‘Cause a Halloween party’s a rad excuse To put your body through mad abuse | OPEN

[heatmetal]

Who: The Stranger Things cast
What: A Housewarming Party hosted by the gang & Settling in to their new haunted home
When: Late October - Early November
Where: Private Housing, Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: probably drugs, drinking

Moving In.

[ It's not quite the joyous occasion they were hoping it would be. The disappearance of one of their own has left a heavy air over the group, but they're determined to try to make something of the situation. And so they proceed with the move, their belongings loaded up in the back of a teleporting truck.

Neighbors are welcome to spy the new arrivals. A perfect collection of unlikely friends that look like they belong in a horror movie cast. You'll get a drink for your trouble - or something a little less legal (or more legal, if you aren't) if you offer to lend a hand. Evidentially, some among their number are not terribly well equipped to do heavy lifting. Damn sticky nerd arms. ]

HOUSEWARMING PARTY is written in slanted block print on a piece of cardboard, staked just outside the newly purchased manor seated near the edge of town. It is a utterly ridiculous piece of architecture, and the gathered teens have more space than they know what to do with.

So how better than to fill it with a house party?
There's a stunning indoor pool just begging to be cannonballed into. A classy lounge for enjoying a little existential angst and ennui. There’s enough guest bedrooms for anyone who wants to crash, though be warned: few are furnished. Some rooms are off limits, for your own sanity rather than theirs.

The music pumping through the place alternates between 80s metal and pop, with some newer tunes sprinkled in there for flavor.

There’s food, a legion of kegs and, well, that less than legal stuff is making the rounds too. ]

Comments

billy kaplan-altman & loki

[wordiness]

[ billy (and loki) show up not long after things get started, literally teleporting into the room in a shower of blue sparks that fade when they touch anything. billy, as usual in his civvie clothes, looks like what you'd expect a trendy gen z goth witch to look like, and at his side, loki is tall, sleek, and wearing a green leather jacket that looks like it might have cost a small fortune.

one might easily mistake them for a couple, considering the way loki tends to hang on or around billy while they're there.

billy also brought a gift, which is a series of what looks like small, decorative keys. if anyone asks about them, they're made to turn any door with a keyhole into a temporary portal directly back to this house. you know, so the residents can get home quickly in an emergency. he wasn't sure what else to get them, since he doesn't know any of them. ]


[ ooc; generic open prompt!! billy and loki came together, and you can interact with either/both of them here. ]

[mostdangerousbird]

[ Tim spies Billy across the room and does a sharp double take, surprised to see someone that he met in passing at Robin’s party. He doesn’t like it when different segments of his life overlap, even if it’s as innocent as the guy he met at a street market knowing the girl he met at group. It’s… messy, somehow, and Tim tries to head it off any strangeness by going to say hello. ]

Hey - don’t I know you?

[ He smiles warmly at the stranger and gives a tiny wave. ]

You were at that clothing stall in Central City a few months ago. You got me that shirt.

[ You magicked that shirt. ]

It’s Billy, right?

[wordiness]

[ billy starts a little at the voice, turning to face-- ] Tim! [ it is tim. he'd made a coat for him, and they'd had boba. he'd been really flustered about the whole thing, hadn't he?

.. tim. how many slight guys named tim are there around here? would it be too much of a coincidence if this is loki's tim? the odds have to be pretty steep, but the odds of them meeting like this were probably pretty steep, too. and loki and billy are very steeped in magic, which is fond of defying odds.

hm.

instead of letting any of that show on his face, he smiles at him, easy and pleased, and reaches to take and squeeze his hands briefly. ] It's nice to see you again. Did you wind up settling in the area, then? Do you live with these guys?

[grivences]

[ Despite the fact that this was billed as a housewarming party, Robin wasn't actually expecting any gifts. So when she's presented with a fancy looking key and told that it will lead her directly back home, no matter where she is, she's honestly flabbergasted. ]

This is magic? It's a magic key. For real, actual magic.

[wordiness]

[ he smiles at her enthusiasm, pleased in spite of himself. sometimes he forgets that magic is.. cool. ]

Yeah. I could probably-- I mean, ethically I probably shouldn't make it lead anywhere, but I could probably convince it to go a couple of other places if you have some regular locations you visit.

[ work or.. whatever. ]

[accretions]

[Oh! A Loki. She knows the Loki(s), nominally, in that she dated a version of their brother. That's about the closest she's getting to "fitting in" at this party, though, because Jane Foster is neither young enough to be at a kegger nor enough of a party animal to make the fact that she's 35 not matter.

You can take the girl out of the lab, but you can't make her socially adept.]

Oh! I didn't know you had a boyfriend.

[Case in point. Is being kind of a himbo a prerequisite for wielding Mjølnir? Maybe.]

[ikols]

Oh, yes! Five years now, we're very happy. Billy Kaplan-Laufeyson, this is an alternate dimension version of Jane Foster. I'm all out of beer, excuse me!

[ He slips off fast as a whippet so as to avoid Billy's telling-off. ]

Tim drake

[mostdangerousbird]

Moving In

[ Clad in dark jeans and an underground punk band’s t-shirt under a red jacket, Tim arrives about a half hour early to help with the boxes, as it seems like the nice thing to do in return for the open invite. He lingers near the truck for a few minutes, looking for Robin. Eventually, he’ll hop smoothly into the truck and grab a heavy box to carry into the house. ]

Anyone know where this one’s supposed to go?

Party?

[ Oof, an actual young person’s party. Tim hasn’t been to many, but he’s pretty sure this is more of a house party than a housewarming party. Housewarmings should have tiny sandwiches and polite chatter, not synths and a keg collection.

He’s found soda and is content to perch on the arm of a couch to watch the party. Truth be told, Tim’s more lost here than he is at a fancy shindig. He’ll gladly chat, but he’s usually the quiet sober one at parties like this. ]

moving in

[grivences]

[ Tim doesn't find Robin lingering out by the truck because she's currently in the kitchen, carefully unwrapping, washing, drying, and putting away all their dishes, glasses, and silverware. They've kind of gathered a strange amalgam collection of different sets of plates and cups, mugs and shot glasses, big spoons and little spoons, but she's sorting everything as best she can.

She hears a familiar voice coming from the entryway and pops out to take a look, dish towel in hand. ]

Tim, hey! Thanks for coming. That's, uh... [ She comes closer to look at the scrawled handwriting on the box. ] ...I think that's Eddie's vinyls. You can put those by the stairs, I'm not sure if he wants those up in his room or in the living room.

[mostdangerousbird]

That would explain why it weighs 40 pounds.

[ He manages the box well though and is chipper as he carries it over to the stairs. ]

Fun fact: a vinyl record weighs almost half a pound. Do you want help in the kitchen, or should I stay on box duty?

you knew it was coming

[louder_than_words]

[Cass is equally lost. The only other party she's been to was Brenda's and that ended with Slade Wilson burning the neighbor's house down. This is... a little beyond her.

What isn't beyond her is Tim's reaction to seeing the tall guy in the green jacket. And the tall guy's reaction to Tim.

So it's to be expected when Cass manages to sit on the on the back of the couch, slightly above Tim's place on the arm, and steals his cup from his grasp.

She takes a big sip. This is hers now.]

So... who's that? [She gestures very obviously at the boy Tim has been carefully not-staring at.]

[robintohood]

[Don't mind Jason as he casually flops onto the sofa with a slice of pizza]

So, who'd you bring along?

[He seems completely unsurprised to see Tim]

steph brown

[eggplanting]

→ moving in

[As promised, Steph arrives early to help with the actual moving process, something she's happy to do in exchange for being able to a) come to a party and b) show off a little bit. If she wore a tank top purely so her arms are on display while she hauls things inside, that's between her and God.

But she is helpful, both in lifting heavy things and occasionally getting into tight spaces when necessary. If a couch gets stuck halfway up the staircase, she can easily vault over it to figure out a better angle.

Or maybe she's just gently correcting someone on how to lift an item without accidentally hurting themselves, because safety is important.]

→ housewarming

[It's sort of a shame that Steph doesn't do bathing suits (side effect of being a vigilante and amassing a collection of scars), because she's worked up a bit of a sweat after helping get all the furniture and boxes inside, but at least she can take her shoes off, roll her pants up, and dangle her legs over the edge of the pool.

Later, she'll wander around for an unofficial tour, poking into various rooms now she isn't distracted by having an actual job to do.

If any sort of dancing happens, she'll be eagerly in the middle of it, but that's about as crazy as her shenanigans get. Any alcohol or drugs offered will be politely turned down, though she can be caught picking at the food (no baked goods, just in case). As the evening wears on, if anyone who did partake needs someone to hold back their hair or get them a glass of water, Steph will be there to lend a hand. She's been to enough teen-and-young-adult parties to know that someone occasionally has to play mom, and she doesn't mind doing stepping into the role. It's nice to be helpful in a way entirely separate from the whole vigilante thing.

For the most part, though, she's just looking to enjoy the party, chat to some people, maybe make some new friends. You know, normal people things that she doesn't get a chance to do very often. It's been nice, here, to have a little bit of a break.]

moving in

[grivences]

[ On the one hand, Robin had planned to leave the heavy furniture lifting to the boys.

On the other hand, pretty girl with strong arms is asking her to help move a bookshelf.

How can Robin say no? ]

Here, I'll take the top and you can take the bottom.

[ikols]

[ In the middle of dancing, a guy wearing a green leather jacket catches her hand and twirls her under his arm, reeling her back in with a light tug. Loki smiles down at her, cocking his head. ]

Mind if I cut in?

[ From who? Not important. ]

[wordiness]

[ now that billy's met tim, he makes a beeline for steph. it hadn't been that hard to figure out which one was her, mostly by process of elimination. so when she takes a break from dancing, he sidles up with a bottle of water and a smile that says he's ready to cause problems on purpose. ]

Hi. I hear you know Tim. [ he drops the water into her hands, gaze flicking deliberately over to where loki's probably flustering the shit out of tim, then back to her, and he offers his hand. ] I'm Billy. Loki's my.. [ he trails off, squinting thoughtfully. ] I was gonna just say friend, but also my own personal menace?

[louder_than_words]

[The moment this starts happening Cass slips over to where Stephanie is standing.]

Tim on your 8 o'clock. [She tells her friend just as Loki starts to lean in close.]

[louder_than_words]

Moving In.

[Cass came with Tim and Steph and she's happy to help move boxes. In fact, she looks far more comfortable when she has something she's supposed to be doing.

Anyone who may question whether this small girl should be lifting various furniture on her own is quickly shown the error of their ways. Cass may be pushing 5'2", but she is shredded. And won't stop lifting things until someone tells her to.

She also was the (slightly unnerving) habit of swooping in the moment before
something is about to get dropped. Where did she come from? How did she move fast enough to catch it? It's truly a mystery.]

Housewarming

[Cass has only been to one party before, and that one was quickly crashed by a world-renowned assassin. She... isn't quite sure what to do here.]

a. [For a while she can be found standing awkwardly in dark corners looking unsure of herself. There's... people. Many people, and their bodies are loud-expressive-movement. It's overwilling-- no, overwhelming. So she lets herself just... watch.]

b. [Eventually the smell of food lures her to the kitchen. Her plate is stacked high with a staggering amount of pizza. An inappropriate amount,
considering that the food is meant to be shared among the guests. Cass has no understanding of her social faux pas.

When she does sit down, it's in an easily defendable place. Then she absolutely goes to town. The term "inhaling food" doesn't do it justice. This is professional hot-dog-eating-contest level stuff. The pizza is gone in an upsettingly short amount of time.]

c. [Eventually, Cass goes where the music is. She wants to move. Whether it's just a jumping around to pop or full-on moshing to metal, Cass dives in without hesitation. Gives herself fully to the beat of the song. Lets herself connect with those around her. Feels.

The way she moves is... hypnotic. Movement is a language-- her language. She's in complete control of her body, but never comes across as stiff or forced. She just... flows.]

housewarming a

[accretions]

[Jane's feeling kind of overwhelmed herself. She's really, like, not young enough or social enough to be comfortable at a party like this but well. Darcy's always telling her that she has to get out more and she really wants to meet literally anyone not from Asgard right now. There are so many Lokis running around.

Point being, Jane is sort of wallflowering too. Eventually she looks over at Cass.]

So, um. Do you know the hosts? I just saw that this party was happening on social media and thought it would be a good way to meet some people.

moving in

[grivences]

[ Robin doesn't have that many breakable items. But the problem is, she's sucks a klutz that she drops the one she does have. Thankfully, there's somebody swooping in to catch her decorative ceramic vase before it can shatter into a million pieces.

Robin's eyes go wide, impressed. ]

Wow... You came in out of nowhere. Thanks.

a.

[ikols]

Are we hiding from someone?

[ Was he there a moment ago? Unimportant, a young man with bright green eyes is beside her now. ]

[doctopoda]

i. moving in

[Otto shows up not long after Robin's call for help goes out. It's one of the main benefits of being an Alliance member, for him - ready teleporter access.

While he knows that he freaked Robin out a little when she first arrived, he never really made the connection that there was specific tentacled-guy-trauma involved. She'd just been dropped into a robot apocalypse in an unfamiliar dimension, and a big guy with robot arms showed up - that's alarming on very many normal levels! So he's not being especially cautious as he walks up to the house, actuators swaying behind him and peering around curiously at their new surroundings.]

Okay, where do you want me to put everything?

ii. housewarming

[He hadn't entirely meant to stick around for the housewarming party of a bunch of teenagers he mostly doesn't know! But the kids insisted that he stay at least a little while, after all the help he provided in the move itself, and...well, you know, fair enough.

He's standing in the creepy lounge, sipping a cheap beer and looking around at everything. God, this is a lot. Reminds him of college, except more haunted.]

It's a very interesting house...

[He's just casually ignoring all the illegal activities going on. What does he care, honestly.]

moving in

[eggplanting]

[That is.... a man with a lot of robotic arms approaching the house as Steph jogs down the steps. It gives her a half-second of pause, a brief assessment made of the situation in a way that's ingrained by this point, before she finishes the trip down.]

Oh, I don't live here, but we're working on a couple of the guest rooms at the moment. I can probably show you what goes where?

[robintohood]

[After seeing seeing Robin's post and Steph and Tim commenting it, Jason decided to hitch a ride with a teenager from Central City to get to Sunset. He could use a break from all the work he's been doing lately anyway.

He arrives at the house dressed in jeans, a green t-shirt and in a black leather jacket]

Hey, you guys still need some help with moving? I saw the post from earlier.

setting this a lil later in the evening!

[eggplanting]

[It's been a weird night, to put it bluntly, but mostly weird in the good way, so Steph is still in relatively good spirits when she spots Jason in the crowd.

She makes her way over to bump him with her shoulder, gentle enough to clearly be friendly, but firm enough that he might have to catch his balance if he wasn't expecting it.

This is how they show affection.]