ax_main | Nick and Lil

Nick is back from his visit home and has brought a wealth of Thanksgiving leftovers from Lil. Lil is once again reminded why he's one of her favourite people.

Lil had just returned from running when she heard that Nick was back. Stamina was her biggest issue in her sparring with Laura. Well, that and speed. Also, the fact that she barely knew what she was doing, but she was determined to learn what Laura had to teach so between classes, homework, actual work, and time with friends, she'd squeezed in running. There wasn't much leisure time left in the day, any day, for Lil.

But Nick was back, and for him, she'd make time. Lil spared enough time enough time to change into some fresh clothes, grab the now ever-present box of cookies she kept in her bedside table, and then she was off to the boy's dorm, hoping he wouldn't be too tired for a good, long visit. At his door, she rapped out shave-and-haircut on his door and waited.

Nick opened the door just after a moment's wait, dressed in a new t-shirt that featured a guinea pig with a top hat and a cane. "Hey," he said, brightly, grinning at seeing her. "C'mon in! Or, actually!" He just remembered! "Let's go to the kitchen! I brought you Thanksgiving leftovers, as promised! Deep fried turkey!"

The turkey! "Holy shit, I'd forgotten about that! It feels like you promised that ages ago." Lil glanced down at the shirt and grinned. "Um, present from the parents or something?"

He grinned wider. "Yeah, he's dapper," he said, gesturing down the hall. "The tupperware's in the fridge. I have to be there when you try it, because it'll change your life."

"It's food, no way I'm gonna turn it down." Lil wanted to give him a hug, but the moment seemed lost so she settled for hooking her arm around his. "Lead the way!"

It was so nice, being around her. He didn't mind hooking arms with her as they walked to the kitchen. "So how was it here? Since you said you were going to stay here, right? Am I remembering that right?" he asked. "It wasn't like, lonely, was it?"

"Ugh. It's all been sorta lonely since I decided to go and be a jerk to Warren on the forum, but naw, Thanksgiving was better. Jubilee wouldn't let me sulk anymore and dragged me out to the school dinner. It was pretty good except, green bean casserole?" Lil grimaced. "Sorry, but that stuff is disgusting. You guys have some weird ideas about what's good food down here."

"Yeah, no, I don't really think anyone likes green bean casserole," Nick agreed. "Mom only makes a little, because dad doesn't like it, and I tried it... I hated it." He shrugged. "She says I get it from my dad. He and I think she's bonkers for eating it."

"Your mom's probably a really nice woman, but I think I have to agree with you and your dad."

"No, yeah, I get it," he said, as they came up to the kitchen. "There's actually a few containers. Mom insisted you get the full dinner experience. It all reheats really well, too. We've got the deep fried turkey, sweet potato casserole with marshmallows, mashed potatoes, salad, stuffing..."

"She did that?" Lil had already decided that's Nick's parents must be something special to have kept him safe and happy, but this... "Okay, I think I love your mom now. When you go home for Christmas, I gotta send a thank you with you. But sweet potatoes and marshmallows?" Another one of those dishes that had seemed like some mythical things from American sitcoms. "That's a real thing?"

"Of course she did. She was so happy to hear how our date went," Nick said, happily. "It was practically all we talked about. But, also, it's not just sweet potatoes and marshmallows. There's also brown sugar and some other stuff, too. It's not quite as sweet as it sounds?" he said, shrugging. "It's tasty. It's almost a dessert."

The mention of the date dampened Lil's enthusiasm a bit. That was something they'd have to talk about today because although things had been a little rocky with Nolan, it was definitely a thing, at least for now. "I'll take your word for it. We always just had sweet potatoes with butter, and that was it. Brown sugar was for the turnips."

"Okay, I'm officially pissed off with this friggin' country. You eat that green bean casserole thing but not turnips?" Lil shook her head and looked down at Nick with pity. "Turnips are the best."

"I-I mean, I don't eat the green bean casserole," Nick said, feeling a bit awkward. "I-I just never had turnips before. M-maybe we can learn how to make them and make some and see if I like them?" he offered.

"I'm just joking, Nick." Lil nudged him with her elbow. She'd have to remember that sometimes he took things a little too seriously. "I mean, I love turnips, but it's not that big a deal."

"Ah, right..." Nick laughed, a bit awkwardly. "Yeah. I mean, maybe we can learn to cook them, anyway. I mean, it sounds like it'd be a good addition to Thanksgiving. But yeah!" He went to the fridge and started to dig out Tupperware containers. "This stuff reheats in the microwave real easy, like I said. I'll help you get it all warmed up."

Lil grabbed a plate from the cupboard. "Man, this is like, my third Thanksgiving this fall. Mom had real Thanksgiving in September before I left since I wouldn't be there in October, the Jubilee dragged me out to the American here, and now this. That must be a record!"

"Canadians have Thanksgiving?" he asked, curiously. "You said it's in October? Is that like, when Canada ... was ... founded?" he asked, not sure what it was about.

"Naw, that's Canada Day - July first, and that happened in 1867. Except for my territory. The Northwest Territories took a few more years to join. Our Thanksgiving is about, um, was about anyway, thanking God and celebrating the harvest and shit like that. It doesn't have all that baggage yours does I guess. Oh hey, you want a plate too?" There was a lot of food and while Lil could certainly eat all of it, Nick deserved second helpings for bringing it.

"Oh, she, uh," he glanced back to the fridge. "She packed plenty for me, too. I was just gonna let you get yours and get situated, first," he said.

That was all she needed to hear. Lil passed a plate to Nick and then got to work piling on the food until she had a small mountain. That she stuffed into the microwave then leaned back on the counter to wait for the ding. "I don't know if I'll have room for the salad."

"I'll eat it if you don't," Nick said, working on getting his Tupperwares out. "I'll have room, trust me. I think I'm getting taller, too," he said, grinning. "I wonder how tall I'll get by the time I'm eighteen."

The microwaved dinged and Lil took her food out and found a place at the table. "Maybe taller than me! I'm probably done, thank god. I think girls are done growing around 16 or something."

"I'll probably keep growing for awhile," Nick said, shrugging. "I dunno if anyone will be able to tell how big I'll get. It's exciting, though. I have to, y'know, get stronger and bigger if I wanna watch your back like I promised."

"Nick, you're bringing me food and being a friend. Like, that's not small stuff." Lil took a bite of turkey and smiled. It was muchbetter than what the school had prepared. "Watching my back means way more than just looking out for me in a fight."

"I mean, sure, but like..." He shrugged. "I dunno. I also just like, wanna be strong, y'know? I mean, who doesn't?" He probably wouldn't change his habits of video games, movies, and junk food much, though, if he was being honest with himself. "And I'm happy to help. What do you think about the turkey? The deep frying makes the skin nice and super crispy."

Lil smiled around the piece she was eating, then covered her mouth so she could give him an answer. "Sooo good. You were right."

He grinned as he started to get his stuff heated up. "I'm so glad," he said, happily. "Seriously, it's the best. I'm going to have to learn how to make it."

With the turkey finished, Lil poked a fork into the sweet potatoes. She gave them a skeptical look, then popped a bite into her mouth. "That's not bad either. Like, I'm not sure it beats a bit of butter and salt, but it's pretty good."

"It's better if you get some crispy marshmallow on top of it," Nick opined, getting his stuff finished warming up. "At least, it's one of my favorites," he said. "I can't have like, a lot of chocolate in one go or I get an upset stomach, so that's one of my favorite sweet dishes."

"I like it." The rest of the plate was more familiar, and Lil tried more as she waited for Nick to sit down. "Your mom's amazing. I'm gonna say that a lot as I eat, but she is."

"She really is," Nick said, happily, as he got his plate set up and sat across from her. "Anything else exciting happen while I was gone?" he asked, starting to tuck into the turkey.

"Eh, not really. The school was sort of quiet with so many kids gone. Maybe that was the exciting thing - everything was calm for once."

"Well, calm is nice," Nick said, smiling at her. "It's good to be back. I missed you. A-and not in like, a clingy way," he said, quickly. "I just, y'know. Like being around you."

Lil smiled. "Same." She pushed a piece of turkey around her plate with her fork. "But I think I'm going to spoil it."

"What do you mean?" he asked, tilting his head.

"Just that... I think Nolan and I are sorta serious, for now anyway."

"Oh." Nick blinked a few times. "But... that's great," Nick said. "I'm glad for you both," he said, smiling.

"You're okay with that? We had that date and everything, so I thought I should let you know." Maybe she was a little full of herself. Nick had never really said he wanted anything beyond what she could offer as a good friend.

"I mean, I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not like, a bit disappointed," he said, looking down at his plate briefly. "But I mean, y'know, a kid who looks like I do is lucky to get a date. And I really, really enjoyed our date. And... y'know, it had me thinking that even if you went with Nolan, I could date someone else, maybe. And that'd be nice," he said, smiling. "When I came here, I had... pretty much thought I'd be learning, maybe make some friends. I had no idea I'd be able to date," he said. "So, y'know. I'm happy for you, because you're probably my best friend here. And it was a big confidence boost for me."

His hand was just across that table so Lil reached out and took it in hers. "Same. Again. Like, I never had a date before I came here. I never even really thought about it until I got to know you and man, I was crushing hard." And she was blushing, but for fuck's sake, she was allowed. "I don't think your looks are the big deal you think they are, especially in a place like this where almost everyone has something crazy about them. Besides, you're one of the best people I've ever known, and I'm not the only one who's gonna think that."

"Thanks," he said, grinning and squeezing her hand a little. It was nice, with her, because he didn't have to mind his claws so much. "And ... y'know, I try," he said. "I try not to think about how I look and stuff. I just, y'know. I spend a lot of time doing the things I've always done, just kinda sitting in my room. I just have to put myself out more, I guess, and then maybe I'll be able to get a girlfriend sometime."

"Exactly, except for Star Wars movie nights, right? I mean, I still got half a hundred of those movies to watch with you."

"Right, right," Nick laughed. "I'm glad we'll still do that. I mean, your, uh, boyfriend, he's cool with that, right?" Nick asked. "Last thing I want is to cause trouble."

Lil shrugged. "If he's not cool with it, he's not gonna be my boyfriend for long, simple as that."

"O-okay," Nick said, wondering how he should feel about that, but it felt nice. "I'm glad," he said. "Because, y'know, I think we're great as friends."

"We pretty much are." Lil took back her hand, then picked up her fork because that turkey was still sitting there, begging to be eaten. "We're sort of figuring out a lot of new stuff together: school, friends, real social lives, all those crazy things."

"Yeah," he said. "It's exciting. To me, at least," Nick said, getting back to his food. "I'm sure it's fun for you, too, though. I mean, that's the point, right?"

"Now it is. I didn't know what to expect when I got here, then I got myself in shit with that forum post thing... but everything is evening out now."

"Yeah. It's great. I love this place," Nick said, happily. "I mean, I had some misgivings, but... everything seems to be on the level, for now. It's nice."