Halloween Party, Creepy But Nowhere Near Abandoned Mansion, Tuesday Night

[deathsmajesty]

After basically being dared to do it by Tony Stark (and putting in six weeks of renovations, bless Hannibal for the contractor), Liliana, dressed as an empress, hair pulled back in a profusion of curls by her angelic headpiece, was ready to throw her first Fandom party. Sure, it was for a holiday she didn't really understand, but she'd heard enough about it to make due: there was supposed to be candy and people were supposed to be in costume. Done. Everything else was just the same as a regular party, right?

Granted, the last party she'd hosted had actually been for a bunch of vampires and that had been seventy years ago on a completely different plane, but bah, details. You had food to eat, music to dance to, dark corners to sneak off to, and either enough witty people or enough alcohol to keep the conversation flowing. Liliana was hoping that there would be plenty of the former showing up, but just in case, she'd made sure to stock plenty of the latter.

Though her newly refurbished ballroom was actually very light and airy, she had done her best to recreate some of the spookiest elements she'd seen in her travels. The dancefloor was covered in about a foot of heavy fog that swirled and eddied with every movement. While most of the chandeliers were shrouded in fabric and false webbing, she personally found the main chandelier was decorated in something she much more unnerving. Black and red candles flickered about the room held by ghostly hands, dripping skulls, and the occasional elegant standing candelabra. One of the few concessions to magic she'd used tonight was to have the candles lit with tongues of false fire, which provided light but no heat. And they glowed blues and greens and purples, which was a nice effect. Red roses were placed upside down in vases, while more questionable arrangements sat in decorative vases. Out of deference to her guests' squeamishness sensibilities, all creepy critters, skeletons, and dead bodies were all cunningly crafted fakes, not a single real bone or drop of blood in the place.

Other than, of course, what her guests brought in with them. And should they leave with fewer of either than they'd come in with, well, that was hardly her fault. Probably.

Arrive and Mingle / Photos / Dark Corners [NFB] / Refreshments / Dance / Gardens / OOC

[Please hold for OCD up! Do the thing!]

Comments

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

When all was said and done, Summer finally decided to lean into going to this party as a sexy arrow shooty lady because she really wanted to show off the results of all that working out she'd been doing, it was an easy match to have Stark come with as a sexy arrow shooty guy, and there was no way in hell she was ever doing that episode, so it worked out perfectly for a costume! Liliana's place was so swanky, though, that she started to wonder if she should have gone with something a little more glam, but just look at her abs in this thing! Look at her legs!

No, no. She's definitely made the right choice, she looked cute as fuck, dammit!

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[stykera]

Summer looked amazing, of course, and Stark was there in his leather pants, a pair of leather arm braces and not much else. There was a leather jerkin somewhere but he'd been convinced to at least try not wearing it.

At least his hesitation at being here in Liliana's home was warring with his hesitation at being shirtless so he wasn't overwhelmingly nervous about either.

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

Was the fact that, whenever Summer look at Stark, her face lit up with a proud, pleased, satisfied sort of smile over the fact that she'd convinced him to go tarp off for this helping him feel any better about it?

"I'm really glad we went this route," she decided with a nod at some point, in case any further indication was needed.

She did feel she could have gone fancier, maybe, but then she saw Gladio in jeans, so lol, no, she was good.

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[stykera]

"You look wonderful," Stark said. He'd almost certainly said that already. Multiple times.

He was trying not to self-consciously cross his arms over his chest too often. He was mostly succeeding!

"And I do like matching."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Like I said for homecoming," said Summer, resolutely and with a firm nod before grinning over at Stark, "if you're going to be my date, then matching is required. Also required?"

She poured some sweetness into her smile and fluttered her eyelashes as if she had to, placing a hand gently on Stark's shoulder to support her as she kissed his cheek.

"Getting me a drink?"

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[stykera]

"Of course," Stark said. "Whatever you like. Should I surprise you? Or did you want something specific? Do you need a snack?"

He closed his eye, smiling, as she kissed his cheek.

"I like being your date, then. Not just for the matching."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Mmmm," Summer pretended to think about it, and, since she was already pressed up against Stark and her hand was already on his shoulder, she was going to let that hand just drift down to his chest while she thought. She'd told him that she'd really appreciate it if he went without a shirt for his costume, and she was making good on that promise, dammit. "Surprise me. Get me something that looks like it might be complicated; I want to see what these jags that are bartending instead of me got. And maybe a snack, if anything looks particularly good."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[stykera]

"Snacks and drinks," Stark agreed, nodding.

He was in no hurry to move. Not when Summer was so close. He raised his own hand to cover hers and leaned in, hoping to steal a kiss. To fortify him before the arduous journey to the refreshments where he might get cold without someone to warm him up.

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

Since he was being such a good sport about his costume tonight, Summer was definitely letting that kiss be stolen, and might have even gone so far as to make sure he even got the money hidden under the mattress, so to speak, while he was there.

"Shacks and drinks," she then confirmed. "Thank you, Stark."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[stykera]

Even if he hadn't actually procured that adorable pink Squish from yesterday?

"You're welcome," he said. He didn't move away immediately. Lingering was so appealing and he could give her one of those soft smiles that were only ever aimed at her. "I'll be right back."

He wasn't right back. It was a large ballroom and there were choices to be made and coming back he had to be sure not to spill anything. He came back with a plate with a little of everything except for the chocolate fondue because that was far more fun to dip for yourself. He also had one glass of the eyeball sangria and one of the mulled pomegranate cherry juice.

"Pick your drink," he said. "I'll take the other. Or we can share?"

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[deathsmajesty]

"Summer," Liliana said, a trace of surprise quickly hidden under warmth. "Lovely to see you, I'm glad you made it."

She gave the costume an approving once over. "You look fantastic, darling."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

Well, Summer didn't really have much of a choice, did she? What else was she going to do? Miss it?? Try to hold a competing Halloween party against the necromancer? Please. She might have cute abs and newly impressive arms, but she also had a brain, too, thank you.

(Sometimes).

"Thanks," Summer lifted her chin a little to tamp down any self-consciousness rising as she put on a smile and gave Liliana a look over. "So do you, bu, I mean, like, that is literally surprising to absolutely no one. Also, like, nice job." Her eyes started to rove around the ballroom a little. "This place looks great."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[deathsmajesty]

Maybe next Halloween she'd really spice things up. This party was missing out on the many possibilities of undead entertainment.

As far as she could tell, Halloween was basically 'Innistrad The Holiday' and she was here for it.

"Thank you, darling. It might just have been worth all those early construction mornings after all. Also, I need you to know that the bartender had suggested a number of jello shots which I absolutely refused. I may have unplumbed depths of audacity, but even I know where to draw the line."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Oh, well," said Summer, "I mean, that's just smart. You don't want to be known as the party that served subpar jello shots. Good move."

Not that anyone was trying to also tamp down a bit of offense and disappointment at not being asked to bartend or anything! It was totally fine! Like, she understood that the whole 'sucking half the life out of the guy you sleep with' of it all could make that a bit awkward! She would have probably had said no anyway! You know, because of the life sucking stuff!

But also, like, he was totally better now, too, soooo......

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[deathsmajesty]

It really would have made the whole thing awkward.

"Precisely," Liliana agreed. "And I wasn't about to make that kind of name for myself. But for this, my first party, I was adamant that everyone should be a guest. I threatened to have it written up in the contract for Liz, in fact. We'll see if Ignis forgives me for not putting him to work in the kitchen for it. Though now that the cork has been loosed from the bottle as it were..."

Look, Summer, could you be mad you weren't bartending if she didn't even have Ignis cooking?

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

"I'd guess that Ignis' forgiveness is going to be pretty heavily based on how good the food he's getting instead actually is," Summer mused.

She would be fine if the drinks sucked. In fact, she actually would prefer it.

"But, hey!" she offered as a potential subject change, unless Liliana wanted to go into more explanations on why she shouldn't feel totally slighted at the lack of jello involved in this party. "That seems to be going well, huh?"

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[deathsmajesty]

More explanations were totally not Liliana's style. Because that suggested she felt she needed to explain herself and, yeah, she didn't.

"That?" she asked. "Ah. Things with Ignis?" She smiled, unaware of just how much her expression warmed and softened at his name. "They are going quite well, yes. We're having a delightful time."

You know, totally chill and casual, no major anythings here for anyone! Keys and consorts say what?

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[somethingwithturquoise]

That expression wasn't passing by Summer, not in a million years, although there was that weird feeling she always got of being just so self-serving when she asked Liliana about Ignis, for some weird reason.

"Well, he can be a pretty delightful guy," she said, "so I guess tracks."

Re: (Eventually) Arrive and Mingle

[deathsmajesty]

It was probably because she and Ignis had been friends for so long! And Liliana was pretty sure Summer had involved herself in Ignis' romantic life. So clearly it tracked.

"He is," she said softly. "I remain shocked how few people seem to realize it."