Chapter Text
Casey glares daggers at Barry. "What do you mean, 'No.'? He would love it, you know he would!"
"But, Casey," Barry whines, knowing that resistance is futile, "we're so busy right now with everything and that is a lot of work you're asking us to do on short notice!"
"But isn't this the season for giving? And if you can't give for the people you care about... Well," she huffs, turning her back to him, "I don't know if I even know you."
"Fine, fine, I'll check with everyone else and see what we can work out." She claps and kisses his cheek. "But don't expect a miracle!" he calls out to her, even as she's already skipping happily away.
"Whyyyy?" he moans, retreating to the Chair Room to give Dennis a heads up.
"We're doin' what?" Dennis just stares at Barry. Finally he says, "And you just agreed to this?"
He's very familiar with the look of cringing shame on Barry's face. "Yeah, well, you try tellin' her no, and see how well it goes for you, big guy."
Oh, yeah, he's worn that look often himself after giving in to Casey. "Point taken." Dennis takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes, his temples starting to throb. "So whadda we do now? Is it too much to hope she's already bullied or shamed everyone else into participating, so's our work's already done?"
Barry snorts. "Do you really think we could get that lucky?"
"You talk to Kevin yet?"
"No. I'm gonna let you do that." Barry laughs and dances back into the light.
Dennis stares after him. "Asshole." he mutters, then mentally girds his loins and makes his way to Kevin.
To the outside world, their business, CCCF, was assumed to be Casey Cooke Custom Furnishings. In actuality, it was Crumb-Cooke Custom Furnishings. The Crumb half of things, Kevin, was on the lam because of some nasty business involving kidnapping, murder, and eating of the Impure, so he just handled things behind the scenes and let Casey be the public face of the business, figuring it was to their advantage to just let people assume.
Being in his 30's, and wanted by every law enforcement agency known to man, was a little late in life to discover that he had an amazing talent, especially after a lifetime of being kicked down, but with Casey's help Kevin was more than willing to grab onto the opportunity with both hands. It was also an inconvenient time be finding an amazing and beautiful life-partner, but Kevin wasn't stupid. He wasn't about to let her slip through his fingers (even if he did have to share her with 23 other alters), not after thinking that he would be spending his whole life alone. And so, with a newly-discovered talent for building beautiful things, and a loving partner determined to see him succeed in life, Crumb-Cooke Custom Furnishings was born.
With only one person, sometimes two (if Casey was able to help) building the furniture, the pieces took a long time to complete, so there was always a waiting list. It was a very lucrative business. The pieces were highly sought-after, so Kevin and Casey could ask pretty much whatever price they wanted. It was probably the one time when having DID was convenient, because he was able to wear a lot of hats at once, so to speak. Kevin, for the most part, came up with the designs. Ansel, Rakel, and BT figured out and drew up the specs and measurements for the designs. Kevin, Dennis, Luke, and Jalin actually built the furniture. Barry, Jade, and Miss Patricia took care of any upholstery. Felida, Norma, Bernice, and Kat helped with any sewing. Mr. Pritchard and Orwell helped out with research for any pieces that needed to be historically or culturally accurate. Anyone who didn't have a specific talent helped with packing, shipping, office work, security, or janitorial work (though it made Dennis's shoulder blades itch to turn it over to someone else). Though they did have to hire some outside help from time to time (Kevin may have 23 alters, but only one body), it certainly kept the overhead costs down to keep nearly everything in-house. In fact, they're in-house all the time.
Which brings us to our current problem.
"Uh, Kevin...?"
"Yeah?"
"We gotta problem."
Kevin lays his head back and laughs. "Just go ahead and give it to me. Rip off the band-aid. What's she done now?"
"How do you know this was about Casey?"
"You look like you're trying not to shit your pants while watching the cutest puppy do the cutest thing ever."
He gets a patented Dennis scowl. "She's puttin' on a Christmas pageant for Hedwig. Participation is REQUIRED by EVERYONE. NO EXCUSES."
"Wha-" Kevin looks flabbergasted. Dennis takes a bit of vicious satisfaction in this.
"According to Barry, Casey says that this is the season for giving and she wants to give Hedwig a happy and memorable Christmas. Reading between the lines, I'm guessing she plans to give him one like she never got to have. She probably feels bad for the kid because we never leave this place, though we've explained to him why we can't just go running around out in public. Anyway ALL of us will be required to participate, perform, whatever she demands or, again reading between the lines, there will be retribution."
"But I don't even believe in God!" Kevin says.
"From now until midnight, December 26, you do," Dennis smirks.
"Jesus Christ!"
"See it's happening already!" Dennis claps him on the shoulder. "You'll be a true believer in no time."
Kevin shoots him a dirty look and gives him the finger.
"Now, now, don't be like that."
Kevin wearily rubs the back of his neck, then stands and motions for Dennis to lead the way. "Come, my Christian brother, come and help me spread the Good Word to all those other poor, needy souls in the Chair Room."
Arriving in the Chair Room, Kevin takes a deep breath and yells, "YO!!! Meeting everyone! We have a situation." He yells over toward the Train Yard, "That means you, too!"
"So, it's like this...Casey wants--" Kevin is interrupted by a loud chorus of groans. "Hey, now! Let me finish! Casey wants to...um...well...Casey wants to putonachristmaspageantforhedwig. Andshewantsusalltoparticpate."
"She wants to whut?!" Luke shouts. And Jade. And Jalin. And Ian. And Mary. And almost everyone else, with varying inflections of incredulity and/or outrage.
In the midst of the chaos, Barry pops back in from the Light. "Ah, good! Everyone knows. OK, Casey has the basic outline for the pageant ready. You are free to volunteer to do something for the talent portion of the pageant, otherwise, you will receive an assignment within the next couple of days. We'll be doing a short a manger scene, so we'll need to build a little stable set, and we'll need volunteers for animals," he side-eyes The Beast, who growls. Barry just rolls his eyes. "We're still working out all the logistics. Some of it is going to be out in the Light. Some of it is going to be in here, in the Chair Room." He sweeps his narrowed, disapproving gaze around the room at all of the still-complaining alters, "Look, assholes. This isn't about you. This is about Hedwig. Shame on you. When have we ever done anything special, just for him?"
They all hang their heads, guiltily thinking of all the times Hedwig's been picked on, ignored, or neglected. Barry knows he's got 'em now. He shoots Kevin a surreptitious wink. "So can we count on everyone's participation? Can we see a show of hands?"
All hands slowly raise.
Even The Beast's.
After all, this is the season of giving...even if you don't want to.