The Ides of March [80s Birthday Bash-OPEN]

Vincent was creeping up behind Fifi as she was putting out the snacks, thankful that the music was drowning out any noises that he was inevitably making. Because let's face it, Vin is incapable of doing anything quietly.

His arms snaked around her tiny waist and he pulled her back against his chest, roaring in a goofy manner and pretended to bite her shoulder. "Happy birthday, bitch!" He cooed fondly, rocking her side to side in his arms.

To say that Vincent was appreciative of Fifi would not even begin to cover it. She'd saved his ass on more occasions than one, she was the best roommate a guy could ever ask for, and she indulged his ridiculous behavior. In the time that she'd been staying with him, she had quickly become one of Vincent's dearest friends. It was the least he could do to help her put on the greatest birthday bash of all time. Not that Vincent really understood the concept of an 80's party, but Fifi seemed more than stoked about it.

"Bren's on 'is way wit' more booze." Vin spouted, grinning from ear to ear. That was just one of the many perks of dating a man well over the legal drinking age. Meant he could get all the alcohol they needed to supply a party full of irresponsible teenagers. It's a good thing Brendan didn't have to worry about his reputation as a teacher anymore.

As someone in his fifties, Sean didn’t have the same amount of faux-nostalgia for the 80s that much of mainstream popular culture displayed. He’d lived through the 80s, through the poisonous politics, through the armed conflicts, through the poverty, through the new drugs that destroyed neighborhoods and through the worst of the AIDS crisis. While he had nostalgia for friends and living in Manhattan, it was hardly a carefree time.

Fortunately, the students hadn’t even been born in the 1980s; Ryan had been born in the very last year, and so none of them had such memories. Not that there weren’t problems now, many of which he blamed on the culture of the 80s as either the origin or as exacerbating factors. However, he would keep those opinions to himself.

After all, this was a birthday party, and if I love the 80s was the theme, he wouldn’t interfere. Of course, he also wouldn’t adopt any punk-style attire. The closest he would affect was his leather jacket, since it was warm enough in March that he could get away with that instead of donning a warmer winter coat.

He hadn’t been formally invited, but it was difficult to hide a party from a telepath, particularly one that involved so many Hammel people and one that was hosted at a house shared by Josh’s intern. He also had his reasons for wanting to stop by. With his gift under his arm, the psychiatrist reached the front door and knocked to be given entry.

"Yer an' old hag now." Vincent teased affectionately, grinning at the kiss on his cheek. "Butcha still look damn good." Because as much as Vincent liked getting his ego stroke, he had just as much fun stroking the ego's of others. Especially when they, like Fifi, absolutely deserved it.

He couldn't help the grin that spread across his face whenever Brendan was mentioned. "Th'fuckin' best."

He waved at Estelle as he was introduced, laughing at Fifi's comment. "Aw c'mon don' tell 'em that. S'no fun then!" Vincent rather enjoyed freaking people out with his self-inflicted injuries and he couldn't do that if they already knew he was going to be okay. Still he grinned and said, "Sup, Fuck! Estelle."

Curious, his eyes wandered over to the door to see who Fifi was about to let in. He heard the name before he saw the face and suddenly his eyes went wide. "Uhhh..." Somewhat panicking, he offered a sheepish smile and an "'scuse me a minute" to Estelle before ducking into his room.

Calling Brendan, Vincent was sure to give him a warning that Dr. Neville, of all people, had decided to show up to the party. Thankfully, Bren was smart enough to think of a plan. One that made Vincent feel a little bit better when he hung up and eventually returned to the living room.

Brendan had spent the better part of a month trying to figure out what to get Fifi for her birthday. He wanted her to know just how grateful he was for everything she’d done to help him and Vin to keep their secret. Sure, it no longer was such. But he still appreciated that she’d done it. She didn’t have to, but she had anyway. Either way, he came to the conclusion that one gift simply wasn’t enough. And yes, sometimes Brendan likes to buy the love of his friends. Did you expect him to be any less shallow?

One of her gifts was for Bren to stock the apartment full of alcohol before the party. Simply for his own use of course. Right. Luckily enough for Brendan, Vin called right as he was walking out of the store. Of course, the ex-teacher had a mini heart attack and almost dropped the bag as talked on the phone when his boyfriend said Dr. Neville was also there. It was easy enough to figure out just how he’d known about the party. Bren supposed that was how he’d found out that there’d be alcohol too.

It was too bad that Brendan was already dressed up in his outfit, yes he walked around town with it, because than he could go home to stash the alcohol. But he didn't want to leave Fifi and Vin waiting. But he also debated going home to change. Purely because Sean was there. And he already made a fool of himself enough in front of that man. But... The party was themed. And Brendan had spent too much time putting on his make-up and making the wig look exactly the right way. And of course, he shaved his beard. Vin might not like that, and a beared Madonna would've been hilarious. But the older man was going for authenticity here!

When he made it to the apartment only a few minutes later, one arm cradled a few wrapped gifts for the birthday girl, he walked right in. Even though he didn’t live there, he acted as if he did. He was there more than his own home after all. Standing there in his astonishing eighties gear, he searched the apartment for the girl they’d all gathered to see.

Though it didn’t take much searching, as she was standing near the door anyway. He smiled wide at Fifi. Dressed as he was, wig and all, he suspected Fifi and Vin would have a number of comments to make at his expense. That may or may not have been half the reason for it. That, and it was just fun to dress up! Laying his hand on the slender girl’s hip, he gave her a peck on the cheek. “Happy birthday Fifi.”

Pulling away was when he noticed Dr. Neville. And it was clear Brendan was something of a deer in headlights. “Um… Hi… Dr. Neville. It's a surprise to see you here. Nice all the same though.” Yeah, even though this was a social situation, he couldn’t bring himself to call the older man by his first name.

As an arm snaked around her hip, she looked over her shoulder. Laughing outright, she seized his face his both her hands and shook his head with glee. “BREN. Holy fuck you are---I don’t even---oh my Christ.” She babbled through her laughter. “You’re the best.”

“Hey fuck you!” she hollered, laughing at Vincent. Later, she would get back at Vincent for calling her old, but right no she was too preoccupied with hitting on the cross-dressing Brendan. “You and me later, sweet cheeks.” She teased on her way to the door. Suddenly she didn’t even know what the hell do to. Gabe had taught her well, so she knew to immediately focus on anything but the serious stash of alchohol in the kitchen. She decided to let her mind become full of confusion. What the hell was Doctor Neville doing here?!

She took his gift with surprise, stepping aside and ushering him inside. “Wow, uh…thank you Doctor Neville.” Fiona turned it in her hands, desperately curious as to what it was. “Should I open it now?” She asked thoughtfully, chewing the inside of her cheek.

Another knock arrested her from her thoughts and she tucked the gift under her arm, looking seriously up at Sean. “Doctor Neville, I’m going to be real here.” She looked him in the face, a deadpan expression on her face. “Please don’t call the cops.”

She opened the door to see a very tall somebody she couldn’t quite place. She tilted her head. “Hey man, come in. Make yourself at home. I’m Fifi.”

Questioning his presence at a student’s not-quite-secret birthday party, which was located at a private residence was a fair enough reaction. Sean certainly couldn’t fault Fifi for wondering why he had come, or how he had learned of it (even if that was easy enough to determine, given that his telepathy wasn’t a secret).

With the invitation to come inside fully, the psychiatrist did, moving out of the way of the door to allow other guests freedom of entry. He followed Fifi further into her home, looking around because one had to wonder what Vincent’s decoration style was. It was...essentially what Sean had always expected. “You’re welcome,” he told her with a smile. “And while you can open it now if you want to, there’s no harm in putting it with the rest of your birthday presents. I don’t expect any special treatment.”

To that end, her request was also to be expected, and the telepath lifted one hand to gesture that her concerns were unfounded. “My jurisdiction is limited to the Hammel grounds, and this is off-campus. And I’m sure that the police have better things to do than worry about a single instance of underage drinking.”

As long as there weren’t harder drugs floating about.

The telepath was sure of the origin of this alcohol, which was another reason why it was probably for the best that Brendan was no longer employed at Hammel. But that was another matter entirely.

When he saw Estelle, Sean gave the young woman a smile he was so fond of Estelle, after all, and it was good to see her out socializing with friends. “Hello Estelle. You’re looking quite nice; are you having fun tonight?”

Fifi was glad that Brendan stepped in on the present front, because she really wasn’t sure what to do. The likelihood of the book being something embarrassing was slim, but Sean would know as much about anyone as he wanted, even if that particular person had been trained by a terrorist organization to have exceedingly well-developed mind barriers. She wilted with relief when Sean agreed not to say anything. “Thanks, Doctor Neville. I really appreciate it. And the gift too.” She chuckled as Brendan snuck away. “I can’t wait to see what it is.” She gestured to the party, which was beginning to grow louder. “You’re welcome to stay and eat or drink anything you can find….not sure how into the highs chool party scene you are, but you’re welcome to!” She chuckled a bit and latched onto Estelle by draping an arm around her shoulders.

She gave the much short girl a wide-eyed look that begged her to drag Fifi away somewhere, anywhere she wouldn’t have to continue socializing with the psychiatrist much longer. It was just too weird. Way too weird.