fandomtownies | Dite's Decadent Delights

'Twas three days 'til Christmas, and Irene was looking to make sure she made the most of her last week before the holiday. A surprising -- well, less surprising to Irene but she was Irene -- number of people had come in for gifts for their partners, rather than to just peruse the sexy Christmas tree or the somewhat questionable display she'd set up just inside the doors.

There were multiple candy-striped toys, as well as other festive choices. And given that most of the gifts she had sold had been meant to be used together, Irene had even gone so far as to draw up a few couples' bundles.

And the woman herself was no exception when it came to the festivities, since she'd dressed for the occasion, and had tuned the shop's music to a sexy, jazzy, holiday soundtrack.

The elves were a nice touch, too. Fun to watch them, even more fun how they seemed to be cleaning up after her.

[all links NSFW, including Irene's outfit (which she is wearing stockings with omfg because I'm cold looking at it.)]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

She was spending most of her time up by the register, working on inventory lists for the new year and estimating how much of this candy-cane nonsense she'd need to move by Friday night.

After his coffee, Jon decided to be a bit proactive, and came by Dite's to talk to Irene.

And saw her outfit.

"Good lord." That was more breast than he'd seen in a while. Even uninterested, it drew the eye. "Erm...Happy Christmas, I suppose."

"Happy Christmas!" Irene proclaimed happily, totally without shame. When you've got it, flaunt it. (And Irene was on the north side of thirty, now, and was aware there was a clock ticking in terms of whether she would always have it, sigh.) "That was precisely the reaction I was going for. Good to know it's effective."

Especially given that she was fairly sure she was not exactly Jon's type, in several ways.

She mostly wasn't, no, but it was still fairly impressive.

Jon laughed briefly. "It is that. You look good. Although it also makes me cold just to look at."

He glanced away, though that only meant he saw the current display. He blinked. "I'm tempted to ask questions about the whole..." he gestured at the candy-cane and reindeer vibrators "...holiday aesthetic for these things, but something tells me I still wouldn't understand." Sexual people were baffling.

"Oh, I don't mean to criticise!" he rushed out, belatedly remembering manners.

"It's all right, I know the difference between criticism and curiosity," Irene noted with a smile, unable to totally suppress an amused little snort. "Think of how candy's all Santa-shaped and such this time of year. Even chocolates and things that aren't inherently Christmassy, right?"

She nodded over to the display. "Sort of the same principle, here. Holiday-themed novelties." She offered out a conspiratorial wink and dropped her voice. "Most of it is sort of chintzy crap. I'd point anyone looking for something for themselves to a different aisle, honestly."

But the holidays were sort of all about chintzy crap, weren't they? It was the spirit of things!

"Yes, but candy you eat and it's gone. You don't have it just sitting around doing nothing the rest of the year," Jon protested. "Although thinking of it, I suppose it's no sillier than a tree."

And if people were doing things with trees, he really didn't want to know.

He shook his head. "Of course, I haven't even had a tree in...I don't know how long."

"Very much like a tree. Or, I don't know, a sexy Santa dress you can't wear year-round," Irene offered, holding out her skirt and dipping a little self-deprecating curtsy. "Though yes, I've one and not the other. I haven't had a tree since I left London. It's been ages."

A pause, and a correction. "That one doesn't really count," she added, gesturing to the tree she had up, adorned with fornicating gingerbread persons.

"Well, no, it's for your business, not your own tree," Jon agreed. He shook his head at the ornaments.

"You know, I was thinking," Jon said, as if those words ever meant anything good, "maybe a low-key expat Christmas? I could probably still get a small tree, and order in. We could, I don't know, play cards or watch terrible holiday movies together, maybe...maybe drink too much and get terribly maudlin if that's your thing. I've even got a second bed if you don't want to walk back. And I still have that mask."

"Really?" Irene was so surprised by the offer -- pleasantly so -- that her whole usual vampy façade fell in favor of sincere, obviously-touched delight. "Oh, Jon, I'd love to."

Of course she hadn't had any existing Christmas plans. Irene's plans had been to get drunk and stare out the window and listen to violin music, like a very sad person. Maybe talk herself out of sending a text.

"It's a hard time of year for me, historically," she admitted, clearly choosing her words carefully. "Think we could get the Queen's speech? Streaming, surely, if not on the telly itself."

No one really liked listening to the Queen talk on Christmas, but it was still tradition.

"I'm sure we can," Jon answered. He'd find a way, even if they ended up just rolling their eyes at her majesty. "I may actually start early watching St. Paul's," he added with a self-deprecating laugh. "It's not like I sleep much anyway, and I like the music. So if it's not on locally, I'll figure it out."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Anything you particularly enjoy? I'm all for mulled wine, crackers are for children, brussels sprouts are fine, panto is not."

"I have a deep, shameful love of Christmas pudding with ice cream," Irene admitted, as though confessing a secret. Which, to be fair, it maybe should be, since Christmas pudding tended to vary a bit in quality, and who knew what they'd find stateside. "The proper fiery kind, though I'd understand if you'd rather not risk your eyebrows."

Irene certainly would not be risking hers.

Jon laughed. "I'm not averse, if we can find one. I've no particular preference between brandy and rum myself, so I'm amenable to either."

Maybe you'd like a little more discretion.

I'm somehow nailing the holidays this year and yet I'm also very tired still. Adult life is dumb, y'all.

Dite's Decadent Delights | Wednesday

Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Re: Talk to Irene | 12/22/21

Mod your shopping | 12/22/21

OOC | 12/22/21