tushanshu | [video]

Entry tags:

[video]

[Seasons Greetings, residents of Keelai!]

[Quite the jolly sight will greet you today: a smiling Zatanna, dressed in an elf costume, waving at the camera as if this whole thing was a very normal occurrence for her.]

I'll keep this short and sweet.

[Just like me, was the unspoken implication. If only because she was reluctant to admit that, after all these years, she was still pretty short.]

I want to do a Secret Santa. It'll be fun! Just stop by anytime in the next couple weeks and drop off your name into this hat here...

[She held up the hat in question for all to see]

...and I'll distribute the names about a week before Christmas. To give you enough time for shopping.

So who's in?

((ooc: Information and signsups can be found here))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

This sounds like a lovely idea. I would quite like to participate.

[Smiling brightly at him, she again indicated towards the hat.]

Thanks. I thought so too.

Door's always open here, so you can add your name whenever you have a chance. [She wasn't worried about safety; the Welcome Center was protected by her wards, after all, and additional magic security kept people from entering her living quarters in the back without her permission.] I'll keep the hat on the coffee table by the fireplace.

I'd like to! It sounds very fun.

I don't suppose you have a list of gift suggestions, for someone who... hasn't bought a gift before?

...do you mean, bought a gift for Christmas, specifically, or...ever?

[Because that might slightly change a response she could give her. And she was also mildly surprised. But only mildly. Different words, different customs, etc. etc.]

Oh, um... Christmas?

[ Totally 'ever', but let's play it cool here. ]

[Yeah, she didn't sound so sure about that. But if that's what she wanted Zatanna to believe, then she would play along for now. This was supposed to be a happy occasion, after all, and she wasn't familiar enough with the other girl to really get into the teasing. Yet.]

Okay, then.

There's actually a few stores off the top of my head that I know make some one-of-a-kind items. Little figurines and tea sets and even a few puzzle games and that sort of thing. There's also the markets, though that depends on how comfortable you are with bargaining.

Oh, those sound really precious for gifts! And I haven't really done much bargaining, but I think it's a skill that everyone should have, don't you agree?

Oh, totally.

Especially in some of the less popular markets, where they have rarer herbs and artifacts. They think I don't know what I'm talking about when I pick up the "shiny thing that smells good", but that's how I catch them off-guard and work my way down to a fair price.

It's kind of an art form.

It sounds exciting. Could... I go with you? And see how you do it?

Yeah, sure.

We can totally make an afternoon out of it, if you want. Do lunch. What do you like to eat?

I'm up for anything!

Well, that certainly narrows things down.

Depending upon the weather, there's this place that makes some pretty sweet hot sandwiches. Most of them are meat, unfortunately, but there's this vegetable that tastes a lot like what I remember eggplant back home to be.

((OOC: Wanna do a thread for this this month, backdated before the hurricane hits?))

((ooc: sure! A fun girls' luncheon out with a bit of haggling on the side sounds like a great time))

This is an awesome idea; you are the best.

[Pepper is, of course, beaming.]

Nice costume, by the way.

I know.

[And Zatanna beamed right back, not just from Pepper's compliment, but because such a time of year--and the costume too--brought about some of her happier memories of recent years.]

I think the one I wore that one year Dick played Santa was nicer, but I couldn't find it. So I had to improvise a little this time around.

Well, you did a really good job. Man, I should get one like that, Tony and Gene would be speechless.

[And someone else might be, too, and that could be fun. Pepper made a mental note about that for the future.]

I'm guessing the Welcome Center is getting seasonally decorated, too?

[At least with the mask on, he can be a little less obnoxiously polite about it as he feels he does without. She'll get a soft scoff and a shrug. ]

Pass. But hey, you guys go enjoy the Christmas cheer and whatever. You deserve it.

[He's not about to pee over everyone else's holiday just because he's not feeling it. He's not that far gone. ]

[She raised an eyebrow. High. Sure, there had been some anticipation of a Grinch or two among their midst, but it would have been a lie to say she'd anticipated Cat Boy to be one of them.]

What's with you? You look like somebody recently moved your food dish or something.

I don't like it when fur-milliar things get changed.

[Even the pun lacks its usual gusto. He's vaguely aware that abstaining from Christmas as both Chat and Adrien will make it more likely for people to put two and two together and make four- but he doesn't want to deal with it. He wants to bury it all, and just not deal with it. ]

I'm not a fan. I have my reasons.

[Not true. He used to love it- when he was sure what it would mean. When his life was considerably better. When Christmas meant spending time with his family- something he wouldn't get even if he were home. ]

[I have my reasons.]

[That was usually code for...something. Either something he definitely didn't wish to talk about, even though he was the one who brought it up in the first place, or something he needed to vent about. Either way, this was almost certainly about to get complicated.]

Want to talk about them? Or not talk about them?

I'm pretty good at not talking.

[She has a whole list of fun activities that could be done in lieu of not talking. Usually involving late night rooftop adventures.]

Yeah, I'm one hundred per cent behind not talking about it.

[It already stirs up enough horrible feelings. He's pretty sure talking about it won't help. Or rather, his father has taught him well how to suck in his negative emotions and not deal with them healthily. He's got better at ignoring that, here, but this...this is still a rather colossal weak point for him. ]

[Fair enough. Either she would get it out of him sooner or later, or else they'd have a fun time not talking. Because what was the point of a distraction if it wasn't fun?]

Works for me.

[If it avoided any more Soul Milk faces.]

You know where to find me. When you're ready to Not Talk.

[One day, we might find out what actually happened to his mother and he can talk about it. Miracles DO happen.

He gives a salute, it's a little more sad and bitter than usual, but it's there. ]

Sure. We can do a Not Talking thing any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Video - I am the latest

Video - never too late!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject