Chapter 54 - Engagement Party
By Cille
Over the next few days, things actually did settle into a kind of normal in the Syndicate bunker, with people finding ways to occupy themselves either trying to be productive or being as lazy as they wanted. There was still an undercurrent of anxiety about how they'd get out with the army lurking, but with everything they needed right there in the bunker, it wasn't too hard for them to go about their lives. And so the next few days passed without much excitement.
There was a bit of a tizzy when news started spreading of Clarice and Samson's engagement, and it wasn't long before someone came up with the idea of an engagement party. Since Samson wasn't in much of a party mood - and it would be hard to fit that many people into his room - the idea morphed into a kind of bridal shower for Clarice, spearheaded by Kirara and Starry.
Of course nobody had any gifts to give her, but that wouldn't stop them from getting together for a celebration. Kirara and Roxie planned out decorations, and Starry and Spice got April's help procuring a small buffet.
"Okay this is all we were able to get out of Foley," Emiri announced as she and Angel came into the party room carrying two bottles of wine.
"I even flashed my cleavage at him, but no dice," Angel pouted. "He needs to loosen up."
"I bet you could help him loosen up," said Elizabeth with a wink. She had finally felt well enough to leave the infirmary the previous day, and was helping Spice hang a makeshift banner on the wall.
"Sure I could, but my special relaxation skills are reserved for someone else right now," Angel said. "In fact, I'm supposed to be meeting him in a few minutes."
"You're not going to stay for the party?" Kirara asked.
"I wish I could, but you can't leave a sexy man waiting," Angel answered with a coy smile.
"You've been making him wait for weeks," Emiri pointed out. "I still don't know how you guys haven't gotten it on yet."
"Taking it slow? That doesn't seem like you," Spice commented.
"Yeah, well, I've got more going on with this one than just the mind-blowing sex we're going to have when the time is right," Angel said. "He's treating me like a princess, and I'm going to savor every last moment of it."
"Well that sounds very nice," Emiri said, patting her on the shoulder. "Just as long as you don't forget about the mind-blowing sex."
"Not on your life," Angel said with a grin.
Just then Clarice arrived with Anne. "Hey, this looks nice, everyone," Clarice said, looking around at the decorations and food.
"Yeah, not bad on such short notice," Anne agreed.
There was a chorus of "congratulations!" from the other women.
"Okay, we might as well all grab some food and have a seat," Roxie said. "Guest of honor first."
"Well grats and all, but I gotta run," Angel said, starting for the door. "Have fun, girls."
"Not to be a party-pooper, but I'm gonna hit the road too," Emiri said. "I can already tell there's not gonna be enough booze to go around here. Congrats, Clarice."
"Thanks, and have a good night," Clarice answered, waving as the two of them headed out.
"Oh Cille sends her regards too, but she's tied up doing some reading tonight," Starry said. "Cougar asked Raef to ask me to tell you."
"Okay then," Clarice laughed, filling her plate at the buffet. The others followed and soon they were all sitting in a circle eating and chatting.
The conversation started out with wedding plans and then turned to things that had been going on in the bunker recently.
"Hikki's been spending an awful lot of time in the infirmary lately, hasn't he," Clarice commented.
"Yeah, he's actually been quite helpful," Roxie said.
"Well, as long as he's making himself useful and not just lurking around Samson," Clarice said skeptically.
Roxie laughed. "I think it's good that he's found something he can do to help out. Especially now, it's important for people to feel like they're doing something, and not just sitting around feeling hopeless."
"Hmm, now that you mention it, he has seemed to be in better spirits lately," Clarice said.
"You know," Winry spoke up, "I think he's got the right idea. I wouldn't mind helping out down there if it meant spending time around that handsome doctor."
"Oh really, Winry? I heard you had a special someone down in the mech lab," Starry teased.
"What? No, Larry and I are just friends," Winry protested, blushing in spite of herself. "Besides, there's no law that says you can't admire the eye candy."
"Okay can we maybe stop acting like teenage girls here?" Kaia said abruptly. She'd been rather quiet during all of the wedding talk, and she wasn't really in the mood for childish banter about love interests.
"Um... some of us are teenage girls," Winry answered, glancing at Starry.
Kaia sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry. That was uncalled-for." She stood to go. "I need to get some sleep. Best wishes, Clarice."
The others watched her go silently, sympathetic to how she must still be feeling after losing Sadar. Even after she was gone, they were all quiet for a few minutes.
"You know, Dr. Tenma actually has been getting some attention from the ladies," Roxie said. "That Hilda woman actually came right up to him and asked if he wanted to get a drink. He looked totally blindsided." She laughed.
"Oh, what did he say?" Starry asked.
"He kind of sputtered a little bit and finally got something out about how he was too busy with his patients. I'm not sure she took that as a no, but it got him off the hook at the time."
"Wow, that's pretty bold," Elizabeth said. "I like her style."
Roxie shook her head with amusement. "I did feel a little bad for him. I don't think he's used to being a ladies' man."
"He is very nice," Anne said. "I can see why people would like him."
"Don't you start getting a crush on him," Clarice said. "Your brother would kill me."
Anne looked a little confused, but the other women just laughed.
"No murder before the wedding," Kirara said, raising her wine glass. "To the future bride!"
The others joined her in the toast, and with the air of frivolity generally restored, they all enjoyed the rest of their evening.
Chapter 54 author's notes:
Recurring characters:
Clarice Rowe - QueenoftheDorks
Samson Monroe - MasterSamson
Kirara Amour - kiraralove
Starry Ozzal - starryjelly
Roxie Goldsmith - anime_goddess05
Spice Spamton - spiceweasel228
April - LirpaYamEnujYluj
Foley S. Goode - Foley_is_Good_149
Emiri - _Boxers_
Angel Sarcasta - mgangel1124
Elizabeth Saurie St. Gaurdsmen - EdSpikeSesshyGirl
Anne Monroe - herself
Lucille "Cille" Compton - Cille
Raef Compton - Maenos
Hikki Follet - Kohikki
*Larry Zorin - LAZY17
Kaia Namek - namek_kaia
*Father John Sadar - FurionTassadar
Straight Cougar - s-CRY-ed
Winry Rockbell - Fullmetal Alchemist
Kenzou Tenma - Monster
"Hot Ice" Hilda - Outlaw Star
* Characters marked with an asterisk are mentioned but do not take an active part in the story.
Over the next few days, things actually did settle into a kind of normal in the Syndicate bunker, with people finding ways to occupy themselves either trying to be productive or being as lazy as they wanted. There was still an undercurrent of anxiety about how they'd get out with the army lurking, but with everything they needed right there in the bunker, it wasn't too hard for them to go about their lives. And so the next few days passed without much excitement.
There was a bit of a tizzy when news started spreading of Clarice and Samson's engagement, and it wasn't long before someone came up with the idea of an engagement party. Since Samson wasn't in much of a party mood - and it would be hard to fit that many people into his room - the idea morphed into a kind of bridal shower for Clarice, spearheaded by Kirara and Starry.
Of course nobody had any gifts to give her, but that wouldn't stop them from getting together for a celebration. Kirara and Roxie planned out decorations, and Starry and Spice got April's help procuring a small buffet.
"Okay this is all we were able to get out of Foley," Emiri announced as she and Angel came into the party room carrying two bottles of wine.
"I even flashed my cleavage at him, but no dice," Angel pouted. "He needs to loosen up."
"I bet you could help him loosen up," said Elizabeth with a wink. She had finally felt well enough to leave the infirmary the previous day, and was helping Spice hang a makeshift banner on the wall.
"Sure I could, but my special relaxation skills are reserved for someone else right now," Angel said. "In fact, I'm supposed to be meeting him in a few minutes."
"You're not going to stay for the party?" Kirara asked.
"I wish I could, but you can't leave a sexy man waiting," Angel answered with a coy smile.
"You've been making him wait for weeks," Emiri pointed out. "I still don't know how you guys haven't gotten it on yet."
"Taking it slow? That doesn't seem like you," Spice commented.
"Yeah, well, I've got more going on with this one than just the mind-blowing sex we're going to have when the time is right," Angel said. "He's treating me like a princess, and I'm going to savor every last moment of it."
"Well that sounds very nice," Emiri said, patting her on the shoulder. "Just as long as you don't forget about the mind-blowing sex."
"Not on your life," Angel said with a grin.
Just then Clarice arrived with Anne. "Hey, this looks nice, everyone," Clarice said, looking around at the decorations and food.
"Yeah, not bad on such short notice," Anne agreed.
There was a chorus of "congratulations!" from the other women.
"Okay, we might as well all grab some food and have a seat," Roxie said. "Guest of honor first."
"Well grats and all, but I gotta run," Angel said, starting for the door. "Have fun, girls."
"Not to be a party-pooper, but I'm gonna hit the road too," Emiri said. "I can already tell there's not gonna be enough booze to go around here. Congrats, Clarice."
"Thanks, and have a good night," Clarice answered, waving as the two of them headed out.
"Oh Cille sends her regards too, but she's tied up doing some reading tonight," Starry said. "Cougar asked Raef to ask me to tell you."
"Okay then," Clarice laughed, filling her plate at the buffet. The others followed and soon they were all sitting in a circle eating and chatting.
The conversation started out with wedding plans and then turned to things that had been going on in the bunker recently.
"Hikki's been spending an awful lot of time in the infirmary lately, hasn't he," Clarice commented.
"Yeah, he's actually been quite helpful," Roxie said.
"Well, as long as he's making himself useful and not just lurking around Samson," Clarice said skeptically.
Roxie laughed. "I think it's good that he's found something he can do to help out. Especially now, it's important for people to feel like they're doing something, and not just sitting around feeling hopeless."
"Hmm, now that you mention it, he has seemed to be in better spirits lately," Clarice said.
"You know," Winry spoke up, "I think he's got the right idea. I wouldn't mind helping out down there if it meant spending time around that handsome doctor."
"Oh really, Winry? I heard you had a special someone down in the mech lab," Starry teased.
"What? No, Larry and I are just friends," Winry protested, blushing in spite of herself. "Besides, there's no law that says you can't admire the eye candy."
"Okay can we maybe stop acting like teenage girls here?" Kaia said abruptly. She'd been rather quiet during all of the wedding talk, and she wasn't really in the mood for childish banter about love interests.
"Um... some of us are teenage girls," Winry answered, glancing at Starry.
Kaia sighed. "You're right, I'm sorry. That was uncalled-for." She stood to go. "I need to get some sleep. Best wishes, Clarice."
The others watched her go silently, sympathetic to how she must still be feeling after losing Sadar. Even after she was gone, they were all quiet for a few minutes.
"You know, Dr. Tenma actually has been getting some attention from the ladies," Roxie said. "That Hilda woman actually came right up to him and asked if he wanted to get a drink. He looked totally blindsided." She laughed.
"Oh, what did he say?" Starry asked.
"He kind of sputtered a little bit and finally got something out about how he was too busy with his patients. I'm not sure she took that as a no, but it got him off the hook at the time."
"Wow, that's pretty bold," Elizabeth said. "I like her style."
Roxie shook her head with amusement. "I did feel a little bad for him. I don't think he's used to being a ladies' man."
"He is very nice," Anne said. "I can see why people would like him."
"Don't you start getting a crush on him," Clarice said. "Your brother would kill me."
Anne looked a little confused, but the other women just laughed.
"No murder before the wedding," Kirara said, raising her wine glass. "To the future bride!"
The others joined her in the toast, and with the air of frivolity generally restored, they all enjoyed the rest of their evening.
Chapter 54 author's notes:
Recurring characters:
Clarice Rowe - QueenoftheDorks
Samson Monroe - MasterSamson
Kirara Amour - kiraralove
Starry Ozzal - starryjelly
Roxie Goldsmith - anime_goddess05
Spice Spamton - spiceweasel228
April - LirpaYamEnujYluj
Foley S. Goode - Foley_is_Good_149
Emiri - _Boxers_
Angel Sarcasta - mgangel1124
Elizabeth Saurie St. Gaurdsmen - EdSpikeSesshyGirl
Anne Monroe - herself
Lucille "Cille" Compton - Cille
Raef Compton - Maenos
Hikki Follet - Kohikki
*Larry Zorin - LAZY17
Kaia Namek - namek_kaia
*Father John Sadar - FurionTassadar
Straight Cougar - s-CRY-ed
Winry Rockbell - Fullmetal Alchemist
Kenzou Tenma - Monster
"Hot Ice" Hilda - Outlaw Star
* Characters marked with an asterisk are mentioned but do not take an active part in the story.