“I love it,” Charlie nods, holding his up. “They’re perfect, Bel.”
She claps, her enjoyment and drunken state overflowing to those around her. “Okay, awesome. Ummm… you don’t have to put them on right now, but youdohave to wear them when you come back for breakfast and presents in the morning, deal?”
“Deal,” Mike grins at her.
We continue drinking and chatting the rest of the night, long after any reasonable human should be awake, until Isla and Bel stumble into their beds, laughing all the way.
Mike and Charlie have a room down the hall for the night, and they leave hand in hand, looking and feeling like the happiest people I’ve ever seen. I cannot think of a time I felt anything as pure and wonderful as the emotions swirling around our home tonight.
Surely, this must be some kind of mortal phenomenon that the holidays bring them. Most humans I see only carry a fraction of this light within them, some none at all.
Eamon doesn’t speak at all once Isla has retired; just gives us a silent salute and walks out the door. I don’t bother asking if he’s staying nearby. He wouldn’t tell me anyway.
“That went surprisingly well,” Cas offers once our home is mostly empty of guests, using his incredibly useful powers to clean up the aftermath.
I breathe a sigh of relief, “Yes, I’m quite surprised. Other than the few minutes Isla spent crying, I think it was great.”
“Isla was crying? Why? Did Eamon upset her?” Caspian readies himself to defend our new friend.
“Nah,” I pat his shoulder, “Eamon didn’t do anything. I think it’s something personal.”
“Mortals are… complicated.”
That they are.Imhmmmy agreement. Their emotions are so heightened and sharp; everything they feel cuts deeply. I can’t help but wonder if that’s to their detriment or if it’s the ultimate gift to be able to feel things so fully.
“Let’s get some rest, my friend,” Cas tells me. “We are in for more of the same chaos in the morning.”
I give him a half-hearted nod, “I’ll be there in a bit. I want to prepare the mimosa bar now so I don’t have to do anything in the morning.”
He laughs, “You’re going to ply them withmorealcohol?”
“Yes, of course. It’s Christmas in Vegas. If ever there was a time to morning drink, it’s now.”
He shakes his head, laughing again before patting me on the back and going off to join our sleeping Bel, leaving me to my thoughts on the beauty and terror of mortality.
White Elephant In The Room
Fritz
Everyone looks like a candy cane.
The matching pajamas were an incredible idea. We are a sea of red and white stripes, the mortals nursing hangovers that I’m going to do my best to subtly remedy.
Even Eamon was a good enough sport to wear the hilarious get-up. It only barely managed to fit him, though I’m sure Bel ordered the largest size she could find. Bel and Isla burst into laughter when he walked in the door, and he let them, knowing his massive frame was not built for such flimsy clothing.
Caspian serves some sort of delicious pastry breakfast he ordered. He had spent all his time on dinner and hadn’t even thought of breakfast until three days ago. It’s incredible. I’m not sure what it is, but there’s powdered sugar smeared at the corner of Bel’s smiling mouth that I get to lick off, so it’s perfect.
Once properly fed and intoxicated, Bel announces that it’s time for presents.
Isla is the first to pop up, disappearing down the hall, only to return a moment later, arms full of massive gifts she can barely carry. Moving at the speed of light, Eamon eases her load. Despite herself, she gifts him with a tiny smile, like no matter how she fought it, she couldn’t keep it inside. She doesn’t thank him, but she doesn’t need to. That small crack in her stony facade is thank you enough for him.
He sets her pink and white packages on the table in front of her seat, easing himself back down next to her, eyes never leaving her reddening face.
As she sits, she whispers, “Umm, I didn’t know you were coming, so I didn’t get you anything.”
“Would you have otherwise?” he narrows his eyes playfully, leaning in.
“Fuck no.”
