[ OPEN ]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Characters: Everyone? Everyone!
Date: 12/31, evening 'til whenever people go home!
Summary: New Years Eve party at the Inn / Onsen
Warnings: None! Got anything that needs a warning? Please take it to a private log.
Notes: No fighting!

Just as Subaru had announced, the Inn was laid out for a grand old party and everyone was invited! The first floor had wall panels opened for two large rooms for mingling; one with food and music, the other with a few different games (and space for anything people might bring in)!

The hot springs are also ready as always, with towels and buckets and such all set out, in case someone wanted a nice relaxing soak in the otherwise chill night air.

For those staying the night, the second floor has been closed off to offer as much privacy as possible, with futons laid out as they were intended, four to a room. It might be too cold and dark to go home after midnight, after all, and Subaru will not kick anyone out.

The only thing she seems to have forgotten is fireworks... but that doesn't mean sparks can't fly at midnight.

((OOC: Mingle style log! Use headers or a setup tag as you like, and PM me with any questions~ ))

Comments

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Caught off guard, Subaru is dragged away. ] Akiha, h-hey!

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha is intent on dragging Subaru to the main room where the games are.]

Stop protesting. You've done your duty as the host. Now, enjoy yourself with your guests.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ She changes her stride, latching onto Akiha's arm in kind. Turnabout? ] If you wanted to play a game, all you had to do was ask!

[ritsu_kouyou]

What- N-no. That is not what I meant!

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ That's not what she's hearing! Soon as they're in that room, her eyes are on whatever's currently not in use. Board games, Twisted, cards... ] C'mon, c'mon, what did you have in mind? I don't really know what you'd think of as fun, but I want to learn. [ It's amazing how the odd tension between them, at least from Subaru's side, has all but melted away for this evening's festivities. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[And it would also be gone from Akiha until a certain blonde came around.]

I didn't have any of them in mind! Stop railroading me into something stupid!

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ She hummed and put a finger to her lips. ] Hmmm, well I guess I could just pick something at random...

[ritsu_kouyou]

To what end? I don't want to play any games. I just wanted you to stop fussing and enjoy yourself.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

But you should enjoy yourself, too! C'mon~, just one game? Please?

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Ugh.]

...fine.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Subaru looks around the table before pulling out a cylindrical case with what looks to be a large collection of same-sizes rectangular blocks of wood inside. ] What about this one? [ Looking at the directions on the side. ] You pull out the blocks from the tower one by one, setting them on top, and whoever goes the farthest before it topples wins!

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha looked at the game and frowned. It was still a game, but at least it wasn't as childish as some of the others.]

Alright. [She tossed her hair over her shoulder.] Set it up.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ It was either that or Candyland, but Akiha didn't seem the time. This at least requires some grace and strategy. ] Okay! [ Subaru finds an empty low table for them and begins to stack the bricks with the included guide panel. ] I haven't played something like this in a long time. [ She paused in the middle of her work. ] ...come to think of it, I can't think of any games I've played since Vivio went home. [ Which didn't make her sad, right now, but rather nostalgic. ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

Games are not something I ever indulged in.

[But she looks the block tower over before carefully pushing one of the center blocks out and stacking it on top.]

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Ever? [ Things like that should really stop surprising her when it comes to Akiha.

She takes a side block out, lower down, and stacks it. ] Not even when you were really young, with your friends?

[ritsu_kouyou]

[That question makes Akiha pause a moment before she slid another block out to stack.]

I didn't have friends when I was young. Just my brothers.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Headtilt. ] They didn't play with you at all?

[ritsu_kouyou]

...they usually played together. I trailed behind then, following a lot. Sometimes I could join them... between lessons.

We never played games like this.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Then it sounds like you have some catching up to do.

What were your brothers like?

[ritsu_kouyou]

SHIKI was... my father's son. He fell to his blood when he was young. Nii-san... [A soft smile] He was kind... [frown] and frustrating. Willful. Stubborn.

writing that name like will always be funny to me

[of_the_highest_caliber]

Sorry to hear about that. [ SHIKI, that is. ]

[ But when she goes on, Subaru cannot hide the small knowing smile. Gee, I wonder who that description reminds her of? ]

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Akiha harumphed.]

Nii-san was very sick, so he spent the majority of our childhood with one of the branch families. I didn't even get to talk to him for years.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

[ Subaru tried to imagine years apart from her sister, Ginga, or the rest of her family now... and she couldn't do it. ] Mmn. That must have been hard on you.

[ritsu_kouyou]

...you have no idea.

[of_the_highest_caliber]

I admit it. I really don't. [ She isn't going to try to sympathize so directly. ] The only thing I could compare it to would be being apart from friends that I lived, worked, and fought with for a long time, since we now work in different fields, on different worlds, and can rarely see each other in person.

But we still like to keep in touch! [ Another block moved, and she settles on the mat by the table, looking downward. ] ...I really wish we could send messages home, sometimes.