chestnuts roasting over an open fire...

[feintofhart]

Who: YOU!!!
Where: Claude's Apothecary (also known as: his house)
What: Claude and Ethlyn decide to host a Christmas party -- they may not be familiar with Christmas, but when in Rome! There will be drinking, dancing, and much revelry, and it's open underneath the guise of a combo grand opening, meaning that it's free for all and sundry to attend!
Warnings: Probably some underage drinking Claude will make no effort to curb, but that's about it.





Welcome, one and all to the Apothecary's grand opening celebration -- which just so happens to coincide with winter festivities! Despite the fact that neither Claude nor Ethlyn have any familiarity with Christmas whatsoever, they've decided to put together a party anyway, and what a party it is! At the front of the room, Claude and Root have put together an assortment of festive outfits for people to wear: all manner of ridiculous Christmas sweaters from Root, and from Claude, an assortment of reindeer horns and Santa hats if you choose to get as decked out as he is.

Inside, all breakables and valuables have been safely tucked away and have been replaced by all manner of decorations: glittering lights, bristly boughs, a Christmas tree and, of course, an assortment of mistletoe hanging over everyone's heads, ready to ensnare an unlikely couple or two in a requisite smooch. The entire place is, in fact, absolutely covered in festive greenery, courtesy of Kurama -- a little overkill, maybe, but they can't help themselves. Even if you duck past the mistletoe, it may have a way of finding you anyway; Kurama has a mischievous streak, and the ability to grow unlimited amounts of mistletoe to dog your steps.

Every surface seems absolutely covered in anything you might want from a feast, from unctious meats still dripping in their own fats to enormous platters of roasted vegetables and freshly prepared rolls and flatbreads to trays filled with biscuits and pies glittering with sugar. Also available for everyone's consumption - and Claude's not checking IDs as long as the kids aren't being too foolhardy - is a seemingly endless supply of libations, from steaming jugs of mulled wine to mugs filled with buttered rum to an open container of punch ready for the spiking. In the background are a few local musicians that Claude hired to play for them, though the stage is set for any tipsy guests to try their hand at entertaining the crowd.

On a table at the back are wrapped presents that are ready for the taking for anyone who wins at an assortment of games - with anything inside ranging from the Apothecary's own wares of teas and tinctures to pantry items from local vendors to a cute cuddly stuffed animal or two - if you choose to partake. Games of Questions and Commands (essentially Truth or Dare), Flapdragon (a game in which you must drain your glass to see what prize you win at the bottom) to card and board games are available for people to compete at. Everyone loves a good parlor game. Or, for those with a bolder constitution, Snapdragon is available outside, in which people set shallow dishes of brandy and dried fruits out, set it aflame, and ask people to go bobbing for the fruit at deadly risk of losing their lashes and brows. Spectating the whole scene is Claude's wyvern, who guests are welcome to go out and greet anytime they like.

Finally, for those more retiring in nature, and exclusively Claude's closest friends: he will allow some into his private quarters to have a little rest from all the fuss and noise. It's a good place for quiet conversation if you can hack it, or even to nap off the worst of the booze. For anyone else who wants some peace and quiet, you'll have to settle for the employee break room, a modestly undecorated place with a supply of caffeinated beverages and flat surfaces to rest upon.

Feel free to make up your own prompts and just use this as a fun holiday space for gift exchanges and drunken festivities! Happy holidays, Expiation!

Comments

mistletoe

[traumaticus]

[Well, well. Look at that, finally a party that 'matches Richard's freak', as the cool kid say. The atmosphere was something that he was more familiar with, a quite lot of it reminding him from his own home. From the activities to decorations. So yeah, he does notice the mistletoe and does not think too much of them, seeing that these are somehow free of the pesky toads, and keeps a polite distance to them.

Or you know, he tries to with a varying success, seeing that he just wound up under one with Root.]

That is what the tradition would demand, yes. [He says dryly, quickly glancing up at the plant above them before looking back at Root.] However, I believe there is another your lips would prefer.

[computation]

Oh, we're not exclusive.

[ Root rattles this off without a care in the world, once again expecting Richard to keep up with modern terminology. Talking down to him would be pedantic and insulting, and in any case, Root firmly believes it's good for his mental health to shed as many out-of-date concepts as possible.

She thinks that of people in her own era, too. ]

I'm down as long as you promise not to make it weird, [ she says cheerfully, adding a flirtatious wink for good measure. ]

[traumaticus]

Really now? That is surprising.

[The phrase itself isn't one that he is familiar with, but Richard can make an educated guess what she's talking about. And well? Color him intrigued. Though then again, he really shouldn't be all that surprised considering that this is Root. An anomaly, bride of the ai god, lover of women.

So yeah. He guesses it's on brand for her.]

From my experience all these modern people tend to scoff at the idea of a person holding more than one lover. [At least he had been met with ire and suspicion when he mentioned his own marital status.]

What do you mean by 'making it weird '?

[computation]

Not me, [ she says perkily, choosing not to get into consensual non-monogamy at the moment. ] Guess I'm just built different.

[ What does she mean by making it weird? It's such a convenient phrase for avoiding saying what you want to leave unspoken. But Root can make it spoken -- she doesn't mind, she just takes a second to make sure she's being an articulate and effective communicator for Richard. ]

Don't get any feelings about it or think it means anything. It's a silly holiday tradition -- a kiss is a kiss. I'm not taking you out to dinner or pledging to behead your enemies after this.

[traumaticus]

I suppose I can't argue with that.

[Honestly, Root continued to exists as a mystery to him. If this was England he would be certain that she was a witch.

Well, anyway. Richard wrinkles his nose a bit, brows pressing in harsh frown before he lets out a sardonic sneer.]

You must either think of me as a naive fool, Root? I am familiar with the mistletoe. Only an idiot would think it to mean anything more than just a game. Besides. I am married.

[computation]

You're the one who thought I wouldn't kiss anyone else for a party game because I have a beautiful dangerous lover.

[ How silly of him. But Root isn't going to miss an opportunity to talk up how amazing Shaw is, and how much she appreciates her, so she throws in all the adjectives. She also doesn't care in the slightest that he's married; that tracks for his time period, and it's far from her first time kissing a married man. ]

I promise, [ she murmurs, ] she won't mind. What we do alone is a lot more interesting than this.

[ Root has a flirtatious flair to her delivery, daring him to imagine it. She steps in smoothly, hand reaching up to rest lightly, delicately, on Richard's neck and draw him in for a kiss. ]

[traumaticus]

[Root is honestly starting to sound more and more like Richard's brother Edward and the lord's of the court. They, too, would gush about their lovers and other conquers in similar manner, praising their adventures in the bedroom. Though in Roots' case the compliments did seem more genuine than with Richard's peers, who were constantly trying to outdo one another with their stories.

But it was because of Edward's court, which favored various exotic carnal pleasures above everything else, that Richard was used to this game. Maybe in his early days of youth he would have flustered and found himself speechless. But now? Hardly. It's just a meaningless game and that's all.

Though that being said, Root does manage to catch him off guard somewhat. The subtle change in her tone does earn a slight raise of a brow, but before he gets another word in she moves closer and there's a hand on his neck. Richard parts his lips to say something but decides against it on the split second. Instead he brings both his glove covered hands to cup Root's face, and pulls her to meet him in the halfway into the kiss.

Root is a little bit taller than him, so it is a little awkward. But he is not one to let the other take the control.]

[computation]

[ Root isn't trying to outdo anyone, she just thinks how amazing Shaw is needs to be acknowledged out loud on a regular basis. It's a surprisingly romantic impulse from a reformed assassin, but Root has never repressed her own feelings. She loves Shaw, in a way she knows neither of them needs to say aloud, a way that is beyond words -- it just bubbles up and over regularly, and she doesn't see a need to suppress it.

Much like she's never seen a reason to suppress her physically affectionate impulses, either. Root doesn't usually sleep with men unless it's for a job, but it's largely because she finds them boring, unchallenging. In the case where they're a puzzle to solve or genuinely hard to pursue, she gets more interested.

That being the case here, she puts a little more feeling into kissing Richard than she would a random patsy she'd run across under the mistletoe. And she's rewarded with Richard showing more forcefulness than she'd expected.

She returns the gesture by pressing her long, manicured nails delicately against his throat as they kiss. ]

[traumaticus]

[The first thing that Richard takes a notice of is how soft Root's lips are. They feel almost jarring against his own, so used he is to whole another set of lips. There is no hardened cut in the upper corner, no feel of mutilated skin. No, just round smoothness covered in red. It does, in a way, evoke a memory of Anne from all those years ago when they had been wed. The first and last day when he had allowed that poor woman to get close to him - all part of his performance. To make himself appear like a real person instead of a demon.

Richard is already kinda expecting the kiss to end there. He had already reciprocated so it should be enough, right? Mission accomplished and thus no need to drag it any further for the sake of a game. But then just as he is about to let go of her Root goes and does it again. Manages to catch him off guard, that is. So, when she pushes forward to match his energy Richard can't stop himself from breathing in surprise and hold her tighter. He suddenly becomes all too aware of his pulse as it beats against the light press of the nails through the leather. To say that it didn't feel pleasant would be lying. Root did feel good and warm, briefly thawing the ice within him. And for that brief moment he considers chasing after it and continuing their kiss.

But just as he is about part his lips to deepen the kiss he freezes. The haunting memory of Henry flashes in his mind. Those kind blue eyes twisted in horror and screaming at Richard, telling him to stay away. And just like always, that is enough to remind him not to get too bold or get so close to the light. His place was in the darkness.

So, with a haste movement he withdraws away from their kiss while also pushing Root back.]

I.. I believe we are done.

[computation]

[ Root had initiated the kiss out of a sense of relative boredom and an impulse to hassle others, not to mention a curiosity about Richard. And she got rewarded for it, because Richard's manner in kissing her is interesting, start to finish. She's a consummate tease just because of how playful she is, and that translates easily to the physical realm. It's instinctive and natural to push boundaries and see where that gets her.

She can tell Richard was responding to her, the forcefulness and the prickle of nails on leather over vulnerable throat, and then he hurriedly pulled away. Root lets him go, is left looking thoughtful, carelessly pushing some hair back away from her face as she straightens up again. She'd had to lean over some for the kiss. ]

I guess we are. Enjoy the party, Richie.

[ And she'll flit away with that, mulling over the encounter from time to time. ]