enodia_ic | (no subject)

annie's engagement party

and jack is here too!

setup

Welcome to Jack's twisted mind... Of fun!

As they planned, Jack will be asking ANNIE SONG to marry him. But not as they planned, he's throwing her a surprise engagement party, because he loves complicated little schemes. Bonus points if he can increase the likelihood of the situation blowing up spectacularly in his face. Please handwave Jack inviting your character to this—assume he just liberally tossed out open invites for a general start of the summer party today. Nobody knows this will be Annie's engagement party but him, CRYSTA WALDINGER, EVAN FINCH, and RAINE RILEY (bet you weren't expecting those three names together, huh?).

Party hours: Noon to six in the evening.

Party venue: Jack reserved a room (with a little bit of outdoor patio space) at the Rec Center. After studying the ancient texts (many Pinterest boards), Jack learned the art of decorating an area moderately nicely for cheap. He's very lucky he's living in a moment where people find wooden clothespins and twine charming. There are lots of yellow flowers (mostly peonies!) everywhere, both real and made of paper (shoutout to EVAN who helped Jack make the paper flowers), because that's pretty much the only visual motif Jack could easily pull from One Hundred Years of Solitude, Annie's favorite book. Yes, this is a themed engagement party. Yes, Jack has decided to be corny. Yes, you may debate him on whether the color yellow signifies good things or bad things in One Hundred Years of Solitude, just not now. Anyway, the vibes are nice, because he tried really hard and things that look clumsily made we call "rustic" these days.

Food: Somewhat themed. vanilla & chocolate ice cream (for the white wash and dirt Rebeca ate in the novel), canillitas de leche (for Ursula's milk candy), bruschetta-style asparagus (for Dr. Juvenal Urbino's obsession with asparagus), baba ganoush (for Fermina's hatred of eggplants), and then Jack gave up on themed food and got fruit and chips and fancy little cookies at the commissary, idk man.

Drinks: Beer, wine, canned cocktails, soft drinks, good ol' H₂O. Jack gave up on the theme two sentences ago.

party

Games:

Ring Toss With No Limits: bog standard ring toss (ring, get it?) with some of Jack's special rules, such as tossing while blindfolded, tossing while doing a handstand (with or without handstand assistance), and tossing with both hands tied behind your back (really throw that neck). His special rules are written on pieces of paper in a bowl by the ring toss—use them or not, he's not a cop. Also feel free to make up ridiculous rules.

Ask Me Anything: because Annie loves talking games. In this game, participants sit in a circle. Everyone takes a turn being "it." While you're it, everyone else in the circle is allowed to ask you ANY QUESTION. You may skip a question, but the penalty is taking a drink.

Find the Guest: with the help of the wonderful CRYSTA, Jack has obtained #facts about people attending. When you arrive, you will get a random, context-free fact about someone else at the party. Your mission is to find out who you've been matched with. The prize? Nine Hundred Quatruple Quatrople Dollars. Just kidding. The prize is a Thinking Monkey Statue Jack found at a garage sale in Colchester. Possibly cursed. **NOTE** If your character did not or was not able to supply a #fact but you'd like for them to participate, please Dropbox me a fact and we'll handwave it.

The Proposal: At 1:00, Jack will ask Annie if he can talk to her in a corner, and then pop the question. He's rigged things so Johnny Clegg's Dela will play as this happens. Why? Because: 1) Jack is trying to make all this look as real as possible; 2) he would actually like Annie to enjoy this to the extent she can; 3) he loves dying on the cross of committing to the bit. But also please don't look at him. And he thinks there's a 13% chance Annie will say "NO! AND NOW YOU'RE UNDER ARREST, BOZO! BOOK THIS CLOWN." and federal agents will rappel in and blast him.

After that's all done, the party will resume on as normal.

volunteer slots

TABY MCLEOD gets really into Ring Toss With No Limits and flings a ring in such a way that it catches perfectly on the drink VOLUNTEER 2 is holding. What is this, some kind of meetcute?

OPHELIA CARDENAL ROY decides they really, really like the asparagus bruschetta and starts to hoard it. VOLUNTEER 4 also really likes the asparagus bruschetta and is determined to get to the bottom of why it's disappearing faster than any of the other party foods—culminating in a The Departed-style showdown on the back patio.

VOLUNTEER 5 doesn't know what One Hundred Years of Solitude is about and decides to Google it. What the hell? Who'd throw a themed engagement party about this????

ZIRA BAILEY is hanging out on the back patio minding their own business, enjoying life, when they're beset by a fly. They try to swat the fly, but end up swatting the ice cream right out of VOLUNTEER 7's hands. Excuse you...

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"Quiet, you," she admonishes, playfully narrowing her eyes. "I have to be this level of sobriety to tolerate all the... normalcy." Minty's eye roll is subtle enough to maintain plausible deniability, but it's almost like you can hear it in her voice. "Do you think they're... happy?" The way her nose crinkles signals confusion more than suspicion.

With his free hand, Noah reaches to gently pinch one of Minty's cheeks, if she'll let him. He half expects to get his hand smacked away, but he doesn't care.

"That's fair. I'm getting my court-ordered single drink in for the same reason." At the question about Jack and Annie his eyes search them out, though he doesn't need to see them to make a judgement on it. "Maybe? But they're definitely stupid."

Minty's not quick enough to fend off the attack, instead uselessly flapping her hand as Noah gets in his pinch. "Ugh." Whether her noise of disgust is from that or from considering the newly-engageds... well, it's a toss up.

"They're so stupid," she affirms with a tsk. "Kind of them to take a bullet for the dating pool, though."

Noah can't help but grin at his successful cheek pinch, settling back on his heels for a moment as he sips at his drink. It doesn't matter what that 'ugh' is for - it's satisfying regardless.

"So stupid. But you sure you don't have a crush on Jack? Everyone seems to like him."

"UGH," she repeats, turning to better admonish Noah. "No. Maybe you like Jack. What about that, hm?"

If it makes Minty feel any better, Noah nearly chokes on his Whiteclaw from laughing at her offense, having to take a moment to cough and hit his chest before he can respond.

"God, no, not even in the normal way of liking. But Dorin does, which I hate, but I'm not his mom so I can't tell him who to be friends with."

Minty bites her lip in an attempt to hold back amusement at Noah's misfortune, but a quiet laugh slips through anyway. The reference to Dorin makes her sigh and shake her head as she crosses her arms over her chest.

"Dorin is a saint with plenty of room for acquired tastes." She nudges his side with her elbow. "You don't have to be that magnanimous and neither do I. Thank god."

After Noah has managed to stop coughing he takes a small, testing sip of his drink, clearing his throat once before he's satisfied that he's not going to die from inhaling hard seltzer.

"He is, and you are right. We were put into this world to be bitches, and we can't disappoint." He nudges her back. "...do you really think they're going to go through with getting married? Or just have a very long engagement and then call it off?"

Minty takes a moment to think as she moves her gaze to look at the happy, stupid couple. "I have no clue," she admits when she turns back to Noah, her eyebrows raised in a moment of candid uncertainty. "I think that if they ever feel like it's a challenge... Well, maybe they'll invite us to their golden wedding anniversary."

"Man, can you imagine being married to someone and staying that way simply to spite someone? Seems kind of depressing." Noah takes another drink, this one a little longer as he thinks it over himself. Maybe they do just like each other and are moving fast. "I guess ultimately it's not our problem. Just gross."

"Oh, it's absolutely our problem. Just... look at them." Neither Jack nor Annie seems to be doing anything egregious at the moment, but that wasn't the point. Minty pauses, pursing her lips. "I'm never having an engagement party. It's literally just feeding people who've come to talk behind your back one way or the other."

"Super gross." They really aren't doing anything offensive, but Noah does find the party to be a bit much, even if the flowers are nice and it's surprisingly thoughtful.

He holds his drink up to Minty in a cheers, acknowledging that they, indeed, are the people being fed while talking behind the hosts' backs. "Just invite nicer people than us and you'll be safe, I imagine."

"So I have permission to exclude you?" Minty makes a thoughtful face. "Noted."

"You always have permission to exclude me; that just means I get to crash it. I know you'd cry if I weren't there."

When she rolls her eyes this time it's obvious and dramatic. "Please. I've never cried. Get a new fantasy."

Noah beams, satisfied with the eyeroll that he's elicited. "Love you too, Mints. I'll invite you to mine, expressly so that you can talk behind my back."

"Aw, babe." Minty reaches up to pat his cheek. "I already do that enough as it is." It's not true—Noah is really the only person she actively gossips with, never about. But still. It's fun to tease.

(no subject)

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty

AT THE PARTY: Noah & Minty