Electra Posted August 20, 2015 Posted August 20, 2015 "Well I have to do some kind of dress, Frank would be heartbroken if I didn't let him design me something with a dozen secret pockets that inflates into an emergency cold-weather shelter or something," Erin admitted. "But there's definitely going to be plenty of weapons available, too. I know how to fight in a dress when I have to. And you don't have to worry about needing weapons to fight." She hesitated for just a second. "I was wondering... I know you planned that you'd get married first, and it didn't exactly work out just yet. But if it won't make you, you know, uncomfortable or sad or anything, will you be my maid of honor?"
alderwitch Posted August 20, 2015 Author Posted August 20, 2015 "It's not a race," Alex said with a laugh and leaned towards Erin, bumping her shoulder against Erin's arm rather than giving her another tight hug. Erin wasn't the only one who'd learned how to compromise in physical interaction, "And both people have to be ready. I couldn't be more happy to be your maid of honor."Alex all but bounced on her bare feet, her hands moving in rapid gestures at her excitement of all the things to do. She, after all, loved a project and especially a project that could be stuffed in a glitter bound note book without any funny looks. Not to mention it was excellent reason to de-camp from her tower and see her friend more often without having to feel guilty that she wasn't actively saving the world, or being productive in other metrics. "Ohhh, and I get to do your bridal shower. You'll have to let me know who you want to be there. It'll all be perfect!"
Electra Posted August 20, 2015 Posted August 20, 2015 Erin's eyes went a little wide as she began to realize what she'd gotten herself into. "Um, bridal shower, yeah. I guess there is one of those. Something small, I'm sure, and simple, and not too, um..." She trailed off when she realized she couldn't think of any words that didn't risk insulting her friend's unique sense of taste. "I think all of that will have to wait anyway, at least till we've set a date and thought about what we want and all that. I don't know how interested Trevor will be in planning all that stuff, but he should probably get some input." She drained the rest of her Coke in one long, bracing gulp. "By the way, have you met Mark's girlfriend Nina yet?"
alderwitch Posted August 20, 2015 Author Posted August 20, 2015 "Nope," Alex said, still clearly planning some elaborate tea-party type affair in her head as she rubbed her hands together. She'd probably tone it down by the time she actually put things together. Probably. Alex actually DID know Erin's preferences after all these years. It was just a question of her self restraint. Her gaze turned back to Erin and away from thoughts of cupcakes. "Although I had heard he'd settled down into something serious. I try to keep tabs on everyone but it's really not the same. Have you met her though?"
Electra Posted August 21, 2015 Posted August 21, 2015 "Yeah, she's basically a member of the Liberty League now, Typhoon disowned her for being too heroey, so now she and Mark are living together and everything." Erin wandered away from the window and settled into one of the living room chairs, comfortable in Alex's home now that all the friendship business was nicely sorted out. "She's really not the kind of person I'd ever have seen him with, but they seem to bump along pretty well. She's nothing at all like Faith, thank god. You'd probably like her. Maybe we can all get together sometime, we could do it on the QT and you could even invite Mike along."
alderwitch Posted August 21, 2015 Author Posted August 21, 2015 Alex joined her, curling up in a chair opposite with her legs tucked under. "Oh, Faith wasn't all bad..." Alex said although she laughed a little at the memory. "I'm looking forward to meeting her especially if she has your stamp of approval. Do you think it'll last? Of course, Mark really was voted most likely to marry his reformed nemesis. I'm fairly sure that was in his senior yearbook page.""I hear about his UN work - I think everyone does, though," Alex commented as she waved one hand towards the television. "He's really making quite the name for himself. Not that that's surprising. It's kind of nice to see him really making all those plans he had come true. Getting together could be fun. It's been an awfully long time. I imagine between all of us we could manage something quiet."
Electra Posted August 21, 2015 Posted August 21, 2015 "You just liked Faith because she totally distracted Mark from the whole "you can't get pregnant from boob-touching" fiasco," Erin teased, slumping comfortably in her chair. "And I think Chris had a lock on the category in junior year, but he could've passed the title along. Nina kind of manages him, but not in a weird way. More like a "you can't be fifteen and just granting wishes forever" sort of way. They have an actual real apartment that's not full of pets or made of chocolate or anything. I was pretty impressed. And she saved me that one time when her dad plunged me a couple miles under the ocean and broke most of my ribs in the process so, you know, she's pretty good in a crisis. You got a place we could all get together, or should we do it at Trevor and my place?"
alderwitch Posted August 21, 2015 Author Posted August 21, 2015 "Caldwell took a real hit during the last major disasters to rock Freedom City, or I'd suggest the old HQ." Alex said as she shifted and scrunched her nose at Erin for bringing up one of her more awkward teenage experiences, which was really saying something. "Mark has always done best when he's got someone to stabilize him but still let him, you know, be Mark. I'm glad he's found a good fit for that role in his current partner."Alex might have sounded just a touch dubious but she was genuinely happy for Mark, it was just a little hard to picture. "But your place is probably just the easiest. You're all welcome here but the ballroom's a little much for just the six of us and I don't imagine a tour of the facilities would be super engaging. Also, it just begs something getting out of hand and blowing a hole through the side of the building..." Alex had not forgotten dinners with Mark, no she had not.
Electra Posted August 22, 2015 Posted August 22, 2015 "You should come over anyway, I need to figure out what to do to upgrade the kitchen," Erin told her. "We're keeping most of the house the same for now, at least for awhile. Some new furniture," and Erin's quick, embarrassed grin meant that Alex didn't need to be a mind reader to know what had happened to the old stuff, "but we like a lot of the old style, plus it was Travis's. But all the kitchens are about twenty-five years overdue for an overhaul, and I'm going to do up at least one of them so it's nice. Your place here is great, maybe you can give me some tips." She gestured around at Alex's lovely living quarters. "So, have you got any board games?"
alderwitch Posted August 22, 2015 Author Posted August 22, 2015 "Do I have boardgames?" Alex said, laughing as she stood up and crossed over to one of the sideboards in the living room, pushing back one of the shiny wood panels. "I have all the boardgames. Making money has some serious perks, I have to say. Is there any particular one that's caught your attention?"As she asked, Alex reached in. There were clearly several games still sealed in their packaging but her hand skipped over them all to pull out a battered stack of the games that had lived in the corner of their dorm room, tucked in to a place of honor among all the newer games. Without waiting for a response, she stood gracefully, carting them back to the coffee table between the two chairs. "Here, you pick. I'll order pizza."And cancel the rest of her meetings for today. Because when your best friend showed up out of the blue with news of her engagement, of course you blew off work to reminisce, play battered board games and eat pizza like you were sixteen again. "And you can tell me about what I've missed!"Which was just what they did.
Recommended Posts