like a big pizza pie [Valentine's Day Date Night]

[ayes]

Who: You Watanabe (ayes) & others!
What: Valentine's matchmaking dinner
When: February 14
Where: Olympia (of the past)
Warning(s): Some mild druglike effects, and probably some NSFW stuff in threads?

On or around February 12, you get a letter in the mail. Upon opening it, you'll find that it's very, very similar to the one you got last year-- if you were here for this last year-- and it's written in that same looping, cheerful script.

Hello [YOUR NAME HERE]!
I know things are a little hard, but that doesn't mean we can't have a really great night together!
On the evening of February 14, please come join us in Olympia (even if it's this past Olympia) for a special surprise!

Your friend,
You

P.S. "You" is still my name.

There's another smiley face drawn on the letter, and an address given in the center of Olympia. Some of you may have been expecting this, since you saw or responded to her post, but perhaps others are caught off guard, since you were entered by pranksters.



[I: Arrival]

If you decide to take the plunge and check it out anyway, you'll find a restaurant that's much smaller than the dining hall she'd rented out last year. Having been thrown into an alternate past timeline of Olympia has tossed a serious wrench into her plans, and with the holiday, You has struggled to find an appropriate venue. But find one she has, and there are pink and red ribbons and balloons and lacy hearts all over the place.

Once again, there's a harried-looking young woman scurrying around, as well as other people who may look just as confused as you do.

[II: Dinner]

Inside, the restaurant is decked out in pinks and reds and hearts. Each table is set out with a white tablecloth and a pair of candlesticks, and has a nametag on it: Mr. Law, Ms. Mikumo, Ms. Janeway, and so on. There's another name tag on the seat across from your own. It looks like you've got a date?

Before long, You is along to take your food order. What are you in the mood for?

[III: Sin and Sweetness]

There's no big musical act this year like there was last year; You is mainly focusing on the event and there's also no stage to sing and dance on. She does, at some point, take a microphone in the corner and sing some cute love songs to entertain you while you eat, but it's not for long, and she's zooming off to the kitchen after three or four songs.

As your dinner wears down, your attention is directed to a cart off to the side piled high with desserts, pastries of all types and shapes. A waiter begins pushing it around from table to table.

If you went to her party last year, you'll recognize these; they seemed to be a big hit so she's done it again. You has baked them off a recipe book she'd found in the entertainment district of Olympia, and there's another handwritten sign:

Let's spice things up again this year! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ
Try the pastries to feel romantic!

The various pastries themselves have similarly handwritten signs on them, notifying you (if a little obliquely) of some potentially interesting effects...

• Strudel: "Find beauty in the world!" (For whatever reason, other people look a little more attractive.)
• Baklava: "To tell them how you really feel!" (You'll feel more likely to be honest, if not overshare.)
• Cannoli: "Because love needs laughter!" (Everything other people say is somehow funnier than usual.)
• Cinnamon Roll: "The nose knows!" (The first person you look at smells oddly like your favorite smell.)
• Blueberry Scone: "For a bit of courage!" (This will make you feel bolder, intensifying emotions you already feel.)
• Mooncake: "To feel like falling in love!" (Every time you look at the first person you see, your heart beats a little faster.)
• Taiyaki: "Try to see someone else differently!" (Every time you look at the first person you see, there are little sparkles around them.)

There are, thankfully, plenty of non-magical desserts for those who just want to indulge their sweet tooth.

((OOC: As always, please label your threads if they turn NSFW, and run any pastry effects by your thread partners!))

Comments

six of i, half a dozen of ii ) for tony stark

[cadeuces]

( The letter had been particularly intriguing when it slipped beneath the door of their temporary lodgings, especially because she didn't realize that 1. terribly many people knew her as anything more than "that doctor at the aid tents" or "that lady who woke me up on the station", or 2. that there was some sort of surprise being planned. (On what she knows as Valentine's, no less. Did this place even follow the same calendar? Clearly someone's keeping track, and Shiro didn't know where it came from either.)

Angela isn't usually one to turn down invitations, and she figures whatever is planned will be relaxing and a chance to see that everyone's doing all right. She arrives in one of the dresses provided by the Natha to blend in, with her hair down over one shoulder, and the classic Valentine decor has her smiling immediately. She shows her invitation upon arrival and wanders around until she finds her placard at one of the booths.

What doesn't surprise her is to find Tony seated there, toying with the cardstock that had his name written on it. That smile turns sly, weighted to one side as she tips her head and rests a hand on the tall back of her chair. )

Were you the one behind this? Or did you simply swap cards with someone else's assigned table to be my date?

( Because this is a date, isn't it? She holds her hand out to him to give him a little squeeze, amusement twinkling in her eyes. )

It's good to see you, Tony. Did you receive an invitation as well?

[doesntpaint]

[ Tony was similarly intrigued by the letter he found slid beneath his own door. Well, it wasn't really his door; it was just a place he was staying in for the time being. But hey, a party was a party, and Tony had never really turned down anyone's invitation to one before, so he wasn't about to start now.

He shows up at the event wearing something way outside his usual wardrobe choice, but it at least helped him blend in with the crowd and the people who were supposed to be the natives of this area. Sure, he felt ridiculous, but people tended to dress up for parties. That's all he was doing, really.

He's already seated by the time his date arrives, and when she does, he can't help but grin. ]

I would say yes, but there's not really any benefit in it for me. I was wondering if you had something to do with this, but I guess not.

[ He grasps her hand, giving it a squeeze in return. This is definitely a date, and he'll fight anyone who says it's not. ]

Yeah, good to see you too. I had this little number slipped under my door. [ He says as he holds up his own invitation. ]

[cadeuces]

( That immediate grin just upon seeing her was certainly flattering, moreso that he's dressed for the occasion and really, he doesn't look half-bad. He's too sleek and modern to look comfortable in the outfit, and much the same could likely be said of Angela, but he still picked flattering fits and the colors work. They'll get used to them eventually. She helps herself to her seat across from him even as she keeps ahold of that hand he gives her, stretched right across the little table between them.

And we do mean little. She's pretty sure one of her knees is brushing against his, even with her feet tucked daintily beneath her chair. )

No? Not even one tiny little benefit?

( She feigns some small bit of offense as her fingertips draw out of his palm, as if she'd actually pull away from him, but she's reaching right back to slip them into the curl of his fingers a moment later. With her free hand, she's holding up her own letter of invitation to match. )

It seems someone's playing matchmaker. I wonder what gave them the idea we may have chemistry. ( It isn't as though they walked together from Olympia to Nadril, holding hands for hours at a time. Or were seen just waking on the station, wandering the halls with space coffee cradled in their hands thankfully. Certainly no hints whatsoever to make it easy. The crinkle of her nose is plenty amused just to tease about it. ) But I'm glad it's you on the other side of the table.

[doesntpaint]

[ Truthfully, he feels stupid in this getup, but it's what they want them wearing, so he's rolling with it as best as he can. At least she still looks pretty, but he'd bet that she's the type of person who looks good in anything.

And if her knee happens to brush his, well, he doesn't mind. He's very much a contact sort of guy. ]

Slipping an envelope under your door? I mean, well, I could, but I could always just ask you myself. [ He's also not the type who beats around the bush. ]

As far as this date, there's lots of benefits in it. For both of us. But as far as that goes, I have no idea what we could have done to give anyone that idea.

[ He tips her a wink and accompanies it with a roguish smile. ]

So, what's the topic of conversation going to be tonight?

Mikumo Guynemer | one closed one OTA

[stargazed]

[i: dinner (closed to Yoshiko)]

[Mikumo definitely did not sign up for this. She saw the post, of course, passed over it between everything else that has been going on since she arrived here, but romance isn't something she's ever indulged in beyond singing about it. And certainly not the kind of thing she would have planned to involve herself in during what appears to be a crisis she's found herself in now.

Nonetheless, she comes, because even she is aware it would be rude to stand up an invitation, especially if there's a chance she might be standing someone up who didn't ask to be paired with her. Her outfit is a seamless match to the style of the time, all light and bright fabrics and a flowing shirt with loose pants, and most of her hair is bound under a half-standing hood that makes the purple and blue curls a little less noticeable. It almost looks like she might be a local until she settles herself at one of the tables and takes the namecard across from her seat into her fingers to inspect it.]

--

[iii: sin and sweetness (ota)]

[It's been a weird enough experience to eat in front of others for this long, and Mikumo's not really lining up to do any more of it. But she can't help but be a little curious about those cards on the desserts, and once the cart has trundled off to one side again, she gets up to investigate, picking up a few of the signs and reading them more closely as if trying to work out the exact effect that might be behind them.

If someone else approaches, she'll glance behind her, holding one of the signs aside by way of explanation.] Is this sort of thing normal for the food here? Should I be concerned?

[She mostly sounds a little bit amused by it, but it also seems like she is genuinely curious as to the purpose.]

i

[hellzone]

[ Yoshiko also didn't sign up for this. She had spent most of the day helping You with decorations, making garlands, and setting up tables. Sure, she had mentioned to You that she didn't mind having her name tossed in there if there was an uneven number of people, but she didn't expect that to happen!

She's changed clothes in between helping out and now. While she had been wearing a gray top and harem pants combo, now Yoshiko's wearing a simple light blue dress, with gray accessories. That doesn't change the fact that she's still a little sweaty and has a few bandages on her hand thanks to some paper cuts.

As she approaches Mikumo, Yoshiko gives her a small little smile. Keep the demon bullshit to a minimum, you're on a date, don't make it weird. ] Ah, Ms. Mikumo? I'm Yoshiko Tsushima. I think I'm your date today?

[stargazed]

[Mikumo glances up at Yoshiko's approach, smile light but gaze somehow measuring as she takes in Yoshiko. It looks like she's been working hard - perhaps Mikumo could have gotten away with not coming after all, if this is one of the helpers, but she's here now, so she may as well meet a new face.

The girl looks about Reina's age, she notes, as she places the card back down and gestures towards the seat opposite her.]

So it seems. Though I'm afraid I didn't sign up for this myself, so I'm wondering what to expect.

[It sounds better to put it like that than "not sure what to expect", more like she's curious than just completely lost on the subject of dates. She hadn't even quite keyed in before getting here that this was a dinner, which meant she was going to have to eat in front of other people again.]

[hellzone]

[ Yoshiko can at least answer that question. She gives Mikumo a small smile as she starts rattling off all the things that You's prepared (and she helped with). ]

Well, to start off we'll have a nice dinner. We can talk and get to know each other better while we enjoy our food. There'll be desserts afterwards and we can chat some more then.

The meal should be pretty good. I don't know what the desserts are, though. [ Yoshiko sighs. ] You didn't want me to help out with those.

[ mostly because Yoshiko's.....unique brand of cooking isn't suited for sweet things. ]

Ren Suzugamori | one closed one OTA

[thedarkbond]

[i: dinner (closed to Sanzo)]

[Ren wasn't really in this for the romance - he doesn't romance that easily - but he figures there's no harm in some fun conversation and maybe making a new friend. That is decidedly not what he's getting as soon as he finds out who he's ended up paired with, but as far as he's concerned, it'll still make for an entertaining evening.

For him, at least. He's less sure about what Sanzo's going to think of it.

He wafts his way around the room for a while until everyone's seated before coming back to his position, his usual colours switched out for clearer whites and reds and only a little bit of black in his boots. It's still his same sort of style, with his wide-sleeved shirt draping much of the way off his shoulders and a length of hanging fabric tied around his waist to replicate his usual one-sided skirt over pants.

That takes the background in comparison to his manner, though. For the moment, he rests his elbows on the table and laces his fingers so he can lean his head on them, a smile of pure innocence on his face as he waits for his (however reluctant) companion for the evening.]

--

[iii: sin and sweetness (ota)]

[Despite his appearance, Ren is not quite innocent enough to take charmed desserts. He'll happily take a normal dessert, though, and since dinner's winding down, he doesn't see a problem with leaning over towards or even wandering off towards other tables to inspect everyone else's dessert choices.]

Did you try one of the ones with the little cards...? [He's curious, sue him.]

[smithandwesson]

[Although Sanzo had not volunteered for the event willingly last year, he had a pleasant enough of an experience with all the free food and drink during the time to have wanted to sign up for this years. So what if he kind of ruined the night for the person he was with? That was none of his concern.

At least, that was how he had felt until he found the table that had his name written on it... And saw the person who was also sitting there. His own expression going completely blank as he simply stared blandly at the annoying red-head who sat before him.]

..... No.

[What was that phrase? 'Karma's a bitch?']

No way in hell.

[thedarkbond]

[Ren's smile only widens when the penny drops for Sanzo, and he leans back a little, fingers still steepled and expression tilting decidedly more towards the impression of a lion surveying its next meal.]

I can't imagine you signed up for this to date or even just make friends, so the other option was you ruining someone else's evening. I'll take this option of doing my good deed for the week saving anyone else from having to deal with that.

[His tone is amused more than anything - he sounds a little more grounded than he has when talking to Sanzo previously, but that's at least a little bit because he feels like this was a bit of a low move on Sanzo's part unless he was unwillingly signed up.]

[smithandwesson]

[.... God fucking damn it.]

You keep on insinuating that I am completely incapable of interacting with people. How many times do I have to reiterate to you that your experiences with me are not a shared perception?

[Well, they kind of are, but Ren doesn't know that for a fact. So what if he's naturally an introvert. He can still want to go out sometimes for, well, reasons (free food).

Regardless, with a heavy sigh, Sanzo makes his way over to the chair. Pulling it out only to sit down heavily and fold his arms into the large baggy sleeves of his robes.]

Although I can say the same for you. You don't exactly strike me as the 'single and looking to mingle' type.

[Yeah, he did just say that.]

Genjo Sanzo | Open!

[smithandwesson]

[It was different than last year, smaller, a little less put together. But truthfully, Sanzo much rather preferred it this way. It felt more calm, more intimate, and far less forced in the cheesiness of the whole occasion.

Of course, that was simply from an outward perspective. Sanzo was here for the festivities, he had willingly signed up, but it wasn't so much for the concept of a chance to find a partner, (He was happy living his life as he was thanks) as it was to get into the free food and drinks.

And so he was content being a wallflower for the evening, standing aside with a beer in his hand and watching the emotional mush that came with the event unfold.

Oh? Wait, was that a mooncake? He hadn't had one of those since he was back home. Taking one off the platter he nibbled at it slightly until he realized someone close by happened to be looking his way.]

Ahhh... Huh?

[Oh, hello there. What the hell are you looking at?]

You | Open

[ayes]

[The night has come and gone, and even if it was a lot less crowded than it had been a year ago, You has the pride of a good job done well about her.

Or, at least, she will in a little bit. She's staying at the restaurant after dinner is over and people are starting to leave, collecting the decorations and helping clean up after the party.

You may come across her yawning or standing with her eyes totally closed, leaning against a table. She's not sleeping, she's just resting her eyes.

Ignore the soft snoring.]

[cadeuces]

( Angela's date is waiting patiently for her at the door as she walks over to see the young lady she believed responsible for the event, wanting to give her a proper thank you at the very least— she had watched her off and on through the night to pinpoint her role in all this.

Even if she's a bit off, perhaps she'd know who was the orchestrator happened to be, if not herself. Angela had collected some of the remaining decorations on the way across the restaurant and has them in her hands to offer up, except...

...Well, she's asleep, isn't she? She must have worn herself out. So she sets them quietly at the table and removes her own shawl from about her shoulders to carefully drape over her, trying not to wake her.

If that doesn't, perhaps she'll hear the scrawling of a borrowed pen on one of the paper heart decorations, writing out a little note for her.

"Thank you dearly for the wonderful evening; the food was divine and the company was well-chosen.

-Angela Ziegler" )

[ayes]

[You, as it turns out, isn't really fully asleep; she's just dozing. So when Angela drapes her shawl over her shoulders, she stirs, blinking.] Huh? N-no, I'm-- I wasn't sleeping, I'm--

[She's got something on her she wasn't wearing before. And there's a woman standing next to her. You blinks, blearily, at the blonde woman.

She recognizes her. Or at least, she recognizes the her that was here ages ago, who probably doesn't recognize the girl in return.] Miss... Angela? [She says, sleepily.]

I was just resting my eyes, promise.

[cadeuces]

( Her grin is immediate, because oh, of course she wasn't. Certainly not even a little bit. Not deeply enough to snore. She's just reaching for the pen when she hears the young lady rousing, and she knows her name at least. So she is the one responsible? Must be, if she knew who she sent invitations out to.

(Which means, unfortunately, she doesn't recognize her otherwise. This Angela's shiny and new, or perhaps, rather, slightly older.) )

And you would be miss You, then? I just wanted to thank you for the lovely evening and give you my compliments. It was very kind of you to arrange this and set some hearts at ease, with all everyone has been through, and everything was divine.

Though you'll catch a cold, "resting" here like this.

I see Mercy being a Nice Doctor and raise you one Rude Doctor

[kikoku]

[Well, that's certainly no place to sleep. Law should know, he's slept worse places than this. Still, he's sure You doesn't want to sleep here, nor would the restaurant staff want her to.

So, after wrangling a cup of coffee from the kitchen, he grabs her shoulder and shakes her with a bit too much force to really be considered kind.]

If you fall asleep here you'll wake up with a sore back, you know.

[ayes]

[Yes, it definitely wakes her up differently than Angela's gentle resting of her shawl had. You startles upright.] W-wah! I wasn't sleeping, I was just resting a little, that's all!

[kikoku]

I never said you were.
[There's a faint edge of amusement in his voice, though, because they both know what the truth is, here. But it's not worth arguing.]

I thought I'd thank you for the food by helping you clean up, You-ya. But it seems like you've taken care of most of it already.
[Perhaps if he was still able to create a Room the size of the restuarant, he'd have taken care of the remaining decorations in one fell swoop. As it stands though, he simply reaches up to pluck a few stray ribbons off a chandelier, easy with him being stupidly tall, while You probably would have had to get up on a chair to grab them.]

Linneus | OTA

[inaurare]

II

[His "date" has not arrived yet, or if he has, not to the table. Not that Linneus minds... there is comfort in arriving early, more time to get oneself settled, appreciate the decor. You has worked hard again, this year, but oh-- it's strange to see his name set out like that. "Mr Linneus" - he's not a Mr, and never will be, with no last name to attach it to.

It's not a dire mistake by any means, and Linneus is hardly like to kick up a fuss about it anyway, though he does take up the little name card with a fond smile.]

[kikoku]

[Being profoundly out of his depth, Law had dragged his feet arriving. Part of him really wanted to just not show up, but while he's not a social person, he's also not the sort of person who will ever chicken out of anything. He's far too stubborn for that.

He is late, though, arriving after Linneus. He's dressed for the ocassion in his own sort of way, certainly the suit is appropriate but the fact that it's all black save for the gold tie, maybe not to much. At the very least he does remove his hat as he sits down, after some deliberation.

Finally, after frowning minutely at his own nametag (he doesn't really care but he wonders after You not going for "Dr. Law"), he looks up at Linneus.]

So...
[One could argue he's handsome enough, if you're into the dark and brooding types, but he's clearly never been on a blind date before because he's at a loss for words, running a hand through his hair. Finally he settles on just stating the obvious;]

I guess I should apologize ahead of time, I don't really do this sort of thing.

[inaurare]

[oh, he's known a lot of dark and brooding types. There's not much to worry about that, though this is certainly already a departure from his date with Waver last year.

A soft chuckle, setting down the card]

Ah-- I am new to this 'dating' myself. [not to say he is unused to dealing with people. But dates are new] Please don't worry about it.

[gently extending a hand]

My name is Linneus.

[kikoku]

[Law has more in common with Waver than you might think, but that's neither here nor there. After a pause, he takes the hand, at which point Linneus will likely notice some of Law's litany of tattoos. There's a vague symbol on the back of his hand, but more notably is the word DEATH tattooed across his fingers.]

Trafalgar Law.
[There's another pause where he considers explaining that he's virtually incapable of not worrying about all possible negative outcomes, it's just how he operates, but that's probably not the sort of thing to bring up with someone he just met, especially in this setting.]

I figured since the world seems closer to ending than not, I aught to try some things I normally wouldn't. [Way to keep the mood light, Law.] ... And besides, I've been wanting to try You-ya's cooking.

Grantaire | OTA

[winecasks]

I and II just COMBINED

[ Grantaire, somewhere in the fog of his hazy memory, can recall that this same event happened last year. He may have signed up while under the influence of alcohol last year as well, but it hadn’t turned out so poorly. It had forced Enjolras to speak to him for longer than five minutes. The event is smaller this year, however, and this time Enjolras isn’t anywhere in sight.

That’s fine. He sees no reason not to stay and enjoy the evening. Their dwindling numbers and how many people have returned to stasis are likely to turn him towards melancholy if he thinks about it too deeply. Instead, he finds his name tag and muses aloud: ]

A breakthrough at last! This may be the first time anyone here has recognized “Grantaire” as my surname.