2017 Winter Holiday Party!

[sailor_v]

WHO: OPEN TO ALL!
WHAT: Holiday party! Date auction! Shenanigans.
WHEN: December 15th, 2017 - Evening
WHERE: Fairy Tale HQ - Fayren
NOTES: The auction and the kissing contest are time sensitive! Bids close and the last kiss will be accepted on Friday, December 22nd, at midnight PST!

Fayren didn't have electricity, but it had something even better.

MAGIC!

There were twinkling colored lights that burned, flickered, and floated in an ethereal way, enchanting the building in a way that fluorescent lights never could. Branches of evergreen were hung here and there to give the air a fresh pine scent. There were also pinecones doused with cinnamon and nutmeg near the doorways.

Except near the kitchens, because the food smells were more than enough to entice the senses. There were mini-sausages swimming in a thick and spicy sauce, sweet and tangy meatballs on toothpicks, vegetables and dip, bite-sized cream puffs, iced sugar cookies, cheese and crackers, mulled cider, and eggnog in alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties.

The main room, expansive as it was, had plenty of room for music, dancing, and mingling. There were some tables and several chairs set up, and a small stage where musicians were welcome to perform to their heart's content. To the side was an even smaller stage where a sprig of mistletoe was suspended on a loop of scarlet ribbon, with a sign that reads: "Test Your Passion! Win This Arcade Game!" And next to that was a full-sized arcade game version of Alley Brawlers. Might be worth checking out!

But there were more games than that, and more than a few maps set up on easels of the headquarters and where to go to play certain games. A single lane bowling alley (with manual set-up of the pins), a "fishing" booth where people toss a clothespin on a fishing line over a curtain to have a little prize attached by someone hidden on the other side, a ring toss for cans of soda, a cake walk (with full-sized cakes for the winners and cupcakes for the losers), ornament decorating, pin-the-tail-on-the-unicorn, face painting, a pool of rubber ducks with numbers corresponding to prizes on the bottom, goldfish scooping... Almost anything one would find at a carnival was sure to be found here.

As for the auction? Step right up, right past the gauzy white curtains into a big room lit with twinkling golden lights. Anyone was welcome to come in, but if someone wanted to participate as a bidder, they'd have to make a donation at the door. In return, each donor would receive a packet of 100 red tickets with the same number assigned to the bidder name: one roll of tickets with 101 for the first donor, a roll of tickets with 102 for the second donor, and so on.

Cookies and punch were available in this room, with several tables and chairs set up before a large stage with a microphone. Along the wall was a line of clear plastic boxes, with slots on top, set in front of each auction date's face. A card that indicated the name of each person, their age, and a brief description of what they were all about was pasted onto the front of the boxes. People were welcome to look at the line-up if they wanted, or even use some of their tickets prematurely if they wanted, as they were clearly for a drawing. Until the auction starts, soft piano music plays from a stereo running on batteries.

Comments

#1 - Scott Summers, Age 17 (no dating prefs)

[initia_nova]

[Scott got roped into this this but he isn’t exactly interested in being the centre of attention or dating people he doesn’t know. He's still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that Shinjiro actually likes him, he has to do something about that soon. But now...charity, right, time to focus.

While getting dressed up for the auction Scott’s though of process had been that, if he didn’t look particularly appealing, he will hopefully not be noticed a lot. And so, following this logic he decided to wear his combat uniform instead of normal clothes. Of course said uniform just happened to be skin-tight and leave little room to the imagination. Not like Scott seemed to be aware of that.]

[mortal_son]

[ Shinjiro had no intention to being roped into this kind of thing, ever again, but he was still peeking in at the auction. First of all - it was still a charity thing, so, yes of course he was going to donate - and secondly. If there was going to be someone else that the girl had bamboozled in her enthusiasm, they deserved to get rescued. Like he did.

... He had no idea that Scott Summers was going to be that person.

And he was wearing that uniform. That uniform. What, was he gift-wrapping himself?

Except no, he seemed awkward and nervous up there like he really didn't want all of these eyes on him and was confused by the attention he was getting. Like he didn't want to be there, really. Shinjiro frowned, and well, this was happening. ]


...

... One hundred tickets.

[initia_nova]

[Scott would have been happy just donating, like it happened the first time. But luck had never been in his favour, so here he is, trying not to die from embarrassment and staring at his feet.

When a familiar voice speak up, Scott blinks in surprise and his eyes dart to Shinjiro among the crow of people. A second later his cheeks are tinted pink and he's not sure if he's relieved or more mortified. Sure Shinjiro is only returning the favour, right?]

[mortal_son]

[ ... Well that was every last ticket he had.

He really, really hoped that nobody had extras from a friend and tried to outbid him.

Probably would be bad form to punch them in the face.

Looks around, just, glaring at everyone - he was going to help out his friend and it wouldn't be weird and maybe he'd lend him his coat so everyone stopped staring at his nice toned body in the skintight uniform. ]

[initia_nova]

[That is a lot of tickets. Far more than Scott would ever think he's worth, even if this is for charity.

He shift his feet and his posture relaxes, feeling more at ease. And then he gives Shinjiro a smile, genuinely sweet if just with the right touch of shyness. Minako is cheering and asking around for more bidders but it looks like Shinjiro is winning this one.

...the glaring seems to be working 110%,. Scott even sees some people take a step behind.]

[mortal_son]

[ Seeing people back off - sometimes, Shinjiro felt badly that he came off as intimidating, but at the moment, he only felt a sense of satisfaction. After all, being a scary looking punk could pay off, now and then, and right now it felt nice to use that to help someone.

That shy, sweet smile, though. Shinjiro ducked his head, stuck his hands in his pockets. He couldn't help but feel a little bit badly. Scott probably thought that Shinjiro was just helping out a friend, like he and Belle had done a few weeks ago. He probably didn't realize that he had all of these dumb ... thoughts. Well.

If Scott hadn't already been clued on by the anonymous posts on the phone, then he wasn't going to ruin things further by bringing it up.

Anticipating he'll hear the final "SOLD - to Shinjiro Aragaki!" he waits for Scott off-stage, still glowering a bit at the crowd. ]

[initia_nova]

[Scott never thought that Shinjiro was too scary but he was impressed by the death glare all the same. Again, it reminded him of Laura and Vileena.

God, he really had a type.

And his type is probably bad for his health, except maybe not this time. He's so distracted by the way Shinjiro ducks his head that Minako announcing the end of his auction almost gives him a heart attack.

She's smiling but motioning for him to move so the next participant can get on the stage. Well, she doesn't have to tell him twice, that sort sure. When he's finally able to approach Shinjiro, Scott's feels an odd mix of relief, giddiness and embarrassment.]

Thank you for the rescue, you really didn't have to do that.

[mortal_son]

[ Shinjiro is still looking away, unable to make eye contact. Yes, he considered looking at the glasses "eye contact", fight him. It's somehow worse than the first time, he feels, because there wasn't a written confession on the network about how he felt.

Kicks some dirt on the ground. ]

Kinda did. Didn't look like you were havin a great time up there.

Plus, I owed you, didn't I?

[ Looks up, frowning. ]

Did she trick you, too, into goin on that stage?

[initia_nova]

[Looking at the glasses totally counts at eye contact, even if the eyes are behind them. Scott appreciates it when people actually look there...which is not something is happening now.]

I wasn't, no. I really don't like that kind of attention. But you didn't owe me. [Ey, if Shinjiro isn't complaining or looking up, then Scott is going to keep standing close to him.]

Not exactly but I didn't sign up on purpose, someone else did it for me. I think it was Rapunzel? I'm not sure she understood what the auction was for and thought it was so people could make new friends. [There's a small, little awkward, shrug and then Scott's standing a little upright. He tries to make his next words sound casual.] Would you like to go somewhere? I'm all yours now.

[mortal_son]

Neither do I. I get it.

[ Shrugs at the not-owing-him part. Good luck of convincing him of that, Scott. ]

Tch. She'd probably disappointed - you're meeting up with the same old guy, then, instead of meeting new friends.

[ He's joking, of course, and looks up - then realizes how close Scott is standing. Shinjiro's eyes go wide, and he looks away again. Just. Uh. Didn't he usually. Uh. Have a better sense of personal space? There was all that spandex too.

He blushes even more at the "I'm all yours now." ]

Ha. Funny.

But, uh. Unless you wanted to hang 'round the party.

[ Parties were really not his thing. ]

We could go somewhere, uh. I guess.

[sailor_v]

Going once!

Going twice!

SOLD -- to Shinjiro Aragaki!

[princeliers]

You look amazing! And very handsome, someone will for sure bid on you! You can do this! I believe in you!

[waves to him from the crowd!!]

[initia_nova]

[Wow. Okay that was...loud and unexpected. He feels the heat growing in his cheeks and it feels like his insecurities are written across his face and there was nowhere to hide.

Scott still offers Sidon a wave and a whispered 'thank you' for the words of encouragement.]

[rando_dork]

[Gwen's not going to bid on Scott.

But she is going to whistle because hot damn that outfit.]

[initia_nova]

[Scott doesn't understand how come his uniform's strategy is not working as it should :(

So that whistle gets him to blush, good job Gwen.]