nexus_crossings | Ho Ho Ho! Happy HP Holidays!

Ho Ho Ho! Happy HP Holidays!

There is something different about the Nexus this Christmas season. There is a light snow falling over the entire Nexus plaza. The snow is gentle, with no real coldness to the falling snow flakes. As one approaches the main gathering area, they will notice that there are many Christmas decorations, including garland hanging from the air, and there are twelve towering decorated Christmas trees, some sparkling with tiny icicles, some glittering with hundreds of candles. There are also thousands of floating tiny candles in the Nexus plaza, that gently move at their own discretion.

In one corner, there is an orchestra, directed by a Dwarf. All of the musicians are playing music on instruments made from ice. In the center of the Nexus plaza, is a huge banquet table, loaded with holiday foods and treats that showcases a variety of food from different cultures, and some of the different worlds that gather into the Nexus itself. The main delight of the banquet table is that magic can make the food replenish itself, meaning Christmas dinner never has to end. Most will be able to find something they would enjoy. With the added perk that the food is LOL-free.

There are some added little Christmas adventures, for those who get caught up in the holidays. Here are some of the extra options for the Holiday season.

Secret Santa!
There is an added bonus to the Secret Santa gifts this year. The presents will deliver themselves! There are tons of wrapped gifts floating through the air, destined to only drop when they reach the person to which they are intended. Please note that not all gifts will be given in the spirit of the season. There are a few prank gifts floating around too. Be sure to watch out for them!

Christmas Crackers!
There are Christmas crackers scattered among the tables, and in amongst the branches of the trees. They are decorated with festive paper that is twisted at either end like a sweet wrapper. Inside of the tube are prizes, and some contain Muggle prizes such as a paper hat, a plastic toy, and a slip of paper with a joke printed on it. But the rare person will receive a unique, peculiar magical prize, and will envelop everyone nearby in a cloud of blue smoke.

Weasley Sweaters!
Time to try your luck at the Christmas Sweater bin. There is a large rotating clothing rack that seems to have an endless supply of them. Each one more Festive than the last! Pick one and show your Christmas spirit for the rest of the day.

Enchanted Mistletoe!
Be warned Nexus traveler, the Nargles** have hung enchanted Mistletoe all around the plaza. If an unlucky person steps underneath the Mistletoe, they will find that they are magically stuck to the spot, until they can find someone to kiss them. Of course, the kiss can be platonic, familial, or even romantic. For a few unfortunate people, the kiss may be the last thing they would want to do... but it is that or be stuck in the same spot for the rest of the season.

**Nargle Wiki
[Click Here for information on the HP Holiday Event!]
[Your character is free to give other Christmas gifts to people they care about -- HOWEVER, please do not deliver your Secret Santa gift. That will be handled by the Secret Santa moderator. Please post details on your Secret Santa gift in this post please.]

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"Nothing like this." Hunter shakes his head. "But then again, the Nexus changes all the time. The people I meet now are those I didn't know a year ago."

Fortunately Jim's had enough time to readjust to several things, so the sight of all the meat dishes on the table doesn't bother him as much as it did a month ago, and it doesn't take long to load up the plate. "Do you ever get used to that? Things moving around, I mean."

"It doesn't seem weird to me. But then again, I spend a lot of time on the streets of New York. And jet-setting as a youth."

"I wonder if they would let me take any of the left-overs to the Food Bank..."

"They'd better." Jim's answer is quiet, but fairly vehement. "There's enough food here to feed an army."

It's going to be hard enough to inevitably endure seeing people leave scraps on their plates, or leave their food half-eaten. Someone always does, and in a crowd this size, there's bound to be several. Jim shakes his head, trying not to think about it, and gestures with the plate. "Where do you want to sit?"

"How about over there?" Hunter nods to a quiet booth in the corner. It is nice and secluded. And away enough from the buffet table that hopefully Jim can put his food issues out of mind for a little bit.

Wherever Hunter wants to sit is fine with Jim. He stops only to grab a beverage for the other man before delivering the plate to the table, and once his hands are free, he briefly heads back to the buffet table to grab a small portion for himself. Not much, just a serving of fried rice and an apple from the fruit bowl. Enough that it won't feel weird to just sit there and watch Hunter eat.

"So I've gotta ask," he says, once they're both settled. "How can you do origami one-handed?"

"Magic." Hunter gives Jim a shit-eating smile. He reaches for his napkin with his left hand. Touches the napkin lightly.

Then uses his ability to make art come to life... to make the napkin folds itself into a little origami star.

"Ask a stupid question..." Jim's not so far gone that he can't laugh at himself a little. It's an obvious answer to an obvious question. Although he hadn't realized that Hunter's skills extended beyond just art now, to the point where he can control plain paper, and he tilts his head a little, thinking. "So it's developing into a kind of... telekinesis?"

"It has become a little more powerful, since I used it to help defend Hermione against Bellatrix." Hunter explains.

"I can even change an art piece, like a sculpture, into something else now."

"And as you have seen, I can command movement without being in sight anymore."

"Yeah, that was a bit of a surprise." Jim has saved each of the notes, even though he knows he doesn't have a hope in hell of folding them back up how they were before. Origami is not exactly one of his many skills.

He picks up the star that used to be a napkin, turning it over in his hands. "Thanks for that, by the way. It... I needed that."

Hunter smiled softly. At this point in time, Jim has only received three of the intended seven notes and gifts that he will be sending.

"That was the point, sweetheart."

And if he wanted the origami animals back, he just needs to ask. Hunter would gladly accommodate the request.

Jim has a feeling that there is more in store. There's already been one gift for each day of Hanukkah so far, and there are five more nights to go.

But he also doesn't really want to ask or assume anything, because Hunter's put a lot of effort into it already. More than he expected. Which brings his thoughts back around to the part where he hasn't gotten anything for Hunter. He's never really had to put effort into buying gifts for special occasions before.

The endearment puts a faint smile on his lips. "Do you have any plans through the end of the year?" He can't just come out and ask Hunter what he'd like to get, he's pretty sure. Better to sound things out, get a better idea of where he's even going to be.

"Before Thanksgiving, I had made plans to help out in the Food Bank during the holiday season. But my mobility is sort of limited now." Hunter frowns.

The Foundation is important to him. And he has to figure out a way to help.

"I might be able to touch base with Lindy. She will be in New York over the holidays. Meet her new husband. And I wanted to at least make an effort with my dad. But that might be just one supper."

"Mostly... I am restless right now. I can't work on any of my projects."

Jim can sympathize with that. Being stuck, unable to do what you love or need to do... it's frustrating as hell. And he can't think of any easy solution to the problem either. Even once the bone's grown back, Hunter will probably have to strengthen the arm back up since he won't have used it for a month.

The mention of Hunter's dad does catch his attention, though. "Have you heard anything from your dad since... last time?"

"A few phone calls, here and there."

"He is trying. But it just feels weird." Hunter knows that Jim would understand better than anyone else.

"Yeah, I hear you." Jim absolutely understands. His own relationship with his mother has had its ups and downs - more downs than ups, if he's honest.

He picks at his fried rice, not really sure what else to say on the matter without being even more of a downer than he usually is this time of year. "What do you usually do for Christmas?"

Hunter is a little concerned for Jim right now. He hopes that the other man didn't force himself to come to the party, just to be there for Hunter.

"I normally do nothing." He answers honestly. "We never celebrated it when I was a child. And then the year after the curse... I shut myself away from the world."

"I guess... as long I am around friends, that is the most important thing."

Around friends... Jim looks up from his plate, a quietly thoughtful look on his face. "I'm... probably going to have some free time at the end of the month," he says after a moment. "This time of year is... not my favorite, but if you want to spend some time together..."

"That would mean a lot to me..." Hunter reaches out with his good arm to caress Jim's face softly.

"We can just hang out, have some Chinese food, and spend quality time together."

"Okay." He can't spend the New Year drinking himself stupid this year, and he's hardly going to have anything else to do with himself. Making Hunter happy... yeah, he can handle that. Easily.

And it gives him a deadline to figure out what gift to get for him. Whether or not either of them really celebrate the winter holidays, Hunter has gone above and beyond what Jim expected to make him feel at home. Giving something back is definitely something he wants to do.

Jim doesn't realize it, but his offer of spending time with Hunter is already the best Christmas gift he could have ever received.

And hopefully the Starfleet Captain is not too taken back by PDAs, because leans in to capture a soft kiss from the other man.

"Okay."

Jim is not on duty. Even though he doesn't respond with his usual enthusiasm, PDAs are just fine, and he leans into the touch a little, accepting the kiss and the small amount of comfort it brings.

He may not be good company at this time of year, but he's trying. For Hunter's sake.

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Ho Ho Ho! Happy HP Holidays!

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