afraid_of_marshmallows | Midnight Manor Boarding House Movie Room, Saturday Evening

As soon as Kamala had turned back into a person yesterday, Arden and Eleanor had swung into action. Arden had contacted Mr. and Mrs. Khan to let them know that Operation Birthday Bash was a go and about what time she'd be by to pick up the cake, and then called Mr. Najaf to see if he would be willing to cook up a whole slew of gyros (including some vegan gyros in case Steven or Watts showed up) for Kamala's birthday the next day. She also messaged Bruno and asked Mr. and Mrs. Khan if they could pass the invitation on to Nakia, letting them know about the party and offering to arrange portal service if they could make it out. After that had come ~~handwavily~~ messaging everybody else to let them know that they were celebrating Kamala's belated birthday at Midnight Manor on Saturday evening.

And lo, now it was the appointed hour. Ellie was keeping Kamala distracted upstairs (Arden was not asking how), and she was here setting out drinks (sodas, though Mr. Khan had sent Arden home with a jug of 'sweet tea,' which she had been very appreciative of and had appreciatively poured down the drain once she'd gotten home), gyros, and setting out Mrs. Khan's cake, leaving a spot in case Ellie had somehow managed to find or invent a Squishie cake. Bollywood movies were playing on the TV (though currently with the volume very low), there was a karaoke machine on standby, balloons and streamers were up, the guests ~~Avengers~~ assembled...

Now all they needed was the co-host and the birthday girl!

[Open! If you're a student, a resident of Midnight Manor, or just think Kamala is cool, feel free to handwave yourself an invite!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

slothbabyproductions

Kamala’s head was spinning a bit still when the words “Jersey City” got through her head. She looked around and saw the cake which just from years of eating her cooking knew it was from home. Her home. And then she spied and smelled the familiar wrapped gyros from the Gyro King himself.

Kamala just looked at Arden with a pout on her lips. “You are too much.”

If Arden needed any validation of her party planning skills she was getting it now as Kamala was now giving her another bone crushing hug. And there might be a little sniffle and eye wiping as well.

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

Who was Arden to turn down another hug?

"Nah," she murmured. "This is almost as good as you deserve, bestie." Another tight squeeze. "Everybody just pitched in because they love you. Mr. Najaf even gave me a discount because they were for you! But, uh, you have to bring some new people home to buy his gyros another time to prove that everyone liked them."

From:

slothbabyproductions

"Ah, yes. Mr. Najaf's friends and family discount," Kamala laughed. "Let me guess..."

She started imitating Najaf's accent and mannerisms. "Okay, I will tell you what I will do. I will give you the friends and family discount since it is for Kamala. Don't tell anyone about this or everyone else will ask for it."

She giggled. "You must have worked your Southern charm on him. He only saves that routine for people he likes and regular customers."

And then there was a small epiphany.

"Oh no. You had to drink Abbu's sweet tea."

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"Or your mom--" Or Aunt Ruby, who was to say? "--told him to do it because I'm just a poor college kid saving up to pay her rent," Arden said with a laugh.

Sure, Marc was being stubborn about that, but Arden was gonna figure something else out. Any day now.

The reminder of the sweet tea had Arden's eye twitching slightly, but she continued to smile. "Only a glass, but then your mom reminded him I had to go and finish party prep. Don't worry though, I already disposed of the rest."

Sorry, Midnight.

From:

slothbabyproductions

Midnight was probably going to block Mr. Khan from entering based on his recipes during family weekend.

"You really are the best," Kamala said, hand over her heart. "This is fantastic. Thank you."

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

Harsh, but fair.

"It's true," Arden teased. "I'm pretty great. But so are you." She nudged Kamala. "Life's been even better since you showed up. This is just me saying thank you for being you, and I'm pretty sure that's how Ellie sees it, too."

From:

slothbabyproductions

"You have been here for me just as much as I have been there for you," Kamala said with a laugh. "I'm so lucky to have you and everyone else here in my life."

She looked around the room and just smiled.

"I never thought I'd find a family and a community I love more than the one I had back home. I'm very happy to find this one and to have it be just as good as my family and friends from Jersey."

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"You ever stop and think that what they have in common is you?" Arden asked, with a smile. "That being said, I'm pretty sure I made your parents cry when I called to ask about the cake."

She was like 90% sure Mr. Khan had been sniffling, Mrs. Khan was a much harder read.

From:

slothbabyproductions

Kamala tucked that thing about her being the common thing to the side because... well that was a lot to consider. Instead she focused on the other part of what Arden had said.

"Well you hit the soft spot of any Pakastani family," she said laughing. "You asked them for food. That's the biggest compliment you could ever give someone in my family."

Kamala immediately started imitating her mother. "Oh, you want food? Of course, beta. Please sit down, I will cook you a five course meal and dessert and send you home with leftovers. It'll only take five minutes."

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"I was half-worried your mom was gonna teleport to my room with a cake already baked and frosted before I got a chance to explain that I'd need it for the day after you changed back," Arden laughed. "I'm also worried I maybe hurt her feelings when I asked if that was too short notice and if she would need more time. But I was just trying to be polite, honest!"

From:

slothbabyproductions

“I don’t think you could ever disappoint my mom,” Kamala laughed. “I mean for years that was my job. I wondered why she wasn’t freaked out when I told her that I was a sloth this week. Thank you for that. I don’t think she would ever believe me.”

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"Hey, I knew they would worry," Arden said, and then leaned in to add, "Also, it let me talk up Ellie and how good she was looking after you, making sure you had enrichment and fresh fruits and veggies for you to eat..."

Wingmanning for your bestie was so last season. Wingmanning for your bestie's girlfriend with said bestie's parents? That was where it was at.

From:

slothbabyproductions

“Ohhhhh. You’re good,” Kamala said, looking gratefully at Arden. “You told them she was making eat healthy food and taking care of me? That’s next level. Did they start building a shrine for her right there or did they wait until after you left?”

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"They were arguing about where it should go," Arden said. "Your mom thought it would be more practical in your room, but your dad was saying that a miracle needed to be somewhere more centralized."

From:

slothbabyproductions

“Oh, the central shrine is built for my brother,” Kamala joked and shook her head in amusement. “Ammi will win out on that. She wouldn’t let that happen.”

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

Arden laughed. "By the time you graduate, they'll have to get a whole new house to contain all their shrines. They're gonna be insane about grandchildren."

From:

slothbabyproductions

"Oh, do not say that word around Ammi," Kamala warned. "She's driving Aamir nuts about having kids. It's bordering on psychotic."

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

"Just be glad you're still in college and your mom can't start on you now that you're, you know...what? A month into having a girlfriend?" Arden teased. "Hurry up, beta! I'm not getting any younger and neither are you!"

From:

slothbabyproductions

"Oh, I am so not ready for that conversation," Kamala said with a shiver. "I'm going to put off having them re-meet Eleanor as long as I can."

But parents weekend was looming so that was a fruitless wish.

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

What a meet the family that will be! Fortunately, with Arden having no family of her own, she anticipated a nice, relaxing weekend where the worst she had to worry about was Grimm showing up again to fuck Gray's brother.

"By the way, we have a lot to talk about soon," Arden said. "I have a favor to ask you and then...fuck, last weekend was crazy and...not now but soon?"

From:

slothbabyproductions

Kamala frowned a bit. "Of course. Whatever you need from me, you got it. Is everything okay?"

From:

afraid_of_marshmallows

Arden realized she'd just committed a terrible party foul: making the guest of honor stress. "No, no, I need your help for a good thing," she assured Kamala. "I'd say for shenanigans, but the dean has permanently ruined that word for me. But I need you to be my partner in crime. But like without any actual crime."