Participants:
| Scene Title | Are Suicide Bombs Returnable? |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | During Christmas festivities d'Sarthe's is mentioned |
| Date | December 25, 2010 |
Confucius Plaza — Brian's apartment
His adopted dad always liked to play Christmas music obnoxiously loud all day. A time honored tradition that had always annoyed the fuck out of him.
It was always old classical annoying, Dean Crosby something slow, boring Christmas music.
Where the singer had a real deep voice, and would sing in a very monotonous, aggravating— Regardless. The young rebel at heart, Brian has decided to put his own twist on Christmas day.
Sweat baby, Sweat baby, sex is a texas drought
Acting blissfully unaware of the fierce lyrics being displayed behind him, Brian Winter sits happily on the floor of the apartment. The evening of Christmas has finally arrived. And even though a few presents were exchanged in the morning, the majority has been saved for tonight.
Since they do live in Chinatown, a banzai tree sits in the middle of the floor being proudly displayed. Boxes that dwarf it, piled around it.
Me and you do the kind of stuff that only Prince would sing about
A flat-ish box is pushed over to Samara, the santa-hat wearing Brian rocks back onto his rear, folding his legs criss cross apple sauce and leaning forward happily. The box contains a fancy dress. An expensive fancy dress. Roughly $300 of expensive. But she earned it.
Anna just arrives from the kitchen, doing her best to help out. She made chocolate milk, and now that it's done, she's carrying a plate with three empty mugs and all the chocolate milk over to Brian and Sami. "Merry Christmas." She tells them, and she even sounds cheerful, even if it can be imagined this Christmas would be nothing like what she had expected of it.
As she sits down and passes the mugs around, she looks at this closest thing to a family she's got right now, smiling. "So, anything interesting been happening of late?" She asks, pouring herself a mug of the choc. "I'm sorry there isn't any whipped cream, I never made whipped cream before, and I kinda failed at making it now…"
While Brian may be painfully unaware of the lyrics, Sami's ears hone in on them, and, as usual, her face forms along her cheeks and nose. Brian is shot a warm grin, while her hands temporarily press against her face with a that same smile. But she lets the song carry on, actually cracking up at the next bar of lyrics.
So put your hands down my pants and I'll bet you'll feel my nuts.
Now she actually lets out a small chuckle paired with a quick shake of her head, "This song is very Christmas-y." But even then, she doesn't assert that it should be turned off or anything of the like, instead her fingers feel along the gift to find a seam. But Sam isn't one of those careful present openers. When she finds a place where the paper meets itself, she tucks a fingernail underneath and then tears fiercely. She likes the act of ripping.
The smile brightens at the gift. While she doesn't have a lot of weight behind her, at this moment, she may have the element of surprise. She actually squeals and leans across to tacklehug Brian. Yes, she's excited. It is her first Christmas in years.
Anna gets shot an equally bright smile over Sam's shoulder. "Thanks Anna~" she nearly sings. "Oh! I left some cookies in the kitchen. If you're hungry you can have some! I made them earlier today at the Garden. They smelled good," this is true. "I bet they taste good," they don't. She confused sugar and salt. Someone may think they're getting punked.
Yes I'm Siskel, Yes I'm Ebert, and you're getting two thumbs up
"Your friends tried to blow up D'sarthe's last night." Which may explain why he's been in bed most of the day. He made a lot of himself last night. And to sustain that much. Well he's been tuckered out all day. And walking on his feet without help now isn't as easy as it should be. So when Samara tacklehugs him? He goes down. Like a gazelle being pounced by a lion. "You'll look really hot in that." Brian smiles after giving the appropriate amounts of grunts and oofs as his back goes into the ground.
Looking from his floored position up to Anna, he gives a weak smile. "I'm sure you did great."But while Samara is pseudo laying on him, Brian gets a chance to warn Anna. While she's on top of him he shakes his head violently mouthing 'DO NOT EAT THOSE' But should Samara pop back up his features would magically transform back into a loving smile.
Reaching over to their banzai christmas tree, he flicks a small package over to Anna. "Here's a present."
You've had enough of two hand touch you want it rough, you're out of bounds
You can tell which presents Brian wrapped. Brian presents have an excess of tape. The semblance of a good wrapping job, but then it seems like he folded one piece a little too far over, got frustrated, and just made up for his mistakes with tape.
Anna's present is… Sticky notes. A lot of them. And a big pad of paper, and three packs of pens. There's also a card tucked in with them.
Anna looks over at Brian, "Gideon D'Sarthe?" She asks slowly, "How?" Her mind trails off from that however, when Samara tacklehugs Brian, and there's a present flicked her way. The teen opens it up, raises an eyebrow, and goes to read the card. In the meantime, she gently points out a package that's meant for Sami. Inside it is a simple ring, probably bought somewhere in a cheap place, but it's the thought that counts, right?
I want you smothered want you covered like my Waffle House hashbrowns
"I swear I'm getting better at this whole cooking thing," she adamantly insists as Sami forces herself back to a seated position, sliding along the floor with a bright smile. "And I think I know where I went wrong last time— a person just needs to follow the recipe!"
Once sitting up, she slides a package over to Brian. It's wrapped in shiny purple paper (the prettiest she could find) and skinny, and obviously a CD. There's a little tag that reads in girlish scrawl complete with hearts dotted for the i's, So you can get the lyrics right next time. <3 The CD includes 'It's the End of the World As We Know It.'
The ring earns Anna a smile. "Thank you! I think this is awesome!" She tugs it onto her left middle finger and pushes a package towards anna with a big grin— this one is wrapped in the same purple paper. When she opens it? It's a cream coloured toque (beanie to you American types), a pair of cream woollen mittens, and a cream and pink polkadot scarf.
Anna's card reads- 'Now you won't forget to tell us where you're going :) Bwinters' The last bit scribbled hastily at the bottom. And as she opens the card two hundred dollar bills fall out of the card.
Come quicker than FedEx never reach an apex just like Coca-Cola stock you are inclined
Pushing himself back up, albeit a bit weakly to claim his own package. Brian's opening process is much slower and peaceful. Maybe it's because he's exhausted, or maybe he just doesn't want to hurt the shiny purple paper. But once it's open, he gives a light smile. "Baby." He says adoringly, leaning forward to brush a kiss against her cheek.
Plopping back down on his rear. Looking over at the ring, he gives a little grimace. "Oh. That's awkward." Bringing up a hand, he scrubs at his hand, and reaches forward to the next present and instead of pushing it to Sami, slides it behind himself. And then he tries to rapidly take the attention off of it. "Open that one, it's a wii!" He points excitedly at a bigger box.
As Anna looks at the money, she goes wide eyed. "Th..thanks.." She stammers before opening Samara's present, and immediately grinning, "Thanks, Sami… I left my old mittons and scarf somewhere I'd rather not go back to!" And then a glance is given back to Brian, and a present is shoved towards him. Inside is a note that says 'Sorry, didn't know what to get you, so you get this', combined with a few empty DVDs.
Then, finally, Anna looks more serious, "But anyway, what exactly happened at d'Sarthe's..?" She asks, carefully, "Because, somehow, I think Humanis First had meant for me to be there." She pauses, and softly follows it up, "And I'm quite sure they didn't mean for me to be alive today if that's the case…"
To make me rise an hour early just like Daylight Savings Time
A contented sigh escapes the auburn haired woman's lips with an equally serene smile when her cheek is kissed. There's a curious tilt to her head at the apparent awkwardness followed by a quirked eyebrow, but she doesn't press any further, choosing instead to just sidle next to Brian, yet her neck does crane towards the hidden package.
This is not to say she isn't distractable. Her eyes flit to the aforementioned box. But she pushes another gift towards Brian in the process. It's smaller this one— a swiss army knife. "I thought one of you could use it. Even if you have one." She shrugs. She even managed to get it engraved with his name. Oooo. Shiny.
"I'm glad you like them, Anna. I was a little concerned about the colour like… I'm not the fashionista in the family, I leave that to Adisa, my sister." The whole d'Sarthe's incident unsettles her somewhat though as her eyes narrow.
"This is Christmas.." Brian whines a little over at Anna, lips turning down. "Don't be so concerned. You're safe. I think you know what was supposed to happen last night, Anna. According to Humanis First. From what you told us when we first took you in, you knew what they wanted. And they tried to make that happen with someone else. But they were stopped. So.. It's a Christmas miracle." He waves a dismissive hand. "You're safe. You're fine. Don't dwell on it."
Smiling sweetly at Sam when he gets his knife, he gives a conceding shrug. "Okay. Well.. I didn't want to give this one to you. Because Anna just gave you one but…" Sliding the box back out, he pushes it over to Samara. Inside is a golden band. Another ring. With some engraved on it. In Cantonese.
He waves a dismissive hand at Anna and Samara. "Let's not talk about what happened last night alright." He killed some more people, kicked some people in the head, then had an argument with people in a van. Not a greeeat night.
"Okay, sorry Brian.." Anna responds to the man. She sighs and takes another gulp of her chocolate milk, "So anyway… what's the money for..? Am I supposed to buy myself a present with it… or is there something else I should use it for?" She smiles faintly, but nods. "If there's anything I can do to help you two with… just ask. Especially if it means bringing a stop to Humanis First.."
Do it now
Squinting tightly, Sam's eyes trace over the Cantonese that she has no hope of reading, but there's an obvious admiration in the characters themselves, even if she can't understand what they say. "What does it mean?" she asks quietly while she goes virtually cross-eyed following that small text. Before he can even reply, she's putting it on her left middle finger where her now-lost-to-the-penguins ring had fit, "It's beautiful. I love that writing. English isn't as nearly as pretty to look at— " she pauses momentarily, "Or… do I only think that because I can read English?"
You and me baby ain't nothin' but mammals
"Yes! Let's celebrate being alive" she beams at the one word that means so much to her at the moment "and happy" it's a presumputuous thing to say "and warm. And clothed and housed. All blessings and all miracles." She nods affirmatively while she stretches out her legs in front of her and leans her hands behind her, palms flat on the floor, propping her up.