1st Annual Halloween Block Party!

[iam_senpai]

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

Comments

[hisideal]

Lex should have her speech pattern analysed and tweaked again. He didn't spend all of his life and considerable money on her only for her to make people act normally around her.

Hope, like most things about the inner most being of her self, is completely clueless that she might be inspiring changes in his speech behavior, she's just concerned. But also pleased, when he bids her welcome. "Thank you very much, it seems pretty nice to me but I haven't seen much of it yet!" A glance around her once again as if she could grab a second look and gather up more information.

Warm brown eyes fall back to his again, "what's a good day for you?"

[brother_alone]

Josh wonders if he should offer to show her around the Nexus, but there's a lingering worry there. Things don't tend to stay put in the Nexus, and Josh has a hard enough time questioning what's real and what isn't without actively trying to deal with a place that changes as often as the Nexus seems to.

He tries not to take it in, when he wanders. Just lets himself walk around and find new things to check out. It's safer that way. He's not sure if he even could give a decent tour, despite having lived here for a while.

"A good day?" Oh. He had said that out loud, hadn't he? His gaze wanders frantically as he tries to look anywhere but at Hope though he doesn't move his head. "I don't sleep super great most of the time, and makes it kinda hard to get by sometimes."

There. It's not a lie, but it's the safest tip of the iceberg of shitshow that is his problems. He smiles then, forced but a well practiced lie of an expression. He's used to 'being fine'.

[hisideal]

"That's really rough," she says sympathetically. "Have you always had a hard time sleeping? What do you do when you can't sleep?" Hope, being Hope, wants to put her arm around him and give him a short half-hug, but they just met and that's a huge intrusion into personal space and that's not alright.

It's hard to help though, especially when she sees someone suffering, even a little bit.

[brother_alone]

"For a long time, yeah. Usually I watched movies, or worked on my own projects. Since I ended up here though, I just...walk around the Nexus a lot. See what there is to see. It's different every time I walk around, so it's always an adventure."

There are stable places within the Nexus, but even that is a relative thing. A coffee shop that was on one corner may be kitty corner the next day, and missing entirely the next month. The most stable places tend to be the most visited. Where a number of people know where it should be and what should be there.

"It's really alright, Hope. Besides, we're here to party right? Have a good time..?"

[hisideal]

"I used to watch a lot of movies too, I couldn't do much but that," laying there, still, motionless - nothing but eyes and thought. The thought comes to a flash in her and a shudder rolls through her spine like a tsunami.

"Do you have a go to fav? Some people like to re-watch old favorites sometimes and other people refuse to." A few new pieces then going back to one that really struck out before, or feeling like that was sacrilege.

"I am having a wonderful time, Josh, yes." Being out among people was always so wonderful.

[brother_alone]

"I love watching old favorites. Classic horror movies like the Thing or Alien. Stuff I grew up with like Jurassic Park. I'll watch bad movies as long as I've got a friend along to rip on it with. All kinds. Everything."

Josh chuckles and tries to slip his hands into pockets that aren't there on this costume. And then looks a little embarrassed before he folds his arms across his chest.

"Good. Glad to hear it. Anything you wanna do? Drinks, food? If you let me get a drink or three I'll even be persuaded onto the dance floor."

[hisideal]

"Have you ever seen Mystery Science Theater? I didn't get it at first," shocking, robobrain. "But then I saw a few episodes and found it really funny, some of those movies are shockingly bad. It always makes me wonder if, when they were making them, did they realize how bad it was?"

How self aware are you when you make a shit movie? Someone ask Tommy Wiseau.

Gazing around, she fiddles with the plastic handle of her pumpkin pail and then looks back at him with a grin. "Well I can't dance, like, at all, so you don't have to worry about me trying to get you on the dance floor."

That being said she should really do something.

"A drink would be okay," but she doesn't actually drink, well, not very often anyway - so maybe the dancing and the dance floor will end up calling to her.

[brother_alone]

"Mystery Science Theater made so many days stuck home worth living."

There's a quite nostalgic grin there. Days home sick, that time he broke his leg, or even the summer he was stuck in bed with mono. MST made so much of that suck a hell of a lot less than it otherwise would have.

"I'm not bad but I'm definitely a lot less awkward after I've had a few." Josh snickers at himself and shrugs, leading them over toward the doors to the cafe. "Might be hard in your shoes though. Could always take 'em off."

[hisideal]

"That's one of the nice things about alcohol, I guess. It lets you lose sight of yourself for a little while. When you're relaxed you don't care how you look or how you move. I'm just not sure if that makes my dancing better." But if you suck at dancing you'll probably just suck regardless. Alcohol just means you give less of a shit than you normally would.

A waddle shuffle behind him, she looks down at the huge floppy shoes that have become a huge liability in this party. "But that would ruin the costume!" She protests, despite the fact that he's correct.

[brother_alone]

It's a crutch moreso than Josh would admit, especially out loud. Alcohol helps with a lot of Josh's problems. Sometimes, he thinks it's the only time he can really feel. Really be happy.

That's probably not a healthy opinion to have, but there it is.

"What do you want to drink? They've got plenty of ciders and hot chocolate, coffee and the like if you're not interested in alcohol." All nice, but Josh will be getting himself a very stiff drink if the subject of dancing is coming up at all.

[hisideal]

"Oh my goodness," there is so much to choose from and Hope has such a sweet tooth. Suddenly she realizes that she is actually pretty hungry, who knows where that came from or when she ate last.

Going up on tip toes to read the board with the drinks she quickly thumps back to earth, floppy toed shoes are not exactly ideal for such an action.

"I think there's this apple cider drink that sounds really good. It has caramel schnapps in it," this is actually a thing and it's delicious. "That's very autumn and Halloween don't you think? What would you like?"

[brother_alone]

Good thing there's all this food laid out buffet style on the counters then. Maybe a nice meal to go with their drink and chatter should be the first stop before any more of outside. And especially before anything vigorous like dancing.

"Sounds Halloween to me. But Iiiiiiii am gonna go with.....a long island iced tea." Shots of booze get at him. Josh doesn't want to mess around waiting on a buzz. He'd rather truck right on there as quick as possible. He leans against the bar while they wait for their drinks, looking around.

"Strange to think I've been here almsot a year now..."

[hisideal]

"Ah that's a solid choice," not that she has ever had one, and, come to think of it she's never heard good things about Long Island, but they seem to be popular. Hope will stick with her rather easy going, very mildly alcoholic white girl drink.

She joins him at the bar, resting her forearms on the top and leaning over to look at the buffet not far away, certainly a gracious spread: she has always been partial to pigs in a blanket. Cresant rolls around hotdogs? Culinary genius.

"And you're a big fan?" His words pull her attention away from the brain shaped jello and back to him. "You like it here?"

[brother_alone]

He makes sure to tip the bartender well before handing Hope her drink and taking his own once they're made before leading her over toward the food so they're out of the way and the next people can get their drinks.

"I am." That's a really cute jello mold, come to think of it. Are those gummy worms for blood vessels? Sick! And also, awesome. He's going to have to give his props to Ice Bear for that one. Or was that the officer's doing? Either way, that is kickass. "There was nothing for me back home anyway."

[hisideal]

"Thanks, Josh!" The drink is warm in her hands and she wraps her fingers around the mug gratefully. The first sip is probably the best, it is sweet and tangy just like a caramel apple. "Would you like a taste?" In case he's interested in at least trying it.

"Nothing? No friends or family? I don't want to pry or anything so if I venture into uncomfortable territory just, you know, wave me away." Which would be fair, Hope couldn't even be mad at that: they just met.

[brother_alone]

"Nah, you go ahead."

Josh isn't one for hot drinks, preferring even his coffee iced whenever possible. He's peering at all the Halloween themed food and snacks laid out on the counter. Now that they're over here he can't help but feel a bit hungry staring at everything.

"You wanna grab a bite to eat while we're here?"

The other question hits him hard. Harder than he'd like to admit. No friends, he'd made sure of that when he...went through with his plan. And family, well. God. He misses them still. Every day.

"...Not really party appropriate talk." He says instead, clearing his throat. "I don't wanna bring down the mood."

[hisideal]

"That sounds like a perfect idea. Set down drinks and claim a table first or just dive right in?" It all depends on if tables look to be open in the first place and ones belief in their ability to balance a delicious drink with delicious food. While in massively oversized shoes.

"I'm, um, really sorry. I didn't mean to bring up something sensitive." Interacting with people, really talking with them is so difficult sometimes. She truly feels like garbage, opening wounds for someone she barely knows, she should have been more sensitive.

"Topic has been forgotten," she continues with a smile and after a drink. "Now is the time for poor dancing and brains!"

[brother_alone]

Josh is quick to hold up a hand to stop Hope, shaking his head.

"It's seriously fine. You didn't know. Maybe another time. For now...." He holds out his drink and gestures toward the buffet table with a small twitch of his lips. Trying to smile and sort of getting there. A crook upwards at the corner of his mouth.

"Treats or uh..I don't have anything that rhymes with tricks that is also food so what I mean is. Dessert or main course first?"