[OPEN/CLOSED DEPENDING ON PROMPT] Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle All the Way!

[lonelysmiles]

Who: Alastor and you!
Which: Log, Open/Closed depending on the thread prompt
Where: Around Reverein in general for the open prompt, Alastor's home for the closed one
What: Christmas presents and a private Christmas party!
Warnings: Standard Alastor warning weirdly coupled with some potential sugar and wholesomeness.


Merry Christmas to all!

Comments

[lethechained]

It was certainly true that he'd changed Naminé in other ways, including providing the opportunity for some cardio in the form of impromptu dance numbers. Even singing was no longer off the table for the otherwise reserved girl, with all of Alastor's musical encouragement; when he was around, it was hard to consider what anyone else might think of their tomfoolery.

"It would have been hard not to sleep, after yesterday...!" And the ensuing food coma, of course. Wandering toward her seat, Naminé smiled privately to herself as her gaze caught those hooves of his; he really was relaxed, wasn't he? "But I'll do my best not to let breakfast go to waste."

As she placed herself carefully in the seat, she only let her eyes linger a moment on the gifts; she wasn't about to keep him waiting for an answer. "Apple juice, please, if you have it." Watching him a moment, she added a belated, "Did you sleep well, too, Alastor? You seem cheerful this morning."

Of course, it could have just been the holiday atmosphere, but a girl could hope, for his sake.

[lonelysmiles]

He certainly didn't let the hooves out with most people, that was sure.

"It's why I made selections just for nibbling. I can wrap up any leftovers for you if need be."

Alastor beamed at her before bobbing his head. "I do have some plain apple juice on hand. Just in case we ran out of cider."

He practically skipped towards the kitchen. "Not a wink but that's not too unusual for me! My sleep schedule tends to be rather erratic! Though in this case, it might be just excitement and the energy of spending time with friends. I haven't thrown a more intimate party like this in decades!"

[lethechained]

The lass shifted a little in quiet delight as she responded, "If you don't mind...! Leftovers won't last long at my house." Between her and her boys next door, good food did tend to get eaten up quickly, and Alastor's cooking always seemed to qualify as such.

Her smile was warm and alive as she watched him, although it did falter at the explanation of his sleep schedule. It was in her nature to fret over his well-being, although she restrained herself from following after him. Instead turning in her seat, she called a, "I didn't realize it was always that way for you. Have you tried... anything? Magic, or medicine...?"

She could think of one spell in particular, after all - not one she'd practiced, but with the proper incentive...

[lonelysmiles]

"If I minded, I wouldn't have offered!" Alastor teasingly chided her as he returned, reaching out to "boop" her nose with the tip of his claw before handing over the apple juice. "I'd be quite happy if you took some!"

He sat down in his own chair, nodding. "Many times over the past century! My brain just doesn't like inactivity, apparently. However, it's not a cross that's too heavy to bear. It just means that when I do sleep, I sleep extra deeply! Besides, it allows me to get a few things done that there usually aren't enough hours in the day to take care of."

Tucked beneath the small table beside his chair was a basket of mending which wasn't quite as full as it'd been yesterday. Mute testimony to what he'd put his idle hands to work on rather than letting the Devil have his way with them.

[lethechained]

A fair point, and one Naminé was perfectly willing to accept. She smiled noticeably at the "boop" even as her face scrunched up under it, and her voice thereafter was cheerful. "Of course - you're right. In that case, I'll take whatever you want to give me." And she reached out to accept the juice, of course, with a murmured word of thanks.

The subject of his sleeping habits, however, was a more sober one, and Naminé tilted her head as she considered him thoughtfully. Mouth pressing into a contemplative line, she observed, "When you put it that way, it doesn't sound so bad." There was a 'but' hovering in the pause thereafter just the same, though. "Still... I wish I could help. You could have asked me to keep you company, you know - I wouldn't have minded staying up."

She'd needed the rest it was true, but...!

[lonelysmiles]

"My dear, I swear to you that if I ever reach a point where I'm desperate for sleep, you'll be the first person I call to try and help," he told her. "However, last night wasn't terrible. In fact, it was quite pleasant hearing people shifting around in the bedrooms.

"It's gotten so quiet here since Angel woke up."

[lethechained]

Judging by the look on her face, Naminé was at least somewhat relieved just to be on his short list for providing assistance - or perhaps it was merely the reassurance that he was alright enough not to need it for now. Her faint smile was genuine along with her, "Careful...! I might try to hold you to that."

Better not turn up too tired, Alastor. The blonde's concerns remained somewhat assuaged at his description of his evening, but that last part...

"Oh," she breathed, a little dismayed. "I should have asked how you were feeling. It must be lonely here for you, since you've gotten used to living with someone else...!" Chances were she was already planning on how to manage visiting more often without intruding; introvert she might have been, but friendship duties were friendship duties.

[lonelysmiles]

Alastor laughed. "If you ever see me staggering around town like a drunk but not actually intoxicated, it's for the best if you do! At that point, I'm being so thick-headed that I need someone to keep me in line!"

He chuckled in response to her apology.

"There's no reason to apologize, my dear. I knew that eventually it might happen. Angel was my second roommate here, after all. Perhaps after a couple of weeks of all the quiet, I'll keep these big ears of mine open for anyone else who might be needing a rommate."

[lethechained]

Naminé appeared faintly alarmed at the mere idea, but amused enough just the same. "You can count on me for that...! I'll find some way to bring you back home - maybe with a dance." Or at least a musical number until the poor guy fell asleep on his feet, anyhow.

As for the matter of a roommate, Naminé curled a hand to her face, growing thoughtful. "You're right, but..." That was, people came and went all the time, so of course it was part of the whole experience. Shaking her head, she nudged that thought aside in favor of, "... Well, I suppose there's nothing we can do about it. But if you do decide to look for a roommate, what kind of-- um, qualifications would they have to have? I know people can be picky about that kind of thing."

[lonelysmiles]

"Hmmm..."

Alastor tapped a finger to his chin as he thought it over.

"Hadn't really considered that! I sort of stumbled into my first two!"

[lethechained]

"I guess that makes sense...! That does tend to happen."

She had her face propped in a hand now, though, mulling over what kind of roommate would suit him.

"And it could happen again this time, too. Still... I do wonder. It's hard to picture any one person who would suit you when you're so friendly as it is."

[lonelysmiles]

"I think the primary issue would be tidiness. How they kept their own room was their business, but I don't want to live in a -- Well, 'pigsty' isn't the right word for it. As Fat Nuggets taught me, pigs are quite clean. Regardless, I wouldn't want the common areas to be a mess I had to constantly clean up."

[lethechained]

"Oh-- yes," she agreed, sitting back up a little with a fall of her hand. "That would be awful. You have such a lovely home, after all...!"

It'd be a shame if something mess-related were to happen to it. "What about noise? Do you want a quiet roommate, or one who spends a lot of time with you...?"

GMAIL! /shakes fist

[lonelysmiles]

"I wouldn't mind a little noise. Not someone noisy but something to give proof that there's someone else there. If they were mostly quiet I'd be fine with it. And if they wish to come and go or spend time with me, I'd be fine with either!"

Honestly, what he was really after was just having someone there. He'd been alone for so long already.

It continues its vile crusade against us!!! For shame!!!!

[lethechained]

The lass nodded along, rather as if she were taking mental notes. (She probably was, in fact.)

"In that case, you'll have to get along well...!" For those times when they were in each other's company, of course. A beat passed as she considered it, then-- "Now that I think about it, I've never asked you who your other friends are. The ones here in this world, that is."