genessia | [You'll Be Caught In The Night - After Life Halloween Party]

[You'll Be Caught In The Night - After Life Halloween Party]

Who: Everyone
What: Halloween Party
Where: Nova City - After Life
When: 4 PM October 31st to who knows how early of November 1st
Warnings: B for boos and booze. Also Gale is there so that deserves a warning in itself. Is spooky.

----

Welcome to After Life. The entrance of the Nova City nightclub has the additional illumination courtesy of a purple neon bat to welcome the party goers, which that little bat seems more inviting than the almost ominous fog coming out of the front doors. Just beyond the door are a variety of glowsticks, should one feel so inclined to equip themselves with them for the night. The varying colored glass tables are trimmed with fake cobwebs with little spider lights illuminating from beneath it while at each table's end has a jack-o'-lantern of different carvings with color changing LED lights inside. The club's colored strobe lighting reflects off of the club's crystalline walls to help lend to the atmosphere in an almost eerie manner, even adding additional color to the fog hovering over the floor.

As the party begins, Gale makes a special introduction to the ladies who helped make the party possible- Yang Xiao Long, Ayame Sasaki, Gwen Stacy and Mikaela Banes. He wouldn't let the party go on without the much deserved recognition for them.

Food and Refreshments

The bar area has a variety of different foods and snacks for people to enjoy. Brownies, cupcakes and truffles from local confectionaries and other, less sugary options like jalapeno poppers, mummy hot dogs, garlic bread snakes, deviled egg spiders, salsa and dipping sauces with bat chips, dragonfly sushi and spooky fruit monsters are laid throughout the table. At the far end of the table is a little animatronic black cat with glowing green eyes.

Looking for something a little heavier than just snacks to eat, in case you missed lunch? Available to you on another nearby table are shaped pasta with varying sauce options, monster burgers, four different bento boxes, and snake shaped calzones each labeled with different pizza toppings for the stuffing. Yes. A few have pineapple in them. Please do not start a war in Gale's club.

There are various labeled cauldrons of non-alcoholic drinks such as water, punch and soda are on the table while other available are drinks such as mixed soda and punch floats and milkshake shots are there. All of the glasses on the table all have googly eyes attached to them. Also on this table is Gale's Cubone, wearing a tiny vampire cape and patrolling around the cauldrons. Don't even think about trying something funny or trying to spike the drinks, because Cubone will smack the culprit's hand with his bone and start wailing to lure the host over. Just don't even do it unless you want thrown out.

Bar Area

Need a beverage of the alcoholic variety? You'll want to visit the local alchemist over here. Overhead of the bar where the drink glasses hang are little bat lights that occasionally flicker and the cobwebs are lined around the edges of the circular bar counter. A pumpkin with the carving of a butterfly sits on the counter top with a flickering purple light within it. Drinks from the bar will be served in beaker and vial glasses.

Dance Floor and Stage

That stage up there sure looks inviting, as if it's just waiting to have one of its musical guests come on stage and steal the show for a short time. In fact, it's very much encouraged to do just that. While the stage is without a DJ or other performer, a preset playlist of the club's usual music as well as a list of Halloween music will cycle through- just be ready for the Monster Mash to play several times during the night. A skeleton is set up near the speakers, and it seems to 'dance' in time with the music. Up above the stage is a web with an animatronic spider that comes down from its web occasionally with flickering red eyes.

If you look closely through the thin veil of fog on the floor, you may notice reflective decals of monstrous footprints leading to the dance floor, as if trying to hint and lead the guests out to get their dance on. But party goers beware, there may be an impromptu dance to Thriller at some point in the night, and your host may judge every single one of you if you don't get in on it.

VIP Room

The VIP Room is a little less rowdy than the main area of the club, and is meant for a more chill atmosphere compared to the rest of the party. The room has its own stage for anyone to take over separate of the main room, but beware, this stage may have its own different kind of horror: Karaoke.

The tables here also have cobweb and spider lights around them and the lights in the room are a little dimmer, to accommodate the rotating bulb that casts shadow creatures on the walls of the room. You may want to come here if you want to eat an actual meal in peace without all the buzz from the bar area.

Employee Lounge

VIP Room not calm enough? Asking Gale or another After Life employee will grant you access to the employee lounge so you can have a little rest on the couches. The only drinks readily available in here is water over on the counter. The noise from the main area is completely nullified in this room. The party goes on all night, don't be afraid to take a breather.

Guests under 16 will receive a small bag of candy for attending, while guests 16 and older will receive some drink coupons to use at any of the three Gale Force club locations.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It could! Gosh, these games are always so tricky.

[ He rests his hands on his hips, turning his gaze back to her with a crooked sort of grin. ]

But none of these options are going to give you herpes, so there's not much risk in taking a wild guess.

[ The fact that she's playing along is probably a good sign. It is, right? He's never felt nervous about this kind of thing before. Flirting wasn't hard for him, mostly because he never felt like he was risking anything. If a girl turned him down, whatever, there were millions more in the sea.

This was something more than that. This time, he has something to lose.

It's kind of scary. ]

Pfah--!

[Damn it, he made her break character with that sudden choked laugh! Yang struggles to restrain her smile, but it's not easy. Why is herpes their favorite inside joke? Gross.]

Well that's a relief! Still...it would be a shame if I guessed wrong. So how can I be absolutely 100% sure...? ...Oh, got it!

[She snaps her fingers as if she had a brilliant epiphany, and takes a half step closer.]

My boyfriend is a great kisser. Like...mind-blowing good. Let's see how authentic your costume really is...

[ She barely gets to finish her sentence. By the time the message is made clear he's reaching out for her shoulders, drawing her right up against him - his smart mouth has nothing to say right then, and that's for the best because the only word he could probably think of would be "finally" and, well, actions speak louder. His lips find hers without hesitation, fingers curling in a firm grip as his eyes fall shut.

It's not his first kiss. He's been around the block, and when you're getting physical a kiss is a good way to ramp things up. But he's never kissed with the intent to be anything near romantic, never felt that rush of relief that comes from feeling a kiss from someone you genuinely like - gods, just liking someone this way was so unusual. The fact that the someone to make him feel this way was Yang, of all people, was still a bit baffling.

But his lips are curled in a grin against hers, because he's just fine with being baffled if this is where it gets him. ]

Mm--!

[Her surprise is vocalized for only a split second. She did expect him to kiss her. She just didn't realize how much he'd been holding back.]

[But it doesn't take long for that surprise to melt into warmth as her lips adjust to the shape of his own, and that warmth melts further into affection. It feels wonderful. She scarcely has to lift her chin to meet him, and her hands slowly relax where they'd splayed against his chest in her initial shock. It's been two years since she kissed someone, and she's not sure if she's good at shaking off the rust, or if it just comes naturally because of who she's kissing, but it's so easy...and so right. Her smile matches his.]

[After a few seconds she parts reluctantly. It seems like she should say something about option C or D and--]

[NOPE she just goes right back in, no way she's done yet. Her left hand rises to cup his cheek as she leans in against him, the tentative sweetness from before transcending to firm confidence.]

Edited 2017-11-01 00:51 (UTC)

[ He doesn't complain at the lack of dialogue - their lips are talking just fine with each other, his moving warmly against hers as his hands slip down her sides to wrap his arms around her waist. He would have vomited at the thought of being a sap like this, at one point in time. There's a part of him even now that doesn't really believe it. He's not made for this. He's a fighter. It's what he likes to do - hurting people.

Maybe that's still true.

But it doesn't have to be his sole defining characteristic, and it doesn't have to be who he is forever. He's changed a lot, in Genessia.

What's a little more?

It's his turn to draw his lips back after a few moments longer, only allowing the silence to hang in the air a moment before remarking: ]

I seriously don't have another costume handy, though. Just FYI.

Gale's not going to let you get away with it. He's a strict sugar daddy.

[She lifts her arms to drape them comfortably over his shoulders, just loving the simple feel of him against her. Yang's head tips forward to rest her brow against his, eyes closed as she savors the moment. She didn't even have to think about the answer, no objections about her personality issues she's trying to fix, no hesitation in thinking they should take it slow... She knows exactly what she wants, and he knows exactly what he's getting with her.]

[She exhales very slowly and carefully so she doesn't blow her breath all over his face, brushing her thumb absently over the nape of his neck.]

You could wear part of mine. Sword, or veil? I mean, your last name is still kind of up for debate, so I'm leaning a lot more heavily toward C than D...

Not that I wouldn't look good in a veil, but...

[ Her forehead is warm against is - but she always ran at a higher temperature than he did, so that's not much of a surprise, nor is it a complaint. If anything, she's comfortable. Strangely, the more he thinks on it, the more he realizes she's been comfortable for a good while, and it had come on quickly, too. But neither of them were the type to waste time, so wasn't that kind of fitting? ]

I do have an emergency option.

[ One hand dips back into his pocket, pulling out...

are you fucking serious

... and placing them on his face. ]

There. Good to go.

[WHAT.]

What?!

[NO.]

No! Are you kidding?!

[She snatches them right back off again. Geez, way to ruin a perfectly handsome face for crying out loud.]

I'd rather just elope if that's the only option, and you owe me three dances.

[She rears her hand back, fully prepared to fling the stupid glasses right off the roof unless he has any objections. He is one of the guardians, after all, and she's about to litter.]

[ He reaches up to try and snag them out of her grip - and inadvertently knocks them out of her grip, so he can watch as they clatter, bounce once, and ultimately go right off the edge of the roof.

A pause. ]

Welp. Guess I need a new costume.

[ He looks at her with an "oh well!" sort of shrug. What's a guy to do! ]

Take off your dress.

[ THAT APPARENTLY ]

Whoa!

[Yang visibly jumps. Oh come on, they only just started dating! She might be impulsive and doesn't mind speeding along, but seriously?!]

That note said I was controlling my urges! Just barely, but still!

[She reaches up, very, very carefully slipping the bobby pins out of her hair to unfasten the veil. He could rock it. He can have the sword too, if he really wants to go all out on accessories.]

[ He snorts immediately at her animated reaction - it's not like he was serious about her doing that, so her reply was pretty funny, honestly. ]

Damn! Well if I can't get you to strip down on a rooftop before our first date then forget it, I guess. Relationship canceled.

[ He reaches up as if to take the veil from her - but his hand freezes in midair, a temptation crossing his mind. ]

But I might consider un-canceling it if I can touch the untouchable.

[ ... her hair, he's talking about her hair. Nothing indecent! ]

[She's holding the veil out to him, waiting for him to take it. ...Aaaand he's got that strange, thoughtful look on his face again. It's probably not good.]

[But she does like it when he's bad. So there's that.]

[Yang squints at him for a long moment, trying to discern his meaning. Obviously she assumes he means the obvious, but after a moment of study, she realizes his gaze is a little higher than the ragged lace of her gown's neckline. And higher than her eyes.]

...If you promise to be gentle.

[Her shoulders hitch as she gives a little roll of her eyes and smiles back at him.]

First time and all.

Gentle? Me?

[ His fingers draw near to the golden locks - he'd gotten away with flicking a couple near her face before, but this was different. One wrong move and he might end up going over the edge of the roof to find his gag glasses after all.

Oh well! No risk, no reward. ]

Always.

[ His hand lowers, fingertips ghosting a path down along her wild mane, combing carefully through her hair with all the focus and care of a neurosurgeon. In spite of his sarcasm, he's clearly trying to be gentle. It's not something he's used to - normally when his fingers are in hair, it's to pull, not to stroke. Not like this.

His hand returns to the top of her head to repeat the process.

It ain't half bad. ]

[She's tense. Yang trusts him, she does, but she has a lot of knee-jerk reflexes when it comes to hair...reflexes that wind up sending 6'11" men flying out a window with one punch, or crushing an Ursa with a flurry of blows from her fists. Her shoulders are rigid, head slightly bowed, and she holds her breath.]

[But it's pleasant. As his fingertips trace backward from her brow, it makes her scalp tingle, and at the end of his path, she shivers.]

...haaahhh...

[She grins, her cheek tipping toward her shoulder as she releases a shaky breath at last. Okay. That wasn't bad. That was pretty nice, actually.]

[Though she doesn't relax, exactly, she leans into his touch the second time, welcoming it.]

Edited 2017-11-01 03:08 (UTC)

[ He stops for a moment, unable to help but smirk at the way she reacts to such a simple sort of touch. No wonder she's so protective of it! He slides his hand around to the side of her head, tucking a few locks behind her ear, his thumb stroking over her cheek. ]

What do you know? I don't destroy everything I touch.

[ Another test - he leans his head down to press his face lightly against the top of her head, lips planting a kiss there.

She never said he was allowed to do that.

So that might have been a mistake.

But this is a night of going big or going home. ]

Nah...

[It comes out as more of an incredibly content sigh than reassurance, evidence that she's very pleased with the overall experience, and she opens her eyes to smile at him. And wink.]

I'm sturdy enough to handle you any day.

[She doesn't expect what comes next. She's blinking at his chest as her head tips forward, and feels a light pressure on her crown. Two more blinks, and she's staring up at him from beneath her lashes.]

[She's also blushing like a schoolgirl.]

[It's as if he's telling her that her hair is under his protection. Sure, he didn't say it, but that's what she's taking from this, and her heart skipped more than a few beats. Slowly her grin starts to return, and she gives one steady nod. Acceptance, approval, whatever it is, the sweetness of the gesture reached her.]

Relationship uncancelled?

Relationship salvaged.

[ He might never fully understand Yang's incredible overprotectiveness of her hair, but he knows that she is absurdly overprotective of it, and so he can comprehend the weight of giving him permission to touch it. ]

So...

[ He gestures to the veil. ]

Would you mind sharing?

Not one bit!

[She unshoulders the sword and sheath, handing that to him first.]

Go ahead and put that on, and I'll pin the veil on. Just tip your head down a little.

[The withered roses rustle slightly in her grasp as she centers the accessory on his head of silvery gray hair, sliding the pins in with as much care as she's take if it were her own head. It doesn't take all that long; if he's not planning on thrashing his head wildly around, it should stay in place.]

Woooowwww... Mercury Black, you're beautiful!

[ When all is said and done he does a spin in place as if showing off his new "outfit", hands clasped next to his cheek as he flutters his eyelashes. ]

Why, I'm going to be the prettiest boy at the ball!

[Yang laughs, applauding. People are going to have so many questions about his costume choices, and she has no idea how he's going to answer them. But it'll be hilarious.]

Oh, no contest. I should have brought my communicator to get a picture of this.

[She'll have to ask that Prompto guy downstairs. Yang reaches out to straighten the veil and make sure it doesn't get snagged on the hilt of his sword, and it hits her again...they're actually dating now. She doesn't have to worry about coming on too strong, or whether or not she should ask him out...]

[...Well, no, she realizes. There are still some timing matters she'll have to keep in mind.]

Hey, so...I know this is probably new for you. And honestly it's kinda new to me too.

[She grins, thumbing his chin.]

So I'll let you set the pace on this for the most part, and follow your lead. Don't be afraid to tell me to pull back if I'm racing too far ahead. You know how I am.

[ He purses his lips in thought as she speaks, arms folding loosely over his chest. ]

And here I thought we were getting hitched already. I was all ready to sit down and pick out a venue, too.

[ There's a pause, before a grin tugs at the corner of his mouth, and he lifts one hand up to lightly flick the center of her forehead. ]

Don't overthink it. We'll wing it on the fly and adjust as we need to.

Whoa, really? You've seen the appeal of cake and sausages, then! Knew you'd come around eventually.

[She swats his hand away and rubs at her forehead. Rude.]

Sounds good to me. I'm kinda excited!

[Yang settles a hand on her hip and jerks her head over her shoulder.]

So...ready to head in for our first dance as a couple?

[ He thinks about her question, only taking a moment before reaching out to take her "real" hand in his own. Fuck it. If they're doing this couple thing, he's going to see what this handholding business is all about. ]

You better not go easy on me.

[ With a playful twinkle in his eye, of course. ]

Heh.

[Her fingers thread through his without hesitation. It's just as exciting as it was the first time, if not moreso now that she knows where they stand. She affects the same smirk he loves to wear so often.]

You wish!

[She tugs him along toward the roof's edge and peers down. They're not going to bother with the fire escape, are they? Not with his legs and her ability to tuck and roll.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[You'll Be Caught In The Night - After Life Halloween Party]

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