#Thena taking Gil snacks to help him recharge between every single shift

[softquietsteadylove]

Well I saw the post from @eternalowl and I challenge you to do a Modern Thenamesh AU with Gil being the mall Santa!

I specifically ask you because I really love all of your works and your tags :D thank you for everything ❤️

"Okay, kids, Santa has to take a short break," Sersi offered a gentle smile as she closed the gates to the area. There were a few whines and a few glares from parents, but she waved. "I know you all understand how hard he's working. He'll be back in half an hour!"

Gil let out a gasping breath as soon as he was inside the little shed that was decorated for him to change inside. Really, all he had to do was pull off the hot-ass Santa pants and coat from over his t-shirt and jeans. And tear off the uncomfortable beard.

"Just one more shift for the day," Sersi promised as she also pulled off her elf ears once away from prying eyes.

"I can't wait until this stall closes," Gil sighed deeply as he aired out his shirt.

"You volunteered," Sersi laughed, although, so had she, and she also couldn't wait until they were off-duty. "And look at all the kids you're making happy with this."

"Yeah, you're right," he sighed as he pulled on his light bomber jacket. "Coast clear?"

Sersi peeked out to make sure no families were loitering around, or at least checking to make sure that those who were wouldn't be pointing out that Santa went into his 'workshop' and some dude was coming out. "We're clear."

Gil stretched as soon as they were out of the cramped little tool shed. "I'm starving."

"I'm sure Thena's already on her way," Sersi laughed to herself, although Gil looked as excited as the kids who had waited in line for them all morning.

"It sure was sweet of her to suggest making cookies while we're working," Gil mused as he took a seat behind the photoshoot area on a normal mall bench.

Yes, it was very sweet, and they hadn't had much choice in the matter. Since Gil had volunteered to cover the weekend mall-Santa shifts, Thena had been there for every break they'd had.

As Makkari recounted, Thena had ordered the making of cookies for their hard working friends, but Thena was the only one with the time to actually bring them every few hours.

"Just 'cause it's you," Sersi murmured as she scrolled through her phone. "If it were anyone else, she wouldn't have cared."

"That's not true," Gil easily waved off in Thena's defense.

It was true, though. She had wished Sersi luck, of course, dealing with all those kids even though her winter break as a teacher was also in effect. But hearing that Gil had volunteered as well?--that had made the blonde spring into action.

Thena hated the mall--too many people, too little space between her and them. And yet...

"Gil!"

"Thena!" he practically jumped to his feet as he saw her, grinning as her blonde ponytail swung side to side with her long legged steps.

"Another round done?" she smiled as she deposited yet another bag into his hands.

"Yep," he mumbled as he tore into her care package. There were cookies, a few more substantial snacks, and a bottle of sports drink to keep his energy up. "One more round to go before we're free."

"I don't know how you're doing it," she shook her head at him, watching as he took a long gulp of his drink. "Are you sure a half hour break for every four is enough?"

"It was one for every three, leading up to today," Sersi smiled in sympathy as Gil started wolfing down his food. She nodded her gratitude as Thena presented her with a bundle of cookies as well. Although, Sersi couldn't help but notice that hers both had fewer in it, and didn't have a ribbon around it. "But today's the last day for it. Then he's off a few hours before the mall closes."

"Don't you get enough of them at your real job?" Thena snarked lightly at Sersi as Gil went to dispose of his litter.

Sersi grinned at Thena, "don't you have better things to do than schedule your whole day around when Gil goes on break?"

Thena crossed her arms at her, "I live one block away--it's not like it's any trouble."

Sersi wasn't intimidated by the Goddess of War, though, bumping their shoulders together affectionately. "He's all yours after tonight."

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Thena glared at her, although it melted away when she turned her attention back to Gil upon his return. "Tell me no one else has peed on your leg, at least."

"No, no one after that poor little guy on the first day," Gil sighed, of course being a good sport about something that would have most people quitting on the spot. "And today a few people got pictures of their pets with me, so that was cute."

"Although that cat in a knapsack was utterly terrified of him," Sersi mused as she unwrapped her cookies and took a bite.

Everyone had made different ones. Makkari had chosen gingerbread, Druig making something with dried berries in them. Thena and Ikaris, the much less baking-inclined of them, had both made cookies from instant mix. Sersi had helped Ikaris make his own chocolate chip cookies herself (although she had protested that they weren't in the spirit of the season, which he had ignored).

Thena made the sugar cookies that Gil currently had a full bag of.

"Hey, what're you up to?" Gil asked Thena more softly, taking a bite of the sugary star and then holding up a bite for her. "We've got 20 minutes--grab a coffee with us?"

Sersi watched Thena bite off a point of the star still in Gil's hand and shot to her feet. "Oh, uhm, Ikaris is calling me! You two go and--Gil, I'll meet you back here!"

Gil shrugged, watching Sersi all but sprint off into a crowd of shoppers. He turned back to Thena, who had left him the last star point generously. "Okay, just you and me, then--you in?"

Thena nodded, smiling at him as she chewed her cookie bite.

"These turned out really good," he smiled as he pulled out another one, walking towards the unique hellscape that was the mall starbucks. "You took my advice about making the butter room temperature, didn't you?"

"And what you said about the second round not taking as long because the pan is already hot," she smiled, leaning in as he held out another star for her.

"Thanks," he smiled at her more softly than before, despite the chaos around them. "These really kept me sane between the screaming and the crying and complaining parents."

Thena brushed a few crumbs off his coat, "you love doing this kind of stuff--especially if it's for kids."

"Yeah, that's true," he conceded easily. A few teenagers ran past them, bumping him closer to her. Neither said anything. "But I'd still rather be hanging out with you on my time off."

"Well," Thena pulled out the last cookie she'd packed for him this round, holding it up for him this time. "Three more hours, and then you're free."

"Three more hours," he sighed, leaning in to steal a bite of the cookies she had made just for him. He held her eyes as she brushed a crumb off the corner of his lips, "I can do that."

"Um," the nervous young barista coughed, watching the couple canoodling in the middle of the line, "do you wanna order? Or..."