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

[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?"

[cold_blueeyes]

Bobby snorted softly, leaning into John and taking his drink back. "Coming from anyone else, I'd think that was an insult," he said dryly, sipping the drink. He half-turned, slipping his arm around John's waist. "And get your own creepy black drink. This one's mine." But the grin that accompanied the words made it clear he really didn't mind sharing all that much. In fact, if John did try to leave his side again so soon, even just to order a drink, he'd find out how much upper body strength Bobby still had despite dialing back his (admittedly kind of insane) workout routine.

[prodigalflame]

"Have you ever known me to be like anyone else?" John murmured, the crinkling around his eyes making the amusement clear even if he wasn't showing it as much on his face. The time spent apart had left their trace on him, too: he'd reverted to something more subtle in his emotions, more guarded - to those who didn't know him, anyway. "...Pretty sure under the prenup I get fifty percent of all the drinks," he stated, straight-faced even as he settled into Bobby's half-embrace. "Still, you do rock the dork look. A+, would ask you to marry me again." There was a brief moment as his eyes flickered over Bobby, knowing that that ring wasn't there, but still hoping that tonight would be the night to see it again. "Will ask you to marry me again," he muttered quietly, and he would, if that what was required. For Bobby to have come all the way back - well, John had hopes, but there was still no rock on that finger.

"Still, I should go get that drink," John gave Bobby's waist a bit of a reassuring squeeze before he extricated himself and headed towards the bar. He knew that he might have brought up another of those difficult subjects, and deciding it was best to give him a few moments to allow the subject to be casually changed and for Bobby to comport himself.

[cold_blueeyes]

"On occasion," Bobby replied with a brief, quiet chuckle. At John's mention of marriage, though, he went still, and his nod was a little stiff as John pulled away and headed to the bar. He knew he should probably explain why he hadn't put the engagement ring back on when he'd returned to London, but things had been good between them since he'd come back, mostly, and besides, he wasn't even sure how to explain it beyond 'I'm not ready yet,' which wasn't really an explanation at all.

He watched John at the bar, smiling fondly even as his stomach twisted a little with anxiety. They would be okay, he was confident of that. It would just take time and effort from both of them to get there. But John was worth it.

[prodigalflame]

John'd had a lot of time to think about things while Bobby had been away. He'd had little time for anything else. So it was with a certain measured regard of his own that he returned to his boyfriend's side, looking him up and down with eyes that knew him better than he used to. He had known that Bobby was damaged, knew it from the day Bobby had taken a step inside his house, but he'd figured he deserved it, no less, that damage was the only thing that made this thing work.

Now all the cracks were revealed, and John had found that they couldn't paper them over again. He didn't even want to. So he took a sip of his black drink, and hooked a finger into one of Bobby's belt-loops to draw him close for a soft kiss. "...You look ridiculous," he murmured. "Just the way I like you."

[cold_blueeyes]

"I am ridiculous, so it's truth in advertising," Bobby pointed out, nestling into John happily as he returned, smiling against his lips during the kiss. "And it bodes super well for me that you like it."

He chuckled and quickly kissed John's cheek, slipping an arm around him again as he sipped at his drink. "So which one did you get?" he asked, nodding toward John's glass.

[prodigalflame]

"It really does," John agreed. and let his hand slip down to lightly rest on Bobby's ass, all very couple-y and possessive and tender at once. "You play your cards right, you might get to go home with the man of your dreams tonight, Drake." He gave that ass a gentle squeeze, just to underscore his point.

"And I got the 'Kraken Frost Bite'," John told him, looking at his glass for a moment. The lime, mint and cranberry cut through the rum with a bit of a tang, and it all felt pretty good after a few sips. "For sentimental reasons." Because he was one big softy, or something.