sam runs around (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} inatowel) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2016-01-14 22:10:00 |
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What: Christmas Cookies
When: Backdated, Thursday, December 17th
Where: Sam's Apartment
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
Trying new and different things in regards to baking was best reserved when one had the time to dedicate to it. Sam, however, was trying to make gifts for people along with a few extra for herself and Mike. She'd invited Mike over not only to help her out, but to taste test cookies. Besides, he'd said he was a cookie kind of guy, so she didn't think she was putting him out too much.
The first batch of sugar cookies were cooling on the counter, and a batch of chocolate chip and snickerdoodles were currently cooking in the oven. The sugar cookies had been cut into shapes, some looked better than others, and Sam wasn't sure that she'd be gifting anyone any of those.
"So," she began as she hopped up onto the counter, "I don't think that these are fit for gifting. What do you think?" She looked over at the cookies, and then back at Mike with an amused smile on her face.
~*~
"I think they could use a little love in the decoration department."
Mike was used to seeing the potential in things. His furnishing art business worked with many found items or reclaimed wood in order to give a different, older feel to his pieces. The sugar cookies smelled amazing; Sam had decorating icing, sprinkles, some other little candy pieces which could put a fresh face on the ones which hadn't retained their shape while baking. He took one which was vaguely round and drew curved lines of icing across it, decorating them with sugar sprinkles before putting a square shape of icing at the top to indicate it was a Christmas ball.
"What do you think? Works for an ornament?"
They would dry well enough to be able to gift, he thought. If nothing else, Mike figured they could have fun decorating them. Half the fun of sugar cookies was decorating them to see what they could potentially become with a little extra attention.
~*~
Sam looked impressed, "I think you might've just saved the day for those cookies." She grinned, and then hopped down off the counter to pick up some supplies herself. She hadn't invited Mike over because of his artistic skills, no, she'd just wanted his company but she was all about him helping her out in the decorating department.
"I like it, I can put that one in the keep pile for sure." She smiled and then bumped her hip against him before moving to decorate one of the misshapen snowmen. Sam opened up a pull apart Twizzler, one that may or may not have been left over from Halloween, and cut it to make a little scarf for him. Some black candies were added for coal buttons, and she pulled her hand back.
"The hat still looks weird, but I think he could pass too. What do you think?" She asked, glancing up at Mike.
~*~
Had he ever decorated Christmas cookies as an adult? Mike didn't think he had though he remembered doing it with his mother when he'd been very young. Most of his memories of his mother were from when he was very young. His family wasn't the traditional sort. Holidays for Magic Mike had typically been spent at some rave or another, playing the Hype Man for whichever group of Lost Boys was out trying to forget a rave wasn't how any holiday was meant to be celebrated.
"I think he looks fine. Very Tim Burton. Sandy Claws approves."
Mike chuckled as he started to try to make another cookie look like a snowflake. Those were meant to be individual. Every one was unique. It wouldn't matter if it was mostly a spiderweb pattern of icing and crystal sprinkles. That was part of the magic of Christmas for him: seeing what one wanted to see rather than what was really there. Sometimes people needed to take things on faith.
"We can salvage these guys. How many more are you making? I haven't snuck a peek at Mrs. Claus's list."
~*~
Canting her head slightly, Sam considered her snowman and then nodded. "I can live with that." She laughed softly, and began to decorate a snowflake as well. It was nice to be able to chill and not worry about much of anything regardless of the snow that was still blowing outside.
Sam didn't really care for the cold, and in fact, she hadn't really gone out unless she had to. Which work, going to the store, and finishing up her classes had been the only things that she'd been going out for although with classes being over it'd been work and the store.
Which, she'd stocked up a lot the last time that she'd went to the store. She had no idea if they were going to get struck with another blizzard, or not, and so she'd wanted to be safe rather than sorry.
"Um," she pursed her lips in thought, "I'm doing around 10 tins of regular cookies, and a couple of vegan tins." She grinned up at him, they were mostly for the people at work and for her friends. It wasn't as if she couldn't spend money out for Christmas presents, but she wanted to make something for her friends this year.
What better way to show some love than making them cookies?
"And yes, you are on my list." She laughed softly, "So, what are you going to do for Christmas?"
~*~
"Go dancing."
Mike admitted it easily while sprinkling glittering sugar atop the cookie he'd finished decorating. There was always a club open for the holiday. Not everyone had a home to go to for the holidays; for some, the club floor was the only home they'd ever known or wanted to know. He could find his own magic out there on the dance floor with the bass line bumping, crowd thumping, and drinks flowing freely.
He didn't drink often, but no one could really blame him if he wanted to feel a little Blitzen on Christmas, especially not considering he was spending it alone.
"Music is about the only thing that makes me happy. I like the feeling of a good bass line and a good beat. I like the crowds. I like making people smile. Women smile."
He could own up to it.
"It isn't much, but it's what I have for the holiday. I don't have a family to see to otherwise. There's always a crowd looking for a hype man to make them feel welcome. That's all the home I need myself. What about you? Going out of town or are your people locals?"
~*~
That was a shame that he didn't have any family to see for the holidays. She could understand why he loved dancing so much. He was amazing at it, and Sam loved watching him. He could light up an entire room without even trying, and that in and of itself was a talent.
"They are local, and dreadfully boring." She laughed softly and shook her head as she continued decorating cookies. "I love them though. I mean, they're family. I'll probably also go see my friend Josh and his sisters for Christmas. They're basically family too." They'd known each other for so long that Sam basically thought they were related at this point.
"You're welcome to come with me if you'd like a good home cooked meal, and company." She glanced over at him, and lifted a shoulder. "My parents, while boring, are pretty chill." They had always been the type to accept people as they were, despite the fact that they were well off. "But if that doesn't sound appealing then there's always my mom's fantastic Christmas Eve party that is actually pretty fun and I don't have a date to that yet." She gave Mike a half smile, "So, would you like to be my date for that night if you don't have any plans?"
~*~
No one had ever offered to take Mike home with them for the holidays. He was touched by the offer more than anything else. Sam was a good person. She made him wish he'd met her instead of Brooke back when he was looking to settle down and have a life. Now? Mike wanted to keep things light and easy. No need to rush things or hurry along when life was still going well enough to want to keep the boat on an even keel.
"I could be your date for the party. It'd be my pleasure."
Mike tried to think of a way to tell her he wasn't sure Christmas with her family was a great idea. He knew Sam made the offer from a very genuine place. It was obvious from the way she had presented herself she wasn't trying to play him or patronize him. There was nothing in her character to make Mike believe she'd be anything other than genuine with him; he wasn't going to judge her based on other women.
Everyone deserved a chance to be judged on their own merit.
He fought for that for himself enough to know.
Screwing the top back onto an icing tube, he said, "I don't think I can accept the invite to Christmas itself though. I mean, the dance floor would miss me too much if I didn't make an appearance. Hate my music to think I didn't love it."
~*~
Sam shrugged and then turned to look over at the oven as the timer for the other cookies went off. "The offer stands if you change your mind about it, but I get it. You've got the music, the dance floor and I'd hate to make it think that you've abandoned it." Her tone was light, with nearly a teasing note to it, and honestly Sam didn't mind. She figured that if Mike wanted to hang he could, and if not? She totally got it.
"The party will be a Black Tie affair though. It is every year. If you don't have a tux? I know a great rental place, and the owner may or may not owe me a free rental since I hooked him and his new wife up." His new wife was a daughter of one of Sam's mom's friends, and she'd introduced them two years ago at the Christmas Eve party.
It would also be a great place for Mike to network and possibly drum up some more business for himself. Her mom tended to invited a lot of people from all walks of life, some movie producers, set designers, interior decorators, business owners, there'd be plenty of opportunity for Mike to network with them.
"And there's another couple of batches down. Um, so those need to cool, and I think it'll be time to make some vegan cookies. Do you want to take a cookie break? Grab some milk and chill for a bit before we do that?"
~*~
Black Tie Events were not the norm for Mike Lane's social calendar. He owned club clothes, work clothes, and two good suits to try to impress new clients with when he was showing premade pieces at galleries. He wondered how much he didn't know about Sam's family. They were friends, working on possibly something more. Mike liked to think he had a shot with her, but what if she was sincerely out of his league?
"I can honestly say I am always ready for a cookie break."
He waited on her to get settled and kept his hands loose on his thighs while he looked around the kitchen at all they'd accomplished so far. Sam could bake. She must like it, too. There were cookies of all kinds planned out or waiting to bake or already baked, cooling to perfection before being added to seasonal boxes meant for friends and family. Mike had figured she came from people who were working class given she was making cookies as presents.
It wasn't as though a wealthy person had to buy their gifts.
Mike realized he was making assumptions and simply stopped, pushed the thoughts aside, grinning at Sam instead.
"You will have to give me the hook-up on a Black Tie Event. Not too many of those on my books if you can imagine. Does that lose me your good favor?"
~*~
"I thought you might be." Sam replied with a grin over at Mike before plating a few of the warm cookies for him. Going over to the fridge, she pulled out a half carton of milk, one that she'd purchased for her non-vegan friends that came over and poured him a glass.
She snorted softly, and brought the items over to him. "No, it'd take a lot more than that for you to lose my good favor." She didn't judge people based upon money, or whether or not they went to many Black Tie events, Sam judged them based upon their character too.
Mike was a good guy who was working hard for exactly what he wanted out of life, and that she could appreciate and respect.
Sam moved to pick up some vegan cookies that she'd made for herself, and poured herself a glass of soy milk. "I can totally get you the hook-up though, and don't worry, I don't go to many." She lifted a shoulder before moving to join him.
Money hadn't been a thing that Sam really thought about. Her parents were well off, she wasn't going to deny that, and they paid for a lot of things for Sam. She'd felt bad that they'd been paying for everything which was why she'd gone to find a job. Sam wanted to do something besides freeloading off her parents.
"My dad is a plastic surgeon." She offered, giving him a small smile, "My mom comes from old money, so she inherited money from her father when he died." She took a sip of her milk, "They're good people. My dad has a great sense of humor, and my mom fusses over everyone that walks in the door."
~*~
Doctors and independently wealthy people weren't the kind to frequent the dancefloors of clubs Mike went to nor were they liable to have followed him around during his hype days. He had met a lot of their children -spoiled rich kids with too much money and too much time on their hands- yet Sam didn't seem anything like the youth he remembered. She was younger than him; she didn't seem her age all the same. Mostly, Mike thought Sam was a very confident woman who got what she wanted because she knew what she wanted.
Mike ate two cookies as he drank his milk, trying not to look at the soy milk Sam had poured for herself with disgust. The stuff tasted foul to him. He had no idea how she managed to live on a vegan diet. It was fine to him she chose the lifestyle. Mike couldn't have done it all the same. He had to have food which tasted worth eating. Cheese, milk, and steak were all on his list of staples to have at all times. A guy needed to have the basics around in case he had to feed himself on the fly, right?
"I think it's a good thing my folks? Aren't available to meet you. They were a long way from your parents."
He smiled as he gestured to the mess surrounding them.
"Good news? I learned a lot about housework from my mother and my father? Taught me out to appreciate a woman's cooking. You do the cooking and I'll do the cleaning. Deal?"
~*~
Sam hadn't asked Mike about his family, although she knew that he had stated that he had none to go visit. She wasn't sure if they weren't alive, or if he refused to associate with them. It wasn't her place to ask right now, or at least, it didn't feel as if it was her place.
"Oh did you?" She tipped her glass in his direction, "I'm okay with this arrangement, although I didn't invite you over so you could clean up my mess." She gave him a half smile before taking a sip of her milk.
Licking her lips, Sam sat her glass down. "I appreciate you coming over though." A smile was still on her lips, "It's been a lot of fun." They weren't done yet, but still, Sam was having a great time and didn't think it would've been half as fun by herself.
She was thankful for Mike's friendship, and the possibility that something more was going on between them. Sam, however, wasn't going to push for anything or rush it but she really enjoyed Mike's company.
"Alright," she finished up her glass of soy milk and then pushed back from the table, "let's get these finished up so I can box them and get them out tomorrow."