Solstice Party at 33 Apocalypse Avene, Weds Evening.

[icecoldfrost]

The sun had barely begun to set when the house on Apocalypse Avenue lit-up like a small supernova. Each of the zombie lawn gnomes each had their own little candle in a cup, and the walk up to the house was strewn with fairy lights between the trees.

In the backyard, you would find wine, mead, fresh fruit, sparklers, and pretty much anything else required for your midsummer solstice party. There was more food in the kitchen, of course, and rather than the traditional bonfire, the residents had rigged their own burning sun in the center of the backyard.

Merry meet and welcome on the longest day!

[Open! If you think you got an invitation, you did! Townies, students, alumni, teachers...all welcome. Up ridiculously early for maximum SP.]

Comments

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"She was telling me she was jealous I got to take you home at the end of the night," Jack said. "Make of that what you will. I think our little fledgling has learned to flirt quite on her own."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"Who wouldn't want to take me home?" Emma laughed. "Aren't I pretty?"

"But yes, I've suspected Karla might harbor a crush," she tilted her head back to wink at him. "If she thinks she can flirt with the Big Kids, perhaps we ought to see where her current blush-level is at?"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"Depends what tactic you're proposing," Jack said. "I hardly think launching Ronan at her would be playing fair."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"But why not?" Emma, don't sulk at him like that.

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"First, because I'm not sure it would be legal," Jack said crisply. "Second, because it's just not playing fair. I'm fairly certain Ronan could talk a nun out of her habit if he wanted to."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"...Now I want to see that," she decided.

Beat.

"Ronan talking a nun out of her habit, not Karla as a nun, although now I'm picturing her as the little nun in Sound of Music. 'How do you solve a problem like Karla?'"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

Jack didn't know the song, but he nodded gamely and flashed a grin.

"Don't tell him that or he'll try," Jack said, craning his neck to see if he could glimpse their housemate. "Though you can hardly blame a man for using what he has."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"Jack!" Emma turned around in his arms so she could drape hers over his shoulders and face him. "I thoroughly encourage people using their charms! Always!"

Her fingers toyed with the curls at the nape of his neck. "Although maybe I'll set him on a more savvy target, sometime, just for giggles. I'll even make popcorn!"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"You should. I might succumb to him myself before too long," Jack said.

He was kidding. Mostly.

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

Emma laughed and leaned in to kiss his temple.

<< Jack, my feelings aren't going to be hurt if you do succumb,>> she informed him silently. << I'm perfectly aware that you have boy-shaped needs.>>

It was even true! You couldn't lie telepathically! Emma's feelings wouldn't be hurt...unless he forgot to pay equal/greater attention to her.

Look, maybe she couldn't lie, but she didn't have to mention there were conditions to the truth.

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"It's not a need," Jack said. "It's a want. And it's a manageable one. I have some self-control, Emma."

He'd said he was with her, so he was with her. That was the end of it.

Though, of course, a man still had eyes.

He reached to brush a hand over her hair. "Anyhow, what would I offer you in return? Are there girl-shaped needs I should know about?"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

That brought to mind a particular incident with a girl-Jack, and she flushed for a moment before squashing that particular memory.

"I'm perfectly aware that you are a bastion of self-control, darling," Emma replied, sticking her tongue out at him. "I'm saying that I don't mind an occasional snack in your diet, but I'm perfectly content being the sole object of your adoration if you so insist."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

It wasn't hard to guess why Emma was blushing, and Jack smirked for an instant before bringing his face back under control. That was a rather delicious memory for him.

"If I have the right to the occasional snack, you do too," Jack informed her. "We should just ... tell each other before. Or soon after, if before would be awkward."

Having to text your girlfriend so ruined hookups.

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"Stop that. I can hear you, and I can kill you with my mind," Emma reminded him. "Besides, that's a snack I only get when it suits Fandom."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"You aren't going to kill me with your mind when there are people around," Jack told her, and hoped he was right. "All right, then, if you ever fall madly in lust with a girl who isn't me, you can have that snack, too."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

This would be Emma, turning bright red and looking like she wanted to sink into the floor.

You were dead, Jack. Dead.

"Jack!"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"Emma!" Jack said, imitating her tone. "What? I don't think anyone is listening, and if they are they shouldn't be."

He could guess what.

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"I try to give you a treat, and you tease me!" Emma was still rather pink, thank you, and trying to ignore it. "Maybe I should make you share your snacks instead, since that's much more likely than me falling madly in lust with anyone."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"I know that," Jack said, going a shade more serious. "And I wasn't teasing you -- not just teasing you, anyhow."

He sighed, went a bit pink himself as he considered the possibilities. The idea of Emma with a woman held a certain ... prurient appeal, yes, but he also didn't think he was entirely wrong when he detected a hint of Sapphic attraction in her. Not enough that she'd necessarily ever act on it, but he owed any urges she had the same consideration she'd offered his.

"We're together," he said in the end. "That took us long enough to figure out. Let's handle the care, feeding, and sharing of hypothetical outside interests when they become less hypothetical. Men or women."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

That required Emma admit that her attractions were NOT just limited to Valentine or Random Acts of Fandom. Or possibly just a round of getting really really trashed with Kennedy. Which was something she should do anyway, but was sounding very attractive right now. Shopping and drinking. Away from boys offering dangerous things.

"If you wish to focus on the care and feeding of me, I won't object," she laughed, taking the change of subject to flutter her lashes at him. "More mead might not be a bad start, or wine, or cakes. Although then I may fill up to the point I fall asleep, and that would be tragic."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

Jack inclined his head in a nod and reached a hand out for her empty cup. "Of course," he said. "I've only had a little bit of mead myself, so at last one of us will be on his feet until the guests collapse."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"I am perfectly steady on my feet!" Emma objected, which might have been belied by the way she was leaning on him slightly. She was...just tipsy enough to be extremely affectionate. That. Yes. "Mutant metabolism, darling; I'll still be drinking when everyone else has passed out."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

"So no taking advantage of you?" Jack said, leaning back slightly. "I could claim to be disappointed."

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[icecoldfrost]

"You say that as if I wasn't perfectly willing," Emma laughed. "Although I never mind making you work for it...perhaps your seduction skills have grown rusty with disuse!"

Re: The Backyard: Mingling

[bitten_notshy]

Ah. A challenge.

Jack straightened himself, passed a hand over his shirt to smooth any wrinkles. The truth was, he had let himself slacken over the last several months: no more.

"Perhaps you're just not used to being seduced anymore."