of grease and food crumbs, I tuck the last chair back into place and then collapse into a booth.

"Leave me here," I call out to Derek as I stretch out against the seat, hands rested on my chest and my eyes slipping shut. My feet are throbbing and everything is blurry, but I feel good. I feel really, really good. But sleep sounds nice. "Just... turn off the lights when you go. I'll be out by morning, I swear."

[memoryisthekey]

Well, shit. So this is what a "real" Thanksgiving looks like.

I am beyond stuffed and for a moment, I wonder if this is how Grif feels all the fucking time. Has to, the way he eats, but that's not really all that important. Looking out over everyone, I mentally note where Thomas and Abel have wandered off to, playing with things that Helen and I brought. Seriously, if feels like we temporarily moved here. I have no idea what we're doing for Christmas, but the boys look happy enough so I call this a win.

Leaning back in my chair, I sip at the cider-something that was put in my hand earlier and just kinda marvel at the whole fucking ruckus. This is how it was supposed to be, right? Family? Shit, man, the Director was really fucked up with his priorities. I mean, I've never been so thankful to be free of his issues as I am right now. If Alison could see me now, she'd... well I imagine there'd be a lot of laughing involved and part of me has this furious ache to know that this was the sort of thing Carolina should have had. Family. Not... whatever the fuck she ended up with after Alison died.

Damn. I actually really miss her right now. I miss all the guys, because they would enjoy the hell out of this. But All I can do is sit back, relax, and hope they haven't gotten themselves blown up without me. Happy holidays, guys, wherever you are.

[Find Church post-meal, relaxing off in a corner and watching everything.]

[triskehale]

"Hey, glad you could make it," Derek says as he drops into the empty seat next to Church. He's carrying a piece of pie, and he's barely in the seat before he's sinking his fork into it. Church is the only person here that he isn't really all that close to, but he's a good guy, and he's important to Helen, and that makes him important to Derek as well.

"Did you get enough food?" There's really no way that no one here didn't get enough food, even the werewolves, but Derek just wants to make sure.

[shuck_you]

In a way, this was Thomas's first Thanksgiving. He couldn't remember any previous ones so he was treating this as his first. It was a memory that WICKED or anyone else wouldn't be able to take away.

He'd helped cook as much as he could though his form of help had been handing things to various people so they wouldn't have to move around and work too much when they were already doing so much cooking. He'd stayed away from creating his own dish because no one need to be poisoned or wanted anything microwaved.

Afterward, once he was full of more food than he thought humanly possible, he tucked himself onto the couch to rest and work at not falling asleep. He'd heard news programs talk about the tradition of falling asleep after a big dinner and Thomas knew now why that was true.

[Feel free to find Thomas in the kitchen, helping to cook, or afterward trying not to fall asleep]

[puckandpie]

"Well don't you look just stuffed to the gills and utterly happy about it."

I take a careful seat beside him, not wanting to jostle just in case he actually ate a little too much. It can take awhile to digest and the last thing we need is a mass return on the stuffing. There are still people milling around the bar and picking at the food and Derek's deep into a conversation with a guy I only vaguely recognize.

I'd definitely gone a little bit overboard on the pies, but a good half of the spread is gone at least. All-in-all, it seems like a rousing success.

"There'll probably be some leftovers," I tell him as I settle back into the couch. "You know, as something to tide you over until your next pizza."

[theduff]

"Turkey coma?" I ask Thomas as I approach him. It feels like it's been ages since I showed up a little early to help out with setting up. My stomach is happily stuffed, but I still have a few very small slices of the different pies on a plate. I pick at them as I walk around, stopping here and there to talk to friends or even say hello to someone new.

[triskehale]

"You look like you got your fill," Derek says with an amused smile. Thomas looks like he's about to nod off, and given what Derek knows about Thomas' past, he's especially thankful that he was able to provide him with enough food to fill his belly, and a safe, warm place to eat it.

He lowers himself onto the sofa next to Thomas, leaving some space between them and settling back. He's glad he brought the sofa over, just for this sort of occasion. The bar reopens tomorrow night and he needs to get everything back in order before then. It sounds exhausting, and he decides not to worry about it until he has to. For now he just relaxes and lets his head tip back against the sofa, ankles crossed as he stretches out his legs.

[puckandpie]

In the end, Derek has to set out a whole separate table just for the pies. I've made sure to arrange them all myself, complete with little upturned labels so no one would have to guess what they might be serving themselves and, I have to say, they at least look good. I can only hope they all taste good, too.

After helping bake and prepare all morning, we'd gotten done in time for me to run home and change. Which is the only reason I'm dressed in my nicest pair of jeans and a seasonally-appropriate red waistcoat instead of my flour-covered apron.

I'm not at all surprised by the number of people who show up, each one of them just as happy as I am to be included in Derek's brood of loved ones. This feels like exactly the perfect event after everything we'd encountered in that nightmare version of Darrow, all of these people collected in one spot to remind Derek just how loved he is. My only hope is he can hold onto this for long enough to at least quiet the terrible voices that continue to linger in his mind.

I can't help sneaking him glances every now and then, happy to see him smiling and laughing nearly every time. This is good for him. This is so, so good.

If the day's festivities leave me a little bit homesick, that's really no one's fault. It's just hard to not imagine my mama's jello salad and Coach's voice screaming at football from the other room, the squeals and pitter-patters of my cousins' feet all around the house. Even if I'm starting to build a solid group of friends here, it's hard not to miss the family I left behind.

It's hard not to consider the fact that I may never see them again.

Luckily, with so many happy faces gathered around the table and the abundance of delicious food, it's easy enough to ignore for awhile.

[Find Bitty at any point during the feast!]

[myfavoritedream]

"You're looking sharp," I said, dropping into an empty chair beside him, a plate of mashed potatoes and stuffing, with extra gravy, in one hand, and a beer in the other.

"I like this." I gestured vaguely to the waistcoat. I didn't tell him that he looked sort of like a valet.

[always_enduphere]

Sometimes it's strange to be in Semele's after all that's happened. It's the first place Dean worked when he got to Darrow, and if he were in a more introspective mood, he'd be thankful for the turns his life has taken. He might even get pensive about it, but as soon as he makes it to the middle of the bar, the smell of pie hits him full force, and he changes course abruptly for the dessert table.

"Are these for everyone?" Deanasks, because the pies on display here are incredible, and he should know. He's eaten every kind there is in every part of the country, and these - these are top notch. Dean turns and counts the number of people in the room, compares it to the pies, then lifts one right off its stand and carries it to an empty booth.

[myfavoritedream]

Leaning my hip against the booth he'd claimed, I looked at the entire pie on the table and asked, "Are you sharing?"

Judging by the way he looked at it, I could guess the answer was no.

[jianhuo]

Derek asked her to bring dessert, and of course, Saffron goes a little overboard. She knows Eric is like to have the pies covered, so she goes with something different for her contribution - mini white chocolate caramel apple lollipops, pumpkin and peanut butter s'mores bars, monkey bread, and pumpkin cheesecake - all made with help from Church and even a little from the boys.

Everything Derek's prepared is delicious, and Saffron normally doesn't overindulge but she thinks tonight she may have made an exception. Dessert is going to have to wait a little while. In the meantime she socializes, mingling among the guests while keeping an eye on the boys and stopping every once in a while to have a moment with her man, handing Keira off to Church or taking her back from him. It's a wonderful evening, and even with everything that's happened this year they still have plenty to be thankful for.

[triskehale]

Thomas and Abel are hanging off of Derek's arms as he holds them up and flexes, and they're giggling as he makes his way back over to Helen. "You guys are making it so I can't carry any pie."

They shriek and giggle again and Derek can't help but to smile. "Oh, you think it's funny? Pie is serious business, you monsters."

[theduff]

I clean up nice! I always knew I could if I wanted to, and was prepared to do just that before I was rudely kidnapped into another universe. But, considering the fact that this is a holiday spent with friends, I make the attempt to look nice. So I've put on my cleanest pair of dark jeans, found the one deep blue blouse I own, and even cleaned the dust and specks of mud off my boots. (And mom always badgered me to look presentable whenever we had special family dinners. I can't spend Thanksgiving with her, but I guess still feel close to her in this small way.)

I wasn't lying to Bitty when I said I prepared myself for the meal, and I'm so glad I haven't eaten anything but a bag of chips and a chocolate bar all day. It did sort of backfire a bit when I showed up early to lend a hand with setting the table; I swear the smell of all that food nearly turned me into a ravenous Thanksgiving Zombie or soemthing. It was close.

Heaping my plate with a little bit of everything, I dig into everything with gusto, stuffing my face as I listen to the conversations filling up the bar. There are so many people here, more than I thought, and I'm glad Derek has so many friends. Being surrounded by familiar faces and some strangers makes for one less lonely day, and puts my homesickness at bay for the night.

[myfavoritedream]

The tables weren't too crowded. I could've easily found a seat anywhere, but I'd already eaten my fill, already had a few beers. So, I was mostly just teasing her, when I stepped up beside her chair and reached down to steal the roll off of her plate.

She looked ravenous, hunched over her plate and practically inhaling her food, so I couldn't really help myself.

[likeahero]

After a few weeks of mostly keeping to himself, Oliver feels a little strange being around so many people. He knows some faces, however, which puts him at ease for most of the night. He can't remember the last time he'd been at a holiday dinner so casual and comfortable. Sitting at the full table with Felicity by his side, Oliver wonders if this is what a real family dinner is supposed to be; noisy, close, and nothing like the overly formal affairs that were Queen dinner parties.

Once it seems the majority of the dinner is wrapping up, Oliver is glad to see his sweet potato and marshmallow dish (prepared by himself after Felicity managed to somehow ruin the first attempt) is mostly gone. He clears a bit of space on the bar itself for a few wine glasses and opens up the red wine and apple cider they brought along, pouring a glass of the red for himself.

[triskehale]

Derek has a plate full of different slivers of pie and other desserts, along with a heaping portion of Oliver's sweet potatoes. They're just right, sweet and tender and glazed with brown sugar, and he's had about three helpings.

"This is really good," Derek says as he sits down next to Oliver and pours himself some cider. "I'm glad you guys could make it."

He hasn't really seen Oliver since they were stuck in that other place, since he's been keeping to himself as well, and he hopes that tonight can help bring everyone back together, and they can try and move on. It's a little stupidly optimistic, but having a full belly and being surrounded by friends makes him a little sappy.

[everyonetakes]

She's here and she totally didn't take Derek's suggestion seriously that she bring something other than some cookies that she bought from the store because she knows better. And she knows he knows better. Kate is good at a lot of things, but definitely not cooking or baking or anything to do with food besides eating it.

It's really nice. It doesn't make her miss her family any less, which is pretty much her permanent state of being on days like today, but it's still really nice and she's glad to be here. She's glad Derek invited her and if she's planning on meddling a little, trying to figure out what's going on with him and this Eric guy, then that's totally her own business.

[shuck_you]

Eventually, Thomas got himself off the sofa and wandered around some. Derek's house wasn't huge but there were a lot of people around, some familiar and others not.

When he caught sight of Kate, he wandered over to say hello and see how she'd been. He hadn't seen her since before that other city and he wasn't sure if she'd been there or not.

"Happy Thanksgiving," he said, having picked up that lingo quickly. "How's it going?"

[theresalwayshope]

Allison arrives early to give Derek the army of desserts she made (hey, he did remind her how much he can eat), and so at dinner she relaxes a little, eating her fill, more than she'd usually allow herself when she knows she's patrolling later.

Tonight, unless she sees something coming, she's not going out there. The Alpha has been a shield for so long now...she hasn't been the same since losing Jason and she knows it, she can't get past it.

She's made her peace, though. He coaxed some light out of the darkness in her, but he took it with him when he left Darrow. Twice, she's let herself do more than love, she let herself believe in love, that there was a happy ending for her. She's resigned to the darkness now, and warms herself when she can around the comforting light of hearth and home.

Tonight, that's Thanksgiving dinner with Derek, and stuffing herself silly with a menu that, once again, surprises her in the best way possible. After dinner, she allows herself a glass of wine, and mostly stays on the fringes of things, merely content to bask in the soothing and happy sounds of conversation, eating, and laughter surrounding her.

[triskehale]

Derek is glad to see Allison. They haven't spent much time together lately, and he hasn't seen her since before he was stuck in that other Darrow. There's a flash of something angry, just because of the image of Kate taunting him so fresh in his mind, but he pushes it aside. Allison is not her aunt, and she is so much more than her last name.

She's keeping to herself for the most part, and Derek wanders over to her after awhile. "Hey. Are you having a good time?"

[notaretriever]

One of the many benefits of being such good friends with another werewolf is that Luke trusts Derek to make enough food to satisfy his higher than usual appetite. The food is delicious and the company is wonderful and even though the beginning of November had been troubling and unusual, he finds he's quite easily settled back into life in Darrow. There's a sense of precaution about him now, though he tries not to let on to anyone that he's a little more wary about the way in which the city works. It doesn't matter, really, not when he knows he can't control it in the slightest.

Besides, he's happier now than he's been in a long time. He's comfortable and generally safe and he knows the people he cares about in Manhattan are getting along as well. That's more than he expected. Reid is living with him above the store now and it seems every day Alec trusts him just a little more.

Luke has a lot to be thankful for. Not the least of which is this turkey.

[triskehale]

Luke is part of the reason that Derek made yet another turkey, with the other reason being Derek himself. Luke seems to be on par with him when it comes to appetite, and he didn't want anyone leaving the bar hungry, even the wolves.

Derek is stuffed by the time he finally stops eating, and he still goes to fill a new plate with dessert before he drops into a seat next to Luke. He looks over at Luke's plate with a smirk. "Getting your fill?"

[one_more_question]

Felicity tried, she really did. She'd wanted to make something to bring to Derek's, and she'd thought she was really careful with following the recipe for the sweet potatoes, but it had ended up a disaster. So Oliver had stepped in with his amazing cooking skills to save the day, fortunately, which meant it's his dish rather than her burnt mess they bring to Thanksgiving dinner tonight. She's bummed her own attempt didn't work out, but she's really not going to complain about having a boyfriend who's a great chef.

There's enough food for an army, and Felicity does her part to help reduce the eventual amount of leftovers. Oliver goes to get them more wine and she sits nibbling on a piece of cheesecake, pretty sure she's not going to be hungry for about a week after this. There are a number of people she's missing tonight, but she's glad for the ones who are here to celebrate the holiday together.

[notaretriever]

Luke's nostrils flare at the scent of cheesecake somewhere in the midst of all the other food smells that seem to have permeated all of Semele's. He turns, trying to locate its origin, which is surprisingly hard with this many scents on the air, even for a werewolf, but eventually he finds a woman who seems to be eating some and imagines she'll have a better idea where to get it.

"Is that cheesecake?" he asks when he approaches her, then shakes his head, looking faintly embarrassed. "I'm sorry, that's hardly the right way to greet someone you've never met before."

[sonofdurin]

Of all the holidays Darrow has, Thanksgiving is Fíli's favorite. It's also, not coincidentally, the closest thing to a proper holiday he's seen since his arrival. Feasting and camaraderie appear to be the orders of the day, and no Dwarf could ever object to that. And if thoughts of home tug at his heart a little, well, the friendly faces around him - some familiar, some not - provide ample distraction.

As does the food. There's enough food and alcohol - much of the latter provided by himself and Kíli - to feed every one of Derek's guests with plenty to spare. No mean feat, given some of their appetites, but even Master Baggins would have been hard-pressed to do better than Derek has. Fíli eats until he can't eat anymore, then takes a piece of pie anyway and goes to sit at the bar, letting the buzz of conversation wash over him.

[willnothide]

He's been bouncing around from guest to guest, speaking with old friends and making new ones where he can, and when he finally makes his way back to his brother, Kili finds himself very exhausted. With a heavy sigh, he takes his place next to Fili at the bar, a plate of pie in hand with just a couple bites out of it because he isn't certain he'll be able to finish it off after everything he's already eaten.

Not for the next couple minutes, anyway.

"Doesn't it remind you a little of home?" he asks, glancing over his shoulder at the rest of the party, everyone merry and smiling and chatting away, as if just for tonight, they're allowing themselves to forget all the things that might otherwise cause them worry. There'd been nights like this in the Ered Luin, whether it be at home or at the tavern, he remembers them vividly. Smiling, he turns back to glance at his brother, grabbing his fork and reaching over to steal a bite of Fili's pie. He may be full, but he's not above playing the role of little brother to perfection.

"I like his holiday," Kili decides, nodding as he chews on the pie. "It's a joyful one."

[strongerthanevil]

If it had been anyone else other than a close friend of Kili then Tauriel might have declined the invitation to the festivities. For the most part she found human celebrations rather odd and with a high degree of risk for some sort of attack to happen. In the end it was the chance that they might be attacked by a monster of some sort that had finally convinced her to come. She would not want to miss out on such a thing.

There is also the lure of Derek's cooking, which she knows to be excellent. It was explained to her that this holiday was centered around food even more so than most. Much of what she understood was to be present was similar to food that they had in her world. It certainly all smelled wonderful and somewhat familiar for Derek had truly outdone himself.

"A feast to celebrate being thankful is truly the best holiday that I have encountered in this city," Tauriel mused. "It seems very much like something that the Hobbits would celebrate."

[triskehale]

"It's a pretty good one," Derek says as he steps up next to her with a glass of wine in his hand, just after making sure there was so crumbs or whipped cream in his beard after he demolished about half of a pie.

"Thanks for coming," Derek tells her with a warm smile, inclining his head in greeting. "Did you get enough food?"

[sciencesaggressively]

Newt looks good. Like, real good. More importantly, he'd dressed himself, which means he'd actually made an effort for this Thanksgiving get-together that's got Derek all amped and shit, so Newt's pretty proud of himself. He knows some of the people here, Derek included, have had a rough time of it lately and maybe he isn't the best equipped to comfort any of them, but he's definitely available for the kind of entertainment value that can hopefully take their minds of things.

If he can make Mindy smile after a surprise baby had shown up for her in a printer box, he's pretty confident he can do the same for anyone else.

First thing's first, though, and that's food. There's no sense in trying to do nice things for other people if stomach's not personally satisfied first.

[godless_son]

"Hello Newt," Castiel murmurs, appearing silently behind him. "I am thankful for your friendship and general presence in Darrow and on Earth. Happy Thanksgiving. Please eat the pie that I brought."

[light_of_the_world]

Hild felt better. Better was a thing to be measured in inches and seconds these days, sometimes only noticed in the way her hand did not drift to the hilt of her seax so often or how common shadows did not give her pause. The arrival of this holiday, with its feasts and warm feelings, was timely. The affection and warmth of her friends -- not only shown to herself but visible in interactions with all others -- filled up the hollow spaces inside her until Hild felt almost, in moments, like herself again.

She had arrived early to help Derek and his other hands with preparing the food and setting the table, but now she sat, sated and sipping at her wine, simply watching the others interact. She felt a twinge, a pull at something inside of her, encouraging her to step forward to a cluster of friends and join in the conversation, but not strong enough to bring her to her feet. Not yet.

[myfavoritedream]

"Hey," I said, dropping into the seat beside her and reaching out to flick at one of the gold leaves hanging from her ears.

Things were weird, for a lot of us, and had been for a while. I felt like I hadn't been hit by it as hard as everyone else, because I'd already been stripped of whatever part of myself that might've been vulnerable to the things I saw, the things I did, down there in the ash. Like I was made of mostly scar tissue, and had been, for most of my life.

Or maybe I just had it easy, skulking around in Derek's shadow and letting him do all the hard work.

But she seemed good. Looked good. I took a swig of my beer and knocked my knee gently against hers.