We'll Deck Your Halls (PARTY! Open)

[Lincoln King]

It was all a blur of action, others swarming over to check on the situation, his staff member returning with cleaning supplies, her face the very picture of determination as she ducked down and tried to make quick work on the mess before losing the contents of her own stomach. It was impressive, he could almost see the mantra going through her head of "be professional, hold it together, don't breathe through your nose" as she wiped and sprayed. Alexandrea was there, the woman he recognised due to her regular appearance at her shop and from their brief correspondence, not hard to put the two together. Along with her came Kira, another repeat party attendee who he had decided he could happy develop a soft spot for because she seemed somewhat sweet and yet capable of fun, of cheekiness. He liked that, she could be someone he enjoyed knowing. They were fluttering about, hovering with concern near Elizabeth as she apologised and excused herself, Lincoln sparing her a sympathetic and forgiving look as she went. He wasn't surprised it had happened, to whom it had happened had him raising his eyebrows but he wasn't going to get mad about it. As the woman in green fled, the one who had received the impressively projectile contents of her stomach all over him returned, looking remarkably presentable considering the situation.

Linc watched patiently as the others interacted and when Alexandrea introduced him he gave her a warm smile, lifting a hand in casual greeting to the Doctor. "I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, Doctor Nilson, but that doesn't seem entirely appropriate considering." He watched with confusion as the man patted himself down, offering to pay for clean up, Lincoln shaking his head when he finally had the man's attention returned to him. "I wouldn't be a smart businessman if I didn't understand the concept of insurance and liability. It's fine, nothing a good mopping couldn't handle, if anyone could do with an I.O.U it's probably Elizabeth. Maybe not an I.O.U a beer though." This was accompanied by a shrug, the smile that lifted more on one side than the other, giving him a look that was borderline smirking. His deep laugh and the way it lit up his eyes said otherwise. It was genuine, a shame the slight nerve damage and soft pull of the scar at his cheek seemed determined to thwart his best efforts to reassure the man he wasn't bothered by it, only with concern for his guest who had been ill. The cold weather always made it difficult for him, old injuries making themselves known, the young sorcerer having a few tricks up his sleeve to make them bearable but they were older than his abilities.

He had to laugh at the empty promise of no more drinking, his head shaking as he turned to watch Alexandrea react, her face slipping into a mask of disapproving stoniness, quick with her efforts to deny she knew him though they had been introduced by her only moments before. "We can pretend you don't, shame this party doesn't have masks you could hide behind like the last. Hey..." He had glanced up at the room around them, peering over Alexandrea's head and spotting Liz emerging with uncertainty from the bathroom. "She's a brave one, I'm glad to see it." He'd had enough messy nights in his time to understand what it was to do that walk of shame, though his was usually the next day, with a fuzzy head and flashes of memory delivered in the form of teasing whispers from Kingsley.

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth had started to make her way towards the individuals at the bar, but when the blonde woman had overheard the words 'she's' and 'vomit' and 'poor guy,' Elizabeth turned away from the collective and thought better of it. The woman would wait until Doc was alone, or she would eventually slip away, if time passed and she was unable to seek the male out and express her deepest apologies to Doc.

Elizabeth chose to walk the perimeter of the dance floor, until she came to a small, but tall standing table and set of chairs. A few napkins and empty glasses with slowly melting ice resided on the table's surface, but nothing that couldn't be shoved to the other side. And she did just that. Elizabeth's fingers lightly grabbed at the green colored skirt of her dress, lifted it and took a seat, as her mind briefly wandered through to her emails. She disposed of all the 'junk mail,' Elise had called it, and kept any business emails until later; perhaps the next night.

Elizabeth had just about finished the task, when the unclaimed seat across from the miniature rounded table was dragged out and a solid body came to sit in it. A drink that had been half drunk was set down while the new person on the scene tried to make conversation with her. "Can we take a pic together? You're going to be huge!" The woman's bubbly voice bounced over the droning beat that was on the opposite side of the dance floor.

There was a delay in Elizabeth's response, as the woman tried to process what 'pic' meant. The pause in conversation irritated the woman, so much that she rolled her eyes and snapped out, "Woman to woman, you should go easy on the booze. Good way to get the wrong kind of attention, if you know what I mean." She whipped out her phone and took a picture with it, and snatched up her drink in a hurry. "I'll just tweet the story in a bit." Elizabeth had just figured out what 'pic' meant as the camera's light came on and then flashed off as quickly as it came.

"I did not give permission for a 'pic.'" Elizabeth said, slowly standing as the woman snorted and rolled her eyes. "And I doubt he gave you permission to barf all over his sweater." She snapped, irritated. Elizabeth took a breath in, inflating her lungs and then grabbed a glass with ice in it. Before the woman could turn away, Elizabeth's fingers found the ice and flicked two melting chunks into the woman's face, and in her eyes, blinding her temporarily. "What one may perceive about my persons when consuming alcohol is an inaccurate perception. However, I can conclude very well from your words and actions that you are an insufferable wench." Elizabeth's free fingers reached for the phone, wrapped around it and yanked it from the woman who was moaning about her eyes. The telepath scrolled through the pictures and deleted her picture, the picture before it, and then...'accidentally' auto deleted everything. "Whoops. I apologize. I hope one has backed their photographs somewhere." The phone was carelessly tossed to the table, as Elizabeth walked away from the scene.

[Doc]

Doc smirked crookedly as Mr. King said quite plaining it wasn’t a pleasure meeting him, and he needn’t worry about the mess. He was quite used to being treated as a pariah. His reputation tended to precede him, and people tended to get preconceived ideas based on rumors of his reputation. Giving Mr. King an acquiescing amused nod at his brutal comment, he was about to reply, when King drew his attention to Elizabeth. She had emerged from the ladies room and did not make her way back to the bar.

Straightening, he tugged his tee shirt in order to smooth the wrinkles out of it. If Elizabeth wouldn’t come to him, he would go to her. Then as if the stars were aligned just for him, a bawdy Mrs. Claus accosted her. He couldn’t tell what the ruckus was over, just that, there might soon be a catfight.

Still feeling quite jovial from the alcohol, Doc held up a hand and said in his best hero voice, “Alas .. yon damsel is in distress..” Giving Alexandrea a wicked wink, and quick nod to Kira and King, eh added “.. Tis time for the hero to reappear and save the damsel in that ugly dress!” He smirked, and leaned toward Alexandrea, “Get it? Save the damsel in distress.. Or the damsel in that ugly dress?” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he half snorted and half laughed, “Good god that was lame.. I should not drink. But, by that as it may.. Off to save her I go..” He bowed with a flourish, then strode toward Elizabeth’s table.

He was halfway across the floor, when he saw Elizabeth flick something and then take the woman’s phone from her. Doc had reached the table as Elizabeth chucked the cell back toward the ‘wench’. Her use of the word amused him all the more, as he followed her. “Lady Elizabeth.. You wound me deeply. Here I came to save you from the,” he glanced back at the woman, “Bawdy wench.. When you extricated yourself without aid. That is completely unfair.” He paused, then added, “You were going to leave.. Without a word?” He gave her a disappointed look.

[Maddison (DELETED 8452)]

Maddison held her glass in one hand, the other resting on her hip. It was not hidden that she didn't like Lincoln. She didn't like how he touched Robin or how close he always was to the male. Robin didn't seem to mind and that also bother Maddison. She wouldn't cause a scene here, or bring it up. It'd just stew inside of her until one day, where it would erupt like a volcano. Poor Robin. He wouldn't even see it coming.

Maddison gave a shake of her head and then took a drink from her glass. It was one of those nights. She wasn't a social person, this was starting to become known to her. She used to be, before the turning, before she became a creature of the night. She was here for Robin anyways. She didn't need to worry about it.

Maddison turned to look at him and shrugged.

"Yeah, we can go mingle."

[Robin Little]

Robin grinned and took a mouthful of his own drink – nice and slow, despite his own eagerness, to lower the risk of mishap – which he took with him as he slipped with Maddison into the crowd. He glanced left and right, vaguely taking in the action around him but he had one destination in mind. Lincoln was busy with other guests, but that was alright – Robin was a big boy, and he could take care of himself in regards to socialising. He’d always been rather good at it, more so now that he was a vampire and an Allurist.

With his fingers tangled up in Maddison’s and the glass of wine held securely in the other hand, he meandered his way through the gathered crowd and, as they parted, he found his goal. The blonde. Another blonde. There were so many blondes in this place. She was talking to another man, quite strappingly handsome even in his ugly Christmas sweater. Otherwise engaged or not, it didn’t bother Robin. Two new acquaintances were better than one. Though, the bookshop girl was already kind-of an acquaintance. Robin just didn’t know her name.

He and Maddison neared the other couple and Robin raised his glass of wine in a greeting salute, smile curling the corners of his mouth.

”Sorry to interrupt –“ he said, nodding apologetically. ”But I know you! Yeah? You work at the bookshop…” he said to the blonde. He let go of Maddison’s hand if only to properly introduce himself. ”I’m Robin,” he said, offering his hand first to the other gentleman.