Baby you're a firework [4th of July Gathering]

[jeongbro]

From Candlewood, Henry could hear the party going on northeast of town, the thud of distance bass and the pop of fireworks and the shrill of cars put to the test. And how shit was that?

He texted Blue, first. A soft, subtle inquiry, a joke of an invitation, but a broad one. One for all of them. He remembered Ronan's arm in that cast, and him saying it was from Kavinsky, and Henry had no duty to them, but it would be good to keep all of them away from the mess that was going on at that party outside of town. None of them had to come, of course. They were all their own people, adults--and a ghost who was as good as one, in Henry's eyes--and they were each allowed their own decisions.

So Henry texted Any plans for the 4th Wendybird? And then he followed it up, even before she could answer, I think my place could use some Virginian charms.

He had no decorations. Fourth of July over the past two years had become a thing tainted by Joseph Kavinsky. But he could, easily, go down a couple blocks and buy more two-liter bottles of Pipsy and lemon-lime soda than he could possibly need, and some liquor and mixers, and chips and dip. If he didn't use it all up, he'd bring it to Panoptes. And that seemed like a good enough way to ignore that Joseph Kavinsky was trying to blow himself up, to him.


[Running as a gathering]

Comments

[iwasmore]

Noah didn't mind missing the Fourth of July party down at the old fairgrounds. He could have made it earlier in the day, but after the carnival, solstice, and Pride, he was okay skipping one. Only yesterday they'd had a little party for Adam, and sometimes those kind, with just a few people, were even more fun. Also, thanks to Pride, Noah even had something American-ish to wear that someone had been selling.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to bring anything, so he'd brought some cookies and some board games if anyone got in the mood for them. And also some pot. Just in case.

[thedreamthief]

"Nice shirt," Ronan says, tipping his beer against his lips for a quick drink before digging his fingers into the bowl of Fritos and chomping into one. He can't help feeling like he's some kind of party organized by a suburban house mom where over half the people invited failed to show up.

Across the room, Cheng is busy talking to both Blue and Adam and Ronan takes another swig of his beer to dull the flare of irritation under his skin. It doesn't work.

"How long do I have to stay to make it look like I give a shit about being here?" he asks, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth.

[iwasmore]

"Thanks," Noah says with a smile, even though he isn't quite sure if Ronan is complimenting it for real or just being sarcastic. "I got it at Pride. I couldn't believe it when I saw it, actually. I guess there are enough Americans here to show interest."

Noah follows Ronan's gaze to where the other three are talking, and then back to Ronan. He presses his finger against Ronan's mouth to shush him.

"That would imply you're succeeding at doing that in the first place. What's the big deal?"

[thedreamthief]

Ronan's brow furrows and he jerks back at the press of Noah's finger to his lips, scowling.

"Fuck off, at least there's beer," he snarls, though he keeps his voice low, more sulk than bite. He takes another drink then before looking back at Noah, eyes narrowed, a frown still creasing his lips. "You really like him?"

[iwasmore]

Noah grins briefly and pops a chip into his mouth. He raises an eyebrow at Ronan as he chews.

"Why wouldn't I?" he asks. He knows Ronan doesn't like most people. (Which, sometimes, when he bothers to think about it, he wonders why Ronan likes him. It's not like inclusion in the group means friend of Ronan: case in point, Blue for awhile.) But Noah does like most people, so he isn't sure why Ronan would expect him not to like Henry. "He's nice. He helped Gansey back home, by the way."

[thedreamthief]

Ronan can think of about a dozen reasons right off the top of his head, starting and ending with whatever fucking business Cheng's family had with his own, but he only frowns, eyes narrowed. It doesn't surprise him in the last that Noah likes Cheng. Noah likes everyone.

"Helped him how?" he asks, though he's not sure he wants to know the answer. "Did he have everyone at Aglionby sign a petition to ban bees on campus or some shit?"

[iwasmore]

Noah nearly chokes on the second chip he'd started to eat, he laughs so hard. His face turns red and tears leak at the corners of his eyes, and he nearly shoves Ronan off the couch trying to get away from him.

"Oh my god, oh my god, what?" The idea of presenting a petition to ban bees is just ludicrously funny and he doesn't even know why. When he calms down he flops back onto the couch and reaches for his drink. "That's my favorite joke you've ever told, maybe."

"He helped him look for Glendower," Noah adds.

[thedreamthief]

He isn't quite expecting that much laughter, but Noah's clear delight has a smile tugging at his lips all the same. He barely moves when Noah shoves him, only squares his shoulder and arches an eyebrow.

"And you remember that?" he asks, curious now. "In your weird... circular time thing. What's he do to help?"

Because there have been all kinds of people to help Gansey over the years. Malory, Helen, all the women at Fox Way. Ronan still doesn't really like the idea of being best friends with any of them.

[iwasmore]

"Sort of," Noah says, looking down at Ronan's plate. He carefully starts stacking the chips into a tower. "That was when it was getting harder for me to stay. I was mostly at Fox Way, but I still knew. From thoughts, and other things."

It was best to stay in house where the energy was strongest toward the end there, but now that he's thinking about it he remembers Ronan in the car, motherless Ronan, orphaned Ronan, sitting in the car alone.

"I don't want to talk about that," Noah say abruptly, scattering the chips. "Do you think we'll be able to see the fireworks from here?"

[thedreamthief]

Something happens.

Ronan doesn't know what, but Noah gets a look in his eye, a faraway expression like he's somewhere else for a moment. Remember, maybe. Fuck, reliving for all Ronan knows. He still doesn't get how the ghost shit works, how the time works.

His frown deepends as Noah jerks, spilling the chips. "The fuck, man?" he asks, scowling, though his voice is softer. "What are you hiding?"

[iwasmore]

Noah scowls right back, mirroring Ronan's expression. "I'm not hiding anything, there's just nothing to tell."

He crosses his arms and sits back against the couch, looking out at the room at large. Lightly, he kicks Ronan's ankle. "It's a party and we're supposed to have fun."

[thedreamthief]

Ronan isn't swayed any by that scowl, his own still locked in place even after Noah nudges his ankle. Noah's hiding fucking something alright.

"I'm having fun," Ronan says, his voice petulant, an obvious lie. "And this is the fucking lamest party I've ever been to. We're not even fucking doing anything." He pauses a second, considering, before arching an eyebrow at Noah, a dangerous grin curving his lips. "I could dream up some fireworks."

[iwasmore]

Noah is glad Ronan moves past his mood sleuthing, but at the suggestion of dreaming fireworks he just stares at Ronan. "What, you're going to take a quick nap in Henry's guest room or something?" he asks, surprised Ronan would even trust Henry enough to dream anywhere near him.

[thedreamthief]

Ronan makes a face at that, lips stretched in a snarl as he shakes his head. "I'm not going near any one of Cheng's rooms. Fuck that."

Instead, he nods at Noah, a quick jerk of his head. "I'd sleep right here. You'll look after me, right? Make sure nothing happens." It's a lot to drop onto Noah maybe. After Adam, there's probably no one who's watched over Ronan sleeping than anyone else; but it's one thing for Noah to quietly assume that position and another for Ronan to ask it of him.

[jeongbro]

"Hi!" Henry said, enthusing the presence, the cookies and board games. He spotted the weed and managed to keep his smile close and polite. After all, he had no problems with it; lots of the Vancouver crowd smoked, and Henry did as well, from time to time. But his Darrow apartment was meant to be a sanctum tonight.

"Nice shirt," he said with a smile, and relieved Noah of his food stuffs, for now. "If you have plans to smoke, my bedroom window goes to the fire escape? I just don't know how well the apartment ventilates."

[iwasmore]

"Thanks, I found it at Pride. I thought it was nicer than the only clean red shirt I own," he says, following Henry in.

"I brought it in case you like it, like an apartment warming gift. I guess you don't? That's okay, nobody else here does. Ronan prefers alcohol, and Blue and Adam aren't really into anything," Noah says, returning the little bag to his pocket. As far as he knows it doesn't bother any of them, but he realizes he doesn't do it much around them in the first place.

Mostly parties with adults, which is kind of weird, now that he thinks about it...

"Is anyone else coming, or just us four?"

[jeongbro]

Henry chuckled a little, and then waved a hand, sort of meekly. "No--I mean, I don't mind it. Ryang and Rutherford, back home, were more into that scene than me. I just don't want to make the atmosphere more stressed than it already is--will be--might become?"

Henry was distinctly aware that, perhaps, this get together had been a bad idea. Blue and he and Noah got on well, and he and Adam didn't dislike each other, but he didn't want to cause tensions.

"No, it's just us," Henry said, a bit shyly. He knew other people, but-- "I wanted to spend time with Henrietta."

[iwasmore]

"So what you're saying is I should get Ronan to smoke some?" Noah whispers, leaning in conspiratorially with a barely-hidden smile. In truth he doesn't think Ronan will do anything. He might act cranky, but Noah just can't see him getting into an altercation with Henry, and certainly not with anyone else here.

At least he hopes not.

"Oh, okay. Hey, can you play any instruments?"

[jeongbro]

Henry laughed softly and wobbled a hand, indecisive. Comme ci comme ça. He had no objection to anything, so long as it was on the fire escape and not in the apartment. He wanted this to feel like an escape for everyone, not a knock-off version of a substance party.

"I appreciate the gesture," Henry said earnestly. Then he blinked, a little baffled. "I...played violin, for years? I haven't, since I moved to Virginia. Does a karaoke machine count as an instrument?"

[iwasmore]

Noah isn't sure a violin would quite work for what he has in mind, but, then again, some rock music does use strings. It could add an interesting sound.

"Not for what I had in mind, but can you sing?" he asks next. "I want to start a band, like a cool 90's cover band. And I think Blue is gonna play bass, and Ronan's gonna play guitar, and I dibbed drums. But we need a singer, and I doubt we'll be able to get Adam on a stage, so..."

[jeongbro]

"I mean," Henry said, sort of laughing more now. "Does mildly intoxicated karaoke count? This is the only way I really do karaoke. I suppose a cover band sort of is like karaoke isn't it, hm?"

Henry shook his head a little. "I won't boast, I suppose. I am capable of it, but I'm nothing to write home about. Not like Party Poison or anything like that."

[iwasmore]

"It doesn't have to be like a real band. Just for fun, like a garage band. Except none of us have a garage." Noah's expression turns far-off as he realizes he never thought about where exactly they could practice. Maybe just the main room at Hywel, after all it wasn't like there were any neighbors they could bother.

"We'll figure it out," Noah says abruptly, smiling. "I can't even play the drums."

[jeongbro]

Henry stopped short, and then he laughed. This was all so silly. No garage, no musical talents, and Noah was still so adamant and insistent that this be a thing. How perfectly ridiculous. It was like something Cheng2 or Ryang might have concocted on too little sleep.

"Perhaps, once everyone learns to play their instruments, we can come back to this subject," Henry said with a grave nod. "Come, help me pick music to start the evening off. I found a music streaming sight. I want a good atmosphere--as good as it can get with Lynch trying to bore holes into my skull, at least."

[iwasmore]

Noah's smile falters a little at the thought that it's silly. He knows it's not the most realistic plan he could have come up with, but it's hard to be in Darrow and not want to do something. It's hard to be as alive as he can get and not want to do everything.

But he nods at Henry's practical suggestion, because he's right, it's kind of a stretch. "Sure, this is an easy one, he likes EDM," Noah says. He almost mentions the Murder Squash song, but he can't imagine it being found here. "Does the site have anything like that?"

[jeongbro]

Henry smiled bright enough to fill the dimming of Noah's smile. He'd stepped--or thought--too far, a thing that he could not control with his noisy head. So he linked his arm with Noah's casually, because Noah seemed to like casual, friendly touch almost as much as Henry did, and he pulled him gently toward his laptop, which was sitting on the breakfast bar that separated the kitchen from the living room.

"It does indeed," Henry said merrily. "And I happen to like EDM as well--though that covers a lot of music. I am much more drum and bass; our Mr. Lynch strikes me as more trap and hardstyle. But he might surprise me yet with some good taste."

Henry pulled up the website, ignoring a brief flash of try now, pay later that quickly disappeared as the website registered a program he had to bypass it. He started the music with a song heavy in bass and featuring a female vocal track, then set it to shuffle.