one night of magic rush

[blyat]

WHO: Cain, Prompto, Hideki Maeda, and you!
WHERE: The popular Asylum club.
WHEN: Night of October 26.
WHAT: Cain and Prompto's joint birthdays!
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Beyond drinking/smoking, general wild party behavior, and fake friendship, there shouldn't be much. Will update as needed.


[Set deep in the downtown of New Amsterdam's entertainment district is Asylum, arguably the most popular club in the city. The exterior is cool steel beams and tasteful futuristic architecture with a long line down the corridor, suited bouncers posed at the entrance all armed with a virtual guest list. Its interior is fashioned with bright, colorful lighting dynamic to the music of the infamous DJ Semicolon, high ceilings and acoustic sounds to lend that feeling of a constant full-body hum. Any partygoers on the guest list for this event will be funneled toward the VIP section. They will have received an invitation a few days prior via their Cooltalk profiles. Jason is specifically blacklisted, sorry buddy.

DANCE YOUR HEART OUT. Nearly impossible to book without deep pockets or wide-reaching connections, Semicolon is at the top of their game mixing popular contemporary hits with Whitney Houston's classics. From song to song, Semicolon provides a unique and talented contrast of the slow to the energetic, so no matter your dancing style, you'll find something to move you on the dance floor.

DROWN YOUR... LIVER. Courtesy of the party's host, Hideki Maeda, the VIP section's private bar will provide an ever-flowing river of your favorite expensive high-proof alcohol. Pick your poison.

CHILL OUT. Tired on your feet from too much dancing, or just need a break from the packed atmosphere? There are plenty of comfortable areas where you can relax and take it easy until you're ready to get back out there. The lights around this area cycle through different colors in reflection of Semicolon's performance set, so a slower song might lend toward romantic shades of red while a faster-paced song is brighter blue.

SMOKE, EAT & MINGLE. Asylum will be serving real, fresh meat at this party, so enjoy that luxury while it lasts. There is also an outdoor area with a beautiful view over the city itself if you want to take your vape pen out there for a smoke, just get some air, or see who's around for a chat.]

Comments

03

[windowsills]

[ Alex probably should have known better. Should have known that a birthday party for extroverted someones like Cain and Prompto would mean wild and outlandish and not a quiet sit down party with cake and playful reminiscent stories about their persons and hobbies and interests. And what little (but also alarmingly a lot) Alex knows of him, this scene probably fits his personality a lot better.

Alex shows up in a black dress with lace around the edges and her standard high heels and well, she instantly feels under dressed when she finally finds one of the birthday boys in the loud little number he’s wearing. ]

Hello, Cain. I’m sorry to bother you.

[ She had watched him tear up the dance floor for a while, before following him out to the balcony. She’s oblivious to the fact that this is the opposite of how he would like to spend his day, he looks content and in his zone, she doesn’t want to disrupt that. After all, birthdays are an obvious cause for celebration, even if this isn’t her scene.

Under her arm she has a small present, neatly wrapped in plastic electric blue film. It’s a small square shape, heavier than one would expect. Alex offers it to him. ]

Happy Birthday. Another year older. Congratulations.

[blyat]

[Ignorant to how she may feel underdressed -- to him, Alex is gorgeous as always in that dress sleek and black to match her hair -- he's immediately faced toward her, cityscape view forgotten. A broad grin spreads across his mouth. Far more sincere than the show he'd put on for the crowd back in the club.]

Gonna have to try really hard to bother me, Alex.

[He's a little tamer than he was inside, at least, fatigue beginning to curl alongside a pleasant glow of inebriation. It's when she hands him the box that his eyes go wide and surprised. Caught off-guard.]

... Uh, what's... [Heavy in his hand, he begins to peel off the film.] What is it?

[windowsills]

[ Alex smiles at him, fond and happy at his comment. ]

It’s just a lovely night, I didn’t want to take away the view if you were enjoying it.

[ Alex watches him tear at the package, wishing she didn’t have to hand it over because she feels odd without something to fidget with. She’s glad he seems sober enough now, she would hate to have to explain this to a drunk Cain.

Packaging falls away to reveal a palm sized red and sweet smelling cube. ]

Um, it’s wax. Like the kind you described before, I hope it looks similar.

[ And because absolutely no one wants just wax on their birthday, Alex rambles a bit more. ]

To make your house a real home.

[blyat]

[There's something sly on the tip of his tongue about her being as much a view as the skyline itself, but the gift offers enough distraction to fend it off.

As the foil peels away, the red shape of wax sits solid in his palm, occupying no more space than a handful. The recognition spins in alongside her words -- and a dazzling grin breaks across Cain's lips.]

You're serious, you got me this?

[Giddy like a child and a little embarrassed for it, he opts for a physical expression of gratitude instead of words. A step in and he pulls Alex into a solidly squeezed hug. Emotions flash between them, chest dim blue beneath the gold shirt: happiness, surprise, warmth.]

Best gift yet. I mean it.

[windowsills]

[ Alex's smile wavers for a moment, worried that maybe he is unimpressed. After all, it doesn't fit into the lavishness of the party, but she's suddenly pulled into his embrace and his feelings wash over her, and the smile is back full force, sunny and delighted. The person she's shared the empathetic bond with the most happens to be the other birthday boy, and Cain usually projects such a wall of defence and coolness that the hug surprises her.

And the fact his feelings are genuine and not fake politeness has her mirroring the giddiness.

She locks her arms around him and squeezes. Affectionate and happy, even through the self conscious flush in her cheeks. ]

I'm glad you like it. It's a little... [ sappy. ] I mean to say, I hope it's fun to create a new candle from it.

[blyat]

[The most physical contact they've shared up until this point was in the dreams, that tunnel of a hallway, endless in both directions. He hasn't forgotten that. And he wants to talk to her more in depth, but for now Cain's glad to have the hug returned -- maybe he was somewhat emboldened by alcohol. There's no shred of regret to be found for it.]

It will be. Trust me. [Another small squeeze and he releases her, taking a step back.] I'll send you a pic when I'm done.

[Grinning, he cradles the box of wax in one hand and nudges into her shoulder with his own.]

Been meaning to see how you were since we all got stuck in New Tokyo, just some shit came up after we got back. What's up? Want a drink?

[windowsills]

[ Any anxiety surrounding this rowdy party is slowly melting away and Alex is smiling easy now. She might even be in the mood to mingle a bit. Friends of prompto’s and Cain’s have to be good. After all, it seems the two of them are now the people who she can rely and trust the most. She wants to get to know them a bit better. ]

Oh. Hopefully it was nothing too inconvenient? Um, things have been... good. Is it terrible that I’m just trying not to think about it all?

[ She smiles a little, chasing away the small twinge of memory of the after math. Maybe it is time for a drink. she has a lot of catching up to do to be on the same level as this party. ]

Maybe some of the pale drink with bubbles.

[ a pause. ]

May I ask how old your turning?

[blyat]

I don't blame you.

[He says it a little low, a little quiet, leaning near her ear in an easy gesture of familiarity so she can hear him over the constant drum of bass. Alex isn't the only one who's avoided those memories. It was like dipping into his past self, into a place he thought he'd discarded a long time ago.]

And I'm turning twenty-three, I guess? Dunno if it's been a whole year since my, uh... last birthday. [Cain squints, then gestures for her to follow him to the bar.] Time's so fucked up here. First time I'm doing anything really big for it.

[Another glance out toward the crowd, spying Hideki surrounded by a gaggle of Cooltalk followers.]

This wasn't my idea, though. Not my style.

[windowsills]

I see. So you're nearly two years younger than me. [ Alex smiles, playfully, but is ultimately too shy to make a very bad joke about being older. But the teasing tone is there. ]

That is strange. On the Earth I know, the year was 2011... does that mean I am turning 25 or 525 this year? It’s a bit frightening.

[ Alex watches as her drink is prepared and the slid over to her. Even the serviette that the thin fluted glass is set on looks expensive. Alex feels weird not having to have paid money to be here. But she keeps that quiet as she takes a sip. Delicious. ]

Oh, yes. I thought that the invitation was a little… unusual in style. [ Not to mention what she knows about the jobs Cain holds and how that does not reflect the wealth being displayed here. Unless Cain or Prompto are into dirty money, but Alex doesn’t think that’s the case. ]

Is this from the kindness of one of your followers?

[ She keeps up with Cooltalk on her breaks, but still doesn't know much about it. Should she be embarrassed about that? ]