A Very Nexus Reception
Dec. 7th, 2019 04:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
smartass_captainTo all the friends of the happy grooms, PINpoint messages have already been sent weeks ago inviting them to expect quite the street party arranged in the commons of the Nexus. Guests have been invited to bring an appetite--both for food and for a social adventure. Nirnish weddings are public affairs, after all. While the ceremony has had to be somewhat sequestered for the sake of keeping the existence of Other Worlds a secret, neither Felix nor Jim would want to leave out their interdimensional friends entirely. Having a reception party arranged in the Nexus became the natural plan of action.
Overnight large sections of the Commons are transformed via diligent craftsmanship and quite a lot of magic from those who’ve volunteered. Lanterns representing the Divines are hung along every lamp post, bringing at least the idea of warmth even if the flames are too small to heat their surroundings alone. Bardic tunes carry in the air as readily as the scent of food and drink. Past banners of red and black, blue and white the people gather.
For both grooms this is nearly a continuation of the day before. They’ve had the chance to sleep off the nerves of their ceremony. Today is entirely for celebration--uninhibited celebration at that. No more minding what is said and isn’t. No more pretending to be anything other than who they are. Jim’s traded out his Nirnish finery for a suit and tie, garments he’s much more familiar with. Felix is staying with his native clothing; though he may have dressed down a little from his wedding clothes, the conjurer’s dressed in fitted breeches and his best fur-trimmed coat and boots, the soft hide dyed blue to match his tunic. By their side sits the conjurer’s spectral wolf familiar, ears pricked at the gathering.
As the guests find their ways over it will be easy to spot their friends amidst all the decor along with many other avenues with which to enjoy themselves….
Greetings
Food and Drink
Music and Dancing
Bonfire Entertainment
Party Games
((Links to all relevent wedding Prose can be found Here!))
Overnight large sections of the Commons are transformed via diligent craftsmanship and quite a lot of magic from those who’ve volunteered. Lanterns representing the Divines are hung along every lamp post, bringing at least the idea of warmth even if the flames are too small to heat their surroundings alone. Bardic tunes carry in the air as readily as the scent of food and drink. Past banners of red and black, blue and white the people gather.
For both grooms this is nearly a continuation of the day before. They’ve had the chance to sleep off the nerves of their ceremony. Today is entirely for celebration--uninhibited celebration at that. No more minding what is said and isn’t. No more pretending to be anything other than who they are. Jim’s traded out his Nirnish finery for a suit and tie, garments he’s much more familiar with. Felix is staying with his native clothing; though he may have dressed down a little from his wedding clothes, the conjurer’s dressed in fitted breeches and his best fur-trimmed coat and boots, the soft hide dyed blue to match his tunic. By their side sits the conjurer’s spectral wolf familiar, ears pricked at the gathering.
As the guests find their ways over it will be easy to spot their friends amidst all the decor along with many other avenues with which to enjoy themselves….
((Links to all relevent wedding Prose can be found Here!))
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Date: 2019-12-16 09:18 pm (UTC)The demon nods down the table, intending that Thor follow close behind them since the bar isn't far off from the honey cakes. "They're a bit messy, but well worth the effort. Right, angel?" Return fire in the form of major teasing! How many times can Crowley make Aziraphale blush this evening? Bonus points for confusing Thor along the way.
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Date: 2019-12-20 01:46 am (UTC)If he were more sober he might flinch at the term abandon being thrown his way, but as it is, he can appreciate the refusal to walk off and leave him to his own devices. He's had more than enough time on his own lately, probably. That frown turns into a grateful, friendly grin to Crowley, and a matching pat to the shoulder in thanks.
It shouldn't surprise him that these two have centuries of internal references that no one else will get, and it doesn't. It does make him wish for the days where he'd had friends he could do the same with, though. "Oh, I love honey cakes. We used to have them in Asgard. Well not exactly like these, but cakes with honey, anyway." Can he substitute that uncomfortable void with food? Signs inconclusive, more testing required. There are probably plates in plain sight, but Thor just grabs one of the little pastries without bothering.
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Date: 2019-12-20 03:40 pm (UTC)"Oh, no. It's simply what he is. A wily serpent -- the wily serpent." He smiles smugly, before remembering his audience. "Er, that is. In our world -- in the beginning, there was a garden called Eden, and the first two humans, Adam and Eve. I was guarding the Eastern Gate, and Crowley was a snake, tempting Eve to eat from the Tree of Knowledge."
If he gets his words out faster than usual, it's only so Crowley doesn't have a chance to shush him and interrupt their meet cute story.
He'd say more, but Crowley is commenting on honey cakes while giving Aziraphale that look. "I think honey lends a bit of homeyness to sweets," he replies to Thor, trying and failing not to blush while he ignores the demon next to him. "Certainly worth the mess. Crowley, be a dear and order some mead for us?"
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Date: 2019-12-22 03:21 am (UTC)Ah, but the demon gets his revenge in the form of a lovely flush of his partner's cheeks. He chuckles as he presses a kiss to one of the angel's rosy cheeks before he disentangles himself from around Aziraphale. "As you wish, angel." He'll be kind and not say anything else as he orders the mead, if only to let the angel cool off before he gets back in with another comment to make him all red again.
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Date: 2019-12-22 04:09 pm (UTC)What he hears is a little confusing, though not for the reasons they might expect. “I thought you were both disir,” he says, but his eye is already lighting up in delight at the thought of a snake who can shift his form, rather than the other way around. “You should’ve said something! I love snakes. Beautiful creatures. My brother doesn’t make a half-bad serpent himself, you know?”
Is it rude to ask why Crowley wants to walk around like a human? Probably. Remember your manners, Thor, if only barely. Still, his mood is visibly brightened by this news, and he makes a slightly crooked salute with his mug before downing a good portion of it, and chasing it down with part of the honey cake.
“So your humans didn’t get licked into existence by a primordial cow, then,” he says with a cheeky grin. Of all the weird stories humans have come up with, that’s one of his favorites. It’s just ridiculous enough for his tastes.
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Date: 2019-12-22 05:38 pm (UTC)That settled, he turns back to Thor, about to share more of his and Crowley's first meeting, but this time it's the deity who interrupts with a question of his own. Aziraphale has the benefit of being familiar with Norse mythology, although it takes him a moment to place the comparison. "Oh! Goodness, no." He giggles at the thought. "Completely different pantheon, my dear fellow. It's true that we do -- well, used to, anyway -- use our powers to influence humanity, but it's much more subtle than all that. I'm an angel and Crowley is a demon. A fallen angel, specifically." They are not interchangeable terms in the Nexus, as he has learned recently.
Crowley's kiss and 'as you wish' keep his cheeks rosy until well after Crowley has turned to the bar to fetch them drinks. His eyes light up as Thor mentions his love of snakes. "I have quite the affinity for them as well," he replies, hands clasped together excitedly. "Not only because of Crowley, although he makes a beautiful snake. Glossy black scales and a fiery red underbelly, and the most charming yellow eyes. Simply stunning!"
Better hurry with those drinks, Crowley, Aziraphale isn't going to stop complimenting you until you come back and shush him.
Thor's cheeky question gets another giggle out of the angel. "No, although I always liked that one. God made the first humans simply by willing them into existence. Eden was their home -- a paradise. Unfortunately, eating from the Tree of Knowledge gave them an understanding of good and evil. They were no longer innocent -- or naive, as Crowley would say -- and so they had to leave. But they've done all right for themselves since."
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Date: 2019-12-25 05:44 pm (UTC)He returns near the end of Aziraphale's explanation of Adam and Eve - something he's familiar enough with to clue into without hearing the entire story - and offers the angel a stoneware goblet full of a very delightful mead. He assumes Thor understands their origin more (and that they're not disir, whatever they may be), but it's curious that they should be talking about the creation of humanity.
"I hope you're making me into the villain of The Beginning," he jokes with a grin. "A demon's got to keep up appearances." It's only for himself these days, but if he's relegated to being fallen for the rest of his life he might as well own it.
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Date: 2019-12-27 02:04 am (UTC)He makes an adoring sound in his throat at the description of Crowley's true form, able to picture it all the more easily because of the demon's usual color scheme. Chosen because of his scale coloration? Who knows. Doesn't matter. He sounds gorgeous. "Oh, what a beauty. My brother knows the same trick, the other way around. He likes a more emerald green sort of look, sleek and shiny. First shape he ever learned to take. Well, on purpose, I think."
Kicked out of paradise for knowing the difference between wrong and right? That's so bizarre that Thor can hardly get his head around it. What kind of god wouldn't want their people to know morality? Hel, Thor himself was banished from Asgard for being arrogant enough to think that nothing he did was wrong, and wasn't allowed back in until he learned what it meant to be Worthy. The opposite, though? Insanity. He shakes his head and immediately regrets it since the world is now spinning a little. "Why even have a tree like that if you're not supposed to eat the fruit?"
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Date: 2019-12-28 07:33 pm (UTC)Upon Crowley's return, he thanks the demon for the mead with a kiss on the cheek in gratitude. "Just about to," he tells him, smiling wryly, like he hasn't just been heaping praise on his snake form. Turning to Thor, he adds, "Crowley's superiors only told him to go to Eden and make some trouble, but the ramifications of eating from the Tree of Knowledge were rather extensive, I dare say shaping all of human history."
It's not exactly painting Crowley as the villain, but at least it's making him sound awfully important. That counts for something, doesn't it?
Thor's question stops him short. Oh, does that bring back memories. "Uh," he says. "Yes, well. That's rather the whole point. It wouldn't be much of a temptation if the tree were somewhere else entirely."
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Date: 2020-01-08 10:00 pm (UTC)He shrugs and helps himself to another sip of mead. "Still, God casting Adam and Eve out did seem a bit much for a first time offence. She's usually more lenient than that - with humans anyway." Demons rather get less of God's love than they perhaps should, but who is he to know the will of God when She keeps everything to Herself? Crowley shakes his head. It's all water under the very old bridge by this point, but he does have to wonder about it from time to time.
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Date: 2020-01-10 03:19 am (UTC)He casts a confused look toward Crowley, wondering if the demon shares this bafflement. It doesn't make sense, sir. What the Hel.
He can empathize with getting thrown out of paradise, though. "My father did the same to me once. I mean I deserved it. Wasn't my first offence though, and I came back after a couple days, but still."
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Date: 2020-01-10 04:43 pm (UTC)But then Thor, bless him, brings up a concrete example of the sort of justice he has faith that God provides. "Well, there, you see? I'm assuming you came back all the better for it." He takes a sip of mead and glances askance at his partner. "It's taken me some time, admittedly, to come to this conclusion, but I think that the actions of my beloved demon and I were perhaps not acts of Good or Evil, but things that needed to happen. I don't think God ever expected humans or... or any of us, really, to stay in the Garden forever."
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Date: 2020-01-12 04:03 am (UTC)"I don't think She expected you to give them your flaming sword, either," he teases. This is obviously something the demon has brought up before as his prodding is given with a very good natured laugh. "Honestly, angel, I think it's details like your sword that make up the best parts of the story. The damn thing came back at what was supposed to be the End, after all. She might not have planned it out, but I suspect She had a hand in putting all the right pieces in order for things like that."
That particularly bit is a fun one, so the demon takes a quick drink before adding in Thor's direction, "One of the riders who's supposed to set about Armageddon, War, showed up to the party with Aziraphale's sword. The same one he gave to Adam and Eve when they were turned out of the Garden." His grin widens as he steals a glance at the angel. "Rather cheeky of her to use it like that."
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Date: 2020-01-13 07:51 pm (UTC)Mention of a flaming sword has his attention at once, though, his thoughts latching onto this new train and leaving the old one forgotten entirely not three seconds later. “A flaming sword! Now there’s an idea. Would hard to sheathe though, wouldn’t it? How’d that rider get it?” He’s following well enough to figure out that Aziraphale didn’t give it directly to this War, probably.
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Date: 2020-01-14 02:58 pm (UTC)He's not expecting Crowley to bring up the flaming sword, although perhaps he should have. Regardless, he ends up blushing rather dramatically and giving Crowley a scandalized look. "I didn't think that part was necessary," he sniffs. "And I most definitely did not intend for War to get ahold of it." He gives Thor a beseeching look. "There were wild animals and Eve was expecting, I couldn't let her and Adam leave without some form of protection."
He takes a sip of mead, swallowing quickly when he realizes that he didn't answer Thor's question. "Humanity must have given it to her. But she was also defeated by the sword, as were the other horsemen. Well, except for Death, but he's a bit of a free agent, that one." He looks at Crowley, thinking over his words now that he's gotten over his embarrassment. "It's entirely possible God had intended that... but that means She knows that I gave my sword away... oh, dear..."
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Date: 2020-01-24 12:20 am (UTC)This is a conversation and idea the couple tossed around so many times over the last few thousand years that Crowley simply kisses the angel on the cheek when his face takes on that panicked look. "If She knew, She obviously wasn't mad. She never tried to smite you or me and never got angry at the humans for having created the riders in the first place. I'd say that's reason to believe She's as all loving and forgiving as your former lot liked to go on about."
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Date: 2020-01-29 01:06 am (UTC)Oh shit, they're still speaking to him and he's not paying attention. Thor snaps out of his thoughts and hopes it isn't terribly obvious he'd gone wandering. Except now they're talking about a God he doesn't know except in passing, and that's slightly awkward. "Erm... right. I've known gods to hold grudges for centuries but if you haven't heard anything about it, I wouldn't think she'd be mad?"
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Date: 2020-01-29 04:10 pm (UTC)Between Crowley's kiss and both Crowley and Thor's commentary, Aziraphale eases up on his panicked expression, but the thought is going to linger. "No, I don't think She's mad," he agrees quietly. "She's not the type to hold grudges, either, although Crowley's right, her forgiveness is almost entirely towards humans. It's a one-strike-and-you're-out policy in Heaven."
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Date: 2020-02-05 10:21 pm (UTC)"Yes, She's proven that one quite well over the years. Mostly in The Beginning, but I don't see Her turning around to let people like me back in any time soon."
...well, mostly comfortable. It still pinches a bit when Crowley thinks on it too hard. God not listening to him when he asks for forgiveness is kind of tiresome after trying for thousands of years.
"Still," he says suddenly, cutting off any pouting or sad looks from the angel, "I think that shows that you're just fine, angel. And that humanity's likely to be alright for a while until Heaven or Hell decide to stir things up again." Here he gives Aziraphale a soft, poignant look. "We'll be there when they do, to help out."
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Date: 2020-02-08 01:26 am (UTC)Thor shakes his head incredulously, and nearly falls over as his head spins dizzily. Right, maybe that's enough to drink. "You'll be fine," he agrees, making an honest effort to pat Aziraphale on the shoulder. "Anyway, I should... go sit down. Good talking with you two! Enjoy the mead; it's good."
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Date: 2020-02-09 03:32 am (UTC)Thank goodness Thor says something to distract Aziraphale. Or rather, that shoulder pat that more or less meets its mark. It jostles him a little back to the present. "Hmm? Oh... all right, Thor." He gives the deity a smile. "It was good to see you again. Thank you for recommending the mead."