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

[skyward_eyes]

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.

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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.

Comments

[cisskabob]

Cissie can't help but laugh, even if it's a little humorless. "You would think, wouldn't you? She was a journalist. I may have chewed her out," she admits. "I guess the reason I brought up Wonderland is that... I'm used to secret identities being a Really Big Deal, but then there they really weren't, and now here I'm... not sure where we are on that spectrum. If that makes sense." She's really not sure it does, and she shoves her hair back from her face, and decides that the better way to go about this is to just say it. "As for before... Did you ever hear of Young Justice?"

[spoileralert]

Now what does that mean? She's not asking for anyone's names. She blinks for a moment, then shrugs.

"Depends on the person, I guess. I mean, I'm dead, so it doesn't really matter much to me." She doesn't need to know, is what she's trying to say.

"Yeah, I've heard of Young Justice."

[cisskabob]

Cissie gives an unladylike snort and spreads her hands in a shrug. “Yeah, I guess. But I can think of a few people who would care even if they were dead. I mean, care about keeping their IDs secret, regardless. Like—Superboy. There was the big, public funeral and then a private family and friends funeral, but the friends were just masked friends, and retired masks weren’t invited.” She clasps her hands together between her knees, and gives Steph an awkward smile. “...Young Justice was my team. A long time ago. I was Arrowette.”

[spoileralert]

There are two bombs dropped in there, and it takes Steph a moment to decide which to address first.

"That... explains more than it doesn't. I'm sorry, Superboy is dead?" God, poor Tim. First his girlfriend, then one of his best friends?

[cisskabob]

Cissie grimaces. She should have remembered that Tim’s girlfriend died before Kon, not after. “Well—he was. But he’s not anymore. He came back, after a few years. So did... well, he was Impulse in Young Justice, then he was Kid Flash, and then he was the Flash for a while before he died, but. They’re both not dead anymore?”

Is this helpful? This is probably not helpful. What is this conversation and how does she fix it.

[spoileralert]

So Impulse's career really took off, then. Not surprising, if you're a speedster. Steph grimaces too.

"Right, I forgot. Big names never stay dead." Meanwhile the little people drop like flies, and nothing in the world will bring them back. Not her, not any of the people who died because of her.

[cisskabob]

Cissie knows and recognizes that bitterness. She’s felt it herself often enough. She thinks of her dad, and Tim’s parents, and Marcey, and she just shrugs. “We didn’t know they would come back. But... sometimes they’re not the only ones who do,” she says, watching Steph’s face.

[spoileralert]

Steph recognizes enough in that expression that she turns away from it. That's what people keep telling her. Maybe you aren't dead. Maybe you'll go back. Maybe everything will be sunshine, rainbows and unicorns. She's not sure that she wants to go back, but she sure as hell knows she doesn't deserve to.

"Sure, I guess there'd have to be others."

[cisskabob]

Cissie watches her, and her heart aches. She doesn't want to hurt her, that's the whole point of this conversation, but here she goes, putting her foot in her mouth and screwing it all up, like she always seems to do. She scrubs at her face, and makes a frustrated noise.

"I'm sorry. I'm messing this all up. I just wanted to... I'm not good with first impressions, my best friends all basically hated me when we met... And that also has nothing to do with anything, and I'm babbling like an idiot." Cissie shakes her head, grimacing.

"Steph, I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know... I know some things. That I probably shouldn't. Some of it because of Arrowette, and a lot of it from Wonderland, honestly, but some of it because if you didn't know Superboy died, then you're from a few years ago, from my perspective. And--Tim Drake was with me, in Wonderland. And he was still about fifteen, there."

[spoileralert]

Steph doesn't turn back to face Cissie until she apologizes a second time. It's not like it's that big a deal, getting all weird about Steph being dead. She's hardly the first.

But then her eyebrows rise. Cissie knows things? It doesn't occur to her what exactly Cissie might know until Tim's name is mentioned. Him being fifteen isn't important, he is fifteen. Something else makes her frown.

"Wait a second. Did he tell you? Because that would be so like him." She will withhold her rage until she gets an answer. Mostly.

[cisskabob]

Cissie blinks, her own eyebrows rising in surprise. Steph's reaction surprises her, for several reasons, but it's what she says that really catches her by surprise and leaves her confused.

"...Who, Tim? Tell me... what? Anything? ...Do we know the same Tim Drake?"

[spoileralert]

She huffs, but lets the annoyance pass. Tim hasn't been as bad about her secret ID lately as he used to be, and this new Tim is nice. Even if they aren't together...

"It took him ages to stop calling me by my name on the streets."

[cisskabob]

Cissie lets out a surprised, amused scoffing noise. “I’m surprised he ever used your real name on the street, honestly. The only reason any of us found out his name was because of a magic spell where we were living in a world where he wasn’t Robin. He told us his name was Alvin Draper before that.”

[spoileralert]

Steph makes almost exactly the same noise. She props her elbow on the armrest and sets her chin on her fist, entirely ready to gossip about Tim now that she essentially has permission.

"Well at least he's consistent. Though he was very clear about that not being his real name. Can't lie to your girlfriend, right? That would just be cruel." She makes a face.

"Did you know he looked into me the first time we met? Knew everything from my middle name to my family history from day one, but couldn't be bothered to remember my other name for like, a year. And he never did tell me his! If his boss hadn't told me I don't know if he ever would."

[cisskabob]

Cissie rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “Oh my god, Tim. Of course he did. Stalking is caring,” she says, with more than just a hint of sarcasm. “But, I mean, to be fair, he did want to tell us who he was. And that includes you. When we were in Wonderland, he talked about you all the time. Like, heart eyes and ‘my girlfriend can kick your ass’. His boss just wouldn’t let him tell anyone anything, on pain of not letting him back in the clubhouse or something. I don’t actually know what, but hey! Did you know he’s the World’s Greatest Detective? The World’s Greatest Jerk seems more like it.”

[spoileralert]

Steph softens, her heart aching in a somewhat more pleasant way as she imagines Tim gushing about her. God, she really does miss him. He's here, but it's not the same. Of course, if it was the same it probably wouldn't have gone as well as it did.

Her expression changes to one of pure, unadulterated disgust as conversation turns in Batman's direction. Her voice grows quieter as she speaks, but more intense.

"Oh, don't even get me started. He didn't tell me his name either, and I was working for him. Six months he trained me and he never took off that goddamned mask. He never trusted me, and he never intended to. I can't believe I wanted so bad for him to be proud of me."

Her jaw locks, and the hand left on her leg clenches in anger and hurt so hard that it shakes.

[cisskabob]

Cissie's jaw actually drops. "...Are you kidding? Of course you're not kidding. He had you working for him, and he wouldn't even tell you who he was? But he told you who Tim was? What an ass."

[spoileralert]

It takes a concerted effort not to shout or throw things. She would really like to throw things. She even has throwing knives!

"He didn't even get why Tim was upset. I didn't think it was weird that he never told me anything. I just thought that was how he did things."

[cisskabob]

Cissie rolls her eyes and makes a noise of disgust. "Of course he didn't, he's an Urban Legend, right? I mean, of course Tim was upset! He followed his stupid rules and hi, I'm sorry, but would he have handled it well if any of you told someone else his name? I don't think so."

She pauses and wrinkles her nose, giving Steph an apologetic look. "...I should probably tell you that I know who he is. I mean, Wonderland. But also, like. He adopted Tim, and when all of his adopted kids were Robin... Well."

[spoileralert]

She turns back to Cissie, the bitterness in her expression changed to curiosity.

"Who--" she starts to ask, but stops short when she figures out the answer. For a moment she freezes, not sure how to react. But it hurts, someone so unrelated knowing that secret when she gave up so much for a man who wouldn't even tell her his name. She turns away again, letting her raised hand fall limp.

"I guess it doesn't really matter anymore. It's not like I can go back and do things different."

[cisskabob]

Cissie’s expression shifts from surprise to a grimace, and she pushes her hair back, awkwardly playing with it while she watches Steph, a bit anxiously. “...Sorry. I’m still making a mess of this. But... Just because you can’t go back and change it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t suck, or that you aren’t still hurt by it. You’re allowed to have your feelings about it all. It was important to you. And not fair.”

[spoileralert]

Steph sighs.

"It's not you. I'm not--" She makes a disgusted noise and drops her face into her hands to rub at her eyes.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. I'm trying to get out of my head more and it's... not really going well." It's almost like she was traumatized or something!

[cisskabob]

Cissie’s smile is sympathetic, and she reaches out to touch Steph’s arm. She’s just touchy-feely that way. “Hey. It’s okay. It’s a little bit me, too. I keep dropping these stupid bombshells on you, and you just met me. I shouldn’t even know the stuff I do, and if I were home, I probably wouldn’t. But I kind of spent over a year hearing about how great you are, so I’d kind of like to be friends, and I think honesty’s a pretty important part of being friends, you know?” Her smile turns a bit dry, and she shrugs. “...I haven’t been able to have many friends since I quit that life. It’s kind of hard to really open up to people who don’t know what it’s like, right?”

[spoileralert]

The touch has her looking up, and she gives almost half a smile.

"Pretty hard when you don't really talk to people, too. If you're willing to put up with me..." She wouldn't mind being friends. Hell, she wouldn't have shared as much as she did if she didn't like Cissie already.

[cisskabob]

"I think it's more likely that you'll be the one putting up with me," Cissie tells her with a self-deprecating smile. "I'm pretty sure that's how most of my friends feel."