(Untitled)

[broken_brushes]

I couldn't tell you exactly when it was that I became a party-planning guru. Considering that I'd died at a party, you would think I'd be less than fond of them, but I'd forgiven my killer and apparently forgiven parties, too. In retrospect, I think my penchant for revelry arose from having been given a second chance at life, and not just because

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[cpt_invincible]

Maybe living in the rec center hadn't been one of Nathan's better ideas, but he doesn't regret it. After all, most people up at the compound have those tiny little rooms with a curtain for a door and someone right across the hall to barge in on you if you're ever in the middle of a wank. Maybe some people are alright with that, but Nathan's not. Besides, in the rec center, he's got showers, his own sofa to sleep on, and a telly, even if the programmes are all shit and sometimes he's got to shoo people away from it

[broken_brushes]

"Or something." Glancing his way, I pushed my bangs back from my eyes. It wasn't a typical gesture for me, but looking at that riot of damp curls made my hand move entirely on instinct.

"Casino night," I finished and then jerked my chin his way. "Nice to see you when you're not waving a gun my way."

[cpt_invincible]

"Hey, you're takin' that out of context. There were extenuatin' circumstances involved with all that," Nathan replies, because how was he supposed to help it that whatever this place is swept him up and brought him while he was handling a firearm? Of all the billions of moments in his life, that was the one it picked. It's not his fault.

Okay, so maybe he could have set it down or something, but how was he supposed to know that he hadn't been kidnapped by psycho fans?

"Casino night? Don't take this the wrong way, but... isn't that kind of a shit idea on account of there not bein' any money here?"

[broken_brushes]

"Well, if you assume that money is required to purchase goods, then I guess it would seem like a shit idea," I replied, arching an eyebrow. "You earn chips, and chips can be used like money on things that aren't so readily available around here. It's just a matter of how you look at it."

[dickgout]

"Jesus Christ, you got the same look my sister gets when she's doin' too much work," Jason said. "Sit down for a spell and I'll get you some water or something." There might have been a t-shirt wrapped around his head like a turban and a surprising amount of tree bark sticking to his bare chest and stomach.

"Don't worry, I'm not tryin' to seduce you."

[broken_brushes]

"I wasn't worried, but thank you for the clarification," I replied, affording Jason a wry smile. By that point, seduction was fairly useless on me even from people who weren't Jason Stackhouse.

Jason Stackhouse, who had moments when he could be legitimately and surprisingly sweet, all Louisiana twang and Southern politeness. Who was I to deny him? I took a seat on the front steps of the Rec Center, diligently ignored his bare abs, and waited.

[dickgout]

"You'd be lucky, but I respect this classy thing you got goin' on," Jason said. He didn't really understand it, or really understand how he kind of got it, but he figured Shari was just off-limits. That didn't mean she didn't deserve his attention, though.

He did exactly as he'd said he would, though, and returned with a glass of water for the both of them. "Here you go. How's all this casino stuff coming?"

[broken_brushes]

"It's coming along pretty well, actually," I replied as I accepted the glass. After taking a sip, I passed it back to him, since he seemed like he'd been working much harder than I had. "How goes the dome?"

[red_ponytail]

"Hey," Bill said, coming up beside Shari, his t-shirt long since stripped off and tucked into the back of his jeans as he worked. Things were coming together nicely, what with all the helping hands about, and he was thinking that Casino Night was possibly going to be Shari's best party to date. "Want some water?" he asked, holding it out to her.

[broken_brushes]

"Thanks," I replied as I accepted the bottle. When I'd finished taking a sip, I gave Bill a poke in the abdomen with my index finger.

"What is this? Are you purposely trying to distract my loyal and dedicated workers with your glorious physique? Kind of counter-productive of you, Bill."

[red_ponytail]

"I'm fairly bloody sure that's the first time someone's referred to it as 'glorious'," Bill replied with a grin. "Not that I mind, of course."

His grin widened, became plainly cheeky. "And hey, can I help it if I've got women swooning all about the place any time I take my shirt off? A bloke does tend to break a sweat when he's hard at work, after all."

[broken_brushes]

"Don't forget the men," I reminded him, offering a wry smile from behind the bottle. "I guess I'm just lucky that I'm immune to your wiles at this point. Otherwise I'd get nothing done."

[headofaccounts]

For the last couple of weeks, Pete's been living out of the general loop of island going-ons. It isn't something that happened on purpose, rather something that grew out of his own complacency (which, for once, isn't bothering him). Happiness has always been a tenuous state, for him, but he intends to enjoy it, and given how quietly his birthday passed (and how fine he was with that fact), he isn't eager to make a fuss.

He's spent more time outside than inside, recently, and when he spots Shari, he heads over, putting on a friendly smile and waving as he approaches, his expression adjusting accordingly once he sees how relatively harried she looks.

"What's up?" he asks simply, stopping once he's within a few yards.

[broken_brushes]

"Oh, you know, just trying to cling to the last vestiges of my sanity," I replied with a self-deprecating laugh. "I've been telling myself that next time I think about doing something on this large a scale to remember how I feel right now, but I doubt it will make any difference."

From my place leaned against the outside wall of the Rec Center, I extended a leg and gently nudged Pete's calf with the toe of my sandal. "How about you? How've you been, buddy?"

[headofaccounts]

It was a gesture that Pete returned, bobbing his head from side to side as he said, "Good. Good, actually. Not up to as much as you are, admittedly, but I think 'no news is good news' holds true sometimes." No news wasn't exactly the best way of describing how he'd been spending his time, perhaps, but it at least painted a relatively accurate representation of the lack of turbulence.

"I'll definitely be here, though," he added, nodding at the door to the Rec Center. "Wouldn't miss one of your parties for the world."

[broken_brushes]

"No news is good news definitely holds true in this place," I agreed, and my smile turned wry. "I'd much rather create my own excitement than wait and see what the island gods decide to foist on us." Not that anything I did or didn't do would prevent the powers that be from throwing new challenges at us whenever they wanted.

"You look good," I added, taking him in a bit more critically. "There was awhile there I wasn't sure you'd ever really get comfortable with being here."

[broken_brushes]

Of course Ishiah had noticed me leaving and of course he'd followed. The longer I knew him, the more aware I became of how deeply he cared about his friends, and somewhere along the line, I'd apparently ended up on the list. I hadn't intended it, but despite my instincts, I wasn't sorry. I'd been the person looking out for everyone else so long, it felt nice to have someone looking out for me instead.

I settled down on the front step of the Rec Center and tipped a weary smile up at him. "I'm fine. I just needed a break," I insisted. "I keep thinking of details I'd forgotten, figured it was time for a breather before I got too overwhelmed."

[broken_brushes]

"I think that we've got pretty much everything covered, but thanks for the offer. If I come up with anything that requires a giant blonde man, you'll be the first person I ask." I smirked and reached down to pluck a wayward leaf out of the front of my sandal. After regarding it a moment, I flicked it off the side of the steps.

"This is always the most harrowing party, the few days just before. But you're right, I think it's going to be just fine. There are too many people working too hard for it not to be."