all_inclusive | Gathering: Summer Party

Gathering: Summer Party

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.

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Sydney shook her head. "And how can you tell? Aren't you seeing two of me by now?" She kept her tone light, her smile in place, so he'd know was more teasing than poking at him. "How bad was it before you started with the bottle?"

"Bad," Adrian admitted readily enough. "Aunt Tatiana was talking to me." Adrian had never been particularly close to either of his parents but he was incredibly close to his aunt and she often manifested when Spirit got bad. It was good in some ways because he missed her but he was just sane enough to know she wasn't really there.

Sydney remembered, only too vividly, the first time she'd encountered Adrian when he was gone on Sprirt so much he'd told her about talking to his Aunt and the near arrest, near break up that night. She couldn't stop the shudder that passed over her.

"All right," she said at last, and took the bottle from his fingers, "but maybe we can slow it down a little?"

"Slowing down means it comes back," Adrian reminded her plaintively. He refused to take anything that would get rid of it permanently, the way Lissa did, because he needed Spirit for his art and to make sure that Jill and Sydney and everyone else was safe. What if Sydney was injured and she needed him to heal her? What if she was far away and he could only reach her in his dreams.

"Hey, do you think it's night in Ancient Rome yet? We could go. You and me, right now?"

It made her sad, sometimes, when she saw him like this because she could remember the even, controlled Adrian not driven to wild extremes by the curse of his magic. She thought, not for the first time, that there must be some way her magic could counter his. To level the effects without taking away the things he wouldn't give up - namely, his ability to protect her should there be a need.

But that wasn't something she'd be able to think about tonight, apparently, because there was no way Adrian wouldn't be going to Rome...and there was also no way he'd be going without her.

"We can always go look. But if you think you're getting me into a toga...."

"Oh come on, Sage, you're no fun. When in Rome," Adrian said expansively, gesturing toward the empty air. "We should totally both wear togas. I can put something together from our sheets, right? High thread count, gorgeous color..."

This time, Sydney was smiling. "You did have a rather interesting reaction to the last time I wore a toga, or something like it, back in Palm Springs, remember?"

Sydney did, because it was the first time he'd told her she was beautiful. It had made her a little uncomfortable at the time. Now, though, it warmed her heart.

"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?"

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"I want to know about every single brick of architecture," Adrian said expansively. "And I want you to play the tour guide every step of the way. The only thing I've ever seen in Rome was a bar and I don't think that really counts as a trip to Italy."

It had been a nice layover for him, sure, but he much rather would be exploring Ancient Rome with Sydney than exploring a bottle of Italian wine.

Sydney smiled and raised on her toes to kiss his cheek. She knew he'd be bored, though he'd pretend not to be, and he'd probably distract her more than a few times with his hands and lips, especially if she went on about aqueducts for too long. But he'd try, and he'd listen.

As if she needed more reasons to love him.

"Is that a yes? Let's blow this place and get our history on," Adrian said, looping an arm around Sydney's waist without caring who was watching. "I'm prepared to be educated."

"That's a yes," Sydney agreed then, after a pause, "and you'd better pay attention because there may be a test later."

She tried to dart out of reach, but was pretty sure she was going to fail utterly at it.

Adrian tugged her close. "Not getting away from me, Sage. You're not going to get away from me if I can help it."

He thought about it for a moment and then softened his face. "I mean, if you want to I guess you can but...I don't want you to?"

Sydney went easily into his arms, even so far as tucking her hands into his back pockets. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Lord Ivashkov. You started this, you're going to have to deal with the consequences."

"Technically, you can call me a prince," Adrian said, grinning at her. "But far be it from me to insist on protocol and shit like that. I like to break rules more than I like to keep them, that's for absolutely sure."

He frowned a little. "Did I say that right or am I still drunk?"

"Sounded right to me, your highness," she said with a teasing poke to his midsection, "but unfortunately, that doesn't mean you're not drunk. You're surprisingly coherent most of the time, no matter what your blood alcohol is at the time."

As much as she didn't like it, she understood it and accepted it, for the most part.

"I have a residual BAC," Adrian teased. "My body can't function without at least a .06 and I really do better when it's higher than that."

Maybe it was something he shouldn't tease about, considering Sydney got that concerned look on her face but Adrian couldn't help it.

"I wouldn't say you do better," Sydney said because she couldn't stop herself from it, "but the Spirit is muted. And it can function just fine, I've seen it, but your mood swings are more pronounced. Or were."

"Yeah, I can't deal with how I swing back and forth," Adrian said, sobering just a bit. "I don't want...I don't want to be a drunk but sometimes it's just easier to be a drunk than it is to deal with my feelings."

And that, Sydney thought, was the basic truth of it - here and at home. She knew that he worried about not being able to heal her if she needed it, and potentially losing her if the worst happened and he was left powerless. She also knew that about half of that was rationalization. The problem was getting him to see that, and she knew from experience that never went over well.

"But you do need to deal with them. You know that, right?"

Gathering: Summer Party

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