Wine Night!

[sparrowfreling]

Wine Night!

Hypatia's Apartment

Two days ago, Hypatia Stone received a text message from her sister's ex-partner, letting her know that they'd be joining her at Enodia Station. Surprise! 🎉 The two had always been fond friends and had gotten along swimmingly at family events...but they haven't talked much since the divorce. So it's equal parts celebratory and awkward to be getting back in touch.

But how awkward could it be, really?

Keen to get Sparrow Freling off to a good start at Enodia Station, Hypatia arranges for a wine night with friends at her apartment the evening of their arrival! There will be wine (obviously), cute hors d'oeuvres, and homemade needhams. Will this help them feel at home? Maybe! The guest list includes Rory Fairfax, Lou Sweetapple, and Rufus Kearney. Just a nice group of gents around their age! An ideal welcoming committee!

Sparrow arrives shortly before 7PM (they're early! who'd have thought!), armed with a bottle of wine, two letters for 'Auntie Hy' from Shiloh and Joss, and some stunning prints of rolling fields accented with emerging Riftland oddities from a recent work trip. Are these pretty? They hope these are pretty.

Let's get this wine night going!

---

What could go wrong? . . .

Comments

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[coulee]

The purple rash from yesterday's splashed halfway across Rory's face and neck, but the fever's gone and his afternoon's ~chill vibes~ (read: he and Lou smoked up) have mostly dissipated. He's capable! He can try to be social! He hates playing Welcoming Committee, he doesn't like new people, and he's not going to like this one, but he likes Hypatia too much to say no or try to sabotage her efforts! So he's trying his best!!!

Rory pushes back-first through the door in a manner befitting someone who's trying to wrangle both a dog and a pizza (... what). He can avoid Committee duties for a few more seconds by holding said door open for Lou and Rufus, so once he calls out a "Yo." he does just that. Procrastination at its finest. Look at him, delegating introductory duties. Cody rushes off, probably in search of Skittles. That's fine too.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[kobalt]

The Rufus portion of Boys Inc is of a similar mindset: when Hypatia throws a wine night, you damn well better hustle over, even if you're slightly more brittle due to very poor sleep and very vivid dreams (which he is). He's got a bottle of red, both as an offering to Hypatia and her guest, and as a pre-emptive apology in case he dozes off in a corner somewhere.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[loudon]

Lou enters the apartment groggily but dutifully (it's impossible to say no to Hypatia!!!), carrying a bottle of cheap wine and a bag of organic potato chips. He too is covered in a purple rash and looks terrible in general. When he spots Hypatia's guest, he just stops in his tracks and blinks, confused.

"Wow, I thought the fever was gone, but I think I'm still seeing things," he mumbles at Rufus and Rory, rubbing his eyes.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[coulee]

Rory shifts the pizza box to one arm so he can pull the Universal and Unsolicited Parenting Move of holding the back of his unrequested hand to Lou's forehead.

Normal temp, he grunts, and goes to put the pizza down.

"What'd you–"

(It's a very good thing that he's already holding the box over the counter, because when he drops it, it only has a few inches to fall.)

((His stomach has much, much farther to fall, and down it goes.))

"No shit."

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[sparrowfreling]

By now, Sparrow has settled in with Hypatia. Gifts have been given, greetings have been exchanged, wine has been shared, and they're sitting on the couch waiting for the others. Then the door opens and they hear the familiar voice before the man is even fully in the room. Instantly dumbstruck, they turn to look at the small parade of forty-somethings coming through the door.

Someone they don't recognize at all. That's encouraging!

Then Lou Sweetapple. That isn't!

Then...Rory Fairfax. But they'd already known that was coming, hadn't they? They stare for a moment, taking in every detail of the man. Even obscured by ten years of change and a new beard that suits him and some sort of rash, they'd know that face anywhere and suddenly seeing him again leaves them at a loss. They want to keep on staring, taking in every new detail. They also want to collapse into a flock of birds and escape out Hypatia's open window. They also want to down this entire glass of wine. Instead, they smile stiffly and force their gaze to Lou instead. That's a little easier.

"...Not seeing things. Just an awfully small world! Hey Lou." There's an unintentional pause before they add, "...Hey Rory."

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[loudon]

Lou is dumbstruck for a moment, but his instinct to diffuse an awkward situation and his genuine joy to see a familiar face despite this awkward situation wins out, and he smiles.

"Well, ain't you a sight for sore eyes! It's been a minute, Sparrow. How're you doin'?" he says, shooting a glance over at Rory to make sure he hasn't passed out from the shock of his second big reveal of the week (neither of them being moles).

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[coulee]

"... Haircut."

The dumbstruck counter's three for three, and while Rory hasn't passed out, nor has he caught up. Leon popping up on the network was enough confusion for one month — he'd already gone through all the emotions (shock, confusion, dread, ?excitement?, anxiety, and an immense and unshakeable horniness). Maybe that's why they all play out on his face, a split second for each. And maybe for someone else it would've meant he's prepared to deal with such a situation better than he otherwise is.

But it has been ten years, and a quick scan gives him information he didn't ask for (but maybe he wanted to know nonetheless): eyes, still that bright blue; jaw, still square; shoulders, still broad but buddy's been hitting the gym. The voice he'd– well, we're not going to talk about that right now.

Is he staring? He can't tell. But he's already blurted out bullshit he didn't mean to so he tries again before anyone can ask him for clarification, because actually, he doesn't want to be looked at. Don't perceive him right now, for the love of god, please. "He... got a haircut." NO SHIT, FAIRFAX? IT'S BEEN A DECADE.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[sparrowfreling]

Despite themself, Sparrow laughs and looks down briefly into their wine and thoughtlessly reaches up to touch the back of their neck and their short hair. "We cut it ourselves these days," they respond without considering how this will sound to the new arrivals, they're just talking to fill up the silence, "It's easier."

For a split second, they feel inclined to ask Rory if he likes it but...no.

Instead, they look up again and try not to get preoccupied with Rory's familiar but unfamiliar face -- that beard really does suit him and it's good that he's finally allowed have one and -- focus, Sparrow. "We're...glad to be somewhere new!" they offer after looking at Lou again, not willing to lie but not eager to get into the complexities of the truth just now either, "You guys look like you've been through it, though. Riftlands?" There's a warmth to their tone, revealing genuine concern and curiosity and fondness despite their obvious discomfort.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[sticks_and_stones]

Hypatia, who is very very excited to introduce her new friends to Sparrow, is on the verge of popping up off the couch when she notices the very strange energy that's going on. And the comment about 'small world'. And the fact that Lou knows their name. And Rory knows that they've had a haircut. Smiling but clearly confused, she looks between everyone before rising with a little less jauntiness than she'd initially been going to.

"Oh!. You each other already?" Is that...good? Everyone is acting weird. "I'm really sorry to drag you guys out." Maybe this was a terrible idea. She sets aside her glass of wine, looking to Sparrow for a moment, unsure of what to do, before looking back at the newly arrived guests. "Let me pour some wine. And some water, to help balance it out."

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[loudon]

"Oh, we're good!" Lou insists quickly, because he doesn't want Hypatia to apologize for anything. He knows they all look rough, but that's beside the point.

"Riftlands, yeah. Giant moles. But don't worry, it's all good," Lou gives them a double thumbs up. "When did you get here? And how do y'all know each other?"

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[coulee]

"Oh, we're good!" Are they, Lou? ARE THEY? Sparrow's AT THE STATION like in the MEET MY GOOD FRIEND WHO'S LIVING AND WORKING HERE FOREVER way and he's using collective pronouns which means he probably came along with whatever hot(, committed, knows-what-they-want) af spouse he ended up marrying and also he's LIMINAL and now that means this goddamn station has Leon AND Sparrow AND Colin AND Rufus has to deal with even more of his bullshit at once and– Oh. Shit. Rufus. He should've introduced– but now it'd be awkward– and what does he even say–

Cool, another way to fuck this up!

In the beautiful, silent moment between Lou's questions and Sparrow's chance to answer, Rory extricates himself from the conversation by mumbling something about Cody needing to go outside (even though she'd done so not ten minutes earlier). He sends two texts as soon as he and Cody can head down the hallway at a clipped pace: one to Rufus ("🐖🔥👻   🙏😵‍💫🤯") and one to Isaiah.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[sparrowfreling]

Rory's abrupt departure, in their life again and gone again just as suddenly, leaves Sparrow feeling somehow even more off balance. Maybe the window plan had been the way to go after all. Rather than allowing their eyes to linger on the now empty doorway, though, they take a large drink from their wine glass before glancing at Lou and Hypatia again.

They both have the same question and they're the only one left to answer.

"We used to date Rory, a long time ago," they tell Hypatia. "And Hypatia is our former sister-in-law," they tell Lou. They smile and shrug their broad shoulders as if this is some sort of charming and funny little coincidence, but their next drink empties their wine glass.

HYPATIA'S APARTMENT: Boys Inc.

[sticks_and_stones]

Hypatia is in the kitchen, pouring everyone their glasses of wine, when Rory exits. She tries her best to convince herself that he truly is just taking Cody out, though it's hard to really believe it with how the general atmosphere is feeling. Still, she's smiling, practiced at grinning and bearing it. Everyone says they're good! Take them at their word, Hypatia!

She goes to hand Lou and Rufus their wine when Sparrow explains. And. Oh. Her eyes dart to the door. Oh no. She has truly royally fucked up, though she can at least admit to herself that this isn't something she could have foreseen.

"...definitely a small world." Never once has hostessing required her to fix this sort of situation. Hypatia wants to apologize so badly, but knows that will likely just make things more awkward. "Rory and Lou and Rufus have really been taking care of me since I got here, and Sparrow and I always had a nice time at family things, so..." Ugh!!!!! "At least we have wine!"