riverviewlogs | [OPEN] Eddie's Bday Bash

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[OPEN] Eddie's Bday Bash

who: Eddie's friends + any party crashers!
what: A surprise party for Eddie Thawne's 30th birthday
when: forward dated a little to July 4th
where: A nice park not too far from the river
warnings: Spiked drinks, will add as needed

Cisco, Taako, and Yuri have all come together to throw Eddie a party for his 30th birthday!

The party has a chill, summer barbecue vibe; the list of invited guests was limited to people who are friends and coworkers of Eddie, but any characters are welcome to stop by and join in the fun. It takes place in a large park near to the river, with trees and a wide expanse of grass. There is a marquee set up, to protect the party-goers from the bright sun, and casual seating inside on blankets atop the grass. Since Yuri handled the decorations, there's a lot more leopard print than one would expect in this context. Like a lot more.

SURPRISE!

Cisco sent out the invitations went a week in advance, all the details included along with a particularly dire warning that if anyone blabbed to Eddie about even the existence of a party, Cisco would do horrible things to them with science as punishment. Somehow, remarkably (though likely not because of those threats), no one gives away the secret, which means that around 3PM everyone is waiting in the marquee for Taako to lure Eddie in. Cisco goes around, handing everyone party poppers with plenty of confetti and glitter and telling them to hush and get ready for the big moment!

FOOD

If Taako were catering this party for either himself or for someone who had given him free range, there would be a lot of delicate hors d'oeuvres and over the top cakes to feed a crowd of people, but he's managed to keep the theme and the person this party is for in mind, and gone for something a little more chill. The cake(s) is still fancy, as are the mini cakes to go with it, and he had a little fun with the macarons, because what's the point of being an amazing baker if he can't show off.

There are typical munchies set out on a table, although the chips and dips are all handmade rather than store bought, and the cheese and crackers came from a little deli that Taako is particularly fond of. The main event itself is a burger bar, with the assorted meat being cooked on a nearby barbeque by either Taako, or…. a floating set of tools that seem to be keeping a pretty good eye on things, when Taako is off doing whatever it is that he does when he isn't cooking. There's also an assortment of warm and cold salads, for anyone who's into that kind of thing.

There's not an overabundance of food, but it also never seems to look as though things are going to run out. Magic, bitches.

REFRESHMENTS (WITH A LITTLE EXTRA)

About an hour into the party, some mischievous guest takes it upon themselves to add a little something extra to the refreshments, just to make things interesting. But this isn’t your average slipping in a little bit of vodka in the punch on the sly situation. Instead, if your character drinks either of the following, they will feel the following effects:

iced tea: anyone who drinks the iced tea will feel the effects of a mild truth potion. the effects do not compel the drinker to spill unrelated secrets, but are strong enough to prevent white lies and cause some pretty awkward social faux pas.

lemonade: anyone who drinks the lemonade will feel the effects of a mild fascination potion. this potion will cause the person who drinks it to become obsessed with an object, person, or phenomenon that they see or hear within the first two minutes after drinking it. this can encompass anything, so use your creativity – do they become suddenly enthralled with cake? a song that was playing from the dj station? with another partygoer’s shoes?

The effects are cumulative, so if your character fixes themselves an Arnold Palmer, they will become both truthful AND fascinated. The effects last up to four hours.

SINGING & PRESENTS

At some point in the afternoon, everyone will gather around to make Eddie go through the process of blowing out candles on the big cake (Cisco allowed himself to be talked down from 30 individual candles to two candles, one with a 3 and one with an 0). Enthusiastic, hopefully not TOO off-key singing is highly encouraged.

After that, there is a table where anyone who brought a present will have left it by that point; anything, however little or small, however appropriate or inappropriate, is welcome.

DANCING & FIREWORKS

Who doesn’t love a bit of dancing? As the afternoon starts to fade into evening, partygoers who are inclined to shake their moneymakers can move out of the marquee to the small portable dance floor that has been set up on the grass. Nearby is a pretty cushy sound setup with plenty of speakers and Riverview’s own Otabek lending his talents as DJ.

Once sunset has faded and the sky is dark enough to properly appreciate it, a fireworks show has been prepared by Taako, to wrap the night up with a bang!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ In a different context, Taako saying he liked him would make Cisco happy - just happy, in a warm, simple, lovely way. Who didn't like to be liked? Who didn't appreciate a reminder that they meant something to someone? But now, after everything Taako had said, after getting just a glimpse of what a complicated thing it must be for him to like anyone, even in an offhand way, that little burst of happiness in his chest is tinged with sadness, too.

When Taako asks what is going on, Cisco hadn't thought he was anticipating the question, but his answer is immediate and without doubt: ]

I have no fucking idea but there is definitely something weird, right, it's not just me?

[ Cisco sits up and looks from side to side around them. He doesn't know what it is he's searching for, exactly. Weird cursed fireflies again, or else some kind of cursed "let's have a conversation about painful shit" sigil, or who knows what. But there's nothing. ]

Feels like a zone of truth without the tingles.

[There's always a little bit of a sign when that spell is cast, enough to try to push against (which Taako can usually do), but there was no real warning this time, nothing that suggests something is wrong.

He waves a hand to cast detect magic, but nothing unusual shows up, leaving Taako frowning slightly at the scene around them.]

I'm not drunk, so that rules that out. But there is something weird, for sure. I should not have told you that shit.

[Cisco doesn't need to hear it, and Taako doesn't need to say it out loud where it can exist, instead of being tucked away safely.]

I'm gonna assume that's some magic thing.

[ Just like he assumes it's some magic thing when Taako waves a hand through the air, even though Cisco doesn't see it having any kind of effect whatsoever. He can surmise at least from the unsatisfied look on Taako's face that whatever it was, it didn't work. ]

Yeah, no way is this booze. Booze makes me tell embarrassing stories about guys I fucked in college, not sit around asking you every horrible question that pops into my head.

[ Perhaps he should have made the connection - that it wasn't alcohol both of them had been drinking, but that they had both had some of the same beverage. But Cisco had set up that bowl of iced tea, and it just doesn't even come into his head that it might have been tampered with after the fact. ]

I'm glad you told me. I mean I'm not glad you did it because of whatever the hell is going on, but it explains some shit.

[ Wow, yeah, he definitely would not have admitted he is glad about their super depressing conversation, if he were entirely in control of what he is saying. Something made evident by the fact that immediately after he says it, Cisco puts a hand over his own mouth, eyes going a little wider. What Taako had said about this involving truth-telling seems to be right. ]

[Well, that confirms what he'd been thinking anyway, that this is some kind of truth compelling... effect, and it operates similar enough to zone of truth, since it's not like he feels as if he needs to just tell everyone everything, suddenly.

He's just responding more honestly to shit he's asked.

It's hitting Cisco too, whatever it is, and he arches an eyebrow at that little I'm glad you told me, although he looks more amused than offended.]

So, hey, maybe we should shut the fuck up before one of us says something real embarrassing. Last thing we need is for you to confess your love for me.

[Jokes make everything better.]

But I'm taking a raincheck on the embarrassing college stories, for sure.

[Those sound great.]

[ Cisco rolls his eyes at that joke about him confessing his love, but he is grinning, too. He is also in the "jokes make everything more bearable" school of thought. At first, he tries to do what Taako suggested and just keep his mouth closed, but after about a minute and a half of silence he speaks up again. ]

I totally agree, but also, hanging out at a party in total silence is unbearably boring and if I am under some kind of truth curse there's no way in hell I'm saying a word to anyone who's not you or Eddie.

[ Which in itself is pretty revealing of who Cisco does and doesn't trust at this party. There are people here who are his casual friends, sure. But none of them that Cisco would risk being honest with. Not even close. Part of that is because they're the only two who know he's a metahuman, sure, but it also goes beyond that.

Cisco chews at his lower lip for a moment or two before suggesting, tentatively: ] Maybe. If we're careful. Truth or dare? With like, a promise not to ask any fucked up sad questions?

[ Hey, it's a thought. It'd distract both of them from the dark shit they'd just been talking about, and it also ups the stakes of the game a little. Maybe too much, though. ]

[Somehow, he's surprised that Cisco managed to last a whole minute before needing to talk again, because while Taako is a chatty kind of guy, he can just chill if he has to. Cisco, apparently, cannot.]

Oh, for sure.

[And he's not even sure he'd want to risk a truthful conversation with Eddie; it's not anything... personal, just that he likes to be in control of things like this. An overly truthful conversation with a friend is easier than an overly truthful conversation with a boyfriend.]

If you don't think I'd pick dare every single time you really don't know me at all.

[Honesty is the worst.]

That's cheating. I mean, it's not actually against the rules, but that's not how it's supposed to work!

[ Taako might think so, now, but Cisco suspects he might change his mind after a few rounds. And if not, well. It's still better than just sitting around, or stopping and letting himself think for too long about just how many people had died around Taako in his lifetime. ]

Alright, fine. If that's how you wanna play it. I dare you... to take the most unflattering selfie you can, show it to me, and not delete it until the end of the party.

[ Game on. ]

[Taako opens his mouth to say I hate you, but it's not true and whatever's effecting him makes it impossible, so he changes tact.]

Oh, fuck you.

[That works.

And then it kind of clicks that there's more to just unflattering for him, it's not just making a weird face, and before he can stop himself:]

Fine, fine, but I'm not dropping my disguise self spell.

[Now it's his turn to cover his mouth with his hand, although he mutters a quiet fuck behind his palm.]

[ Cisco doesn't have any idea what it is Taako's hesitating and struggling to say - he assumes that Taako's (lovable) vanity is causing him to rethink his strict anti-truth stance that he'd just expressed a moment ago. What he ends up saying, though, is a whole lot more surprising. ]

I'm sorry drop your what now?!

[ The question is an automatic reaction; Cisco hadn't known that spells for disguise were even a thing (though in hindsight it makes sense) or that Taako is apparently wearing one. But when Cisco looks at his face, and he looks the same as he always does. Which means either he's missing a detail, or the spell only disguises very tiny details that he's missing... or else that it disguises a lot and that he has no idea what Taako really looks like, sans magic.

He's stunned enough that it's a few seconds before he thinks of throwing up one hand, halting any response Taako might give before it can come. ]

Wait- wait- I said I wasn't gonna ask... you don't gotta answer that. Even though I, like, really want to know .

[ Well, that last bit wasn't on purpose, but Taako probably could've guessed that Cisco was curious, regardless. ]

[Taako sighs, but it's more frustrated at himself than anything, and with a wave of his hand, the spell drops. It's not a huge difference, at least probably not to most people, but there are a lot of reasons that it sits badly with Taako, and only one of those is vanity.

And it's not like Cisco doesn't know a whole lot of shit about him anyway, so... in for a penny, in for a pound.]

I'm not like, lying about what people see. That's what I used to look like, the disguise.

[If anything, the more plain face is the fake one.]

[ Cisco hadn't actually expected Taako to up and drop the spell. He doesn't seem compelled to do it, either - there's a moment before Taako does it when he sighs, and seems to make the decision.

But once he does, well, Cisco is relieved. He has not had the greatest track record when it comes to people he's close to disguising themselves long term. And while he might not have assumed Taako stole someone's appearance and identity in the same way, all the same, it soothes Cisco's paranoia to have that curtain pulled back and see that there's really hardly any difference at all. ]

You're still way cute.

[ .....Yikes. Thanks, honesty. Anyway, moving on.

Cisco wants to ask if Eddie knows, any just how it was that Taako's appearance somehow got changed so that he had to use some kind of magic to look the way he used to. It doesn't seem like age, and the way he'd said it... it doesn't sound like it was any kind of natural process. ]

C'mon... take a selfie already and gimme a dare before I ask any nosy questions like what happened 'cause I really wanna know what happened but it's way not fair to ask when we're whammied so let's just go.

Head and shoulders above the rest of the world, I know.

[It's half true and half bravado, but apparently not such a lie that the serum is denying it from being said, and it helps that he knows Cisco isn't just being placating when he says Taako's still cute.

But... fine, he fishes out his phone and takes the stupid selfie, and despite his protests, he absolutely goes for as awful as possible, since if he's going to look bad he's going to win at looking bad.

Logic.

Once taken, he tosses the phone to Cisco to get his approval.]

I'll tell you like, some other time when I'm not gonna spill more shit than I wanna. Wonderland was fucked up. [Which in and of itself is saying too much, so he's going to quickly move on:] Gimme thirty seconds of a song from the Wizard of Oz, dealer's choice.

[Most people aren't great at singing and even if they are, don't enjoy doing it in front of people, so he figures that's a fair dare.]

[ Cisco snorts, smiling and laughing as Taako calls himself head and shoulders above the rest, but he likes Taako's self-confidence and he's glad that it's at least true enough that he can say that right now. He waits while Taako finds his worst angle and then snaps a shot; it is comically terrible, so much so that it goes beyond unflattering and straight to hilarious.

He hands back the phone and then gives a thumbs up, because he doesn't trust himself to say some version of "yep that is hideous enough" without completely ruining it with too much blunt honesty.

And he's willing to wait, to hear what happened to change Taako's appearance, at a time when Taako is more in control of himself and the story. But damn, 'Wonderland' sure sounds bad. No shortcut to creepsville as quick as a Lewis Carroll reference. ]

Psshh, easy.

[ At least, easy in this context. On a stage in front of a crowd might be another matter, but there aren't any other party guests in their immediate vicinity, and Taako hadn't told him to sing loudly. Cisco doesn't even sit up - he just sings lying on his back in the grass, hands tucked behind his head. Not the best position for projection, but he's trying to sing quietly.

He picks 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow', because of course he does. Cisco knows the words, and he doesn't hesitate or falter, in a way that makes it sound like he sings plenty - even if it's just to himself. He sings it very simply, without adding much flair or camp, and there's a sweetness and earnestness to it that goes well with both the song and his voice. He doesn't time himself, just trails off somewhere about halfway through the song, smiling in an chagrined way. ]

[While Cisco is singing, Taako recasts his spell to put his face back to how it should be, before he takes a second to actually listen.]

God, of course you can fucking sing.

[Not that he's really sure why there's an of course somewhere in there, maybe because it just adds to the list of things Cisco is ridiculously good at, which starts with video games and ends with 'inventing really rad shit'.]

Alright, bring on a truth, I guess I haven't-- [Oh no apparently he does have a lot of shit to hide, since he can't quite finish that sentence. Taako waves a hand lazily.] Just hit me.

[ Cisco shrugs as well as he can, considering he's lying on his back, but he is pleased as punch at the vaguely disgusted way Taako says the compliment. He can't quite keep himself from smiling. ]

I don't do it in front of people a lot. My brother's the big music prodigy, not me.

[ He's glad that Taako didn't ask him to do anything more embarrassing or unpleasant than just singing. At least, not yet. ]

Did you like Wizard of Oz? That's not my truth or dare question, I'm just curious.

[ He always wonders about this kind of thing - how Earth media seems to Taako, who comes from a place so completely different, and doesn't have preconceived ideas about what movies should be like, and which ones deserve to be venerated and which don't. ]

Alright. Truth. Truuuth, hmm. What's a guilty pleasure of yours? By which I mean something that makes you really happy but that you wouldn't normally tell anybody?

[ That's fairly innocuous, right? Almost no way for that question to lead anywhere too depressing, but it's still nosy enough that it suits the game. ]

[Taako briefly wonders if this is one of those situations where he should like, get a bottle of water to spray Cisco with if he compares himself to his brother.

But: he's lazy.]

It was pretty cool, loved the witch, shame about the melting thing but you gotta admire the style going out that way.

[A lot of his media consumption comes through regular movie nights with Clark, so it's all fairly standard, but he enjoys it. But someone should make him watch/read Wicked at some point. Or The Wiz.]

First of all, the whole concept of guilty pleasures is dumb as hell, I enjoy what I enjoy and I'm not gonna feel bad about it. But you could kinda count peanut butter cups as like, shit I know I shouldn't eat but do anyway, mostly cause I'm allergic to peanuts.

[So.

They're a guilty pleasure because they could potentially kill him and he just rolls with it.]

[ Taako certainly doesn't disappoint; of all the reactions Cisco would have expected to that film, loving the wicked witch and being sad about her dying is not one he anticipated. In hindsight maybe it makes sense - Taako is a magic-user, too, and all that. Cisco grins, says: ]

I gotta make you listen to Wicked one of these days.

[ He shakes his head a little at Taako saying he doesn't believe in the concept of guilty pleasures. In theory, Cisco agrees with him, but it's one thing to say that he's living his bliss without apology, and it's another to actually and fully do it. He's come a long way from how he was when he was younger, talking and dressing how he thought other people wanted him to, doing everything in his power not to be noticed. He isn't that guy anymore, entirely, but in some ways it's still a work in progress. ]

You're allergic to peanuts and you still eat peanut butter cups? Living on the edge, there, man.

[ Sure, not all allergies are life-threatening, but even so. ]

Okay. I pick truth this time, too.

Put it on the list, pumpkin.

[There are a handful of things that people have suggested to him , and a lot of it gets tossed on in the background while he's working, so he can add Wicked to the list.]

They're just so fucking good, it's worth it.

[He has a magic EPI pen I guess.]

Truth, truth, truth, what've we got... [He's either genuinely trying to think of something or just dragging this out to torment Cisco a little. Probably the latter, knowing him.

Oh wait he's got it, Taako grins.] Do you like~ anyone?

[It's a little bit sing-song, mimicking the way he remembers being teased by Lup when they were younger.]

[ Cisco makes a wordless noise of agreement; peanut butter cups are pretty good, and clearly eating them hasn't done any lasting damage to Taako thus far. Maybe elf allergies in general are just more mild, or there are spells he can do to get rid of some of the side-effects.

He rolls his eyes to himself as Taako takes his sweet time coming up with a question to ask. And when he does ask it, it's so utterly childish that Cisco ends up rolling them again. Which doesn't change the fact that his heart started beating just a touch faster, too. Sometimes it's the simplest things that really are the most nerve-wracking. It's somehow not until that exact moment, when Taako asks that, that Cisco actually consciously thinks if there's anyone in this place he comes even close to having a crush on, it's Eddie.

Which, obviously, he is not going to say out loud. No way, no how. He doesn't even trust himself to say anything at all, just lifts his arms into the air to hold in an X in front of his face, a nonverbal gesture of 'nope'. Very carefully and deliberately he says: ]

Okay. Dare instead.

[ Sure is a good thing his complexion is dark enough that it doesn't show too obviously when he blushes, because he feels like his face is actually on fire right now. ]

[Hold the fucking phone.

A good person would probably take that no as enough of an answer and leave it be, because obviously there's something he doesn't want to say. But Taako, while capable of being nice, is not entirely a good person.]

That's not how this shit works! [As if he wouldn't do the exact same thing if he was faced with someone he didn't want to spill, although 'I have a crush on (blank)' is pretty low on the scale of awful things to tell someone else.] Is it me? Cause I mean, that's only understandable, it happens to most people. You can be honest.

[But he also genuinely curious now, since he figures there's a reason Cisco won't tell him, and it's not like they've been shy when discussing romance and sex up until now.]

[ Why oh why had he suggested this game? How had he not thought far enough in advance to anticipate this? Cisco's stomach is twisting into knots of discomfort and embarrassment, but he knows that he made this bed of awkwardness and he can't blame anyone else for the fact that he's just got to lie down in it.

He's not going to just cave, though. Beneath all the friendliness and jokes, Cisco has quite a stubborn streak when he wants to. There's just the tiny edge of annoyance creeping into his voice as he insists: ]

Dude, I said I wanted to pass this round! I'm not gonna tell you I've got a crush on your boyfriend.

[ Which is just great, just perfect. Cisco realizes a fraction of a second too late what he's said and immediately covers his face with both hands, irritation and dread making him feel a little queasy. He hadn't meant to say it at all, and because it had just slipped out he hadn't been able to hedge, to contextualize, to minimize it with lots of other words. ]

Fuck.

[ The word comes out muffled because Cisco is still hiding his face in his hands. ]

[And Taako laughs.

It's not cruel, or mocking, it's the sort of laugh from someone who's just very startled by a piece of information they've heard and isn't quite sure what to do with it. It's just a surprised little chuckle that cuts off with a huff of breath.]

Well, my ego's wounded, for sure.

[Maybe it should bother him, but for all his occasional insecurities and pettiness, jealousy isn't a thing that Taako does, mostly because if he doesn't ever want to feel like he's competing for someone. And anyway, a crush is just a crush; Taako has vague crushes on a couple of people, and it doesn't need to mean anything. Cisco hasn't admitted is starting some campaign to steal Eddie, just that he fancies him a little, and really, Taako can't blame him.]

Are you gonna die on me, sweetheart?

[Can people die from embarrassment?]

[ Cisco feels pretty miserable, listening to Taako's surprised laugh. Of course, he can't exactly blame Taako for laughing. The situation would probably seem much funnier to him, if it was happening to someone else and he wasn't involved at all. And, well, objectively it probably is funny, isn't it? The presumption and stupidity of having a crush on a guy who is not only already involved with someone else, but who is (to Cisco's mind) so very far out of his league.

Cisco wants to mumble a mortified 'yes' or 'maybe', but the truth potion isn't letting him get away with that, so it comes out: ]

No.

[ It's not a great feeling, knowing that when Taako says his ego is wounded, he has to be at least half serious about it. Sure, it's bad enough he is blurting humiliating things about his own thoughts and feelings, but saying something that is hurtful to a friend is way worse. ]

Didn't mean to ego check you. I tried not to say shit.

[ And he puts his hands down to look over at Taako. Cisco's face is definitely flushed, and his mouth scrunched to one side a little in discomfort. But more than anything else he looks apologetic, and earnest, and worried. ]

Can we please move on and like, never speak of this again?

Don't sweat it, not your fault I'm vain as shit.

[He even leans down to give Cisco a conciliatory pat on the arm, in case he needs reassuring of the fact that Taako really doesn't give a shit about either the tiny blow to his ego or the fact that Cisco has a crush on his boyfriend.]

I won't tell him, if you're worrying.

[Not because he'd be worried about things changing if Eddie knew, just that he doesn't think Cisco would want him to Eddie. Considering how horrified he already looks.

He wants to tell Cisco that he doesn't care, but with the truth serum it might come out badly, so he decides to pass on that part.]

Thanks.

[ Worrying is one of Cisco's specialties, so it's not like he can just stop at the drop of a hat, but the pat on the arm does help, as does the reassurance that Taako isn't going to tell Eddie so they can laugh at him behind his back. Of course, maybe they wouldn't do that, and Cisco knows that, but it's hard to remove it from his mind as a possibility.

It seems almost too good to be true, that Taako is taking this in stride without teasing him or getting mad at him, but Cisco isn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. He just takes a moment to close his eyes, get his anxieties tucked away into the background where they belong, and then he puts on a smile once more. ]

Okay. Part of me thinks if we keep playing things are only bound to get awkward again but I'm pretty desperate to change the subject so, truth or dare, unless you've got any better ideas?

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