station72 | PARTY PARTY PARTY

Entry tags:

PARTY PARTY PARTY

CHARACTERS: Everyone!
WHERE: The streets of Concordia
WHEN: Dusk til just before dawn on DAY 040
SUMMARY: IT'S A PARADE
WARNINGS: Add them to your top levels as necessary etc etc

As from the calendar:

Confetti! It's a parade! The annual Arista Parade, to be precise. Nominally a part of Aristana, the celebration of the ribbons of life, it's a holiday who's origins are nearly forgotten. Nowadays it's a big, raucous celebration pretty dedicated much entirely to drinking and partying. Almost all those in attendance will be wearing ribbons tied around their hair, their wrists, off of their belts and the edges of their sleeves. Pull one off, and you will be rewarded with a kiss - on the cheek, usually. The parade itself showcases a number of performers, costumes, and moving art pieces. It's route covers a number of the main streets of town (which will be closed, sorry traffic), and it lasts from dusk till nearly dawn on DAY :040. Have fun, if it's your kind of scene.

From the mods:

No notable NPCs are present at the parade - at least not in any official capacity. However if anyone wants to interact with a Concordian native, feel free to make up/interact with any randos you feel like!

Feel free to use this log for all of your parade day activities!

*moving art piece not included, original characters do not steal

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Yeah, same here, 'cept I always knew I wanted to fly. You might as well own it, man, could be worse. Could be ants.

[ Sorry, Shiro, but Sam shows no remorse for the Care Bear thing. He just smirks at him a little at the grimace. ]

I been there, takes a little bit of adjustment. But way I see it, every once in a while it's good to slow down, live in the moment and remember how to enjoy life a little.

... I can't argue the flying part. I always wanted to go to space. Be a pilot.

[And now look at him. Whoops, he really didn't mean for this to go into a more serious vein, but there it is, happening anyway.]

Just going to take a while to get used to the fact we can do it at all, I think.

And look at us now, having a party on an alien planet.

[ Sam’s used to things dipping into serious territory and pulling it right back - comes with not only his line of work, but the friends he keeps. And he gives Shiro a smile, reaching out to tug absently on one of his ribbons. ]

You got tonight, you can do it right now. How about you live in the moment with me a little?

Yeah, I guess so.

[His expression is a weary sort of smile. Vaguely there for a heartbeat before slipping away again. His attention dropping back to the apple before Sam starts playing with the ribbon again. What the heck--]

Uh, yeah. Sure?

[ He's gotten a couple of smiles out of him so far, which is a win as far as Sam's concerned. ]

That wasn't a trick question. You don't seem like you're doing too bad so far, though. [ ...although knowing Shiro, actually, he has to double check that. ] D'you know what the ribbons are for?

Really? That's good to know.

[There's a beat of hesitation. With his eyes flicking from food to Sam, and back again.] I haven't been paying attention, to be honest.

What are they for?

[ There's a brief pause as he considers - but hell, living for the moment, right? ] See, now that's just the perfect opportunity to show you instead of telling you. [ Sam moves closer, untying the ribbon and tugging it off as he leans in. ]

Tell me if you want me to back off, all right?

[What is he getting into? No, really, what is this? What is going on here? There's close proximity making something in his chest hiccup. His face heat up.]

Okay?

[But he trusts him. Sam wouldn't do anything to hurt him.]

[ They're enjoying life, Shiro, that's what's going on here. He can feel the echo of Shiro's reaction humming across the connection, butterflies in his chest and warmth in his cheeks, but it just makes Sam smile a little, enjoying it as if it were his own.

He closes the rest of the distance between them, fingers sliding briefly into Shiro's hair and thumb stroking over the curve of his jaw as he brushes his lips against Shiro's. ]

[He's about to ask what exactly is going on here. Why the hesitation? The buildup. They're just ribbons, after all.]

[Honestly, he's damn startled at the hand in his hair. Only then there's a mouth on his and a hand at his chin and what the hell is happening. Why -- what -- how -- Is Sam drunk? He has to be drunk. Completely off his rocker.]

[Not... that he's not enjoying it. God, he is, of all things. Why is it so nice? Why is it making him blush harder and energy prickle all along his limbs and why is kissing a man doing this?]

[It's not even like it's an open-mouthed kiss. And all the same, his heart starts pounding like it is one.]

[ It is just a close-mouthed kiss, but it's a very nice close-mouthed kiss. Sam doesn't do anything by halves. He keeps it close-mouthed, though, and he keeps his mental shields up. After that first fluttery feeling that Sam got just from leaning in, he'd pulled them back up. Maybe under other circumstances, it'd be interesting to explore the feedback loop between two members of the Nest when they kiss, but right now he wants to keep it out of their heads and just enjoy it for what it is.

His teeth graze Shiro's lower lip as he pulls away, just a little, and he plants another almost chaste kiss to the corner of Shiro's mouth before he pulls back completely. Sam's fingers glide through Shiro's hair, untangling the ribbon there and taking it with him.

There's only the vague sense of what's going on in Shiro's head, confusion and enjoyment, but Sam doesn't probe deeper. Just gives him a smile. ]

I'm better at demonstrating than explaining.

[There are a whole lot of fluttery feelings over on his end. A whole lot of buzzing and energy and warmth. It is nice. Surprisingly nice. Maybe he'd just forgotten what kissing was like. Or maybe there's some weird brain feedback going on or --]

[-- or he doesn't even know. He's just trying to figure out why that was so pleasant. And coming up empty. It's especially hard to puzzle out anything when teeth on his lip and more fingers in his hair and eyes fluttering closed just a little more --]

[The slightly glazed look in his eye probably screams it from the rooftops, even if they weren't linked mind-to-mind.]

... uh. Yeah. Yeah, that. Yes.

[ The temptation to lower his shields more, take a peek at where Shiro's head is at, is pretty damn strong, but Sam ignores it. The bleed through he's getting is enough, anyway, and Sam doesn't need to go prying in someone's head to be able to tell that they enjoyed a kiss.

He didn't expect the way Shiro's looking at him from behind half-lidded eyes would actually make his pulse quicken a little, or that for a moment it almost makes him want to lean in and kiss Shiro again.

But he shoves it down, expression soft and warm as he tucks the stolen ribbon into his pocket. ]

That's a good look on you, man.

[It sort of feels like he's just gone through a workout. Or part of one. The way everything is pounding in his head and ears. The way his face is flushed -- way too hot to just have a smooch. But most of that is probably embarrassment. He can't remember the last time anyone did that.]

[... and he's pretty sure it wasn't ever a guy. Not that he feels... any particular sort of upset about that part.]

[His face just heats up to something close to a supernova at the comment, though.]

Um. Thank you?

[SO SMOOTH, SHIRO.]

[ It’s really hard to resist teasing Shiro about the color he’s turning right about now, but Sam manages it. He doesn’t have to ask to figure that maybe Shiro hasn’t been kissed in a while, and he doesn’t want to call any more attention to it than Shiro’s beet red face already is.

Instead he sets a hand on Shiro’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. ]

I just meant it's nice to see you happy.

I'm happy!

[Even as he says it, he knows he's covering. That he hasn't been a shining example of a sunny personality since he got here. But what are you supposed to say when the guy who just planted a kiss on you is... telling you he likes seeing you happy?]

[There's some kind of rule for that, right?]

... occasionally.

[ Yeah, Shiro's gonna get a raised eyebrow at that. Uh-huh, he can tell that you're totally happy all the time. ]

It's okay to admit that you're not doing great, you know. Someone told me once that emotions are temporary. For the bad ones, admitting that you're feeling one way doesn’t mean you can't remind yourself it's not gonna last forever, and for the good ones it means enjoying every minute of it you can.

[ He leans in to rest his forehead against Shiro's, eyes closed. He hadn't missed the way that the press of their shoulders together had seemed to ground Shiro up on the roof top, and he holds it for a moment before he pulls back, giving Shiro's shoulder an affectionate shake. Then he lets go, making a gesture meant to encompass the parade, the caramel apple, them together, everything. ]

How about right now?

[And that eyebrow gets an embarrassed grin. Does it really show that much?]

I don't know if I really have that luxury. But it's a nice thought.

[He had more to say but. Hoo boy. It's grounding all right. Grounding in that it's impossible not to feel the way that press of contact makes his heart pound in his ears. Or vividly remember the sensation of teeth on his lip.]

[... wait, right, questions. Come back to earth.]

I'm -- really confused. If I'm being honest.

[ It shows that much to Sam, at least. But Sam kind of hangs around a lot, being really observant. ]

Ain't a luxury, man, it's fact. Emotions don't last forever.

[ He has a feeling that's not exactly what Shiro was talking about there, but he says it anyway. Something Sam learned a long time ago, that the more times you say something, even to yourself, the more likely you are to remember it later when you need it.

Besides, he doesn't really want to go into the rest of that right now. Not when it's easier to rest his forehead against Shiros, and try to bring both of them back to the moment. ]

Confused like I've been throwing a lot at you and you haven't really processed all of it to know what it is other than a little overwhelming, or confused like you're looking for the quickest exit here? Cause I figured I was okay when you didn't punch me as soon as I leaned in, but you never know.

[Definitely an embarrassed laugh.]

Guess I need a better poker face.

[Deflecting. It's not a good time to talk about emotions. Really not a good time. Because emotions are the one thing bouncing around his head he can't completely hide. And emotions want to focus on the whole kissing thing a lot more than logic wants to.]

[He swallows, and makes some vague gesture with his hands.]

Let's... go with the first one. For a lot of uh. Reasons.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

PARTY PARTY PARTY

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