Thread by @OurFlagMnsSteph

#noangstnov Day 26: Thanksgiving
Stede's hosting Thanksgiving for his motley crew/chosen family

Everything was ready. The weather was mild, so Stede set the patio table up with all as many place settings as he could and set up card tables for the rest.

The turkey was in the smoker, spatchcocked so it wouldn't be an all day affair to cook it. Roach had come early to monitor it and the rest of the cooking Stede and he had taken on.

He'd assigned out some of the simpler dishes to the members of the crew who would actually follow through. Salad for Lucius and Pete. Cranberry sauce for Olu and Jim. Actually just those two.

Roach and Stede worked together to get the rest done--mashed potatoes, gravy, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, and Roach's orange cake since it had become a staple at their gatherings.

The crew started arriving at one, trickling in one or two at a time. Ed with a couple of sixpacks and Izzy trailing behind him with a couple more.
Stede was surprised Ed had convinced Izzy to come. He hadn't seemed inclined when Stede invited him.

Jim and Olu next followed quickly by Wee John, Frenchie and Swede.
Frenchie was giving Swede a crash course in Thanksgiving history, keeping mainly to info about the menu.
Fang and Ivan arrived next with Buttons soon after.

It was nearing three when Lucius and Pete rolled in looking slightly askew, and salad forgotten, but Stede chose not to ask.
Stede ushered the crew out to the garden and the meal was underway.

--

Sitting at the head of the table and looking down it to his guests, Stede thought about how different his life was, now. Last year he'd dined alone, his first holiday post-divorce, wondering if he'd made a terrible mistake.

The one before that, eating with Mary, the kids, and his in-laws, feeling out of place and miserable, but smiling nonetheless.

He missed his kids, but he'd see them Saturday for a mini-meal. This year the smile on his face was genuine. He loved these people and for some reason they actually seemed to at least like him back.

The garden seemed built to hold them all, amplifying their chatter and laughs so that it carried.
The food mostly eaten, Stede stood and clinked his glass to get everyone's attention.

"I want to thank you all, once again, for being here. I know that we're new friends, but I have to say thank you so much for taking me in. This last year has been a huge change for me, a good one, but it started out feeling quite awful.

"And then I found Lucius and he introduced me to the rest of you, and you took me in. You accepted this very...very strange man, and...I feel so very lucky to have such wonderful friends in my life...so this year, You are what I'm thankful for."

Stede sat, his bravery depleted, a tear in his eye.

And his friends fucking clapped and cheered until he was laughing joyfully with them.

-End-

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