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! ♥]

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[triskehale]

"Thanks. You helped," Derek assures him, nodding a little and looking over at him with a smile. Derek feels sleepy and relaxed, truly relaxed and happy for the first time in weeks. It's partly the food, but mostly the company.

Last year, he spent Thanksgiving in the woods as a wolf. He hunted down a rabbit and howled at the moon when it rose, overcome with grief for his family. This year was a vast improvement. He still misses his family terribly, but he can push that aside for now, and bask in the moment. "I'll pack you up some leftovers to take home. Later, when I can move again."

[shuck_you]

"I barely helped," Thomas said, shaking his head. He'd mostly stood there and handed people things they asked for because he didn't trust himself to be responsible for cooking anything. He'd tried to stay out of the way and when things got too crowded, he'd retreated from the kitchen so no one stepped on him or tripped over him.

"I'd appreciate that," he said gratefully, nodding. Even the smallest amount of leftovers could be made to last for a week or so when it came to Thomas. He liked to ration things as best he could, never eating too much and always saving some for the next day. He'd managed to drop some of the habits from the Scorch but that was one he held to steadfastly. If food somehow dried up, he wanted to be prepared.

[triskehale]

"You did," Derek says with a laugh. Sure, Thomas didn't actually make any of the food, but he did help. He made things run smoother in the kitchen, helped things go quicker, which is what they all needed. "And it was sort of a preview of what you'll be doing here. You ready to start next week?"

He smiles softly at Thomas' reaction to the leftovers, and wonders if Thomas will ever trust that he has a steady food supply here. It helps to be vigilant and prepared for the worst, but he doesn't want Thomas to constantly have to worry about his next meal. "There's tons left, so I'll pack you up a bunch. You can take some to your friend, if you want. How's he doing?"

Derek hasn't met Newt yet, but considering that he's close to Thomas, he assumes that he will eventually.

[shuck_you]

"I don't know if ready's the right word but I wanna start doing something instead of just talking about it," Thomas mused thoughtfully. He knew he'd make mistakes and he'd probably upset some of Derek's customers but he wanted to be doing something to feel like he was a contributing member of the city. He wanted to learn something new and he wanted to have something that took up time and gave him a way to not constantly think about his past, his guilt, and the people still suffering in the Scorch.

"Newt's okay," Thomas told him, nodding. Last time he'd talked to Newt, he'd been doing great. Everyone he'd cared about had come back from the other Darrow and he was juggling two people he liked so Newt seemed to be adapting well. "I think he's hanging out with some of his friends today but I'm gonna stop by and see him, make sure he's okay. Newt gets by even without me, though. He's shucking strong."

[triskehale]

"Yeah, you need to start so you can stop worrying about it," Derek says with a soft chuckle. "Then you can realize how easy it'll be."

Derek's a little worried that it won't be enough for Thomas. He's smart and capable, and the job isn't exactly stimulating. But maybe something simple will be good for him. To start, at least.

"Good," he says in response to the news about Newt. "You'll have to bring him in sometime so I can meet him."

[shuck_you]

"I worry, it's a thing I do," Thomas joked, shrugging. If he couldn't worry about the well being of his friends, about dragging them all to the Safe Haven to make sure they didn't have the Flare and could be cured, he'd worry about the small things like getting a job and not being a complete shuck up. He'd worry about forgetting to eat or getting bored or mundane things like that.

His guilt continued to eat him up from the inside but he had a handle on it now, he could work with it.

"I will," Thomas promised, nodding. He was surprised Newt hadn't found his way in there already since he felt better but apparently Newt had a lot going on and was enjoying both his freedom and his health. "Soon."

[triskehale]

"You and me both," Derek says, because he worries about all of his friends all the time. He worries about things he can't control, and worries about fucking up the things that he can. He and Thomas have that in common, along with all the constant guilt.

"Good," Derek tells him. "Have him come in for dinner and a drink or something. You get an employee discount now, you know."

Not that Derek ever charges him full price for his food, if he charges him at all. It's probably bad for business, giving his nearest and dearest free food, but it makes him breathe easier, like he's providing in some way.

[shuck_you]

"I'll see about dragging him in for some food," Thomas promised. Newt had been asking about his friends so maybe it was time that Thomas actually introduced Newt to them instead of Newt just meeting them on his own. Thomas was just used to Newt knowing everyone that he knew automatically.

Darrow was different in more ways than one. "Employee discount, huh? That's a first for me. Even if I could remember much of my past, that would still be a first since I doubt I had a job before I was with WICKED. I don't think they gave employee discounts either."

[triskehale]

"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."

[shuck_you]

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?"

[triskehale]

"Werewolf metabolism at work," Derek says with a laugh, squeezing Thomas' leg once more before letting go. He puts both hands on his flat stomach and pats it, looking over at Thomas with a sly grin. "I might have put two of them in the back for later, but he made enough for everyone twice over, I'm pretty sure."

[shuck_you]

"How long was he here cooking?" Thomas wondered, sliding further down on the sofa and stretching his legs out in front of him. He was comfortable and full, content to just sit there like a lump the rest of the day.

"He's slept, hasn't he?" Thomas asked, very obviously joking. "Slept in a bed, not the kitchen, right?"

[triskehale]

"He's been at it a few days, but as far as I know that was in shifts," Derek says after a laugh. "But he showed up just after I did this morning."

Derek watches as Thomas stretches out and then follows suit, knocking their boots together. It's something they always seem to find themselves doing, and Derek nudges his toe against Thomas' ankle as he nestles back into the overstuffed cushions. "We have to get up sometimes, you know."

[shuck_you]

"Yeah, I know," Thomas said, sighing and tilting his head back so he could stare up at the ceiling. He knew he'd have to get up and take himself back home where he'd promptly fall into bed and sleep until the sun rose in the morning.

"But, does it have to be right now?" he asked, shaking his head. "I don't think so."

[triskehale]

Derek slowly drags his boot back over and crosses his ankles. He looks at Thomas for a moment, at the long line of his throat, and then turns his head to look up at the ceiling as well.

"No," Derek says after a few breaths, placing one hand on the couch between them as he rests the other across his chest. "You can stay as long as you want."