[closed] Mog's Day Celebration

[unkindled_madness]

Who: Sephiroth unkindled_madness, Loki dothelokimotion, Tina skagzz, and friends!
What: They made up a holiday instead of celebrating any of the actual things they have to celebrate.
When: November 14
Where: their new home in Sunset Falls
Content Warnings: N/A for now


Happy Mog's Day!

What's Mog's Day? Well, it's not surprising you haven't heard of it, since it isn't an Earth holiday. It's a fall celebration marking the end of the season, before moogles enter their annual hibernation. A simple drawing of a moogle (a white, vaguely koala-like animal with small bat wings) was included in the invitation. On arrival, guests will be asked to don a large red nose, out of respect for Mog. The hosts are exempt from this, given they're the ones throwing the party and all.

Want a tour of the house? The hosts are not familiar with the concept of a housewarming party, but that's essentially what this is, and any of them would probably show you around if you like. They've just moved, but there's no sign of boxes. Rather, the bookshelves and decor seem a little sparse, their belongings having migrated from a smaller space. You may catch glimpses of a large orange cat slinking around behind the furniture. He has not yet adjusted to his new surroundings, and all the strangers aren't helping.

A catered dinner is laid out on the dining room table. (They can cook, they just... didn't.) There's also a chocolate cake waiting in the kitchen for later. It's for Loki; Sephiroth doesn't really care about cake.

The nearby back door leads out into the yard, and the fire pit. Arranged on a table are some materials one might use to create a simple effigy of someone you particularly hate. There's also a bag of marshmallows, seemingly as an afterthought.

Comments

David Alleyne/Prodigy | Marvel Comics | OTA

[helpdesk_hero]

Listen, David does not look good with a large red nose. At all. He looks horrible, he knows it, but he's powering through with the most positive smile he can muster. Because being supportive of his friends matters. Especially as they continue on with the course of their lives.

But he's here, he smiles whenever someone approaches, and he always greets them warmly. He's got a seat open next to him at dinner (and his boyfriend on the other side, and afterward he sits happily by the fire pit to toast marshmallows, which always come out flawless. Though he definitely looks like he's regretting a lack of he rest of the s'mores makings.

[unkindled_madness]

None of them look good with the nose. It's hilarious.

But it's difficult to tell from Sephiroth's expression whether he's amused or just pleased with the situation in general. He's come a long way from being the sort of person who would never allow himself such frivolity.

"I'm pleased you could make it."

[helpdesk_hero]

It's frustrating. David's only still got his on out of stubbornness, and that won't last.

"I'm pleased to be invited, to be here to support you two. How long has it been since I last told you I'm happy for you two?"

[unkindled_madness]

"Not so very long, I think. You were assisting me with my wedding research."

...or was that a rhetorical question? He isn't sure.

[helpdesk_hero]

"Yes, but online interactions aren't the same thing as being there physically for a friend. And it's also nice to tell people things like that more frequently."

Because he really is happy for them. And proud. Sephiroth seemed so lost when they first met, and that would not be an accurate description now.

[unkindled_madness]

"I... suppose there is some benefit to hearing it."

There is value in knowing others genuinely want good things for you.

[helpdesk_hero]

Good, because if Sephiroth understands that then he's really growing from what David had known him for.

"I'll repeat it whenever I can," he says with a smile. "That's what people who care about you do."

[unkindled_madness]

"I don't think the frequency is entirely necessary," he says, because he's still Sephiroth. "I have a good memory."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Affection should be displayed, not merely remembered," David says. "At least that's true for many people. I try to live by that. So the people important to me don't forget that I feel that way. So they know it hasn't changed."

Re: David Alleyne/Prodigy | Marvel Comics | OTA

[codicies]

Dylan's marshmallows, meanwhile, are catching fire and coming out charred and gooey. He watches David roasting them — actually properly roasting, instead of sticking them in the flame.

"Why not just set them on fire?" He asks before pulling his from the flame and blowing them out. As if to mock him, the gooey marshmallow slips right off the stick and onto the pavement.

[helpdesk_hero]

"I don't like the taste of the burnt marshmallows, plus they get so hot and gooey inside that you can burn your mouth, and, well..."

He looks to where Dylan's marshmallow has fallen and holds out his own stick.

[codicies]

"Yeah, fair." He sticks a new marshmallow onto his stake, then places it right back into the middle of the flames. "I guess I just like setting things on fire."

Which is weird, considering that's a symbiote weakness. But he's not too concerned about it.

"Plus, you know, quantity over quality. You can maximize s'more production this way." He glances around, remembering that it's just the marshmallows with no chocolate or graham crackers. "Hypothetically, anyway."

[helpdesk_hero]

Okay, that makes David chuckle.

"I've known quite a few people like that back home. Mutants have a spread of firebugs and just plain fire lovers, before you even get into the people with the powers."

So he doesn't really judge it all that much.

"Hypothetically, yes. I wonder if Loki and Sephiroth even know about them."

[codicies]

Dylan's ears perk up at the word 'mutant.' It's apparently got a pretty broad meaning in this world, but the way David uses it sounds a little more like back home. Maybe they're from the same world? He's not sure how to bring that up in conversation smoothly.

"I'm pretty sure I introduced the marshmallow roasting to Sephiroth. He had a fire going and I came by and started roasting them."

[helpdesk_hero]

Yes, here it has a broader meaning, but back home? It's something else entirely.

"Somehow I am not shocked by that," David chuckles. "We used to do it sometimes, at the Academy back home. You wouldn't think a bunch of mutant kids could find the time, but the Xavier estate was rather large, and sometimes you just need to pretend you're normal kids."

[codicies]

Recognition crosses Dylan's face, and he grins. "Does that mean you're one of the X-Men??"

[helpdesk_hero]

Oh god, David groans.

“X-Factor actually. The most recent manifestation thereof associated with Krakoa. But definitely not one of the X-Men. It’s not a team I’d really belong on. Solving mysteries back home is way more my speed.”

[portolan]

At some point early in the evening, Balthier squeezes David's hand, leaning close to whisper "You are adorable regardless of how uncomfortable these silly things make you."

It does prevent him from comfortably kissing the other, so he settles for booping the foam noses together. "I don't know, maybe we should keep them."

They should not.

[helpdesk_hero]

"I want to throw it in the fire," David admits with a grumble. But he's been on Loki's bad side before and if Loki is the one invested in this, he's not going to anger the man.

"It will be lost before we get home."

[portolan]

"It will smell vile," he says with a cheery grin. "And you will be miserable for the smell clinging to our clothes and hair."

Looking around, he can't help be reminded of some children's festivals at home. "You know, we have moogles too, with these noses. Curious that Sephiroth and my worlds persistently have some overlap." It's comforting, though, in the same odd way Sephiroth reminds him of Fran.

[helpdesk_hero]

"Which is why I'm not doing it, of course," he points out. He knows the dangers of burning plastics.

The news about moogles has David looking up at Balthier in shock. That he hadn't known.

"Really? How intriguing. What are they like, these moogles?"

[portolan]

"My practical beloved," he teases.

David's expression surprises him. Hmm. He must have never mentioned.

"They're small, like a human six to eight year old. White fur all over. Ours don't have oversized red noses, more of a cat or rabbit face, though drawings sometimes exaggerate it. They're good magicians and excellent mechanics. I worked with them quite often."

[helpdesk_hero]

"If they're good with magic and machines, then yes, you're definitely going to get on with them," David laughs in delight. He'd almost like to meet a moogle now. Especially if no big red nose.

[portolan]

Balthier grins back at the knowing laugh. It may not be a surprise anymore, but it's still a delight to be so thoroughly known.

"The next time we go back, I'll introduce you. They do often have a large pom-pom attached to their heads. Those are red sometimes. When I was a child I sometimes daydreamed about running off and working in a Moogle workshop. This is not a thing hume children do, mind, but I thought it sounded nice."

[helpdesk_hero]

"Which part don't hume children do, the running away, or the working with moogles?"

Because it seems so silly to think that neither of those are true. After all, David knew a guy who had actually, literally run away to a circus.