New Year's Eve Countdown Party

[yesterdays_hero]

WHO: Captain Hammer and his invited guests (i.e. no villains allowed unless you want to get Hammered)
WHAT: Hammer's rented a glitzy clubhouse for the New Year's Eve party, as a means of cementing the bonds between Genessia's true heroes, sidekicks, and fans. Time to show off those party dresses! There's food, music, and fireworks once the clock strikes twelve.
WHEN: December 31st, 2013 - 8pm and past midnight into January 1st, 2014 (forward-dated)
WHERE: Regency Apartments Clubhouse - Genessia City
NOTES: Mingle freely! If you want a specific type of thread, such as 'snack table' or 'dancing', feel free to start one up! I don't want to limit people.


If one thing could be said about Captain Hammer, it was that he cleaned up nicely. If two things could be said, it's that he can throw one hell of a party. As a city guardian, he can afford it, and a guardian's job encompasses more than just punching the bad guys in the ego.

Heaps of food, ranging from light vegetable hors d'ouerves to thin slices of expensive cheese and meats to elegantly crafted cream puffs, are arranged on several tables throughout the room. There's more than one punch bowl, though each is clearly labeled as to which ones are for the adults, and which ones are okay for the kiddies.

The middle of the floor is mostly cleared, save for those who have taken the initiative to bust a groove and start dancing to the smooth tunes laid out by the hired DJ.

Captain Hammer expected a decent turnout, and he was sure there would be a fair share of shenanigans if his sidekicks teammates were any indication. He'd posted a number of lookouts around the building to alert him if there were any signs of trouble. So if Hammer was frequently seen excusing himself and returning while brushing off the dirt from his tuxedo, pay him no mind. He was just making sure the party ran smoothly and uninterrupted.

Comments

[murph]

Whatever had been there Harry contained it. It wasn't gone but it was under control at least for the time being. Surprise he wasn't talking, so for the moment she would let it go, problems that intense never just go away so they could talk later because it would still be there.

He smiled, but it wasn't the sort of look a guy having a good time wore. She turned to the bartender, "Can we get a coke? No glass, no ice, the can's fine as long as it's cold."

He didn't need booze in his condition, not yet anyway. "Tempting as a moped driving, toupee wearing jerk sounds I don't think I'll be up for hanging out for the whole party."

She shrugged as the ordered coke was set in front of Harry, tiny chips of ice sliding down the side of the can to pile on the napkin beneath it. For Harry that was practically food of the gods and he looked like he could use it.

"If I wanted to ditch early, not now but later, would you give me a lift? Maybe we could find a Burger King drive through."

[no_love_potions]

Harry was only halfway turned back to the bar when he stopped, eyebrows raising as Murphy rattled off the most perfect Coke order he'd ever heard. He didn't even mind being slotted into the designated driver role against his will (hell, let's be honest, he was already going to be that).

He didn't mean to dodge the subject of the Mantle, if for no other reason than if he were to pick one person to deal with him if things went out of control it would be Murphy, but it was a tough subject. And a little too complex to talk over at the bar at a fancy party.

"Cutting out early for a Burger King run?" He picked up the can, holding it up like he was offering a toast. "Can't think of a better way to kick off the year."

[murph]

Yeah, that's what she thought. She knows you Harry Dresden, maybe better than anyone, and more than that she honestly cares. She's seen the good and the bad and the ugly in his life and she was still here at his side, if not by choice on her arrival than at least she was now.

"So we do the party thing for long enough to get the moneys worth out of these outfits, then sneak out grab some burgers and maybe see where the new year takes us?"

She didn't say go to her place or his place or anything, they were still coming to terms with all this and she wasn't rushing even if they seemed to both be determined to not waste more time being stupid about things like they had been before.

She clinked her glass against the can of coke and then sipped. "So who picked out the tux anyway?" She knew damned well it wasn't him. Harry would have gotten some hideous power blue ruffled shirt number just to offend the sensibilities of the others if it had been his call.

[no_love_potions]

And Harry had the suspicion that the ugly part was going to come back full force. Ever since he'd nearly lost it completely, he'd been on the look out for somebody to hand the knowledge and tools to deal with him over to but there wasn't much selection to choose from. Most of the people he could trust with it, he didn't think would be able to do it, and the ones who could he didn't trust.

But that conversation could wait. Murphy was here and he was glad to see her and he was going to have this one night before things had to get heavy again, damnit.

"Where the night takes us." He agreed, hoping that he didn't have too stupid a grin on his face while he clinked his soda can against her glass and took a drink.

"That obvious, huh?" He glanced down at his tux. Once again, Murphy had proven to know him far too well, because she was spot on in that assessment. He'd picked out a real number when the invitations for this party went out too. "A friend of mine, Raye, she's... over there. Dancing with... Jaune."

Now there was a look Murphy would probably recognize on his face. It was roughly the same vaguely displeased look every father in the world had had at least once, the first time his little girl brought a boy home.

[murph]

Whatever happened she would be there, just like she knew he would for her, that was a fact. Frankly if it came down to something having to be done even if he hadn't asked her she would step up. She would have to know that every possible avenue had been tried before she did it, but she would never ask anyone else to. If he had to be ended, by god it would be by someone who loved him.

But, it didn't look like it was going to come to that right away. Bad party manners were a forgivable sin and if he wanted to insult the host that wasn't exactly a world ending thing.

Harry's grin was... well ever see a four year old being told they don't have to eat vegetables and can have all the cake and candy they want? Yeah that was it. The euphoria of those with uncomplicated desires, even if fulfilling them tended to e extraordinarily complicated.

At one point she had told him she couldn't be with him because all she could handle was casual. At the time that had been true more out of self defense than anything, but she realized when everything else in her life had gone to hell, or Chichen Itza in this case, he was still there. She lost her job and somehow managed to be ok with that, losing him however she had learned was what truly hurt. She'd been ready to try then and after losing that chance she was more determined than ever.

But he had a new life here, complete with new friends, as his gaze and exposition on the tux explained. She watched him for a moment before following his gaze. It wasn't jealousy, a fact she was upset about her own level of pleased reaction for, but it was concern. The same sort of concern she'd seen in him for Ivy or Molly. "I take it this is a bad thing? Should we dance over and interrogate him? Play good cop, gorgeous cop, I'm the second of course."

[no_love_potions]

[OOC: So sorry for the long wait for this tag. First week back at work after vacation nuked my brain and I didn't want to just hammer out a lousy response. ... I sure hope it worked out that way anyway.]

It was far from his first choice, and not a burden he ever wanted to put onto Murphy but there might be nothing else to do. He'd already put a few things together. He knew what was needed, had the knowledge and experience to make a weapon and, most importantly, he knew how to deal with himself. The one person you could never defend against: yourself.

The weapon was already fashioned. He just needed to put it in Murphy's hands.

Later.

For now, uncomplicated was good. He'd tried doing complicated, had let complicated get in the way and slow him down, even stop him dead. And then he'd died before he got things got the chance to get simple.

"No. No, it's not... bad. Just--" He shook the look off and turned back to Murphy, grinning a bit. "A dance sounds good though. And if we happen to put a little scare in the kid...."

[murph]

[OOC: Totally understand and no worries! I hope everything went well for you and take all the time you need!]

Something about crossing bridges and all that. If he needed her she would be there and she would have true feelings to back up any action needed. Any action. Even if it meant going through hell to bring him back again if there was any chance of it at all.

"Do you honestly know how?" She had seen him do all manner of things but dancing was a new one. By this point she shouldn't be surprised if he could classically ballroom dance but with Harry you just never quite knew what to expect.

[no_love_potions]

He heard it a different way. Less crossing, more burning.

It wasn't exactly a skill he rolled out often, dancing, there just wasn't much of a chance with classy parties being a rarity in his line of work. That the last one he'd attended had ended with the guests trying to kill him and him burning the whole place down kind of put him off of them as well.

"Wouldn't be much of a wizard if I went around giving away all my secrets, would I?" He gave her another grin. He... might be a bit rusty, but it was probably like riding a bike. "Want to find out?"

[murph]

"First time you step on my feet I take over leading." But either way they would have a fun and she would either dance or have years of blackmail material on him, win win.

She eased off the chair and stepped lightly in, dear god she was wearing heels. Yup, dress, hair, makeup and heels. She cleaned up pretty good when she was making an effort. Though now the back of the dress was visible and a good deal of her back as well, it was more daring that first glance might have let one believe.

"Do you need to finish your coke first or are you ready, Twinkletoes?"

[no_love_potions]

"I get to lead?" Gasp. Shock. Amaze.

Just when he was getting used to seeing Murphy in a dress too. The heels were a surprise. Harry didn't know a whole lot about women's footwear but he did know that those things took practice to wear. But the heels took a backseat when he saw the back of her dress. Whoah.

Fortunately, he suppressed his neanderthal instinct to whistle and just held his hand out to her again. He was pretty sure his eyes weren't bulging out like a cartoon character's either.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Coke can wait."

[murph]

"You get to try." She corrected him while setting her hand in his.

The heels made her taller, at least another couple inches but given the height difference before it probably wasn't all that dramatic to him. Less so apparently the the whole of her outfit, ok smug satisfaction in that momentary look of shock from him. When the guy has seen all he had it was nice to know she could still get a reaction out of him.

"Wow, something tops coke for you? I'm impressed."

[no_love_potions]

"I'll have to try hard then."

It was true, it didn't make much of a difference but every little bit helped and he could make do. He had picked up dancing while working as a dance partner in a senior citizen's dance class after all. There weren't many beanpole seniors out there.

No need to tell Murphy the whole story though. Let him be impressive for a little while at least.

"One or two things, sure." He still had that grin on his face as he took her hand and lead her out onto the dance floor.

[murph]

"So, drinks and dancing with Harry Dresden, in formal ware no less. I admit this is not what I pictured for a first date."

She moved with him, surprised already at how light his step was. Not that he was a lumbering behemoth or anything before he was just..something else now.

"Not that this is a date, I mean we never said that or anything." Yeah no pressure there right? Way to freak yourself out too Murphy, this is exactly why things never work for her.

[no_love_potions]

He hadn't noticed it himself but the change was there. Stronger, quicker, but smoother and lighter somehow. Not to the degree of other supernatural beings, he was still mortal, but definitely a little beyond human. Maybe with a touch of predatory grace in there as well.

So it's less that he misses a step when Murphy mentions the "d-word" and more that one step is a little more like his old self.

"Yeah, sure." He turned back to her, still holding onto her hand. "We're just... seeing what happens, right?"

[murph]

Yeah well, trained detective she picked up on those things. Not just that but she knew enough about reading body language to gauge opponents, Harry had changed.

Then again, he had moments of his old self, a near misstep at her choice of words had them both a bit more self conscious about the other.

"Exactly, no expectations, no pressure, just to adults with no responsibilities for a little while." She stepped in when they found a spot on the dance floor, one hand resting on his shoulder, the other turning to rest in his palm. "Is it weird that saying that makes me think something is going to blow up, or have I just been hanging around you too much?"

[no_love_potions]

He wasn't all that aware of the changes in him from the outside but he was becoming all too aware of how he'd changed inside. He'd always had an edge of anger to him, it was something he'd been aware of nearly his entire life. He'd always had to be, because of who he was and what he could do. It was never easy to try to live in the world when a part of you felt that it had the power and the right to slap it down and make it change.

Now, he found himself having to reel himself in even harder. That anger now had a powerful ally.

"Exactly." He nodded, putting his other hand on her back and stamping down on the Mantle's reaction to the warmth of her skin. He waited just a second for the music to change before moving easily into the opening steps, leading her around the dance floor.

Yep. Just like riding a bike.

"Yeah, I'm still waiting for it." He lifted his head, glancing across the room. "That might just be from being in a room full of teenagers with high-powered weaponry though."

[murph]

And there they were, all wonders never ceasing and improbability. Harry was a good dancer, actually better than good, she was having to push herself to keep up with him for the first turn, but once she found their rhythm it was easy. He didn't hold her delicately as though she'd break, but he wasn't groping on her either. He was, she realized with an amused but unsurprised thought, being a gentleman.

"We've been through a lot of other shoes and some of them have dropped pretty damned hard." Kids with high powered weapons was almost par for the course at this point, hell the Alphas qualified as that on their own.

"Just like all those times, I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere Harry." It meant a lot for her to say something like that, Karrin wasn't the most willing or ready to talk about her feelings person that ever was. She hardly understood them herself let alone how to talk to others about them and asking her to admit something deeper than attraction or friendship was still like pulling teeth. But every now and then she would make a comment that said more than the words themselves, the context of the statement was far deeper than the some of it parts. She cared Harry, she really did and if she was stuck in this city with anyone she was glad it was with you.