InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Everything is awesome!"

Addison Davies (addisonacloud) wrote in 20somethings,
@ 2020-12-24 14:10:00

Entry tags:

c: addison davies, c: tripp davies, d: 2026 12, Ω: rp

RP: Finding Christmas Cheer
Who: Addison and Tripp
What: Christmas tears; family bonding.
When: Christmas Eve, 2026
Where: Davies family home
Warnings: Emotions, lots of them
Completion Status: In progress

Oh, she'd known Christmas was going to be hard--of course, she had--but she hadn't thought it would hit her quite this hard, as she sat on the living room rug in the midst of a tangle of lights. Addison could easily untangle them with a spell, but she rather stubbornly needed to sort them out manually. It was just particularly difficult to even see the strands clearly through the tears in her eyes that wouldn't stop falling.

Although it had seemed that none of them were up to celebrating the holiday, she'd woken up this morning with the insistent desire to go all out right at the last minute. And so, she'd gone out when she'd got up well before sunrise and picked a tree. It was simple enough to get the tree home, but she'd had to dig through storage to find their old tree stand. Once she'd set the tree up, she'd gone back into the family storage to find the boxes of lights and decorations.

Mum wouldn't want them to ignore Christmas just because she wasn't here anymore. Their traditions couldn't be continued this year, not really, but that didn't mean they couldn't remember--no matter how painful it was. And mum had loved these tiny colored lights. It would be worth it to get them on the tree, Addison thought, if she could just get them untangled!

(Post a new comment)

cdaviesiii
2020-12-24 07:48 pm UTC (link)

Tripp came downstairs to the family room to see his daughter on the floor in a mountain of lights, clearly frustrated and fighting with them, tears in her eyes. He didn't say anything. He walked quietly through the house - it seemed the house was very quiet these days - and made his way to the kitchen. He took down a box of Everleigh's favorite tea - he kept buying it, he didn't know quite why - and made a steaming cup.

Once it was done, he made his way back into the family room to find Addison very much where he left her. He approached her and didn't mean to startle her, so he cleared his throat quietly and presented the mug for her, standing over her slightly bent at the waist.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

addisonacloud
2020-12-24 10:21 pm UTC (link)

Because Addison didn't hear her father come downstairs, she continued trying to untangle the lights through her tears. At some point, she might give up and use a charm on them, but she was still rather determined for the moment. She was only pulled from her task when she heard the tea kettle whistle, and once she heard her dad clear his throat, she glanced up at him with a watery smile.

"Thanks, dad," she whispered, dropping the lights on her lap and taking the steaming mug. As the steam wafted up, curling against her nose, and she breathed in that familiar scent, the tears kicked up a gear, and she shifted the mug so she could raise a hand to wipe at them. It had never been her favorite tea, but she knew it'd been mum's, and it was a double-edged sword having it now. "I miss her so damn much," she murmured in an anguished whisper.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cdaviesiii
2020-12-25 05:36 pm UTC (link)

He gave her a sad, tight-lipped smile. When she admitted her hurt, he knelt down, crouching at her level despite his height (and what it did to his aging knees). "I know, love," he said softly, his own hurt evident in his voice, too. He took a deep breath, "You know," he approached gently, "You don't have to do this." He gestured to the tree and the pile of neverending lights. Everleigh made it look effortless, but they all knew it wasn't.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

addisonacloud
2020-12-26 06:27 pm UTC (link)

It had never escaped her notice, her father's pain at the loss of her mother. They'd been so solid! The perfect example to look for in a partner for herself. "She would want us to, though," she pointed out. "Mum loved Christmas. She wouldn't have wanted us to ignore it." Everleigh had always been so vibrant, but especially around the holidays.

"We should decorate and cook her favorite things," she suggested. It would hurt, of course, but maybe it would also help.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cdaviesiii
2021-01-04 08:28 pm UTC (link)

Tripp wasn't sure if he should say what he planned to, but he thought maybe it might help her feel the smallest bit better, so he sat on the floor next to her and turned toward her. He couldn't help the smile he wore at the thought when he said, "Can I let you in on a secret?" He paused.

"Your mum never did any of this by hand," he explained - the kids never knew, Everleigh was so good at making it seem like Christmas 'magic' instead of real magic! They'd been so amazed! "She would work on it like this while you kids were awake and then... Once you went to bed..." He said, lifting his wand to make his point. He chuckled. It was a sad sound, but one borne of true love and a deep understanding and admiration.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

addisonacloud
2021-01-04 08:37 pm UTC (link)

When her dad sat next to her and asked her that, Addison felt more like a child than she had in years, and when he spoke again, she couldn't help the soft, choked sob that slipped from between her lips and morphed quickly into a laugh. "Ugh, of course she did," she agreed, seeing no reason to deny it.

"She was so brilliant at so much," she whispered, dropping the lights again with a small sigh. "Please tell me she's got secret journals stashed away with all of her wisdom and tricks?" For that part of her that desperately yearned for a piece of her mum back.

(Reply to this) (Parent)