1stmacleod: (flat look)
1stmacleod ([personal profile] 1stmacleod) wrote2010-12-25 08:12 pm

Christmas Gifts

For the first time in a long time, Connor has the money to spend on gifts, and people to get them for, but he's out of practice at it. The holiday is more stressful for him than he's willing to admit to anyone. While he deliberates over presents, he's been doing a lot of baking, making double batches of half a dozen different kinds of cookies. Tins of cookies go out to everyone in his very limited circle of friends, even those he's only spoken with a few times, but knows well enough to know where to send them.

In addition to cookies, his closer friends get a few carefully-chosen gifts.
For Nicholas there's a set of antique handcuffs, that date from right around the turn of the century. It's probably better not to ask how Connor came by those.
For Casper, there's a tooled leather hip flask, and of course it's not empty, because that would be a shame. There's also a blanket left neatly folded at Father Leavy's forge late Christmas Eve. That's in addition to the sizable donation he's made to the church. He's very grateful for getting to use the forge.
For Clark there's a nice Leatherman Tool with case, and a bag of dog treats that are probably for Shelby.
For April, a painting kit with easel. Which is not a hint, but he really appreciates the painting she made of himself and Kairos.
For his first student in almost a century, Jelani, there's sword technique book and a very old but nicely polished and oiled sgian dubh. He's not going to admit to having made it unless she asks.
Duncan gets whiskey, a sword maintenance kit (because these things do get used up), and a sgian dubh that Duncan just may recognize as Connor's own handiwork. He makes a brief, slightly awkward visit in person to deliver these, and wish his kinsman happy birthday as well as merry Christmas.

On Christmas morning, for Kairos there's a few gifts from the Nexus that he clumsily explains about, a mini anvil, hammer, and hacksaw, and a plier set. She probably already has these things, but he's not sure what else she might need in her jewelry-making supplies, and tools do wear down and break eventually. There's also, presented very sheepishly in a slightly dusty velvet box, an antique ring set with a pearl. He's careful to let her know that while it's antique, it's never belonged to any woman he knew. There's also a very big, square, flat box made of cardboard and duct tape, and a little awkwardly wrapped because the box is roughly as wide as a roll of wrapping paper. Inside is a flat metal celtic tree of life wall hanging, set with lots of delicate little hooks. It's pretty obvious he made it himself, and he explains it's supposed to be for hanging jewelry from. Beside his handmade work of art, the stocking filled with chocolates, peppermints, and oranges is pretty insignificant.

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
I love how you say that the dog treats are probably for Shelby. XD Clark is going to enjoy the Leatherman quite a bit!

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:18 am (UTC)(link)
...that was supposed to have OOC in the subject line.

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
(( ;D Unless Connor's trying to imply something? Or thinks dog treats are tasty...))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
((Hey, my brothers and I used to eat dog treats when we were kids because it was funny, but I'd like to imagine Clark and Connor are past that stage. ;) ))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
((I had a friend who bit one once... I wasn't clear on why.

Oh man, with as much scotch as he's been getting for Christmas gifts, I wouldn't put it past him, actually. Connor's got a pretty sophomoric sense of humor sometimes.))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
((Apparently no one else could think of anything else to give him either! At least he won't run out for a while.))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
((I wouldn't necessarily bank on that. He is a borderline alcoholic with an amazing tolerance thanks to immortal healing abilities, and this is a rough Christmas for him.))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
((Poor guy. Never gets a break, does he?))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
((Aww, he does, actually. Kairos and his relationship with her is a huge help. But he's got a healing process to go through still. Just posted a thing. Because.))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 07:23 am (UTC)(link)
((It's good that he has someone to help, anyway.

Speaking of which, April's suggested that Clark give Connor a chunk of kryptonite in case he's ever faced with mindwhammied Clark. It's not really a Christmas present, so I didn't include it, but Clark trusts him and figures that he might feel better if he knows he has at least some power over Clark if something goes south, since he can't really do anything to him otherwise. Clark gives most of his friends and family some kryptonite for the same reason. Your thoughts?))

[identity profile] det-debrabant.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
It's likely Schanke will consume the cookies next time he visits the loft, but the handcuffs are an amusing surprise. Nick didn't use an exact duplicate of them during his time in Chicago, but they're not unfamiliar.

This was not something he was expecting, he usually only gets gifts from mortal friends so he has nothing prepared for Connor. At least he takes the time to write a thank you to Connor. It's drawn in a very practiced script which betrays a certain age to the hand which wrote it.

Connor,
I apologize for not sending anything in return, your gift was a pleasant surprise. I appreciate the cookies and the handcuffs are in excellent shape. I think I might be written up for cruelty if I used them now, but they never received complaints when they were new.

Perhaps next time you're in the area, we might take the car out. That and coffee, it's certainly the least I can do to thank you for your kindness.

Sincerely,
Nick

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Connor wasn't even sure if he could eat cookies, but on the other hand the vampire he knows from another world eats food, at least occasionally. He won't be surprised they went to a friend, though.

The reply takes a day or two, because he's been busy, nut it's also old-fashioned handwriting, slanty and a little brusque. Probably not as old as Nick's. It was almost 1600 before Connor learned to write, when he was technically an old man already.

Nick-

Nothing looked for, just had these... on hand. Coffee would be good. Not sure about the kindness.

-Connor

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 04:59 pm (UTC)(link)
((Yeah, I really wasn't expecting that kind of IC development, but it just kinda worked.

Connor's not that deeply worried about having a defense against Clark, and he'd actually think it was a little weird to hand somebody a personal weapon against you like that, but he'd understand. I'm cool with it. If you're looking for a scene for Clark to explain it all, I'm up for that too, but I know you've got RL stuff going. *HUGS*))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 05:15 pm (UTC)(link)
((It is a bit weird, yeah, but Clark does it more for his benefit than Connor's. Clark knows he can be extremely dangerous when he's out of control, and he trusts his friends to be willing to take him out if it comes to that.

Clark's actually about to be turned human for a few weeks, so maybe it would make sense to have him give the kryptonite after he's back to normal. I would definitely be up for threading it out then!))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
((Well it's weird to somebody paranoid. Connor's reluctant to even tell people it's taking his head that kills him, once somebody knows he's immortal.

Muahahaha He gets to be one of the little people! Coolness.))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
((Clark's more paranoid about hurting other people than getting hurt himself, but he totally understands. Handing one of his friends a weapon to use against him is kind of reassuring to him, weirdly enough. But he knows it's a crazy response.))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 05:52 pm (UTC)(link)
((Well the trusted friend thing he'll get, it just takes him a lot longer to trust anybody that way.))

[identity profile] kalel-ofkrypton.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 06:10 pm (UTC)(link)
((Which is totally understandable, under his circumstances.))

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
((Yes and no. Anybody who's not his own kind probably wouldn't have much interest in that. Fanonically, Connor's got a reputation for being paranoid even for an immortal.))

[identity profile] det-debrabant.livejournal.com 2010-12-26 06:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Nick had the advantage of being a nobleman, and learned to write when he was a young boy.

Connor,

I look forward to another conversation. Let me know when you'd like to stop by, and I'll see you then.

Nick

[identity profile] slayers-desire.livejournal.com 2010-12-27 06:43 pm (UTC)(link)
Yah for eisel!

[identity profile] jelani.livejournal.com 2010-12-30 12:31 am (UTC)(link)
A few days after Christmas, a package arrives for Connor. It is wrapped up in plain brown paper and tied together with simple string.

While the exterior is far from fancy, the item inside is far better. A new trenchcoat, made of finely woven wool, charcoal gray in color. Accompanying this coat is a short note. Just a few words, really, written in a spindly scrawl.

'I told you that you needed a new coat.'

It's signed with a single letter. J.

[identity profile] 1stmacleod.livejournal.com 2010-12-30 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
Just before Christmas, he's had to stitch up a big tear in one sleeve, thanks to a little vampire hunting with April. His coat is looking worse than ever. When the new one shows up he sheepishly models it for Kairos, then tears apart his old coat and very carefully sews the flat leather scabbard in under the lining of the new one. Once he can carry his sword in it, this is the the best coat he's owned in a long time.