Topic: Housewarming

Mason

Date: 2015-09-05 14:08 EST
You?re invited! Eva and Mason are having a barbecue to celebrate the end of summer and to invite their friends to see their new home for the first time!

The two of them have been handing out fliers with their address and the time and date of the party, Saturday September 5th beginning at 4PM and ending whenever, and touting ?food, beer, and relaxation!?

Luna Eva

Date: 2015-09-05 14:17 EST
The Harrigan home is located in a neighborhood their real estate agent called ?Water?s Edge? (though probably just to make it sound pretty) in the Eastern section of the city just South of the river. The area was once considered fancy, but then fell into disrepair (like so many Rhydin neighborhoods) and is just beginning to see a turnaround.

The house is a two-story in the American craftsman style on a nice parcel of land with views of the river and lake from the backyard and second story. While the house itself is not new, it?s apparent that Eva and Mason have put a lot of work into fixing it up, including brand new paint and landscaping. Their neighbors should be jealous!

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All of the party action is happening in the grassy backyard where music is playing over outdoor speakers, a buffet is set-up, and big metal tubs of ice offer a seemingly endless supply of beer, soda, and water. There is permanent seating on the back porch in the form of outdoor furniture, but there are also some rented tables and chairs covered in checkered picnic tablecloths for additional seating.

The house is unlocked and open for exploring, though Eva would be happy to take anyone on a tour. Some of the rooms, including a guest bedroom and a bonus room, remain mostly unfurnished. But the kitchen is big and well-stocked. A picture frame on the mantelpiece cycles through pictures of Eva and Mason with her family at her childhood farmhouse home, and a still-frame shows a picture of Eva and Mason at their wedding. All of the photos, including the wedding photo, are candids.

Signs on the front and back doors read ?Please do not let out Wendy, the cat.?

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Mason is manning the grill, where he?s cooking up burgers, brats, and barbecue ribs. There?s also a smorgasbord of sides and snacks including potato salad, baked beans, grilled corn on the cob, and other grilled vegetables. A buffet table is set-up for guests to help themselves to as much as they like, whenever they like.

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Also on hand is a small section of sweets, including Eva?s own double chocolate chip cookies, fresh watermelon, and boozy popsicles.

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Mason

Date: 2015-09-05 14:23 EST
The grass was cut and edged. Food was prepped and some of it was already on the grill. Beer was on ice, tables and chairs set up and decorated. Everything inside had been swept, vacuumed, dusted and cleaned. Mason ticked off the things that had needed to be done in his head as he came in the back door.

Charlie, the elven goldfish, was still hiding in the castle in his bowl since Mason had taken a wet paper towel to the outside of his bowl. Wendy, the cat, was lounging along the mantelpiece watching Eva.

She was standing in the middle of the living room looking everything over. Mason smiled as he headed towards her. He didn?t say anything because he could see she had that look on her face. The Doctor Look. The one she wore when she studied things and tried to determine what was amiss.

He stopped next to her and adopted her pose and looked around too. Eva stood there another moment, then asked without looking, ?Yes??

Mason stepped forward and plucked an imaginary piece of dust from the back of the couch and returned to her side. ?We ready??

?I think so?? It seemed more like a question to her than an answer. She turned to look at him.

His eyes narrowed as he looked over the room. ? Hmmm.? He turned to meet her look. ?You.? Because he would make it her fault. ?You forgot something.?

Eva narrowed her eyes at him. ?I cleaned and made the cookies. Everything else was on you.?

Mason walked over to the closet and opened it. He reached way way up to the top shelf and pulled down a rolled up mat. He unrolled it to show it to her as he approached. Their welcome mat from the apartment. ?You got us this. Time to put it out again.?

Her expression immediately softened into a smile. She reached for the mat. It was still in decent condition, considering the years it spent outside of their apartment door, the number of times their muddy and snow-crusted boots were scraped against it. There were no words on it, just a scrollwork design.

Mason moved for the front door and pulled it open for Eva. She stepped out onto the porch and then turned to put the mat in place. Then she stood back. ?How does it look??

Mason was watching her rather than how the mat looked. ?Looks like home to me.?

Eva looked up at him and grinned. ?Bloody hell, we?re suburban.?

He chuckled. ?Damn straight.?

Lirssa Sarengrave

Date: 2015-09-05 20:55 EST
Lirssa was not going to think about the morning events. She was not, in fact, going to think about anything other than celebrating her longtime friends -- well, darn near family ? and their home. First, she stopped to look over the property. It clearly had coats of attention. Rather like a lily among a bunch of weeds. Hands to her elbows, she hugged the star lily?s pot in her arms as she smiled. The house felt good.

With a quick check, a tilt of her body and turn of her head, she heard music coming from the back. She was not too early then. That was good. She made her way inside, slipping to skirt the walls and look over the decorations. The house more than felt good. It felt like a home. Like their home.

She found a place to set the star lily down on a countertop. The starshine smile came out in full force when she looked over the pictures on the mantle. It was almost like when she was flying on the aerial silks, the delight she felt.

But, Lirssa did not linger there long. Continuing on to the backyard, she kept a careful eye to make sure Wendy, the cat, did not escape. A wave given in greeting, but not to distract from conversations. She had a more imminent mission. She was thirsty, so a bottle of water was claimed. Her natural inclination to keep moving was given an extra impulse from the music. So while she wanders the backyard, she unconsciously starts to shift her shoulders to the rhythm.

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Gren Blockman

Date: 2015-09-06 15:13 EST
Gren walked up the street towards the Harrigan?s new home, hand in hand with Izira. Gren had tried to dress casual for the party, a simple plain grey t-shirt with blue jeans. He felt more comfortable in grey, the color of his official Ranger?s cloak. Izira was never the jeans type, so she wore a pink blouse with a tan colored pencil skirt, and tan peep-toe heels.

?I hope Eva and Mason are enjoying their new house?, Gren began, ?I?m glad to see them married and starting their new life together. It makes me think of . . . you know . . . ? He smiled and waved his free index finger between himself and Izira.

Iziria raised a delicate, coppery eyebrow, and smiled in return. ?Perhaps one day . . . when you?ve finished thinking about it.?

Gren chuckled, and led them up to the doorway. Izira was carrying one of her famous lemon crumb pies, while Gren was carrying what he called his ?secret weapon?. ?Sure to liven up any party?, he assured Izira.

After saying their hellos to the couple, and the people they recognized at the party, they began to drift out to the backyard. Gren had wanted to see the ?elven goldfish?, but it was still hiding in its castle. ?I didn?t know goldfish could have pointy ears?, Gren said in bewilderment.

Izira set her pie on the dessert table, and they both fixed themselves a plate of the bounty of food that Eva and Mason had laid out. Gren had a burger and a brat (two, actually), and once they had time to let their food digest, Gren got a mischievous look on his face.

?I think it?s time for my ?secret weapon?.? Gren said with a grin. Izira gave him a soft chuckle, as he went to the sound system and plugged in what was a portable karaoke system.

?Alright! Ahem. Testing, testing, testing. Now folks, nothing makes a party like a good old fashioned karaoke jam. So I?m going to start things off with a special song from one of the classic eras of music, the early eighties. Don?t worry, I have the whole catalog of Air Supply, Chicago, and REO Speedwagon in this little baby. Heh heh heh. But I was thinking Toto, so I?m sending this one out to my lady, Izira . . . ?

The opening riff of ?Rosanna? starts echoing from the speakers, as Gren begins to sing:

?All I wanna do when I wake up in the morning is see your eeeeeyes . . . I-zi-ra! I-zi-ra!
I never thought that a girl like you could ever care for meeeee . . . I-zi-ra! I-zi-ra!
All I wanna do in the middle of the evening is hold you tiiiiight . . . I-zi-ra! I-zi-ra!?

Gren was extending his left arm in dramatic fashion, closing his eyes, with his head thrown back, and the microphone pressed up to his mouth. Izira rapidly batted her lashes at Gren as he serenaded her.

?This thing?s got all the great bands . . . look, it?s got Boston!? Gren said, cycling through the karaoke machine?s playlist when he finished his first song. ?Amanda? began to play from the loudspeaker.

?I?m gonna take you by surprise and make you realize, I-zi-ra!
I?m gonna tell you right away, I can?t wait another day, I-zi-ra!?

So obviously, Gren and Izira were enjoying themselves as the party continued.

JewellRavenlock

Date: 2015-09-06 22:06 EST
Jewell approached the house, double-checking the slip of paper in her hand to make sure she had the right address; it wasn't often that she had been in this part of town. The number on the piece of paper matched the lovely house, and she could hear what sounded like partying from the back (if Gren's singing could be considered such), so up the walk the Empress went.

Her hands were empty aside from that slip of paper that she tucked in her bosom when she reached the door. Her present was of a different sort. Rather than entering immediately, the blue haired Faerie stood on the doorstep and looked over the house carefully, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Easy peasy!"

Stepping forward, Jewell traced her fingers along the door and post in what might have seemed to be a random pattern although a shimmer of silver dust lingered momentarily in the wake of her slight touch. Whatever she was crafting was done in a minute or so. There was nothing left behind for the untrained eye to see, but the Faerie had bestowed a blessing upon this house that her friends had made their home.

After that, it was time for fun. Wendy did not escape, but Jewell did get cat hair on her dress when she captured her for a hug! Brushing herself off, she gave hugs and kisses all around to the humanoid party-goers as well, ate waaaay more food than she should have been able to pack away, and was persuaded to try some karaoke after several boozy popsicles.

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Jolyon Gardiner

Date: 2015-09-07 13:56 EST
Jolyon had Samantha with him out of necessity. With the understanding it was probably an adults party, Jolyon did not plan on staying very long. Serena was working, and hopefully would stop by before the pedantic professor and his little blue eyed, brown haired daughter returned home.

Lack of babysitter was not going to keep him from dropping by and leaving behind a bottle of fine Kentucky Bourbon he had picked up in his late travels. Bottle to the kitchen counter with a ribbon and note of congratulations, he lead Sam out to the backyard. A little mingling, some dancing to the music, and definitely some eating, they had a marvelous time at Harrigan House.

By the time they were ready to go, Sam's pinafore over her purple dress was a splatter paint masterpiece of barbecue sauce, watermelon juice, and ketchup. Jolyon's shirt did not fare much better.

Eden Parker

Date: 2015-09-07 20:59 EST
Eden?s mother had always taught her never to show up at someone?s house empty handed. So in the days leading up to the barbecue, Eden was scrambling to find a gift that fit in her tight budget. When she finally arrived at the Harrigan house, she was carrying a small potted plant, decoratively wrapped in twine that was tied in a bow. The pot, a blue ceramic number, was newly purchased---okay, maybe it was secondhand, but it was newly purchased to her! The plant, a bright green baby fern, was not so much purchased as it was dug out of the Southern Glen and then lovingly repotted. With a bright beaming smile, Eden proudly presented the happy little fern to Mason and Eva.

Her gift taken care of, Eden enjoyed the music, the good company, and of course, the food, practically eating her body weight in barbecue ribs. She didn?t quite realize that the popsicles were boozy until she was boozed up well and good, asking everyone who stopped near her long enough what was in the lemon crumb pie because it was sooooo good!

And then of course, it was her turn at the karaoke machine. She went with ?Girls Just Want to Have Fun!? by Cyndi Lauper, with occasional breaks for giggle fits, and inviting everyone to sing along!