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 Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:00 pm
TRIGGER WARNING: suicide mention Duncan's Birthday Jamboree
WHO: Anita (ex o ex Snoof) with Duncan, Mordekai, and Johan (Rookeries).
WHEN: January 20th, 2014
WHERE: The Clarke residence.
WEATHER: Just calming down from a snow storm.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:01 pm
January 20th fell on a Monday this year.
And maybe that was a blessing-- even if it was a special day, the man of honor wasn't particularly inclined towards entertaining a large number of guests. He was very much a person of solitude and quiet days and flora, yes, and perhaps the house was still recovering from New Years (already three weeks ago!), but it didn't feel quite right to let the occasion slip by. After all, he at least enjoyed the company of his loved ones, of the few family members and friends that were in Gaia, and he hadn't seen them for a very, very long time, and it seemed like even longer that they'd even uttered the words Happy Birthday, Duncan!
But there was nothing worse for Duncan than to make any celebration too big of a fuss, especially one that centered around him. Mordekai allowed Duncan to fall into his daily routine of morning tea and scholarly books and greeting the garden before the older man finally set off to work. For Mordekai, he stayed in like he often did on a winter season's day and set about the birthday preparé or the evening.
It was nothing grandiose. Maybe it was too simple-- all of the chores around the house were done for the day and the house looked cleaner than it had in years, other than a nervous pile of mail left untouched at the front room desk. The kitchen wafted with the smell of skillet cornbread and chili that clung like aromatic cellophane around the house, and blessed be, the snow was shoveled off of the driveway and sidewalks so Duncan didn't have to worry about the frost coming back. And that was it, outside of a small and plain cardboard box that sat at the edge of the counter, which Mordekai wasn't sure was too good of a present in the first place, but what really mattered were the guests and potential idle pleasantries.
And the guests, how important were they! Mordekai dialed and texted as many guests as he knew of the same Monday, all of whom were people whose numbers he managed to retrieve in some form over the past fifteen-sixteen years of knowing Duncan. He called nearly everyone Duncan knew and hadn't seen in so long, but many of them cited a busy post-Christmas season, and many others weren't bothered enough to respond back. There were a few idle maybes, a few nervous okays.
Yet, by the time the arranged hour was nearing, the house was empty. Maybe the promise of a quiet and simple get-together wasn't as enticing as their usual invitations of too-much-food. By the start of the hour, the only person at the door was the one man Mordekai hadn't expected to see, nor had seen in a matter of three months. Still, Johan greeted him with an awkward smile and made his way into the premise without so much to say. They filled the silence with whiskey a few minutes in, and in their stifled conversation, they waited.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:02 pm
The invitation was a little abrupt but had managed to arrive squarely on the slowest week Game Depot had this month. There was still an amount of surprise involved with receiving it, though unlike last time Anita didn't outright question it. Actually, her response was left entirely forgotten as distractions piled on; feeding and taking Tango for a walk, making sure Cruz was comfortable, steady, and as full as possible before she left him and the dog to their own devices, finishing up any lingering chores.
Her biggest distraction was figuring out a gift for Duncan, then managing to wrap it suitably all while arriving on time. She didn't know if it was a surprise party or just a casual thing but, either one, you couldn't just hand over a completely unwrapped and unboxed gift. Once she got a card, Anita was sure to address it from the three of them as had been done on Christmas. Cruz expressed lament at not being able to attend but the weather was much more frigid now, and without the energy of Christmas to keep him buzzing and warm inside. The poor croc was exhausted.
That whole section of her preparation took roughly an hour, not to mention actually going there. New Years had been such a casual affair and, this get together being so abrupt right at the start of the week, Anita hadn't even bothered dressing up. Her usual two braids, jeans, hoodie (though now zipped for the cold, hood up), and a tank top, teal this time, was her party attire. Gloves and a scarf wrapped around under her nose topped her off, the tip of which, and all over her cheeks, were bright red almost as soon as she got out of her car. The presence of only one other vehicle was somewhat relieving; she wasn't late, and Duncan certainly wasn't here. Though the car was familiar, definitely having been present at Thanksgiving, she had no idea who was attached to it.
A long stream of clouded breath left her pursed lips as she shuddered in front of the door. She knocked with the back of her hand, then immediately went to kicking her shoes off. The chill was much less forgiving than it had been on New Years for her and, as she stood on Duncan's doorstep, she idly moved in place, slowly turning while lifting one leg, then the other, in a low and feeble attempt to stay warm, eventually turning her back completely on the door.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:02 pm
The door was an immediate relief from jilted talk. As Johan took another sip of his whiskey, Mordekai immediately moved away from the counter to tend to the door. He didn't bother to check through the eyehole to see who it was, as he was more preoccupied with removing anyone away from the winter frost as quickly as he could. When he swung the door open, though, and received not a face but Anita's back, he furrowed his brows in confusion and offered stifled laughter.
"Ah--" Mordekai began, "Leavin' as soon as you arrive, huh?"
Johan glanced over from the counter, though he didn't make much of an effort to make his presence known otherwise.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:03 pm
”Oop--”
Anita whirled around to face the door as Mordekai was halfway done talking. Her movements were stiff and slow, even with her thicker coat over the hoody.
She offered Mordekai a sheepish smile, hands tucked far into her pockets, and gave a wide shrug of her shoulders. ”Ya got me.” Her breath shuddered as she laughed. Anita attempted to fold back in on herself as another gust of frigid wind blew past. ”D-didn't miss anything, did I?”
Without asking for permission to enter, Anita inched a bit closer to the doorway. She could feel the warmth inside radiating beyond Mordekai and it was beckoning enticingly.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:03 pm
"Oh! Hey, Anita!" The cold hit Mordekai with as much force as the warmth seemingly was for Anita. He immediately moved out of the way once Anita inched forward and shook his head, rubbing his arms for warmth to fend off against the cold. "Not a damn thing. Food's gettin' ready an' Duncan isn't home yet, so make yourself comf'table. Thanks for comin' around."
Johan watched as Mordekai stepped out of the way for Anita. He recognized her face, though he wasn't sure if she recognized his; he offered her a grimace in small nod in greeting. As Mordekai waited for Anita to come in, he looked over towards Johan with momentary excitement.
"Almos' forgot to mention, the only other person who's here is my brother, Johan."
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:05 pm
Anita chuckled and shivered. So she was early! That was great to hear. She eagerly made her way past Mordekai into the foyer and shook her shoulders off exaggeratedly. Brrr!
”Nah, man, thanks for the invite,” she rubbed her arms through her coat before starting to peel it off. For a moment she looked around, trying to find a coat hanger or determine whether she could just hang it on the bannister of the stairs.
While she was still holding it, Mordekai indicated the owner of the unfamiliar car out front. Her attention immediately went to Johan and she craned her neck. There was only a second or two of curiosity on her face until their eyes met, at which she brightened and offered a quick smile.
”Hey!” Anita offered a short wave, ”Nice to see ya again.”
Her eyes went back to her coat and she held it out at the shoulders. Without looking she tilted her head slightly toward Mordekai. ”Where can I put this?”
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:05 pm
As Anita handled her coat, Mordekai resumed his own by walking back to the kitchen area and taking another drink of whiskey. The cold was sticking to him an unusual amount, and he bit back the desire to shiver by rubbing his face and downing the rest of his glass.
"Wasn't a problem," he managed to say.
Johan offered a small grimace at Anita in greeting while still holding his own glass of whiskey close to his mouth. "Anita, was it?" He took another sip before settling the cup down to greet her properly; he remembered her, of course, though the last time they met wasn't a particularly pleasant fare. "Good evening."
"What, you guys know each other already or somethin'?" He glanced curiously between Anita and Johan until the coat was called attention to. Mordekai raised his brows, smiled, then walked away from the counter again to extend an arm out to Anita. "Right in the closet out front. Lemme take care of that for you."
Johan didn't look particularly interested in Mordekai's question-- in fact, he went on to turn back to facing the remainder of the kitchen while drinking from his glass soon after recognizing Anita's presence. "Thanksgiving," he mentioned, almost abruptly, "We met during Thanksgiving, if you can even remember when that was."
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:06 pm
Anita gave another smile to Johan when he addressed her, weaker this time, though it retained her friendliness. He didn't appear that thrilled to see her and she couldn't really blame him on that front. Even so, she was under the impression the issue itself was resolved so there would be no need to dredge it back up, especially today.
”That's right,” she nodded, ”Evening.”
She raised her brows at Mordekai's question. Before she could offer it much thought, he rounded the corner to help her with her coat and she handed it off to him with a quiet “oh.”
”Thanks,” she offered as she moved a bit further into the kitchen and straightened her hoody out. For now she left it zipped, still shaking off some of the chill.
Anita gave a quiet sniffle, her nose and cheeks still bright red, and tried not to let her runny nose be seen by either men. When Johan clarified, as she'd forgotten to, Anita paused. That answer was fine. For Mordekai's sake, and maybe Johan's too, it was better to take their introductions at Thanksgiving as their actual meeting. She nodded, not at either of them in particular, but obviously enough to show her agreement. Then he went further. Anita looked up, hands in her pockets. Her mouth formed a tight line and her eyes were set wide as she blinked at Johan. She didn't notice that one of her nostrils had gotten away from her, nor the fact it was leaking red.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:06 pm
"Thanksgiving," Mordekai remarked plainly, "Yeah, okay! Sorry, din't know you two met then."
"Do you even remember inviting either of us?"
"'Course I do!"
"Mm."
Johan glanced over at Anita and took note of her blinking at him, though he didn't seem very phased by it. As Mordekai opened the closet to find space for Anita's coat, Johan finished off his own glass of whiskey and set it on the table to pour himself a second serving. He glanced over at Mordekai's glass tentatively a while before pouring him more to drink, too, before setting the bottle down.
"There's only two people here, I dunno why our closet's always jam-packed," Mordekai noted while returning to the kitchen-- he offered Johan a quiet thanks after taking up his glass again. Mordekai smiled toward Anita after lifting up the bottle in offerance, only to raise his brows slightly and frown.
"Ah-- hey, your nose is bleedin'. You alright?" Mordekai mentioned; he set the bottle back on the counter and walked over to the couches to retrieve tissues. "Hold on a minute."
While Mordekai took leave of the kitchen again, Johan followed Mordekai's trail to the living room until he paused to recognize Anita's nosebleed. His frown set in a little more than usual, though he looked back at Mordekai as he brought a box of tissues from the couch table.
"Don't worry yourself sick, now," he noted, wearily.
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:07 pm
Her brow settled into a mostly straight line during Johan and Mordekai's short exchange. Anita's attention drifted as the more familiar brother entered the room and took up his glass, and she offered a short smile back. He frowned at her and she lifted her brows again.
”Huh?” she lifted a hand to her nose, and immediately retracted them when she felt wetness, ”s**t.”
The cold made her face too numb to feel the tickle. Anita leaned over her hand, holding the back of it under her nostrils while Mordekai exited again. She didn't look up at Johan as he approached, though she was aware of his presence. His comment made her brows furrow but as soon as the tissues were held out she took the box and offered a sheepish laugh.
”Thanks. It's just the cold, I'm all chapped up.”
From there she turned a bit, facing the wall rather than either of them while she cleaned off her hand. It was a slow bleed but it was thick and bright. With her back turned to them, Anita felt no embarrassment in dabbing, wiping, or stuffing her nose with tissues. They soaked the blood up quickly and she scoffed as she started to feel the sting with her body warming up.
While she fixed herself, Anita offered the two a quick glance over her shoulder and a brief smile. ”Who else is comin'?”
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:07 pm
"Y-yeah, no worries. Tell me if y'want anythin'-- want me to up the heat a l'il more?" Mordekai offered, with a tired smile. He returned to his spot in the kitchen briefly and took another sip from his glass then laughed sheepishly, turning his whiskey around with his hand.
"Oh, um-- 'bout that, I... don't think anyone else is comin'. Monday, ye'know, people callin' in left and right sayin' they're busy." Johan offered a nonchalant look at Anita when she glanced back, while Mordekai perked a bit at noticing she was alright.
"If you contacted people earlier than this weekend, more people would've shown," Johan mentioned casually, "Unless you failed to recall Duncan's birthday earlier than that."
Mordekai grinned sheepishly at Johan. "Y-yeah, s'pose so..."
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:08 pm
Anita shrugged the offer off with a quiet laugh. ”Nah, I'm fine. It's just from being outside.” She turned back around to give another sniff into the tissue. The bleeding seemed to be slowing down, it was just a small scrape inside.
Pouting, she finished wiping up her nose and crumpling the tissue neatly enough that the blood stains weren't out in the open. ”That's a shame,” Anita mumbled as she turned, looking for the trashcan rather than at either of the men. She made a quiet sound when she spotted it and tossed the ruined tissue, then rounded the corner and opened the cabinet to search for a cup or mug. Once again, Johan's comment gave her pause and Anita furrowed her brows while keeping her eyes on the cabinet interior.
”Monday anyway. I was lucky to have off and a lenient schedule, lots of folks don't get that luxury,” she plucked one of the smaller glasses out and closed the cabinet. After three visits, she was starting to learn where everything was, including what to expect in the fridge. Anita poured herself some milk for now and nudged the door shut with her hip. ”I'm sure they'll make it up to him,” Anita grinned as she leaned against the island counter with her elbows.
”When we expecting the birthday boy?”
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:09 pm
Johan managed to look away and return to his drink at Anita's comments-- he didn't quite believe her. Mordekai, meanwhile, found temporary reprieve in her suggestion, and managed to brighten a bit while still leaning against the counter. He took a sip then stared down at his drink as Anita fetched her own, then shrugged slightly at the question.
"Uh," he laughed, somewhat forcibly, "I-- um-- dunno. He's s'posed to get here pretty soon? His shift ended, um--" he turned to look at the stove clock, "An hour ago, I think, an' it's an hour t'get to the museum."
"His birthday is in late January. You didn't account for the winter traffic and the snow, did you?"
"I guess that kinda slipped my mind," Mordekai grimaced, "I haven't really been drivin' for a while--"
"Yeah, I know. Because you got the one valuable thing you own taken away because you forgot about things," Johan sipped from his glass, "I'd say hire a secretary, but they don't do charity work."
Mordekai settled his glass and resolved to checking on the chili at the stove, then quietly responded back with a small laugh, "Yeah, well..."
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Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:10 pm
As soon as Mordekai seemed to brighten back up, he was just as quick to deflate. She grimaced, too, and stared down at her glass of milk before taking another gulp (and wiping off any lingering white mustaches). Her brow remained creased while they spoke, tightening each time Johan's words cut, but by the time she looked up Anita managed to gain a passive expression.
”That's not a problem,” she offered, glancing between them, ”Someone could show up in that time. Surprise us. Even if not, we could straighten up more. Maybe get Duncan's chores done so he doesn't have to do anything when he gets home.”
She shrugged and offered a weak laugh, one corner of her mouth upturned. ”I dunno what prep y'all did already but it wouldn't hurt to do some more, right? He's gonna get a nice dinner, nice gifts, good company, and he won't have to do anything at all for the rest of the day except relax. Sounds like a solid damn birthday, to me.”
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