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Ever since Thermite became the appointed leader for a new group, Redhammer, he hardly had a time to go back home. Plano isn't fancy or big like New York, but it has the charm of a small city. Beautiful, even, as he’s speaking from a biased experience. He misses friends and families, but it would be lovely to have a plus one.
Aruni regards him as a good friend, but it has been a while since Thermite thought of her as otherwise. He shows care and manners, at times under the pretence as a gentleman who flirts as a joke. She laughs it off, he laughs along and everybody else around them gives him the look. The ‘she won’t know until you actually confess, okay?’ Sympathetic and condescending tones were thrown about, and he ignored them all until today, a friend mentions, “say, I heard that you’re really interested in Apha nowadays.”
“Says who?” Thermite takes a sip from his coffee, because it’s a peace offering from a former buddy. This cafe is a local spot to many of their colleagues, which became a meeting spot for those in their free time. Cosy, atmospheric and affordable. The 80’s pop hits on repeat sets the mood for casual conversations at ease.
“Me, you jackass.” Pulse smirks. They have come to terms that people can have different ideas for their future. Although there is still a sour note between them after he broke up with Hibana, she decided not to dwell on it too much which put Thermite at ease as their former wing man. “What’s the hold up?”
“Jack,” Thermite squints, “am I handsome?”
“No, you look like a potato.” Pulse frowns back. “But people love it when it’s baked, so how about you go and tell her how you really feel? Bet you’ll be looking flushed, real attractive.”
“I’m not here for jokes.” With a hard shove, Thermite is slightly elated as he feels the good old times when they used to banter like this.
“Listen, buddy. You know how Yumi, you and I were friends, right?”
“Didn’t think I’d see you bringing this up so soon.” Thermite can’t help but to feel a bit of churn in his stomach, no matter how fine things seem to be.
“Yeah, well. You got us together. I crossed the bridge while worrying about losing her as a friend, but we had a good time. I know it would’ve been good if I didn’t ruin it.”
Wistful as it may be, both men know that the undeniable truth is sprayed out on the table. “So what’s your point?”
“My point is that sometimes you just gotta cross that bridge and see where it takes you. I know you’re scared of losing her as a friend, but it’s really doing you no good by just wondering.” Pulse rubs his head and scratches on the crease. “You’ve got my full support, bro. It’s gonna be fine. Just try it.”
“Goddamn it.” Thermite can ask where Pulse’s confidence is coming from, and whether he read something more in-depth from Aruni’s expressions as a secondary psych-dude in the base. However, he rather not know because this is a work to be done by himself and himself alone. Yes, it’s odd being stubborn on his part when he’s nervous like a mouse, but he doesn’t want to blame Pules if the confession goes haywire. There is still some time; he has two tickets ready and can cancel them within 24 hours. Tomorrow is the day and she already has agreed to meet up for a coffee. Jordan Trace, you’ve got this.
Hair combed, stubbles somewhat shaven, Thermite takes a deep breath before revisiting the cafe again. There she is, accepting two cups of coffee with her radiant and polite gratitude. He walks over to greet and they sit together, by the table next to windows that brings a shine on her enamel hair clip. “That’s new.” White and green in the shape of bellflowers and leaves. “Suits you very well.”
“Oh yeah,” Aruni fixes it into her hair again, “Emma and I went to the markets the other day and thought they were nice.”
“Awesome.” Thermite makes a mental note on what to give her for Christmas. Perhaps jade jewellery to match the hair piece. “Say, do you have any plans for the end of year?”
“I’m glad you’re asking about it!” She beams and by Gods, the radiance almost blinds him.
That usually means she does have her own schedule. Scratching behind his neck, he leans back and raises a brow. “Are you doing anything special?”
“Yes, in fact, I’ve been meaning to ask you,” Aruni catches up the distance between them by resting her arms on the table, “would you be interested in coming with me to Thailand?”
His heart wanders into places, from panic to ecstasy. Thank goodness he hasn’t told his family about his tickets yet, or else it would’ve become really awkward. Regardless, Thermite is torn, for he truly is homesick, but his crush wants him to come to her home country. Why can’t he just go through mitosis, split into two and let both of the trips happen?
“I mean, it’s okay if you have other plans.”
He must have taken too long to reply; judging by her tight sealed smile, she might have mistaken his indecisiveness as rejection. “Oh, I mean, yeah.”
“You would?” Aruni’s expression brightens again, clearly happier than before.
“Yeah, why not? I have nothing else to do.” Thermite chuckles while unlocking his phone to see if there are any tickets available from Thailand to the USA, closer to the New Year. Grimace flashes upon finding them all booked, but he hides it under his hand by pretending to wipe off the coffee residue.
“Great. I’m glad I got tickets for us.” From her wallet, there she pulls out the said tickets and gives one to Thermite. “And also, there is one more thing I need to let you know.”
“Yeah?” Thermite takes a look at the dates and it’s a roundtrip, from 24th to 29th. Oh?
“I need your help, but this one, you can really say no if it’s too much. I’ve done the shopping already with Emma, so you just need to carry- deliver them.” Before she puts her ticket away, it states from the same 24th, but until the 7th of Jan, 2024.
Strange that he will be back to Greece before her. While he wants to ask about the difference, Thermite decides to focus on the immediate topic discussed right this moment. “Naw, tell me. What is this about? You’re really making me curious.”
“Could you dress up as a Santa?”
Of course he said yes to her request, which is why he is being steamed in stuffed costumes and puffy, long white beard in humid heat of 29°C. The drive, trip and ride from the airport was a blur, with how close Aruni had been next to him throughout their journey. She insisted that he must get changed before they ride buses into her town, and boy did he attract a fair bit of attention from crowds who spoke languages he couldn’t understand.
The scenery took his mind off of the heat; blue skies, vibrant green fields and buildings that changed from grey city lines to blank and faded whites of small towns. As they approach a bus stop on a busy street, Thermite finally understands why she wanted him to wear the costume all too early. The place is filled with bustling youths, aged from preschool to primary, and they are quite the welcoming crowd chanting, “Santah clohs! Santah clooohs!” is almost deafening.
The door opens with a hiss, and when Aruni walks out, children clouds over her and they seem to be bustling with energy. It’s one hell of a phenomena, so when she beckons him to follow out, Thermite gulps and booms, “ho ho ho, Merry Christmas.”
The sheer volume of them yelling humbles flashbangs and sonic booms alike. Shrieking in frenzy, the children form a ring to hop up and down, causing one of the younger children to fall on her knee. Before she cries, Thermite instantly scoops her up and every little act he does casts a spell of ecstasy among his newly gained fans.
“เด็กๆ เบาเสียงลงหน่อย,” her words controls the crowd, “เราพาลุงซานต้าไปหอประชุมโรงเรียนดีไหม?”
“ดีๆ!” And they move, looking back occasionally to see if their Christmas idol is coming along with them.
“What did you tell them?” Thermite whispers into Aruni, while still carrying the little girl.
Aruni takes the bag full of presents from him and beams. “I told them to calm down, and we should take you, uncle Santa to the school hall. It's better to share the presents there.” She sighs, obviously overwhelmed like him. “They are really happy. I didn’t know my parents told the others that we’re coming by bus today.”
“Well, that’s one thing to get done out of the way.” Now that he has a space to breathe, Thermite finds it fulfilling to bring childhood joy for those who Aruni cares about. “Say, I thought we’d spend more time here, at your home. Why am I the only one who’s going back on the 29th?”
“Yes,” Aruni sheepishly blinks, “because I know you want to get back home as well. It’d be rude of me to keep you here and have your holiday wasted.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t think it as a waste,” Thermite finds it hard to breathe again, and it’s just not the summery heat, “if you’d come with me as well.” There. He’s said it.
She halts, ever so slightly before resuming back on her pace. “Goodness,” fanning her face with the cooler side of her mechanical hand, Aruni turns her gaze elsewhere, “I hadn’t thought about that. It would be nice, but I don’t think there’s any more tickets.”
“I still have them, and we might be able to change the dates.” Thermite has already done the change with the tickets he’d already bought, because he still wanted to take a chance despite being in Thailand. Fortune really smiled upon him, or else this would have been a massive failure. “Will you come with me?”
“Yeah, sure.” Aruni clears her throat. “I’m sure my parents would be fine too.”
The little girl has been silent, for she does not understand English. But that doesn’t mean she can’t talk. “น้าคะ น้ากำลังเดทกับลุงซานต้าหรือเปล่า?”
Whatever Aruni hears, has her trip on an invisible stub. She recovers quickly, though, and proceeds to almost jog to be ahead with the leading group of children.
“Apha?” Thermite wants to catch up, but he better stay back to make sure that all the children are within his vision of safety. He can only guess what the girl said, when she shows a subtle grin, almost akin to the wise and gracious Bodhisattva sharing her knowledge for those who are yet to gain the necessary enlightenment.