[Lots of people]

[starchilde_lost]

[Dated March 31st, 2012]

She wanted this to go smoothly. She wanted this to go smoothly so badly, it was almost making her nauseous as she finished setting the table and setting out the last of the food. Some of it she'd made, some of it she'd bribed members of the kitchen crew to make for her, but all of it was hopefully something someone would like. And hopefully none of it would end up on someone's face.

Because she really didn't know.

She'd never really done anything like this before. Sure, there were family-style dinners at the mansion and with her grandparents while she was with them, but nothing like that existed here. She had no idea how this group of people that meant so much to her would get along with each other. She knew they'd all try, for her sake, and bless them for it, but she had a habit of making friends and family out of very opinionated and stubborn people and once the wine and beers were opened, who knew what would happen.

So she just said a prayer and hoped for the best as she got up to fiddle with her hair again.

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Comments

[likesthestooges]

Aidan knew that part of the reason for the family dinner was so that he could meet all the people important to Rachel. Most of them he'd met here and there in other capacities but tonight it was about meeting them as a part of Rachel's life.

The dinner itself was great and after a bit of clean up he headed outside to give everyone space in Rachel's hut. Taking a sip of his beer he couldn't help but stare around at the island and wonder just how his life had come to this. It was a surprise, a good surprise, but still something he wouldn't have ever expected.

[verynaughtymutant]

"Hello, Aidan," Cable said with something that could be called a smile, if you didn't look at it too closely, as he took a standing position just next to him. "That could have gone a lot worse, couldn't it?"

It was all about image really, acting angry and aggressive wasn't half as intimidating as a certain deliberately controlled friendliness because at least with an anger you knew you could trust it. And while Cable wasn't sure he actually wanted to be intimidating, he got the feeling it was expected of him and it was something he could do without really thinking too hard.

[likesthestooges]

"Cable," Aidan said with a genuine smile. Whether or not Cable was meaning to be menacing, Aidan wasn't bothered by it. It was a brother's right and, more precisely, Aidan had a lot of experience with menacing, both giving and receiving.

"And it certainly went a lot better than a lot of the family dinners I've been to."

[verynaughtymutant]

"No dead bodies," Cable agreed, and left a little pause before delivering the punchline with trademark deadpan, "yet."

"I told her you'd faced far more intimidating things than this, before."

A little approval was always good, you let them know they passed a test and all you do is cement the idea that you're the one judging and they're the one trying to measure up.

[likesthestooges]

"Vampire family dinners are a lot more... brutal than this," Aidan admitted with a nod. He tried not to think of the last one with Bishop and the Dutch, the pregnant woman tied to a table... definitely far more brutal.

"Rachel is also a far better cook than what we're used to."

[verynaughtymutant]

"Not many ways to cook blood, I'd imagine," he replied in a chatty easy going voice. "Your only real choice is whether to drink from a flask or a neck."

[likesthestooges]

"Actually, almost all vampires from my world drink straight from the source when possible," Aidan said. If Cable was going to make vampire eating habits small talk, Aidan wasn't going to shy from it.

"It tastes pretty awful otherwise."

[verynaughtymutant]

"Interesting," Cable replied, in that same easy going tone.

"I hadn't considered the importance of taste."

[likesthestooges]

"It's the difference between drinking a Henri Jayer Richebourg Grand Cru or flat soda," Aidan said. Most vampires, aside from himself, wouldn't drink blood from a non-live source unless their lives depended on it.

"But it's also a matter of... perspective. Most vampires view humans as little better than cattle. They don't see a reason not to drink from people."

[verynaughtymutant]

"Most?" was Cable's only, very mild, response and his body and face were completely still and expressionless.

[likesthestooges]

"As far as I know, I was the only one to attempt to consistently drink bagged blood instead of feeding live," Aidan explained. It sounded far more noble than it actually was, especially considering how many times he failed at sticking to that policy.

[verynaughtymutant]

"You're not too picky an eater, then?" he responded, with something that was very nearly a smile. "That is good to know."

[likesthestooges]

"That's one way to look at it," Aidan said with a chuckle. He was actually more picky about his real food than his blood. He was glad though that Cable seemed to have a realistic outlook on the ex-vampire experience.

"Although what's available on the island is a little closer to what was available when I was human."