callipygos | holiday party post

Aphrodite's New York loft is done up to the nines.

The first good look as one enters is of twinkling Manhattan through the big windows, lights bright against a dark winter sky. The windows take up most of two walls; the rest of the space is largely empty, the star of the show a glowingly polished hardwood floor perfect for dancing.

There's a cluster of low-slung couches and chairs at one end of the room, velvet and leather and very inviting. They're situated by the fireplace, which lends them a cozy glow-- though it isn't cold anywhere in here, despite the windows.

Aphrodite is very proud of a few things about tonight:

1) The music, which spans a decent range of time periods and tempos, and will be playing for most of the evening.
2) The decorations, understated but quite lovely: softly glowing lights, silver and gold ribbons wound around columns and draped from the ceiling ... the occasional strategically placed bit of mistletoe.
3) Her dress.

And yes, darlings, there is a very well stocked bar and counter full of snacks.

That's what happens when you enlist the Three Graces to help you plan your shindigs.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

There'll be plenty of time to dance and flirt and dance some more, but right now? Right now Mike is perched on the back of one of the couches just watching New York through the window.

This is the closest he's been to The City in quite literally years and...oh how he's missed it so.

The music—and the dancing—are strange, so Mary's keeping away for right now, and she too is drawn toward the windows.

Under other circumstances she'd be shocked to see a gentleman at a party like this dressed in a dinner jacket, but she's seen enough at Milliways to know that the usual rules don't apply.

"The view is stunning, isn't it?"

"There's nothing else like it in the multiverse," he says not taking his eyes off the skyline. He sounds like a man if not in love, than in longing.

"I've not seen much of the multiverse, but I've never seen anything like this." Her voice is more tinged with awe. She had fancied herself rather worldly.

"Really?" he says turning to look at her for the first time. "You should! It's a beautiful place and more people should take the time to see as much of it as possible. If for no other reason than it makes home that much more special."

"I'd rarely left England before I found Milliways." There's really only so much of the multiverse that accesible via the English rail system, after all.

"And until now I didn't realize that the doors there led anywhere besides back home."

"And now that you do? Are there going to be adventures aplenty for you?"

"I'm not sure if I'm the adventuring type."

"Oh now I think we both know that's not true. I mean, you came here didn't you?"

"This is a party. Adventure implies that one does something out of the ordinary."

Because all the finest London parties feature Beyoncè, pot brownies, and pole dancing.

"True, but it's a party hosted by a goddess in some nebulous time frame in some questionable version of New York. Surely that's got to count for something."

"Yes, I suppose it must," she says with a smile, finally conceding to Mike.

"When you put it that way, it's all rather a lot to take in."

"It is indeed. I keep waiting for the novelty to wear off, but...there's no sign of that happening."

"You sound as if you've been adventuring for quite some time."

"I wouldn't say a long time, but it has been a while, yeah."

"Any words of wisdom for the less experienced among us?"

"Don't panic. It's okay to be scared or angry or really any other reactionary emotion you can think of, but refrain from panic if you can manage it."

"I may not get accustomed to all this, but that I hope I can manage."

Panic is, after all, a lower class emotion. Ladies retain their composure.

"Well if the back of your head hasn't come flying off in fear by this point, I'm pretty sure you're good to go."

Mary reaches up to her neck, which appears not to be severed.

"What a gruesome prospect! But I seem to be safe. What a relief."

Hopefully her deadpan delivery doesn't completely mask the amusement in her eyes.

Not only does Mike recognize a good deadpan when he sees one, he's particularly impressed with hers.

"For both of us, and for a myriad of reasons."

Even a lady can possess a healthy sense of humor. It's almost a necessity in dealing with society.

"Indeed. But where are my manners? We haven't been introduced. I am Lady Mary Crawley."

"Hamato Michaelangelo," he says offering his hand to accept hers in such a way as to STRONGLY hint that there's a kiss in it for her.

He saw this in a movie once.
Chances are good it was on PBS.

Mary offers her own be-gloved hand in return.

PBS is not entirely inaccurate.

If one doesn't take his training into consideration, the kiss that he presses onto the back of her hand might just be the most proper thing Mike's ever done.

"But please, call me Mike. Where I'm from full names serve only one purpose: to let you know you're really in trouble."

Re: Lounging

lady_mary - 2012-12-22 18:07 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2012-12-22 18:17 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2012-12-28 18:58 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2012-12-28 22:32 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2012-12-31 02:56 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2012-12-31 03:04 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2012-12-31 03:21 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2012-12-31 03:23 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2012-12-31 04:37 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2013-01-02 01:22 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2013-01-13 20:46 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2013-01-14 02:49 (UTC) - Expand

lady_mary - 2013-01-15 00:11 (UTC) - Expand

mnt_mike - 2013-01-15 04:46 (UTC) - Expand