This Time, Last Year

Snow falls quietly, silently, as it usually does on Thanksgiving night in Metro City.

His memories of previous Thanksgivings were so strong he could almost feel like he was there. Crisp falling snow seen through light ventilation in the prison. The smell of floor disinfectant, too much testosterone, and the stale air of a less ventilated building. A year ago, he'd still be there.

He released his breath. He supposes Minion has his own memories too.

(For Minion it was the moisture rotting in the air, slowly, yet surely rusting the metal in his robot body, the noisy echo of robotic footsteps, a low buzz from sleeping brainbots and sounds of clattering tools, too loud, too lonely. Minion would usually roast a small piece of poultry, dress the table, and waited patiently for Megamind's signal so he could be broken out. But, every year Megamind would conveniently "forgot" to send any message to Minion on Thanksgiving. He thought it was too depressing to escape to a world where almost everyone was welcomed by mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and sometimes cousins. All he had was a henchfish. And truth be told, even though he was grateful, it still felt...empty. Each Thanksgiving night, a little sliver of hope would appear in his heart. Maybe, a space ship would finally appear and...he'd curl up in his cot. )

His eyes drifted to the framed picture of Roxanne. She was interviewing him in that picture, eyes crinkling, in a smile far happier than he's ever seen her before. He wondered how it was for her.

(It was small hum of the heater, the quiet drip-drop over a faucet that wasn't properly closed, take out Chinese slowly getting cold in a coffee table too big for one person, a loveseat too to wide for her, and the crisp sound of pages being turned, as she curled herself with a fluffy blanket. She would have been whispering to herself, "Get a grip Roxanne, nothing like this could ever happen in real life." She'd wait for a phone call from the hospital. Is her mother going to get better? Roxanne didn't like the odds. Now, all her fights with her mother seemed meaningless. She'd almost prefer a kidnapping right at this time but Megamind doesn't seem to operate on Thanksgiving and Christmases )

The snow didn't let up and soon, he was brought back to the present with the sounds of a car parking, multiple footsteps and the sound of amiable chatter that became louder the closer it came.

"Sir?", said Minion, knocking on his workshop door. "Dinner's ready." He grinned. "Miss Ritchi brought takeout from Golden Maharajah's and Mrs. Ritchi" ("Caroline, Minion!," shouted a cheerful older voice) "brought an apple pie."

"Really?" Megamind said, his smile widening. He bounded toward the kitchen excitedly. Roxanne and her mother's hands were full. Immediately, he swooped in and took them to the table. Roxanne grinned.

" Bout time you joined us, " she teased. She began taking boxes filled with samosas, pakoras and onion bhajis. Roxanne's mother wrinkled her nose, "What is it with you and Indian take outs?" "Excuse me, Indian food is healthy?!" she said, defensively. Roxanne's mother rolled her eyes, "Healthy my bum! All you're getting is deep fried everything!" Roxanne blew a raspberry. Her mother turned towards Megamind, "Excuse my daughter here, Megamind."

Warmth blossomed in Megamind's chest. "Well, it's not like I can cook myself here. I'm just happy that she's feeding me,"

Roxanne gave her mother a pointed look. Her mother glared back.

"Here, " he said, taking the other packages and trying to make peace between the two women. As he did this, he surveyed his surroundings.

This year, there was warmth from a makeshift fireplace and candles on the table. An unconventional Thanksgiving spread (chinese fried rice, samosas, shrimp pakoras, bhajis, a roasted Peking duck, an apple pie), mismatched chairs surrounding the table, Roxanne bickering with her mother, Minion humming contentedly as he put placemats and clean plates on the table, brainbots coming in and out, packing up the discarded food containers, and he was here, in the midst of it all. He marvelled wordlessly. How did life turn around so drastically?

Roxanne must have noticed him being uncharacteristically quiet because she asked, "What's wrong?" Her hands were massaging his shoulders.

He just shook his head, "Nothing." He took her palm and kissed it. She shook her head affectionately.

Later, they'll recount this Thanksgiving with the additional company of two children, as they share an even weirder Thanksgiving dinner, (roasted pork, perogies, fried noodles, seaweed salad, chicken soup and cranberry pudding) laughter ringing in the air, love lighting the building up. Later, they'd watch their children fall asleep after a food coma, their heads resting in each other's shoulders. Minion would help them clear the table and Roxanne's mother would jokingly ask them to get a room.

But for now...

There was Roxanne, still arguing about the merits of Indian food to her mother, Mrs. Ritchi snorting in annoyance, and Minion, smiling in his seat asking, "What are you thankful for, Sir?"

Megamind cleared his throat and said, "I'm thankful for you, Minion. You're the best hench fish a person could ask for,"

Minion fluttered happily in his robo fish-tank.

"Roxanne, for being the best, most amazing girlfriend I've ever had,"

"'Cos I'm the only one you got , " she teased. (He didn't miss the glow in her eyes, how she blushed and unconsciously angled herself towards him. )

"Ha ha ha. Very funny Roxanne." (she bowed at this. He's pretty sure he was also blushing. )

"For Mrs. Ritchi-Caroline for being here." (Roxanne's mother preened and acted as if there was an audience around her, clapping and cheering.)

"And," he paused. He broke into a big smile. "For family."

They smiled back at him. All he's dreamt about in years are with him on this table.

"Let's dig in."

END

Notes: I thought Roxanne would have an odd relationship with her mother...a bit like if Sophie Hatter from book!Howl would have if she has a daughter. They'd argue and bicker, for fun. Roxanne's mom is open minded but opinionated as hell. She'd grill Megamind until he cowers in his seat and laugh about it.