Ice was silent for a long moment after the girl stopped speaking. She knew very well that not everyone in the corps had experienced a comfortable childhood with loving parents as she had, but every now and then the reminder of such a fact managed to evoke pity.
She swiped a news article up onto the wall monitor and squinted slightly at a photo of a missing child before she glanced over her shoulder to Mel.
"You should go to Drake’s party." she said after a moment. "It’s the twenty-fourth. Christmas Eve. Usually starts around eight. He would enjoy having you, I’m sure. He usually cooks some manner of feast- it was pheasant as the main course last year, but I’ve heard rumors of ham for this year. With Valkyrie in his care, I’m sure he will try to make it a spectacle for her to remember, but it will be a good opportunity for you to have a holiday. A good memory of a time spent with friends."
She thought for a moment before adding, “Though, you should be forewarned that Kem will also likely be there.”
Parties where fun, video game parties, drinking parties, parties in general where fun. But the idea of going to a celebration she still had little understand of did not sit well with her. Already she knew, she'd be off alone, watching the crowd go by and do whatever it is that was done at these celebrations. And maybe after an hour, she'd go to have a smoke, and might not come back.
"I'll think I'll pass," Mel spoke, followed by a short sigh. "Holiday aren't my thing anyways." Maybe her and Joel could do something together. He didn't have many friends in Mumbai either, and if Judas and Matt weren't going, then maybe she could have some fun with her "newphew."
