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 sits down next to Adam, knocking his shoulder very gently against Adam's and then just leaving it there to lean against. "I brought your birthday crown with me in case you want to wear it again today," he whispers like a secret, knowing Adam likely won't want to here in front of Henry who he's still getting to know. Hell, he might not have even wanted to wear it yesterday, either, but Noah can't help himself. You're supposed to feel special on your birthday.

[incognoscibilis]

"Put it on Ronan and see what happens," Adam said, his voice low to match Noah's. It had, in all truthfulness, been a very nice gesture and Adam had appreciated it more than anything store bought. Al of them had understood and respected what he wanted on his birthday without having to really work at it and Adam had felt known.

[iwasmore]

Noah's face lights up. "Okay, but if I do, you have to be ready with your camera to take a picture, alright?" he asks, and waits, poised in his seat for Adam to get his phone out.

[incognoscibilis]

Adam rolled his eyes but he did take out his phone, pretending to study a message rather than conspire against his boyfriend. "But if anyone asks, you came up with this idea all on your own. I'm an innocent bystander," Adam said, not looking up from the screen.

[iwasmore]

"That's so rude, Adam, making me take the fall like that," Noah says, covertly slipping the folded crown from his back pocket. Casually, he strolls over to the other couch where Ronan is sitting and plops down next to him.

"Hey Ronan, look at Adam," he says, and when Ronan turns his head Noah drops the crown on it.

Ronan scowls when he realizes what's going on and then tackles Noah. Noah laughs and tries to push him off, but only before disappearing and then re-manifesting next to Adam.

"Did you get it?" he asks, still laughing a little.

[incognoscibilis]

"Subtle," Adam said, when Noah reappeared back at his side. The phone was still incriminating in his hand and he suspected he'd pay for it in some painless way later in bed.

But he had gotten the shot. Adam turned his phone around and paged through the few he'd taken of the moment and then texted them to Noah, just because he had a phone and so he could.

[iwasmore]

"It wouldn't have been a good picture if he hadn't looked," Noah protests, still grinning, and tries to peek at the photo before his own phone buzzes with the incoming texts.

"So what do you think, this isn't going so bad, right?" he asks, the this mostly being Ronan here at Henry's with the rest of them.

[incognoscibilis]

"If I get couch exile or something, I'm throwing you under the bus," Adam said without rancor. They both knew it went too much against his code to pin his problems on someone else, even if it might be deserved. Any trouble that happened was brought upon himself and negotiated by himself.

It wasn't but it wasn't going anywhere the realm of well either. They didn't know how to navigate a new social situation without Gansey who was forever gifted in climbing society's greasy pole.

"It's going," he agreed at last.