Complete 18+ Private Team ACK! Holiday Special

Kamala Graham · Dec 1, 2022

Despite having spent most of the day signing papers and meeting with suppliers, Meera Sharma was still able to retain her wide-eyed smile, as if she was a bundle of infinite positivity, unassailable by any sort of dreary work. Of course, it helped that Meera loved what she was doing, what she had dedicated all her life to. After years of studying horticulture, inspired by her own parents who were in the field themselves, she ventured forth into the path that she felt was tailor-made for her ever since she was a child, the path that felt to her was her one and only destiny, that of volunteerism. But not just volunteerism, mind you. Rather, environmental volunteerism. One could say plants were her jam and sustainable farming was her very reason for existence.

"Careful with those boxes, Nasim!" Meera called out to another volunteer as she turned in her pen and clipboard for her sling bag. With some light chuckling, she bid her peers a long-overdue goodbye. For the past few months, when she wasn't playing Terrasphere with her online friends, she was knee-deep in farm work, though not against her wishes. She thought that it was the best thing for her to do in preparation for the holidays. Her parents wouldn't be home during the season, both still knee-deep in their own work in Mexico, where she herself grew up before they all returned to South Asia for more environmental work all over the place, which means that she was all alone for the coming cold. As if it isn't here already.

Heaving a brief sigh as she entered her home, Meera placed her sling bag on her bed and nonchalantly took off her dirty clothes. Before jumping into the bath, she first took to her radio to play a cheerful holiday-themed tune, getting into the mood of things. She danced and sang along while she scrubbed and scraped the dirt off her bare skin, relaxing in the warm waters that cleaned her body from head to toe. Ah, just what the doctor ordered. She took her time in the bath, resting her sore muscles and weary bones. Soon, she made her way out of the waters, drying and wrapping herself with clean towels, and taking to the kitchen to cook herself dinner.

From her refrigerator, Meera took out a medium bowl with some sliced chicken thighs, all of which were marinated overnight with some whisked yogurt, garam masala, and of course salt. She hummed along with the next tune in her holiday playlist as she heated vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, waiting for it until it was shimmering hot. Once the pan was ready, she added the chicken in batches, searing them for a few minutes on each side before setting them to side once they were all done. She continued to hum and dance to the next song as she lowered the pan to medium heat, added a touch of more oil along with some diced onions, dice ginger, and sliced garlic, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, mixing and stirring, sautéing for a few more minutes until they were soft enough for her.

Then comes the spices, she giggled as she stirred them all together, toasting the spices for a few minutes, before adding in some crushed tomatoes and water, stirring those in until incorporated over medium heat. While she let that simmer for the sauce to be reduced, Meera skipped over to her laptop and checked her e-mails. She found a bunch of work-related ones interspersed with personal greetings and a few spam.

Meera groaned at that last bit, none too pleased that she still keeps getting e-mails about "deals" on psychoactive plants and the occasional promotions from a book series that she has stopped reading because of the author's terrible views. Well, terrible for her. Some would agree with that author, and Meera didn't want to lose friends over differences in opinion. Even though that would be pretty understandable. With a sigh, she chased all those bad vibes away and went back to her pan, adding the chicken back to it and mixing the meat with her reduced sauce. Let simmer for a few more minutes... She smiled when she checked the holiday greetings from friends, both online and real-life acquaintances.

As she added in the heavy cream, stirring until it was thickened and incorporated with the rest of her pan, bringing it up to a light simmer before reducing the heat to low and simmering and stirring again for a few more minutes, she couldn't help but wonder if there was something else she could do regarding her lonely holiday. "OH!" she blurted out as she turned off the heat before continuously stirring in unsalted butter until it melted, seasoning to taste with a touch more salt. "Maybe I can invite Ayna and Chrys over for some homecooked feast!" She started to plate her dinner in a shallow bowl with steamed rice, topping it all off with cilantro, when she had an even better idea. "Or I could fly to them and spend the holidays out of the country!"

It had been a while since Meera spent the holidays out of the country. She'd left the country a few times within the past year, sure, but she never spent a long enough time outside to actually have anything that would qualify as a holiday. Or a vacation. Maybe this time, it would be different. She grinned as she dumped herself on her bed, her guitar right in reach. As she played a few notes on the instrument, she began to think up a proper message to send to her online friends. She hesitated for a while, though, believing that it might not be appropriate. Or no one might even respond to her. But it was still worth a shot, wasn't it? Dang, right, it is!

Mail

Hi, guys!

So, we've been playing this game for a while now, and I was wondering since the holidays are coming up, which means we'll all hopefully get some free time to hang out and stuff: Do you guys want to meet in person?

I know, I know... We're all over the world, but I mean, we can probably fly somewhere and just enjoy a week or two together, right? I mean, we're all working adults, with our own stable finances, right? Unless one of us was lying and can't afford plane tickets overseas, in which case, that's still fine! We can also just hangout in the game or something?

Let me know real soon! So excited to meet you both in person if ever!

@Ayna Nietzsche @Chrys

Ayna Nietzsche · Dec 1, 2022

Huifang yawned, pushing herself off the bed like a half-conscious zombie. She had been up all night working on new blueprints for a project her team had thought was dead but was apparently just hibernating. Their boss, a kind old man with a strict view when it came to equally old concepts like honor and deadlines, was adamant about making sure she was on the job and she did a great job. What can she say? She was one of the best people on their team. Just not the best with unexpected deadlines.

Huifang yawned again, this time taking her time, as she scratched her unkempt hair with one hand, and with another, her left eye. Tossing the blanket aside and off of her naked body, she rose from her bed, heading straight to the bathroom to pee. There was a great sense of freedom in living alone, and Huifang never failed to remind herself of that. Having grown up with two brothers, both always finding ways to squabble with their parents, the peace and silence of having an entire place just to herself were liberating. In more ways than one. Ah, fuck, I'm out of toilet paper.

After a quick shower, which was by normal definition neither quick nor a shower, Huifang dried her hair with a clean towel while making her way to the kitchen. When she was a kid, breakfast had never been a priority, but these days, breakfast was a welcomed respite from a long night of hard work. She prepared the himono, a dry-aged fish, this one an aji, a horse mackerel, which was gifted to her by a coworker, some guy named Hajime, who was clearly crushing on her, though Huifang already wanted to crush his larynx whenever he spoke in that high-pitched, nasally voice. Dude has a great taste for seafood, though.

On any given day, Huifang would have made herself breakfast from scratch, but today, she wasn't feeling that great, that motivated to do extra work. She still needed to email her work to her team, CC their boss, and at the moment, she just wanted food in her mouth and in her tummy. Luckily for her, she still had some miso soup from the night before. Add to that some pickled cucumbers, some grated daikon radish for the himono as a counterbalance to the saltiness, and yesterday lunch's shiraae, which was a blanched vegetable mixed with tofu sauce, and she was getting herself flat-out treated like a queen. Don't forget the sake, so much hate.

Soon, she was on her laptop, though this time, she wasn't yawning anymore. Huifang made last-minute checks on her blueprints before sending them away to cyberspace, to her team and their boss, once she was satisfied with her work. Good riddance! That usually takes a long time, and this time wasn't any different. Huifang was a bit of a perfectionist when it came to her work, and her work had been her life for as long as she could remember.

Taking another shot of sake, she celebrated, in her own way, her victory, the conclusion of her part in the project. What happens next would be pretty familiar to her, as nothing ever really changes in her line of work, not a single surprise since she rose to where she was now: Her team and her boss would congratulate her, and no one would comment on any mistakes, mostly because there wouldn't be any, and if there were some, their boss would correct it himself. Guess it's time for the holidays. Ugh.

Huifang breezed through the emails from so-called friends and family greeting her for the season. She was never one to celebrate the damned holidays, especially not with those people, and she was in no rush to return to Singapore just to be met with her cold father and oblivious mother. Ever since one of her brothers went missing, things took a grave fall in that household. One was in complete denial and the other one became angry at anyone and everything. Not coming home this year, too, mom. Deal with it.

She almost breezed through an email from a familiar but newly made friend, too, but something about it caught her attention. Huifang had to double back and check it. Again. And Again. And Again. Who the fuck is Meera... Oh, Kamala! With her scowl replaced by an excited grin, she checked the email as fast as she could, skimmed through it at first but reread it a couple more times, before replying right away.

Mail

Yo,

I'm down. Where do you guys want to meet? Maldives, Bali, New Zealand, Italy? I hear California's pretty great this time of the year, too. I need a quick break from Japan anyway.

@Kamala Graham @Chrys

Chrys · Dec 3, 2022

Christopher Samuel Jackson was already wide awake even before his alarm clock started blaring on his bedside table. Sprawled on his king-sized bed, with only the sheets covering him and the blonde woman still sleeping soundly beside him, he reached out for the clock without turning to it, eyes glued to the ceiling, and managed to turn it off without making much noise. He then turned to his partner, gave her a quick smooch on the cheek that made her smile without quite waking her up, and rolled to the floor, where he was greeted by his dog, a beagle named Sally, who started licking his face while he began his morning push-ups.

After having an omelet for a quick breakfast, he drove to the courtroom, where he was greeted by his legal aid with a cup of coffee, his favorite, from one of the commercial shops nearby. The scene was quick, and he was able to wrap it all up before the case could actually go anywhere. All he needed to do was convince the judge, an older family man, that his client, also a family man, didn't deserve to have a drawn-out and very public court battle. "For privacy's sake, if this information isn't protected, not only would it ruin my client's career but it would also put a lot of people in danger, and all over someone's ignorance of the rules."

The judge very quickly denied the motion to compel discovery, which didn't amuse the opposing client, the plaintiff. Before his own lawyer could reel him in, he began whining and complaining, until he inadvertently revealed something that spelled his doom. C. S. Jackson was quick to ask about the plaintiff's handling of the product that was the cause of all this trouble, and when the idiot answered with so much ignorant bravado, both Jackson and his own client, the defendant, pointed out that it was a violation of the pre-determined terms of the contract. The judge had no other course of action to take but to absolve Jackson's client of any and all liability right then and there, dismissing the entire case, even though he was actually guilty of so many things. Back to London then.

With his case in L.A. dealt with, Jackson returned to London as soon as he could. In fact, he was on the first flight before the first ray of daylight even came to exist. What greeted him back home was rain. A lot of it. And he couldn't help but sigh as he took out an umbrella after exiting an airport cab, his penthouse suite a welcomed respite from the dark and dreary weather of jolly old England. Home, sweet home.

Entering his lonely place, he immediately got himself a gin and tonic. Compared to sunny L.A., London was sadder, though he wouldn't call any other place home. This was where he grew up. This was where he learned to be who he is now. This was where he would die. Or at least hoped to. Taking a swig of his alcoholic drink, he sat on his living room sofa and turned to look through the massive glass window that revealed to him much of London. It was a great view. A monotone view, but a great view.

"Wait, is it the holidays already?" He groaned when he realized what the weird lights scattered all over the city were. Jackson had been too involved in the last case that he didn't even remember. Quickly, he took to his laptop and started rummaging through his e-mail, sending pre-written greetings back to those who greeted him first, even though he wasn't even paying attention to their identities. He grinned when he caught the messages from Meera Sharma (@Kamala Graham) and Xu Huifang (@Ayna Nietzsche), but took his time, scratching his chin, before replying to them. Song would love the company.

Mail

I have an apartment in California if you're both interested. It's in Los Angeles, to be more specific. I can meet you both there this weekend. Are the others not available?

@Ayna Nietzsche @Kamala Graham

Kamala Graham · Dec 7, 2022

It would be lying if Meera said she wasn't interested in how her two online friends looked in real life. She had her assumptions, but they would never be as fulfilling as the truth of the matter. In her head, she thought both of them would look similar to their characters in the game. Then she realized she didn't look quite the same as Kamala Graham, so that opened up a can of worms that ended with her believing that Huifang could actually be a guy and Sam a dad. Or maybe Sam's even already a granddad. He does sound like a really old man sometimes.

Mail

Los Angeles, California, sounds great! It's going to be a long flight from India, but I can make it this weekend, if Huifang's okay with it? Also, Sam, will you be fetching us from the airport? Send me a photo so I'll know who to look for!

@Ayna Nietzsche @Chrys

She yawned as she sent them both a reply to their group message. Or group chat. Whatever seemed appropriate to either. Turning the warm glass of chai on her table, next to her computer, she decided to take it and take a long sip from it. Ahhh! So good! Meera couldn't help but giddily smile at that refreshing taste.

Then she started to wonder if the others would have loved to join them. Maybe next year. The Players of @Leyna, @Elias Stryker, and @Samantha Yurei all seemed to be busy elsewhere, doing their thing, and when she didn't get a reply to her message, she simply let them be. There was always next year, after all. Maybe then, they would finally be complete.

Meera proceeded to browse for tickets for her supposed holiday trip to the other side of the world but put off actually buying anything until Huifang agreed to it. The last thing she wanted was to force someone else to just agree with the majority. Meera felt that would be disrespectful. Huifang still had her options, and they had all the time in the world to decide. She would be okay with wherever as long as she'd be with her friends.

Ayna Nietzsche · Dec 12, 2022

Mail

I'm fine with it. Been to L.A. a few times for work. Just means Sam's paying for everything during our stay, right? ;)

@Kamala Graham @Chrys

Huifang grinned as she pressed Enter on her laptop, throwing her reply to her two online friends through the vastness of the Interwebs. She had considered asking them if they wanted anything from Japan, snacks or anything really, but decided against it in the end. She'd rather surprise them with gifts than allow them too much time to egg her on for thinking about such things. After all, she didn't really have that great of a reputation when it came to thinking about her friends, especially not with gifts for them. In this world and in the game, no one would ever describe Huifang as "considerate." Not until they ran out of other adjectives anyway.

She let out a yawn as she left her desk for the kitchen. Her stomach rumbling was a clear indication that she needed to replenish her energy and hunger. Fortunately for her, unlike in the game, she could taste food out here, and damn, was she not only going to taste to fuck out of her food but also savor it like a glutton, a monster, a hungry, hungry hippo. If only she could gain some weight. She opened her fridge and squinted, realizing that there was nothing ready to eat within. Ramen it is!

...but not just any ramen. Huifang had her own spin on the steaming-hot noodle dish. Traditionally, the tonkotsu ramen would be topped with sliced pork belly. Huifang, however, goes the extra mile and uses char siu instead, combining the flavors of her past nationality with her present one. The springy noodles continue to absorb the essence of the soup, but the accouterments now emphasize the variation of the mouthfeel.

Huifang took a whiff of the ramen once it was ready, savoring the strong fragrance of the pork bones she used to make it. Her first slurp went down gently without any greasy feeling as per usual. Before she knew it, her bowl was empty, the soup and the noodles, and everything else in between, were all gone. Huifang let out a belch in satisfaction, grinning from ear to ear. Nothing in L.A. would be able to compare to this, so I guess I'll make those nerds bowls of my tonkotsu ramen when I get there.

Chrys · Dec 14, 2022

Mail

Well, I wouldn't be a good host if I don't do that, will I? ;) As for the photo, please see attached.

@Ayna Nietzsche @Kamala Graham

Once Sam sent that message, he proceeded to call someone else on his phone. He left his laptop and moved to his kitchen, opened his fridge, and took out a bottle of Pimm's, all while waiting for the other line to be picked up. He even had enough time to start assembling an easy Pimm's and lemonade with mint sprigs and fruit to start his day. Sam was just about to take a sip when the seductive voice of a familiar woman finally answered his call. "Sam? What's up, baby?"

"Hey, Song," Sam couldn't help but grin as he took a quick sip of his drink to further inspire himself. "Remember when I said it's just going to be the two of us this holiday season?" He could hear her heart skip a beat. "Well, turns out, I've got friends coming over."

A pause and a moment of silence ensued before finally Song started squealing on the other end of the line, of the world. "Oh, my god! Really? Finally! I can't wait to meet your friends at work!" Welp. Sam almost spit out his drink. His line of work had him deal with all sorts of scum, so having Song, his most precious human connection, interact with them was never going to happen in his book. "Oh, no, honey, these won't be friends at work. They're actually friends...overseas. Old friends."

"Oh," Song was a little disappointed. She had wanted to meet others from his workplace for the longest time, but she also knew the risks of that ever happening. Sam had been very honest with her on that front. Not so much with the video game he's playing, but she had her secrets, too. "That's fine, too! I'd love to meet your old friends! Does that mean you're coming back here soon? Plenty of time for some extracurricular fun!"

Both of them laughed at her teasing, with Sam almost doing another spit-take. "Just a heads-up: There's only two of them, and they're both girls." Song grinned at the other end, biting her lower lip. "Well, the more, the merrier, right?" Sam let out another laugh. Between the two of them, Song had always been the funnier one, the jokey half of their whole. Shaking his head, he heaved a sigh of delight. "I'll see you soon, babe." He then finished his entire drink in one gulp.

Before the weekend, Sam already booked his flight back home. His law firm didn't put up a fight. As far as anyone was concerned, he was one of their star employees. There were three others, all men, which was pretty terrible in the context of their HR practices, but they were all given the star employee treatment. What that entailed was everything you could ever imagine, including no-hassle vacation leaves as long as there was no active case. There always was, but among the three of them, their firm didn't have that much problem when it came to looking for a suitable replacement.

That was how, when the weekend finally came, Sam was already waiting at the airport for his friends' separate arrival. Huifang was coming in from Tokyo while Meera was coming in from Mumbai by way of Singapore. Song wanted to come with him but realized she still had some work to do at home, so she opted to stay behind, though her disappointment was immeasurable, and according to her, her day was ruined. That was easily remedied by Sally the beagle who cozied up to the lady of the house, impressing Sam. I swear that dog's human.

Now all he had to do was wait, and wait he did.

Mail

Already here at the airport. Can't wait to meet up. Already snowing. Welcome to L.A., girls.

@Ayna Nietzsche @Kamala Graham

Kamala Graham · Dec 17, 2022

But I won't cry,
And I won't start to crumble
Whenever they try
To shut me or cut me down

Meera lip-synched to the song she was listening to on her phone through a pair of wireless earphones, though she only mimicked singing by moving her lips without actually letting out her voice. The song was a recent favorite, something she was introduced to by a coworker a few months ago. It was lost in the shuffle of newer songs but resurfaced during her plane trip from Mumbai, when the plane took a quick stop in Singapore, and now she herself was lost in its empowering vocals while she waited for her luggage at LAX.

Let the storm in
I cannot be broken
No, I won't live unspoken
Cause I know that I won't
go speechless

Dragging her luggage behind her, while a backpack hung to her back, she looked through the crowd of people waiting for their respective friends and family outside. Sam had sent them a photo but she was still finding it difficult to pinpoint his face in the sea of strange faces. She took a moment, just standing where she was, and took out her phone, browsing through her photos to find his face again, in an attempt to use the image to find him. I hope he wasn't joking around when he said he was already here...

It took her a while, but when she finally found him, her eyes widened in excitement. She had expected him to be less attractive than his in-game character, just to be on the safe side, but was a little caught off-guard when he looked just as good as Chrys. Stowing her phone away and fixing her backpack's strap around a shoulder, she ran to him, without thinking, and gave her online friend turned offline friend a massive and extremely tight hug, burying her face in his very muscular chest. "Chrys! I mean, Sam! It's great to finally meet you in person!"

Meera then pulled away to look at him again, a wide and warm smile on her face. "You look so good! Has Huifang arrived yet?" Of course, she didn't hesitate to look for their other friend. It would've been great if @Leyna, @Elias Stryker, and @Samantha Yurei also made it, but it was understandable that they wanted to spend their holidays with their respective families. Or at least she assumed that was the case.

Ayna Nietzsche · Dec 19, 2022

Despite the supposed shorter length of time of her flight, as well as the distance from Tokyo to Los Angeles, Huifang still managed to arrive a bit later than Meera, whose flight even had to make a quick stop at Singapore from India. It helped that she asked for her friend's flight details in order to get on a flight with a much closer arrival time, so neither of them would have to be left alone with Sam in case it became awkward. To be fair, they were mostly only online friends with him, so they didn't really know if he was a good guy or a pervert. Based on Ayna's experiences with @Chrys, it was most likely the latter. I'm gonna kick him in the nuts if he tries anything weird...

Huifang had been at LAX before, in Los Angeles, for a seminar or two a year or two ago. If she remembered correctly, she had a fun time, though she didn't really visit a lot of places. She barely even left her hotel room, mostly ordering room service or eating at the lobby restaurant. On the last day, however, she caved and had dinner with the other participants at Nobu. Who did we meet there? Some streamer, right?

When she found her friends waiting for her, she was more surprised that Meera didn't look that much like @Kamala Graham than she was that Sam seemed less annoying and more composed than his character in the game. For one, Meera was a lot taller than Kamala, even though she was only around her height. "Hey, guys. Sorry for the wait. Great to see you both," she tried to make it short and sweet, a little less clingy and a little more distant for now, but Meera's hug took her out of it. "Oof!" Sniff, sniff... She smells really good...

Chrys · Dec 22, 2022

Sam gave Meera a quick wave when their eyes met, but what he got in return was something he had not expected, even though he should have. In the game, Kamala was just too nice to her friends and often gave them all tight hugs. Meera wasn't any different. He smiled at that thought. "Well, hello to you, too, Meera. The pleasure is all mine."

"Not yet," he admitted, a little bit annoyed at the fact, as he helped her with her stuff. "You're the first to arrive." They made small talk while they waited, with Sam telling Meera about his job, the places near the area worth visiting, and even Song, his partner, who was looking forward to meeting his gamer friends. He also asked her about her job, how Mumbai was to her, and what kept her busy these days. Aside from the game, of course.

Sam wasn't the first to notice Huifang arrive and just stood there while the two girls hugged each other. Rather, while Meera hugged Huifang. As expected, the latter didn't seem as prepared for the former's nice, cozy personality. It's just not me, after all. He heaved a sigh of relief before approaching them and gesturing to his gold and brown Lamborghini Gallardo. "Welcome to L.A., Huifang. Car's over there. Follow me."

He helped them place their bags and luggage inside his trunk before opening the passenger seat for them. Although a regular car of this size and make would mostly fit only two in terms of comfortability, Sam had his modified so that it could fit four. Just in case Song's sister came to visit. And she usually did, but never during the holidays. "Song's waiting in the apartment. We haven't finished decorating yet, but it's coming along great. Will let you both rest for a bit and unpack, then we'll talk about sightseeing if that's all right?"

Kamala Graham · Dec 23, 2022

Meera indulged Sam's small talk. She was, after all, very interested in him and his life outside the game, this being their first time meeting in person, outside of the game. She could say the same about Huifang as well, and also the rest of their merry party. Meera laughed and chuckled and responded as thoroughly as she could to Sam's question while asking him many other things as well. But when Huifang arrived, she was quick to run to her friend and give her the tightest of hugs.

Was she...sniffing me? Meera furrowed her brow as she let Huifang go, releasing her from her grasp, but keeping hold of her shoulders. She looked her in the eye, a playful smirk on her lips, a little uncertain as to how to react to the whole sniffing mystery. Fortunately for them, Sam cut in, and Meera found reason to retrieve her hands from Huifang's shoulders. Taking to her stuff, she followed Sam's lead while walking right next to Huifang, making as much small talk as she could as well.

"Oh, wow," Meera exclaimed at the sight of Sam's luxurious car. She wasn't well-versed in the field of automobiles, but from the way it looked, sleek and shiny, she surmised it was an expensive and very nice car. "You have a really nice car, Sam!" She then turned to Huifang to gauge her reaction, waiting to see if she wanted to get in first. Otherwise, she was getting in the back herself.

"That sounds fine to me! I can even help with the decorations!" Once they were in the car, and Sam began to drive, Meera asked the question that most confused her, all while her attention was to the sights and sounds around her, "Who's Song?"

Ayna Nietzsche · Dec 24, 2022

The instant Meera pulled away, Huifang knew she was in trouble. She gave the other girl an awkward smile, maintaining eye contact with her. Doing otherwise, she believed, would have put her in more trouble. She didn't mean to be so creepy. Huifang just admired Meera's scent, that's absolutely all.

When Sam unintentionally saved her from more awkwardness, she let out a sigh of belief under her breath. Meera was right about his car being nice, but as an engineer herself, she quickly noticed that something about it was different. "Did you modify this car?" The words came out of her mouth without her consent, though she did not mind. Huifang had always been curious about machines, about technology, that when she had the chance, she threw everything else to the back to focus on her curiosity.

"Song's her dog, I think," Huifang mumbled from the back seat. She never really feels comfortable in the front, even as a passenger, and she thought Meera would be fine being there, considering how personable she was, so Huifang went ahead and crawled to the back. The Chinese-Japanese tinkerer was still focused on the car, and she observed her interior throughout. "What do you do for a living again, Sam?"

Chrys · Dec 25, 2022

"Song's my partner," Sam corrected Huifang before nodding at Meera, acknowledging her positive reaction to the whole decorations thing. He himself wasn't much of a decorations guy but Song loved them. Sometimes, she'd do them alone, especially when he was on the other side of the world. She loved doing them with others, though, so Meera's presence was a godsend. "I'm a lawyer."

He's mentioned it before, he's sure of it. Maybe it was the jetlag or maybe Huifang completely forgot. It's understandable. He didn't expect them to remember every detail of his life he has shared with them, especially not tidbits in passing. But he was a lawyer, and he remember most of what they shared with him, so he didn't ask them the same questions.

Instead, he helped them with their stuff once they arrived at his place. It wasn't as swanky as most people would expect, especially considering his profession and the stereotypical lifestyle that came with it, but it was a compromise between him and Song. Over time, he grew to like the place, mostly because of how cozy it was, especially this time of the year. He never expected to be tied like this to a place or a person, especially after the tragedy that happened not too long ago. But he never also expected to play a game and then invite other players of that same game to his home.

"We're here," he called out for Song after opening the door for Huifang and Meera. Sally the Beagle wasted no time in greeting the strangers, running to the living room with her tail a-wagging and her tongue stuck out and a-slobbering. She hurled herself at Sam's leg, standing on two feet and reaching upward with the other two feet, but Sam simply booped her on the nose. "Gotta get some more luggage from the car. You wanna come, Sally?" The dog barked at the two girls, extending her paw for a shake, and after Sam reiterated her name, he went back out to retrieve the remaining bags, leaving the trio alone in the living room.

a-cute-beagle-dog-sitting-outdoor-in-the-grass-field-on-sunny-day.jpg

That was until Song came out with a wide smile on her face. "Oh, hello! You must be Meera and Huifang! I'm Song!" Song greeted them with handshakes and kisses before leading them further inside the house, revealing the unfinished tree, with decorations still missing and a kitchen filled with ingredients that have yet to find their way inside the fridge or containers. "Sorry it's a mess! We normally don't have people during the holidays, so we're a little rusty. Can I get you anything? Water, tea, coffee? We also have this Jared Leto Hard Kombucha from one of Sam's clients. It's 9% alcohol, though."

Kamala Graham · Dec 28, 2022

Meera simply nodded when Huifang explained that Song was Sam's dog before turning to Sam when the other girl asked about his livelihood. She tried to remember if he had told them that before, which she was pretty sure he did, considering Meera also told the two of them what she did for a living, but couldn't quite remember the answer for herself. When he made the correction to Huifang's earlier answer and revealed his profession, only then did Meera remember that he had in fact told them all of these things before. Sometimes, it's really hard to remember things, especially when they were shared all those months ago. Confirming stuff isn't that bad.

"Oh, your home is lovely, Sam!" Meera swooned with delight at the sight of Sam's apartment, enamored at how cozy and comfy it looked from where she stood. As they were brought inside, her eyes widened in amazement, especially when Sally the beagle greeted them. Meera had always been great with animals, mostly because she had a soft spot for them and treated them all with kindness. Bowing down closer to Sally, she gave her a smile and shook her paw. "Pleasure to meet you, my lady!"

Meera let out a little squeal when Song made her presence known. She was absolutely gorgeous. Without even thinking about it, Meera fluttered to her and gave her one of her patented tight hugs. "I'm Meera! It's lovely to meet you, Song! You have such a beautiful name!" She gushed over the lovely woman of the house, realizing how lucky Sam was to be with such an alluring and warm presence.

"Oh, I'm good," Meera pulled away before Song gave them a brief house tour and had to decline her offer of drinks. Her eyes wandered toward the unfinished decorations, shimmering with excited glee. "I can help with the decorations if you don't mind?" She held Song's hands and kept friendly eye contact.

When Sam returned with the rest of the luggage, Meera took the opportunity to ask for their room to freshen up, and when she was pointed toward the direction, she excused herself, thanked the couple for having her and Huifang, and shared a look with the other girl before making her way to their room. Inside, Meera took a moment to savor the feel of her comfortable bed, feeling quite giddy about spending the holidays with a lovely couple and true friends. "They look so good together, don't they?" She mused to Huifang, her mind already thinking of ways to help with the decorations. "What a lovely family!"

Ayna Nietzsche · Dec 29, 2022

"Ah," was all that Huifang could muster after being corrected. She resolved to remember those things, to never forget them, just store the trivia about her new friend safe and sound in her brain, and when she realized he didn't really answer her question about whether his car was modified or not, Huifang just decided to accept the truth that it was. No way was a car like his made for more than two people. He must have others at home, a family even. Maybe he's still living with his parents.

"Ah, so that's the dog," Huifang watched as Meera shook the beagle's hand. She just stood there, thinking to herself that she wasn't so far off. He did have a dog, and technically, most people consider dogs these days not just pets but family. When Song came out, Huifang felt her cheeks grow hot. Song was definitely gorgeous, and her name and their home weren't the only things in this place that could be considered lovely. Huifang feigned a cough to clear her throat, only mustering a meek smile and wave to introduce herself.

"Yeah, they do," Huifang calmly replied when she and Meera were already alone in their room. There was only one bed but it, like the entire room, was big enough for two. She started taking her stuff out of her luggage, hanging the clothes in the cabinet, and leaving her preferred toiletries and other stuff in the bathroom. They were staying for more than a few days, so she packed for the same. The last thing she did was open her laptop to check her emails. Some habits die hard. "Do you think they consider the beagle as their child?"

Chrys · Dec 31, 2022

Sam appreciated Meera's compliments, though he was wary of how standoffish Huifang was in real life. She seemed more aggressive in the game, and though he was glad she wasn't trying to murder him right then and there, he was still a little worried that she might be too awkward around them. It was more a concern of what he could and should do to make her feel more comfortable than anything else, however. Once he returned from the outside with the rest of the girls' luggage, Song had the answer as per usual.

"They seem nice," Song welcomed him back with a quick smooch on the lips while Sally the beagle ran past them to cozy up near the fireplace. The two smiled at their dog enjoying the warmth that the space provided before Sam spoke again. "They are. Really nice girls. Meera seems to be enjoying us more than Huifang, though."

Song playfully slapped Sam on his cheek, eliciting a feigned hurt from him. "Oh, you! Everyone has their own pace. She'll soften up. Now, why don't you bring those into their room and you can start decorating? You're not giving them a tour right away, are you? They might still need rest from their flight."

Sam simply shrugged but Song tried to slap him again. This time, though, Sam was much quicker and he was able to move back to avoid her intentionally weak hit. The two started laughing and giggling before Sam held her in his arms and kissed her on the cheek. Song stared at him with loving eyes before doing the same, giggling to end their flirtations. "Come on, we need to finish working on stuff!"

Defeated, Sam heaved a sigh and feigned heartbreak before letting his lover go. He then proceeded to do as she said, taking the girls' remaining luggage to their room. When he heard them talking to each other, he tried his best not to eavesdrop and instead knocked on the door politely, informed them that their luggage would be behind the door, and left immediately. Song was right: They just needed time, and so did he. Enough time to finish decorating, yeah.

Whether they'd come out right away or take a few hours of sleep, he'd still be decorating, he reckoned. Sam wasn't built for the artsy-fartsy stuff. Song would still be cooking food, too, mostly because she loved to spend time in the kitchen. With Sally rounding out their foursome, they would make the perfect family, with him as the dad, Song as the mom, and the girls as their daughters. Perfect for the holidays, huh?

Kamala Graham · Jan 1, 2023

Meera let out a laugh at Huifang's question, though she quickly stopped herself when she realized that her innocent giggles might be considered offensive if Huifang wasn't joking. To save herself, she moved closer to Huifang and gave her a tight hug. "I mean, I suppose there's nothing with that, right?" Meera then pulled back and looked her friend in the eye, a warm smile on her own face. "Some people do consider their pets as their children."

When Meera couldn't rein in a yawn, she looked away from Huifang and put a hand to her mouth albeit it was already a bit late. She chuckled again, once the yawn was out and gone, before shaking her head. "You want to take a nap, Huifang? I think I need one." Compared to how closer Tokyo was to Los Angeles, Meera's flight from Mumbai had to take a stop in Singapore, so she was feeling a bit drowsy and her body much heavier, and soon, the girl succumbed to slumber on their shared guest bed, dreaming about the happiest holidays ever with her friends! All the while, she hugged and cuddled with Huifang, both intentionally and unintentionally, as Meera was very touchy, especially in such a closed space.

When Meera finally woke a few hours later and came out of the bedroom, she found Sam struggling with the decorations in the living room. Her eyes immediately lit up and she made tiny claps where she stood before rushing toward Sam to help. "You don't mind if I help, do you? I love decorations! Especially holiday ones!" As soon as Sam agreed, which he would, considering she was his guest and no one ever says no to their guests, especially when they can get free work from it, Meera immediately set out to grab a length of the Christmas lights to wrap it around their tree, though not without trying to make the silliest of small talks. "Is Sally the beagle your child?"

Ayna Nietzsche · Jan 10, 2023

"Hmm, that's true," Huifang agreed, remembering that she, too, has met people who considered pets as children. There were a few of them at the office and some extensions of her office from clients to outsourced workers and other employees of partnered companies. There was nothing with people who considered pets as children. She just simply thought it was odd, though mostly the part about doting on either pets or children. Just inefficient distractions, pets and children.

Huifang simply gave Meera a thumbs up, a gesture that meant she was good and that Meera should nap if she wanted to. She simply assumed that her friend knew what she meant with such a simple gesture and focused instead on her e-mails. Most of them were work-related ones, which all elicited a sigh of disbelief from her, though she saw them through, each one of them, and made sure that there would be no further follow-ups as best she could. She may not share the spirit of the holidays with her newfound friends but she wanted to spend more time with them than with her work. Once she was done, she quietly joined Meera in bed and tried her best to finally stave the jetlag off.

"You need help?" Huifang posed the question to Song as she appeared inside the kitchen, already making her way next to her to catch a glimpse of what she was working on. When she didn't stop her, the engineer picked up whatever was close to her to do just that, help with the cooking. Huifang wasn't a genius cook but she was all right. She spent most holidays cooking for herself, and she enjoyed her cooking, so why wouldn't anyone else?

"Do you have a chicken dish?" Huifang asked while prepping some vegetables for Song. "I can make you guys one." It was an odd offer but it came from a place of familiarity, an intimate memory, one closely tied to the season for her. "Back home, we eat chicken on Christmas since it's hard to get turkey. My teriyaki chicken is pretty good."

It was, though it helped that the recipe wasn't hers originally. It was from an older woman at her office who has since moved on. Huifang loved her teriyaki chicken so much, she mustered the courage to ask for the recipe one day, and the rest was history. Huifang, like most people in Japan, ate KFC on Christmas. The teriyaki chicken recipe changed that tradition for her and made her feel much better at being able to rely on herself for some actual holiday food. There was nothing bad about KFC on Christmas, but Huifang wanted a tradition of her own.

Chrys · Jan 7, 2023

Sam was barely halfway through the decorations when Meera surprised him with her presence. How could he say no to some help, especially since he was clearly out of his depth? With a smile and a gesture to him, he welcomed her support. As for the other question, he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Uhh, well, we didn't really... Sally didn't come out of Song, but I suppose we treat her as our child, sure. Don't you have pets back in India?"

Speaking of Song, she beamed when Huifang arrived to help her in the kitchen. "Come, come! You're just in time!" She ushered the temporary housemate further in and made space for her presence. "Oh, that sounds lovely! You're from Japan, right? Sam said you're a fancy engineer! You must be really smart!" Song was genuinely impressed, and it was clear by her enthusiasm that she was viewing Huifang like she were a star, a genius, of another level.

With Meera's help, the decorations would be finished faster than Song and Huifang would the food. It's not a question of speed or efficiency. Decorations are just much easier to deal with than cooking and prep times. Unless you're Sam, of course. Neither is easier for him. Thank the gods for Song.

Kamala Graham · Jan 8, 2023

Chuckling, Meera shook her head before shifting her attention from the decorations to Sam, "I didn't mean the first part, only the second. A little help?" With a coy smile, she gestured for the small ladder next to him, and when he propped it up for her, Meera ascended it to start placing decorations on his tree. "I do, mostly farm animals, plus the few rescues we have at the makeshift shelter on the communal farm, but no one really I can call my own," she started to tell him about each one, her experiences with them, and how they all come together as a big family.

"Might be for the better, you know? I prefer bigger families to smaller, cozier ones, I guess," she descended the ladder as soon as she was done, and next to Sam, admired their work. It wasn't clean but the colors twinkled brightly and the decorations all had their places, even the ones that maybe should've been kept off the tree. Nah, each and every one of them deserves their time in the sun! It's never like Meera to abandon even just a single thing. If she could, she would adopt all the things and endeavor to make all of them feel like they belonged. Because they do. She then turned to Sam with a bright smile of her own. "You want to check in with our cooks?"

Without even waiting for his response, Meera quickly made her way to the kitchen, excited to see what Huifang and Song were up to!

Ayna Nietzsche · Jan 10, 2023

"Yes, I'm from Japan," Huifang simply nodded as she tried out her batter. It was good, and Song's positivity made her feel good, but Huifang was never known for smiling every time she felt good about things. "Actually originally from China but now a citizen of Japan."

Instead, she focused all her attention on the task at hand, blowing away a single strand of stray hair from her face, "Not that fancy, but I guess I do have to be smart to survive in my field." It wasn't arrogance, though some always took it as such. It was just a fact of life. Huifang assumed Song would not take that as anything but.

"What about you?" She tried to keep the conversation going as she moved on from perfecting her batter to checking on the chicken again. "What do you do for a living?"

Huifang didn't really care as much as most people did when it came to jobs. A lot of people believe what they do for a living makes them who they are, but Huifang didn't share that belief. Jobs were just jobs. They were what you do to make money, to survive. They're just the means to an end. Sure, you have to be good at your job to not get fired, but at the end of the day, you're more than those eight hours. "Sam's a fancy lawyer all over the world, so I guess you're a model?"

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