2019-10-31 - 9 Oak Halloween Party

The stream of trick-or-treaters along Oak Street is starting to slow. With Corey already over here (somewhere) to help with food prep, Alfie at work and Monica doing as Monica's do, Sparrow's the last one to leave 7 Oak, hanging a hand-written sign on the door handle that declares OUT OF CANDY and turning the porch light off before she takes the bowl of leftover sour patch kids, gummi bears and bubble pops next door.

If there's a prize for laziest costume tonight, Sparrow might win it. At first glance, anyway. Tee shirt, jean skirt and stompy boots? Even her make-up is pretty much just club-ready. Nothing spooky about it. But that bright red tee of hers--nearly as neon as her hair--declares her HERO CHAMPION INQUISITOR. It's the last one that's important. It goes with the crooked halo bobbing above her head with every step, securely attached by a bent wire to a headband mostly hidden in her too-red tresses. And she carries a very large tome that she's doctored up herself, its cover declaring it her Book of Questions. True to her promise, she's come as Dylan's particular depiction of her. She sets her candy bowl down along with a cup of colorful markers, somewhere handy so that people can snag 'em whenever they might want to answer a question in her book. Hips shifting to the music, her first stop, beyond blowing a kiss toward Ash, is definitely booze.

For some, fashionably late is a very tried and true method for party-going. Garrett is not one of those. One might suspect he was watching his phone to make sure he enters at the exact moment the party was set to officially begin. Black pants, a white dinner jacket over a white shirt, a black bow tie and a red carnation in his lapel to add just a splash of color. He might be anyone, were he not carrying a briefcase in one hand and, more importantly, a martini glass (shamefully empty) in the other. Add in the very, very plastic gun with bright orange barrel tip in his belt, and he becomes James Bond. Nods and waves are offered as he enters, but his eyes are scanning for Ash.

Gabriel makes his way on into 9 Oak right around the time that Sparrow does, as if he had arranged for it. Perhaps he did even arrange for it. For his part, the homicide detective is wearing a trench coat over his casual clothes, a deerstalker cap, and a pipe that he got cheaply off of Amazon. He reaches out for Sparrow's hand, giving it a squeeze as he reaches for a drink as well.

As one of the hosts of the party Ash should be doing things like saying HI! to those that come in. Instead she's opted for an entirely different job at the moment, and she can be seen in the kitchen where she's sporting a deep v-neck purple dress and a black wig as she goes about mixing drinks for people that have already arrived, or are arriving. Astrid and Marius are who knows where, same with Jens and Runa. It's hard to keep track of the viking raiding party sometimes.

But by god, anyone that gets a drink right now is getting something random and strong. Requests are not being taken yet, it's just a random game of drink roulette.

The bright red of the Hawaiian shirt somehow precedes Easton into the house. Standing on the stoop with a cardboard box of booze, his beard shaved off into just a bushy mustache and a Detroit tigers ball cap, Magnum PI (kind of) takes a breath before entering into the party. He hasn't spent a ton of time with his employees outside of the bar but he was invited so he figures he will at least put in an appearance. He wanders around, smiling at all the people he's never met before making his way into the kitchen to set the box of booze down next to Ash.

"Brought you something."

The party was the /perfect/ excuse for Elias to put on that poodle skirt that Sparrow had sent him, and so he shows up done up like a 50s teen queen, in that orange poodle skirt with its turquoise sparrow embroidered on the left hand side, a turquoise blouse, hair pulled up and back and tied with an orange bandana that matches the skirt, a few long dark curls hanging loose around his face, bobby socks, and saddle shoes. Clean-shaven and done up as he is, he actually passes pretty well in this get-up, he's even got the legs for it. He wanders on in, and goes seeking the Inquisitor herself, to show off her gift.

"Holmes," Sparrow croons approvingly as she reciprocates that hand-squeeze. Looking him over, in that trench coat, she tells him, "Gonna get hot," with a high arch of her brows, tone certainly one of warning. But then her attention is turning elsewhere, settling on Vesper!Ash... and following the neckline of that dress down. Before snapping back up somewhere more polite. "An Ash special, please." Unfamiliar with Easton, she dubs him, "Booze fairy," in greeting, her tone very approving. Gaze goes onward to, "Agent," that'd be Garrett. "Looking sharp." There might've been more commentary, but that orange catches her eyes and she all but squees and quicksteps in Elias' direction with no composure whatsoever. "I just might swoon!" Her free hand goes to ehr heart as if to still it. "Perfection. Sheer perfection." She straightens and, without worry for the drink she just requested, asks, "Dance with me?" She's gonna have to set that Book down right over there.

Nicole isn't a neighbor, and she's not known for punctuality. What she is known for though is being The Hair Fairy. She arrives a bit after others have already made their entrances and said their hellos. She is wearing a lovely pair of fairy wings made with tubing and gossamer... made by the artist himself, Dylan, who made Hair Fairy come into existence. Complimenting these wings tonight, she wears a pair of black velvet platform heels with a wide ribbon that wraps around the ankle and up the leg a little, reminiscent of a ballet slipper, a pair of purple nylons with silverish pairs of scissors creeping up the side of each leg, a dark blue velvet-like dress with ruffles at shoulders and hem. The edge of the ruffles are decorated with small curlers sewn on. There are hair clips and splashes of color randomly over the body of the curve-hugging dress, as if she's been mixing hair dyes. Her own hair has been pulled up into two flouncy pigtails that have been streaked with pink, purple, black, and blue.

She isn't used to wearing wings on her back and has to maneuver carefully through the door with her shining blue gossamer wings. "Hello! Hey there! I made it!" she calls out, waving with a smile to anyone in the immediate area.

It's not until he realizes his target isn't near the entry that he continues further into the house and, as one does, he heads towards the kitchen and, presumably, the booze, not that far behind Easton.

"I think I've been usurped as the Booze Fairy," he says when he sees the box, grinning from Sparrow to Ash to Easton back to Ash. "All I brought," he adds, cracking the briefcase open and adding a bottle of Gordon's gin and Lillet vermouth to Ash's collection. A brief grin as Sparrow departs, then a look at Magnum PI. "Don't think we've met. Bond. James Bond." Because he's definitely going to be taking advantage of the London accent tonight. "Or Garrett, if you prefer." Easton gets offered a hand after the briefcase is set down.

As people that she knows start to filter in, or rather, people she likes. It's entirely possible plenty of college 'friends' got invited and no one really likes them. Especially Library Boy. Who she points out to Garrett with a jerk of the chin when she spots him. But then Easton is bringing in more booze, and that makes him the current hero of the hour, "Thanks! We'll totally use it responsibly to get too trashed to move." She gets the drink for Sparrow, but then she reaches for Garrett's gifts first, and then his glass, "So...Boss." She is probably addressing her actual boss, "You know everyone or want the five cent introductory tour?"

As others filter in she raises her voice, attempting to at least, above the music, "Drinks and food in here!"

"Of course, darling," Elias says after giving a little twirl to show off the spinny-ness of the skirt, which swirls. There's a bit of floof underneath to give it volume. He extends a hand to let Sparrow lead the way to the dancing, "Or should I call you Agent P?" One brow is arched quizzically, expression nothing but amused. "Dancing, and then you should introduce me to your friends, and I'm going to need a drink... and to doodle in your book."

Grant comes in with a big plastic pumpkin in each hand filled with Candy! Because the world somehow needed more. "Suuuuuup! Bought you all a lil sumpthin somethin. Don't worry. G-man sends his regards." He comes in looking all teh world like a Warboy with pink spiky hair, goggles and all, and possibly freezing without a shirt on. Hey black skater shorts and combat boots made an easy outfit he already had." He drops the sugar offersings back to the kitchen. "Yo E! Good to see you man." Sparrow gets a smooch to teh cheek and he gives her that look He ain't sayin something, but he does wander off.

Gabriel takes he random drink from whoever is passing out the random drinks, sipping slightly from he glass. Man. That is strong says his face. But when Sparrow goes off to visit with Elias, he moves towards Nicole to wrap an arm around her shoulder and kiss her cheek. "Hey, Fairy. Looking sharp. Good to see you. Happy Halloween. Saw the ads. They look good."

"Booze fairy? I haven't even made out with any guys yet." He doesn't deny the booze part of that label though as he moves past Sparrow with a big plastered on grin.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Bond. Prepare to die. Or ... something. I'm Easton. And I'm pretty sure at least some of these people work for me occasionally." Easton answers Garrett easily but can't shake hands until he gets his box down, and only then does he offer a hand.

In the kitchen Ash gets rebuked with "If you are going to just be responsible with it then I'm taking it back, that defeats the purpose entirely." Easton is playing the role of drunk uncle tonight, though 'booze fairy' is also apt. "And I think I'll pass on the tour. I can just snoop around later like a proper party guest."

Sparrow doesn't blush easily, but there is a particular thrill at seeing a random hope sprout to fruition so very beautifully, and her cheeks go all rosy while she watches Elias twirl with nothing short of wonder in her eyes. Her hand settles in his, her nails all glossy black with a shiny red star accenting her ring finger. "I like darling," comes airily, dark lashes dipping flirtatiously. Their departure is interrupted by that cheek-smooch from Bax, who she greets sweetly as, "Husband," sneaking a surrepitious ass-grab with her free hand as he goes past. She blows a kiss to Nicole, smiles to see Gabriel's found someone else he knows--really, she should've handled introductions, tch--and then returns the entirety of her focus to Elias. "One dance. Then drinks. Doodling. And all the introductions. These are amazing people." And, really, she seems to mean it, her spirits high as she leads him to the cleared dance floor for some rhythmic wiggling to a song that doesn't quite suit the era of that poodle skirt but can probably stand up to swishing and swirling well all the same.

Turns out, Nicole doesn't know a lot of the people that were by the door. Gabriel though, sees her and greats her. She smiles and leans in to accept the cheek kiss. "Gabriel. It's good to see you again. I didn't expect to see you here. Nice surprise!" She looks him over and arches a brow. "What... is your costume? Columbo? Oh! The ads. Thanks! Dylan drew them up for me.... he's the one who made me the Famous Hair Fairy." She looks around for others and sees Sparrow, waving towards her if she happens to catch her eye. "I know... surprisingly few people here," she says with a laugh then says, "oh! Also... Happy Halloween." She gives his cheek a peck to return the one he gave her earlier. That's when Sparrow sees her and blows her a kiss. Smiling, Nicole 'catches' it and blows one back with glossed lips.

"Not yet." Ash agrees as she grabs one of the overly strong drinks, and hands it towards Easton, because she's doing her part to help eradicate any 'not yets' people still have in their vocabulary. Garrett gets a martini, of course. But not just any martini, but a Vesper martini. Then Ash is grabbing herself a drink, "You two talk...I'll be right back."

Host duties are important, and currently she's manning this ship on her own so she abandons two people to head to grab Sparrow's dropped off book, because she's going to fill this shit out while she's not looking. This also leads her towards Nicole and Gabriel, "Hi...if you guys want drinks I promise there's not any charge. Open bar."

Elias gives Sparrow a wink and then waves to Grant in passing as he goes by, "Hey, Agent B." He doesn't know the guy's actual name, so that'll do for now. Then there's dancing. The song, an electronic remix of Katy Perry's E.T. is definitely not the sort of thing one sock-hops to, but that doesn't seem to matter to Elias, who dances in close to Sparrow in a manner entirely incongruous to his current get-up with exactly zero self-consciousness. "I'm sure that they are," he agrees, on all the people being amazing.

"A pleasure," Garrett says, nodding to Easton. Ash gets a little wave and smile as she departs, and only then does he take a sip of the martini, pulling a face that makes it pretty clear that, one, it's basically just a glass of liquor and, two, Garrett doesn't drink much. He clears his throat for a moment before trying words again.

"So, you're the boss. Haven't actually made it down to Two If By Sea yet, but I've heard good things," he tells Easton.

Grant sets the candy down and does a rise on his toes looking mock-shocked shocked I say! at the gratiduous ass grab. To Ash he presents one whole king size snickers. "Brought you teh good shit fooooor hosting." Turning to Easton-booze Fairy- he nots, "You're my new other favourite. Right on," Turning around thouh he digs in the side cargo pocket of his pants for something crinkly and plastic. "Jonsey you can't call me that. Yet." Grant takes up Sparrow's hand, licks her finger (probably does not need to do that), and slides a blue raspberry ring pop on it. "K now you can. As requested. Eeeeeeenjoy."

Drinking from the cup that Ash hands him Easton doesn't even bother to sniff at it or ask first. There is no wincing. It barely qualifies as a mixed drink except that she did in fact mix multiple liquors together, but he's hardly complaining. He agrees, "Likewise" with Garrett's pleasantries. "You go to school with this crowd?" He takes another, much larger gulp of the drink trying to remember why he agreed to come hang out with his much younger employees. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

Definitely not a rogue. Sparrow is just as shameless, more than glad to follow Elias' lead when he keeps close, her arms draped loosely over his shoulders when they don't get caught up in twisting overhead as denim-clad hips shimmy close to all that magnificent orange-and-turquoise floof. Really, they're a pair of brightly colored peacocks over here, flashing their plumage together. Extraterrestrial is almost certainly fitting, by theme if not era. She murmurs, "I'm glad you like it." He doesn't need to tell her he does. He wears it too well to not like it. "And I'm glad you came."

As one song bleeds into another, Sparrow reaches down to snag one of Elias' hands again only to turn and find her own waylaid. Eyes wide, she watches Grant, but that 'yet' clues her in. And the entirely unnecessary lick leaves her giggling. Splaying her fingers once her ring's on, she holds up that massive blue rock, impressive in every dimension, and declares, "It's perfect." With that, she introduces, "My husband, Mr. Grant Baxter, Most Sagacious Punk and Friend to Seahorses Everywhere." With a nod, then, toward Elias, she reciprocates, "Elias Weber, Prettiest Sock Hopper and Definitely Not a Rogue."

"Hey Ash," Nicole smiles. "You know Gabe?" Looking to the Detective she says, "like I should be surprised you know everyone. You want to go get a drink?" Turning back to Ash, she says, "thank you so much." She's starting to relax, her body subtly moving to the song playing; a little shoulder shake, a little hip sway, a little head bobbing, making her wings look almost like they are fluttering.

Sparrow murmurs aside to Elias, "Warlock? Warlock."

Garrett continues slow sips at his own drink, wincing a little less each time as his tastebuds give up on things. Easton's question gets a little shake of the head.

"Nah, just moved out here over summer and fell in with the wrong crowd," he explains with a little laugh. "I think I know..." He glances towards the main body of the party. "Three people here? Four of you count yourself."

Elias definitely wears that poodle-err-sparrow-skirt with a certain flair, and when the song ends and Sparrow turns to receive her ring, he flashes a grin at Grant. "Nice to meet you." He does a perfectly executed curtsey when Sparrow introduces him, then leans over to examines her "rock" with a, "The man certainly doesn't do things by halves. That's the biggest rock I've ever seen." He laughs at the Warlock comment. "Witch, warlock, wicked, I'll take any of the above.. and a drink."

"I can't say that I do!" Ash replies with a shake of her head when Nicole asks if she knows Gabriel, but the Sparrow book is shoved in Nicole's direction before she tilts her head back towards the kitchen, "There is almost literally anything you could want...some of them are fixed, or you can make a request, or make your own. Just don't run off with the bottles, and I'm going to trust that you're over twenty-one."

Probably a joke! But the offer to go and make drinks for them it out there, as well as her introduction to Gabriel, "Ash. Totally nice to meet you."

"Sparrow invited me," says Gabriel, waving his hand over at the Inquisitor that did the inviting. But then there is Ash coming close, and he raises his glass. "Hey. I have my first one. But will take a second. For sure. Gabriel Quantilla. 11 Oak." He grins at Ash. "Thanks for hosting this."

"Well that's probably two or three more than I do." Easton grins and raises his cup before downing the rest of it. It's so much easier to socialize once you've had a few, right. And with that he turns back for the kitchen and picks through the bottles, obviously looking for something specific. He fills his cup before walking through. He stops when he hears Sparrow's actual name and looks around. He talked to her only on the phone, but he's pretty sure there can't be that many people named Sparrow. Right? But not being able to put a face to a name he gives up and takes a seat in a chair out in the living room.

"Ash, Gabriel. Gabriel, Ash." Nicole smiles, making the introductions, even though Gabe takes care of it himself. "You already got a drink? Rascal..." Oh, but the book is shoved at her. She takes it in hand and smiles. "Thanks. I am, yes, barely over." She winks to Ash then asks Gabriel, "can you get me a drink while I start this?"

"Then let's get you a drink, Wicked Witch," Sparrow croons agreeably. She makes kitchenward to retrieve said drinks, one for her and one for him, then looks out over the crowd. Oh, sure, there are plenty of sideliners she's seen around campus a time or two, but she skips by them as she starts with, "Miss Vesper Lynd there is our hostess, Ash. Legs for days and killer drinks. And her Double-Oh-Seven is Garrett, bassist in the very best band in town. Magnificent accent. Notoriously honest." Onward, "The Hair Fairy there is Nicole. If you don't have her tending that gorgeous mane of yours, you really should. Not that whoever you're seeing isn't doing a fantastic job, but she's better. And hotter." Which brings her to, "Inspector Holmes, Gabe. The killer-catcher next door. Both naughty and nice." Which leads her to Easton whose name she still hasn't caught. She casts a smile his way and finally offers to him, "Inquisitor Sparrow. What shall I call you tonight?" Since her earlier suggestion was half-rejected.

Grant confides to Elias, "Well I known her since the fifth grade and if I don't keep to the standard she'll sic my sister on me. Pretty sure." All in stride. He looks around and points "Gabriel... You're the garden guy? That you? Nici! Been gettin the compliments. Thank you again. She keeps me in punk." Looking to them he says "Most just call me Bax or ... they used to call me G til I started crashing with Greggo. Kinda get most of the house that way though."

"Nice to meet you, Gabriel. I suggest the neon green ones....best to start with. Or to have as a second." Since Nicole has sent him off on a drink quest, Ash isn't going to stomp all over his duties by fetching it herself. She takes a swallow from the drink in her hand, which is not green, before she realizes there was some attempt to give her candy, and she clues in to accept it with a salute to Grant. As people start to move and shift positions she downs the drink in her hand like the pre-alcoholic she is before she moves to swoop up her Bond for the night, "Round two!" Someone's personal goal for the night is clearly to get everyone drunk. Some more than others. "Sparrow! I filled out your book thingie."

Elias heads toward the drinks and the introductions after grinning over at Grant and saying, "Ah, sibling threats. I know how that goes." He has an older sister, himself, even if she's out of town. Then he greets Ash with a brilliant smile and a, "If you'd be so kind, I would very much love whatever drink you might wish to bestow on me." There's greetings for everyone who is introduced, and introductions of himself as Elias Weber, with compliments to Sparrow on being responsible for his costume this evening.

Looking up from his phone in time to catch Sparrow's question, Easton blinks at first at her. And then smiles, "Oh, Sparrow. I'm Easton. We chatted about the band." He doesn't appear to ask for a Tom Selleck inspired name tonight, but probably wouldn't mind. "Do you live with the Ashtrids?" Having given up long ago on keeping them straight Easton just mashed their names together, they're basically a single unit anyway.

Garrett offers a little wave as introductions are made.... then grabs his briefcase and makes a quick trip upstairs, presumably to get it out of the way of the kitchen.

Sparrow assures Grant, "I would never." She might even mean it. Having a twin means she knows the pain of weaponized siblings all too well. It'd just be cruel to turn that against a friend! Her smile goes delightedly wide at Ash's declaration. "You spoil me," she croons to the hostess. With an arch of one dark brow, she adds, "And with the promise of a game..." But! There are introductions to finalize. "Easton!" Unfortunately, she probably doesn't get the Tom Selleck reference, kid that she is. Let's hope she's of legal drinking age. She points after Garrett as he heads off with his briefcase, brow knitting briefly. Where's he going. Anyway. "That handsome Londoner is our bassist. Really spectacular. But, uh. No. I live right next door. Holmes--" She means Gabe. "--on one side, me and mine on the other. Trouble enough for two houses."

As Garrett goes to do Bond things, that leaves Ash to force her presence on other people. Again. Also, she gets herself another drink before doing just that. Then she is moving in the direction of Sparrow and Easton, just in time to catch the comment about trouble enough for two houses, "Technically there is probably enough trouble for about five houses. But...whatever, right?" She shrugs her shoulders at them before she flashes a smile at Sparrow, "Just say when, I've got plenty of bottles."

Marius didn't mean to be late to his own party. He's supposed to be down here playing host, but he got distracted. Thumping down the stairs past Garrett with a nod, he keeps one hand down low by his legs to keep his attire from flaring up around his legs as he descends the steps. This is necessary because he's wearing a blousy white shirt loose at the collar, a kilt, and a sword-belt that looks pretty legit (even if the sword is in the Viking style rather than a claymore). He looks around, trying to brush some glitter off his cheek, and then ducks straight into the kitchen for a drink, then comes over to the group around Ash, "Hey hey. Sorry about that. Something came up. Welcome, hey, howdy!" That's to the others around her. He doesn't even lean in to look down Ash's cleavage -- so disappointing. "Hero Inquisitor? Oh and hey, the dude with all the chest hair and the mustache!"

Easton may care a ton at work, but he could not possibly care less if underage kids were drinking at a college party. Unless some random six year old got wasted, then he might. Maybe. He simply says, "Glad t'meet ya Sparrow." He likewise has no idea what her costume is so he just keeps quiet about that part. He does grab the book that's floating around. When the norseman enters and calls him the out vaguely, Easton looks up from the notebook, "Magnum PI. Get some culture." with mock old man grouchiness. It's not like he was in anyway old enough to catch the original series.

it is impossible to hear her name over the music, but she does see Sparrow point at her while talking to Elias, and Grant calls out to her too. She gives a finger wave to both then takes that book to a place she can sit down for a moment. As she walks in those platform heels, her hips sway to the music and pen held in hand waves in the air to the rhythm. Even when sitting, Nicole's toes tap to the beat and her head bobs up and down. She is a person who feels music in her soul. She can't help but to celebrate it somehow, whenever it is around... even if she is sometimes unaware she is doing it. She's been caught singing in the salon on more than a few occasions... per day.

"I do like being on one side of Sparrow," says Gabriel with a nod of his head as he turns his head and glances over at the redheaded inquisitor. He takes a gulp of his drink and then glances towards the rest of the group. "And all sorts of his side." He needs more alcohol.

Sans briefcase, Garrett Bond makes his way back downstairs and to the party proper, martini still in hand, looking a bit less full than it was, and Garrett looking a bit more relaxed as a result. A glance about and he gravitate towards his counterpart and her growing circle. "Vesper. Have I mentioned you look positively ravishing this evening?" He wraps his non-martini hand aroi d her waist and gives a brief squeeze before taking in the rest of the circle. "So /that's/ what an inquisitor looks like," he says, smiling at Sparrow.

Normally people don't get all weird when someone doesn't look down their dress, but Ash gets all weird when she realizes that someone isn't properly appreciating things. Or, well, her second favorite past time is now available for her to partake in, so it might just be that instead of any attempt to get Marius to look. After he arrives, finally, she beams at him, "Hi!" Then she promptly throws her arms around him, a move which threatens to get alcohol spilled all over his very nice costume, and then promptly plants a lip smacking kiss on his cheek, "Answer Sparrow's book, and where is Astrid? I need her." She then glances at Garrett when he returns without the briefcase, putting on her very best British accent before she points out to him, "And you look smashing."

That's how they do it, right?

"They're big houses," Sparrow counters with an uneven shrug. Her grin's just as crooked as she suggests, "How about you get a headcount while I go peek at your answers and find a bottle we can kill?" Sure, there are probably already some empties, but what's the fun in that? With a snort, she nods to Easton. "Nice to meet you too, Mr. Magnum." Her bright smile turns toward Marius. "I was wondering where everyone else had gotten off to." With a glimpse toward his chest, she wonders, "Aren't you overdressed?"

But Sparrow doesn't stick around for an answer! She moves onward to wink at Garrett, goose him as she goes past, and pounce Nicole. Sort of. Briefly. There's a kiss to her cheek--which miraculous leaves no trace of red, oh, the wonders of modern cosmetics!--and a peek at the book that had been shoved her way. She spends a moment there fussing over her prop and talking with the Hair Fairy, but abandons both in the end, a frenetic creature at the moment. Until she catches up with Gabe as she heads back for a second drink, her nose crinkling apologetically. "Doing alright?"

Grant snaps his fingers to Easton"Yeah I love Magnum PI with Jay Hernandez! what's with the mustache though?" Oh man, really? This is life now. He moves over to examine drinks and candy and all manner of curious trouble. "Ash, this is bad ass. Wait... whatever game this is it ain't going to require a lot of thinking is it?" The warboy does pour himself one and checks the room anyone need anything from her while i'm over here?"

Elias finds himself a drink, since Ash is otherwise occupied, not seeming to be particularly discriminating as to what he grabs. He finds a glass and he pours something into it, mixing himself a strange cocktail of some indeterminate roughly orange color that goes with his outfit, and finds himself a comfortable place to lean against the wall until it's his turn to go find Sparrow's book and scribble some doodles in it, in answer to the questions that he finds there.

Astrid comes bouncing down the stairs with a bit more cheerfulness, her costume a glittery version of Dorothy from Wizard of Oz -- glittery blue dress, glittery red shoes, hair in pigtails. Her cheeks sparkle with glitter, too. Really -- she just took a Dorothy costume and added glitter. She's got a little toy dog tucked under her arm. She's taking a look around, and her eyes widen a bit when she spots Easton. He seems so out of place, and then she starts toward him and those gathered around. Phil is given a bright grin as she tucks herself into the group. "Hi!"

Gabriel goes and grabs Nicole a drink from the place of drinks, handing her off the green concoction. It is, he was told, the most alcoholic out of all of them. But then Sparrow is coming by and he wraps an arm around her wiast briefly before kissing her cheek. "Doing great. Getting loaded. Got to hug a cute hairstylist. The usual. You?" He tilts his head.

Nicole writes her answers in the book, finishing just about when Sparrow pounces on her. "Oof. Hi there, gorgeous." She smiles and looks at her empty hands (she hasn't had a single drink yet) then nods to Sparrow for some reason before she takes a look around the room and gives a shrug. Who knows if the woman in red (so much red) even sees it, as she bounds off for Gabriel.... Who is coming her way with one of those drinks. She smiles at him. "Thanks, Gabe," she says before he is whisked off by Sparrow. Rising from her seat, she holds out the book for someone else to snag, or sets it down, heading towards the mass of bodies dancing. She might accidentally whack a few people in the head or arm with her wings, but, she doesn't notice unless they make it known. Finding some space, she begins to dance, drink in hand, letting herself get lost in the song.

Marius brightens as he's corrected by Easton, "Hey, I know that name! He's the guy with all the chest hair and the mustache!" His grin might even reach shit-eating proportions. When Ash grabs him up in a hug, he returns it readily, although he has to shift his drink from one hand to the other behind her back, "Hey Ash, nice boobs." So at least he noticed. His eyes go up toward the stairs, as he adds faux-ashamedly, "I mean, nice dress. Astrid's on her way." The question from Sparrow causes him to look down the wide-open neck of his shirt, "I mean, I can lose the shirt. But I don't want anyone to be ashamed." And there's glittery Astrid, whose glitter in NO WAY matches the glitter on Marius's cheek -- and fingers.

"Spin the bottle. No thinking required." Ash replies cheerfully when Grant asks her about what the game is, and if it requires actual thought. "Who here votes Marius gets shirtless?" She speaks that question really loudly, and her hand promptly goes up as one vote in favor. "So as soon as Sparrow empties a bottle anyone who wants to play can, I totally believe in allowing people to opt for watching the chaos instead of participating in it. Unless your name is Sparrow, or Astrid. Then you have to participate." Because this is what friends are for. But she's hit a nice stride with the combination of hosting duties and alcohol that she finally, finally addresses the poodle in the room, and calls in Elias' direction, "Killer skirt!"

Easton looks at Grant and furrows his brow. "Why are you talking?" Yes, he might have brought booze but he is still a grouchy (young) old man. As if on cue Astrid comes down the stairs and gapes at him. He offers a smile and shrug that tries to communicate that he's being nice to her friends, not that she'd readily believe that anyway. He downs the rest of this cup and heads for a refill in the kitchen. Marius gets an appraising look as he walks by, which is of course amusing because Easton has to crane his neck back to look up at the younger man's face. Ash's comment about spin the bottle gets a glorious side eye from the former Marine. He pulls out his phone on the way to the kitchen to get another drink, but he can't quite hide the shaking of his head.

Sparrow nods agreeably to Marius' initial assessment of Ash's costume. By her measure? He got it right the first time. "I thought shame was against the house rules," she croons to him just before blowing a kiss toward the arriving Astrid. But the fluttery bird has already moved on. She watches Gabe hand off that green drink, curiosity piqued. She's gonna need to get herself one of those. She steps closer to Gabriel in the wake of that cheek-kiss, free hand--the one with the giant blue raspberry ring pop--settling on his side and giving a little tug. Friendly, isn't she. "Magnificent. And maybe a teensy tiny little bit guilty--" But Ash is announcing The Game. She glances that way with a grin even as she finishes, "--for leaving you to find your own way." With a tip of her head over thattaway, she tells him, "Play." More a suggestion than any actual insistence, but that's a very narrow distinction. "I'mma go empty something."

Elias lifts his drink in Ash's direction when she calls out in his direction, and gives the skirt a little swish with a waggle of his eyebrows before taking another sip of his drink. He raises his hand in vote for Marius to get shirtless because, well, Marius shirtless sounds like a fine bit of eye candy to add to the evening to him. He then comforts Grant, "Don't worry, you can play this game and just look pretty. No thinking required."

Garrett's jump from Sparrow's goosing is definitely as exaggerated as his mock-scowl shot her direction. "Should've worked more on that accent," he tells Ash, but his teasing tone holds not a trace of malice. He just sort of soaks in the party until he starts hearing Ash talking about spin the bottle and the like. He sighs, but more in a 'oh you kids' way than resignation. With a brief hesitation, he downs his martini, winces, then heads towards the kitchen. Liquid confidence may be needed soon.

Gabriel is dutifully tugged by Sparrow and he laughs. "I'm fine. I met Ash. I know Nicole." Gabe waves at the Hair Fairy. "I'm feeling a little loose. All is good. Promise." He winks ar Sparrow and then considers the game as she goes off to drain a bottle. "As a thirty-five-year-old homicide detective, I am going to be a real catch to these college students." But he goes to join anyway.

"Um." This is said to Easton. "Are you Ace Ventura or something?" Look, her pop culture knowledge is very limited and Astrid saw Ace Venture on STARZ or something a few weeks ago. She waves to Sparrow as she flutters off, and then she's back to giving Easton a weird, crooked look. Then her eyes widen. "Oh! Wait! You're that dude from Forgetting Sarah Marshall." No, no he's not. She's really trying though. Then there's some word about spin the bottle, and she holds up both hands -- she's somehow without a drink. "Nope. Last time I did spin the bottle, I ended up kissing..." She stops. "Well, that doesn't matter." She makes a gesture that suggests she's moving on. "I need to get a drink anyway." Then she leans back a bit, looking beyond Easton to find the drinks.

Marius blinks at Ash's declaration of party game, then chuckles and shakes his head in amusement. He takes a sip of his own drink, then nods to Sparrow, "It is. That's why I don't want them to be ashamed." And then Ash is calling a vote that is rather important to him, and he blinks as he looks around, making a big show of counting hands -- Elias gets some narrowed eyes and then a cheerful, "Look, skirt-brother." He hands Ash his drink, then reaches up to pull off his shirt. He didn't do an actual count of the hands raised. He doesn't have Jamie Fraser's scars on his back, just some curls of blond chest-hair. Astrid gets a look as she suggests she's not playing, "Someone who was a crappy kisser, I'm sure. So you shouldn't have a problem here, right?"

Tilting his head at Astrid he just shakes his head and says, "No. And for the record, between the two of you, I always liked the other one better." He openly rolls his eyes as Astrid starts to get into the last person she kissed playing spin the bottle. He pours himself a drink and thinks about that one. "Damn. Last time I played spin the bottle, I made out with Erin Addington." Oof, talk about feeling old, that was nearly fifteen years ago now. It at least does make him crack a smile though. He checks his phone again and texts something back.

Marius gets a very pleased look, because who doesn't like it when people agree with her they should be shirtless? She's so happy that she doesn't even drink any of his drink while she holds it, "Fabulous!" She holds his drink back out towards him when he's done, then she deals with downing her own drink before she smacks Marius' on the chest, then goes to retrieve herself another drink before the game starts. She doesn't bother arguing with Astrid, just gives her the saddest look in the entire world, full of stuck out bottom lip and big, sad, sad eyes. Look Astrid, she might cry!! Then she's distracted by getting another drink, and making sure that anyone who wants a fresh drink has one made, "Herr Doktor! Clear a space on the floor for the game, por favor!"

Elias applauds when Marius pulls of his shirt and lets out a whistle of appreciation, flashing him a grin before raising his drink and finishing it off before going in search of another. He glances over as Easton declares his last spin-the-bottle make-out and says, "Well, you could do worse. At least she's hot?" He says this as he rummages around in the alcohol, looking for a bottle of something less fruity than what he was drinking before. He finds a beer, and decides that'll do.

"I saw that," Astrid chides Easton. "You know that rolling your eyes is a sign of exasperation, and exasperation is an Old Dude thing. And I know you're not that old." She squints at him, wagering a guess, "Thirty-two. No wait! Thirty flat. That's like, less than a decade." She stands there with Easton, and somehow there's now a drink in her hand and she didn't really move. She takes a sip from it -- it's a whiskey sour for the bartender(s) in the room. She catches Marius's look, and scoffs dramatically, but there's a smile of amusement at the corner of her eyes. "Sorry, Highlander. I'm playing hard to get!"

The Inquisitor disappears into the kitchen for just a minute or two. Just long enough that when she delivers a tequila bottle to Ash, it's empty. It hadn't been when Ash last saw it, but let's hope that it wasn't too terribly full either. Especially given that she's got a cup of the green stuff as she moves to settle in with the group. Are they sitting in a cirlce on the floor? Oh, that's gonna be fun in this skirt! Thank the gods she's an ardent adherent of that No Shame rule. She finds herself a likely spot among the gorgeous guests playing this silly game and ... sets her drink between her folded legs, the bright red panties she's got on under the skirt that's hiking up her thighs pretty obvious past that scant obstruction. "There a rule for who goes first? Person who's kissed the fewest people in the room gets the first kiss?"

Moving her body to the music, dancing with any one of the college kids that might have approached her, Nicole seems to be having fun, and so far has not poked out any eyes with her wings, so that's good. She sees people starting to gather, talking about a game though, and asks, "what are we playing?" She looks at Sparrow then as her own steps bring her to the group, hips swaying to 'Havana', then looks around the room. "Uh... no."

Gabriel is the asshole in a trench coat, for his dumb Holmes costume, which he unbuttons a bit so he can sit next to Sparrow. A glance over as he confirms that the panties match the drapes. (Or wharever). He then looks up at Nicole. "C'mon. Don't be a prude. If I can play, you can, chica."

Glancing over at Elias, Easton looks him up and down before nodding approvingly, "Nice skirt. And yes, she is, always was. Unfairly hot when we were teenagers." Easton smirks at the thought and then tips his cup to Astrid. "I am an old dude. You go.. go spin bottles and make terrible decisions. I have an extremely hot blond texting me that she has a break coming up, so sadly I'm not long for this party." He pulls out his phone to text something back to Bennie, but looks on at the game with at least a slightly less grouchy disposition than before.

Marius tosses his shirt toward the stairs. He'll get it later. Probably in the morning. He gives a bow to the whistles and applause, and then collects his drink back from Ash, "Yes, I am." He points from Astrid to Ash and back when Astrid scoffs at him, "Only way to play... except it makes Vesper Ash cry." He follows the group over to the cleared space on the floor, sinking down cross-legged, and then remembering that he's wearing a skirt. He's now showing off most of his thighs to the party at large, the tartan pooling in his lap but thankfully not quite high enough up to let people know whether or not he's a True Scotsman. He bops his head to Havana, looking up to Nicole and waving a hand in welcome, "Spin the Bottle." Gabriel's comment to Nicole gets a frown, however, "No. No no no. No slut shaming, no prude shaming, no nothing. No shame please." Looking back to the Hair Fairy, he gestures to a spot beside him, "You're welcome to play if you want, or not if you don't."

Nicole sticks her tongue out at Gabriel. "I am playing. I said no to the rule. Prude..." She makes a 'pff' sound with her lips. "Yeah... totally." She smiles at Marius and takes that offered up spot beside him, trying to sit on the ground comfortably with wings on her back and a dress on.

Sparrow makes heart-hands at Marius at his quick correction of Gabe's wording. She follows it up with a look in the detective's direction, her brows arched sternly. Mostly playful. Her hand snags on Gabe's arm, but it lingers there only a couple seconds, her energy too unsettled to sustain the contact on her own. She reaches for her drink instead, lifting her cup toward Easton. "Damned fine excuse to go. Looking forward to talking again a bit more businesslike, PI."

"Thanks, Sparrow got it for me after our little trip to Pleasantville. Figured if there was any occasion to wear it, this was it," Elias says with a grin as he makes his way over to where the guests are and finds someplace to settle on the floor comfortably, his own skirt settling around him in a poof, swallowing his crossed legs entirely.

The person that has kissed the least amount of people in the room? Ash does a quick headcount, "I've only kissed three." She is unashamed to admit her number, low or high that it might be. But then people are heading towards the floor, and her and her newly made drink begin to collect the their Bond on the way before she finds herself a seat on the floor. And while she was all sad puppy at Astrid she's not going to force, or plead, or beg. Just sniffle. Once. Only once. Then she sets the bottle down on the floor in between everyone, "We can go alphabetically, backwards. So. Whoever is like...the last in the alphabet goes first. Then normal rules apply...whoever it lands on spins next."

How did this glass suddenly find itself refilled? Garrett glances towards Ash vaguely appreciatively, raising his martini in a little toast in her direction. He takes a moment to unbutton the fancy, fancy dinner jacket and finding himself a spot to sit. Next to Ash, unsurprisingly. "Vesper. We meet again," he smiles, glancing around at the circle.

"I've only kissed one person in the room, but, seriously, someone spin and get this show on the road." Gabriel has had enough alcohol that he is a little relaxed qnd loose. Just in that sweet spot. "Less talking more kissing." He grins when Nicole joins the circle.

"Three and a half?" Sparrow counts, not sure if all the air and cheek kisses she and Nicole exchange really count. But the rule is vetoed anyway, and she doesn't seem the least little bit troubled by it. She takes a swig of her drink, heaving a sigh as she sets the cup back down. Ash's revised start-player rules have her looking around the group. "I mean. Philomena..." Is still after all these other front-half of the alphabet fuckers, Sparrow. "Oh. Heh." A soft snort follows that little laugh. Leaning in to take the bottle, she murmurs, "I see what you did there," to Ash. She wobbles the bottle this way and that to get a feel for how it might spin... and without looking to see if everyone's even all settled in, she spins!

"She is pretty hot," Astrid agrees. But then she sighs like she's totally put out, and she drifts away from him with a passing smile. Then she's off to the spin the bottle group and she wriggles her way between two people. She sits politely in that Dorothy skirt, and chucks Todo at Marius for safe keeping. "Spin it up!" Then she waits for the results.

Elias hasn't actually kissed anyone in the room, the majority of whom he's only just met, but the rules are changed before he says anything, so he keeps that fact to himself for the time being, instead taking another swallow from his beer and chuckles when Sparrow seems to realize she's been volunteered.

"Two," Marius announces, even though the rule has already passed into the dustbin of history. He starts to look around the circle as the new starting rule is announced, and he makes a little 'M' with his hands, just to let everyone know, oh look, Sparrow's going first. "Screwed both ways, right?" There's a stuffed dog thrown at him, and he fumbles it a moment, nearly spilling the remains of his drink, but then clutches the little sparkle-mutt to his chest and sets his drink down behind him, only to look back up to see the bottle pointed at him, "Oh, hello."

Gabriel laughs when Sparrow is finally nominated to spin first, taking a sip of his very strong drink. But then the bottle lands on Not Him and he laughs, dutifully letting out a small "woo" as it lands on Marius.

When Astrid joins there is a happy beaming smile for her, then Ash lifts her drink up for a sip from it before she leans over to bump her shoulder against Garrett's, "Did you get the chance to answer the Book?" She wonders, whispering none to quietly the question, but then there is the spinning, and it lands on Marius, "Herr Doktor!" She declares, because someone refuses to admit that Vikings don't speak German.

"That's how I like it," Sparrow lazily croons in answer to Marius's comment about her name. Blame the tequila if you really have to. She keeps her eyes on the bottle while it spins and wobbles and slows, pointed right at the viking. His 'hello' gets a nonverbal answer, three fingers held up to correct his count. That hand then goes down to set her drink in front of Gabe and out of her path before her hands hit the floor and her ass goes up and she crawls the short distance across the circle to murmur an admittedly liquor-tinged, "Hi." Without hesitation, she sinks right in, bringing her lips to his, parting promptly in invitation, should he care to make a good show of it. She tastes of a lot of things right now, agave, lime and sugar all very prominent. And she only bites a teensy tiny bit before sinking back... and... well, it was easier to crawl forward than backward, but she manages alright.

Easton watches the group get into the game and just shakes his head with a slight smile. He's not that old, not even close to the oldest one here but he still plays the grouchy old man well, maybe it's the Tom Selleck costume. He downs the rest of his cup and calls out, "Have fun. I need to defile an ambulance." And with that he slips out the door to light a smoke and hop into his beat up Jeep.

Astrid's eyes widen a bit when the bottle centers on Marius, and then she flashes him a wide grin with a little thumbs up. Whatever that means. Then she watches the kiss with her head tilted curiously, and her grin broadening slightly. She glances over her shoulder as Easton says his goodbyes, and she wrinkles her nose, "Just use Clorex wipes afterwards!" Good advice, now... back to the bottle!

Garrett returns the shoulder nudge to Ash and then shakes his head. "I've yet to lay hands or eyes on this book," he answers, snerking at the 'Herr Doktor'. "I take it I should?" he asks, grinning a bit at Sparrow's crawling routine. It does seem silly to stand up for such a short distance. Easton gets a raised hand and wave as he makes his departure, and then Garrett is sipping at martini two. To keep in character, naturally.

When Sparrow crosses the circle toward him, Marius is busy nodding to Astrid and then blinking at Ash, "Wait, I'm Herr Doktor?" And then he remembers, and so he turns toward Sparrow with an 'ahhhh' look of understanding on his face, and he makes a beckoning gesture with one finger, leaning forward to meet her. His hand goes up to the back of her neck when she leans into it, and he tilts his head, parting his lips in response to hers, but keeping his tongue in his own mouth -- mostly, there's just a little flicker at her lip there right before she bites at his lip, causing him to straighten up in his cross-legged seat and then laugh readily when she backs up again. He whistles softly, shaking his head in appreciation, then leans forward to give the bottle a spin himself. "Have fun stormin' the castle, Magnum!" There's a pause as the bottle goes round-and-round, "And Vikings don't speak German, damn it, Ash."

Gabriel laughs as Sparrow crawls forward, using the opportunity to check out her ass as she does. Another dutiful "woo" for the kiss and then he wraps an arm around uer to hug the redhead brieflg as she settles back afterwards.

Grant laughs "Oooooh shit I did not get a chance to. Does it have to be legible?" Looking up he waves to Easton, "Hey, was good meeting you man. We'll have to catch you up sometime." Looking back to Astrid he asks, "You got the book or someone smoke it by accident?" That kiss happens and one eyebrow goes up with a slow nod of approval. "niiiiice very nice!"

Now that's what we call a kiss. But Marius's farewell to Easton gets her brows shooting up "Oh! He's Magnum PI!" Now Astrid recognizes Easton's costume. She's turning in her seat, calling out toward Easton's departure, "Tom Selek is hot!" Now she's turning back to the festivities, and her eyes brighten as the bottle lands on Ash. She gives her blonde soulmate an amused little look before she glances back to Grant. "The book? Oh! Sparrow's book. Yeah, I dropped my answers in." This also answers Marius's question.

Nicole watches Easton leave, waving to him as he goes, though she is much more involved in watching the bottle spin, see who it lands on, and if what happens after is going to be hot or not.

Sparrow licks her lips a few times as she smiles dopily in Marius' general direction. Eyes a little unfocused--the tequila probably can actually be blamed for that--it's difficult to tell if she's actually looking at him. She does look to the bottle, though, as it does its dance, even as she lists toward Gabriel, sinking into that one-armed hug and staying there even if he chooses to withdraw. When the bottle lands on Ash, she pouts just a touch, a playful thing that lasts all of a heartbeat. Then she's kissy-kissing through the air at Bax and pointing to the big obvious Book of Questions right over there. Just a scooch and stretch away. "Draw me something, hubby?"

Elias lifts his bottle in salute to Easton as the man heads out and then settles back comfortably to watch the ensuing kissing with a kind of amused little smile. He nods in the direction of the book when Grant asks about it, having paused to fill in some of his own answers earlier.

"Yep, you really should write in the book." Ash starts to push herself up to try and locate where the book has gotten off to, ignoring the kissing and the bottle spinning, but she's not ignoring the German comment. "I don't speak old Viking!" In fact, Ash doesn't actually speak any language, somehow. Oops. But then she notices that there is things happening, and Easton is leaving so he gets a wave, and then the bottle is landing on her. "Oh! Still three." She sighs dramatically, but doesn't look actually upset by it as she moves towards Herr Dokt....Marius. "Come on, big boy. Let's get a repeat of that last time." She should probably take things a lot more serious than she does, but it's Marius, so she's highly dramatic about it. Hands grab his face, squishing his cheeks before she plants a kiss on him that probably wouldn't have anyone coming back for seconds.

Marius watches the bottle, and when it stops, he carefully ducks down, lining up behind it like it's a golf ball on a green, and then grinning past it to Ash. He doesn't even have to look to Astrid for this one. "I think you cheat," he declares to Ash. Exactly how he thinks she did this is up to the audience to decide. He gives an exaggerated, hip-y crawl across the circle, his kilt swaying behind and before him. Leaning in close... she beats him to the punch, squishing his cheeks and giving him a smacker. Laughter bubbles up against her lips, and actually breaks the kiss after a second or two. "That's not going to get you repeat business, Ash." He gives her puppy-dog eyes that barely survive his laughter, "And here I thought you cared." As he crawls back across the circle, however, a little frown of confusion builds up between his brows.

"I'd never cheat at this. This game is serious." Ash lifts her hands up to her heart, then holds them out towards Marius, "I love you, boobear." Serious? Probably not a word she actually knows. The drink gets picked up and downed before she reaches for the bottle to start spinning it. Then she lifts up a hand to cross her fingers as she watches it spin and spin, and slide just a little with the force of that spin. "Come on...come on. No whammies!"

An interested, "Oh," escapes Sparrow, seemingly without her awareness, when the bottle points to Elias. While her head tips to Gabe's shoulder lazily, her gaze flits back and forth between Bond Girl and Sock Hopper. "That's a yummy pairing..."

Elias chuckles as his skirt-bro gets face-smooshed by Ash, only to find the bottle spinning around and coming to rest in front of him. Both brows lift and he smiles at her a little quizzically. Does that qualify as a whammy, he wonders. Though Sparrow's comment gains her an arched eyebrow and a chuckle, "Are there any pairings in the room you wouldn't think that about?"

"If the book makes it my way, I'll make some contributions," Garrett promises before watching the show between Ash and Marius, snorting back a little snerk at Ash's kiss. "I think it'd be somewhat rude to think pointing at anyone in this group as the equivalent of a whammy," Garrett points out as the bottle spins. A little cat-call whistle when it stops... which probably would have happened no matter where it landed. "Who has that book?" He wonders, glancing around.

That's a trick question. Right? Sparrow's brow knits at Elias' response as she gives it some Very Serious Thought, like she might actually be running through the permutations. Her mouth opens. Then closes. The furrow deepens. Brows arch, then she nods to herself. It's all very scientific. In her head. "No," sounds absolutely certain, but it is not the end of her answer, her empty hand coming up to gesture as she goes on. "But I hadn't really thought about most of the other ones till now."

"I mean, truth. Everyone is hot. But if it landed on me I'd count that as a whammy." Ash replies cheerfully before she gathers up her dress, mostly so she doesn't kneel on it and pitch forward onto her face, or break anyone's nose, and moves around the circle towards Elias, "Sup?" There is no answer required though, as she leans in towards Elias soon after, and unlike when she gave Marius a terrible kiss she at least kisses someone new properly. Or at least seriously. She's still pretty handsy, although it's limited to the one hand this time as she reaches up to slide her fingers into Elias' hair before she presses her mouth against his, and for anyone that is paying close enough attention she goes for full on tongue action as soon as her mouth is on his. As soon as a suitable duration, or Elias breaks it, she retreats back to her spot in the circle.

Settling his kilt back around legs, Marius snorts at Ash, then gives her heart-hands, "You too spider monkey." He looks around the circle, considering Elias's question for a moment before he shrugs, agreeing with Sparrow, "Probably not." He nods to Garrett, "I'll take it after you. And I think doubles would be a whammy." Then he looks over to Elias, "Come on, Skirt-brother, make it better than mine."

"Go get some, Ash!" Astrid is all about cheering -- for anything really. She rocks back on her heels, smoothing out her blue skirt as she watches the kiss, and her brows arch as if she's impressed. Then she claps with some serious enthusiasm.

Garrett gives a little cheer for Ash's kiss before standing just long enough to scrounge up The Book and take it back to his seat in the circle, flipping through pages and scribbling out answers, glancing up at the bottle as needed to keep track of what's afoot in the game.

Grant curls up with the book half answering and half drawing with a wry wide grin, "Noooo Elias, there is not. It'd diminish the whole concept of potential." He does pause the doodling with a wry grin arching one eyebrow and looks up at the show. "This is why Ash is still best bartender. Vote is cast."

Elias appreciates that Ash doesn't pitch forward and break his nose. That would definitely put a damper on the whole game. Though when she leans in and gives him a proper kiss, he gives as good as he gets. He's careful not to dislodge her wig as his fingers tangle at the back of her head, and he tips his head to meet that kiss, lips parting and tongue tangling with hers for several moments before letting the kiss break. "I think she short-changed you, brother," he says to Marius with an amused smile as Ash retreats to her spot in the circle, and he takes up the bottle to give it a whirl.

Sparrow giggles at 'skirt-brother,' a wide, happy smile lingering thereafter. But that might be for the kiss itself given how her gaze is gladly glued to where lips meet lips and fingers bury in hair. There's really no reason why she should be making any happy little noises over here, but one escapes all the same.

Marius salutes Elias with his cup as Ash retreats, "Yeah. She did." He glances over to Ash, teasing, "I'm used to it." He takes a slug of his drink, then watches the bottle spin, nudging Nicole as it comes up pointing at her, "Your turn!" And then he adds, "And this is why Ash is second best bartender. Because Astrid doesn't short-change." He may be writing a check that her lips won't cash, of course, since the bottle hasn't pointed at her yet, but he seems cheerful enough about it anyhow.

"I don't short-change?" Astrid snorts. "Careful, or you're going to end up with an Ash in your lap, making everything up to you." She tilts a look to Marius as a fair warning, and then she's taking another sip of her drink which is mostly booze and very little anything else. She slips a glance to Nicole, grinning a bit.

Nicole chuckles at Elias' quip about Marius being short-changed, then she is watching him spin the bottle. Round and around it goes before it lands on her. Her eyebrows rise up then one side of her lips follows before she turns to him, closes her eyes, and puckers up, waiting.

Too late, that warning is too late. Ash looks positively offended by the accusations of her short-changing any one, and her eyes go wide at Marius, "Herr Doktor!" She exclaims, and she throws herself at Marius, which admittedly is at least not sitting in his lap as much as she's flinging herself at him bodily, arms wrapping around his neck before she plants a kiss on him that is not silly, and probably goes against all the spirit and rules of the game since there was no bottle spinning. But Astrid is right, she's going to have to make it up to him now, and everyone is being forced to watch this happening, because Ash might have been drinking all day, not just since the party started.

Elias gets up and moves over to Nicole, rather than crawling across the floor in his skirt. It's not like he's used to wearing one, and the likelihood of him face-planting is drastically higher than Ash's. So he gets up and then gets down on one knee, catches Nicole's chin with the curl of his fingers, and leans down to press a soft, light kiss on her puckered lips, sweet and brief, and then he withdraws, rising to return to his seat.

Grant laughs taking a long drink and points, glass in hand, "Short change.? I don't think that stacked mother fucker can short anything much less change." his feel pull back and he advises new neighbor and dream combat buddy, "Don't kneel on your poodles, man."

Nicole watches ELias rise up and come to her, lowering himself to one knee and curling his fingers the way he does. Her eyes open just as she receives that sweet, brief kiss, her lips soft against his. When they part, she smiles and says, "a prefect kiss for complete strangers." Watching him go a moment before she reaches for the bottle, she gives it a spin. "Come on bottle... gimme a good one, as if there is a bad choice here? I mean... odds are, I win."

"Sparrows," the red-headed, haphazardly haloed Inquisitor corrects. There aren't any poodles on Elias' poodle skirt, after all. Some girls are all ego and no subtlety. And a lot of tequila. Sparrow lips her cup to take another swig, but finds it empty, frowning at it. Then back at the kitchen. Damnit.

Marius was warned. By Astrid and by years of knowing Ash. "Now, you don't short-change -- " and then he has a face full of Ash. He goes tumbling backwards, his kilt flips up (sorry people on the other side of the circle) and then he barely catches himself with one elbow behind him. His other hand grasps at Ash's waist, and he kisses her back enthusiastically, slowly sitting up as he does. By the time he's upright, he lifts his head from Ash's lips, clearing his throat, shifting his seat under her, and then looking over to Elias and Nicole, "I missed it. Dang it."

Garrett chuckles softly at Ash's assaulting Marius. "Yep, that'll teach him!" He grins then turns his eyes back to the game, watching the latest performance and letting out an "Awwww," at the sweetest kiss of the evening. There's no mocking in the tone, though, and there's a faint hint of relief on his face. For a moment, before it turns to a faint grin. "Lucky me," he says softly, but not overly so, taking a moment to set what's left of his martini down and straighten his dinner jacket. First impressions are important, after all.

Now Ash is pouncing Marius, and there's a sudden giggle bursting up from her lips. Astrid looks to Elias and Nicole just catching the end of the kiss, and she starts to clap again. She has finished her drink now, and she starts to roll backwards with the aim of getting a refill, but then she realizes she's still "in play." So she glances to Sparrow who shares the same sadness. Sigh. She shakes her empty red solo cup at her.

Grant reaches out and makes with teh grabby hand for Sparrow's glass. The Warboy chuckles, "Yeah but we didn't." He offers the book back to Sparrow's nosy nose of knowing things and says "Gimme. I can make it there and back again like a hobbit. Walking is my other super power." See he's good like that. This is why one picks their friends carefully. A lot of friends will help you move a body but the really good ones get you refills when you can move but don't wanna.

Elias gives Nicole a little bow at her compliment before he settles into his seat, chuckling as Marius comes up for air and missed the kiss. "You'll just have to imagine it, I'm afraid. Though I can give you one of your own if you'd like -- no bottle required." His tone is downright flirtatious, but he doesn't move from where he's made himself comfortable again, lifting his bottle of beer to take a sip.

"Aww." Ash laments for having missed things, but she seems happy enough to remain where she's ended up. Astrid's prediction having come true. She keeps it to the one kiss though, and there is a glance down at all the empty cups that are happening, and she starts to get a very sinking realization that she's been a terrible bartender and forgotten to bring the bar with them, "I can get people refills if they want." She reaches her hands up, adjusting her wig, which looks like it's seen better days. Or worse, depending on who is being asked.

"I'm thirsty," Astrid dramatically intones to Ash, holding out her cup like Oliver Twist.

"The journey is perilous," a wide-eyed Sparrow tells Astrid. But then there's a grabby-handed Grant, and relief washes over her liquor-flushed features. Cup is traded for book, and she points to her Dorothy, also bereft of booze. She dubs him, "Best husband." As she sets the book across her lap, she theoretically starts paging through it, but she seems to be paying more mind to the flirtations around her than the doodles and confessions written in her book.

By this point, Nicole is a wee bit tipsy. But, tipsy tall Hair Fairies with brand new wings might not be the most graceful of creatures. When he bottle stops, pointing to Garret, she rises up a bit awkwardly, trying to get to her knees. Her wings are paid no mind at all, and quite nearly slap Marius in the face... Quite nearly. Oblivious, Nicole walks on her knees towards Garret and grabs one of his lapels, playfully pulling him towards her, but not in an overly forceful way. "Hello, Bond, Garrett Bond." Should he be willing, she presses her lips to his quite firmly, letting them linger as she takes a breath in through her nose. Fingers release fabric, letting him free, before her lips part from his and she makes her way back to her spot beside Marius, more carefully this time.

And now Marius has an Ash in his lap, if only temporarily because people still need drinks. Elias's offer draws his brows up, and he tilts his head to one side for a moment, his eyes flickering past Ash's dark wig toward Astrid, and then he nods to Elias, "I'm not gonna turn that down." He plants a hand on Ash's bottom to help boost her up to her feet, then adds, "I'm officially not short-changed anymore." But he is buffeted by Nicole's wings, and he waves a hand in front of his face like she's an actually fairy dancing about his face. He watches Nicole's kiss this time, whistling sharply, and then as she settles back, he gives her a nudge with his elbow, "Nice."

"I got you." Ash assures Astrid, licking the side of Marius' face before she starts to get to her feet with help from a hand on her ass, hands smoothing out her dress before she reaches for Astrid's cup, then she leans down to lick Astrid's cheek. Which, honestly, that is a mistake with the glitter, but Ash'll never admit that it was a huge mistake as she starts to dance her way towards the kitchen for drink refills, or just to collect random bottles to bring back with her.

Garrett does, in fact, prove to be willing to let that kiss linger as long as Nicole is, a hand coming up to brush from her cheek to the side of her neck. He's looking quite pleased when their lips part, though he doesn't bother to settle back quite yet. Bottle tk spin, after all. "Pleasure to meet you, Hair Fairie," he says belatedly before turning his focus downward. Bottle. Spin I. He puts his hands on it, gives it a probably-excessive spin, then away it goes!

Elias whistles for the Bond/Hair Faerie kiss and says, "Now that's a proper kiss," toasting them with his bottle. Which he finds is empty. Though when Marius says he wouldn't turn down Elias' offer, one brow creeps up, perhaps in surprise, and he says, "Well then, I owe you a kiss." He pulls himself up then to make his way over toward the kitchen to find another drink, "Anyone need a refill?" he offers.

Sparrow issues another happy sound as she watches the kiss between the fairy and the spy. She unfortunately misses the IOU offered from Elias to Marius, but she does catch the suggestion of refills. "I've lost my hobbit," she tells the witch. Husband? Hobbit. "If you find him, point him in the right direction? If you don't? Yes." As in, yes, she'll take a refill. Belatedly, she finds her manners and appends a low-lidded, "Please."

Spin, spin, spin. When it lands on Astrid, she actually squeaks joyfully at the results. She turns toward Garrett, tucking her legs under her with a little pivot. Her eyes brighten at him and she crooks her finger invitingly. Adorable, glitter Dorothy. "There's no place like home."

Bottles are brought back, and it is possible that Ash has scraped glitter off her tongue as best she could, and consumed a few shots while she was in the kitchen. Of course, she's got a few bottles under her arm, trapped against her side, and Astrid's cup in one hand, and her own in another, and she's once more dancing through the living room. It is twice as hard on the way back as it was on the way too the kitchen, mostly for the fact that she's got things in her hands now. Which means she should honestly be a lot more careful about the dancing, but it doesn't stop her from busting a move, her poor wig sliding even more into a wonky position so that blonde hair starts to become more prominent. And it looks like she is just in time to see who it landed on, "Oooooh!"

Garrett takes advantage of the extra spin time for another sip of martini, eyes on the twirling glass, watching as it slows and stops on Astrid. "Lucky me again," Garrett says with a smile across the circle towards Astrid. The Bottle-Spinning deities are clearly on his side. He also opts not to crawl, presumably to save nice pants from excessive wear, standing then kneeling in front of Astrid. "Still have to show you that lake one of these days," he reminds her before he's leaning in to press a soft, then not so soft, lingering kiss to her lips, his own parting in invitation... and then reaching over to steal The Book from Sparrow once he and Astrid part.

Marius is licked, squinting one eye up at Ash, and then he shakes his head, watching the bottle spin round and round and end up on Astrid. He gives an approving little whistle, then looks back to Elias, chuckling, "Coward." Waving off the laughing accusation, however, he nods, "I'll collect if you don't pay up." Finishing off his drink, he holds it up as well, "Me too please." And then he turns to watch Bond's moves. He laughs and adds, "A kiss and a promise for more. Bold play, Bond. Bold play."

Astrid smiles that simple, soft smile before its caught up in a kiss from Garrett. She reaches up, curving her fingers around the lapel of his jacket as she tugs him in closer for that kiss. Her lips part, and there's a coaxing play of tongue before he's parting from her to grab the book, and she swoons dramatically backwards. "The kiss was just your way to get close to Phil's book. Alas, I have been wronged." Then she gives Garrett a wink before she scoots out toward the bottle to give it a spin.

Hey! No thiefing things while Sparrows are distracted! The haloed redhead reflexively reaches for the book when it starts to move from her lap, too caught up in watching the kissing to really understand what's happening. It doesn't take too long for her liquor-squished brain to catch up, for her hand to retract, for that little, "Oh," to escape. Followed promptly by a sloppy little laugh. Without anything on her lap, as if that had been weighing her down, she makes her way to her feet, teetering just a little bit, and... just wanders off and out of sight. Prooooobably in search of a bathroom.

"Oh, you did not just call me a coward," Elias says while he's in the midst of picking up Sparrow's glass, and Marius' on his way to the kitchen. He does take the glass though and smirks, "Oh, you won't have to collect. I'll be back." And with that he does head off into the kitchen to find Grant, and get the refills, bringing them back. He hands one to Marius, and sets Sparrow's near where she was sitting for her to retrieve whenever she returns. Then, with bottle in hand, he approaches Marius and drops himself right into his lap in a fantastic poof of orange sparrow-skirt, draping one arm around his neck, and leans in to kiss him.

Drinks are passed out, or refilled as needed, then Ash glances towards Sparrow when she starts to teeter off, "Down the hall to the left!" Presumably that is the directions to the bathroom, and not somewhere else, right? Then Ash sets the bottles down, setting her glass down before she hitches her dress up just enough so that she's not risking falling or ripping it when she drops herself back onto the floor, her elbows settling on her knees before she sways out of the way of poofed poodle. "Everyone wants a Viking tonight."

Even if he's a Scotsman for the night.

Garrett glances over towards Marius before bothering with his turn at the book. "What? I was talking about her ecology capstone," he says, the words innocent enough, the little glint in his eyes less so. And then that look is sent in Astrid's direction. "...but, if I have wrongdoing to make up for, well... we do make sure to pay our debts in Her Majesty's Secret Service, so..." The offer is left open with a small smile. Only then does he finally open the book and start scribbling answers in with one hand, holding his drink with the other... and pausing long enough to give Ash a little shoulder nudge when she returns.

Marius beams up to Elias as he's called out and given a promise. He laughs again at Astrid's claim, shaking his head, "Then Bond's a fool, Ast." Hey look, he's got a drink, and a skirt-wearing Elias in his lap. He 'oofs' lightly, then leans in to respond in kind, one hand coming up to Elias's cheek. He lingers neatly, leaning into the kiss, then straightens up and flashes Ash a thumbs-up behind Elias's back. "Paid in full, no cowardice." He peers around Elias when the bottle stops spinning, looking to Garrett first, "Yeah, I like her ecology capstone too." He's not talking about habitats or studies by his tone. "And damn, I really need to wear a kilt more often. Being a Scotsman's almost as great as being a Viking." And then he finally looks down to the bottle, over to Astrid, then over to Elias, shrugging helplessly.

Astrid leans forward to watch the bottle, and when it alights on the skirt-brothers, laughter bubbles at her lips. She shakes her head and gives a forward crawl, skirt, petticoats and not much else flourishing as she scoots in toward Elias and Marius. "A twofer!" She curls her fingers behind Elias's head to kiss him with a little arch and a playful smile behind that press of lips. It isn't a lingering kiss, because then she turns her head to Marius, and kisses him with a hand at his cheek. She's grinning against his mouth before she presses in closer and her lips part with a little tease of tongue. Now she sits back. "Now you two can fight over who spins the bottle next." And she pinches both their cheeks.

Elias leans back in to meet Marius' lips, letting the kiss linger briefly, neither as sweet and soft as the kiss to Nicole, nor as daring as the kiss with Ash, but something somewhere in the middle, before drawing back in time to notice the bottle spinning around to point at them. He laughs then and says, "Clearly the skirts are working for us tonight." When Astrid approaches, he presses his lips to hers cupping her cheek lightly, and then releases her to Marius before chuckling, "Augh. Glitter." Because you can't come into contact with Astrid and not be be-glittered. Only once all the kissing is done does he finally extricate himself from poor Marius' lap and settles back onto the floor.

"I love this song." Sparrow's voice can be heard around the corner just before she can be seen. The skirt that had been creeping up when she wandered off all of a minute ago has resituated itself all nice and proper, framing hips as they shift in perfect sync with Billie Eilish singing about her strange addiction. She might be wobbly and a bit unbalanced, but there is nothing unsteady about the drummer's internal mentronome, her sense of rhythm long-practiced and well-ingrained. Even as she stands and watches the trio momentarily making out over there, grinning wide with appreciation, she keeps right on rocking to the song without missing a beat. Curious though she is to see how they resolve bottle spinning duties, she chooses, instead, to continue forward to pick up her drink, though she doesn't sit again, choosing instead to stand and dance and sip and quietly sing along.

Because Ash is nosy there is watching, and then she's also trying to peek down at the book to see what Garrett is writing. Which, is rather hard to split her attentions like that, "Lucky!" She accuses, and applauds, Astrid for her luck. Then she glances in Sparrows direction when she reappears, "You should come sit down and rejoin the game!" The number of people playing has dwindled some, but it doesn't look like the game is all over. Yet. Not if she can keep it going, at least.

Marius isn't getting to his drink for a while. First it's Elias, and then it's Elias and Astrid. "Yup. Skirts are apparently always good." He waits while Astrid kisses Elias, and then she turns toward him. His hand comes up, grasping hold of one of her braided pigtails to pull her close, his fisted hand gathered up under her chin to hold her close into the kiss. His tongue flirts with hers, and then he nips at her lower lip, drawing his teeth across it as she sits back, his hand that had been grasping her braid stroking the side of her neck instead. "If you can't stand the glitter," he chuckles at Elias, "Don't kiss the hottie." When his lap his free, he leans forward for the bottle, "If you don't mind? I think I've kissed everyone here but Mr. Bond." Assuming Elias doesn't complain, he gives it a spin.

Garrett doesn't really have anything to hide, casting an amused glance over towards Ash as he catches her peeking. "You could just ask," he teases her before turning towards Sparrow. "Inquisitor Philomena, I believe this is yours," he informs her, holding up the book for a moment before setting it down next to him, grinning at her in invitation. "Lovely party, Vesper," he adds to Ash before glancing up at Marius. "Oh, we're still observing the formalities, then?" he asks with amusement, looking from Marius to the bottle and back.

Sparrow considers Ash--or, more accurately, the space around Ash--for a few measures. If she were more sober, she might've plopped down right where she is in respect of keeping the circle closed and giving the bottle plenty of places to point... but, nah. She just takes a wiiiiiiide step over the bottle while it's still spinning and plunks down cross-legged beside Ash. Even if it means she needs to wedge herself in. Offered the book back, she scrunches her nose and tells Garrett, "The questions I have left aren't in there." Whatever that means. She drinks as she looks between Garrett and Marius, waiting to see how this pairing plays out.

Elias laughs at that and says, "I'll suffer the glitter for the hottie." He gestures with his beer though and says, "Be my guest," when Marius asks if he doesn't mind. There are no complaints on his part. He seems quite content with the evening's events, though he does laugh when the spinner does in fact land on Garret. "Ask and ye shall receive." Though he does add, "Though it seems Mr. Bond may have foregone the formalities anyway."

Marius's odds were up to one in four -- one in five with Sparrow returning, so it's not that crazy. It's good that it ends up with Garrett naturally, however, because it means that he doesn't have to do something that would likely get him in trouble for cheating. He looks across to Garrett, then shrugs a little helplessly, "If you're not interested, I'm happy to have Astrid take your place." It's not a taunt, or even a tease, just a simple statement, a way to let the other man off the hook.

"Awww, suck-up." Astrid pecks one more kiss to Marius's cheek before she shoves him out to deal with the bottle. Then she sprawls on her belly in the open space crossing her red-slippered feet. She glances over toward Ash with a quirk of her smile, then she props her chin in her hands and watches patiently to see wha-- gasp! "Looks like Marius is getting to kiss everyone tonight. Lucky bastard." She winks at Marius even before he goes over to Garrett, and then she beams at Garrett with a little pop of her foot.

When Sparrow wedges herself in there is a bright smile, and Ash makes room for her, then she glances between Garrett and Marius, then over towards Astrid. There is an upwards twitch of her brows, amusement etched in that expression, "I totally know what I am going to think about next time." She flings her arms outwards, careful to not spill her drink or hit anyone in the face though, "Tonight." She then takes a swallow from her drink before she leans towards Sparrow, lowering her voice but not too quietly, "What are the other questions? We can skip to playing twenty-questions or just an orgy. All things are open."

"Already trying to get out of it? I'll do my best not to take offense," Garrett says, raising an eyebrow in a definitely-challenging manner at Marius. He takes a sip of martini and straightens a lapel everyone seems so fond of grabbing before leaning just a touch forward. "I won't be offended if you'd prefer I tag in Astrid, though," he offers, returning that minor courtesy.

"Coward," Elias murmurs teasingly in Marius' direction because turnabout is fair play and all. He sprawls comfortably, stretching his legs out in front of him and leaning back on one hand, drinking his beer with the other.

Marius is hit from both sides quite rightly, and he laughs, rocking forward to crawl across the circle to Garrett, nodding to Elias as he goes to acknowledge the hit. Stopping on all fours in front of Garrett, he shakes his head, "I know it's not everybody's thing. Glad to see it's yours." And then he reaches forward, aiming to grasp not Garrett's lapel, but the bowtie to draw the other man in for a slow, lingering kiss, his lips moving gently before he looses the poor bowtie and settles back.

Sparrow absently observes on the wake of Astrid's comment, "You know, we don't have to wait for the game to tell us who to kiss, right?" That's a question. Sorta. "Tonight?" even sounds like it might be a question, too, though she doesn't bother to elaborate on why that timeframe was surprising. With her head tipped toward her shoulder as she counter-leans in Ash's direction, she issues a hum that doesn't sound half as thoughtful as she might've intended. "Do your lips taste like my lips if we've been drinking the same thing? Would you like to dance? Wouldn't truth or dare be better? How, uh--" Oh, that's distracting. When Marius sets to motion, the Inquisitor's attention turns in full toward that bowtie-tugging. "Yeah."

There are no cowards here! Ashtrid let out a cheer when Marius and Garrett kiss, rather unabashedly, honestly. Then Ash glances at Sparrow at the questions, "Nope. I mean, I didn't wait to kiss Marius again, so I think only letting the bottle dictate choices is sort of like...dead in the water." She glances down at the drink she had, then observes, "I bet we haven't been drinking the same things, but probably not, on the tasting thing. Wanna find out?" She nods at the dancing question, though, or maybe the truth or dare one, or just in general agreement with how the entire night has gone, or could go. Could be a whole lot of things that are getting nodded to right now, honestly.

Garrett just smiles at the preface from Marius, making a faintly surprised but not particularly displeased sound at the choice of bowtie over lapel for gripping. He returns the kiss, eyes even drifting closed until they're parting, Garrett's teeth trying to catch briefly as Marius's lip before he settles back into his seat, offering the Viking/Scotsman a little wink across the circle. Then an amused look at... Ash? Sparrow? Both of them, since their to the same side of him? for their commentary on possible shifts in the night's festivities. "Well, you are the hostess, dear Vesper. If you have a less structured form of party entertainment in mind, do feel free to make a suggestion." But, if no suggestion is forthcoming.... the bottle is there, might as well spin it.

Elias reaches up to tug the scarf out of his hair that was holding most of it back as more and more strands seem to be escaping from it as the evening goes on. He tosses it over to one side then rakes both hands through his hair, which of course just falls wild when he lets go. When Garrett and Marius kiss, he lets out a whistle for them, as well. "There you go, skirt-bro," he approves.

Marius grins in the wake of the lip-catching, and he snaps his teeth together at Garrett as he crawls his way back across the dissipating circle. He nods to Elias, "Thank you, thank you very much." Looking about to the others, he blinks, trying to catch up on the topic of conversation. "I like the idea of a less-structured form of party entertainment." Clearing his throat, he puts on his worst possible Scottish accent, "Now if ye'll excuse me, I've a raid to make, and a lassie to abscond wi'." And then he gets to his feet, ducking down to sweep Astrid up onto his shoulder. As he starts toward the stairs, he points over to Sparrow and Ash, "Yes, do that."

"Little different when it's people you've already kissed," Sparrow points out to Ash in regards to her own straying from the game. Strangers aren't just hooking up at random, after all. Even if she thinks they should. Elias' whistle draws her smile wider, the Inquisitor practically beaming when Bond looks her way. "Magnificent, Puppy." With that, her chin tucks against the front of her shoulder again, though her gaze strays to Elias with his hair down. For a couple seconds, anyway. No suggestions from her, it seems. She studies Ash for what, in her mind, seems an eternity. It's not even long enough for the song--to which she is no longer bopping--to move on to the next verse. Then, without word, she just leans forward with every intention of claiming a kiss from Vesper Lynd.

Sparrow does not notice the bottle at the moment.

When Marius makes his exit, with Astrid, there is a weirdly relieved sigh, "Thank fuck they are done trying to hide it. That was becoming so tiresome to act oblivious." Spoiler: She was shitty at it anyways. "Skirts were such a win tonight." This is probably a call back to earlier, and another agreement with Elias on the skirt-bro thing. But anything else she was going to say gets forgotten when Sparrow leans in to claim a kiss from her, and despite all her suggestions and hints about it, the move still catches her off guard. But not for long, because she leans into that kiss, a hand reaching up to drop onto Sparrow's shoulder, inching lower just a fraction before coming to a stop.

For the record, Ash tastes a whole lot like alcohol. Shocking, right? Rum, fruit juices, vodka and gin. It's probably not a pleasant flavor if you're not into alcohol.

Garrett watches the bottle, though he does look up from its spinning to raise an eyebrow at Sparrow for her praise. Then back to watching the bottle stop and point at... Sparrow. Who is clearly moving towards Vesper, a process Garrett clearly has no intention of interfering with. He doesn't even notice Marius carry Astrid off, which he might feel bad about were he not so obviously distracted at the moment. "So... as was established earlier, if the bottle stops on people that are already kissing...." he trails off, then glances towards Elias. "It occurs to me there is one person in this game I haven't kissed yet." He reaches over and stands the bottle upright, pointing at nobody.

Elias laughs and waves to Marius and Astrid as they vanish off toward the stairs, watching them for a moment before noticing Ash and Sparrow kissing and the bottle coming to stop to point at them. "I think that means you get to kiss them both," Elias says, since that was the guide that they'd followed earlier. Though, when Garrett points out that there is someone he hasn't kissed, Elias arches a brow and says, "Is there, now? Perhaps you should see about correcting that situation while the ladies are otherwise occupied," in invitation.

There might've been a murmured, "Definitely," from Sparrow in favor of skirts, her own a decidedly intentional choice even if it didn't have a fraction of the impact of the others worn this evening. Does it matter? Night's definitely a win for her. With her drink still in one hand and the other bracing against the floor to allow her to maintain this Ash-ward lean, there's no more touching from her, but there is certainly intention. When Ash reciprocates, she breathes a muffled murmur of what might be relief, shoulder sinking just slightly under the fingers that find it. Lips part and teeth catch and nothing about that tequila-tinged affection suggests she has any issue with the boozy lips she's drinking in. Hell, she even leans in a little more like she might wanna climb into Ash's lap, weight starting to shift before she catches herself and reels back that affection, breaking the kiss with a quiet giggle and no comment. And no proper retreat. For the moment, she keeps herself tilted right into the blonde's personal space.

It's probably a good thing that Ash has a pretty murky view of personal space and propriety to begin with, otherwise she might be bothered by this. Clearly, she is not. What she is bothered by, though, is the fact that wig is wonky and keeps getting worse, so she finally takes it off to lob it across the room before she glances in Garrett and Elias' direction, her brows lifting upwards before she laughs, "You should, totally." Not that they are still, exactly, occupied. But she's at least encouraging to it, and semi-distracted by petting Sparrow now with that one hand, her drink drained quickly so she can put her glass down with the other before she leans in to actually whisper to Sparrow.

"...does seem a shame to interrupt them," Garrett decides, grinning at Elias, then Sparrow and Ash, then back to Elias. He straightens his tie before just scooting over the thoroughly shrunken gap in the circle of 4. For a moment Garrett looks like he maybe considers words... but then thinks better of it. Or maybe just decides to stop thinking. Whatever the case, there's no preface or preamble, at least not from him, before he's leaning in, moving to press his lips firmly to Elias's, even reaching up to run a hand through the recently-freed hair in the process.

Elias does shift a bit, sitting up a little straighter when Garrett seems to agree, and he smiles curiously in that moment where Garrett seems to be about to say something and doesn't, one eyebrow lifting just a little, but he says nothing himself, nor does he ask what the man might have been about to say. Instead, he lets his fingers drift along the side of Garrett's neck and curl around the back of his head to draw him in. When their lips meet, he kisses him slowly, unhurriedly, enjoying the fingers in his hair, letting his lips part and tasting Garrett's with his tongue. He lets it linger for so long as Garrett wishes.

Sparrow's half-lidded gaze tracks movement, from the tossed wig to Garrett's creeping toward Elias. Kind of a tragedy that she misses the kiss, distracted as she is by Ash leaning in. There's no thought to how she tilts toward her, cheek brushing cheek. This close, she smells... sweet and smoky, all plum and honey, vetiver and opium. The nod's probably felt before she issues any answer, words so very quiet, lips brushing earlobe just barely, so soft that it might be simply breath and proximity.

There are always going to be more kisses, right? Because whatever it is that Sparrow says in response claws through Ash's slightly drunken haze and causes her to focus in on it. And not the kissing. Not the kissing between Garrett and Elias, and she's not going back to kissing Sparrow either. Instead there is an actual frown developing, her brows tugging inwards to create a furrow between them that telegraphs the confusion that descends. There is more quiet responses, her voice not getting any louder despite the shift in demeanor.

Garrett is in no hurry to go anywhere, letting his lips linger against Eli's, parting them when he feels a tongue brushing against them, his own slipping out to meet it. Like all things, though, it must come to an end, and so Garrett does, eventually, slowly draw back. "This has been a very good night," he decides in a low whisper, shifting a bit to better face inward towards the 'circle', such that it is, a glance towards the girls, then back to Elias, then to his martini, which gets finished and set somewhere safe before it gets forgotten and broken. Another glance towards the girls, a cocked head at the sudden shift in body language, then he's very pointedly not looking towards them. "Another drink?" he asks Elias, rising a bit unsteadily to his feet, picking up his glass.

Sparrow starts to lift her hand at whatever Ash says back, but... there's a drink in that hand. Awkward. She fumbles a bit blindly to set it down beside her, not wanting to sacrifice closeness for dryness. Blessedly, sitting on the floor provides a large swath of flat surface and makes that task fairly easy. Her freed fingers find Ash's jaw and neck unevenly, curling just enough to apply the barest bit of pressure, an expression of desire kept in check while the women continue whispering. It's not all dire, given how she grins as she turns to press in against Ash's cheek while she probably says something filthy.

When the kiss does break, Elias lets out a soft laugh and nods in agreement, "It has." Though his gaze follows Garrett's over toward the girls, and he studies them for just a moment or two, and the whispering going back and forth, as well as Ash's expression. Wordlessly, he nods to Garrett and pulls himself up to his feet, bottle in hand that isn't quite finished. He tips it back and drains the remainder before saying, "Yes, I think so." He then heads toward the kitchen, where there are drinks to be found, giving Sparrow and Ash room to talk without an audience as he surveys what remains.

Dire would be the wrong word. Troublesome, confusing, serious. But maybe not dire. Ash doesn't seem to register that Elias and Garrett are vacating the area, her focus seems to be fully on the conversation with Sparrow, which remains quiet. Although whatever filthy thing Sparrow whispered gets a laugh, which does seem to ease up some of the tension on Ash's side, at least. She reaches up a hand to hook a finger through Sparrow's halo, giving it a bit of a light tug before she whispers something in return, which is accompanied by another kiss, although it is a bit of a briefer one than the first one.

Garrett walks a straight-ish path towards the kitchen, setting his martini glass on the counter safe and sound and gets.... some water. Because he's a lightweight and knows it. And then he's securing a snack of some sort, whatever has been left by the other party-goers to soak up some of the booze he's been filling his stomach with. "So. Elias, right? Garrett." He probably heard his name at some point tonight, right? One glass of water down, he refills and sips at a second. "I'd offer a handshake but I think we skipped that," he adds with a playful grin.

Elias makes his way into the kitchen and leans back against the counter after opting for a glass of orange juice, unadulterated by alcohol this time around, unlike his first drink of the night. He plucks something from the selection of goodies that Corey had prepared, and takes a bite, making himself comfortable. "Yes," he says, "Elias Weber. Neighbor-ish of the hostesses." He gestures down the street, though from the expansive gesture, he's not quite as near a neighbor as those living in the house next door. He laughs then and says, "I do think we rather skipped past that part. Not that I'm complaining, mind. Not even a little bit."

Sparrow's head is starting to wobble back and forth when lips catch hers, that motion--and maybe the thought that went with it--abandoned. A happy little hum answers the kiss when it breaks, even if it doesn't answer any questions asked. Fingers drift down from jaw to neck to shoulder while she murmurs her response.

Head wobbling! Oh no! Wait, Ash is totally not paying attention to any of that, though, but she is paying attention to things like hands and responses. Of course, there isn't more kissing, instead she whispers something more to Sparrow before she starts to get to her feet, whatever it was that was whispered by her this time was probably filthy, judging by the grin that she offers, but then more loudly, "I'm going to go find a drink. You think about that."

"Mm, no, not complaining," Garrett confirms, echoing that laugh, still smiling after it fades. "Yeah, no, not a neighbor, just a..." Pause. Choose a word. Further pause as that proves difficult. "...something of the hostess. Ash. Not Astrid. More than one hostess." Words are perhaps not a well-enunciated as usual, almost like he's been drinking just straight liquor tonight. "Nice skirt," he says, nodding down at the sparrow/poodle skirt.

Elias's expression flickers with amusement that dances in his dark eyes as Garrett founders for a word to describe his relationship to the hostess in question. "I see," he says with an amused smile when the man finally settles on 'something', taking a sip from his glass before glancing down at the skirt. "It arrived on my doorstep after I'd admired Sparrow's and what sort of man doesn't rise to meet the challenge of doing such a gift justice?" He lifts the edge of it outward a little then lets it fall again. "I can honestly say, that while I've never worn one before, it's remarkably comfortable."

Sparrow's smile goes ear-to-ear just before Ash draws away. "I'mma be thinking about that for days," she promises, still grinning as she watches Ash walk away. Yeah, she's gonna just sit right here and watch that dress move for a moment. Eventually, her attention continues on to Garrett as her smile skews left then onto Elias as he mentions her name. "And you look amazing in it." With that, she's pushing ot her feet, too, moving to go deliver a quick kiss to Garrett's cheek and inform Elias, "I would like to kiss you another time. When I'mma be able to stick around to enjoy it." But, for now, she's wandering off to go find her hobbit and make sure he isn't getting into trouble he won't be able to get out of. At least, not without her, anyway.

And that dress looks fabulous. Not a single thing disturbs the lines, very slinky. Ash knows it, sadly she's a bit on the too-drunk to work it well side of things. So it's more of a wobbling walk in the direction of the kitchen and the drinks, and when she arrives there is a smile for those that are hanging out there. Whatever troublesome conversation there was briefly had seems to have been handily dealt with for now. Unlike some people she doesn't opt for water, but instead fixes herself another rum and fruit based drink, heavy on the rum, light on the fruit. "What're you two doing?" She wonders, moving towards Garrett to loop her arm through his, smiling at him, "Mr. Bond. I don't think you've kissed me tonight." Speaking of kisses. But then she also leans in to whisper something quietly to him before taking a sip of her drink.

Garrett doesn't miss that amusement, and even drunk it's not hard to piece together the source. He just gives a 'what are you gonna do?' sort of shrug and finishes the second water. The declaration of comfort gets an agreeable nod. "I believe it. Looks.... non-restrictive," he decides upon. And then the girls are reappearing. and Garrett is turning. pressing his cheek into that kiss and smiling. "Good night, Philomena," he bids her with a wave. And then he focuses on Ash, it at all resisting the arm-looping. "Haven't I? So sorry." And without further ado, is turning to capture her lips with his, things like modesty long forgotten at this party.

"Night Sparrow," Elias says, returning the kiss to her cheek when she goes to head off, and then he says to Ash. "Thank you for the invitation. This has definitely been a far better night than I'd had planned." He toasts her with the juice glass before saying, "Just getting acquainted, though I should probably begin the walk home before I overstay my welcome." Since the party seems to be winding down to just the three of them at this point. He finishes off the glass of juice and sets it down, watching the two of them kiss without the slightest hint of self-consciousness.

There is a lifted finger for Elias, an indication that she needs just a minute before she can address his words. After everything tonight there is really not a single reason to be modest, or self-conscious. Chances are most people won't remember anything, or not much, by the next day anyways. Ash leans into the kiss, and lets it linger for a little while before she breaks it, then she turns her attention towards Elias, "You're welcome to stay as long as you want. Well, someone'll kick you out in the morning. But you can stick around if you want, plenty of drinks, to eat...Whatever you want. But you are totally welcome, like, seriously. I'm glad you had fun."

Garrett just offers a little smile to Ash as the kiss breaks. If he processed what she said, he shows no sign of it, just that small, pleased smile. But then he's turning to face Elias, letting Ash give her histessing spiel before saying anything. "Nice to meet you, mate. Ever wanna hang out or something, can get my number off Sparrow or Vesper here," he offers.

The lifted finger has him pausing, as Elias waits for Ash to get back to him, not seeming particularly rushing anywhere at the moment. And so he remains where he is, leaning against the counter until her attention turns back to him. "If you're sure," he says, because he may be shameless, and unsubtle, but he is polite. "And you, as well." He then finds something to write with and a napkin and he scrawls his own number on it along with his name and sticks it to the refrigerator. Satisfied, he says, "And there's mine, for whenever or whatever."

"Oh, totally for sure." Ash replies with a laugh, glancing around, "I'm sure there are still plenty of people tucked away random places, some out back even, too." She lifts her glass up to her lips to take another sip from it before she releases Garrett's arm so that she can lean towards the refrigerator to read the number, like she maybe disbelieves that it's a number at all. Then she turns her attention back, setting her drink down on the counter, "If you two want, there's a fire outside, and chairs. Or upstairs if the music is bothering you." Which, the music is still going strong, despite the fluctuation in numbers of people still at the party.

Garrett fishes his phone out of the inside of his jacket and takes a picture of the napkin in case it... well, gets used as a napkin. That's all for effort for now, though. "I... would not mind going somewhere where I fell less obligated to be in full costume. Upstairs gets my vote," he says. The it's his turn to lean over for a quick whisper in Ash's ear and a grin before he's drawing back, disentangling his arm with Ash's, but only so he can wrap it around her waist instead.

"Upstairs has my vote of the two, because even with a fire, this outfit was not made for being outside on an October night," Elias laughs just a little bit as he glances down at himself. "I should have brought some pants to change into for the walk home. But I really didn't think about it," he admits with a little shrug of his shoulders.

"Yeah, colder months are not great for dresses and skirts." Ash speaks from experience, honestly, and then when the vote seems to be upstairs she nods, reaching for her drink, then she tilts her head towards the stairs, "You know the way. I'll follow in a second." Which seems to be that she's going to grab a few things, like more alcohol. Never enough. Or she's going to shove food quickly into her face so she doesn't pass out in ten minutes.