route_1065 | We Survived the Snowmageddon

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We Survived the Snowmageddon

Who: Albert Rosenfield (

worktodo) and whoever is congregating at the Justice Farm for the Christmas holiday!
Where: El Rancho del Justicia, aka Albert's house in Saffron City
When: Anytime between Monday the 24th and Wednesday the 26th!
Summary: A lot has changed in a month, but some things never do. Losers getting together to fail their way through the holiday season is one of them.
Rating: Individual threads may vary, but let's go with G overall and warn otherwise!
Log:

Despite generally doing a very excellent Grinch impression, Albert doesn't actually hate Christmas. Granted, it's not one of his favorite holidays the way that Thanksgiving is — it's a little too overdone, a little too commercial, lacking in some of the spirit of togetherness in favor of the spirit of consumerism — but it is decidedly a holiday, and once again Johto has presented him with a situation where he is forced to make a choice. For the second time this year (by Albert's reckoning), Johto appears to have done everything in its power to prevent them from putting on a holiday, including but not limited to summoning up the actual apocalypse. The question that begs to be asked, therefore, is simply: is Albert willing to surrender Christmas in the face of all these apparent attempts to ruin it?

The answer, naturally, is: oh, hell no.

It is, however, an undeniably different atmosphere from the one that filled the house on Thanksgiving. Most of the occupants of the house are worse off now than they were then, be it emotionally or physically — some from spooky encounters, some from harsh truths, and some from going out in the apocalyptic snow like the damn fools they are — so if there's slightly less pep and enthusiasm saturating the grounds, that could certainly be why. Any decorations applied to the outside of the house have been battered at best and outright wrecked at worst. But as the slightly paraphrased song lyric goes, "Though the weather outside is frightful, by the fire it's so delightful", and the interior of the house is a thankfully different story.

On Monday, Albert will be spending the Eve of Christmas largely in the kitchen, having allotted the whole day for getting all the components of Christmas dinner prepared and readied in advance; on Thanksgiving, it's a fundamental part of the holiday tradition to run around the kitchen like a madman trying to get dinner to the table on time, but for Christmas, he'd rather everything just go smoothly. Early arrivals are welcome to hang out in the cozy parts of the house, grab some cocoa, and carefully avoid him; otherwise, they might get drafted into menial labor like shoveling out the front walk or putting the finishing touches on the interior decor before the party officially kicks off.

By Tuesday, it's all Christmas all the time; there is no victory quite so sweet as the one that comes hard-won, and as far as Albert is concerned, the most effective "screw you" to Johto's Snowmageddon is putting on an occasion that is positively bursting with holly and jolly anyway. Somewhere near the kitchen, Zack the Porygon2 is contributing by blasting from his Gear's speakers a concert of every Christmas song he knows (of which there are three: "Feliz Navidad", "Grandma Got Run Over By A ~~Stantler~~ Reindeer", and the Weather Girls' "It's Raining Men"). A stately (albeit slightly lopsided) Christmas tree that is probably the Johto equivalent of a Douglas fir is set up in a corner of the living room near the fireplace — which is burning merrily — and its branches are decorated with makeshift ornaments like Pokeballs and paper throwing stars along with the standard colored bauble variety. Stuff your presents below; there'll be time for opening them later, but for now they're part of the decor. There's holly on the piano and fake candles in the windows, and you better believe at least half of those doorways have mistletoe strategically placed near them. Don't get caught! (Or do, if that's what you're here for.)

The one new and interesting addition to the house can be found in a corner of the living room, where a little space has been carved out for a small end table topped with coasters, a chair, and a tripod apparatus just the right size for holding a standard Pokegear. Got someone to call and wish a Merry Christmas? Do it from the comfort of this corner like it's Masterpiece Theater.

But however Tuesday is spent, there's sure to be a lot of love, gifting, and good Christmas cheer. Or else.

When Wednesday comes along, it'll be the standard post-Christmas wind-down — leftovers aplenty in the kitchen, trash bags of crumpled wrapping paper tucked into the corners, and a nice low-pressure environment in which to interact, gush over gifts, and enjoy the spirit of the season a little longer before getting right back to work on Important Business. For some, that might mean playing in the snow or having a snowball fight; for others, that might mean coordinating federal agent business for the future. But either way, it's another Christmas survived, and that's what really matters, right?

[OOC: Just like last time, this is an open log for everybody coming to Albert's for Christmas! Feel free to start your own threads as you please — open them to everybody, close them to specific people, whatever works for you. Just make a note in the header of what day it's taking place on and who all's invited, and have fun, everybody! Also, for people who aren't physically present at the Farm on Christmas, feel free to use the designated Skype Thread™ to chat with them over video anyway!]

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"Sorry"?

[He raises an eyebrow at that, and then laughs it off.]

What for? You haven't done anything to me yet.

[Keyword here might be "yet", even if he doesn't mean it seriously.]

In any case, you're acting weird, y'know? Can't see anything outta ordinary at this doorstep...

[With that said, the duelist looks around: left, right, up... and pauses there, spotting the mistletoe. He hasn't seen the plant back in his world, but he got familiar with in during his previous Christmas over his stay in Johto, even if he's never found himself underneath it.

Until now.

All of Crow's self-confidence bursts like a bubble within a split of second as he finally begins to understand what Heather was trying to tell him. As the full realization of their current position hits him, he lets out a short yelp and looks back at the girl with a panicked expression.]

W-Wait, you don't mean...

_{[It's okay, Crow. You're both in the same boat.]

[Heather continues to grimace, looking at Crow the same way that one student might look at another that they were assigned a horrible group poster project when the first one KNOWS they're an awful artist who no one in their right mind would want to be paired with.]}

Uh... yeah...

[NO. NOTHING IS OKAY.

Crow on the other hand gives her a pained look full of guilt, almost as if he's just been told he's supposed to strangle Heather, not kiss her. He really wouldn't wish getting under the mistletoe with him upon a sworn enemy, much less a close friend.]

I didn't mean to... I mean...

[Goddammit, why couldn't he listen for once? Now he's got them stuck here and he can only hope Heather won't hate him too much for that. The duelist lowers his gaze, staring blankly at the Pokéball still in his hand, his voice turning into a mumble.]

... Sorry.

_{[They can both be giant balls of misplaced guilt and awkwardness, then. Although Heather's not assuming Crow will hate her so much as be thinking OH GOD NO WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS WHYYYYYYYY]

[She's fresh out of snark to make this whole thing go easier, too.]}

It's-- not your fault.

Just-- uh-- ... if we go real quiet, no one will be the wiser.

_[RIGHT?]

[Granted, there is a lot of "WHYYYYYY" going on in Crow's head right now, though probably not exactly for the reasons Heather suspects.

He finally looks back up at her when she suggests escaping, though he still seems to have trouble grasping what's even going on around him, so it takes him a moment to catch on.]

... Right! That... could work, I guess.

[It'll... probably be better that way for everyone involved, no?]

So... yeah.

Um.

_{[She starts to-- CAREFULLY-- step backwards.]

[It should work.]

[But it doesn't. Because suddenly that Pokeball in Crow's hand pops back open.]}

QUAAAAA!

_{[Oh, joy! Now there's ANOTHER person under the mistletoe with hi trainer! c: HOORAY. Without any hesitation, the Quagsire promptly hugs BOTH around the waist, pulling them closer together. 8I NOW KISS!!]}

[It's just a few steps backwards and they'll both be safe like all this shit never happened; what could possibly go wrong?

Everything.

Just as Crow prepares (mostly mentally) to move back with the amount of caution that would make one think there's an Electrode lying between them, the ball he's holding quite literally explodes.]

Wha--

[So much for escaping quietly. Or at all, given how a split of second after the Quagsire appears, Crow feels himself being pulled forward, which was not exactly his intended direction. Expecting an impact once he bumps either into Heather or, in case she managed not to get grabbed by the amphibian, any other obstacle on the way if not the wall itself, the duelist shuts his eyes instinctively, but when nothing too drastic happens, he takes a moment before opening them slowly.

It... can't be worse than it was before Butch's intervention, right?]

_{[Well... that would depend on how you classify 'worse'.]

[Quagsires are relatively strong creatures and as such, he successfully managed to pull them in close. Like a really short kid squishing two big stuffed animals together.]

[Butch looks downright joyous. Heather looks petrified.]}

I-- uh-- fuck!

_{[ARE THERE PEOPLE WATCHING? THERE'S TOTALLY PROBABLY PEOPLE WATCHING. BECAUSE THERE'S PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.]

[Several things happen in quick succession. First she sort of pushes on Butch's head to try and get him to let go, but Quagsires are pretty much made of rubber so that really doesn't do much, then she sort of plants her hands on Crow's chest to try and shove HIM out of the Pokemon's grip, and that doesn't really work either.]

[There's only one thing to do. 8(]}

Shit, I'm sorry, man.

_{[The hands promptly move up behind his head. SOMEWHAT PANICKED KISSING ATTEMPT, INITIATE.]}

[... Yep, It Got Worse. It was already awkward enough just standing and staring at each other, but it's even more difficult to handle when he suddenly finds himself mere inches from her face. Under any other circumstances, he wouldn't think much of it, seeing as he's not all that good at keeping personal space, well, "personal". Right now, though? It takes a lot of his willpower not to freak out on the spot.

The duelist desperately tries to think of some solution of this, er, problem, but the situation seems hopeless. He looks around frantically, but there's nothing and no one around that could be of help and enable escaping. But there must be something-- OUCH HEATHER STOP SHOVING HIM THAT'S NOT HELPING >8(]

Ow! Look, this ain't gonna wo--

[And then he kind of freezes as she puts her hands behind his head.

Whoa, Heather. Wait. Slow the fuck down.

Crow opens his mouth to protest, and that's when the inevitable happens. With the last light push from the Quagsire, the duelist tips forward and

... quite tactlessly locks his lips with Heather's.

Well. At least from now on, he can legitimately say he knows how it feels when your heart stops.]

_{[SORRY CROW.]

[It's not a very romantic kiss, because like hell do either of them probably want it to linger. So she kisses him solidly for about three seconds and then lets go of him, stepping back and elbowing Butch sharply in the face.]}

There, happy? Get outta here!

_{[Looking inordinately pleased with himself, Butch promptly lets go of both of them and toddles off backwards, beaming.]}

[MOST AWKWARD THREE SECONDS OF HIS ENTIRE LIFE.

It's not even about what Crow wants, since his brain literally shuts off the moment their lips connect. The Pokéball that used to store Butch falls on the ground with a light knock, but the duelist doesn't quite register he dropped it, not even after Heather lets him go. He just stands there, gawking at her with his jaw dropped, his face covered with the shade of red that could easily outmatch most of the Christmas decorations in the house.

Did he just-- Did they just--

kiss /kɪs/ verb 1. to join lips in respect, affection, love, passion, etc.
2. to express a thought, feeling, etc., by a contact of the lips

HOLY CRAP, THEY TOTALLY DID.

At this point, Crow suddenly remembers that breathing is a thing that should happen, and ends up sort of hyperventilating while trying to catch a breath. He also figures he should say something, but since his mind is still kind of blank, he just opens his mouth and closes it repeatedly until he finally regains the ability to form semi-coherent sentences and manages to stutter out the first thing he can think of.]

Your dad's gonna kill me.

_{[SORRY MAN. She's not exactly a great kisser. KINDA RUSTY.]

[Still, she steps back, kind of alternating between wincing and glancing at him apologetically.]}

Dude, he doesn't need to know. Just-- act normal!

[To be fair, it's not like Crow has anything to compare that kiss to, so that's hardly a problem.

"Normal", however.

NORMAL.

If acting normal involves standing completely stiff where she left him and still looking rather shocked, then yeah, he's doing a good job at it.

Although seeing her expression makes him realize something: it's not Harry that he needs to worry about now. Instead, he should probably be begging Heather for forgiveness right this moment.]

--Sorry! I never thought-- That wasn't-- I didn't-- I'm really sorry!

[It probably goes without saying he looks utterly distressed, panicked flailing included.

8( WHAT IF SHE HATES HIM NOW HAS HE RUINED HER LIFE CAN THEY STILL BE FRIENDS TALK TO HIM HEZAH]

_{[As much as she isn't really proud of it, Heather's at least had SOME kissing experience, although drunken party makeouts when she was sixteen are hardly a good basis for knowing what the hell you're doing in regards to kissing right. Those crazy kids.]

[She has backed up a little, safely out of mistletoe range, but um... dude Crow if you keep standing there, you're probably gonna have to kiss someone else. <8I;]

[Now looking more... well, CONCERNED than awkward, she sort of leans forward to grab his hand and pull him OUT from under the festive plant.]}

Hey-- whoa, hey! It was-- you know, an accident! I'm sure neither of us would've-- you know, if we'd-- seen it. You know. Okay?

[Perhaps it's for the better Crow's days of crazy youth were spent mostly on handcuffing himself to members of opposite gangs and dueling them into submission.

Perhaps.

Having not expected to be pulled all of sudden (...again), Crow stumbles forward before catching his balance and tossing a terrified glance at the mistletoe over his shoulder, almost as if he was looking at a shark rather than a plant.]

Right. Okay.

[Well, if Heather isn't mad -- and she doesn't seem to be, then... yeah, it's okay. Totally. Perfectly fine.

He hopes.]

... Thanks.

[Wait shit did that come off weird as if he was thanking her for kissing him BETTER SPECIFY WHAT HE MEANS--]

--for getting me outta there, that is.

_{[She's not mad. This might have been REALLY awkward, but it's not like it's really HIS fault. Besides, Crow's not even hard on the eyes! If she's mad at ANYONE, it's at Butch.]

[Still, she backs away from the plant another few steps for good measure, ferociously straightening her hair as though worried that there might be mistletoe CAUGHT in it-- although she DOES give Crow a sort of surprised look, because that was exactly how she interpreted it at first-- only for it to quickly become sheepish when he clarified.]}

OH. Uh-- yeah, y'know, that's what... like, friends are for and stuff.

So, uh...

_{[In a feeble attempt at blowing this all off with her normal Cool Attitude (tm), she feebly lifts a hand for a subdued high five. WE ARE GOOD, YES? RIGHT?]

[oh my god you guys are like twenty and you're too dysfunctional to handle mistletoe GOD IS JUDGING YOU RIGHT NOW]}

[Even if she's not, he can't help but feel guilty anyway, if only because a part of him remains convinced she'd have been better off kissing Butch than him.

This in turn causes Crow to give her a confused look, because for all he knows, friends aren't exactly for awkward kissing under the mistletoe-- and then he realizes what she's referring to and mentally smacks himself for being an idiot.]

Y-Yeah! Sure.

[The duelist stares at Heather's hand for a moment, taking way too long to understand what the gesture implies. When he finally does, he blinks slowly, then gives her a small and still somewhat uncertain smile and claps his hand against hers -- although it may seem a bit like he's retreating it in a rush, almost as if afraid any sort of physical contact made in the general vicinity of the damn plant could be interpreted wrong.

AND ALL IS RIGHT WITH THE WORLD.

~~fuck their lives~~]

_{[Oh Crow.]

[Well, at least they've both thoroughly proven their total inability to deal with situations involving unexpected smooching.]

[Heather flashes him a quick, awkward grin, and then promptly MAKES HER ESCAPE INTO THE CROWD, because hey, if he's retreating, she might as well do the same thing.]}

[RIGHT. Escape was a thing that they were originally going to do before... Um. Yeah.

Without further consideration, Crow turns around in place and heads towards the exit.

... Without his jacket.

He needs some fresh air ~~and possibly frostbite~~ to get his brain back in gear, okay.]

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We Survived the Snowmageddon

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