[MINGLE] Christmas at Liv's

[living_proof]

WHO: Liv Moore
WHERE: House 42
WHEN: 25 December, from late morning on
OPEN TO: Anyone invited and anyone walking past who would poke a head in!
WARNINGS: Nothing yet, should be pretty chill
NOTE: The booze is limited, but there is: Bourbon, champagne, cognac, red and white wine, gin, rum, scotch, and vodka

---

I am not going to act like this is my most joyous, festive holiday season. It is, in fact, one of the worst Christmases I've ever had. I've got a lot to be thankful for, don't get me wrong, and contrary to the popular view, I don't actually have a problem being here. Rather, it's that other people aren't.

I am also not going to act like I didn't throw myself a little too intensely into the holiday preparations as a coping mechanism for that.

I have a tree! That part was easy; I have a lumberjack for a boyfriend. The decorations are a little thrown-together and there aren't many of them, but it smells nice, and when we're done with it we can use it for (more) firewood. I also got two big boxes from our overseers filled with exactly the ingredients I need to put on a really amazing holiday feast, which yes, is creepy as hell, but I'm not looking that horse in the mouth. Not when they included coffee and sugar.

Today I have a ton of people coming over, and loads to cook. Sam showed up early to help, and that's a bigger relief than I'd realized it would be. On the menu: Mashed tubers, bacon balsamic Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, bread stuffing, lemon and Parmesan-crusted something-fish, roasted sort-of-goose, shortbread cookies, eggnog (tipsy and not), hot chocolate, coffee, and a whole lot of booze.

I don't know everybody coming, and there are so many of them that we've had to carry in extra tables and chairs from an empty house, but that's okay. I'm glad we all have a place to be today, and if somebody random wanders up and wants a plate, that's okay, too. The more, the merrier.

Comments

Samantha Moon | OTA

[thegreatexperiment]

Sam had no real happy Christmas memories. All of her foster homes did Christmas, in one fashion or another. But she usually ended up with crappy gifts that were strictly utilitarian in nature--socks, books, Lisa Frank folders. And, of course, she just as frequently ended up with the sense of a lack of continuity. The sense that she didn't belong. That she never would belong anywhere.

In that respect, she figured celebrating Christmas in the clown rodeo could only be a step up.

Although, it was kind of an awkward step.

Since she didn't like a lot of Liv's friends, Sam decided to throw herself into the business of the party, as much as possible. Liv was the captain of the ship, but Sam more or less declared herself the first mate, helping with the cooking, taking coats, fetching and serving drinks for people. Anything to make life easier for Liv and her guests. Just generally keeping herself in a state of perpetual motion.

It kind of felt fucking amazing.

In an effort not to look like she was part of some Goth festivities, she wore the pink dress she'd walked away from Halloween with. Her wig was freshly cleaned, the curls bouncy again. And she'd even managed to give herself a lipgloss treatment with some berries. It was as bright and as colorful as she'd ever been. Not a bad start to Christmas for an agnostic Jewish vampire with a horrible personality and, at least in one universe, the weight of the world on her shoulders. She figured--and hoped--things would just go up from here.

"Can I take your coat? Do you need something to drink?"

Anne | OTA

[can_fight_ugly]

Anne hadn't been planning on staying, and she's not going to intrude for long; she's shown up with a box wrapped in Navy Blue paper decorated with stars of various sizes and designs, tied together with silver ribbon. In careful charcoal on the top is 'Liv in careful cursive.

She's also brought along one of the remaining wine bottles aside from a couple that she's stashed; a crisp white Riesling-type.

Christmas was her time of year. She's dressed up as nicely as she can manage; her hair is near perfection thanks to Zevran. She enjoys the chance to talk with others, to share a meal with friends new and old.

[imareporter]

Christmas is a weird time for Eddie. He grew up religious so he has a great deal of respect for the holiday. He loves gifts, the giving and the getting - and it's easier to really make someone's day when you're good at making a gift. He'd been halfway through that gift. Venom agreeing not to touch his own secret santa gift.

But then he'd seen that clip and when he closed his eyes he still felt his father grabbing his arm and dragging him away. He'd been living with a constant headache - Venom didn't understand why he wanted to keep those memories. Why it was important for him to remember his father.

Why that anger sometimes fueled him.

The symbiote is gentle now though, soothing him like a hug in his mind. Doesn't mean he's slept. Doesn't mean he's okay.

What we need is people.

...I'm proud of you. Don't focus on the past. Move to the here and now.

So he's cleaned up a bit, debating on bringing his gift for Faraday before deciding against it. Instead he's just there with some of the ornaments that he and Wanda made. She might be there, he should talk to her more and-

Anne!

"...Anne!" It's shouted, "Hey. Hey Hi. Hi. How are you?" He looks exhausted but respectful.

[can_fight_ugly]

This was a possibility Anne had planned for. After her various conversations, especially recounting the breakup with Foggy, she'd been able to manage at least a little bit of distance.

Hearing the excitement in his voice, though ... that caught her unprepared. Eddie. Emotions run deep, and there's always a part of her that hurts for the life together that he gave up on.

It'd been his choice, his doing.

But, it'd been a while since she'd heard somoeone so happy to see her.

"Eddie, funny seeing you here." She smiles, a little quirk to her grin. "This is definitely not the Christmas I had planned this year, but it'll do." Her expression sobers, with all the videos that have been going around, with the way people had been reacting, some of the haunted looks she'd seen, and Eddie's own exhausted appearance, she wondered if he'd gotten show as well. "How have you been?"

[imareporter]

Venom is...not happy with this development.

It's child's play to close of his mind from Eddie (and never question if his host would ever learn how to reach his subconscious. He saw what venom wanted him to see.) mostly because the memories of Carl Brock put things together and make sense.

The desperate need to be liked, to succeed. The desire to be loved. Venom has never had a parent but there is respect to be found in a familial unit that he had never received. Riot. Lash. Scream. All of his colleagues, brothers and sisters, lovers, all the words humans had for close. Out of all of them Scream was ironically closest to him if such a thing could be considered...

But it was nothing like human beings.

Human beings, to Venom's utter horror, were not a hive mind. They were forced to co-exist together on a planet and unlike every. other. civilized. planet in the galaxy they were blessed with individuality. They could be loved. They could be hated. Venom wondered if relationships begun in hate were easier. The ones begun in love seemed cruel.

Carl Brock should have loved his son. Anne should have been supportive. These two beings however were individuals with their own thoughts and deeds and ideas. Their own lives And to exist in the hive place sans hive mind, those lives had to be respected.

Eddie, Edward Brock had no idea how to respect others since his own life had never been respected. His own autonomy never reinforced. His own ability to care for himself had been hindered.

It'd be so much easier if I could erase her, that asshole, all of it.

He couldn't however and in the split second Venom had these musings on the nature of humans and their imperfect ugly existence where they were blessed with individuality, Venom spread through Eddie's body like a blanket. Just beneath the skin. Every part of him, as close as they would be as if they were truly Venom.

Whatever thoughts, whatever uncertainty Eddie had vanished in a heartbeat. He looked visibly different, like some flow of endorphins or chemicals had been released to relax him.

You may be an asshole. but you're my asshole and as such. Behave yourself. I don't know what this Christmas is but whatever it is we will face it. Together. And the easiest way to do so is to remember that. Truly believe that. I've got us.

"...yes."

It's blurted out and Eddie blinks, "Sorry. Spaced out for a second. Not the Christmas I wanted but y'know I tried my hand at some crafts again." They had done that together and now

Put that away. That's over.

Venom resisted the urge to scream as Eddie's memories washed over him like a tied, Individuality fucking sucked.

Be honest.

"...I haven't been great though. And I really don't want to talk about it unless you're asking cause it kinda deals with someone we both dislike immensely. And before you ask, this isn't a "alien" thing. This is an "Eddie's shitty childhood" thing. And I just..."

He set the ornaments on a table and stuck his hands in his scrubs pockets, "...I was doing good. Fucked it up, but I was doing good. That's a win right?"

[can_fight_ugly]

She gives him a pitying look, sorry that he's had to deal with that on top of everything else, and reaches out to give his arm a squeeze.

"I don't think you fucked up on this one, Champ. Someone's definitely throwing a monkey wrench into good, honest work." Acknowledging all he'd done, so far. She smiles a little more, "If you don't want to talk about it, we don't have to talk about it. But, if you need to with someone who understands - " Seriously, though, fuck that bastard Carl Brock. "I'm here."

Not to pressure him, though, she shifts the conversation, reaching to pick up and look over one of the ornaments. "It looks like craft time was a success. Did you help with these, Venom?"

[imareporter]

Eddie twitches and his eyes go white, No. I was expressly forbidden to touch these things, but Eddie instructed me on how to work on our...gift so it could get done in time.

He coughs and his eyes drift back to normal, "...That's getting easier on the throat at least. Which is good."

He pauses, "...I gotta...I gotta ask. Did you get a video? A weird little thing on your watch?"

Thor | OTA

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Thor had gotten a message from Steve about a party for a holiday called Christmas. He had heard the word thrown around before on Earth, but he hadn't known much about it otherwise. He eventually learned that his jól, or Yule, and Christmas had some things in common due to conversion and religions and things he didn't feel like getting into more deeply, so he didn't feel entirely strange for showing up to the event.

He had thought whether or not to bring a gift to Liv as she was the one who was hosting the party. He'd asked Steve whether bringing a brain would be strange or received as rude instead of kind, the latter being what he was going for, of course. He settled on not bringing anything, just in case. With the more Midgardian clothes that Peggy had been kind enough to give him, he also felt better about showing up. He no longer looked like a garish, giant banana.

Once at the party, he mingles and assists with things where he can. He's mostly loitering by where all the booze is being kept, wondering at what he's been told is "eggnog." A most peculiar drink with a most peculiar name.

Did he mention that he's still figuring out his human limits for both alcohol and food?

[ataashihunter]

Bull has never heard of eggnog either but it sounds like something that is worth trying. He smiles as he comes over to Thor with the tiny glass in his hands. Or rather, the glass looks tiny in his hands. "Evening."

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

"My friend, Bull! Hello!" Thor exclaims happily, a smile plastered across his face. Both of his hands are currently occupied by different drinks, one of which is this mysterious "eggnog." He leans out an elbow towards his new friend as a way of bypassing the handshake he can't physically offer. "How are you? I'm happy to see you here! Have you heard of this weird drink all of these humans are drinking? It's something called "eggnog." I know what eggs are, but I've never heard of a "nog." What do you think "nog" means?"

[ataashihunter]

"We have something called a Nug where I am from but I don't think they lay eggs. At least I thought they were mammals." Bull gives him a warm smile and goes to get some of this egg of nog himself. "What does it taste like?"

[assemble_the_lovbacken]

Thor takes a hearty sip and then smacks his lips together a few times. It's something he saw people do on a cooking show once while on Midgard. Apparently it's supposed to help with tasting all the flavors or something.

"I don't think it tastes like eggs, which is what I was expecting. It is very sweet, and thick. It tastes very decadent!" He takes another generous gulp. "There is also alcohol in here, and that is very good, too. I don't know the flavors that are native to this place, but I like this drink a lot. Even though I cannot thank whatever a "nog" is for giving us its eggs in a drink."

[ataashihunter]

"We should ask Liv, I am sure she knows." He smiles and reaches for some of the eggnog himself, taking a hearty sip since he trusts Thor, well at least enough to not poison both of them. "Oh, yeah... Yeah that is good."

Wanda Maximoff | OTA

[minus1twin]

Wanda had heard about the party in passing and hadn't initially intended to go but then she learned that Liv was going to be the host. She had never met Liv personally but she knew a little bit about her from talking to Major and wanted a chance to finally meet her.

It was awkward showing up to a place she's never been before but she knew enough about the Christmas Holiday to blend into the general merriment of the event. She wore the only nice outfit she owned and grabbed two little ornaments she'd made as a gift for the host. Her long hair hung loosely over her shoulders, falling in gentle curls to the base of her spine. Her expression was warm and light but despite her best efforts, a shadow lingered in her light misty green eyes.

Wanda hadn't shaken off the effects of the short clip she had experienced a few days before. She was comfortable with her past and her decisions up until this moment but the clip had been of her future. She wanted to ask Steve or Bucky or... anyone about it but she wasn't sure if they knew or if it was a good topic to bring up at what should be a happy gathering.

It was best to push it from her thoughts and address it later.

She had a small cup of scotch in one hand and milled about the party. She only took enough alcohol to relax, knowing that there wasn't very much of it, and it worked. She felt the tension in her shoulders ebb and a more natural smile shape her lips. It was nice to see everyone and it really was a great party.

[imareporter]

Eddie is the perfect gift giver. It stems from a desire to please and to be thanked. To be included. Consequently the best gift he was going to give Anne was ...well. Space. Besides. It wasn't like she didn't have Dan, back in San Francisco. Like she didn't have a number of other friends right?

Right. This is totally natural and honestly Wanda's one of the few people that gets his fingers all warm and tingling when their hands touch and Anne is one thing but Wanda...

Wow.

I take it you like that outfit?

Well I mean yeah, she looks like somebody you'd see in a bar or-I mean-like a club like a nice, classy club and...

This is why your heart rate is picking up. Our palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are-

"Did you just...did you just quote an Eminem song at me?" He blinks, tilting his head up, "...Okay that's it I'm doing this for both our sakes."

That and she was concerned. Pacing over, Eddie sticks his hands in his pockets. He still looks tired and haggard when he approaches. He smiles never the less.

"...This is the part where I ask if I can buy you a drink but it's a party. So I'm gonna ask if I can bring you a drink."


This is fine. Anne wants this. Doesn't she?

Stop it. Talk to her.

"I kind of owe you an explanation."

[minus1twin]

"Hey." Her mouth stretched into a warm smile. It was good to see Eddie out and enjoying himself. She had been worried but she hadn't wanted to crowd him after he had asked for some time to himself.

"I'm almost done this. If you'd like to refill it for me." Wanda lifted the cup in her hand to indicate what she was talking about. Not that it'd be hard to guess or that the drinks were particularly far away. It was still nice of him to offer, if not a little awkward.

Wanda stepped closer to his side, her misty green eyes bright and curious as she searched his gaze.

"Umm.." Her lips curled briefly inward. "How are you and Venom doing?"

[imareporter]

"I can manage that." He settles in beside her before staring at his hands and fixing as much sincerity as he can into his features. His smile is rougish as he looks up again, "Finally a little alcohol right?"

It's cute how you think you'll get to have any of that. Inebriation is a weakness.

"...We're fine." Eddie twitches, "And I'm uh...recovering. A little bit after what happened. I really can't thank you enough for what you did for me."

He's not including the "Us" in this because Venom didn't get it. This is a Me thing. Not a We thing.

wholly fine with that. Just. No beer.

[minus1twin]

"Yeah." Alcohol was nice though Wanda rarely drank to excess. "It's relaxing and interesting. There are a lot of different drinks here."

Wanda enjoyed being around friends and being able to see everyone smile and enjoy themselves. This party was different than the ones that suddenly appeared around the inn or in a corn maze. It felt more natural and safe.

"I'll always be there for you Eddie." She paused and added. "And Venom." Though Wanda realized that she hadn't really had a conversation with Venom yet. She had seen him on the network but at the time she hadn't been able to reply back to him.

"I'm glad that you're doing better."

Wanda looked like she was going to say more but she hesitated. She didn't know when Eddie was from, only that they were from the same world. Would he know about Thanos? Could she mention her own clip? Wanda wasn't sure if it was a good idea to explain. It might be better at another time.

[imareporter]

"...I'm hoping this doesn't sound creepy as hell-but I owe being better to you. And Arado." He grins weakly then looks sincere, "...You didn't have to be that kind but you were. I uh...I appreciate that."

He pauses, picking up on the nerves, "...everything okay with that?"

Bruce Banner OTA

[notsoangry]

Bruce typically doesn't do holiday celebrating. Or birthday celebrating. Or celebrating. He learned to do them once because of Betty, and then years later because of the Avengers. It still isn't his natural inclination. He's a lot more likely to forget what day it is while reading or working on a project. Still, it was very kind of Liv to throw this, and he said he would go. He had to remind himself not to bring with him a notebook of thoughts on the cure they were working on, because this was Christmas, Banner. Focus.

In general he likes food and knows most people there, and he's very content to keep to himself and watch everyone else talk and enjoy themselves. This is a very nice distraction from the warped video he received only a few days before and still kept dreaming about. Bruce sits there quietly with his food and hot chocolate and smiles as he listens to the casual chatter of people around him. There's a chair open currently next to him if someone would like to join him.

[womanofvalue]

Peggy's rather pleased to see Bruce there and as she picks up a drink for herself, she makes a second for him, bringing it over to make a spot for herself in that open chair. "I'm beginning to think that hiding out in the corner of parties with you is a pattern," she remarks with amusement, handing over the drink (which is possibly stronger than any should be), but it's a holiday, isn't it?

Why not enjoy it? "Cheers to the holiday," she says, though at the last moment, remembers not to assume. "Which do you celebrate?"

[notsoangry]

Bruce glances up and smiles warmly when he sees it's Peggy, taking the drink without hesitation. It does smell strong, but yes, it's a holiday, and at least walking home won't be that difficult from here. "Coming to parties at all is kind of a new thing for me. I got used to it when I moved into Stark Tower, or at least regular social requirements, but it's with good people so I always make an exception for those." He is an introvert through and through.

"Cheers." He says back and offers his glass for her to clink. "Neither, if it's just me, but I've been to Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations. We didn't celebrate it really when I was a kid, or at least I have no memory of it." His father was a firm atheist and secular, and family holidays in general were not much of a thing. "My mother did make gingerbread cookies with me and sometimes drove around the neighborhood to see everyone's lights." It's been much too long since her death for it to still sting, but he is glad at least to have some good memories now. "What about yourself?"

[womanofvalue]

"We had enough of them after the war that I've almost grown used to them," she admits, because there had been loud ones and quiet ones and sad ones, those sorts of feelings when you'd won a battle, but gotten scraped and bloody in the process.

Besides, here, it's a good distraction from the general frustrations that she's yet to come to terms with, even now. "Christmas, for my mother. Amanda Carter was a fiend with decorations, before things went terribly," Peggy recalls wryly. "My brother and I were lavished with gifts, though always frilly dresses for me, the sort of thing I was disappointed with, but had to act grateful for."

"You? Did you get the gifts you were after?"

[notsoangry]

"It's good that you were all able to do something positive even after hardships." Bruce himself was a pacifist so he never would have been involved with a war. Maybe if he was alive during WWII it would have happened. Or he'd just have been on the original Super Soldier project. "That's what we would do after Avengers battles. Use the time to unwind and bond. After Fury put us together, it took awhile before we found our own rhythm, and parties helped. For a little while, before things got bad." His smile is faint and a little sad, knowing that they didn't last. "I wasn't there for that part."

Coming back from years in space was confusing enough, but he came back to the only stable part of the last decade being broken to pieces. Bruce was no stranger to the concept that not all good things can last forever, but he really didn't expect them to be the timebomb he claimed them to be.

"Did you covet his gifts? I imagine they might have been more fun than frilly dresses." Bruce envies people who had siblings, and he likes hearing stories about families that sounded functional. It's clear in the way he listens, captivated, even over the smallest of stories. He thinks though about her question. "My father was a very bad person, I don't think he got either of us gifts ever. Not that that was the reason he was bad." The abuse and murder sort of had that covered. But it was a very long time ago, so on the whole Bruce didn't speak of it with lasting pain, only acceptance. "My mother got me books, which is all I wanted anyway. Betty and my team were always very thoughtful too."

[womanofvalue]

"He shared them with me, the good older brother that he was, but I still coveted them something fierce," she agrees, given that Michael always did seem to get all the lovely toys and items that she sought after so eagerly.

Strange how he never seemed to want to share in her gifts, though the pink of the frilly dresses would have clashed terribly with his complexion, she thinks, but it makes her smile to think about it. "It sounds as if you found your family yourself," she praises. "What was your favourite book that your mother got you?"