blow a kiss for all the hearts they gon drop

[gwynn]

Who: EVERYONE IN THE WORLD
What: When it's time to party we will always party hard.
Where: Megan's apartment, Howl Barrow
When: Sukkardi/Saturday night
Notes: Threadjacking is encouraged. Also, again, if you want to tag in but your character wouldn't just show up, feel free to assume Megan befriended them somewhere and dragged them over/invited them personally.
Warnings: Preemptive warnings for drug use, naughty language and sexual situations.

Megan's housepartment (it looks like a house to her, but the realtor assured her it is an apartment, okay, whatever) is a quaint little thing in the middle of a friendly, middle class Howl Barrow street that is deceptively tame by day and comes alive by night. Her neighbours are super chill, which is her favourite part of living here -- she asked around about a party, if the noise would be a problem, and nobody had any problem with it. Howl Barrow rules.

The inside's a bit furnitureless right now -- she's got a few mismatched chairs and a pull-out sofa, that's about it -- but she's already started decorating a little, hanging art on the walls and putting up nice curtains. (Nobody is allowed to puke on her new curtains.) She's well-stocked with a wide selection of alcohol, ranging from mid-price beer to hard liquor, and snacks, nothing fancy.

She's got her bong out too, yeah.

By 7, there's already a couple people milling about and drinking -- coworkers from the Vault, mostly. Music's playing from an old suitcase turntable set up on the kitchen counter, it's something Baedal-native, hard rock, and in an alien language.

For the shy and/or drunken Snow Whites, there's a friendly, fluffy ragdoll cat lounging around, casually draping herself wherever is most convenient for attention and adulation. Caution: do not give cat beer.

Comments

[controlledvariable]

"I'm shocked, I wasn't sure if you knew how to just be friends with someone." She gives in to the urge to grin back, "I feel like anyone overhearing this conversation is going to misinterpret our use of the word 'team'."

She doesn't seem bothered by that, just amused.

[implying]

He leans back, appearing to consider that possibility.

"Say. I don't suppose that's why you're opposed, is it?" And just like she's not bothered by it, he doesn't sound terribly put-off by the idea. Clearly he's not a guy to be phased by sexuality, if that wasn't already painfully apparent.

[controlledvariable]

"No, if that'd been the reason, I would've made it clear sooner. I'm just not interested in anything more complicated than friendship." It's the truth, she really can't get distracted from trying to figure out how to get home.

[implying]

Of course, Vanadi would consider that just an uncomplicated friendship-- but also of course, he realizes that most people don't have quite the standards he does. So he only smiles easily, as per usual. At least Steph is exceptionally easy to skirt the topic around.

"Ah, true, that. What with your love of bluntness, hmm?" One more sip, and he tips his head curiously. "Tell me, what was your last boyfriend like?"

[controlledvariable]

"Exactly, and I've never enjoyed leading people on." It wouldn't be fair to Vanadi, in her opinion, if she'd let him think she was interested when she wasn't.

Her eyebrows go up at the question, "You're asking about my ex? Really?"

[implying]

"I am!" Brightly, like he sees nothing wrong with it. Which he doesn't! If anyone were ever to ask him, he'd be happy to go on at great length about any of his... well, 'exes' is probably not the right word, but previous associations. "I'm curious as to what attracts you. Of course, if you don't mind answering."

[controlledvariable]

"I don't mind, it just surprised me that you wanna know," Of course, she's going to have to lie in places, considering so much of her and Tim's relationship revolved around their costumed identities. She's also not sure whether she should mention that Tim is in Baedal.

"His name's Tim, he's a year younger than me, he was pretty cute in that 'rich boy' way, and kind of a dork," she pauses, before deciding to fix that statement, "Actually, he's a huge dork, but in a sweet way; he's into computers and mathematics and that sorta stuff. He's kind of awkward as a result, just not really used to dealing with people, but he was good to me. He was always there when I needed him, even when it got him into trouble with his parents."

He'd snuck into the hospital just because she'd wanted him to be there when she had her daughter. Thinking about that, combined with talking so openly about Tim makes her feel a little vulnerable. She chews on her lip and shrugs, "I had to get out of the country for a while. When I came back he'd changed so much that we didn't work anymore."

[implying]

"He sounds like a quite a decent man," Vanadi concludes, after having nodded and smiled empathetically appropriately. And it's true. He's known his fair share of the type she's describing, and they have a certain appeal. He pauses suddenly though, frown apparent only in the quick downturn of the corners of his mouth. "Is this the same one that kept another girl from you?"

[controlledvariable]

"Yeah," She feels bad that she had to embellish that story a little, in truth, Darla had kissed Tim and Steph had missed the past where he pushed her away. But it works as an alternative to explaining that Steph didn't even know Tim's name for most of their relationship. "No one's perfect."

[implying]

"Very true." He taps thoughtfully his gloved ringfinger against the rim of his glass, but stops when he notices the dulled and muffled clang it makes. Not very finger-like, that. He speaks again quickly, to cover it. "Was Tim your most recent relationship, then?"

[controlledvariable]

She notices that sound, but doesn't comment on it, partly distracted by the question, partly just not wanting to press.

"Yeah, to be honest, its the only real relationship I've had. I don't think the losers I dated before that really count."

[implying]

"Well, of course they count. They provided you with experience, didn't they?" A gift offered by all, no matter how unsatisfying the general company, as far as Vanadi's concerned. It justifies an awful lot of friendships.

[controlledvariable]

"A bit more than that," It's muttered under her breath, her expression a bit dark but she tries to cover it and asks, "What about you? I'm sure all your past... relationships have been interesting."

[implying]

He pauses for a second to puzzle over that one, until she pushes onto the next topic. Still, though, it sounds like interesting gossip. He silently vows to save it for later.

"Oh, undoubtedly!" A wide smile with that one. "But you might have to be more specific, or just as undoubtedly, the two of us will be here all night."

[controlledvariable]

"The longest you've ever been with someone, who were they?" Because he's probably had a lot of one-offs and those don't really interest her. She's more curious about any actual relationships he's had.

[implying]

"A good question!" And it is, under his instinctively jovial answer. It takes him a few seconds of thought, which is a few seconds longer than he generally puts into anything. But eventually he has it, and smiles a little at the memory.

"A human, named Trevor. He was 18, while I was 21, and he was known as something of a genius technician and employed for my father's estates. Quiet and a little awkward, just like your Tim. I didn't see him often, and oh, he held out for quite a while, and spent a good deal of time acting the part of being uninterested in anyone at all. But sooner or later I'd brought him around to my point of view."

Nevermind that Vanadi had, of course, not been exclusive with him. That seems such a given to him that it's not even worth mentioning.

[controlledvariable]

"Somehow I doubt your 'quite a while' is the same as everyone else's." She wonders how he'd react knowing her and Tim never even had sex. "What happened?"

[implying]

"Two seasons of a year, in the least!" he admonishes, which is as good as forever to him. Clearly a period of suffering worthy of sympathy.

But then he pauses, going as still as the birds his mask resembles are inclined to. This is definitely brushing up against a sensitive subject. He hadn't expected that when he'd begun answering. Fortunately, lying is second nature, and especially by omission.

"I relocated," he says idly, a dismissive flap of his hand breaking that stillness. "As you can imagine, I don't take much from a long distance relationship. They're very inadvisable."

[controlledvariable]

"That's actually longer than I expected you to wait. You must've liked him."

She frowns a little at his stillness, "Sorry, you don't have to answer any questions you don't want. Long distance is always tough, I've never really tried it before but I have a friend living overseas and it sucks."

[implying]

"Now, if there were any questions I didn't want to answer, I simply wouldn't! But it's a ridiculous idea. Consider me an open book," he lies cheerfully. And then with an excited nod, leaning forward, "Yes, you see, you can recognize my dilemma! And especially when there is sex involved. That translates poorly by phone and by letter."

[controlledvariable]

"If you're sure." She somehow doubts that, but considering all the lies she's told, it's probably fair that he can do the same.

She smiles at his excitement, "There's always phone sex, but I'm sure it's not quite as fun as sex in person."

[implying]

Pfft. He waves a hand (the one with the drink, incidentally) dismissively, and makes an apologetic ooh when some of it sloshes out. He drains a little more in a hurry. And when he's finished that, says, "It's really only spiced-up masturbation. Very uninteresting."

[controlledvariable]

Steph laughs, both at Vanadi losing some of his drink and at his comment, "I've never heard it called that before, I might have to steal that if phone sex ever comes up in conversation with someone else."

[implying]

"Be my guest! I really charge only very little for royalties. In fact, maybe I can collect them preemptively, if you don't mind." He tips his head, snagging another one of those ever-so-charming smiles. "In the form of an opinion, if you're short the couple thousand tonight."

[controlledvariable]

She eyes him warily, but there's a smile tugging at her lips, "And what would you want my opinion on? Because you'd definitely have to wait if you wanted the couple thousand."