surprise party for court 🐮

[halligan]

WHO: Prescott + Beau, Bunny, Carter, Duke, Emmett, John, and Nat (& "folks who might not know court but would think she's extremely cool" – Beau). However, anyone can join — OOCly, it's open to all.
WHEN: Sunday, November 17. Evening.
WHERE: Prescott fire house's kitchen.
WHAT: A surprise birthday party for Court! Planned here.
WARNINGS: I made AI generate the main image and it's horrifying.

court's 36th birthday!!!

the gist

it's court's birthday!! arlo arranged a surprise party in the kitchen of prescott's fire house and invited whoever he thinks her friends are.

celebrate, eat, drink, and if you can't get home safely at the end of the night he'll roll you into a bed in the bunkhouse.

while only some characters were officially invited, feel free to write anyone in! just say they were at prescott on business idc.

the details

zelda deemed the theme to be unhinged cow print and raided the danforth walmart for decorations, including cow print diningware and inflatable horses.
arlo made egg-free veggie burgers and chocolae mousse.
everyone else brought whatever they brought; i'm not listing them, you do it.

& because no party's complete without a stupid drinking game, there's drunk jenga!

code

Comments

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

“Famously, yes,” John replies.

And he squints at Arlo, noting Arlo’s gritted teeth and generally (albeit mildly) tense demeanor. My hat is threatening him, John thinks sadly. But he’s not about to take it off, not when he got it from Zelda and it’s his only tie to the theme of the celebration. That’s the way of things, he observes, masculinity is a prison of one’s fears. And tiny hats. He learned this in a free lecture at the University of Washington.

“Did you cook everything yourself? Or most everything? You are very talented.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

Fortunately for everyone ever, but most importantly in the room with them, Arlo's a slut for validation. One could even say it's one of his defining traits! Give him a compliment about something he thinks he's earned (which isn't much) and he'll warm up to you so much that he can banish whatever stupid pictures are floating through his brain right then.

"Only the burgers 'n dessert." He should say something else to this person who wanted to flaunt the whole hook-up situation at him — he knows this, but he doesn't want to brag. Even if a tiny part of his mind's all They're Court's favourite kind and– "Definitely wasn't born with a talent, had to work on it growin' up when I realized Duke wouldn't get nowhere if all I fed him was like... Cheetos and pilk."

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

Oblivious to the stupid and factually incorrect pictures now floating out of Arlo’s mind, John takes a bite of a veggie burger. “Dehmicious,” he smiles, meaning it.

A large swallow, then, politely: “What is pilk?”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

"Mix milk with Pepsi together so a kid drinks their milk," Arlo replies matter-of-factly. It's been a LONG time since he learned his is a terrible idea, so after a pause he adds: "Don't do it. It's stupid."

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

“Oh. No,” John says, visibly balking. “I do not intend to.”

Another thoughtful bite of his veggie burger. “Very kind of you to throw this for Court.” He looks around the room, casting about for something to say. “And thank you again for inviting me. I didn’t know you knew I knew Court.”

He squints, going over the repeating words in his head, then nods, satisfied. “Yes.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

The smallest deep breath makes Arlo's chest rise and fall, interpreting this all as it was a secret more then genuine surprise. "She works hard makin' sure everybody feels welcome. She's special, she deserves a good time." That sounds like– "A nice night." He takes a sip of Nat's finest from a camping mug and nods toward the shiner in question, wanting John's eyes off him, even just for a few moments. "Nat's the one who put your name in the ring."

Re: INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[castnet]

Around this time Court realizes that Arlo and John are awfully close to each other, and if she didn't know any better it almost looked like they were having a conversation. Now that didn't necessarily mean anything, yet she couldn't help the slight pit gnawing at her stomach the longer she watches them; unable to see much more than their backs and elbows from her vantage point.

She didn't know the details of who had invited whom, but it still has her thinking of what Nat had said and how there definitely was some amount of guilt (far past the point of creeping in) that her ex was being kept in the dark about... whatever it was she had going on with John.

Someone nearby makes an exclamation of jolliness, but it's enough to startle Court who'd been watching the two men intently - while at the same time attempting to appear completely unaffected - and she shrinks back into herself. Into that drink she takes another long swig from before forcing herself to interact with the party once more.

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

John’s eyes remain on Arlo, watching carefully for signposts that will guide him through this conversation. There’s an uneasy, inconsistent tension in Arlo—John supposes now that he must be the source. What Court had told him about perception comes to the fore now, and he begins to understand, really understand, what she means.

“Ah,” he starts, trying to imbue his tone with the feeling of friendliness, of not being a threat. “Likely she wants to maximize the number of presents Court receives.” John does believe this. “Although mine is not as good as yours.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

"People's presence are presents. That's what they say, right?" Arlo points out, so far from keen to start any comparisons between himself and John that he's willing to jump right over that.

Because while he may be an idiot, somewhere deep down he knows that getting fussy over who Court may or may not be banging is a one-way ticket to a shitty party vibe. After plenty of time to stew over it yesterday during his outing to their old home—and for the stewing to simmer and finally into actual thinking—he knows he's more annoyed with his own ability to form new connections after their divorce than he is with John for being... what, a friend? She needs friends. She deserves friends.

He just really wishes the guy would shut the fuck up about the bunkhouse because every time he mentions it, Arlo's hackles rise. But John seems otherwise friendly???

... He doesn't get John at all.


Arlo reaches down to where he'd taken off his sparkly cowboy hat (similarly tiny on his big ol' head) and picks up one of the Duke-fashioned party hats he'd stuck on top. "I mostly only gave her stuff that's already hers so I was returnin' property." He fastens the hat to his head and it slides down to a jaunty angle. He needs to change the subject from what used to be his favourite one (back then, said subject was still married to him). "Your bike ride go alright?"

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

John is ready to assure Arlo that his presence at this party is less valuable than Arlo’s, but he’s mindful of how quickly Arlo changes the topic.

“Exhausting.” John’s careful, watchful expression turns into a self-deprecating smile. He’s not embarrassed to admit this, though—gratified, rather, to offer up another point of comparison between them that weighs in favor of Arlo, who seems more physically capable despite his recent bite. “So today I drove. Also to pick up Maggie.” He turns, searching the party for her, and points her out. “She was discharged today.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

"Yeah, the bite ward'll be all emptied out once Dutch heads back. Guess we shouldn't've spent all our merits on the fancy sign." (There is no signage, and no formal bite ward at that, so Arlo huffs out a one-note "Ha." at his own joke.) "I bet Lundegaard's happy you're both coming back."

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

John copies Arlo’s Ha almost perfectly. He looks pleased with himself once he’s done it, to have successfully affirmed Arlo’s joke.

“The children are very happy Maggie is coming back. She is the one that attends to them when they are not feeling well. Undoubtedly they associate her with the notion of care, that someone is watching over them and can make them well.”

John blinks, a new, troubling thought occurring to him, connected to his memory of how agitated Maggie seemed while Niko and Court discussed their plans of health checks. “I am sure most of us feel this way about her. Though perhaps we do not express it much. Or at all.” He looks at Arlo with a serious expression. “It is good to tell people how you feel about them.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

Taken aback, Arlo blinks back at John's serious expression. Is he making a point?

The responder's being all big and good about things but he also doesn't want to agree in a way that inspires John to do, or more accurately say... anything. To anyone. He knows he should feel worse about how selfish he knows that stupid little thought is buuut he's not.

"The teacher's your sister, right? Raisin' kids was hard enough before, must be a pain in the ass now."

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

John is unbalanced by how quickly Arlo changes the topic again. I must have said something wrong, he thinks. Maybe asserting emotional honesty was too strong—most people prefer conditional statements rather than absolutes.

“It is challenging,” John agrees, sounding uneasy. “But I am sure she would say there is a particular kind of joy to be felt in supporting the future. I feel the same way.”

Conditional statements, John reminds himself.

“Or she might say that there may be a joy in supporting the future. Who can truly know.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

Arlo scratches the stubble on his chin absentmindedly with the back of a hand, struggling for something productive to say to John's maybe-or-maybe-not non-confessions. "Well, the future's why any of us're doing any of this, right?"

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

John shakes his head. “I think there are some who feel less positive about the future. Their focus is on maintenance of present conditions. Getting through the day.”

He shrugs. “But who knows.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

"But you get through today so you can be there tomorrow." Arlo makes it sound like both things are the same to him. (They are.)

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

“I suppose.” John tilts his head. “But then wouldn’t you run the risk of every tomorrow feeling like today?”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

"You're getting more philosophical than I reckon I can handle," Arlo admits with a shrug. "All just sounds like coping to me."

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[lineman]

This sounds like a hint to end of their conversation. “Indeed,” John says, mirroring Arlo’s shrug. Reluctant to overstay his welcome, he takes a final bite of his veggie burger and dips his head in thanks.

“If we do not see each other again before the Summit meeting, be well, Arlo.”

INTERACTIONS: Arlo and John

[halligan]

Thank fuck, he never knew how to exeunt in a polite way. "You too. And thanks, for coming. For Court." (He guesses.)