♕ |[55]| two blushing pilgrims ready stand

[had_not_lived]

[Even if he had noticed today's curse-- which he hasn't, not yet-- Neil would still be out and about, because really it isn't so bad to have a little Christmas cheer and a peck on the cheek is hardly the end of the world. But Neil hasn't been a victim yet, as he leaves his building and heads for the bookstore, and he's too preoccupied and sulky to

Comments

[chosered]

[Kenny spends a lot of time browsing through bookstores, but today he's actually looking for a gift; he approaches Neil and raises both eyebrows at the state of the younger man]

What happened to you?

[had_not_lived]

Oh.

[He tries to muster a brave little smile, but it comes off all sheepish and a little glum.]

The kind of thing that only happens here. I got run over by a unicorn.

[chosered]

You wouldn't be the first, at least, this week. I've been seeing that all over the Network.

[He places a few books on the counter between them, oblivious to the mistletoe above their heads]

You'll be all right, though, right?

[had_not_lived]

Oh, yeah-- it looks worse than anything, I'm sure--

[Whatever he's sure of is forgotten, because leaning forward to check the covers of those books brings him just close enough for the mistletoe to do what mistletoe does. So instead he keeps leaning, craning over the books to press his lips against Kenny's, not entirely aware of what he's doing and certainly not in control of it.]

[sonofposeidon]

[Percy doesn't usually stop in the middle of a street, but he can't help but notice the injuries, down to the blood at the boy's collar.]

Woah. Are you okay?

[had_not_lived]

Me?

[Of course him. Neil touches his cheek lightly, a little self-conscious.]

Yeah, I'm-- I got in an accident. Yesterday, I mean, I'm all right.

[had_not_lived]

Euphie...

[If Neil had realized it looked that bad, maybe he would've stayed home and missed out on the mistletoe. As it is, he isn't so lucky, and as he comes a little closer to talk to her, he comes a little too close and ends up leaning in to kiss her.]

[had_not_lived]

[So it goes, in the City. You don't get a choice about who to kiss, but it could be worse, right? Neil's not a bad kisser, either. Though he is a thoroughly embarrassed one.]

[adamantined]

[Leaving Christmas shopping until the very last minute usually means that Claire has little to no say in finding herself on the streets when this particular curse hits. It's no different than it was last year around this time, but fortunately she's managed to make it into the bookstore without having to risk contracting herpes - so to speak - from some random passerby. If there is a bell, it chimes when she steps in, and before Claire can get to browsing, she spots Neil at the counter just across the floor.]

Hey - [The enthusiastic greeting becomes decidedly less so as she gets close enough to realize bruises are not shadows, and Claire's face falls into concern rather than enthusiasm.] Oh my God, what happened?

[had_not_lived]

Does it really look that awful? [He laughs a little, though without much humor. He's thought about going home but Neil's not much good at convalescence, he'd rather keep working.]

I got run over by a magical forest creature.

[adamantined]

[It takes a beat for that to sink in, and in the time it does take, Claire manages to quirk an eyebrow, mouth opening just enough that when the laugh comes it's got nothing to quiet it.]

It wasn't a reindeer, was it?

[had_not_lived]

A unicorn.

[He smiles back sheepishly. It's kind of ridiculous, yeah, and as embarrassed as he is he can't help but laugh too, leaning on the countertop.]

action;

[lookjustlike]

[Teddy is unsurprised to see Neil, considering he's around the bookstore. Neil might be more surprised to see Teddy, considering he's grown a large pair of wings and is flying about ten feet above Neil in his attempt to outsmart the mistletoe.]

Hey, Neil.

action;

[had_not_lived]

Hi.

[He should probably be less weirded out by that, but there's a difference between knowing in the abstract that someone has strange powers and actually watching them in action.]

What's up? [The pun is unintentional.]

action;

[lookjustlike]

[Teddy shrugs grins at the pun.]

I figure it's safer above the mistletoe than below it.

[A good idea that is promptly abandoned when he sees the bruises.]

Oh my god, Neil, what happened?

action;

[had_not_lived]

Nothing, nothing, really! I... was in the path of an angry unicorn, apparently.

[He looks embarrassed, not so much because of the unicorn but because wow, he must be more of a mess than he thought.]