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

[courtofmurk]

"Probably." There's a chuckle buried in her voice, though. "True Princes are rarely so courteous. I hope it's working the way you intended. Are you the good kind of prince, or the bad kind?"

[smartass_captain]

"He seems to like it. All that really matters."

And it's far and away less scandalous than what he'd worn to the Halloween gathering last year. So really, Jim's perfectly content with his outfit. Though at her jesting he smiles again, and perhaps on purpose this time trying to look as charming as possible.

"I suppose that depends on your definition of good, doesn't it? I'm the charming kind, that much I can tell you."

[courtofmurk]

"I'm sure." She lifts her chin to study him, tone arch. "The most dangerous kind. Does your beloved know what sort of man he's consort to?"

[smartass_captain]

"He's quite well aware."

Jim props his chin in hand, studying the woman carefully from where he's sitting. He's forgotten her name altogether but it seems trivial. She's so covered that he's better off trying to commit her voice to memory.

"I never claimed to be dangerous though, why would you say that? You don't even know me, how could you judge my intentions?"

[courtofmurk]

"Charm is a potent weapon for those blessed with it. Whether - and how - you use it is your choice." She sips the champagne, apparently unaware - or unconcerned - by his scrutiny. Though if she really doesn't care, that's at odds with her seeming shyness. "You don't seem afraid to do so, either."

[smartass_captain]

"Hey, if you've got it..."

Though, Jim does vaguely wonder if Felix would mind the way he tends to talk to other people. He knows he can be a bit of a flirt even on accident. Surely not. Right? I mean Felix has to play nice all the time. He gets it.

...Only Jim gets stupidly jealous when he sees it. Hm. He will have to talk to Felix about this sometime. Ideally sometime he's not apparently so buzzed he can't remember a pretty voice's name.

"Well, it's a party and you're all by yourself. Figured I should be social."

[courtofmurk]

"There's no shame in coming armed. You never know who you'll encounter on a night like this." Her gaze sweeps the dancers, falls on Jim again. "But is that the only trick up your sleeve? How do you dance, serah?"

[smartass_captain]

"Hardly. They don't let just anyone be a storybook prince. I've got ballroom dancing experience too. So I can properly play the part."

He gets to his feet then, walking round to her side of the small table and bowing slightly with one arm extended for her to take should she wish.

"Would you do me the honor of a dance, milady?"

[courtofmurk]

She laughs softly - approval, perhaps, of his willingness to answer by demonstration. The champagne flute is empty when she sets it aside, rising to her feet in a swift, graceful motion. She takes his arm and appears to let him lead the way - yet somehow she's overtaken him by the time they reach the dance floor, turning with a smile to pull him into the dance. It's fast and modern, something Jim might have heard once or twice, though it doesn't seem to faze the lady either. Match her if you can, Jim.

Especially since before the song should really have ended, it skips right into the start of a foxtrot. The lady won't miss a beat in stepping close and catching him up in it.

[smartass_captain]

If he's heard it, it was no doubt in the Nexus over food of some sort. Jim's gaze snaps across the floor, watching the way others are dancing to the music before regarding the woman in front of him again and mimicking the moves as best he can. It's not all that different from other dances he's seen before.

It's when she catches his hand that Jim recognizes the music playing next. Classical dance music. He can do that with a lot more confidence than the first song. It helps that the foxtrot in its most basic form is a pretty easy dance and not easily forgotten. She only pulls him back for the first step before he's leading her back and to the side, once more caught up in his role.

His smile is easy as he leads her, the slightest bits mischievous.

"Not entirely without talent, am I?"

[courtofmurk]

"You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" Her expression is masked; hard to say from her tone if she's amused, curious... skeptical. "Your luck? Your lucky ability to land on your feet."

[smartass_captain]

"Should I not be?"

He can understand not being proud of being lucky. It's not really smart to tempt fate. Jim's been in far too many situations where his luck has run out just when he was getting cocky. Then again, he's also lived through shit he really shouldn't have. It's a trade off. But thinking on his feet? That he is rather proud of. He's had to learn how to do a lot of it over the years.

"I am respectful of my luck, not proud. Pride would hint that I have some control over my luck. Frankly I think I use all my luck not-dying when I should so. I'm pretty proud of being adaptable though."

Jim's touch on the woman's back between her shoulder blades is light, but there's a warmth in that touch that radiates the amusement he feels from the question.

"What about you?"

[courtofmurk]

"Luck is a mystery." She shrugs gracefully. "Some people court their luck. Some think to design it. I do neither."

[smartass_captain]

"I prefer not to tempt mine."

Jim laughs then, a sincere and hearty noise that makes him duck his head a moment. His shoulders shake slightly as he tries to contain his mirth. When the next song begins he'll lead the woman right along into it. Give her a twirl and dip her with the same confidence as when he'd asked her to dance originally.

"Though despite....everything. In my life. I consider myself quite lucky to have what I do." His job, the ship, his crew. His boyfriend. It's worth what he doesn't have. It's worth what he's lost and lived through and suffered.

Because he's happy now and has a place he belongs. He can't be anythign but grateful for that.

[courtofmurk]

"You seem oddly amused." The twirl aside, her gaze is unwavering. "So you want for nothing, now?"

[smartass_captain]

"I want my mission to mean something. Want to be able to keep my crew safe. And the person who is everything to me. When misfortune comes, and it always does, if I can manage those things it will be worth the hardship."

Some men seek fame, wealth, power. All James Kirk wants is to keep his ship and the freedom that comes with it. The people who make it a home. And the person who has taught Jim how to get close to others again.

"Is that strange?"

[courtofmurk]

"Not at all. Security, comfort, just a flavor of glory... quite unremarkable desires indeed. If anything-" did the swirl of her skirts just trip him up? But she catches him, twirls him with unexpectedly strong hands and leads him dancing in another direction. "-You'd seem in danger of stagnation."

[smartass_captain]

Ohshi--

Jim feels the fabric underfoot just as his foot slips. This is going to hurt and look very embarrassing. He starts to go down when the woman's arms hold his weight and draw him back up with a strength and grace Jim should probably be troubled by. Instead his first thought is that she is probably one of several humanoid aliens that could pick him up and throw him through a wall if they really wanted to. A thought that used to excite him and now just makes him intensely grateful he happens to be dancing with someone able to keep him on his apparently clumsy feet.

"Sorry about that--" Jim gives a quick quiet murmur and allows her to lead him back to dancing. He's not sure what happened there.

"Danger and excitement always seem to seek me out. I was a lot quicker to go looking for it before I had four hundred some souls I was in charge of keeping alive. Keeping us safe until the next catastrophe occurs is the responsible thing to do." And if Jim spends his free time seeking that excitement here in the Nexus and worlds that touch it without risking the lives of his crew? All the better.

"Besides, that's what the Nexus is for." He offers a conspiratorial smirk but makes no attempt to wrest the lead of this dance away from the woman. Jim Kirk is alright with following given the right company.

[courtofmurk]

Letting names slip his mind, tripping over his own feet? It's enough to make a man question how much he's really had to drink. The lady simply gives him a smile, answering the mistake or the apology or his explanation. Or perhaps his willingness to follow her.

"Perhaps it is. And so you have a thousand reckless adventures saved for this place, I don't doubt. There are few places where the winds of chance are so... noticeable."

[smartass_captain]

He's gotta lay off the champagne and liquor clearly. If he's already stumbling over himself and forgetting the people he's visiting with Jim's clearly had enough to drink. Perhaps too much even.

The woman moves them fluidly across the floor to the tune of the music and when it fades out, Jim lets his hands fall back to his sides and gives a chuckle.

"That I do, the Nexus offers so much in way of adventure and exploration. And I hope I've not disappointed as far as a dance partner goes."

[courtofmurk]

"Never yet, James." Despite her arch tone, something touches his cheek as she steps past him smoothly: something that might be the brush of a kiss, the light press of cool fingertips. A voice in his ear for a moment: "But try to stay on those quick feet, captain. You're going to need them."

She's disappearing into the crowd by the time he turns, but her touch lingers after her.