[Open, Major Event] 12 June 2066

[geistnet]

Over the course of the last week, you'll have likely noticed the buzz and excitement that's been building all around Metro Manila -- if you've been around awhile, you know what time of the year it is. If you're new: well, this is an experience you're sure to enjoy.

The festive mood surrounding Philippine Independence Day is hard to miss. Wander around the metropolis and you'll note that the streets are filled with tourists and locals; turn one corner and you'll see parades, turn another and you may be treated to performances set up on strategically placed stages.

As for Falner, the colors of the Philippine flag seem to be everywhere you look: the kids who live or study at the estate are mostly running around with their faces painted. If you wander down towards the Fair Grounds in the South District, there are a couple of booths set up offering anything from body paint and temporary tattoos to local delicacies. West District establishments The King's Rest and Liquidated also have special treats aligned with the theme of the day. There's also talk about the annual street party which will be held over at the Baywalk later this evening, and the younger initiates are abuzz over the yearly light show held over Manila Bay that showcase reenactments of all the major battles all the way up to the Darkest Vigil.

Independence Day is also not all that's being celebrated, because for Keepers of the Vigil and supernatural communities all over the world, today marks the second anniversary of Arcis Fortress City.

OOC NOTES FOR PLAYERS

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Comments

sometime in-between sets, close to midnight because his boy is Out.

[larue]

[ Josh slips into Haven sometime after Hikaru heads off to do his thing. He'll be waiting by the bar, with a unopened bottle of your favorite ready.

Good crowd tonight. He's scanning that as he's taking a sip from his own beer and nodding to any familiar faces who might turn his way. ]

/o/

[kyriff]

[ Spotted you the moment you came in, stranger.

Once he's done, he's coming over with a smile. ]

Hi. [ And then, once he sees the bottle... ] You didn't have to.

uwu

[larue]

[ Sliding that over now. ]

'Course I did. [ Join him? ] Great set up there, man.

[kyriff]

Thanks. Took me a while to get the mixes right, but... I guess it all worked out.

[ And cracking that bottle open now as he's joining you. Hee. ]

[larue]

[ Dude. Seriously. You need to actually bask in your amazing sometime. ]

"Guess it all worked out"?

[ Yeah, he's ribbing you. This is kind of usual. ]

[kyriff]

[ And blushing, right on cue. But he's smiling this time. He would have quailed before. ]

It was a little difficult getting some of the songs to sound the way I wanted to this time, so...

[larue]

[ Have a shoulder bump, bro. ]

They sounded great.

[ And he is not just saying that. You know this one, he just calls it as he sees it. ]

So, you been here the whole day?

[kyriff]

[ And he'll take that precisely because this is you. It's one of the things he likes best about you: your honesty. ]

No. Gideon was the one who handled the sets that we had this afternoon.

[larue]

[ Lighting up a cig now, before he slides his pack your way. ]

Man, [ shaking his head as he exhales. ] I should have dropped by.

[ He loves Gideon's work as much as he loves yours, and Selene's. And it's not because he knows any of you. EDM just has always been his jam. ]

[kyriff]

There's always next time?

[ Although... ]

What have you been up to today, anyhow?

[larue]

[ Leaning back now against the bar and taking another drag. ]

Had to drop in on the Towers. [ Yes, he knows it's a holiday. But what was that Fall Out Boy lyric again? Oh yeah -- 'the grind don't stop'. ] Some of the guys decided to pull in overtime, I came by, ordered in and asked for a delivery of beer.

[ He's wetting his lips idly, and then he turns back to you. ] Saw Hikaru at the fountain right before dinner.

[kyriff]

[ Nodding. ]

He decided to set up there for the day, because of the new people.

[ And you know how your boyfriend is about meeting people. Watching. Noting everything down.

Other people might think it creepy, or obsessive. Rethe knows better. So do you. ]

[larue]

Well, it's a great spot.

[ The fountain gives a really good view of any incoming or outgoing visitors. It's also something of a stopover.

He's looking down at his beer now, thoughts going back to his conversation with Stan earlier that morning. ]

Hey, Rethe?

[kyriff]

Yeah?

[ Tilting his head down in your direction, curious. ]

[larue]

[ And then you quail, LaRue. Josh, please.

He's going to look a little twitchy, a little helpless, and he suddenly cannot Words.

( He told Yulia, because it's Yulia. Makoto knew because they had been joined to the brain. He'd 'fessed up to Jessie because of circumstances. He didn't go to you because he'd wanted to have things set up first. )

Yeah, he's backpedaling. You'd be familiar with this. ]

[kyriff]

[ ... o_o ]

What is it?

[ Gently. You know you can tell him anything, right... ]

[larue]

[ Hahahaha... shiiiit.

Don't look at him like that, he's kind of weak to it.

There is a brief moment of 'abwuh' as he tries to form words but his mouth won't cooperate and then-- ]

After your set.

[ Because this is kind of important, also Haven is a Maenad establishment the walls have ears sob. ]

[kyriff]

But I'm taking a break right now.

[ And because he knows that you're weak to that look, he is persisting.

Yeah, he's learning. That is probably dangerous. ]

[larue]

[ Cue internal keysmash. ]

It's kind of... a... um-- [ he's going to lean in and murmur it right at the space by your shoulder ] --I need your thoughts on something. And it's pretty important.

To me.

[ Yes, hedging. You also know him well enough that this probably concerns a certain party that you're both acquainted with. ]

[kyriff]

[ ...Welp. Catching that. ]

What's up?

[ Although he can kind of already guess at what this might be about now... ]

[larue]

[ Rethe WHY

A puff from his cig, and then he's turning his gaze to the crowd of people in the club. Textbook Josh LaRue Feelings Tells. ]

How'd you feel about-- [ hnggh, this is hard ] --settling down with Aidan.

[kyriff]

[ Okay, yeah. He definitely knows what this is about.

Smiling at Josh in that special Rethe Kyriff sort of way, and sipping from his drink before he responds. ]

I felt incredibly fulfilled. Kind of like everything made sense?

[larue]

[ He is so dead. You are so mean. Stop that. ]

So-- [ nervously lifting that beer back to his lips now ] --um.

...Yeah.

[kyriff]

Yeah...?

[ Affectionately scooting in close to bump his shoulder to yours. It's so very hard not to grin --

-- okay no he isn't even going to stop himself. #sorrynotsorry ]

[larue]

[ He is going to look ( maybe -- no, scratch that; he definitely is ) a little red by the ears now. And the look he's sending over is a mix of sheepish and apologetic. ]

Don't tell anyone?

[ Stan already almost slipped this afternoon, and he hasn't really checked back in with the other three who already know. After all, this is coming close to two years delayed.

--Okay, well. ]

I can't stop you though if you want to tell... um. Aidan.

[ The man is your husband and someone he respects a damn great deal. ]