The Creepy And Now Holiday-Appropriate Mansion, Thursday Evening

[deathsmajesty]

Once again, the gate that blocked off the bottom end of Phoenix Way was opened, inviting everyone to the creepy (though much less abandoned) mansion. This time, however, instead of being guided around to the gardens, the lit path led them to the front door, where the a tall figure in a tattered robe and deep cowl gestured for them to step inside the door and get onto a...boat? Once people had climbed in settled themselves, the ferryman began to guide the ship down the River Styx. Or, okay, their long entrance hallway, with blue lights to either side of their boat to mimic water and bathing everyone in an eerie blue glow. (Yes, okay, the boat perhaps wheeled down the hallway rather than floated, but they had not refinished this house just to flood the hallway for verisimilitude. Even if Liliana had considered it for a few minutes.)

The double doors leading to the ballroom were opened, with thick fog rolling out of the doorway. And through that doorway, people could descend the stairs into the Underworld proper. Black and gold were the prevailing color, with deep red nods to a pomegranate motif. Gold coins and loose gemstones added to the decor, a nod to Hades' wealth - but even amidst all the dark opulence, touches of other colors could be seen: tucked away in various corners and small niches were flowering plants, a surprise kiss of springtime to be found in the least likely places. Rather than one large chandelier, they had several, creating areas of both light and shadow around the ballroom.

Welcome to the Underworld, dear friends.

Comments

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

Duke's outfit kept triggering two completely separate emotional responses every time Lucifer looked at him.

Being Lucifer, he erred on the side of the second of those responses on the approach back to Duke.

"Two dueling floral prints, Duke, please."

Yes, he'd said it before. Yes, he'd say it again.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"It's symbolic," Duke teased, giving Lucifer a broad grin. (He looked amazing and he knew it.) "And we are the prettiest people here."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"We are, and you are outrageously pretty," Lucifer agreed gravely, "But still. Two prints! At once! And they don't compliment--"

Someone stop him, please.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

How ab out with a quick, public-appropriate-ish kiss? Would that work?

Probably not for super long, but hey. It was worth a shot.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"--mmph."

It worked in a pinch.

Lucifer pulled back a touch, sighed, smoothed down Duke's suit back into some semblance of order, and said, "Well, as long as you're enjoying yourself, I suppose."

It had been some time since Duke had felt up to leaving the house quite this... extravagantly.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"Playing a tragic figure who's reemergence brings light and happiness every six months?" Duke said. "Yeah. I'm having a ball with this."

He'd finally found a spot in Octavia's mythological allegory that felt fitting!

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer let out an amused snort.

"I'm proud of you for reemerging, for what it's worth," he said. "It hasn't been easy."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"The lack of constant pain has helped," Duke said wryly. "But thank you. I'm proud of me, too."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer pressed a kiss to his cheek while he could get away with it.

"Shall we plunder the buffet?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"I think we need to," Duke said. "Make sure it's up to our exacting standards."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer held out his arm for Duke, as Octavia had done for him earlier. "Our standards are terribly high," he agreed. "And what drink will we be getting you?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

“Hmm. Seems like a cider kind of night,” Duke said. “Maybe spiced with a shot of rum.”

There were a lot of people here, far more than he’d dealt with in ages, and he was not above a bit of liquid courage.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"Oooh, that sounds delicious," Lucifer said, as he began to steer Duke towards the food and the drinks. "I think I'll go for much the same. I wonder if they have the upscale rum around here?"

It looked like that sort of place, but one never knew.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"have you seen our host? If it's not actually upscale, she'll make sure it's close enough to fake it." =

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"I suppose so," Lucifer sighed, as they made their way to the refreshments. "At least you picked a particularly lavish party to reemerge to."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"I mean, that's more timing than anything else, but hey, you two looked so damn good. How could I miss out?"

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"You could have always tried to convince us to undress again, rather than show up at all," Lucifer teased.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"Yeah, but this way I get to enjoy the two of you in these outfits for a bit. We can always undress later."

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[my_own_advocate]

"Oh, we are definitely undressing later," Lucifer told him.

Re: Arrive and Mingle

[betterthanaplan]

"Each other, even," Duke said happily. He found the modded drinks and picked out two cups. "Slowly and thoroughly."