[MINGLE] Christmas at Liv's

[living_proof]

WHO: Liv Moore
WHERE: House 42
WHEN: 25 December, from late morning on
OPEN TO: Anyone invited and anyone walking past who would poke a head in!
WARNINGS: Nothing yet, should be pretty chill
NOTE: The booze is limited, but there is: Bourbon, champagne, cognac, red and white wine, gin, rum, scotch, and vodka

---

I am not going to act like this is my most joyous, festive holiday season. It is, in fact, one of the worst Christmases I've ever had. I've got a lot to be thankful for, don't get me wrong, and contrary to the popular view, I don't actually have a problem being here. Rather, it's that other people aren't.

I am also not going to act like I didn't throw myself a little too intensely into the holiday preparations as a coping mechanism for that.

I have a tree! That part was easy; I have a lumberjack for a boyfriend. The decorations are a little thrown-together and there aren't many of them, but it smells nice, and when we're done with it we can use it for (more) firewood. I also got two big boxes from our overseers filled with exactly the ingredients I need to put on a really amazing holiday feast, which yes, is creepy as hell, but I'm not looking that horse in the mouth. Not when they included coffee and sugar.

Today I have a ton of people coming over, and loads to cook. Sam showed up early to help, and that's a bigger relief than I'd realized it would be. On the menu: Mashed tubers, bacon balsamic Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, bread stuffing, lemon and Parmesan-crusted something-fish, roasted sort-of-goose, shortbread cookies, eggnog (tipsy and not), hot chocolate, coffee, and a whole lot of booze.

I don't know everybody coming, and there are so many of them that we've had to carry in extra tables and chairs from an empty house, but that's okay. I'm glad we all have a place to be today, and if somebody random wanders up and wants a plate, that's okay, too. The more, the merrier.

Comments

[can_fight_ugly]

"You might still be adjusting." She's keeping a careful emotional distance now, after the reminder. It certainly wasn't easy saying no.

She wants to ask him how he was, after the battle on the launch pad. She wants to know how Venom's doing, how they're both doing, it's only been what, a month for her? How much more for him? But she figures that's as much her business as it was Eddie's to ask about Dan.

"There's plenty of wilderness to explore. Group hikes could be a thing." Groups, yes. Groups. She doesn't mention camping because she's already familiar with his dislike of that particular pastime. "Colder weather, though ... what about starting a polar bear club?"

[imareporter]

YESLETSDOITLETS

Eddie leans forward and presses a hand to his head, blinking at her with a squinted look and a grin, "...Well venom's in."

"...Might just be he and I though. We don't know how cold it's going to get."

[can_fight_ugly]

"Put a call out on the network. I'm sure you can find people as crazy as Venom." Anne's done it before, of course.

[imareporter]

"He's not crazy." Eddie's unaware of how protective he sounds, "Just different. What's common on his...planet is way different then on ours."

[can_fight_ugly]

That response is a little startling, and Anne pulls away slightly.

"Eddie, I was using it as a figure of speech. Venom, if you're offended by it, I apologize and I won't use it again." This has definitely been a learning experience; dealing with both Eddie and Venom for a prolonged period of time like this.

Another reason for her to keep her distance; let Eddie and Venom figure themselves out. There's not much she can do to help whatever's going on internally between them.