Lemon Chiffon Flavor Binge: Something Old, Something New
Title: Something Old, Something New
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Lemon chiffon flavor binge, malt (Lady Macbeth's trick or treat: my baby's lookin' so damned pretty with those anxious eyes/rain-speckled hair and my ring to wear), pocky chain.
Word Count: 1200
Rating: PG-13 for things Lars and Nathan really don't want to think about. Or see. Ivy.
Summary: Ivy and Gina get married.
Notes: The formal end of the In the Heart main story, or, the point after which I start using caramel. Also, my 200th story.
12. all night long
Gail couldn't sleep.
After an hour of staring at the ceiling and listening to Nathan snore, she got up, crept into the kitchen, and stared at the table instead.
Her little girl was getting married in the morning, and Gail couldn't help but feel that she was losing her.
Which was ridiculous. Ivy hadn't lived at home since college. She hadn't really needed her mother since long before that. Nothing was changing, nothing at all; this was only... formalization.
"Mommy?" She looked up, saw Ivy in the doorway. "I can't sleep."
Gail smiled, and opened her arms.
10. one night stand
"No offense," Olivia said, smothering a yawn. "But are you planning on sleep?"
Gina, pacing back and forth, ignored her. "Was it this bad for you?" she demanded. "The night before?"
Olivia thought back. "No. You were there, remember? It wasn't that big a deal." Okay, so that was a lie, but she hadn't had insomnia.
Not until she'd had Felicity, anyway.
"Liar," Gina said, affectionately. "It was an enormous deal."
"Okay," Olivia said. "But I swear to god if you don't try to sleep I am going to drug you."
Gina laughed, and got in bed.
5. all tied up
"What the hell is this?" Aaron demanded. "You never said I'd be tying a corset!"
"It makes me look awesome," Ivy said. "Now shut up. Maids of honor don't complain."
Summer, fussing with Ivy's dress, ignored them and worried. She'd looked up bridesmaids when Ivy asked her to be one. She knew her job, but she wasn't sure she liked it.
"Ivy," she said, into a momentary silence, "if someone tries to kidnap you at the altar and kidnaps me instead, will you come and get me?"
Ivy didn't blink. "Of course, sweetie," she said. "Tighter, Aaron!"
6. the first time
Despite Olivia's best efforts, Gina had only gotten about two hours of sleep. Not that she felt it.
It felt like all her life had been leading up to this moment, standing in front of an amused county clerk with Olivia and little Felicity throwing flowers at everyone. Next to Ivy.
That deep green dress really flattered her, more than the little black one she'd been wearing when they first met. But her eyes were the same deep gorgeous blue, and her smile, oh, her smile, Gina lost her heart every time she saw it.
Some things didn't change, she thought, and took Ivy's hand.
7. your eyes
Janice usually hated her job.
It was more divorce petitions than weddings, usually, more dissolutions than joinings. Some she knew were for the best, but most days it was just... painful.
And now they were flooded with weddings, gays and lesbians finally able to marry. There were more people in the room than Janice usually saw in a week.
She did her part with the current pair, told them what to sign and where, but she didn't think they were really listening. Neither one of them ever took their eyes off the other.
Today, Janice loved her job.
8. the back seat
Aaron was trying really, really hard not to look in the back seat of the cab for any reason whatsoever.
As maid of honor, his was the unenviable responsibility of making certain the brides got to the reception intact and reasonably on time. Monumentally difficult, knowing his sister. He'd chosen to hail a cab and personally bundle them both into the back seat, but he wondered now if that had been a mistake.
The giggling and whispers and occasional sharp shrieks were not helping.
The cabbie gave him a sympathetic look. "Newlyweds?"
"Newlyweds," Aaron agreed, and grinned.
2. roll in the hay
"I need to find somewhere to change."
Lars glanced over at Summer. As always, he looked down, because she was still five in his mind; as always, he had to look back up, because she was really twenty-one. He'd never get used to her being grown up.
"I'll say you do," he said, eyeing her heels. "Here, there's a closet over here."
Summer's eyes went wide, and she shook her head. "Not there."
He blinked. "Why not?"
"Ivy and Gina just went in there," she whispered. "Not there."
Lars shuddered at the thought. "No. Definitely not."
9. strip tease
"What the hell did you do to your dress?" Clara exclaimed, stopping dead in the doorway.
Gina looked sheepish. Ivy looked smug. "Things happened," she said, smoothing her skirt back down over her thighs. "You know how it is."
"No," Clara said, more tartly than she meant. "I don't. All right, get out of those dresses. You can't wear them in public anymore."
Gina covered her mouth, but her eyes were dancing. "Why, Clara!"
"Didn't know you were into threesomes," Ivy added, wickedly.
Clara rolled her eyes. "You two," she said, and threw their dress bags at them.
3. intoxication
"Dude," Danny said, plopping into a seat next to Michael. "I didn't know wedding receptions were so fun!"
"You went to Aaron's," Michael pointed out.
This was logic. Danny, more than half tipsy, couldn't be having with logic. "Aaron's reception didn't have an open bar."
Michael grinned. "I don't think your boyfriend, six cases of beer, as much hard liquor as we can collectively afford and some random mixers count as an open bar."
"Does so," Danny said. "Lars is a bartender."
"Whatever," Michael said, raising his hands in surrender. "So he really does have a job."
"Shut up."
1. close quarters
For some reason, the father-daughter dance was near the end of the party. Probably to spare Gina, whose parents hadn't come. Jake felt pretty sorry for her. He hadn't had his parents at his wedding either, but his at least hadn't had a choice.
"Excuse me?" A man tapped his shoulder. "We're looking for the wedding."
"That's us," Jake said.
"Ah," he said, and cleared his throat, patted the arm of the woman with him reassuringly. "Good. My name is Robert Caravecchio. I'm sorry we're late, the train..."
Jake grinned, surprising himself. "Don't worry. You're right on time."
4. my, it's hot in here
Gail's head lay heavy on his shoulder. She might have gone to sleep, although Nathan was sure she'd deny it if he said anything. He stroked her hair, and watched his children contentedly.
Summer, reading in a corner. Aaron, cosseting Clara, who looked a lot more pregnant than the last time he'd seen her. Ivy and Gina...
Nathan blinked. Ivy and Gina, in a corner that they probably thought was dark enough, kissing in a way he really didn't need to see.
He closed his eyes and sighed. Good thing the party was winding down.
11. keeping each other warm
The hotel room had a balcony, and even though it was December, Ivy lured Gina out onto it with hot chocolate, blankets, and the promise of more cuddles. They were both too tired for anything more, although the next few days were promising.
"Getting married is exhausting," Gina said, sleepily.
Ivy mumbled agreement and cuddled closer. Gina's body curved just right against hers, the two of them entwined. Like rope fibers, now; inseperable. For better or worse.
They'd had a lot of both. They'd probably have more of both.
Bring it on, Ivy thought, and smiled.
Main Story: In the Heart
Flavors, Toppings, Extras: Lemon chiffon flavor binge, malt (Lady Macbeth's trick or treat: my baby's lookin' so damned pretty with those anxious eyes/rain-speckled hair and my ring to wear), pocky chain.
Word Count: 1200
Rating: PG-13 for things Lars and Nathan really don't want to think about. Or see. Ivy.
Summary: Ivy and Gina get married.
Notes: The formal end of the In the Heart main story, or, the point after which I start using caramel. Also, my 200th story.
12. all night long
Gail couldn't sleep.
After an hour of staring at the ceiling and listening to Nathan snore, she got up, crept into the kitchen, and stared at the table instead.
Her little girl was getting married in the morning, and Gail couldn't help but feel that she was losing her.
Which was ridiculous. Ivy hadn't lived at home since college. She hadn't really needed her mother since long before that. Nothing was changing, nothing at all; this was only... formalization.
"Mommy?" She looked up, saw Ivy in the doorway. "I can't sleep."
Gail smiled, and opened her arms.
10. one night stand
"No offense," Olivia said, smothering a yawn. "But are you planning on sleep?"
Gina, pacing back and forth, ignored her. "Was it this bad for you?" she demanded. "The night before?"
Olivia thought back. "No. You were there, remember? It wasn't that big a deal." Okay, so that was a lie, but she hadn't had insomnia.
Not until she'd had Felicity, anyway.
"Liar," Gina said, affectionately. "It was an enormous deal."
"Okay," Olivia said. "But I swear to god if you don't try to sleep I am going to drug you."
Gina laughed, and got in bed.
5. all tied up
"What the hell is this?" Aaron demanded. "You never said I'd be tying a corset!"
"It makes me look awesome," Ivy said. "Now shut up. Maids of honor don't complain."
Summer, fussing with Ivy's dress, ignored them and worried. She'd looked up bridesmaids when Ivy asked her to be one. She knew her job, but she wasn't sure she liked it.
"Ivy," she said, into a momentary silence, "if someone tries to kidnap you at the altar and kidnaps me instead, will you come and get me?"
Ivy didn't blink. "Of course, sweetie," she said. "Tighter, Aaron!"
6. the first time
Despite Olivia's best efforts, Gina had only gotten about two hours of sleep. Not that she felt it.
It felt like all her life had been leading up to this moment, standing in front of an amused county clerk with Olivia and little Felicity throwing flowers at everyone. Next to Ivy.
That deep green dress really flattered her, more than the little black one she'd been wearing when they first met. But her eyes were the same deep gorgeous blue, and her smile, oh, her smile, Gina lost her heart every time she saw it.
Some things didn't change, she thought, and took Ivy's hand.
7. your eyes
Janice usually hated her job.
It was more divorce petitions than weddings, usually, more dissolutions than joinings. Some she knew were for the best, but most days it was just... painful.
And now they were flooded with weddings, gays and lesbians finally able to marry. There were more people in the room than Janice usually saw in a week.
She did her part with the current pair, told them what to sign and where, but she didn't think they were really listening. Neither one of them ever took their eyes off the other.
Today, Janice loved her job.
8. the back seat
Aaron was trying really, really hard not to look in the back seat of the cab for any reason whatsoever.
As maid of honor, his was the unenviable responsibility of making certain the brides got to the reception intact and reasonably on time. Monumentally difficult, knowing his sister. He'd chosen to hail a cab and personally bundle them both into the back seat, but he wondered now if that had been a mistake.
The giggling and whispers and occasional sharp shrieks were not helping.
The cabbie gave him a sympathetic look. "Newlyweds?"
"Newlyweds," Aaron agreed, and grinned.
2. roll in the hay
"I need to find somewhere to change."
Lars glanced over at Summer. As always, he looked down, because she was still five in his mind; as always, he had to look back up, because she was really twenty-one. He'd never get used to her being grown up.
"I'll say you do," he said, eyeing her heels. "Here, there's a closet over here."
Summer's eyes went wide, and she shook her head. "Not there."
He blinked. "Why not?"
"Ivy and Gina just went in there," she whispered. "Not there."
Lars shuddered at the thought. "No. Definitely not."
9. strip tease
"What the hell did you do to your dress?" Clara exclaimed, stopping dead in the doorway.
Gina looked sheepish. Ivy looked smug. "Things happened," she said, smoothing her skirt back down over her thighs. "You know how it is."
"No," Clara said, more tartly than she meant. "I don't. All right, get out of those dresses. You can't wear them in public anymore."
Gina covered her mouth, but her eyes were dancing. "Why, Clara!"
"Didn't know you were into threesomes," Ivy added, wickedly.
Clara rolled her eyes. "You two," she said, and threw their dress bags at them.
3. intoxication
"Dude," Danny said, plopping into a seat next to Michael. "I didn't know wedding receptions were so fun!"
"You went to Aaron's," Michael pointed out.
This was logic. Danny, more than half tipsy, couldn't be having with logic. "Aaron's reception didn't have an open bar."
Michael grinned. "I don't think your boyfriend, six cases of beer, as much hard liquor as we can collectively afford and some random mixers count as an open bar."
"Does so," Danny said. "Lars is a bartender."
"Whatever," Michael said, raising his hands in surrender. "So he really does have a job."
"Shut up."
1. close quarters
For some reason, the father-daughter dance was near the end of the party. Probably to spare Gina, whose parents hadn't come. Jake felt pretty sorry for her. He hadn't had his parents at his wedding either, but his at least hadn't had a choice.
"Excuse me?" A man tapped his shoulder. "We're looking for the wedding."
"That's us," Jake said.
"Ah," he said, and cleared his throat, patted the arm of the woman with him reassuringly. "Good. My name is Robert Caravecchio. I'm sorry we're late, the train..."
Jake grinned, surprising himself. "Don't worry. You're right on time."
4. my, it's hot in here
Gail's head lay heavy on his shoulder. She might have gone to sleep, although Nathan was sure she'd deny it if he said anything. He stroked her hair, and watched his children contentedly.
Summer, reading in a corner. Aaron, cosseting Clara, who looked a lot more pregnant than the last time he'd seen her. Ivy and Gina...
Nathan blinked. Ivy and Gina, in a corner that they probably thought was dark enough, kissing in a way he really didn't need to see.
He closed his eyes and sighed. Good thing the party was winding down.
11. keeping each other warm
The hotel room had a balcony, and even though it was December, Ivy lured Gina out onto it with hot chocolate, blankets, and the promise of more cuddles. They were both too tired for anything more, although the next few days were promising.
"Getting married is exhausting," Gina said, sleepily.
Ivy mumbled agreement and cuddled closer. Gina's body curved just right against hers, the two of them entwined. Like rope fibers, now; inseperable. For better or worse.
They'd had a lot of both. They'd probably have more of both.
Bring it on, Ivy thought, and smiled.