[FIN] Good News

[Blood_Goddess]

The trip to Grand Ile had not lasted long, as it usually doesn't, but despite that,it was certainly going to be one of the most memorable visits there.
It had been a couple day since they had returned from Grand Ile, and there wasn't a day that Rosie didn't wake up with a smile on her face.
She could honestly say she didn't remember a time when she was so happy, and that was saying a lot coming from her, but being engaged to the man she loved just took the cake.

Rodney, seeing as he lived in the same household as them, had been the first to find out, the fact that he didn't look too surprised but reacted with a whole hearted congratulations.
The next couple of the days he then spent telling them random tips about wedding locations and dates. Something Rosie couldn't help but giggle at.

It was of course left for the matter of telling the rest of the Ewell family.
A date had been set up with the help of Rodeny, for a dinner with the family in witch Luke and Sera were both invited to Bruce's house.

"Okay so, remember... he's just emotional," Rosie said, standing outside the front door of the house, the ground around covered in ice and snow.
Rosie turned to talk to Luke, while Rodney knocked on the door.
"I think he's used to the fact that we're dating now, and he'll be okay with this too, he just... might need some time to adapt again." She felt she at least had to warn Luke. Seeing as Bruce had a habit of being a protective papa bear, and she honestly wasn't sure how he would react to this.

"He's just a big baby." Rodney added with an absence of any delicacy that Rosie was trying to add  

[Suudonym]

For Luke's part, it didn't really imply much to say that he had never been happier in his life, given the depths at which he had subsisted for so long. By that token, it would be fair to say that he was absolutely uncharacteristically ecstatic - until he remembered the necessity of sharing the information with her uncle.

Rosie's family was comprised of a bunch of good people who had her best interests at heart and had always been very warm and welcoming to Luke, but he couldn't help but recall the feeling of being on trial when the news of the fact that they were dating came out. The more Rosie and Rodney explained the reasons for Bruce's potential reaction, the more Luke's stomach twisted in anticipation. He had no doubt that it would work out in the end, but the parts in the middle were just a bit worrying.

"I think I sort of understand a little of how you feel talking to my dad," Luke said, laughing halfheartedly.  

[Blood_Goddess]

She gave a small sympathetic smile to Luke, reaching out to take his hand "I'm sorry, we'll get through this and then we don't have to again, it'll be good."
Then they just had friends left to tell, and she had no idea how to go about that. But for now, family was first.

At that moment the front door opened, flooding the patio with light and warmth from inside.
"Oh geeze, what are you doing knocking? Are you serious? Get in here out of the cold." Bruce's voice said, the tall dark blond stepping to the side and holding to door to let the group in.

"Its not like we live here anymore." Rodney pointed out, "Just seemed rude to just burst in"

"You think too much boy." Bruce said waving them in to hurry them up.

The house was warm, and well lit. the usual noise of background music wafted throughout the house and the comforting smell of food helped to heat the home further.

Rodney walked in, looking up at the greeting from a brunette who was walking down the hall to greet them as well.

"Hi Uncle." Rosie said delightedly, reaching out for a hug as the man offered it, hugging her tightly

"My girl, Its good to have you back home for dinner." He tolder her, rocking her back and forth.
she giggled, letting him go so she could take her coat off and greet Alex.

"And Luke." Bruce said, turning to the next person behind Rosie, his voice lacked the warmth that it held when he spoke to Rosie but it was at least welcoming in his usual bold way. The man held a hand out to shake his hand "Hows the leg... or the back? I don't know. how's the cane?"  

[Suudonym]

It was definitely nice that between two people, there could only be two families, and he nodded his understanding of the sentiment. Telling their friends would be… strange to try to do, but certainly nowhere near as stressful for anyone involved.

The door was opened, and the small collection of people entered the house, Luke undoing the scarf around his shoulders as Bruce greeted his fiancee. As he was greeted in turn, he gestured briefly with empty hands before accepting the handshake, "Not necessary for once, thankfully. At least for the time being."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Bruce's eyes widened momentarily before he let out a rather loud laugh "HAH, guess not, Good good."
He allowed the group time to hang up the coats, "I Hope you guys are hungry! Evan made too much food... again." he said

"He acts like that's unusual." Alex sighed lifting a corner of her mouth.

"You act like that's unusual" Evan called from the kitchen, Alex brightening up with a big smile and pointing to herself as Evan literally repeated what she had just said. "I spend too much time around these men. Rosie help." She said, putting her hands on the blond's shoulders. While Bruce burst out into laughter and made his way down the hall to the kitchen his voice carrying through the hall as he spoke to who would most likely be Evan "Alex just said that."

Rosie giggled putting her hands on the brunette's "You like spending time with him though."

"Ehh yeah." the older women admitted, straightening back up and putting crossing her arms. "You're right. but anyway- come on in, Luke! How was your birthday back home?"  

[Suudonym]

Luke had by now begun to get used to Rosie's family, though after his recent visit in Grande Ile, it was once again vividly clear just how different their families were. He overwhelmingly preferred their relaxed and friendly atmosphere to the formal and stern presence his father carried.

"It was… kind of weird?" he answered uncertainly, unable to think of a better descriptor for the day's events. "I'm glad I don't have to do it again, that's for sure. I don't think I would have survived if Rosie and Sera hadn't agreed to come."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Weird? Well that's a bummer." Alex said with a sense of regret "How old are you now? 20 right? That's a big one,"

"For Grand Ile too." Rosie pointed out looking from Luke to Alex.

"Is it really? You should tell us about it, though, lets get away from the door first." Alex noticed they had not proceeded much further into the room.
She walked them down the hall, gesturing them to join as she took the lead.
Rosie smiled, looking over to her fiance again and reaching out to take his hand.

Most everyone was sitting around the kitchen, Evan seemed to be finished cooking but the men gathered around the counter a few glasses of red wide already sitting out on the counter, to indicate just a casual family gathering while they had waited for the others to arrive.

"Its a 'coming of age' kind of celebration for the 20th's birthday. isn't it?" Rodney asked, though less as a question and more of stating a fact that the others might not know, having heard Alex talking about it.  

[Suudonym]

Luke followed further into the house, returning Rosie's smile as she took his hand. He nodded his confirmation to Rodney's statement, "I always heard it was supposed to be some kind of major celebration, but it was mostly just following my father around while he talked politics with a bunch of nobles I barely know."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Evan gave a wince at that explanation, in mid drink. "Mmmh" his face scrunched up a bit before he managed to swallow the wine "Oh man, party hard."

"So its a bunch of nobles that got together huh?" Alex confirmed, "sounds like it would have been really fancy." She looked over to Rosie arching her eyebrows.

"It was very pretty, and everyone there was dressed really nicely." She confirmed with a nod. Looking as Luke and asking more quietly "do want something to drink?"  

[Suudonym]

"Pretty," Luke repeated, wagging a finger indicatively. "Pretty boring." Hearing Rosie's question, he looked to her with a temporary thoughtfulness before nodding with a quiet "sure, thank you."  

[Blood_Goddess]

There were snorts of amusement and light 'hah!' from the Ewells at his comment.
Bruce shaking his head and setting his wineglass down "You know what the problem was right? We're talkin' music, did they have any playing? what kind?"

Alex moved to get the drinks for Rosie as she started past, but the younger blond shook her head with a smile, speaking to her quietly that she could get it.
"Okay but there is cider in that Thermos" Alex pointed out quietly to Rosie "my grandmother made it, she would be sad if everyone doesn't try it."  

[Suudonym]

Luke shrugged, "There was a string ensemble, but it was just background noise, not something that people were actually supposed to listen to and appreciate."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Well there you go, play something with a little more life in it and you'll get all those fancy parties in a better mood."

"I am... suuuure that's not how it works Bruce" Rodney pointed out with an arched eyebrow

Bruce threw his hands up "Sure it is! I see it all the time. A little music goes a long way."

"So basically, what he's saying is that next time you have a party like that, you need to have a DJ to come crash it." Evan said pointing to Luke with arched eyebrows, leaning forward a little in a sarcastic approval of this idea.
Alex shaking her head next to him and mouthing the word 'noooo'

"Are they going to expect you to go back next year too?" Rosie asked as she walked back around the counter to join luke, handing him a mug with a warm drink in it.  

[Suudonym]

"I don't think that would work out very well," Luke said with a laugh. "They'd probably just be startled, and maybe kind of irritated. I can just hear my father now, 'What is that nonsensical racket? Play something more civilized or don't play anything at all!'" He shook his head in rejection of the thought.

Accepting the mug with a word of thanks, he replied, "I don't think so. I'm pretty sure that now things go back to the way they've been for the past few years."  

[Blood_Goddess]

"Holy s**t, flash backs of my mother." Bruce laughed at Luke's interpretation of his father. reaching his hands out and playing as if he was at a turn table, one hand to his hear and the other fiddling around invisible controls "Whats that? Turn the music up? Man you are WILD!" his fingers slid up the counter his head bobbing to whatever music was playing in his head.

Rosie very much liked that answer, perking up as she took her seat.