I see trouble on the way.

[lacquers]

Characters: Everyone! Yes, you too!
Summary: Mandy's Masquerade hosts a fantastic Halloween party with a costume contest, some very special cocktails, and a few other surprises.
Date(s): Late in the month of October.
Warnings/Notes: Please mark any threads that need content warnings.

Mandy's is looking a bit festive this evening. Arrayed with spiderwebs, pumpkins, and other ghoulish decorations, the interior resembles a spooky haunted house. Spooky, not scary! Everyone's invited to stop by and celebrate All Hallow's Eve with spirited drinks, excellent company, and a lot of that Magnus flair.

You can loosen up on the dance floor to Monster Mash, Thriller, Dead Man's Party, or maybe something from this list. The spooky sky's the limit! Visit the bar for one of several special drinks you won't soon forget. You can also sample some tasty and holiday-appropriate baked goods, courtesy of the other Mr. Lightwood-Bane. Finally, stop by the table with the MAGIC 8 BALL to learn a little more about your fellow partygoers.

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Potions.
drink list

Siren Song
If you're a little tone-deaf, don't fret. This drink will turn you into a master at serenading. It won't actually give you the ability to influence anyone via magical means, but maybe if your song choice is apt, you'll woo someone either way!

Firework!
A drink that comes with a portable fireworks show hovering over its surface. Drinking it will give you the sensation of ingesting liquid pop-rocks.

Blacklight
Does what it says on the tin and makes the drinker glow under a black light. It's also kind of sour.

Frankenstein's Monster
This drink is quite shocking. Not dangerously so, but when you drink it, you'll have the impression of getting a tingling little jolt of electricity down your spine. It's aliiiiive.

To Be or Not To Be (A Daemon)
Drink this and you will find you've been magically swapped with your daemon. It only lasts ten minutes, but hey! You'll get to see how the other half lives. A note: you won't inherit one another's abilities!

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Who Wore It Best?
costume contest

Congratulations to our costume contest winners!

In first place for individual costumes...

Rafa wins for his devilish costume and he'll be awarded 2 potions: the first of which will up his luck stat, granting him good fortune in an endeavor (it says "Deal with the Devil" on the bottle) and the second will up his persuasion stat, helping him to be more successful in an argument (it says "The Devil's Advocate" on the bottle).

In second place for individual costumes...

Nico plunders the second place spot and will be given a treasure chest full of chocolates that are rum flavored. Careful, they pack a bit of a punch and when consumed, they'll make whoever eats them feel especially happy. No sad drunks here!

In third place for individual costumes...

Zeke and his amazingly sunny costume are in third and he wins a sunflower plant that will never cease to bloom and seems to have a bit of a glow about it. Plus, perpetual supply of sunflower seeds?

In first place for couples costumes...

Magnus and Alec came first for their portrayal of... each other... and they win a pair of seemingly mundane t-shirts that say "Bennet" and "Darcy" on them. What's that about?

In second place for couples costumes...

Vex and Kenzi delighted with their take on the Addams' family patriarch and matriarch and won second place. As a prize, Kenzi will be given a shampoo and conditioner set that seems pretty innocuous until you check out the writing on the bottles: 'Have YOU ever wanted hair like Cousin Itt? Are you ever in luck!' Just a small amount will make her locks lustrous and smooth. Vex will be given a very lifelike and animated hand in a box.

In third place for couples costumes...

Rose and Kaz were drop dead gorgeous in their mafia-inspired garb. As prizes, they will receive the following: for Rose, a pair of magical die that make music when thrown, and for Kaz, a set of playing cards that are intricately illustrated with astonishing art that seems to move. Watch out for the face cards, they get very opinionated about your playing. They both also receive a chip that can be relinquished to Magnus for a small magical favor.

Comments

[mordacita]

[ Rafa can hear the way his heart rate rises, the way it escalates once they touch. That’s gratifying, to know he still has that effect even though...

No. There is no even though. This is not the Dick who knew him in Eudio. Rafa needs to keep reminding himself. It’s easy and tempting to forget. His hands slide around his back and find familiarity that hints at belonging, and he’s wistful that it’s not.

But then there’s that smile, and that laugh, and Dick voting for him, which is unexpected enough to make his eyes widen. He hadn’t thought he’d be comfortable enough with him for that. ]

Did you? Thank you. I did not expect to win. I do not think I have worn this much red in my life, ever. [ Even his hair is red tonight. ] You know, I am not sure a man dressed for lawkeeping should be dancing with a devil. I could be a bad influence. Lead you down a dark path.

[ Which sounds joking and somewhat flirty, though there’s a truth to it too. This is as innocent as Rafa has ever known Dick to be. Should he really be trying to change all of that? ]

[pleasant]

( he finds that he quite likes being able to take rafa off guard -- it's oddly charming. a soft chuckle crawls up from his chest, something that's mostly drowned out by the booming music. that playfulness in rafa's voice is -- interesting, dick decides. if they're pretending ( ???????? dick pls ) to flirt, consider him player two.

he uses surprise and his fair bit of strength to turn rafa suddenly, but gently, coming up behind him, chest to back. they sway side to side like they had before, dick owning the pace a little more now -- and when he speaks, his mouth has nowhere to rest other than dangerously close to rafa's ear, lighthearted but still somehow gravelly. )

You don't have to worry about me, I'm already a bad boy. And I'm sure any path you'd lead me down would be far from dark.

( what are you doing, dick grayson. what are. you doing!!! dick grayson. on top of all the impossibilities in the world, you decide to crush on someone who is not only married ( a couple times over, apparently ), but who was in love with another version of you in some other world, at some other time.

soon as the flirty wave came over him, it ceases, and dick stiffens up against him ( not in the fun way ), stopping the dance. )

Sorry, I -- I think I overstepped. Maybe I should go.

( he says this sheepishly, a flame of embarrassment heating up his face. )

[mordacita]

[ Rafa is all too easily spun, and even more easily drawn back against Dick's chest. He adds his own lack of wisdom to the pile, by leaning casually back against his body, and fitting his hips into the groove of Dick's. Their bodies always did fit nicely together. Rafa lets his hand slide over Dick's arms, and his head tilts automatically back towards those lips -

And then it's over, far too soon, letting the heart that had lifted into his mouth drop back into his stomach.

Stupid, so stupid. How had he let that happen?!

He turns with startling speed, catching Dick's hand, and then he purposely slows down. Seeing the flush on his cheeks, Rafa moves to touch his fingers to it. He's unable to hide his expression, with its painful confusion of attraction and worry. It results in him looking upset, even beneath all the makeup. He's quick to shake his head. ]

No, please. Please do not go. I was the one who overstepped.

[ He drops his hands, letting Dick go, and then he brings them together to wring each other out. ]

I like you too much. That is not fair on you, and I am sorry, Dick. I am not...expecting anything. Please forgive me.

[pleasant]

( there it is. inevitable disappointment. dick hates himself a bit for putting that anxious look of turmoil on rafa's features -- maybe he should've just let a dance be a dance, and have that be the end of it. it's hard for him, letting go. being reasonable about things instead of barreling into them, guns blazing, heart on his sleeve. he likes rafa too. it's a problem he's trying to deal with.

but he can't just let rafa look -- like that. sad, defeated. heartbroken. dick's eyebrows twist together, somewhat at a loss, before he clasps a hand over rafa's worried fingers, shaking his head. )

Rafa, please no more apologies between us. It's not your fault. ( he shakes his head, a struggle for words evident on his downturned face. he excels at fucking most of everything up. ) I find you attractive, but it's -- it's not supposed to work out, for me, like that. And I'm not drunk enough to have this conversation yet, so.

( he props rafa's chin with the bend of his knuckle, just for a second before he makes his leave, headed towards the bar. )

[mordacita]

[ That move, that last move, is so like the Dick Rafa knows that it almost breaks his heart. He turns immediately, moving after him in spite of his better judgment.

It can't end there. It just can't.

He stops himself right before he reaches Dick's back, and pulls his hand back to his side. No. This isn't fair. This is moving too fast for Dick, and Rafa doesn't know where his own heart is going, either. He can't be sure if what he feels is based only on the Dick he used to know, and at any rate...

At any rate, he cannot forget about the other version. That Dick could still be there somewhere, waiting for him. He can't just forget about that. He can't let his emotions lead him, not before he knows them better. So he swallows, and takes a breath, and quietly slides up beside Dick.Rafa is about to leave, but before he does, he lifts Dick's hand and presses his lips to his knuckles. ]

When you want to talk, I will be here.

[ Then he slinks back into the crowd, before he can compromise himself any further. ]