Here's to Another Year

[butterflyfactor]

Layla had found herself suddenly grateful for her excess of time on the island. It allowed her, two days before the fact, to pull together a fairly elaborate mystery starting with an unsigned missive in a mail box in the morning. It lead the protagonist on a lengthy trail across the island's various locals, forced said protagonist to interact with the island's various locals, and finally planted the protagonist at the foot of a bonfire piled high and burning brightly on the beach only to be faced with their closest friends and a modest array of food and drink. There was also Scrabble.

The sky was just starting to purple on the horizon as the sun set, which meant Madrox would be arriving imminently. Unless, of course, Layla's planning hadn't been perfect.

If there's one thing knowing the future would have been really goddamn handy for, it's planning a surprise party. Even with the attention I've paid this thing, there's no guarantee he'll come walking out of trees right on target. Because without knowing, you're just guessing. As if I'm not a poor enough candidate to host a gathering of superheroes, I hate the fact that I don't know how it's going to go, not for sure. But when Jamie does show up, I'm at least going to succeed in not letting all that uncertainty show.

She felt relief when she saw him, instead of the smug pride she would have preferred, but smiled with everyone else and said, "Surprise."

Comments

[drownondryland]

Meredith shook her head. "If that's the case," she said, "there's not a lot we can do — and no reason we should let her decisions ruin your birthday." She'd stick around for Theresa as long as Theresa would have her, whatever the others thought, even if she wasn't sure what she thought, but she couldn't be sure that would be for long. Theresa had shown no real sign of trusting her before; it didn't seem likely that was going to change.

[howmanylives]

"Already taking care of that," he said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, though his posture was still stiff -- Theresa wasn't a problem he could so easily dismiss, much as Meredith had a point. "I, uh, figured there wasn't any point in keeping my relationship a secret anymore. We're... We're telling people. Or I am. Slowly."

[drownondryland]

"Really?" Meredith smiled, grateful for some small piece of actual good news. "About Layla? That's good. Great, actually." In some way she found hard to describe or explain, she was proud of him, though that seemed the wrong word for it entirely. "I mean, you two have nothing to hide." She could understand wanting to wait, though; she'd taken plenty of time herself, telling Theresa, though that had been wholly different.

[howmanylives]

"Yeah, I'm realizing that," he laughed, even if there wasn't much amusement in his voice. "Pays to have a little perspective on what constitutes a truly unconventional relationship. Suddenly a little time-travel doesn't seem all that bad."

[drownondryland]

Meredith huffed out a laugh. "Around here, it seems downright ordinary." Even she had a little of that in her relationship, sort of, if she thought about, which she mostly didn't. Things were confusing enough at times as it was.

[howmanylives]

"One could make the argument that just about every conceivable permutation of what constitutes a relationship is ordinary around here," he said with a roll of his eyes. Sighing, though, he shook his head. There was no need to get back on that topic of conversation, especially when it was already all he could think about anyway. "But yeah, I figure there's nothing to be ashamed about. We're two consenting adults."

[drownondryland]

"Who seem happy," Meredith said, glancing over toward Layla. That was the important thing in her book, which was just one more thing that made this business with Theresa so conflicting. She honestly just wanted her to be happy, but though she'd seen firsthand she was, it was hard to believe now. "It was sweet of her to throw you this party."

[howmanylives]

"She sent me all around the island... Cooked up this whole elaborate mystery for me to solve," he told, the fondness in his voice surprising even himself. His teeth pressed to his lower lip in an almost bashful smile, and he ducked his head to hide it, feeling a little self-conscious about it all despite what he'd just said not moments before. "She's really quite remarkable."

[drownondryland]

"I would think so," Meredith said, smiling a little wider at his reaction. "She certainly seems it." She'd have to talk to her herself sometime, she decided, but any girl who could do that for Jamie, both the mystery and making him sound like that, had to be something special. If nothing else, they'd come a long way in a year. "I really am happy for you both."

[howmanylives]

"Me too, which, I don't need to tell you, is really saying something," he replied, lifting his empty glass in a sort of toast. "At any rate, she makes up for everything else."