Reclaiming Lost Felicity

[kingkingcxiii]

♥ Who: Regis, Cor, and Cor's closest friends & family
♥ Where: The Lucis Caelum Home: Senior Version ;-P
♥ When: Evening, May/Ealom 5th
♥ What: A celebration of the birth of a man truly worthy of celebration, even if he thinks differently.
♥ Rating: PG/PG-13, please mark if it goes beyond that!

[Perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that the first time Regis really seems to come back to himself--or at least the self he was before having returned home and lived those five years--is when it comes time to plan Cor's birthday. Much like Regis himself, Cor would rather his birthday go unremarked on, and much like Cor himself, Regis can't let that happen. It's an even trade really, which is probably why they've never gotten too mad at each other for all those surprise and not-so-surprise birthday celebrations over the years.

About a week before the party, Regis sends out invitations to all of their closest friends and family through his tablet. Cor doesn't do large gatherings when he can avoid it, so it is best to keep this out of the public eye.

Warmest Greetings!

I hope this letter finds you all doing as well as possible. It has been a rough month for our extended family, but this is not something I wish to linger on. Instead, I would rather speak of a much happier topic; one I would like to request your assistance in handling.

For those who don't know, and I suspect this is most of you considering how our dear lion is, May 5th--or Ealom 5th as the natives apparently call this month--is Cor's birthday. He is like me in that he doesn't really feel a celebration is necessary, but as he would not allow my birthday to pass with no celebration, I feel it is my duty to return the favor.

On the evening of the 5th I would like you to join us at the house for a small celebration of Cor and all that makes us love him. I have asked the owners of Affurgato to prepare the food for us, so there is no need to bring food unless you really wish to.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Regis Lucis Caelum CXIII

P.S: In my personal opinion, he should be showered with gifts, but they are by no means necessary. I know he will appreciate your presence more than any gift.

In the evening on the 5th, Regis will be waiting with a welcoming smile to greet anyone who shows up. Cor will be there, even if it takes a little coaxing on Regis' part. However, Regis cannot guarantee how easy it will be to find the birthday boy at times. Cor is Cor, after all. Fortunately, Regis and Noctis have both had a hand in helping those at Affurgato prepare foods both with an Eosan taste and that Cor really likes.

Using them as bait may just be a valid option...]

(OOC: Mingle for Cor's birthday is a go! Post your top levels and have fun! For reference, the house's layout is here.)

Comments

[shroudedsecrets]

[ She smiles, but gives her a significant look. ]

I simply told him that my family is here. There's no greater comfort than that.

[necromanswers]

[That makes Lup grin. Not a surprise, but nice to hear it said aloud, nonetheless.]

Looking around the room, seems like he's in a similarly good situation there.

[shroudedsecrets]

[ She says that often enough to others now, perhaps not enough to those who ought to hear it. Something she's working on. Even better, to see Lup smile like that. ]

Doesn't it? What a favorable group to have collected all under one roof, this family. So much must have changed... for many of them here. Just for being pulled elsewhere.

[necromanswers]

What impresses me is the generation span. Got quite a handful among the lot of 'em, and they still manage to get along this well? That's what I'd call a Candlenights miracle.

[Her multi-generational family all kind of hated one another when they were around, or at least barely tolerated. They'd obviously all got problems, but seeing such a peaceful gathering is wild.]

[shroudedsecrets]

[ Her ears can't help but droop slightly at the consideration. Of course she had no experience to weigh it against, to have those sorts of comparisons on hand. ]

They're all linked in a significant way, aren't they. Biologically and by their bonds... and endured so much.

[ She's certain they're only aware of a fraction of any of it, if only from knowing Cor and even observing how much they banded around when one of their unit went down. ]

[necromanswers]

Bonds are more important than biology, though. We all know that.

["Found family" is sort of a thing in their household. And for a member of the Starblaster crew, a ship that literally was fueled for a hundred years on the bonds built between its crew and kept them all alive and forever young through that power... she knows inherently its value.]

[shroudedsecrets]

... Yeah.

[ Her tone is a little distracted for it, but she exhales softly. Better not to focus on the biological aspects when her future was right here. ]

Prompto considers them all to be his family as well. I know he missed them, when we were... back on the Fleet.

[necromanswers]

Mm. The fleet was noisy, but sometimes it was lonely, too.

[It's far enough away now that she can admit it, at this point.]

I felt the same, you know. Missing my crew. I don't know if it's possible not to.

[shroudedsecrets]

... I know.

[ She knows Lup suffers for it far more than she lets on. She remembers that there was a time Taako couldn't even see her for who she was, and there's that soulmate she needs to reunite with. She leans in, reaching for Lup's hand. ]

You were off away on your own ship for too long, even with your visits. It was hardly the same as it is now.

[necromanswers]

[Lup hums agreeably, giving Honerva's hand a soft squeeze.]

I liked that crew okay. They were good people. But they weren't... family, I guess. That was the problem.

[Honerva wasn't family for a long time, and Taako was only family on her side, not his, until right at the end. A lot of what they went through on the fleet was far more painful than she likes to admit.]

This place is kinder than we're used to. That's weird, isn't it? Or is it just me?

[shroudedsecrets]

[ Their history aside, all the downtime they had in the fleet it was still riddled with suspicion and paranoia of the Atroma's motives and all that went with it. ]

It is... kinder. Although if we had arrived here without our prior connections intact it may have been more difficult to accept.

[ Which was still a terrifying thought. ]

But because we did... we've taken to things with more ease, haven't we? Weird it may be, but we were able to find a house, create a business, enjoy and even share our cats. We did not have to struggle for finding our bonds because we were not alone when we arrived. That is the difference.

[necromanswers]

At least it's a good difference.

[None of them are particularly pleasant people when left alone for too long. To be all here, together, with their memories intact? It's a surprisingly merciful gift, considering the lives they've led for many, many years. Such pleasantries can only last for so long, she knows, but she's not in any hurry to see them disappear.]

Bonds are meant to exist, to be made. No one's built to be 100% alone, it's no way to live. [Take that from someone who lived in solitary.] Good, bad, downright wacky- keep making bonds with people. I guarantee it'll pay off one day.

[shroudedsecrets]

It is. Perhaps it's... been something of a way for us to find our feet more.

[ As a family. Or maybe just enough time for her to figure out how to be a person. She had not truly understood her own loneliness until her veils were pulled away, for all of her years of having a singular person and their cause to be devoted to, and still experiencing long time damaging effects of that servitude. Having the ability to engage with others and... understanding them, and wanting to know them, being more connected to them than simply labels in a hierarchy was so different. Something to not take for granted as much as she ever needed the reminder. ]

... You know, it is strange to realize that I do know most of those gathered here.

[ Nervous as she still is for varied reasons, but people had been taking to her oddness well enough. ]

[necromanswers]

Oh shit, for real? Nicely done.

[Lup casts her gaze around the room. It's not a huge gathering by any means, and it's no surprise for her to know everyone, but for Honerva it's quite the feat.]

What do you think, working the cafe helps to meet people, yeah?

[shroudedsecrets]

It helps... or at least makes it easier for familiarity.

[ It's nice to have a loose script of helping them get comfortable and taking their orders, too, rather than being locked into small talk. Unless they insist upon it, in some particular cases here. ]

We seem to be doing well for maintaining a steady customer base, though I imagine there's quite a few good reasons for that.

[necromanswers]

Besides the fact that the food here is otherwise pretty shit? Yeah, I'm gonna assume it's the cats.

[Considering they've collected a number of them now... it's certainly the place to be when you want quality and cuddles.]

I think they'd be hard-pressed to find competition on a comparable scale. Even if folks could cook [and she knows a number of residents can] you can only do so much with lackluster ingredients.

[shroudedsecrets]

Perhaps... though it seems like some are able to acquire different ingredients to work with.

[ Mostly evidenced by the unfamiliar meat at this particular party, even. ]

That may be an opening for our offering more custom orders, if they're willing to provide them for you.

[necromanswers]

I'd be cool with that. If we could set up a steady supply, even one day a week, we could have like a daily special with our mystery meats here.

[Though it was hardly a mystery- she'd been given clear information and time to work with the meat before the party. It's just not species she's familiar with, so a learning curve is to be expected. Even with that - unsurprising, with the twins - it had tasted good enough that none had cause to complain.]

[shroudedsecrets]

Given the providers of this mystery meat tend to be some of our more frequent customers as well, perhaps it may not take so much convincing on their part either.

[ Business was beneficial. Yet here they were at a party still discussing potential work... but that didn't matter so much, did it, when it was family? The birthday boy had plenty seeking him for present delivery, they had time. ]

[necromanswers]

Doubt it. How about a business arrangement? Ten minutes of cat cuddles for every slab of meat delivered. That's a pretty fair deal.

[Well, maybe not especially fair, but one still has to profit from this.]

[shroudedsecrets]

You're not concerned about them bringing an excess at that rate? Perhaps an upper limit should be considered.

[ To have extra would be useful, but if it went to waste that was another matter. Not that she was certain about the capacities of their kitchens, but she couldn't imagine anyone wanting to turn down potential extra cat time. ]

[necromanswers]

Maybe I'll leave the negotiating to Taako. He's better at being a hardass than me.

[Big surprise, there.]

Not that I'd complain about there being a surplus of fresh meat around. Less transmutation required on our part.

[shroudedsecrets]

A dual venture, as you often do. You can sweeten the pot; he'll know the limits... if he wishes to insist upon them or not.

[ They wanted profit, not to drive away their potential sources, anyway. If having more meat available made it easier for them, then perhaps there was no reason to say no. ]

Either way, perhaps he might appreciate an opportunity like that.

[necromanswers]

Oh, probably. He hates danger, but he also hates too much peace and quiet. I'm sure he'd love to have something else to do.

[For all his denial, Taako often prefers to keep himself busy. Standing idle for too long isn't their style.]

[shroudedsecrets]

We have him covered where dangers are concerned.

[ It's absolutely a joke, considering what the two of them have gotten into since arriving here and largely Honerva's own fault, she knows. ]

Although speaking of that, in a way, how has your search for ivory been progressing? With the inside of the barrier widening as it has, it may have widened our prospects.