defenderofdesmoines | MHA #2 | Friday Evening and probably onwards

MHA #2 | Friday Evening and probably onwards - the THIRD ANNUAL Christmas Rager!!

It was a Christmas miracle: an even tackier, way-too-early ugly sweater party.

With way, way too much alcohol, and a kinda ridiculous number of activities.

There were, of course, the ubiquitous plastic snowmen haunting (almost) every corner of the apartment, and one out on each of the Smokers' Balconies for good measure. There were strings of lights lining the ceiling, as well as tracing the edges of each window. There were cookies to decorate (and eat, because you definitely should eat, and there were moddable snacks aplenty as well.) While there was, of course, Christmas music playing, those with keen eyes (or at least, enough wherewithal to look around an apartment before you started potentially drinking heavily in it) might spot a karaoke machine that would come out later. One particularly tinsel-y corner had an abundance of Santa hats and reindeer antlers and wearable strings of lights to wear while taking photos, and in the guest room -- of course -- there was a much-fabled craft table, where you could make an ornament that didn't have to be in an immature shape, but definitely could be.

There was also, hovering slowly through the party, a drone with mistletoe dangling from it. A Mistle Drone, one might call it, even.

And, because this was the Christmas Rager, there was alcohol. There was so, so, so much alcohol. The kegs of Christmas ale had once been reordered, there was a Make Your Own hot chocolate and coffee bar, and while Annie would never argue that Summer's shot table wasn't the star of every party...this year was a little different. Mostly because of how they'd decided to serve Annie's punch: in a freestanding bathtub, just slightly off-center from the room.

Welcome to the third annual Christmas Rager. Hope you wore a sweater, because the hostesses both have glitter cannons in case you didn't show up festive enough!

[~~please hold for way too many threads~~ and we're off! open to literally every single adult on the island -- students are welcome to attempt to crash, but they'll be busted.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Well," Steven said, holding up one of the options, "I do love you a latte."

"That does bring to mind the time when we were just getting to know each other," Watts replied fondly.

And then: "Is this one a pun of some sort as well?" he asked, holding up the arrow declaring Love You S'more. If it was he had no idea what it might be, but it did seem as if it was meant to be paired with the latte sign.

"S'mores are a treat you have 'round fires," Steven said. He gestured with his hands to indicate the stacking, "You do graham cracker, chocolate, toasted marshmallow from the fire, chocolate, graham cracker again. So yeah, it's a pun."

"... I see," Watts said, wrinkling his nose as he put the sign back down. He couldn't quite imagine graham crackers being involved in anything one might call a treat. His hand hovered over a similarly-shaped sign that said Let's Cuddle for a moment, but ultimately he ended up picking up a little cartoon snowman.

Steven saw Llewellyn's hesitation and bumped their shoulders together. "Maybe later, yeah?"

"You can count on it," Watts said, just loud enough for Steven to hear. Cuddling and many other things that would make Sylvester Graham roll over in his grave.

Edited 2022-12-03 03:36 (UTC)

Steven blushed, but not unpleasantly so. "Right. So I think we're meant to use our mobiles then. Take it as selfies."

"Aren't those rather close up?" Watts asked. "How are we meant to make sure the props are seen as well?"

Steven looked, then spotted the selfie sticks. "Ah! Here we are! We can use these to get a bit of distance. Though one of us will have to hold the stick, so we may need to take turns with the props."

Watts inspected the stick ~~not dirty~~. "Oh, that's..." he said with a nod, attaching his own mobile telephone to the device and opening up the camera application, "clever," he finished, as he experimentally moved the selfie stick about.

Steven smiled fondly as he watched Llewellyn. "Who's brilliant with new things? You."

Watts smiled at the compliment, pleased even as it was over something like a selfie stick. "Shall we, then?"

Steven picked up his prop then went to hook arms with Llewellyn again. He leaned in close so it was easier for them both to be in view. "There. How's that?"

Watts scooted a bit closer. Not for framing-related reasons, he just wanted to be closer. "Smile," he directed, thumb hovering over the button for a moment before snapping several photographs in quick succession.

Llewellyn not minding being close in a public situation was more than enough reason for Steven to smile. He might have been looking at Llewellyn while he did it more than he was looking at the phone, however.

Something which Watts noticed when he reviewed the photographs he'd just taken. He let out a fond huff of laughter and leaned over to give Steven a quick peck on the cheek. "Shall we try again, with you looking at the camera?" Not that he was deleting any of the first round of photos, mind.

"Camera's not nearly as handsome as you," Steven replied. "Otherwise my jumper would read different now, wouldn't it?"

"Steven Grant," Watts said in that very specific tone that was absolutely code for 'I love you'.

"All right, all right." Steven pretended to be put upon but his smile showed how he loved when Llewellyn said his name that way. "I'll look at the bloody mobile. But only for you."

And Steven was absolutely looking at Llewellyn's image on the screen while he did it.

Hey, good on him for finding the loophole. "It's only that I want a photograph where you can see both of our faces," Watts explained as he snapped several more.

"I suppose that's fair," Steven said. He moved his sign higher so it was easier to read but still not blocking anything. "I'd want to see your face as well. Would you like to take them all and then send me the copies or shall we switch?"

"Might as well use my device to take them, but if you wouldn't mind snapping a few as well?" he asked.

"Can do," Steven said. He put his sign down so that he could free that hand up for holding the selfie stick. "I was thinking after we could try the craft table? Seems fun."

“So long as there’s no carving involved,” Watts said, picking up the snowman sign. “Given how poor a hand I am at that.”

"Summer told me they hid all the knives so we're probably in luck there?" Steven said. He waited until Llewellyn was ready before taking the pictures. Though he did make a show of sighing as he looked away from Llewellyn and towards the camera again.

MHA #2 | Friday Evening and probably onwards - the THIRD ANNUAL Christmas Rager!!

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