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

[hollow_moon]

Looking up from his phone, Val glanced at her, and then over at his date who was currently mingling with two other girls around her age. Early 20's, pretty and full of youth and void of the anxiety that crept in with age.

"Mmm," he hummed, nodding a little. "She's stunning, isn't she? Though given that being stunning is sort of her bread and butter, it wouldn't do for her to be anything but."

[codenamemilady]

"She is," Milady agreed with a quiet hum. "But so are my boots." With the one as much about appearance as the other.

Milady offered her hand. "Clarice Winters. We met once before, but I can't remember if I introduced myself."

[hollow_moon]

"Right, I remember," he nodded, taking the offered hand and shaking gently while offering a charming but slightly empty smile.

"No offence though, Ms. Winters, but your boots don't have nearly as many followers as a Kardashian on Instagram," he said with a wink. "Unless they do, in which case perhaps I'll wear them my next night out."

[codenamemilady]

Milady gave him a deliberate once over, with the tiniest hint of a smirk. "That would get you a great many Instagram followers, I'm sure."

[hollow_moon]

"Sadly, I don't think I've got the legs for it," Val quipped blandly, glancing at his phone again, and humming thoughtfully.

"So, Ms. Winters, who's on your arm this evening?" he asked.

[codenamemilady]

"Tonight I'm unconstrained, free to rove as the mood takes me in the moment, before moving on to the next thing that catches my eye." For the moment that was him, but neither would be disappointed, Milady thought, when she moved on to someone else.

[hollow_moon]

"And who's caught your eye, hmm?" he asked, his own drifting over the crowd.

[codenamemilady]

There were any number of interesting people in attendance tonight. Some Milady had met, others she knew of. But right then, it was a pretty boy who drew her attention. She let her gaze linger just long enough to point him out. "Something for the sweet tooth, I think. After the bitter."

[hollow_moon]

"Handsome," Val nodded. "Though they're all lookers tonight, aren't they?" he mused thoughtfully.

[codenamemilady]

"Or everyone looks good in black." The pretty people were drawn to nights like this, though. The organizers preferred it that way.

"I should leave you to your brooding, get back to roving."

[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."