callmeemily | Here comes santa claus!

The holiday this year is so incredibly different than the last.

Last year? Raleigh was holed up in the boarding house, no one in 300 miles but her shitty boss knew her name, and she was so poor that she was eating rice, beans, and leftovers from the Seaside bakery.

This year, everything's changed. Orchard House is chugging along astoundingly well; Raleigh puts in long hours, but it's paying off. She's been able to hire somebody else to work the register, she's getting custom orders - the whole thing. She has friends. Honest to god friends, and she's got enough money that she's actually got presents for people. For a lot of people - it's a mix of cookies and things, but there's a little something for everybody piled on the table in the back corner, and one mass-text later she's humming through the bakery, music playing from the speakers, warm cider in a carafe, and everything's warm and cozy.

She looks at it, at this business that she's made with the help of this whole town, and she can't help but smile. Tonight? Spending tonight with friends and found-family? That's what this whole thing's about.

Gathering post! Raleigh will tag everyone who tags in, but feel free to tag one another, too. :) It's up to you if they have gotten a text, or just heard the music and seen the crowd. Everyone'll get something!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She smiles brightly when he seems to like it, unable to help the way she laughs when he pours out the stones. "It took a while for me to realise why you'd want to put rocks in your drink, but the internet helped me out." She bites her lip and looks down at the box in her hands - she's not really used to gifts; Spencer and Joel have been helping some in that regard, but growing up there'd not been much-- so this kind of thing is definitely unexpected and special.

She opens it carefully - she's not a rip-into-paper kind of person unless she has to be, but her brows shoot up when she uncovers what's clearly a jewelry box, and then she just lights up like a Christmas tree when she opens it. "This is awesome!" She looks at it a little closer, and she beams up at him. "This is beautiful, thank you so much! It's- It's just gorgeous," she can't help the way she's smiling, and she unwraps it from the card it's on so she can put it on.

"Yeah? Ya like it?" Davin grins and feels a little relieved. He's never really had to buy gifts for girls before, but now he has a lot of wonderful female friends that deserve awesome presents, and he's glad he seems to have made the right choice. "Do ya need help?"

He takes the necklace from her and waits for her to turn around and lift her hair. He brings it around her neck and eyeballs the little clasp before finally just using his magic to clasp it together while no one is looking. "There, all set."

She turns and he smiles at her, looking back down at his gift happily. "You'll have t'come over for a drink sometime."

"I really, really do," she says with a smile, and once he does the clasp, she touches it at her neck. "It's really sweet of you, seriously. Thank you so much." Nobody's ever gotten her jewelry, and she hadn't really expected any from Davin. She's glad - of course she's glad, he's sweet as can be for getting it for her.

She's happy, too, that he seems to be happy with his gift. "I'm really glad you like it! Really glad." She beams at him, more than a little thrilled that things seemed to work out so well. "I'll totally come over, you just tell me when."

"Aw, it was no problem. I'm glad ya like it." He smiles at her and reaches over to pat her knee. "Ya have my number. Just text me sometime an' we'll hang out."

He smiles and then turns around to take in the shop, nodding impressively. "People really like this place, y'know. You're doin' a great job."

"I will! And I do. Really." She smiles at him, and then looks around the shop with him, rubbing her arms because suddenly she's got goosebumps. "Yeah, I... I sort of think they do," she said as she scrunched her nose. "It's so weird to say it, or even think of it like that - I mean, in the beginning, I sort of thought I had business because I had friends in town, you know? But like... most of the people who come in... I don't even know them, it's totally crazy."

"I kinda know what ya mean," Davin says with a smile. "I mean, I don't own the shop, but it's pretty much mine, y'know? An' it's always busy. People ask for me by name, tell their friends about me. It's surreal."

He notices her shiver and presses in closer. "Maybe we're just really good at what we do, huh?"

She flushes, ducking her head, but she nods and looks over at him, her lips quirking in a smile. "Maybe you're right. Maybe... we are."

She leans her head on his shoulder for a second, before she sighs, sitting up again. "That's actually a really good thing to hear for Christmas, so... I'm glad."

"Happy t'help," he says with a soft chuckle, kissing the top of her head when she rests against his shoulder. "Now, ya got a whole shop full o' friends an' fans. Can I help ya at all?"

"Just hang out and have a good time? That's pretty much all I want." She's telling the truth when she says that - it's pretty much her goal, that people really, truly like being here. That they think of this as home away from home.

"Now that I can do, darlin'." He winks and leans back against the counter, his coffee mug resting on his thigh with his long fingers curled around the handle. "But really, let m'know if ya need anythin'. I'm happy t'do it."

Here comes santa claus!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject