Gathering: Summer Party

[concierge]

Outside of the Nexus Hotel, waiters and hotel staff had begun to set up the umbrellas and the tables in the middle of the day. Soon, it became clear that something was happening in the shadow of the Nexus. White tablecloths were draped on the tables and drinks and food were brought out with the help of several waiters and servers, staffing tables with hot and cold foods beside bartending stations. Summery drinks in bright, neon colors are laid out one by one and soon, the afternoon light casts a radiant look on the scene.

Music plays faintly in the background and a note at the front desk invites all the Nexus guests to head outside and join in on the summer party, which promises to continue going as long as there are people to stay and continue keeping the warm atmosphere rolling.

On the lawn, social games had been set out -- lawn bowling, croquet, and tables were set up with chairs for anyone who didn't quite have the will or the spirit to get into such games. Soon, a small number of people had begun to mill around, but as with all parties, there's always room for more.

Comments

[shes_biochem]

"Go back in time and prevent Hydra from burrowing into SHIELD?" she notes off-hand, her gaze slightly to the right of Sam as she intones those words she's continuously thought about. "What happened is past," she says, knowing that lingering on what-ifs will only drive her mad. "All I can do now is go forward and hope that Fitz gets all of his mental acuity back."

[seeorseem]

"Not my Dad," Eames is only too happy to share, given that he loves his father, but he's the most passive man Eames has ever come into contact with. "He's several generations into the riches and the houses and the estates." Also the title. "He's more than happy to sit back and enjoy it." He hadn't felt the chafing of it, hadn't wanted to escape it as Eames had. "These parties were regular affairs at the Eames household."

[powerof_water]

"Oh no, all signs point to more," Adam promised. "But I think we'll have to get away from the crowd if we want to go too crazy. I don't know if there's any morality police out here and that kind of thing is frowned upon in polite society."

[royalunderachiever]

"Ohh yes. Which is why I want another one," Adrian said, looking her up and down. "Granted, it won't be as good as what you wore to that dance but I think I can do something passable with draping and Egyptian cotton. Hey! Is that historically accurate? Romans using Egyptian cotton?"

[on_your_right]

"Well, you know. You can always ask for help," Sam says. He can volunteer himself, certainly, and he's reasonably sure that Steve would do anything in his power to help. He's good like that.

"We're here for you. Can I take your mind off it for a little while?"

[vampire_shield]

"Hmmmm," Bella answered with a little purr to her voice. "What exactly did you have in mind, Adam?"

[sage_alchemist]

"I think we'll find out soon enough if we're stoned for being witches walking around with foreign substances," Sydney answered instead, looping her arm through his. "How about we eat a little bit first? Soak up some of the alcohol so you don't end up insulting Caesar or something."

[malachai]

"Home for me is dangerous with it," Nick nodded in agreement. "If I find myself back there, I'm not sure if I'd be able to come back to the Nexus, and there's a good chance I wouldn't be fit to be around humans if I did."

It was the fear that kept him up nights; well, the night's Melanie wasn't staying with him, anyway. Her solid presence had a way of keeping the dark-of-night worry at the door.

[shes_biochem]

"If I could ask for help, I would," Simmons promises, because with all her heart she wishes this were as easy to mend as asking for help and receiving it. "Unfortunately, I already have all of SHIELD's fleeting medical help and some from the hotel, but it comes down to Fitz," she says, but when he offers the second bit of help, her smile widens. "I think number six might get my mind off things, finally," she says. "And you should be catching up!"

[powerof_water]

"More kissing?" Maybe more than that but Adam didn't dare to mention it out loud where other people could hear. He, unlike Bella, had to speak in normal tones of voice.

"So there's something I wanted to give you."

[royalunderachiever]

"As if we would be trying to go to an Imperial party," Adrian said, laughing lightly. "I would rather go slum it with the gladiators. I bet they give much better parties than some stuffy nobles. Believe me, I would know."

[on_your_right]

"Six is it and I'm cutting you off," Sam says, watching her carefully. "Because I don't think I could forgive myself if something happened and I didn't do anything about it. But I'll join you for two and six."

He thinks he could use another beer, after all.

[votecrowley]

"You look like someone who would drink more than her fair share," Crowley replied, easily. Not, of course, that he was particularly interested in the words 'fair' or 'share' in the first place. That was a construct humans made to try to stop the fighting, yet inevitably started more wars than it prevented. Faith, in fact, was far less to blame than pure human greed.

Which naturally he really banked on in his line of work.

[votecrowley]

"No, it is," Crowley asserted, inspecting the drink for a moment more. "I'm trying to decide if I've sunk low enough to actually drink it." Life these days was really just one long sink, as far as he was concerned. To resist or or hurry it on? Who knew.

[vampire_shield]

Bella, already grinning over the idea of more kissing, cocked her head at him curiously. "What's the occasion?"

[sage_alchemist]

"Maybe for you," Sydney commented wryly, "but I don't think being in a party with a bunch of prisoners that haven't been around anyone female in, perhaps, years, doesn't sound like a party to me. Especially if I'm in a toga."

[malachai]

"I guess it's all down to perception," Nick said with a sip and a nod. "My mother was, without a doubt, one of the worst cooks ever and I say that with all the love in my heart for the woman. But she really was, the absolute worst. In the whole world. After eating her attempts at food, everything else is a chef's banquet."

[votecrowley]

"That just means she gifted you with a particularly sensitive palate," Crowley replied, dryly. "Now, how is my favourite half demon doing today? Favourite because you're the only one I've ever talked to."

[whattingawhat]

It was easy to get lost in the hotel, to maintain one's solitude. She chuckled a little at his question. "Would me having one strapped to my leg under my dress make me a paranoid or awesome?"

In her experience, parties generally equalled fighting. She wasn't about to show up to one unarmed.

[powerof_water]

"Just because," Adam said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a stone made of chalcedony, worn smooth. It had swirls of pink and blue and gray in it, all together, and he offered it to her in his palm.

"You don't exactly need it. It's a chalcedony rose and it's meant to protect you. It's what witches give to people they care about...but I thought it was more about the sentiment than the need."

[royalunderachiever]

"Oh right. Nobles it is," Adrian decided quickly. He didn't want to have to put himself or Sydney into a situation they couldn't get out of easily.

"I've never, ever wanted to be Strigoi but the nigh indestructible thing would be really nice. It could be useful. But then there's the part where you're a soulless killer."

[malachai]

Nick laughed as he gave the question some serious consideration before answering. "Honestly? I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. My girlfriend from the island I was stuck on before here turned up. Good things just don't happen to me, so the shit's going to hit the fan somewhere. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but it's coming."

[malachai]

"I don't think that question is an either or situation, so maybe awesomely paranoid?" Nick offered, but the smile didn't quite make it to his eyes.

"Have you met any of the other vampires here?"

[vampire_shield]

Bella took it and cradled it in her hands, very careful to not exert any force against it. She wasn't going to risk crushing something so lovely. "I love the gift, and the sentiment behind it. I'll treasure it always, thank you."

Because the situation seemed to call for it, she rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek lightly.

[sage_alchemist]

"Yeah, there's always a downside, isn't there?" Sydney commented, but watched him closely. "Come on. Let's go see Rome and I can bore you to tears about the history."