Open: In a shout of joy at the only shrine where you come benighted and leave benign

[vineleaves]

Dark has come and gone again, which means it’s time to party.

In some ways the party is very similar to last year’s - same large banquet room in the mansion, a similarly large abundance of food and drink, and the promise of a night full of letting loose for everyone in attendance. It’s far from a direct clone of the previous party though. For starters, Dionysus has had Claudius help him in all of the planning (sometimes a god’s blessings come in the form of enrichment for one’s enclosure). They’ve gotten several of the mansion’s residents to agree to play live music during the night, and Dionysus was able to find some, ah, more widely appreciated CDs to play during the breaks between performers.

The room has been decorated to the nines again, but where last year he had green vines draping on the walls diffusing the glow from the twinkling fairy lights, this year he has strung up swooping vines of silver, glittering almost like tinsel. The large food tables have an almost ridiculous amount of things to munch on; there should be something for everyone there.

It should go without saying that the beverage tables are well-stocked, considering the host.

The festivities are starting a little earlier this year than last, out of respect for those who may or may not have earlier bedtimes. Come dressed in your finest, it’s a yearly tradition now!




Just as there was last year, there is to be an ‘after party’. If your character is part of the standard Orgy Invite Crew, they will have received another invitation to that half of the evening as well. Just like last year, this part of the event is to be handwaved, for obvious reasons.

Comments

[involuntaryturncoat]

He laughs. "That is certainly preferable, yes."

[sagramore]

"Faster now," he adds, and picks up the pace yet again.

[involuntaryturncoat]

He nods and dances along.

[sagramore]

The speed and intensity continues to increase, this time without regular warnings, until Sagramore is forced to break away from Asmodean at last, laughing; his skin shines with sweat and he's flushed from exertion as he grins at Asmodean. "We did it!"

[involuntaryturncoat]

He grins back. "So we did!"

[sagramore]

He gazes at Asmodean, so handsome in his blue and bronze, the embroidered collar high around his neck, the jacket cut to show off his slim hips. He looks so good it makes Sagramore feel helpless, overwhelmed by the intensity of his own feelings -- last year, after all, marked one of Asmodean's first times attempting to mingle with the general population of the mansion after his long self-imposed exile. This year, he fits in easily. He belongs.

Every time Sagramore feels the memory of his absolute failure (of conscience, of courage, of making change) with Luo Binghe is creeping up the back of his throat like bile, intending to flood him with despair and self-loathing, he remembers this. Be the something more for him, Nina had said. When Asmodean looks back at him, Sagramore really does believe he's done something that matters.

He holds his hand out. "Come outside with me for a moment. It's gotten too warm in here."

[involuntaryturncoat]

Asmodean inclines his head in agreement as he takes Sagramore's hand. "Yes, a bit of fresh air would hardly go amiss, I think."

[sagramore]

It doesn't take them long; the mansion is no longer devoted to thwarting every move, so they find the hallways readily lead them out into the cold night. Sagramore steps out onto the fresh snow, blinking up at the star-studded sky overhead.

"Ah, look, canst still see Kutya."

[involuntaryturncoat]

He sidles up to Sagramore and slips an arm around him and following his gaze upward. "Hm?"

[sagramore]

"My constellation. Magnus had me name it." He smiles, leaning against Asmodean. "Kutya was my first dog."

[involuntaryturncoat]

"A worthy constellation, then." He surveys the sky. "Which stars make it up?"

[sagramore]

Sagramore points up, picking out the stars. "Those. There are seven, thou seest, those two are her ears, and that's the tip of her nose, and then at the end her tail."

[involuntaryturncoat]

He nods, keeping his arms around Sagramore as he studies the stars making up the constellation. "What was Kutya like?"

[sagramore]

"Oh, she was the best dog. I only had her for a few years before my father took her away, but she was perfect. She slept in bed with me, she knew how to bow and speak and take my hands to dance."

[involuntaryturncoat]

He nods. "Because she was a clever dog. And also because you were a clever boy that could teach it all to her."

[sagramore]

Sagramore laughs and shakes his head. "I had nothing else to do, and no other playmates. She was the only creature who loved me as much as I loved her."

[involuntaryturncoat]

"I am glad you had her, then. Even if it wasn't for as long as you should have. What did she look like when she wasn't busy being stars?"

[sagramore]

"She was a Hungarian scenthound, so she was black, largely, with brown feet and a brown star on her chest, a brown chin, and little brown brows. She was a marvelous hunter for the king after he reclaimed her." He laughs. "Kutya only means dog, of course. I wasn't an imaginative child."

[involuntaryturncoat]

He laughs. "I do remember the word. It's one you taught me in the tower. The same as my word for feeling."

[sagramore]

"Oh, that's right! I'd forgotten." He's quiet for a moment, and then says, "Thou shouldst choose a constellation of thine own to name."

[involuntaryturncoat]

He's quiet for a moment as well, looking over the multitude of stars. "I would barely know where to begin."

[sagramore]

"What were the stars like in thy world?"

[involuntaryturncoat]

"Configured differently, but stars there looked much like stars do here." He's quiet for a moment as he continues looking upward. "Their orientation in the sky had shifted while we slept. Not drastically, but enough to notice."

[sagramore]

"Was it strange to see?"

[involuntaryturncoat]

"Yes, I suppose. But so was everything, so it would almost have been more strange if they had been as I remembered."