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

[light_of_the_world]

Hild sat herself down in the chair beside Bianca, her own plate piled high with food as well. Someone had told her that there would be room for seconds, but Hild did not see the point of standing up again to get more food when her belly could be filled to bursting in one sitting.

She did pause before taking up her fork to brush the fabric of Bianca's shirt with clean fingers. It looked nice and soft, and more feminine than anything Hild had ever seen Bianca in. She gave the other girl a small smirk, not that she ever looked down on anything Bianca wore.

[theduff]

I'm glad when Hild sits down next to me; I would have sought her out anyway when I finished stuffing myself silly. I've been worried about her ever since hearing from Derek that she'd disappeared to that nightmare place as well, and seeing the way they've all changed since coming back has been hard. Mostly because I know I don't have any idea what it was like, and no idea how to comfort anyone.

So this is nice.

I grin when she touches my blouse, and put my fork down to turn a bit in my seat so she can see the whole thing. "Nice, right? It's the only fancy thing I own."

[light_of_the_world]

Hild grinned in reply; something about Bianca's honest smile, like Begu's, like Eowyn's, made it difficult for her not to answer in kind. She nodded earnestly at the question, for it was nice but also looked nice on it. She did not look out of place in it, as she had in Hild's dress months ago.

She did however knock her boot against Bianca's, under the table, smirking as she did. Bianca's dressing up only went so far.

[theduff]

There is a part of me that really wants to know what went down in that nightmare Darrow place, having seen how it's messed up most of my friends, but at the same time...I really don't. I don't want to know what could be so fucked up that it would leave Derek scared and Hild mute. The fact that she's chosen to react by not talking worries me, but she seems to be doing okay.

I can talk enough for the both of us.

"I know, I know," I say, kicking my feet a little for the satisfying thud the soles make when they hit the ground. "There are some things I just can't let go of. Comfortable shoes is at the top of that list."

[light_of_the_world]

Her smirk grew to a grin at the sound of Bianca's boots, nearly a laugh, but she restrained herself from this. Instead she straightened and nodded in an approving fashion, for comfortable shoes were very important and Bianca would have been a fool to think otherwise. Hild did not make friends with fools.

She tilted her head with a questioning look, her chestnut hair falling back off her shoulder, and tapped at her own earring, wondering if Bianca liked jewelry very much.

It might make a good gift, one day.