holiday party post

[callipygos]

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.

Comments

Lounging

[callipygos]

If you're set to mingle but not quite ready to brave the dance floor-- or you've been dancing and want some time off your feet-- there's plenty of couch space available by the fire.

Interesting how despite most of Milliways being invited to this thing, there seems to be enough space for everyone ...

Re: Lounging

[bornuntotrouble]

Well, John's not interested in the dance floor.

(Being married to a woman who in her bad moods is a force of nature will do that to you.)

So right now he's kicked back on the couch, his hat in his lap as he watches the fire.

Re: Lounging

[makesthings]

Sam's not certain who he would dance with so he's by the fire, his suit already seems rumpled and is using the Charter to create glowing images in the fire.

His Charter Mark is glowing though its a little hard to see as he has his bangs pushed down over it.

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

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.

Re: Lounging

[lady_mary]

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?"

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

"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.

Re: Lounging

[lady_mary]

"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.

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

"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."

Re: Lounging

[lady_mary]

"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."

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

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

Re: Lounging

[lady_mary]

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

Re: Lounging

[gavin62truck]

Tommy sips from a glass of ginger ale as he stands at one of the large windows, gazing out at the Manhattan skyline. He's personally never seen the island from this angle, nor from this height. The view stretches almost all the way down to the southernmost tip, including the bridges spanning the river.

It's kind of surreal to be looking down on a city that's his and isn't his at the same time.

Re: Lounging

[ikissdhimbck]

A hand lightly descends on the small of his back, and in short order Kate is standing beside him. Her eyes, too, are on the window. The lights of the skyline are caught in her eyes.

She's quiet for a moment, and then she tilts her head back and smiles at him.

"S'beautiful."

Re: Lounging

[gavin62truck]

He turns his head at her touch, to look at her looking out over the city.

"It is, actually," he admits. The burden of his own city's losses doesn't exist here. Or at least that's what he tells himself, in order to see the beauty that she does.

"And so're you."




He grins.

"Sorry, that was corny."

But I meant it.

Re: Lounging

[ikissdhimbck]

Her lips curl slowly.

She doesn't say anything, neither to chide him nor to preen, but hopefully the look in her eyes is thanks enough for the compliment.


Her free hand cups the inside of his elbow, and she presses a kiss to his arm, brushing her thumb over the seam of his jacket.

"You okay?"

Re: Lounging

[gavin62truck]

His smile grows warm, a little crooked, maybe, and wistful. He shrugs a nonchalant shoulder.

"'M fine. Just-- y'know, it's a little strange for me to be in someone else's New York City. I keep thinkin', like, there might be another version of me out there somewhere."

Or Jimmy. Or Connor.

"And if there was, would he also be a fireman? Or would he be a cop? Or-- I dunno, a lawyer? A stock broker? Jeezus, I hope not. It's just really weird to think about, heh."

Re: Lounging

[ikissdhimbck]

She smiles lopsidedly.

"I find myself doin' the same whenever I'm in another place, though I imagine I'd be long dead in any other world I've ever visited. I usually think of other people, whether they have families, grown children ... "

She shakes her head, returning to this moment. She wants to hold his hand or press herself against his side, under his arm, in his embrace — but she keeps the gap between them suitable for a public function.

Re: Lounging

[gavin62truck]

"Yeah. Everybody's got their stories..."

Catching her transparent reflection in the window, he glances at her, slipping his hand from his jeans pocket to stroke her back. His touch is warm and heavy and inviting, but if she doesn't want to take it further than that here, he'll understand.

"How're you doin'? Havin' fun?"

Re: Lounging

[mix_it_up]

Asami isn't normally much of a recluse, but tonight she's lingering by the windows, having only parted from them long enough to take a glass of what is probably red wine, though in this world she wouldn't know for sure. She's in a short-sleeved red qipao, left arm tucked beneath her right, watching the city lights glinting even out beyond the river in the distance.

Anyone who knew Asami particularly well would also know a sight like this is something likely to light her mind up like a firework. But it's not too obvious otherwise – she watches the cars below and the twinkling of distant windows with an interested but somewhat detached expression, rather than the look of someone surveying what they've never seen before.

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

"Beautiful, isn't she?" says a voice a step back from Asami's right.

Don't look now, Miss Sato, but there's a sandy haired gent in a tuxedo standing behind you drinking from a can of Jolt.

Re: Lounging

[mix_it_up]

She does, in fact, look, then glances back out through the window.

"I've never seen anything like it," she admits. Though all things considered, she sounds pretty calm about it.

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

"Nothing compares, trust me. At least not that I've found. Though, I might be more than a little bit biased. You see, I was hatched about thirty blocks that way," he waves vaguely in one direction. "And raised uptown from here."

Re: Lounging

[mix_it_up]

That gets her to look back to him, though it's nothing more than mild curiosity in her voice when she asks, "You were hatched?"

Re: Lounging

[mnt_mike]

His attention stays focused on the landscape outside.
Mike's always considered himself a "happy anywhere" kind of guy, but seeing the city now for the first time in years, he had no idea how much he missed it.

"Yup. Mid-town Pet Emporium. Sold illegally too."
It comes out so easily, so sincerely.

Re: Lounging

[mix_it_up]

Asami takes a sip of her drink, wondering how far the line of polite curiosity runs in this situation.

(Had she run into trouble for crossing this line when she was younger? Yes.)

Instead, she replies, "I come from one of the biggest cities in my world, and it's still not really like this."