ONE NIGHT ONLY

[construing]

CHARACTERS: everyone (including new characters!)
LOCATION: ximusic + common room
DATE: night, october 1st
CONTENT: come by for a night of good music, good food, and better drinks
WARNINGS: none for now, will warn as needed

I love rock 'n' roll

An announcement goes up the day before: Murderface: The Band: The Show. Location and time are printed beneath along with a promise of a "special surprise." Arrive early and you can catch the current members of the band warming up or happy to talk someone's ear off. At the promised time, the lights dim but for those on the stage. Gwen's drumming gets inside one's bones; Wei Wuxian's dizi belongs on a stage with Lizzo; Lan Xichen alternately opens with the deep, tranquility of a guqin or arms himself with a xiao; and Newt…Newt is Newt, tearing the stage on his electric guitar. As a treat, he also provides the vocals to a few songs. There is even space left for the band's honorary member should he choose to join in.

The band plays a mix of covers and original music. Even after their show ends, the music doesn't. Gwen and Newt rigged a music player and the playlist—curated to include something for every taste—plays into the early morning. The music room's instruments are available for anyone who fancies a turn. And for those who do not have or should not be trusted with instruments, clap, stomp, dance, sing along—and enjoy the night.

Pour some sugar on me

In the common room, just outside the Ximusic room, courtesy of their ever enterprising (and not-so-artificial) AI comes the promised "surprise": food and drinks, each hailing from an Orber's home world. Even the new Orbers are represented! This might be their favorite treat, a famous dish, a representative drink… What they have in common: each one says "home" to someone.

There is enough to share with friends (or hoard for yourself if this is you.) So eat, drink, and be merry (though maybe not too merry; the alcohol proof of a few bottles can double as fuel.)

Comments

[singlelogbridge]

I just don't understand why anyone would name them that! [It was a terrible scary name and he doesn't like it!]

They don't look like dogs at all! Why can't they be corn...hmm. Corn sticks or...[He pauses and snickers. Sorry Gwen, he's a dumbass trying to think about things the shape resembles, and. Well.]

[construing]

〈 she immediately makes a face. 〉

Oh, gross! 〈 the second smack has an iota of strength behind it—enough to actually sting this time. 〉

You want to suck a dick so bad, go fucking find one! Don’t involve me, and don’t, 〈 her finger points an inch from his nose, 〉 bring corn dogs into it!

〈 she walks away, still mentioning wei wuxian in ever ruder terms. 〉

[singlelogbridge]

[He dissolves into laughter and chases after her, calling out between his chuckles.]

Gwen, wait! I didn't even—[He has to pause to snicker and cover his mouth] I didn't even say it!

[construing]

〈 and he will not.

mostly because she will. 〉

Suck my dick! I don’t even have one, and it’s sure as shit bigger than yours!

〈 didn’t have balls before wei wuxian either, but since meeting him, he has been breaking both nonstop. 〉

[singlelogbridge]

[GWEN how is he supposed to breathe if you keep making him laugh like this? Still he follows after her, face red and tears of mirth gathered in his eyes that he can't stop from spilling down his cheeks.]

No....wait. I still...[More laughter.] You still have to try...the sweets from mine!

[construing]

〈 don't breathe. die. 〉

Let the record show, I'm stopping only because Viveca went through the trouble. 〈 he can choke. 〉

[singlelogbridge]

[Still stifling chuckles, he takes her by the hand and leads her back to the table of snacks, only letting go once he gets there, and then making a show of blocking her view. A moment later he turns back to her and holds out some kind of concoction on a stick. Specifically the one he hands to her is a pig.]

They're brown sugar blown candies. If you don't like the pig, there are others, but I thought you might. [He grins and knuckles away the remaining tears of laughter from his eyes.]

[construing]

〈 does she like the painted sugar pig that looks like it was just witness to something that it will never, ever forget in its oinking life?

she loves it. but she cannot let him off the hook so easily. 〉

You know I'm year of the tiger, right? And you give me a pig. 〈 a pig. 〉

[singlelogbridge]

[He did NOT in fact know that and rather than looking scolded, his eyes light up and he beams at her.]

I didn't! The tiger, I should have known! You're as fierce and regal as one so it's to be expected. [But he still holds out the pig to her with a grin.]

You're going to try it, right?

[construing]

〈 her eyes narrow.

she snatches the candy on a stick. 〉 Give me my pig.

〈 once it is safely in her possession, her glare melts. her phone is suddenly in hand snapping a picture. she grins from the screen to the candy. 〉

This is so stupid cute.

[singlelogbridge]

[That gets another laugh.]

Isn't it? [He turns back to the tray and grabs a rabbit for her to see, the one he'd set aside for himself.]

Look at the bunny!

[As they eat their sweets, he continues to show Gwen the rest of the sugar creations, often with ridiculous commentary and all the while with laughter in his eyes. It's been a very good night and he's more than happy to drag it out as long as he can.]