It was an early December evening and Sam's radio was playing an array of the usual Christmas classics, which filled the girls' LA apartment….and was currently being slightly drowned by Leigh Whanell's piercing screams that were coming from the TV that Seth and Mandy were watching Saw on in the living room.
Sam, who had been spending most of this time packing to ride out to Woodsboro with Kinsey the next morning, huffed out a particularly irritated sigh when she returned to the living room.
—
"Seth, I told you Kinsey and I are leaving first thing in the morning. Please tell me you're at least somewhat packed to drive Asami out."
He and Sam, who was relishing the idea of having a nice, long, peaceful ride out to Woodsboro on her motorcycle with Kinsey, had already made plans for him to drive Asami out separately.
"It's not a crime to take a little break, you know." Seth argued.
Sam rolled her eyes. "Fine….then when you get finished crying over Adam, maybe think about getting back on it?"
"That happened two times!"
"You mean, it happened the last two times?" Mandy snickered.
Sam couldn't help but chuckle along with her.
"Well, now I mean, who's side are you on here?" He whined.
"Amanda Young's, thank you very much." Mandy laughed, scoping the TV's movie selections for Saw II."
"Whatever." Seth sighed, leaning back more on the couch and kicking his feet back up on the counter. "What are you on about, anyway? We always Sawathon right before and leading up to Christmas. It's tradition!"
"It's tradition." Sam mocked. "Yeah, when we either aren't going anywhere or everyone's already packed, Smartass." She sighed, glancing over at the TV screen.
The next movie was starting, and its first victim was just waking up in the Venus Flytrap death mask.
"...Whatever, just make sure you're packed before tomorrow, or I'm gonna put you in one of those!" She pointed to the screen.
"Yes, Ma'am." Seth laughed.
Sam just rolled her eyes as she exited the room again.
—-
—-
"Heeyyy, we're baaack!" Kinsey, who arrived just a few moments later, with Asami still on her leash, announced.
She got down on her knees to unhook the leash from the eager dog's collar, and smiled as she watched her race through the house to find Sam, just before hooking the leash up and setting her keys on the dining room table
"...Sam still pack- " She started to ask, just as she looked up at the TV in time to see the final, bloody, closing shot of that Venus Flytrap scene.
She then shot a hand up to shield her eyes from it. "Oh, Jesus! I thought you guys were watching the first one still!"
"Yeah, and then it ended and your girlfriend got all huffy about it." Seth chuckled, turning around to fold his arms across the top of the couch and lay his head over them to look up at her all innocent and pleading-like. "Wanna get her off my back for me?" He smiled, hopefully. "...please?"
"No." She teased back with a more mocking smile. "...not unless you're finished packing."
"...I'm not totally not finished packing…."
Mandy, even more amused, laughed. "He did pack most of his stuff, I'm a witness." She raised her hand up, jokingly, to humor him.
"Kissass." He teased, earning a little snicker from her. "...but, thank you! See?!"
Kinsey just rolled her eyes. "Whatever, I'm gonna go find Sam."
"Kay-kay!" He called back, turning around to settle back down and return his attention to the movie.
—-
Mandy giggled softly to herself as she started to stand up from the couch. "I'm gonna grab another soda. You want anything?"
"Ooh, make that two then!" He answered, holding up two fingers. "Two sodas for Saw II."
Mandy chuckled. "You got it! Be right back."
"Thank you!"
—-
"...Soooo, I've got a question." Mandy announced when she came back to sit down and hand him his soda. "...here you go."
"Thanks." He popped it open and took a sip before setting it next to hers. "...and shoot…"
"What exactly are you packing for?" She chuckled.
The thought had occurred to her when she was in the kitchen.
"...I mean, aren't you just driving Asami up to her dads' house, so that she and Kinsey can take the bike up?"
"Well, that, aaand a few people out there will wanna see me, so I'm probably gonna spend a couple days or so out there, myself."
She nodded. "That's right, I keep forgetting that you're from there too."
"Yeah, it's really not all that interesting…" He chuckled, sensing where she was going with this. "...set aside, of course the murder husbands and the occasional copycat maniacs, but we did get to experience that last one out here, at least."
"Right.." She sort of scoffed. "...don't remind me."
He just smiled sympathetically and nodded.
She returned the smile. "...So, who all is out there for you? Like, family?"
"Uhh, sort of. Kinsey's mom's always sort of taken me in, and then, my mom will usually see me around the holidays and birthdays…"
"Usually?" Mandy asked. "...on holidays and birthdays?"
"Yeah. That's a uhh.." He chuckled nervously. "...that's a..long story."
"I'm sorry…"
He half smiled back at her. "Thanks."
She nodded.
"So, you've seriously never been to Woodsboro?" He chuckled, changing the subject.
"I've seriously never been." Mandy chuckled.
"Would you like to?" He offered with a shrug. "I'm already driving out there with Asami, I could take you there just as easily."
"I thought you said there wasn't anything that interesting there." She reminded him with a smirk.
"Didn't say there was nothing, though."
"Fair enough." She chuckled. "...alright, deal."
"Alright, the more the merrier!" He high fived her, which she reciprocated with a laugh.
"I should probably start packing too, then." She realized aloud, as she started to get up.
"No, no! Stay!" He glanced behind him to make sure Sam wasn't in earshot, and said the last bit under his breath. "...I'm not quite as high strung as some people."
Mandy shook her head and chuckled. "Sam is not high strung. She's just…"
"Yeah, I know." He laughed. "...I mean, come on, though."
"Yeah, yeah." She teased. "..Alright, we'll pack together, then. Deal?"
"Deal." He chuckled, reveling in his little win.
Mandy, still amused, just laughed as she kicked back again to go back to watching the movie.
Later that evening, Seth was bringing his suitcase out into the living room while Mandy was outside for a smoke when Kinsey found him.
"Is it safe to be in here yet?" Kinsey asked, averting her eyes from the TV
"Yes, the Sawathon is on temporary pause…." Seth teased with a little smirk. "...for now."
"I'll take it." Kinsey let out a sigh of relief as she put her hand back down and glanced around the room. "I don't know how you guys watch that crap."
"The brilliance of John Kramer is an acquired taste." He chuckled.
Kinsey rolled her eyes, but laughed anyway.
"Soooo, on a slightly happier note, I hear you've got yourself another road trip buddy."
"I did, and what is that face for?" Seth chuckled, already having an idea as he noted the little smile.
"Nothing." She claimed. "I think it's nice."
"Kinsey…" He sighed as he went to kick back on the couch again. "Don't do this to me."
"Don't what? Have eyes?" She sat down next to him on the couch. "You've been staying over for four days, now, Seth. Four days…..I see the way she looks at you….." Her voice grew a little more softer and gentle. "...and I see the way you've been looking at her."
"Like what? I don't know what you mean." He lied.
The tone of his voice had a particularly out of character sadness to it that Kinsey, unfortunately had come to know all too well, lately.
It was the reason Seth had been staying with them right before Christmas in the first place.
"Seth, look at me." She insisted, though, gently when he looked away.
He slowly obliged.
"...it's also been four years, Seth…..I know that Lauren would want you to be happy."
"Well, what do you want me to do, Kins? Christmas was always her favorite time of year, you really think I'm gonna be hitting on some other girl when it's…"
"I think you should at least think about it. And who's saying anything about hitting on her, I'm just suggesting, you know….let your guard down a little, see where it goes."
"See where it goes, huh?"
"Yes!" Kinsey glanced toward the door. "Mandy is a really cute girl, who likes you!"
He was trying not to, but a little joyous smirk snuck across his face when she pointed that out.
"...trust me, you think Sam or I or anyone else would ever put up with you the way she does?"
"She was enjoying it!" He corrected with another smirk.
"My point exactly, now come on…" Her tone was growing more gentle again. "Pleeeaase just think about it?"
"I will." He gave another small smile. "…Thanks."
She smiled back at him. "You're welcome."