RP: Christmas and Stuff

[harley_jordan]

Date: December 25, 2011
Characters: Harley Jordan, Thad Jordan, Ariel Crabtree, Kudzu Emory
Location: Harley's place above Reen's
Status: Private
Summary: Harley hosts Christmas and a birthday.
Completion: Incomplete

Comments

[ariel_crabtree]

Ariel was somewhat amused though rather pleased by the way Harley had gone all out for Christmas. There were decorations everywhere, and it was very cheerful and peppy. She hadn't really decorated all that much at Brielle's place, though there were decorations up. Seeing all this made her want to do a lot better next year.

"Ham, yum," she said, not minding in the least to help with the cooking. It was definitely nice to be among friends on Christmas, and her birthday. Last year she had been all alone, and she had never been lonelier, she figured. It was much different this year, and for once she did feel rather successful. "I hope you all will like your gifts and all." She had brought something for everyone, even if it was only something general for Kudzu, who she didn't know. Still, she knew he was coming and figured it couldn't hurt.

She glanced over at where the eggnog was being spiked. "Ooh, rum. That'll be great," she said, even if this year was still trying to teach her how to drink less and not more.

[harley_jordan]

"Yeah, well. Figured it couldn't hurt to give it some kick." Harley stopped pouring before the rum started to smell up the place at least. She uncapped the nutmeg she'd picked up and sprinkled it on top of it all, not really seeing the point but having read somewhere that that was what people did.

"The ham should be good. Thad's always splooging over Kudzu's cooking, he's from Lousiana and all, so." She grinned and shrugged. She kinda missed Thad living here, but at least he seemed to like his roommate. And Kudzu was cool. "Nah, we'll love your presents. You're probably the most thoughtful person I know. Just hope you like your stuff. Christmas and birthday, talk about pressure." Harley hip-checked her and laughed. "Anyway, you want to do some real partying or something next weekend, let me know, since today's like a package deal. Speaking of, you want your birthday present now, or you want to wait until the guys get here?" She knew Thad had done something for her too that he'd been fussing over, but he had that with him.

[ariel_crabtree]

"Can't hurt at all," Ariel agreed. After all, it was just Harley and Thad, and okay, so she didn't know Kudzu, but she figured it would all go well. Though she would try to be more moderate, even if that didn't work that well for her sometimes.

"Well, that's good then. Louisiana has good cooking." She didn't know much of it herself, but Southern was Southern, and that was largely what she knew. And she could always learn more. "Awww, thanks. I'm sure I'll love whatever you all got. I'm not picky." She grinned over at Harley. "You didn't even have to get me anything. Getting one gift is mroe than enough." That was the thing about having one's birthday on a major gift-giving holiday.

"Sure, I can open it now," she said, pushing her hair back out of her face.

[harley_jordan]

"Nah, of course I got you two. Anyway they're related. Hang on," Harley grinned and wiped her hands on a clean dishtowel, skirting the counter and darting over to the tree across the room.

"Your birthday present was easier to wrap." She returned the kitchen area and handed over the little box. In it was a charm bracelet with a tiny set of silver boxing gloves dangling from it. She jammed her hands in her pockets because she'd wondered if jewelry was appropriate or not. What did she know about gift-buying, anyway. But she'd seen it at one of the shops she'd stopped at and thought it was cute. "Didn't know if you already had charm bracelet to put it on, so I got the whole shebang," she explained.

"Your Christmas present kinda goes with it." She produced the set of real boxing gloves, the nicest she could find in MMA-size, and handed them over. "I was thinking about getting new exhausts for your truck, but it seemed kinda impersonal."

[ariel_crabtree]

Ariel opened the little present carefully and grinned broadly when she saw what it was. "Dude, that's awesome," she said, feeling all warm and gushy. "It's perfect." There was no way Harley could know, she thought, that she usually got a charm for her birthday. "I actually kinda needed a new bracelet. My two are kinda full." She pulled the two connected bracelets from under her shirt, where she was wearing them as a necklace today. Twenty-one charms, one for each year, hung on it, one missing from last year when she'd left early. She slipped the new bracelet onto her wrist. "It's perfect. THank you so much, Harley," she said, moving to hug the other woman.

She laughed softly and took the gloves. "Oh, that's great. A matching set," she said. She still did practice. She and Harley didn't go at it as often, but it was always fun when they did. "No, these are perfect. And they totally go together." She was thrilled with her gifts, they were great.

[harley_jordan]

"Cool." Harley's face relaxed into a grin as Ariel pulled the charm bracelets out. She didn't know why she hadn't even realized that before. But she did kind of like being able to add a charm to Ariel's set along with whoever else she'd cared about who'd given her one. "Guess that works out pretty well."

She nodded. "You need a good set if you're gonna keep at it even just for exercise," she said. "We can spar again anytime you want. And Thad'll be jealous of those."

[ariel_crabtree]

"It works out great," Ariel assured her. She loved adding to her charms collection, but she never bought one for herself. Every single one was a gift, almost exclusively from her granddaddy.

Ariel wiggled her hands into one of the gloves, finding it to be a reasonably good fit, especially for someone as small as she was. "Excellent. I'd love to spar sometime soon. I've slacked a little, waht with all the work on the holidays."

She went over to where she'd set her purse and the bag of gifts, drawing out a couple of them. "These are for you," she said. She hadn't been able to resist the smiley face ring when she'd found it, and the other was a simple hand knit scarf and pair of crocheted fingerless gloves in matching yarn. It wasn't much, she hadn't been exactly sure what to get, but she had wanted to get her friend something. It didn't feel like enough, by far.

[harley_jordan]

"I don't think you've ever slacked on anything," Harley said dryly, "but yeah, the holidays seem to drag people out more than usual. Even for their cars. I've been getting a lot of people road-trip ready." And she'd be dealing with people who'd put extra miles on their car after the holidays were over. Not to mention if they got any cold weather this year.

Harley accepted Ariel's presents eagerly, slipping the ring on her finger immediately. "These are freaking perfect," she said with a grin, because it still floored her a little, people noticing what kinds of crap she liked and remembering it later. "I'll end up wearing this stuff all the time. Thanks, A." She leaned over for a quick hug.

[ariel_crabtree]

"You didn't see me in school," Ariel said somewhat dryly but with a laugh. "Oh I bet. You get all the stuff with the cars, and I'm doing everyone up for their parties and such." She'd even worked earlier today, doing a series of private appointments for Christmas parties. Good tips, though.

"I made sure the yarn is washable, so you can wear the gloves while working on the cars, if you want," she said. It was something she had to take into consideration, that things be machine washable; often times yarns didn't stand up to that as well, unless you got the right ones. She hugged Harley back, grinning. "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."