It was amazing how much work was necessary for a small get together, but also how quickly and easily it went with the help of another person. Especially when that person happened to be on staff
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Bryn was pleased everything was set up, and it all looked perfect. Sycora had been an enormous help setting up the bonfire area, and Joe's assistance with the cupcakes and cookies had been greatly appreciated.
It was a small gathering, but perfect for what she wanted.
After all, today she was turning twenty-one and what she'd wanted most of all was to spend it with her friends. Perhaps none of the guests would know that, but for those on the staff, but Bryn found she didn't care so much about having her birthday celebrated but for the first time just be able to spend it surrounded by friends.
Smiling as she slowly approached the bonfire and those gathered, Chloe sought out Bryn and made her way over to the other woman as she admired the layout.
"Hey. Thank you for the invite. You do all this?"
True, Chloe may have barely talked with Bryn in the past, but she admired the shifter for having the strength to share what she was with so many people, and Chloe wanted to thank her personally for going to all this effort.
"Thank you, yes. Well, myself and Sycora and Joe from the staff," Bryn replied, pleased to see people starting to join her out there. "I couldn't have done it all on my own, that's for sure!"
She looked around the bonfire area with a distinct look of pride and pleasure, and then back to Chloe.
"I'm glad you decided to come out. Chloe, right?" she asked, hoping she'd remembered the correct name.
Chloe smiles, nodding at Bryn's question. "Yeah, Chloe. Derek's mentioned you on occasion. I think he really likes a lot of the people here, even if he isn't so quick to admit it." She chuckled.
"It was a nice idea. Thank you for inviting all of us. It looks like everyone is already really enjoying themselves."
Looking around once more, Chloe finally asks, "Did you make the cupcakes, too?"
"Oh yes, I did, but not without a bit of help. There were so many preparations I had to have a little help," Bryn replied, the paused a moment.
She looked around the party setting and then leaned in toward Chloe. "Do you really think everyone is having a good time? I've never done this before but...I do want everyone to enjoy themselves."
Smiling, Chloe nods and looks out over the people gathered. "It all looks really great, Bryn. You and any who helped you put this together are really great."
Bryn's question draws Chloe's attention once again. Chloe looks somewhat startled, but quickly pushes that aside so she can quickly reassure her. "I can tell everyong is having a great time. They are smiling, and talking, and relaxed. You really went out of your way to make this happen, Bryn. I would have never guessed you haven't done this before." She smiles, leaning forward to lightly rest a hand on her arm. "Everyone will continue to have a blast. I know it."
"Oh good, I really hope so," Bryn said, seeming to relax a bit with Chloe's reassurance. In the interests of getting to know the other girl more and stop worrying about her bonfire party. "So you and Derek are friends? Did you two know each other before coming here?"
"Oh!" Bryn exclaimed, brightening immediately. "Oh that's wonderful. You're both very lucky to have each other here," she added. It wasn't always the case that people had friends and family, or boyfriends, join them at the Keep.
"No, no friends or family here from home. Plenty of friends here now but no one from where I was. I keep hoping my brother will show up but...well. I'm not certain how likely that is," Bryn said, with a forced smile on her face.
Bryn blinked in surprise at Chloe taking her hand, but she gave it a squeeze and smiled.
"It's really nice," she said, and sighed. "My brother, Gunn, he's just a few years younger than me. He was...is wonderful. He and I were pretty inseparable growing up and even once he got to that age when he should have stopped hanging out with his older sister so much."
Bryn gave Chloe a wry smile.
"He'd do his homework in the room where the piano was, and listen while I practiced piano. We'd do our tutoring together, keep each other company when our parents took us places."
Alex was not one to say no to a celebration of any kind, and as Bryn was behind it, he was making a definite point of attending. He spots the girl of the hour herself, not realizing how true the statement was, and makes his way over to her, smile warm and welcoming.
"Thanks for the invite," he offers by way of greeting. "I love what you've done with the place .." You'd never know people got themselves punished and killed out here; he, of course, keeps that particular thought to himself. "What brought this on?"
Bryn greeted Alex with a hug, genuinely pleased to see him. Meeting new people was great but she was especially pleased to see someone she felt so close to.
"Well it wouldn't be fun without you," she said to Alex with a wide smile. Bryn looked around them carefully before leaning in. "If I tell you why though, will you promise to keep it a secret?"
Alex returns the hug, giving her a right proper squeeze as he lifts her just a little bit off the ground. There were certain advantages to being almost a foot taller than the sprightly Bryn and this was definitely one of them.
When he finally lets her feet touch down atain, he's smiling brightly at her. "Oh, now I wouldn't say that! I'm sure you'd have a grand time with or without me here." He leans in, grinning still, "Although I think you're better off with me here." He winks and then his brows rise slightly and he nods.
It was a small gathering, but perfect for what she wanted.
After all, today she was turning twenty-one and what she'd wanted most of all was to spend it with her friends. Perhaps none of the guests would know that, but for those on the staff, but Bryn found she didn't care so much about having her birthday celebrated but for the first time just be able to spend it surrounded by friends.
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"Hey. Thank you for the invite. You do all this?"
True, Chloe may have barely talked with Bryn in the past, but she admired the shifter for having the strength to share what she was with so many people, and Chloe wanted to thank her personally for going to all this effort.
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She looked around the bonfire area with a distinct look of pride and pleasure, and then back to Chloe.
"I'm glad you decided to come out. Chloe, right?" she asked, hoping she'd remembered the correct name.
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"It was a nice idea. Thank you for inviting all of us. It looks like everyone is already really enjoying themselves."
Looking around once more, Chloe finally asks, "Did you make the cupcakes, too?"
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She looked around the party setting and then leaned in toward Chloe. "Do you really think everyone is having a good time? I've never done this before but...I do want everyone to enjoy themselves."
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Bryn's question draws Chloe's attention once again. Chloe looks somewhat startled, but quickly pushes that aside so she can quickly reassure her. "I can tell everyong is having a great time. They are smiling, and talking, and relaxed. You really went out of your way to make this happen, Bryn. I would have never guessed you haven't done this before." She smiles, leaning forward to lightly rest a hand on her arm. "Everyone will continue to have a blast. I know it."
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"Ah, Derek is my boyfriend. We've known each other for about a year, now." She grins, offering a little shrug.
"I'm lucky to have him."
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"Yeah."
It certainly wouldn't be pretty if she and Derek were ever separated, in any case.
"What about you? Any friends or family here?"
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"No, no friends or family here from home. Plenty of friends here now but no one from where I was. I keep hoping my brother will show up but...well. I'm not certain how likely that is," Bryn said, with a forced smile on her face.
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Leaning back, Chloe asks, "What's your brother like?"
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"It's really nice," she said, and sighed. "My brother, Gunn, he's just a few years younger than me. He was...is wonderful. He and I were pretty inseparable growing up and even once he got to that age when he should have stopped hanging out with his older sister so much."
Bryn gave Chloe a wry smile.
"He'd do his homework in the room where the piano was, and listen while I practiced piano. We'd do our tutoring together, keep each other company when our parents took us places."
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"Thanks for the invite," he offers by way of greeting. "I love what you've done with the place .." You'd never know people got themselves punished and killed out here; he, of course, keeps that particular thought to himself. "What brought this on?"
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"Well it wouldn't be fun without you," she said to Alex with a wide smile. Bryn looked around them carefully before leaning in. "If I tell you why though, will you promise to keep it a secret?"
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When he finally lets her feet touch down atain, he's smiling brightly at her. "Oh, now I wouldn't say that! I'm sure you'd have a grand time with or without me here." He leans in, grinning still, "Although I think you're better off with me here." He winks and then his brows rise slightly and he nods.
"'Course I will .. what's up?"
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