GP - dreaming of a black christmas

[lcrpg_npc]

The repurposed railway arches that housed Beagle's bar and restaurant were decked in shades of black: black christmas trees glittering with sparkly and satiny black ornaments, black wreaths with perfectly tied bows, black garlands draping along the walls and bar, ribbons edging the long banquet benches in the restaurant dining room. A gentle snow seemed to fall from the ceiling, a specially designed lighting effect much more pleasant than the cold and wet that would've accompanied real snow. Christmas music played over hidden speakers, setting the mood without interfering with conversation.

The Kraken Black Christmas feast was a different spin on the holiday than you'd find most places, and yet, a christmas feast all the same. All the flavors of the season were there, both in the bar's specialty cocktails and in the feast itself, served banquet-style to those fortunate enough to get tickets - mulled wine, egg nog, roasts and stuffing and puddings, and so much more. Yet the food and drinks all shared the same theme as the decor, shades of black augmented with squid ink, charcoal, or black sesame seeds.

Guests had been encouraged to continue the theme with black festive attire, but it wasn't required, and spots of color could be found here and there along the table or mingling in the bar. There was one thing everyone could agree on, though. No matter how black the theme, the mood was anything but dark.

Comments

[wandandawolf]

None of that made sense to him, but it was easier to play the absent-minded boffin than admit he had no clue what a 'Liam Neeson' was. Last time he'd really gone to the pictures, John Travolta had been big. So Remus simply offered her an apologetic smile. "Well, drinking games are more my partner's thing, but I'm afraid I sort of...ignore the eighties." After all, what was there for him to enjoy in them? His friend's deaths, Sirius' imprisonment, his own destitution? The only thing they had going for them is that he hadn't died until the 1990s.

"Perhaps that was remiss of me. The film sounds like a...unique experience."

[akatawitch]

"The eighties are pretty horrifying," Sunny agreed, if not for anywhere near the same reasons. "But the original film has Laurence Olivier not giving a damn, which is unexpectedly fun."

[utterly_mysterious]

"In my experience, men do appreciate that, yes," Angelique murmured with a little lilt of a tease. Sunny was so bold and so confident when it came to the opinions of others that it was rather odd to see her unsure of herself in any matter. Sweetie, Angelique wanted to say, I'm a professional, ask me anything.

"I... do have quite a bit of experience," she offered, letting the tease fall away into an honest offer, with a small and almost hopeful smile.

[akatawitch]

"I... don't," she admitted. Not that it probably wasn't glaringly obvious to Angelique. "I mean, I'm not without, but. I don't think it'll be needed just yet anyway."

[utterly_mysterious]

"That's right, you're taking things slowly," Angelique said as if she'd just recalled, and she approved highly. "But should you ever like... I have something of a unique perspective."

That was just about as close as Angelique ever ventured to confessing the disparity between her dress and her body in public.

[hollow_moon]

"This isn't brooding, it's just a lack of enthusiasm," he assured her. "But by all means, don't let me keep you from finding someone to sink your teeth into."

[faizel]

"Have you ever been to an event like this before?" Faizel asked curiously. "I didn't even know there were such things. I mean, I understand it's in part to promote a product, but how strange to break bread with complete strangers. ...I quite like it, I think, actually. Even if it's a bit intimidating."

[prince_of_nymphs]

"It's a very casual affair, usually, but I wont protest seeing you in your best frock," Fin smiled.

[wandandawolf]

"This probably ticks the boxes when it comes to 'new and unusual'," Remus suggested, looking around at the guests and the gathering. "And the food is certainly...different." He noticed she hadn't introduced herself, but it wasn't his place to pry. "But it gives people somewhere to go to, and that's important at this time of year."

[wandandawolf]

"Sounds fascinating," Remus mused, and meant it. "Any current uses? I work as an archivist," he explained, "and there's always some medieval manuscript with something medicinal we seem to have lost." The Department of Mysteries was sort of like an archive, anyway. It was definitely one of his smaller lies.

[wandandawolf]

"Hmm," Remus agreed. "He was always good value." His mum had taken him to see Olivier's Shylock at the Old Vic. That had been in 1971. "I can't quite think of anything mythological working now," he continued, changing the subject slightly. "People seem to think magic is so...serious," he added, twinkle in his eye.

[wandandawolf]

Remus allowed Sirius to lean in, and pressed his own crotch to Sirius' hip. His fingers delved into Sirius' hair and tugged just enough to allow him to emerge from nosing Sirius' scalp, looking rather sated and pleased with himself, tongue flicking over his lips like he could still taste his love's salt and skin. "What does a bad boy like you always get, Sirius?" he teased, that hand moving down Sirius' back to rest just above the swell of that perfect backside. "You get me, of course. Might even let you unwrap me later."

[wandandawolf]

"He's still my friend," Remus replied, a little lofty, "we practically grew up together. It's always strange how intimacies work out, but then you probably know better than me, Felix. I'm sure you have so many of them." His voice was an amused, low rumble: he wasn't quite calling Felix a slut, but it was close. Besides, from the look he was giving Felix, all wry and up-and-down, he didn't seem to have a problem with it - his boyfriend was a slut, after all.

"...It would be amusing to see you try and out-peacock one another, sometime."

[prodigalflame]

If pressed, John would have said he'd made no snide remarks. The looks he'd given Bobby had spoken for themselves, however.

He came up from behind his fiancé to swat him on the ass, before draping his arm over Bobby's shoulders and reaching to take a sip of Bobby's drink. "Well, don't you look like the world's most handsome accountant." He handed back the drink, and kissed Bobby on the cheek. "You're totally gonna pull off the 'Dork of the Year' award when you join some firm, you know that?"

[akatawitch]

Sunny shook her head. "Not unless you count school events. Not gimmicky, certainly not very fancy, but eating with strangers in your good clothes, yeah."

[faizel]

Faizel seemed to hesitate, then smiled awkwardly. "Oh, um, I'm not sure. I haven't finished reading yet."

He needed to get away from the topic of magic herbs, and he clumsily changed the topic. "The menu tonight is curious, isn't it? A monochrome feast isn't something you see often."

[faizel]

"Mmm, I suppose I ate daily with my peers when I was young, and I didn't know any of them well, but it was never formal," Faizel admitted.

[akatawitch]

Suddenly overcome by a memory, Sunny started to giggle. "Oh God, no, I do have one. Sort of. Sometime when we're not in public, remind me to tell you about Zuma Rock."

[akatawitch]

That got a proper grin out of her. "Oh, it's a pity drinking games aren't your thing. There are so many terrible and not-at-all-serious fantasy movies out there."

[faizel]

"Zuma Rock?" Faizel echoed, commiting the name to memory and nodding. "I'd very much like to hear that tale, Sunny."

[akatawitch]

Sunny grinned. "Somewhere in there is the story of the first time Chichi nearly got us all killed."

[faizel]

"...Killed?" he asked, not sure why she was smiling while speaking of such a grim possibility. "That doesn't seem like a joyful thing."

[akatawitch]

"Embracing the nightmare is my favorite coping mechanism," she said to his confusion.

[wandandawolf]

"I just don't get drunk very easily!" Remus protested. "It's not half as fun being the sober one, trust me." He sounded like he spoke from experience. "Still, my partner - Sirius, no, not a joke, that's his name, like the star - he enjoys a good drink and it's very amusing seeing him get drunk, so I may volunteer him and follow along to watch."

[akatawitch]

"We'll just have to get you something really, really strong," Sunny said with a sage nod.