chef_chocobro | The Far Less Creepy and Far From Abandoned Mansion in the Woods; Friday Afternoon/Evening [06/27].

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The Far Less Creepy and Far From Abandoned Mansion in the Woods; Friday Afternoon/Evening [06/27].

When the guests arrived, they would, of course, be instructed to find their way to the garden conservatory; the subtle decorations both inside the mansion and through the exterior gardens would guide most people to there, and, barring that, the steward was naturally on hand to provide and escort. There, they would find a scene that seemed almost a stark contrast to the dark and brooding decor of a necromancer, a place filled with light and life, with plants both decorative and functional, colorful and aromatic and useful, and, of course, no lack of the expected gothic or Victorian touches here and there. Somewhere, some cleverly situated water fixture babbled steadily along with the light, inobtrusive music that set the atmosphere: something elevated just slightly above casual, that slight touch of pretentiousness that was gentle in its demands for propriety and decorum and class. Comfortable chaises and chairs were arranged here and there sociably, a gathering a wrought-iron bistro tables and chairs as well, but the set-up seemed to suggest the kind of floating interactions of butterflies among flowers, drifting from one to the next with an airy regard.

And, of course, the spread of food was exceptional, lighter fair, but plenty of it, things that could be enjoyed while fluttering about with the other guests in one hand, while the other held a glass of fine wine or sparkling water garnished with fresh fruits or even a robust coffee or a floral cup of tea. Small sandwiches and crostini, bruschetta and other variations, but there were also empanadas with a chimichurri sauce, paella with scallops, pomegranate pork kebabs...

Spring rolls, summer rolls, smoked salmon cucumber rolls...

And of course, desserts, which would include alfajores dulce de leche, coffee truffles, fruit crostini, and key lime mini pies.

Needless to say, no one should be wanting for food. Just be careful not to fill up on treats too much if you plan to stay on later; there was still plenty of dancing to be had, once the party moved itself to the awaiting ballroom.

[[ ~~naturally, ocd incoming~~ ocd is up! Come and celebrate with us! ]]

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Arden and Rey weren't the only people to have been frantically looking up garden party attire. Despite having only black clothing, Adrian had stayed up trying to figure out what he was going to wear.

Boston had been surprisingly helpful with the internet. Weird.

But! The time spent looking had paid off, he thought, rather pleased with the outfit he'd managed to put together. And, since it was indoors, he'd even left his witch hat home. You're welcome, Yelena, Lydia.

Edited 2025-06-27 18:02 (UTC)

"Oh! Adrian!" Luma, who was deciding in that moment that she rather did like parties when they didn't involve intrusive French grandmothers that your sister had beset upon you and was trying to destroy you and your entire clan by infringing on the peacefulness of your carefully crafted seclusion, smiled when she saw him. "I almost didn't recognize you without your hat! Should I ask you about the weather, so we can put what we've learned in our Conversations class to good, practical use now?"

See, everybody? Luma liked his hat!

(That wasn't what she'd said, Adrian.)

"I find today to be so much nicer than the past few days have been," Adrian said with a grin. "Were you able to find ways to keep cool during the worst of the heat, Luma?"

God, Lydia was glad she didn't have Adrian's wardrobe restrictions. As much as she might be jealous of his magic and his not-always-having-to-stab-himself-with-pinsness sometimes, some things were simply not to be borne.

That said, she did have to admit, "You're looking quite nice today, Mr. Blackwood." Must be the lack of the hat. "Good afternoon."

What restrictions? He just liked black! It suited his complexion.

"Thank you! You're looking as lovely as a garden of flowers yourself, Miss Bennet," Adrian returned. "Am I going to ruin your opinion of me if I admit Boston helped me put it together?"

"Not at all; Mr. Boston has impeccable taste," Lydia told him, although surely he already knew this. "How is he, praytell? And Mr. Bran?" Lydia, Bran was a broom. You probably didn't have to 'Mr.' him.

Oh, but it made Bran so happy! He did little twirls in the air and everything!

"He's doing well," Adrian said. "He's very much getting into the production of cosmetics that the family is making. Asking all sorts of questions about the process and the like. He mentioned the other day that he thought they'd make an excellent prize for a raffle or somesuch." Adrian shook his head. "Maybe he's trying to get in good with the raccoons?"

Or was trying to use them to woo Kitty?

"Perhaps he was thinking of something to do with the event tomorrow?" Lydia suggested, like she hadn't had a whole conversation with Boston about making sure the cosmetics for his giveaway weren't too obviously magical. "The...rainbow thing?"

Look, last year had been her first year in a world with Pride and she had not fully understood what she was seeing.

One day, Adrian was going to find Boston's Tiktok (highly unlikely), or someone else was and would say something to him about it (far more likely), and it was going to be all over for you two co-conspirators.

"Oh, Pride?" Adrian asked absently, and then realized, wait, this was Lydia. "...Ah. Have you been told what Pride is, by any chance?"

They'd gone viral with Boston's rant about how no one wanted to dabble in the dark arts any more, and Adrian hadn't even noticed. Lydia wasn't too concerned.

"It's something to do with love and rainbows, is about all I know," Lydia admitted. "Both of which are very worthy, of course." Less worthy than her birthday, though.

"Ah, yes! That is true," Adrian said. "But, ah, the kind of love that was outlawed and dangerous for a long time. In some places it still is." Wait, what had she called them? "Sapphists. And other marginalized identities and orientations."

"Oh, Adrian, you did end up coming," Liliana said with a welcoming smile. "Lured in by the promise of flowers?"

"No, of course not!" Adrian protested. "...Okay, I won't deny they were also a draw," he said with a soft chuckle. "But even without them, I would have been here today, I promise."

"I should hope so," Liliana. "Or I would be forced to wonder what terrible impression we'd given you as neighbors."

No, she really would not. But she could banter about it.

"Oh, no, no, nothing like that!" Adrian promised. "I'm, ah, a bit of a homebody. And I never want to make a nuisance of myself or trespass where I'm not invited..."

And if he'd had reason to think he'd be unwelcome for any reason, well...never mind.

"Mr. Blackwood," Ignis greeted him with a nod. "Is this the first time you've actually crossed the threshold into our home? If so, then surely you do know how much I regret being such a poor neighbor, and if not, then I hope you'll forgive my poor memory and merely chalk it up to one with a bit too much on his mind at the moment."

"Oh no, you're correct," Adrian said. "I've missed all of your other parties for one reason or another, so I think if anyone is a bad neighbor, it's me."

Who could say why Adrian had missed so many parties? Truly a mystery.

"Oh, before I forget, I brought you and Liliana a card. Do you mind if I pass it over to you?" He pulled the card from his inner pocket, his finger shifting over the paper of the envelope loud enough to make noise.

If Ignis took the envelope, he'd feel a series of bumps across the face of it, spelling out familiar names. They were at a slight angle, and the words they spelled out were backwards, as if, say, someone hadn't realized that had to write the letters right to left, but uh...

An attempt was made?

Rey was so remembering this the next time color came up in conversation.

"Adrian," she greeted him. "Is the island being any kinder to you?"

"Rey!" Adrian said with a grin. "Uh...I'm not sure," he admitted. "I've been laying low this week in hopes that it would...forget about me and move on?"

Yeah, yeah, he knew that was dumb, but also, what if it worked?

[Did you know, you had to hit enter? It wasn't just transmitted psychically?]

[Sounds fake.]

"If you're not sure I'd think that means it worked," she said. Did she look surprised? "Now I feel like I should have tried that in the past."

"Well, I didn't go into work this week, so it's possible that something's waiting for me there, and I've just put off discovering what it is for a few days," Adrian said, looking a touch self-conscious.

"I'm sure it's fine," Rey said quickly.

Or it could be worse. No way to know right now!

"The island has other people to go after."

"Oh, yes, maybe it's on some kind of weird rotation," Adrian thought, brightening. "Which is why everyone deals with it from time to time. So it could have moved over to somebody else!"

Sure, Adrian, you keep hoping.

Stranger things had happened! Optimism!

"So you're going to brave work again?"

"Probably," Adrian said ~~unless his mun had another Wednesday full of nonsense~~. "If nothing else, I'd feel too guilty leaving it all for Pam to take care of anyway."

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

thatwaslucky - 2025-06-28 05:40 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Arrive & Mingle - 06/27.

witchoftheflesh - 2025-06-28 07:49 (UTC) - Expand

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