Bite they little heads off! Nibble on they tiny feet!

[baedalites]

Who: EVERYONE.
What: Catenrat party.
Where: The Apache and surrounding environs.
When: Givdi the 22nd of Toidaren
Notes: The topic threads are just suggestions; if you've got somewhere else that your characters simply must be, make your own thread. When your characters are ready to leave, they'll be given a little wooden cheese, a glass fish, and a voucher for a big basket of snacks.
Warnings: None yet. Please put warnings up on individual threads.

The Apache is much the same as it always is: dimly lit, with the jukebox playing in the background, and the bartender serving whatever's on tap. Above the doorway and wound through a few of the sets of antlers some enterprising soul has placed a garland decorated with little blue and green fish.

Comments

Bar area:

[baedalites]

To combat the cold as well as the pain of social endeavours, drinks can be obtained at happy hour prices. Beers in pitchers, whiskey in heavy crystal glasses, shots of some concentrated liquor that burns on the way down but is not, apparently, called tequila. Also some wintry specials such as eggnog and spiced, stove-top heated red wine. The sound of the jukebox is heard over noisy conversation, and people camp at bar-edge for access.

Side alley:

[baedalites]

Outside is a good enough place to escape, even though it's sharply colder out here than it was in there. There's melted snow on the concrete ground, along with cigarette butts and discarded beer cans. Good enough to have a quick smoke, be alone with your thoughts, and lurk in the shadows. 

Lounge and tables:

[baedalites]

Baskets of food are passed hand to hand, placed on tables, and here you can find all the heart attacks you could ask for. Onion rings, skinny fries, salted peanuts, wooden platters of oven cooked pizza, and all of these are going fast, so you might want to be aggressive.

Courtyard:

[baedalites]

Slightly more sociable than back alleys, this outside option is lit with paper lamps and strung up fairy lights, with wooden figures of cats and rats dangling as shadow-casting decorations. The ground is damp concrete and some outsider furniture scatters around the space, barred off from the rest of the neighbourhood with rustic rough plank fencing. People stand, smoke, chatter in loose mingling in the chilly air.

It's a Wonderful Life:

[aldabeyoun]

In exchange for some creative warding, the owner of the Apache has agreed to haul over a tv, dvd player, and sofa for Ki, Steve, and whoever else wants to join them in watching 'It's a Wonderful Life'. For those that need to eat something while watching, she's brought a sugar pie (made with Alan's help) and popcorn balls.

[leviohhhhsa]

Indoors is crowed and noisy; the courtyard may be smoky and cold, but it's a nice break from the hubbub inside. Hermione is- for once- in a dress, though it's sensible, dark green and somewhat reminiscent of wizarding robes- long-sleeved and mid-calf length, though cinched in at the waist and low-cut enough to ensure that she doesn't look entirely as if she's come straight from a convent. The heels help, too, though they make any attempt at walking somewhat nervewracking. She'd have liked something a little more adventurous, perhaps, but hadn't been able to justify buying something she'd never wear again, not on her budget.

She's perched on one of the chairs (thank you, shoes) with a glass of white wine, her bag in her lap, idly listening in to the conversations around her- not with any particular intent, simply out of a rather nosy habit. It's a little isolating, but it's not something she's new to.

And of course if she doesn't talk to anyone for a while, her instincts kick in and her course of action seems obvious to her- and asocial to everyone else. She pulls a (very large) book from her (not quite so large) bag and sets it on the wooden table in front of her, finding her page. It's not that she intentionally packed a book to bring to the party- she simply brings a book everywhere she goes. It's a lifelong habit.

[toldastory]

Movies. How Martha Jones had missed movies. Movies were probably the thing that she missed the most being here. Oh, she missed her friends of course, and she missed her family and the Doctor, but movies tended to be her stress relief. Lord knew she had loads of stress at the moment and was missing how she would feel wrapped in a blanket and putting on a favorite DVD.

Never mind that this wasn't how she imagined spending her first married Christmas.

A DVD player and TV meant that Martha made a beeline over to the couch where Ki was and Martha could barely keep the excitement from her voice as she asked. "Is this a public screening?"

[aldabeyoun]

"Sure is." Njoki gestured that Martha was welcome to sit wherever she found room. "Not worth going through the trouble of finding the right DVD here if it's just a one off, right?"

"The only rule is that you can't share spoilers for the flick until it's over. There's some people who haven't seen it before."

[truth_is_cold]

Rhade does show up, because he likes Ki and while he feels no obligations to be generous, he does like how it happens to work out sometimes. So before the showing he goes to find her in the Apache.

"Do you need anything else for your DVD-" he glances awkwardly to the side. It's still a new word. And then crosses his arms. "Your DVD showing?"

[aldabeyoun]

"No, I think I'm set. I know it'll be a strange movie for you, since it's very much set in the thirties in America." If it doesn't make sense to him or seems weirdly out of place, Njoki won't be offended if Rhade criticizes it. "It's not really anything I connect to, but it's a holiday classic and I'm trying to see if I can get Steve to tear up."

[truth_is_cold]

"Unfortunately, for all of our education, ancient Earth popular culture is something I've been negligent in studying. If Harper were here, he could properly inform me." If it does seem unusual, he at least has the good manners to not interrupt and wait until after the movie.

He has a look around. "Who's 'Steve'?"

[aldabeyoun]

"He's the big guy over there," Ki says with a nod of the head in Steve's direction. "Good man, works with Hellsing and a good partner for running."

They usually run with each other for company, but when they have raced, Steve can usually beat Njoki. Unless, of course, they're in the forest and bush out behind the Hellsing guild hall and she can cheat by turning into a giant, bearyena.

[truth_is_cold]

Rhade leans to look at who he's indicating. Then casually remarks, "He looks like a Heavy Gravity Worlder." Nothing bad intended in the observation. One of his favorite people and primary source of guilt was a Heavy Gravity Worlder.

"Are there any good places for running around here?" He's been keeping up on his exercise, but not his speed. And Njoki has just reminded him that it might come in very necessary.

[aldabeyoun]

"A few. If you don't mind a good pace, you're welcome to come out with us? Or, if you want to go on your own, I can sketch out the better routes." Usually, it's a better idea to go running in Sobek Croix than Mafaton and not just because of the local population. Running on city streets and sidewalks isn't bad, but Sobek Croix has a variety of wooded areas with trails that make for a more scenic, less bicycle-filled run.

[truth_is_cold]

"Perhaps. Though the sketches would be appreciated, too. I've not been to Sobek Croix much." He squints thoughtfully and tucks his hands behind his back. He can imagine that running in Mafaton might result in people getting the very wrong idea.

"What work does he do for Hellsing? I went there recently to speak with their physician."

[joiedeviolet]

A book? Really?

Well, Kate can't say she's a party animal herself, but even she wouldn't bring a book to a party. She'll mingle, eat, and mingle some more even with people she doesn't know and leave before getting up the nerve to bring a book. She's outside doing just the socializing she planned on doing before she spots Hermione tucked in a corner, text in hand.

She slides in next to the other girl, sneaking a peek at the page and greets her with a laugh. "Geez, Penelope. I knew you were interested in the city, but even the place itself is taking a break today."

[thenormalsquint]

Of course if Angela felt like behaving herself tonight (or any other night, really) she would have made a pit stop at the dinner table before the bar, but in her ever partying mind, the bar was closer and what's the point of walking all that way just to turn around and come back? There isn't one to be seen by her and besides, the bar is where all the interesting people seem to be and they are who she's chatting up in between drinks.

For now she's sticking to the eggnog, but Angela's history with eggnog is a long and sordid one. At least there are no photocopiers for her to put her ass on.

[hehaseatenthepancake]

Hellboy has been looking forward to this part of the party ever since it was announced. In the years since he'd left the BPRD to go wandering the world, he'd spent most of his time adrift, stranded, and/or drunk in places without televisions. Watching "It's a Wonderful Life" wasn't quite a yearly tradition at the Bureau, but he first saw it as a kid on the Army base and had made sure to catch it every so often ever since. He was long overdue.

Having made his rounds of the party proper, he gets his big bowl of popcorn from where he'd stashed it and makes his way over. (He's quite willing to share, provided folks don't mind the extra butter and the light salting he'd put in.) In his other hand he has a pitcher of soda and some cups.

"This is a fine service you're doing for the good of the cohort, 'Ki."

[fuckrobertfrost]

Though he has indeed as he said never seen It's a Wonderful Life, John is aware of some of the plot elements, and is actually a bit more reluctant to sit down and watch than he indicated to Kate. On the other hand, he really only likes watching movies if it's with other people, and except for his few years at Xavier's, he's never had the time or opportunity to do so, let alone with someone he's interested in. It provides an easy conversation topic during (unless Kate is one of those people who doesn't like others to talk) and after. He just hopes he doesn't have to talk about his family or anything. Maybe he'll make something up.

Once it's clear the movie's about to start, he glances over at Kate, the probable entire reason for having dressed... 'nicely', as in, comparatively nicely, as in, a shirt with buttons. But he's learned his lesson from the bar. Shaving just makes him look fifteen. So he's just got that look that turns any effort regarding clothing into a Some Dude look.

"You're still interested, right? I think I might need another drink," he deadpans. "Or pie or something, you want any?"

[aldabeyoun]

"I do what I can," she says with a bright, sharp grin. "And, well, Steve wouldn't've seen it and that's a shame."

It's just wrong and against the natural laws of the universe for someone has corn-fed and apple-pie as Steve not to have seen "It's A Wonderful Life".

"I saw it a couple times when I was a kid. A terrible dubbed VHS that someone had and would emerge once a year."

[deservesadaisy]

Ivan makes his way over to Njoki, Ilde at his side, shortly before the film begins. "As promised." It's really not such a sacrifice, though Ilde out and about is still a new-ish development after Sukkardi.

[rhinemaid]

She's slightly less sure about being at a cohort-wide party as opposed to the more private meeting at Lost Society-- but she's also already here, and she can't hide in a pillow-fort in Ivan's flat forever. Sooner or later there's a certain amount of 'back to normal' that's required, so here they are, her fingers snagged in his sleeve.

"Hello," she murmurs, glancing at the TV, then further out, in a casual headcount of how many people are here and how many are near.

[hehaseatenthepancake]

"An absolute shame," he agrees. "I first saw it on film. You haven't lived until you've heard an entire mess hall of trained soldiers weeping at the end."

[aldabeyoun]

"Hey!" Njoki is genuinely pleased to see that they both made it out to the Catenrat party. "You ready to have the cockles of your heart warmed?"

[aldabeyoun]

"Not really sure, but they seem to be a decent group." While Njoki isn't too involved with Hellsing, she went to meet them and leave her number as a specialist for any undead healing they needed.