sixthiterationlogs | [Mingle] The First Official Meeting of the Young Adult Club

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[Mingle] The First Official Meeting of the Young Adult Club

WHO: Nida
WHERE: House 16
WHEN: Evening/Night Monday the 14th
OPEN TO: Mingle: Open too all young adults (22 and younger); Older may show up but expect a testy Nida.
WARNINGS: Young Adults Partying, Possible: Underaged drinking if people bring stuff. If your thread changes ratings, in subject line and DM me so I can update.

The message goes out over the Network Sunday evening.

'Young Adult Club, First Meet-Up/Party Monday night. First house after the Jail/Barn. Bring Snacks If You've Got Them To Spare.'

Invitation sent in general, The rest, now, came down to Nida. Good thing he had someone who knew how parties worked was right there too. Rinoa turned out to be a pretty good resource. He learned there were a few important things to do for a party. Three major things were needed: music, treats and games. Unfortunately they couldn't do much about the former, so instead Nida employed his housemates in trying to make sure the latter two were covered.

The Nibbles

The easiest person to go to about food turned out to be Seifer. Of the three of them the blonde had somehow ended up as the defacto chef of their house when it came to important things like this. What this meant was a variety of easily made food, things like a plate of half-dollar sized pancakes for easy munching or dipping into other things, fried potato edges, even a quiche that Seifer had managed to whip up, not that Nida even recognized what the whole thing was. While it wasn't as impressive a spread as the New Year Eve party had (or perhaps even the forge gathering) it was clear that the three had done the best they could with the skills two mercenaries and a formerly sheltered young woman had between them. Hopefully treats from other people would help with the spread. Personally, Nida was hoping to steal some of the fritatta Seifer had made in their cast iron skillet, but guests came first of course.

The Games

Games. What even were party games? For that one the center spotlight had gone to Rinoa's planning efforts. Nida had scrounged in the inn's shared supplies, borrowing a set of playing cards and a Jenga set. Not that he really knew what the latter was. The cards went to the dining room table with some extra chairs borrowed from an unoccupied house, the Jenga onto the coffee table, and Rinoa's peakitten Julia got shuffled into her room to prevent her from knocking over the wooden blocks yet again. Nida was tired of rebuilding.

Introductions

They're all new here, they don't all know each other, so Nida and Rinoa encourage people upon arrival to start out simple. And all you have to do is say your name and three facts about yourself. Or, if you're feeling mischievous, two truths and a lie. Can people guess the truth of the matter about you? Or do they already know you well?

Quite Spaces

Frankly Nida wasn't sure how he felt about opening their house to so many people, and with the living room, dining room and kitchen all prepped for use, he realized there was one other thing people could need. A place to talk quietly or just have group games. As he was the only one of the three of them that didn't have much in the way of property and could give up the whole concept of privacy for a bit, the back bedroom ended up having a note pinned on it with a kitchen knife.

'Quiet Space for Your Use - Do not have sex in my bed please'

With his staff stored in the basement and his tiny journal and pencils stored out of sight on top of the standing wardrobe, the room was perfect for anyone who just needed to cool down. Or have a private conversation. Good thing the house has electricity because that could be used long into the night.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Do they?" That does have a faint smile out of Seifer, a bit of pride that isn't rooted in violence. Praise feels good don't mind him. "I'm glad." Honestly he is. Tried his hardest to impress with what they had available.

"'Course. Can't have guests and not feed 'em, right?"

"And I would have been at a loss without this help," Nida sighed softly. This whole thing had been put together a bit fast. But he hadn't wanted to lose interest while he held it. "The potatoes are going over well. I think a lot of worlds have fries, so we're cool."

And he makes sure Seifer gets credit whenever people ask.

"Yeah I figured potatoes were a safe bet," Pancakes just because... well Seifer makes a lot of pancakes. He's grown quite fond of pancakes. Needs some spices then he can really start experimenting.

It's good of him to do. He's been enjoying cooking, really, it's nice to feed people. Weird. "Ever thought we'd be doing something like this?"

Could be better. Could be waffles. But he's not going to nag. Really, though, he leans back and shakes his head. No, he couldn't imagine this. At all.

"No, honestly, I didn't. It's... weird, trying to have real interactions. Hard to get out of Garden training, right?"

Get Rhodey on that waffle iron thing and they'll talk. Until then, it'll have to be pancakes. It will probably sometimes still be pancakes. They're easier to clean up after.

He huffs a quiet laugh at that. "Yeah... hell half the time I still look over my shoulder expectin' someone to come in and demand to know the hell I think I'm doing." Cooking, in a kitchen, would have meant breaking into the cafeteria kitchen and that'd be a lot of trouble. "The hell are we doing?" He shakes his head.

It's very hard to shake the training.

"Surviving," Nida answers. The same thing he had said when Seifer had first shown up. The same sentiment behind it. Except... softer now. And he even smiles at Seifer too. "As a team. You, me, Rinoa. We're making it."

And what else can they do?

"Think we might be doing more than that," He observes quietly, picking at another crunchy potato to munch on. Kitchen is a nice safe place to hide and chat. Everyone else can just get to know each other out there. "You're right, we're doin' alright. Sorry for doubtin' you at the start."

Or rather sorry for giving him that look when Nida had first had his near break. It hadn't been the best reaction. They were both very out of their element that day.

"You had no basis to believe me," Nida shrugged, and there is no hard feelings in the lightness of his smile. And there is no feelings at all about the break. That didn't happen.

He was not weak then. Never weak. Not fraying at the edges and being held together by trying to stay busy and Billy's attention. He's good.

"So... still think I hate you?"

"Just came outta the war," He adds with a faint shrug. Of course he didn't trust. Still weird that they trust him after all of that. But... yeah, he believes Nida now. "Nah. Well. Maybe sometimes," He smirks faintly. Nida can be tough to parse. He had the benefit of years to learn Squall speak. Starting over with Nida.

"How are you holding up? That first day..." Nida hadn't been holding on as well as he was pretending. Seifer hadn't forgotten, he just hadn't found the right time to bring it up.

That first day. Nida's expression goes hard for half a second before it's a very professional, very distant smile. His work smile. It looks warm, and it's hollow under that. This isn't a thing.

"I'm fine," he lies through his teeth with a nice sunny smile. See, he's relaxed. "I was new here then, and Squall had just disappeared. But I'm cool now."

Seifer just rose an eyebrow very slowly at him, unimpressed and unmoved by that smile. It might work on most, but not on someone who makes it his business to learn how to dig under people's skin. Which involves watching them. A lot.

"Bullshit. You're only a good liar to people who don't know you," He offers idly, munching on another potato before he slides the tray toward Nida. "If you don't wanna talk about it that's fine. Just sayin'. I'm not gonna be an ass about it again."

He didn't know Nida enough to be willing to be that ear. He is now.

He's been here so long now, and is there even any hope of going back? Here he's forced to socialize, to try and find something to do with himself, a way to live. Purpose. And it hasn't gotten easier. Not really. There have been some things that were good. Billy. Learning to carve.

But Seifer? There's a flare of jealousy in him to think about it. Not that this one shows up on his face at all. A trade he's learning, friends he's made... asshole even has a kind of dad. And here's Nida, still...

"You know me now? Living with me means you know me? You barely even remember me from school, right?"

"I don't think that's what you're mad about," Seifer observes calmly, still munching his potato. Oh, there'd been a moment where Nida's defensive reaction almost had him on the defensive as well. But he'd told himself that when he broached the subject again he was going to listen and not lash back. Too easy to fall into, he wasn't going to be a bad friend here.

"I don't remember much, Nida, but you already know that. And yeah, we spar all the damn time, eat breakfast together, I'd like to think I know you a little bit by now." Not perfect, not in-depth, but sometimes you learn to read a person better when you spar with them. That's how it's always worked for him anyway.

"What's going on?"

What's going on? Nida's hands grip the counter a bit tighter, white knuckled.

One choice at a time, Billy had told him. That's how you move on. That's how you live a life you've never been in control of before.

"I'm lost," Nida whispers. "I don't know what I'm doing, I was trained as an infil op. Long term things like this? I've got a cover. I've got a goal. I know I am not going to stay connected to the people around me. And now it's all different. I have to figure it all out on my own. And it's not working. I've managed... I've managed to let myself connect to three people here. A month and a half and this is it. The point where I mark down number three."

It's good advice, had Seifer known about it. So far it's what he's been doing. Small steps. Little steps. First the forge. Then taking on Niska's project. It's his first "big" design, something he's trying to do mostly by himself. Tony will end up helping him with finalizing it he's sure but... Small steps. Help this person here. Learn to knit there. Each one thing builds into many things. He just takes steps fast, that's all. Recklessly, as he always has.

This one gets him thumping an elbow on the table to lean against, and a nod of understanding while he held out an open palm full of nothing. "Yeah... I know what you mean." He honestly didn't know what he was doing either. Keeping busy. That was about it. "You and I, we're tryin' to learn how 'normal' people live on top of all this shit." Rinoa to a degree as well, though perhaps not as severely as they were. She had some freedom to act for herself after all. "But... it ain't a race. How many years was I in Garden, and I had two connections." He smirked wryly. "Sometimes it ain't easy. Don't get so down on yourself, you got time. S'one thing we've got plenty of for a change."

"And now you've got a lot of connections," Nida offers that wry smile right back. "I mean, look at you. Your new Dad cares a good bit about you, and I think he's pretty cool."

Yes, he really does think Tony has, in a way, adopted the guy. And Nida is quietly jealous. Very quietly. Not going to get the guy hurt about all of this. Or mention that he threatened Tony. Both are bad.

"Billy, Rinoa, and you. Best friend, friend that gets how to be a person but also gets us, and..."

Nida looks at Seifer for a moment, and this time he doesn't hide things. Just keeps an honest expression.

"My brother."

There's a huffed laugh at that. "Hyne, how'd that even happen?" Honestly he had no idea. Seifer had long come to accept that he just didn't get along with people and that was that. Here people manage to tolerate him somehow. Clearly they're made of sterner stuff than Garden students and faculty. Granted he's also had less reason to be hostile and antagonistic to any of them.

Wait, what. He blinked. "Dad? What are you on about?" Dad when did he get a dad? Did he lose a memo? Don't show him jealousy he might be very uncomfortable and upset about that. He's trying to help here.

The pause while Nida described his three relations did result in a slight anxious twisting in Seifer's gut, he wasn't sure where exactly he fit in in the whole thing but... Brother was definitely not the one he'd anticipated. There's a long pause of him watching Nida, faintly stunned at the proclamation. Followed by a slow smile, not one of his smirks, but something genuine. "Brother, huh." He muses aloud. "I like the sound of that. "Family. Never really did get to have a brother." The orphanage barely counts, he can hardly remember them and they were separated so early on.

"Oh come on. Tony Stark," Nida grins at Seifer. "Congratulations, took a while, but there you have it. Your own family in Tony Stark and his band of Forge adoptees."

He pulls a leg up to the counter (Nida is just far too flexible for his own good sometimes), wrapping an arm around it as he grins at Seifer. Look, the asshole isn't even pushing him over.

"You're wrong about that. You had a brother before. I knew Raijin, we trained together. You were a brother in his eyes. Can't speak about Fujin. But the way I see it? Garden pulled us together, even if we didn't know each other much. We grew up together, Seifer, in our own way. And now here we are. Brothers."

He didn't get punched. Good.

"What?" Seifer still just looked completely confused by that. "Nah, you're nuts. Ain't nothin' like that, just my boss." Obviously. It's not like anyone would really want him for more than he was useful to them. So he had to be sure he was extra useful. As quickly as possible. Then maybe they won't realize the mistake they made and toss him back out. No. A nice thought, but impossible. No one has ever wanted him.

Nida is way too flexible, makes sense for his type of combat to be more limber. Along with whatever things he'd have to do as a spy. Breaking and entering fairly often he'd expect. Nope, not pushing him over, just pushing potatoes at him. Eat. Food is love.

"Well..." He ran a hand back through his hair, gaze shifting to the wall as he frowned. Nida was right about that. "...I wasn't a very good brother to them." Not after what he'd done. Not how he was at Garden. And now he couldn't make it right. He missed them.

"You really think so?" He dared a glance back at Nida, uncertain. Family is one of those things he's always wanted. And one that's always been too far out of reach. It just wasn't for someone like him. But, if Nida was willing, he'd like to try. He'd like to have a brother.

Really? Seifer was disbelieving in the power of Poppa Stark? The very name makes Nida smile to himself. Oh yes, he's definitely going to use that from now on.

"Seifer, who is the intel trained person? Trust me, I read between lines. Poppa Stark likes you as well as I think an old codger like him might like anyone." Didn't like Nida questioning it either. Said good things but Nida wouldn't repeat them. "I mean, we don't have paperwork and he isn't to make you call him Poppa Stark, but frankly, I think you got pseudo-adopted by the forge, and Stark is Poppa Forge."

Oh that is even better than Poppa Stark. As for the rest? Nida shrugs.

"If you weren't as good then, be better now," Nida suggests, reaching down to take a potato wedge. Yeah, so maybe food is love and he'll accept this affection.Though he didn't realize it was acting as such. After a bite of wedge he waves the rest of it at Seifer. "I've never had a brother before so I'm probably going to be a shit one at first. But friend seems... wrong, given our situation. Given the fact that you're the only one I have that gets how I was raised, you know?"

And what is family other than people you grew up with? People you didn't mean to have ties to but do?

'Found Family' is the term Nida's looking for, but he doesn't know that.

Not in the power of Poppa Stark, only in his own worth as a person. Disposable, as Nida would well know, especially a combat specialist. They were the ground troops, the canon fodder. And Seifer as the black sheep to start with? Especially so. There is no reason he can conceive that anyone really keeps him around except for when he's useful. So he has to be as useful as possible to ensure he's not going to have to start over again, again. It's tough getting out of that mindset.

"Tch. I'm just useful, that's all. Ain't anythin' more complicated about it than that." Even if, deep down, maybe he does hope Nida's right. Can't quite let himself hope too much just yet, he's too accustomed to disappointment. Easier to take it if you never got your hopes up in the first place. That was always his first mistake. "Heh heh heh, Poppa Forge, you should tell him that one."

He just huffs softly in Nida's direction, returning to munching on more potatoes himself. "Easier said than done," He observes. "Ain't like I know what I'm doin'." Just because he acts sure of himself doesn't mean he actually knows what he's doing. He and Nida aren't that different, grasping at straws to try to learn how to function in a world that's gone on a completely different track than them. "Guess we'll have to figure it out together. I get it. We grew up in the same situation."

Still wasn't exactly sure what to call the whole thing with Garden. Especially when you tossed in the whole fated to be the ritual sacrifice so the time loop could be stable thing. Other than messed up. That might roughly cover it.

“He doesn’t like me,” Nida dismisses. Might have to do with fake smiles and real threats that Tony by no means takes seriously. Nida doesn’t mind. His first goal is keeping his little found family safe. Then the village. Being liked matters less.

Not the same situation. Just highly similar and that matters when it’s all you have. When someone is your anchor of home. Do what you can when you can.

“Well, I imagine brothers tell each other things. So before I head back to the party, swap questions?”

"What makes you say that?" Seifer was not aware of the conversation that lead to that conclusion, of course. Those threats had probably been entirely unnecessary, even if they came from a place of concern and caring. Mercenaries have odd ways of doing things. His found family likes him. That matters.

Likewise Nida was Seifer's reminder, another person who experienced what it was to grow up there. Who knew what a trouble maker he had been. And ultimately what he would do. It wasn't the most comforting thought but it did keep him from completely pretending the whole thing didn't happen and just running away from and ignoring it.

"Alright, well, I already asked you mine. So I guess it's your turn."

"I'm good at figuring those things out," Nida says dismissively. The threat, of course.

Really? Dodging questions? Not fair.

"If you don't want to play the game, then that's okay. But I don't ask you one if you're not going to ask me one."

That just gets a suspicious look. What did you do, Nida? He's sure there must be a reason, not sure he's going to ask. A huff and he rolls his eyes.

"I've already been grillin' you but fine, what'd you do to make Tony not like you?" There's one. Answer that. Guess he decided he wanted to know after all.

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