riverviewlogs | [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.

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I will be there shortly.

[ He just needs a moment. Some silence for the thoughts that continue to buzz around his head, not granting him any real peace. ]

[Taako plants a hand back on Loki's chest, but this time it's just so he can brace himself to lean up for a light kiss on the cheek.]

Take your time, bubbale.

[ Loki shudders despite himself. ]

It won't be long.

Shit, sorry.

[He's not entirely sure what that shudder was for, but he feels like he probably overstepped there, so Taako takes a decent step back, even has he puts his hands up in a little gesture of apology.]

I'll, uh-- [well, he feels dumb now.] I'll leave you to it.

[It's kind of hard to bail when the courtyard isn't the hugest space in the world, but he's at least going to walk away.]

[ A flash of panic runs through his expression as he grabs Taako's hand lightly. ]

No, it wasn't — It's not easy right now.

[Taako stops when Loki reaches out, exhales a little roughly, but-]

Hey, it's cool, that's my bad.

[He's not going to hold it against Loki for not being okay with certain types of affection. It's on him if he feels a little embarrassed.]

I think we've uh, figured out it's time for Taako to stop drinking.

[ Loki wavers, unsure. ]

Everyone I knew is dead.

[Oh, well, shit.

Taako turns back to face Loki properly, expression softening.]

Not everyone. [He's not trying to dismiss the loss, just remind Loki that there are still people left. They saved a lot of Asgardians, including Thor, and there are still people in the Quarantine that care about Loki.

There's a part of him that could be bitter about this, that could remind Loki that of Taako's world only seven survived, but he has no interest in a pissing match over who's lost more. And Taako never cared much about his world, anyway.] I know it's shit right now, but it gets easier.

[ It is a little different. Neither Thor or Loki had strong ties to the common folk, who were the bulk of people that managed to be spared from Hela's wrath. The Einhenjar, his tutors, all the people who resided in the palace — all gone in a blink of an eye. For Loki, who has spent centuries and more with them, that kind of loss is not simply gut-wrenching, it's alien and unknown.

And Thor was alive. Which is enough. ]

No. Not everyone.

What do you need, Loki?

[This isn't a question he'd ask most people, because there are only a few he cares about enough to essentially offer anything. But he doesn't know how to help specifically and he does care about Loki, so he's willing to help in whatever way Loki needs.]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I don't know yet. It'll come to me in time.

[ It usually does. ]

We'll, hey, you know where to find me when it does.

[There's no expiry date on the offer.]

[ Loki squeezes his hand before letting go. ]

I will.

[There's a second where he lingers, not sure if he should say more, before he just gives Loki a sad little smile and heads back to the party. He wishes there was more he could do.]

[closed] a little party never killed nobody

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