fourthsaken | IC inbox!

[Jade slides off the kitchen counter to join him on the floor, bringing along the almost empty mixing bowl. As she settles on the ground next to Soeki, she can't help but think about how reassuring his bear form him, how his very presence makes her feel safe. She wishes she had a form like that she could escape into.

She tilts slightly to the side, leaning on him as she reaches to scratch behind his ears with one hand. She holds out the bowl with the other, offering him the last of the raw cookie dough inside.]

Good. When Ollie gets home from work we've gotta talk about Thanksgiving stuff. We don't have a lot of time left to plan.

[His furry chest vibrates with a pleased sounding rumble at the smell of cookies baking, and only intensifies when Jade scratches behind his ears. He's weak to that in almost every form, really.

Soeki has apparently had a long day, because he barely moves once he's settled on the floor, just sticking his muzzle into the mixing bowl and swiping up the bits of raw cookie dough with his tongue.]

Are we hosting a Thanksgiving this year? Or just doing something with the three of us?

[Jads can't help but laugh, leaning more heavily against Soeki's side. She keeps holding the bowl for him, only slightly concerned that his head will get stuck inside. (She'll never forget the watermelon incident.)]

That's what I wanted to talk to you guys about. I wanna host a bigger thing again this year, but only if you both feel up to it. And we all approve the guest list.

[When Oliver does get home, he's visibly tired, but looks pleased to see his family curled up together on the floor. His bag ends up next to Soeki's, and he loosens his tie as he slithers over to them.]

Are you letting him eat out that entire bowl by himself? Cookie dough's meant for sharing.

[Luckily a bowl is wide enough that his head is not likely to get stuck inside. Unlike the watermelon. He looks up when Oliver gets home, his contented rumbling only intensifying. There's a little cookie dough smeared across his nose but he does finally move, shifting a bit to open his big ole bear arms. Oliver probably needs some warming up after slithering home.]

Cookie dough is for people who get home first. C'mere, you. Jade wants to talk about Thanksgiving.

[Within seconds of Oliver's arrival, blankets from the couch are making their way over to the growing pile on the floor. Telekinesis definitely has its uses, and making sure Oliver gets warm as quickly as possible seems like a good one.]

There might be a little bit left? The real cookies'll done in a couple minutes too.

[Oliver wrinkles his nose in distaste at Jade's suggestion, reaching forward to swipe the glob of dough from his husband's nose before he settles in with them. His coils move to surround Soeki almost without thinking about it. He's a great source of heat, especially with blankets to hold all of it in. ]

After Soeki's slobbered all over the bowl? Gross.

What are we doing this year?

[Jade shifts slightly to give Oliver more room and better access to Soeki and his warmth. It's not like she can offer any body heat. If anything, passing through her shadows will make him feel even colder.]

I was thinking of hosting again, like I did my first year. That's, uh, actually how I met Soeki. I wanna invite people over, but only if you guys are cool with it? If you just wanna do a family thing that's cool. Uh, as long as Bert counts as family, I kinda already invited him...

Oh don't act like you don't swap spit with me on a regular basis and love it. [He laughs, content to let Oliver coil around him, draping one of his legs over his body and licking a line up his scales to prove a point.]

I'm okay with that. If we're doing a big thing, I might invite the guys from the clinic, if that's alright.

[Oliver places a palm over Soeki's snout, pushing it away. This time the sour look on his face has nothing to do with Soeki, and seems a lot more genuine.]

He's not, but he can come if we're making it a big thing. I was thinking of asking Linden if he wanted to come over.

[He scratches at the base of Soeki's neck to appease him as he says it. He's anticipating unhappiness at that suggestion, especially after his conflict with Marco at their wedding.]

I know you hate him, but it's Thanksgiving and he'll be all alone.

[He looks curiously between Jade and Oliver when his husband's expression sours, at the mention of... Bert? If he had eyebrows they would be raised.] What's Bert done to give you the bit-int-a-lemon look?

[And then he mentions Linden and Soeki lets out a long, drawn-out groan of displeasure.]

Ughhhhhh. Why.

[Jade shoots a glare in Oliver's direction, sighing dramatically before flopping back against Soeki's side. She'd thought that Oliver and Bert were mature enough to sort out this disagreement on their own by now. Apparently, she was wrong.]

Oh my God, Oliver. Are you guys still pissed at each other? Have you even tried talking to him? This is so stupid.

You can invite Linden. But please try to talk to Bert before then. I don't want your stupid fight ruining things.

[Oliver kisses Soeki's nose apologetically, but still doesn't seem especially cheerful despite his own Thanksgiving guest suggestion not being rejected.]

It won't ruin anything. If we're making it into a big thing I won't even have to talk to him.

Am I the only one who doesn't know what happened? Gimme the deets, come on. [He doesn't like being the only one in a room who doesn't know something, alright. But he's still not happy about Linden's invitation.]

Linden behaves or I suffocate him in the fucking pumpkin pie. I can't invite Marco if he's coming so he better be worth it for you.

There are no "deets". God. I just don't like him. It's not my fault if he's making that into a big deal too.

[His tongue flickers out irritably, and he rolls his eyes.]

Marco can still come. We'll just sit them on opposite sides of the table. Did he make up with Fiddleford yet?

[Jade shoots Oliver another glare before turning to address Soeki, turning her back toward her other brother.]

Oliver and Bert fought when Bert came back after he'd disappeared on me for a couple days. I dunno everything they said to each other but it was... Bad, I guess. Oliver got super pissed that Bert hadn't tried to call me, which is dumb because I'm the one who should've been pissed and I understood. It's not like I'd never pulled shit like that back home. I'd disappear on Jimmy and my dad for days and refuse to talk to them...

[It's her turn to raise an eyebrow as the discussion of possible guests continues.]

Wait, wait, they broke up? I thought they were like, practically married...

[He gives Oliver a Look as Jade tells the tale, or at least what would be a Look if he had human facial features at the time. As a bear it's just kind of like staring.] Now who's too hard on Jade's boyfriend?

[He groans quietly and flops back.] I don't know, honestly. I know Marco was dealing with a lot of other shit. Maybe it'd be better if I didn't put the pressure of an invite on him, I don't think he even likes eating regular food anymore.

That isn't what I'm mad about no matter how many times he insists it is. [Anymore...] I told him what my problem is, and he still thinks it's because of that. I've met concrete less dense than that man.

[He'd been hoping they would keep their problems between them, but of course he had to go and run to Jade about it. He's very grumpy right now.]

Maybe we could invite him around on the Friday or something then. I don't want him to be alone the whole holiday.

[Jade turns to Oliver with another sigh and exaggerated eye roll. She really hadn't wanted to get involved, but if they're not going to talk without her meddling she has to.]

He said that's not why he's mad either. He was upset that you wouldn't leave him alone for even a few days to grieve. God, I should have talked to you about this weeks ago but Bert asked me not to. I thought you guys would figure out your shit by now. If anyone should still be pissed at anyone, it's me. I can't believe you told him he isn't good enough for me. [Its a lot of annoyance Hade's been holding in for weeks hoping she wouldn't need to have this conversation. But there's still a Thanksgiving to plan.]

Friday would be fine. There's gonna be a ton of leftovers.

[Oliver sighs, frustrated that Bert couldn't just let it lie. He doesn't want Jade playing middle man for them. That isn't going to fix this, and honestly, until Bert stops being so self-centered he has no desire to.]

No. I didn't. This is exactly my problem with him, he twists everything around into something it isn't. At this point it has barely anything to do with what he did or didn't do for you.

[Soeki is just spectating this. And maybe feeling slightly smug, considering they all thought it was him that was going to be a total asshole to Jade's boyfriend. But he also doesn't want to piss off his husband because he likes not sleeping on the couch. He licks at Oliver's hand.] Maybe you guys can work it out at Thanksgiving. Or it'll just be awkward, but if I can put up with Linden, you can put up with Bert.

I'll ask Marco if he even wants to come, but I definitely want to invite the guys from the clinic. Most of them are new or newly returned anyway so they might not have anywhere else to go. Well, I guess Cousin Johann is German so he probably doesn't care, but.

[Jade elbows Soeki's side very lightly. She was hoping he would take her side in this debate and maybe actually convince Oliver to apologize.]

At least try, okay? For me?

Wait, wait, wait, when did your cousin show up?

Cousin from another dimension, not literal cousin from home. He's from a world where necromancers have pretty much died out, but he's descended from his world's Faust, I'm descended from my world's Faust, so we might as well be related. [In that. Backward, logic-stretching, like gravitates to like kind of way.]

I'm not going to pick a fight with him, okay?

[He will be perfectly well behaved. :|]

Does that mean he's a necromancer too?

You better not. [Jade stops glaring at Oliver, but she still looks skeptical, worried about a Thanksgiving disaster.]

Yeah, is he? Can he do magic too?

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, JADED. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 005.04.008.13 * CHARACTER NAME/ALIAS has joined 005.04.008.13 <JADED> hey, you've reached Jade. <JADED> leave a message or whatever and i'll get back to you. <JADED>** God, I hope this shitty thing actually works.

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