Mask or Menace ☂ IC Phone Post

[numberthree]

INBOX Voice | Text | Call | Video | Surprise Me A flat computer automated voice comes on and states in monotone: "This is the voicemail box for Allison Hargreeves. Leave a message at the beep."

Luther

Diego

Klaus

Five

Ben

Vanya

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Comments

[obediences]

[ It's a complicated thing. A friendship built on a similarity so much more fundamental and wrenching than the simpler similarity of being of an age — although she doesn't know the original connection, can't know it. And maybe he's started to become something of an older brother slash surrogate father figure to the kid, too, and Luther doesn't even realise that, either. ]

Speaking of. What's your favourite dessert?

[ He's assuming she must've accrued other, more complicated, tastes in the past decade-plus. Something besides ice cream. He still remembers her choices for last year's birthday party — because of course he remembers everything about her — but Allison in catering party-planning mode didn't necessarily mean the same treats she would've chosen for herself. ]

[numberthree]

There are several. It depends on my mood at the time.

[ And the time of year, like right now. And whether it even existed where she was, like in Dallas, and in this place. ]

Cookies usually go over well, and there are a lot of Christmas varieties out there. Mints, and candy cane, and gingerbread, etc. There's a little coffee shop and patisserie Harry and I went to from time to time. I could give them a call and see if they do catering dozens, too.

[obediences]

That sounds good.

Should we bring anything else besides contributing to the snacks? Like, Christmas presents? Is that a thing people do even if they don't know each other all that well?

[ What is the etiquette! He does not know! Even the Hargreeves hadn't gifted each other anything last year, even when it was all of them. ]

[numberthree]

Maybe, maybe not.

Host gifts are a normal thing, and holiday gifts for friends.

But if you don't know him well enough to have any idea what to get, it's probably fine to come without, too, since you will still be bringing something for the tables. If it bugs you not to, you could always try to pay attention to what he talks about that night and send a gift afterward, between the dinner and Christmas itself.

[obediences]

He's a reader, so I've got a few ideas on what I could get. But yeah, okay, that's a good idea. I can gather more data and intel first and then follow up on it later.

[ luther....... ]

[numberthree]

[ Allison rolles her eyes, but there's a fond quirk to her mouth. ]

Try to remember he's a friend. Not a mission.

[obediences]

Duly noted.

And-- thanks, for being up for it. I'll pass on the info once I get a more specific address, time, and date.

[ Still sounds a bit like a mission, but at least less than before? ]

[numberthree]

[ It's, oddly enough, the first thing that makes her go back to think about that part again. Luther asking her to accompany him. Luther saying it wasn't an obligation. Luther saying. Her thumb hovered, but she didn't scroll back up to that. (Not yet.) ]

Sure. I'll keep thinking on it and tell you when I get home if I come up with anything else.