Party Down! [Open]

[flunkingspanish.livejournal.com]

Paco hopped up on a box to survey the work already done.

It was getting toward “evening” in the City. They’d hung a sheet up on the Great Wall, and a couple people were currently adjusting the movie projector that had been constructed in Engineering so that the picture would fall exactly on the sheet. He’d collected the recordings from the Media Library himself, everything on there was appropriate for pretty much everyone who might show up.

At the other end of the space he’d picked for the party, a few people were testing the sound system (also constructed in Engineering) and arguing with each other, probably about the music. Well, he’d done his best, anyone who didn’t like it could throw their own dance party somewhere else.

In the middle, up against the outer wall of a building they’d hung lights from, Kang and his helpers were putting the finishing touches on the drinks area. And there was plenty of space for people to mingle or play tag or whatever if the shows and music weren’t to their taste.

Paco grinned and cupped his hands around his mouth to form a megaphone.

“OKAY EVERYONE,” he shouted. “TRY NOT TO DO ANYTHING THAT WILL LOSE US OUR PARTY PRIVILEGES AND LET’S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!”

[[OOC: Post-Melting Clock! Mix! Mingle! Make fun of the music, thread with people you haven’t threaded with before! It’s like a Pod Pop for oldbies!]]

Comments

[starbolts]

Starfire preferred to remain above the dancing bodies. The whole scenario unpleasantly reminded her of another party on Earth, where all eyes were on Blackfire and the music was exceptionally loud. Still, everyone was celebrating life and smiling! That was to be rewarded with hugs everywhere she went.

Look out, or you just might get one.

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Oh no she wasn't. Not this time. Peter wasn't much of a hug initiator, except in 'Oh god I'm glad you're alive" situations, but he could make an exception to make sure he was the ambusher instead of the ambushee this time. The small part of him that occasionally told him to think things through pointed out that this probably wasn't the best way to go about avoiding thinking about those feelings in his gut that popped up whenever she was around.

He promptly told that part of himself to stuff it and went for one of Starfire's patented tackle-hugs.

[starbolts]

The moment Starfire floated near the ground, she was caught in a fierce embrace. She squeaked with surprise, hands automatically lighting up before her eyes illuminated her partner's face. Peter.

Well, he can always have a hug, just as tight as her usual standard. "Peter! You are well again."

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

He was never really going to win, was he?

"Not if you keep trying to crush my ribs." He quipped, sounding less in pain than his words would indicate.

[starbolts]

"I am very sorry!" Starfire disengaged immediately, reaching to rub his back. "You surprised me, that is all. I am glad to see you."

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Peter scratched the back of his head. "You do it to me all the time. Just figured I'd switch things up a bit."

"Really, I'm surprised as you are that I'm here. After what happened, normally I'd probably keep to myself for a while. But," he added, grinning, "I'm actually feeling more sociable than I have in a while. And I blame you for that."

[starbolts]

Starfire smiled fondly at him, flipping her hair behind her ear. "Wonderful! Do you see now that we are not so frightening? I do not dance, but we have music! I have also heard promising reviews of the food."

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Peter cocked an eyebrow.

"You're telling me you, of all people, don't dance? Really?"

[starbolts]

"Not at parties like this. I...worry. That I do not know the cool moves."

She could almost feel the judging eyes on her again. It was a strange time for the insecurities to resurface, but there it was. Happening again.

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

"And I know I don't know them. Doesn't really matter as long as you;re having fun." Peter from sometime before the ship likely wouldn'tve agreed with what he was saying now, but some of his Fairplay-self's lack of self-consciousness had rubbed off on him.

[starbolts]

"You are certain?"

Starfire looked left and looked right. She sure didn't feel secure. They all looked so cool...until she looked closer. Someone was flopping against the ground, up and down. What was that?

She continued to stare at this strange display.

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Peter looked in the direction that Starfire was staring.

"Alright, under no circumstances should you ever do that. Everything else is fine though."

[starbolts]

"I understand! Then what should we try?"

Starfire studied the dancing crowd, searching for something, anything she could learn.

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

"Just tap your feet and follow the rhythm. We can work from there." Peter said encouragingly, doing just as directed right before his logical side butted in once again.

'This is an even worse plan than the tacklehug'

'Shut it. I'm just trying to help a friend get over a fear. Nothing else.'

'Suure you are.'

[starbolts]

"Yes. Let us begin."

Tap. Tap Taaaap. One tap became two, then six, then alternating bounces to the beat. She was adjusting quickly enough, but she wasn't starting anything wild yet.

"Like this? And what of our arms?"

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

"Like this." Peter grabbed her hands, twirling her around a bit.

[starbolts]

Starfire's giggle of delight said it all. She managed to stay on-balance, smiled, and...yes! She mimicked a similar style of moves with force, keeping her hold on Peter's hands as they twisted across the floor.

It looked different from all the other dances, that was for sure. "I see now! Thank you." And she danced and danced, a little bolder each minute. She even tried twirling out and in.

This was fun!

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Her laugh, was...contagious, for lack of a better word. As they dance,d he couldn't help but stop trying to ignore everything that made her her. He grace, the way she looked when she smiled. There were probably some better descriptions out there, but for all his skill with words, he really wasn't much of a poet.

'Face it Tiger, you have a crush on her"

'Goddamnit,' he thought, stopping the dance.

[starbolts]

Starfire paused when he did, wondering what could have happened. This was (probably) a bad sign. Did he dislike the dancing?

"Do you need water? Peter, what is wrong?"

[puny-parker.livejournal.com]

Think Parker, Peter told himself. Say something. Antthing excpet, y'know that.

"There's, a-a-a thing" he said, stuttering. "And I wanna tell you about the thing, but I can't. It's not your fault, really, it's not. but...I need to go."

Peter dashed off, immediately taking advantage of over a year's worth of experience of being sneaky while wearing bright-colored spandex.