A/N, this particular chapter really presses the rules for FF, but the christmas special is a key part to the story and writing it out is not an option. I'd rather be banned. Besides, Rudolph should be public domain at this point. This story will take a short break from it's blistering pace for the holiday. For those celebrating Merry Christmas!
For those who don't; Peace be with You.
And I mean it, no micro-aggresion crap here. :)
About ten minutes after the phone call there was a knock at the door. It was the cereal. The guy rolled it in on a large silver cart, it had a box of corn flakes, the frosted kind, a quart of milk, two steaming cups of cocoa, and two bowls. One bowl looked like the ones you would mix a cake in.
"Thanks Sid, Sid this is Anna. Anna, this is my manager and PA, Sid."
"Hello Sid, thanks for the late night delivery." Anna said from in front of the TV.
"Hey Kid, a pleasure." Sid stared at Anna for a moment. "KK can I talk to you for a minute?"
They went to a sidebar. Anna couldn't hear what they were saying, but she knew exactly what they were talking about,.. her.
"God dammit, KK, remember what happened the last time? it took twelve lawyers a year working non stop to clear that shit up."
"Screw you, Sid. I was there, you know she had a fake ID."
"Why do you do this shit, seriously? They had thirty pieces of primo cheesecake lined up backstage tonight, and you bring Pippi Longstockings back here."
"She's a code 63"
"Oh my God, not this shit again! KK, I swear to God, if this gets to the cops, I'm gonna' let you fry. Do yourself a favor, quit trying to save the world one girl at a time, OK? And be on the bus by ten a.m. tomorrow, got it?!"
"Yes Sid,... and you better have a look at these." KK handed him the pants.
"Always with the fucking pants, DAMMIT!" Sid slammed the door on the way out.
"Well, that could've gone better, what's up?"
"Nothing, just the typical band shit."
"That did not sound like you were talking about monitor placement."
"Do you want to eat or not?" Apparently Sid got under his skin.
"Oh, the cereal!" Anna said in a sing-song way, she could be such a child at times.
KK opened the box and nearly dumped the entire contents into the large bowl, then proceeded to fill hers.
When he seen he'd miscalculated, he dumped some from his bowl into hers, as high as he could practically make it. he then brought the bowls over to the coffee table in front of the couch, the spoon in his bowl looked like it was made for tossing salad. Then he walked over to another case beside the VCR. Opened it up and rummaged around for a minute.
"Ah, perfect!, they found one."
He showed her the tape, "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" was on a typed label stuck to the cartridge, it was bootleg.
"Seriously?"
"Yea, do you now how hard it is to get one of these? I bet this was five hundred bucks." He started to sing a song from the show.
His voice was low and dark, it's no wonder he didn't have a mic in front of him tonight, he didn't have the screech that most producers are looking for, like Corbane.
So he popped in the tape. And there they were. Sitting on the couch, in their PJs with their feet propped up on the coffee table, eating cereal and watching Rudolph, while just down the hall, suits and rock stars were doin' lines of coke off some women's breasts.
During the show, Anna noticed KK wiping his eyes. Was he crying? At this kids show? That's really strange, she thought. He definitely seen the world differently. The show ended, KK took a final wipe of his eyes, hit rewind, and just stared at the ceiling, lost in his own thoughts.
"Were you crying?"
"Um, no, my eyes were just tired, the lights low.. eye fatigue, ya know?"
"Bullshit, you were crying, you old softy!" She slid across the couch and gave him a hug. What a feeling that was, he hadn't experienced that in a long time, it felt genuine, like love, but right now that's a dangerous thing, and Sid would choke the life out of him. To Anna he felt just like hugging one of those giant teddy bears that you win at a carnival. He gently pried her off.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just thought that lasted a little too long."
"Sorry, you just looked like you needed a hug."
"Do you know what that show is really about, Anna?"
"Saving Christmas?"
"Well, that's the short typical answer, and yes it's accurate, but it's about rejection and loneliness, and overcoming those things." He took a moment to collect his thoughts.
"Look at my size, I was supposed to play football, and be a jock. But those things never appealed to me, so I was a social outcast. Then I barracaded myself in my room and learned how to play guitar, luckily my hands didn't match my body, and I could become proficient at playing. This was the outlet for my pain Anna, my music.
Then I got really lucky, I got discovered by Sid, and got this gig. Do you have any idea how many get rejected in this business? A good agent will sign one band a year, Anna. One.
That means one hundred other peoples dreams are going to be shattered."
Anna never thought about it that much, this guy lived in this reality every day.
"So, yea, when I watch Rudolph I get a little weepy."
"Wow, thanks for sharing, I had no idea."
"I hope that you've learned something tonight, but to keep this from turning into a complete after school special, let me play you a song from my vast personal catalogue."
He went to his guitar, strummed it, and had the look on his face like he had just dropped a box full of drinking glasses.
"That was my fault, right?" Anna said rather sheepishly, and cringing.
"Um, yea." He re tuned it, then started playing something that was very heavy, but the words and singing were very melodic, and not about back seat car sex. Turns out this would be the music of the future when one day KK's real dreams would come true.
"That was soooo much better than what you're doing now."
"I understand that Anna, but I got a few more bucks to make, so for now, I'm stayin' on the merry-go-round."
"What should we do now? Anna asked. She wanted to make this moment last as long as possible.
"Shall we dance?" KK rummaged thru his tapes, "Aha!, perfect!"
He popped the tape in, then cranked it. Then he held out his hand and took Anna's.
Their moves ranged from tango to what looked like a toddler running, then Anna jumped up on the coffee table and did some air guitar, doing the windmill. When KK went to join her up there, the coffee table flattened, and they both fell arm in arm laughing.
"I have managers pay for it all." KK sang.
The song ended and Anna let out a big yawn, "What time is it?"
"Two thirty."
"Shit, that's late, I think it's time to turn in, guess I'm gettin' the couch?"
"Damn straight, do you think I could fit this on there?" He was pointing at himself, and he did have a good point, although Anna was hoping for some chivalry. he grabbed some blankets and a pillow out of the closet, and managed to tuck her in, a broad smile spread across her face.
She laid there for what seemed like forever, she just couldn't sleep. this was just one of those days where too much has happened, and processing all that info would take forever.
"Oh, screw it, what's the worse that could happen?" She got off the couch, grabbed her pillow and went to his bed, and spooned into him. She took his arm and draped it over her.
He was completely out, and barely flinched. She had never slept with a man before, but this felt right, and much better than that couch. Sleep finally came, safe under his arm.