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

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

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! ♥]

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"I'm glad to hear of it. It took a while for me not to take such things at face value," he says, taking in the room of friends. It's extraordinary they still do this, they still make connections after knowing that they will continue to lose each other.

"People are very resilient," he murmurs. "Dean, I think, is also allowing himself to enjoy this as much as he can. That he makes any effort is what makes me proud. Proud of all you, really."

"I'm uncertain why I had not made that connection," he murmurs, realizing he is perhaps missing that next step of friendship which is to be aware who your friends are friends with. "Friendship is complicated...regardless, I am glad to see you. How have you been coping since the loss of your parasite? I know his passing was very difficult."

"You are very gracious and kind, which my mother had always hoped I would be, though I do not know that she would say I succeeded in that," Kili says. As always, there's a melancholy flicker in his eyes when he mentions his mother but it doesn't last long, seeing as it's his own fault she's come up in the first place. He carries the rune stone she'd given him before he'd left for Erebor with him again, having retrieved it from Beth after Fili had been returned, and Kili slips his hand into his pocket to wrap his hand over it.

Return to me, the stone reads, and he'd certainly failed in that but as for the rest, he hopes to continue on in Darrow in a manner that would have made her proud. Except when it comes to Fili, of course, for some relationships simply cannot be changed. As much as he loves his brother, Kili can say with confidence that he will always eat the last cupcake or cookie or slice of pie, even if Fili is the one who's brought it home; but that is his role as the youngest, and he plays it well.

"In any case, you're very much like a friend I knew from home. He was called Bilbo, and he was a hobbit, but do not let that deter you from thinking it a compliment. He was the best hobbit I ever had the pleasure of meeting, and quite brave, at that." Kili doesn't know the first thing about Bitty's mettle but never mind that, he'd prefer to think Bitty would never have to show it at all. "A peach pie would be excellent, though, and as for myself, I've been well."

His face falls a little, though his smile doesn't entirely disappear with it. "I do know that there have been many who've suffered as of a late, some friends of mine included. I was fortunate to have escaped those horrors, I do hope you were, too."

"Oh, shit, at last count..." She pauses, trying to gather them all in her head. "Okay, there was Alice, Buck and T, they were the primary three I lived with for most of my life, but in the past few years there was also Gimme, Chicken, Shoshana and Bryce. So seven besides my mom last I heard."

Bryce is the worst. She never wants to talk about Bryce. The others are harmless, even if some of them are more annoying than others, but Bryce terrified her. The way he'd looked at her, the talk of the abuse, the way he'd physically assaulted Marshall. Her mother's own abuser as one of her alters is definitely the worst things ever got and Kate prefers to gloss right over him entirely.

"Yeah, for like, a week. I was super hot, which probably isn't surprising, since I'm super hot to begin with," Kate says. "But it was kind of both insanely awesome and scary at the same time, because I just wasn't turning back. I was stuck as a dude for ages and I kind of like being a woman. I'm an awesome woman."

Then she pauses and grins. "But Newt and I had fun anyway." Which is probably way too much information, but she's never really been known for her filter and it's not like someone wouldn't wonder about it anyway. She figures it's probably just easier to say it out loud and then no one has to awkwardly ask about it.

It took Thomas a second to realize what she meant by having 'fun' and then he winced and shook his head. It wasn't that he was embarrassed or afraid of that type of thing, it was more that it was new to him and he wasn't used to people talking about it so candidly. It didn't surprise him that Kate would be the one to be blunt about it, though.

"You're an awesome woman," Thomas agreed with a quiet laugh. "I don't know if I want to experience the wonders of being a woman because I would not be awesome. I'm barely managing to get by like I am now. Changing my gender...yeah, let's avoid that."

"I could easily do without the use of electricity," Tauriel admitted. While phones and computers were truly an amazing convenience they were nothing more. Perhaps if there was life outside of the city that she could communicate she would think differently but it was simple enough to go find someone if you wished to talk to them.

"Though I find hot showers a most wonderful indulgence," she said, giving a small smile. "While I do not get cold as humans do I have found myself luxuriating in a hot shower in the morning for some time."

For a moment, I want to argue with him. We haven't spoken much so far, but Kili's been nothing but kind to me since the moment we met. We really don't know each other very well at all yet, but I feel like I could. Hopefully. In fact, I'm sure we could, especially if he's in Derek's pack, too. We have him and a love for baked goods in common.

Speaking of Derek, it's only as Kili continues that I realize with a jolt just what book Derek had meant when he'd mentioned knowing them. Goodness, of course. Though I haven't read it and I haven't seen the movies so I don't feel too terrible for not knowing. In fact, I'm glad I don't! It's probably bad enough that I've heard of Bilbo and sorta know what a hobbit is. It's clear I don't know anything about his world though considering I likely would've guessed he's a hobbit if he hadn't called himself something else a few times already and also makes being a hobbit sound like something distasteful.

I don't mention it though, instead feeling my own smile slip when he brings up what I can only assume is the events of that other Darrow. "Oh, uhm. No, I was there," I tell him, careful to keep my voice quieter now. It won't really keep Derek from overhearing at all, but I can only hope he's too preoccupied with another conversation to be listening. I just don't want him to be reminded of that terrible place, especially not today. "I'm so, so glad you didn't have to endure any of that -- it was awful! I'm really only alive because of Derek. And Neil, honestly. If I'd gotten stuck there alone, I don't... gosh, I really don't think I'd be here right now."

Goodness, seven. I know it probably doesn't work the way I imagine, but that seems like an awful lot of voices to carry around in one head. But it's obvious Kate still deeply cares for her mother and, not for the first time, I wonder how people like her, the ones that have been stuck here for years and years handle not ever getting to see their families. I've only been here three months and sometimes I miss my parents so much it's suffocating.

"Gimme and Chicken?" I ask, focusing on that instead. "Were they all at least sorta nice? And did your mom... I mean, she knew about them, right? Could she remember anything her alters did? Not that you have to tell me anything!" I rush to add. "I'm sorry if I'm asking anything too personal. I've just. I'm curious. But you don't have to answer anything you don't want to - I totally understand."

"Shut up," I tell him brightly. Honestly, Thomas isn't far off the mark. I had been pretty mopey and when Jinx got over herself, we both curled up and sulked on my couch as I marathoned Space Kitchen, a fact I will admit to no one. No one.

"I do not sulk. I sit on my couch and think about my problems like an adult."

That is a fat ass lie.

"You and me both," I say as I take the roll he returned and rip off a piece to pop in my mouth, as though eating it would ensure he wouldn't try stealing it again.

I mean, it works. He won't be stealing this particular roll again.

(It's possible hunger has made me temporarily insane.)

"Dishes are gonna be a bitch." Part of me wants to leave early enough to avoid it, but I also want to help Derek out. He fed all of us, it's the least I can do.

Why do people keep stealing my food?

Ugh, I can't even be that mad about Derek doing so because he looks genuinely happy and it's the best I've seen out of him in weeks, I think.

"So you could eat until you're full, then shift, then eat some more?"

I want that. Everything has been so good that I wish I had a second stomach to eat it all up again.

It would be easy to scoff and shrug off the words, and on another day he might have. But Castiel is being honest, and Derek gets it. He's sort of proud of them too.

"Thanks, Cas," he says, smiling softly at him. He reaches out to clap him on the shoulder, and then looks over at Dean with a light chuckle. "He knows that no one is going to try to take that pie from him, right?"

Derek frowns in confusion, and a little in annoyance at her calling him out like that, but she's right. And Derek doesn't really know what to make of it, so he rolls with the subject change pretty easily.

"I can't help it if Jeff has good taste," he jokes, laughing a little. "I should take her out on a run with me sometime."

"I'm not leaving you in the bar, Bitty," Derek says with a laugh, reaching out to pat his hand where it's resting on his thigh. He leaves it there for a moment, but something makes him pull it away.

He tugs on Bitty's shoulder and slides out of the booth, pulling his keys out of his pocket. "I know walking is hard, but think of how happy you'll be when you're in your own bed."

There's a few tote bags on the bar and Derek goes over to grab them, and then smirks fondly at the picture Bitty makes, all tousled and sleepy. "Come on. Alpha's orders."

"Well, I don't think I'd want what they were selling anyway," Derek jokes. He still doesn't understand much about WICKED, but what he's gathered from things Thomas has said is enough for him to know that it was a terrible place. He can't imagine Thomas working in a terrible place, surrounded by terrible people, because Thomas isn't terrible. But whatever happens, it's in the past. WICKED will always be a ghost inside of Thomas' head, but hopefully over time, it will become less of such a looming presences in his life.

"But this will be good," Derek assures him, reaching over to clap his hand down on Thomas' thigh and give it a shake. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm also looking forward to more pie as soon as I can move again."

"You're really concerned with my eating habits," Derek says with a laugh. "But yeah, I guess so. I'd probably wait and digest a bit more, though."

He watches as she stares down at her plate, and lets out a fond chuckle. "You can take home some leftovers, you know."

Derek nods and takes a long sip of his drink, settling back into his seat. It's hard not to constantly be on guard, or to worry about what could go wrong, but he's doing his best tonight. Being so stuffed that he's warm and sleepy is certainly helping.

"Hey," Derek says after a moment, nudging Luke's arm wit his elbow. "We should go on a run soon. It's bee awhile."

"I could if I needed to, but I'd rather not," Derek says with a laugh, biting his lip before continuing. "It's easier as a wolf. This time last year, I was living out in the woods in that form. Hard to care about electricity when you don't have thumbs."

He smiles back at her and lets out an amused chuckle. "Yeah, I indulge in those myself time to time. I run pretty hot myself, but I love a good shower."

Thomas bounced the leg that Derek had his hand on, not to dislodge it, though. It was more of a reactionary movement, a response to someone touching him that he wanted to acknowledge somehow.

"You have a black hole for a stomach," Thomas decided, shaking his head. "Did Bitty even make enough pie for you to eat?"

"Do you?" Thomas asked, ignoring the gut feeling that told him she didn't do that. He knew he didn't do that so he, of course, applied that filter to everyone.

"And what happens after you think about your problems for a little while?" he wondered curiously. "Is that when you start sulking?"

His hand feels nice on top of mine, warm and comforting, and I nearly turn my wrist to thread our fingers together, but he pulls away before I can. Which is good. Mentally, I thank God for getting me out of completely embarrassing myself as he gathers his keys and the few bags.

Groaning, I force myself out of the booth and back onto over-worked feet.

"You're gonna start using that relentlessly, aren't you?" I ask, shuffling to grab my coat off the rack and trying for my best glare as I tug it on. It feels weak though. Probably because I don't really mean it. My words feel lazy, accent heavy on my tongue, but I don't have the energy to fight it right now. I let out a loud yawn. "You're gonna be even worse than Jack tellin' me to eat my protein. Just promise me you won't be wakin' me up at dawn every mornin' to start throwin' me into the boards."

"Hey, anytime you want, bro, she'd probably be the happiest dog in the world if you did that." And Kate sure as hell isn't going to run with her at any point, mostly because Kate doesn't run. Ever. That's a thing weird, healthy people do. People who have way too much time in their hands, as far as she's concerned.

And werewolves, she supposes, but that's different.

"It'd be like dogsitting!" she says brightly. "You take her off my hands for a few hours, I get to relax and like, do all the homework I have piling up."

"Oh, dude, it's fine," Kate says, waving her hand. She has absolutely no problem answering questions about her mom's disorder, mostly because she'd rather people ask than just make assumptions about the whole thing. "She knew about them, yeah, but she didn't remember what happened when they took over. She would black out mostly. That's how she got diagnosed in the first place, she was losing time in college and she didn't know why."

At the question about the alters being nice, Kate smirks a little and says, "I don't know if they were all nice. I sort of hated Alice, she was a bitch, but I loved T and Buck. Gimme and Chicken were annoying, because they were like... my mom's baser instincts. Gimme was like, this gibbering idiot and Chicken was six. Shoshana was a psychiatrist. Yeah, my mom had a psychiatrist alter and she was always up in everyone's business. She tried to profile me all the time, I sort of hated it, but she helped my mom, so I guess she wasn't all bad."

And she doesn't mention Bryce. The less said about him, the better.

"Oh, my god, dude, but you get to learn so much," Kate says with a laugh. "I mean, you won't really remember it. Like, I don't totally remember what it felt like to have a penis, but actually having the experience is super cool. It's like getting the chance to live a whole different life for just a little while. Besides, vaginas are freaking awesome, dude, I bet you'd find some use out of it."

He should probably prepare himself for it eventually anyway. Not that she can promise it'll happen to him, but it seems to happen a lot more than people might expect and the chances are probably pretty high that some day he's going to wake up in a totally different body. One with boobs.

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

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