Que sera, sera - whatever will be will be

[shadows_have_offended]

The news took a while to settle and, honestly, Neil still isn't entirely sure what to do with the knowledge. He's a college student now--or, rather, will be in September. He doesn't sign up for classes for months yet, but he's already looked over the catalog at least three times, trying to think what he'd like to do, now that he knows what he wants to do. It's all a huge relief, in a way. Maybe he can do Shakespeare in the Park again this summer. Maybe things will start to shape up more brightly.

In any case, he's celebrating. He sent out texts to all his friends, promising music and drinks and food--and a dog--to be shared by all. He tidied up a little, even, not that his apartment is ever very out of order in the first place. He doesn't really know how to decorate for a party like this, so he doesn't bother. Just makes sure there's lots of food and that the drinks are neatly arranged and that Beau's crate is set up in the bedroom, covered but open, so he can disappear if he'd like to.

He's not sure who all will come, but that doesn't really matter. He's just excited that he got in. It's the next step in his life, and it's his own step. That deserves to be celebrated no matter what.

Comments

[forthsofar]

Rosie doesn't, maybe, have a right to be as proud of Neil as she is. They'd met and become friends when all of this was already in process; the application submitted and the essays written, the review committee sitting down to look everything over and make their determination. But they are friends--very good ones--and when she gets the texted invitation, it takes her no time at all to reply back with an enthusiastic Absolutely!

After getting a drink and leaving the bright, silly-looking card she'd brought on top of a small stack of other envelopes on Neil's counter, Rosie wanders further into the party.

[shadows_have_offended]

Neil wraps Rosie up in a hug as soon as he can, careful of her drink even as he lifts her off her feet and twirls her around. He feels bright, a little manic, but only in a good way. He's so excited, so blissful, for something good to have happened.

"I did it!" He laughs, setting Rosie back down. His smile feels like it will never fade, at this rate.

[forthsofar]

She lets out a surprised gasp when she's picked up and swung, though it dissolves into a laugh of her own quickly enough. Neil's delight had been evident even before the hug; it seemed to infect everything from the music, bright and swingy on the stereo, to the knots of guests talking and laughing throughout the apartment. Even Beau seemed to have picked up on the celebratory nature of the evening, sitting near the sofa with a doggy smile on his face as one of the other guests scratched him behind the ears.

"You did!" she exclaims, kissing Neil on the cheek once he sets her back down. "I'm so happy for you--you're going to be brilliant at it."

[shadows_have_offended]

"Well, I don't know about that," Neil says with a bit of a laugh, but also with a gentle bead of pride. He'd spoken with one of the people in the department recently, and they said he'd had one of the most impressive entrance essays they'd seen for a while; Neil's hardly surprised, since it seems he's the only immigrant in the program.

"I'm glad you could make it," he says brightly. "It won't be long until we're throwing one of these for you, huh?"

[outofspace]

At first, though she wouldn't actually admit as much, Therese doesn't recognize the girl when she spots her across the room. She wouldn't have expected anything else to be the case with most of the people here anyway, so it's nothing that really even requires a second thought. It's when she glimpses her again that she realizes there's something familiar about her, the pieces clicking into place a few moments later. It probably helps that, though she gets out often enough and takes plenty of pictures of strangers, her circle here, such as it is, isn't a very large one.

"Hi," she says when she's found herself nearby, smiling self-consciously. "I — I think we've met, haven't we? At the hayride, last fall?"

[forthsofar]

It takes Rosie a moment of her own to place the older woman, even with the added context tacked onto the end of her question. Though the autumn carnival was only a few months past, it seemed so much had happened since then--for good and ill--that it almost seemed a different time entirely. "Oh gosh, yes, you're the photographer," she says, once she's made the connection, smiling in return. "How do you know Neil? Or...did you come with someone else?"

[patriotqueen]

Guy had the distinct impression that Neil wouldn't be decorating for a party. To be perfectly frank, with the exception of Christmas, Guy wasn't in the habit of decorating for a party much either. In London their parties had colour because of the people they invited. That was always much more important to Guy.

But this wasn't London and the guest-list wasn't his, so he couldn't trust this party to be lively. That, at least, was the excuse he had for arriving with a large set of helium balloons that read 'Congratulations' in varied shapes and colours.

After a brief hello and kiss to the host, he set out to find good spots to tie the festive balloons.

[shadows_have_offended]

It's a bit of a strange crew that's shown up for the night, friends and coworkers and the like, and Guy is a welcome bastion in the middle of it all, because he's just overwhelming enough to stop things from being awkward.

Because there's the potential for it. Benji and Elliot are here, and Harry's shown up, and Gabriel. Neil's feeling a little manic about having all of them in his apartment at once.

They part for a moment, and then Neil returns with scotch for Guy. "I may have not planned this as well as I could have."

[patriotqueen]

Guy tied one of his last balloons to a lamp and turned to Neil, to accept the drink. "Because you didn't decorate?" He asked, then smiled. "Or because you've invited all your lovers past and present into the same living room?" It wasn't a hard guess to make. It also was something Guy never really minded at his own parties, but people expected it of him.

[borntohang]

Harry's flattered that he gets an invitation. He's grown very fond of Neil very quickly, and it's nice to see some fondness at least is returned.

He's not sure it's his kind of party, though. Intelligent people, on the whole, with degrees and promises of degrees, celebrating the promise of Neil to also get a degree. Not the sort of party he remembers from home.

Besides, he's certain he'll be dragging up the mean age by a mile.

Still, he comes to the party with a little gift for the host. Maybe he'll leave early, but he wants to say hi to Neil at least.

[shadows_have_offended]

Neil absolutely beams when he sees Harry come in the apartment. Maybe it's silly to be so happy that he's stopped by, but he is. They haven't seen much of each other since the race night, which is quite alright. Neil isn't hanging his hat on anything.

He breaks away from the person he's speaking with just so he can approach Harry, just inside the door.

"I'm glad you made it," he says. He refrains from giving him a hug, though he'd rather love to. "Is that for me?"

[borntohang]

The smile is infectious and Harry smiles in return and reaches out to squeeze Neil's arm lightly. "Yeah, well, it's nothing really." He speaks almost shyly as he hands over the present. It's a little notebook and pen. Harry's aware it's not original or valuable, but it's early still to go about showering him in expensive stuff. He's inscribed the first page with a well wish and his name. He was going for thoughtful and he hopes it's enough.

[asoncalledgabriel]

When Gabriel arrives, Neil's surrounded by admirers, with more than a few others looking his way. Rather than pushing his way through the little crowd, he makes brief eye contact with a host, a little nod that's a promise, and then finds his way to a drink.

He recognizes Benji, from his French class, and Ellie from Guy and Anthony's apartment. He supposes he sort of knew Neil had been carrying on with Ellie (because he listens to Ellie talk), but it's different to see them all in the same room together.

Gabriel leaves what he thinks is an obviously shaped gift by Neil's record player.

[shadows_have_offended]

Neil separates himself from the little knot of his coworkers, teasing and congratulating him, within a few minutes of Gabriel coming in. It feels strange, somehow. The times they've hung out have either been very public or moments of weakness. He isn't sure, for a moment, how to be in private but around other people with him.

It passes. He smiles and squeeze his arm briefly.

"You didn't have to do that," he says, nodding to the gift. He's not sure if he should open it now or later. "Can I get you a drink?"

[asoncalledgabriel]

Gabriel rolls his eyes, smiling. "Of course I did - you should be very pleased with yourself and you should be celebrated accordingly. And yes, I'd love a drink. Have you registered for classes yet?"

[outofspace]

It is, Therese has to admit, just a bit of a relief to come across someone else she knows here. Given that she would hardly consider herself social, she wouldn't have expected much in the way of that as it is, but she can't pretend it isn't a little awkward to be in a room that, Neil aside, is mostly full of strangers. So when she sees Gabriel, she smiles, making sure he doesn't look occupied before she makes her way over. Chances are, she's always going to be a little out of place in situations like this, but she is, at least, making an effort.

"Gabriel, hi," she says. "How have you been? It feels like it's been a while."

[asoncalledgabriel]

Gabriel smiles when he sees Therese, relieved. It's not that he doesn't know anyone else here - he does, a little - but she's a welcome face. He's lingering off to the side himself and he finds himself grateful for the company.

"I'm well enough, and it feels like it's been ages," he says with a little laugh. "But I'm alright. Knee-deep in a new semester and slogging through. How have you been?"

[maloscuridad]

He didn't...not get invited. He got invited by a friend of a friend and Neil knows him and it's a party, so it's not like Nova is unwelcome here. But the second he gets in the door, Nova realizes that most everyone here skews older and a little more proper than he is and he feels like he should be delivering a cake from his grandma's bakery instead of a guest.

The dog is a relief. Nova's always liked animals and he's always had a way with them. Probably, he ought to say hi, put on the charm, and act like he belongs here, but first...The dog.

"Hey buddy," he says, crouching down and offering a hand to smell.

[shadows_have_offended]

Neil's a little surprised to see Nova. Not upset--definitely not upset, he's queer and Nova's blisteringly attractive--but a little surprised nonetheless. He's sure Nova knows somebody, and they were friendly at the Valentines party.

And, it appears, he likes dogs. Beau rolls over indulgently after getting a smell of Nova's hand, and Neil can't help but smile.

He approaches within Nova's line of sight. "He's a sucker," he reports. He doesn't explain Beau's origins, the complicated and heartaching path that got him to Neil. "Can I get you a drink?"

[maloscuridad]

"You describing me or him?" Nova asks. He swears it's got to be a stereotype, hood-looking boys like him and pit bulls. How the dog ended up in Neil's care, though, that's got to be a story. Nova hesitates for a moment, because first he's got a dog belly to rub, and then nods.

"Yeah, drink'd be good."

[forthsofar]

Rosie hadn't seen Nova since New Year's. Or more precisely, since the morning after, when she'd awoken in a borrowed t-shirt and sweatpants on a slightly lumpy couch, still unable to believe the course her evening had taken after the clock struck midnight. It hadn't been intentional; she'd even stopped by a few days later with a note of thanks and an Ahab's gift card, pushing both under his front door when her knock went unanswered.

She just hadn't known what, if anything, to say to a boy when you didn't know them terribly well and yet had spent the night (innocent and blameless as it was) at their house.

Seeing him here at Neil's, Rosie's struck with that same uncertainty. Still, she makes her way over to him, smiling a bit as she hears the softer tones he's directing at the dog. "His name's Beau," she says. "Although if you know Neil, you might've already known that."

[maloscuridad]

Probably, Nova should have said thanks for the gift card–which he'd used on the most complicated, over-the-top dessert drink he could get. He didn't have her number but there are plenty of people they both know from the Children's Home who could have given it to him. Mostly, he'd told himself it wasn't worth the trouble.

"I only know Neil a little. Heard about this party through someone who knows him. Figure I'd spice it up by crashing it." Not that he's exactly causing a scene over here, hanging out with Beau.

[outofspace]

Therese has never been very good at parties. It's a fact that she's both aware of and fine with, and it's not like she minds them, really. She'd probably have some trouble in Darrow if she did, with as much as people here seem to like their various events. Besides, she isn't terrible at faking it, anyway, even if she usually winds up off in a corner, observing rather than participating. Once she heard about Neil's celebration, though, it wouldn't for a second have considered not going. She remembers talking to him about the prospect when he was still waiting to find out if he'd gotten into school, and now that he has, it seems like as good an idea as it had when it was just theoretical.

She's not really sure if gifts are in order for something like this, so she splits the difference and stops on the way for a bottle of wine, which she carries in a nice gift bag. For once, she hasn't even brought her camera with her, though she expects that she'll wind up making use of that function on her phone. This just isn't about going and watching. She likes Neil, and she's happy for him, and if that means still feeling a little unsure of herself when she steps inside and sees a good few people whom she doesn't know, it feels worth it to attend all the same.

[shadows_have_offended]

"Therese!" Neil enthuses as soon as he spots her. He separates himself from the boy he's talking to--a curly haired blond who looks exceedingly put out that Neil's abandoned him for a girl--and smiles brilliantly at her.

It's not even a show. He's very excited that she's here. And also he's had a little bit to drink, and it just makes him even more effusive than normal.

"Hello, doll," he says brightly, and squeezes her elbows briefly. Unlike with Rosie, he thinks being overly familiar--a full hug or a kiss on the cheek--might be a little bit too much. But he's practically bubbling with energy. "Come inside, take off your coat. Is this for me?"

[outofspace]

It's a bit much, to be greeted so quickly by so much enthusiasm from Neil, but not at all in a bad way. Therese can't help but smile for it, relieved on top of everything else. At least it's a quick way to feel less out of place coming into a party like this. Neil already seems to make for a good host, and what's more, he seems to be in infinitely better spirits than the afternoon they talked about the possibility of the party, before he knew he'd gotten in. It's a welcome contrast, and makes her that much happier to be here.

"It is," she says warmly, offering the bag to him to free her arms before she shrugs her coat off. "Congratulations."