perpetual anticipation is good for the soul but it's bad for the heart

[maxxx]

Comments

[madskilled]

( After the seriousness of the evening passes, Freya and Kol have hours before the entire family is altogether. Kol returns to Kieran, but Doc and Rebekah arrive earlier than expected. They are tired parents and they don't stay out as late as they could at one time. Doc hands her a ticket to the event they attended, "They only took Rebekah's, if you would like a bit of respite."

It's, yes, a USO masquerade, whatever that means, but Rebekah has the mask already and Freya has an impeccable pants and blouse collection, she can put something together. Rebekah even helps, encouraging her to have a good time before she leaves them back for New Orleans. Sisters bond as Doc visits with his young son.

*

Faith slips inside the event. She doesn't have a ticket. She had a ticket, thank you Mia and your PR team. (PR also does wonders for a Slayer) But she left her ticket back in her room.

A bouncer can't keep a girl out, (well, he can, (3), maybe he doesn't swing her way), but then Faith enters from the back, slipping through the kitchen like she owns the place (nat 20), eats off of someone's plate and lets herself into the main event. Shades double as a mask because they mask her eyes. It's a look, okay? And it's one she pulls off, zipper down just to there.

The live band's on point, the passing champagne is delicious...

It's just the dance floor. It's not what Faith's used to. Everybody's paired off and doing the swing and hops and shit. There's no bump, no grind. The best part of a party or a night club is the dance floor. She stands at the edge watching some guy lift a girl up and swing her around his legs on each side. Shit's damn impressive, but not what she signed up for. )

This what USO means?

[deathlessness]

I think it's a sign of the times?

[Freya slept through World War II, so she can't exactly speak to it from experience. And while it's fun to get it second hand, she can't say that the swing end of things is what she was expecting either.

She is dressed appropriately, according to Rebekah. And she trusts her sister not to steer her wrong.]

The forties were known for the big band era.

[madskilled]

Forget the band, where's the big sound. It's a party for crying out loud.

( But, not her style of party after all. )

'Least the booze is top notch. ( She lifts her glass in greeting. ) You riding solo, too?

[deathlessness]

[She nods as she turns to face the other woman more.]

My sister and her husband had to leave early, so I took their ticket. Still, this wasn't what I expected.

[madskilled]

Yeah, it's -- hokey, and historically accurate, but also, like the kink's riding just under the surface.

( go vets and vet lovers, but wear a mask, because it's sexy. )

Like it shouldn't work, but it does. ( except for the band and dancing. ) Why'd they bounce so early?

[deathlessness]

They're parents of a toddler, so I think they underestimated their stamina after dealing with a two year-old all day.

[But he's a cute energy suck, so they're usually willing to forgive him for it.]

I can't really say I blame them for choosing quiet and sleep over a party.

[madskilled]

You don't get the parties jumpin', jumpin'?

( Destiny's Child. The only version of 'child' Faith is comfortable with. She's bonded with some young slayers, but she has no - and wants no - progeny. At least at this point in her life. And she's getting up there as far as she's concerned. )

[deathlessness]

[She blinks at first, because by the time Freya woke up in 2014, Destiny's Child had already come and gone.]

Sorry, I'm not sure I follow.

[She does know who Beyonce is, at least so ... that's something?]

[madskilled]

The song. Everybody is jumpin, jumpin. Destiny's Child. Pre-Beyonce. Thought you were, uh, more seasoned. Sorry about it.

( How young is this chick. Should she be looking for Chris Hansen? )

[deathlessness]

[Her eyebrows go up when Faith mentions Beyonce and she nods. That's her bad. And she actually is far more seasoned than Faith probably realizes. She just ... missed a lot.

But fortunately she gets into these situations more often than you think.]

Sorry. I missed a lot of the nineties and the early 2000s. I'm still trying to catch up on the pop culture stuff.

[madskilled]

( Well, that's a thing to say. Smells supernatural and now she has to decide if it's worth her time. )

You live under a rock or something?

[deathlessness]

Something like that.

[And Faith isn't wrong, but Freya is used to dancing around it in public, so she gives a glib:]

You could almost say I slept through it.

[madskilled]

Almost, huh?

( Doesn't sound vampy, though. With an (11), Faith's slayer senses are picking something up, but she's not sure what. )

You missed a good time. Great movies. Better music. Grunge.

[tuumest]

( With Kieran down for the count and Kol being a good boyfriend, Julian gets an offloaded ticket. Kol donates his costume, it should be put to some use. He thinks of it as a gesture of good will. Date my dying sister and in return I can raid your closet.

He never did return to the Underground. Going rogue didn't get him any closer to anything, and he knows it savaged trust he spent months building. It's why he doesn't return, his tail tucked between his legs. Maybe he didn't belong there. If he had, he wouldn't have acted so desperately. He would have stuck with the plan and taken down a demon and maybe a witch in the process. He wasn't easily manipulated. He just wanted it badly enough.

Julian lets everything go for a night. Aimlessness will be tomorrow's problem. Tonight, he's going to try and remember how to have fun because that's what his sister would want, isn't it? )

[boomgoesthedynamite]

[Crash loves a good party. They especially love a good costume party because depending on the theme, they've been known to shift and twist themself into a shape that's designed to slay, as the kids say. Tonight, they're leaning a bit towards "Mickey" of all of their usual personas, dressed in a matching uniform to Julian with the broad shoulders to fill it out.

After meeting Wynonna, and man, was that not what they expected when they found out that Dolls had a girl he was hung up on (but good for him), they wander off to fetch themselves a drink and make their way over to the dance floor, doing a double take when they spots a familiar face.]

Jules!

[And they wave before shuffle-stepping to his side.]

Small world.

[tuumest]

( He doesn't expect the the Spanish Inquisition, but he shouldn't ever, right? That's what they stay. He's not expecting as warm a reception. Through the dancers and the throng of guests, he doesn't recognize anyone else (4), which relieves him enough to relax his shoulders. )

Crash! You're here. ( Great start. He should apologize, right? Get past it? Realize this is a coincidence, Crash is just being nice to be nice. But, also, Crash and everyone do deserve an apology. He can give it to Crash and Crash can relay. ) I'm sorry... for blowing the op.

[boomgoesthedynamite]

[They shrug, because bold of Julian to assume that he's the first person to get all emotional on a job and fuck things up. They're all human. They're all bound to fuck up sometimes.]

Everyone's alive, the bad actors are either gone or dead. It all worked out. No grudges here.

[tuumest]

You might be the only one.

( Except for Alexander, who actually reached out. He is every bit the mediator and second in command to his father. He admires that. He also misses his own father. )

This is a coincidence, right? You didn't come here to convince me to try again? Do real good?

[boomgoesthedynamite]

What? Oh, no.

[Then a grin crosses their face because the reason they're here is for something much, much juicier and far less important.]

Did you know Dolls has unfinished business manifesting as unresolved sexual tension with total smokeshow named Wynonna?

[tuumest]

( He half-laughs, smiling. )

I did not know any of those things. And she's here? And he's here? And they're here together?

[boomgoesthedynamite]

Yep.

[They punctuate it by holding up a finger, turning to scan the room. Once they spot where Dolls and Wynonna are (likely) being awkward at each other they point.]

That's her. Way too hot for him, obviously.

[tuumest]

Obviously.

( He can't really see it, but he thinks that anybody who's worked with Dolls can't. Especially with her. )

You pictured like some buttoned up suit for him, right? Or a chastity belt. Maybe a rosary?

[boomgoesthedynamite]

Permanent scowl plastered across their face. Their bed would be constantly made with military corners.

[They tip their head to the side makes a face.]

They probably have to establish a chain of command for the bedroom.

[tuumest]

Sounds kinda hot.

( That slips out before he remembers his surroundings and clears his throat. This is a coworker. They are. )

Everyone has someone, right? My sister's stuck on Kol Mikaelson. Or, getting help from him.

( He's protective. )

[boomgoesthedynamite]

Yeah, but Kol is ...

[There's a pause as they try to figure out how to phrase it. They haven't spent much time with Kieran or Kol, but they did leave strong impressions.]

Your sister and Kol are at least working with a similar energy, you know? That -

[They point back to Wynonna and Dolls.]

-That doesn't feel like the same energy.