Post for headofapin: Nothing says 'love' quite like leftovers

[gotasweettooth]

The last time Justin had celebrated Thanksgiving was...was it even worth remembering? No, no it was not. Like everything else with his family, any semblance of functioning or pleasant family times was just a lie

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[gotasweettooth]

Justine looked up at the sound of Gabriella's voice, craning her head over the back of her chair to glance in the direction of the kitchen.

Well, here went nothing.

Resisting the urge to sigh she got to her feet, leaving her wineglass behind but forgetfully sticking the cigarette in her breast pocket. She was wearing the same pants and shoes she had at work (yes, she had gone into the office on Thanksgiving, if only for a few hours - most of the company was shut down for the holiday, but there had still been papers and projects she both needed and wanted to look over) but a man's dress shirt.

She'd had a passing thought to try and change back to real self for dinner tonight, but she wasn't sure she could manage it in the time she had. Besides, Gabriella had expressed worry that changing back and forth too much was bad for her health - something she didn't necessarily agree with, but it wasn't worth the arguement.

Upon reaching the kitchen and seeing her girlfriend though she managed a wry smile.

"Well, look at you. Are't you just adorable?" With a self-effacing laugh Justine indicated her own clothes. "You're making me feel bad; I didn't realize this was a dress-up occasion. Should I go change?"

[headofapin]

But then again Gabriella would have preferred Justin's real self, and being stuck like that, but she was trying her best to be open and accepting to all forms, and whatnot. And the argument was mostly when it went the other way, from male to female.

Her shoulders slumped a bit at the greeting, because it was hardly what she was expecting. She pulled herself up though, and smiled back, flouncing a bit as she closed the space between them, and kissed her. "Nah. I was half expecting you to just be in sweatpants and a t-shirt, so you're fine." Not that she had ever seen the other in that, but. "I had to go out earlier, and then dinner with Daddy and all. Who this is from~, so I couldn't not wear it."

She pulled back to look the other again, noting the cigarette in the pocket and raising an eyebrow slightly, though there was no verbal comment. She had told her before that she'd smoked, but Gabriella had yet to witness it.

"How are you? Have you done anything special yet today?"

[gotasweettooth]

The flouncing got an amused laugh, and she accepted the kiss graciously. "Sorry to disappoint, but I don't even own any sweats. Jeans are the closest thing I get. Or - track pants, if I'm working out."

She caught the look but had already forgotten and didn't realize what it was for. "Huh? What?" Of course, a glance down at her pocket answered that question. "Oh - shit. I'll just go toss that, huh?" She grabbed for it with a fumble.

Anything special, she asked. Did going to work count as special? No, obviously it would not. "I watched part of the parade," she offered, slightly wan.

[headofapin]

"No. I'm glad. I don't personally like them, but they were just what I was kind of expecting. I'm glad you're not. And I like your shirt especially." She smiled, moving her hand down to take Justine's for a moment and squeeze it, and then hurriedly shaking her head.

"No, no you don't have to. I just...haven't seen you. With any before. My Dad smokes, remember? I'm used to it." She took her hand again and held it, instead bringing her over to the boxes.

"Ah, well that's good. Did you get to sleep in?" She let go of her hand now and instead turned to the boxes, taking one off the other, and starting to take out the smaller boxes inside it, the ones that had the food in them, and all. "Now. Do you want to help prepare, set the table, or go in and be a typical man and do nothing at all?" The last bit is said very lovingly as she turned to face her again, leaning against the counter.

[gotasweettooth]

"Oh what, this old thing?" she said, lightly kidding, as Gabriella took her hand. She left the cigarette in its pocket at her insistance it was okay, but still she was still going to try and chuck it first chance she got. Otherwise the urge to actually light it would be eating at her all night.

She had to laugh at that. "I feel as though I should be offended, but strangely, I'm more just amused." She glanced out across the boxes. "Well, after a comment like that, what can I do but help out, really? Way to twist my arm, sweetie."

This was all said just as lovingly in return, of course.

[headofapin]

"It's very nice. I might end up borrowing it some day." Really, she didn't mind. In fact, if she did light up sometime with her around, especially if it happened in Paris, with the mustache? There'd be a struggle to keep her off him.

"Mhm. Well that was what I intended. Reverse psychology or something like that." With a grin she turned to take the box with the tablecloth, the wine, and the decorations, even though they weren't really elaborate. Just some candles and whatnot, and handed it over. "Go set the table. I just need to reheat most of the food, and make the pie filling, but that can bake while we eat. If you're hungry now."

[gotasweettooth]

"Hmm. Well I can't say I'd be entirely against that idea..." Envisioning it as the only thing she'd be wearing after a night or afternoon of love-making, of course.

How very French of him, if so. Which is probably exactly what he'd say - assuming he could get a word in edgewise, that is, before she jumped him and dragged him off to her tender mercies.

"Yeah, sure. I haven't eaten much today." Not because she was fasting to save room for Thanksgiving, but just...because. One of her on and off less healthy habits was to forget to eat when she was stressed or distracted. The last year or so of college was powered mostly by coffee, nicotine, and the occasional box of crackers. Sorting through the objects Gabriella had presented to her, she picked a candlestick and spun it around with the other, absently whistling half a tune as she unsubtly checked it out. The tablecloth got flopped on top of the table before she went about messily unfolding it.

[headofapin]

Of course~, meanwhile Gabriella is just thinking about somehow incorporating it into something she'd wear regularly, to work, or something. Although slipping it on after something like that...well that would work too.

Indeed! She'll pop a beret on him and giggle for days. But then he'd at least learn that she really didn't mind the smoking, even if she did seem to be the type to fuss over it.

"Probably for the better. I have a lot of food for you, so." She looked pleased at that, and moved to turn on the oven to start heating, before starting to clank around as she dug out the various pots and pans that she would be needing, as well as serving dishes when she stumbled upon those whilst looking for a roasting tray. She could hardly say anything about the other's eating habits, though, because while she ate every day, she had a tendency to eat very little at every meal.

What she had brought over in zip loc boxes was now being dumped into the pots and pans she had dug out, getting everything on the stove to heat up, before she went to poke her head in the dining room. "Everything going alright?"

[gotasweettooth]

It was a miracle Gabriella could find everything she needed, really, considering how low home cooking was a priority in Justine's life. But the apartment had come with a massive kitchen, and even knowing the only ones who would ever use it were people hired to cook for her (or so had been the thought at the time - scarcely thinking a Gabriella Gray would come into the picture) the thought of those empty cupboards and cabinets with nothing to fill them had just been depressing. Though some of the more practical utensils, things that would occur to someone likely to use them, had probably been brought over through time by Gabriella herself.

When Gabriella checked in on her, she looked up from where she was in the process of lighting the candles with a box of wooden matches. The settings had been placed out and the tablecloth was more or less smoothed.

"Yep. Really, how much trouble did you think I could get in, with linens and cutlery?" she asked with a grin.

[headofapin]

Oh, yes there had been quite a few things that Gabriella had bought, or brought over from her apartment in the months that they had been dating, and she had made use of the kitchen. Half of the things that had been in the cupboards hadn't ever been used, some of them still having the price tag on them, or the wrappings, but she had slowly turned it cozier. More like a kitchen in a home, rather than one that was just for show.

"You never know. You are you, after all," she replied, a grin spreading across her lips as well. "But it looks fine. good enough~." She was teasing, naturally, and then turned to disappear back in the kitchen to check how things were coming along.

It took a bit of time, but while she waited she made the filling for the pie, and once the turkey was out it went into the oven, and she busied herself with plating up everything, and shuttling it into the dining room.

"There. Sorry it's already carved, since you can't do the manly bit of Thanksgiving, but I didn't want to bring the whole thing with me."

[gotasweettooth]

She smiled back at Gabriella, but her expression faltered the minute the other was out of sight.

Was she really doing this? Putting up with the whole 'happy family Thanksgiving' just to make Gabriella feel better?

She knew there were a lot of things that had been missing from her life for a long time, things that had been allowed to go to the wayside, classified as unimportant in the quest for money and power. So maybe she'd never win any popularity contests but she had always told herself she was happy anyway.

And then her life had gone way off-track. And then Gabriella showed up. Now every time her well-meaning girlfriend tried to introduce her to something that was a little more down to earth, the kind of things normal people with families did, like celebrate Thanksgiving, it made her antsy.

Either she'd enjoy herself after all, and then be forced to acknowledge all those years she may have missed out...or she wouldn't, and be stuck looking like there was a gap where her soul should be.

Oh, what the hell. She stuck the cigarette from her pocket between her lips, lifting one of the candles up as she used the flame to light it.

When Gabriella came back in she was sprawled in her chair at the table, looking like she was tempted to put her feet up on the tablecloth, puffing away.

"Oh, that's okay, doll. Whatever works for you is fine by me."

[headofapin]

On the other hand, Gabriella was in a great mood, after all - she had no reason not to be. Dinner had been great at her father's, and now she was here with the person she loved, to have dinner again. She felt happy, without a worry in the world really.

But that all came crashing down when she got back into the dining room and was met with the other's abrupt and 180 in demeanour, and she couldn't stop her face from falling from the cheery smile to a look of confusion, and concern.

"A-are you alright?" The question was hesitant, because it was such a change. She knew that the other smoked when they were stressed, or something was wrong, that's what she'd said when they had talked about it earlier. She stayed where she was, in the doorway, observing, from the cigarette to the way she was sitting, and the way the whole vibe in the room felt different.

[gotasweettooth]

"Course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" She really was trying to pretend like everything was okay for Gabriella's sake, honest. It's just that she was so very bad at it. "I've got you, I've got home cooking...what's not to love?"

Eyeing the full plates in her hands she pushed her chair back and shoved herself to her feet. Came a step closer with one hand outstretched, the cigarette held between her teeth.

"Want me to help?"

[headofapin]

"You just, uhm." Look like you're not having any fun. "Nothing, nothing. I'm just...over thinking." Gabriella didn't want to be pretended with, though. If Justin didn't want this, she'd leave. Willingly, and without any argument, and instead go back to her apartment and watch a movie, after stopping by her father's to get the rest of the pecan pie so she could comfort eat. Upset, but easily gotten over, really.

"No!" She shook her head, briskly crossing the floor to put the plates on the table. "No, you just...stay. I don't want any ashes on the food." She smiled at her, and did, however, to keep things in good spirits press a quick kiss to the others cheek. "Relax. I want you to enjoy this."

[gotasweettooth]

"Ooh, yeah. Guess that would be pretty gross, huh?" The chuckle punctuating that wasn't forced, but it was rather...absent. But she did go back to her place and sit back down, glancing down at the plate Gabriella had put in front of her.

"Looks good. No - looks great. Did you make all this yourself, or was it like a family affair?"

If nothing else, at least there was a good meal to be gotten out of this. She didn't have to feign any enthusiasm over Gabriella's cooking, that was always entirely genuine.

[headofapin]

"Very gross." There was a slight frown on her brow as she set the plates down, and then turned, disappearing back into the kitchen to get the rest of them.

It took two more trips before everything was out, including a bottle of wine set on the table, though Gabriella had chosen to start with water for herself, mostly because she was somewhat upset - she could tell something wasn't sitting quite right with the other, after all, and knew that if she drank that would all come spilling out at the least ideal moment.

"I'm glad you think so," she replied, a small, but genuine smile appearing on her face. "Uhm. I suppose if peeling potatoes makes it a family affair, it is. But otherwise no. Dad doesn't do anything else."

She prodded at her small helping of mashed potatoes. "He's almost as useless as you when it comes to cooking."