Maybe tomorrow is a better day.

[malleableform]

Characters: Group post! It’s party time! So Raven and ANYone else; EVERYONE else, as a matter of fact.
Date & Time: July 22nd, evening
Setting: Outside, because it’s a party by the lake. And the lake is outdoors. Ergo...
Summary: Party by the lake! (oooh) Party by the lake! (yeah) We’re a whole bunch of mutants on our way to an awesome party by the

Comments

[everambient]

Alex was wearing his normal jeans and t-shirt because he had intended to go down to the lake simply to assure Raven that it was not a good idea for him to be around other people right now, not after his power slip up when Lorna had shown up a few hours before, but once he saw how much effort she had put into setting it up, he hesitated. Even though she insisted on constantly backing Hank up when the guy was a total idiot and deserved the sarcasm Alex used on him, he actually liked Raven. And now he felt bad at the thought of her going to all this trouble for him to simply walk away.

"Nice hair," he commented, motioning towards the pink somewhat awkwardly. Standing there, he tried to decide what he was going to tell her, or if he would simply stay at the party for a while then leave.

[rageserenity]

Erik was a man who thrived on punctuality, which was why he arrived half an hour before the invitation stated. Of course he'd offered to help Raven with her preparations, but been told that she had everything absolutely covered and that she'd see him later

[donotmockme]

So. Point of fact. Hank? Hank McCoy? Had been working out. He had cut back on his time spent cooking, and reading Sophocles, dedicating that time to looking more... well. Manly. He could run fine, but running didn't build abs. Running didn't get the attention of...

Good for the body, good for the mind.

He arrived a little before the party was supposed to start, hoping to get a few moments alone with Raven- only to be disappointed by seeing the lack of estrogen thus far. Of course. Logically men would show up earlier... and Erik was plying chaperoned. Obviously.

He sat off to the side, finding a log and doing his very best not to look awkward.

[eagleonfire]

Amara got there at what was probably on time, but she didn't have a swimsuit, so she just wore a thigh length tunic over her underwear, and she had a bra on for once. If anyone had a problem with swimming in underwear, she didn't mind swimming in her tunic.

The first person she spotted was Hank and she decidedly did not greet him. He didn't deserve any attention from her, and she didn't think he deserved attention from any female, but...there was no accounting for bad taste.

Then she saw Raven and Erik, waving at them casually. The hair on Raven was a bit of a surprise, but she thought it suited her. Made her look older, different. Amara liked it, not feeling brave enough to do the same to her own hair.

Finally, she saw Alex, a small smile gracing her features. She was glad he was okay, and she made her way over to stand close to him. "Hi. Are you...is everything okay?"

TAG RAVEN

[rageserenity]

Erik wasn't entirely sure how Raven felt about public displays of affection, particularly as there hadn't been any between them around the others since the start of their entanglement or 'courtship' or whatever one wanted to call it.

Perhaps she wouldn't want everyone knowing about them, which was perfectly fine with Erik, but he wasn't similarly inclined to keep his fondness and regard for her secret.

Of course there'd be no inappropriate behaviour around anyone else, but he'd not limit himself entirely. He was trying to be more open, afterall.

He leaned down to press a soft sweet little kiss to her cheek, very much wanting to go more for her lips, but using that famous 'restraint' of his.

"You know I prefer it Red, but Pink is quite becoming on you, my lovely Professor. Beautiful, as always."

Raven would certainly never be short of compliments around him. Erik adored her, he'd not hide that. She deserved to be adored and admired by everyone in his opinion, in all her natural glory.

Re: TAG RAVEN

[malleableform]

Raven wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about public displays of affection; this was completely new to her. All she knew was that she was hard-pressed not to rise up and press a kiss to his lips, but she wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole public display of affection thing, either.

A part of her was nervous about Charles’ reaction when he found out (she was thankfully wholly unaware of the fact that he was already more than well aware of it) about their ‘courtship’, she would admit... but she didn’t want this to be a secret. She didn’t want to have to hide what was going on between the two of them. She did enough hiding, thank you very much.

He pressed a kiss to her cheek and she smiled brightly at him before doing the same and pressing a soft kiss to his cheek, lingering a moment. “Iris gave me the idea,” she told him. “And I thought this was the perfect time for it.” She blushed at his compliments; and would always, most likely, no matter how many he gave her.

Re: TAG RAVEN

[rageserenity]

"So full of good ideas, our mutual friend is. Perhaps I ought to have sought her advice on what to wear. I'm hardly adept at knowing how to dress for lake parties... or any part not requiring a tuxedo.

But what can I say. I'm helpless to turn down any invitation from you."

If he'd received it from anyone else, he doubted very much he'd be here right now, but as it was Raven, and he trusted her entirely and wanted only to make her happy, he of course didn't even for a moment dream of staying indoors where he'd really much rather be.

Erik was quite happy with the great outdoors, and indeed spent vast amounts of his day outside, but never with so many young people, or at parties.

He didn't even possess party-appropriate swimming attire.

What sort of person went to a party clad in groin-to-knee wetsuit? Erik was, as always, unrepentant.

"And were you intending to divest yourself of your dress, Raven? I promise to keep my hands to myself whilst in company." He was teasing. Erik was a terribly voracious tease around her.

Re: TAG RAVEN

[malleableform]

“She really is,” Raven told him with a grin. “I’m glad I’ve finally gotten to know her.” And she was; she was hoping that Iris would be able to make it to the party by the lake, as she needed to thank her profusely for all her help preparing for her date. She reached out hesitantly, fingertips brushing his. “I’m really glad you’re here, Erik.”

It was ridiculously silly just how much his presence made her happy. She was thoroughly besotted with the man and she didn’t care to deny it.

She tilted her head up at him, smirking. “Oh, I will at some point.” She rose up on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “May even require your assistance.” Oh, she loved teasing him... though the thought of pulling him off to some secluded area seemed like a very good idea, but not just yet. Still too early.

tagging Kurt, Hank, Ben, and Amara if she wants to glare. also OPEN

[everambient]

There were a number of things Alex noticed in those first few moments. His time spent in solitary had made him fascinated with studying human--or in this case, mutant--behavior now that he was around people again, and he picked up on subtle things that most people might not have.

Like the way Erik looked at Raven, though this was anything but subtle, since the older man didn't seem afraid to show it. It let Alex off easy on explaining to Raven why he wouldn't be sticking around at least, because she would be distracted by the metal manipulator's attention on her. Hopefully. She didn't seem so put off by the idea of him leaving soon anyway. He smiled and nodded towards Raven

Re: tagging Kurt, Hank, Ben, and Amara if she wants to glare. also OPEN

[eagleonfire]

She wasn't horribly offended by Alex ignoring her, given the situation earlier, but when he'd made the comment about swimming in panties, she thought he was speaking to her, since he hadn't moved to make the comment. She sighed, taking a deep breath, refusing to feel offended, refusing to show anything. She thought about talking to Ben, but Alex quickly turned his attention onto him so that was out. There wasn't really anyone else she was interested in talking to then, so perhaps it would just be better to go back into the mansion. She could float in the large tub she'd found in one of the larger bathrooms if she felt like being submerged in water.

Re: tagging Kurt, Hank, Ben, and Amara if she wants to glare. also OPEN

[staticsnap]

The sudden rough-and-tumble greeting caught Ben by surprise and he twisted, craning his head back to pin a face to the jostling. That it was Alex, all bright eyes and broad grin, that he found staring back should have been his first guess. They seemed to be orbiting a lot of the same space these days and theirs had been a bond quick to forge, tempered by mutual losses and a private need for fraternity that was mirrored in one another

FASHIONABLY LATE - OPEN TO ONE AND ALL

[seesthespectrum]

Iris finally made her way down to the party a good forty-five minutes after it officially started. It wasn't that she was trying to be rude to Raven, not at all. She just knew that in the case of parties, punctuality was the sign of the awkward and over-eager. It was also her way of fighting the idea that she was somehow a teacher or whatever it was the younger residents kept thinking she was. Not that she wasn't responsible, she just hated the idea of being responsible for somebody else, and nothing suggests "chaperone" like arriving exactly on time.

So she'd waited until it sounded like things were moving along, and most - though not all - of the people in the mansion had made their way down. She'd had to dig in her closet for the swimsuit she'd bought while on holiday a few years earlier. It was a bit more revealing than some people might care for, but she covered it up with the sundress she'd been wearing earlier. Besides, she had no real intention of actually using it. She really wasn't one for swimming, and if she did go into

Re: FASHIONABLY LATE - OPEN TO ONE AND ALL

[rageserenity]

Erik had been availing himself of an alcoholic beverage whilst Raven mingled - he wasn't very adept at mingling with young people, certainly, and was more likely to glare sternly than anything else. This was a party, afterall, so he'd decided to have a nice glass of booze to ease his way into things.

And then he espied Iris, arriving fashionably late, and saw a perfect opportunity to appear like he was mingling, whilst actually simply occupying himself with an adult he favoured the company of.

There was nothing more awkward afterall than being the oldest person at a social event and standing off to the side, or hanging onto the arm of one's young, beautiful, and popular girlfriend.
Was Raven his girlfriend? Erik didn't like applying labels, but he supposed that must be what the students would be saying now.

And he didn't want to be a nuisance to her by lingering around her all evening when she was trying to talk to her friends.

Drink in hand, he made a beeline for Iris, feeling much relieved already.

"Ah, Iris, how delightful to

[seesthespectrum]

Iris had waved to Erik as he approached, noting that he was greatly outnumbered by the younger set. Well, she'd certainly arrived at the right time, then, hadn't she?

"My dear Erik, I would love a drink," she replied. "Helping Raven with her hostess duties, are we?"

She scanned the group, looking for said hostess. It took her a moment to realize that the head of bright pink hair she'd skipped over was who she'd been looking for, and she smiled in delight. "Oh, I love what she's done with her hair."

[rageserenity]

Erik brought her over a drink as well, extremely pleased to be standing now with someone and able to hold an actual conversation rather than suffering through either silence, polite chit-chat, or fearful concerned glances.

Some of them had tried to compliment him and butter him up, and really he preferred that - at least they were making some kind of effort.

But it was best to be with someone closer to his own age, someone he could actually talk to.

His gaze followed hers to Raven, laughing and talking to a few of the others, and she looked so exquisitely happy. It made him smile just looking at her.

"Yes, beautiful... you give excellent advice, I hear."