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

[offthebeatenpath]

Her hand brushed his, lingering a little as she took the glass. Em shook her head at the question, but her expression warmed and brightened just having him close, driving memories into the background. "Long story. Short version is ideas of trouble we probably won't be getting up to tonight."

[jageskro]

"Now I feel like we're missing out," Jag remarked with a small smile. "Unless it's the not fun kind of trouble."

[offthebeatenpath]

Rather than get into what kind of trouble she'd been remembering, Em looked up at him through her lashes and smiled. "I'm sure we'll find our own kind of trouble."

[jageskro]

Fuck, she was just so beautiful when she looked at him like that. Jag had raised his hand to brush his thumb over her cheek before he'd thought anything of it. "That a promise?"

[offthebeatenpath]

"I don't know," hint of drawl to tease, and she felt like she couldn't stop smiling. Not when he looked at her like that.

"Do we really want to tempt fate that way?" Promising trouble felt like asking for the not fun kind to find them.

[jageskro]

"It's a bit late, innit?" Jag replied, watching her happily.

[offthebeatenpath]

What will be, is. But Em wasn't going to dwell on what not fun kinds of trouble they could find. Not tonight.

"You may be right," her smile shifting to something more impish. "I think I've already found trouble."

[jageskro]

Jag was about to answer her when his gaze was drawn to a familiar figure by the bar, and his smile dimmed, frown stealing over his features. "Um." He supposed that was its own sort of trouble. "Val's here."

[offthebeatenpath]

Em's brow crinkled in concern for Jag's frown, then eyes widened when he explained. Her hand twitched wanting to reach for him, but not knowing if it would be wanted or a good idea. Val, here, and not knowing about them yet. That was not a fun kind of trouble. Not when Jag would end up hurting, probably no matter how things went. Or didn't.

"Do you- What do you want to do?"

[jageskro]

Jag was watching the stunning woman on Val's arm, all dazzling smiles and obvious class. Was this what Val had wanted all along? He snapped out of it and focused back on Em at her question. "I... don't know. Should we leave? Should I talk to him? This doesn't seem like the best place. I mean, he's... got company."

[offthebeatenpath]

"If you don't want to see him... or don't want him to see us, we can leave." Em wanted to turn, to see what Jag could see, but what if that was the extra bit that drew Val's attention? Besides, she was more concerned about Jag... which had been part of the problem for Val in the first place.

"I probably wouldn't talk to him here, if it were me, especially if he's... not alone. But... I don't know." This was too public for the kind of talk Jag and Val probably needed to have, but waiting longer wasn't helping either, and Em didn't know what to say.

[jageskro]

"Wouldn't it be saying something, if we left?" Jag asked, unable to stop himself from glancing over at Val again. "I don't know."

[offthebeatenpath]

Em didn't know either, and when she didn't know something... "I'm not much help, unless you want... I could see what the tarot says," she offered, shrugging.

[jageskro]

Jag frowned, and then shook his head. "No. Thank you, but... No. Let's just... stay, and enjoy the meal, and not be obvious. There are so many people he might not even notice us."

That was a bit of a lost hope, but Jag wanted to believe that they could all have a nice evening.

[offthebeatenpath]

Em hadn't really thought Jag would want her to throw the cards. She wasn't even sure she wanted to in this case. So the mix of emotions in her chest included a tiny bit of relief at his decision. "I'm usually pretty good at not being obvious." It went with not wanting to be noticed. But not being obvious they were here together together, that would be harder when Em could barely keep her eyes off Jag and even the casual touches they've always shared seemed different now.

"Maybe we could go on through to the dining area?" she suggested. It might be easier on Jag, if he didn't have to watch Val with his date, whether or not it kept Val from seeing them.

[jageskro]

"Yeah," Jag immediately agreed, nodding and forcing himself to look away. They walked towards the tables next door, and he gave Em a small smile. "Thank you."

[offthebeatenpath]

Her hand found his, giving it a gentle squeeze, but a brief one. "Anything I can do to make it easier, you know that." Or he should. Whether Jag would believe it or not, she wasn't always sure.

[jageskro]

"Yeah," Jag nodded. He actually trusted that, from Em, much as it kept amazing him. "But - thank you."

[offthebeatenpath]

Em didn't know quite what to say, and this wasn't the time for a kiss in place of the words she didn't have. But she gave him a shy smile, eyes full of warmth and some of the wonder they could have this, even when it wasn't easy.