Two newlyweds and the community

[shenevermisses]

Who: Open to all!
What: A community party.
When: October 23rd
Where: Western lake
Summary: Cato and Clove have married and, as promised, there is a dinner party for everyone in the community who chooses to come.
Rating: PG, probably

The ceremony itself was a small, private affair. Patty, Jack Horner, and Katniss, along with Konan to perform the ceremony. The vows -- ones Konan had taught, rather than the ones typically used in District Two -- were exchanged, and, really, little about the couple's life was altered, especially here.

Still, it mattered.

An hour or so after that, and the make-shift Career camp was a make-shift party area. Tables had been made, plates laid out, and the dishes Clove and Cato had managed to make set out. Other guests had offered to bring food, so Clove had left plenty of room on the table for those.

It was a very informal set-up, but that's how it should be, in her mind. That was what District Two did. A simple gathering, offer of food, and conversation among the guests. No music, no distinct kinds of revelry. Simply a coming together of the community.

(Like the "who" says, Clove made an open invitation to the dinner. Please feel free to handwave her having made a reminder in the journal, or your character can just happen upon the party. Everyone's invited, so have at and definitely feel free to treat it as a mingle log.)

Comments

[inyourfavor]

Effie OBVIOUSLY has to come. This is a celebration of her countrymen. Sort of. And beyond that, she doesn't want people to think that all she does anymore is lurk in Jack Horner's apartment and try not to show her face around the village.

Which is exactly how she spends most of her time these days, but what can one do when one is barely presentable in public?

She is wearing a beautiful floor-length silver-grey dress with a warm autumn-toned hooded cloak over it -- like maybe she robbed Arwen Evenstar's closet for the occasion. Her updo is also silver and features small golden leaf ornaments. The ribbon that covers the ugly scar on her neck is a pale gold color.

She is carrying a delicate champagne flute that she brought from home, because one never knows what sorts of glassware will be available at forest parties. Her gift for the bride and groom? Monogrammed towels.

She will be so C H E E R F U L at the party! Come speak with her! Enjoy her chipper, upbeat company!

[shenevermisses]

The glassware comes from the home of the two Careers... meaning it's like everything else they own here: utilitarian. It does its job admirably, but it doesn't look like anything special. Clove, not typically inclined toward alcohol, has nonetheless taken a glass of wine. It helps, actually, with the strangeness of the situation. Of being a hostess and of being a wife, now.

What's she supposed to do? Anything different than her usual routine with Cato? It'll be something to figure out, at least.

She's making her first set of rounds, small talk and all of that, letting everyone settle in with food and drink -- whether it's alcohol or not. She smiles as she approaches Effie, perhaps a bit more than the person she was just talking to. A bit more the proper Career, the girl ready to go into the Arena and vying for sponsors, rather than the tribute who died in her Game. "Thank you very much for coming, ma'am."

[trinkett]

"Oh, my dear Clove." Effie brushed some invisible dust from Clove's shoulder. "I wouldn't have missed it! And such a rustic location. It's so...unique!"

[swordprincess]

[Don't mind Karla as she shows up at the party sporting her usual "Sword Princess" attire. At least it's nothing too outlandish, and she shouldn't stand out much...unless one considers a white gown contrasted by raven black hair to stand out.]

Oh, Effie. You're looking quite chipper today.

[trinkett]

Karla! [Effie smiles at her friend.] You look lovely yourself! Are you enjoying the festivities?

[swordprincess]

Karla's been looking forward to this wedding party, even if her reason wasn't entirely certain. She's spoken to Cato enough times...she still isn't sure if they're friends, but she's still happy for him, after everything she's heard about him. And he seems nice enough. And cute.

She'll be looking over the tables to see what kind of food is available. She's looking to congratulate the bride and groom personally, but she'll chat or mingle with anyone.

[shenevermisses]

The good thing (and it's wholly intentional) about most of the food is that Clove can pop a piece or two in her mouth, chew, swallow, then get back to socializing. It's nothing fancy, very little of it requires sitting down and actually eating. After all, she doesn't have the time to really have a meal when she's working on entertaining guests.

After a quick drink from her cup, she's back to greeting everyone. With a smile -- a Career smile, rather than a real one -- she says, "Thank you very much for coming."

[swordprincess]

Karla glances at her, slightly surprised to see the bride herself approaching her. Suddenly, she loses her normal, controlled composure.

"Oh...thank you! I mean, congratulations! Um...you look lovely."

[savedtheworld]

[Aang shows up at the wedding, eager to dispense his well wishes. He's wearing his formal robes for it.

He picks out food from the tables to put together a vegetarian dish and spends some time socializing with whoever's around.

But all of it seems really... basic for him. Luckily, he has his flute on him. He eventually takes it out and starts playing some tunes, seeing if anyone decides to dance.]

[shenevermisses]

[After some milling around, playing the polite hostess as best she can, Clove hears the music and just... sort of gravitates toward it, taking a seat not far away to listen to him play.

There might even be the slightest hint of a smile, too.]

[savedtheworld]

[He's glad for that smile! From the newlywed bride, especially. He smiles as he continues playing and tries to get a more lively tune going on. He stands up from his seat and starts to do a little jig in place as he does so. He hopes his dancing will be contagious.]

[ps3pirate]

[Patty's honestly very thankful she got to attend the ceremony itself. She doesn't have any real family here and only very few close friends, so being a part of something like this keeps those feelings of loneliness at bay. Plus, the ceremony itself was very nice. She's even wearing a nice blue dress with crimson trimming for the occasion.

But now the time's come for dinner. After leaving a big platter of her trademark oden on the table for people to eat, she begins to bustle through the crowd. She'd like to congratulate the lucky couple in person once more, but really, she's up for chatting with just about anyone.]

[shenevermisses]

Thanks for coming.

[And Clove means it. Wholly sincere. Which is rare enough for her.

But... she and Cato are alone here. She had Jack... and even Katniss. So Patty? The closest thing Cato really has to family here? Just made it that much better.]

I didn't get a chance to tell you before -- your dress is really nice.

[ps3pirate]

[Patty lights up like a Christmas tree at the compliment. As much of a tomboy as she is, she loves it when people comment on her appearance and stroke her ego a little.]

You really think so? [She spreads the skirt out with both hands so Clove can see it properly, then twirls around on one foot.] I picked it out just for the occasion!

[deadalready]

[He's going to be a pain in the only way that a brother can and wrap an arm around Patty's neck instead of saying 'hi' like a normal freaking person.]

Hey, shorty.

[The nickname is relative since Cato's a giant, but he's aiming to annoy. If he can. He releases her shortly after announcing his presence.]

[ps3pirate]

[Oh. It annoys, all right. Patty's cheeks virtually puff themselves up as she whirls around to peer up at Cato. She's not really mad- how could she be? But she can at least pretend she won't put up with such teasing.]

Well, look who it is! The newly-wed Mr. Clove. You're taking her name because she wears the pants in the relationship, isn't that right?

[breezing]

[ Like her grandfather, Ikki shows up to the wedding in formal air nomad robes - though hers look a little different, being made for a small girl rather than a teenaged boy. Soren's accompanying her, and the bird pokemon has a tie around his neck, since Ikki apparently figures that's "fancy".

She brings a plate of cookies that Aang probably helped with, and makes sure to congratulate the newlyweds, likely with hugs if she can get away with it, and otherwise will cheerfully greet anyone she knows.

And, when Aang starts playing his flute, she might dance along for a bit, or sing. ]

[deadalready]

[It's when Ikki has come to do her congratulating that we find them now (mostly because I like hugs), Cato's in a good mood and actually smiles in a non-threatening manner. He's in a very good mood and might be bouncing up and down when he thinks no one can see him.

Not excited at all to be married. Nope.]

Thanks for the cookies...?

[He's pretty sure she brought the cookies. A little. At least. Clove told him to be nice.]

[prims]

[ Prim shows up to the party on time and with a simple offering in tow: some goat cheese she'd made herself. While she's still wary of the Careers in a general sense, Prim's never been that good at holding grudges or disliking people as a rule, and she'll offer up well wishes to the newlyweds at one point or another.

While she's not dressed fancily, she chose a neat skirt and blouse, and braided her hair back. The lack of revelry is a bit different from weddings she's managed to go to - at least in Twelve, they normally danced - but she doesn't really mind much at all - Prim speaks to those she recognizes, and otherwise is quietly supportive but unobtrusive. At least, that's what she's going for. ]

[shenevermisses]

[And in a normal District Two wedding, one held in their town, there would have been dancing. The Academy, however, had never seen fit to teach their students dancing, even of a traditional kind. So when the time came to plan her wedding without help from her mother and aunt and other women in the village, there was no one to inform her that, yes, even for her, music was expected.

Someone had suggested it here, but she hadn't seen the point.

When Clove catches the eye of the young girl, she gives a polite nod of her head in acknowledgement. This one, especially, she doesn't know how to handle. A young girl, one who was almost in the Games. Spared that only to die another way. A girl who understands, from what Katniss has told her, what it means to have only this place. Only this chance.]

[stillplaying]

She had been at the ceremony as she had promised Clove. The dress she wore was one of her simpler ones - a nice green frock that she had obtained early on in her stay here. Her hair had been done up in her mother's complicated plait updo, minimal makeup on her face. A respectful look, one she thought fitting to celebrate the wedding of the boy she had killed and the girl who had killed her.

It had been a nice ceremony. One she had managed to get through without feeling too much jealousy. This was the future that she'd never get with Peeta. And still, she did her best to celebrate. The longer the reception goes on, the easier it becomes.

[shenevermisses]

Seeing Katniss -- both at the ceremony and here -- meant a lot to the girl from District Two. She couldn't use the word "friend." It was too foreign to her vocabulary. Maybe the girls in the Academy had been her friends, though even they had been competition for a place in the Games. But since the Reaping, she'd known she had no friends. Only temporary allies who would turn on her.

But Katniss... They'd fought in the arena. Tried to kill each other. Clove had actually succeeded here. She never had found that knife, she realized. It was still somewhere in the forest, covered in blood.

After a time, she approaches Katniss. She's spoken to all the guests, had a bit to drink, and now she comes bearing two glasses of apple cider. Perfect for the season. She offers one to Katniss wordlessly, giving the slightest of smiles.

[origami_ninja]

[Konan is glad that she was able to be part of the ceremony. She's been getting to know Clove over the past year, and she's seen her slowly but surely become a little more open, to the point of sending out an open invitation for people to celebrate with her and Cato. Konan wishes the newlyweds every happiness. For some, this place is a prison, but for others, it can represent new beginnings. It seems like the latter is the case for Clove and Cato.

She's contributed to the decorations with some origami here and there. There are origami flowers, and there are also a few origami doves fluttering around.

Now that the ceremony is over, she can approach and offer her congratulations as a friend rather than the officiant.]

Congratulations, Clove. I'm happy for you both.

[shenevermisses]

Thank you.

[And for Konan, her smile isn't quite as obvious, but it's that much more genuine because it isn't. When she smiles bright and wide, it's an act. These smaller, more muted smiles? Those are real.]

And... thank you for all your help. We both really appreciate it. If I can ever repay the favor somehow, I'd like to.

[Which takes a lot to make her offer. To make her acknowledge what she considers a debt.]

[ahappylie]

[As promised, Souji made it to the after party - bringing a large dish of rice cooked with chestnuts. Something sweet, but filling, and appropriate to the season. He also brought along a similarly sized pot of simple miso soup with tofu and seasonal vegetables. It had taken him a bit to get the recipe just right, but for people wanting a more Eastern fare, he definitely provided. Simpleas it might be, the side dishes could be filling and hopefully, warming.

He set them on the table and made his way to congratulate the bride and groom. While everyone else wore Western attire, Souji had chosen to go with a pale white kimono like always - embellished with fortuitous designs like the seven gods and cranes in silver thread along the hems and edges of his sleeves. As he came up to Clove, he smiled.]

I am glad to see your party is going as well as you planned.