citylogs | [open] a birthday celebration

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[open] a birthday celebration

WHO: lestat & all of you~
WHAT: lestat is hosting a party for a certain someone's birthday!
WHERE: a bistro in district 3
WHEN: october 4th
WARNINGS: N/A so far. will update as needed!

[ In the early morning hours of the 4th of October, a photograph of a handwritten notice goes up on the network. It’s in flowery but surprisingly legible script, as if he’s learnt to create letters purely by reading them and has jumbled together an amalgamation of different typefaces to make each letter he writes as interesting as possible. The details are as follows: ]

This is an invitation to any and all, to attend a soirée this evening, in celebration of my companion’s birthday.

I’ve attached a photograph of the location; a fashionable little bistro highly recommended to me by someone who clearly knows a thing or two about style. Festivities start at 6 o’clock this evening, though you are more than welcome to be fashionably late. We will go until sunrise. The dress code is: eye-catching.

There will be food, there will be wine, there will be merriment. Games, dancing, live music. Who amongst you could turn their nose up at a free bar and the chance to boogie? I know that technically this entire place is a free bar, what with the distinct lack of economy, but I’ve acquired the assistance of a bartender, just to tempt you…

And, failing all else, there’s the certainty of stunning conversation - and isn’t that something that we all can enjoy, even those of us who don’t groove with the party scene?

Be there, or be square.

xoxo

[ Some of you might remember him posting asking for help planning this little get together, and it’s going ahead with all of Lestat’s best intentions for a night to remember. Whether you know him or don’t (and haven’t been put off by his hip use of old slang he still thinks makes him sound cool) you’ll be welcomed to the festivities with open arms and a warm, sharp smile.

Come on down, don’t be shy. Have a little dance with the devil. ]

The Bar

[ Gleaming in hard wood painted a stunning chic black, the bar is the first thing to delight your eyes with upon entering the bistro. Bottles line the back wall, shining in the low amber lights, and so too the bottles lined up in front as your gracious bartender for the evening, Daan, sets up shop. Perhaps you have a drink in mind, or would like him to surprise you (with varying results), or maybe you’re here for the crowd gathered around and chatting amicably as they nurse their chosen poison.

Lestat himself has taken up prime position there, often with a rather steadfast arm around Louis, whose expression isn’t exactly dour but isn’t particularly placid, either. He gives off the very clear expression of someone who’s been tricked into coming here under false pretences. Probably because Lestat had been positively evasive of even mentioning the B word (birthday) all evening, even going as far as to ignore completely any mention of Louis discovering his plotting before tonight… though whether that be from embarrassment over failing to make his post private despite Armand’s very clear instructions, or simply down to his impish nature, isn’t clear.

What is clear, is that Lestat is having a lovely time in wonderful company, and is a veritable font of energy. He’s usually pretty upbeat, of course, but tonight there’s a particular vigour about him that is clearly different, though not in a strictly bad way. When he’s not hanging off Louis’ side or parading him around to introduce him to people he hasn't met yet, Lestat is leaning over the bar to watch Daan work, or perhaps butting into a nearby conversation or starting a fresh one up with someone looking a little too quiet. ]

The Stage & Dancefloor

[ Great care and attention has been made to stagger the assortment of tables in the room so that each one has a perfect view of the man-made stage and its attached square of space serving as a dance floor. It’s nothing more than a few flat platforms on which the players can stand along with a wall of lined up instruments and some speakers Lestat found at the music store in the mall, but it’s unmistakably the intended highlight of the evening's entertainment.

A dark blue electric guitar beside an acoustic one, a simple spruce violin, a small drum set, a standing keyboard and three microphones is his haul, and they are left available for anyone who'd like to jam. If Lestat sees you looking with the barest hint of interest, even if there is not a single musical bone in your body, if he will pull you over to try something out - what better way to learn than in a room full of people watching you? :)

Toward the middle of the evening, Lestat will take Louis' hands in his own and kiss them, and then kiss him, and leave to climb up onto the stage himself. He’s dressed in a burgundy corduroy jacket over a crisp black shirt; the collar undone to reveal a host of twisted chains at his throat, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and his wrists and fingers adorned with similar finery. Tight leather pants, and black boots with a red sole. His nails are painted black, and there’s a smudge of dark red around his eyes, which makes the pale silver-blue of them look almost eerie in the spotlight. (Well, he did say eye-catching was the dress code.)

He’ll take the microphone, lift the electric guitar into his arms and begins to play, and to sing. It’s a cover arrangement, of course, as anyone who enjoys 70s rock music will be able to tell.. but he sings it well, with a practised and enchanting stage presence that is hard to look away from; snaking hips, spectacular crowd work. No, it’s not his vampiric thrall (probably), it’s just that Lestat really was born to perform and he knows it.

He also picks out another song to play a little later on, assuring the crowd very loudly that they must keep this song's existence a complete secret and then "accidentally" name-dropping Steve Tyler as the guy he was jamming with when the song was created. ]

Party Games

[ Lestat has assigned a little space toward the back of the room and has littered the tables with a handful of silly party games, packages of cards, even a small set of plastic chips for gambling (though what exactly the ante will be is entirely up to you). It looks very much like he’s raided the toy aisle in a supermarket which… isn’t untrue, but he’s done so with at least a little care and attention for what kind of party he’d like this to be. There’s no board games, put it that way.

Who Am I?: Take a sticky-note and ask someone to write the name of a famous figure on it, and stick it on your back. You must walk around and ask the other patrons of the party yes/no questions in order to figure out who you are.
Treasure Hunt: Take a paper from the table; on it you'll find a series of descriptions such as "Someone who's favourite colour is blue" or "Someone who has siblings", "someone who's broken someone's heart" etc. Talk to party goers until you find a person who matches each prompt. You may only use one person once. The winner gets a prize!

Bulla has graciously offered to host a round or two of games for all in attendance; the assortment will be varied and both she and Lestat will be no doubt open to any suggestions of things to play. If you aren’t the type to get involved in such things, it’s quite unfortunate because oh, it looks like this one needs a partner and here is Lestat without one! ]

The Veranda

[The way outside through the large glass doors at the back of the bistro is lit in an almost storybook manner, with lights pinned from the doorway to the exterior fence in loose criss-crosses. The furniture has been moved to accommodate a large table running down the centre of the floor, full to bursting with plates of food. It seems the intention here is similar to a “pot-luck” - a concept that has Lestat gleeful as a child over the absurdity of such a thing - only as this place has no real necessity for cooking and as Lestat has no idea what kind of food typically is seen at parties, the guidance is simply to go into the kitchen and take advantage of its seemingly unending capabilities in order to emerge with a bowl, plate or tray of whatever you deem appropriate for a party such as this.

Obviously, this has resulted in the table being full of an incredibly disorganised array of treats in all shapes and colour - which naturally has attracted Lesat into staring at it all like a magpie, asking questions of every meal that people pick at, questioning the flavour and the method of preparation, all the while twisting a glass bottle of some thick scarlet substance around and around in his hands. ]

--
[ happy birthday louis!!! feel free to mingle, thread-hop, eavesdrop, do whatever you'd like. go wild. it's a party!

lestat is down for anything, so if you want to assume your character has made a playlist, brought a game along, has suggested a party game and is bullying people into playing it, or even if you want to assume that lestat saw you in the street nearby and whisked you in to the bistro against your will, please go for it. literally anything goes, i am SO easy and so is lestat. :) ]

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Whatever you say.

[ Maybe he sees it like that but, if she gave him his name out of the hundred or so residents and only a few others? He had to have done more for her than he realizes, she only runs out and latches onto strangers when she's possessed. ]

For helping her with the nightmares and whatever else you did, I'm grateful. [ Wait. ] How did you help her?

... As I said.

[ twice now, in fact. his tone is a little flat. maybe Ethan is a little slow at picking up cues? ]

Let’s try this again.

[ Maybe a little slow, but he’s trying not to pry too much. He fully intends to visit Vanessa after this. ]

How did you stop the nightmares? I don’t think you glared them away, though I think it would be just as effective.

I kept them at bay, away from her sleeping mind so that she could fully rest and recover.

[ still largely unhelpful, though it leans toward some kind of specificity. ]

I'm left to wonder if you enjoy being vague or simply can't help yourself.

[ Ethan is quicker on the draw this time, eyes squinting at Dream as the puzzle pieces fall into place in his mind. When they do, he does little more than nod. Jesus, Vanessa would run into someone with that kind of power. Thankfully, however, it seems he is with her rather than against her. ]

I can't imagine what I can offer someone with power like that but I owe you.

Were I to go into specifics regarding my abilities, you would still not comprehend the extent of it. I kept any nightmares at bay. That is what was accomplished.

[ it's not said rudely or condescendingly, but more as a statement of fact. it is what it is. his next words sound just as definitive. ]

You owe me nothing, Ethan Chandler. It was not done for your benefit nor for your asking of it. I granted you no boon so one is not owed in turn.

That was rhetorical but duly noted.

[ Is he going to need a drink after this? Maybe. He sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose briefly before looking up again. ]

Think of it this way, then, I'm doing it because I want to. Miss Ives is.. [ A pause but not because he's unsure, he just hasn't admitted this to many people. Let alone to someone he just met. ]

She's important to me. One day, I hope to repay you for what you did for her.

She does seem to be important in your world. I would advise you to keep care of her.

As long as I'm breathing, I will.

[ Important to the world or otherwise, he will always protect her. His expression hardens for a moment, thoughts briefly lingering on Vanessa's eventual fate, before he steps back and gives Dream as amicable a smile as he can manage at the present time. ]

I'll let you get back to the party. [ He turns his head, as if meaning to walk away, then pauses. While he will walk away eventually, it isn't without a polite nod of his head. His manner of speaking might drive him nuts but he respects him for what he did for Vanessa, so: ] Until next time, Lord Morpheus.

[ it's apparent that Ethan wants nothing further to do with either this conversation or with Dream himself, but this eldritch being cares not for human social niceties. even as Ethan pauses to pay his respects, Dream speaks at the same time as him, talking over him with that same unruffled confidence that borders on arrogance and surety of tone. ]

What is she to you?

Miss Ives is a friend.

[ Ethan isn't about to tell someone he's just met that Vanessa is everything to him, even if it's someone who seems to have her best interests in mind. After a small bit of deliberation, he turns toward Dream again, eyes sharp. ]

I appreciate what you've done for her, but I don't know you and you don't know me. If there's something you want to ask, then ask it. Most people don't stare other people down for no reason.

I am not like most, nor am I people.

[ he says it slowly, a formal drawl that elongates the words, filling them with meaning. his intensity seems to ease off after it though, somehow making him smaller without actually changing in size or moving. ]

But I intended no offense. I was only trying to determine what you might be hiding from her.

So I've gathered.

[ The longer the conversation goes on, the more convinced he becomes that Dream is more than he appears to be. Not just a weaver of dreams, but something more, there's a sense of unease that he can't quite shake. Caution would be wise in this situation but he doesn't err on the side of it. ]

If I'm hiding anything, it's for her own good. [ He doesn't elaborate further because it's unnecessary. This is her second chance, he will tell her when the time is right -- even though there is no right time for such revelations. ] And for her ears.

That is your prerogative, of course. But you would be wise to share what you know with her, if you are indeed withholding something. Does she not deserve to be made aware of all that concerns her?

Knowing she couldn't do anything to stop it here, would you want her to know everything? I'm not going to burden Miss Ives with things she can't control, not if this place is already drawing out nightmares.

[ His turn to cut off Dream. ]

I'll protect her from everything I can, including knowledge that could hurt her. You can stave off her nightmares, but she can't sleep here forever.

I would not prevent nightmares indefinitely for anyone. They have purpose, a lesson for their dreamers to learn. Lessons what will help lady Vanessa to face what is to come.

That's something we can agree on.

Now, let me ask you the same question. What is she to you? [ Any lingering hostility he might have felt is gone, replaced by a hesitant curiosity. They were close enough for her to mention him and him to care about her well-being. ]

She is an acquaintance with whom I shared a harrowing night, as well as someone to exchange intriguing conversation.

[ A nod, then: ]

You know how important she is. I only ask because I want to make sure that as long as she is here, she's safe. I'm not attacking your character. [ Because with power like that, he could have harmed her by now if he wanted to. ] Thank you, Lord Morpheus, for entertaining my questions.

And you, for mine. It seems as though whatever if hunting her is not here, but there are other ways in which she can be protected here. Though I suspect that you already know that, despite your refusal to share whatever you know with her.

[ This time, rather than get hostile, he puts on a pleasant smile. ]

Not yet. I'm not naive enough to believe this place can't bring them here. If it does, I'll be ready.

[ he tilts his head curiously at Ethan's smile, but not looking confused or perturbed about it. ]

As will other non-mortals here. You need not burden yourself alone, Ethan Chandler, when so many would already come to her defense.

I promised to protect her.

[ But he's no fool, he knows his eyes alone will never be enough here. ]

She's made a lot of powerful allies; I just hope the day they're needed won't be anytime soon.

Perhaps. We shall see.

Until then, Lord Morpheus.

[ Rather than walk away, he extends a hand to him with the intent of shaking his hand. A part of him is glad he didn't walk away before, despite still being unsure about him, but he's also mindful of what he is. He's no fool. This is a gentleman's agreement, to protect a mutual friend. ]

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hypnagothic - 2023-11-29 17:58 (UTC) - Expand

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