girls just want to have fun [alirush]

The night was destined to be perfect.

Aline Stanton was running around in her flat, her brown hair in a messy ponytail, her cheeks slightly flushed. The cupcakes were almost done, the huge cups were already on the table, right next to the little porcelain bowl filled with cocoa and the bottle of milk. There was something missing but… Oh, right! She stormed back into the kitchen and got a bottle of rum and a bottle of firewhiskey out of their bar. If there was something she and Zephir always had at home, it was alcohol. It wasn't as if they got drunk every night but a little drink every now and then couldn't harm, could it? Moreover it was kind of cozy to sit there after a long day at work with a tumbler filled with burning firewhiskey. They also had wine but the brunette preferred other things.

She put the two bottles right next to the rest when she could suddenly hear a ringing noise. Awesome! The dough for her cupcakes had to be ready. Now all she still had to do, was putting the butter cream on top of the little cakes and decorating them. She had definitely made to many for the three of them - she really doubted that they would eat ten cupcakes each - but that wasn't a huge problem. She was pretty sure that Zephir wouldn't say no to them tomorrow. She had waited for him to have a nightly shift, followed by an early one, so that she could invite the girls over. Of course she had told him - it was also his flat, after all - but she would have invited them even if he had said no. He probably knew that well enough.

Anyway, Dash and Ruari would probably be here soon and she wanted it all to look perfect. Merlin, she couldn't even remember the last time she had a girl's night in. Usually the healer-in-training was more of a party girl but she was actually really looking forward to their little pyjama party. She enjoyed talking to her brothers and Zeph but sometimes there were topics she could only discuss with her girls.

Now to the cupcakes… The vanilla butter cream first. The witch raised her wand and with a short flick and a muttered spell, she placed the cream on the small cakes. Lemon and vanilla… They'd better be good. And then there were the little sugar flowers. She placed them carefully on top of the cupcakes and admired her work. The ones designed for Ruari were done. Aline couldn't even remember the day she had started making cupcakes but by now the young witch was pretty good at it. Maybe it was a compensation for her usual lack of creativity. Hoping that she would still manage it on time, the young woman continued with Dash's cupcakes and placed the soft pink raspberry cream on top of them, followed by little chocolate stars. Somehow her best friend always reminded her of stars and the night sky, maybe it was the seer thing, maybe not. She simply didn't know.

With another flick of her wand, Aline flew the plates over to the living room and carefully placed them on the table. She lit the few candles and dimmed the light in the room. Perfect. Just perfect. Her pyjama was comfortable, the food was done, the atmosphere was set… As if they had known that she was ready, there was a knock at the balcony door and a smile lit up her face. Some people might think it was strange that they were using the balcony as an entrance and not the actual door but somehow it had become a thing. With a few long steps the former Gryffindor walked over to the glass door and opened it. "Welcome you two! Ready for the best night in a long time?" She chuckled softly, completely aware of the fact that it was somewhat childish. But seriously… She was really excited for this whole thing.

With a half spin, Dash apparated to Aline’s balcony, just as she’d been instructed to. The girl hadn’t been to Aline’s new apartment yet. Actually, she hadn’t seen her friend for a few weeks (or was it over a month?). She’d like to say that she’d been busy, but the girl really hadn’t been doing too much recently besides working and being at home. “Hello?” she called, stepping forward and peering through the glass door. It looked quite spacious inside, if a little bare. Dash had heard a little about Aline’s roommate (all interesting, but nothing she approved of, of course), but she’d been told that he wouldn’t be in tonight. It was a bit of a shame, she thought vaguely. Aline had said he was cute. Dash tapped lightly on the glass door. She was pretty sure she was late, but it wouldn’t be by too much. Hopefully.

Someone suddenly appeared behind her and made her jump a little. Ruari was here! Well she wasn’t too late, then. When she saw her friend, a small smile appeared on Dash’s face. She didn’t get a chance to greet the girl, though, as Aline slid the door open and greeted them both. Dash felt a little buzz of excitement; they hadn’t had a night like this for quite a long time. “Hey!” she called. Her voice was soft, but there was an obvious tone of joy there too. She stepped inside obediently and immediately started talking. “How are you? It smells amazing in here.” Wow, Aline really knew how to bake. It smelt like a bakery. She took the shorter girl into a tight hug and stepped back, taking a deep breath in through her nose. Delicious! Dash turned to the third girl present. “It’s great to see you too Ruari!” Dash hugged her former dormmate tightly too. It had been too long since she’d seen Ruari as well. She didn’t understand why it was so easy to let those kinds of things go. The idea made her feel anxious, so she resolved to put a little more effort into keeping in contact and meeting up with friends.

“So what’ve we got planned for tonight?” she asked, her eyes crinkling a little as she smiled again. She was definitely excited, even if she wasn’t especially expressive when it came to showing it. Her smile lit up her soft features. The girl’s hazel eyes scanned the room, taking in the details of the place. “It’s a nice place you’ve got here. Is it expensive?” Dash couldn’t imagine renting a place. She and Sindri had taken a loan to purchase their little house out in the country. Then again, it would be exciting to live right in the center of things. Sindri would hate to live in the middle of the city, she mused. “Is your room down that hall?” she asked.

Aline was exciting, and she was going to have an exciting life, even if being a healer was an academic and not-too-risky occupation. Dash wondered for a moment if Aline was going to travel the world soon, and she wondered if she would ever travel. Would Sindri be up for that? She didn’t think he’d say no, if it were what she wanted. But not saying no wasn’t the same as wanting something, was it? They hadn’t really talked about it. “Oh, your cute roommate isn’t home tonight?” she teased gently, raising her eyebrows at her former Gryffindor friend.

Girls' night!

Ruari was jazzed for this evening. The blonde had acquaintances, she didn't really have friends, not like these two girls anyway. She knew why; she was kind of hard to be around. Regardless, the night had been planned perfectly. Dante was working nights (again) at St. Mungo's and the blonde was becoming increasingly more irritated with it. She wasn't a selfish person but wasn't it a perk of being a girlfriend to have a sexy man warming her bed for her? Apparently not. Thankfully, she didn't have much time to dwell on it.

A soft pop! announced the dressmaker's arrival and she was surprised to see Dash already waiting. Holy Hell, was she on time? "Oh!" The Irish girl replied, her rain cloud grey eyes wide as dinner plates as she placed a hand on her rapidly beating heart. "You scared the pants off me," she remarked with a crooked smile. Ruari had decided that it was going to be a pyjama party and thus, she'd dressed accordingly in a fluffy rabbit onesie. To her, her nightwear was perfectly normal. In the cold night air, she heaved a shudder as she pulled her hood up, complete with bunny ears, up and over her head. It even came with a little cotton tail. Such fun!

The rush of warmth from the apartment made her snap out of it and she chorused Dash's welcome. "Hello!" She called cheerily, raising a paw in greeting as she cracked a smile and stepped in neatly behind the other girl. Stepping across the apartment, she leant down to kiss Aline's cheek gently. "Thank you so much for having us over," she said before turning to return Dash's hug with gusto, her long arms wrapping themselves around the girl's waist. She couldn't help it, Regan's were huggers. "Look at you both!" The blonde gushed as she held her friends at arm's length, her big eyes sweeping over both girls as she cracked a grin. "You look absolutely lovely," she said honestly. Each time she saw them, they just got prettier and prettier.

But something else caught her attention. Like a bloodhound, Ruari sniffed the air cautiously, her attention peeking; she smelt baked goods. "Cupcakes?" She asked, forgetting everything else as she looked around the room for the treats. She had the attention span of a goldfish sometimes. Sniffing the air again, it took all of her self control not to ditch the girls and go hunting.

"Oh!" Ruari exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I almost forgot, hold on," she said before hastily turning and bending to pick up to lavender coloured dress bags. "I got you both a little something," she said, looking and sounding excited. Aline could bake, Dash could interpret dreams but Ruari could sew like a demon. "Here," she said with a grin, holding out a hanger first to Dash and then to Aline, waiting for their reactions as she chewed on her lower lip. It hadn't taken her too long. She had the girls' measurements from a previous occasion and she knew what they liked and what they didn't, what fit and what didn't, what colours clashed and what colours complemented. Dresses were a personal thing, people were often judged on what they wore and she hoped she'd gotten things right.

The blonde grinned, spotting the bottle of fire whiskey on the table as she waited for Aline to answer Dash's question. She imagined there would be boy talk involved. "It is really lovely," Ruari agreed as she looked around. It was magnificent compared to her little mismatched and brightly patterned apartment in Dublin. "Cute roommate?" The tall blonde repeated, her slim eyebrows arching in question at Aline before playfully bumping Dash with her hip. Making herself at home, she sat herself down on the arm of the sofa as she tilted her head, folding her lips together to try and stop the smile from forming. "Do tell me more!" The former Hufflepuff exclaimed, clapping her pale hands together as she bounced eagerly on her seat. "Do you have pictures?" She pressed Aline, taking delight in what could be a potentially awkward situation as her eyes sparkled. If they weren't sleeping together, something was definitely up. Aline was sexy.

Aline hugged Dash first, glad that she could spend some time with her best friend again. They had both been busy during those last few weeks and the former Gryffindor felt bad for not inviting Dash over earlier. They definitely had to see each other more often, she would make time for that. She then hugged Ruari, almost equally happy that the girl had made it. Ruari was an oddball but she was adorable and Aline wouldn't want her to be any other way. They were all so different and still friends, it was kind of amazing, really. As soon as they were all inside the apartment, the brunette closed the door again and spun around to face her friends.

It was only now that she noticed Ruari's onesie. Oh that was so her. "You look amazing, Ru. Love it!" The cute bunny outfit definitely beat hers. "I'm so glad you both could make it. As for the evening… I made cupcakes, obviously, thanks for the compliment by the way." Aline flashed her best friend a wide smile before she continued. "And I have hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows and of course something to spice things up a little." The healer-in-training winked at her friends and pointed at the bottles on the table. "I thought it would be nice to talk a little. I've missed you two. It seems like we haven't talked in ages. I only have brothers and my roomie is a guy. Talking to them isn't the same." Actually the young woman hadn't noticed how much she had missed some girl talk but now she did. Zephir was good for talks - and other things, she thought amused - but he couldn't replace her girls.

Ruari turned around and Aline eyed her curiously. A little something? Was that… Oh my god, it was! The former Hufflepuff was holding two hangers with dresses on them that were more than just beautiful. They were amazing. The witch had no idea how many of Ruari's dresses she already had in her wardrobe but it was never enough. The blonde was a genius when it came to designing clothes, really. She knew exactly which one was hers and her eyes were sparkling when she took it from her friend. "That is… That's just stunning." And it would go so well with the black leather jacket she had recently bought in a second hand shop. "I really don't know what to say and you know that it doesn't happen that often." She laughed softly, still admiring the dress. "Thank you!" She hugged the blonde tightly before stepping back to make room for Dash.

While Dash was thanking Ru, Aline walked over to the door that lead to her room, opened it a little and hung the dress over it so that it wouldn't crumple. "We definitely need to try these on later," she said when she was back, offering Dash to put her dress on top of hers. "Do you fancy a tour? I just thought we could eat some of the cupcakes first." The healer-in-training grinned, of course she had seen Ruari's reaction to smelling the small cakes. "And yeah… It's definitely too expensive for me alone but since Zephir and I are sharing the rent it works just fine. He found the flat first, which is why he has the bigger room. It's a shame, really. It even has an ensuite." She was still hoping that she'd convince him to change rooms one day but he was stubborn.

Cute roommate. Of course Dash had to mention that. She rolled her eyes but it was in a playful way. She wasn't mad at her best friend, he was cute after all. "He's just a friend and a colleague. You might know him, Ru. Zephir King. Slytherin. Does the name ring any bells?" She chuckled softly, quite sure that her friends would want to know more at some point. She sat down on the floor, still facing the girls. "I don't have any pictures but I have to agree with Dash. He is rather handsome. Tall… Dark, messy hair. Cute smile." Yep. That was pretty accurate. "He knows it, though. Quite often I catch some girls on the walk of shame. It's rather amusing. They're always quite confused when they see me preparing breakfast." She grinned, thinking of the last random girl who had disappeared quickly after spotting her.

"Anyway. Cupcakes anyone? Hot chocolate? And then you have to tell me about your significant others. How's Sindri? And what about Dante? I see him at St. Mungo's every now and then. He always seems rather busy." Well, it was no surprise. They all seemed to be always busy at the hospital. She was no exception.

“I’ve missed you too,” Dash answered gently, sweeping some long, brown hair behind over her shoulder, “And I know what you mean,” She was almost surprised at how true that statement was. She understood completely where Aline was coming from. The hufflepuff alumni didn’t spend much time with girls at all. Most of her time was spent with Sindri. If she was honest, she liked it that way. Nights like these were amazing, and she adored her friends to bits… she really did want them to happen more often… but she liked that most of her time was spent with someone who cared for her and respected her. Sindri liked taking care of her and she liked being taken care of. The willowy girl smiled softly.

“Wow, Ruari,” Dash’s eyes grew wide as she realised what her friend was offering her. “It’s so beautiful. I love it!” She wrapped her arms around her friend and squeezed her tightly. How the taller girl had managed to create something that was soft and feminine, yet still very Arden Dasher was beyond her. She appreciated the lack of frills and details. Dash knew she’d feel beautiful and feminine in this dress, but not uncomfortable. Pulling back, she added, “I feel so inadequate.” The girl shook her head, glancing back at Aline as well as she returned, “I didn’t bring anything.” Dash had no skills that could contribute to this situation. You couldn’t exactly mold something out of clay and bring it as a gift to a night like this. An appreciative smile lingered on Dash’s soft lips. “Next time I’ll bring a bunch of fresh fruit,” she joked. Their garden at home was really flourishing. Sometimes the girl chatted to her plants, and they seemed to like it.

She took comfort in the fact that the other two were obviously enjoying themselves. Dash was always so sensitive to the emotional climate of a room, and right now she felt a warm and fuzzy feeling swell in her tummy. “He has the ensuite?” she repeated amusedly, “That doesn’t sound too fair.” Aline was stubborn, and if Dash knew anything about her friend, it was that she often got her way. The brunette wondered what her roommate was like, if he hadn’t given in yet. Zephir. What a strange name. Tall dark and handsome, hey? “I don’t remember him from school,” she chimed in lightly. Ruari bumped her with her hip and the girl smiled, moving to Aline’s couch and tucking her legs underneath her like a cat. The brunette leant her head on Ruari’s leg for a moment.

As a young woman who had only been with one man – who had only ever kissed one man, even – Dash simply didn’t understand one night stands. Aline was neither a tramp nor a prude, and Dash didn’t judge her, but it was strange to think about sleeping with someone and never seeing them again. She imagined a stream of girls leaving Zephir’s room in the morning and shook her head. The idea of letting a stranger touch her was incredibly foreign to Dash. Aline turned the conversation to significant others and Dash found herself unable to think of anything to say. She straightened up.

“Sindri’s fine,” Dash answered softly, trying to think of something more to add. It was an automatic response. Their lives weren’t exciting, really. All they did was work at the reserve, work in the garden, go camping (though they hadn’t done so for a while) and visit family members… There really wasn’t much variety in their routine. They hadn’t even pulled out their wood carving tools for a while. The girl smiled eventually and gave a little shrug, glancing away. She didn’t know what else to add. The hufflepuff graduate knew that this would probably lead to more questions and at the moment the girl wasn’t sure whether that was what she wanted, or if she’d prefer to just skim over the subject like usual. “Cupcakes sounds awesome?” she told her friend, cupping her face with both hands like a child.

Sorry that this post is so lame >>

"Oh stop," Ruari said with a snort of laughter, flipping a hand at Aline dismissively as she complimented her pyjamas. Regardless, she spun in a tight little circle, her bunny tail wobbling happily. "Do you have one?" She asked, motioning to her all-in-one. "Because they are so comfortable," she gushed. "I'm not even kidding. It's like a blanket you can wear," she said with a grin as she looked around the apartment, absently wondering if her friend had been given a pay rise and if so, why hadn't she sprung for drinks?

But cupcakes!

It didn't take her long to find them. "These are so cute!" The tall blonde gushed as she stooped to pick one up, her fingers stroking the little lilac petals gently. She was amazed at anyone who could cook because for Ruari, she wasn't blessed with that skill. That was why she relied on Dante and his wide range of awesome recipes. She wasted no time once she had the cupcake and she effectively slammed it into her own face, taking a huge bite and devouring it in one. "ohmagawd," she moaned, rain cloud grey eyes rolling in pleasure and ignoring the bits of cake sticking to her face. "This is so good," she gushed, her eyes wide as she noted the place. "These are…all mine, right?" She asked, eyebrow arched as she picked up another and wondered if the cakes would fit in her bag.

Ruari stood proudly, back straight, shoulders back and positively radiating pride as her friends unwrapped their gifts. "You're welcome!" She exclaimed, looping her arm around Aline's shoulders and doing the same to Dash. "It's no bother, really," she said dismissively and it really wasn't. "I already had your measurements and some extra fabric," she replied. She made it sound like they were offcuts but they weren't. She went trawling for the peach and wine coloured fabric, picking out embellishments with care for her friends. She offered a goofy smile.

"You are nothing of the sort," she tutted, shaking her head at Dash. "You can wear it on your next date with Sindri," she said with another smile. "He won't be able to take his eyes off you," she said gently. This was why she wanted to create clothes; they made people happy. Either that or her friends were just awfully polite.

"A tour would be great," she piped up as she took another bite of her second cupcake. "Zephir King?" She repeated, her plump lips down turning in a thoughtful frown as she racked her brain. She leant back on the sofa, offering Dash a smile as she cuddled up. She raised a hand and softly stroked her friend's long dark hair as she leant against her, her touch feather light. "Oh hang on," she said swiftly, remembering a vague face in a green tie. "I think I said hello to him once between classes.  He walked right past me," she mused as she frowned again, shrugging. "He seems lovely," she said with a lopsided grin.

"No!" Ruari exclaimed, eyes wide as she laughed to Aline's remark about the walk of shame. "That's awful!" She cooed. "Please tell me you don't have to make small talk over breakfast," she joked, eyes glittering as she snorted again with a shake of her head gently. Ah, the walk of shame. That had happened a few times to her and she remembered it well.

"Oooh," she said, rubbing her pale hands together gently. "Hot chocolate sounds fabulous," she said honestly. "And make mine with a big slug of that alcohol there. Yum." At Dash's rather terse reply to her boyfriend's wellbeing, she shot her a confused glance, eyebrows furrowing. Turning her head a little, she shot Aline what she hoped was a surreptitious glance, a slender eyebrow arched in question in a non-verbal invitation for her to pry. Ruari was never very good where relationships were involved. Rather than saying anything, she continued to stoke Dash's hair before the subject of her boyfriend came up.

"Urgh, yes," she said with a roll of her eyes. "Too busy," she said with a sigh. "Things are a little better now though," she was quick to correct herself. "Since the plague, at least. I didn't see him for a month at one point. He got all manly and possessive," she said with a soft sigh. "No Ruari, you can't see me. You might get ill. You don't take extra vitamins. Your iron count is low because you don't eat red meat blah blah blah," Ruari said in a damn near perfect imitation of Dante's Italian accent as she pulled a face. "Men. Pfft."

"Actually," she said softly, chewing on her lower lip as she shifted a little on her seat. "I have something to tell you," she said, keeping her voice dramatically soft and near a whisper. "Keep your calendars clear, girls. I need you as bridesmaids." With that, she held out her left hand so her engagement ring was clearly visible as she didn't bother to fight back her enormous grin.

"You did bring yourself. That's all we need." Aline smiled affectionately at her best friend and hugged her again. Really. If she had wanted them to bring something, she would have told them. The fact that Ruari had made dresses was as surprising for her as it was for the other brunette. It was a really pleasant surprise, of course. Ruari never failed to amaze her with her talent. "I know, right?" The healer-in-training replied to Dash's question about the ensuite. "I'll get it one day. I just need some more time to… persuade him." She grinned and focused her attention on Ruari, who was currently stuffing her face with cupcakes.

She chuckled softly when she saw some of the white cream on the blonde's nose. "There's something on your nose, Ru." Her chuckle turned into laughter and she shook her head slightly. Dear Merlin. She couldn't even describe how much she had missed hanging out with her friends. "And yes. They are all yours. So take your time, they won't vanish." Why Ruari still had that perfect body was beyond her. The former Hufflepuff could eat and eat and eat and it never showed. "Yeah. He is tolerable." The former Gryffindor winked at her friends before she took one of the chocolate raspberry cupcakes herself. Those were not even that bad. Well done.

"Believe me. Talking to them is fun, at least for me." The young woman shrugged her shoulders slightly. "I probably enjoy it way too much to make them feel uncomfortable." It wasn't as if Zephir was planning to see them more often anyway. She was pretty sure that he'd tell her if there was a girl she shouldn't scare off. Aline filled all three cups with hot chocolate before she opened the bottle of rum. "For you too, Dash?" After pouring the alcohol in the cups, Aline added some cream and chocolate sprinklers. "There you go." She handed the cups over to her friends and raised her own one. "To a wonderful evening."

After taking a sip - and burning her tongue, of course - Aline looked at Dash, her eyebrows slightly raised. Fine? Really? That was all the girl could say about the love of her life? While the healer-in-training didn't believe in true love, she was definitely happy for her friend. Dash and Sindri fit together perfectly and they were one of those couples that made her doubt her opinions from time to time. She could sense that something wasn't quite right but she didn't want to press it further. Dash would surely come and talk to her if she was ready for it.

She just couldn't help it. Aline had to giggle again when Ruari imitated her boyfriend's accent. "Well, he was right. Don't blame him. It was hell for us at work. I'm just glad it's over and that everyone I know is safe now." She was painfully reminded of the boy that had died right under her eyes and took another sip of her hot beverage to distract herself again. Ruari continued and Aline moved a little closer, curious what the other girl had to tell them. Wait what? The former Gryffindor gasped, her eyes wide open. Bridesmaids? Did that mean that… "Oh my god. You're getting married!!" This was… definitely a huge surprise. The young woman almost jumped over the little table to get closer to her friend. "Congratulations!" She hugged her tightly and placed a kiss on her cheek before she went back to her spot on the floor.

While she doubted that marriage would ever be the right thing for her, Aline was so glad for her friend. Dante was a good guy and he'd probably be a great healer one day. He seemed to be the right match for her Ru. She thought about Max and Alice and noticed that almost all her closest friend were in relationships now. Ah well. She didn't need that. She was happy with her life the way it was.

The brunette’s appreciation of the dress Ruari had made for her was plain to see. When Ruari mentioned her next date with Sindri, however, Dash offered an amused smile and raised her eyebrows, “I don’t think I’ll be wearing this hiking,” she told her friend, “It has been a while since we’ve gone on a dinner date.” She shrugged. The outdoors had always been more appealing to the couple than usual dates. Their joint appreciation of peace and nature was the main reason that they lived out in the country and away from towns, muggle or magical. Still, she’d find a place to wear the dress. The next visit to the Trickett household, perhaps?

“Rum? Yes please.” Dash smiled serenely. She didn’t drink often or much, and in fact preferred a cold beer on a hot day than anything else. Tonight was about the three of them, though, and Dash didn’t mind the idea of sharing a drink or two with two of her closest friends. It was the only time she ever did drink, really. She raised her drink with the others and toasted to their night. “Merlin, I’ve missed this,” she told them softly. The hazel-eyed girl blew on her drink a bit to cool it down. “I know it has already been said, but it really has been too long.” She let Ruari stroke her hair softly – something that she remembered the girl doing as far back as their first year – and took a slow sip of her drink.

Aline caught Dash’s eyes and the former Hufflepuff signalled with a slight shake of her head that she didn’t want to talk about it. Dash didn’t even really want to think about Sindri right now. While she was sure that Aline would be curious and ask her about it later, she couldn’t begin to think about what she’d answer with. It wasn’t as if she and her boyfriend of six years were fighting or having problems as such. Everything was fine, and that was probably what she’d say. The girl’s gaze dropped to the floor for a moment until Ruari’s next words.

The slender brunette grabbed at her friend’s hand immediately, thoughts of her own relationship temporarily washed out of her head. “Ruari!” she exclaimed, bouncing up to her knees on the couch, and glancing up at the blonde in wonder. “How dare you keep this from us until now!” Dash chided her friend, though a large smile graced the girl’s pretty face as she did so. She let Aline hug Ruari before continuing, “When did this happen?” she demanded in a gentle voice, “How?” The girl shook her head, her thoughts cast back to memories of school and their first night in the Hufflepuff dorms. It wasn’t really that long ago, and yet Ruari was engaged! Dash’s gaze flicked up from her friend’s hand to her face. Her eyes were full of delight and wonder. “I’m so happy for you,” she told the blonde, leaning forward to wrap her arms around her friend tightly.