[closed] a little party never killed nobody

[spellslots]

who: The IPRE + friends
what: A dinner party!
when: Novemeber 18
where: Chez IPRE
warnings: some mild drug use (alcohol + marijuana)

Party time, motherfuckers. After sending out invitations, the IPRE (mostly Taako, because he's the most extra of the group) spends a significant amount of the week preparing for the party, making sure they have all the food, decorations, and wine necessary to put on a good evening. The whole point of this is to be a distraction from a shitty month, and to get everyone together, since they have a range of friends who haven't all met each other. They've been talking about doing something like this for months, so it's nice to finally pull it all together.

Upon arrival (and despite Taako and Lup's involvement) the decorations are minimal. Couches have been transmuted from their regular fabric to rich velvets, there's a little glitz and feathers here and there, but they didn't want to go too hard on the theme. It was just a way to have a little fun with the evening. The bar cart, on the other hand, is definitely in line with Speakeasy, featuring a lot of gin and whiskey based drinks, though anyone with a preference for wine or beer won't be disappointed. The start of the evening is dedicated to introductions and mingling, probably helped by the alcohol, though there's also cheese and antipasto plates set out, just in case anyone was worried about not being fed at something hosted by two chefs. As a way to break the ice, and to get people talking and having fun before the evening really kicks off, the brick wall of the small living room has been set aside as the designated backdrop for a 'photo booth', which mostly consists of a few instant cameras, including one that takes what are essentially magical gifs, so long as the button is held down for 5 seconds. There are a few props that match the theme of the evening - fur stoles, feather headbands, felt hats, long strings of pearls - to make the photos a little more fun. Once everyone is seated in the dining room, it's time for dinner. The food brought out for the main meal is warm and rich without being too heavy, slow cooked meats and roasted vegetables can be mixed with salads and lighter sides to avoid anyone slipping into a food coma before dessert has even begun. Everything is set in the middle of the table, for people to serve themselves, so they can pick and choose what they want to try. Lup has made at least one incredibly spicy dish, so be careful.

While there's no rush to leave the table, eventually plates are cleared away (by magic, so none of the hosts have to stop chatting) and everyone is ushered into the larger of their living rooms, where the small coffee table has been replaced by a seemingly floating table that's large enough to accommodate all the desserts. There are various pies (pecan, pumpkin, cherry), apple & maple cake, chocolate tarts, brownies and trifle. There aren't quite as many options as there were on the dinner table, but it's near a thing, especially when the section of the table devoted to cream, ice cream and sauces is taken into consideration. Dessert is an extended affair, pies will stay warm and ice cream will stay frozen for as long as they remain on the table, so people can return and try more even as the rest of the night presses on. And although the food is, really, the main attraction of any kind of event that Taako is involved with, that doesn't mean there aren't things to do other than eating. Once the dining room table has been cleared, (plastic) champagne glasses are laid out in what might be a familiar formation to anyone who went to college, especially when a ping pong ball is added to the mix. It's beer pong! Except it's actually prosecco pong, because this is a classy joint, not some frat. Or at least, that's the excuse. There are a few other things to do, mostly in the more generic range of party games, including a deck of Cards Against Humanity that Taako discovered a couple weeks ago and had been delighted by. He's definitely going to wrangle people into a game of Never Have I Ever, maybe Truth Or Dare, and anything else he can think of that requires drinking alcohol and saying stupid shit. What better way is there to get to know people? As things wind down, the backdoors open up into the courtyard, where a fire is set up, cushions and blankets placed outside for people to curl up with. The fixings for s'mores are available for anyone who somehow still has room to eat more food, and there's mulled cider just in case the fire isn't enough to keep people warm. It's a nice way to wrap up the evening.

Comments

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki discreetly nudges the cup without a word as he grabs himself another drink. ]

[worldsaway]

We don't know that the table wasn't enjoying that. [Gruffly.] Father made it look easy.

[dothelokimotion]

Father — [ And it's so strange to hear that in his own voice but Loki doesn't linger on it. ] — had decades of practice to get used to it.

[ And Frigga, but Loki isn't foolish enough to mention that ]

[worldsaway]

It's still hard to imagine him being hit on the forehead with a ping pong ball.

[Thor considers.] I suppose if it did happen, nobody would have lived to tell the tale.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki snorts lightly, twirling his glass with his fingers. ]

Death for seeing the highest patriarch in an unseemly fashion. That sounds true to form.

[worldsaway]

Maybe not death, maybe banishment. [Ya gotta laugh..]

Taako told me a secret about you, you know.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki stiffens immediately, his tone light. ]

Oh?

[worldsaway]

[Thor notices the tension and clumsily pushes his shoulder up against Loki's.]

He told me you made a body for Lup.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He blinks. Of all the things Loki had expected, that had not been one of them. ]

Yes? I'd hardly call that a secret, Thor.

[worldsaway]

Nobody told me. [Not everything you don't know is a secret, but that's not important.]

I thought it was a nice gesture.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki snorts lightly. ]

Taako is my friend. He may have plenty of those, but I do not. Why would I take such a thing for granted?

[ Niceness has little to do with it. Loki may not have demanded anything, but it's still self-serving. Loki won't risk losing Taako. ]

[worldsaway]

[It doesn't particularly disappoint Thor to know that Loki did it for Taako, because it's still a gesture he wouldn't have expected from him.

Not until recently, anyway. Now he knows where Loki's values lie.]

I don't think he's the sort to let himself be taken for granted, regardless. But he's a good friend. A good fit for the Revengers, I think.

[dothelokimotion]

[ He frowns lightly. Loki isn't sure if he's fond of the idea of his friends being close to Thor. ]

The Revengers?

[worldsaway]

The team. [Thor swats Loki's arm lightly.] It was Banner, Valkyrie and I with you as an unwitting member. Now we don't have Banner or Valkyrie, so we need new recruits. For revenging purposes.

Actually it might not be necessary.

[dothelokimotion]

[ In the driest of tones. ]

I'm deeply relieved you came to that conclusion, brother. I imagine there is no one left to revenge upon.

[worldsaway]

Have you ever thought about what might happen if they brought Hela here? [Hey, cool party conversation.

Thor points at Loki, a stern look on his face.]

Revengers.

[dothelokimotion]

I'm going to tell Taako to stop inviting you to these parties.

[ Seriously. ]

[worldsaway]

Why would he do that? He loves me. [Thor says, pleasantly oblivious to Loki's gaping insecurities.]

Besides, Bryn will vouch for me.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki puts his drink down abruptly, the beginnings of a scowl on his face. ]

Well, then. Since you are clearly the life of the party, I'll leave you to your drinking problems.

[worldsaway]

Are you really going to act as if I've offended your sensibilities when you were trying to kick me out not ten seconds ago.

[He reaches out to give Loki's shoulder a push.]

You're not courting him too, are you? I thought we were all friends.

[dothelokimotion]

[ Loki mentally debates the merits of throwing his drink in Thor's face. The odds were rising. ]

You always thought that. Even when it wasn't true.

[worldsaway]

No, I think we are friends. [Thor considers. He's never stroked Banner's hair, but he supposes he isn't entirely averse to it.]

Or acquaintances, at the very least. Does it bother you?

[dothelokimotion]

[ Thor missed the point by a mile. Loki grimaces. Some things don't change after all. ]

No. Why take issue with the natural order of things?

[worldsaway]

[Thor knows damn well what Loki is getting at, but he talks around the issue until Loki owns up to his thoughts.]

We're not children and Taako isn't a toy, I'm not going to snatch him from you.

[dothelokimotion]

I am not so deluded to think he's mine in any shape or form, Thor.

[ He knows quite well where he rates. But it's pointless to have this discussion. It isn't something Thor can help, either way. Why settle for Loki when there is a better option? He picks up his drink once more to keep his attention occupied. ]