Over the month between Sean being in the Irish creators day panel and Christmas, I had done my collab with Yami and had actually done so many more with all three of them. We all did our Christmas eve, day and news years day videos as mini collabs as well. I got to know Yami or Aaron really well too and it was nice to be able to talk to him and even the others without it necessarily having to do with "work".
When new year's rolled around Mark and I skyped with Bob Wade Sean and Yami and had the customary drink...at each of our mid-nights. Then it was just business as usual until February then we all went into scramble mode. To book our flights and hotel rooms and cars to check into the center and confirm our arrivals and schedules. Then it was a flurry of making videos and editing them and getting them scheduled for upload. Not to mention packing.
'Good god! I should just make a con travel bag!' I thought as I ran to Marks to grab my wallet.
"Just come in!" Mark called before I even knocked.
"Damn It! Where are they?" Mark yelled.
"Where's what?" I asked as I pocketed my wallet and stepped into the warzone that was the kitchen.
'Not that mine looks much better.' I thought.
"My 'hey stupid you're not supposed to drink but here take these and you can', pills" Mark replied. I just gave him a look.
"You did pick up your refill from the pharmacy right?" I asked just making sure.
Mark froze.
"SHIT! Damn it! No, I completely forgot!" Mark said.
"So, go get them." I told him.
"I'm not done packing and we leave the day after tomorrow!" Mark told me.
"I'm mostly done you tell me what you want, and while you're gone to get them I'll pack it for you." I told him.
He told me what he wanted then went to walk towards the door.
"Don't forget to grab the extra multi chargers from the specialty shop while you're out too!" I called to him just before he got the door.
"I will...wait let me go grab the receipts." He replied.
He turned and headed into his room to grab the receipts then walked back out and stopped by the door.
"Is there anything else I'm forgetting?" he asked.
I shrugged thinking.
"Do you have your wallet? Your card in case you're short on cash? Your cell phone in case your car gets a flat or something else ridiculous because you take extremely good care of it. Did you have anything at the dry cleaners?" I asked thinking out loud.
"Wallet yes, card yes, cash yes, phone yes, nothing at the dry cleaners...what could I be forgetting?" Mark asked quietly.
"I don't know Mark maybe it's just in your imagination? I mean we have been busy as hell lately." I said.
"True, that's probably it." Mark said.
Then he took the last couple steps to the door.
"Alright I'll be back in maybe max two hours. If you need anything while im out I have my cell." Mark said as he grabbed the door knob.
"Alright just drive carefully." I said as I turned to face him.
"I will, I will." He said as he walked out.
I waited until I heard his car leave, then went back to my apartment to grab my tablet. I walked back over to Marks apartment and into his room.
'This is gonna take a bit, stupid packing always causing messes.' I thought as I popped my headphones into my tablet then slid my tablet into my hoodie.
'That reminds me I should pack my heavy hoodies, Boston in march is not going to be fun.' I thought with a sigh as I began to grab the things Mark wanted. I sighed as I looked what he had.
'That man's going to be cold. I guess I should just pack him a hoodie or three.' I thought as I grabbed out the three thickest hoodies he had.
*RING RING RING*
"AH! Jesus!" I yelled pulling my tablet out. I answered the call.
"Sean, you blew my ear drums." I said softly my ears still ringing.
"I'm sorry. I was wondering if you knew what Boston's going to be like so I can pack accordingly." Sean said with a small frown.
"Don't frown, and it's going to be cold as fuck so pack warm. When I say cold as fuck I also mean like it could be low like negative fifteen, or lower and it definitely won't get higher then forty. It's the only...no not even close. It's one of the more trackable things in the east." I told him as I unplugged my headphones and settled my tablet so Sean could see me as I moved around.
"Oh yay, leaving one cold place for another." Sean said sarcastically.
"Don't complain, it could be worse." I told him.
"How?" he called as he too started packing hoodies.
"There could be no heat. Which I've already checked and there is, they guarantee it or they'll get us all personal heaters for the panels and signings and stuff like that." I told him.
He cheered at that. Then I heard a crash, I turned to look at the screen, I had to try not to laugh.
"Are you ok?" I asked with a small smile.
"Yes, I swear it attacked me!" Sean said with a laugh as he took the trash can off his foot.
"Ah, I see it's all very clear now, the trash can just assaulted you. It's going to be lonely, its fighting with the couch this week, so It thought if it stopped you from packing you'd stay and keep it company." I said this all with a straight face, barely.
Sean broke first and cracked up laughing. I quickly fallowed.
"Is there anything else I should know about Boston?" Sean asked once we managed to calm down.
"Uhm, yeah actually, im sure people have told you already, but Boston's nickname is the Ireland of America. I don't know why I think it's something to do with the bars, im not usually a public drinker though soo...although to settle my stomach and get through this convention I may have to be one." I said thoughtfully as I grabbed the last few things Mark wanted packed.
Sean looked over at me.
"Seriously? And are you packing Marks stuff?" Sean asked.
"Yes, and yes. Im only packing the last of his stuff because he had to run out and pick some last minute stuff up." I told him as I settled the stuff carefully into his bag.
I looked at the bed.
"Sean?" I asked softly.
"Yeah?" he answered.
"Are you bringing Sam?" I asked as I walked to the head of the bed.
"Are you bringing Norbert?" Sean questioned back.
"Of course I am, it's my first con I'll need Norbert to sleep. Especially being so close to my original home town, not the one where they killed my dog my birth town." I said.
"I've been saving packing Sam until the last minute...it's really hard to sleep without 'em." Sean said, with a small smile.
I sighed picking up Tim.
"Then im packing Tim for Mark...he's going to need him I think I don't know why, but I have a feeling." I said softly.
Mark didn't sleep with Tim every night so it would be ok if he disappeared for a night or two.
"Are you sure you should pack Tim now?" Sean asked.
"It's now or never and Mark doesn't sleep with Tim every night. So it should be ok...or maybe I should grab one of his other plushy Tim's" I said thoughtfully as I held Tim.
"That's up to you. Are you even done packing?" Sean asked.
"I've actually been done since yesterday...don't tell Mark he thinks I still have more to pack. When really I just want a chance to clean my apartment before we leave. You know what? I got this." I said with a smile.
I packed Tim then ran to the recording room to grab the other much loved Tim and settled it on the bed in the same position 'sleepy Tim' was in.
"Nice! hahaha" Sean said.
"Thanks! So when do you fly out?" I asked him as I closed and latched Marks last case.
"I'll get there like eleven or twelve the day after tomorrow." He said.
"Holy shit. We will literally all get there around the same time. Mark and I land at eleven thirty. Aaron lands at twelve ten? I think. So you have the chance to be the first one there." I said with a smile.
"The day after tomorrow?" Sean asked making sure.
"Yeah, Mark and I leave the day after tomorrow at like six thirty, which means we both have to be up at like five thirty, and Aaron leaves idk when but he guaranteed unless the flight was delayed he'd be there at twelve or twelve ten and I almost forgot Bob and Mandy and Wade and Molly will be there around twelve thirty but they're all renting their own cars so it's all good." I said with a thoughtful look.
"So who all's in the car pool so far?" Sean asked as he latched his suit case.
"Mark you and me. Aarons got his own car and so do Wade and Bob." I told him.
I walked out to the living room kitchen area, and looked around.
"So just the three of us? Cool." Sean said I saw as he moved towards the cam then the cam was moving.
"Your using your tablet too?" I asked with a laugh as I settled my tablet again and started to clear up some of the mess.
"Yeah, I figured it'd be less awkward." He said as he walked down the stairs.
"Yeah it really is, also sorry if I keep moving out of frame im trying to tidy up a bit before he gets back." I told him.
"I should do the same! Haha" Sean said.
We continued to talk as I cleaned and Sean finished packing.
"Marks back!" I told him after looking out the window.
"Alright, I'll call you later." Sean said with a smile.
"I think he knows we talk simply from things that slip, but okey dokey that and you texted me once when he was there." I said.
"I don't care if he knows we talk! Haha I just figured you'd want to make him believe you were a busy bee." Sean told me.
"True, though you may not get me on skype again tonight. Computer is in stasis/sleep mode and won't do skype its literally set up to only upload the videos until I input my password again and im charging my tablet, with any luck I'll also have a clean apartment tomorrow." I told him.
Shortly after that we said good bye and Mark walked in.
"This place looks amazing." Mark said.
"One less thing for you to worry about." I told him.
"Two less things. Done packing and the apartment I insist you let me help you pack and or clean." Mark said with a smile as he opened the fridge.
"Cleaning it is then since I'm done packing." I told him, trying to see what he bought.
"Sounds good, and thanks again." Mark said as he walked over and slid the pill bottle into his carry on along with a penned scrip from his doctor.
"Stupid airport." I said with a sigh.
"Yes yes it is." Mark said.
"Sean called, he'll be in anywhere between eleven and noon." I told him.
"Sweet, the day after tomorrow right?" He said.
"Yes, now tell me Mark what did you just attempt to smuggle into the fridge?" I asked with a small smile.
"Fireball." Mark said simply.
"Enough to share with the class?" I asked with a goofy grin.
"But of course." Mark replied.
He finished his few last minute things, and then we headed over to my apartment. When we got there Mark whistled.
"Wow it looks like a tornado went off in here." Mark said.
"Do you have a cooler?" I asked instead of gracing his comment with an answer.
"A cooler?" Mark asked giving me a strange look.
"For the fireball?" I asked.
"Oh! Yeah, why?" he said.
"Because I was wondering if I could slip a bunch of bootlegger in to your cooler?" I asked him.
"Sure!" Mark told me and with that we started the long process of cleaning my apartment.
We finished cleaning around three and Mark ended up crashing in the guest room. The next morning was a greater rush. We literally went through almost all of our bags to make sure we had everything.
"Ticket, carry on tags, wallet, keys, id, passport, hat thing and Pax exhibitors badge . Check check check check check check check and check." I said with a smile.
"Why passport?" Mark asked.
"How else on our extra day are we to get to Canada?" I asked him.
"Passport. Check." Mark said with a laugh as he grabbed his.
"You have your id? And a beanie or hat of some form?" I asked him.
"Yes, I do. It's not going to be that bad." Mark said with a laugh.
"Famous last words it can get to negative fifteen or lower with a high not likely to go over forty." I told him.
That sobered him up really fast.
"I should pack heavier hoodies then." Mark said and went to do that.
"Don't bother I already beat you to it. Sorry but I knew what it was going to be like so I went ahead and added them except your black M one that I left out I thought you could bring it with you like tied around your waist or something so you had something warm for when we get there." I told him with a small smile.
"You are awesome." He said as he walked back over.
We ate out that night neither one of us wanting to cook. That night we packed the car with all of our stuff, and the car was packed. Before we went to sleep that night, I looked at mark and asked a very important question.
"You did put the long stay pass thing into the car right?" I asked.
Mark slapped his forehead and ran outside. I stood there and laughed.
"Oh shush you, do you have Norbert?" he asked.
"Yes, I do. Are you brining Tim?" I asked him.
"No, he'd take up to much space in my bag." Mark said with a sigh.
"Alright, I have like three empty suit cases too incase either of us pick anything up." I told him with a small smile.
We went to sleep early that night so we could be up by five. When the alarms went off. We made our way into the kitchen.
"Five am fucking sucks ass." I said with a sigh. I grabbed the k-cup for the Keurig and made myself some coffee.
Mark just kinda made an odd snore/groan noise.
"Attention MarkiMoo, wake up!" I called loudly to him.
"I am up. I also smell coffee, for once it actually smells good." Mark said softly as I sat up, neither one of us had our glasses on, contacts in my case.
"Do you want it iced? And don't forget to put the fireball and bootlegger into the cooler, car. Along with the ice packs." I said.
"Ice yes please." Mark said, then stood up.
"I'm going to go put cloths on, then im going to enjoy ice coffee, and then pack copious amounts of alcohol into my car, fantastic." He said with a smile.
I finished his coffee then chugged mine down.
"MARK! Coffee's ready!" I called as I headed towards the guest room.
I grabbed my cloths and headed over to my apartment to get a shower. After a ten minute soak I put on my cloths jeans and Norbert the night owl t-shirt under a dark blue and green hoodie. I grabbed my iPod and the docking station along with my earbuds, sat all that into a small bag along with my three ds and a couple games. Then headed back to Marks. Where I grabbed Norbert and sat him in the bag as well. I made sure that the four sets of stuffed animals we had where still securely wrapped. I shuffled all that down the stairs to Mark car. By the time we got the car finished and got in and ready to go it was six.
"We'll just make it." Mark said as he started the car.
"I know. I know. Just shhh im bouncy." I said with a smile.
"you remembered your adhd meds right?" Mark asked softly I gave him a look.
"Yes, just because im bouncy though doesn't mean it's my issues it could just mean Im excited." I said with a small pout.
"I didn't mean to imply it was your 'issues' I just wanted to make sure you had them in case you needed them like you made sure last week I called in the refill for my 'hey stupid' pills, that's all." Mark said. I sighed.
"I know I know. I just don't like getting reminded of it. Which is why I love coffee it works the same." I told him softly so he knew I wasn't really mad at him.
The rest of the ride was spent talking about the convention, and meeting Sean and Aaron in person. We got to the airport and got the bag guy to help us with our bags just in time for two hour check in.
"Just so you both know and we tell everyone this, there is free Wi-Fi by the gates, however once we start loading the plane at that gate it will be temporarily shut down until you are in the air then the planes Wi-Fi will kick on." The bag checker lady told us.
"Alright thank you ma'am." Mark said politely I already had my tablet out and was loading up skype.
"He's on Mark. So either he hasn't taken off yet or he's at altitude." I told him and popped my earbuds in, passing one to Mark.
I changed my skype settings to active and within seconds he was calling in.
"It's too damn early to be awake!" Sean complained as soon as it loaded.
Mark nodded.
"I agree completely. We just got to the airport we have like an hour and a half until take off though. Are you in the air or still at the airport?" I asked him.
"I'm in the air." Sean said with a sigh.
"You didn't sleep last night did you?" Mark asked him softly.
"Nope I sure didn't!" Sean said as he yawned.
"Cuddle Sam you'll be on the ground in its almost seven now? Four or five hours." I told him with a small laugh.
"Mmm good idea." He said.
"Wait you both brought yours?" Mark asked.
"Yeah." Sean said, Marks face kind of fell.
We sat down as close to the gate as we could get, and I pulled Marks one suitcase to me, passing him my tablet. I dug around inside it until I found what I was looking for. I took my tablet back and replaced it with 'sleepy Tim'.
"Your welcome." I said looking at his face.
"How did you..?" Mark asked with a small smile.
"I knew you'd wish you had brought him so when I packed your bag yesterday I packed him, along with the hoodies." I told him then I turned to Sean.
"Speaking of hoodies you do have a nice thick one for when you land right?" I asked him and he rubbed his face into the one he was wearing.
"Double insulated with a fur lining im going to be nice and toasty." Sean said with a smile.
The three of us talked for another hour before Sean decided he was going to get a nap.
"Alright, Sean we'll see you in a few hours." I said with a small smile.
"Mmm, alright sounds good. See you both on the ground." Sean said as he ended the call.
I ended the call on my end then shut my tablet off and slid it into my carry on.
"I just hope he stayed awake long enough to put his tablet away." I said with a small sigh.
I looked over at Mark and let out another small sigh.
"Excuse me miss?" the stewardess asked coming over.
"Yes?" I asked as politely as I could.
"Is your brother alright?" she asked.
I laughed.
"Yeah, he's fine. Just tired, and not my brother." I told her softly.
"Oh! Im sorry! Im glad your boyfriend is alright then, but perhaps you should wake him up the flight is loading a a few minutes." She said.
I let out another laugh.
"He's not my boyfriend either. He's my best friend and colleague." I told her softly.
She just nodded and walked off. I stood and stretched stepping over to kneel by Marks head.
"Oh MarkiMoo. It's time to wake up. The planes loading soon" I said softly close to his ear.
He just shuffled and hugged Tim closer to himself.
"MARK! I called about an inch from his ear.
"AHHH!" Mark yelped and jumped up, looking around wildly.
"Mark it's ok, they're just going to start calling loading soon, I didn't want you to sleep through it." I said with a small laugh.
Mark nodded and grabbed his carry on backpack thing and slipped Tim into it. Just in time for the stewardess to start calling the plane to load. We stood up and walked over sliding our suitcases onto the conveyor belt, along with the cooler. We strapped the backpacks to us, and waited for them to call our section.
"Now loading: first class A-H" the stewardess said.
Mark and I stepped forward with our tickets and when we were set there walked onto the plane and to our seats we settled into the seats, shortly after we sat Mark was out again. I saw a stewardess move to go passed us, and I called to her softly.
"Yes, ma'am?" she asked politely.
"Would it be possible to get maybe a couple blankets and pillows? We only have a short flight I know, but we could both use a little extra sleep." I said with a sheepish smile.
"Of course ma'am no problem I'll bring them right out to you." She said with a smile.
"Thank you, so much." I said happily.
A couple minutes later she came back with the blankets and pillows. I situated Mark first. Then I settled myself, I grabbed Norbert out of my bag two and snuggled down. I woke up three and a half hours later. I shook Mark awake and we slowly began to wake up with only a half hour left. I pulled my tablet out and turned it on. Sean was on skype again and called quickly.
"How goes your progress, Sean?" I asked softly.
"Half an hour to forty-five minutes." He responded.
"That's about how long it's going to be for us too." Mark said as he carefully stretched his back. Then stood to walk to the bathroom.
"Soo how's your flight been? Mines been so bumpy I slept maybe an hour." Sean said softly.
He sounded better even with so little sleep.
"Then I won't rub it in your face that me and Mark just woke up three and a half hours into our flight with only half an hour to forty-five minutes left." I said softly.
Sean groaned. I laughed softly.
"You do know that besides check in today we can go to the the hotel and sleep right?" I asked him.
He gave me a look like I had completely shocked him.
"I do now! Yay! Im a much happier person when I sleep." Sean said with a laugh.
Mark came back then.
"Go use the bathroom now we're landing shortly, they said twenty minutes." Mark said.
"it took you twenty minutes to use the bathroom?" Sean asked.
"I may or may not have dozed off a little bit." Mark replied.
I laughed and passed him my tablet. I was half way to the bathroom and turned around.
"Alright, sorry I almost forgot, I'll see you when we land Sean, there shutting the net down in ten or so minutes." I told him then turned and walked to the bathroom.
I walked out ten minutes later and got back to my seat in time for the five minute warning to come on. I packed my tablet and Norbert and pulled on a thicker hoodie.
"Mark, you have to pack Tim away now and get your hoodie on." I told him when he hadn't seemed to notice.
He sighed.
"I know. Sorry im just so tied." He said quietly.
He stood up and put Tim In his bag pulling out the heavy hoodie he had, he had it on and sat back down by the time the 'buckle up' sign came on. We buckled up and leaned back as we descended. When we landed it was much the same as boarding. We stood and strapped our backpacks on then sat and waited for our area to be called to exit the plane. When we finally got off the plane we grabbed our bags, then I looked for the first flight tracker screen.
"He's just going into landing procedures. Umm over there? I think?" I told Mark.
Mark looked at the screen then were I had pointed and just shook his head.
"I'm going to ask a stewardess, because both Aaron and Sean planes read as in that area. Then again Aaron isn't set to land for another forty-five minutes." Mark said with a sigh.
*Buzzt Buzzt*
"Mark, your phone." I told him as he went to walk away.
He looked at it. Then sighed and replied. Looking back at me.
"Aaron says don't bother waiting for him, his plane got delayed an hour and a half in a layover." Mark said.
I sighed.
"Poor Aaron, that puts him here at like almost two o'clock." I said.
Mark nodded and continued over to the desk, as I waited with our bags. Mark came back with a small smile, grabbed his bags and started walking off. I grabbed my bags and fallowed after him. it took us a couple minutes to get to the right landing gate. When we got there we checked the screen again.
"He should be landing, now." I told Mark.
"Yeah, but you know how long it took us to get off the plane." Mark said.
"Yes, but that's because we were first class. Sean may not have gone with first class." I told him.
He nodded and we sat down close to the gate. It only took maybe ten minutes before we saw him.
"Mark, shall we?" I asked softly.
"I think we shall." Mark said.
We both stood and walked over to the end of the security line, still going un-noticed. When Sean cleared the security desk, we stepped up next to him.
"Hey guys!" Sean said lighting up when he realized who was beside him.
"Hey Sean." I said with a smile.
"Sean, hey." Mark told him, with a happy smile.
We walked over to baggage claim and grabbed Sean's bags then made it over to the rent a car area. When we got there Mark showed the lady his receipt for the car and was handed the keys. We walked out to the car and loaded all of our bags into it.
"You know what sounds good?" I asked as we all buckled in.
"What sounds good?" Sean asked. Mark just looked at me quickly before looking back to the road.
"Coffee." I said simply Sean agreed and Mark pulled into the nearest shop that sold coffee.
Sean and I grabbed nice hot extra-large coffee's and Mark got an iced coffee cappuccino thing. We got back into the car all of us feeling much more awake. We spent the whole ride to the center joking and laughing. It was great to be able to this in person.