Private We wish you a merry Batmas!

Despite all of her jokes about being a silly headed creature with a lack of social awareness Tanaquil could be canny and even without that she could tell that Jason was a bit nervous. Well, seemed natural enough, and it wasn't as though she were the calmest being in the world either. She'd heard of most of these people in passing, if that- but fortunately she was rather used to uncomfortable situations these days. When you were very little worried you. Besides, best to be the comfortable one amidst the possible chaos. It made life far more interesting.

Not being native to a place that celebrated Christmas she mostly knew it as a time where people insisted on decorating trees, handing out gifts and being very, very fond of the color red. Well and good, fair enough. But no, it seemed she was still in for more surprises, mostly in the form of Jason in antlers. It had taken about two minutes for the playful quips to stop, but at least she'd gotten them mostly out of her system on the trip here. She, of course, wasn't dressed quite a festively, having no inkling of what made things truly festive in the first place, though she did coincidentally have a maroon ribbon tying back her hair. That would have to suffice, wouldn't it.

As they made their way up the walk she kept Peeve on a slightly shorter leash than usual, just in case- though to be honest he was behaving well, all things considered. The promise of enough caramel popcorn to put him into a coma once they were back home probably had a lot to do with that. Still she was relatively confident and unperturbed, and as Jay nudged her in she stepped past, giving him a confident, if cheeky, smile and waiting for him to come in before she ventured in any further, nudging Peeve with her toe to keep his attention before slipping him a taffy. Hopefully that would keep his chatterbox ways quiet for a moment.

By the stars, this was going to be quite a time, wasn't it. Hopefully she didn't make too much of a mess of things.

 

The excuse Damian would've given -- that he was forced to attend, obviously -- fell flat as soon as he realized he was the first to arrive. He'd slipped in one night and made himself at home in one of the guest bedrooms, and didn't even bother formally announcing his presence before he showed up to breakfast the next morning and stared expectantly until he was brought a plate.

Since then, he'd slipped in and out like a stray cat. When Jason came to the door, Damian was sitting cross-legged in front of the large Christmas tree with his hair freshly cut and wearing a clean black sweater. He wasn't festive in the slightest, even surrounded by the wrapped presents and glittering lights, but he wasn't pointing a sword at anybody so that was something.

In his lap was Titus, all gangly puppy limbs and too big paws as he was splayed out over the boy's legs. His tail thumped against the ground as Damian scratched him behind the ears idly, but both stilled inquisitively as the sound of the door opening reached them. When Damian realized it was only Todd, he let out a sharp breath, though he didn't sound as annoyed as he would've a few months ago.

"I hope the gifts are worth more than your presence," he sassed. However, by this time, it was more sibling rivalry habitual aggression than true venom.

 

Unlike most of her siblings Cassandra had thrown herself fully into the holiday spirit, helping out Alfred in his quest to spread festive joy throughout the mansion as best she could. Putting up ornaments, decorating the house, burning baking cookies; it had even gotten to a point that she was worried she was doing too much, and was getting in the older man's way. However, it was all it good spirits. The chance for all of them to just sit down and enjoy a holiday without being interrupted by some sort of villain attack had been rare back in Gotham -in fact, it was so rare that it had never happened while she was a part of the family- and she even felt herself chafe a bit at the prospect. However, she forced the feeling deep into her gut where it could no longer bother her. Today wasn't for that!

Except she couldn't help but be a bit sad. With nearly the whole family coming, it only served to make the absences stand out more, and the recent appearance of Tim (her Tim!) didn't help. Barbara and Stephanie would have liked this, she thought, seeing everyone joined together. Was it fortunate that whatever had brought her and the others to Pandora hadn't brought them as well, or let the younger Barbara she'd met stay, or was it unfortunate? She couldn't tell. In any case, she doubted either of them would have wanted their absence to drag the festivities down.

'Come on, Cass,' she could imagine Steph saying to her. 'It's freaking Christmas! Have fun!'

So that's exactly what she did. She'd even bought an ugly Christmas sweater vaguely resembling one that Steph had begged her to try on one year (she'd refused) and worn it to celebrate.

She was in the kitchen when the door opened, and Jason announced his arrival. She wasn't especially fond of him -they'd gotten off on a very sour note- but the animosity she'd once felt towards him had disappeared as time passed. She had no reason not to greet him, so that's exactly what she did.

"Behave, Damian," she said lightly as she approached them. Her earthy brown eyes met Jason's blue eyes and she gave the pair at the entrance a smile. "Hi Jason, Merry Christmas."

 

Damian just narrowed his eyes at her over one shoulder. However, any annoyance or intimidation in his sour expression was very effectively tempered by the puppy leaning its head out of the boy's lap upside down, a long tongue hanging playfully out of its mouth. The fact that Damian was more or less cradling it didn't help his case, either.

"Silence, Cain," he demanded as he scratched Titus's head, leaning over him almost protectively. "After you almost poisoned me with those cookies of yours, you have no right to tell me how to act."

Cookies in which he'd stolen from the kitchen less than an hour before dinner, of course. But details weren't always important.

 

"And here I thought the Christmas spirit would bring a little 'peace on earth' and 'good will towards man' into this household," Alfred sighed a little too loud to be under his breath. The sound of an opening door had lured him out of his post in the kitchen, just in time to walk in on the typical banter between the younger members of the family. Despite his remark, he wouldn't have expected anything else, really. That, and the fact that Master Damian was trying to be his usual self with a puppy his his lap took away just a small bit of the edge.

Alfred smiled at the scene as he wiped his hands off with a dish towel that had come with him. This hadn't been how he had expected to spend Christmas if you had asked him merely months ago, but he was more than happy to accept it. He was used to big events back when Thomas and Martha were still alive. Lavish galas, holiday fundraisers, and of course the cozier Christmas mornings between the four of them. Things weren't the same now that they were gone. The hole they left was immense. There was no replacing them, but to suddenly have a Christmas where he and Master Bruce were surrounded by all of these people... Well, he'd certainly take it. He might not have known his suddenly large family for as long as they seemed to know him, but they had already found their ways right into his heart.

Of course, bigger Christmas meant more work. Alfred had been keeping himself very, very busy all day. In fact, he was still busy. Between decorating, wrapping his own gifts, and preparing food, he had barely had time to sit down all day. It was a good sort of exhausting though. He had been more than happy to let Cassandra get involved in the efforts as well. She was a great deal of help, burnt cookies and all. Even if things did get a little smokey, Alfred was glad to have her around. All that was left now was finishing up dinner, which he had been making good progress on when Master Jason had announced himself.

"Merry Christmas, Master Jason." Alfred of course was dressed as formally as ever, always looking proper especially during a family get together. However, the little wreath tie pin he wore did add an extra splash of holiday cheer. "And to you too, Miss Tanaquil." He gave a small nod in the red head's direction. "It's nice to see you again under much better circumstances." Yes, it certainly was. Things hadn't exactly been great for Master Jason in these past few months, so it was good to see him bringing the young lady along with him. Granted, Alfred had his suspicions when she first came to their door dragging an unconscious Jason behind her on a tarp. However, seeing how she looked after Master Jason and how Jason had spoke about her after, Alfred figured that it was safe to warm up a bit to her.

 

Peeve took his taffy without a fuss- though whether that worked out for better or worse in the end was anyone's guess. She didn't have much time to mull it over anyway, as the chatting drew her attention and she watched and listened with quiet interest. The boy was abrupt but clever certainly, and the girl seemed polite and distant, but in her experience first impressions were usually wrong. Besides, despite the banter Jason seemed quite happy, and she was very glad to see that.

She was content to stand there quietly, until Alfred addressed her, and she gave him a smile and nodded in return for his greeting. Well, this was certainly a turn of events, wasn't it. But it was always nice to see a familiar face. "Merry Christmas. It's good to see you again as well," she replied with her usual airy, pleasantly happy tone. Then Jason was reaching back for her hand and she took it carefully but with confidence and a smile and a sideways glance toward him. If she'd been able to flush anymore she might well have at the very honest and complimentary introduction she was getting. It warmed her heart, really and truly, and she squeezed his hand slightly in return for it. Even if his introductions of others left more questions than answers.

Instead of thinking too long on it though she gave them both a smile and a nod of greeting, nudging Peeve with her toe slightly as he turned and waddled over to stand by her ankle, giving the dog a wide-eyed and awed look. "It's nice to meet you both," she told them with warm sincerity. "This is Peeve, he's glad to meet you too." As Jason crouched by the presents she shifted to the side slightly so she'd be out of the way of this distribution process and quirked her lip in amusement. "Quite right. I knew I was here for something," she joked.

 

Damian arched a sharp eyebrow as he appraised the woman Todd had brought home. At first glance, she seemed rather plain in his opinion, but he kept that to himself after being introduced via his two favorite monikers: 'blood son' and 'heir.' With a small, smug smirk, he turned back to the Christmas tree without any dispute or rude comment for once in his life as he patted Titus's tummy. Perhaps Todd knew exactly how he'd react and was playing him, or perhaps Todd had just finally realized his place in the family. Regardless, Damian was content.

"Pennyworth, when we open the champagne, find me a coupe instead of a flute," he requested with his chin raised and back straight. "I don't enjoy the carbonation." His nose wrinkled at the thought, although he was careful with his wording. One thing he'd learned at Titans Tower that it was, in fact, impossible to look tough while saying the word 'bubbles.' He'd tried multiple times, and each time...failure.

(And if there was one thing he hated, it was failure. And bubbles.)

Before he could say anything else, Titus scrambled off his lap to bound over to the visitors, immediately trying to jump on Jason. His tail wagged happily as he pawed at the man's thighs, before he returned to the ground just to sniff at Tanaquil and Peeve out of curiosity.

 

At Damian's retort, Cassandra stiffened. Fighting the heat of embarrassment that so desperately wanted to creep up her face, she shot the boy a disapproving look. So maybe she wasn't the best cook in the world. Maybe she had needed Alfred to tell her that, no, an entire batch of cookies did not need a full bottle of vanilla extract to flavor it. Maybe she'd only just recently been told how an oven worked! She was still learning, darn it! That was no excuse for him to be rude about it (though, really, she should have expected nothing less than a kid of Damian's attitude). Were she better at banter she probably could have said something clever about how someone raised as an assassin couldn't even tell if a cookie was burnt, but all she could manage was, "Maybe you should wait until dessert to eat the cookies, then."

Still not completely recovered from being called out on her poor baking skills in front of family, Cass tried to keep her composure as Jason introduced his girlfriend. She had, of course, figured they were something like that as soon as she'd laid eyes on the pair. Everything about the pair screamed 'in love', just as it had once she'd seen Bruce and Catwoman (or Selina) interact. And Tanaquil, from what she could tell, seemed like a good, honest person; nothing about her held ill will towards her or her family, so she replied with a very sincere, if a bit awkward, "It's nice to meet you both."

Manners told her that she was supposed to shake a newcomer's hand once in greeting, so she was already halfway towards Tanaquil when Jason asked her to take the champagne he'd brought with him off his hands. Efficient worker that she was, Cassandra decided to do both at once, simultaneously offering up a hand for Tanaquil to shake and reaching her other hand out so she could grab and hold each bottle by the neck between a pair of her fingers. of with a "no problem" to her brother.

Then Damian's declaration came, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Aren't you too young to drink alcohol?" she called over her shoulder, before turning back to Jason and Tana for confirmation or denial, genuinely unsure. Back in Gotham, she had been too young to buy drinks, and so had always assumed the same held true here. Was she wrong, and Damian was within his legal rights?

 

Dick took a breath, barely audible over the rumble of his motorcycle, and tugged off his riding helmet. He chuckled to himself at the site of the massive estate, kicking down the stand of his vehicle and shutting off the engine. He'd thought it when he'd pulled up to the gate, but this close that idea was confirmed and he just had to laugh a little. Somehow, Bruce had managed to build a place here that looked almost exactly like home. Home. Dick shook his head. How long had it been since he'd actually lived with Bruce? And that was still the first word that came to mind.

He wasn't under any delusions that this was home, however. It wasn't Gotham, it wasn't even Earth. It was Pandora. Bruce had kept him away from the estate 'til now, being cryptic as to why, but Dick could guess well enough. The Bruce he'd met was different than the one he knew. Of course he was fairly sure all versions of Bruce were pretty much the same, but that was beside the point. He'd already run into one other Robin, and one that should have been dead at that - Jason Todd. If his understanding of this place was right, it was possible that he was about to get a whole lot more surprises through those massive doors. Bruce had given him time to adapt to the situation - maddeningly insightful as always.

Given his more recent change of scenery compared to Bruce he wasn't exactly the most filled with Christmas spirit, but he had to admit, there was a certain sense of hearth and home that the mansion brought him. It was comforting, though he'd never let Bruce know it. Setting his helmet on the seat behind him he grabbed the keys and slipped them into his riding jacket pocket. He didn't have a present - he'd barely had time to get a job and a bike since he'd arrived, and besides he had no idea what or who he was walking into - but he figured that was fair. It was pretty unlikely anyone in there even knew he was here. Except for Jason. He wasn't...quite sure how he was going to handle that yet.

Dick crossed the grounds quickly, eager to get out of the cold winter air. He was wearing a black and gray sweater under his brown leather riding jacket, along with a pair of comfortable slacks and brown and black leather sneakers, but they weren't quite keeping the bite off like he'd hoped. When he reached the massive front entrance he took a breath, hesitating for a moment before raising his hand. Then it hit him. Dick Grayson was about to knock to get into Wayne Manor. Now that one, that one actually set him to laughing for real. It also brought his mood up, at least a bit, and he knocked with a little more cheer than he had originally intended, stuffing his hands into his jacket afterwards.

"Welp, hold your nose, Grayson. We're goin' in..."

 

The youngest of the siblings snarked away in the background and ordered about people with an officiousness that would have made Lizra take a step back and Tanaquil bit back a bit of a bemused smile. Especially when the large dog approached Jason, greeting him fondly, and then came to examine her and Peeve. What he'd think about her, she couldn't say- some animals found vampires odd, some didn't, and hopefully he'd take the latter point of view, especially since she was unbothered by him. Peeve, on the other hand, stared at the canine with wide eyes and reached out a paw to pat Titus's nose, murmuring, "Big dog. Nice? in a hopeful- and clearly audible- and high-pitched voice. Well, that should be interesting.

It passed quickly though and she glanced back at Cassandra and her proffered hand, her expression turning more sincere as she shook it politely, if briefly. After all, she had the unfortunate tendency toward cold hands these days, what with no circulation, and generally that disturbed people. Understandably so. Nothing worse than a dead handshake, they said. When it came to the alcohol question she'd no idea, actually, and while she considered for a moment saying she was sure Damian was too young to drink. That seemed to be the common Earth answer anyway..

Then Jason was reaching into the bag and pulling out one of those sweaters he'd brought along and she flashed a briefly skeptical look at it, and then glanced at the youngest person here again. Even after this short introduction she had to wonder how this was going to go. Hopefully the answer would be either 'easily' or 'amusingly'. The knock at the door was a distraction though and she have Jason a comfortable, confident smile as she stayed by the bags, shifting things around to make them somewhat neat after his digging. Really, was it that hard to keep things together-

Oh, but at the snarkery she couldn't help but look up, could she, and she gave Jason a playfully bemused smirk back, because that was no kind of an introduction. Well, except to the fact that there was some kind of sibling tension. Not that it seemed that different from anything else so far. "Oh, that's good then," she replied with a winsome smile.

 

Christmas with all the kids, that was both a dream and a nightmare for Bruce and he’d spent most of the day in the batcave preparing his gifts for the kids. Just small things he knew they’d like, symbolic really. He scratched behind Ace’s ears and patted his leg to make him hop up and follow him to the elevator. He was in a black suit and blue tie and armful of boxes and his dog at his side. The elevator rose and rose from the hidden floors and headed up to the penthouse mansion. And apparently Jason had also brought the woman he’d been seeing. So Bruce was at least not going to be blind sided. He hadn’t gotten her a gift just because he had no idea who she was or what her interests were and cash seemed like a bad idea. But she’d get some use out of the gift he was going to give Jason.

The elevator dinged in his private office and he stepped out, Ace heard everyone else into the room and burst trough the door, the large black Great Dane was instantly sniffing through the crowd for threats. Bruce walked out behind him with the gifts. “Can I get a hand with this anyone?”

 

When it came right down to it-- Tim was late to joining his family for celebrating because well, he’d hesitated on whether he ought to come at all. Being Jewish at a Christmas celebration made him occasionally feel a little left out, but beyond that it was just--- family. Love them he did but there was also no getting around it-- they were a lot to deal with. It made sense, of course, a family full of strong personalities like theirs was bound to clash. That didn’t make dealing with it any less exhausting on Tim’s side of it though. However, they’d gone out of their way to make sure he knew he was invited and if he didn’t at least put in an appearance he was going to look like a huge ass. (And feel like one too, if he was being particularly honest with himself.) So really, there hadn’t been a choice in coming, but he had dragged his feet a little getting his things together and getting over to Wayne Manor. It had been an easy thing to do, he had a present for everyone, he’d had to make sure they were all neatly wrapped in non-denominational winter wrapping paper, he’d made a batch of potato latkes as well. It was a simple enough thing to make and everybody seemed to like them, besides he’d been craving them since average temperature had dipped down to snowy depths. Winter didn’t seem like winter without their crispy golden brown look and crispy fried potato taste. It was easy enough to find excuses to putter around he and Jason’s apartment and waste time, meaning when he actually arrived Tim realized that he was later than he had intended on being.

It was a bit embarrassing really. Tim was usually so good about time management, save when it came to putting aside time for self-care, that he was self admittedly horrendous at. It’s his family though and it was Christmas, there would be no held grudges tonight. (At least, he really really hoped not.) Tim shifts packages from tucked under his right arm to his left, balancing tupperware underneath his stack of presents to hand out to everybody. He knocks at their wreath adorned door, more as a warning than a request for it to be answered and enters. Afterall, Wayne Manor is still his home in a sense, at least---closest Tim had left to home. Home adjacent, at very least. He’s welcome here and he knows it, but Pandora is still so new and alien-- it’s been difficult trying to adjust to it. Though he doesn’t think he stands out as struggling too badly, and at least he had family. There were plenty that seemed like they’d been dropped here-- no resources or connections and nobody to help them adjust. He’s luckier than that so there is only so much complaining he feels comfortable with.

”Hey, sorry I’m late…” He calls as he’s stepping inside, brushing snow from his shoulders with one free hand. ‘I didn’t want to come.’ He thinks but bites his lip to keep from saying, mouth pursed up for a moment like he’d sucked on a lemon while he thought about what excuse to give. Something playful obviously, something that shows he’s here to celebrate, not to be a drag. “Some poor grandma got run over by a reindeer out there, so naturally I had to make sure she hadn’t broken a hip or anything.” He finishes, it would have to be a good enough answer, he doubted it would matter enough that anybody would press for a real answer anyhow.

Jason is first to head over, Tanaquil by his side, it made sense, after all they’d at least met in passing if not been formally introduced. It occurs to him that he might be closest to Jason of them all, and Tim had never would have guessed at that if somebody had told him months ago, before he’d come to Pandora-- well, he’d have probably thought they were mentally disturbed. Yet, here they are. Life was funny like that sometimes.

He presses his burden of packages and tupperware into Jason’s arms with a small smile and peels off his black wool peacoat along with his scarf, revealing a truly ugly Hanukkah sweater underneath. See, nobody present would be able to accuse him of not having Holiday spirit. Sure, Hanukkah has already ended but Tim was pretty sure it was his effort that mattered.

”I also made latkes, is there anywhere specific I should set them down or…?” Alfred, after all, could be surprisingly fussy about his table spreads so it was definitely safer to ask.

@Jason Todd, @Tanaquil, @Alfred Pennyworth (I just mentioned the ones that probably make the most sense to reply? IDK guys.)

 

"He is growing strong," Damian said proudly, puffing his tiny chest out as he looked at his little sidekick. Titus had his tongue sticking out goofily before it took a swipe up Peeve's cheek and he flopped onto his back for belly rubs. "Perhaps...a bit spoiled." But then again, it wasn't like there was anything Damian was going to do about that particular problem. He wasn't his mother.

(And boy, did he have something related to that to mention to Jason when they got a moment alone.)

Staring at his brother's rather offending sweater, he let out a quiet tch. "Think you can fight crime without your fingers, Todd? You can barely manage it as-is." There was no real venom behind his threat, of course, but Damian turned away from him with his nose turned up regardless. Only one person would be able to get him into something like that, and Grayson was--

Wait...

--here?

"GRAYSON!" Ignoring both his father and Drake's appearance, he launched himself at his former mentor at breakneck speed, before skidding to a stop directly in front of him. Though his first urge was to go in for a hug of all things, he...wasn't quite there yet. Not anymore. Instead, he just punched Grayson's hip, trying not to bear too much resemblance to Titus's puppy-ish excitement when he looked up at him. "Perhaps Pandora won't be quite as miserable if you've arrived here."

 

Dick's eyes widened a little as the door to the mansion opened, and possibly the most complicated person in the whole house to greet was on the other side. Damn. He'd been hoping for Alfred. It had been a month now since Dick had come across the former Robin under...less than ideal conditions. He and Bruce had yelled their way through a long talk about Bruce not making him aware of Jason not only being alive, but also willing to kill, and while Dick had a better understanding of the situation now, there was no question that the reality of both those things both shocked and hurt him. He'd never been able to imagine one of them going down...that path. Now he had to.

Multiple emotions crossed his face as Jason spoke, the younger man remaining silent until the elder moved aside to let him in. Dick took a breath and tried to start. "Jason..." He sighed. This wasn't the time and he knew it. He might not know some or even most of the people on the other side of this door, but he knew that somewhere, somewhen, they were his family. And whelming as that was, they were here for a happy time. After another moment Dick gave him an acknowledging nod and stepped inside. "Yeah well, Bruce is still breaking me in I guess." He was trying not to be cold, but the tone still creeped into hi voice, just a bit.shrugged off his coat, shutting the door behind him and letting his eyes drift over the group in front of him. What was somewhat amusing to him was that he could automatically pick out the one person in the room who wasn't family - the red-headed girl standing off to the side. Still, he felt more like her than someone who belonged here right at the moment. Jason he knew of course, but the other two - the girl, who looked about his age, and a much younger boy - were complete strangers to him. He supposed there was a lot for him to be filled in on.

He stepped in a little further and closed the door behind him, letting out a sigh and raising a hand to give a wave and introduce himself...weird as that sounded...when several things happened all at once. From out of a room a short ways away Ace can bounding through the door, followed shortly by Bruce. From behind him Dick heard the door open again, half turning to see...Tim? His mouth dropped open. This one, like Jason, hit a little closer to home. Tim was...older than the last time he had seen him. Bigger too. And more sad looking, which concerned him. He knew there was an extremely low change this was the "Tim" he knew, but still... Before he could move to talk to the younger man however, he heard steps coming towards him, and turned to see the younger boy from earlier looking up at him after thumping his hip. He knew his name, and seemed happy to see him. That was good at the very least...he'd wondered to himself in the back of his mind and hoped versions of himself these people would be in good standing with the family. On the other hand, it didn't seem like the younger boy had thought yet that this might not be the DIck he knew. It must have been tough...being his age and stuck here. He hoped Bruce was giving him some structure at least.

Still, it wasn't as though anything of yet had given him a reason to feel uncomfortable, or unwelcome. He smiled his usual half grin down at the younger boy, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Well, glad to hear I'm not the only one who likes having me around." He arched an eyebrow. "I was going to introduce myself, buuut I guess that's not exactly needed is it?" He looked up and muttered to himself as he scanned the group again. "Whelmed, Bruce. Definitely whelmed." He didn't want to admit it but Bruce had been right to give him time to adjust. A month ago this would have seriously given him an aneurysm. He returned his attention to the boy, removing a hand from his pocket to rub the back of his neck. "Sorry if I'm not the...me(?) you were expecting. I don't think we've met." Dick extended the hand with a more apologetic smile this time, offering an introduction.

 

Damian's mouth went a little dry as he registered his brother's words. Of course, he should've considered the possibility that Grayson was just like the rest, who came from those 'perfect universes' where only Bruce's chosen existed. He shouldn't have gotten his hopes of all things that things were finally beginning to turn out a little okay in Pandora now that his mentor was back and he was slowly acclimating to the new additions to their family. The fact that he was even able to call them that demonstrated his progress.

But he hadn't braced himself for the look of complete and utter lack of recognition in Grayson's eyes, because when he had ever thought of him as just like the rest?

An ugly sneer curled Damian's lips as he shut right back in on himself. The puppy-like excitement was gone, only to be replaced by his usual cold demeanor as he spun on his heel and turned his back both on the impostor wearing his brother's face and the hand offered to him as a mockery of an introduction.

"I'm certain you can show yourself the way in," he remarked rudely, marching away with a confused Titus at his heels. He took a few of the presents out of Bruce's hands and carried them to place underneath the tree. It wasn't often he deigned to make himself helpful in those little ways, but as any boy would, he naturally gravitated towards his father when he was wounded.

 

By the Sacred Beast, it was such a good thing that she'd at least heard most of these names before, and that it was mostly a case of matching faces to those names and not learning it all in one rush. She'd been bad enough at that back when it was only learning two or three at a time when the roster of the fortress's soldiers had changed! It was a little overwhelming- but that was fine. She was good at being off-balance and finding what she needed to in the chaos of it all. Thank the stars.

She didn't miss that brief flash of hurt that crossed his features. Utterly nonchalant she left Peeve- who briefly patted the dog's belly- to walk over toward him, and heard the scurry of his footsteps after her a moment later. At the 'servant' statement- well, she couldn't really fault him for that. Perhaps it wasn't completely right but considering her own family she wasn't in a position to guess. Nonetheless the look she gave him was understandingly sympathetic, if quick; being the 'dark horse' was a familial state she knew very well.

In the corner of her eye she could see another large dog moving through the people, and while not quite nervous about it she wasn't really keen to see Peeve start trouble- or for her vampiric nature to cause a tizzy either. So as Jason bid her come along for introductions she did so, reaching into her pocket and unwrapping another taffy for Peeve as he trundled after her. To be entirely honest, she hadn't known what to expect based on what she'd heard. Someone like Zoander perhaps, icy and imposing? Or like Jaive, all fickleness and temper? Instead, this 'father' Bruce seemed more like Raphael- stoic and steady in the midst of chaos, if unreachable. First impressions were never as telling as she'd like, but at least it was a start.

Out of the corner of her eye she caught Jason's slightly telling and vaguely desperate look. What. Oh dear. She was expected to be charming. Well then. So she put on a pleasantly winsome smile, abandoned the idea of a curtsy as probably a little too obsequious, and nodded in greeting instead. "Good evening. It's nice to meet you. Lovely party, I'm honored to be invited," she said with the same airy confidence as ever, even if her eyes were a bit more inquisitive than that. And why not? She was a bit curious, and not terribly intimidated. "Do let me help you with those? If there's any help you're left needing." There was a hint of bemused humor in that, as she had no way to tell exactly what everyone's place was around here on a calm day, much less all of this.