nexus_crossings | 1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

Current Mood: Festive
Current Location: The Plaza

1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

Perhaps it's the leaves of fiery golds and oranges drifting on the breeze, or the sight of various hard squash being mangled into festive ornaments, or even still the bowls of candy left out simply everywhere in the Nexus that signifies the import of today. Regardless of when you take heed, Halloween has come to the Nexus.

Neat little handmade signs and fliers of all kinds lead to a particularly festive sectioned off block with the Crossroads Cafe at the center. The brick building has more than its fair share of decorations hung from every available windowsill and door. Hanging skeletons, jolly Jack-O-Lanterns, orange and black streamers cascading down and blowing to and fro in the crisp breeze.

The doors are propped open just waiting to beckon you inside. What are you waiting for?

((See the OOC post if you have any questions! Backtagging and threadhopping are fine. Come on in and have a blast :D ))

Coats and Costumes
The Cafe
Bonfire
Dance Floor
Haunted House
Side Halls and Storage

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Harrow solemnly puts a hand on Jim's shoulder and shakes his head.

"Nah bro." Wait. "I mean, yeah, but... Dude, it's the one-year anniversary of us bein' friends! We met at that party last year! We were both Sylvanas!"

He turns his attention skyward then and as reverently as a drunk man can he says, "A year ago I learned about Starfleet! Brave explorers of the universe... And a year since some limpdick told me I couldn't join!"

All evil beady eyes on you, KIRK THE JERK. Harrow is trying so hard, so hard to keep a straight face, too... But he can't fight his subconscious urge to crack open his beer and take a sip. Does slurping on a beer make a glare more or less intimidating?

The shift in expression from 'vaguely amused and charmed by your drunken antics' to 'oh my god help' Jim goes through is quite fast. His grip on the can of beer tightens distinctly and all he can manage for a moment is a jerky nod of his head.

Anniversary.

Yeah. That's....a thing today, huh. As if he could forget. Okay, stop internally screaming Jim he isn't talking about THAT anniversary. And he should at least acknowledge this one. It's important too.

"You're right." Now that he's had a minute he's back to showing off that Kirk charming smile, though it's a bit less confident than it had been before. "What should we do to commemorate it?" He's going to ignore that whole 'limpdick' comment. It hardly is worth acknowledging considering he's pretty much the opposite of that at all times.

"Wow. I was gonna suggest we celebrate but I guess we can't if you hate me...." He cracks open his own beer and takes a long sip.

Oh. O-oh no. He's blown his chance at celebration. Harrow's stony facade cracks in an instant and a deep frown begins to form. He takes another sip of his beer mid-mourning and then continues letting that frown grow.

He sighs through his nostrils and crosses his arms over his chest. "Aw Hell, Jim. I can't hate you forever."

A few seconds pass before he elbows Jim and asks, "What're you supposed to be? You look like you're from my world."

"I'll sleep better knowing that, Harrow. Thanks for forgiving me."

He claps the spandex wearing undead on the shoulder and gives him a grin. They can go back to being friends now. Even though they never really stopped except for a second there in Harrow's inebriated mind.

"Me? Prince Charming, obviously. I'm a fairy tale prince."

Harrow squints, eyes Jim suspiciously. "Prince charming, huh? Ain't he the one who kissed the frog? I know a man who'd be real offended to know that's what you think of him..."

He raises his eyebrows then and holds his arms out at his sides. "Hey! Did he tell ya we had a meetin'? Me and Felix, yeah! He's gonna help me with my runeblades! Wasn't even gonna charge! He's real nice, huh?"

"I...don't think so? I've kissed plenty of Orions though, and they don't approve of that kind of insensitive talk about their skin pigments."

He really would like to show Harrow the variety of species he works with on a daily basis. Maybe...well. That's something for Jim to figure out later on. For now, he's spending time with his undead friend.

"He hadn't mentioned it to me, no. It doesn't surprise me though. He's pretty good with that magic stuff." It all goes over Jim's head. He's just glad that it works, especially all the healing he's needed. And there's no hiding the way his smile turns so much more vibrant and fond at the end there.

"He's real nice. Yeah."

Harrow rests his forearm on Jim's shoulder and leans against him a little more heavily than he might otherwise mean to. He takes a moment to enjoy Jim's dopey love smile before he decides to ruin it.

"He's gettin' me a soul! From somethin' called a vampire! Like from Twilight, but real and scary. Then I get to eat it! And he'll make a deal with my runeblades so I can be separated from 'em! Kinda live a normal life without a couple'a axes hangin' on me all the time! I'm real excited, man. I'm gonna owe him so bad. Whaddya think I oughta do for him? Like to make us even? I know he said he wasn't chargin' but I gave him an I.O.U. anyway."

Of course Felix has been keeping an eye on this conversation. Half the point of his arrangement with Harrow was to try and impress Jim. You'd best believe he wants to know whether Harrow is going to mention it and most especially how well he talks up Felix. He's spent the last few minutes trying to work his way close enough to eavesdrop.

Of course he gets in earshot just in time to hear that last bit.

The conjurer just about tries to bite through the wine glass in his hand, spluttering the contents down the chest of his shiny green and gold armor. Time to make like the knight he came dressed as and charge into the breach.

"Harrowheart!" he exclaims, appearing at Jim's other elbow. The death knight is getting the widest, brightest, friendliest smile beneath an intense stare of oh gods and daedra shut up now. "You look as if you've gotten a head start on the revelry. What on Nirn are you dressed as?"

Whoa, whoa wait a minute.

Vampires? Souls?

Jim's pretty sure that whatever magic Felix is involved in isn't the sort that's about eating souls. How does one even go about doing that anyway? And vampires? Where would he even find a vampire?

He opens his mouth to ask some of these perhaps inconvenient questions but is startled visibly by Felix himself showing up out of the blue. Where did he come from? Not that Jim is ever not glad to see the conjurer, but just..what?

"I've never figured out how he can get drunk." Jim points out with a soft chuckle. His own questions have been superseded by the reminder that yes, he would also like to know what Harrow is dressed as. "It's spangly, whatever it is."

"Felix!" Aw, and he's smiling! Harrow smiles brightly right back and reaches out to pat Felix on the cheek. "Good to see ya, man! I was just talkin' aboutcha – only good things, I promise!" He lifts his beer in cheers at Felix's arrival, but just as he's about to put it to his lips he sees that Felix's glass is surprisingly empty!

"Here, man, take mine," he says, offering his freshly-opened beer to Felix. "You need it more than me!" Then, to Jim, "I get drunk just like everyone else. Step one: Drink. Step two: Drunk!" He laughs at his own bad joke before he says, "Lotsa death knights can."

Then he puts his hand on his chest and says, "I'm Captain America! He's a hero. And Felix, you are... Prince Charm-ed?" Oh, great, more of his own lame jokes to laugh at.

Felix doesn't have the attention to focus on distracting Harrow and deflect drunken antics at the same time. (And he counts handing him a beer as an antic because it's Harrow.) He's snatched up a nearby napkin to wipe his armor (never mind the trouble he'll be in for that later), and sets the wine glass aside without thinking so he can accept the beer.

"-Thank you. Ah." Wait. He probably has to drink it now. Oh, well. Greater concerns first. You know what, he'll even laugh at Harrow's jokes. Almost too enthusiastically, actually. "Oh, I'm just a loyal knight here to protect my liege lord. You know, with all these evil spirits about tonight."

He lifts his new beer for example. What about it, Harrow? Will you go for that one?

"I didn't realize you guys knew each other. I mean aside from introductions at Viatorus' birthday."

Jim's gesturing between the death knight and his boyfriend with a slowly growing smile. It's kind of hard not to grin when Harrow is this drunk and only getting drunker. Actually, Jim is startlingly sober for how nervous he's been all night. He's got to pace himself. Much to do.

"Wait, I knew that costume looked familiar! You're a super hero. The guy with the Shield." He turns to Felix. "I've been to one of those worlds before. Got beat up by some thugs who thought I was a different super hero."

Edited 2016-11-02 23:48 (UTC)

Harrow puffs out his chest. The Guy with the Shield. That is him! "Felix woulda saved ya if he'd'a been there," Harrow says in full confidence. Jim gets a pat on the arm and Felix gets a proud smile.

"And of course we know each other! How could I not get to know my friend's man, huh? Plus, uh... You remember at the party Felix said he was good with magic? I had to learn about that, right? Turns out he's a pretty cool dude. Knows his shit. Least I hope he does, if he's the one protectin' us from evil spirits."

He goes to take a sip of his drink... And then remembers Felix has it! He laughs at his own empty hand and mimes tipping back a beer. "Evil spirits like that, huh? Shoot, I already had too much. I'm over here ramblin' like a dang half-wit..."

Edited 2016-11-03 00:35 (UTC)

"I would, even if I can understand their mistake..." Despite the fact it's in his interest to encourage Harrow into harmless topics as much as possible, Felix can't help raising his eyebrows at the death knight. That's a vote of confidence he wasn't expecting.

"...Well, I'm not the battlemage my brother is, but I don't make promises I can't fulfil," he demurs, unwilling to either talk his abilities up and reinforce anything Harrow suggested or to downplay them in front of the death knight who's counting on them.

"Mmmm. Well, maybe that's your cue to see what else this party has to offer," Felix suggests with a shrug. "Do you dance, Harrowheart?"

"I guess you two would have that much in common."

The whole magic thing. Which, now that Jim thinks about it. That reminds him--oh, people are talking again. He's quick to pay attention again, tiny smile at his friends getting along well together. If he could get Bones to socialize like this it would be just about perfect. Someone should really tell him Bones and Felix know each other too. He's forgotten all about that from concussions past.

"He better." Jim sets his drink aside and grins from Felix to Harrow. "Show us some of your moves, man. I never did get to dance with you last year while we were sort of matching. Gotta make up for it this year."

Edited 2016-11-03 01:15 (UTC)

Harrow laughs self-consciously and shakes his head and waves his hands and Jim's suggestion. "No, no! I'm a terrible dancer. My folks and me never danced much when I was growin' up, so I never really learned." After a brief pause he adds, "I mean, I can't be good at everything."

Ah, but the sudden realization that he is not, in fact, good at everything hits him suddenly. He scans party as if looking for one particular person, but, having not seen them, eventually returns his attention to Felix and Jim.

"I'll show y'all some dance moves if you help me out with somethin' first? 'Cause, uh... There is somethin' else at the party I've been thinkin' about. Someone, rather. A real classy aristocrat-type lady who's nothin' at all like me. I really wanna get on her good side, but I can't figure out how. Or when I think I know what I oughta do, I get all... Weird..." Harrowheart? Weird? No... "Like all anxious. I try too hard, or I say somethin' rude, or I look desperate. And I can't stop my mouth from runnin' 'cause I don't know what else to do!"

He stops to rub his temple for a second. That was a lot to say. "I guess what I'm askin' is... How do I get a rich girl's attention without bein' just like all the other rich guys probably out there houndin' her?"

Felix is slowly beginning to relax, now the threat of his (moderately!) nefarious methods being outed seems to be receding. Crisis averted, right? He's even continuing to smile at Harrow, albeit less insistently. He's even willing to have a victory drink of that beer.

Wait. What is Harrow talking about now? Is Felix actually hearing this? He shoots a puzzled look at Jim, wondering silently how seriously they ought to take this question. Harrow's rather drunk already, right?

"You've set yourself quite a challenge," he says, not unpleasantly. "Of course I only have so much experience courting aristocrats..." He looks back at the captain. Any thoughts, Jim? Not that he's a tiny bit wary of sharing his strategic thinking in front of his boyfriend...

Okay there's a very hefty jump in logic that Jim makes when he starts pondering this conundrum. Because Jim is assuming that this aristocrat lady is also functioning in a breathing: optional lifestyle.

"Okay so she's way out of your league." Jim folds his arms over his chest. "Doesn't mean you can't go for it. You've gotta have confidence, Harrow. Half of being important is looking important. Acting like you belong in any setting, regardless if you do or not. You've got something on your side right away. You're not one of those rich guys that usually hang around her. You've actually done shit with your time."

Almost said 'life'. Good job on avoiding that, brain.

"Find out what she's interested in. You've traveled all over your world, seen a shitload of things. Is she into arts and architecture? Show her one of your cities. Food? The Nexus has literally everything. As for the nerves? When was the last time you were on a date? Practice human interaction. It's not hard."

Harrow's surprisingly in tact for an undead. Jim reckons that probably makes him like the hottest undead around by default. He's got this in the bag.

Edited (spelling) 2016-11-03 19:14 (UTC)

"Confidence! Right, shit..." He looks down at the ground and rubs his forehead as he mulls over everything Jim said. "You told me that before... Fake it 'til you make it, right... I-I can do that, yeah." Then he laughs uncomfortably and admits, "It's been a while since I've been on a date, but I... I can try, huh?" His laugh turns more genuine as he adds, "It's gotta be good advice. It worked for you, right?" And with that he gives Felix a gentle cuff to the shoulder.

"Is that what he did to you, Felix? Played the confidence game and took you on a cheese-and-wine tour on his wor– ship? 'Practiced human interaction' on ya?"

Felix doesn't flinch at the touch. He's distracted taking in Jim's advice. It's not that he'd disagree, exactly - confidence is good, looking important and useful is good - but something about the attitude is just so... foreign. Especially when it comes to approaching an aristocrat.

"Does Jim ever need to fake confidence?" he asks with a shrug. Sure, he knows the answer is yes and Jim knows it, but he dares Harrow to say it. Apparently they're giving the death knight actual serious advice, but that doesn't mean he's going to open up about 'their' secrets. Jim gets an affectionate smile nonetheless. "And he hardly needed to impress me, I'm far from being any sort of nobleman."

He hesitates, shoots Jim a sidelong glance. "If you're serious about winning this lady's attention, Harrowheart, then I'll add a suggestion or two of my own. Be respectful - the formalities and courtesies exist for a reason. And above all..."

Should he point this out? Jim will probably approve, so he'll assume he gains more from giving the warning than withholding it.

"Above all, be discreet. When it comes to t- these matters, a noblewoman's greatest fear is someone using her secrets against her. Never betray her trust, no matter what happens. After that it's simply a matter of charm." He thinks that quite enough for Harrow to be going on with, but he's assuming that Harrow's only aiming for an unofficial liaison - not any sort of proper courtship. That's how it always worked in his experience, after all...

"No offense, Felix."

About the whole doing something with your life line there. Jim rubs at the back of his neck, but there's a steady nodding while Felix chips in with his own advice. He's glad Felix is helping out with this too. He, admittedly, knows more about customs and social norms on Harrow's world than Jim does. Jim's not even those things in his own world half the time.

"Listen, Harrow. I'm not saying be someone you're not. I'm saying you're a great guy who's been on adventures and fought monsters---seen all different kinds of lands while you were fighting. You shouldn't sell yourself short, man. That's what I'm saying. And if you need practice with what's appropriate on a date or whatever, I can try to help you out. Or I'm sure one of your other friends would too."

He glances from Harrow to Felix then, unsure if he's really saying the right thing here. But he believes it sincerely. And he wants to help Harrow out.

Felix suggests discretion on Harrow's part and instantly he's crestfallen. Be discreet? Is that even possible for him? He's never had to practice that before, and while he was sure the notion of keeping such an arrangement under wraps would come up between himself and this mystery lady, it's a whole other thing to hear someone else confirm it. Jim's subsequent advice, while well-said and well-meaning, largely goes ignored as Harrow's mind is busy considering the possibilities of everything said. He has the presence of mind to nod through it all, though, so at least he's capable of keeping up appearances.

"Thanks, y'all," he finally says as he reaches out to take back the beer he gave to Felix. One swig later and he's handing it back, still nodding. "Really, thanks. I'll tell y'all how it goes next time we meet, huh?"

A few seconds pass before his eyebrows start to rise. He looks between Jim and Felix and says, "I think Jim said somethin' about dancin'? You two were gonna show me some dance moves after you gave me advice, right? That was the deal?"

Despite how obvious the necessity is to Felix, he actually feels some understanding of why Harrow would balk at discretion. It hardly seems to be the death knight's strong suit, from his perspective. (And he feels a little amused at watching Harrow face that, though he keeps it off his face.)

"I look forward to hearing about it." That isn't a polite lie, even. He peers at the returned beer - Harrow swigs a lot more deeply than he does, surprise - then looks up, eyebrows raised. "Oh, I'm nearly sure you were supposed to show us."

"And if there's anything I can do to help, you know I'm good for it."

Jim's got a grin on his face. He believes in you, Harrow! And ti sounds like Felix does too. That's some strong support as far as Jim's concerned. He's always to help play wingman for a friend in need, after all.

"Can't wait to hear the good news." Because it will be, Jim's certain. He's gonna do everything to show Harrow he believed in the guy. But the original topic of discussion finally comes around back and Jim gives a grin that lights up his face.

"It's a damn shame we didn't do this last year when we matched."

"Me?" he asks Felix, then looks to Jim for confirmation. And since Jim isn't taking the lead, he assumes Felix must be right. He'll have to be the first one to dance, then! Such is the price of dating advice.

The first thing he does is close his eyes and clear his throat to help him search his mind. Eventually he steps back and says, "This is one my ex taught me. Famous Night Elf dance! I promise she made it look better'n I'm gonna."

And then, his brow creased in deepest concentration, he begins. The dance starts with his hands on his hips, pretty tame hip rocking and pivoting, almost like a line dance. Then out of nowhere there's a whole lot of motioning to the ass, dolphin-like undulations, and spinning. And just like that it's back to tame dancing with shoulder shimmying and some footwork that's heavily impaired by his inebriation. He stumbles as he tries to stay coordinated and decides that's about the time he ought to quit.

He finished with an embarrassed laugh and a lot of shaking of his head. He tries to make a few excuses for himself, but they hardly get past, "I, uh," before he can think of nothing better to say. A few more seconds pass before he says, "It's a Night Elf thing."

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1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

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