ic Nothing Fancy, Just Hanging Out (IC)

[Heritage]

Lynn Epstein's Apartment. Saturday, June 18th, 2016. 2pm.

 

It was a very mild and pleasant late spring day; there was no need to run the AC, so instead Lynn and Gretchen had just opened all the windows and turned on all the ceiling fans, so that cool breezes and succulent cooking smells wafted through every room.

 

The weekend before, Gretch had offically moved in, and at her insistence the apartment now possessed real live, actual furniture; some of them were ancient hand-me-down pieces that once bellonged to her late grandmother back in Maine, all dark, massive and brooding. Others were recent additions from the Ikea out in Ashton, which they had bought together, because that's what couples do. It took a while to get used to, but Lynn was starting to enjoy the smell of history on the old stuff pleasantly mixing with the new stuff that smelled of dorm rooms and promise.

 

What was a bit harder to get used to were Gretchen's ferrets, Otto and Bosco; they tore around the apatment like they were rats on crack, their long, loping bodies wriggling into every corner imaginable, terrifying Lynn's three cats DB, Mafia and Plaque Attack, who currently spent most of their time hiding out in the bedroom. The ferret cage stood in one corner of the living room, a symbol of the end of the Era of Feline Domination.

 

Out on the rear deck was the Weber grill that Gretchen had also insisted on, which was having its trial run this weekend; it hadn't been fired up just yet, because Lynn wanted everyone to have a little time to have a drink and kibbitz.

 

As for the couple themselves, each was representing their unique stylistic tastes. Lynn wore sandals, a short denim skirt and a creamy, sleeveless cotton blouse; her hair was up and out of the way, indicating that she was both hard at work and comfortable enough with the guests to reveal her pointed ears. Meanwhile, Gretchen wore boots, loose cut jeans and a black vintage Lou Reed t-shirt; surprisingly, her hair was also up, showing a rare glimpse of her graceful neck.

 

The two women worked together smoothly like a well-oiled machine, a machine that frequently stopped to smile or affectionatly touch a shoulder. Their guests would be here soon.

[Sophistemon]

Outside of the apartment, in the hallway, there was the sound of a brief impact. It was a soft and muted poof as air was forced out of the way to accommodate a sudden arrival. Samuel made a gesture with his hand and sent his wand back into its dimensional pocket before raking his fingers back through his hair to straighten it. He was dressed about as casually as he could be in brown loafers, khaki slacks, and a medium-shade blue buttoned shirt with the sleeves rolled up and pinned around his elbows. In his other hand he held a package, wrapped in silver paper and tied with a red bow. He shuffled it a bit so that it was snug in the crook of his arm, raised his hand, and knocked on the door.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Sophistemon

[R. Bluefish]

A dazzlingly bright flash of light momentarily lit up the alley behind the building. A few seconds later, Samantha strode out, looping around the building towards the front entrance. She had, for once in her life, forgone her usual leather jacket-and-T-shirt combo, wearing instead a simple white blouse (which she has purchased roughly an hour ago) with jeans. A slightly roughly-wrapped package was tucked under her arm. The toothpick dangling from her lips, however, stubbornly remained - at this point, there was very little that could be done to break her of that particular habit.

 

Reaching Lynn's front door, she paused briefly upon seeing Samuel already there, then moved to stand beside him. "Hey," she said, nodding, as taciturn as ever. She then reached over to rap sharply on the door, adding her knocking to his own, before moving back a step to shift restlessly from foot to foot. She was trying to remember the last time she had been to somebody's birthday party, and was coming up blank. All she had were vague memories of sneaking into someone else's party when she was in third grade, for the sake of swiping a slice of cake. What a little angel I was.

[Heritage]

In the kitchen, Lynn suddenly stood up straight and turned towards the front of the apartment, her eyes going unfocused. "Sam is here...actually both of them. Ohh, they both look so spiffy!"

 

"How is it that the speedster is always last," Gretch chuckled.

 

"It's traditional. I'll get the door." Her body crumpled away to nothing and reappeared in front of the door, which she swung open to welcome their guests with a warm smile. "Hi guys! I'm so glad you could make it! You both look amazing. Oh, watch for the ferrets, watch for the ferrets; they're new and they're fast as lightning! C'mon in!"

 

She quickly ushered them into the living room, which very different than when Samantha was last here; the place somehow looked more homey and lived in, and actually smelled of furniture polish and the slight musky smell of the new critters, who were indeed scampering around with excitement. "Ooh, prezzies," the changeling said with big greedy eyes as she offered to unburden her guests. "Here, I'll just put those on this sideboard thing. Gretch, come say hi!"

 

The young barista came sauntering out of the kitchen, hands twisted behind her back, and stopped next to Lynn, who gently placed a hand at the small of her back. Gretch nodded and smirked, and offered a simple "Hey."

 

"You guys wanna chill here, or come out on the deck? We've got sangria and a bunch of other stuff. Also, snacks!"

[Sophistemon]

Samuel smiled as he entered the apartment, and the grin widened as he passed the present to Lynn. "Happy birthday," he said, and she could tell by his tone that he meant it. He cast a look around the room at the mention of the ferrets. "Ah, I can't wait to living in a building that allows pets. I've been wanting another parrot for years. I used to own one back before, ah..." he trailed off, lost in thought, before recovering. "Just a water for me, thanks! I'm trying to keep my boozing down." He took another look around, peering as innocuously as he could at everything within eyesight. "This place is amazing. You two are doing well for yourselves!"

[Heritage]

Lynn chuckled self-consciously as she indicated a poster of the Amazing Al-Kazer prominently displayed on one wall. "Well, it helps when you inherit the place; Great-Grandad took good care of it. Grampa Lou, too." A few of the old movie posters thst used to hang around the apartment had been replaced by vintage rock and punk posters since Gretch moved in, but the great conjurer would always have a place here. She motioned for the others to have a seat as the younger woman started backing towards the kitchen, her gaze meeting Samantha's as she did so.

 

"Anything for you, Sam? Other Sam? Female Sam? This is going to be awkward."

 

"Hey, can you grab me a cider, kid?" asked the changeling as she brought a meat, cheese and veggie tray over to the low black coffee table and took a seat on the leather sectional sofa. "Thanks."

Edited July 11, 2016 by Heritage

[Sophistemon]

Samuel smiled as he took a toothpick and speared himself a slice of cheddar. "Ah, party platters. You should have seen the spreads in Vegas, Lynn!" He paused, suddenly embarrassed. "Not that this isn't great. Actually, it puts some of them to shame. You can't imagine how cheap some of those mobsters can be." He popped the cheese into his mouth and chewed before turning to Samantha. "So, 'Samantha,' is it?" He grinned. "Your parents had good taste in names, at least!" He sighed and leaned back into the couch. "You can't imagine the week that I'm having, Lynn. I... well, I can't tell you much about it, but I might have saved the world a few days ago. The city, at least. It depends on just how far things might have spiraled out of control."

[R. Bluefish]

"Cider's fine for me too," Samantha called after Gretchen. "Or whatever you have that doesn't have booze in it." Alcohol would only be wasted on her immune system - if it could really be called an immune system anymore. Which was probably a good thing, frankly. "And happy birthday, by the way," she added to Lynn. "Hope I look as good as you when I'm past a hundred."

 

Sitting on the couch, she took the toothpick from her mouth and snagged a slice of meat for herself. "Samantha it is," she said, biting the meat off the improvised skewer with table manners befitting her background. "People call me Sam, but that would probably get real confusing real fast in here. Good meeting you." She chewed, at the same time surreptitiously testing the softness of the sofa. Nice. "So what happened with your saving-the-world thing? Aliens? Gods? Death ray? 's usually one of those."

[Sophistemon]

Samuel smiled. "Ah, well, I can't really go into it, you see. I served as a... I guess that you could say that I worked as a 'consultant' on a case that, left unsolved, would have had far-reaching consequences for the city, if not the world." He cast his eyes around and then leaned in a little closer. "I worked for AEGIS," he whispered, grinning. He was obviously proud of himself. "As for the cause of the disturbance, it was magic. That's kind of my expertise, and why I was brought in to consult on the case in the first place." He leaned back, snagged another toothpick, and continued. "It's very nice to meet you, Samantha. Do you live in the city? How long have you known Lynn?"

Edited July 12, 2016 by Sophistemon

[R. Bluefish]

Magic. Samantha snorted, amused despite herself. The universe seemed to be determined to make her get over her unease around magic, via exposure therapy. Come to think of it, who did she know that didn't use magic?

 

"Lived here all my life," she said, leaning back and crossing her legs. "Freedomite, born and raised. Hell, up until I got my powers, I'd never so much as left city limits." Saying that would have made her feel embarrassed once, but she now stated it in a matter-of-fact fashion. "Didn't exactly have what you would call the picture-book childhood, you understand. Wasn't in a much better place when I grew up, either - 'til Lynn and I crossed paths, and she gave me my first actual job in years." She shot a brief, rueful smile at Lynn. "Beats me why she did that."

[Sophistemon]

The magician nodded, knowingly, and raised a finger. "Lynn," he began. "Is the rare kind of person that actually, legitimately cares about other people. When I first met her, she had no small reason to throw me out of her store and back onto the street -- but she didn't. Instead, I left the building that day with a job and that was the beginning of my recent upward spiral. Things are getting better and I have Lynn to thank for that." He lowered his hand, took up a spear of ham, and ate it. "So, then. You have powers? What kind?"

[R. Bluefish]

"Eh." Starlight flicked a hand almost absentmindedly as she crunched on a stalk of celery, and a mote of light danced off the end of her finger. "Stuff with light. Some stuff with darkness, too. Nothing too special." Unconsciously, she moved one hand over to scratch at the flesh on the inside of her arm, where her track marks used to be. "Powers are inborn, I think. Got...activated a year and change ago, which was when I picked up the cape." A slightly condensed version of the story, but one that was far more suitable to party conversation than the full one.

 

"How about you? What's your story?" She fiddled with one of her studded earrings, always restless when sitting still. "Magic, you said it was. Taught? Innate? What made you start playing the hero game?"

[Sophistemon]

Sam watched the young woman conjure light and smiled at the display. It was, in its own way, a sort of magic. "Oh, I'm... self-taught. I took it up quite a few years ago as a sort of hobby and it just spiraled upwards. Learning it didn't come easy, but it was so, so worth it in the long run, even with the drawbacks." He smiled. "As for being a hero, well. I don't know if that's the right term yet. I'm just trying to do some good for my adoptive city, you know? Lynn's helping me out in that regard. Gretchen too. I'm very lucky to have gotten to know them both; they're great people." He grinned at his hostess and took a sip of water. "Along with my consulting position with A.E.G.I.S. and a few personal projects, I feel like I've made a positive change."

[Thevshi]

Outside the apartment building Megan Howell made her way along the sidewalk along with her eight year old son, Lawrence, and her fiancé, Robert Harrow.  The blonde woman was dressed in a brightly colored sun dress, a small wrapped object in one hand.  As the three came to Lynn and Gretchen's apartment building, Megan could not help but recall the first time she and Lynn had met.   

Needless to say that first meeting had not been the smoothest.  Thankfully they got along much better by the time they were founding members of the Interceptors, even though Megan's stint on the team had been a rather short one.   

It all seemed so long ago, much longer than the eight years it had been.  Of course, for Megan it had been longer, in a manner of speaking, she thought as she looked over at her son.  But then, for Lynn it had been even longer.

[Heritage]

Lynn looked slightly uncomfortable at all the praise she was getting; there was a visible flush in her cheeks and the pointed tips of her ears. "Jeez, enough already; I feel like I'm at my own funeral!" Though she was trying to hide it, a hint of a smile danced in her eyes.

 

Gretchen finally returned with a wooden serving tray, on which stood two bottles of Woodchuck hard cider, a carafe of ice water and two tall glasses. Behind her floated a pitcher full of what looked like homemade lemonade, clearly supported by her telekinesis. "That took longer than I planned. I wanted to give the grill time to get hot, so I lit the charcoal."

 

"See, this is why everyone should have their own Gretchen," said Lynn warmly as she accepted one of the ciders. "Always thinking two steps ahead."

 

"Somebody has to. You just make it up as you go along."

 

The changeling shrugged. "Hey, it works for me and Jack Sparrow; you go with what works for you." Then she got that faraway look in her eyes again. "Yay, Megan finally made it! And she brought the kid!" In one fluid movement, she flipped backwards over the couch, did a handspring towards the front of the apartment, and then hauled open the sash and stuck her head out. "Hi guys," she called down. "C'mon up!"

 

Gretchen looked from Sam to Samantha, clearly disturbed. "'Kid'?..."

Edited September 8, 2016 by Heritage

[R. Bluefish]

Samantha's unsettled look perfectly mirrored Gretchen's. "Kid?" she echoed, getting it in accidental unison with Gretchen. Generally speaking, she didn't like kids - with one notable exception - and kids didn't like her. Suddenly she envied Lynn her effortless charm, because she was fully aware that she herself was usually about as charming as a rock to the face.

 

"Remind me again," she said, addressing Gretchen, "who's Megan?" Remembering names and faces had never been her strong suit - hell, keeping track of her own phone number had never been her strong suit - and she had a tendency to tune out of conversations about other people's acquaintances. Besides, her glowing personality had never really necessitated the ability to keep track of a large circle of friends.

[Sophistemon]

Samuel shrugged. "I'm not sure," he responded. "Aside from our hosts, I don't think that I'm going to know anyone else that shows up to this party." He took a drink of water and smiled. "Not that it's a problem. If I leave today having made some new friends, I leave today happy." He relaxed into his seat. "So, Samantha... what do you do for a living?" He smiled ruefully. "I don't suppose that being a super-hero pays the bills?" He then paused, considering. I guess that there's always AEGIS, or joining one of the countless corporate leagues...

[Heritage]

 Gretchen stared blankly at Sam like he was wearing underwear on his head for several seconds before pointing at Samantha. "She works downstairs. You both work for Lynn in the same store. If you ever left the Temple of Al-Kazar, you might actually run into each other from time to time." She sighed, and then turned her attention to Samantha's querry. 

 

"Megan is another old school hero, like Boss Lady. I don't know how 'out' she is, so I'll leave it up to her as far as the secret identity stuff goes." Then she scowled slightly and looked toward the doorway where the unpleasant little creature would soon appear. "The kid is news to me, though..."

Edited July 18, 2016 by Heritage

[Sophistemon]

Samuel stared at Gretchen for a moment before realization -- and embarrassment -- dawned on his face. "Oh," he said, trying to play it off. "Oh, that Samantha. Of course!" He looked to the woman. "I work in the back room, cataloguing old books and papers. I don't get much of a chance to socialize with the front end. I do recognize you, but..." he raised a finger to the side of his head and circled his ear. "It slipped my mind." He smiled, bashfully. "I'm so sorry; I'm not trying to be rude, I've just got a terrible memory for faces."

Edited July 20, 2016 by Sophistemon

[Thevshi]

Megan smiled and waved up to Lynn before she led Robert and Lawrence into the building.  A short while later the three were at the door to Lynn's apartment as she came over to open the door for them.   

"Happy birthday Lynn!"  Megan said with a warm smile as she hugged the other woman once the door was open, momentarily blocking the doorway. 

It was then than one Gretchen's ferrets was able to time the opportunity to zip out of the open door.  But the ferret was just into the hallway when Lawrence blurred ever so slightly, and then as holding the ferret in his hands.  "I have him."  The eight year old said to Lynn in his refined British accent, giving her a slight smile.

[Heritage]

Lynn was suitably impressed. "Wow, nice work, Lawrence; you'll have to be our official 'Ferret Wrangler' from now on!" She playfully touseled his hair, gave Robert a friendly hug, and then showed the trio into the living room. 

 

"Okay, so that's everyone! We're keeping it small today. So, some quick introductions here. Everyone, this is Megan and Robert and their son Lawrence. And here we have Gretchen, Samantha and Samuel." Then she looked at Lawrence with a hint of dismay. "Sorry there aren't any other kids to play with, Lawrence, but the ferrets are tons of fun, and I've got some cool books and games you might like." Then she looked over at her partner and winked. "Gretchen loves games, doncha Gretch?"

 

The young barista's face went a little white at that suggestion. "I...yes, I enjoy games."

 

"Cool!" Lynn clapped her hands together and turned to the new arrivals. "So, what can I get you guys to drink? We've got water and lemonade here, plus booze, pop and juice in the fridge."

Edited July 21, 2016 by Heritage

[R. Bluefish]

Samantha looked at Gretchen with a half-smile on her face. "Yeah, you bet she loves games." Sorry, Gretch, better you than me. "And the ferrets don't bite. Less than she does, in fact." They certainly swear less she does. Less than either of us do, actually. She made a mental note to try to moderate her language for the evening. Megan probably wouldn't take too kindly to it if Samantha started cracking off F-bombs in front of Junior.

 

"So, Megan and Robert? And Lawrence?" Huh, there's someone named Sam and someone named Lawrence. "How do you know Lynn?"

[Sophistemon]

Samuel smiled at the new arrivals, and especially at Lawrence. He was already planning to pull a silver dollar out of the boy's ear at some point or another; that one had always killed at the birthday parties. Then, he shuddered. The birthday parties. The lowest point in a career that had included a five-year stint in Blackstone Prison. In any case, introductions were in order. "Hello!" he called out from his seat on the couch. "It's nice to meet you!"

[Thevshi]

"I enjoy books, and chess."  Lawrence replied to Lynn as he and his parents made their way into the room to meet the others there.  He returned Samuel's smile with one of his one before looking about at the others and the rest of the room. 

Megan and Robert both greeted the others there, Robert's upper class English accent unmistakable.  "I will have a glass of wine if you have any open."  Megan replied as Lynn asked what they might want for drinks.  Robert and Lawrence both asked for water. 

"I had the pleasure of become acquainted with Lynn thanks to Megan."  Robert replied as Samantha came over to speak with him and the blonde woman.   

"Oh, Lynn and I go way back."  Megan added with a warm smile.  "We met through a mutual friend when we were teenagers."

[Heritage]

Lynn looked highly amused as Megan recalled their early encounters. "Yeeeaah, we kind of hated each other's guts at first, or at least  I did; I was still in my highly judgmental teen phase, all scrappy and lower middle class, and I kind of saw Meg as the symbol of everything I hated." She covered her eyes and shook her head. "God, I was such a self-righteous little...well, 'brat' is the nice way of saying it." 

 

"At least you're not self-righteous anymore," Gretchen deadpanned.

 

"Har har. Okay, so, food requests!" The changeling clapped her hands together. "We have burgers and brats and barbecued chicken for the carnivores, and we have veggie burgers for our herbivores, if any. Also cole slaw, baked beans and my mom's famous potato salad.  But if there's something else you'd like, and it's available within a two hundred mile radius, it can be obtained!" She made a goofy finger wiggling gesture.

Edited August 12, 2016 by Heritage