and after the party it's the AFTER PARTY

[likemypicture]

[Tradition is Tradition.

Anne figures it's best to keep everyone busy in the aftermath of the trial, so she wrangles together a team of Mephisto, Santana, and Stephen to help her set up. Mephisto writes the notes and slides them under the door for Nana, Steven, and Christine, letting them know there's food and people in the dining room. The handwriting's not too great. Christine's note contains a 'P.S. If you don't feel up to it, I'll bring some food by later.' from Anne and a little doodle of Tad Cooper.


Thankfully, Anne has help setting up, so the weirdest of her food experiments don't make their way out of the kitchen. However, her platter of sandwiches does contain some interesting surprises--- you may find cheese and jelly, or peanut butter and chicken. There are normal things there too, though! And Biscuits, courtesy of Mephisto.

Their resident therapy dragon is on duty, too. Anne's made him a tiny crown for the event, and a regal little cape. He sits on a pillow in the middle of the dining room table, reigning proudly. ]

Comments

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[Anne smiles back gently, holding the plate out in offering.]

It’s fine. Sometimes we need rest, or to be alone a while. But not too long.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[She takes it, though she can't really imagine being hungry at a time like this, and Anne's gentle reminders just make her sigh.]

I don't think I'm ready to be anything but alone. No one's going to want to be around me anyways, like this.

[likemypicture]

I don't mind-- and Tad Cooper certainly doesn't. Won't you let me stay a while? I've spent too much time with those men lately-- even if you're feeling blue, it'll be a refreshing change. [She gently perches herself on the side of Christine's bed, careful not to sit on the poor girl, plopping Tad Cooper on her lap. She'll go if Christine presses-- but there's an odd maternal tug at her heart that urges her to stay.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

You can stay. If you really want.

[If she really wants to listen to Christine cry, she's free to. Christine at least reaches out to give Tad a few pets on his back.]

...Mephisto and Stephen are still nice.

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They're very nice. But sometimes, you just need a break from-- the manness. [She wrinkles her nose up, unsure how to describe it.]

[madgiganticfeelings]

I guess I can understand that.

Still. They're better than teen boys.

[Is it too soon to make a comment like that? She doesn't really know. She's still grieving, but very much moving into a second stage. And maybe it's selfish to think this was unfair to her... but she really had tried to give up so much of herself for someone who wouldn't take it.]

[likemypicture]

Much better than teenage boys. Better than 49 year old men, too. But still--- [She waives her hand lackadaisically again.]

I am seeing I was lucky to miss out on courting teenagers. [It's said gently, and she's careful to leave the boys part off-- she doesn't want to single poor Jeremy out.] Emotions are so very large when you are young. I always felt both a pang of sympathy, yet almost... nostalgic, at the young Princess Elizabeth's broad spectrum of emotions.

[madgiganticfeelings]

[No, Anne, single him out. He was a jerk. At least Riley had always been nice to Christine, even after turning her down. And at least Christine had gotten to say goodbye... she laughs a bit bitterly.]

I have probably double the emotions of half my classmates combined. It's... it's always made it hard to really connect with people.

I thought I had connected with Jeremy.

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You may have, still. Even if it didn’t seem to be so. Men can be particularly cowardly, after all.

—-No, of course Tad, not you. [She coos at the lizard, giving him a good little skritch.]

Who needs them? I went on just fine, after my divorce. And my stepdaughter grew up to be a great ruler, without having to marry! Imagine!

[madgiganticfeelings]

Cowardly sounds like the right word for it. He couldn't even say goodbye to me without the stupid SQUIP in between us.

[She is distracted though, and giggles at Anne's words.]

Tad is much better. Maybe you're right. I mean, it's high school, right? Not many fairytale romances there.

[likemypicture]

He is much better. Not a Prince, unfortunately, but very handsome nonetheless. [She and Tad Cooper share a look.]

Not many fairytale romances anywhere, I'm afraid. I'm sure there's still romance out there-- just not like the fairytales.

[madgiganticfeelings]

It's... really weird. I thought we did have romance, the two of us. At least, we did in my world. I don't know what was different about here... and why he was still stuck with that awful thing in his head.

[She remembered them being deactivated, so why was his...?]

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I thought the same thing, with Henry. He sent for me from across an entire sea, with a full escort—- and then I showed up, and it was all ‘ I do not like her much’.

[She shakes her head.] I can’t pretend to understand men.

[madgiganticfeelings]

That sounds right. They want you up until they think they have you, and then they decide that it isn't good enough.

[She rubs her forehead, but offers a slight giggle.]