#npc: soren creighton ashforde .

[choojahyun]

Helena/Dolores: Mistletoe [accidental]

The imminent holidays had sobered Dolores' lucidity, twofold as she waded through the murky stage as November drifted into December, and she quietly awaited the arrival of her son as he was quite adamant about "catching a lift" with one of his classmate's that was from the same town. She ticked things off of her checklist; clean the house, wash Soren's sheets, and bring some of Helena's things out and place them around the house in an attempt to appear that she is actually still residing there. Of course, they concluded that they should say she has been travelling for business recurrently, and just leave it at that. Those, amongst all the other holiday-related she had to accomplish.

When the day came that Soren was due to arrive back home, the stockings were hung by the fireplace and the tree was lit up, the string of lights shimmering against the fresh green, she wanted the place to look as much festive delight as she felt inside, she knew both Helena and Soren would stare at it with contempt, but she did not care. Trading her boy and his many bags (how did he fit that many in the trunk?) for a plate of cookies and an envelope with gas money, as a thank you and happy holidays, Soren settled in his old room and then took his dog (the family’s dog but really his dog), for a wee walk, as Dolores and Helena were based downstairs, completing the cooking, as she and Helena made him his favourite dish for dinner.

After dinner, Soren offered to do the dishes since he also wanted to go hang out with some of his friend's he had not seen since he left for university, and he knew he would have a better chance of Dolores saying yes if he helped. Of course, he was an adult, so he did not really need Dolores' permission, but he admitted that he felt bad because he knew she had holiday activities planned, but she assured him that they had his entire break to do that soft of stuff, so he should definitely see his friends before the holidays. Hearing the door open and close and Soren yelling a buoyant goodbye, Dolores shut the kitchen lights out, stepping out to the back of the garage to where a little shed stood; a neglected structure that was used for storage. It came with the place and was too much of a hassle to tear down, but Dolores and Helena would come out here every so often, when some of the anguish that arrived when it came to parenting became too much to bear, this was their safe haven, just to catch her breath and look at the night sky. See if was as empty as she felt.

She pulled her coat closer to her, the mist of her own breath surrounding her as she trudged through a fresh coat of snow that has fallen the other night. It crunched under her feet as she watched her footsteps make a path, right next to a pair she had not seen prior. As she sat down on a board bench that was attached to the shed, she studied the footprints laid out before her like an atlas, inhumed in her own reverie when she heard someone approach. "Home already? Don't tell me you missed me so much, and felt bad, so you decided to come back?" She teased, as the shape rounded the corner before spotting Helena.

"Oh shit, sorry, you scared me, obviously I was expecting well, I'm sure he's having the time of his life. Remember when we used to do that?" Dolores said, trying to slow her hammering heart, "well maybe you do, I certainly don't, I think I've become boring... almost." Of course, she is certainly not counting their double lives as career criminals, but that is a thought she will circle back to if she has some more liquid courage in her. Also, she does not even know if she can even categorise herself as such anymore, since she spends more time at the travel agency than casing and planning. A few friends have offered her some jobs here and there, but nothing that piqued her notice enough.

"Or just old I guess?" She continued, "Ah anyway, what brings you out here? Did I steal your sulking spot?" She caught her lower lip with her front teeth as she tried to stop the smile from spreading. "Here, have a seat partna'," holding out her hand, Dolores stood up to help Helena down before she slipped on the ice, losing her footing and her grace, her body colliding with the ground and the weight of Helena being pulled on top of her. "Well that was very smooth of me," she commented, as she looked up at Helena, her eyes automatically catching the green and red plant garnishing the top of the shed. "Ugh, I knew I was getting old, my back is going to hurt tomorrow. But um, I remember now — Soren had come out here too, I was wondering who's footprints those were and you know, I knew he went out for a walk, I just did not know he did a little decorating himself." Her tongue trailed off when she came face to face with Helena, the moonlight casting its radiant rays to cover the other woman like a celestial figure. "Helena I..." Eyelids came fluttering to a close as her lips caught the other's in a soft kiss, the redhead's fingertips coming up to hold Helena's face.

@humangods