3240/It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas
Date of Scene:	26 November 2017
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Witchfire, Black Knight

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Witchfire has posed:
Thanksgiving come and gone, it's that magical time when people can finally decorate for Christmas. Even sour Ana seems to be in the mood. The red head has been at it for the better part of the day. Blood red bows on the doors through out the castle with bells. Garland heavy on they spiked deep green leaves of holly with it's red berries and the broad red petals of poinsettias, the seasonal, if poisonous plant covering the regrettable greens needed to string garland along the stairways and arches. Currently the woman has managed to find a tree, or has magicked it to her liking, the green of the pine so dark it seems to drink in the light. She listens to some old crooner covering the same Christmas songs everyone does. It should look festive, but there's an undeniable edge of dark to the red lights and decorations on deep green, spiky plant life.

Black Knight has posed:
    Coming in from working the horses, a shift of monitor duty and his workout, Dane is showered, and dressed in some nerdtastic t-shirt, baggy pants, and a pair of socks. His hair is wet, and a towel is draped over his shoulders as he comes downstairs. "Hey, honey? Have you..." He looks around slowly.
    It's an Uncanny Valley Christmas. Everything looks almost too perfect. Everything is just a little creepy. Just. Off. Too dark. Too red. Too perfectly placed.
    Dane slowly gazes about. He is reminded that the lady he dwells with, and who cares for him as he cares for her is not entirely human. "Wow." he says finally. "Just. Wow. You really decorated for Christmas, huh?" He asks, as he looks about. Christmas, or a black mass, maybe.

Witchfire has posed:
Looking up, Ana has a box of ornaments in her hands. She smiles at Dane. "Welcome home, surprised. I had to work fast." She looks at the tree. "Guess you get to chip in if you like." She offers him the box. "Did you know they sell unique, individual ornaments?" She's clearly discovered this. White stags, white owls, foxes, other animals in white or grey, red and silver icicles. "The tree is symbolic of ritual sacrifice of living things to see us to the new year, correct?"

Black Knight has posed:
    The erstwhile knight regards her. Short horns. Short hems. When did life become this? When did this become the person he would share his life and his work with? This volatile, edgy, powerful, minx of a she-demon? His hard jaw softens a little as Dane accepts the box of ornaments. As he works his jaw, his smile appears. His eyes soften, and Dane shakes his head. "It's a reminder that Spring will come again. All that is evergreen returns. Just as the Son of Man rose, so does the Earth after every Winter." Dane leans over to kiss her cheek. "But if you want it to symbolize that too. Well, I'm not the tree police, Ana."

Witchfire has posed:
"Surely it's a effigy to death. It's a dead tree light to show the wicked spirits that death will not conquer you while the land freezes over surely." She tsks, way off the mark but the she-demon turns back to the tree and begins hanging the white animals on the near black green branches. Her white eyes slide to him, studying the man. "Might as well be in your underwear. I take all the trouble to dress nice for you, and you wear sweats. If I didn't think the magic wouldn't leash me for it, I'd bind you right back." She tells him with a huff as a hip juts to one side and she balances her box on it under her arm.

Black Knight has posed:
    "Hmm." Dane answers. He puts the box down, and he turns back to the stairs, stepping around her trap spell, and silently heading up the stairs.
    It is an unusual move, but she can hear him moving something around upstairs. Opening and closing a closet. Maybe he has more ornaments?
    Some five minutes later, Dane walks back downstairs, casually tying his tie as he steps around another magical trap, and moves down to help her. Black suit. Red shirt. Black tie. Black vest. Even the shiny glossy shoes are a reflective black. 'Heraldry tends to frown on sable against ebony. From a distance it looks purple. Is this more to your liking, my deer?" He dressed for her. If ever there was a gesture of actual love for this woman to understand, it is this. He tilts a dark brow. "You need only to ask." Dane says, even using his working voice for her. The deeper, more masterful tones of the Black Knight. His command voice, if you will.

Witchfire has posed:
Inspecting Dane, Ana smiles as he skirts her traps. "You're learning." She accuses and studies his outfit with a nod. "You needn't have donned the whole suit, but sweats is an insult to the effort I go to looking nice for you." She tells him and reaches out to slide her hand over the scar she knows to lie on his chest under his clothes before offering some red lights for the tree.

Black Knight has posed:
    "I would think the hours a week I spend sweating in the gym would be effort enough to look nice for you." Dane replies. 'And this is not the whole suit. I have a very striking fedora I wear with it. It really completes the look." He accepts the red lights. With his usual precision, he lays the lights out. He is such an Engineer. The lights move in a smooth ascending spiral, the vertical gap between the lights being more or less standard all the way up. Methodical. "You look very pretty tonight.' he adds in a quiet tone.

Witchfire has posed:
Ana props a hand on her hips. "You need to work out because you're the Black Knight." She tells him and her lips quirk a little. "But I'm glad you like the outfit." She adds and carefully places the decorations. "Hats are dumb." She tells Dane with her usual grace. "I'm not hiding my horns, you can manage to leave your hair touchable." Her white eyes focus on the tree rather than him. "I quite like your hair."

Black Knight has posed:
    "I would never ask you to wear a hat." Dane's response is quiet and considered as he finishes with the lights. He peers at the tree and ducks down, to adjust the tree stand. "I will make sure to not cover my hair then, other than in my helmet." He makes some more adjustments. His hand then slides out from under the tree. He lets the hand linger. It is a gentle gesture. Almost tender. She can hear him sigh. "This is our life now, right? We... I do not have to worry you are going to just vanish right?" His voice is quiet.

Witchfire has posed:
"Well, as far as I know?" Ana shrugs. "We can sort out thinks so Alpha Flight doesn't raise a stink about an Avenger stealing me." She tells him and reaches for his hand to tug him back up to his feet. "So...this is our life. You wicked human. I'm well caught and content with it."

Black Knight has posed:
    He accepts the hand up. "No. I meant..." His frown is deep for a moment. His hands settle on her hips. He looks confused, a little scared, and happy all at once.
    "It's stupid baggage." he decides finally. "Let's make 2026 a really great year. Can you maybe get your team leader to name you like a liaison officer with the Avengers?" he prompts. "Or, if I have to, I guess I can take the damn castle brick by brick up to Canadia, and Zeta-Tube to work every day." he's like planning a future, or something. Seriously, his brainpan is working on options. His brow tilts and he just regards her with a serious look. "Just think about options, okay?"

Witchfire has posed:
Looking up at Dane, Ana smiles wryly. "I'll see what I can do. I would hate to make you move your castle. Perhaps I can what was it? Zeta tube? to work with the Flight?" She suggests and leans in to rest her cheek over his heart. "Now help me decorate the sacrifice tree. I'm not sure why I find it so appealing but I adore this holiday. Especially all the pretty, deadly plants to decorate the home."

Black Knight has posed:
    If all works out, someday this will be the mother of his children. Dane sighs, and though sometimes he wonders about all sorts of things, this is not one of those times. Right now, he is happy as has ever been. "Okay. What would you like for your sacrificial holiday, Ana?" Dane asks, as he moves away to get the ornaments.
    There is little artistry to Dane's Christmas decoration technique. Ornaments are spread out close to equidistantly, with no two ornaments of the same type ending up adjacent in the surrounding 8 areas. Dane Whitman is such an Engineer.

Witchfire has posed:
"Well, it's about surviving the season where all things die isn't it?" Ana asks and watches Dane a little mystified. She places things as she likes, more whimsy than science. "I think we have warded the doors and walk ways sufficiently with dead plant stuffs." She looks at the tree thoughtfully.

Black Knight has posed:
    "Traditionally, gifts are exchanged." Dane patiently explains. "A young man might give a young lady a token of affection and esteem such a piece of jewelry, or the like." Dane clears his throat. "Or he might ask said lady if there is anything she might like, so he can show his worth and affection by purchasing it for her."

Witchfire has posed:
"Oh! So I should also get you a gift! What would you like to receive then? I mean, you've given me my life back. Surely that's gift enough, a home on top of it." She gestures around. "Clearly I should be showing you my gratitude with a gift." Ana looks up at him, head tilting a little as she notes his discomfort.

Black Knight has posed:
    "That would depend entirely on what you will allow me to get you for Christmas." Dane explains in a tired sounding voice. He regards her with warm eyes. "I provide your life and a roof over your head because I love you. How about you let me do something nice for you to show you I love you, huh? Or else we'll just take a trip to the holy land and get my ancestor's wedding bands and make a real mess of the holidays?" Dane says it so-softly as he regards her with serious eyes. "I could use a socket set." he adds as an alternative.

Witchfire has posed:
Flushing, Ana's warm regard fades. A defense mechanism to protect him. She clasps her hands in front of her and draws a breath. "I'll go put dinner on." She tells him and steps around to leave him to tree decorating. "That would draw attention. Something small. I could use a cookie press." She offers over her shoulder.

Black Knight has posed:
    His eyes dim a little as she leaves. They squeeze shut. Battle damage, he reminds himself. it's all battle damage. You fall in love with a bird with a broken wing, and you cannot expect to fly. Dane forces his eyes open, and he nods. "A cookie press? Is that a thing?" He sinks into a chair and settles his head in his hand.
    He takes a long moment before shouting after her, "I'll make the travel arrangements!" It isn't a mad shout. Its to be heard.

Witchfire has posed:
In the hallway, Ana closes her eyes and leans against the wall. Her instincts tell her to keep this man at arm's length, but she can't put her finger on why. Shouting back, Ana calls out "I thought you didn't want to travel!" And slips down to the kitchen, determined to make one of his favorite dinners as a peace offering for pushing him away.

Black Knight has posed:
    "For you?" Dane calls back. he doesn't finish it so she can hear it. "Anything." he says with a sigh, slumping in his chair. His fingers splay over cheek and chin before sliding up into this hair.