[ open: all arise! ]

[vorbratta]

WHO: you. yes, you there. you're invited
WHAT: Sonia is throwing a big party, because everyone needs an excuse to get good and drunk together right now. And dancing. There is always dancing.
WHEN: Justinian, shortly after the return of the jungle crew
WHERE: The suite at the top of the mage tower
NOTES: ♫ have some party jams ♫

The month in the jungle was a long one, made longer by the total lack of any alcohol to mitigate the experience. Utterly unthinkable. Sonia is addressing a public need by throwing a grand party -- a public service, even. Besides, it's what she does. When was the last time she got to plan a party, anyway? Granted, this is not a Denerim soiree for the young nobility, but the venue doesn't matter. Only the people and the drinks, and Sonia is assuredly rich in both. It is also a fantastic excuse not to think about any of the bad things that have happened since she was last in Kirkwall.

The decoration in the residential suite at the top of the mage tower would be best classified as improvisational -- one of those drapes tacked along the wall for ambience may be a bedsheet -- but it's the spirit of the thing that counts. One makes do with what one has. In one corner are a few tables laden with spirits, some provided by Sonia, others by generous partygoers. There are a few Barra vineyard vintages in the mix, highlights of her personal collection, a testament to the celebration she considers tonight to be. There's a small selection of food nearby, mostly for snacking to go with the drinks, though guests are free to bring whatever they like to share.

And there is, of course, music. Someone here has brought a fiddle or a flute or a bunch of pots masquerading as a drum set. Maybe you've brought your very own a capella choir. Whatever the accompaniment, there's something to dance to. Sonia makes sure there is dancing.

Tonight is not for licking wounds or swapping grisly stories of terror and survival. Tonight is for feeling alive, getting properly and delightfully drunk, and having a good god damn time.

Comments

athessa | ota

[sulahnan]

i. general merriment

[ There's music, there's food, there's drinking, it's a recipe for success as far as parties go. And while Athessa can neither cook nor supply drink, she can sing and she can dance. She'll wait for the right tune to be playing to start up a well-known tavern song, bouncing between party-goers to try and coax them into singing along until there are more voices than not pitching in. She has a voice like a songbird, but she's not trying to show anyone up or be the center of attention; the songs she chooses can be sung even by the hopelessly tone-deaf. ]

ii. as the night goes on

[ Time passes, as do songs and dance numbers and trips to the de facto bar, and Athessa seems to be as drunk as the next person and never more. In truth, she hasn't touched a drop of alcohol since Eshal's drinking contest many months prior, but she's getting very, very good at pretending. Far be it from Athessa to bring the mood of the party down.

Sometimes, she might disappear for a few minutes, which is when the acting stops and she lets the stillness outside of the party soothe raw nerves and overstimulated senses. ]

iii. accidentally on purpose

[ It's no accident that by the height of drunkenness, Athessa is hanging around whoever is the most drunk, and the most potentially destructive. She'll follow behind, having a good time and somehow preventing--through acts of apparent fumbling--any damages to occur. Catching a vase here, a glass there, it's honestly masterful. ]

iv. wildcard

[ you know what to do ]

iii

[windyvoice]

So like. Jenny Lou isn't a super destructive drunk (aside from enthusiastically trying to convince someone to build a fire pit with her), but she can forgive Athessa for thinking that she is. She's like magnanimous like that.

And slowly pushing a glass toward the edge of the table, watching Athessa juggle the fancy pottery already in her hands.

you motherfucker ilu

[sulahnan]

Frantic, apparently drunk, Athessa looks like she loses her balance trying to decide between these two evils, and though the fancy pottery goes flying, it lands on a pillow and the leg she sticks out to counter-balance her flailing arms puts her foot in ideal position to stop it from falling off the table.

It's like some crazy game of twister without the mat.

"Haha holy shit, you see that? Skills."

im a helper

[windyvoice]

"Holy shit, dude." The dude is almost reverent, she's deeply impressed like wow. "That's some like ninja shit."

Which means she picks up another glass and holds it up, "Hey, if I toss this, do you think you can catch it?"

ii.

[indissection]

[ Disinclined to drink too much herself - it seems a little too dangerous when she still feels so on edge about Byerly being gone for so long and her friends being beyond her touch - but she has a glass of wine hovering near her as she watches the partygoers. Her dress is immaculate, of course, and she only slips from her wavering thoughts when she sees Athessa.

It's been a little while and she's glad she has the wine to hide what must surely be quite a fetching blush settling on her cheeks.

Breathing out, she steps up, acting as though her focus is entirely upon the party. ]

Good evening.

*makes kissy noises*

[sulahnan]

Is it? I dunno, somethin' tells me it could be better.

[ Said as she easily slips an arm around Sidony's shoulders, leaning on her and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. It soon turns into blowing a raspberry against her cheek and then laughing about it. ]

Dance with me?

*winky face*

[indissection]

I suppose anything can be improved.

[ That makes her grimace, though, immediately rubbing her cheek - especially to hide the coy little smile that the affection inspired. ]

Now? I don't think I've ever danced to things like this before.

ii, which is also how many athessas i need

[cozen]

[ During one of Athessa’s disappearances, Bastien disappears right behind her. He doesn’t make any attempt to be sneaky about it, but he still says, ] Boo, [ when he reaches her

He slides down to sit against the wall in the corridor and starts the arduous pre-Zippo process of lighting one of the several cigarettes he rolled as soon as they got back. In the meantime, he adds, ] Full marks.

[ For the performance, he means. ]

:U

[sulahnan]

[ She's not quite at the level where she can adopt the mask in an instant, so it's a good thing that she doesn't need to do so with Bastien. Her shoulders relax a bit and she sighs out a bit of her own smoke--in the direction of the torch she used to light her joint, Mr. pre-Zippo--then bows like an actor receiving their dues. ]

What can I say? I have a good teacher.

[cozen]

You have talent, [ Bastien corrects, looking down toward the torch, which is a much easier and better idea, ] and a little bit of guidance.

[ He holds his cigarette up to her. He’s already sitting down. He’s old. Take pity. ]

ii

[inkindled]

[Matthias, sitting on the floor with his back against a wall, stiffens when someone else comes into the hallway. He relaxes when he realizes that it is only Athessa, and does an awkward push of his feet so he can walk himself up to his feet without pulling his back from the wall. It's a dumb way to get to his feet, but he has had a bit to drink, enough that it makes sense, until it abruptly doesn't.

Shit. But maybe she's hasn't noticed him.]

Hey-- [A little quiet, with the muffled sounds of the party still going on behind the door. Matthias squints at Athessa. She'd come out here alone. Did he interrupt something?] All right? You leaving?

[sulahnan]

[ She starts slightly, not expecting anyone to be out here already, but relaxes as soon as she sees who it is. No need to pretend to be sooo tooootally wastedddd around Matty. Maybe she should've, just to keep up appearances, but. Oh well. Athessa sighs. ]

Oh, hey Matty. Nah I'm just...getting some air, ya know.

[ In this instance, getting some air also means ducking out to smoke, but why split hairs? She strolls a few lackadaisical steps past him down the corridor, then pivots to turn towards him, shrugging. ]

What about you? Why're you out here and not in there?

[inkindled]

Oh. Good.

[Good. It is nice to know where people are going to be, especially when they're a friendly face. Muzzily settling back in to introspection, Matthias starts back out of it at her question.]

Huh? Oh. Air, like you said. I'm-- [Phowar is a noise that he actually makes, right before he rubs a hand self-consciously over his face, clearing a path for his rueful little grin.] It's a lot, y'know? So I thought I'd sit it out for a minute. I'll go back in, I reckon, eventually.

i

[overharrowed]

When the press of the party brings them close enough together that he doesn't have to shout, Julius says casually, "I've been told on previous occasions that reminding a student I exist in a party situation is categorically terrible, so you can ignore me if you like. But it is good to see you back in one piece."

It might be awkward to say he's missed their lessons, but presumably less awkward in the press of a party atmosphere than it would be to begin their next lesson this way.

[sulahnan]

Awkward or not, she's glad to see him and expresses as much with a hug. Considering that all of her teachers other than Julius and Marcus were members of her family or romantic partners, she doesn't really have much reference for whether or not this is appropriate.

"It's good to be back in one piece! But I have definitely fallen behind on my reading what with the whole...lost in the jungle thing happening."

[overharrowed]

If the hug surprises him, he doesn't seem to mind it; he returns it readily.

"I think you're forgiven for not keeping up with it, under the circumstances. What with the poison frogs and the giant snakes and the generally alarming fauna." He smiles, and adds, "And here I was initially annoyed about being sent with the team falling back to the Gallows."

as the night goes on.

[tender]

[ No matter how much care Derrica takes to keep respectfully out of Athessa's space, the fact remains that there's only so many doors in and out of this party. Inevitably, Derrica is attempting to slip out as Athessa is slipping back in, and the collision is—

Not as bad it could be, granted. But still, Derrica's grasped Athessa's arm, caught one hand to keep either of them from toppling, and the result is that they're simply too close. Derrica winces, immediately contrite. ]

I'm sorry.

[ Instinctively, since this feels like something to be sorry for. ]

[sulahnan]

[ For a split second, it's easy to forget that there's any reason to be awkward about this. Athessa instinctively reached for Derrica just as she had, preventing a fall where none was imminent. And then they linger too long and Derrica's hand against Athessa's feels simultaneously like fire and the balm needed to soothe it.

Athessa huffs out a breath, something like a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth half-heartedly. ]

Don't worry about it.

[tender]

[ Derrica's grip tightens briefly before she loosens her grip, lets go. Her palm is tingling. She feels flushed, embarrassed, even if Athessa doesn't seem all that upset about the near-collision. ]

I should have been looking where I was going.

[ She shrugs, a little lamely as she takes another step back. ]

It's just...you know, the festivities.

ii.

[technologist]

[ When Fitz steps out into the hallway, it isn't because he's noticed her sneaking out. It's because it's late and he's tired, and he's halfway to the stairwell when he catches sight of her on one of the stone benches tucked against the wall.

The dilemma's visible. He looks from her to the stairs, back to her, then turns away from the stairs. ]

Bit loud, isn't it.

[ There's enough noise bleeding out into the hallway that it takes some effort to speak over it. Thoughtfully, with a glance back towards the door: ]

Quieter now that you've left, actually.

[sulahnan]

[ Athessa rolls her eyes and blows out smoke on a laugh, angling it away from Fitz. Did he decide not to take the stairs just to call her noisy? ]

Yeah I thought I'd give 'em a break.

[technologist]

[ just another tactless observation thank u ]

At least you had most of them on the same song. [ Things hadn't exactly been unchaotic with her as conductor, but it'd sounded slightly less like a train wreck. More importantly, he's the king of sneaking off to decompress; he doubts the break's for the rest of the party. ]

Everything all right?

iv. the after party.

[charmoffensive]

[ The party itself has finished, by now. Dawn is beginning to warm the edge of the night sky, although it's dark enough that torchlight or magical dark vision is still a necessity in navigating the more treacherous corners of stone spiral staircases, rickety ladders, or in this case, the hard edged rooftops of the Gallows.

It isn't as precarious as all that. Being a fortress, accessibility to its upper reaches is deliberately built into its giant-sized architecture, but you probably ought not to be sitting on the very edge in that manner, Athessa.

Not that Loxley followed her up to tell her off about it. He allows his footfalls to be noisy enough to grab attention. ]

Ah ha. Here it is.

bats eyelashes

[sulahnan]

[ As soon as she hears him approaching, she turns to watch in the direction of the sound with the mild interest of a stoner. The adrenaline of being in the jungle has long since worn off, no further need for the hyper-vigilance that makes sure the body is ready to react instantly to danger.

But it's still odd to be followed up to such heights, even if the surprise is a pleasant one like this. ]

Here what is?

[charmoffensive]

The party.

[ Loxley sidles up to her perch but doesn't join her exactly, just finds a spot to lean his elbows on stonework. The cool of the evening has yet to burn off, but there is that sodden sense of pre-dawn in the air, heavy like the atmosphere. ]

I was wondering where it'd gone.