[open mingle: the sunlight at midnight gala]

[badfeyth]

WHO: Anyone attending the Sunlight at Midnight gala!
WHAT: KISS PEOPLE AND DANCE IDK
WHERE: The freshly-renovated Planetarium in District 4!
WHEN: Saturday, December 2
WARNINGS: None for the log itself; please warn responsibly in individual top-levels!

THE VENUE

Upon entry to the newly-renovated venue space that was once a planetarium, guests will quickly notice that the space has been transformed into a three-layered affair, ranging from the very well-lit upper level down to the more romantic ambiance of the dance floor and performance space, with a comfortable tier of seating and standing tables in the middle.


Not intended by Ghost (badfeyth) and Kaveh (fussiest), yet still mysteriously appearing at random places throughout the venue, are sprigs of magical kissing mistletoe!

The mistletoe will cause characters to at least pause underneath it, and will give them a mild compulsion to kiss whoever they're with, but the compulsion will not be unavoidable and characters can easily break free of the "hold" the mistletoe has on them. Even so, partygoers will quickly learn to be mindful of what's overhead — or not!

UPPER TIER

On the well-lit upper tier, guests will find plenty of generalized mingle room, including two patios with casual seating on either side of the space. Throughout the center are a variety of stations and attractions, as well as some helpful resources for the discerning partygoer.

For the fashionably un-forward, you may wish to visit (or find yourselves forcibly dragged into) Lestat's on-site fashion consulting lair, which boasts a small and curtained-off space where partygoers in need can receive last-minute fashion advice, do wardrobe finishing touches, and address any other aesthetic concerns under the discerning eye of LESTAT DE LIONCOURT (perfectdevil). This is also where a selection of basic cosmetics and beauty supplies can be found, in case of a need for an emergency touch-up, safety pin, or spot removal!

Continuing onward, guests will find four individual food stations, each with their own set of color-coded disposable dishware! Perhaps they'd like to take a sampling of:

• STATION #1 — TSURUNO (fanstheflames): Fried rice in the shape of Christmas trees, dumplings with carrot reindeer antlers and red pepper noses, and fortune cookies that tell you to go dance with somebody already!
• STATION #2 — ROLAND (gradenine): Hotpot with mild and spicy soup bases plus a variety of vegetables and meats, and KBBQ with chicken, pork, and beef cuts, plus sides!
• STATION #3 — RENO (astraphilia): Whipped goat cheese figs, brie and prosciutto stuffed dates, and sprouting cauliflower with brown butter and lemon — paired with a couple of simple cocktails (a negroni and a Bombay mule)!
• STATION #4 — WANDERER (featheradrift): Samosas, panipuri, Japanese-style sandwiches, and a lot of sweets and desserts like chocolate truffles, pâte de fruit, candied nuts, madeleines, and custards!

Champagne (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) is also circulating around the venue under the watchful eye of KANEKI (anthropophagite), and a small selection of coffee is available at a nearby station as well!

Finally, at the far end of the upper concourse, one can find a partitioned-off space for photo opportunities featuring a black-and-gold backdrop, an arch aglow with fairy lights, and a few idle props like chairs and small movable tables that partygoers can use to coordinate their souvenir photos. PROMPTO (burstmodes) will be around to do formal event photography, but there'll also be a Polaroid available so that people can take their own photos and develop them instantly!

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

         

MIDDLE TIER

On the mid-tier halfway down the stairs that flank the venue on either side, partygoers will find a landing with an assortment of standing tables covered in black tablecloths and tied with gold bows, where guests can enjoy their refreshments, engage in conversation, and people-watch the goings-on taking place below them on the dance floor! To prevent any mischief or accidental spilling of food onto hapless dancers below, each landing is lined with a courtesy railing, and immediately below the railing is an arrangement of tasteful decor.

Between the two landings, guests can find the remnants of the planetarium seating — fold-down auditorium chairs with comfortable cushions arranged in gently circular rows, giving the people relaxing there a perfect view of the dance floor and the spectacle of lights taking place below it.

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

LOWER TIER

The lowest level of the venue, at the very bottom of the stairs, is the most dimly-lit of the three levels and is mostly comprised of the dance floor. Along the back wall and parts of the sides runs a slightly-raised platform stage upon which are arranged a piano, an electric guitar, a stereo system, and a few microphones for the convenience of any vocalists in the house. The stage is wide enough for one or two people to walk around comfortably, but generally is fairly modest to leave the majority of the room for the dance floor.

It's on the dance floor that the real "sunlight at midnight" theme takes its shape, as this is where the bulk of Kaveh's artificial lighting technology has been put into play. Along with standard party enhancements like a few spotlights and an overhead disco ball, the perimeter is also dotted with round arrays of stained glass with light fixtures behind them, causing panels of colored light to cast onto the hardwood of the dance floor. These arrays can also be rotated like kaleidoscopes, allowing for the patterns of light to change throughout the course of the evening — adding an element of renewable interest in the continuing aesthetic.

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

ENTERTAINMENT

Throughout the course of the evening, music will be provided by a rotating set list of performers, interspersed with prearranged playlists courtesy of the new media store. Entertainers will be informed of their set lengths, obligations, and timeslots well in advance of the venue by Ghost, and any necessary instruments or microphone hookups will be ready and available at the time of the performance.

Performers on deck include:

• HYTHLODAEUS (nomoresharks) and EMET-SELCH (recreator): Jazz piano bops along with some ragtime arrangements.
• EDDIE (thefreak): A mix of slow rock ballads and hard rock dance numbers, on electric guitar!

In addition to the live performances, the venue will also be treated to some traditional mid-2000s party favorites such as:

• BLORBOLICIOUS, by Gurgi (feat. Bill.i.was)
• HIPS SOMETIMES LIE, by The Kira
• SANDSQUALL, by DaNice
• MAYBE GONNA GIVE YOU UP, by Rickard Dastley
• MAMBO NO. 4 AND A HALF, by Stu Vega
• THE CHA-CHA HUSTLE, by DJ FriendlyGhost
• VIRUS, by Boo Boo Dolls

VISUALS: AESTHETICS & ETC.

    

LIVEBLOG

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credit.

Comments

[unrequite]

[ Midnight simply nods, bends down and holds his hands out for Kaveh's foot, and hauls him up in one easy lift. Easiest deadlift of his life.

He looks up, curious. ]

What is that?

[ ... He also might be hovering somewhere in that comfortable alcoholic space where sobriety and inebriation are easily accessible. Jury's out on whether he'll remember this though. ]

[fussiest]

[ midnight lifts him up. it's a remarkable steady lift, all things considered. the scent of alcohol lingers as kaveh plants a hand on midnight's head, creating a makeshift tripod for himself as he reaches up with the boltcutters. a moment later, and the mistletoe has been torn loose, dropping neatly into midnight's hair.

kaveh smiles. he lowers first the boltcutters, and then plucks the offending sprig from midnight's dark strands. ]

Mistletoe. Or kissletoe, so I've heard people call it, given that it apparently makes you inclined to kiss whenever you stand beneath it. They've been sprouting around the venue. Truly, we can't seem to get rid of them quickly enough.

[ kaveh hops down from midnight's hand. he holds out the mistletoe. ] Did you want to see, before I send it to where it belongs?

[unrequite]

[ Midnight takes the mistle-or-kissletoe toe from Kaveh's grasp, twirling it around in his fingers. Long leaves, white berries. Innocous. ]

It's infuriating, isn't it? When someone tells you to do something you'd already intended to do. I don't like that.

[ ... The little sprig begins to smoke in his fingertips, little tongues of white flame licking up its stem. Now that Kaveh's gotten his little Terran primer, courtesy of the city's media center, he now knows that when Midnight does this without the aid of an originium circuit, he is using his own body as a replacement, worsening his condition. Midnight doesn't much care, though. It's not that much fire, and the little eyesore offends him. ]

[fussiest]

[ smoke wafts. a thin wisp of it. it reminds kaveh a little of a single strand of spider's silk, one that stretches down from the light of an unforgiving moon. all of a sudden, kaveh is furious.

he reaches out to take the sprig from midnight's hand. kaveh has never feared the flame. no architect worth their salt would look into a forge and fear the tongue of it - but there are other things that kaveh fears. ]

I don't at all like being told what to do. But I dislike it even more, when you burn your life. [ kaveh shakes his head. ] I told myself I'd save anything I had to say to you until after the gala. I want us to have if not a good time, then at least a better time. Don't give me a reason to break that word.

[unrequite]

[ ... Midnight gives a small, oddly Perrolike chuff, but shakes his fingers. The flames whip into nonexistence.]

Everything else about this party is perfect, love. It's a nuisance and nothing more.

[ He sticks a hand back in his useless mesh pocket and raises a brow. ]

If you like, we could walk the floors a few times, checking for more of these stowaways. Give us a bit of peace of mind for a while, at least.

[ And now that Midnight knows what to expect, he can be normal about it. That Kaveh is there is... it helps greatly. Midnight doesn't like to look at it, but a fact is a fact. ]

[fussiest]

[ the flame dissipates. kaveh looks. and then, carefully, he drops the charred sprig of mistletoe into his own pocket. there is a bag of these things on the first floor. he'll have to discard it there. but the dissipation of the flame mollifies him. he looks at midnight for a moment. there had been a bridge pile, and the sound of rushing water. midnight had had a knife.

... kaveh smiles. ]

Plant patrol, then. [ kaveh shrugs, and then jerks his head for midnight to follow. he picks up love-and-patience. ] Did you know that Heine thinks Tighnari fights plants for a living? He isn't here today, but I'd like to have seen him wonder if he had to fight these ones.

[unrequite]

I haven't met Mr. Tighnari myself, but if I only knew his title, I'd believe it.

[ Of course, Midnight knows quite a bit more about Sumeru's forests now... But that would require turning the conversation a bit too closely to Alhaitham than he'd like. That can wait for another night. ]

You haven't popped that particular bubble for him? Come now, he knows so little of the world...

[ Midnight's chiding is pretty lighthearted, though. It's very funny, and the young man is quite darling in his own serious way. ]

[fussiest]

Why would I? It seems to awe him enough, and the most important thing about Tighnari is that if he says something, you ought to listen. I love that man like a brother, but he terrifies me more than any threat.

[ says kaveh, with the kind of love in his voice that you'd normally attribute to certain death. ]

Actually, now I'd like for the two of you to meet. Perhaps he'll put the fear of something into you, too, for once. Godless as you are.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight blinks, peering at Kaveh's face for any sign of deception. Mr. Tighnari, huh? ]

It doesn't become me to feel fear, but I wouldn't mind meeting him for the novelty of trying. You and Mr. Cyno speak of him so fondly, so I can't say that I dread the occasion... It bewilders me more to hear you speak of fear with regard to another person at all.

[fussiest]

Ah, then you would have failed the test. Anyone who doesn't fear Tighnari is a fool. But I suppose I knew that about you. [ kaveh's head tilts. he quirks a brow. ] Why would it bewilder you, though?

[unrequite]

I don't often associate you with fear, although I don't exclude you from the emotion. Or rather, I'd expect you to respond to the fear of another person with the same lack of respect for your personal welfare as you do with all other obstacles in your life.

[fussiest]

And how would a man who shows no respect to anything have grounds to say about what I give my respect to or don't give my respect to, hm?

[ kaveh reaches over. he pinches midnight's ear. it's a playful gesture. ] I am but a mere man. A man who bleeds when cut, a man who bruises when hurt, a man who burns when put to the torch - and a man who has bothered Tighnari with enough fur-raising nonsense to know that when Tighnari tells me to sit down, I ought to sit down and be quick about it, if only for my own good. Did you know that they call him the General Watchleader? Did you know that the most remarkable thing about that is that there is actually no such rank - only that people began calling him that simply because it's Tighnari?

[unrequite]

[ Kaveh, Midnight is madly in love with you, and that is the only reason why he isn't looking at you like you're telling him about the joys of following the one true God and Savior. There is simply no context.

Midnight applies some thought instead. Thinking through the inebriation. This truly is love... ]

Well, that certainly is quite the title... Grand titles for grand individuals. Would you call him that? Straightfaced, without hesitation.

[fussiest]

[ kaveh, for whom context is something that happens to other people, merely makes a face. ]

Straight-faced? Yes. Without hesitation? Absolutely not, and I'd do it a good distance away because Tighnari has excellent hearing and a precise handle on his bow.

You'd do it, though. That's why I say you're a fool. But if you choose to do it when you see him, do let me know first, so that I can at least watch from a safe distance and get a good laugh in.

[unrequite]

When I feel like risking life, limb, and dignity, I'll ask you to introduce me. Although I'd like to finish the club first. And for that to happen, I ask, for the last time, to let go of the idea of rigging the cables for the stage through the floor. It's an elegant idea, Kaveh, but we simply do not have the concrete to redo the flooring more than once. I would prefer waiting for a hardware store refresh so we have an idea of how much concrete we can expect in the future for repairs...

[fussiest]

And that's why I've brought you here today, since good sense and a proper project plan can't seem to convince you, I thought I'd let the real thing provide some context. Why, you don't think I'm with you right now for your charming company do you?

[ kaveh says this with a smile. he pulls midnight forward. the thrum of bodies organise themselves into the beating rhythm of a sunlit beast as they sway to the music. kaveh has midnight skirt the dance floor just enough to make their way to the stage.

it's a u-bracket, timber on supports and reinforced with concrete. the back of the stage proper is set with curved wood panelling to direct the sound back to the musicians and then to the audience proper. kaveh kneels and taps the floor as hythlodaeus takes on the piano, the soft timbres of which carries just far enough to be audible. ]

See here? I've all the wiring going through the floor; to make the deadline, we had to put in a stop-gap measure, so all the flooring beneath is hollow, which isn't a terrible thing for an one-use venue. I'd like to have it filled out properly for yours. See how it keeps you from noticing the seven sets of speakers we have filling this venue? It's invaluable to keep the place from devolving into a tangle of wires.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight, despite being surrounded by some very joyous carousers, snaps to attention as Kaveh reveals the structure under the stage, frowning a little as he focuses on the structure, recalling the arguments he's had with Kaveh about time logistics and scaling... ]

Never mind the fact you did this solely just to make your point like this tonight, you'd best have engineered a bit of sleep into the last few weeks of work. Otherwise, the answer is still a "wait until we can do it in parts, over a reasonable timetable." Also—

[ Midnight leans in, kisses Kaveh on the lips, then reaches under the flooring, in a patch too dark for human eyes to pierce, and yanks. When he draws his hand back, he has a fist of pale green leaves. ]

— it's lovely work, of course, but I'll be damned if you spend the last few weeks of this year trying to crunch work that simply has no reason to happen. That was the argument, darling.

[fussiest]

[ like a man with but a single switch in his brain, kaveh thinks. midnight looks to attention like a man who hadn't been swaying on his feet but moments ago. this is when work fills you, fuels you, the burning wick chased to its logical conclusion. ]

Then listen to my counter argument: [ says kaveh, holding his hand out for the handful of leaves without missing a beat, ] I estimate that with this proof of concept, I'll have the wiring and the flooring finished in less than seven days. I've done it once, I can do it again, and Netzach knows his way around power tools now well enough that his help will shorten the time again. Seven days for the tradeoff of not needing to close your bar later on in the winter season to finagle with wiring, or having to finagle with wiring on a daily basis is a good tradeoff.

Furthermore, I haven't shown you how I did it. [ kaveh motions for midnight to follow him around the size of the stage. he taps a hollow compartment in the floor, and then pulls up the floorboard, just enough so that light peeks in. the steel locker is laying on its back. kaveh pulls it open to show the wiring running through. ] These lockers are from the university. I had them pulled out, and their tops and bottoms removed. They protect the wiring and make it easy for repairs. We will need sixty two percent less concrete as well to backfill the rest of your flooring. Well?

[unrequite]

[ Midnight is quite sober when it comes to his work. There's nothing else to be sober about in this world, after all... They don't call it drunk on love for nothing. ]

It's all quite clever, darling. Especially if it can be done in seven days. Now... If you've added into that same timetable some rest, rest of a sort that Netzach and I don't have to cajole you into taking, I will consider you a genius of virtuosic talent. Which you already are, so I am assuming that you have created all of these time-saving innovations in the name of giving yourself enough rest.

[ Midnight reaches out and shakes Kaveh slightly. ]

There was never a deadline, my love. Only that which I'd like to complete, and the kind of life we should lead in the midst of it. Will Netzach agree to the same work if he knew how much you had to do to get the project off the ground? That is my only concern, my love. You can do this. I simply wish to make as little work as possible for you once the venue is functional.

[fussiest]

[ kaveh teeters back and forth in midnight's grasp. and then, with the grip of hands who have toiled to drag dreams kicking and screaming into a reality where dreams go to die, he gives midnight's shoulder a proper shake. ]

And as I keep pointing out that you are the veritable king of the phrase 'do as I say, not as I do', because for every hour I've spent on your host club's worksite, you've spent three times the amount. Where was this concern when you tore out every slat wall I'd marked out in a single night to make way for the refrigeration units? I even told you that was a week-long project.

Midnight, you don't know me at all if you think I would ever settle for just functional when it can be perfect. Let me do this, or I will never sleep because I will be up a ridiculous number of nights just thinking about how there is still work left undone, and believe me, I will make it your problem!

[unrequite]

That was that, love. I couldn't sleep...

[ ... Which is why he bundled up, took the 1 train all the way down to the southernmost exit, and worked through the rest of the night on those slats. Well. The cot was there for a reason... And he did manage to tire himself out, which was the point. It was the point of all of this.

Oh, that was the point of all of this. Midnight sighs, ducks down, and puts his head to Kaveh's. ]

I'll come with you, then. To make sure. Just like before, and always. Will that suffice?

[fussiest]

[ midnight puts his head to kaveh's. it stems an entire litany of arguments long since heard and passed, the old back and forth - that midnight works as hard as kaveh regardless, that having midnight on-site defeats the purpose of leaving work to far more efficient hands, that kaveh and netzach can handle the process just fine. but midnight puts his head to kaveh's, and kaveh looks.

the arguments fade. kaveh breathes out, long and slow. ]

Fine. [ just like always, just like before, because kaveh has never been particularly good at saying 'no'. ] But if I find that you 'can't sleep' again on that work-site, then I will send both you and Netzach to the backrooms and I will bar the door. No, I don't care what kind of fire hazard that proves. If the two of you happen to set the bar on fire trying to get some kind of sleep, then I say that's entirely on you.

[unrequite]

[ He's just there to check if all is well. And all will be well, he's sure... But just to be absolutely sure. (And because two of his people are there. What, is he supposed to just nap at his place?

He tilts his chin up for another kiss. His hands rest on Kaveh's waist, light and warm. ]

I hear and obey, my love. And I do love you. Enough to not set anything on fire. Unless Netzach should desire it, and there I make no promises.

[fussiest]

[ midnight tilts his chin up for another kiss. kaveh meets him halfway, petulant and displeased and just mollified enough for the soft movement of his lips, the low and warm swipe of tongue.

midnight is warm today. not quite the burning fever of a candle lit at both ends, not quite the last vestiges of coal banked in ash - midnight today is merely midnight. ]

Ah. How fickle your sweet promises are. [ finally, kaveh smiles. he brushes back midnight's hair with a finger, and then, because he is kaveh, reaches for the comb he keeps in his pocket. ] But since it's Netzach asking, I'd have been far more cross with you not setting something aflame. What good would your hands be otherwise? Now, lower your head. Let me finish with the tangle of your hair. You can't possibly go dancing looking the way you do, but at least you'd make whoever you'd be dancing with look beautiful in comparison. The way a poor painting elevates the beauty of the painting next to it.

[unrequite]

[ Midnight tips his head down to Kaveh obediently, pliant. ]

No, no, art doesn't work like that. Beauty only serves to elevate that which surrounds it. It's why I always look the way I do.

[ He laughs. He understands perfectly well, at this point, that Kaveh is morally opposed to his entire asthetic. It's very funny, Midnight relishes it. ]

I want to surround you with beauty, Kaveh. To enrich the beauty you have, so you might see the same in yourself.

[ ... But with Kaveh's mindset, it won't really work, will it? All of his efforts for naught. Ah, well. ]