An Apartment Building in Two Bridges, New York, Wednesday Evening

[suitably_heroic]

Three years ago, when Jack had first moved in here, this had been a weird, confusing thing to be dragged into - this communal gathering in a living room on the fourth floor, open to anyone who didn't have a place to land on Christmas. But by now, it was tradition.

By now, he and Dane showed up early, before dinner and before the party, to help set everything up. Trent would arrive later. Lana, hopefully, would be here soon too.

But for the moment, there was a nice, friendly quiet. Helping Dane with the sound system. Helping mrs. Zhang pull out the table and set out the plates. Watching mrs. Zhang's kid fumble with the Christmas decorations.

It was nice. And they hadn't even started yet.

As more people poured in and they sat down for dinner, Jack pulled out his phone and texted Lana the apartment number. Yeah. Yeah, this was nice.

[[ expecting one, but open for texts and calls as always ]]

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[unusual_sith]

Lana showed up bearing a large box with an assortment of Viennese pastries. She was wearing jeans and, in a nod to the holiday, a red sweater with just a little bit of sparkle to it. She waved to Jack and Dane as she headed over.

"This looks very festive. Merry...actually, do either of you actually celebrate Christmas?" She realized she had no idea what religion Dane was.

[suitably_heroic]

Dane ran his hand along his hair. "...Culturally?" he offered.

"Let's go with that," Jack said, already moving over towards the box. "Lana! Your pastries made it! ... And so did you."

[unusual_sith]

"Merry Christmas culturally, then," Lana said, laughing. "I'm not judging, only curious. And yes, the pastries and their courier made it." She passed over the box. "There's another box wrapped up in front of your door downstairs, so you won't need to stress about sharing."

[suitably_heroic]

Dane shrugged easily. "Try growing up in New York without getting at least a little indoctrinated," he said easily. "How've you been, Lana?"

"Oh sure, be the nice one," Jack groused, but he was opening that box and poking around in it within seconds.

[unusual_sith]

"But I so rarely get to be the nice one!" Lana protested. "I've been well," she answered Dane. "Just finished my last class of traveling around the world, and things are going suspiciously well at home. How is it being back in New York?"

[suitably_heroic]

"It's been a couple of months," Dane said, easily, "But it's still nice. Home is home, you know?"

Jack poached a pastry out of the box. "We've been weirdly busy," he said. "I mean, not just him, also me. Somehow."

[unusual_sith]

"Well, yes, but I haven't been back here since then," Lana said. "Music busy or other things?" Lana asked.

[suitably_heroic]

"Music busy, but not how you'd expect," Jack said. He took a big bite of a big... something? "Been helping out some of our friends, some of the venues we've played at..."

[unusual_sith]

"So, playing other things and branching out?" Lana asked.

[suitably_heroic]

Jack shot her an amused look. "Helping them record stuff, man merch booths and haul stuff around."

[unusual_sith]

"Ah, so support work." Lana nodded. "I've been doing a bit of that myself, though it's less manning merch booths and more scowling at politicians."

[suitably_heroic]

That earned a soft chuckle. "Jedi - or Sith, or Alliance - stuff doesn't count, I've been told."

"Nope," Dane agreed. "Not unless you're a weirdo who enjoys that kind of thing."

[unusual_sith]

"Depends on the politician," Lana decreed. "Some of them richly deserve it and I'm happy to supply it."

[suitably_heroic]

"You just say that because you don't have enough hobbies," Jack sighed. He nodded towards the living room. "C'mon. Everyone's finished with dinner and Trent just got here, so we're going to set up."

[unusual_sith]

"Are you saying there aren't any politicians you'd like to terrify?" Lana asked, raising an eyebrow at him. She was calling bullshit on that.

"No Jill today?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, you do not want to tell that family we're stealing her for Christmas," Jack said.

Dane nodded sagely as he backed out of the hallway. "Now her family," he said, "does Christmas."

[unusual_sith]

"Oh, dear." Lana laughed. Then she grinned as she followed. "Need a drummer?"

She was absolutely not good enough. It didn't mean she wouldn't offer.

[suitably_heroic]

"Nah, we have this down to a science," Jack laughed, as he wandered after Dane. "You're welcome to tap along on the couch, though."

[unusual_sith]

"See if I don't," Lana challenged, still smiling. In an undertone to Jack, she added, "Any neighbours I need to look out for?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Mrs. Cho in the corner over there will talk your ear off about knitting if you get too close," Jack said, lowering his voice. "And the brown-haired guy sulking in the corner? Stay away from him too."

[unusual_sith]

"The one that isn't you, you mean?" Lana asked, smirking.

Look, she'd seen you lurking in corners at more than a few parties.

[suitably_heroic]

Jack pulled a face at her. "I'm trying to save you from a creep who's going to call you a cougar all night," he said. "A little appreciation here?"

[unusual_sith]

"All right," Lana agreed. "I may be amused, but I do appreciate the advice. You go do your thing, and I'll find a place for these," she hefted the box of pastries, "then mingle." She waved to Trent.

[suitably_heroic]

Trent looked up from his bass, looking... disturbed... and then gave the oddest three-fingered wave in her direction.

Jack shrugged, and continued after Dane by the instruments. Around them, more people filed in. The Yule Log was on the TV, and Mrs. Zhang and her kids were handing out drinks.

[unusual_sith]

Lana gave Trent a wave and a questioning look back before heading over to offer him a pastry. "Merry Christmas if you celebrate it," she offered. "Otherwise, happy Wednesday and have a pastry."

[suitably_heroic]

"You can just say 'happy holidays' if you're so worried," Trent muttered, though he sure did grab a pastry quickly. "We're all technically a part of the Christmas industrial complex, whether we like to be or not."

[unusual_sith]

Lana shrugged. "I'd never even heard of it until I was sixteen, and here I am," she agreed. "Happy holidays, then. Do you not enjoy it?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Christmas is just another excuse for capitalism to milk and bilk the working man," Trent said. And stuffed his face with pastry. "But I like this party."

[unusual_sith]

"It is rather well-advertised," Lana admitted. "You should have seen Vienna. Still, good food and company are always welcome. And good music," she added. "And if you spot any egregious capitalists, you can always send a few ghosts to haunt them; I won't tell."

[suitably_heroic]

Trent snorted. "Vienna, huh?" he said. "What took you there?"

Was that an accusation? Who knew?

[unusual_sith]

"Class," Lana explained. "I try to take my students all around the world to learn about the place. It's important to learn about the place you live in, don't you think?"

[suitably_heroic]

"So you're trying to scope out the planet for your imminent invasion?" Trent asked.

[unusual_sith]

"Oh, absolutely," Lana said, deadpan. "Our ships and troops are ready, but first we have to find the best place to get sushi and pancakes."

[suitably_heroic]

Trent tapped the side of his nose. "Prioritize securing the food supply," he said.

He sounded very serious.

[unusual_sith]

"Precisely," Lana agreed. "Moral is important. We can't have subpar sandwiches. Not to mention, if we set down in New York and ask to be taken to the best corned beef, the resulting arguments will do half our work for us."

She'd tried looking things up. Apparently New Yorkers had Opinions about this.

[suitably_heroic]

"I would save that one for Jack and Dane," Trent deadpanned. "But hm. Good to know." He tapped his nose again. "I'll be prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Dane asked, collapsing down on the sofa next to them.

"Aliens," Trent said firmly.

[unusual_sith]

"Our inevitable invasion," Lana clarified. "Once we learn where all the best food is."

[suitably_heroic]

"Ah," Dane said, nodding. He stretched his legs out. "I mean, I've got Jack to vouch for me. Happy to be a concubine in the new world order."

Trent eyed him. "You really need firearms training."

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. "Duly noted." She nudged Trent. "Don't encourage the resistance. Have another pastry."

[suitably_heroic]

Dane let out a low chuckle as the bassist busied himself - grumpily - with the pastries. "So how was Vienna?"

[unusual_sith]

"Crowded but cheerful," Lana answered after a moment's thought. "I made it to a few of the markets, and there were some interesting crafts, musicians here and there, Christmas lights. And so much food! I could have brought back a truckload if I'd had a truck."

[suitably_heroic]

"What, you don't have magical alien powers that'll drop like ten tons of sausage on us from above?" Dane asked. "Now I'm disappointed. I expected so much more!"

[unusual_sith]

Lana laughed. And thought about it. "I could pick up that much meat, call for a portal above the apartment, and throw it through. If you're dead set on ten tons of sausage."

[suitably_heroic]

Dane... pretended to think about it.

"That's too much sausage," he concluded. "Even for me."

[unusual_sith]

"That's fair," Lana declared. "Have a pastry instead." She switched the box from Trent's side to Dane's. There might even be a sausage pastry in there!

[suitably_heroic]

Which Dane did not take, he had to be clear. He grabbed something else. "You've been running that class for a while, right?"

[unusual_sith]

"Yes, several semesters. Next I'm taking them to museums and tourist traps and such. The things we've been avoiding previously. I don't think I'll ever run out of places on Earth to go; it's so varied!"

[suitably_heroic]

"And you've only been to New York once," Dane pointed out. "We could be a whole semester!"

[unusual_sith]

"Very likely," Lana agreed. She grinned. "Are you offering to play tour guide? Or at least to give me a list of places not to miss?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Dane, don't enable her," Jack groused, flipping over the back of the couch (showoff) to sit down by them. "She needs to relax."

[unusual_sith]

"I am relaxing!" Lana protested. "If any of you want to give suggestions about my class, it's not me doing the work."

[suitably_heroic]

"You made fun into work," Jack accused. "You have a problem!"

[unusual_sith]

Lana scoffed. "No, I've made work into fun," she insisted. "I'm being a tourist all over Earth! The only work I have to do is the paperwork to start and keeping the children out of trouble. And they've been very good so far."

[suitably_heroic]

"Those sound like excuses," Jack told her. And then he looked at Dane, and repeated. "Excuses, right?"

Dane looked back at him and blinked. "That sounds like maybe we shouldn't try to manage her life...?"

[unusual_sith]

Lana smiled at Dane. "Don't worry. Believe me, I know what it's like when someone's trying to manage my life, and he doesn't come close. I appreciate the concern - from both of you," she added, looking to Jack, "but I really am fine. And if what you mean is 'don't talk about school at the party', I can do that, too. What sports are people playing this time of year?"

[suitably_heroic]

Jack heard the word 'sports' and lurched forward. "No, do--"

"It's snowboarding World Cup season," Dane said gleefully. "I mean. Christmas break right now. But the Copper Mountain X Games street style last week? Fucking sick."

[unusual_sith]

Lana frowned. (And ignored Jack.) "I confess I'm trying to reconcile 'snowboarding' and 'street style'. I'd think those would be different things?"

[suitably_heroic]

Dane pulled his guitar into himself, and fiddled with the pegs. "Nah. Street style is like throwing snowboarding and skateboarding into a blender. It's still on snow most of the time, just not as much of it, and you're doing a ton of jumping on pipes and stuff. It's like if the adrenaline on regular snowboarding runs out and you want a new challenge, you know?"

Jack sighed, sagged into his seat, and reached pitifully for a beverage.

[unusual_sith]

"Oh, I think I've seen that!" Lana said. "It does look like fun. What's not-street-style, then? How many styles are there?"

Sorry, Jack.

[suitably_heroic]

As Dane tuned his guitar, he launched into an exhaustive and extremely enthusiastic (for his standards) explanation about all the ins and outs.

Jack, for his part, just sipped his water and watched more people filter into the apartment, one by one.

[unusual_sith]

Lana listened and asked questions as they came up; she started with mild curiosity and just wanting to get to know Dane better, but her love of learning soon had her genuinely interested and making mental notes of things to look up later; she'd probably end up with a favorite to cheer on and Opinions on things before the end of the week.

[suitably_heroic]

And then, just like that, the room had filled up. A diverse array of people settled on sofas, chairs or the floor; the chattering around them was loud, until finally--

"OKAY EVERYONE SHUT UP WE'RE STARTING."

-- Trent's voice cut through the noise. He struck a loud note on his bass to give his voice some strength.

And just like that, everyone shut up.

Jack snorted softly, but he sat up a little. "Right, so you guys know the drill," he said, "We're doing the Christmas classics. To get me through this without severe drinking, we kick off with 'Fairytale of New York' and I get to do at least one song of my own choosing."

He clapped his hands. "And no, I'm not bringing the piano into this, this isn't bingo night."

Dane snickered, turning to his guitar, his fingers already picking the opening piano melody to 'Fairytale of New York' on the strings.

[unusual_sith]

Lana wasn't sure what piano and bingo had to do with each other, but she saved that question for later. Right now she was focusing on what seemed to be a rather odd Christmas song.

Catchy! But not what she'd come to expect from these things.