Party!!!, Overland Park, KS, Sunday FT

[vanillajello]

Yesterday, Charmaine and Neil had gotten married in a tiny municipal wedding ceremony that had somehow been better for everyone than Charmaine's previous attempt at a marriage. And early today, the newly wedded couple, along with their infant daughter, had taken off for Houston to go househunting. And Kate was already feeling weird that it was really just her and Marshall and Bod around, now.

So it was a good thing this was the day she'd invited people to come visit. Some booze had been acquired, and Marshall had busied himself in the kitchen making snacks, and they were all set. It was going to be weird since Kate had invited a bunch of people who'd never been to Kansas before, but she was hoping it would be a fun kind of weird.

[Minor OCD coming up! And like I said in the invite, come one and all!]

Comments

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Hey," Hannibal said, catching her against him and laughing a bit. "I got your message. Figured I should drop in and see how things were going."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[vanillajello]

"Awesome," Kate said utterly sincere and clinging to him. "I didn't expect you to show up, you weirdo hermit. I love that you did."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"What can I say, I'm full of surprises," Hannibal said, laughing a bit. "And I didn't decide until the last minute either. Sorry I didn't RSVP."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[vanillajello]

"It's okay, this isn't that formal a shindig, anyway," Kate snickered, shaking her head. "There are enough snacks. Moosh has been making a bunch."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"What's the occasion, anyway?" Hannibal asked. "Cat's away the mice will play?"

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[vanillajello]

"Pretty much," she confirmed cheerfully. "Parents are gonna be away for a few months, and my aunt's family just left for Houston for a while. Seemed like a good time to invite people over."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Just you and your brother in the house alone?" Hannibal asked. "I can see why it'd get lonely."

Re: Mingle and Hang Out!

[vanillajello]

"Well, me, Moosh, and Bod," Kate replied, nodding towards said pale fellow. "So... Not so much lonely, but this place is pretty isolated."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Living with your boyfriend?" Hannibal teased, smirking. "Awww."

[vanillajello]

"Well, technically he lives in Fandom," Kate tried. "... He just only goes back there when he has to."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"It's cute that you're trying to deny that you're settling down," Hannibal teased.

[vanillajello]

"I'm not settling down." Much. "I'm basically just housesitting."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Are you buying groceries and paying bills?" Hannibal asked.

[vanillajello]

"... Only because my parents aren't here to do it!"

That made a difference! Really!

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"You're settling down," Hannibal joked. "Soon, you'll have a place of your own and maybe a joint checking account and all that fun stuff."

[vanillajello]

"Oh, God no," Kate chuckled, shaking her head. "You're making us sound so boring. Bod wants to travel after he graduates, you know."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"You gonna go with him?" Hannibal wondered curiously.

[vanillajello]

"I don't know yet," Kate admitted. "I mean, I know I'm gonna be stuck here for the next three-ish months, just 'til Mom and Dad come back, but after that... I don't know. I might."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"What're your parents away for anyway?" he asked. "Second honeymoon?"

[vanillajello]

"No such luck," Kate said, wrinkling her nose. "Mom's in Boston doing this three month in-patient program thing, and Dad's there for moral support."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Oh wow," Hannibal said, eyes widening. "Is that -- is it helping?"

He didn't know what else to say.

[vanillajello]

Kate thought that was a perfectly valid reaction.

"Well, we'll probably see that only with time," she offered with a shrug. "But from what she says on the phone, it seems she feels like she's getting something out of it, so... We're hopeful?"

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"That's good to hear," Hannibal said, nodding. "Hey, she's made more progress than me lately."

Though, he was out of the house, at least.

[vanillajello]

Kate quirked a lopsided smile at him. "Don't sell yourself short, babe," she said. "You made it all the way to the middle of nowhere in Kansas."

[decoder-rings.livejournal.com]

"Maybe I was out of Doritos or something," Hannibal joked, shrugging. "I needed the free food."