yogen | THE CHRISTMAS MINGLE YOUR PARENTS WARNED YOU ABOUT

At some point in the night, taking advantage of the perma-silence, Lucifer and a few others sneak about to decorate the dormitory for the holidays. The morning of 12/25, you'll wake up to the smell of Christmas cookies wafting from the dorm kitchen, and upon actually leaving your room, there are string lights and decorations thrown up in the hallways and the common room proper.

The decorating is, of course, courtesy of Nene, who has been working hard to ensure that there's something more beautiful than those ghoulish paintings on the walls here. You can thank Helena, Sidney, and Lucifer for both the cookies and other, more substantial food which will periodically be presented throughout the day — Lucifer practically lives in the kitchen for the duration of the party and can sometimes be seen shooing the other two out to go have fun. That said, the table housing all of these dishes, ranging from traditional Christmas meals (as best they can do with limited resources, anyway) to more ostentatious treats will never be empty, so please eat to your heart's content!

Thanks to Amami, there's a large, undecorated Christmas tree in the middle of the common room that looks to be very well taken care of. Next to it is a table full of art supplies for making colourful paper ornaments, and a small card lying nearby that instructs those participating to write down a wish on the ornament proper before hanging it on the tree. It may not come true, but you know it'll be safe since no mysterious forces set this up — wish away!

Should you come to spend time at the party and fraternize, you'll find that you're being waited on by a number of small little imps except they're all wearing tiny Santa hats — they'll bring you food and drinks and candy should you request it, and they're on their Best Behaviour, so please be nice to them! They are simply underpaid service workers. They're absolutely thrilled to talk to you in chirps and weird demonic chittering, and they understand what you're saying at least.

In the back corner of the room, there's a minute-to-win-it type game set up: two chairs are tied by the backs together by two ribbons, about two feet apart from one another. Nearby, there's a table of candycanes for use in this game. The goal of the game is to toss a candycane while standing on one of the chairs and get said candycane to catch on the ribbons, or to see who can get the most candycanes on a ribbon in a minute. The instructions are explained on a little card sitting nearby, with further note to not eat all of the candycanes (there are more set out on the food table, you see) so people can play, and another smaller note banning the use of magic against an opponent who doesn't have it. Let's keep the game fair, people. And let's thank Hikaru for running out to get an obnoxious amount of candycanes for everyone.

Lucifer will intermittently come join the festivities from time to time when he's not cooking, wearing this, please feel free to bully the demon for celebrating the holiday from the religion he hates. He can take it, it's okay.

Last but certainly not least, Noah is roaming about the party using his magic to try and liven the place up. Little stars hang from the ceiling around him in a ten-foot radius, and should you frown at all, he will come up to you and put cat ears formed of magic shadows on you until you laugh. On occasion, he can be seen slipping out of the party with cookies and stacking them on a plate in front of Komaeda's door. The stars go with him, but the good news is that Natsume is also helping with their little lightshow, so the twinkling indoor galaxies will not be absent for long. It's a joint effort between Clamor's apprentices, and their hard work really shows through, magic training is difficult after all. Feel free to bother either of them to do magic tricks for you, if you'd like, or just lie down under a curtain of stars.

The night promises to be magical (semi-literally), even if we're all stuck in purgatory, so relax, put your feet up, and sing Christmas carols to your heart's content. And don't worry about the cleanup — just try not to pass out on the floors.

[OOC: Merr Crimmus try not to kill each other, that is my only request, otherwise go buck wild]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

( sidney is generally not a party person- but... after that entire nightmare of a week, everyone needs some good in their life, if they're willing to step out for a bit. and maybe some home cooking will help- getting the ingredients on time was a bit of a hassle, but the shopkeeper certainly helped a lot. the teacher's pay at least ensured he wasn't hurting for supplies for anything else, at least.

he's mostly in the kitchen during the day helping the others, but at night he takes over dinner. here's hoping everyone likes seafood gumbo- though, even once that's done he's preparing alternatives just in case.

eventually however, you may find him sitting down finally, contemplative but not avoiding the others, for once. )

[Lucifer will never let himself be kicked out of the fucking kitchen apparently so happy nighttime he's helping cook gumbo now, a dish he's never made and therefore is learning as he goes here.]

Pass me the salt, love?

[For the love of god please take a break—]

( he will rest!! eventually!!! but as much as he knows lucifer is a great chef, he is not just giving him his mother's recipe and leaving. so no, he's still at the main pot. but he will slide the salt over, as asked. )

How are you managing?

[Salt, salt... shake-a shake-a...]

I'm fine. I've hosted much larger parties before. [Like granted he had the kitchen demon that is Barbatos in his company too and Luke on desserts but like, Luke has a bedtime so that doesn't really count.] I'm more worried about you, to be honest — but this does smell delicious, so I can forgive you putting in the extra work.

[Lucifer casually just... leans into Sidney's shoulder at that. Just a little bump.]

While sustaining this big of a hex?

( said somewhat softly, but... well. anyone who's opened the door to study hall will know. and the rest of the school is gone now- secrecy was barely an option on the table before, now everyone is going to just throw that option out the window.

that next statement gives him pause, however. not enough to speak up, but enough that he halts a bit. has his depression made him seem so helpless? )

... It's a family recipe.

...It's admittedly becoming painful to maintain, but this will be the next two months or so of my life, [he says, very quietly,] so I'll just have to get used to it.

[Sidney might be able to feel it — not necessarily the pain, as the pact doesn't make them share physical sensations, but the fact that Lucifer's faking being completely fine and that the question dredges up just enough negativity to be felt shortly before it's buried again.]

I'll be alright. Now, as for cooking — you'll take a break soon, won't you?

... Don't try and shoulder everything, will you? You're enduring far more than me right now.

( sustaining and shielding hundreds of lives... all on his own. he's impressed, truly, but. even without the pact he sees the toll it's taking. and he worries. clamor and noah are both falling apart, he himself is... will that happen to lucifer as well?

...

sidney sighs, pushing his hair back before moving to wash his hand. )

We'll see. I want to get this right, you know?

I don't have much of a choice in that.

[If only he did... if only. Lucifer shakes his head, though, leaving that there. They could argue about it all night if they wanted.]

I more meant that you ought to take a break after finishing what you're currently working on. Before you think that I'd let you go alone — I plan to come with you, naturally. We could dance under the stars that those kids have set up.

[Gross.]

You can at least get your rest after tonight. If you need anything, I can get it for you.

( let him shoulder things now- even if lucifer's own pride may argue. he's been regaining his physical strength- but he can't regain his mental strength if he keeps being coddled. so... yeah, he's gonna fight lucifer on this, full on.

the offer is- look, he's a sucker for dancing. and he's spent some time in the modern era before whatever death lead him to yogen. ... but... he can't hide that flash of a deep-seated fear in his gut at the idea of affection in front of others. even if he stomps it down as fast as possible... even that fear doesn't stop hhis earnest reply, though. )

... That'd be nice.

Good.

[Sidney gets a cheek kiss for that.]

You ought to show me how to properly make this recipe of yours.

[Lucifer, gaywad that he is, rests his chin on Sidney's shoulder at that. Hmm... someone's not cooking.]

( sidney doesn't quite react- he huffs in a way that hides a potential smile, but what really answers lucifer will be the warmth in his chest.

sidney's a private man. in both his anger and in his affection. lucifer knows that well by now, he's sure.

but that doesn't mean he doesn't wish he could be more responsive when there's risk of being seen. )

Alright.

( ... heck i gotta decide what stage he was on now- )

[Lucifer, meanwhile, is just the Gayest Bird right now. He's grossly affectionate at the best of times, see, especially when there's a private moment.

A private moment in the very public kitchen. You know how it is.]

I promise to be very attentive.

[Awful, truly.]

( no stop he will fluster... illegal. )

Yeah? Help me cut everything while the rice cooks.

( it's something he still struggles with, admittedly- but between the chicken, sausages and various seafoods, as well as the vegetables, there's a lot to take care of. )

[Okay, fine, Lucifer will be a productive bird... after a cheek kiss, that is.]

Very well.

[A-choppin' we will go! Luckily Lucifer is very good at chopping things quickly and nicely. Look at this Gordan Ramsey kinnie out here making food, sheesh.]

I have to be honest with you, Sidney. I do enjoy our time spent together like this.

( no! he is flustered!! even more illegal!!!

sidney leans into the affection and returns it with a little kiss of his own before focusing on everything. is lucifer handling the seafood, the meats or the veggies...? )

... It's been some time since we've done anything like this.

It has. I wonder if you'll indulge me more often.

[Maybe later, he thinks, he'll wrap Sidney in his wings and kiss him like it's a secret. It's not. It's never been. Everyone knows what's happening in the wing cocoon. But he goes back to chopping up the veggies after that, looking all too pleased to just be living in the moment.]

Perhaps when we get back home, [whose home, he hasn't decided] you'll allow this to be a regular thing there, too?

THE CHRISTMAS MINGLE YOUR PARENTS WARNED YOU ABOUT

a wild dad appears once more

babe....................

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject