GIRL'S NIGHT

[can_fight_ugly]

WHO: Anne
WHERE: Anne's House
WHEN: Tonight
OPEN TO: OTA/Mingle
WARNINGS: Drinking, will edit as necessary

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[The video opens to show Anne's living room with a subtle glowing decor of candles and greenery and red berries (though, to note, care has been taken so the two elements are not intersecting). Anne herself is sleek-haired and smiling, with a little kitten perched on her shoulder. She's got one hand up to steady him as he's the inquisitive type, trying to lean in to sniff at the device she's currently talking to.]

I received two surprises today. Little Lynn on my shoulder, here, and an obscene amount of wine. So, I am declaring Girl's Night. 'Girl' is up to your interpretation. If you want to hang out and enjoy some wine, you'll be welcome. Just, BYOG; bring your own glass. House 53.

Private to Franklin

I was gifted with way too much wine for one person, and am throwing a little get together at my house. You're more than welcome to come, and I also wanted to know if you want me to set a bottle aside for you?

Private to Tony

Bottle of wine with your name on it if you want it, as thanks for helping me deal with Eddie and Venom.

At The House

Anne has pulled out a selection of eight bottles and set them in the living room. She's stashed two for herself and the rest are in the kitchen just in case they somehow run through the first 6,000 millileters. She's not sure how much interest there will be or how many people will show up, but she's also aware that what she's got could be considered a hot commodity.

So why not barter with it, Anne? Why not trade it for favors, labor? She asks herself, but the answer is too bare and ready; I'm lonely. The idea of filling her house up for one night for something that's not related to survival, surrounding herself with friends, will make the truth she's facing a little easier to bear.

Hadn't those been the best Girl's Nights? Either sharing a celebration or gathering to commiserate? It's not something Anne did often - she wasn't usually the one organizing it - but with everything that's been happening lately, she'd felt she was in need of a little release and what a perfect sign it was to find the 'Crazy Single Cat Lady Starter Kit' on her doorstep. At least she can have a sense of humor about it.

She's got a dry red opened and a glass poured for herself as she waits for people to arrive.

Comments

Anne || OTA

[can_fight_ugly]

Now that people are here and the party's truly gotten started, Anne's going to gather up a glass and stand, holding it up as a toast. Nestled in the crook of her other arm is the kitten Lynn, looking with wide curious eyes at the way the candlelight hit the wine.

"To Dan Lewis. One of the good ones. Maybe you'll still show up someday, but ... until then life keeps moving forward, and I'm going to move forward with it." It feels weird, giving a toast to end a relationship like this when the other party literally has no idea it's happening.

Alternate realities, clones, whatever the case; she's not waiting around forever for someone who may not even show up.

And, a little later in the evening after she's had a few glasses; she stands for another toast;

"To not recycling your exes."

Text

[clouded_heart]

No need to set a bottle aside just for me, but I'll happily come and split one with you at your place.

[can_fight_ugly]

Well, in that case I will see you here shortly.

[clouded_heart]

Yeah, just let me find all my outside gear. I hope I get one of those boxes soon with some decent clothing.

Despite his bitching and grumbling, he turns up fairly shortly, bundled up and wearing knitted gloves and a scarf in a dark green to match his scrubs.

[can_fight_ugly]

Either way, we'll get you warmed up once you're here.

[Between the fire in the fireplace, and a healthy collection of wines, she'd be surprised if anyone's still chilled by the end of the evening.

Anne smiles brightly as she greets him at the door.] Glad you could make it, Franklin. Come on in, here's the coat closet. I've already cracked open what appears to be a similar to a Cabernet Sauvignon, but there are others if you'd prefer a white, or something a little sweeter.

[clouded_heart]

"Foggy, please. Only my boss and my dad call me Franklin." He steps in, shrugging off outer layers and hanging them to dry. The scarf and gloves join the coat.

"I am good with whatever you've got open. I am not going to be fussy over free wine. Also, do we do hugs? I do hugs, but I understand not everyone is comfortable with them."

[can_fight_ugly]

"Oh, yes; I absolutely do hugs, Foggy." She closes the door behind him and then reaches in for a friendly embrace. She's of the same mind; she's always open to give and receive but you can't always tell who's willing to receive.

"Did you bring a glass? If not I've got a coffee mug you can borrow; I'm afraid I've been caught without my fine stemware."

[clouded_heart]

He hugs her, firm and solid and tight. Nelson Special hug.

"I did not, because I don't have any. I'm living in the Inn. But I have drunk far worse out of far sillier."

[can_fight_ugly]

She didn't realize how much she'd miss this kind of casual contact, and she takes a breath and sighs, giving a little extra squeeze before standing back.

"Well, fortunately you won't need to be drinking out of any boots or anything. She leads him back to the kitchen and pulls out a plain white ceramic mug; nothing fancy, but a vessel is a vessel. She hands it over. "Do I want to know the silliest think you've ever had a drink out of?"

[clouded_heart]

He squeezes and rocks from side to side in a big, slow, exaggerated movement before letting her go.

A mug is at least a drinking vessel. "Um... God. There's been a few. Beaker, once. You know those boxes 'ferrero rocher' come in? I drank out of one of those once. We couldn't be bothered doing washing up and we broke the other glass."

[can_fight_ugly]

"You 'broke the other glass'?" That, she feels, is another story entirely. But, she reminds herself she's a little older; she's established and the work he's doing is more beneficial to the soul than the wallet.

"In an unrelated note, how dare you mention Ferrero Rocher and not bring any to share." It's the little things she missed, the little luxuries you don't really think about but pick up on a rainy day, literal and figurative.

[clouded_heart]

"College days." That explains a lot. A pair of very poor, scholarship students. "Now, I have a nice apartment, work for a good, established firm and sell my soul for an hourly rate which gets paid in money, not pies. Which is also probably better for my waistline."

Now he's mentioned it... "I am a bastard, mentioning them and not having any to share. If I get any, one of them has your name on it."

[connatural]

The message has Ashley curious. About a social life in this place, and what she's really going to do with herself in this place. Everything she's used to is in the past, her future is coming to make a life for herself in this place for as long as it lasts.

Changing into her jeans and midnight black hooded sweater she got at Halloween and grabbing one of the jars of peaches she got for helping set up some things for a friend and headed for this girl's night. From what she knows, this is fairly normal. That's what this is all about. Normalcy.

Lifting her glass in toast after having left the peaches in the kitchen as a housewarming gift, she joins her in the toast. If nothing else, it's a sentiment she can agree with. Which is why she seeks out the hostess after the toast.

"Hey, I just wanted to thank you for this. Never really had a girl's night or anything, so I couldn't help but to be curious. I also brought a housewarming gift. My mom would have had my ass if I hadn't."

Ashley | OTA

[connatural]

It's less the wine and more the chance to socialize that has Ashley curious about a girl's night. She's not had a lot of such things in her own life, so she can't help but to be curious. Also, in the end, there's wine.

Having a few glasses, if only hoping it will help her to relax. It's odd. She can talk to mob bosses, have no issue with coping with the abnormals, but socializing on this kind of level? She just doesn't have a clue. But wine is helping.

"Okay, but seriously... I just don't even have a clue," she says, though it's not to anyone in particular. "I mean, my mom has infamous immortals flocking to her, and the one serious ask out I've had? Died in front of me by odd bug thing. Maybe it's a curse."

[can_fight_ugly]

"Oh yes, college will do that." She wasn't quite on such a shoestring, but she could appreciate the people that did put their hearts into it against a greater financial struggle.

"Never live or work in close proximity to a favored food." Easier said than done, especially in cities where anything you can imagine is pretty well available. "But yes, I will gladly accept any Ferrero Rocher as apology." She teases, picking up a bottle of red and motioning to his mug, "There were no identifying vinyards marked on the bottles or the box, but it's not half bad."

[clouded_heart]

"We had a bar. Josie's." It was a truly terrible bar, but that aside. "Josie's had a drink we called the eel. There may or may not have been an eels in the bottom. It was bottom shelf stuff. I have probably shortened my lifespan by drinking it just once, let alone every weekend for about six months. When I say I am not fussy about the wine?"

He means it. In a way that only an ex-college student can.

[can_fight_ugly]

"Oh!" She hadn't imagined people would bring gifts, but then now that she's thinking about it she can't say she's surprised. Ettiquette and moms had a way of digging into you despite circumstances, and she realizes she would have done the same thing. "Thank you, I appreciate it."

"Girl's Nights, in my experience, were just about hanging out and having fun, sometimes commiserating or celebrating together, sometimes - just catching up. I know I was missing a little bit of a fun time, and figured I might not be the only one. I'm glad you decided to come out."

She offers her hand in greeting, "I'm Anne, by the way."

[can_fight_ugly]

"Eel? Yes, if it was bottom-shelf I doubt that there was any actual eel it it." She makes a face, "Eugh, I guess that's the kind of thing you end the night with, right?"

She certainly couldn't imagine starting out fresh with something like that.

[clouded_heart]

"If it was an eel, it had been there quite a long time," he promises. "Longer than is safe for anyone. And yeah, sure, most people end the night with it. Depending on where we were with studying and exams and money, we usually ended with it." And sometimes started.

Zevran | OTA

[ombranera]

His time has come. Or, an evening that could be his time has come. Women commiserating with wine often meant adjusting appearances and for that the friendly, gossip neutral stylist is most often welcome. Zevran arrives with a bottle of his own wine tucked under his arm as an offering as well as his kit. Oils, fragrances, scissors, all the accouterments for trimming and buffing of nails or a simple hand massage. He sets up and pours a glass for himself, happy for the warmth, the company, and a means to stave off boredom for another night.

The more he drinks the less he needs to bundle, settled comfortably in the corner, tucked up with his coat folded over the back of his chair, happy to offer a massage, a trim, or a quick nail lacquering.

[can_fight_ugly]

"Well, you obviously survived so it sounds like itw as just unpleasant and not .. actually damaging. Hopefully."

She takes a sip from her wine, "How have you been settling in? Are you keeping warm enough?"

Re: Zevran | OTA

[can_fight_ugly]

"I'm glad to see you here, Zevran." Anne smiles as she settles herself down in the seat across from him, her own glass of wine perched carefully in her hand. She's got a rosy glow about her at this point, warmed enough and smiling easily. As she had said earlier; she's continued to strictly follow the routine he'd set out for her hair, and it's just about as sleek and finely scented as the day she left his care.

"Are you enjoying yourself so far? Here and," She makes a vague wave towards the front door, "elsewhere?"

[clouded_heart]

"I'm sure they would've mentioned in the hospital if my liver was irrevocably damaged."

He takes a small sip, more letting the flavour settle on his lips and tasting it from there. "I've moved into a room at the Inn, so the heating is less of an issue. And offered cooking lessons to a couple of people, so working with the stove helps the heat front."

[ombranera]

"Women, wine, warmth, what more could I possibly want out of a night?" He's crackling with laughter, sipping his own glass. He's not too terribly deep in his cups, but he is drifting along the comfortable warmth that comes with a belly full of wine an a fire nearby. He's lounging in his chair more than anything else, loose limbed and easy, hair bound back in a complicated braid to keep it out of the way for the evening.

"In the village I am keeping busy. So far I've found no one to fill my bed but plenty that seem to enjoy my flirtations." And that is enough for him, truly. "What of you?"

text | un: Spark Plug

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Dear: Anne Weying

I am not a girl - or at least I do not identify as one - but am I able to still come and partake in your festivities? I will understand if the answer is "no" and you wish to have a gathering of your female villagers instead.

Sincerely: Thor