riverviewlogs | [semi-open] such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated

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[semi-open] such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated

who: Eddie Thawne, Cisco Ramon; Rey, Yuri Plisetsky, other guests
what: Eddie and Cisco host a Harvest Festival (Thanksgiving) dinner
when: November 17th
where: Eddie and Cisco's apartment
warnings: none likely, check subject lines

It's been a long day of cleaning the apartment, prepping food and decor, and cooking. So much cooking. The apartment smells like turkey and potatoes and bacon and pie and dozens of other amazing smells. The table is set with enough plates and napkins and silverware for everyone invited and a couple of friends each, and there's a festive pumpkin-and-fall-leaf themed centerpiece that Eddie's particularly fond of. In the background, soft music is playing and the whole atmosphere is warm and cozy.

Eddie himself is dressed in a waistcoat and button-up shirt with a tie, his face a little flushed from spending time over the hot stove and the oven, but he's energetic, upbeat and ready to help Cisco greet guests at the door as they arrive.

Once dinner is set out, it consists of a beautifully roasted turkey, brussels sprouts cooked with bacon, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, cranberry jelly, candied yams, warm bread rolls, and whatever other turkey dinner trimming might come to mind. There's coffee and hot chocolate, juice, and wine available for whoever wants to drink it. Best of all, there's pumpkin and apple pie ready for dessert.

Giving thanks out loud is optional, but making new friends definitely isn't.

[OOC: Feel free to throw up a starter for your character or for a certain area or part of the night!]

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[ This party is not at all in Finn's usual wheelhouse. The whole warm, welcoming, open atmosphere, dinner-party premise in general. Stormtroopers have celebrations from time to time, but they're pretty contained. Nothing officially sanctioned, nothing elaborate. Usually just sitting around talking when time allowed.

The place is nice, though, and at the end of the day Finn absolutely wants to meet Rey's friends. If they're people she likes, they can't be half-bad. He's not unhappy to get the opportunity so soon. Friendliness and conversation, he's pretty sure he can do. Whether or not he winds up arguing about something remains to be seen. Plus he finally got done stitching up the back of his jacket, so he can look like a person wearing an outfit and not like an off-duty stagehand.

Finn's probably actively looking to keep in visual range of Poe and/or Rey at any given time, but he still makes his rounds and introductions as they crop up, since that's sort of why he's here in the first place. It's not too spaced-out or crowded or anything, so there's less to keep track of, and they can handle themselves anyway. So that's less to worry about even if he does lose visual.

He also spends a lot of time standing with his hands neatly folded behind his back, leaning down to investigate the festive centerpiece (seasonal decorations are wild) or scoping out stuff he happens to see hanging on walls or sitting on shelves in general.

He's, uhh. He's not much of a relaxer in practice right now. It's a work in progress.

(I'm also 100% available to write up individual closed starters for people, just shoot me a PM or something and I'll be happy to oblige!) ]

[ Finn's staring at the centerpiece like he either thinks it's going to attack someone or kiss him when Poe circles around to see how he's is doing. Poe approaches in Finn's periphery, making sure the man can spot him before he reaches Finn's side and claps him lightly on the shoulder. ]

Nice jacket.

[ This has to be weird for the guy. It's even a little weird for Poe, but that's only because it's been so long since he's gone to something like this that wasn't a mishmash potluck in a mess hall. It reminds him of his dad, their house overcrowded with neighbors, the smell of cooking meat and the sweetness of fruit stews perfuming the air. A very different set of dishes from the ones arrayed across the table. ]

How you doing? You don't have to stay any longer than you want to.

Edited 2017-11-19 03:49 (UTC)

[ Eddie might have gotten all dressed up, but for Cisco, his purplest pants and a short-sleeve button-down shirt are as fancy as he gets. While Eddie is cooking, he goes to greet the guests; Rey is bringing her friends, neither of whom Cisco has met, but who he very much wants to make a good impression on.

His nervousness shows mainly in the fact that he is a little quicker to smile, is trying to crack as many jokes as he can, all while moving to and fro while barely stopping. He opens the door with a beaming grin, greeting: ]

Heeyyy, you made it, come on in!

Edited 2017-11-19 04:14 (UTC)

[ Cisco's not exactly a wizard at body language, but it seems pretty clear that Finn is a little nervous or uneasy. He wanders around the room a bit, looking at bookshelves and the stuff on the walls. Almost all of it is Eddie's, and thus pretty classy and tasteful and all that. Cisco's own room upstairs is a little bit more of a nerd den; down here it looks more like something out of a catalogue. There are signs, though, that Cisco lives here as well. For example, almost all of the DVDs that Finn is currently looking at are his.

It's as good an opportunity as any to start a conversation, so Cisco sidles up to Finn, holding a small glass of white wine that he has more to occupy his hands than to actually drink. ]

Rey says movies aren't really a big thing in her world. Is that, like, just Jakku, or is it everywhere?

[The amount of food that's been prepared is overwhelming for Rey. She would've had to save up for several weeks if she wanted to get anywhere near the amount of food that Eddie has managed to put together. Really, she thought it was too much. He didn't need to do this. If he just did one dish or two, that would've been fine, but there's more than three dishes that she can see and it all smells phenomenal.

Rey has no idea what to say. Really, it's left her speechless and she doesn't know if she should hug Eddie for it (would one hug be enough? Would two hugs be enough?) or run out and get him something to say thanks for what he's done. Granted, she also had no idea it was a holiday and part of a tradition where people stuffed themselves full of food.

Finn and Poe were her friends, and she wanted them to meet Cisco and Eddie. She wanted the two groups of people, both of which she cares very deeply for, to meet and be friends over all...

And she feels entirely inadequate for this. She really should've brought over something to thank Eddie and Cisco with. Oreos wouldn't have covered it, and now she wants to discreetly head out and find something--anything as a way to show thanks to Eddie. Heck, she still owes him for the sandwich he made her on her first job with Cisco.

Maybe she could leave for just a few moments...but then that would mean leaving Finn and Poe. She didn't want that either. So for now, stick to being close to the wall and observing everyone until she can figure something out.]

[ooc: also available would be writing up specific tags for others, otherwise OTA.]

[The center piece was interesting to look at, and though Rey was fine with being on the sidelines or staying close to the walls, she was concerned for Finn. He didn't look at ease with the entire thing. Maybe he was shy about meeting new people? Or maybe he was like her and didn't think so much food could be prepared and laid out for all of them to eat.

Regardless, she found herself moving over to him, letting her hand brush against his. He could take her hand if he wanted. A way to provide comfort in an unfamiliar place.]

You okay?

[ Poe isn't dressed up, exactly, because he's allergic to dressing up, but he is wearing the swan-necked red shirt Taako picked out for him. A little color is his one concession to the occasion. He should... probably be more worried about making a good impression than he is, but Poe is the kind of person that figures people will get along or not and it's best to get to the point.

There's a part of Poe that insists, quietly and relentlessly, that they don't have time for this. It's the part of him that's still at war, still on D'Qar, still waiting for the sound of alarms that mean he needs to drop what he's doing and run for Black One. It's the part of him that won't let him sleep at night, because he should be home. He should be home.

His preoccupation doesn't show. He approaches people with a grin and an outstretched hand, or asks about the food, or asks about the decorations. He's naturally curious, and this is a holiday he's entirely unfamiliar with. Not to mention a menu he's never seen before. ]

[ Cisco catches sight of Rey at a moment when she is looking fairly overwhelmed by the accumulating dishes on the table. She seems kind of distressed, though it's hard to tell. Cisco's not always great at getting a read on Rey. In any case, it won't do any harm to check in, make sure everything's okay... ]

Hey, Rey. Mind if I join you?

[ He perches on the arm of the couch, near to where Rey is standing. She seems so uncomfortable he experiences a moment of guilt. Had it been wrong, inviting her to this? Is it crossing some kind of professional boundary that ought to remain in place? Carefully, he explains: ]

This is something people do once a year, where me and Eddie are from. Cook a really big meal, with all these traditional dishes, and eat it all together. People travel huge distances, just to be back with their families for the holiday. But- y'know... [ Cisco tucks his hair behind his ear, feeling a pang of sadness and guilt now for an entirely different reason - one that has nothing to do with Rey. ] ...Eddie and me haven't got family here, so it means a lot, that you would come. Feels a little less lonely, you know?

[Rey is trying to keep her composure while her mind is going over the different ways she could possibly leave temporarily without anyone noticing. So far, she's come up with zero successful plans and she's starting to doubt she'd come up with a good one.

Thankfully Cisco is there and proves to be a great distraction. Rey manages to muster up a small smile, trying to calm herself down and show Cisco she's fine.]

Sure, I mean, it's your home.. [Why would she mind? If anything she was the one in his space--okay, no, she's over thinking things.

And it sinks in to the importance of being here. It's a tradition from their world, one that's meant to be with loved ones. To have her and her friends here...it means a lot to her too. And she feels bad for still not doing enough...]

I haven't seen this much food all at once. I didn't even know...that someone could cook this much. [Even at Maz's castle, she had seen small dishes being passed around, or different things one could easily pick up with their hands. Nothing like this--and she was excluding the take out she, Finn, and Poe had when they were reunited together. The cooking for that was done by someone else...not a friend.]

But..it does feel less lonely, and at the same time...it's not something I'm used to. Just having you and Eddie meet Finn and Poe, that was enough. We could've just met up and talked, but to be part of this.. [She inclined her head in the direction of the food.] It's more than I would've imagined.

Yeah, Eddie's really out-doing himself. I offered to help more but he insisted.

[ Cisco knows that's not really what she'd meant - she's not marveling at all the multitasking and skill it takes to make a full feast like this, but rather at the abundance. The excess of it. He feels strangely shy, though, talking to her about how hard it had been living her life of subsistence on Jakku. It's a difficult balance to strike, wanting to be sympathetic but not pitying, to acknowledge how hard it must have been without bringing up bad memories. ]

It's a holiday about, like... abundance, and sharing what you have with others.

[ He might not understand precisely what's going on in Rey's head, but he tries to assuage her worries nonetheless. ]

I know we could've all just talked, but Eddie was already planning on doing a dinner and I wanted you guys here for it. I told you - he loves showing off his cooking. And I love parties, so, it's a total win-win.

[ Cisco smiles at her softly, hoping to coax at least a small smile from her in return. ]

I get it that... stuff that's not what you're used to can be pretty scary at first. But we can't let that get in our way, right?

[ Finn is clearly not the only one out of his depth, here. It strikes Poe yet again how different his childhood was from these two, how much they've missed and how much they need things like this. Gifts with no strings attached. Love without conditions. He wishes his dad was here--there's no way Finn or Rey would be able to keep themselves isolated in the presence of Kes Dameron.

Poe will just have to do.

He joins her against the wall, plate of food in hand. He wafts it in front of her, smiling a little. ]

Food's not going to eat itself.

[There's a sense of unworthiness that's nagging at the corners of Rey's mind. She didn't think she deserved to be part of this event, or the food. In a way, her mind was calculating how much she would have to do to repay Eddie for putting this together. All the work she's done so far hasn't added up to this. A part of her old life that she can't let go of, that nothing is free and everything has a price.

It's done out of kindness, more kindness than she's ever experienced and it's hard to really process.]

I would've brought something over if you told me he was cooking this much. [At least to help with the burden of it. This entire array of food had to take several hours, not including the prep time for it.]

It's not something we have in our world, at least not that I can recall. [Especially on Jakku. Sure, there might be people willing to trade for food or for parts, but to give something as precious as food away...that didn't happen.]

Never been to a party either. [Yes, her life hadn't been the best, so actually socializing was hard. This wasn't scary, just anxiety inducing. A feeling she doesn't like too much, but she manages a small smile to give Cisco in return.]

It's not scary, but I feel I should've done something to help, aside from showing up. Maybe bring a bottle of liquor or more food...or something. I still haven't thanked Eddie for the sandwich so...I feel I haven't done much to be here.

[Did that make sense?]

[There was still time for Rey to figure out how to get away for a few minutes before someone noticed she was gone. Then again, the party was very small, so someone (most likely Finn or Poe) would notice her absence right away.

And just like that, Poe manages to come over with a plate of food. It does look and smell delicious, but she wasn't about to go and eat right away. Not when shew as still trying to figure out a proper way to thank Eddie for this.]

I know, I know. You and Finn will probably devour everything. [She's teasing, something to keep her mind off things.]

Having fun? Did you meet Cisco yet or Eddie?

Wait, this is your first party?

[ Cisco suddenly feels like he should have done more decorations, made it all a bit fancier, invited more folks. Then again... ]

Bit of a chill one, but I guess that's for the best. Start small and work your way up.

[ The idea of Rey as a big partier is amusing, but who knows; people change, and adapt. There's a hell of a lot of parties here in the Quarantine, and Rey seems like someone who, given enough time, could really thrive.

When she keeps insisting she should have brought food or helped out, Cisco catches her eye, glad she is smiling a little ]

You don't need to do anything to be here. I promise. It's not something you gotta earn. I know, I know, it must seem like a weird custom for you, but... just being here, eating with us, spending time with us - that's already a big favor. And all you need to do on top of that, to make Eddie really really happy, is just tell him 'thanks'. He'll be over the moon.

Yes...?

[ Why did he make that sound like it was a bad thing? At least she was here. Not that she would have turned the offer, regardless of the fact that Cisco is her boss. He’s her friend first when they weren’t working together.

She shakes her head at him while her smile grows a little more. Her? Going to more parties? Maybe, she wouldn’t rule it out but what does one do at a a party? Just talk and eat? What was the difference between that and just hanging out? ]

Do people really do that? Party all the time?

[ Would people really do that? Wouldn’t it get boring after a while?

And yes, it’s hard to accept that she really doesn’t have to do anything or that she has to earn her keep. Really, it’s hard to get into her head. But, how is being here a big favor to them? Maybe she’ll ask about that later. For now, she’ll take Cisco’s advice and simply thank Eddie when he’s free. ]

It’s not so much as a custom, but it’s a rare thing to be shown kindness or offered food. I’ll thank Eddie when he’s done talking to everyone else... [ A beat. ] Have you spoken to Poe or Finn yet?

Uh, well, Cisco and I kind of talked already. [ Before... this.... Which Poe wouldn't admit if he weren't terminally honest. ]

Oh? [ Well that’s...good? She’s wondering why he spoke to Cisco earlier, but maybe they just bumped into each other. ]

He’s a nice guy. I hope you two got along.

Edited (Wrong icon) 2017-11-20 00:33 (UTC)

[It's not hard to miss how anxious Rey looks, close to the wall and watching the proceedings, looking around at everything, the food and decorations. Eddie watches her for a few minutes before approaching her, a little worried that she's not enjoying the evening or that he's made it too overwhelming, when the truth is just that he wanted to spoil her and her friends a little. After all, it sounds like they came from a rough situation.

So he heads over with his hands tucked in his pockets, trying to look as non-threatening as possible, smiling slightly as he comes over toward her, then leans on the wall beside her, head a bit tilted.]

Hey, Rey. How you doing over here?

[ Rey really needed to work on her poker face. She’s faced so many other situations that were life threatening, but being at a party was something else. Granted, it was her first party and she had no idea what she was doing, but she was trying to look calm. Keyword, trying. Cisco said that saying thanks would be fine, but...it still didn’t feel like it would be enough.

Maybe she could simply leave and nope! Eddie was there—and now she’s wondering if she’s under dressed. ]

Hey, yeah, I’m fine. [ There’s a small smile on her face, trying to look calm. ]

Thank you for the food, it all looks great—and the sandwich too. [ Don’t ramble, just get to the point. ] I wasn’t expect so much. I could’ve done something for you to help.

[ Who is he to wave off a compliment to this, his one of a kind jacket? No one, that's who, and it earns Poe a quick sidelong grin as Finn straightens up.

You don't have to stay has a nice ring to it; sort of settles his proverbial feathers. He knew that before he even agreed to come, of course. He wanted to come, same as he knows he doesn't want to leave before Rey is ready, and sticking to that decision is his choice, too. He knows this.

But it's still good to hear. Like a nudge he can use to recenter. ]

I'm good. It's a nice place. I'm- I am good. [ It doesn't have the conviction he's looking for. It's not false enough to be a lie, either. Just... middle of the road. An adjustment.

Finn glances around. ]

Starting to wonder if this Quarantine ever takes a break from celebrating once in a while.

[ Big festivals that carry through the streets for days, well-planned dinner parties-- where's the radio silence holiday, honestly. ]

[ Don't worry, Cisco. Finn can't figure one way or the other on who owns what out here. Some of it is weird, some of it is nice, and some of it is just conveniently located for him to investigate while he gets his bearings. Like a very casual and normal person.

The thing is, Finn likes people, objectively: he always has. His chances to meet new people he might like, until recently, have just mostly had an air of waiting for someone to start shooting at them after the first two minutes. It's not bad or anything. More of an adjustment.

Finn turns to look at Cisco, eyebrows raising. ]

If I had to guess? It's everywhere.

[ Look, he's putting his most realistic foot forward on that one. His tone isn't dismissive, though. More like slightly resigned-- there's something new and weird on this moon every day. ]

But the real answer probably depends on exactly what a movie is.

[ Finn feels like he's heard the word in passing a few times since he got to the Quarantine. There hasn't been a lot of interest overlap or incentive to find out what people are talking about when they say it. Could be slang for something. ]

[ That little unspoken offer is appreciated. Rey's good at those, even if she doesn't always realize she is. ]

Yeah. I'm fine. Just-- getting a handle on the setup. [ Finn closes the gap between their hands and squeezes once, like a punctuation. ] How about you?

[ She's been more on the outer edges of things than in the mix, which is a very Rey thing to do. If this is out of his wheelhouse, it has to be completely out of hers, too. But there's almost an extra edge to her discomfort, if he's not imagining things. And part of trying to keep in a close range of his friends is being able to touch base once in a while. ]

[Rey accepts his hand, taking a step closer to offer more comfort and squeezes his hand back. If either them wants to, they could simply let go and just remain in his each other's company. It's better to stick together, right?]

I feel like I should've brought something, or done something to help. If I had known Eddie went through this much trouble, I would've suggested a drink or meeting elsewhere.

[But they are here...and they should stay for a little bit. They shouldn't let the food go to waste.]

Have you done this before? Been to a party or seen this much food?

They sure seem to here.

[ Cisco understands it, though. Everyone here is displaced from their homes, trying to make connections, to settle into new lives. And besides, there are so many interesting new people to meet, and holidays and customs from a thousand different worlds. The more heterogenous the group of inhabitants, the more occasions to celebrate. ]

Well. It's nowhere near to the same degree, but. For what it's worth. People here are kinder than in my world, too.

[ Maybe not in terms of generosity and food-sharing, no, but there are other ways that this world is softer and kinder than Central City had been. But they're too complex and some of them too fraught for Cisco to want to try to explain to Rey at the moment. He wants to focus on the here and now, on what is good, rather than dwelling on anything else. ]

Not yet. I wanted to let them get settled a bit, first. Though Poe did text me a little while back.

Good point. It's a form of entertainment, so... a fictional story that gets acted out by professionals, and someone takes a video recording of them, and edits it and adds music and graphics and a lot of stuff, and then you... watch it.

[ How is he managing to make movies sound so boring?! This is a disaster. He laughs at his own lack of ability to explain and shakes his head. ]

You know, I'm just gonna have to bring you and Poe to a movie sometime. Rey was confused about 'em too at first, but then we went to see one and she got it. It's the kinda thing that is easier to show somebody than to describe.

[ Okay, that wasn't too bad of a save, but he's still feeling a bit awkward, so he asks: ]

So, um, where are you from? Not the same planet as Rey, right?

[ That's a harmless getting-to-know you question, right? Something that'll put Finn a little more at his ease? ]

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[semi-open] such a cozy room, the windows are illuminated

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