it's good enough for me (open)

[sideromelane]

Who: sideromelane and limu-o-pele and Guests (open)
What: Pity Party for Bowen, Welcoming Party for Asha
Where: Alea Iacta East
When: July 17th
Warnings: Moping.

So maybe he and Asha hadn't hit it off all that great. She was kind enough to say he wasn't her brother and that he was crippled and he'd gotten to indignantly squawk that she should shut up. He was pissed, she

Comments

[truailligh]

The jukebox most likely will end up resorting to English; it's the language it knows best with most of the assembled company speaking the language, it's going to have to go back to it. Besides, it's funnier if all involved get the joke and as Shirley was actually doing some cleaning when she spoke to Bowen, it is indeed mocking him by playing said song it always does.

Jukebox aside, Shirley is watching as she pours herself a drink and she's happy that Bowen apparently has his sister here because twins are a bit special but still...if Cedric was around she'd probably have paraded him around the network, calling him every name under the sun and when the announcement is over, she makes her way down to Bowen.

"You know for a man," she means man in the loosest sense, more the legal definition, "throwing a party now that his sister is here, you're giving off a vibe reminiscent of an absolute sourpuss. Oh and what can I get you seeing as I'm playing landlady for the first time in a while."

[sideromelane]

Bowen is leaned in against the bar on his elbows. He knows he can't actually leave Asha for that long, that he's going to need to go rescue her because the sparkly ones never knew what the hell to do with themselves. Watching Christopher try to navigate a party was painful, he'd either stand somewhere quietly, everyone around him skirting his gaze, or he'd make stilted conversation with some poor unfortunate socialite until he was excused from it. He'd been better at it, before his sister on his mother's side, Lucia, had left for the army.

It's the sad thing about the glitter, really, they get too attached to the people they loved, built them into their webbing of their souls, their understanding of the world. And when they were gone... it was like losing a limb. Bowen knows that, but the lesson has been repeated in force, now that Asha is here and he still doesn't know where she is.

"Give me your crappiest beer, landlady," he answers first. "And I will cheer up once I've downed it."

[truailligh]

She could point out that this establishment serves only good things and that all beer is absolute crap but she doesn't and instead rolls her eyes, grabbing a pint glass and with practiced ease - she's really spent a lot of her time doing this, she reflects, between summers and working at the university - pours the beer, just the right amount of head on it. And, because she likes to poke at his misery, she carefully draws a little face in the foam with her pinkie finger.

"I feel I should offer the normal sage advice about not finding answers in the bottom of glasses but I'm too interested in seeing how this turns out to do that," she comments as she sets the glass down, "but bottoms up because it's a little strange seeing you being Mr Doom and Gloom."

[sideromelane]

He snorts. "I--We have gloomier siblings than me, Shirley, I don't deserve that title."

There was Handari, who was paralyzed with fear that anyone who got close to him would be killed, like his mother had been. He was alone, a lot, wandering back and forth between cities, visiting siblings because they were all he had. There was Tore and his unhappy silence because his bitch of a mother was Prevent and she'd left him to die, left him nothing but revenge. There was Nerin and her nightmares. And Tiestre, who was just a prick and didn't deserve to be counted among those with real hurt.

He sees that smiley face and gives her a crabby little smile before her lifts the mug to his mouth.

[effier]

[Even though Effy knew the situation, she didn't say anything about it when he introduced Asha to everyone. She kind of... eyes Asha, like she wants to figure something out she know she can't as she goes to sit down next to Bowen at the bar.]

What are you doing?

[ooc: also action i am so sorry i am lazy]

[sideromelane]

[He rests his temple against his palm, looking at her.]

Waiting for my drink.

[effier]

[She rolls her eyes.]

You know that's not what I mean.

[sideromelane]

Waiting for my drink, sulking, keeping an eye on my sister, breathing. Anything else?

[limu_o_pele]

[The only parties Asha has ever been to have been family affairs, birthday parties where she knew everyone and everyone knew her. She isn't scared of meeting new people, but this sort of environment is new to her. A large part of her wants to refuse it, but she's upset Bowen enough - mistakenly, confused, blundering through attempts to understand what's happened and only leaving him angrier and hurt in the process.

So she'll come to meet his friends, to see if they can help, to try and learn from them some way to understand this Bowen.

She doesn't expect him to leave her like that, though. So used to Bowen staying by her side, having him introduce her and then abandon her in the centre of the room is surprising and unnerving. She doesn't know what to do, and ends up just standing, looking even more confused, quietly trying to regain her footing.]

[[ooc: Asha has a permissions form here! If you don't fill it out, I will assume a default 'no' on her reading anything from your character.]]

[rainbowfishing]

[Vanille isn't quite sure what to do at this sort of party, dressed in her normal things as she pokes about but she likes to try to be nice to new people because she's been shown lots of kindness here so it's only good that she try to spread it around. She has a suitably silly drink in hand as she makes her way over, ice cubes tinkling against the glass. Her other hand is held out as she beams; friendly flamingo is friendly and excited to meet a new person.]

Hey there! I'm Vanille, I know your brother.

[limu_o_pele]

Yes. He invited everyone.

[It's colder than she really meant, but she can be like that, when she's feeling unsteady. She realises it as soon as she says it, though, closing her eyes briefly before trying again.]

Hello, Vanille. It's good to meet you.

[rainbowfishing]

That's a good thing though, isn't it? If you're family then his friends are your friends.

[That was how it worked in Oerba at least. And she isn't put off by the coldness even if her smile fades for a second or two; it's better than a lot of receptions she's had in her own world and well, maybe Asha is shy or something.]

Nice to meet you too. Are you excited about all of this? You even got to be here for the really cool festival thing they're holding and you had a party thrown on top of it.

[strayblade]

For once, Naoto felt thoroughly intimidated. Not enough to retreat, because that really wasn't in her - for better or worse. But enough to keep her to herself, a literal wallflower with eyes wide and expression blank.

His sister. They'd talked about her before. Naoto had even wanted to meet her. And here was her chance but something was wrong. And she knew enough of the details, but not from Bowen's own lips.

Worst knight ever.

Naoto takes a breath, finally makes her way over to the bar when the rest of the crowd has thinned out. She takes a seat beside him, folds her hands on the counter.

"I'll have what he's having."

[sideromelane]

He knows they'd talked about it before, and he had been so earnest that he'd like her to meet Asha. It made it all the more difficult that the girl who had showed up in Prom wasn't really who he'd meant.

That bit was frustrating, but he was still pretty glad Naoto had come. It was still hard, trying to be open and serious about his feelings, but company was a good start.

He smiles at her.

"Hey, I'm glad you made it."

[strayblade]

And just like that, she is too. Bowen's smiles have a way of making things easier, when Naoto had always believed that things could only get more difficult. And sometimes they still are, but at least she has hope.

"Don't be sad."

Naoto's voice is soft, sincere despite the lightness of her next words.

"She's only slightly prettier than you."

Her lips are smiling, her eyes are concerned.

[sideromelane]

He's been working on not being sad, tried just getting over it for a few days, but... Effy had yelled at him about being an emotionally closed off brick, and he was trying his best, in his own brickish way, to get some help with this. A little beer and a little company.

He gives Asha a speculative glance, like he's not quite sure he believes Naoto's assessment of who's the lovely one.

"Since we're twins, I'm gonna take that as a compliment."

He taps his fingers on the bar uncertainly for a moment before he adds, slightly more serious.

"She's, uh, not quite how she usually is."

I AM THE MOST LATE. but Braska wouldn't let me not tag despite that.

[endsorrow]

[Perhaps it has been some time since his and Bowen's last... conversation. But after that network post, Braska just couldn't stay away. What can he say? Once concerned, always concerned. That's his life for you.

Well... Braska just glides into the bar in his summoner's robes like he belongs there, with that relaxed posture and that peaceful smile on his face. He looks around as though he's lost (but he doesn't expect anyone to buy it for a minute, least of all Bowen, despite how he's going to act).]

Ah... Is this the right place to come meet Bowen's sister? [♥]

s'all good bro

[sideromelane]

[Bowen is maybe a little flustered by the appearance. Maybe they'd managed to make up in ten year's worth of time, but none of that shit actually happened, so instead he's left back with fuck you guys and he'd just been. Avoiding that.

He leaves his drink to go say hi, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainly.]

Yeah. Uh, you want me to introduce you to her?

[He could probably handle introducing himself but, uh--]

Re: s'all good bro

[endsorrow]

[Braska just smiles like Bowen never blew up on him they never had a disagreement.]

Yes! That would be wonderful.

[sideromelane]

[He nods, still a little shy about this in his own way, but he leads the man over to his twin.]

Asha, here's another one. This is Braska.

[He's sure she won't make the mistake of thinking he's alive, and she sure as shit won't miss how much he reminds Bowen of their dad, and Bowen isn't entirely sure how he feels about that, but there's nothing he can do about it either.]