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

[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."

[sciencesaggressively]

Surprise angel visits probably shouldn't come as a surprise at this point, but Newt nearly jumps out of his skin all the same before turning around with a grin once he realizes who's talking to him.

"Hey, buddy, happy Thanksgiving!" Clapping a hand down on Castiel's shoulder, Newt glances over at the vast array of pies that are just waiting to be consumed with a lick of his lips. "You're going to have to be more specific with the pie business, though, because I plan on eating like, at least a slice of each. Is that selfish? Whatever, I don't care, just take me to your delicious pastry."

[godless_son]

"I brought pecan and apple but my husband has already stolen the apple for himself," he says, gesturing at Dean half hidden in the corner, hunched protectively over his entire pie. "You can of course have any pie you want. I did not realize you were friends with Derek."

[sciencesaggressively]

Newt follows his gaze for goes silent once he catches sight of Castiel's hubby getting down and dirty with an entire goddamn pie. It's a hell of a sight, almost like watching a lion go to town on a gazelle or some shit, and he's mesmerized for a long moment before shaking out of it and turning back to his friend.

"I'll try your pecan, but I might end up like your man if your pie's as good as he's making it look. And yeah, I've known Derek... man, pretty much since I got dropped in Darrow, I guess. Which is really only just over a couple years now. Feels a hell of a lot longer."

[godless_son]

"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."

[sciencesaggressively]

"It's a pretty big city," Newt reasons, which seems to be truer every month. When Kagura had popped up last year, he'd wondered just how far Darrow could expand before realizing that whoever runs the damn place is probably loaded up with infinite possibilities. It's a little mind-boggling, if he's honest, but most days, he tries not to think of it because if he does, it'll just frustrate him. He doesn't like being uncertain of things, at least not for very long.

"But hey, man, thanks for asking, I'm doing okay. I reached peak mourning around month three after it happened but then we inherited this cat from a friend who disappeared from the city, so that's been interesting. What about you, loving life? Kicking ass, taking names, all that shit?"