A Strange Eve.
By Abregaza.
DISCLAIMER: Don't own anything but this particular telling of this particular story. Oh and I own the computer it was written on.
A/N: This is my answer to the challenge I issued at the Cape Haven Writers Group. There were three elements, that it be set in Season 1, that Logan wear a 'funny' hat at some stage during the story and that there be an unexpected kiss between two characters.
For some unknown reason, out of the hundred or so scenarios I came up with this is the one that wrote itself, so I hope you enjoy.
Max stopped wide eyed in the door of Jam Pony as she returned from her last run.
It was New Year's Eve, and Sketchy had begun spiking Normal's coffee early in the morning to ensure that they would be able to have a party that evening. Obviously he'd managed to get enough liquor into the coffee.
'Cause there was sure as hell a party on the premises. Normal was leading a conga line of messengers and other people, most of them decorated in tinsel. Normal himself had a large wreath of tinsel around his neck and a strand tied around his head with a large bow on the top.
Original Cindy and Herbal Thought were in the very back corner of the building, talking to someone sitting in a chair. Max couldn't tell who it was from the doorway because the most distinguishing thing about the person was the huge and gaudy party hat they were wearing.
It was an oversize cardboard party hat, cone shaped, tinsel streamers hanging from it and obscuring the person's face. It also had antlers attached on both sides, and a branch protruding from the top with some mistletoe attached.
Herbal detached himself from the conversation and headed towards the messenger lunch area, which had been converted into an impromptu bar for the festive occasion.
Cindy laughed as the man she was talking to shoved the hat backwards, revealing the glint of wire framed glasses beneath all of the tinsel.
"Oh my God," Max whispered, "It's Logan!"
"You do not like the mon's hat, my sister?" asked Herbal as he appeared beside her and handed her a beer.
Max was speechless.
"I believe it is the hat Sketchy made for Normal, but when Logan came to drop off a package for you Normal insisted he stay and gifted him with the hat."
Max closed her eyes and pinched her arm as hard as she could, sure that when she opened her eyes this would all be a dream.
But when she opened her eyes it was to find she was still standing in the doorway of Jam Pony, with a sheepish Logan waving at her from across the room, one hand holding the strands of tinsel from his face so he could see her.
Max began working her way across the room towards him, barely noticing Original Cindy trying to cut her off.
AS she reached Logan, someone turned up the music and her "What are you doing?" was lost in the barrage of sound.
She leaned down, and yelled "WHAT ARE YOU DOING..." stopping in shock as he pulled her into his lap.
She pushed a hand against his chest, as he slurred "Hi" at her, with a lopsided grin. The next thing she knew he was kissing her. Her eyes opened wide at the taste of the alcohol that assaulted her senses.
"Did you see my mistletoe?" He asked, releasing her slightly. "I'm wearing mistletoe, so you have to kiss me." He mumbled, trying to kiss her again.
Original Cindy arrived at that point and helped Max free herself from Logan's grasp.
"Sorry boo," she yelled over the music, "I was trying to warn you. The fool gave him some punch, and I didn't think he should be driving home in this condition."
"I think that's was a very good idea." Max agreed nodding, "He's certainly in no condition to drive."
"C'mon Logan, I'll drive you home."
"No," he said pouting, "I want to lead the conga line. I want to stay and have fun."
Max rolled her eyes, they'd been having this argument every ten minutes for the past three hours.
Original Cindy returned from turning the music back down to a normal volume once again and jumped into the conversation with a wicked grin.
"How 'bout you and my boo here do a trade?" she drawled, "Max gives you a kiss again, and then she can take you home."
Logan tried in vain to focus on Original Cindy as he considered the notion, screwing up his face as he went into deep though to ponder this obviously important question.
Max glared at Cindy who was trying not to laugh.
Logan mumbled incoherently to himself then leaned back silently into his chair. Max waited a few moments then decided he'd passed out from his intoxication and began to move behind his chair in preparation of leaving the building.
"Ok," he said suddenly, making her jump at the sudden change from complete limpness to speaking. "If Max kisses me again, I'll let her take me home."
"Deal." Said Max, glaring at Cindy again.
She bent down to Logan, and closed her eyes as she leaned in to kiss him. Just before their lips touched something large and human crashed into her and knocked her from her feet.
She opened her eyes in shocked surprise, only to find Sketchy kissing Logan.
"You fool!" screeched Original Cindy, grabbing Sketchy by the hair and pulling him away from Logan.
As raised her hand to smack him upside the head Herbal stepped between them.
"But he's wearing mistletoe," whined Sketchy. "You have to kiss people with mistletoe, that's the rules."
Max shook her head in disbelief; this was one very weird night. Standing up, she dusted herself off and began wheeling Logan's chair towards the exit.
"Let's get you home," she said, "Where'd you park anyways?"
"Somewhere over there," Logan said waving his hand down the street.
Normal was now sprawled on the service desk; chugging from a funnel as the messengers cheered him on and someone poured beer into it. Max edged Logan through the crowd and out into the cool night.
He looked back up at her as she scanned the paused just outside the doors and scanned the area for the Aztek.
"Max, what about my kiss?" he asked puzzled.
For some reason the events of the night suddenly struck her as funny, and she began laughing.
From inside the building she could hear people begin counting down the last seconds of the old year.
6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2...
Quickly she leaned down and gently kissed him on the lips.
"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"
She pulled away and smiled softly.
Logan was slumped limply in his chair. She shook his shoulder slightly, but this time he was out for the count.
She shrugged and pushed the wheelchair towards the Aztek, and so ended another year at Jam Pony.
THE END
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Cheers peeps, hope that one wasn't too insane for y'all.