Like thunder screaming out for a flash of lightning

[flawed_immortality]

[Cor's not great at this whole party thing, especially as this time it's not just a family gathering but intended for the friends they'd made here as well. The video starts with Cor sitting in a cushy white and grey striped armchair, a stone fireplace beside him glowing warmly. It's a classy set up and far above the townhouses they've been in.]

It's New Years, celebrations are in order. His Majesty, Ignis, and I have obtained a larger space and we'd like to offer our home for the festivities. Feel free to stop in, have some snacks, and await midnight with us.

[Locked from Regis]
[He looks a little paranoid at first, double, then triple checking that he's done this right.]

It's also his Majesty's birthday. He's always eager to sweep it under the New Years celebrations but he has no reason to shy away from any such celebrations here. Don't let him.

[Action - Party Start~]
[The new house is really very nice. It's nothing compared to the Citadel but it is very nice. Clean and homey with the accents of warm wood that, if Cor didn't know better, he'd have thought was reclaimed.

There's a fire in the hearth, hor d'ouerve trays laid out on the kitchen counters. The replicator is of course available to anyone who wants something specific, though you might be surprised to find she responds to voice commands and is distressingly cheerful to talk to. The house is open for examination! Go on, explore folks, mingle away.]

[Action - Midnight]
[As chill as the night is Cor makes a point of slipping through the crowd throughout the evening. There's a number of Lucis Caelums and other magic users as well. So when the time comes near he does his best to usher everyone into the backyard, or at least onto the back porch.

He's certainly not the one to lead the countdown, no someone more energetic can do that, but at the final count a series of spells get fired into the night sky. They may not be traditional fireworks but a few Flares, Thundaras, and spells he has no names for will work well enough, don't you think?]

Comments

[carbungle]

I can live with that.

[Not that he's done much in the way of heroics here, but opportunities are fleeting, so that's fine. He follows her wherever she leads them.]

I'm glad you made it. With Somnus, even! How did he end up convinced?

[iustaegis]

...I, ah, had actually asked him if he had wanted to attend. He declined, but then... Era brought him. [ On the one hand, Pyra has been delicately trying to afford Somnus autonomy when possible, trapped as he is. On the other, it is good that he is here.

Yet she does not think his free will should be compromised further than it already has. ]

The credit goes to her. [ She is here only by his good graces, and it had been an unexpected development so much so that neither had been prepared. Hence, the long tunic she's wearing, which she only puts on in their townhouse. ]

[carbungle]

Don't sell yourself short. I think we're wearing him down.

[Go teamwork! He lifts his free hand towards her. High five!]

Oh, right- and you look really good tonight, too. I don't think I've ever seen you wear different clothes before.

[iustaegis]

[ High.... five? She places her first to his open palm. There we go——

Aaaaand oof, complimented right as she does so! It catches her off guard, enough that her knuckles stay upon his raised palm. Aside from one previously disapproving stare of the outfit right from the start, his is the only kind words she’s received of the night (or, well, ever of what she’s worn).

She stares at him like he has two heads. ]

We had been about to sleep before we arrived...

[ AKA THEY ARE IN THEIR PAJAMAS. ]

[carbungle]

[..........Pyra omg. She looks so surprised, he gives her frozen palm an extra couple of little paps. Hey. You okay?]

Do, uh. [HOW DOES HE PHRASE THIS ELEGANTLY. He can't, it's impossible.] Do you own anything else?

[iustaegis]

[ boiiii she ain’t even wearing a bra

The extra taps gain her attention, and she seems to understand what he means to do with his open palm. Spreading out her fingers, she gives him a proper, soft, hi-five and smiles. ] Oh...

You’ve only seen me in one other outfit, haven’t you?

[ Answering a question with a question, his favorite. ]

[carbungle]

[god help him when he notices

AND YEAH HE LOVES THAT HE SURE DOES LOVE THAT you monsters.]

Pretty much, yeah. That seems like it'd be one wild coincidence if I just missed you on the days you wore other stuff.

[iustaegis]

[ After a delayed pause, she decides to answer straightforward. ]

More apparel... it isn't needed.

[ Coming from a world that is dying, resources are precious. Why take anything more than necessary? This world, too, is also on the verge of collapse, and the haven of this city seems precarious at best. Where do the native obtain all of their materials to weave more cloth for clothes, for dye for the fabric, more thread for their designs? She doesn't know, maybe it's like the food replicator and that the material is just poof'd into existence, but-- if the resources in this haven are limited, it would harmful for her to take more. ]

This... [ Dropping one hand from his, she motions to the plain tunic she's fashioned. ] is more than enough. [ It's also more than she's ever had before. A townhouse, a dress fashioned after Somnus' style? That a lot; she is grateful for these things. ]

[carbungle]

Feels needed to me. I wore the same clothes a lot on the road back home, and it was the worst.

[Have you ever tried to get daemon ichor out of high-quality leather? Nightmare. Thank the Six they all wear so much black.]

They drag us here against our will to fix their problems, when most of us have plenty to do back in our own worlds- the least they can do is keep us clothed and fed.

[iustaegis]

[ She doesn't need to be fed either, though...

She tilts her head. ]

I... am wearing something different now, aren't I? [ Isn't that enough. ]

[carbungle]

[no!!]

After what, a couple months? How often do you do laundry?

[It's probably magic - it's not like her outfit ever stinks, and he knows the smell of unwashed clothing, he lived out of a goddamn car for months on the run - but he's teasing anyway.]

[iustaegis]

If I answered "once a week" [ ....................For Somnus' shit. ] would you believe me?

[ However, seeing as he's likely caught on anyways, her question to dodge his own is said with a vague smile. She's just playing now, and she's letting it be obvious. ]

[carbungle]

I would, if you had a normal amount of clothes in a normal wardrobe.

[Though now he would really like to see how laundry can be done magically.]

[iustaegis]

[ She laughs softly at that. Alright, she's been caught.

Time for another question. ]

Is what I wear not... to your liking? [ Either this tunic or her normal attire? She lowers one of her hands, picking up a bit of the fabric of the tunic to let it sway. ]

[carbungle]

[HE SMELLS A TRAP but he'll probably fall headfirst into it anyway.]

Nah, it looks cute. I just think you could have some fun with shaking things up once in a while.

[iustaegis]

[ Bold of him to assume she'd do anything for herself. Nice outfit? Make up? Even curling her hair? Unfortunately, she will not. Tunic is enough as it is. ]

Is that what you wish?

[carbungle]

It's my very helpful suggestion.

[He ain't gonna tell you how to live your life, friend.]

[iustaegis]

[ She's torn. On the one hand, she got a judgmental stare at her current outfit earlier. On the other, he says she looks nice. What is a girl to do--? ]

King, game developer, now fashion expert. You keep on surprising me.

[carbungle]

It's been known to happen.

[Sort of nice to get a reputation for good things, so he'll take it.]

Can't say I know anything about girl's fashion, though. Maybe talk to Luna? She came with me, so she's around here somewhere.

[Probably went to go bother one of his relatives by now.]

[iustaegis]

[ Ah, Luna. Beautiful and graceful and as pure as freshly fallen snow. She's easily admirable, and has certainly gained Pyra's own. Wherever she is at the party, her sight finds her. ]

She is a part of your family....

[carbungle]

She was gonna be.

[His tone is musing for a moment, quiet and a little shy, his gaze falling across the rest of the party as he looks for her. When he finds her nowhere in sight, he refocuses and shakes his head.]

I mean, she is. She's more than welcome if she wants that.

[If she wants, well, him. And all signs point in that direction so far.]

[iustaegis]

[ WELL HOLY SHIT. ]

---You are engaged?

[ What--

uh

a bluh ]

[carbungle]

[FECK

And he's red again. He is red, red, red.]

Kind of? Or- we were, just- it's complicated. We're figuring things out!

[He has no idea what he's supposed to tell people anymore. This is why he doesn't do it...!]

1/2

[iustaegis]

[ How else is she supposed to interpret "She was gonna be" and then "She's more than welcome"?!

She sees that blush. Goodness, he's as red as her hair.

..... ]

[iustaegis]

[ She brings their joined hands up between them, giving his a gentle squeeze that accompanies her smile. ]

I'm so very happy for you two.

[ Two mortals coming together, finding each other in an entirely different world, and in love. Or-- hm, they're still figuring it out, sure, but... This is how it should be. ]