Giving Thanks (fwd-dated to Thursday -gathering)

[notarailrdstory]

This wasn't the life Cullen ever foresaw for himself. Of course, there was no way to predict he'd find himself in the future, working in a "drag" bar with an adopted kind of family (and a special someone he might or might not have been courting...). With the week off, he took it upon himself to make sure those near him had a meal to celebrate

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[meektomenacing]

Carol had made pie. God, how long had it been since she'd made a damn pie? Two pies? One pumpkin and the other pecan. She set them on the designated table and glanced around the room.

This was... it still seemed so surreal. She'd been so sure that she was burned up, not even a semblance of the person she'd wanted to be-- but there were moments here were she thought that maybe she could be the person again. If only she didn't have the ever present weight of her past and the things she'd done to weigh on her.

Still though, she smiled, despite those thoughts that lay underneath.

[zenmotherfcker]

"You all right?" Daryl asked, careful of her, keeping close to her elbow. The pies smelled good when she was cooking them, taking over his small kitchen that hadn't seen nearly that kind of use before she'd come.

[meektomenacing]

"Yeah." she shook off the concern and shook off her thoughts, "Just--" Carol looked around them, "Thanksgiving dinner."

That was weird, right?

[zenmotherfcker]

Not that Daryl had a good many of them before the walkers came. He shrugged a little. Food smelled good, too. "Here," he said, reaching for the pies. He'd take them and Carol could go see the baby, or whatever she wanted to do.

[meektomenacing]

Carol let him take them wiping her hands off and letting them stay there at her hips. She didn't really know what to do with herself, frankly. The pie had been the easy part. Now there was having a celebration.

"Thanks." she managed, small smile following before she said,. "I'll see if Cullen needs any help in the kitchen..."

[zenmotherfcker]

At seeing the pies, Cullen murmured a "thanks," to Daryl and set about finding somewhere to store them. When he saw Carol too he gave a nod. "Ma'am." He squinted a little and added, "we got wine."

[meektomenacing]

"Mr. Bohannon." she responded cordially, laugh light at the question, "Wine? I'll have to have some then... did you need any help getting anything else done?"

Something to distract herself.

[notarailrdstory]

He could see her discomfort, perhaps even feel it himself. This wasn't their world, they just lived in it, after all.

"S'over there," he said, nodding to the wine, pushed amongst the soda (weirdest shit Cullen had ever tasted) for Carl and water and the like. "Feel like mashin' some potatoes?"

[meektomenacing]

"I'd be happy to." And she would. She followed Cullen to the kitchen. She glanced back at Daryl, before disappearing inside to get to work on the potatoes.

[zenmotherfcker]

It wasn't that Daryl was jealous, really. He just ... well, all right, he was keeping an eye on this Cullen guy. He poured himself some soda and leaned against the doorjamb..

It amused Cullen truthfully. He had no designs on Carol.

[meektomenacing]

Carol wasn't doing it because she wanted to make Daryl jealous or because the thought hadn't even occurred to her that it might. And she'd no interest in Cullen. She just wanted a distraction.

Getting a bowl, she put the peeled and already boiled potatoes into it. Then she got to mashing, putting herself into it and trying not to think about anything else.

[notarailrdstory]

When Daryl finally wandered off to check on Judith, Cullen, who was stirring gravy, said, "Big doin's can seem unsettling after so long without."

He knew that feeling too well.

[meektomenacing]

"The last time I did anything like this..." she started, then shook her head, "Wasn't even the same person. I remember it, yes, but it's like it wasn't me."

[notarailrdstory]

Cullen could relate to that easily. "When I worked for the railroad," he admitted quietly, "I didn't have time for much else." Friends, family, sanity. "Let it take over my life.

"Here." He watched the spoon pass through the gravy in the pan. "Ain't got a choice but to focus on the other things."

[meektomenacing]

"I don't know how anymore. I can go through the motions--" But it felt like an act. She was burned up.

"Where I was made me someone who can live in that world. This one, though?" Her head shook. "I'll try, for them though."

They wanted it. And she cared about them.

[notarailrdstory]

"They care about you," Cullen said. "Like anchors to the earth when we'd fly away otherwise. Gotta be thankful for that."