Stranger In a Strange Pan | Episode 4: First Holiday, First Date, First Kiss(es)

[puckandpie]

[Once again, Bitty is seated in his living room, his couch and bookshelf visible in the background. This time, a hockey stick is also propped against the arm of the couch and there's a very small tree decorated with Christmas lights and about a dozen ornaments barely visible in the corner. Smiling wide, Bitty sits up straight and waves at the camera.]

Welcome back, y'all! Or, if you're new to this vlog, hi and it's nice to meet you!

A lot has happened since my last update. So much that I actually had to write down the big highlights so I don't forget anything.

[At this, Bitty holds up a small post-it note on which he's scribbled, Semele's, Thanksgiving, Simon (kiss!!!), Kagura and Derek?!?!. He holds it close enough to be read clearly for only a moment before pulling it away again.]

To be honest, I'll probably still manage to miss something, I'll bet, and have to comes back halfway through editing to slip it in. But hopefully none of y'all will notice.

Anyway, I'll start from the top.

Goodness. Y'all are now lookin' at the one and only full-time baker of Darrow's favorite supernatural bar! After a few months of working there only two days a week, Derek offered me a full-time position with the bonus of getting to use the kitchen for special orders during my off hours. How amazing is that? My first official day was just this past Monday and it's... gosh, it's just incredible. I'm baking! For a living! Me.

'Course, it bein' the Christmas season and all, business is booming. None of the bake sales and craft fairs I've ever done can compare! I should at least be able to buy some decent presents this year and won't even have had to save up for months and months like I've always done before.

[Some of Bitty's smile loses its shine then, his shoulders slumping minutely.]

I keep thinkin' of all these great things I could buy my family and friends back home though. I have enough right now I could buy Mama that food processor I know she was eyin'. I could get Coach a new iPad and Shitty an entire cooler's worth of beer. Lardo an easel. Jack... I don't know what I'd get Jack, actually. He has more money than I'd ever even know what to do with. Not that money really matters when it comes to Christmas presents, I know, but...

Honestly, I just miss everyone so much. I mean, I've been missin' them since the second I got here, but it feels so much worse right now. It's almost smothering sometimes. I've been tryin' real hard not to dwell, but it's not always easy.

The nights get really really lonely.

[Bitty falls quiet for a moment, staring down at his hands before letting out a breath and looking back up at the camera with a start.]

Goodness, I'm sorry, y'all. Think I might cut that bit out later. Uhm. Let's move on, shall we? Oh, yes, Thanksgiving!

I know I mentioned this in my last video, but Derek put me on pie duty for his Thanksgiving celebration. I tried my hardest to keep it to just six or seven, but well. I ended up with ten in the end. It was not easy, let me tell you - I don't think I've baked that many pies in such a short period of time in all my life - but I think they went down pretty well. Dean Winchester even gave his stamp of approval. Dean. Winchester. If I had a resume, I would absolutely put that on it.

It really was a great dinner, too. Derek cooked almost everything and it was delicious and I got to meet so many more of his friends. Or, his pack as he likes to call us. I had some, uh. Some interesting conversations too and it was weird not having any football on, but mostly it was really nice. Definitely the best Thanksgiving I could've hoped for here.

[Still smiling, Bitty glances down again at his list and his smile grows instantly wider.]

Or right, so some of y'all might remember I mentioned in Simon, the really cute wizard I met a couple weeks ago? Well, we went on that date like I said. We just had dinner and talked the whole time and then went for a walk through the park.

And he kissed me.

[Bitty pauses, his face flushing a little as he gives a bright, bright smile, then breaks it off with laugh.]

It was... oh goodness, it was really good. I was a little afraid I'd built up the whole first kiss thing a bit too much and that the reality of one would just feel weird. But it wasn't anything like that. He was warm - Simon is always warm, I've discovered - and he tasted like chocolate from the cocoa we'd been drinking and as soon as it was over, I just wanted to kiss him again.

Not that I did, of course. I managed to keep my cool. For the most part.

Oh, and I've finally met his ex-roommate Baz. I'm honestly... still trying to figure that all out. The way Simon talks about Baz, I pictured someone a lot more frightening, but the night I met him, he was actually pretty nice. Very, very drunk, but nice. He asked for my number even, which I can honestly say was a first for me.

To make matters even weirder, Simon and I accidentally ended up on the tram up to Kagura with him a couple days later.

Oh, I don't think I've explained Kagura!

I didn't even know it existed until a week or so ago, but it's a ski resort up on the mountain that's just opened for the season. I've never been skiing before and didn't really want to go up by myself so I asked Simon to go. I'm not sure if it counts as our second date or not considering the weird Baz thing and also the fact that Simon sort of, uh. Burst into flames.

It sounds horrible when I say it that way, but that's really what happened. See, there's an enchanted sprig of mistletoe in the main lodge that locks people in place until someone kisses them. Simon got stuck under it and I guess he thought it was some sort of evil force and he panicked and when that happens, his magic goes out of control and he... he burst into flames.

[Again, Bitty falls quiet, lips twisting into a frown before he shrugs, his shoulders drawn in.]

It was pretty terrifying, to be honest. He didn't end up hurting anything and I was able to, uh. To get close enough to kiss him to break the spell of the mistletoe. Through the flames. I'm still not really sure how that's even possible, but I guess anything goes when it comes to magic.

He felt terrible after. Like, physically, obviously, but he also kept askin' after me even though he was the one who sorta exploded. He's really so, so nice. I want...

Goodness, I don't even know.

Y'all.

[Bitty sighs and looks down at his hands, fidgeting for a long moment. When he looks up again, his expression is a strange mix of guilty and excited. His cheeks are a faint pink.]

I, uhm. I have a confession to make.

... I kissed Derek.

Goodness, it sounds so bold when I say it like that, but it's not. I mean. After the trip to Kagura with Simon was cut short, I wanted to go up again to really get a chance to actually ski and Derek was nice enough to go with me. And, because I'm an idiot I walked right into the mistletoe trap and he...

Honestly, it was sorta horrible at the start. And I'm still... I mean, that's not exactly how I wanted my first and likely only kiss with Derek to go down.

But. Well. Gosh, it was so good. Just. I know it'll never happen again and what's done is done, I guess. And he... he kinda knows now. How I feel.

I should probably tell Simon at some point.

[Groaning, Bitty suddenly drops his head in his hands and shakes it.]

How am I already so terrible at this? I have a perfectly nice, sweet, cute guy who actually seems interested in me and I still can't stop thinking about the werewolf who only kisses me to save me from a stupid cursed plant.

I just. Argh, I really don't know what to do with myself.

[Dropping his hands back into his lap, Bitty lets out a heavy sigh, his face still flushed red.]

I suppose that's as good an ending for this episode as any. If any of y'all have advice for how to get over stupidly attractive men with self-worth issues, I'd really love to hear it. Feel free to drop that any anything else you'd like to say in the comments below and, until then, I'll see ya next time!

[Bitty's smile this time is a little more forced as he waves at the camera. The video ends.]