Beach BBQ [Open]

[asharpertongue]

Levi's idea for a beach party had been a good one. After the past few weeks they both needed to blow off a little steam and Lara had taken to the idea like the proverbial siren to water, inviting all her employees and friends. Levi had put the word out at the police station and among his closer friends so between them a decent crowd was forming.

The tables lining the beach were piled high with food and drink, a DJ was already in full swing and people were drifting over to the large bonfire for warmth as the chill started to cut through the summer evening. A few of the Heart of Gold employees had brought their kids along for the festivities and a friend of Lara's was performing little glamours and tricks to keep them entertained. Large clusters of huge pillows were dotted about the beach just a little way from Levi's house and lanterns and firelight bathed the whole area in a warm glow.

Maybe Lara had taken it a little far but she liked to treat her friends and everyone could use a little R&R.

OOC: Levi and Lara's friends have been officially invited, but everyone else feel free to wander in at your leisure~.

Comments

[littleredsiren]

"Levi's!" she chirps. "He's Lara's... boyfriend, thing. But kind of more than a boyfriend. He's very nice!"

[elidixon]

"Boyfriend. Thing. Got it," Eli says, easing over to the food table. He hadn't had dinner yet, and everything looks delicious. "I guess I'd never met him. Or heard Lara was involved, but I don't know her that well."

[littleredsiren]

"You should meet him. He's so nice. I threatened him earlier and he didn't even get mad!" Iris grins, following him but not bothering to get food, having eaten with Jason already.

[elidixon]

Eli picks up a plate and spoon, filling his plate with some macaroni salad and slices of cheese and meats. "Threatened him, huh?" he says, giving her a side-eye and a grin, as he picks up some of the Ritz crackers for himself. 'What was that like?" Not really able to imagine Iris threatening anything.

[littleredsiren]

"Terrifying!" she admits, brightly. "But Lara's important to me so I had to make sure she's not going to get her heart broken."

[elidixon]

"I understand." Eli pops a cracker into his mouth as he moves down the table, picking out different things to eat. "That's just like if someone tries to hurt my little Iris. I would be highly upset."

[littleredsiren]

Iris feels herself blush, ducking her head and grinning. "Stop that, you! I am not little!"

[elidixon]

Eli wraps his arm around her shoulders, tucking her close to his side again. "Yes, you are. Little Iris. That's your new name. No one is allows to break your heart. No men or women or anyone!"

[littleredsiren]

Iris laughs, squished up against his side. "I am 25 years old, you goose! And I don't think even you can keep people from breaking my heart."

[elidixon]

"I am resourceful, Iris," Eli says, bitting off the end of a piece of celery he's dipped into the ranch dip. He smiles at her wide. "I can do almost anything if I put my mind to it, and I don't want you getting any broken hearts."

[littleredsiren]

Scooping up a handful of almonds, she delicately starts to snack on them. Watching Eli eat was starting to make her hungry, if she was honest with herself.

"But what if it's a friend who breaks my heart?"

[elidixon]

"....a friend?" Eli raises his eyebrows. "A friend like who?"

[littleredsiren]

"No one!" she says, hasty to reassure him, even as she blushes in embarrassment. "Just... what if? You can't beat up a friend!"

[elidixon]

Eli narrows his eyes at her, but he goes back to picking out the food from the table. His eyes slowly getting bigger than his stomach. "Well, why is this friend breaking your heart?"

[littleredsiren]

She sighs inwardly, glad she threw him off that train of thought. "I dunno. Maybe we started dating and they decided they didn't love me anymore? Or maybe I like them and they don't like me back? Or they cheated on me? There are lots of ways to break a heart, Eli."

[elidixon]

"How would anyone decide they didn't love you anymore?" Eli asks, skeptically, but he gives her a smile. "I didn't realize there was someone you were interested in...you wouldn't be talking about all this heart break stuff otherwise."

[littleredsiren]

"Maybe they met someone else and realized they just liked me a lot?" she shrugs.

Iris blushes, shaking her head as she lies. "No one! It's just on my mind!"

[elidixon]

"Iris."

Eli is now completely convinced she is harboring some massive crush on a friend. But he suddenly realizes Iris is new to town, there aren't a ton of names he's heard her mention. He gets this horriffic thought that maybe--

"You know I'm gay right?" Eli asks with a small smile. He had never mentioned it...but he knew he was touchy feely. He hoped he hadn't given the wrong impression. "Wow. Was that completely egotistical? Just slug me if it was..." He goes for another celery stalk.

[littleredsiren]

Iris can feel her face heating up as she flushes, eyes going wide. "Eli, please! I mean, yes I kinda... have a little crush on you but like, that's to be expected, I suppose. But I never exactly pictured it going anywhere," she says, giggling nervously.

"Aaaanyway. You're gay? I didn't know that. Do you have a boyfriend?" she asks, glad to have a new topic to latch on to distract him from the old one.

[elidixon]

"Really?" Eli grins at her, not wanting Iris to have feelings on him he couldn't return, but he was flattered when she says she has tiny crush on him. It never hurted to hear you are somewhat desireable.

He senses when she changes the subject on him again, and it only makes him more suspicious on who Iris liked. "No boyfriend," he says. "Kind of hard to meet people sometimes between work and everything else."

[littleredsiren]

"I mean, yeah? You're a very handsome guy, in case you hadn't noticed," she giggles, bumping him with her hip.

"Booo... Do you want a boyfriend? Cause I can totally help you find one."

[elidixon]

Eli laughs long and hearty when she bumps his hip, but he gives her a smack on the cheek too, just feeling good now. He hadn't meant not to tell her he was gay, but it was never the first thing he told people. And he knew Iris came from a more sheltered family....

But she seemed fine with it. "Would you?" He smirks. "That would be great. Something to scratch off the todo list," he teases. "Of course I'd like to meet someone. Who doesn't want that?"

[littleredsiren]

Iris could guess that her easy acceptance of his sexuality must come across as weird, when really, it was all thanks to said sheltered upbringing. Once she started to realize the things her family had taught her were just... wrong, she rejected them. And she loved people, so how could someone be bad just because of who they loved? It was silly and she refused to fall in line with that thought process.

"I'm gonna find you the nicest, cutest boyfriend ever," she says, firmly. "Because that's what you deserve."

[elidixon]

"Okay. But try to find a guy with nice abs. I am all about that." Eli just laughs, not doubting her good intentions about finding him someone. But Eli has been single for awhile, and it would be too cliche to say he's too busy for a relationship. But he's too busy for a relationship.

"And don't think I've forgotten your little crush missy."

[littleredsiren]

"Nice abs, for you, nice butt, for Kennedy... I'm going to be doing a lot of staring at cute guys for the next little while, aren't I?" Iris laughs.

"I don't... I just... Who said I have a crush?!"