[ 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

[exequy]

Only mages makes Kostos' jaw clench for a moment—no interest in talking or thinking about what talent he came by naturally—but he unsticks it to say, "Work and well-paid tutors."

But, also, wait. What.

He looks at Athessa, who he's rarely seen be so unpleasant to anyone, then at Nikos.

"What did you do to her?"

[sulahnan]

Far be it from Athessa to let Nikos answer that before she can.

"Oh, he just kissed me," she says lightly. "Back at that stupid party where we had to kiss whoever was closest when that song played. It was terrible."

[exsecutus]

"How fucking insulting that would be, to someone else."

Someone who, you know, was insecure and not in a committed relationship with a man who would easily take the Best Beard category in a Riftwatch superlative competition. Nikos slumps a little lower in his chair, boneless. It's nice to have moved away from dancing tutors.

"In honesty, I forgot all about it. So if you want to shut up and get back to your cuddle, feel free."

[sulahnan]

Oh, he forgot all about it. That's nice.

"Sure wish I could forget it," she mutters, looking over the back of the chaise just to look anywhere other than an Averesch twin. Should she be mad at both of them? That was a kind of unfortunate way to find out that Kostos had a brother.

[exequy]

Kostos looks between them—slowly, lazily, without too much interest—and searches for something to be angry about, because he would really like to be angry at Nikos for something. But it doesn’t sound like that was his fault. And he doesn’t do jealousy. So...

“If we have to look alike, the least you can do is learn to fucking kiss,” he says, because it’s the best he can come up with, and drapes an arm over Athessa’s legs, which is not cuddling. They just aren’t going anywhere.

[sulahnan]

Either unable or simply disinclined to stop herself, Athessa mutters: "Coulda told me you had a twin."

Mostly it gets spoken into the heel of her hand.

[exequy]

“My family is not your business,” Kostos says, also either unable to disinclined to stop himself, “and you could have noticed.”

[sulahnan]

"Yeah well I didn't," she rolls her eyes. "But ya know people usually give a shit about their friends' business."

[exsecutus]

"I'm not business," Nikos snaps, unable to be left out of this conversation, "and I'm not a fucking shitty kisser, which is actually no one's business."

Still not over that one, even though it was several jabs ago. No one should speculate on what he's good at behind closed doors but if they are going to speculate, he should get the credit he's due.

"If it's any consolation, I never tell anyone about him. Save your hurt feelings. Then again, my friends wouldn't overlook the glaring differences between us. I think that means you two deserve each other."

[sulahnan]

"Glaring differences like being a shitty kisser?"

[exsecutus]

"He can't help it. It's the scar. Fucked his face, made him self-conscious--which gets in the way."

[sulahnan]

"I was talking about you. You're the shitty kisser."

[exsecutus]

Maker's balls. Nikos rolls his eyes. "Yes. I heard your opinion. That's the joke."

And in a display of self-control, he drowns any asshole follow-up to that point by taking another huge sip of wine.

[sulahnan]

"Shitty at jokes, too, then. What a shame."