fandomtownies | The Beach: Wednesday Evening

The sun had just dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow across the beach as the first notes of music from Arden’s playlist filled the air. The waves gently lapped at the shore, creating a soothing backdrop to the area. Tiki torches and string lights were set up around the party area, their flickering and colorful light adding to the atmosphere.

The aroma of North Carolina barbecue filled the air, with a long table set up with all the fixings—pulled pork, coleslaw, hush puppies, and more. For those with different tastes, vegetarian and vegan dishes were also thoughtfully provided. Sweet tea was the main beverage, but for those craving something colder, Squishies were lined up next to the drinks cooler. The centerpiece of it all was a giant cupcake that Graham had brought all the way from Daventry for the occasion.

Games were scattered around the beach: volleyball nets, cornhole, frisbees, and even a few board games for those who preferred to sit back and relax. A bonfire crackled nearby, with cozy spots to sit and chat, perfect for those who wanted to enjoy the evening at a slower pace.

It was set up for a perfect evening, filled with good food, great company, and the kind of fun that comes from being surrounded by people. Yes, it was another surprise party, the kind that shouldn’t be a surprise anymore, really. But that’s the point of parties—to celebrate the people you care about. And tonight, it was all about Arden.

[Open to all and any part goers]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Yeah, I still feel bad you didn't get to try any of the fries. You were so excited," he said. "And I know it wasn't the best night--" Which was an understatement, really. "--but I also wanted something to say, 'Hey, I've got your back.' Especially when food is involved."

"My culinary hero," Arden drawled, though she was already tucking into the asada fries because they looked really good. "When food is on the line, Cal will be there."

Teasing aside, she held them out to share. "Want some? Or did you order some for yourself before you brought mine back."

"I might have already demolished my own asada fries. I didn't want you to have to share at your own birthday party, that seemed rude," he said, laughing. "Have you been getting good gifts?"

"I have! Kamala's friend Nakia crocheted me a BD napping pillow!" she said. "It even says stuff in binary, though I don't know what it says yet. Lydia gave me handkerchiefs she embroidered herself, and Charlie gave me a stuffed kiwi which is hilarious because of a thing that happened in New Zealand, and Gray gave me a squishmallow and a ticket to a dance club he's taking me to! I've never been to a club before, but he's told me about this one and it sounds awesome!"

"Oh wow. It's a squishy BD!" Cal said, showing it to the real BD-1 with excitement. There was a thought percolating in the back of his mind about what BD, and he, might mean to Arden if he was so important that Kamala asked someone who wasn't even here to make a pillow version, but he'd have time to properly process that later. "Sounds like you got multiple things to cuddle, that's important. What kind of a dance club are you going to?" he asked, for no particular reason.

"It's called Krave," Arden said excitedly. "I think it's more of like a bar with dancing? And like Caritas, so age doesn't really matter because--" she lowered her voice "--it's a supernatural bar." And everybody knew that supernatural bars followed their own rules. "He's gonna send me some pics so I have a better idea of what to wear. It sounds very much like a 'dress to impress' kind of place."

"Oh, well you always know how to dress to impress, so that shouldn't be a problem at all," Cal said encouragingly. "And maybe you won't have to worry about being yourself if it's a supernatural bar?"

That sounded like a nice thing to him, even if getting to be around people like her made his stomach feel funny for some strange reason.

"That's what Gray said," Arden said with a nod. "It's why he wants to bring me there. Maybe if there's a place I can relax and not worry there, maybe I'll be able to eventually find more places to relax here. And even if not that, then at least I'll have somewhere I can go and let off steam, you know?"

"Or let off air," he said with a smirk. Yes, he thought he was hilarious. "I'm glad you have other people who know how much you deserve to relax." Especially hot people who were going to take her to sexy clubs. "That'll be like a long term present to yourself."

Don't worry, Cal! She'd be sure to send you plenty of pictures of them together so you'd know she was having a great time!

"You dork," Arden said, pushing against his shoulder but laughing softly. "That was a terrible joke." She stopped pushing and just sort of leaned against him, head angled towards his. "But yeah. Going somewhere dark and kinda anonymous and dancing the night away sounds like a really good way to just...maybe let a lot of my inhibitions go."

"It was a good enough joke that you laughed, and that's what matters," Cal said triumphantly. He made sure he was steady to keep her steady in return, and leaned against her as well. "I hope it works and you get to relax. I want to hear all about it afterwards. And if it goes less-than-awesome, now you have something to cuddle."

"Which is good, because I'm definitely too cuddly to go without," Arden declared. "Oh! And Gray also got me a Squashmallow, which are also very cuddly. We bonded over them after looting the Walmart."

Good times.

"But don't worry, you'll hear every lurid detail, promise. We'll have a slumber party or something to catch you up on all the very best gossip."

"I like the sound of that. We should have another movie night," he said. "One where we only invite people we like and no one gets to make you feel bad, and then we can chat and catch up and enjoy the movie."

"It was all a misunderstanding," Arden said, shaking her head. "Remy is very nice and Henry..." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "...Seems to be trying to be nicer?"

"That's what it seems like to me too. Clearly, everyone in the manor is having a good effect on her," Cal said, matched by a quiet, pleased sound from BD-1. "Maybe that's another part of the magic of the place, that you can't live there without getting nicer."

"Something like that," Arden said, thinking about a conversation she probably shouldn't have heard and thus couldn't reference. "It's nice, though. But I like your idea for a movie night."

And she would remember it in a very special day in New Orleans!

The Beach: Wednesday Evening

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