How to Correct the Holiday Blues

Gabe fingers the gold necklace around his neck, taking a sip from his bottle of beer. Frank is laughing, high pitched and annoying next to him. They're at a barbeque being held at Gerard and Lyn-Z's. Ryan and Spencer are two now. They both smirk, climbing up onto the picnic table and pulling down the vegetable plate. Olives and pickles roll all over.

Lyn-Z puts a hand to her forehead, looks to the sky and sighs. Gerard laughs, while the two boys grab a handful of dirty olives and takes off running.

"No!" Pete yells, chasing after them, "We don't eat off the ground!"

"I am so glad mine doesn't walk yet," Brendon bounces his daughter, Zoey, on his hip, cooing at her.

"Uh-huh," Sophie says, poking him in the back, "Just wait until she starts dating."

"That's not going to be until she's--"

"Sixteen," Sophie cuts him off. Brendon's mouth drops open.

"Sixteen? Are you trying to kill me?" Brendon shouts. He lifts Zoey above his head and coos, "Daddy's little baby isn't going to date until she's thirty, isn't that right."

Zoey giggles, stuffing a fist into her mouth. A long line of drool slides down Brendon's cheek.

"Ick. Go to your mother," he passes her over, sighing over at Gerard, "Would you look at that? She's already disobeying me."

They share a laugh, buzzing around the grill.

"You're cooking the tofu dogs seperate, right?" Frank asks from next to Gabe.

Gabe takes another drag off his beer, turning with the spatula in hand, "Not really, no."

But he's lying, because the grill is one of the high tech propane ones that comes with a seperate rack for hot dogs. They're nowhere near the real meat.

"You're an asshole," Frank pouts, reaching down and scooping Spencer up in his arms.

Gabe grins while Spencer squirms in his arms. He grabs Ryan and tosses him up on his shoulders. Ryan grabs the totally lame chef hat that's sitting on Gabe's head and puts it on his own.

"Gabe!" he says happily, wrapping both his hands in his former friend's hair and yanking a little.

"Ease up kid," Gabe laughs, patting at one of his little ankles. Ryan poses, looking down at Spencer.

"Frank's short," Ryan laughs. Frank pouts up, past Gabe's head, at Ryan.

"That's not nice," he whines. Behind him Lyn-Z tugs the back of Frank's shirt.

"I invited a few friends," she says, "They should be here any minute."

"Awesome," Frank says, "Why are you telling me?"

"Because I think you and my friend Obadiah will get along very well."

"Aww man!" Frank wails, "A blind date?" He frowns and goes to bother Gerard, taking Spencer with him.

"Go play with your brother," Gabe says putting Ryan down, and giving him a push with his hand. He could tell that Lyn-Z wanted to talk to him. And Ryan was a smart little shit at two, and there's no controlling what he'll repeat.

As soon as he's out of earshot she leans in conspiratorily and whispers, "You're going to help me out with this, right?"

Gabe fingers his bow and arrow necklace, and shrugs, "Maybe. If they're a good match. No amount of shots in the ass will make a match stick if it's not right."

"I know," Lyn-Z says, "I just, want him to be happy, you know? I see how he looks at me and Gerard, and I want him to have that."

"You're a good friend, Lyn," Gabe says, "I'll see what I can do."

Obadiah is tall. Taller than Frank by atleast two inches, and Gabe is tempted to shoot them both just for the laughs. The two get along really well, but he's just not sure that they'd be a very good match. Usually when some one is a good match there is an instantaneous feeling Gabe gets. Of course, sometimes it takes longer for love to grow. Not all matches Cupid makes last. But Gabe has a pretty good record.

(Unlike Pete. The three years Pete spent as Cupid ended in 72% of divorces. Brendon and Sophie are one of his good matches.)

"No, seriously, the Ziggy Stardust era," Obadiah says, flailing her hands, and Frank laughs. Patrick is nodding enthusiastically, and starts talking about Michael Jackson.

"Those two are ridiculous," Gabe says from the grill, nodding at Obadiah and Patrick. He really means their taste in music, but he knows if he says that out loud there's a good chance Lyn-Z will call him out on his complete and utter hero worship of Justin Timberlake.

Lyn-Z's second friend shows up just as they're serving the hamburgers and tofurkey dogs. Ryan, Spencer and Zoey are all strapped into their high chairs, right next to the picnic table. They've got their own plates filled with real hot dogs and and ketchup, along with fruit, and slices of cheese. Zoey throws a piece of hot dog at Ryan, and Gabe watches amused. Ryan cries because he gets ketchup in his hair.

"Jamia!" Lyn-Z and Obadiah stand to welcome their friend, hugging.

Frank looks up and Gabe just--feels it. The necklace hanging over his heart tugs and Gabe startles. There it is, that feeling he was waiting for. He slips the necklace up, pulling the bow out, and points it in Frank's direction. Frank tenses for a moment, like he felt the prick, and then he's smiling wide. Gabe turns the necklace as discreetly as he can and points it at Jamia.

"Hi, I'm Frank," Frank elbows Obadiah out of his way.

"He's a spastic little fuck," Obadiah says.

"I can see that," Jamia nods, but she doesn't look like she cares at all. She smiles at Frank and they take their plates and go eat their tofurkey at the other end of the table.

When it's starting to get dark out, the grill is cold, and the boys are ready to go to bed, the others get ready to leave. Gabe is playing with the chain to the necklace again. Obadiah leans into his space and peers at the charm on the end.

"That's really unique, can I see it?" she reaches out to touch the charm and Gabe pulls away quickly, wrapping a hand around it completely.

"Ouch!" he drops it under his shirt and looks down at the blood welling up from the fingertip the arrow stabbed.

"Oh!" Obadiah says, taking his hand in hers, "Are you okay?"

Gabe is pretty sure he can see hearts floating above her head. He hadn't noticed earlier how brown and soft her hair looks. He reaches up to run a hand through it, and Jamia calls, offering to share her cab with Obadiah. She drops his hand and steps away.

"I'll see you around," she says cheerfully, and skips to the cab, climbing in.

Gabe sucks on his finger with a sad look on his face as he watches the cab drive away.

"Dude?" Pete says, coming to stand next to him, "What?"

"I'm in love," Gabe says theatrically.

"You're Cupid," Pete answers stupidly.

"You're right!" Gabe squeals happily, "I can make her love me!"

Gerard and Lyn-Z manage to join the conversation at the very end, "Um. What?"

"Obadiah," Gabe says dreamily, "We're meant to be."

"Oh boy," Gerard says, "Gabe, did you shoot yourself?"

"More like a jab right to the heart," Gabe says sappily, "I'm going to go shoot her, and then we can be together forever."

"Yeah," Pete shakes his head and yanks the bow from Gabe's neck.

Gabe makes grabby hands at his tool, and Pete dodges him, "This is for your own good. It's not fair for you to make someone love you just because you can."

"What am I supposed to do!" Gabe tries to grab the necklace again, but Pete jumps out of his way.

"Uh-uh. You go woo her like a normal loser," Pete says, and disappears, leaving a pile of snow behind him.

"Fuck," Gabe says unhappily, "This is going to delay the love train."

"You cannot," Lyn-Z says, snorting with laughter, "Say anything like that to Obadiah. She will laugh you out of the room."

Gabe pouts.

_______________

Gabe is not stalking Obadiah. He just, happens to be sitting outside the diner where she works. And earlier he just happened to be sitting outside the art class she goes to with Jamia and Lyn-Z. And he only stood outside of her apartment with his ear pressed to her door for an hour, or three, last night while she was sleeping.

He could hear her exhale, and it was glorious.

He's sitting on the bus bench across the street, eating a donut and staring through the window. She leans over, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and hands a little boy a coloring page and crayons. She refills a hungover guy's coffee cup, and when he grabs her to ask for creamer, Gabe bristles. That old bastard is totally touching Gabe's woman.

Gabe jumps up and storms across the street, pushing the doors open violently. He deflates when he sees her expertly twist out of the guys hands and walks around her. Of course Gabe's woman can totally take care of herself. Their love is pure. Just like Obadiah.
He sighs loudly, and turns heart shaped eyes to her, and she's staring right back at him.

She smiles, "And I thought Frank was the spastic one."

"I'm totally spastic for you," Gabe says.

"Have you been stalking me?" Obadiah says, "Because I think I saw you this morning too."

Gabe does not believe in lying.

"Nope."

Because he's totally not stalking Obadiah. Totally.

"Oh, well, that's good," she nods, "Do you want some coffee?"

"Yes please," Gabe says, "We could date."

Obadiah stumbles into the counter as she steps around it and sends him a shocked look, "What?"

"I said I'd like sugar and cream."

"I'll get that for you," she says with a nod.

"Damn you mouth," Gabe says, "Why must you betray me?"

"Are you okay?" Obadiah asks, "You seemed a little more sane yesterday."

"Yesterday I wasn't in love," Gabe says with a faraway look on his face.

Obadiah snickers over the coffee pot, pouring Gabe's cup to the rim, "That's very interesting. Who are you in love with?"

Gabe does not believe in lying.

"Let's go on a date," he says smoothly. He is totally Cassanova. He's totally slick and loveable.

"Aren't you in love with some one?" Obadiah asks, grinning.

"You're the only person I can see."

"Oh lord," Obadiah says, "I wish Lyn-Z had warned me about how strange her friends are."

Gabe frowns, because he's not weird. He's Cupid, god damnit, and some one is going to show him some love.

__________________

Gabe has flowers for Obadiah, but he doesn't know if he should send him. Is it weird to send flowers to someone you've only met twice. Is it even weirder if you know where she lives without being invited over? He needs a little help, so he pulls his phone out and calls Pete.

"Pete," Gabe says, "I bought flowers."

"That's great man," Pete says, sounding a little distracted.

"Yeah. I totally need to know, though. Is it weird to send them, cause we don't really know each other?"

"Well," Pete grunts, "How many times have you met her?"

"Two."

"Nope. Totally not weird," Pete says, groaning.

"Dude," Gabe hums, "Are you fucking an elf?"

"Maybe," Pete says before he hangs up. Gabe bets it's Tarra, she's totally a slut elf.

__________________

Gabe is never taking advice from Pete again. It is definately NOT okay to send flowers after two meetings.

__________________

Gabe starts twitching the minute Obadiah walks through the door. She pats Spencer on the head fondly, pushes Ryan over and sits down on the couch. Lyn-Z rolls her eyes at her friend, while Ryan wails unhappily. Gerard picks him up upside down and swings him. Soon he's squealing with laughter, while Obadiah pouts.

Obadiah. Gabe totally loves her name.

"Oh," she says, when she sees him, "Um. Thanks for the flowers."

"You're welcome," a wide grin splits Gabe's face, "Lyn-Z told me it was a little weird to send them."

"Yeah," Obadiah agrees, "It kind of was."

"Oh," Gabe's face falls, "Sorry."

She looks guilty, and gives him a small smile, "No, look. I mean, it was really nice of you to send them, even if I don't know you that well."

"We should go to dinner," Gabe offers, "And then you can know me really well."

"I--," Obadiah looks over at Lyn-Z with wide eyes. Lyn-Z just shrugs so she nods, "Yeah. Okay."

"Great," Gabe gives her his widest grin, "We can go tomorrow. Or tonight. Let's go right now."

"I'm not even dressed," Obadiah says, looking down at her jeans and t-shirt.

"You look beautiful," Gabe says, that weird look in his eyes, "We can totally go somewhere casual."

And then he's pulling her up and out the door. She doesn't have time to say goodbye, or push Ryan over on her way out the door, before they're in a cab and down the street.

"We can go...there! Stop!" Gabe shouts and the cab squeals to a rest outside a restraunt, "They have good veggie burgers. You'll dig it."

"Okay," Obadiah says, wide-eyed, sliding out of the car after him.

Surprisingly, the date goes pretty well after that.

_____________________

"Okay, look," Pete says, a few days later, appearing on the bench next to Gabe.

They're sitting outside the diner where Obadiah works. Gabe is staring across, through the windows again. She's obviously seen him, since she waved about an hour ago, but Gabe hasn't worked up enough courage to go in. Deep down he's a shy guy.

"Okay, look," Pete repeats, "We're all done making fun of you, so I'm going to take pity on you."

Pete pulls out the necklace and aims it at Gabe. There's an almost undistinguishable shimmer straight to Gabe's chest. Pete grins, turns and starts walking away.

"Pete, Pete, wait!" Gabe yells, "I'm still in love!"

"Well, yeah, but at least you're not obsessed anymore," Pete yells back gleefully. Gabe just sighs.

________________________

Obadiah makes a frowny face into her coffee and looks over at Lyn-Z. She sighs loudly for the third time in a row and Lyn-Z tries her hardest to ignore her. Obadiah sighs louder.

"Okay, I'll bite," Lyn-Z says with her own sigh, and Obadiah smiles, because she just won. She sticks the toe of her shoe out and pushes Ryan over, pulling Spencer onto her lap, and petting his soft brown hair.

"Gabe isn't stalking me anymore," she says a little sadly.

"Is he avoiding you?" Lyn-Z asks with a frown on her face. Obadiah shakes her head.

"Worse, he's been calling me like a normal person," she says.

"I thought you thought he was weird," Lyn-Z rolls her eyes at her friend's protest, pulling a sobbing Ryan up into her lap.

"Well, yeah. And creepy. But it was kind of charming. And now he calls me at respectable hours and doesn't visit me at work. I feel like we've moved past the honeymoon part of our relationship and already need marriage counseling."

"I didn't think you guys were seriously dating."

"Well, we're not," Obadiah agrees, "But it was nice having some one pay attention to me."

"Pfft, people pay attention to you all the time."

"Yeah, grabby old men who eat at the diner."

"Point," Lyn-Z says bouncing Ryan a little.

Ryan laughs, clapping his hands, and wiggling. He points theatrically at Obadiah.

"Be quiet, squirt," she says sticking her tongue out at him.

"Fuck you!" Ryan squeals with even more laughter. Spencer claps his hands happily and echoes Ryan's cry.

"Gerard!" Lyn-Z squeals in irritation, because the kids either learned it from their father, or their fucked up Uncle Frank.

__________________

"Hi, it's Gabe," Gabe greets her when she answers the phone.

The dude really has no phone decorum at all. This is something she has learned in the three months that they've been dating. Obadiah laughs.

"Hi Gabe," she says with a mock sigh, "Did you need something?"

"Do you want to go out tonight?" Gabe asks, "There's a party at Pete's place."

"Yeah, okay, that sounds good," Obadiah agrees.

__________________

"That was not okay," Obadiah says, two hours later, wrapped in a blanket with a steaming mug of hot chocolate.

She hadn't reacted too well to the magic that got them to the North Pole. She might have thrown up all over Santa Claus' front foyer. And an elf named Tarra, who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Tarra had magicked the mess away, but now Obadiah was completely embarrased.

"Just, don't freak out," Lyn-Z says, while she watches Brendon chase Ryan and Spencer through the living room and up the stairs.

"Pete is Santa," Obadiah says, "That's a really fucking creepy thought. Ew, what if he was like, totally spying on me when I was a kid."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Lyn-Z says, patting her leg reassuringly, "Gerard was Santa when we were kids."

"Wait. What?" Obadiah looks at her with a shocked expression.

"Santa Claus is a title," she says, "They pass it down."

"But Pete is Santa now?"

"Yes. And Frank is the Great Pumpkin, Travis is Father Time, and William is the Tooth Fairy."

Obadiah snorts. She's met William a grand total of one time, but that explains an awful lot about the lanky guy.

"How does Gabe even know the fucking tooth fairy?" Obadiah clutches her head.

"I'm Cupid," Gabe says, sucking in a breath and sitting down next to her.

"You're Cupid," Obadiah says. She starts laughing, hysterically, "You're Cupid?"

"I am Cupid."

"You're not Cupid."

"I am Cupid," Gabe sighs.

"He is Cupid," Lyn-Z offers helpfully.

"But--but he sucks at romance!"

"No I don't!" Gabe denies.

"No, you totally do," Pete's head pop out from around a corner. The rest of the guests are quite obviously hanging around the corner listening to the conversation. Gabe rubs the back of his neck.

"I know it probably wasn't very smart--"

"You got that right!" Frank crows.

"--to just bring you without warning you," Gabe continues like Frank didn't interrupt him, "But I didn't know how to tell you. And you probably would have just thought I was crazy."

"Fucker!" Ryan cries from the doorway.

Obadiah aims a pillow at Ryan, who ducks it with a giggle. It sails past his head and hits Spencer, who falls down. He looks at Obadiah with the most hurt expression ever seen on a toddler's face. His eyes and nose screws up, and he wails.

"Aww," Obadiah says, "C'mere Spencer, I'm sorry."

Spencer stands on his chubby little legs and points at her from the doorway, "NO!" He and Ryan grab hands and run away.

"I--uh, this is okay, right?" Gabe winces.

"I just found out magic is real, that Santa and the Tooth Fair are real, and that my creepy stalker boyfriend is Cupid," Obadiah sums up, "Oh yeah. This is fine."

"That's a no, right?" Gabe asks with a frown.

"That's definately a no," Obadiah nods.

______________

When Gabe drops her off at home he pauses in her doorway, "If it makes you feel any better, that way you feel about me? I didn't do that."

Obadiah is not sure if that's reassuring or not. Mostly not, because that means that the way she feels about Gabe is all natural and that's a little scary. She didn't think you could be as fond of someone as creepy as Gabe as she is. It's a little ridiculous.

Obadiah really just needs to think.

______________

"Okay, look," Obadiah sticks her finger in Gabe's face, at the next party at Gerard and Lyn-Z's, "It's not okay that you lied to me. And I'm not okay with the whole, using magic to stalk me thing...yes, Pete totally ratted you out--and from now on we travel with out going poof...And if there is like, an Angel of Death, I do not want to meet him."

"Okay," Gabe says.

Obadiah shrugs, "Okay."

They hold hands and go to torment William about his uniform. (It involves a tutu.)