Alain's birthday

[key-youth-bert.livejournal.com]

It's almost sunset, and the preparations are almost finished.

Cuthbert, Lilly, and the waitrats they've roped into helping out have set up tables with food out by the lake. On one of them, there's a small CD player currently playing The Beatles.

A few games are set up in the surrounding area--the kind you'd find at any country fair or picnic--but on the whole, there's nothing elaborate.

All that's needed now is for people to show up.


[Summary: Alain has a birthday party. Roland, Cuthbert, Susan, Lilly, Faith, Ace, Meg, and Gavroche attend. There are snow cones and lovely presents and a general mood of "there's doom all around, so let's make this one thing tonight happy and fun".]

Comments

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

"Now if I was really being fair I'd bring sommat a little less geared towards my specialties, but again, very limited timing here. Of course, if I had gotten the invitation last week, I would have just forgotten about it, and wouldn't that have been miserable?" She smirks. Poor Alain. He had the option to tell her all about it, and still not have her do anything.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

He laughs. "Blame Cuthbert for any of that. Bert and Lilly. Don't think I'd been told last week, either."

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

Ace nods in sympathy.
"You see, I think the trick is you can't tell anyone, ever. I told... two people, and it spread like wildfire. Tricksy people."

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Solemnly, "And that was your mistake."

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

She nods, attempting (in vain) to match Alain's solemnness.
"They conspired against me. Behind my back, even. They used a baby as bait. So horrid."

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

He tsks. "That's cold, it is."

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

"Never saw it coming. Who could have thought cute blonde Australians and a former fairy-tale administrator could be so ruthless?"

...

Ace really should have seen it coming, if Snow was involved.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

Alain doesn't know half the words involved there, but that's okay.

"Masters of subtlety," he commiserates.

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

She raises an eyebrow at him.
"So what's your excuse. And if you tell me Cuthbert is a master of subtlety, I might die laughing, and gods knows the bar can't take more angst. So." She grins, cheerily.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

He snickers.

"Grew up together? He was at my fifth birthday party, he and Roland and our friend Jamie. Every one after, too, I think. Not much chance of keeping it secret there."

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

She considers this carefully.
"Well... I suppose that could count as having a good excuse. Maybe. I think I might be letting you off easy here." She teases.

[honest-johns.livejournal.com]

"You're a merciful woman, Ace."

Solemn. Really.

[nitro-is-ace.livejournal.com]

"I am. People would be wise to remember that." She takes a stab at solemn. Misses by a few miles.