Happy Heart Day!

[deadgirlslikeme]

Well, it seems the gang has grown sick of birthday parties (not helped by their mun forgetting one at the beginning of the year -- sorry Steve & Gary!), so they're changing it up a bit this year -- instead of birthdays, they're throwing parties for holidays! And what better one to start with than Valentine's Day?

...Okay, there's actually only one explicitly romantic couple in the group, but even so. Pink, purple, and red paper hearts are hung up on all the walls, and those little conversation heart candies are piled in dishes along the bar and in the center of every table. The jukebox is primed with some love songs, and there's a clear area for anybody who might want to dance -- currently occupied by said romantic couple. Hey, if there's one thing Victor and Alice (and their mun) love, it's a little dancing. They're more than open to company, though! As is everyone else, who is just taking advantage of the day to chow down on candy.

Comments

[museicalmarty]

"Oh," Marty says, sobering. "Yeah, that's -- that's a little less fun than just watching some favorite stuff and working on fanfic. I'll keep my fingers crossed Luke makes it through this latest one."

"We all will," Victor nods, then chuckles. "I think most of us are using the same excuse."

"You're the only one who's got anything going on," Marty points out. "Me, I just like a steady supply of chocolate."

"Who doesn't?" Alice says, before arching an eyebrow at the various AL's boys. "You spend Valentine's cleaning? If you're going to pick a holiday to give the house a scrub, I'd pick Easter or May Day. The phrase is 'spring cleaning' after all." She shrugs. "But if you're happy with the current arrangement..."

[alienlisa]

"Lisa's not your typical Valentine," says Luke.

"And ours is not a typical household," adds Tommy.

AL nods. "I'm not a girly-girl," she says. "Many of what would be considered 'traditional' Valentine's Day things I'm just not interested in. Like, name things usually associated with Valentine's Day."

"Flowers," says Adam.

"Flowers die. I'd rather have something practical; preferably something I can eat."

"We were giving edible arrangements before Edible Arrangements®." Jesse puts in.

"I get the pineapple," grins Hooks.

"As for chocolates," says AL, "well none of us will say no to chocolate. Go on."

"Breakfast in bed," says Gary.

"I'm not a breakfast person and I'd prefer not to be woken up before I'm ready. I'll occasionally get lunch in bed, though, if one of them notices I'm awake before I've decided to actually get out of bed."

"Gifts," says Tommy.

AL shrugs. "I kind of already have everything I could ever want or need."

"Going out to eat," says Coulson.

"Or cooking a meal," adds Jamie.

"We do that anyway," says AL. "So, you see, Valentine's Day to us is different than what it is for others. And don't forget that half of these guys aren't from Earth, so it's not something they celebrated until the group." The six Doctors, Radu, and Luke all nod. "Don't get me wrong," AL continues, "if there's something special I want to do or one of them wants to do for me, I won't object."

"That's kind of how the whole 'winter cleaning' thing started, actually," says Jesse. "We didn't know what to do and she off-handedly said 'Why don't you just clean the house and then we'll go out for dinner and a movie?'."

"I meant the cleaning thing as a joke, really," says AL, shrugging. "But they did it anyway and it stuck as a yearly thing. And as the group of guys grows, the less time it takes as well, so it's not like it takes all day."

"Well, the laundry might," jokes Luke.

"Yeah but you can do other things while the machines do their thing. And we do spring cleaning, too," she adds for Alice. "But I help then. I'm not allowed to help on Valentine's Day, so I sit around and read or I go somewhere warm if the weather is bad. Easter's just another day to non-guiltily eat candy and not a big celebration thing...and honestly I've never heard of May Day until we started hanging around with you guys. The alter ego never had a reason to look up a holiday like that...she doesn't do good, thorough research like V does." Hey, sometimes I do...

[deadgirlslikeme]

"Ah -- yes, that's all fair enough," Alice allows. "I suppose after so long you would have everything you could ever need...and I like practical presents myself. Though I admit, I like flowers too. So long as they're not trying to attack me."

"Which is why I make sure my presents never come from the Nexus -- I don't trust it even when it's quiet," Victor informs her. He grins a little. "I could clean your room for you this year if you like?"

Alice laughs. "I think that would work better if we did like they do and just chose a day to all work on cleaning the place together."

"Let me know what you pick -- I'll be sure to be out that day," Marty jokes. "But yeah, if it's a tradition that works for you guys, we aren't gonna say crap about it. Not like we usually do much for Valentine's either. Or Easter, come to think of it -- though Dee likes hunting eggs." Dee grins and nods. "And I don't think any of us knew about May Day either before the Victors told Vic it was their favorite holiday."

"I don't know if it was ever as popular in America as England -- and of course I doubt it's recognized at all today," Forgotten Vows comments, a bit sadly. "I really did like seeing everyone in the village laughing and happy and -- and colorful for a change..."

[alienlisa]

AL "hmms" for a moment. "Hey, Data...May Day. Go."

The android blinks at her phrasing but complies. His eyes glaze over as he accesses the information. "May Day," he says. " 'Public holiday usually celebrated on May first. In the late 19th century, May Day was chosen as the date for International Workers' Day by the Socialists and Communists of the Second International to commemorate --' "

"Data! Is it still celebrated today?"

"Accessing." Data says. "According to my records, May Day is still celebrated throughout Europe and in some areas of Canada, the United States and Hawaii."

"There you go!" says AL, reaching to pat Forgotten's shoulder before remembering the story and acting like she was just going to push her hair behind her ear. "It's still celebrated!"

[deadgirlslikeme]

"Somebody also made a LOL for it a while back," Victor points out to his counterpart. "A video of a certain song that either got you singing along--"

"First of May, First of May, outdoor fu--"

"Or made you want to buy flowers for someone special," Victor continues louder to drown out the much-too-cheerful Steve & Gary. "It's actually how Vic got Alice and I to admit we liked each other."

Forgotten brightens. "Oh -- well, that's good! I thought it might have fallen completely by the wayside given how many people live in cities today. . ." He notices the aborted shoulder-pat and chuckles, instead giving her one. "And that's okay, I promise. It's when I'm touched or grabbed from behind that I -- well. Just warn me if you're behind me, okay?"