“Oh, God, yes, I’ve heard it once before,” Athena informs, cueing an instant flashback to hearing the incident unfolding in her apartment hallway. Heartbreaking, it was. But, how dare someone not put effort on their door either. It was forbidden, or, at least in Athena’s Christmas rule book - not like it was momental for that matter. A shocker of it’s own, a known grump detective grew light around this holiday compared to others. The known state of peacefulness came for her, knowing having blood family meant leaving Westbrook to visit Los Angeles and everything about that made her skin crawl. Everything was best to avoid it like a plague, even if she spent Christmas morning by herself. How quick the thought came, how quick a sudden wave of unexpected sadness clung to Athena and it was clearer by the second how lonely she was without properly confessing it. Having her people, Asher and Fallon, both of them had their own families and their own. Swallowing a rapid lump, shaking off the emotions, just in case it was quick to flush over her strong features. Beaming expression evolved upon her plump, barely coated chapstick lips as dark hues immediately tugged into a roll, “Only the finest choice of words. Dating? Frankie, I don’t think anyone in hundred miles radar would even date me. I would like to say meeting people meant that but I only had some lunch dates, if even called that, with one person.” Fingers briefly began to fidget with corners of the throw pillow before proceeding forward, pushing their cart around the shopping cart. It was like Athena shrugs rolled off lazily of a comforting, but half-assed reminder of nothing. “Kind of a mess? Beside a dead girl being found on the train? Yeah, a mess is definite and my line of work. Or, is there something else? How nifty is that. When is it going to happen? I’ll make sure I come to see all of the hard work put into this play.”
"That sucks. You know, life’s too short not to make the most out of the holiday season.” He clutched his wreath tighter, now even more certain of his choice. “Everything is already drab the rest of the year, anyway.” While he couldn’t blame those who didn’t celebrate Christmas --- or any holiday at all, necessarily --- it always felt a tad disappointing driving down a neighborhood without the usual fixtures of lights and decorations that added a certain warmth and spirit to the street. Growing up, his neighborhood had been the opposite. He came from a large family with a large appreciation for Christmas, so they’d never had an excuse not to go all out. Even now, living in an apartment of his own, he still had some of the homemade ornaments from his childhood strung along the small tree in his living room. The decorations were a symbol of all the merriment and memories associated with the holiday, which, he supposed, was what made them so valuable to him and Athena both. But he was fortunate, even if it wasn’t wildly beneficial to his career, to live so close to his family, most of whom he had the chance to visit throughout the year as well. During the month of December, though, it was a bit like reliving his childhood. Decorating cookies, receiving carolers, attending the annual Christmas play --- or, this year, directing. The latter part he was less thrilled about after meeting his co-director, but for now that didn’t matter. He grinned, leaning over to grab a roll of Frozen-themed wrapping paper for his niece. “What? Where’s that confidence you had just a second ago? I swear I don’t mean this as a come-on, but if you really believe that, I think you need to look in the mirror.” Brow wrinkled, he wondered if she was even serious. Athena Walker didn’t seem the type to question herself. “But, you’re going to need to step outside of the precinct if you ever want to meet somebody. Just saying.” Not that he was one to talk. For nearly half a decade, he hadn’t done much in the way of ‘meeting people,’ either, though it wasn’t high on his to-do list. “Yeah, besides that,” he cringed at the reminder. “I ran into my ex that night, who...also happens to be working on the play. But the play is set for Christmas Eve around seven at the church. So far it’s going really well, so you should definitely come by to check it out if you can.”
