4387/Another Queen Christmas on the horizon!

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Another Queen Christmas on the horizon!
Date of Scene: 12 December 2020
Location: Queen Mansion
Synopsis: The Queen's meet up for some prepping before the actual christmas night. A hunt for a christmas hat for Ollie ensues, along with popcorn poppin' plans and it being decided Roy will cook the christmas dinner this year. Oh boy!
Cast of Characters: Oliver Queen, Vanessa Carlysle, Thea Queen, Roy Harper




Oliver Queen has posed:
It's the season of jolly! Not that Ollie is the epitome of jolliness... Or even close to it. He does like his brooding ways afterall. And there's still a Cupid out there in the streets t o capture. But today ..., he might as well enjoy a bit of the christmas spirit. Decorators had been about afterall, mother and Vanessa having made sure to have the house looking prim and into the spirit...

Not that they could had convinced Oliver to get a christmas hat on. Nope. He was the serious one here, but the socks for gifts had been put about and he had been busy putting some gifts in. To be open only on christmas of course!

Plans had to be made though. The family dinner, also plans to capture a certain villain. So messages had been sent for people to gather up at the mansion. Some food and talk.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa takes the steps quickly, if with soft steps that avoid the descent being noisy. She's wearing a pair of black slacks and a sweater in blue, silver and white, suggestive of a wintery scene. There's a bright-eyed look to her as she descends the stairs with the holly and tinsel on the railing, passing by some festive decorations set out on the small tables in the hallway.

"Oliver, is there room in this talk for Irish-coffee?" she asks, lifting her voice to let it find Oliver ahead of her actually spotting where he's waiting. "Because I think that should probably be a winter tradition if it is not already," she says as she makes her way forward towards the dining room and kitchen to find the male Queen.

Thea Queen has posed:
It //is// the season of jolly! It's the season of parties, of raucous laughter, and, of course, of horrible, ugly shirts.

Thea has been away, but not in a snit, not in a funk or a depressy mood. She still has her apartment in NYC that has been underwritten by Malcolm, and actually living there for a little is making her feel like a bona fide adult. Of course, it has its downsides too, like being so close to party central, bars, and so far away from family. Decorating the apartment isn't like decorating the Queen family mansion at all, and with the 'call to arms', as it were, given, the younger sibling returns home with a brown paper shopping bag in hand. Within is tinsel, lots of glitter, and lights.

And wrapped packages with bows.

The door opens, and Thea steps through, stopping in an abrupt halt in the hall, her eyes on all the decorations, her anouncement of her arrival dropping after, "Hey, I'm h--"

Oh.

"Hey," it changes to slowly as she finishes her entrance and closes the door. "Looks good.. like it should."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"Irish coffee?" The male Queen has indeed been in the kitchen. Preparing a meal for the team. On the menu today? Roast duck on a blanket of rice with chorizo and garlic. Perfect to break some people's diet regimen! But it's light ... Well, light-ish. "There is always room for Irish coffee I'd say." he smiles at Vanessa at spotting her near the entrance to the kitchen, "Thea should be arriving soon.."

And then there's the sound coming from the lobby. "Speak of the devil..." he murmurs. Wiping his hands he starts on his way over, placing a kiss atop Vanessa's forehead and then out to receive the newcomer.

"Hello Thea." He says, a small sigh when he spots the younger sister's expression. "Blame it on Mother and Vanessa."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle slips an arm about Oliver's hip just for a moment as he bestows her that soft kiss, before letting him continue on to greet his sister. "I'll get a pot going," she says, but rather than do so she follows allow to the door, stopping short to let Oliver greet Thea first.

She seems to read the other woman's expression as well. "Moira said the study with the big fireplace was a favorite place during the winter. There's a tree waiting to go into it, and some decorations too," Vanessa says. "Just waiting for everyone to be here for it," she adds.

Vanessa moves over and if Thea lets her, gives her a quick, brief hug. "Glad to see you," she says with a warm smile. "Sorry, I hope the decorating didn't go too far."

Roy Harper has posed:
It is /festive/ up in here, and so Roy, home at the mansion for the weekend instead of up in Happy Harbor, comes tromping down the stairs from wherever his room is, somewhere over there.. and makes his way toward the voices. Red chucks, faded jeans, a dark red hoodie are his usual fare, but the hood is down and perched on his red hair is a bright green santa hat complete with a little bell that jingles, announcing his presence long before he arrives, breathing in the scent of the garlic and the duck. "Damn, it smells good in here," he proclaims, one of those tiny miniature candy canes sticking out of the side of his mouth where he sucks on it idly.

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea's brows rise the //moment// Oliver passes the blame on, her expression turning from that unpleasantly surprised to the amused. "That.. that is low, Ollie." She sets her bag down long enough to give Vanessa a return hug before retaking her handled paper bag.

"This means that I won't feel at all guilty when you all open your Christmas Eve gifts and then have to wear them." UGLY sweaters

Thea walks further into the entry, setting her bag finally on a decorative round table. "The study is left?" One of Robert's favorite places when they were younger. "Okay." She seems a little more cheered by that, allowing, then, to smell the food cooking.

"What is.. did Mother hire a cook? Can we.. " Going to stop there, and try a different tack. "Okay, it's take out, right?"

The sight of Roy, however, looking very 'Santa-helperish' does get a grin from the younger of the siblings. "I know you didn't cook.."

Oliver Queen has posed:
Do you know what else Ollie is good with? Getting people festive hats and refusing to wear them himself. Yep, but it's his house! So his rules! A veritable Christmas grinch this one. Roy already had his. And before he approaches he takes a detour by the tree on the living room, picking up a christmas hat with antlers. "There you go, Speedy." sure, bring out the nickname from when they were kids.

The hat is tossed Thea's way, "And you know I can cook more than just spicy chili, right?"

Glancing up as Roy is starting on his way down he grins faintly. "Seems like food is the secret to get you out of your room, eh?" he teases the young man.

And finally his gaze settles on Vanessa, "The decorations look great." he assures her, "It's good to have the house looking lively for the season."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
"Either an angel just got his wings, or else Roy is coming," Vanessa announces at the first few jingles of his hat. She turns to flash him a grin. "Just about to make some drinks to go with Oliver's meal," she says, and flashes Thea a quick wink. "If it was takeout, the boxes would be well burned by now," she says, the teasing grin she gives Oliver seeming to rule out that actually having happened.

She moves back into the kitchen and gets the coffee going, knowing by now what flavors each person likes. The adults get some alcohol added to by the time that Vanessa brings the glasses over to the table.

"Everyone going to be in town for Christmas, or any trips this year?" she asks.

Roy Harper has posed:
Both of Roy's eyebrows shoot up as Thea looks at him then comments on Oliver not cooking, for a moment thinking she's referring to him, until Oliver answers, then he just grins. Though he smirks at Ollie's teasing and says, "Hey. I was studying for finals. You know. For school? That place you shipped me off to in New York that I'm supposed to be graduating from this year?" A prospect which is looking more and more likely than perhaps any of them expected when he'd started at Happy Harbor the previous winter. He flashes a grin, though, in a good mood.

Though Vanessa's comment makes him open his mouth, and then close it again. Nope. Not touching that one. Mixed company. "I'm going to be here," he says in answer to Vanessa's question. "I think AJ's gotta stay up in New York with his dad. Family stuff, probably." It's been a busy year for both of them, with AJ preparing for college and Roy, well.. splitting time between school in Happy Harbor, his time at the Roost, and here.

Thea Queen has posed:
As silly as that hat is that is tossed at her, Thea sets it on her head quickly and with a happy grin. It's not truly Christmas until the hats come out (and the ugly sweaters are opened and worn!). She did notice the diminuative, her nickname given when she was little, and right now? With the spirit and the season, it's fine, and it gives her that little warm spot. "Oh no, big brother.. even dad wore one. Walter wore one.. now you have to." As Queen patriarch. "Do I have to go find it for you?" She knows a few hiding places where they could be; she'd searched them year after year to peek at gifts.

"Yes. Scrambled eggs. But I really think you outdid yourself."

The coffee, thus brought out, Thea is more than happy to be placed in the 'not adult' category on this one. She's been actively keeping sober, and it's hard; some days are harder than others. She's learning, however, what to do to keep the urges away, and it's all actually rather constructive. She runs until she's breaking a sweat, and then she runs some more.

Thea laughs and with the smile remaining, nods her head. "Okay, I promise I won't go through the trash looking for the boxes. I'd hope my big brother was smarter than that."

Thea pulls the bag off the table in order to set the presents under the master tree for the time being, her coffee taken up when she's done. "Really proud of you, Roy. Graduating and all," and she's being honest before she turns back to Vanessa to answer her question, "I'm around. I'll make sure I tell Mother that, too."

Oliver Queen has posed:
"I am wounded.." Oliver says, but his good disposition is showing at least. "I have never had any complaints about my food, I will let you know." a beat, followed by a frown, "Except Kal.." as in Superman? "He thinks it's too spicy and hot." the archer then rolling his eyes at that. Kryptonians and their fine palates!

"Only supposed to be graduating?" He then casually asks of Roy. But he had seen his scores, it seemed well in the way of getting done next year too. "Of course that it also means you could start considering college too." which is something they hadn't broached yet. But nothing like christmas for it!

The suggestion that Oliver should actually wear a hat has him look between Vanessa and Thea. "Sure, I will actually wear one if you find them." he taunts before his eyes settle more fully on Vanessa. "And no peeking." she knows what he means!

"Mother will be happy." He then murmurs about them all being here for Christmas. He did hope they would be able to have a quiet one. Knowing it's the Queen family ..., well.., not a very *high* chance of that.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Living with Oliver's memories in her head, memories which get updated to the present each time she's around him for very long, does lead to moments like this where Vanessa just plays stupid. She hadn't any idea where the hats were until the topic was brought up, but the moment it was the memory is there to be pulled up.

She flashes Thea a grin and says, "He definitely needs a hat," as she looks back to Oliver, reaching up and brush her fingers briefly through the man's short hair.

"Are you considering college then, Roy?" she asks. "I never went. But I've heard so much about it that I kind of think I lost out on a lot," she says. She moves to help with the food, getting it out to the table. "So how does Santa know which chimney to come down anyway? What are there, about five in the house?"

Roy Harper has posed:
Roy grins crookedly at Thea as she pops on the hat and razzes Oliver, giving her a grateful smile when she says she's proud. He's been struggling with his own sobriety over the past nearly a year, and the fact that he's held it together and is graduating at all seems to be something he's pretty proud of.

That is, until Oliver mentions that he should be thinking about college, too, and his expression falls, the smile fading as his attention focuses on the ground, the decorations, pretty much anything other than meeting anyone's eyes. "Uh, I dunno," he stammers a little at Vanessa's question, rubbing at the back of his neck, "One day at a time, you know." No. The answer is no. He had not even considered college as an option.

Thea Queen has posed:
"Kal..." Thea pulls a face at her brother. "Namedropper." And she says that in the most loving of ways, too! "What does he know, though. The spicier the better." Pfah. Superman.

Thea moves into that territory of defense for Roy; he's not used to the way Oliver broaches topics quite as much as she is, and she feels badly for his being put on the spot. Stepping forward, still with coffee in hand, she offers up, "College isn't for everyone," says the almost high school dropout that managed to graduate due to Mother's .. influence. "He'll be okay." Thea looks back at Roy and offers him a bright smile, "I have faith."

With that passed on, Thea's manner shifts slightly to the sneaky. A challenge is afoot! To find the hat that Ollie probably stashed so he wouldn't have to wear one. "I'll find it." She glances at Vanessa before offering a wide grin, "Because he's Santa." She gives a light shrug before, "That's what dad used to say when we asked. Or, he'd say 'The one with the fire in it.' " There's a pause before she adds, "We had them all lit."

Oliver Queen has posed:
The stammering. Along with not meeting anyone's eyes. Yea... Oliver knows what -that- means. No need to be a mindreader for that. It leaves him none too happy. But that's Oliver, never fully happy with their proteges. Always glass half empty as they say! And with Thea moving to his defense it only makes Oliver change his narrowed gaze to her. "There's a difference between being okay and actually fine." but he does concede on a point. "It will be his choice, of course." Not that he won't mount up the pressure. But that's details!

Yet it's christmas, and so he goes to get the food out, bringing it up to the dining room so he can start serving up. It does smell good, filling the house with quite that nostalgia of past christmas in family.. A past long gone..

"I remember lighting up all the chimneys, indeed..." Look, he wasn't a good influence when he was young... Bad boy to the fullest, even when he was only eleven or twelve! "It reminds me of a prank..." his gaze going to Vanessa, "I burned some meat on one of the fireplaces one night and come morning I brought Thea to see and tell her we had roasted Santa.." yes, definitely not a good boy!

"Maybe we should light them all up this year too." He suggests with a smirk to Vanessa.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa waits until matters have settled with Roy and the topic of college, and Oliver's moving on to talking about the fireplaces. Vanessa moves over to Roy and leans over towards him as she says really quietly, "I didn't finish high school, so you're already WAY ahead of me, Roy. You're doing a fantastic job. A lot to be proud of."

She turns back to the rest of the conversation then, hoping that helped make amends. "Oh, Oliver, you didn't!" she says. Though she knows better. "Thea, I'm understanding more and more about your life with your brother," she says with a sigh and a shake of her head before it turns into a soft laugh.

"I just like having a fireplace," she says. "There's just something about the crackling flames when you can hear the wind against the windows and see the frost on the outside of them," she says. Vanessa pauses a moment. "I'm really looking forward to getting to be a part of Christmas here. Thank you for... well, for everything," she tells them.

Roy Harper has posed:
There's a grateful glance over in Thea's direction when she comes to his rescue. It's complicated. He's got a lot of complicated thoughts and feelings on the topic and standing in the middle of the hall in front of everyone is probably not the place that he wants to be processing them. His smile grows a little crooked when she says she has faith, and he mouths a little 'thanks' in her direction. That is, until he catches that look from Oliver and it fades again.

He decides to stay quiet, though, hoping that the conversation will turn to other things, and grateful when it does. The roasted santa prank does draw a smile back into the open, though, and a little bit of a chuckle.

He moves to follow the others toward the food when Oliver goes to start bringing it in. When Vanessa approaches he pauses, and then he smiles faintly and murmurs back, "Thanks.. I.. it's not that I don't want to go.." but he trails off. Maybe that's a conversation for another time. "Thanks." Then a little louder, "Fireplaces are one of the best parts of winter after going out and getting good and cold."

Thea Queen has posed:
Thea scowls at Oliver again, and hrmphs softly. "He was a meany," though now she can look back at it and laugh about it. "It probably would have been worse, though, if it was one of the reindeer," she concedes.

She's more than ready to head to the table as Ollie brings the food out, getting ready to let it rest before carving. "Yes, yes he did," Thea adds to Vanessa. "Using the fact that I idolized him, I believed everything he told me."

Roy is glanced back to, offering up a quick supportive smile before, "When we light them, I'll grab the popcorn popper and the marshmellows." She explains quickly after, "We have a fireplace popcorn popper, and we used to string it after before putting it on the tree. Usually that was for the tree in the study."

Thea pulls a chair out at the table now, plopping herself down into the seat, ready for the meal. "We'll pop after?"

Oliver Queen has posed:
"A reindeer? I am not *that* much of a savage." Yes, Oliver agrees it would had been worse! At least one thing they can agree on! Well, two. Fireplaces are good and he grunts when the talk seems to be going towards spending some time at the fireplace. He's all for that. As for the popcorn popper.. "I had forgotten about that one... But it's Christmas, I shall indulge." a grin appearing on his expression.

"It's good to spend some quiet time, to think on things, just being there near the fireplace..." some darkness comes to his look then. Perhaps reminding himself of other uses for a fireplace. Like keeping himself alive when back at Lian Yu. But he shakes that quickly enough, getting on serving the dishes for everyone. Generous shares for everyone too. Noone shall go hungry!

"And well Vanessa, if you heard about any of the stories of my past..., most were true. A real enfant terrible that I was." a shrug, resigned to that fact. But that was in the past too. "You don't need to thank us. You are bringing quite the life to the house too. The decorations are looking great so far."

Roy Harper has posed:
"That much of a savage," Roy says with a smirk, chuckling just a little bit, shaking off whatever mood had briefly settled on him. "Popcorn sounds good. We pop extra so that some of it makes it onto the strings, right?" He flashes Thea a grin.

He catches that slightly darker look in Oliver's eyes for a moment, having some faint idea of the many other fire memories that one might have. But he instead opts for, "Makes me seem like an angel!" with a cheeky grin, instead.

He gives Vanessa a little bump with an elbow. "It's nice having you around. More cheer's always a good thing." Then he settles in to observe the serving of the food, sighing in contentment. "Man, that looks so much better than cafeteria food." Not that the food at the school isn't good, but not this good.

Thea Queen has posed:
Ollie's admission that he was a particularly horrible person back then gets a brief complaint from his little sister. "You weren't that bad." She looks over the table, then back at Oliver in expectation. Carve the meat!

It's that look into the middle distance, however, that Thea really is more familiar with than she wants to be. It's that brief loss of her brother in the present, no matter how hard she tries to keep him here. They'd been to LianYu.. and shared some of those demons enough to exorcize them, but it'll never be all of those ghosts. "Hey.. Ollie. Carve, and I think I know where you stashed your hat." Rising from her spot, she takes a quick, gentle swipe at Roy's jingle bells at his hat before she passes.

"Vanessa.. it's nice having you around." She pauses a moment before she glances at her brother meaningfully, and back to her. "He's much happier."

Oliver Queen has posed:
Fine. Oliver shall carve! And so he does, starting to slice the meat up for everyone. It's a science that Oliver has trained himself to do. And well. It also helps in getting his mind out of things so he focuses on that instead. When Thea mentions knowing where the hat is he lifts a brow in curiosity. "Do you now?" he questions before letting out a snort. He will believe it when he sees it!

"Roy, the only people that will think you an angel are those that don't know you." He teases the young man before laughing out quietly. "Next year, maybe you should be the one to cook. What do you say?" he then asks Roy. He will be eighteen then! Sounds about time.

Roy Harper has posed:
Roy laughs just a little bit at Oliver's ribbing because it's true and he knows it. It's not like he had been able to say it with a straight face, anyway. "You want /me/ to cook?" he asks, both brows going up. "I mean.. I'll do it. I'm up for a challenge, but bring your intestinal fortitude and lowered expectations." Because there is no telling exactly what they're going to get if they leave the holiday meal cooking to Roy. Has anyone ever seen Roy cook?