Many happy returns

[acclimatized]

WHO: John Watson and YOU!
WHERE: House #005
WHEN: 7th July, afternoon
WHAT: His work colleagues convinced John to throw a birthday party!
WARNINGS: Probably none

Today hadn't been his idea.

In many ways, John missed his old job in the emergency room. To name but a few benefits, he missed the urgency and the fact there weren't many opportunities to socialize with his colleagues down there. Being promoted to general practitioner robbed him of these benefits and threw him with individuals he had nothing in common with apart from a doctorate.

One of the girls in reception had ratted him out and John found himself reluctantly inviting his workmates over to celebrate his forty-second birthday. He would've been content to celebrate with a couple of drinks at the weekend with familiar company, some who would've received a text message about today asking for help.

There are refreshments available and a grill and a few kids running about and splashing in the pool in the backyard. Please don't leave him alone with the natives.

Comments

( open )

[boobwindow]

[ Well, she does live here. She only gets back home after the party's started and the first thing she does is ensure the kitty's not having a panic attack over the flood of strangers (he's asleep on her bed luckily), then she changes out of her work clothes to join the party for a bit.

She'll be collecting all the plates that people were too lazy to throw out or put into the sink first before moving onto junk laying on the floor. ]


( ooc: also permissions stuff in case! )

[brokenteam]

[Mike has opted to stay in his room once the party got started. He does leave the room a few times just to get some water or other necessities. He catches sight of Karen cleaning up and he moves to help her]

Wasn't expecting a party when I came home today.

[boobwindow]

I'm surprised everyone still had time with the Soviet spies running around still.

[ But the shuttle is saved and she can leave the Soviets to other heroes until they start asking for help. ]

I didn't see you join the party.

[brokenteam]

You know me. I'm not the type for parties. [he's able to make small jokes now it's quite an improvement from how he just arrived]

They brought the shuttle down, didn't they?

[boobwindow]

Come on, you don't want to miss out on all the fun. John's a swell guy.

[ She nods. ]

That's what I've heard.

[brokenteam]

Good. [it's frustrating for him to not be able to do much in this incident. He's cybernetic but he can't help with the shuttle and he hasn't had any luck spy hunting]

And, well, I don't want to spoil the party. [he doesn't exactly do the smiling thing that often anymore]

[boobwindow]

Unless you're eating the cake before the birthday boy gets to it, I doubt it.

[ She can't help a light frown. ]

It's no good to stay cooped up somewhere, you know.

[brokenteam]

[he hesitates, noting the concern in her voice. While he doesn't want to brag about his job, he figures telling her about it will make her less worried for him]

I... found a job with this woman. She does parties for kids and she thought having a hero around will cheer them up.

[boobwindow]

[ It does help to ease off some of the concern. Being around parties and kids can a tremendous help for someone as cagey as Mike. ]

Kid parties, huh? Well, that's great to hear. ImPort business or local?

[brokenteam]

[it helps a lot in fact]

She's local. [is that a hint of a smile on his face? It just might be] Does a lot of charity work.

[boobwindow]

I'm really glad to hear it, Mike. You gotta get out. Soak up some sun once in a while.

[ She holds out a stack of paper plates for him. ]

And lend a hand, will ya?

[ She grins. ]

[brokenteam]

I'm anti-social. Not a hermit. [it's a mild protest as he takes the paper plates so he can discard them once he finds a suitable trash bag. He spends his off time hanging around rooftops and patrolling the streets. He totally keeps busy]

[boobwindow]

Is there a difference again? They're both recluses.

[ She laughs softly and gathers another stack of dirty paper plates in her arms, marching over to dump them into the trash bag. She flinches at the smell coming from it. ]

Definitely need a new bag.

[glowsferatu]

[ kanaya's never seen a bit of busywork that she wouldn't devote herself to utterly, so the moment the guests start to thin, she's got a trash bag to collect all the red dixie cups they've left lying around. either way, it's nice to see karen as her comrade-in-arms in this war against mess. ]

Who would have thought doctors would be such slobs, hmm?

[boobwindow]

Kanaya! Hey.

[ She grins back at Kanaya, helping to spread the trash bag open so she can safely deposit all the paper plates inside without letting a single crumb fall onto the floor. ]

I have to wonder myself. I thought it was only their handwriting that was sloppy.

[glowsferatu]

[ she lets out a chuckle, appreciating karen's diligence. it'll save them time on sweeping. ]

I wonder if it isn't just an inherent self-importance. That they actually can't be bothered with details like that, because they've evolved a sort of blindness to them.

[boobwindow]

I've heard they're pretty arrogant through med school.

[ Funny how they're supposed to be the most compassionate people and yet some doctors come off as snobby. Nothing tops a politician's elitism, however.

She bends over to pick up an unused cup that had fallen to the floor. She looks at it and sighs. ]

I wish I'd gotten more recycling bags. This is a waste.

[glowsferatu]

You know, I've never put a terrible amount of thought into environmentally-friendly disposal. I suppose it just requires an investment that's difficult to put in a world.

[ when they have such a terrible habit of dying on them, and all. ]

[boobwindow]

[ Thankfully she's stayed put for the most part on her newly adopted planet. Recycling would be the least of her problems otherwise. ]

It doesn't take any effort. All you need to do is remember to put your bottles and plastic in a different bin, that's all. A little effort can go a long way.

[glowsferatu]

Well, most of the bottles I use end up washed and reused anyway. That's one point for vampirism, I suppose, you don't really create much waste.

suddenly drops down to whisper okay self

[boobwindow]

[ She can't help a faint chuckle, moving across the room toward the kitchen where another full bag sits. She grabs a hold of it, shaking it slightly so the waste drifts further down before she ties it shut. ]

If the planet could talk, it would say thank you.

Also, I gotta ask: since when do you and John know each other?

[glowsferatu]

Oh, you know, we met in the City. [ she casts an uncertain look around. even with most of the guests gone, this hardly feels like the context to discuss new vesuvius. ]

Plus we're both working at the hospital, so there's that. [ where he smuggles her blood, as one does. ] I think any of us who've been around for a while are bound to run into each other eventually.

[boobwindow]

[ She notes the look, moving toward the backdoor of the kitchen. She pulls it open to drag the trash bag outside so it won't stink up the rest of the house. ]

Think us City folk are closer than before? I haven't felt it personally, but I did arrive a few months before things went to hell. Barely got to know the place.

[ She didn't really fit in with the Cityzens or imPorts there she felt, but it's not exactly a new feeling when whisked from one universe to the other. ]

[glowsferatu]

[ kanaya follows after her, tying off her own bag as she walks. ]

The two of us are closer, aren't we? It may not be true across the board, exactly, but there are shared experiences that mean something, connect us in ways that it won't to others.

I suppose you may have missed a few, being a later arrival. But it's still true of you to an extent.

[boobwindow]

[ She pauses, the bag hovering a few inches off the ground before she sets it down. She glances back at Kanaya, smiling at her. ]

True. Our experiences aren't something I want anyone to go through ever, but it's nice knowing you aren't the only one in the universe who's dealt with it.

[ She waves her hand in front of her face. Super smell sucks sometimes. ]

Ugh, what a waste of food, too. They must have dumped at least a quarter of what wasn't eaten.