Hanna Marin knows what Hanna Marin means (numbtothedanger) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2015-10-30 16:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, caleb rivers, hanna marin |
Who: Caleb and Hanna, plus NPC!Ashley Marin
What: Caleb surprises Hanna at a Halloween party
When: 30 October 2015
Where: Bank party
Warnings: Low
Status: Log | Complete
Much like she did every year, Hanna was at the Halloween party her mom’s work threw. She’d spent most of the day setting up before she had gone home with her mom to get ready. As she had told Spencer, she was dressing up as Alice Hamilton from the SyFy miniseries Alice as the theme was literature but the outfit was more modern and easier to put together. And she just liked it. Which meant straightening her hair and getting temporary dye to become a brunette and then putting on the maroon tights, blue dress, burgundy crushed jacket and boots.
As she was finishing, it seemed her mom had finished getting into her Queen of Hearts costume.
“Ready to go?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
Once the two were at the party, it was into the mingling and helping with the punch and whatever else Hanna was needed to do. Usually by this time, she was free to do whatever which… great. She could find someone to talk to, though.
Ever since Hanna had mentioned her mother’s Halloween work party, Caleb wanted to surprise her because well it just seemed fun. And he knew it would make Hanna happy. So that was his plan. He had even asked Spencer what her costume was, which was apparently Alice, but not just any Alice. Alice from the SyFy miniseries. And yes Caleb was determined to match her as best as possible not that he even knew different Alices mattered but he had a feeling to Hanna it made a difference.
He didn’t go all out, but he did get the brown leather jacket and matching hat. That was Halloween costume enough for Caleb. When he showed up to the party it took him a minute to spot Hanna considering she had gone all out, even gone brunette. He was personally a fan of the blonde, but she still looked stunning.
Caleb made his way over to her a smirk already on his face, however instead of greeting her he placed a hand on her shoulder. “I almost didn’t recognize you,” he said from behind leaning in towards her ear.
When Hanna dressed up, Hanna did it right. Even if the costume was much more ‘casual’ and less a pinafore dress, she was still going to be the character. Maybe part of the reason she resonated with this version of Alice was the search for her father, even if it was completely different reasoning and circumstances. But because of that, she would be a brunette for the night. Sometimes it was fun being someone else for a time.
Feeling a hand on her shoulder, Hanna tensed initially. So okay, maybe she was a bit more paranoid thanks to the Dreams, but being cyberstalked? Totally unnerving. The second she heard Caleb’s voice though? She instantly relaxed and spun around, smiling brightly.
“Caleb!” Hugging him she stepped back to really appreciate the view. “You came as Hatter!” What? He matched. “How did you even know what I was doing?” Because sure, she wouldn’t have minded bringing him with her, she had figured Halloween and dressing up wouldn’t be a thing he’d enjoy so she had only left it vague when she said she had plans.
That was the smile he was looking for. However, before answering her question he pulled her in for a kiss, hand finding the side of her face, staying there once the kiss broke. “I did,” he finally replied a smile on his face. She would have been right though. Dressing up wasn’t exactly his thing. But surprising Hanna was worth it.
“I had some help,” obviously because how else would he know what to dress up as? “I may have asked Spencer what you were planning to dress up as,” he confessed, tucking her hair behind her ear before dropping his hand to his side.
Well colour Hanna both surprised and happy. Because really, someone making the effort to surprise her like this? It was new and really sweet. Especially since it wasn’t like she and Caleb were official. Not really. One date, and apartment hunting.
“Probably wise. She didn’t give you the fifth degree, did she?” Because sometimes Hanna just spoke and mixed up words and things she was trying to say. That and there were a lot of degrees, okay? But she knew how Spencer could be,
That was pretty much as official as it got for Caleb. He wasn’t the type to say anything about it. Was he supposed to ask her to go steady or something? Have some sort of talk? This was still all new to him, but none of those options felt right. What he was already doing felt the most natural. Hopefully Hanna got that he only wanted her.
And then he laughed. Because that was a very Hanna thing to say. “Just the third,” he told her with a smirk. “Does Spencer go all the way up to five?” from what he had seen in the dreams and the few times he talked to Spencer he knew she was... intense. So maybe she did go all the way up to five, not that that was a real thing, but whatever more teasing for Hanna.
As much as Hanna was known for doing rash things when it came to relationships, she was trying to tone down the enthusiasm since it was new for Caleb. And she knew better than to throw herself fully into it after one date, along with helping him with the apartment that week. So she’d see how it went and be happy.
“Only the third, I’m impressed.” Grinning, Hanna then nodded at the question. “Spencer is very intense. So she’d probably go up to ten if she really wanted to.” The blonde was just good at handling it. Most of the time. She was stubborn and could hold her own. But she loved her friend and didn’t mind the teasing. She might have messed up the turn of phrase, but it was clear what she had meant.
Caleb was happy. Probably the happiest he had been in his entire life. It wasn’t just because of Hanna. Although she was a big part of it. But he was also in the process of getting the life he had always wanted with friends and a real job and just stability.
“I’m sure I’ll get the tenth at some point,” he laughed. “I don’t mind. She’s just looking out for you.” He knew Spencer wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to hurt Hanna. And he wasn’t. At least he wasn’t planning on it. The last thing he wanted was for Hanna to get hurt. By anyone. “Seems like a good friend.”
“She is.” For all of her stubbornness and always needing to be right, Hanna knew she’d lucked out in having Spencer as a friend. Really just the group as a whole, even though she hadn’t gotten to speak Aria or Emily much recently. It happened and while she didn’t like it, Hanna at least understood. So the fact they were still close in her dreams was nice.
And that was when Ashley walked over, having noticed the person dressed as Hatter kiss her daughter. Right. The young man who had brought her home the week previous and who had been hanging around more.
“Hanna, are you going to introduce us?” Yes, she was slightly amused, but more so concerned. She knew boys like Caleb. She also knew Hanna’s poor decisions when it came to relationships.
Cue Hanna flushing.
“Right! Mom, this is Caleb. Caleb, this is my mom, Ashley.”
Right. Girl’s like Hanna had parents who cared. Or at least a mom who did. Considering he already knew her dad was a jerk. Actually most people probably had parents who cared it was just a new concept for him. So was the whole meeting the mom thing, though he should have assumed it would happen considering he was at her mother’s work party.
Caleb turned his attention away from Hanna and to her mother. “It’s nice to meet you Ms. Marin,” he said extending his hand to shake hers. He didn’t call anyone by their last name or do the whole Ms. or Mr. thing. Even his bosses. Tony was Tony and Pepper was Pepper he had never called them Ms. Potts or Mr. Stark. Even during the interviewing process. So the fact that he hadn’t called Hanna’s mom by her first name was showing a lot for Caleb. Even if neither of them knew that about him.
A brief sizing up of Caleb was done as Ashley took his hand and shook it, nodding some.
“Likewise, Caleb. I didn’t know Hanna was bringing someone to this.”
Which had Hanna flush some then shrug nonchalantly.
Interesting. Despite appearances, he seemed polite enough as she didn’t realise that this was a thing he didn’t usually do, referring to people by their last names. But.. Hanna had been happier the past week, which was also important to her.
In the dreams Ashley didn’t seem to be the biggest fan of him. At least not of him living in the basement which he couldn’t really fault her for and he certainly wasn’t going to hold her against it in real life.
“Ah well I actually wanted surprised her,” Caleb admitted with a sheepish smile as he dropped his hand back to his side. He stepped closer to Hanna his shoulder touching hers, tempted to wrap an arm around her but he refrained. “Does your work throw this party every year? It’s.. festive.” For lack of a better word. Because Caleb hadn’t exactly been to a Halloween party before either. Lots of firsts for Caleb this year.
Colour Ashley mildly impressed. It would also explain why Hanna hadn’t mentioned anything, which she normally would have otherwise.
“I see.” Presently she was reserving judgment, but she did nod at the question, “We do. It’s a tradition at this point. Good for company morale.” Get them to know one another, that sort of thing. And it was just a way to make sure everyone relaxed some. But then it looked like she was needed elsewhere. Excusing herself, Ashley went to prevent some social disaster from occurring.
And Hanna let out a slow breath. It wasn’t that she doubted Caleb would make a good impression, but it was still her mom and an unexpected meeting.
“Festive?” Amused, she quirked a brow as festive tended to be used more for Christmas things. “Nice.”
Caleb just nodded as Ashley explained and then she was gone. Well the meeting the mom thing was over. That had gone well, at least he thought so. Not that he had anything to compare it to. But he felt like it did.
“What?” he asked wrapping his arm her, pulling her closed to him, now that her mom had walked away. “It’s very Halloweeny?” Festive sounded more adult though. “So, what do you do at these parties anyway?”
Laughing some, Hanna just nestled against Caleb as she looked around the party. She knew most of the workers as the bank didn’t have massive turn over. Whatever they did, the employees at least were happy and remained. So that was a good thing for her mom.
“Depends. Usually just talk. Sometimes there are games. I help with decorating, take down and refreshments as needed.”
“Like bobbing for apples?” Because that was the only Halloween game he knew of, but wasn’t that a kids’ thing? He didn’t see anyone bobbing for apples. “Very Halloweeny decorations. I approve,” he smirked tipping her head up for another kiss.
“I’m yours for the night,” he’d even help her take down decorations if she wanted. “Unless you want me to leave, seeing as how I wasn’t technically invited,” he was obviously teasing her… again.
“You’d be surprised.” There were also pumpkin carving contests and other such things. Grinning as he tilted her head up, she shook her head some. “Nope, I definitely want you to stay.”