Hey hey lovelies, I'm sorry if this isn't festive enough, I don't exactly feel very festive. I guess I kind of haven't gotten into that Christmassy mood just yet. Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed, you guys wanted this so here you go. And on the topic of reviews, can you guys send me some requests, please? I'd love to write whatever holiday themed stories you guys want me to write. I actually need the distraction too, so please will y'all help a girl out? Seriously, if left to my own devices I'm probably just going to give y'all angsty crap, and who wants angsty holiday themed stories?
Summary: Years have passed since they have seen each other, but they agreed to go to his house for Thanksgiving anyway. But Jeremy is now an alchemist, does he have some ulterior motive for his invitation? Or is there some other reason? And will Rose and the gang find reasons to be thankful even though they're not with their family? Read to find out. Ugh lame ass summary guys I'm sorry it's probably better than it sounds? I don't know.
Thanksgiving Dinner with the Alchemist.
"Can you believe we're going to his house for Thanksgiving dinner though?" Lissa asked. "Because I can't." We were in the car on the way to Jeremy's house, and to be quite honest, I had to agree with her. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would ever run into the human who had once been a house mate of ours.
"I can't either," I said. "I mean he used to be so weird back then, I didn't think he would even remember us."
"Actually that's true," Lissa said. "How did he remember? I strongly remember compelling him to forget about us asking him for his car."
"But you didn't compel him to forget about you entirely," Christian said. Lissa and I nodded in realization.
"Still though," I said. "I don't know it's just kind of strange." Lissa nodded in agreement.
...
Jeremy was waiting outside for us when we pulled up, and I'm not going to lie, the golden Lilly I saw on his cheek set me on edge a little. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but the two story house with the white fence and toys in the front yard, much less for the sudden appearance of that golden Lilly tattoo sure as hell wasn't it.
He greeted us with a warm smile though, and even though I was already spoken for, even I couldn't deny that the years had been good to him. He had muscled up some, clearly he wasn't one of those alchemists who just sat around collecting data or whatever it was that they did in their fancy offices, and he walked around with a lot more confidence now than he had back in his college days. The wedding band I saw on his finger when he shook hands with Dimitri and Christian made me shoot Lissa a triumphant grin.
When Dimitri and I had picked her and Christian up from the airport last night, she and I had started making bets about what Jeremy's life might be like now. I had bet that he was married, so, after this I was going to be a few bucks richer. Lissa on the other hand was convinced that he was gay. And when he finally ushered us inside, it turned out that she was right.
"This is my husband," He said, a goofy smile sliding onto his face. Hell, even his eyes got a little soft and I had to smile. That was a look I knew all too well.
"Hey husband," I quipped in true Rose style. "I'm Rose."
"My name is Dominic," He said with a chuckle. "Great to meet you." He sported a golden Lilly on his cheek too, and for a few seconds, I had to wonder exactly what the fuck we had gotten ourselves into. Even though Sydney Sage had become Sydney Ivashkov over a year and a half ago, even though things had settled now, there was still tension whenever we were around the alchemists.
"You're alchemists?" I asked stupidly. I mean the Lilly tattoo was all the answer I needed, but Dominic nodded then smirked that smirk full of so much mischief that something told me we could get along.
"Hey I'm one of the good guys," He said. "We both are. We're supporters of Sydney and Marcus." That had me relaxing instantly, because Sydney was married to Adrian and Marcus was a rebel in his own right. If they supported them, it meant they weren't total assholes much like a lot of the other alchemists were.
"But we didn't see the Lilly tattoo when we ran into you the other day," Lissa said to Jeremy arching a curious brow.
"No," He said. "I was among some alchemists that day, I needed to cover it up." I realized suddenly that his shoulder length hair was now pulled up into a ponytail. It had been down that day, purposely styled I now realized, to cover up the Lilly.
"You see," He continued. "I had the tattoo re-inked with some of Marcus's special ink. It changes from gold to silver as the ink breaks the magic's hold." This, I knew to be true. Sydney's was starting to turn silver and Markus's already had. Still though, it didn't turn all at once, and it wasn't like it was going to happen all of a sudden, so I didn't know why he felt the need to cover it up when it was obviously still golden. Then again, I couldn't really blame him, the slightest thing was enough to put you on these people's radar.
"Well, I guess no other alchemists are going to show up to this party?" I asked relaxing a little.
"Of course not," Dominic said. "We're gay it goes against their code of right and wrong. We're almost as bad as Sydney was for being cool with you guys back in Palm Springs."
"That is so fucked up," Christian said suddenly and everyone turned to stare. "What?" He asked with an eye roll. "It is. I mean they're being judged because of their sexuality. They're being classed almost as if they were fraternizing with an evil creature of the night when they're actually with someone in their own species. Isn't that fucked up?"
"Of course it is," Lissa said giggling softly. "But did you have to swear though?"
"Liss Rose swears all the time, you know." He said and I rolled my eyes.
"What's your point fire boy?" I asked. "You jealous she never tells me off for it?"
"Jealous?" Christian said snorting. "Of you? Not even in my dreams Rosie." When Lissa smacked him in the back of his head, I laughed so hard I nearly fell out of my chair.
"Enough you guys," Dimitri said. "Play nice." Even though he said it in that serious mentor tone he liked to pull out, his amused eyes told another story. Christian shot Lissa a wounded look and, as always, she was a sucker for those ice blue Ozera eyes. So, he got a kiss on the spot she'd just smacked and one on the cheek.
"Damn baby," Dominic Said. "Where have you been keeping these guys?" Jeremy chuckled.
"I'll tell you guys over dinner." He said. "Come on."
"Are we your only guests?" I asked lifting a brow as we followed them to the kitchen. I remembered the toys that had been littering the front yard and wondered why I hadn't seen any kids yet.
"This year yes." Jeremy said gesturing for us to sit. "We ditched the family this year because I wanted to have dinner with you guys-you're who I'm most thankful for this year. Because of Rose and Lissa, I was convinced that maybe there was more to this world than meets the eye. I always thought there was something weird about you two, Lissa more so, but it took me being taken by some strigoi to realize that what I thought was weird was actually supernatural."
"You were taken by strigoi?" I blurted as I sat down, the rest of them taking seats as well. The girl in me was flattered that he was thankful for Liss and me, but the guardian in me was on edge. He nodded.
"Not long after you two left," He said. "Some of my friends dragged me to a party. Of course I didn't want to go, as I'm sure you remember parties were hardly my thing." Lissa and I nodded in unison. "But I went anyway. Strigoi got in. I have no idea how but they took some students. I was one of them. They also had some moroi at the place where they were staying."
"Holy shit," I said softly. "I never would have guessed it then, but you had really amazing timing comrade." Lissa nodded as Dimitri smiled. Back then I was in no way ready to go up against any strigoi. "But how did you get away though?" I asked Jeremy.
"I don't remember," He said. "It was all just a blur but because of you guys I found my way to the alchemists, and met the love of my life." Dominic smiled softly at him and kissed his cheek.
"Ok see I ditched the family because I just wanted to meet you guys," He said smirking at us all. "But I'm starving so can we please eat now?"
"Oh look rose," Christian drawled. "You've met your match." Everyone laughed at that, everyone but me. Instead, I flipped him off.
"Hey I don't know what your problem is," I said. "I'm all for catching up on old times but I would much rather do it while we eat."
"Me too," Dominic said. "There's no reason to waste such an amazing turkey." He and I grinned at each other, and as the turkey was carved and food was served, I realized that even though this wasn't exactly like the Thanksgiving dinners we usually had at court, it was equally as nice. We talked long after the dishes had been cleared and the pie eaten, and yes, I was true to my word. When we were going around the table saying what we were most thankful for this year, I looked right at Jeremy and smiled.
"I'm most thankful for you inviting us out here," I said. "Because I got to spend some much needed time with Dimitri. Also Dominic's a keeper ok? Anyone who can make such a mean pecan pie is definitely a keeper."
"I know," Jeremy said with a brilliant smile. "I mean I did marry him after all." They shared a look then, the kind so common for couples, that meeting of the eyes where everything, hell the whole world just kind of faded and it was just them and their love and nothing else. It made me smile, made me realize that I was grateful for the amazing man in my life, grateful that he stood by my side through everything.
"I was wrong comrade," I said low enough so only he would hear. "Jeremy's invitation isn't what I'm most thankful for this year. I'm most thankful for you and for the fact that you stand by my side no matter what, that you make every day a beautiful one, that you make me a better person, made my life worth living, and most importantly, that even after all these years the love between us is just as strong as it was back in the beginning."
Dimitri's response was a beautiful smile, one that lit up his face, and as he leant in and captured my lips in a slow, soft kiss, I sent up a silent prayer to whoever would listen that we would be like this for the rest of our lives.
So tell me my lovelies, loved it? Hated it? Really don't care? You know how to let me know. Drop me a review. Don't forget to leave me some requests! Also be on the lookout for the angst, I might actually write some after all, but different story.
Until next time my lovelies
XXX
Roza
