GWEMPEST PARTY

Tempest’s Outfit

-x-

Today was being spent, as most evenings were, at Gwen’s house. Adalbert was performing yet another necessary work on the place. This time, the door. Adalbert was completely engrossed in his project, muttering in German underneath his breath as he hammered and oiled the squeaky little hinge. Adalbert was a large man who resembled a lumberjack in every sense of the word: he wore red plaid, blue jeans, and had a thick blonde beard that hid his face and jaw from view. His hands and forearms were dirty with oil, and his job was nearly finished. His long hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and it hung loose down his back, resting against the back of his shirt.

Tempest looked over at Gwen and Dorothy, flicking her blonde hair back behind her head. She blinked and looked at Gwen. She had to smile at her enthusiasm.

”It is okay. Adalbert cannot understand the pressure anyways,” Tempest said. Adalbert grunted some kind of response to Gwen – something intelligible – and finished up with the door. He stood to his full, large height and swung the door here and there. It did not creak anymore and his beard tinted up in what had to be a smile.

At Dorothy’s request, Tempest nodded and turned towards Adalbert, speaking in fluent German to him. As Gwen continued to speak Tempest made changes here and there. Adalbert seemed to be insisting something – ”nein, nein,” he’d say, but Tempest continued to speak over him. Eventually, Adalbert brought a hand up to scratch the back of his neck – smearing oil all over it ”Ja, ist gut.” he said. Tempest smiled and turned towards Dorothy again.

”I think he would not mind anything as long as he is fed. Adalbert does not eat enough when he is on his own.” Tempest gave her companion a pointed look and he seemed confused. She grinned and said something in German that made him laugh loudly. She turned back towards Dorothy. ”I would prefer to have something hot and warm. But cold cuts do sound like they will work. Also,” she turned towards Gwen with a teasing smirk on her face, ”I do not think that anything can tame Gwen when she is hungry. I think we should feed her before she gets more aggressive, yah?”

Adalbert demonstrated the fixed door again, before he turned towards Dorothy – offering a thumbs up to her. If she was satisfied, she usually thumbed up back. If there was something else she was usually asked to point at it, and then Adalbert would work right on it.

Tempest shook her head and pat Gwen’s head. ”Do not worry about it,” she assured. She laughed when Gwen complained about them always sounding angry. It wasn’t a new complaint; it amused Tempest every time she heard Gwen say it. Adalbert didn’t know that Gwen thought that – that being something Tempest never bothered to translate.

When lasagna was promised Tempest smiled and conveyed this to Adalbert. He seemed pleased with the offer. When Gwen looked at him and spoke he waved, with an oblivious smile. When Dorothy said that he should go wash up, Adalbert nodded and gave her a thumbs up, moving throughout the house to find the sink. He hummed in German under his breath as he moved.

Tempest turned to Gwen and shook her head.

”Ah, he works most of the time. So we do not always come here to eat; he gets the McDonalds and usually fries.” She said, ”But he thinks it is a great treat to come here. He loves it a lot. And I appreciate it too,” she smiled at Dorothy as she spoke. She laughed when Gwen explained she only saw a few siders of her and reached over, playfully rustling her best friend’s hair. ”When I am hungry my change is completely secret!” she said, ”I always present myself as composed and cool. Unless I am playing soccer!”

She ushered for Gwen to follow her through the familiar house. Once in the kitchen, she began to wash her own hands, Adalbert moseying along in the bathroom and wiping his arms off. ”Do you need some help with the lasagna?” she asked Gwen and Dorothy.

”We are not angry. That is just German – it sounds very aggressive.” Tempest said, ”To me you all speak fast. It can be very hard to keep up at times,” she washed her hands up and smiled over at Dorothy. She was so much calmer than Gwen, it really was hard to believe they were related sometimes! It seemed as though Gwen had just sucked all of the hyperness out of Dorothy. When she muttered something under her breath, Tempest stayed silent and didn’t speak. She knew better than to ask them about the rest of their family – Tempest didn’t know Gwen’s parents and had never asked about them. Like with Adalbert, though he was her father figure, he was not her father. No one had asked about that, either, and Tempest didn’t mind. What mattered was the unconventional family they had made together – not any biological family that might have nothing to do with them.

Tempest hugged Gwen back. ”Thank you, we appreciate it. Adalbert sometimes feeds himself before he even gets home to me.” she said. As she spoke, Adalbert emerged from the bathroom and smiled obliviously. He began to set the table – something he easily knew how to do now – and Tempest began to get the sauces and cheese onto the table. When Gwen ran back with cups, she examined the choices and smiled.

”That is my favorite glass. You know me too well,” Tempest said, looking at the cute animals on it. ”You know, your abstract paintings would make a very good glass also.”

”Oh no – it is fine. It is just kind of like how you think German sounds angry – English sounds fast paced to me. But I can keep up. I am a fast learner.” She had to be! After all, she had taught herself English the first year she’d lived here, having only learned a basic grasp of the language in her schooling back with her parents.

When Gwen asked if she was serious, Tempest smirked and gently nudged her friend. ”Yes. The splotches of color and design would go good on a rounded glass. Even if it does not look good on paper, glass can do wonders.”

At the mention of Fluffernutter Tempest smiled and looked at the dog. Adalbert nodded to Dorothy and waved at the dog, trying to shoo it away from the table. He remained in the kitchen to help Dorothy if she needed it.

”Ah, yes, sure.” Tempest said, whistling to the dog. ”Come, boy! Do you have his food ready?”

Tempest snorted when Gwen asked about pig Latin. ”I do not really think that is a language,” she said. But when Gwen said she knew what she was getting for her net birthday Tempest flicked some hair behind her ear. ”I will look forward to it,” she said. Come to think of it, she had to find a present for Gwen herself!

Tempest nodded in agreement when Gwen said they would get Fluffernutter’s food together. She went to go and put out the water, whistling to Fluffernutter all the while. The dog ignored her for a bit before he finally came towards him – after slobbering up Adalbert’s hand and causing him to need to wash up again. Tempest smiled and pat Fluffernutter on the head when he finally came over, and ushered him into the other room where she laid out the water. She waited for Gwen to come over with the food.

”Thank you for letting us stay over, Gwen.” Tempest said once they were alone. ”It is very hard to stay in our house for very long. Adalbert does his best, but it is very run down. Ist zu Hause aber.” She said the latter part softly, as she ran her fingers across her bare legs. ”Did you do all of the homework for Monday yet? I have no started it.”


Ooc//:
Translation: it is a home, though

Tempest smiled at the offer to come over whenever they wanted. It was really appreciated by both of them. Tempest hadn’t asked Adalbert about his family at any point, but she could only assume it wasn’t a happy story much like hers was if he had no one left to care for him. To have found a family to welcoming really gave them both a sense of hope that they could fit in in the world. And, of course, Tempest considered Adalbert more of a parent than hers ever were, even though his ways of supporting her and caring for her were unconventional at the least, and warrant enough to get him thrown in jail for kidnapping at the worst. But, Tempest digressed. It was nice to have a family she could actually count on.

She nodded at Gwen’s comment. ”Ah, yes. Sometimes you find family where you don’t expect to. But found family is much better – this way we all want to spend time with each other. Your grandmother is wonderful. I do not understand why they would not want to be around her.” she said. But, then, she tried to never assume anything about anyone’s family. When she said the old beaten up cabin was the reason Tempest was the queen of the forest she laughed. ”Yes. It is not much, but it is a roof.”

When Gwen talked about their plans for tonight she nodded and patted Fluffernutter on the head as he hate. ”I have not don’t mine – the English is always most difficult.” she said. Math was the only subject she didn’t struggle in. ”And we should do junk food first. Then after the pillow fight, we will be tired and able to sleep!”

Tempest agreed with Gwen’s description of found family versus biological family, not bothering to mention that you could also disown your biological family and run off from them when they did not support you. She wondered, briefly, if a reason like that was why Dorothy’s family had left. But as quickly as it came, the thought vanished. Dorothy would not be as cruel as her family had been, even if she did not agree with their lifestyle or choices. Tempest was sure.

The idea of a friendship marriage was odd to Tempest and she furrowed her brows. ”Is that so?” she asked, trying to picture a friendship wedding. She couldn’t seem to do it, but it would be interesting to marry a girl! She glanced back over at Gwen. ”It is definitely a union, which I suppose is sort of like a wedding.”

The prospect of running off to Germanland made Tempest grin. ”You mean deutschland?” she asked. The mention of Tarzan reminded her of her younger self. She would find refuge in the forest and the roof over her head caused her more misery than joy. ”Ah. I would rather not deal with homework if we did not have to.” and if her position on the team wouldn’t suffer if her grades did! Tempest was not very creative with friendship bracelets but nodded anyway. ”That would be fun. We can get candy to eat while we make them.” She said.

She glanced at the kitchen. ”Ah. I hope Adalbert has not found a way to burn the lasagna as he burns everything else,” there was a hint of joking as she spoke and led the way back towards the kitchen.