After-Christmas Walking (ota)

[youngestscalper]

J.L. is in a melancholy mood today as he walks through the village. He hadn't been prepared for the feeling when he woke up this morning, but now it's there and he can't seem to shake it. Christmas is one of the few things they still seemed to celebrate back home and he was used to spending it with people he fought with. People like Kyla and Kyle.

Comments

[likeitoldschool]

Truthfully, Alexis loved her bracelet and she wore it even now as she caught sight of J.L. walking down the street. She paused to watch him for a moment, noting that he looked a bit down, and she wondered if maybe she should let him be alone for a little while before seeking him out again.

But then she quickly dismissed the thought and called out his name before hurrying towards him. In one hand she had a small box that was wrapped in brightly colored Christmas paper and a tag that said his name on it.

"Hey." She smiled warmly as she got close enough. "How are you?"

[youngestscalper]

When he hears his name, he slows down, and then stops altogether when he sees who it is. He smiles faintly, but it grows somewhat stronger when she arrives.

"I'm fine. How are you, Alexis?"

He notices the bracelet and feels good that she likes it. It's a strange feeling that he's never quite had before.

[likeitoldschool]

"I'm good." She answers with a nod, following his glance at the bracelet before she looks at him again. "I got my present, I love it."

She would probably hug him if she didn't think it'd weird him out a bit.

Instead she offers him the brightly wrapped gift. "I'm sorry I didn't get this to you earlier. Christmas can be kind of crazy with my Dad and Grandma. It's not really an excuse but...here."

[She got him a watch.]

[youngestscalper]

When Alexis says that she loved her present, J.L.'s smile brightens almost with pride and relief. That she's wearing it makes him feel even better. There's an urge, he realizes, to buy her more things now even though there's no real reason to.

He's surprised that she got him a gift, but he takes the package into his hands. "You didn't have to." He says it just to make sure she didn't do it because he got her one. He didn't want her to feel obligated.

J.L. carefully opens the package. He does it so carefully that the paper can be reused again. This is a habit picked up from years of scavening. When the item is revealed, he looks at it in surprise.

"Thank you." He says it with sincerely, looking at the watch and then looks at her. "It's great."

It says something about a heart monitor that J.L. notes to read the instructions about later.