Alabama Pines
Nov 21, 2014 10:52:48 GMT -8
Lieutenant Robin Star, Lt. Commander Alyssa Jenison, and 3 more like this
Post by Lieutenant Eden Nivans on Nov 21, 2014 10:52:48 GMT -8
For all the dreaming out loud Eden had done in the previous days she had been uncharacteristically quiet since that morning when her and James were packing up their things to leave Oxford. Had excitement gripped her so tightly that words failed? Or had disbelief struck her so hard that it paralyzed her tongue?
It was a ripe 95 degree day in the small town of northern Alabama; the air was thick and the trees hummed loudly with the ceaseless chirping of cicadas. Lush vegetation slowly wrapped its fragrant fingers around poles and fences and climbed up walls as though nature was trying to reclaim what was once hers. It was all Eden had talked about for weeks. It was a tucked away haven. It was home.
The uneven, poorly maintained concrete sidewalk crunched beneath their shoes and Eden slowed to a full stop, pointing her finger just ahead to the chipped white picket fence several yards away; the gate partially opened either because the lock was broken or to welcome them home. "That's it," Eden breathed, tears welling up in her bright green eyes. How often did she dream that she was home again when casualty reports came flooding in? How often did her body crave the embrace of her family when she had cried herself to sleep night after night? How many prayers did she pray to God asking Him to make it stop, end the pain, and just take her home?
Her attention turned to James in a moment of panic. He had been her rock since everything had began. Their friendship had been tested in the crucible of combat, pain, and stolen hopes and they had come out of the fire stronger than before. The two had become inseparable and in sync like twins. She knew he would tell her to relax so before he had to instruct her himself she took in a long, deep breath and held it for just a moment to gather all of the frayed nerves that were left. Beside, her brothers did not need to see their sister in tears but she had no idea how inevitable crying would be.
They pressed on and the anxiety lifted with each step, her smile growing as she pushed open the creaky gate to the home she was raised in. Almost everyone was standing around waiting on the big porch that was half hidden by trees and bushes. Gideon, who had been plucking leaves off one of the shrubs by the stairs, was the first to take off and he crashed into his sister with all the excitement possible for a ten year old boy. If his grip had not been so tight her weak knees would have collapsed. Micah and Elijah were not far behind and in a matter of seconds Eden had been swallowed alive by a clan of blonde boys.
There were too many "I love you's" and "I missed you's" to count but eventually the focus turned to James for a moment. He had always done well to handle one Nivans but could he handle three more?
"He ain't your boyfriend, is he," Gideon asked looking up to the man, his accent easily twice as thick as Eden's.
"Ain't isn't a word, Gideon," Elijah corrected causing the child to shrink.
"Sure it is," Micah interjected on behalf of his youngest brother, "it's in the dictionary so it's a word. Everyone knows that's how it works."
"How do you know it's in the dictionary? You've never read anything in your whole life," Elijah argued.
The two middle aged kids went on in the heated way young boys did. While the great debate continued Gideon snuck up to James and offered him a hug. It seemed like the youngest boy was most like his sister having the need to touch as he took James' hand as if he had done it a hundred times before. There was no such thing as a stranger if your last name was Nivans.
Eden took a step closer to her friend and pointed to each of her brothers while she introduced them even though James had seen more than enough pictures to tell who was who for himself. "The runt is Gideon, the smartypants is Elijah, the other one is Micah, and tha-"
A loud whistle cut through the air and everyone fell silent and looked to the tall man leaning against the post atop of the stairs. He had a hat on pressed low and wore a dark shirt with the sleeves haphazardly rolled up with a matching tie hugging his neck. His demeanor was casual but there was something colder about him that set him apart from the rest of the family. "Act like y'all got some raisin'," he instructed, mildly agitated.
"That's Luke," Eden clarified.
"Yes sir," Micah and Elijah groaned together with practiced obedience. It did not take long for the boys to begin scrapping about who would take Eden's bag and who would take James' but it was eventually sorted out and everyone was drawn inside with Luke taking up the rear after having so many years of experience herding the family.
Inside the home was mostly welcoming, pictures covered nearly every inch of the walls, the furniture was well used but inviting having been covered in too many throw pillows, and the smell of lunch cooking filled the air. The only decoration that was far from cozy was a passed out father snoring on the recliner in the corner of the living room with a closed bottle of whiskey on its side by his feet.
"Figured you two might be hungry, food'll be plated up here in a minute so y'all have some time to wash up and breath your own air," Luke said calmly, putting his hands on his hips. "Listen, I told them to chill out but they've been like that since yesterday." A hint of a smirk graced his thin lips before pressing a gentle kiss on his sister's forehead. "Glad you made it safe, girl," he said before turning to James and offering him a handshake. "Nice to finally meet you James, heard a lot about you."
After introductions were made Luke slipped away to wrangle the boys no doubt, giving James and Eden a minute alone. "So, what do you think, James," she asked as if needing his approval. None of her Starfleet friends had ever met her family before, this was a monumental first.
As though on purpose, the existence of the sleeping man went unnoticed despite the volume of his snores.
TAG: @kingshrykull
OOC: Jason Isbell - Alabama Pines
It was a ripe 95 degree day in the small town of northern Alabama; the air was thick and the trees hummed loudly with the ceaseless chirping of cicadas. Lush vegetation slowly wrapped its fragrant fingers around poles and fences and climbed up walls as though nature was trying to reclaim what was once hers. It was all Eden had talked about for weeks. It was a tucked away haven. It was home.
The uneven, poorly maintained concrete sidewalk crunched beneath their shoes and Eden slowed to a full stop, pointing her finger just ahead to the chipped white picket fence several yards away; the gate partially opened either because the lock was broken or to welcome them home. "That's it," Eden breathed, tears welling up in her bright green eyes. How often did she dream that she was home again when casualty reports came flooding in? How often did her body crave the embrace of her family when she had cried herself to sleep night after night? How many prayers did she pray to God asking Him to make it stop, end the pain, and just take her home?
Her attention turned to James in a moment of panic. He had been her rock since everything had began. Their friendship had been tested in the crucible of combat, pain, and stolen hopes and they had come out of the fire stronger than before. The two had become inseparable and in sync like twins. She knew he would tell her to relax so before he had to instruct her himself she took in a long, deep breath and held it for just a moment to gather all of the frayed nerves that were left. Beside, her brothers did not need to see their sister in tears but she had no idea how inevitable crying would be.
They pressed on and the anxiety lifted with each step, her smile growing as she pushed open the creaky gate to the home she was raised in. Almost everyone was standing around waiting on the big porch that was half hidden by trees and bushes. Gideon, who had been plucking leaves off one of the shrubs by the stairs, was the first to take off and he crashed into his sister with all the excitement possible for a ten year old boy. If his grip had not been so tight her weak knees would have collapsed. Micah and Elijah were not far behind and in a matter of seconds Eden had been swallowed alive by a clan of blonde boys.
There were too many "I love you's" and "I missed you's" to count but eventually the focus turned to James for a moment. He had always done well to handle one Nivans but could he handle three more?
"He ain't your boyfriend, is he," Gideon asked looking up to the man, his accent easily twice as thick as Eden's.
"Ain't isn't a word, Gideon," Elijah corrected causing the child to shrink.
"Sure it is," Micah interjected on behalf of his youngest brother, "it's in the dictionary so it's a word. Everyone knows that's how it works."
"How do you know it's in the dictionary? You've never read anything in your whole life," Elijah argued.
The two middle aged kids went on in the heated way young boys did. While the great debate continued Gideon snuck up to James and offered him a hug. It seemed like the youngest boy was most like his sister having the need to touch as he took James' hand as if he had done it a hundred times before. There was no such thing as a stranger if your last name was Nivans.
Eden took a step closer to her friend and pointed to each of her brothers while she introduced them even though James had seen more than enough pictures to tell who was who for himself. "The runt is Gideon, the smartypants is Elijah, the other one is Micah, and tha-"
A loud whistle cut through the air and everyone fell silent and looked to the tall man leaning against the post atop of the stairs. He had a hat on pressed low and wore a dark shirt with the sleeves haphazardly rolled up with a matching tie hugging his neck. His demeanor was casual but there was something colder about him that set him apart from the rest of the family. "Act like y'all got some raisin'," he instructed, mildly agitated.
"That's Luke," Eden clarified.
"Yes sir," Micah and Elijah groaned together with practiced obedience. It did not take long for the boys to begin scrapping about who would take Eden's bag and who would take James' but it was eventually sorted out and everyone was drawn inside with Luke taking up the rear after having so many years of experience herding the family.
Inside the home was mostly welcoming, pictures covered nearly every inch of the walls, the furniture was well used but inviting having been covered in too many throw pillows, and the smell of lunch cooking filled the air. The only decoration that was far from cozy was a passed out father snoring on the recliner in the corner of the living room with a closed bottle of whiskey on its side by his feet.
"Figured you two might be hungry, food'll be plated up here in a minute so y'all have some time to wash up and breath your own air," Luke said calmly, putting his hands on his hips. "Listen, I told them to chill out but they've been like that since yesterday." A hint of a smirk graced his thin lips before pressing a gentle kiss on his sister's forehead. "Glad you made it safe, girl," he said before turning to James and offering him a handshake. "Nice to finally meet you James, heard a lot about you."
After introductions were made Luke slipped away to wrangle the boys no doubt, giving James and Eden a minute alone. "So, what do you think, James," she asked as if needing his approval. None of her Starfleet friends had ever met her family before, this was a monumental first.
As though on purpose, the existence of the sleeping man went unnoticed despite the volume of his snores.
TAG: @kingshrykull
OOC: Jason Isbell - Alabama Pines