( open ) surrender all your dreams to me tonight

[dothelokimotion]

Who: Loki Odinson dothelokimotion + You
What: Fancy Opening Night
When: May 11th
Where: The Opherium, Central City
Content Warnings: n/a


( i. grand opening — mingle and drinks )

[ welcome to the opherium. open to all metas, provided you’re up to the dress code. so make sure you’re dressed to the gills with your fanciest clothes or you might just be asked to leave. you’re ushered into a grand hall. there are appetizers like shrimp cocktails and little quiches placed on large tables for you to nibble on and champagne glasses being passed around by waiters. located in the middle is a large chocolate fountain for all you dessert lovers (loki. it’s for loki). grab yourself a drink and go hit up a familiar face. ]

( ii. dance dance )

[ and of course, once the mingling and networking is done, the staff come to clear the chairs away and leave plenty of room on the dance floor. the lights go dim, casting soft shadows against the wall. slow waltzes begin to filter through the hall as gently encouragement to go find a partner, maybe hold them close, enjoy a little . . . company and more.

or maybe you just want an excuse to step on someone’s foot. equally valid. in fact, there might be a little magic in the air that tugs you towards someone you want to be with . . . ]

( iii. star gazing )

[ the party is winding down. maybe you’re ready to go back. curl up on bed after a late night with drinks and dancing. or perhaps you’re feeling a touch of wistfulness, a need to seclude yourself after all that jazz. consider then, finding yourself a nice quiet corner on the upper levels of the theatre, where there are some nice balconies for you to collect yourself.

and there are always the stars to keep you company. ]

Comments

Peter Parker | MCU | ota

[tinglesense]

MINGLE

Peter is too young to drink, of course, but there's some non-alcoholic punch. He's fine with that. He might look a little uncomfortable in the clothes that Balthier bought for him, but he cleans up nice! And he has good posture! And good manners! Oh god what is he doing here!

He does his best to keep anxiety at bay. If he spends a really long time near the chocolate fountain, who's going to care, right?

DANCE - open to TWO threads

Peter would absolutely never dance in public if he had a choice, because he knows he's terrible at it, and he has that lingering teenage self-consciousness to go along with it. He remembers at school they had a couple days where they had to learn ballroom dancing (at a STEM school, why, he thinks) and it was awful for everyone. Has he retained any of that knowledge? Unclear.

Still, there's that little magic pull that he can't resist anymore than most people can, so here he is with whoever on the dance floor. This is going to be the worst if he has to lead.

"Hey, uh…so I'm just sorry in advance if I suck at this. I have good balance, though, so I won't step on your feet!"

Probably.

STARGAZING

Pete is relieved to find a balcony that isn't occupied. This isn't his scene, after all. He came because Balthier talked him into it, and he's ready to be done with crowds. So he's out here with maybe more chocolate — don't judge him! — leaning on the balcony looking up at the stars.

High places are comfortable for him, so this is the most at home he's felt all night. If you'd like him more relaxed, this is where to be.

[ikols]

"No matter how long you stare, the chocolate will not float into your mouth in the same continuous stream as that delicious-looking fountain."

The voice is Loki's, softer by a degree ... because she's a woman! At least for now. Her Parker recently made her feel like she can be any form she likes and he will still adore her, hence a lot of shapeshifting tonight as her mood allows.

She gazes wistfully at the chocolate fountain.

"I speak from experience."

[tinglesense]

Peter turns towards Loki, a little embarrassed but amused by her comment anyway. "Oh, I was just…uh, thinking about something else. Or maybe about how much chocolate fondue stuff you can get before it's rude."

Two things can be true at once!

He's mildly surprised by Loki's appearance, though only mildly. He's seen the younger one do this and hadn't recognised her when she did. This one, he does recognise, probably since he's clued in that this is a thing Loki(s) can do.

"Oh. Loki. You look different today," he says.

[ikols]

Someone is fibbing, but! She won't call him out on his private thoughts. His vibe is alright, albeit twitchy.

"I put on a dress, and breasts." Since she felt like it. "Only about ten minutes ago, I might switch again if the mood presents itself. It's a fun night!"

[tinglesense]

He's doing his best to cope with being just out of his depth at a party like this. It feels way above his proverbial pay grade.

"You can just kinda fit in anywhere, huh?" That's the best way he can think to say it; he's already marvelled at the younger Loki's ability to change her form. He'd seen this one turn into animals, but it hadn't occurred to him until the conversation with the younger one that they could do way more than that. He has no idea if the Loki from his universe can change form, too. He assumes the answer must be yes.

[ikols]

A small frown flits across her brow.

"I don't change myself to fit in, Peter, I never tend to anyway or anywhere. I'm genderfluid, and currently I am a woman."

It's not a reproving comment, more of a patient explanation as she watches him.

[tinglesense]

"Genderfluid?" He repeats. Obviously he knows the term, he's just…well, that's the difference between this one and the younger one.

"Sorry, I…uh, kind of ran into a younger you who didn't really know terms like that. I didn't wanna assume you thought about it like that either." That conversation had gotten confusing quickly, actually. Why does he keep accidentally tripping up with Lokis?

"But it's probably nice to be able to change your body and everything to match how you feel." It's a recovery, if not a great one.

Dance

[portolan]

When Balthier invited -- well, coerced -- Peter to come, he'd had every intention of spending the evening together and helping Peter feel at ease. Then he'd realized David also wanted to go and, well, he is a selfish pirate.

But he makes sure Peter is settled before disappearing to socialize, and he comes back to check on him after not too long. Awkward, jumpy -- business as usual.

"You are not having enough fun," Balthier observes. His grin is softer than it is mischievous; he's aware Peter let him dress the boy up and drag him to dinner and drag him here and that's a lot.

No, not the boy. His friend. He's trying to be better about not putting distance with people when it doesn't need to be there.

"I'm giving you a dance lesson. Come on." He holds his hands out. Peter could say no if he really wanted to, and Balthier would listen. But sometimes taking risks and realizing they aren't so bad is a good way to just...feel better.

[tinglesense]

Peter isn't really offended by Balthier leaving him to go off with David. That's what dating people do, probably. (His relationship with MJ was hardly normal, and Ned was often butting into the middle of it, on accident or on purpose. It was annoying sometimes, but now he'd give anything to have it back to that sometimes awkward arrangement.) He's sort of off-kilter, though, since he doesn't know that many people immediately and also there's too many people and also he's not sure what the etiquette is for how many snacks is too many or how many snacks makes you look like a poor kid who probably doesn't eat enough right now what with not having a job…

So anyway, sure, he has high anxiety. It's a thing!

"My kind of fun is, like, video games and Legos and solving complex mathematical equations," he says. That last one is only half a joke. "Fancy parties don't happen a lot when you're just some nobody from Queens."

Oh. Oh, dancing. Right, people are doing that.

"I know how to dance!" he says, a half-hearted protest, but he takes Balthier's hands anyway.

[portolan]

The secret, Peter, is that no one is actually paying attention to how many snacks you take. Balthier would gladly share stories of being an idiot teenager at formal functions if Peter ever asked. And then crashing them as a pirate.

"Well you can show me video games and legos and complex mathematical equations next time. I'm even good at the latter." He's not even lying. He was extremely good and school and read voraciously after, seeking out tutors even as he learned piracy. Not getting to go to university was a chip he'd carried on his shoulder for a long time.

But he laughs at Peter's protest. "My apologies for my presumptions. Do you want to lead then? I was planning on a dance from Ivalice--" Ivalice, not home. He hasn't been using that word lately. "But by all means, we can do an Earth dance."

[tinglesense]

"I don't know that you'd like video games," he says, mostly because they're nerdy and Balthier is just still this Cool Guy in his head. He knows more about Balthier now, sure, but his core assessment has never really changed.

But that's not the point right now. Video games someday, when he has money to have them again. For now, getting through this party.

Peter's eyes go almost comically wide at Balthier's suggestion. He files away that he's not sure he's heard Balthier refer to his home (world? Country? Unclear) as Ivalice before. But he's still focused on the immediate situation.

"Whoa, whoa. I said I know how to dance, not…how to lead, especially considering that we know different stuff anyway."

[portolan]

"I've never been one to judge something before I've tried it." He probably does not have the specific type of learned dexterity to enjoy video games, the same way his typing speed limits his enjoyment of technology, but he'd appreciate the complexity of the medium. More than he appreciated junk for certain.

Right now, though, he's chuckling at Peter's admittedly expected reaction. "Alright, so you're going to let me lead, then, as I presumed. And Peter, when we teach dance, we say if you aren't stepping on feet you aren't trying hard enough, so do relax."

He takes up the basic stance, not much different from a waltz, guiding Peter's hand to his shoulder before taking his waist and putting their hands together. "You know this much, yes? And you look quite nice, by the way. I'm glad you picked that one -- it suits you."

[tinglesense]

"Who says that? Pretty sure the one time I got taught to dance, they were like," (here he puts on a mocking Extra Grownup Voice) "You kids better watch out! Gentlemen don't step on ladies' feet!" He grins a little, continuing, "Not that you're a lady, obviously, and that was some pretty weird gender essentialism to throw at teenagers, but still."

At least he recognises the waltz stance, though now that he's thinking about it, he's rarely led. If he'd gotten to practice this with MJ, he figures she probably would have led since that's the kind of person she is. He refuses to think too long about that right now, though. None of that tonight if he can avoid it.

"Yeah, this part is familiar. And…thanks. It's definitely not my normal style but it's pretty cool."

Mingle

[pinkxeno]

[ Mina is super excited to be here, pretty much greeting everyone she meets. She hasn't been to a lot of parties before, so this is all so amazing to her.

And unlike Peter who is behaving regarding alcohol, Mina has been attempting to steal a champagne glass for herself. Thankfully to everyone involved, all the waiters have managed to figure out she is too young to be sleeping and haven't given her any.

After another failed attempt, she ends up by the chocolate fountain, where she spots Peter ]

You can eat it, you know?

[tinglesense]

[ Peter hears Mina approach just before she speaks, but he's still a little off-guard. He's met Mina on the network, and they go to school together, so her appearance isn't generally surprising to him. But… ]

Whoa, you look incredible.

[ Even though he's dressed up nice, he feels underdressed at this thing in general.

He looks back at the fountain. ]

Oh. Oh, no, I know. I mean, I did have some. I'm just like, you know, how much is too much? What if it's weird?

[ He laughs a little, awkward. ]

Not that standing here is somehow not weird.

[pinkxeno]

[ Mina grins wide at the compliment, leaning a little towards Peter ] You look really nice too! It fits you! [ she will certainly compliment him back. ]

Hmm... I think nobody cares, you know? [ Mina reaches for a plate and yes, she is about to take some chocolate just like that ] You should eat as much as you want! This doesn't happen everyday, right?

[ not to her, after all ] I've never been to a party like this before.

[tinglesense]

Thanks. A friend picked it. He has more experience with, y'know, fancy parties and whatever.

[ At least if he's not just stuffing his face with fruit or whatever dipped in chocolate alone, he doesn't have to feel as self-conscious. So he'll join her in getting some of that. ]

Definitely not to me. I've never been to anything like this either. I've just been to, like, high school dance type stuff. We didn't get a cool chocolate fountain.

[pinkxeno]

Yeaahh - I had to ask the ladies at the shop for help on this. [ mina gestures to her own black dress ] I wanted to wear orange with purple at first, but they said it's not very fancy. [ because people's eyes would bleed, mina ]

Right?? if it has a chocolate fountain, it sure outta be fancy. [ apparently that's the line one has to cross if someone wishes to throw a fancy party: chocolate fountains ]

Do you know the host? I only came because all metas were invited.

[tinglesense]

What you ended up with is really pretty!

[ Look, Peter's manners are way too good to say that orange and purple would…maybe not be the best combination. ]

I know of the host. And I know the other versions of him from, like, other universes? But, uh, no. I don't know him.

[ He's not sure he wants to know this one, but he's trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, Loki did put together this whole theatre, and it doesn't seem like some evil thing. ]

You haven't met him yet, huh?

( mingle )

[dothelokimotion]

[ he rolls his eyes. ]

You're starting to look like a nervous guard dog.

[tinglesense]

[ Ah, the other grown up Loki. He's met him before, but he was Spider-Man then. ]

What? N-no, I'm just...

[ Jeez. ]

I've never been to one of these things, that's all. I didn't wanna be rude or something by just eating chocolate all night.

[dothelokimotion]

You've . . . never been to a party.

[ buddy. ]

[tinglesense]

No. No, that's not what I meant! I've been to a party!

[ Have you, Peter? ]

I mean, there was kind of a party when my aunt opened the center for the homeless after the blip. That...counts.

[ DOES IT? ]

And I had birthday parties. But I've never been to one where you had to, like, dress up.

[dothelokimotion]

So the act of dressing up makes it different from . . . those parties.

[tinglesense]

Yeah. I mean...no. It's not exactly that? It's the whole vibe. This is all fancy and those were just low key parties. As opposed to Loki parties, which are obviously much more high class.

[ Wow, he realises he made that joke to Loki and has the sense to be embarrassed about it. He manages not to outright apologise. ]

Anyways! What kind of stuff do you want to show at this theatre?