Koreoke, Washington DC, Saturday Night

[spin_kick_snap]

Sure, some people were busy fighting rampaging snow monsters and stuff today. But for those who were friends with Kathy and Dante, they had another option available to them: Kathy's 21st birthday party!

Their venue for the evening was Koreoke, a Korean barbeque restaurant that doubled as a karaoke bar. Kathy had rented out the back room for her party, which included three long barbeque tables, a stage with up to four microphones (in case of boy bands and group numbers), and a bartender along the far wall to serve drinks all night until last call.

Because if turning twenty-one wasn't a good reason to stuff yourself full of grilled meat (well, veggies and tofu in Kathy's case), get drunk, and sing your heart out to the largest selection of karaoke tracks Kathy had ever seen in one place, then what was?!

[Up VERY early for SP because holidays are a THING (and so are BDEs). Open to pretty much anyone who is/was Kathy's friend (or Dante's friends that Kathy also knows)!]

Comments

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra showed up fashionably slightly late, wearing a fox kigurumi, because of course he was. It was a birthday present from Ava that he'd received a few weeks ago, and what better time for it to make its debut appearance than at someone else's birthday party!

And of course, some of the top buttons were undone, showing off a sliver of perfection, meaning a little bit of his chest. Because he was incorrigible.

And happily cooking several meat items for himself about as soon as he'd arrived and plopped himself down on a seat.

Re: Eat! Eat!

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy caught a glimpse of Ezra in the fox kigu and straight-up squealed. She couldn't help it, but come on. It was a fox in comfy fox clothing and the cutest fucking thing she'd seen all day.

"I need you to thank Lock or Ava for me, because I am utterly delighted right now," Kathy said, heading over to give Ezra a hug. "That's amazing and I need one."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra had known to expect that reaction. Maybe it was even part of why he'd chosen this particular outfit, but he'd never tell.

"It was Ava," he admitted as he hugged her back, even going so far as to try and lift her up for a good few seconds. Sadly this wasn't the best place for trying to spin her. "Birthday gift."

As for her last statement... Well, it wasn't quite what she was getting, but. Close!

Re: Eat! Eat!

[spin_kick_snap]

Kathy was easy to lift, grinning as her feet left the ground and, hell, stealing a kiss while he did. It was her birthday, she was apparently stealing kisses, booze, and food from everyone.

"I knew I loved Ava," she declared. "We're friends, even if she doesn't know it yet."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

"Oh, I am sure she agrees," Ezra replied easily as he set her back down. And maybe stole a quick kiss of his own.

Okay, he definitely did.

"And feels honored."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[spin_kick_snap]

"Good, it's nice to be loved," Kathy said with a smile. She wasn't entirely sure Ava would describe herself that way, but she appreciated Ezra's take on the matter. "Speaking of, did you get the cake? I'm sorry it was a little late. I had a cold."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

"Oh, I did," he assured her, nodding as he reached casually into his bag. "And I didn't share any of it with anyone." Shocker. "I'm sure you're very proud of that."

And he held out a package for her. Not quite a fox kigu, but it was close. Kind of. Look, it was the best he'd found with a rainbow theme. Also, there was a small pendant on a dainty chain in one of the pockets, but he wasn't going to say anything about that. Like how he wasn't going to point out the cribbage set had touched him more than the cake had.

When things were important, he liked to keep them to himself.

"Happy birthday, darling."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[spin_kick_snap]

She'd hoped it would - which was why she wasn't mentioning it. But she'd seen it in an artisan's market in Baltimore and it had just been such a perfect confluence of things that she'd had to get it for him.

She wasn't going to say how long she'd had it for, waiting for a good reason to give it to him.

"I take it back," she said, holding the kigu up and grinning. "This is the most adorable thing I've seen all night. If I wasn't eating barbecue, I'd put it on right now to match."

Except she was also very pleased with her outfit today, straddling the line between flirty and sexy with absolutely no regard to the temperatures outside.

"Thank you, Ez, I love it. Also, you have the honor of being the first person to give me a present, making you better than everybody else in the room." Beat. "You know, moreso."

Since she knew what he'd say to that.

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra preened. Predictably and without shame.

"Thank you for acknowledging I'm better than everyone else regardless."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[rebelseekspizza]

"Aw, look, it's a fox-foxen," Dante said, grinning. "... Or whatever we're calling a fox stuffed in a fox. Shit."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

"'A good time' is what it's called, darling," Ezra informed him easily. "Simple as that. Also, hello."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[rebelseekspizza]

"Is that what they call it? 'A good time of foxes'?" Dante asked, plunking down in the empty seat next to him. "'sup, Ez?"

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

"That's exactly what they call it," Ezra said, leaning back in his chair. Then he shrugged. "Got older just like seemingly everyone else, and that's about it."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[rebelseekspizza]

"And here I thought time stood still for the pretty," Dante said, taking a quick sip of the second strawberry margarita he'd had that night. "Fuckin' sad."

He said, on this day of days, which was totally not his birthday.

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Which Ezra was fully aware of, the evidence of which Dante was going to be finding in his pockets at one point or another in the evening. But he wasn't going to mention it, no.

"Alas, it doesn't," he said, mock solemn, before cracking an unrepentant grin. "But I'm still pretty."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[rebelseekspizza]

Dante made a big show of tilting his head, examining Ezra, and squinting a lot.

"... Yeah, I guess you're still pretty," he said. "Maybe even a little prettier."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra was preening, because of course he was. And maybe even exaggerating a little - it came kind of naturally in the fox suit.

"I'm aging like fine wine, of course."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[boneyard_girl]

Ada just started laughing when she spotted Ezra, utterly delighted.

"We sure I can't recruit you to th' carnival?" she asked, going over to pull him into a hug. "So much fantastic fabulousness has gotta be celebrated! An' you might be th' only person who could be a better barker than me."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra raised his eyebrows and even let out a low whistle as he got to his feet. She deserved a real hug, not some half-assed attempt at one while he was still seated.

This way, she got the full benefit of the kigu-and-chest situation, too. Never say he wasn't a giver, at least in his own way.

"Well I'm honored to hear you say that, darling," he said as his arms wrapped around her. "You do love me!"

Re: Eat! Eat!

[boneyard_girl]

"Was it ever in doubt?" Ada asked, with mock-horror. "Can't have you doubting your place in m' affections!"

And really, the kigu-and-chest situation worked out for him, too, because Ada was totally snuggling into that hug with unabashed happiness.

"Lookit you, bringing th' holiday spirit to us all."

Between his kigu and her mistletoe-and-glitter-filled-hair, they were easily the most festive people in the place.

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Which was as it should be, really. At least Ezra thought so, one hand coming up to play with her hair a little bit - and probably getting a little glitter on it in the process.

"Well, someone has to," he said. "Also it's just not good if the current birthday girl and boy --" He knew they weren't celebrating Dante's birthday but he was also pretty sure Ada was exactly as aware of the situation as he was. "-- get all the attention. My own birthday was a couple of weeks ago but I think I should still get some residual attention."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[boneyard_girl]

Carnie. Some people did silly things subconsciously, like breathe air. Ada read people, and, yes, was always extremely aware of the intricacies of the situations around her, emotionally and otherwise.

She was great at other people's feelings! Just... not always her own.

"You c'n have all th' attention you want, an' I'll buy you lots of drinks," Ada promised, closing her eyes and smiling as he toyed with her hair. "With other people's money, of course."

That was how you showed affection! Right?

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Right!

"Oh, it's the only money worth spending," Ezra replied, smiling down at her. (A whole lot softer than he would have at most people, but no one needed to take note of that.) Her hair was easy to play with, so he kept at it. "And a good gift. Thank you, darling."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[boneyard_girl]

Don't worry, Ezra, she'd never tell. She tended to be a lot softer with you, too, than with most other people outside her tiny little circle of chosen people.

"Well, what do you get the man who can probably get whatever material item he likes?" she asked, teasingly. "Experiences. So, consider me the lovely arm-candy at your disposal, and if we get bored, there's plenty of fun to be had in this city somewhere..."

Re: Eat! Eat!

[smilestopscars]

Ezra dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

Then another at her temple, because he was feeling generous.

"Oh, to be sure," he agreed. "Especially for such accomplished fun-havers as the pair of us. So, we have a lot of options if karaoke and Korean food starts to feel too confining."