002} you'll shoot across the sky like a broken arrow [video/spam]

[theresalwayshope]

[PUBLIC]

[The image of Allison's smiling face is a little too close for comfort, and visibly jostling. She's walking somewhere, and her voice is being kept deliberately low to this end.]

So...my best friend, Lydia Martin, is making herself ship's cruise director or something, and she's enlisted her friends to do her bidding. So.

[Her smile grows...nah, she's not bothered. This part's fun.]

How would everyone feel about a monthly party? Like a mixer for each floor. Every month, different level's common room. Anyone can come, but it gives everyone on each level a chance to just...mingle. Get to know each other. It's a morale thing. Hit me back and let me know your thoughts.

Also? If you want to join the party crew, also hit me back. I'll tell Lydia to talk to you.

[PRIVATE: Scott, Lydia, Stiles (aka, Pack Filter)]

Saturday I'm doing Pack Movie Night. My cabin, dress code is comfy pajamas, and extra cookies will go to those who bring pillows and super cozy blankets so we can pile up on the couch. Or the floor...whatever's comfortable at the time.

And because I'm a nice hostess? First to arrive gets to pick the movie...oh, and attendance is mandatory. [Sorry, Scott, she's the alpha of Movie Night.]

Bottom line: I want quality pack time. Period.

[SPAM: OPEN]

[Once she's done with her video messages, Allison shuts off her comm and pockets it with a grin, marching through the ship's corridors in search of Lydia's cabin. Yes, she's being a goofball. Yes, she should warn Lydia she's coming.

No, she does not care: her best friend is wearing the poodle pajamas to Movie Night.

She's open to running into anyone in the corridors, and sidetracking if needed, but Allison is a woman on a mission. Eventually, she ends up at the door to Lydia's cabin and knocks, very calmly, waiting for the door to be opened.]

Comments

[hearrrtofgold]

The mixer idea's a good one but it might be a hard sell. A lot of people here are not so social.

Hi, by the way.

[theresalwayshope]

Inmates or Wardens? Because...yeah, it could be really good for the Inmates. At least I think so.

...and hi. [She grins and tosses off a little wave.] Allison.

[hearrrtofgold]

Some of each, though I'm guessing misanthropy is more common in the inmates. This could be herding cats.

Duke. I missed you coming in.

[theresalwayshope]

[She frowns a little, gaze darting from side to side uncertainly.] You...haven't met Lydia Martin yet, have you?

So let me tell you, Duke...[His name is Duke. Okay, cute older guy named Duke...not the worst ship ever.]...Lydia Martin can do way more than herd cats. She can make them march in uniform.

[She pauses, beaming at him cheerfully.] And no worries. I haven't been here long...not quite a week, I think? Maybe about that. Time gets fuzzy when you're as bored as I've been...I never thought I would actually miss school, you know?

[hearrrtofgold]

I have not yet had the pleasure. And no offense to her, but I'll believe it when I see it - though I have seen it before. [Duke thinks about as highly about Audrey Parker as Allison does of Lydia. Put the two of them together and they could probably rule the world.]

First week's always the hardest. Until you hit the second week. [He tilts his head sympathetically.] You came in at a great time. I hear the port was hell. Did you get a good look around yet?

[theresalwayshope]

[Allison has no doubt that everyone probably has their own Lydia Martin, so there's a knowing quirk to her smile at his admission. His observation, however, sobers her as she thinks of her friends...of how she found them the night she boarded.]

Not a good look, no. It's been mostly my room, the gym, and the library. And the galley, when I think to eat. I heard about the port, though...saw the aftermath. My friends...

[She trails off, something cold and black sliding through her features as she remembers Lydia's confusion, the wreck that was Stiles...Scott the walking dirt clod, God bless him...]

It was hard on them. [There's an edge to her voice now.] It won't be next time.

thank you, gmail, for not notifying me about this

[hearrrtofgold]

If you want to see more, the CES or CTS - which are apparently not the same thing - and you want company, I'm around.

[He sombers, glancing down in sympathy.] Yeah. It wasn't easy on anyone. ...I'm glad I didn't see it, is that selfish?

Pack filter

[semifreakingnormal]

[Scott is generally pretty happy to let other people take charge when they want it, no apologies necessary u_u He scratches the back of one ear, wondering how this can possibly end, and nods as he clicks on his feed.]

I can bring some blankets?

Pack filter

[theresalwayshope]

Now that's what I call 'blind obedience' in its purest form. Lydia will be so proud of me.

Pack filter

[semifreakingnormal]

You guys start talking parties and stuff, and I just start nodding.

It's like, way easier than trying to figure out if you forgot something.

Pack filter

[theresalwayshope]

...yeah, I can't argue with that. [Not that she would want to, because she's planning Pack Movie Night and she's a lot happier than she probably ought to be.]

And you should plan on bringing them every week. I think I just decided this will be a permanent Saturday night activity. Mandatory...unless we need to shuffle it around because someone's busy. [But this is going to happen once a week now. Allison has decided: pile on the sofa with her packmates, eat junk food, and watch movies surrounded by her family...feeling safe, warm, and loved for a little while.

They all needed it.]

Pack filter

[semifreakingnormal]

[He can't help but smile. It's easier, when they're talking about dumb things like this, to forget the lie he's keeping from her.] That sounds like fun. But maybe not every Saturday...

[Not least of all because he is trying to figure out how to do a date on the Barge. And Saturday still feels like an appropriate date night, even if it doesn't really matter here.]

Pack filter

[theresalwayshope]

[She frowns a little, momentarily confused.] Why? Do you have--

[It takes her a second. Because she is a teenager herself...but, admittedly, if Scott hadn't been involved with Kira back home, it never would have crossed her mind. When it does, her expression goes blank for the briefest of moments...the only disquiet she will allow herself...before her smile returns: soft, warm, and genuine.]

We'll do Sunday next time. And we'll keep it there...unless Fridays are better for you? [She wants to ask about her, the person Scott wants to set aside Saturdays for...but it feels a little different here because Kira...well, she was sort of becoming part of the pack. Allison got to see Scott fit together with her, see how good she was for him. Somehow, that helped make it easier. She wonders if it was the same for him, when she and Isaac got close...

She bites her tongue...literally catching the tip between her teeth behind her closed-lipped smile...and doesn't ask.]

BFF Spam!

[lydiascreams]

[Lydia is definitely surprised by the knock. She knows for sure it's not Stiles, but she figures it might be someone who got the wrong cabin. Or someone who actually needs something.

She gets up from her the small couch on the side of her room and opens the door, eyebrows arching when she sees Allison there.]

Why do I feel like I'm being attacked?

BFF Spam!

[theresalwayshope]

Because you are. [With a grin, she advances on Lydia, baking her into the room as she catches her by the shoulders.] This is a raid by the Barge Fashion Police. Produce the poodle pajamas for fitting and nobody gets hurt.

BFF Spam!

[lydiascreams]

Allison! What is your obsession? You could borrow them, you know. If I even have them anymore.

[She does. She totally does. And they are big and awkward looking and not something to wear around boys. Boys that she found out recently look pretty good underneath their layers. Well, not Scott. Other boys.

Not that she cares about what those other boys think about her.

Because she's Lydia freaking Martin. And she just needs to look her best at all times. Yep. That's totally the only reason she cares.]

BFF Spam!

[theresalwayshope]

I don't want to wear them. I want you to wear them. They're adorable, they're comfortable as hell...I got the set with the dolphins, remember?...

[She's moving to Lydia's bureau, like the hunter she is, zeroing in on the drawer in question to seek out the pajamas. Kneeling, she smiles at Lydia over her shoulder.]

And for one night in your life, you're going to be comfortable, frumpy, and relaxed instead of Lydia-Freaking-Martin. [Because she's heard the speech before, and she knows her best friend, so she knows damn well what she's thinking.] It's my party, and I'll pick your PJ's if I want to.

[And, true to her word, she rises from the bottom drawer with the pajamas clutched in her hand, a triumphant smile on her face.]

You have to at least wear the bottoms. Look how cute! [Just as she did that day in the store, she shakes out the pajama pants, dotted with adorable cartoon poodles in cotton candy pink, and waves them at Lydia.]

Woof! Woof! Wear me! I'm fuzzy and I scream personal comfort! Love meeeeee!

BFF Spam!

[lydiascreams]

[She just watches Allison go, because she too knows her best friend and she knows when not to stand in her way. And well, unfortunately her room is always meticulously organized and the pajamas are exactly where they are supposed to be.]

They are not cute. [Or sexy! Not that she's looking for sexy for a group sleepover. She's not. But she could do comfy and sexy without making it too obvious. Like boy's clothes, for example.

She takes the pants from Allison and cocks her head to look at her.]

I'll consider the bottoms but I will pick whatever I want for the top. [Compromise! And Lydia does not compromise with anyone else. But, it's Allison, so she gets a compromise. This one time!]

BFF Spam!

[theresalwayshope]

[Allison is well aware she's just scored a little victory, but Lydia is her best friend. She's being huffy and she's compromising...and she's seen Lydia do frumpy before. Granted, it was just her and Allison...]

Okay...[She peers at Lydia through narrowed eyes, folding her arms with a tilt of her head.] You can wear a black tank top. Or a camisole, like the ones you wear under your sheer blouses? [Those are lacy and fitted...and the last time Allison saw Lydia changing on one, offered a modest, but blatant view of her cleavage.

She's working on a hunch here...]

Pack Video

[voluntaryapnea]

[He wonders if it will always feel like such a shock to see her face, smiling and bright and alive. If it will always be a struggle just to breathe after that initial sight. He knows that for awhile, at least, he can hide behind the cover of trauma thanks to the nogitsune. Even without her blood on his hands, there is other blood there. A lot of it. Including Scott's.

He hopes it won't always be like this, that it won't always feel like such a ruse, even if it's always what it is.]

I'll try to find popcorn too. And obviously I'll bring my pillow cause...can't sleep without it. [He pauses.] Not that I'm planning to sleep, because we'll be doing the movie thing.

Pack Video

[theresalwayshope]

No, that's okay! Seriously, I'll consider Movie Night a raging success if we all fall asleep during the movie and wake up in the morning in a pile of bad hair, pillow creased faces, and sleep drool.

...okay, maybe not the sleep drool...

Pack Video

[voluntaryapnea]

[He can't help but laugh.]

Yeah sleep drool's...kind of gross.

Pack Video

[theresalwayshope]

[The laugh out of Stiles is a personal victory for Allison, and the smile that lights up her face is evidence of that.]

Then again, if you can't drool on your best friends, who can you drool on?

Pack Video

[voluntaryapnea]

Okay, I suppose that's a fair point. Still. [He really epically does not want to drool on any of you, Allison. At all.]

Pack Video

[theresalwayshope]

[While she's well aware of this...yeah, she's gonna tease him. Because it's been too long since she's seen him smile or flail or heard him laugh. Before the Nogitsune, he was tired and drawn, strung out on nightmares and fear, and after it just wasn't him anymore.

She wants to enjoy having him back.]

Still, friends don't hold a little sleep-induced saliva against each other. I mean, wolves in the wild groom each other, right? Plenty of drool swapping there.