[OPEN PARTY POST] weekend pride event

[broshaw]

Who: The whole ship, everyone's invited, it's a Party Post™
What: Sharky and Pratt are semi-hosting a pride party for the whole ship!
When: First weekend of June, late afternoon to just plain late
Where: Rainbow Renly, obviously???
Warnings: Check individual threads for warnings
Notes: The prompts are scene-setting suggestions; feel free to have your characters bring their own flair! If they want to set up a table to answer questions, go for it! If they want to lurk in an unmentioned corner with the other goth kids, do it! Remember: top-levels in party posts count as posts for AC!

[A day or two before Rainbow Renly is converted into a Tommy Bahama pride-fest, Sharky and Pratt send out texts to anyone they can think of to spread the word, sort of like a gay chain letter but without the curse. By the time the weekend rolls around, helping hands have turned TB shirts into pride flags, and those flags have been hung around the otherwise festively lit club!]

[OUTSIDE] trust me, i know life is scary
[Whether you're just showing up or you need a breather, the outside of Rainbow Renly is here! The music is still perfectly audible from the open doors, filling the promenade with the sound of disco and the occasional 2000s pop hit. Several flags of different designs have been taped to the windows, making the party's theme obvious to any other contemporary Earth passengers.

There's also a table set up right outside, with a few rolls of multi-colored stickers and a sign taped down beside them. The sign reads:
"TOTALY OPTIONAL VIBE STICKERS
COLORS MEAN THINGS, WEAR AS MANY AS U WANT (OR NONE IDGAF)
Purple: looking 4 friends
Pink: familiar w pride (u can answer qs abt it)
Blue: unfamiliar w pride (u have qs abt it)
Yellow: in an open relationship
Red: taken/not looking 4 romance
Green: single + ready 2 mingle
Orange: its complicated (ur gonna get qs w this one)
Finally, there are two stacks of stickers side by side: "Hello, My Name Is" stickers and souviners from December. The sign next to these says:
"NAME TAGS 4 PRONOUNS/ORIENTATION/WATEVS
TAKE AS MANY AS U NEED
pls only 1 bear per person"]
[DANCE FLOOR] but just put those colors on
[It's a dance floor! You know how it works. The disco is loud, the lights are on a rainbow color rotation, and nobody is allowed to judge anyone's terrible dance moves. If you wanna be judgy, stick to the no man's land between the dance floor and the bar!

There's an extremely crude banner hanging up by the DJ booth, which reads "PRIDE = SURVIVED". Yeah, that's pretty much all the information you're going to find about this event without asking around.]

[BAR AREA] now i see that colors are everything
[Of course, it wouldn't be Rischie's... uh, Rainbow Renly, without a bar! Yet another flag hangs behind the bar-top; empty spots on the shelves have been filled thanks to Sharky and Pratt's dutiful bar-stocking, and there's guaranteed to be enough liquor for everyone at the party who wants some! Johnny has taken up the space behind the bar for people who want custom pride-themed drinks, both with and without alcohol. He's also ensured that the best champagnes from Topy are available, along with sparkling apple cider for those looking to keep their head.]

[BUFFET LINE] now i see the magic inside of me
[There's food here, too! Sharky and Pratt have made runs up to Windjammer, which means the spread is closer to a Midwestern BBQ than anything -- but there's also some special fare available tonight!

Max has spent time in the new kitchens, creating an assortment of sweet pride treats, like a rainbow assortment of macarons and cupcakes topped with rainbow frosting. Sharky's made sure to put a little card on the table to indicate that Max was the one to make them, in case anyone wants to give their compliments to the chef :)

It's probably obvious what Ossie and Giles have brought to the literal table, given that not many people have access to fancy canapes. There's smoked salmon and cream cheese on crackers, caviar with sour cream blintzes, and even mac and cheese croquettes! Still, there's also a card with their names on it to ensure everyone knows who brought the good eats!

Oh, and you KNOW there are more flags to look at here!]

[CRAFT TABLE] come and paint the world with me tonight
[Feeling creative? There's a table near the front of the club that's stuffed full of various craft supplies: paper, pencils, markers, a pile of pre-ripped fabric in every color/pattern TB could give, bedazzlers, needle and thread, hot glue, staples, etc etc etc... basically anything an inspired passenger might need to design a pride flag of their own! Or maybe they're looking for some way to spruce up their current outfit -- in that case, the fat stack of silk scarves in various solid and patterned colors might come in handy!

There's one piece of construction paper taped to the table that offers... some guidance, although maybe not enough:

"FLAG STRIPES = WORDS
UNITY RESPECT LOVE ETC
EARTH IS STUPID
MAKE UP UR OWN MEANING"]

Comments

ota

[goodweather]

Phil mostly lingers by the bar, watching the party swing by rather like a person in the park watching a bunch of wild pigeons. On his shirt is a single but very prominent red sticker, and beneath that a label that reads PHIL - He/him. He isn't bringing a lot of wardrobe game to the party, but he is wearing a Bahama shirt with more color and more undone buttons than usual. And some shorts that are very flattering to his thighs. And open-toed sandals, so you can follow the muscle lines going aaaall the way down. He is, justifiably, rather proud of his legs.

Otherwise, he's hovering around the buffet line picking at all the things that aren't normally available on the ship and the expensive-looking hand-made sweets. Or one can find him hovering around the crafts table for... quite a long time, as he appears to hem and haw over the fabrics with a look of deep consideration. Someone might see him pilfer some bits here and there.

He'll also swing outside for a bit of air, but he never approaches the dance floor.

Outside

[crushed_pearls]

In all senses but the literal, Erin steps outside for a smoke. This ship really just needs to let them smoke on deck, god damn it. When Phil catches her eye she flashes a sharp smile at him.

"Hey buddy. If the party ain't lively enough we can always liven it up with some...mortal...caw-cawmbat..."

Nope, not living her own joke. Erin breaks down into a lightly buzzed giggling fit.

[goodweather]

Phil snorts, leaning away just a bit as though to give her the proper space fit for an Erin giggle attack. "What, and smack me in the face like you did in the crew quarters? You can do plenty of that when we add it to our training repertoire."

He bumps her on the arm. "How much have you had to drink, anyway?"

[crushed_pearls]

"Just enough to make getting picked up by a stranger weird but not enough to fall over when I get back to my room." Lost with alcohol! They've got it down to an art form. "'s weird to say given that I'm, y'know...this -" Erin gestures to the All Of Herself, "but I need a bit of the ol' poison to lubricate big social gatherings like this. They're...a lot, and, well, masking ain't the same as coping."

[goodweather]

"Mmmm. I hear that." Not that he's ever really masked, but bail? Absolutely. He raises his own glass of the stuff. "Johnny's doing a terrific job at the bar, at least.

[crushed_pearls]

"I should hope so, he built his life off the back of bartending...never forgot his roots either." Erin smiles fondly. "I've gotta bushwhack that man with my boy AU soon, see if I can't make 'im squirm. Enrichment, y'know?"

the bar

[millay]

Maeve comes up next to him at some point, ordering another sherry before turning to look at Phil quietly. "Hello, darling." She notes the wardrobe and the red sticker. "Rita," she asks as she touches the sticker. She's wearing a newer dress.

"How are you feeling, darling?"

[goodweather]

His smile doesn't fade, but as Maeve says her name, there's a sadness that settles over him, as thin and insubstantial as a shroud. "... Yeah. I'm okay. Well, doing better. I think. And you? How are you?"

[millay]

She knows and understands that sadness. "I'm glad. I'm...managing, I suppose." She shrugs. "I'll tell you about it sometime. But this is a party, so I hate to bring down the mood." A beat. "Are you part of the Pride?"

[goodweather]

"You seem to be 'managing' a lot lately, but I know we all are. We'll talk about it some time. You know that you can always call me if you need anything."

Anyway. "Darcy thinks I might be, but that's up in the air right now. For now we'll say I'm an ally."

Siiiiips his drink.

[millay]

Maeve glances over. "I guess I have, haven't I?" But it's true. Everyone's been managing. Well, not well...It doesn't matter. They've all been going through it. But...she's just got so much added time now it feels like she was away forever and no time at all. And everything she wanted is gone. "Thank you. I'll tell you. I will. I just..."

She notes the sip, watching his body language closely. "Hm. How curious."

[serialskiller]

At some point when he's hovering at the crafts table, there's suddenly someone looming behind him. Not saying anything, yet. Just...looming in that rainbow LED flashing helmet.

[goodweather]

Phil feels what he eventually figures out is Security at his shoulder, but he's in the middle of something, so he's just gonna keep making a selection or two and pilfering very select bits of fabric. It's for later. Don't worry about it.

Still facing the table, he says, "Hiya, Sec. So what do you think of the party so far?"

[serialskiller]

"Polite or honest?"

Which is already telling in itself.

[goodweather]

“You know me. Give it to me straight, doc.”

[serialskiller]

"Straight? We're at Pride, I'm not sure that's allowed." The cyborg has jokes.

"But, uh. I think it's stupid that there's worlds out there where making this much of a fuss about this sort of shit is necessary. It's all human nonsense and weird and it shouldn't be this much of a big deal. But also, I'm not giving this flag back, it is mine."

bar

[ossie_oswald]

Now who doesn't love a wallflower? Ossie's spotted Phil during his rounds of the party, and when he's still sat at the bar on his second orbit, Ossie glides over to offer the tray of canapes and a warm smile. You know, as Grace Kelly.

"Croquette? Some company?"

[goodweather]

Blink. Blink blink.

"Suppose I could go for either." Pause. "I'm... sorry, I don't think we've met before?"

[ossie_oswald]

"We have," Ossie sets the tray down and steals a croquette for himself.

"It's Oswald," he gestures loosely to himself, "I'm just a little dolled up for the occasion. Bit of magic drag, you see. You look lovely, by the way- love the outfit, nice to see some colour on you, ey wot."

[goodweather]

“… Oh!”

He recalls Erin turning into a fish guy earlier. Can all of the Lost just. Do that?

“Nice seeing you here. Yeah, I sort of figured that hey, screw it, it’s Pride, you know?” He grabs a canape and just sort of holds it. If he looks a little out of his depth, it’s because he is, between being the cis-het guy at a Pride party and staring at his friend in magic drag.

“You look great too. Well—I guess it’s hard not to when you’re, uh. Grace Kelly?”

[ossie_oswald]

“The very same,” Ossie laughs a tinkling laugh, “I already wore Dolly out to the last drag event, and it doesn’t do to repeat one’s outfits, you understand.”

He says to Mr 'same outfit every day for as long as he's been aboard the ship' here.

"Enjoying yourself well enough? Had a turn about the dance floor yet? Our dear Sharky does know how to throw a proper corker of a party, just smashing, would be an awful shame for you to just watch from the sidelines...?"

Fish Buffet

[moonlesstides]

There's a dead fish coming up to Phil, offering a salmon canape with the same energy of a nine year old trying to share her favorite candy.

~Phil, yes? The gentleman Johnny named you as his peer; a man of the city.~

[goodweather]

Blink. Whoa, okay. This one's new.

He shakes his head, adjusting to the odd way her voice seems to come from below--not below, but Below, and tries not to stare too much. He takes the canape.

A man of the city--well... he supposes it's technically true in a way. He's spent more time in small towns than cities at this point, but his metropolitan inclinations never really left.

"Sure, yeah, that's me. Have we met before?"

[moonlesstides]

~Not at all, but I believe the gentleman Johnny was attempting to point me at those I might befriend.~ And indeed, Grace has a lot of purple stickers on, with several plastered to her legs. She stares at Phil with her one visible eye without much self-awareness, kinda just lookin' at him and not blinking much. ~You may call me Grace, sir. It would seem we move in very different realms, assuming your wings work.~

[goodweather]

Ah...

(He really is making a very sound effort of not Staring, but it's hard to miss her odder features, including what... he thinks might be plants growing over her. And the gills. Or... no, those are...

But the way that strange scarring(?) curls over her face towards her eye--well, if he's right, that'll make two of them, huh?)

"They do. Though you seem to move in this realm just fine." You know. With the whole floating thing. (Interesting how she notes that wings on a guy may or may not work, looking the way she does.)

"You're new, right? Nice meeting you, Grace." He holds out a taloned hand.