not the hotpot...

Stormy Silph ik things are weird but you should come to this dinner.

Zahra Belsky get out of bed and come to this dinner. it's required ty.

Razz Kingsman costumes r required for dinner. show up in an elf costume pls we'll match.

DEREK HOFFMAN meet @ the restaurant. dress nicely pls.

boruta maher bring some pie to dinner please.

texts sent, and later, he arrives at the restaurant.

"hell of a place to pick, lars."

lance is early, apparently, as he walks over to put a hand on lars' shoulder, squeezing only once in greeting. EMBERS flare from the grill.

"smells good. save me a plate, yeah?"

for now, he walks over to the christmas tree in the corner, placing his wrapped gift below it. after that, where else but to the open bar?

NOTES

- briefly interacting with Laurence Anderson
- over at the open bar

☉

yeah sure

Razz text back, having absolutely no intention on doing such a thing. Salem however, "Wanna dress up? and get free food?" Razz decides to ask his cat, and of course he does. Its the reason why he arrives at the place as often he doesn't really feel welcomed with most the rangers anymore. Though he still tries, if not so Salem and Sabrina will be happy about his progress. [break][break]

When he arrives he holds a gift in a bag for this whole, what was it? White Cufant game or something like that. Doesn't seem like many have arrived which is fine with him, personally he likes smaller events. [break][break]

Coming in with a red and black shirt, Salem is on his shoulder as usual with a holiday blue fur rather than his usual dark blue fur. Dying it for the month while the cat also wears a little santa outfit. Razz moves in and takes a look around spotting Laurence Anderson first and already he could feel Salem patting his shoulder to encourage interaction. [break][break]

"Laurence," because wtf are nicknames, "Uhh thanks for the invite," he feels he should mention looking over toward LANCE VOLLANS. [break][break]

"No costume, but salem dressed up," he gestures to the cat who lifts his arms as he is clearly the king of Christmas dressed like this. Pausing only to smell the food lit by EMBERs


[break][break]

+ @rangerevent
[break]+ Laurence Anderson + LANCE VOLLANS

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

he hadn’t texted back, but he did show up. a gift exchange item was modestly wrapped and carried under his arm—some yet-to-be-determined novelty item surely, and with an envelope tied on top containing a card his vaporeon nacho had helped him with.

bo went to place it under the tree, nearly catching LANCE VOLLANS , but not quite.

making his way over to the table, he greeted, “hey guys.” his grin hid things, like insecurities. despite promotion, he still felt he didn’t belong with these people.

his gaze found Laurence Anderson  and he smiled all the same. ”thanks for the invite, sir.”

then, he looked for a place to set the dessert clutched in his scarred and faded-ink hand.

”i brought the pie.” he had never felt quite so socially awkward in his life as he had these past couple months. why did he feel like he was fumbling? ”it’s blackberry.”

@rangers

☉

In response to the text message, Stormy begins typing.. and typing.. and typing. In reality, she's formed one sentence that she ultimately scraps. It seems to be filled with confusion and some degree of heartache. But the storm clears, and she sends one measly 'thumbs-up' emoji.

She really had no intention of showing up to the hot-pot. The woman had other obligations coming up, likely, with people who she knew, admittedly, far better than many of the rangers here. Three years.. and yet her attention had always been diverted almost entirely to the big leagues.

But for him... she would try.

Stormy comes bearing a small gift-bag with holiday-themed treats. It's something simple, easily overlooked, but with the right amount of effort to put into a brief and impersonal white elephant. She sets it down and walks away, gaze searching the crowd for familiar faces.

Even now, it still shocks her to her core to see Lance alive and well. Relieved, yes, but shocked.

He stands surrounded by people who look up to him, and she, no longer as confident or bold as she had been a few short weeks ago, remains on the sidelines looking in.

LANCE VOLLANS

☉

Zahra Belsky wake up.

"lucky you. it's bourbon."

he raises his glass to clink it against DEREK HOFFMAN's, sipping after as he turns to see some of the other rangers arriving.

"stormy should be arriving soon."

after another sip, he points over at Razz Kingsman, then down at salem.

"kingsman! where's your costume?"

chuckling, he approaches, kneeling down to offer salem a high five.

"looking good, bud."

at the mention of pie, he stands, walking over to nudge boruta maher on his shoulder.

"good! you got my text. did willow atkins make it?"

whatever awkward tension might be lingering between them, he ignores. out of the corner of his eye he sees Stormy Silph. he turns to look at her, gesturing for her to come over.

"stormy! have you met boruta? he's a fine captain."

NOTES

- mingling! open to interaction
- introducing Stormy Silph to boruta maher

☉

In a flash of panic, written boldly across her pale complexion, Stormy recognizes the young man clinking glasses with LANCE VOLLANS. DEREK HOFFMAN mouths the words 'is Stormy coming?' or something of the sort, and her blood runs cold. Guilt niggles in the back of her mind, an uncomfortable reminder of their last reunion.

It hadn't gone over well, and she had never been the type to be good at admitting defeat or laying down her sword or saying sorry. Not when it mattered to her so much, not when it hurt so much.

But in the midst of that wave of nausea and urge to flee, Lance sees her. He picks her out of the crowd and waves to her, encourages her to join them. And, reluctantly, she does. Her approach is stiff and she avoids brushing up against anyone where once she may have acknowledged her peers a little more fondly.

"Boruta-- yeah, we've met. Bo and Nacho, right?"

She offers the captain a small smile and offers Derek a quiet stare. She breaks eye contact immediately, awkward, before locating the blackberry pie.

"Oh.. my favourite."

And, just like that, prior nerves seem to melt away at the prospect of food.

LANCE VOLLANS boruta maher

☉