OPEN :: A golden bird was singing

[baedalites]

Who: Everyone!
What: St Kelley's evening
Where: The Apache and surrounding environs.
When: Veerdi evening.
Notes:
(1) The topic threads are just suggestions; if you've got somewhere else that your characters simply must be, make your own thread.
(2) All mementos will appear overnight in some part of your character's apartment.
(3) Dance!

St Kelley's is one of the more sedate occasions in Baedal, at least as holidays go. It passes more or less unnoticed by the majority of the population as many of them feel it doesn't concern them. It's not their holiday; it's for the others. Those with severed ties and broken hearts. The temple and church preach that it's a time for reflection or for glorifying the generosity of the gods. It's one of the few days on which no one looks askance at first generation Citizens mourning their missing loved ones publicly.

As night rolls around and floating lanterns are set to sea, the Apache in Mog Hill prepares to accept guests from the newer cohorts. It's something that happens every year, making it a practical tradition. The alcohol will be cheaper for first timers, and the music will be kept at a reasonable level.

Comments

[controlledvariable]

"I did," she bats gently at Kate's hand and makes a bit of a face at her, "I'm sorry for taking you away from what I'm sure was a fascinating evening of nail painting."

She's not sorry at all. She figures Kate could probably have used some company too, even if people chose not to participate in the 'celebration', it's still a reminder of everything left behind.

[joiedeviolet]

"I'll think about forgiving you if you get me another soda," she laughs, reaching out to poke Steph again. "Maybe."

Nothing but good-natured teasing between two young women missing home like nothing else. If they don't laugh, they'd probably cry.

[controlledvariable]

"You don't want something a little stronger?" She's fairly sure Kate will turn the offer down, but it can't hurt to ask on nights like this. Steph's already had a little to drink, thanks to Megan.

[joiedeviolet]

Kate's a drinker, little as it's know. Not a hardcore heavy one; she's still likely to get tipsy off of one mojito, but if somebody offers, she'll accept. So she shrugs at Steph because what else is she going to do tonight? "Sure. Just no beer."

[controlledvariable]

"I'm gonna get you something ridiculous and fruity," Isn't Steph a good fried? She gets up, lightly flicking Kate's ear as she does - just to be annoying - and then darts off to the bar area before Kate can retaliate.

About five minutes later, she comes back with a soda for herself, and a daiquiri for Kate; which isn't that ridiculous, but whatever.

[joiedeviolet]

Kate swats at that annoying hand and relaxes in her chair, feeling just a little bit less miserable. Maybe it's because misery loves company. Maybe it's something else. She doesn't want to think too much about it right now.

She gives both the drink and Steph a raised eyebrows that's clearly amused. "Don't think you're not splitting this with me. If I go down, I'm taking you with me."

[controlledvariable]

"I've already had a couple of drinks," Steph makes an overdramatic frowny face as she sits down, "It's not my fault if you're a lightweight."

[joiedeviolet]

"Oh, and it's mine that your liver will scream for mercy soon?" Steph really isn't getting off that easily. After so many times of her making Kate wonder why they're even friends, it's time for Kate to bug Steph in revenge. Pushing the straw against Steph's cheek, Kate uses it to poke her over and over again.

"Drink me. Driiiink meeee." God, what has Kate turned into?

[controlledvariable]

"Yes, yes it is," Steph remainds stoic throughout the poking, merely raising an eyebrow at Kate.

"Is that supposed to be annoying?"

[joiedeviolet]

"Yep." Kate's learned from the best about being annoying because now the straw pokes harder now. Muhahaha.

[controlledvariable]

"Remind me why I'm friends with you?" She turns her head to take a sip of the drink. NOT THAT SHE WAS ANNOYED OR ANYTHING. She's just thirsty.

[joiedeviolet]

Sure. Thirsty. Right.

"For the same reason I'm friends with you?" The eternal question to be asked by the both of them, clearly.

[controlledvariable]

"I thought that was my dashing good looks, which definitely isn't the reason I'm friends with you," Harsh, Steph, that's just harsh.

[joiedeviolet]

"What dashing good looks?" Kate blows a raspberry at Steph right before she takes her own sip. "And that's okay. It's not like I'm hooking up with you or anything so why would I care about what you think about my face?"

There's something about their tit for tat conversations that Kate likes. Maybe it's the competition to one-up the other or just having the opportunity to practice the fine art of sniping. Or maybe it's the fact they are still both completely dancing around the obvious.

[controlledvariable]

"These dashing good looks," Steph gestures to her face, "I'm irrestible."

She quirks an eyebrow at the mention of hooking up, but decides not to go too far in that direction of teasing, because last time it seemed to make Kate uncomfortable, "So, you don't care if your friends think your face looks like a butt?"

(Disclaimer: Steph does not think Kate's face looks like a butt.)

[joiedeviolet]

Kate playfully recoils at Steph's insistence at her being irresistible in any sort of way. In all honestly, to her, Steph is pretty, but she's not about to say that out loud. Not right now anyway.

"Nope," she replies, pushing the straw deeper in the glass just to have something to do with her hands. "I'm not interested in them like that, so why would I care? If they think I look like a butt, oh well." That and they wouldn't dare tell Kate so because she would probably turn their own face into a butt.

[controlledvariable]

Steph just sticks her tongue out at that.

"Then you are a lot less vain than I am. I'd totally complain if my friends didn't think I was cute," Steph is... not quite that vain, but she does care a little.

[joiedeviolet]

"If they're friends with you only because they think you're cute, then they're not really your friends at all." Kate's taking this to another extreme here, but honestly, things like this don't matter to her. Of course, she knows that Eli and Tommy at least find her attractive, so maybe she's coming from a place where this isn't reality, but Kate can't imagine she'd care all that much.

Well, maybe a little in regards to Eli, but reasons for that are obvious.

[controlledvariable]

"That is totally not what I meant and you know it," she points an accusatory finger at Kate, as if this the most horrible thing anyone has ever said to her. The serious expression doesn't last long before she laughs, "Though I have had people befriend me for worse things."

[joiedeviolet]

"Not for your nighttime fashion sense, I hope," Kate grins, grabbing Steph's finger and pushing it down. "But what for then? Bodyguard duty?"

[controlledvariable]

"Nah, I didn't mind when the younger kids tried to make friends with me 'cause they knew I'd beat the shit out of any bullies," It happened enough times that Steph got a bit of a reputation for looking out for people.

And then she's quiet for a moment, chewing her lip as she tries to decide what to say, "People who knew about my dad, some of 'em tried to sidle up to me to try to get in with him. They stopped as soon as I told them how much I hated him."

[joiedeviolet]

She listens carefully, no longer making a joke of the conversation and it's right then and there that Kate realizes that even though they've lead very different lives and have different reasons for what they do, her and Steph are more alike than they first seemed.

It's a long moment before Kate speaks, looking down at her fingers still wrapped around Steph's. "Same here. Only it was because they knew he had money and connections. Most of the time, they didn't care about me or him as people. Just where his wallet could take them."

[controlledvariable]

She taps her free fingers lightly on the back of Kate's knuckles. Not wanting her to let go; she appreciates the contact. At what Kate says, she smiles, but it's a sad one.

"That's what it was with daddy, too," there's obvious mocking in the word, "His connections just aren't the type most people want to associate with."

She forces down her own bitter feelings and her smile turns gentle, "I'm sorry they didn't care about you. Anyone who doesn't is an idiot." And that's. maybe a bit too much. But it's been a rough night and she does mean it, so who cares.

[joiedeviolet]

Unlike Steph, Kate clearly loves her father, regardless of how she hates his public persona. He cares for her too, willing to spend any amount of money to make sure she's okay and will remain okay. But no matter how much he throws around, she will never be what she was before, never again his little girl. She is now a woman who knows that the world isn't filled with nice people and rainbows.

"That's okay. I've learned how to care about myself in the event nobody else does." It's not her being pessimistic about the world; just realistic.

[controlledvariable]

"I'm glad you do," she means that too, because a lot of kids who grow up with no one caring about them end up thinking that they don't deserve to be cared about, even by themselves.

She moves her hand in Kate's, so that they're actually holding hands rather than Kate awkwardly hanging onto one of Steph's fingers, "I want to go home." She's not entirely sure whether she means home home or if she just wants to head back to her place here to get away from th 'celebration'.