[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

[realists]

[ jyn slips out of the house not too long after cassian, finding him so immediately that it's with almost supernatural ease. she settles down next to him, snaking the blanket out of his arms as she leans back. ]

Have you heard of s'mores, before?

[ she doesn't think they're native to any of her conceivable home worlds, but maybe it simply went by another name. ]

[evasives]

[he stole it for her in the first place, he practically shoves it at her once she tries to take it.]

Not the word. The individual parts make sense, but I have never seen anyone combine it together before.

[he settles his own blanket neatly over his legs, more relaxed now that she's back.]

[realists]

[ what if jyn tucks her legs under his blanket and then puts her own blanket over herself, because that's what she does. double the blankets. ]

I want to try one.

[ not enough to get up and make one herself but maybe thor will stumble by and she can convince him to make one for her. ]

[evasives]

[what if he doesn't answer right away because they're in public and she just shoved her legs under his blanket, leg briefly brushing against his and that surprises him. he adjusts his blanket soon after like it's whatever, then holds out a piece of chocolate.]

We can always try to figure them out another time.

[yeah he knows she doesn't want to move yet.]

[realists]

Maybe if I tell Taako that Lup made me one that tasted better than his cupcakes, he'll make me one to prove me wrong.

[ she wonders if that kind of competition would work. taako is rightfully proud of his food (because damn son can you deliver leftovers later? thanks) so maybe he'd want to keep jyn thinking he is gr8 but also maybe he's not that competitive with his twin.

how the fuck does family work??? ]

[evasives]

It does seem like the exact challenge that would motivate him into a free cupcake.

[and jyn is all about that four letter word. f-r-e-e. even though they can afford to buy his cupcakes, which is a very weird thought.]

[cassian has had no real family of his own, but it doesn't mean he can't read into dynamics and figure out how to use them.]

They are both good cooks who seem to thrive off one-upping each other.

[realists]

[ to be fair, aside from the twin thing, the same could probably be said for jyn and cassian. at least on jyn's side of things. luckily, no one knows she's highly competitive yet. ]

I don't want to get up to test it.

[ so comfortable next to him. ]

[evasives]

[give it time. they'll be arguing about stupid shit soon enough.]

[but he doesn't want to get up either. it is nice and warm and comfortable here.]

It does not seem hard in concept. [he takes a bite of his chocolate.] And if we do it back at home for ourselves, no one will see if we get it wrong.

[realists]

But if we get it wrong, will we always make them wrong?

[ no one will be there to correct them if they hide away like chumps, but since jyn doesn't want to admit to other people that she can make mistakes (gross), she simply settles in to carefully watch the process as it happens. ]

[evasives]

Again. No one else will know but us.

[come on jyn, who are they going to have over and make s'mores with?????]

The ingredients are all there. I find it hard to imagine there is a wrong way, even if they are all mixed up.

[realists]

Are you going to steal the ingredients, Cassian. [ she gasps, affecting a mock offended look. ] From our friends?

[evasives]

I doubt they would notice some of the portions were gone.

[friends??? multiple??? who are their friends multiple jyn????]

But I do also know how to shop at the grocery store.

[realists]

[ taako and his personality are equal to about five regular friends lbh ]

No, let's steal it.

[evasives]

[he is definitely smiling. or grinning? it's something happy on his face.]

You? Advocating theft? I cannot believe it.

[realists]

Shocking, [ jyn agrees dryly. they're stealing it, but. ] Later.

[ for now she is content to stay here under the blankets with him. it's nothing. ]