nightlogs | [OPEN] Dance Party Ending...uh, Opening!!!

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[OPEN] Dance Party Ending...uh, Opening!!!

Who: Puss and YOU
What: Team Building party and everyone’s invited!
Where: Dining Hall
When: A little less than a week after the Branch event
Warnings/Notes: Magic candies and off the rails music

Pre-Party

The place is decked out to the nines. Yes, they are largely Christmas decorations, but they’re stretched to the fullest: Shining garlands of all colors wrap around pillars and poles. Twinkling lights are strung from nearly every surface. The tablecloths are all soft velvet and the chairs all have bundles of balloons tied to them.

(Anyone who walked by the room might have heard Puss arguing about the balloons. “Tacky,” he said. “This isn’t a prom or a birthday party,” he said. The elves insisted. Now there are balloons. The colors are tasteful, gold and dark purples like the invitations, but there are balloons.)

Puss is a considerate host, and has set up a little table at the entrance with things like earplugs and assorted first aid supplies. He already knows his fellow cats have sensitive ears, why not be prepared for everything.

It’s a good time to mingle before the party starts in earnest.

MC Puss Welcomes You

Puss’s baritone, shockingly powerful and unmic’d because Puss is just that good, rings out triumphantly through the room. He stands on a stool, spotlight on him, holding a tall mug of eggnog.

“New friends! Allies! Myths and legends! Welcome, one and all!”

He takes a swig of nog and continues.

“Ah! Now, for those who do not know me, I am the one and only Puss in Boots, righter of wrongs, avenger of justice, and your host for this evening!”

He bows, a deep contrite gesture of humility and grace. Behind him, a yeti rolls his eyes. Puss shoots him a look.

“Now tonight is about many things! It is the first step of our grand journey together! It is a beacon of light against the darkness that stands on our doorstep! It is a forging of a great alliance to protect the children of this world and our own! It’s a night of joy! A night of unity! The night we shape our destiny!”

He spreads his arms out wide, smiling broadly.

“Our destiny…”

From the side, another yeti tosses him a lute.

“...as heroes!”

Confetti cannons pop, as glitter and streamers pour down from the ceiling. So does the elf manning it, but he seems fine. Puss laughs, strums and starts on a song.

”Who are your favorite fearless heroes, who are your favorite fearless he-e-roes!”

…And when the ceremonies are done, the fiesta can begin.

Food!

The food and drink options are absolutely scrumptious but…those who are observant about such things may sense a tension in planning reflected in the options.

Among things like a taco bar, fried chicken, guacamole, a nacho cheese fountain, and every kind of salsa you could want, things like fruit cakes, gingerbread houses, sugar cookies, spiced chestnuts, candy canes, and an eggnog fountain placed confrontationally close to the cheese fountain abound as well. They’re placed with no real care, almost as if there were some unresolved argument about what constitutes “party food.”

Perhaps the elves weren’t the best helpers ever. At least there’s both spiked eggnog and non-alcoholic eggnog. Labeled even! Also the spiked one is surrounded by bottles of rum, just in case it’s not enough of a kick.

…On the edge of a table is a crystal bowl that looks somewhat…out of place. It’s filled with an assortment of simple sweets. Chocolates, hard candy, marshmallows, drops, anything you could think of. On the table is a note that reads:

"Mystery candies! These treats are not only sweet, they cause magical effects in those who eat them! What effects? You shall have to try them and find out~

Please do NOT mix these in with regular treats. Feeding them to someone without warning them in advance will not be tolerated. If there are any issues, seek out Loki”

Scribbled on it is a crude drawing of Loki and the words “this guy” and an arrow pointing to him.

Next to the bowl is a notebook and pen for recording what effects each candy has.

Music!

The Pole has everything. Every music. All of the music. The playlist for this party is years long, and the dancefloor can handle it all

But…it’s front loaded with high energy mariachi tunes, like it was put together by someone who knew exactly what they like and didn't care to branch out. The elf manning the magical DJ booth is under strict instructions to “not play anything stupid” but elves are easily distractible and really don’t know what “stupid music” would even be, so it’s not hard to get access yourself.

All you have to do is name the song, or hum the song, or even have a vague recollection of the song and the booth will slot it in as the next one in the playlist. Of course, nobody would ever abuse that privilege…right?

Performance!

Of course, there’s also a space for attendees to perform themselves. When they do, the DJ booth pauses so everyone can hear it properly. If you’re amazed by the capacities of this magitech, you’re in good company; Puss looked at it like it was catnip the first time he saw it.

Karaoke is on offer of course, but it can accommodate anything: dancing, juggling, poetry readings, performance art, hamboning, an impromptu performance of Stomp, anything goes!

Wildcard!

Hey, if you want it, the yetis or Puss can probably make it happen! The best parties are the kind where anything can happen!

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Jaskier has been flitting about the party, chatting, drinking, dancing, and appreciating all the strange, new music.

He's finished making the rounds with the people he's already met, and now it's time to make new friends! There's such a variety from people from all sorts of places beyond his imagination. He's eager to meet new people and learn about them.

Also, it's been over a week since he's found himself a lover and while he can go longer, he's not some desperate degenerate, he certainly wouldn't mind finding a partner for the night. To that end, he let Stacia put some of her magnificent eyeliner, pigment, and sparkles on his face. She did an excellent job. He's also unbuttoned his doublet to scandalously reveal the sinfully-thin linen shirt underneath. Let it be said, he is looking good.

He currently stands by the drink table, nursing a glass of eggnog and searching the crowd for someone who looks friendly and open to conversation. If they don't end up being interested, that's fine-- never let it be said that Jaskier turned down the opportunity to make a new friend.

Someone once told Dan, when he was about twenty-three years old and falling-down drunk and hopped up on molly and covered in glitter, that when he got old enough to have a hangover that didn't go away with Advil and a cup of water, he'd grow out of partying. That person was an idiot. These days Dan enthusiastically opens himself up to the possibility of hangovers that last half a week if it means he can get his hedonism on. There are festivities, and since Bunny's on a mission, Dan's been telling everyone that when the rabbit's away, the mice will play.

"Stacia did that, didn't she?" Dan knows her handiwork, even though he did his makeup himself tonight. Plenty of stints moonlighting as a stripper has left him with a lot of confidence in prettying himself up, whether it's covering up scars and hickies or knowing just where to throw on a dash of body glitter to draw attention to his eyes and collarbone. He's put a dash of gold liner on and some mascara.

He hasn't met Jaskier yet, but the vibes are friendly, and that's the only invitation Dan ever needs to want to meet someone new. For someone who grew up isolated underground, Dan's found his adulthood to be marked by terminal extroversion. He would be drawn to Jaskier even if Jaskier weren't standing around looking quite appealing.

"How's your eggnog?"

Jaskier keeps his body language open, welcoming Dan's approach. He uses the loud music as an excuse to move in closer to reply.

"She did! I'm impressed by your keen eye. She was very patient with me and I look forward to learning more. You seem to be very talented yourself, perhaps you could give me some pointers?" Preferably in a private location where they're unlikely to be interrupted, but he's willing to compromise on that if necessary.

"The 'nog is excellent, if not as strong as I prefer!"

"If the night takes us back to where I keep my makeup kit, I'll give you a demonstration. I learned when I was a performer at a club. Get me out from under lowlight and I start to look a little overly-painted."

Dan moves around Jaskier slightly, mostly to get Jaskier on his right side, where Dan doesn't have much hearing loss. He does so in a way that makes it clear he isn't trying to get further away from Jaskier, and taps his right ear to try and indicate, and grins.

"I can strengthen it for you." Dan slips a flask out of his pocket and waggles it. "It's peppermint-flavored, though."

A performer! Jaskier isn't sure exactly what "a club" means in this context, but he can make some educated guesses. And the invitation back to his new friend's quarters hasn't gone unnoticed.

He easily shifts to accommodate Dan's unspoken request.

"It would be much appreciated-- stage makeup is an art in and of itself. I tend to keep it simple myself, but that's because I travel far too much to keep a large kit on me."

He holds out his mug for the other man.

"An appropriately festive choice! While I hate to another favor of you, I would request a name to go along with such a lovely face, if you're so inclined to give it."

"Oh, you're a traveler too? I'm still getting used to the idea of not living in a car and waking up in a different city every few nights."

Dan leaves the opening for Jaskier to say if he travels by necessity instead of choice, but he hopes Jaskier travels a lot because he enjoys it. There's something about wanderlust that Dan finds so poignant, so relatable, so precious. He didn't have it when he was young, but as an adult the idea of staying in one place makes him want to climb the walls. It's been an adjustment, living here in a bedroom, living in the Warren, having spaces of his own.

He reaches over and pours some schnapps into the mug - a heavy, but not excessive, pour. He bats his lashes to emphasize how he heard and is appreciative of the compliment to his looks, letting a lingering glance convey the message that the attention is very mutual. "Dan Sagittarius. And you are?"

Jaskier is going off the assumption that Dan has dropped the 't' from the end of 'cart' as part of a regional dialect. He doesn't know what cars are.

"I have been for many years. Oh, I settle down for a few months here and there, but sooner or later the song of the open road calls my name. It gets dreadfully boring to stay in the same place night after night. I don't know how people stand it."

It's nice to know there's someone here who shares his inescapable need to move; to see the world as it changes around him. Stagnancy has always felt like death, and like death he bids it no welcome into his life. He greets it on the road as it passes and lets it be on its way. They end up crossing paths far too often as it is.

Dan's gaze is met with a small smirk.

"I'm Jaskier," he pronounces it ya-ski-air and tops it off with a toast of his newly spiked beverage.

"Troubadour, poet, and lover-- not in that order," he adds a wink on the end for good measure.

"Me neither. Reckon the longest I ever spent anywhere was six weeks, and by the end I was just about breaking into hives."

Dan catches quickly that Jaskier must come from a time before Dan's level of technological development - and therefore, long before some of their peers' times - and he feels a swell of sympathy. Maybe it doesn't bother Jaskier, but Dan knows it bothers many people to feel like part of the world is inaccessible, like everyone takes for granted a fluency with their surroundings that is actually something they lucked into by being born when they did and raised how they were. He'll do his best to be aware of that and not make assumptions about what Jaskier knows or doesn't know.

"That's a list where I don't reckon I know which one to ask about first. They're all such interesting roles." Dan raises an eyebrow and toasts Jaskier back. "Reckon you can put on quite a show in all three capacities."

He leans against the table with the eggnog, casual. "Party seems to be winding down, if you want to find another place."

Jaskier may be, oh, a few hundred years behind technology-wise, but he is determined to catch up! He needs to learn how sound recording works in order to recreate it when he gets back. He's going to change the world. That being said, the consideration is very much appreciated.

He smirks at the suggestion. His lets his eyes rake over Dan, taking in his body language, as well his body itself. Jaskier is hard pressed to find anyone unattractive, but Dan is especially blessed in that regard. His eyes remain half-lidded as they meet his new companion's once again

"I imagine we have lots we could learn from each other... as performers," he steps in closer, making sure to speak into Dan's good ear. "I find that I do my best work in a more intimate setting. Do you have somewhere in mind?"

"Well, if it's an intimate setting we're looking for, can't do none better than a bedroom." Dan wags his eyebrows and pours himself some more eggnog, doctoring it with the peppermint schnapps. "I got myself a mini bar in mine."

He reaches out to see if Jaskier will let him take him by the hand and lead him. He feels like this is all so harmless, this opportunity to get to know a new person by having some consenting mutual fun. Dan so often thinks that there aren't that many things in the world that he can rely on to feel good, but this sort of thing feels good, and he fully anticipates making a new friend while he's at it.

"You'll have to tell me about the best places you done traveled to. When I ain't roaming myself, I like to live vicariously."

"How can I turn down such a generous offer?" Jaskier happily lets Dan take his hand, even going as far as to draw it up and press his lips against his knuckles.

"Please, lead the way."

He hooks his arm around Dan's, pressing against his side closer than is strictly necessary.

"It's hard to say. Each place on the Continent has its own charm, but I did spend a year touring the Skellige Isles and my heart yearns to return."

Dan absorbs the closeness like a sponge, like he can feel every centimeter of body contact between the two of them, like he could take the easy, quick warmth and chemistry between them and let it fill him up. He doesn’t rush them back to his and Bunny’s room.

“I ain’t never been there. I ain’t had the pleasure of visiting all that many islands, although I do like to sail, when I get the opportunity.” He’s been a subpar deck hand for people with yachts once or twice. He gives Jaskier a friendly side-squeeze. “Tell me about that year you spent there.”

Jaskier does so happily, filling the halls with the sound of his voice. He tells stories similar to the way he performs-- all drama and passion. His year in Skellige wasn't particularly exciting, there were no grand heroics with mages or monsters, but he has a talent for making the day-to-day sound like an adventure.

"-so there I was, still naked and hiding in the wardrobe, with my brand new wool suit on the floor in the middle of the room, and the husband asks 'where the hell did this come from?'

"Lovely Henrietta had barely put on her shift when he came barging in, the poor thing, and says the first thing she can think of: 'I got it for you, my love!' So I have to stand and watch for the next hour as another man puts on my nicely tailored suit! He's so delighted by it that he decides then and there that they're both going into town. This gives me the opportunity to escape, so I run for it, naked as the day I was born, praying I can get back to the inn without getting stopped for public indecency!"

Jaskier isn't paying attention to where they're going or how long it's taking to get there. He's also basking in the warmth of another person's body against his own and the high of a captive audience.

(This bit is from my dog, who didn't want me to write this tag right now:
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Edited 2023-12-27 23:19 (UTC)

Dan's eager to get tied up in a yarn, and so he's the perfect audience for Jaskier, appreciating every joke, every embellishment, every exaggerated voice or clever turn of phrase. He isn't scandalized by anything Jaskier's relaying, because it's the sort of situation Dan's ended up in too; he just appreciates that he's met another person who turns these misadventures and japes into stories.

"I reckon the public ought to thank you for your indecency." Dan introduces Jaskier to his bedroom, which doesn't broadcast that Dan shares it with anyone else because he and Bunny typically go to the Warren to sleep when Bunny has a night off. Dan barely seems like he lives in his bedroom; his clothing's all in a duffel bag, and aside from sundries like playing cards and sketchbooks and his holster hanging off a hook, the room could seem completely unclaimed.

The one counterpoint to that, obviously, is the alcohol. Dan set himself up with a mini bar upon getting this room, and he takes a wild guess that Jaskier would enjoy something fruity and exotic like this caramel apple vodka Dan's pilfered from a BevMo on his last shopping run. He pours some for himself, some for Jaskier, and passes over a glass before flopping onto the made bed.

"But my real question is whether you ever ran into Henrietta's husband wearing your outfit at a later date and had to ask him where he got such a stylish outfit."

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[OPEN] Dance Party Ending...uh, Opening!!!

Closed to Dan

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cw: implied infidelity

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