Winter Wonderland Holiday Party

[whiteas]

The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful.
And since we've no place to go, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

The song is playing in the elevator on the way up to what is normally the meeting hall floor, which has been cleared out so that they could "deck the hall" for the party. It's a Winter Wonderland theme, with white, blue, and silver being the main colors. Which, granted, tends to be a Schnee theme- but it's at least in season this time around. Crystal chandeliers and lights hang from the ceiling, looking like icicles, and there's a frosted tree in the center of the room. Upon closer inspection, it's a croquembouche that's been coated with white chocolate and sprayed with edible glitter, pulled sugar ribbons streaming down the sides of the edible 'tree.'

At each of the tables, there are small gift bags for each of the guests- nothing big, just little samplings of sweets from Cat's Meow Cafes. These are in addition, of course, to the family-style servings at each table of meals. Both chestnut waffles with blackberry-orange syrup and crown roasts were available as main dishes at each of the tables, along with a colorful medley of roasted vegetables and an assortment of different types of freshly baked breads in a basket at each dinner table. Every table also seems to have carefully poached and sliced apples and pears with vanilla or caramel sauce as a dessert. The center of the hall is, of course, cleared out for dancing surrounding a round stage where a live performance from Sonico Super is being performed. Individual orders for drinks (coffee, tea, egg nog for those over 18 only, water, or cider available).

Along the edge of the hall are many gifts lined up with bid tickets and boxes for a silent auction. All proceeds from the auction and ticket sales will, of course, go toward the Genessia Scientific Research Foundation's budget for the next year. Almost strategically, there seems to be a bar located toward the start of the auction traffic manned by After Life staff.

At 9:30pm as the evening winds down, guests will be asked to gather near the windows of the hall to watch the Nova City tree lighting. The view from up above in the tower is amazing, the gigantic tree wholly visible as it lights up on the ground below. The only obstruction of view is the lightly falling snow. If at any point it looked like it would stop snowing, you can bet that Weiss's Castform was up on the roof making sure that didn't happen.

Just as 10pm hits and the party is meant to end, all sides of the hall's glass walls light up with fireworks at once. A beautiful fireworks show finishes off the night.

Comments

[stairsbro]

Thanks. I was trying to find blue ones but- [ gestures at his face ] I think the pink makes my cheeks rosy. [ he pauses and sips his drink, furrowing his brows at him. ] I don't know. Because she was all about everything being hella fancy. I was mostly joking about it. Did you actually upset her here?

[aurabble]

[He hums thoughtfully, leaning in.] Yeah. I can see that. Are you drinking eggnog? I don't know, I think I might have screwed up again. Hey so I heard there might be fireworks later.

[stairsbro]

Yup. It tastes like a fucking off-custard thing. [ gives jaune's arm a pat ] You probably didn't fuck up. What happened? And yes, there are fireworks. I got Dasher on it.

[aurabble]

Can I try? [He looks down, biting his lip and sighing.] This might come as a shock to you, but I like Weiss. I mean I really like her, more than I ever did before. She knows I like her and she doesn't feel the same and that's okay, I mean I just want her to be happy, but she went with Sun today and Sun got her a fancy necklace. Blake and Yang are together and it just... It stings. And Weiss probably thinks it's just about her going with Sun but it's not. I just miss it.

Dasher?

[stairsbro]

Yeah, sure. [ holding the drink out to him and frowning slightly ] Fuck. That's rough. I get it. I mean, the... missing it thing. Not that I had- [ vague gesture ] But. And then you got this unrequited shit on top of it. Shit. Couple palozza up in here. I'd set you up with a hot friend but you're my hot friend here so I got nothing.

[ light head shake ] Dasher is just one of the past Daves. Using codes to keep track. I'm going for a Reindeer theme tonight with the festivities. Dasher, Donner, Dancer. [ beat ] I'm Vixen.

[aurabble]

Thanks. [He takes a sip. It's probably lengthier than it should be.] I'm just starting to think I'm not meant to be with anyone. Maybe it's better this way.

As much as I'm not going to disagree, those don't sound like reindeer names.

[stairsbro]

Drinking all my nog, Jaune. [ he takes the drink back from him to take a gulp full and hands it back. ] Dude, I think you'd be fine on your own if you wanted to be but that is bullshit. You're awesome and anybody would be totally lucky to have you.

I'm pretty sure those are reindeer.

[aurabble]

Oh. Sorry. [He looks guilty for maybe a split-second. WAIT CAN HE HAVE MORE? He drinks more.] No, that's you. I thought I wanted to be on my own, and I don't know. I guess I still do.

Why is there a reindeer named Vixen, Vixen?

[stairsbro]

It's cool. [ now they're sharing this funny tasting drink. he shrugs a shoulder ] Pretty sure that's you. Either way is okay, as long as you're okay with it. You don't have to figure that shit out right away. Take your damn time.

Fuck if I know, Cupid.

[aurabble]

[it's not bad.] Has anyone ever told you that you give pretty good advice?

I think you're just making up names.

[stairsbro]

By myself, yeah. I'm pretty sure I got tuned out like thirty seconds into most of my advice giving so they all missed the quality life-lessons I was dishing out here. I'm wise as fuck. Like a wiseman. Only wiser. You know? Like I know not to bring a baby fucking myrrh as a gift. That's a symbol of death? What the fuck are you trying to do? Why are you giving a baby embalming oil? Did you bring that hoping for a stillbirth so you can put baby Jesus in a jar? Give the baby more gold so Mary can get a real fucking hotel room for her tired post-pregnant self and get the hell out of the filthy haystack she's been chilling on. The frankincense at least could mask the smell of the place so it's sort of practical but dude. What was that third one even on?

Anyway, no. I'm pretty sure I know my reindeer.

[aurabble]

[He smiles but he also looks incredibly lost and a little concerned.] I don't-- Your holidays don't make a lot of sense to me and a lot of them seem to be related to death. Is that normal? Is your world okay? I'm not sure I understand.

Then what kind of guy names his friends that?

[stairsbro]

[ snort ] Uh. No. It's not okay. It's kind of permanently destroyed. It's okay if you don't understand it. They don't make any fucking sense and religion is all bullshit pretty much.

[ he takes the drink back to sip it again because he's far too lazy to go get another one or something. then just looks up at jaune ] The Santa kind?

[aurabble]

[He immediately looks guilty and averts his eyes.] I'm sorry, that was stupid of me.

Huh. His names are weird. I think we need another drink.

[stairsbro]

It's fine. It's whatever. I never thought of it as 'home.' It's really sad in the general sense of billions of people dying all of humanity and shit but I didn't know billions of people? I knew they were there. But I only knew five. And four lived. So. [ he shrugs ] I don't think it was stupid of you. I got my own planet now. It's full of lava. And a frogiverse.

Maybe they mean some deep shit in reindeer language. [ looks at the cup ] Yeah. Get something different.

[aurabble]

[Four. He pinches the bridge of his nose, hugging his arm.] Shit, Dave... Right. Another planet. Cool. That doesn't sound moderately terrifying.

They have their own separate language? [Nods.] They won't serve me, probably because I'm working but I can go with you.

[stairsbro]

It's scary as shit and full of metal tower structures. Like building skeletons that are all burning hot from the lava and the whole place ticks and rotates because it's also a big clock but that also makes it- [ quotation fingers ] "badass" and... [ he stops and cracks into a bright smile, pointing at him ] Ha ha. You said shit.

Why wouldn't reindeer speak reindeer? [ he looks over at the bar ] Why not? There's nothing bad over there.

[aurabble]

Is that...safe? Is there some kind of forcefield that protects where you live or something because I'm scared just thinking about it. [He freezes and looks like a deer caught in the headlights, flushing a light pink.] No I didn't.

Why would reindeer need to speak? They could be telepathic. [He frowns.] I don't know. I tried climbing over to do it myself and I got pushed back. I told them I know what I'm doing...

[stairsbro]

Nope. It's basically hell. [ :) ] You did too.

Why would they think in English? [ he raises his brows ] Pretty sure you're invading the barzone with that one. What were you trying to get?

[aurabble]

That's reassuring. [kind of flails, waving his hands.] No, I didn't! I don't cuss.

Why would they think in words? The barzone is barring alcohol so invading it with parkour is the only option I have. Something like you were drinking, or anything.

[stairsbro]

I don't have to live there now. But it's mine. [ smiiiirking ] No, I'm pretty sure you do. And you say shit. Say it again.

[ ... and frown. ] Oh. Was this alcoholic? [ pursing his lips with a little displeased look at this empty cup he's holding ]

[aurabble]

I guess you could put all the people you hate on it... [Grimacing, he rubs the back of his neck. Secretly, he feels a flood of warmth just by seeing Dave smiling so much.] Nope. I'll never say shit agai-- FUCK!

I thought you knew. [turns back to the bar, trying to hide his discomfort.] Anyway I'm going to go try again. Maybe if I tell them Weiss let me.

[stairsbro]

Nah. [ does he hate anyone???? the displeased look he's giving this cup stops for a second because he has to laugh at jaune now. ] What was that? I don't think the people outside heard you.

[ and back to neutral default face. trying to not laugh while he's trying to be displeased about this drink situation. ] Nope. Dude. Someone here gave me an alcoholic beverage and I don't know if it's because I looked like I needed one or I'm just that fucking hot that people are buying me drinks now. [ nevermind that he gave jaune some. he feels pretty bad about contributing. why must the siblings drink. telling him to stop isn't going to do shit, if rose was anything to go by. ] Uh. I'll ...help? [ ????? ]

[aurabble]

[He just groans, shutting his eyes for a moment.] I can't believe. ...Whatever, no going back now. Fuckingdammitshitdickdarn. So much for keeping it clean.

See? I told you that you were the hot one. Do you know how hard it is for me to get someone to give me drinks? Maybe it's because I'm tall. [He pauses, looking over his shoulder and finally turning to stare at Dave hopefully. He's so used to being let down by others, and seeing their disappointment and disapproval only hurts more. He just wishes they'd stop. He's tired of feeling like a bad person for having one vice when he's trying his best to be a better one. Does he dare to try?] You...you will? Do you wanna dress as Weiss and pretend to be her?

[stairsbro]

[ he's biting his lip for a long moment but then he's just cracking up. he doesn't exactly know how to stop himself once he's going. ] Oh my fucking god. Why is darn at the end of that? It's 'dick darn.'

[ trying to wipe under his eyes ] It's not your fault I'm so hot my planet is - Haha. Lava. [ h e l p. he's trying to put on a serious look for this but he's still holding his shoulders up and twisting his mouth up. occasionally just going "ha" ]

I don't know if that was the help I had in mind. I can't walk in those heels, dude.