riverviewlogs | [closed] a little party never killed nobody

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[closed] a little party never killed nobody

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, first of all what the fuck.

[ Man, he loves magic, but it sounds pretty messed up sometimes. The concept of mind control is not a new one for Cisco, but it had been messed up when Grodd did it and it's messed up hearing about it happening because of a spell or whatever. ]

I'm 50/50 on that one, 'cause it's still a thing that happened in your life, but it's not like you made the choice. Hmmm...

[ He gives a single nod, making the decision. ]

I'm gonna say no, mind control's an official pass.

Cricket people made me jump off a wagon.

[He says that as if it explains everything, and with an ease that suggests there's no lasting trauma from this weird, dumb experience.

But he's pleased he doesn't have to drink, now he just has to think of something to get Cisco with.]

Never have I ever entered a science fair.

[Easy, but he's not gonna start dragging Cisco just yet.]

Cricket people?! Do you mean like the bug or like the sport? Or was it both?!

[ Hard to say what the most horrifying option is, honestly. At least by this point Cisco has heard enough of Taako's wild stories that learning he got mind controlled into launching himself off a moving wagon is barely worth batting his eyes at.

The science fair comment is so obviously directed at Cisco that he aims a look at Taako, mouth pursed and eyebrows raised. He rolls his eyes and takes a drink. He's just glad he doesn't have to drink for every single fair. There had been quite a few. ]

Never have I ever changed my outfit multiple times during a single party.

[ Again, a little bit of gentle ribbing, but not anything he thinks will actually come close to hurting Taako's feelings, or revealing anything about him that everyone who's met him doesn't already know. ]

Edited 2017-11-20 15:53 (UTC)

There's a sp-- you know what, I don't actually care. It was the bug kind, there was this buzzing in my head and next thing I know I'm getting grabbed outta the air by Klarg.

[Thanks Klarg for saving his ass, multiple times. Sorry about all the times Taako nearly got you killed in return.]

Not once? [He takes a sip, unbothered by that part.] I thought you were cooler than that.

[Be nice.]

That's some Fast and the Furious bullshit.

[ There's mingled horror and approval in Cisco's voice as he says it. He makes a mental note to ask who Klarg is later, but for the time being, he can't let himself get distracted from the game before the real embarrassment and information-gathering about all his friends's exploits begins. ]

There's a difference between being cool and being a shameless show-off.

[ Cisco probably should have better sense for that kind of banter when they're playing this game, but he can't help himself. The truth is, of course, that he loves that Taako always has three outfits for every party, and puts so much thought into each of them. But that doesn't mean he can't tease him just a little for it. ]

[It sure was, thanks Griffin!]

Wow, my man. [He's not really offended, but he feels like he needs to make at least a cursory protest at being called a shameless show-off] We're getting nasty already, are we?

[He needs to know because like, he can get nasty too.]

I didn't come here to make friends, I came here to win.

[ It's a joke, of course, because how does one even begin to win this particular drinking game. If Cisco had actually thought Taako's feelings were hurt, he would of course apologize. He can't even entirely sustain the fiction of his competitiveness for half a minute, though; he leans in towards Taako, eyes bright with affection, and adds: ]

Besides, you're the best show off I know. Imagine if I tried to be a show off.

[ And he raises his eyebrows, mouth pursed, as if the hilarity of that imagined scenario is self-evident. There are a lot of things Cisco's great at, but showmanship, self-confidence, performance and flair - those aren't among them. ]

[No he literally came here to make friends!!! That's half the point of this]

I think that's just whatshisface.

["Cisco showing off" is just evil Cisco they met that one time, but Taako is being vague out of a sense of keeping secrets, not because he's actually forgotten the details.]

Never have I ever had sex in a club bathroom.

[That's just a guess, but if they're getting nasty...]

[ It takes Cisco a moment to actually get who Taako means. Whatshisface? Huh? But then he remembers Reverb, and Taako really hit the nail right on the head with that one. Cisco laughs with understanding, but keeps it an inside joke, despite some curious looks from others.

When it comes to Taako's turn and he says he's never had sex in a club bathroom, it is obvious to Cisco that this, too, is directed at him. Right. He should've predicted that if he laid the sass on a little too thick, this might happen.

He holds his chin up defiantly, though his face is burning with embarrassment, and takes a sip. Could've been worse? Might still get worse later. Oh, no, he'd made a mistake playing this game when Taako was around, hadn't he? What's worse, naturally, is that no one else in the little gathered group drinks for that particular scenario. Just great. ]

[Taako clicks his tongue, half amused and half sympathetic]

Sorry, bubbale, but remember you started this.

[There's time to get him back, at least.]

And that's a decision I'm sure we're soon both gonna regret.

[ Even if Cisco is feeling sorry that he'd inadvertently thrown down some sort of embarrassment gauntlet, he's not going to let himself be bested so easily. He thinks for a moment or two, wanting to come up with something that's just the right amount of humiliating - nothing too much, of course. But he doesn't want it to be weak, either.

He's ready when it comes round to his turn again. ]

Never have I ever had cause to describe anything I've ever felt or done as "technically not necrophilia".

[ Cisco does big air quotations on that last part. ]

Edited 2017-11-22 23:34 (UTC)

Fuck you.

[Friendship ended with Cisco.]

Never have I ever hooked up with a friend's ex.

[HMMMMM]

[ Cisco exhales, but while nodding his head repeatedly. ]

Yeah, okay, I earned that.

[ And down the hatch goes another sip of his drink. He's going to have to be careful, and maybe ask for something significantly weaker when he needs a refill. At this rate he's going to be hammered before anybody else at the party is even fully drunk, and that would be uncomfortable. ]

For the record, though, for the record, not something I'd ever done before Eddie.

[ He just wants to make it clear that this particular instance was a one time thing. It's not like a serial behavior. ]

Never have I ever gone skinny dipping.

[ Cisco is attempting to de-escalate things ever so slightly. It's anybody's guess if that will actually work. ]

Oh no, no, no, we don't get to explain ourselves, you've just gotta drink.

[This is a rule he just made up, because he didn't explain the necrophilia thing.]

But that one's easy. I cannot believe you haven't gone skinny dippy at least once, we gotta fix that.

[He takes a sip.]

Alright, alright.

[ No more explanations, fine. He can do that. Probably better in the long run. He gets the feeling that trying to explain stuff would only result in him digging even deeper holes for himself to fall into. ]

Mmm, now so sure about that. That one's going to take some significant bribery.

I'll get Thor to come.

[That counts as bribery, right? Bringing Thor along skinny dipping so they all get to perv.]

Ummmm, Taako? Hate to break it to ya, but inviting more people who I barely know on this hypothetical skinny dipping adventure is, like, the literal opposite of what'd make me willing to do it. I was thinkin' temporary invisibility spell not bring Thor.

[ And apart from the whole modesty issue (though Cisco's not going to say it because it'd be a bit of a downer) Cisco is sure that would be crossing a couple of morality lines for him, in terms of having a long-term boyfriend who has got some definite jealousy and body image issues, and also in terms of just plain not wanting to be a creep. But it's always hard to tell when Taako's joking and when he isn't, so Cisco's just gonna move this game right along. ]

Besides, knowing our luck we'd just get attacked by a river monster or something. By the way, getting attacked by an underwater monster is also on my 'never have I ever' list.

Don't be a baby.

[Taako sticks his tongue out at Cisco as if to show just how mature he is.]

We'll go skinny dipping in a pool, no monsters there, unless I get weird with spells.

[He knows it's his turn to say a thing but he's having too much fun teasing Cisco.]

[ Cisco is not above sticking his tongue out right back. A pool sounds mildly more tolerable than the river, but he looks like he actually might be vaguely considering it, 'til Taako mentions getting weird with spells, and Cisco makes a face that's half curiosity, half disgust. ]

Nope, alright, that's it. You've changed an difficult 'maybe' into an unshakeable 'no'.

[ And he crosses his arms over his chest, as if to declare that that is that. He's not about to deal with spectral eels or whatever the hell it is Taako's referring to, even if he's sure it would make a great prank for Taako and Lup and the rest of them. No sir. Not him. ]

That's cool, I'll just toss you straight into the next body of water we're near.

[Which technically wouldn't be skinny dipping but that's not the point.]

Never have I ever said I love you to a partner.

[THAT'S NOT A THING TO BRAG ABOUT]

[ Cisco opens his mouth to correct that that's not even remotely what skinny dipping is, but stops before he's even said a word, preemptively just giving up on that one. Sure. Taako can toss him in a fountain or whatever, why not. Weirder things happen every day.

Then Taako's boasting he's never said 'I love you' in the context of a relationship and while the fact of it doesn't surprise Cisco, really, the fact that he would bring it up kind of does. Even with their 'no explanations' rule, he's really setting himself up for some probably unwanted scrutiny, there. After all, the guy's a couple hundred years old. Never?

Cisco takes his sip. He's glad for the no explanation thing, now. No need to get into him being a teenager who got way too emotionally attached and scared people off before he realized he should be a little less honest, a little less quick to love anyone who stayed with him for more than a month or two.

The thought of his younger self, so desperate to be loved, and of Taako, so afraid to get attached to people, is all kind of a downer. Time to drag things forcibly back towards the comedic. Even if Cisco's pretty sure he's diving on a landmine here. There will definitely be reprisals. But... ]

Never have I ever accidentally made out with a lesbian in a club, under the mistaken impression she was a twink.

[The look that Taako shoots Cisco is almost placid, as if he's just commented on the weather, and his tone matches it perfectly when he says:]

Hey, Cisco, my man, do me a solid and put your drink down.

[ Cisco immediately clutches his drink closer to his chest, eyes narrowing: ]

Why.

[Without missing a beat:] Cause it'd be a real shame to spill booze on the floor when I turn you into a cockroach.

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