(Open Log) You gotta know when to hold 'em

[bindlestifflost]

Who: George Milton, Nick Valentine, and anybody who shows up
When: April 22, starting around 6 PM until
Where: Apartment A-3
Summary: A night for playing cards, drinking beer or b.y.o.b. if harder, snacks and unwinding. Feel free to thread jack and jump all around, at least in my threads. This is just for some relaxed down time and catching up or introductions in a smaller, casual space.
Warnings: None expected. If your characters get to discussing anything triggery or get up to anything spicy, please CW in your individual threads.



Over the past week or so, hand printed signs drawn in sharpie on plain paper have shown up taped to walls around the apartment complex and on any easily accessible bulletin boards at ADI. A couple of them were also delivered to the flophouse with the request they be displayed somewhere the residents might see them.

They read:
Cards and Beer
Friday April 22 6 PM
Apartment A 3
George and Nick's place
You want more than beer
or chips and popcorn
bring your own.
Extra decks appreciated.

The night of, the door to A 3 is propped open. In addition to the dining table, a couple of card tables and cheap folding chairs are set up for games. Two bowls on the coffee table contain chips and popcorn respectively. There's a cooler on the floor in the kitchen filled with ice and cheap beer.

George or Nick will greet people as they come in and tell them to make themselves at home.

((OOC: Feel free to top level with your own character and make whatever prompts you like. George is generally easy-going, but if he catches anyone stealing, getting too hot and heavy in a bedroom, or otherwise being a general jerk about the apartment or the other guests, he will try to throw the offender out. If you want that kind of thread or want to succeed at something nefarious, let me know so we can work it out.))

Comments

[failedpromise]

"You could say that." She got to show off her capabilities by winning several poker matches in a room full of card sharks. She also got to talk to friends.

It occurs to her that she might have more friends now than she ever has in her life, and she can't help but grin at the thought.

"You?"

[bloodalwaystells]

Jaeger hasn't been nearly as successful at the card table, but it's still been a good time. He's lost only as much as he could afford to lose, before bowing out gracefully to enjoy the rest of the evening and let someone else take their turn at the table.

It's nice to see her smile, to see anyone in this place be able to shake off the stress of the day to day work and sincerely enjoy themselves, and he's content to express the same. His smile is quieter, more subdued, but honest.

"It's been a good evening. I'm getting to meet some people I haven't before, and a reminder that I'm not nearly as good at cards as I wish I was." Okay, maybe taht latter isn't a great thing, but he'll take it with gentle good humor. He's not a sore loser unless far more is at stake.

"staying a little longer, or would you like me to walk you back?" Not that it's far to the next apartment, but Jaeger is on watch and takes it very seriously. Better safe than not.

[failedpromise]

"Being a gentleman tonight, I see." Cortana can't really smile any wider, but she would if she could.

"I'll be going back. The party looks like it's starting to wind down." It's probably for the best: she knows you organics need to go to bed eventually, even if she doesn't. Not precisely, at least. She should probably try running a maintenance cycle. Hopefully that doesn't turn out to be a disaster.

"I'd be glad to have you join me."

[bloodalwaystells]

"I always do my best," he says gravely, with the slightest bow of his head. He was raised to have the best possible manners, to present himself with care and consideration, and that's one of those things that never quite leaves. No matter how much things might change, there's always going to be that bit of quiet propriety, an old-fashioned sort of regard for others.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Those of us that are here, I think it's good that we get to know each other, get comfortable sharing space." They seemed to be doing well enough in that regard, in spite of the ...difficulties that Tony presents, and Jaeger was grateful to have at least one roommate on his side in most things.

"Not that it's always easy, and not everyone will always manage, but it's a place to start."

[failedpromise]

"Wouldn't be good to have soldiers fighting amongst themselves." Because that's how she views this: as them being soldiers fighting a war. Even if there's no military structure and most of them are actually civilians who got dragged into this with no choice or warning.

"Still, it is rather nice."

[bloodalwaystells]

He can't argue with that assessment, because they really have been drafted into a war that they have no choice in. What are their other options? Go out into the world alone, with no identification and no money, and get picked off by hostile powers? It had been presented very starkly to them, and Jaeger had nothing but sympathy for those who weren't used to the battle.

Of course, he'd lived it for the past six years, so really, not much changed here. Just, maybe, the scope of it all. And the fact that at least now, he had some allies, and a base of operations that wasn't the back of his SUV on an endless circuit around the country.

"We have good people here, and I have to admit it's a nice change for me." He pauses, a rueful smile on his face as he gazes over at her in the shadows. "I'm used to being very isolated. Moving around a lot. It's taking some time to get used to being...social, again. It feels very strange."

[failedpromise]

As tired as she was of war, Cortana knew that the reality of their situation necessitated fighting.

"I suppose I could say the same." She'd spent years alone and stranded on a destroyed spaceship with her only friend in cryosleep. True, she hadn't been in that situation for some time, but when she'd laid claim to the mantle she'd lost even her friendship with the Chief.

Surrounded by allies who looked up to and feared her, she'd been more alone than ever.

She shivered.