☩There is a harmony in autumn, and a lustre in its sky☩

[magicalskeptic]

First and foremost, this is a party.  It may be celebrating the end of summer, and the opening of a business, but it's a party, with all and sundry invited.  There is food, wine, music, and, hopefully, something to keep everyone entertained.

Yes, it is a mixture of what the hostess has always known -- there are sheaves of corn used in decoration --

Comments

[mayaflowered]

June arrives early and shucks her coat almost as soon as possible - she's excited to see what a Xanadu party will be like (not as wild, she's certain, as the ones she's used to, but she can play like a sane person for a while, and also, maybe it'd be nice to go to a get-together where no one shotguns a beer). She comes into the ballroom with her heels clicking, looking around with wide eyes - she's pretty sure dress code dictated cocktail, but given the odd play of eras in Nexus, she won't be surprised to see a few ballgowns, which are pretty, but way too hard to dance in. So her dress is short, sleek, and strapless, designed to show off all her tattoos; with her hair just slightly teased and her impish little smile, she looks like she took half her sartorial inspiration from Brigitte Bardot, and the rest from whatever store had the most subtle but definitely present body glitter.

She does intend to find a dance partner at some point, and whoever she corrals into it will probably end up with a little glitter on them. That's just

[mayaflowered]

"Ohh, I bet you have the best stories. I think this is the closest I've ever come to real rich folks." Moneyed for her area of origin is different to being wealthy in non-economically depressed areas.

[keepsyourunning]

"Some of them are, I think." Jim glances around at the crowd. "Some of them just came for the free liquor."

[mayaflowered]

"Good a reason as any!" Of course she would say this. "I appreciate that, though, it's not a real snobby thing even if it is pretty fancy."

[keepsyourunning]

"Yeah." Really, Jim is going to regard moneyed persons as untrustworthy pretty much by default, but the polite thing to do is agree with June. "Uh--can I get a drink for you?" with the proper Southern guilelessness; it is, after all, what you do for a lady.

[mayaflowered]

She thinks about that for a second, and then grins: she knows what she wants. "Bloody Mary, if you please?"

[keepsyourunning]

He grins back, briefly. "All right. Give me half a minute."

The nice thing about canes is that you can prod people aside with them. Jim wades into the crowd, and returns in about ten minutes with a Bloody Mary for her and a Mint Julep for himself, working very hard not to spill either.

[mayaflowered]

"Ooh, perfect," she enthuses, taking her drink gratefully, "thank you! How's the bar, is it total fucking madness or what?"

[keepsyourunning]

"Christ, like trying to wade in cement. Cement that keeps jumping up to block your way."

[mayaflowered]

"Jesus, it's not like they're gonna run out of liquor, right? Do you think they'd kick me out if I offered to do body shots?" This is why no one takes her classy places.

[keepsyourunning]

He actually laughs, a real genuine laugh that sounds like pure gold. "You could try and find out."

[mayaflowered]

She looks briefly pleased, and then decisive. "I'm gonna, i think - once everybody's too soused to care much. You gonna play, too?"

[keepsyourunning]

"Ma'am, I'm afraid no one wants to see me with my underwear on my head."

[mayaflowered]

June turns slowly to regard him with an extremely interested expression. "Body shots are just so much more interesting in Tennessee!"

[keepsyourunning]

"Well, it's an eventuality."

[mayaflowered]

"Well," she says, very helpfully, "I promise not to let you put any undergarments on your head. I will be on the lookout."

She is not actually a ditz, she's just very deadpan and very cheerful all at the same time.