Bobby was standing with his parents and Gabriella, talking animatedly as the other guests started to arrive.
"Hey!" Gwen greeted, Mordred in tow. "Happy Birthday."
"Thanks guys," Bobby said, turning to see them. "Thanks for coming."
He introduced them to his parents as more people filed in.
Rogue and Shannon
Rogue and Shannon arrived alongside others from Xaviers who had been invited to Bobby's 21st.
"Hey!" Rogue greeted, waving to Bobby animatedly. "Happy birthday!"
Bobby and Gwen
"Hey, thanks!" Bobby gave both Shannon and Rogue a hug. He made brief introductions to his family and to his other friends.
Gwen and Mordred had wandered off to get a drink.
"Bobby, my good friend!" Hank came up behind him and patted his shoulder.
"Hanky!" Bobby hugged Hank tightly, before turning to introduce him to his parents.
Logan waved casually, almost grinning evilly, remembering his last encounter with the Drakes.
Rogue and Shannon
"I'm impressed," Rogue murmered to Shannon as they moved off to the side.
"At what?" Shannon inquired.
"Bobby's parents' composure," Rogue explained. "They're not exactly happy about Bobby being a mutant, although they seem more accepting than most parents, so he's lucky there. But still, I am wondering if they're going to last a party this with many mutants without freaking out at some point."
"Perhaps they'll do it out the back. Or after everyone leaves," Shannon suggested. "Or maybe we will not freak them out at all."
Rogue grinned.
Bobby
Bobby and Gabriella had moved on to talking to some of Bobby's aunts and uncles. They weren't quite holding hands, but were standing close enough not to need to.
Hank was sitting with Logan, looking around curiously.
Julie
Julie made her way to the front door, gift in hand. She had thought very seriously about not coming tonight. She didn't want to step into, or otherwise make a grand celebration awkward. But by the same token, she still hoped that she and Bobby would get back together, and doubted that the choice to not show up would work well in her favour.
Her eyes fell on Bobby then, and the closeness to Gabriella. She bit the inside of her bottom lip, and took a moment to steel herself against another outburst like she had a week or so ago.
"Ignore it," she thought to herself. "Don't make any scenes. Be pleasant - especially to Gabriella."
Julie took a deep breath and approached the birthday boy.
"Happy birthday, Bobby."
Gwen and Bobby
"Mmm," Gwen said, nudging Mordred. "This just got a whole lot more interesting..."
The pair watched Julie approach Bobby.
Bobby turned and smiled.
"Hey, thanks."
He paused for a moment, then gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Julie
Julie smiled, and kissed Bobby back - on his cheek, then she held the present out to him.
"Did you want this now? Or is there somewhere I can put it?"
Bobby, Gwen and Faith
"Oh," Bobby said, thinking, then pointing to the table where the other presents were. "Just over there."
Gabriella grinned as Shayne and Lennon came over.
"Hey hey, birthday boy!" Lennon interrupted by picking Bobby up in a hug. "I can't believe no one smothered you as a child."
"I'd only want you to smother me!" Bobby laughed.
"Weirdoes," Shayne said to Gabriella. "Hi... Julie?"
Gwen grinned slightly, watching the drama unfold, before she and Mordred went to talk to Hank.
Faith walked through the door, looking around slightly, before spotting Bobby and coming over.
"Hey, Ice kid," she greeted, slapping him a high five.
"Ah, my favourite Slayer... well, my only Slayer," Bobby returned.
"Dude, I will never be your anything. Happy birthday though."
"Ha, thanks."
Logan, meanwhile, had seen Faith.
Julie
"Greetings," Julie said cheerfully.
She gave a wave and walked over to the present table where she put down the gift she had bought for him, then looked around to see who else was here.
Faith and Bobby
Faith made her way over to Logan for the inevitable awkward meeting.
Bobby linked arms with Gabriella and Lennon (who had linked his arms with Shayne) and took them over to his parents.
Julie and Rogue
"Hi Julie," Rogue said, giving her friend a hug.
"Hey," Julie smiled.
"Wasn't sure if you were coming."
"I thought about it."
Gwen and Faith
As soon as Logan looked like he was going to get into some weird possessive habit with Faith, Gwen zipped over and stole the Slayer away, leading her over to Julie and co.
"Hey guys," Gwen said.
"Yo," Faith greeted.
Julie, Rogue and Shannon
"Hey," Julie said. "How you doing?"
"Hi," Rogue said.
Shannon nodded.
Faith, Gwen, Rebekah and Bobby
"Meh, better now that Logan isn't stalking me," Faith shrugged.
Gwen snickered.
~*~*~*~
Rebekah and Octavian walked in together, grinning and laughing over something they'd been talking about in the car. They made their way over to Bobby.
"Hey!" Bobby lifted Bek up and spun her around, before setting her down and giving Tav much of the same greeting, only with less picking up and spinning around.
Gabriella and Bek hugged hello and started talking animatedly.
Julie and Rogue
"Ahh," Julie nodded. "I've never had a stalker. I've always wondered what it would be like."
Rogue gave her a weird look.
"What?"
Faith, Gwen and Rebekah
"It's overrated," Faith told her.
"Of course, it's better than *being* a stalker," Gwen said, as she shared a look with Faith, indicating they had previously had a conversation about the very topic.
"Yeah," the Slayer replied, trying not to laugh. "It is better than that."
Rebekah and Octavian came wandering over to the group.
"We thought we'd escape, as the conversation with Bobby's parents has turned to school," Rebekah said by way of greeting. "Hello all."
"Yes," Octavian said dramatically. "So the four wannabe accountants and excitedly discussing their classes."
Julie and Rogue
"Tell me about it," Julie replied.
"I don't think we have to," mused Rogue.
"This is true."
Bobby
"Still," Octavian went on. "I would fake interest to get into Gabriella's bed."
~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Bobby and the other three had left his parents and were moving to the dancefloor for a crazy robot dance session.
Julie and Rogue
"See now, this is why girls have it so much better than guys who want to sleep around. Guys have to work at seducing someone, girls can just go up to a guy and say 'wanna shag'," Julie mused.
"Wanna shag?" Rogue repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Not with you. Eww, seriously Rogue."
Rogue gave her a look. Julie grinned broadly.
"And even if the first guy is some kind of prude and doesn't say yes, all she has to do is ask the next guy."
"What if she's at a gay bar?"
"Psh," Julie dismissed. "Gay men are but a challenge to the talented."
Rebekah, Bobby, Faith and Gwen
"Yeah, but if you're an ug-o, you've got no chance at gay men. Or bi men. And it's not just looks that can make you ugly." And with that, Octavian took Rebekah's hand and led her over to Bobby and his friends.
Faith shrugged. "Not sure what the drama is this time."
Gwen rolled her eyes. "You probably don't want to know."
"Well, you're right, I don't care enough about Bobby to want to know," Faith grinned.
"I love this woman!" Lennon and Bobby yelled in unison, jumping onto the closet chairs in their impressions of Tom Cruise.
Gabriella and Shayne were watching on, laughing and feigning embarrassment.
Julie and Rogue
"That's what's alcohol is for," Julie said sighing. "Especially for gay men. And women."
She nodded enthusiastically, completely ignoring the fact that half her audience was now gone.
"In fact, I don't believe that anyone is really homosexual," Julie went on. "Bi, yes, but never 100% homo. You still want things inserted - "
"Julie?"
"Yes Rogue?"
"I think it's time to change the subject."
"Oh, but..."
"But!" Rogue teased her. "Julie, I love ya, but you're worse than some guys I know."
"Hmph. You're no fun."
"I'm heaps of fun. You just find your fun on other areas. And no, that's not a cue for you to start listing them."
"Meh. You're as bad as Friday. She's always raining on my parade too."
"Has it ever occured to you that Friday and I aren't the one with the problem?"
"No."
Bobby
Bobby grinned as Gabriella helped him off the chair. Still holding hands, they went over to investigate the food and beverage department.
"Dude!" Lennon called. "Cock... tail challenge!"
Bobby's parents looked slightly taken aback at the first part of that sentence.
"You and Len are banned from manly drinks tonight," Shayne said, grinning. "Gab and I want to see all sorts of girls cocktails being consumed and ordered."
"Oh, like that's a problem?" Bobby laughed. "I do not discriminate when it comes to getting drunk."
Rogue, Julie and Shannon
"So, have Bobby's parents met..." Rogue began. "Julie?"
But Julie had glanced over at Bobby and Gabriella. She was standing there, her hand clenched into fists, refusing to let her expression betray her emotion. Rogue looked over in the direction of Julie's eyes and sighed.
"I see," she said, and deliberately stood in her line of sight.
"Rogue..."
"Breathe, Julie. Remember to breathe."
"How are B'Elanna and Tom doing?" Shannon intervened. "Have they mastered the potty yet?"
Bobby and Rebekah
"First up," Lennon said, sketching a salute at Bobby as he came over to the bar. "Two Midori Illusions please."
"Oohooo," Shayne grinned. "Getting into the game with a roaring start!"
Bobby chuckled and threw his arm around Shayne's shoulder. "You know us, we never back down from a challenge when it comes to drinking."
"Is it just me," Rebekah said, turning to Octavian. "Or has Bobby actually found the perfect friends for him?"
Octavian laughed. "It's not just you."
Julie, Rogue and Shannon
"Yes, thank goodness," Julie replied, then sighed. "Thanks awlfully, but I think I should go."
"Julie..." Rogue began, but Julie held up her hand.
"No, it's okay," she said softly. "See you later."
"Have a good evening," Shannon said.
Julie smiled and quietly made her way to the door.
Bobby and Rebekah
Bobby noticed Julie go, and downed his drink before heading over to the door to say goodbye.
"Hey," he called softly.
~*~*~*~
"I sense that this," Demetria said, appearing out of thin air, her keen eyes taking in the scene. "May get interesting."
Rebekah nodded and hugged her friend hello.
Julie
Julie hesitated then turned to face him.
"Hey," she replied just as softly. "I, uhh, I just thought I'd go. Hope you have a good party."
Bobby
Bobby reached out for her, then stopped himself at the last minute, instead touching her arm gently.
"Well, I'm glad you came even if it was only for a bit."
Julie
Julie nodded and swallowed.
"Happy birthday," she said.
She hesitated for a moment, kissed his cheek, then whirled around and continued on her way out.
Bobby and Rebekah
Bobby touched his cheek for a moment, then with nothing more than a shrug to get himself back into the party frame of mind, he head back to his friends to continue the drinking competition.
"Two appletini's!" Lennon called as Bobby approached.
Demetria pouted. "Well, I was hoping for more of a scene between those two. Where's the angst?"
Rebekah smiled faintly. "It's there, believe me."
"Ah yes, darling girl," Octavian said, nodding. "You would feel that wouldn't you?"