Open Post: "Ain't No Party Like A HI Party..."

[gotasweettooth]

[OOC: Prose tags go here, all others in the SWS post, plskthx. Open to everyone who was invited, everyone who it makes sense to have been invited, and anyone who has a good reason to crash. So, everybody, really. Open forevers (backtagging is teh funs!) and feel free to threadjack and tag each other. After all that's what party posts are for :)

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[gotasweettooth]

Justine was still hanging in the general vicinity of the door when Brighid arrived, doing the 'gracious host' thing. When she spotted the woman she visibly brightened, turning towards her.

"Well now, just look at you! Mrs. Wayne," she said chipperly. "Hey - so glad to see you made it after all."

She extended one arm toward her in this way that was slightly awkward for a handshake, not quite high enough for a hug - thinking at the last possible second that she wasn't entirely sure what proper greeting protocol was for them, now. If she'd still been Justin he would've taken Brighid's hand, possibly kissed the back of it if it looked like he could get away with it, but like this? Huh. What were two semi-professional women supposed to do? (Oh god - she hoped Brighid wasn't one of those 'air kiss' kind of girls. That would just be too weird.)

[gotasweettooth]

Justine managed to turn the exchange into a handshake, beaming back at her. It was starting to look to her eyes as if Brighid was one of those people who acted with an inate sixth social sense in public - able to smooth over any faux pas with a breezy smile and make just about anything look elegant. It was a quality she'd always strongly admired, probably because she posessed so little of that ability personally; not that she would ever admit that to anyone, not even herself.

"Oh you think so, do you?" She glanced around herself, not even trying not to look smug. "I'm glad to hear it! I just hope everyone else who comes is just as happy."

[takeovertime]

Seto Kaiba arrived at the Hammer party in a fashionable Armani suit - black on black with the jacket open and the tie inconspicuously absent to assure his attire was not too dressy.

The young multi-millionaire was woefully out of his element. Put him in a boardroom and he was at the top of the game, but a party?

He slipped his hands into his pockets and he scanned the room for familiar faces and networking opportunities. After all, the KaibaCorp CEO was not a terribly social man but he was an excellent businessman.

[gotasweettooth]

Justine waited awhile before she approached where Kaiba appeared to be sulking in the corner.

She sidled up alongside him, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed.

"So no date to this one after all, huh?" she asked by way of greeting, one part curious and one part playful. "Or is she off making new friends elsewhere while you hang back all by yourself?"

[takeovertime]

"Miss Hammer," Kaiba greeted when Justine arrived at his side.

His blue eyes scanned the crowd before turning back to the hostess. "She'll be arriving soon, I'm sure. There was some business back in Domino that I was needed for and we agreed to meet; I'd supposed I'd be the one arriving late but maybe she can't decide which way to wear her hair or something."

A pause.

"How are you, Miss Hammer?"

[gotasweettooth]

"Ah. I see." Justine nodded along to the explanation, trying not to laugh at the way he chose to end it. Nothing like watching young hearts going through the rigors of dating and mildly clueless about it. "Well you'll just have to point her out to me then, when she shows."

She cocked her head with a smirk. "I'm fine, thanks for asking. And yourself? How is KaibaCorp's young busy executive?"

[headofapin]

At this party, she had to be at the top of her game. There wasn't room for hiding in any corner here. She was supposed to represent the company, after all.

She had been one of the ones asked to arrive early, and after a few glasses of champagne easily going down whilst waiting for others to arrive, she was in a good mood, with a bright smile that couldn't be easily wiped off.

She was very happy with her dress, and had paired it with simple high heeled sandals to match, and was currently walking through the guests, mingling and trying to make a good impression.

[gotasweettooth]

Justine found herself trying not to watch Gabriella from across the room with a gaze that was the wrong kind of admiring - at least, from one woman to another.

Ah, Jesus. She had her suspicions the whole situation wouldn't even be as desirable if she had still been in her proper body and the pretty young engineer wasn't stuck in the realm of things she could want but never have.

In any case, after downing about half of her own drink to cool off, she decided it would be easier to avoid any misinterpreted looks if she were closer rather than further away.

"Careful, hon," she said quietly as she found her way to the other during a moment when she was alone. Her voice was a mixture of some actual concern but mostly light-hearted teasing. "Might want to pace yourself, else you'll get too tipsy. After all we know you have a tendency to start throwing yourself at strangerswhen that happens."

[headofapin]

Gabriella was, of course, happily oblivious to the looks as she spent her time talking to different people, focusing most of her attention on military men, and though it wasn't directly intentional, the majority of it could more than likely be easily interpreted as flirting. But there was smiles and nudging and compliments from her, trying to do everything that would make them look positively on her, and the company.

She had had a few drinks, yes, and was on the verge of being tipsy as she spoke, but it wasn't to the point where she couldn't stand or talk without slurring.

"I'm fine!" she said with a laugh, and pointedly took a sip of her drink. "Are you worried I might go home with someone who isn't you?" she asked teasingly, eyes sparkling, and she bit her tongue as she giggled, thankfully they were far enough from anyone to hear.

[gotasweettooth]

Justine had noticed Gabriella's...efforts, and was torn between being pleased she was such a go-getting team player and, well, jealousy.

Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and I'll be back to normal, she thought hopefully. Nothing like some outlandishly high-reaching optimism, right?

Her grin became just a tiny bit forced at Gabriella's remark.

"Maybe," she found herself replying, far too honestly - and she tried to backpedal somewhat with a more casual, "After all, you and I always do have such a lovely time together. Besides, whatever happened to you not being a one night stand kinda gal?"

[ladyinalabcoat]

The Rani was not a party kind of girl. The parties she remembered best were student parties at the Academy, which usually ended up in everybody getting drunk and trying to convince Ushas, as the Rani had then been known, to blow things up.

She had a feeling that would be somewhat inappropriate for this party.

She'd dressed herself properly, at least, bought a fancy-but-not-too-fancy dress and was click-clacking around on crimson high heels. She just wished it was a tad more formal; then she'd have an excuse to wear gloves. As it were, her hands were exposed, and it made her feel nervous.

Alcohol didn't really effect Time Lords unless taken with ginger ale, so her only reason for sipping rather than gulping a glass of white wine was decorum. The Rani rather liked her job at Hammer Industries- a lab, a competent team, and a bit of a mystery to mull over- and she wasn't eager to lose it by embarrassing her boss in public.

Neither, however, was she feeling all that willing to talk to people.

[gotasweettooth]

Explosions probably would've been inappropriate for this party, yes. Not that that was a promise of anything. After all there was a still a chance that Tony Stark might crash.

"Smile, Rani," Justine quipped, taking a short break from chatting up her guests to tend to her. "It takes less muscles. And how are we so far, this evening?"

[ladyinalabcoat]

"Fewer," the Rani said absently, "fewer muscles." She did, however, take Justine's advice and gave her a smile that was almost shy. "Sorry. Just getting anxious trying to remember exactly how one acts at this kind of event. You seem to be taking to the party atmosphere like a fish to water, though."

[gotasweettooth]

"Well I've always been a pretty big social butterfly," Justine told her brightly.

Which was very true, Justin had always been good at seeing and being seen even since childhood. It was just the being liked part that was occasionally problematic.

"But it is true it's been awhile since I've enjoyed an event like this - what with my being tucked away offsides and all, and Hammer Industries in general having been kind of on the blacklist." This last was added with a slight sour note. "But, hey! I'm making up for it now, right?"

[cptcharisasosa]

Charisa was not certain she was ready for this. So many changes all coming down on her at once and this was just the public showing of all that was changing. Beginning with the clothes.

The dress that Justine had picked out was beautiful, even graceful enough that Charisa didn't feel like some over done doll. That didn't mean she was entirely comfortable. Especially since her psuedoprotectiondate for the night had gone and gotten himself hit by a car recently. She knew he'd be along later but that didn't make her any less nervous as she stepped into the room. A few minutes late, possibly armed, and definitely feeling like a fish out of water.

This was a party for the rich, the famous, and the business oriented and Charisa was none of the above.

[gotasweettooth]

Despite her lovely outward appearance, Charisa did give off an aura of discomfort that made Justine think she could use a little support system right now.

Luckily, she was more than willing and able. All too happy to do her charitable duty, really, no need to thank her.

She strode toward the Captain eagerly, giving a welcoming grin. "And there she is! However are you, Charisa? Alone tonight after all?" Trying not to sound happy about that last one.

[cptcharisasosa]

Seeing Justine, Charisa couldn't help but smile. At least she knew someone there and wasn't just wandering aimlessly to try and fit in.

"I'm... I'm not too bad. Just been a long week." At the question she grimaced, rolling her eyes a bit before she caught herself. "He may be along later. He was in a car accident earlier this week and has been laid up in bed since. I suspect he's getting cabin fever though."

She shook her head ruefully. "You look lovely."

[gotasweettooth]

She felt automatically pleased when she saw Charisa smiling at her approach. See, she knew how to win them over after all. Whoever said she couldn't?

"Ooh, ouch. My condolences then," she said sympathetically when she heard about the accident. Though perhaps not as sympathetically as she might have. "That's too bad. I'm sure he would've had a great time. Aww."

She took the confident with a somewhat gleeful nod of her head. "Right back atcha. Knew that would look great on."