11/18 Instance: Winter Wonderland

[NachtcGleiskette]

timeline before Spin the Bottle

Remy: He'd finally gone and shopped for a decent coat, scarf, mitts and even a knit cap. He was reasonabally sure he looked the idio, but at least he wasn't completely freezing his ass off this time.

sage: Tessa sat in one of the patio chairs with her ankles up on the table, violin under her chin and being played. She hummed along with it, closing her eyes and sighing. It was good to be back.

Talia: TJ looked up at Remy from where she sat in the snow with their son. "You think you're warm enough? Or should we build a fire?" she teased.

Remy: He crossed his arms. "Don' y' sass me. At least I came out. It's damn unnatural t' want t' freeze if y' ask me."

Talia: She rolled her eyes. "You're not gonna freeze! And besides, look how much fun he's having!"

Rogue: Rogue walked out onto the patio and pulled her bomber jacket tighter around her. She smiled at Tessa's playing, but didn't want to disturb her, so she sat down quietly in the chair across from her and watched the bow glide over the strings.

Talia: She looked over to where Tessa played. "That sounds really awesome too, Tess."

Remy: He turned to face the music player, and paused as he spotted Anna. He gave the two of them a warm smile. "Oui. Not many times y' can sit an' be entertained wit' such style." He chuckled and glanced at TJ again. "While freezin' y're ass off."

sage: Tess just shook her head. "Thanks, but this one I can't claim as mine. I believe Elvis did it best." She twitched her nose and sang--very quietly--along with the words. "Love me tender, love me true, all my dreams fulfill..."

Rogue: Rogue smiled at her roommate and picked up the singing with her, "Oh, my darling, Ah love you. An' Ah always will..."

Talia: "Oh you are such a baby," she said, throwing a bit of snow up at him. Johnny smiled up and then set his attention back at the white stuff surrounding him.

Josh: Josh was coming back from a walk around the school grounds. He smiled at the site of his classmates goofing off in the yard. And were those strains of a violin he heard?

Remy: He dodged it easily and then knelt down to shove up a large pile of snow for Johnny. "Guess warmin' up is fun enough t' be almost worth dis."

sage: "I used to love this song so much." Tess slowly smiled and left the singing up to Rogue. "Don't get to hear it much over here, but it's still nice to play now and then."

Talia: Johnny watched as Remy made him a small hill of snow, then lunged forward into it. Talia laughed. "It's definately a change from being in like, warm places for the whole break. But he's so into the snow!"

Remy: "Oui, well wait till d' summer an' he can play in d' sand. Dat's much more sensible."

Rogue: "Love me tender, love me dear, tell me you are mine. I'll be yours through all the years, till the end of time." Rogue frowned as she finished the verse and looked at Tessa, "Ya don't hear Elvis much here? Sugah, ya know Ah got his greatest hits CD right?"

sage: "Have you seen the littlest of us out here?" Tessa asked Rogue. "He's playing in the snow with TJ and Remy." She nodded her head back over the patio wall in the general direction of the three.

Talia: "Well, snow now, sand then," she said, moving a bit closer to Remy. She glanced ahead to the patio again. "I didn't know Tessa played violin..."

sage: "Not hearing it much just means that I don't hear it as much as I did back home. They play a whole lot more over the radio there."

Josh: "You two make pretty music together," Josh said as he came by the patio and looked up at Tessa and Rogue. "I'll give that a 'brava.'"

Remy: "Mmmm." He frowned in thought. "I think I did. Maybe jus' bein' all confused about it too. She's good though."

Rogue: Rogue cringed a bit, she knew they were there, but she didn't want to turn and face them, but now she wanted to see what Johnny was doing. She turned and watched Johnny for a moment, smiling at him, making sure to keep him in tunnel vision, "He's a doll." She turned to Josh and smiled wider, "Thanks, sugah. That's real sweet of ya."

sage: Tessa snickered and pointed the bow at Josh. "Thanks, but if you start calling me chickadee there'll be a few issues." She smiled and scooped ehr hair back tiredly.

Talia: "She is....I'm trying to figure out what she's playing, I feel like I heard it before..." she laid her head on his shoulder, shivering a bit but trying to hide it. No proving him right!

Remy: He looped an arm around her and looked back over at the trio. "Y' know anythin' zydeco Tessa? Somethin' wit' a bit of a quick beat? Or it more violin dan d' fiddle?" He noticed that Anna was avoiding his gaze, and he sighed a bit.

sage: "Sure." She shrugged and sat up, starting on a quick folk reel that was rougher than the last song, but had more of a sad feel under the quick jumpiness. "If you're up to explaining what zydeco is."

Josh: "What, like 'Turkey in the Straw?'" Josh joked. "That's got a quick beat."

Remy: "Oui. Well kinda. But close. Y' know dat?"

Rogue: Rogue gave Josh a grin, "Ya a goofball. So y'all are tellin' me, yall don't know zydeco?"

Josh: "I have a feeling we're about to become enlightened if we don't," Josh said.

Talia: "Turkey in the straw' is Zydeco??" TJ made a confused face. "I didn't know that! We sang that once in kindergarten!"

sage: "I have an excuse." Tessa got up to adjust sitting position, ending up ith her feet in the chair and sitting on her heels.

Rogue: Rogue let out a small laugh, "Ah guess, ya do, Tessa, but Ah figured bein' here as long as ya have, an' around Remy, ya woulda heard some by now."

Remy: "Non, it ain't. Its more folksy. But zydeco kinda has dat flavor, oui." He smiled at Anna again. "An' oui. I've blasted it enough, non? Suppose dat's in d' boys wing still though."

sage: She shrugged and finished the song a little early. "Bet I could learn it if I had a record of it." She tapped the end of her bow against her chin in thought.

Rogue: Rogue glanced at him, "True..."

Talia: She smirked. "I think you made Johnny a fan."

Remy: "I'll burn y' a cd." He offered Tessa. "An' of course. He's gotta be a fan, its in d' blood chere."

Josh: "Did Remy convert you too, TJ?" Josh asked. "To Zydeco?"

Talia: She gave Josh a look. "I don't get much a choice. I get to hear it anyway."

Josh: "I hear you," Josh assured her, thinking of Rachel's Nightmare Academy CD tucked away in his music shelf.

sage: Tessa snickered. "Rogue hasn't got much of one either when I take over the computer speakers."

Remy: "Hey." He dumped a handful of snow on her head. "Don' knock my heritage."

Talia: "Ah!" She wiped it off her head, then smacked his arm. "I'm not even wearing a hat! And I didn't knock anything, but I'm gonna if you do that again!" she faux threatened him.

Remy: He just chuckled. "Y' an' what army?"

Talia: She narrowed her eyes with a smirk, and picked Johnny up. "This army!"

sage: Tessa raised an eyebrow at the playful threat and stepped sodeways away from them, taking a seat on the wall. "Oh, she's got ammunition with that one. Projectile vomit is deadly."

Josh: Josh chuckled. "Worse than about three armies and a cave troll, I'd say."

Talia: She laughed at them. "Projectile vomit isn't even the half of it," she told Tess.

sage: "Oh, I know. My niece was bad about the messiness when she was that age." Tess searched in her pockets for a piece of candy and came up empty, frowning. "Though you have to admit, that one is bad."

Rogue: Rogue fought a smile and after a small effort, was able to keep it under control. She sat quietly and watched the scene in front of her with a slight pang of jealousy.

sage: Tessa sighed as she searched the rest of her pockets and still found nothing sweet. She left her violin on the case on the table and hopped down to meander into the kitchen. "Want anything from in here, lovebirds and company?"

Talia: "Ohh..Tessa, maybe put some milk on the stove so we can make cocoa in a bit??" she asked, Johnny cuddling a bit in her lap.

Remy: "Hey! I changed him dis mornin'. Its y're turn next."

Josh: "I could do with a hot drink. I've been out here for a while," Josh added with a nod.

Remy: He perked up at the cocoa. "An' dat sounds great."

Rogue: Rogue fought back a sigh at Tessa's comment, 'No thanks, sugah. Ah'm ok."

Talia: She turned back to Remy, smiling deviously. She grabbed a big pile of snow, and threw it on him.

Remy: "Hey!" He shuddered as some slipped down his collar. "Maudit woman!"

sage: Tessa came back in with a cup of water and a handful of flavored miniature tootsie rolls. "Do I even want to know?" She lifted an eyebrow and sat down next to Rogue, making a face at the bitter taste in her mouth. Even the damn totsie rolls didn't hide it.

Rogue: Rogue raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Oh, them? Ah dunno. Wasn't payin' much attention... But Ah'm thinkin' she got him with snow."

sage: She leaned over and whispered to Rogue, "Do I need to inflict harm?"

Talia: "You soooo asked for it!" she laughed, holding Johnny tight in her lap, knowing he was her only protection.

Rogue: She couldn't stop the laugh that flowed out of her, "No, it's ok." she added to her friend silently.

Remy: "Dat's not fair! Usin' d' kid as a shield!"

Talia: She gave him an innocent look. "I am not! He just wants to cuddle with his Mommy, don't you?" Johnny for his part just looked around at the snow on the ground.

sage: Tessa snorted. Tessa took the chance and flicked a cold Tootsie Roll at Josh. "Speak, O Geeky One. You've been quiet."

Josh: Josh caught the tootsie roll in surprise. "Who you calling a geek?" he retorted in good humor. "I'm just enjoying the fine weather. Winter is my favorite season."

Remy: "Riiiight. Well, he has t' go t' bed sometime." He gave her a wide grin.

Rogue: She grinned at Tessa and stole a tootsie roll.

sage: "You are a geek. Anyone who uses the phrase cave troll in a normal conversation is a geek." Tessa smiled widely.

Josh: Josh held up his hands. "Ok, guilty as charged. But I had a boring break. Not much to do other than watch geeky sci-fi flicks and stuff."

Rogue: She looked over at Josh in surprise, "Really? Ah hate cold weather. Ah had joked around this winter with a friend about hybernatin'...." She glanced towards Remy quickly with just her eyes, then back to Josh, "That doesn't work too well. Cabin fever an' all."

sage:

Talia: "Since when do you hold grudges?? And why would you wanna do anything to me?" she asked, giving him puppy dog eyes, as Johnny wiggled then crawled out of her lap to play with a few pine cones in the snow. "You traitor! Leaving Mommy like that!"

Remy: He started making a huge snowball. "Who said anthin' about grudges?"

Rogue: She snickered at Tessa,

Josh: Josh nodded. "Yeah, it sucks being holed up all the time." His eyes flickered to Remy, following Rogue's train of vision, and he smiled. "Can't remember my parents ever playing in the snow with me and my brothers like that."

sage: "Josh, you could have called one of us on the phone." Tess didn't fail to notice the flick at Remy. She drank her water when her cell phone timer went off and dug out the plastic packet her pills were stored in.

Talia: Her eyes widened a bit. "What're you doing with that??"

Josh: "Well, you were in Germany, for one thing. Long distance calls and me with no money equal a no-no. How was that, by the way? I've always wanted to visit Europe."

Remy: He hoisted the foot wide snowball. "What? Wit' dis?"

Talia: "Don't you dare!" she said, backing up a bit.

sage: "Quite nice. Very cold, very pretty. Much sounding like I was about to cough up a furball." She scooted away from Remy and just took her pills, hoping to not get wet from the snow.

Rogue: Rogue frowned, not getting what Josh meant for a moment, "Oh... yeah, cool. An' ya know, Ah was here too, loser. Ah believe Rae told me that you were tha monster who finished off half of mah soup."

Remy: He winked at her, charged it, and hoisted it over the heads of the three on the deck. It exploded with a small whoomp and peppered down.

Talia: TJ giggled as the snow rained down on the three, then turned when she heard a hesitant cry behind her. She picked Johnny up and pulled him into her lap. "It's not scary, sweetie, just Papa being silly."

Josh: Josh shrugged. "Guess I wasn't feeling that social either. And the soup was not labeled, looked delicious, am I supposed to apologize?" He grinned. Then his eyes widened as snow suddenly dusted his head. "OK, that's cold."

sage: "Oh, that's inviting the hangman, cajunboy." Tessa scooped up snow and packed it into a good golfball sized hard lump before she pitched it at Remy's face.

Rogue: Rogue shook it off and frowned over at Remy, "Not even fair, Remy." She ran her gloved hands through her hair, trying to get it off.

Josh: Smirking, Josh scooped up a snowball of his own and aimed it carefully. "Wouldn't want Tessa for my enemy," he said, "otherwise I'd never go up against a brother." He launched the snowball at Remy as well.

Remy: He ducked and laughed, dashing out of the way, but still getting hit on the back.

sage: Tessa shoook off her violin before sticking it back in the case. "Aw, why not? I don't bite hard. Unless you're into that."

Rogue: "No, sugah, Ah meant it f' yall ta eat. Ah'm just givin' ya a hard time." She smiled at Josh and scooped up a snowball and played with it a bit before aiming for Remy's head, "Take that, Cajun."

Talia: TJ scooted out of the line of fire, Johnny watching his dad get pummeled with rapt attention.

Remy: He'd turned back, thinking he'd escaped the brunt of it, only to get socked by the one Anna tossed his way. He grinned, glad she was getting into it. "Well...maybe its time I made dat cocoa."

Josh: "Getting cold feet?" Josh was prepared with another snowball.

Remy: "My feet I can ignore. My ass less so, an' my balls definately not."

sage: "Milk's not hot yet. No weaseling out of your due." Tessa grinned at Remy and tossed another snowball at his middle, not really intending it go hit low. Much. Good thing she hadn't put any rocks in it...

Talia: TJ rolled her eyes. "Go warm up, baby and we'll be in soon."

Remy: He caught the snowball in the nick of time. "Hey! Dere frozen already. No breakin' dem off." He nodded to Talia and Johnny. "Ok. See y' in a minute. I'll put d' big pot on incase any of y'all want some."

Talia: She gave him a quick kiss. "Ok. I think Johnny wants to play a bit more."

sage: Tessa waved at his back and spat water out onto the ground. "These things never get better." She popped another tootsie roll, pulling the wrapper out from between her teeth.

Rogue: She gave Remy a blank face as he walked by her, then turned back to the two beside her, "Yall gonna have cocoa too?"

Talia: TJ stood and moved closer to everyone on the patio, sitting just outside it so Johnny could play more in the snow. "What're you eating Tessa?"

Rogue: Rogue laughed as she watched Johnny mash open palms into the snow in front of him, "Hey there, Lil Sugah, ya really enjoy this don't ya?"

Josh: Josh dropped his unused snowball on the ground. "Little man does enjoy winter, huh," he said, grinning at Johnny.

sage: "Pills and candy. Still doesn't taste great." She sighed and watched Johnny play in the snow, feeling a sudden stab of both guilt and unhappiness.

Talia: She gave Rogue a small smile. "I think he missed the snow since we were in such warm places for the break and all."

Talia: "Pills and candy??" Ohh...the seizures, right. "What kinda candy?"

Rogue: She returned the smile, "Ah wish Ah coulda traded places with yall. Cold isn't exactly mah cup of tea. It is pretty though..."

Josh: "Like this," Josh broke off a huge icicle danging from the railing and held it up to glint in the sun. "Look at that, it's really something, isn't it."

Talia: TJ shrugged. "I don't mind the cold, but being home and not in the cold is like....way nice. Johnny just likes the snow though. He likes anything new to explore."

sage: "Tootsie Rolls. Closest thing to the water glasses." Tessa shrugged the mildly odd look off, but really couldn't bring the smile back up for Johnny. "I have to eat something sugary until the dose is fixed."

Rogue: "Speakin' of new... Has he played with Duncan yet? Ah personally haven't seen him, but Vic said he was bringin' him home when Ah talked ta him on tha phone."

Talia: "No, we haven't met Duncan yet, but he totally can't wait! I hope they're ok together, Johnny's never met anyone his age before."

Rogue: "Ah'm sure he'll do great." She smiled down at Johnny, "Ah think you'll make fast friends with Duncan. Ya a charmer."

Talia: "He sure is. Runs in the family I guess..." she said, then took a twig away from Johnny after he started chewing on it. "I will be so happy when you stop trying to eat everything in sight, sweetie."

Josh: Josh laughed. "He just has a healthy appetite, like any man, right Johnny?"

Rogue: She giggled as Johnny looked up at Josh and gurbled at him, "Ah think that's a yes."

sage: Tessa laughed dryly. "They never stop trying to eat things." She hopped down off the patio and sat next to Johnny, wriggling her fingers at him.

Talia: "I so wouldn't call trying to eat twigs and leaves and the dusty crap under my bed healthy. It doesn't even taste good!" she thought for a second. "But....Japh's maggot's eat it all...huh..."

sage: "So that's why they're never in his room when I'm in there?" She cuffed TJ lightly on the shoulder ans winked.

Josh: Josh blinked as the idea dawned on him, and made a face. "Well, that's... practical."

Talia: She smirked. "Pfft, I wish they'd come around and like, get that crap under my bed. It'd keep him from getting it," she smiled as Johnny crawled into her lap with a yawn.

sage: "Yeah, I never worry about it. There's no one in my room small enough to get to it." Tessa held back an 'awww' as the baby yawned and curled up in TJ's lap.

Josh: "Heh, clean? Dunno meaning of the word. I take a duster to the bunnies once in a while, if you know what I mean, but the last time I really cleaned the place was..." He stopped to think.

Talia: "I can't even imagine the kinds of things he coulda gotten into like, before....how I was before. I was so much messier," she sighed. "He'd have probably found Excalibur and like, tried to eat it. That'd be great."

sage: Tessa blinked. "You had King Arthur's sword under your bed? this I have to hear about."

Josh: "I smell storytime," Josh said as he rubbed his chilled hands together.

Talia: "Oh...uh, no..." she shook her head. "It was my pipe. My friends gave it to me when I came to school. They named it. My friend Dave's into all that fantasy stuff."

Talia: She shrugged. "I still have it at home....but haven't used it in forever."

Josh: "Pretty cool," Josh said. "I wonder what you used it for?"

sage: Tessa rolled her eyes and flicked snow at Josh. "It's a pipe, there are few options, hmm?"

Talia: She gave Josh an odd look. "Weed. I used to be a pretty major stoner."

Rogue: Rogue raised an eyebrow at Josh, but didn't say anything. She'd never done anything, but at least she knew what it was.

Josh: "Oh, geez, I get it. Brain freeze." Josh smacked his forehead.

sage: "I can't smoke anything. I tried once...bad idea." Tessa shook her head and leaned backwards into the wall for support. "Though the attempt was educational, at least."

Talia: "What happened?" she asked, noting that Johnny looked about ready to pass out. She cuddled him up tight, moving onto the patio and out of the snow.

sage: "Coughing and convulsing at the same time is not a good thing." She got up and hopped over the patio railing, sitting down at her chair again.

Talia: "Ohh...yeah.." she said, looking around at the snow blanketed grounds. "That wouldn't be fun..."

Talia: "I used to love it....and do it all the time. But I don't even miss it now," she shrugged.

Rogue: Rogue smiled softly at TJ and looked down at the drowsy little boy in her lap, "Ah can see why. Ya got somethin' so much better."

Josh: "Well, it's been fun hanging with you ladies," Josh said, stretching, "but my frostbitten toes are telling me I've been out here too long. I'm gonna see about that cocoa."

Talia: She nodded. "Yup, I do. He's worth much more than that."

Talia: "That's not a bad idea, Josh," she said, standing up and balancing Johnny against her shoulder, who shivered a bit. "I think he's getting tired and cold too. Wanna go see if Papa made us some yummy cocoa sweetie??"

Josh: Josh looked at Tessa and Rogue. "You girls comin', or would you like me to bring you some out here?"

sage: Tessa managed to lift a corner of her mouth at Johnny. She really just didn't much feel like being social anymore. "I think I'll stay out here for a while. No need to bring me anything."

Rogue: "Nah, Ah'm not really in tha mood... Ah think Ah'm gonna go up ta mah room an' lay down f' a bit. Get under some warm covers. Thanks though, sugah." She stood and rubbed Johnny's back, "Y'all enjoy though."

Talia: TJ waved to them and headed inside.