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Inside, all breakables and valuables have been safely tucked away and have been replaced by all manner of decorations: glittering lights, bristly boughs, a Christmas tree and, of course, an assortment of mistletoe hanging over everyone's heads, ready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

[jaganshi]

[ If he looks like he's judging... it's because Hiei absolutely is. The control freak in Hiei would absolutely never allow him the leeway to enjoy himself with alcohol to this point, even if the human stuff worked on him and his crazed metabolism.

The fire apparition takes a moment to finish his latest mouthful of something sweet, possibly lowkey hoping she'll simply go away, but of course that doesn't work. ]

If you think anyone is capable of stalking Kurama, you don't need to know.

[computation]

[ Judge away, Root couldn't care in the slightest. She's already dead, she's accomplished what she wanted to in her real life, and now she's having the coolest strangest afterlife as far as she's concerned. If something happens she's going to, what, respawn again? Get a fun revenge quest to go on, maybe? Bring it on.

She sounds perfectly cavalier as she says, ] I didn't say it wasn't consensual, silly. Maybe he's into that.

[ There's a pause as Root thinks about that, turning it over alongside her own experience with Kurama and her impression of him. ]

He probably thinks it's funny, if I had to guess.

[jaganshi]

[ For a moment, Hiei stops to think about the fact that Kurama would, in fact, probably enjoy something like that. In a demon sense, that would be a game, but here it's a little different. Root has no idea, of course, at the bit of psyche damage she gives Hiei at suggesting that Kurama thinks it's funny -

Of course it would be. For a moment he has to fight with himself to not simply agree, the crease of his brow fading as he schools himself back in to something like neutrality. ]

I fail to see why you are so invested.

[computation]

I like Kurama. He's interesting and impressive.

[ Root has absolutely no hesitation about admitting this. In fact, she smirks as she takes a sip of her drink. ]

Don't you agree?

[jaganshi]

Pitifully see-through.

[ Yes, Hiei is typically all-in on extolling Kurama's virtues and just how bad ass of a fighter he actually is when he is wound up enough to actually fight as efficiently as he can - but even he isn't stupid enough to fall directly in to the open pit of someone who clearly wants him to fall in to. ]

You really think you're doing something here, don't you?

[computation]

[ Root coughs unexpectedly on a laugh into her drink, and as she clears her throat she has to straighten her ridiculous Santa headband again. ]

What I'm doing is making conversation. [ She sounds so amused. Root lived and breathed a different identity practically every day when she was alive. She's a consummate liar and manipulator, and right now she's just having a fun idle chat. ]

I can pick a persona if you like, but it seemed a little pointless.

[jaganshi]

Mn. [ Hiei grunts a noise that conveys his disbelief of that assertion, hoping that his short answers and general lack of want to engage will eventually dissuade her. This typically works with people, but he doesn’t really know who or what he’s up against, which works to his disadvantage here. Clearly she knows Kurama, and has spotted them together at some point or another since they’ve started this odd form of symbiosis working together upon Hiei’s complaints about Kurama’s lack of attention.

… Already he doesn’t like this entire set up. But he did do this to himself by showing up at all, didn’t he? ]

You already have, so far as I can tell. What is the point in feigning you are not?

Most people with sense would not approach questions like this like it’s nothing.

[computation]

[ She's not actually a total troll, and she's a bit put off by Hiei appearing to think she's already put on a persona. Maybe she has to a certain extent, but this is about as honest as Root gets. Knowing Kurama is a demon, though, she assumes this might also be a demon, and probably one less used to humans. Maybe they have cultural and species (?) differences in how they approach things.

That makes it interesting. Root doesn't turn totally serious, but she loses the teasing gleam. ]

It's not nothing, [ she agrees. ] My life partner and I basically met by stalking one another. Good times. [ She does sound a little wistful. ]

Or does it not work that way for demons? [ Deliberately testing her assumption, here. ]

[jaganshi]

[ Unfortunately for Root... Hiei somewhat knows types like her. Kurama, for one, though he has the benefit of being a demon, and for two... he's softer, on him. Hiei lets a lot pass that the redhead does not only because he is useful, but he knows when to stop pushing. Or at the very least, just how far he can push before Hiei is pissed off and unwilling to deal with more.

If anything.. he looks confused about why she's telling him any of this. ]

That's a good way to end up as a corpse. [ He isn't going to say that they met when Kurama wounded him pretty badly after a chance run-in... she does not need to know that. ]

[computation]

[ Root lifts an eyebrow at him expectantly. She doesn't know Hiei and therefore has no idea when to stop pushing. Being in a simulation also makes her a little reckless, because what's gonna happen, she might be dead for another week? Annoying, but whatever. ]

So it does work that way for demons? [ she says in a sly, leading tone. What's flirting without some real threats behind it, honestly? ]

[jaganshi]

I already said. If you want to end up as a corpse. [ At least for most demons that's how they would work. Or if you weren't powerful enough to withstand it if someone came back at you. Hiei had almost been the one to die facing Kurama when they had first met, but that had been a complete accident. ]

If that is your goal, though, you are well on your way with that personality.

[computation]

[ Root smirks. ]

Is that supposed to be a threat? Dying is a little annoying, but I'll just come back in a week.

I really was just making conversation. [ She shrugs and sips her drink again, being totally honest. ] I like Kurama and I'm curious about who's been following him around.

[jaganshi]

I’m not interested in whatever sentence I might earn myself from stomping a fly, but I’m sure there are others who care less.

[ once upon a time that had been Hiei, but older and wiser or some bullshit like that. He still likes to throw these things out there every so often, though. Habit more than anything else. ]

If you’d even tried to speak to Kurama beforehand you would know I am not the talkative type.

[computation]

Why would I speak to him when I could go right to the source?

[ Root is direct that way. She's learning quite a bit from this encounter already, so as far as she's concerned, mission accomplished. She's entirely unruffled by the implicit threats. ]

I'm already getting great advice about how to flirt with demons.

[ Despite what Hiei has said, Root is convinced the possibility that you'll end up a corpse is what makes it fun. ]

[jaganshi]

[ Hiei’s eyes roll in that childish, petulant way that the rest of the team likely hates. He’s never learned anything like manners, and even what’s been drilled in to him (by guess who) doesn’t always stick.

He hadn’t come to the party for social interaction, of course. Primarily he’d been lured in by the fact there would be food that he didn’t have to hunt down or cook. Despite the fact he was used to it… he didn’t want to if he didn’t have to. ]

Then go find one and leave me be. That should take you long enough.

[computation]

[ She doesn't have any compelling reason to be pushy and pester him further, so she's fine leaving him alone and flitting along to the rest of the party. But that doesn't mean she'll leave without getting one more glib jibe in. ]

Don't mind if I do. There is at least one other demon at this party.

[ She'll just go try these flirting tactics on Kurama and see how it goes. Should be fun.

Root offers Hiei a bright smile and heads off. ]