open: gold & glitz

[inlaid]

who: Bryn Zethir & Guests
what: A Gold & Glitz House Party
when: Evening of June 1st
where: Bryn's apartment
warnings: Alcohol, tobacco, and weed.

[Welcome to Bryn's apartment. The door is unlocked, and personal belongings can be tossed up onto the bed just at the top of the stairs. The party's theme is apparent at once. As mentioned on the network post, gold and glitz is strongly encouraged (though no one will be turned away for lacking either) in clothing, jewelry, accessories, or however creatively someone would like to incorporate it. Those interested in participating but lacking anything gold or glitzy will find gold glitter body gel to spread on their skin, compliments of the hostess. There's a bar cart by the front door with a sign that reads WELCOME in gold script. It's laden with short shot glasses filled with what looks like liquid gold. When imbibed, however, it tastes like a faintly peach-flavored vodka. The rest of the alcohol and mixers can be found in the kitchen. Clear plastic cups feature labels that can be written on in gold permanent marker, then filled with any number of beverages. Really, there's no real rhyme or reason to what's available, as guests have been encouraged to bring whatever they like and add it to the kitchen island. For those who don't drink alcohol, there's a sign on the fridge indicating that non-alcoholic drinks and mixers are kept within. Anyone looking to fill their stomach a little between drinks will find platters of finger foods available throughout the apartment. Gold macarons, cheese and crackers, sliced fruit and vegetables are plentiful, but guests who are quick enough may find they can grab some of the thinly sliced beef arranged around a bowl of spicy dipping sauce. Of note, there is also a plate of gold fortune cookies for guests. While it's noted there's only enough for one per person, the fortunes feature not only a fortune but a party challenge. Dance with a stranger? Eat nothing that isn't fed to you? Try your hand at inventing a new drink? Why not try it and see what happens? Play a game of party jenga for that matter. Beyond all this, anyone attending is encouraged to mingle and enjoy themselves. There's ample seating throughout the apartment for people to sit back and enjoy their food and drinks, including a plush rug in one corner covered in floor cushions and pillows around a hookah with a variety of flavors of tobacco. For those who are more inclined to activity there's space enough to dance to the music that booms throughout the apartment. With the windows open the space stays well aired out and comfortable, inviting any who attend to linger as long as they like. By the looks of things the hostess has no intention of kicking anyone out no matter how late it gets...]

Comments

[smokedout]

Some people like the comfort of anonymity. Separates you from your actions, lets you do things you otherwise wouldn't because you can tell yourself the consequences won't affect you.

[More psycho-babble from Professor Dodger, it seems.]

You're more the two-dates-first type, huh?

[spellslots]

If you're that worried about consequences, maybe it's a hint you shouldn't be doing the shit you're doing.

[Taako has done a lot of pretty awful things, but he's willing to own them, because they were necessary for whatever situation he found himself in. He's very rarely purposefully done anything that he feels guilty about, even almost getting Antonia, Rowan and Sterling killed doesn't weigh on him that heavily.]

I'm more the I'm seeing someone type, if you wanna get specific.

[It's not a card he's used to playing, but he's willing to pull it out now.

Even as he slides one of the drinks across to Dodger, because it's made, it might as well be drunk, even if Taako isn't a fan of this guy.]

[smokedout]

Never stops me. Consequences, or seeing someone.

[Dodger's had attachments in the past, who generally just accept that he'll sleep around whether they like it or not. But he's got no reason to force Taako's hand, so he moves just barely out of his personal space to enjoy his drink.]

Your boyfriend anyone I know?

[spellslots]

[Taako rolls his eyes at that.

Do you have any other slogans from like Hot Topic, Dodger.]

His name's Eddie. [Boyfriend isn't really a word they've used, but he's not about to correct Dodger on that. Instead, he points to where Eddie is chatting with someone.] Blond, kinda tall.

[He could be smug about it, Eddie is a handsome dude, but he has a feeling Dodger would just be gross if he was, so he keeps his tone kinda bored and vague.]

[smokedout]

[Dodger has to stifle a choking noise as he sips his drink and picks Eddie out of the crowd. Oh, that's fucking fantastic. He's been creeping on the boyfriend of the cop that caught him stabbing a crippled kid. A+ What a small world.]

That uh... that so.

[The only reason he's not moving further away is because that would betray his discomfort. Instead he's just emptying his mug in one motion, and continuing the conversation.]

Someone like you, seems like you could do better - he's pretty average.

[spellslots]

[Bit of a weird reaction, and Taako's eyebrows creep up again as he glances between Eddie and Dodger.]

Have you two met, or are you making a shitty snap judgement? Or like, are you just really bad at trying to come onto people?

[He's heard "you could do better" once or twice before, and usually the implication that whoever's saying it is the better option.]

[smokedout]

Bit of the first two. I'm not gonna lie and say I've got any interest in keeping you around after sunrise.

[He clears his voice awkwardly, but... at least his strong suits include analytical rambles.]

I'm talking looks. I mean, you've got this whole... androgynous, mystical valley girl drag queen thing. You pop out. You get people's attention. He's just some no-name cop, same haircut as every officer on the force. He's boring.

[spellslots]

Charming.

[Oh no wait he means the exact opposite of that.]

And not that literally an-y-one asked for your opinion, but I happen to think he's handsome. And this whole thing is rich coming from some asshole with one eye and some shitty scars.

[He can be rude, too.]

[smokedout]

[Hey, he accomplished his goal. Which was side-stepping the fact that he knows Eddie. Taako's comment even gets a sarcastic raise of the brow from him.]

I like to think they add character. [He shrugs.] And hey, I stand out better than Mr. Blond and Kinda Tall.

[spellslots]

Listen, I was gonna go for Mr. Really Great in Bed, but you struck me as the kinda dipshit to take that as some kinda fucked up challenge.

[So he kept it vague.

Ugh, this guy is worse than Jenkins, at least Jenkins wasn't skeevy.]

[smokedout]

Wouldn't pick him out as worth fucking, from the look of him. You've got a real diamond in the rough there, huh. Or surprisingly low standards.

[He lets out a low chuckle, glancing back at Taako to look him over. He seems honest enough, not the type to take advantage of Eddie for anything. How novel.]

[spellslots]

[He feels like a cat that's been petted the wrong way, and somewhere in the apartment there's an unhappy mongoose with it's fur sticking up on end.]

If you're trying to pick a fight, you could put a little more effort in that just insulting the guy I'm with.

[smokedout]

Relax, I'm just making conversation. If that's what you're into, that's what you're into.

[He's pretty sure this conversation is going well. He doesn't have a black eye or a broken nose yet.]

[spellslots]

[Meanwhile Taako feels like this conversation is going terribly; mostly because he's a little unsettled and off balance. He's just tipsy enough that he's not as sharp as he could be with some asshole giving him shit, but not so drunk that he's at the point of not caring.]

You're pretty fucking bad at making conversation, I will say that.

[smokedout]

Hey, you're still talking to me. Must be doing something right.

[He moves to fill his mug with the first bottle he touches - vodka, nice - and sips it casually.]

Besides, I could be shooting up the place. That might have gone worse than this. [Maybe.]

[spellslots]

[Taako hasn't taken even a sip of his drink and probably won't, just like he isn't responding to that first comment of Dodger's. Walking away would be easy, but that would just leave Dodger to find someone else to annoy, and there are people here that Taako actually likes.]

That would go very sideways for you, very quickly. You'd be wishing to redo whatever happened to your face instead.

[It looks like a bad fight.

Taako can do a lot worse.]

[smokedout]

Please, I've gotten worse than this. Dealt worse, too.

[His fight with Ivar was pretty straight-forward, neither of them tortured the other needlessly. That makes it better than some of the more major scrapes he's been in.]

Anyway, I bet most people here can't defend themselves, it'd make for a one-sided fight.

[spellslots]

[Taako sets his mug down, using the gesture to hide a quick spell cast, then crosses his arms over his chest as he regards Dodger.]

That's a hell of an assumption, my dude.

[Bryn is a tiny thing, but he's seen her with a sword and knows she's more than capable of handling herself. Eddie is a cop, and Taako's pretty sure Loki (at least one of them) could kill a dude without blinking.]

And kinda rich coming from the guy who got his ass handed to him by a crippled kid.

[Thanks for the hot tip via telepathy, Eddie.]

[smokedout]

So the word did get around.

[He expected it to, especially to the cop's boyfriend. Dodger shrugs again, sipping his vodka nonchalantly.]

For the record, if your boytoy hadn't shown up that crippled kid would've bled out on the street. And it serves him right for picking a fight with me in the first place.

[spellslots]

Something like that, sure.

[Only now does Taako cast a brief glance in Eddie's direction, despite the fact they're having a quick little conversation in his head.]

And don't get me wrong, I give no shits about whatever the fuck you two had a fight about, it's just kinda hilarious a teenager in a wheelchair like, what, did you lose the eye?

[There it is, he's found his footing now that he's got a) a little dirt and b) Eddie backing him up, even if he's still on the other side of the apartment.]

[smokedout]

[This time he rolls his eye; he's not about to plead his case, it's a waste of effort. He's already embarrassed enough about the whole event, but it's behind him and he's just glad he'll be ready the next time Ivar tries something.]

I slipped up, that's on me. Wasn't exactly expecting a gimp to start throwing knives at me.

[He notices Taako glancing at Eddie, and Eddie's attention on them for a brief moment. He takes the opportunity to shoot a sarcastic wink at the cop, before turning back to Taako.]

He usually leave you hanging around sleazy assholes?

[spellslots]

Rookie mistake, for sure.

[Taako knows better than to underestimate someone based on things like that, mostly because he's pretty sure people underestimate him because he's pretty and a little waifish and doesn't come across as very smart.]

I mean, he just offered to gimme an excuse to fuck off, but he knows I can handle my own shit. He's the nice one in this whole thing.

[Taako, on the other hand, has no qualms about killing dudes.]

[smokedout]

Guess you're doing him a favor, then. If you stopped talking to me I could decide to hit on him instead.

[He lets out a quiet chuckle; despite their... what could become a history... he wouldn't mind sleeping with Eddie at all. It would be a fun thing to tease both him and Taako about.]

Especially if you think he's any good.

[spellslots]

I thought he was boring.

[It's said in a drawl, because he doesn't want to let Dodger think he like, cares at the implications being made. It takes more than that to get under his skin re: jealousy.]

[smokedout]

[He's a little irked that Taako isn't getting upset, but he's willing to put in the extra effort.

If he put anywhere near as much effort into anything else as he did into making people hate him, he'd probably have friends.]

If it turns out he's as boring as he looks, I can always check out his insides instead.

[God damn it, Dodger.]