Attack on Holidays

[hometown]

WHO: the Attack on Titan cast and their +1s
WHAT: holiday shenanigans
WHEN: around the Solstice
WHERE: an inn in Stormreach
WARNINGS: tba; please check subject lines



Sometime after a less than stellar conference call, Reiner sends an invitation to everyone from his world. "You're Invited to a Holiday Party," the store-bought invitation reads in swirling seasonally decorated letters. How very fancy!

The invitation specifies three things. Number one: it is a celebration of the holidays. Number two: it is a celebration of a year of a successful non-aggression pact. Number three: everyone is invited to bring a "plus one."

Surely, nothing will go wrong with this plan. Surely!

The party itself takes place at an inn in Stormreach, part of which has been reserved by Reiner. The inn is made of stone and wood, its aesthetic closely resembling buildings in Paradis. There are several spacious rooms available: places for eating, places for mingling, cozy corners for more private conversations, and access to the inn's bar.

• In one of those cozy spaces, one might find a lit candle known as a Candle of True Feelings. In its presence, people understand their feelings better and feel inspired to talk about them. How very curious!
  
  
• Of note: magic supersedes technology in Stormreach. One is far more likely to run across potions and crystals than gaming systems… But that hasn't stopped Reiner from setting up a gaming system in a corner, anyway.
  
  
• If one steps outside for a breath of (cold) fresh air, they'll find themselves close to the clock tower. Local legend claims that those who kiss on top of it are destined to never breakup. However, that legend has not been tested … yet.
  
  
• During the party, a table is filled with various gifts for the "+1s," created by those from Paradis and Marley. The gifts include knitted clothing (scarves, mittens, socks), chocolates, sweet baked goods, and fidget toys made of wood or stone. Feel free to partake, +1s!

Naturally, there is a wide assortment of food—some of which is best described as "ungodly spicy"—with a particular focus on potato-based foods. Also, peaches and pineapples, for Reasons™.

Have fun, and try not to break anything!


( ooc: this is a mingle! top-level, tag around, etc. put any warnings in subject lines, and if a thread heads toward smut, please take it to an inbox or something. ♥ )

Comments

[rustyhonesty]

I only game when I'm hanging around Reiner, so I'm not very familiar with them.

[He does manage to find and set the difficulty lower and add Rinku to the players.]

You can pick your character now.

[rustyhonesty]

"Don't get too comfortable or your gear won't fit you anymore", Jean teases, just a little. He's not actually saying Marco's getting fat, just gently poking fun at him. It's just healty to gain some weight after their world and the constant need to ration.

"I don't mind the parties where I know my friends are at."

Going to parties with next to no one he knows there? Yeah, not so pleasant.

[urtitan]

I'm sure he'll enjoy that!

[Unless Reiner is always really hungry and wants his meals spontaneously, a slow cooker ought to be an asset to every household!]

This is a bit shameful, now, but I only made him a couple of healing potions and a bag of cookies... the same things I brought for everyone. He gave me such a beautiful handmade bowl! I definitely want to make his birthday present something special.

[After the agitation her Eldian Relocation plan caused among the others, she felt like any Yuletide presents would inevitably come across as an attempt to buy their appeasement, so she forewent them this year.]

[urtitan]

Maybe we can ask him later!

[Chey can corner and needle him!! Come to think, though...]

Did you also get pulled into a storybook back then?

[urtitan]

Don't you want to stay together forever?

[There's warm humour in her voice, but her tone turns a bit more wistful as she adds:]

Here in Ellipsa?

[That's what all of them want, isn't it? If any of them were sent back home, they'd have to do terrible things once again - some moreso than others, but no one's hands would remain unstained in the end.]

Thank you so much, Reiner. Seeing everyone together at this party feels like an impossible dream come true.

[roundandaround]

If it's soft enough. Most of her chew toys are leather since she got her teeth stuck in a rubber one once, but she bites all kinds of things.

[Rinku pets Hina, who nuzzles into her hand.]

[roundandaround]

[Rinku looks through the character selection and picks the character with the brightest costume, not even looking at the stats.]

That's okay! It's easy to get into it if you try! I just focus on doing what's the most fun.

[roundandaround]

Eh? That's okay! If you're worried about how good your present was, I'm sure he doesn't feel bad. Neechan felt bad about the present she gave me, but I loved it! As long as you tried to make everybody happy, I bet it'll be fine.

[urtitan]

Did she give you a t-shirt, too?

[She gets a little excited as she takes hers from her (non-hammerspace) bag and unfolds it (a little secretively so everyone else doesn't see it).]

Isn't it so nice?! I've never had anything like this!

[Sure, she could long have bought herself one, but it simply didn't occur to her. Back home, imagery on clothes has to be painstakingly hand-stitched and is very expensive!]

[roundandaround]

It's so cool! I didn't know you liked dragons!

[Leave it to Rinku to take the exact wrong message from the shirt. She squeals and claps her hands excitedly.]

Yeah! Mine says "weird sisters build character," I think it's about how sometimes she says embarrassing stuff to be supportive? But maybe also I'm the weird sister. But as long as no one actually feels insulted, then it's good.

[urtitan]

[Frieda laughs a little, wondering if her little sisters Abel and Florian would consider her "weird"... probably not. They're kind girls who, while clueless about the truth of their world, understand that their big sister took on an important responsibility.]

She should have the same shirt so you could wear them together!

[roundandaround]

Oh, maybe! I know she usually wears the same thing every day because it's safe... But isn't her dress today amazing?

[urtitan]

It is!! I can't decide if she looks more like a princess or a sorceress, but she looks gorgeous! She should wear things like this more often!

[Evengeline's present drew her attention, so she didn't even gush over her earlier!]

[roundandaround]

Right? It's so cool! Like a witch or something! Not the old witches who live in the treehouse, they didn't look like that, but still.

[urtitan]

She makes me want to dress up nicely, too... maybe for the New Year's party, I will.

[Being Eldian royalty means being the worst of the worst, and the plain white clothing is a symbol of repentance, but... would it really be that sinful to dress beautifully for once?]

[roundandaround]

Yeah, yeah! It'll be great! I'm gonna wear the same costume I did for the ad, since it's still gonna be Yuletide by then. I wonder why it lasts so long here?

[abnormalizes]

I did! I got turned into a frog who needed a kiss to change back into a human. It would be my luck to get one like that.

[Smooches for Evangeline.]

[abnormalizes]

Evangeline picks up a scarf and turns it over in her hands to look it over.

"You'd think, but you would not believe how many of my friends don't wear shirts." Pause. "Actually, since it's me, maybe you would believe that."

[abnormalizes]

Evageline's pretty sure that at least one or two people here wouldn't mind seeing him take his shirt off-

"You're welcome! I'm just glad you're happy with it."

[urtitan]

I'd say it's so people can feel festive for as long as possible.

[That's her best guess - after all, it's not like people in Nightwake with its year-round seasons need respite from the cold and dark!]

I look forward to seeing that costume in person; it looked like something from a shop display or fashion show - and I look forward to your performance, too!

[hometown]

[ Reiner blinks, taken aback by the question. Maybe another person would find it easy to answer, a simple "yes" or "no." But for Reiner, it isn't simple: it's a conflict that has brewed at the back of his mind for the better part of a year.

Or maybe it's been brewing for even longer. It wasn't as if he wanted to leave Eren and the others behind on Paradis. It was just… It was what he had to do.

Duty versus desire. A conflict seemingly without end. ]

… That's personal.

[ It's an unusual answer for him to give. Evidence of how much the truth distresses him.

(He wants to be with Eren forever.) ]

But, you're welcome. [ He's quick to seize a change of topic. ] I feel the same way. If you'd told me we'd be here doing this a year ago, I would've dismissed it.

[hometown]

"Yeah, it is," Reiner agrees, his expression softening. The last time he spent a holiday with so many friends was in Paradis. But there, he always had to be on guard, careful not to reveal too much. Here, he doesn't have to worry about that.

"Seeing everyone enjoying themselves together is like some kind of dream," he admits, finding it oddly easy to do so.

[hometown]

Here, try this one.

[ Said as Reiner scoops up one of the items on the table, this one molded from wood. It's smooth to the touch, and—after a brief magical manipulation—it's softer than the average stick.

… Hopefully not so soft that it's chewed to bits. But, well. Reiner is doing this on the fly. ]

[hometown]

"Very happy," Reiner confirms, folding the shirt and draping it over his arm. "I have a gift for you, too, but I don't have it with me. It should be delivered to you soon."

If Evangeline hasn't gotten it already, that is. The timing on these things seems a little random to Reiner. But he supposes even magic postal services can get overwhelmed during the holidays.

[hometown]

Reiner is getting himself a smoothie when he spots a guest on the verge of tears.

Oh. Oh, shit.

For a second, Reiner considers fetching whoever invited Sisu, figuring they'd be better suited to soothing whatever's wrong. Unfortunately, he doesn't know whose plus-one she is. What is he supposed to do? Call out to everyone and attract attention to her distress?

"Hey," he ends up saying, his voice low as he steps closer, concern on his face. "Are you all right?"