Title: On the Hunt
Author: veiledndarkness
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1921
Summary: The elusive search for THE gift of the year.
Warnings: Usual disclaimer. They aren't mine, sadly.
0000
Bobby counted to ten slowly in his mind, each number drawn out. He let his breath leave in small puffs as the urge to throttle the large man in front of him surged again. He blinked and cocked his head while holding tightly to his patience.
"What?" he asked, his voice tight. The man was red, flustered and sweating.
"I-I'm sorry s-sir but we're all out," he stammered before wiping at his brow with his hanker chief.
Bobby's left eye twitched. "Uh huh. So you're sayin' there's no more then?" he said a moment later.
"No," the man said, fingering the edge of the telephone cord by his hand. He blinked nervously as Bobby seemed to loom closer, his face dark, and his eyes blank but burning.
"Maybe you should take another look in the back," he said between clenched teeth.
"I-I assure you sir, we're all out of stock. We've sold out, it was a big rush this year, and, and…" he said, stumbling abruptly as Bobby reached over the counter and yanked him closer.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't fuck you up right now," he said softly, his mouth twisted, a nasty smirk on his face.
"Please, you must understand…they were the hottest toy this year, you should have come earlier," he babbled, desperately wanting to yell for help when Bobby gripped him tighter.
"Yeah, no shit huh?" Bobby snapped. He shoved the man backwards, feeling only a slight flicker of pride in seeing a grown man on the verge of pissing himself.
"Lemme clue you in asshole," Bobby said. "Some people, they don't have the money when you say we gotta buy stuff."
The man wiped at his forehead again and began to ramble before Bobby sighed in disgust.
"Ah, shut the fuck up," he spat. "Thanks for all the help," he said as he walked out of the store, punching a display of the hottest toy of the year, the only thing that Jack had admitted to wanting.
0000
Bobby stomped through the mall, his face furious. He wanted nothing more than to get Jack the damn toy. And now as he made his way to the food court, angrily pushing his way through the crowds, he thought back to the look on Jack's face that very morning.
0000
Jack had been watching the television that morning, his face far too close to the screen despite Evelyn's repeated reminders to move back. He nodded absently, his eyes still on the commercial.
Bobby looked over the edge of his plate and rolled his eyes. "Jack!" he barked. "Get away from the screen!"
Jack scooted back automatically, his eyes glued to the screen, until he was closer to the couch. Bobby snorted at the look of loving exasperation on his mother's face and smirked.
"How is it that he hears you and not me?" she muttered before throwing her hands up and walking to the kitchen.
Bobby smiled and brought his forkful of eggs to his mouth, chewing thoughtfully as he watched Jack. After a moment's silence he pushed his foot against Jack's shoulder and nudged him.
"Hey," he said. Jack glanced at him quickly. "What?" he murmured.
"Shouldn't sit so close y'know, fucks your eyes up," Bobby advised before swallowing his mouthful.
"Shouldn't talk with your mouth full either," Jack said lazily before grinning at Bobby's look of outrage.
"Oh that's good, coming from a guy who can't remember to close the door behind him in the bathroom," he snapped, earning a blush from Jack.
"Shut up," he whispered, blushing furiously.
"I saw what you were doin' in there," he said. Jack shoved his foot angrily. "Fuck you," he said.
"Ah, calm down Jackie, I'm only kidding," Bobby sighed. "Relax."
Jack crossed his arms and huffed with annoyance. "You're one to talk. I hear you sometimes," he said.
Bobby laughed. "Probably had your ear pressed right up against the wall eh?"
Jack blushed again much to Bobby's surprise and amusement. He filed that fact away, and changed the subject.
"So you figured out whatcha want for Christmas?" he asked, this time careful to swallow before speaking.
Jack shrugged. "I dunno," he said half-heartedly. Bobby suppressed the urge to roll his eyes.
"You can tell me Jackie, you know that," he said. Jack shrugged again. "Nothin' special, I guess."
"Uh huh, funny that you mention that, I could have sworn I saw a toy magazine under the edge of your mattress the other day," he said, smiling slightly. "Or was that another dirty magazine?"
Jack snorted. "Like I'd keep them where you could find them," he mumbled.
"There must be something you want," Bobby persisted. "Just name it; I'll get it for you. Promise."
Jack stared at him doubtfully. "You won't make fun?" he asked.
Bobby leaned forward and caught his chin, holding his face gently. "Nope, now tell me."
Jack blinked slowly, his eyes wider than Bobby remembered seeing. "A Furby," he breathed.
"Furby, right. Ok you got it sweetheart," Bobby said, his thumb moving slowly alongside Jack's chin until he heard Evelyn clear her throat in the doorway. He let go of Jack reluctantly, his fingers tingling lightly.
"Bobby, if you're done eating, I need you to run to the mall today. There are a few things that I forgot yesterday and I've a million other things to do," she said, noting the red tint to Jack's cheeks and the way he stared after Bobby, who had gotten up off the couch.
"No problem Ma," he said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek as he walked out of the living room. He winked at Jack over his shoulder and whistled as he put on his coat and headed out the door.
0000
Bobby sat in the food court, eating his French fries one by one, letting his mind wander. He had tried three stores so far, and each one had been completely sold out of Furby's. He sighed in disgust at himself for waiting so long to pick up something for Jack.
He remembered that Jack had been talking excitedly about the damn toys for weeks and only now was he realizing that he might just walk out of the mall empty handed. He resisted the urge to bang his head against the table at the futility of it all.
For the next five hours, Bobby traveled from mall to mall, searching store after store for a Furby, only to be scoffed at, laughed at, and faced countless condescending sneers from salespeople. His temper had reached his boiling point at the most recent store and he had kicked the costumed employee dressed like a Furby in the ass before making sure to get out before they caught him.
He wandered the aisles of a small gift shop on the outskirts of the downtown core, his mind blank except for the fact that he was going to end up disappointing Jack. He left the store, his hands trembling as he walked.
He bumped into random people, mumbling apologies as he cut through the crowds of people. He sat on a wooden bench not far from where he had parked, in a small walkthrough of a park of sorts and held his head in his hands.
Bobby frowned when he heard someone sit down beside him. "D'ya mind?" he asked irritably.
He glanced up and saw an older woman smiling at him. "Oh, uh sorry," he said.
"That's fine dear," she said, her eyes twinkling. "I just needed a rest. Shopping is hard work," she declared.
Bobby snorted. "Definitely," he said. She nodded and leaned back against the wooden fence.
"Have you finished all your shopping yet dear?" she asked. Bobby shook his head.
"I got most of it done, 'cept one," he said, unable to keep the catch in his voice out.
"Ah, a gift for a very important person then?" she said before pulling out her knitting needles and a roll of yarn from her large shoulder bag.
Bobby nodded. "You could say that," he said, frowning again. "I just wanted to get him something special, the one thing he really wanted."
"It's nice that you care so much," she observed. "You must really love him."
Bobby smiled faintly. "Yeah, I do," he said softly. "The kid had it pretty bad growing up and Christmas wasn't a good time of year for him."
The old lady smiled and looped her needles, the clacking soothing to Bobby. It reminded him of Evelyn. He watched her knit, envying her calmness.
"Problem is that I waited too long to get it, and now I…" he trailed off.
She looked at him expectantly. "And now you can't find it, right?"
Bobby sighed. "Yeah, way too long," he replied glumly.
"The spirit of Christmas lives in children, not in the gifts you buy for them," she said softly.
"That's easy to say," he muttered. She smiled and looped her needles again.
"Harder to practice though," she said a moment later.
"I tried y'know. I really did," he said, rubbing at the side of his forehead tiredly.
"I'm sure Jack loves you, and if there's one thing I've learned it's that you have to hold onto the love you've got," the lady said. She tucked her knitting back into her handbag and stood up slowly, her shoulders stooped and rounded.
Bobby smiled faintly. "Crazy kid, I can't ever figure him out," he said affectionately.
The lady straightened up and reached into her bag and handed him a slip of paper. "Love isn't bought by presents, but it never hurts to surprise the ones you love."
"Try this address," she said, her eyes twinkling again when Bobby took the slip that she offered.
Bobby held the paper and scanned it quickly. The address was just down the street.
"Hey, thanks," he said before realizing that the lady was gone.
He glanced around wildly, swearing softly. "Son of a…"
0000
Jack wiggled with excitement on Christmas morning, unable to sit still. The morning had been wonderful, wrapping paper covered the floor, and presents littered the ground.
Jerry sighed and stretched, his eyes drooping sleepily. "Are we done all this family stuff yet?" he said, yawning sharply.
Evelyn gave him a look and turned to Bobby. "Is there anything missing?" she asked softly.
Bobby fought the huge grin that wanted to creep across his face. "Yeah, I got one," he said.
He grabbed the present that he had hidden behind the couch and handed it to Jack.
"Here ya go kiddo," he said. He sat back down, holding in a small breath.
Jack carefully ripped open the package, his fingers shaking in excitement. He slipped the wrapping paper off and gasped when he saw the face of a blue furby, its eyes half opened and staring at him.
"You got it!" he crowed. Bobby smiled and exchanged a knowing glance with Evelyn.
"Yeah, I got it. I promised you didn't I?" he said casually.
Jack stared at the package and felt a surge of thankfulness and love wash over him. He jumped up from the wrapping paper around him and leapt at Bobby, throwing his newly long arms around him and knocking him flat back against the couch.
"Thank you," he repeated softly, over and over.
Bobby sent a quick thanks to the mysterious lady who had somehow known exactly what he wanted to buy, had known Jack's name and had disappeared within seconds. His own angel.
"Merry Christmas Jackie," he said quietly.