Arachne’s Late Night Rollerskate Party
Date: 2025-07-03 22:34
(Arachne’s Late Night Rollerskate Party)
[Thu Jul 3 2025]
Seaport Green/span>/spannight, about 68F(20C) degrees, and the sky is covered by dark grey stormclouds. It’s raining. The mist is heaviest At Elm and Lake/span>/span There is a waxing gibbous moon.
“Aeryn Montrose,” Aeryn smiles to Gabriel. “A pleasure, indeed.”
Gabriel lifts a hand toward Kurt when he arrives, “I see you’re still amongst the living. Relatively speaking anyway.”
Matthew continues to make his hand available to Seraphina for however long it is required, though he holds out one of the beers for Aeryn to claim should she pass by.
Stopping with the toying of Obadiah’s hair, not yet noticing someone. Right now, Seraphina is all grins, and lacing her fingers with the Mercer as to await his next move.
Stopping with the toying of Obadiah’s hair, not yet noticing the ripped and torn man. Right now, Seraphina is all grins, and lacing her fingers with the Mercer as to await his next move.
Kai starts to skate around listlessly and entertains himself by turning to roll backwards, looking over his shoulder, he doesn’t appear particularly steady on his feet as he works on his skating, his arms held out a bit on each side to help him keep balance, he looks over to the injured professor and the detective just about in time for them to walk away from the party. He whips out his phone to text and immediately falls onto his ass with a grunt, skidding a bit until he comes to a full stop. He sighs and sits there on his ass with his knees bent a bit and texts.
Kurt flits his gaze to Vesper at the entrance and departure of the wolf, brows furrowing slightly.
Disco balls are slowly lowered from the network of fairy lights above, setting the mood for the slow transition to something real nice and smooth. It’s Just the Two of Us, queued up for the grown and sexy as midnight comes and goes: https://youtu.be/6POZlJAZsok
Arachne links her arm through Nemi’s own, keeping her safe as she takes her around an easy bend, gently bending her knees to set them swaying left and right to the butter-smooth vocals of Grover Washington. “Just the twoooo of uuus,” she sings the iconic chorus, gorgeous blonde ponytail trailing in the air behind her.
Malin beams brightly at Matthew, and with that wide grin, she is shown to be unabashedly fond of this fellow, and reveals he is definitely one of her most favourite people. She keeps that joy up, riding it through each gliding moving of long legs that are attached to minty green wheels that offer up rolling steps. As the male Montrose airplane waves, she sways and shimmies her shoulders, simply enjoying the effortlessness of skating like this.
Aghilas lifts a hand in greeting towards Dante as he notices the hulking man step into the fray, settled in an alcove near the skaters. It’s hard to not notice him, anyway, not with that burgundy pimp coat he’s wearing. One of the seats in his little alcove is patted for Dante in a silent invitation, though soon enough his attention is whisked away by someone appearing rather fucked up, and it certainly doesn’t look like he ended up that way due to any mishaps while roller skating.
Aghilas lifts a hand in greeting towards Dante as he notices the hulking man step into the fray, settled in an alcove near the skaters. It’s hard to not notice him, anyway, not with that burgundy pimp coat he’s wearing. One of the seats in his little alcove is patted for Dante in a silent invitation, though soon enough his attention is whisked away by the librarian passing by, who’s rather fucked up, and it certainly doesn’t look like he ended up that way due to any mishaps while roller skating. He stares after them for a bit, kohl-lined eyes catching the shimmer of the moon before he returns his gaze back to the party in front of him.
Obadiah gives Seraphina an exaggerated wink as he pulls her close then spins her around in a text book spin before brining her back, relaxing his grip as her momentum stops
Derek is drifting about on his skates, sipping away at his beer and looking to have gotten a bit tipsy as he moves in tempo with the music; his gaze shifts briefly over to the detective and accompanying professor with some curiosity before he looks over to Kai as he slips after trying to text and laughs for a moment, before catching himself. “-Shit, you alright there, Kaiguy?” he asks, drifting over beside him with idle curiosity as he slips his now free hand – his sparkler had burnt out – to his phone.
Seraphina skates away from Obadiah, then back inward as she takes that spin, seeming to be enjoying the dance with the Mercer, just the two of them. Sort of. Minus the are in the midst of many other skaters.
The newest song kicks in wth a smooth groove, and Matthew shifts easily into it–airplane arms turning int a side lean, then a forward lean as he glides in closer. His taller frame peeks out from Malin’s side in a playful little dance of peek-a-boo, clearly feedeing off her energy. There’s an effortless rhythm between them, and it shows in the way he mirrors her with lazy flair, grin tugging wider with every pass and lean.
Vesper peers warily at the wolf, opting to steer clear of it as it walks past, still skating along side Kurt.
Nemi smiles softly, nodding a bit with the sudden change of lyrics, the small break out into chorus has her immediately joining in as she helps to maintain their speed and sway, taking her end of the work needing for them both to go forward quite well as she sings happily. “We can make t if we tryyy,” Not even a single voicecrack in the sudden beautiful voice adding on her continuance of the lyrics with a smile. Looking about at the party goers as she reluctantly does’nt wave when passing.
Kai looks up to Derek, “Yeah, just slipped, no big deal,” he grins and pushes himself up to his feet, he rubs at his ass for a second and hmms as he looks to Derek, “Where’s Dovie anyway?” he asks as he looks around in the crowd with a slight tilt of his head.
A delighted laugh slips past plush lips and Malin has that grin ever widening at Matthew as he plays his little game at her side. She leans in, tilting her body in time with his own to attempt an orbit of sorts, even if he is the sun and she is a comet — details don’t really need to apply here. Shoulders pop and she glances at him, winking playfully as her moves remain connected to the beat of the song.
Kurt keeps up the semi-dance routine, either cooperating with or dragging along Vesper depending entirely on her ability to keep up. Spinning to face her, he draws her in close, muttering softly.
Derek tilts his head to Kai as gets back up, letting himself drift about on his skates. “…That’s a good question; I haven’t heard from her since earlier.” he fills him in idly, then taking another sip.
“I forgot, is she your sister or cousin or what?” Kai asks Derek as he tries again to skate backward, angling himself to skate roughly around Derek while they chat, a little grin on his lips.
There are two buzzes from Seraphina’s phone and she fishes the phone out to tap on the screen. “I think I should make you wonder that, Mister Mercer,” comes the tease.
Obadiah gives Seraphina another wag of his brows as the song starts to come to an end, but doesn’t seem in a hurry to return her to the side lines just yet. “Ah very well. Maybe I will stop into the inkwell sometime and take you up on a cup of coffee.”
Dante enters the gathering to his own beat despite the music playing, his natural rhythm could have him ID’d from three planets away the way he gets wavy with it for no reason. His groove seamlessly becomes one with the music pouring out of the speakers as he glides across the dance floor, all footwork and rolling shoulders. The playa step-step-steps his way over to Aghilas when he notices the man. “Bonjou-bonjou.” He takes a look around, adjusting his extravagantly loud pimp coat.
“She’s my cousin; we’re both ‘first-and-only’s, though,” Derek fills Kai in as he drifts, allowing himself to slowly spin, seeming a bit dizzy as he meanders along.
Nemi raises her eyebrow, checking her phone with her free hand as she sways and winces and texts something back before going with the music.
There is no better song to start fireworks to than Miley Cyrus circa 15 years ago to make anyone feel old, nostalgic, and transported back to happier times: https://youtu.be/M11SvDtPBhA
Arachne returns Nemi safely to the sideline, whizzing through the crowd with strategic pushes of her feet to gain momentum on her glowing quad, leaving streaks of prismatic light and glitter in her wake.
The music dims just enough, allowing the monarch’s voice to be heard clearly through the crowd: “The fireworks show is about to begin, everyone! You can keep skating or you can find somewhere to settle in for the show. There’s still plenty of buffalo wings, glizzies, and hamburgers available for everyone who wants to wind down and eat.”
Vesper keeps up with Kurt well enough, gliding with smooth, practiced motions while moving to the beat, she leans in to whisper back.
Nemi grins softly at Obadiah.
“Apologies,” Seraphina says, “Seems Mister Hale has wound up in the hospital again, or is on his way.” She texts once more, looking up at Obadiah then. “As you should.” It is herself that leads her back to the sidelines though the Mercer does not seem to want to release her. “I should see to him. I’m sorry.” Then, Seven Ten, Oh, One, Nine, Seven.”
Matthew mouths the lyrics with exaggerated flair, knees bending and straightening to shift his height with the beat, skating smooth circles to keep Malin in view of his orbit. When the chorus hits –‘just the two of us’– he lifts both index fingers, skyward in time, wiggling them with a grin.
As the song winds down, so does the performance. Matthew’s rhythm eases, his smile lingeres, but there’s a quiet pivot in his energy–less dance partner now, more quiet company. Still skating alongside Malin, still present, just a little more himself agian.
Matthew looks for his beer, and spies one sitting on a railing somewhere, deciding it’s his he snags it up.
Obadiah releases Seraphina easily enough and skates back over to Nemi. “Good luck, Have fun, Sera. It was my pleasure.”
Nemi smiles softly to Obadiah.
“You seem well, aneslam.” Aghilas tells Dante as he rests back in his seat, voice a little louder than usual to beat the solid thump, thump, thump of the bass in the background. He bends one leg to idly rest his knee on his thigh, restless leg syndrome kicking in, in sync with the beat of the music. “It is good to see you attending so many events while so new. A solid way to network.”
Seraphina skates past Matthew, and attempts to ruffle up his hair, before seating herself to take her skates off and put her heels back on. “Fun… I’ll certainly try.” She stands, with her shoes in place, and skates over a shoulder. She starts to head out, “Thank you, Arachne, it was a blast.” She waves to Malin, and then Nemi and Obadiah before the night obscures her, feet quick and quiet along the road.
“Oh I see,” Kai nods to Derek and comes to a stop beside him, “I don’t think I’m getting this,” he admits with a smirk and asks, “Did she end up naming her cat?”
Malin continues to roll steadily along, and her grin softens, but it never quite leaves as she watches Matthew. She looks content, not bent on crashing into him anymore, so lucky Matthew. “Beer does sound good,” she muses aloud, already angling towards the sidelines with a gentle push of minty green wheels to get her towards the beverages.
Obadiah looks at Nemi, making eyes at Gabriel before leaning in to whisper.
Arachne seeks refuge on one of the picnic blankets laid out over the grass, settling in and letting her sore calves have a break. She leans back on her hands, mouth spreading into a faint smile aside to Gabriel at something he says.
Suddenly, the first of the fireworks rocket off into the air as attendants begin to set them off, bathing the skaters and watchers in vibrant hues:
A rapid–fire burst of silver bees erupts skyward, zigzagging in chaotic trails before detonating into scattershot pearls that blink once and vanish.
Matthew/span>/spanNemi looks over, smiling warmly, listening a bit more she giggles a bit, nodding and then providing a tiny but noticeable wink as she smiles warmly while watching the fireworks.
Malin looks over all of the food. “Oh, there’s stuff to eat,” she calls, still grooving and rolling back and forth, minimally.
Derek holds a hand to his forehead, seeming dizzy as he lets himself halt with a little stumble, looking up to Kai. “One of them is named Princess as I recall; I think she was st… still thinking of a name for the other.” He nonchalantly lays on his back, as if deciding this was a good place to lay.
Gabriel lays back on one of the blankets and watches the colorful fireworks.
Matthew makes his way to the sidelines now, and over to the blankets.
Matthew plops down on the blanket, tugs off his skates and then begins to ease his shoes back on. He looks over towards where people are still rolling about, and offers Malin a wave, beckoning her over. “Hey, bring me a snack?” he’s asking of her.
Arachne draws her legs up to her chest, chin nestling into folded arms across glitter-kissed knees as the fireworks continue to crackle off into the night:
A rapid–fire burst of silver bees erupts skyward, zigzagging in chaotic trails before detonating into scattershot pearls that blink once and vanish.
“Oh yeah!” Kai/span>/span“What do you want? Hot dog, hamburger, or buffalo wings?” Malin calls to Matthew as she looks over the available, edible choices.
Matthew shrugs, “Uh, burger, please!” A bright smile beamed over then, shooting all the gratitude he can from his remote position on the blanket.
Nemi looks over to Obadiah. “Carry me my lord to the blankets for as your squire my legs fall weak.” she states dramatically, eyes open wide as if asking politely to be carried.
Matthew looks over, spying Charlotte and gives her a wave with his beer wielded hand. “Hey, Charlotte, what’s up?”
Derek grumbles as he squints up to Kai. “I think they’re both girls. One of them’s a Cali-… Calico.” He giggles after that for some unknown reason – or perhaps because he’s just feeling giggly. “…Aren’t all calicos girls, or something? Or, like, almost all.”
Malin collects the necessary food items and then rolls over to Matthew, taking some clunky steps before ultimately settling down on one of the blankets. She promptly presents him with his juicy hamburger.
“There’s something magical about moments like this,” Arachne can be heard saying to Gabriel, Matthew, and Malin as they gather on one of the picnic blankets with her for the fireworks show. “Like everything else in the world falls away, and we’re all just…. able to exist as we are. No legacies, names, politics. Just people.”
A rapid–fire burst of silver bees erupts skyward, zigzagging in chaotic trails before detonating into scattershot pearls that blink once and vanish.
“No idea, I’m not a big cat guy,” Kai/span>/spanCharlotte moves over to the picnic blankets, plopping herself down and stretching her legs out, crossing one leg over another. “Chien! Not much, I have showed myself at the party.” She smiles at Arachne, waving, and calls out “Gorgeous party, darling, I’m so glad I was able to show up.”
“Or, just walk there yourself,” Obadiah says as he guides Nemi to the blankets with a chuckle, pulling out his phone to shoot off a text before finding place near Gabriel and Arachne
“Mmm,” Malin hums that out in response to Arachne. “It’s perfect. It’s just this feral freedom where I want to slam my body into an unsuspecting victim and send them flying on their skates into a tree trunk,” she obviously concurs about the sentiment… very wrongly.
Kurt smoothly rolls to the edge of the rink, Vesper still in tow as he steps off. Swapping his skates for dress shoes, he paces over near the laid out blankets, leaning back to watch the fireworks.
As the fireworks steal the moon’s dominance over the night with their bursts of light, Aghilas looks up, almost trance-like. He watches the explosions, his boot even stopping its restless shaking. Even Dante’s pimp coat is unable to break his trance for as long as the colors exist in the sky, brilliant, his eyes watching expectantly to see just what color the midnight sky will be dyed with next.
Arachne shifts on the blanket as the same fireworks burst in a new shade of golden hues, a vibrant laugh leaving her at Malin’s very wrongly concuring sentiment, a hand stretching out to ruffle at Matthew’s hair, mussing it beneath her wriggling fingers with a smile thrown back at Charlotte. “We’re winding down now with food and beer, if there’s any left,” she tells her.
A sky mine bursts without warning, sending crackling tendrils of electric blue in every direction, sharp as shattered glass against the clouds.
Probably in an utterly wrong reaction, Charlotte/span>/spanDerek’s eyes go wide as his green eyes trail up towards the ongoing fireworks show, the colors glinting against them as a slight, contented smile crosses his expression; he seems to forget about what Kai was saying for a moment – And then a moment later – “…What?” And then he’s laughing about seemingly nothing.
Nemi sighs softly, sitting on the blankets on a side of Obadiah thats available after he sits down as she nods softly.
Matthew looks up as Malin arrives, one nee propped lazil, the other leg stretched out before himself. His gaze flicks from the burger to her face, a slow smile blooming s if the gesture has landed deeper than the moment deserves. He doesn’t say much, no need. A hand reaches up to accept the burger and holds it up in a silent gesture of gratitude. His grin settles sideways then and he simply murmurs. “Thank you.”
WHen ‘chien’ is called he look stowards Charlotte, shaking his head but cheersing her with that burger before taking a nice big ol’ bite.
Kai glances over to Derek and smirks a bit, “Hey, what’d you take and can I have some?” he asks the man with a little waggle of his eyebrows.
Gabriel remembers something at the mention of food and beer and looks over briefly from the fireworks, asking Arachne and Malin, “Was there something in that vodka? It seemed suspicious, but it did nothing to me.”
“Beer.” Derek informs Kai with a thumbs-up. “Oh, and some of that vodka… That was what I started with. Give that a go.” he advises helpfully.
Kurt blinks once, “Wait a minute… It’s the fourth of July. Where’s the Toby Keith?”
“Ugh, you’re such a light weight,” Kai mutters at Derek and lets out a laugh, he flops backward and looks up to the sky.
Charlotte grins at Matthew, holding up her shot of vodka that she grabs from the cart. “Time to find out” she informs Gabriel with a wink, tossing back the shot. “Bottoms up.”
“Oh, I tried already,” Malin assures Charlotte of her previous roller derby attempts, and then she smiles sweetly at Arachne before nodding to Matthew. “Welcome,” she says in response, eating at her own food now. With a mouth filled with a bite of half chewed up wiener and bread, she responds to Gabriel, “No. It’s just not high shelf. It had a red discount sticker on it, and the brand was…” A moment is taken to think and she chews with her mouth partially still open, thoughtfully. “Schmearnopf,” gets recalled.
“…Yeah.” Derek states helplessly after a delay to Kai, snickering. “What, did you think I’d be a… heavy-weight…? Whatever that means.” he mumbles in drunken contemplation, before giving a little wave of his hand.
Gabriel inclines his head with a slight ‘ah’ at someone explanation, “Makes sense.”
Matthew has become his own personal jughead, chowing down on the burger like a goblin, taking a hearty bite. He looks like this burger is putting him in his happy place, eyes up for the fireworks on display.
Gabriel inclines his head with a slight ‘ah’ at Malin’s explanation, “Makes sense.”
Charlotte manages not to make a face or hork after taking the shot of bottom-shelf vodka despite her top-shelf attitude. After throwing it back, she laughs, delighted, and turns to look at Malin. “Malin, I like you. We should be friends. We can blow shit up together.”
“Hmm… I guess,” Kai supposes to Derek and grins, he stands up, “Want another one?” he asks before he heads toward the refreshments.
Arachne narrows her eyes just the slightest at Gabriel’s question, immediately turning her head to throw an inquisitive look in Malin’s direction. “There had not better be anything extra in the vodka,” she murmurs under her breath, shoulders already trembling with half-suppressed laughter. When Aghilas comes to join them at long last, she quickly turns her body, welcoming him with a faint smile curling at her mouth’s corners. “Welcome, Aghilas. Have you had the pleasure of meeting everyone here in person yet?” She then regally demands, quite sweetly – wow, “Everyone, please introduce yourselves.”
A single green flare arcs high and bursts into silence, unfolding like a ghostly jellyfish before flickering out mid–descent.
“I’m Charlotte.” Charlotte/span>/span“I mean… Another beer couldn’t hurt?” Derek gives Kai a grin as he heads over to the refreshments, and he puts his head on his hands like a pillow, evidently in waiting.
Vesper tosses her skates aside and slips her loafers back on, sitting cross-legged on the blanket. She watches the fireworks with rapture, leaning on Kurt
“Meet me at the blankets, everyone’s moved over there anyway,” Kai tells Derek and skates off toward the refreshment table.
It seems Charlotte earns a double take from Malin who keeps getting publicly acknowledged as being likable. “Oh?” She’s ever astounded. Every admission has her mind boggled, but she presses on. “Sure. I love blowing stuff up. I’m going to shoot turkeys out of the cannon sometime this weekend. It’s basically like bowling — because I collected a bunch of vases and urns from houses I explored without explicit permission…” Her voice trails off and she takes another bite of her hot dog, but she’s nodding to Arachne to assure her, reaching into her handbag. “My vials are still here!”
Obadiah lifts a lazy hand to Aghilas. “Obie Mercer,” he greets before telling Charlotte, “Went well! I was the only one without a plus one but I think everyone had fun and heavens knows I love to play games.”
“…Mmkay.” Derek mumbles in response to Kai, somewhat clumsily getting back to his feet before he makes his way over then.
Malin gives the vial a little will at Arachne. “Except, I forgot to label this one.” She leans in towards Matthew. “Hey, can you uncork this one and sniff it, and let me know if smells like chloroform to you, pretty please?” she entreats as lashes flutter.
Having found an opportune moment to shake off the trance that the fireworks have put him in, even as they continue — which really does distract him, the way he continues looking up at the colors that now threaten to rival the moon’s reign over the midnight sky, Aghilas makes his way to the array of blankets laid across the park. Of course, Arachne being the perceptive woman she is, he’s noticed before he can slink away and find a corner to keep people watching.
He offers a bow towards those gathered, spine straight, upper back bending that looks part-theatrical, part-militaristic. “A pleasure to meet you all.” he muses, then shrugs the robe off his shoulders, the expensive fabric long, long enough to serve as a banner if need be. He folds it into a neat square then places it on the floor to kneel on it, sitting back on his calves, taking up his own space on his own personal blanket now nearby the ones already occupied.
Kai downs a shot of vodka and takes off his skates, handing them back in to the skate guy, he pulls his sneakers from his backpack and pulls them on, then heads over to the blankets to flop down somewhere near Nemi, though not right next to the woman.
Dante forgets that he is a man and becomes a wallflower instead from the moment the fireworks started up until now, lost in his own thoughts. Transient as those might be, so is his presence at this party. He shoves his hands into his pimp coat and swaggers his way out, moving in silence like lasagna.
Matthew greets the newest arrival, Aghilas with a hamburger wielded hand. His mouth’s full, so he doesn’t bother speaking up, but an upnod is granted towards the man. He chews, swallows, and nabs the vial Malin is passing in his way. “Hey, Aghilas, I’m Matthew,” the Montrose chirps up friedly-like, and then he’s doing what probably nobody should ever do at a party, sniffing a vial to see if it is chloroform.
“Turkeys?” Charlotte asks Malin, tone excited. “Can we shoot chickens, too? Chickens are fucking assholes.” Her head tilts, Obadiah forgotten as she focuses on the sassy sylph. “Do you know how to pick locks? I’d LOVE to learn.” Just putting that criminal impulse out there.
“Malin,” Arachne hisses out in incredulous disbelief at Malin when she spots the vial of rohypnol being passed to Matthew. “Don’t tell me –” A pause, and her fingers disappear into the pouch at her side, drawing out a lone vial of identical liquid. “We can always put someone in the trunk after this,” she quips in light teasing, flicking it toward Charlotte.
Derek drifts on over to the area with the blankets, then making his way a little further to the street, before making his way back skate-less.
“Kind words.” Aghilas tells Charlotte with a bob of his head at her compliment, as well. “I do what I can to preserve the history of my people and others’, too.”
Nemi turns to Aghilas. “Oh- right, sorry- I’m Nemi!”
The fireworks continue while Arachne twins with Malin, passing dubious vials of liquids around like a game of musical chairs.
A multistage shell goes off in rolling sequence –– first gold, then violet, then white –– each ring wider than the last, blooming in hypnotic rhythm.
“Please don’t trunk anyone. It has been a busy enough couple of days without an impromptu trunking.” Gabriel/span>/spanUnhelpfully Matthew requests the opposite, “Trunk ALLLLL the people,” passing the vial back to Malin once it’s determined he is not in fact passing out to chloroform.
Charlotte hands one via back to Arachne, though not the other.
“If they fit in the cannon’s muzzle thingy, we can shoot whatever we want!” Malin assures Charlotte blithely. As Matthew sniffs, she nods her approval, and when he doesn’t fall unconscious, she goes, “That’s probably the roofie shit.” As Arachne also comes prepared, she feels one with a fellow girl scout or something of that manner. “We might just be the same person,” gets claimed, despite wildly different personalities.
Gabriel gestures vaguely toward Matthew, grinning as he says, “Alright, the trunkings can continue as long as Mister Montrose is first. But at least wait until after the fireworks, they’re pretty.”
Obadiah grumbles a little bit his phone, not looking up but angry texting before flashing a grin at Nemi, “I think I am going to bounce.” He looks over to Gabriel and repeats so that he is heard over the fireworks, “I am going to check in on Dovie then head to bed.”
There’s enough bows of Aghilas’s head that an outsider might think the man is going to be having a real bad case of chronic stiffness the next morning, yet Aghilas goes through each and every introduction, from Obadiah to Matthew to Nemi. He remains seated on his knees, eyes narrowing underneath his veil at the dubious vials being passed around.
Arachne nods appreciatively to Charlotte, quickly shoving her tradecraft away into her pocket strapped along the top of her fishnet-encased thigh. “I’m not going to trunk anyone. That’s what Malin and Matthew are for,” she promises to Gabriel, as though that was any better. She can’t help but blurt out laughing at Malin, nodding in agreement. “We may well be.”
Fireworks continue to rocket into the air, the park hazy with the acrid smoke:
A fountain firework at the edge of the clearing fizzes upward with silver static, then spits out a sudden geyser of ruby flame and crackling ash.
Gabriel nods to Obadiah and says, “I’ve got things here. Let me know how she’s doing and you get some sleep, alright?”
Charlotte peers at Gabriel, asking politely “What was your name, again?” A hand is raised to someone, with an apologetic “Obie, I’m so sorry we didn’t get more of a chance to talk! I’ll text you about the service we discussed.” What a choice of words! Whatever it was, it was probably not as salacious as she accidentally makes it sound.
Charlotte peers at Gabriel, asking politely “What was your name, again?” A hand is raised to Obadiah, with an apologetic “Obie, I’m so sorry we didn’t get more of a chance to talk! I’ll text you about the service we discussed.” What a choice of words! Whatever it was, it was probably not as salacious as she accidentally makes it sound.
Arachne glances over a shoulder toward Gabriel and Obadiah, “What’s going on?” she wonders.
Obadiah points to his phone and mimics texting to Arachne as he bounces
Kai folds an arm behind his head and rests his head back against his arms as he looks around, his lips pressed together a bit.
Matthew/span>/spanKurt chuckles, leaning against Vesper as he settles back, seeming to just listen to the conversations going on.
Gabriel seems distracted for a moment but does eventually answer Charlotte, “Gabriel Hawkins. A pleasure to meet you.”
Kai heaves himself up and waves to Derek, he gives another general wave to the group and heads for the street.
Unlike Matthew, Aghilas doesn’t have a really good burger to hide behind, so he chooses the next best thing; the fireworks still ongoing. Each time a new color dyes the sky, his eyes shift up to watch, relaxing underneath the pretty colors -and- in the presence of good, if not slightly fishy company with their vials.
Derek slides his phone and holds it out in front of him as he lays on a picnic blanket, taking a selfie before he brings his phone closer to give it a closer look.
Nemi says “I need to get some sleep…“
Arachne watches the Mercer disappear into the crowd before she turns her eyes toward Lola shyly stepping her way onto the picnic blankets. Her hand lifts in a light welcome, fingers splaying out in a quick wiggle before she returns her eyes to the sky. The fireworks come slower now, sputtering in a finale of vibrant colors.
Twin spirals of light chase each other across the sky like orbiting satellites, colliding in a bright orange flash that leaves a rolling echo.
The music slowly ramps up anew in the background of conversation and mouths being stuffed with glizzies; https://youtu.be/OPf0YbXqDm0
Lola/span>/spanNemi turns to Arachne and smiles. “This was lovely, Thank you honestly.” she states with a warm smile as she waves softly.
“Ah! Gabriel! We have spoken over the radio, and it is nice to put a face to a name.” Charlotte replies to Gabriel, almost forgetting to, you know, put a name to her face. “Oh, I’m Charlotte.” Good job, bb.
“Thank you for coming out to have fun with us. It was a pleasure seeing you -not- shooting one my courtiers,” Arachne teases Nemi in warm enough parting, eyes alight with a spark of mirth. She shifts forward, reaching over for Derek to smooch his cheek loud and wetly. Did Malin spike her drinks? She’s never, ever this way.
Gabriel smiles at Charlotte, “We have, yes! It’s rather surprising we haven’t bumped into each other before now.”
Kurt shifts his gaze to Charlotte, a wry grin dancing across his lips. “How’s that one song from Shrek go?” He pauses for a moment, before continuing. “Some-”
Malin smiles ever so sweetly at Arachne as she sits there on the picnic blanket, happily consuming her food and taking a swig of beer.
Nemi chuckles softly and lightly as she sighs and nods softly to Arachne. “Honestly Its nothing personal really- Some of the people in the court I find nice, the rest I just don’t know… and theres just always a job to do we need to get done- and I am sorry If I’ve ever caused hospital worthy injuries-” She states, nodding as she waves and heads off.
Derek’s brows flit as Arachne goes over to smooch his cheek, and he blinks once or twice, gaze drifting to her slowly, seeming perhaps more confused than anything. “…Hey.” he greets, before snickering amusedly to himself, slipping a hand behind his head as he lounges on the blanket.
She starts to beam at Gabriel and agree, but then Kurt decides to ruin her whole life, and her eyes cut away, glaring at him. “Watch out, or I’ll dig into the early nineties” Charlotte offers threateningly before digging through the drink cart again.
Matthew’s head bobs with the Uptown Funk as the last of his burger disappears into mouth. The beer he continues to sip, though a glance at his phone, has his brows lifting. Silently he scans over the picnic blanket, a contented smile showered on everyone his eyes lay on.
When the fireworks end, so does Aghilas’s trance as his gaze returns from the heavens back to the physical, and to the gathering in front of him. Not partaking in food or drink himself, he does spot Lola slipping in and acknowledges her presence with a lift of his hand and a bob of his head as well. He seems content to just listen in – the corners of his eyes crinkling beneath the veil particularly in response to Charlotte’s very creative threats of doom and ruin upon Kurt.
Arachne leaves Derek to dwell over the conundrum of her familial affection, in public nevertheless. A hand presses itself upon the picnic blanket, lifting herself carefully onto her feet, stepping onto the concrete to begin gliding lazily along the path. “You’re all welcome to linger. Take the sparklers, the shell and mortar fireworks that’s left over. Happy Fourth from The Fairchilds, The Montroses, and the Illusium Court!”
Matthew pushes up, moving like his feet are going to carry him to the dance floor, shoulders bouncing with the music. Instead he’s going in an entirely other direction, dancing his way off from the party.
Kurt lets out a soft laugh, a brow raising, “You say that like it’s a bad thing, Miss Charlotte.” Taking a moment to cast his gaze around, he seems to take note of his audience. Nodding, as he evidently decides that some form of retribution is worth it, he opens his mouth for two words, “You are…”
Though it isn’t vocalized, there is genuine surprise on Lola’s face when more fireworks trail through the sky. Her mouth opens slightly, then her eyes cast themselves sidelong to find Aghilas greeting her. She offers him a sweet, dimpled smile full of pearly white teeth, but otherwise keeps to herself on the far corner that she had chosen for herself, giving the man a little wave of greeting.
Gabriel slinks away from the crowd once the party officially comes to an end.
Alas, Charlotte cannot resist the backstreet boys, and she sings in an unpolished but all right contralto “My fire, my one….” Kurt gets a raised eyebrow. Challenge accepted.
Arachne uses a slim sparkler laced with rose quartz: A faint, melodic whistling hums from its core, growing in pitch as the sparks rise higher, flickering like fireflies caught in a slow waltz.
Arachne lights a sparkler, leaving the pretty rose quartz stick in Lola’s care before she’s truly gone.
Be it gliding, strutting or in some cases dancing away from the party, Aghilas/span>/span