[party post]

[eyething]

Who: Anyone & everyone who'd come to the bar
Where: Damon's Bar
When: All of December-January. Feel free to come back as often as you want.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Just another two months at Damon's bar full of the day-to-day drinking, advice giving, and more drinking for those in need. There are also special nights like Speed Get-to-Know-You and Trivia Night and Karaoke night. Use the top-levels for all your bar needs. Tag around. Profit!
The Story:

Damon's bar has been up and running for approximately six months. Have you come by yet? If not, you should. There's no age requirement for entry (or for having a drink really) given the special nights can interest people of all ages.

The bar has a full staff. There's a kitchen in the back where food's made fresh. There's something special about it being made for you by actual hands, right? In the corner, there's a jukebox playing quietly to not disturb the atmosphere, but you can feel free to dance if a good tune comes on. Sometimes the jukebox acts up. You try to choose one song, and the jukebox decides that it has a better idea of a song that reflects your mood/current situation more. There's no changing channels when it does this.

Inside the bar, there's pool and darts to enjoy. Drag someone new over for a game, challenge a friend, or make up your own rules. Just don't toss a dart into someone's hair.

There are special nights ranging from Karaoke Night to Trivia Night. You've probably heard about them. They're listed up on a board outside of the bar, but also advertised on the network. This month is the first time the bar will be trying a Speed Get-to-Know You event. It's like Speed Dating but for everyone (whether someone wants a date or a friend or a frenemy).

Because it's the holiday season, there are some minimalist festive decorations up and around including mistletoe (so watch out). Damon's not a huge fan of the holidays, but there will be some festive drinks offered for the next two months.

Comments

General Bar Threads

[eyething]

Need a drink badly because Wonderland's a crummy place especially this time of year? Really hoping for a bite to eat because closet cooking is creepy-as-hell? Trying to work your shift at the bar? Want a job because you don't mind doing a lot of work and receiving 0 amounts of money? Did you drink too much and now you're making a drunken full of yourself?

This is the place to comment in with all your general bar needs. There are bartenders, handing out crappy advice along with their cocktails. There's someone nearby ordering free shots for everyone despite the fact all the drinks are free for everyone, but here you go. Have a egg nog jello shot you didn't order.

ota

[middlefinger]

[Wynonna is in the bar more often than not -- not because she's drinking away anything in particular but just because she likes to drink. Luckily for everyone involved she has little reason to drink to excess currently and she's content to nurse a few drinks throughout the night, converse and mingle, and then head back to her room a couple doors down.

When she sees you being given an egg nog jello shot she grins because at this point she's tried a few of them.]

You're in for a treat, those are super good.

[don't trust her judgement, she has a terrible palette and will put just about anything in her.]

[scathefires]

[Hey, cool, there's a bar - count Jason in. The egg nog jello shots, on the other hand ... he's a lot more skeptical about, eyeing the one in hand warily before giving it a good sniff and setting it back down again.]

I don't really trust a drink that wiggles. [He slides it down the bar toward her.] This one's all yours. [He'll just work on procuring something simpler instead.]

[divaricate]

[oh haaaaaaay, she kinda knows you.]

Can't say I've had one before, so ... here goes nothing?

[And she takes the shot quickly. Okay, that was pretty good, so she nods slowly, yet impressed.]

Not bad.

[geekorthodox]

[ She's had jello shots in her life, but this is a new one. Patterson is the adventurous type, though, so she raises an eyebrow, intrigued and smiling as she digs in. There's a hum of approval that quickly follows, and she gives a thumbs up, looking over at the other woman. ]

Yep, you were right. But can you really go wrong with anything involving egg nog?

I wonder what other flavors would be good in a jello shot. Buttered rum? Whiskey sour?

damon salvatore | ota

[eyething]

( everything's been weird- off since his big secret came out during the truth event and worst-memory-ever event. there's a lightness to the secret no longer being stored on his shoulders like a boulder, but there's a new weight and ache at elena knowing, carrying it.

damon's thrown himself into the bar so he won't end up murdering someone instead or at least committing violence at them. he's angry at wonderland, angry at the world they're from. and tired. he held on to that secret for nearly a year. it was exhausting.

so he'll be at the bar, experimenting with making new drinks. when the whole mansion turns into a damn cookie, he'll be breaking things in anger purposefully when he tries pulling out bottles of vodka and ends up with a cookie shaped bottle of vodka instead. what the fuck. it turns into a giant pile- a mess of cookie on the floor and results in him taking out a portion of the bar with a hand. that's the way the cookie crumbles.

he's less capable of patience, more likely to toss someone out on their ass or worse if they're being an asshole or he just doesn't like them. )

So want to be a taste tester? ( sometimes his creations are delicious. sometimes they're just plain too sweet or sour or gross. he's aware when he hands them over if they taste badly, but he still hands them over. look he may not be a full out violent monster but he still gets enjoyment from other people's misfortunes. )

[interpersonal]

( her problem is she's been trying to pretend like she's handling things when she isn't.

damon does a good job of calling her out on it, even when it lands them in a prickly fight, but she keeps falling back on less-than-fortunate patterns -- like wanting to aggressively believe that things will be okay when eventually, the cracks show. she's hurt, and dreading, and maybe at times resentful. she doesn't want to think about it at the same time she can't stop thinking about it. pretending benefits neither of them. but it's damon, and it's them, and elena would still bet on them til the very end.

so how does one reconcile both of these truths? that's a good question.

she's been spending most of her time with caroline and billy, for one. elena's made sure not to hog too much of their time, not when the mikaelsons are going through their own turmoil and billy is finally starting to get somewhere in his relationship with teddy, but bestie time has been needed.

she's also been taking time to herself, to heal on her own terms, while also searching damon out when she needs him. she's grateful he's letting her set those parameters, because elena doesn't really know what each day will bring. some days she wakes up thinking about bonnie or jeremy and doesn't know what to do with herself. some nights she just needs the warmth of his body flush to hers, and slips into their bed quietly to breathe against him. tonight? ... tonight she just wants a distraction.

she wants to be a girl supporting her boyfriend as his bar thrives.

it's why his question has her arching an eyebrow, and resting her chin onto a loosely closed fist. ) Depends on what I'm tasting.

[middlefinger]

[Wynonna is at the bar more often than not, though at least she has no reason to be drinking to excess. Sure the last few events have been anything but fun (the room filled with her worst memory had been particularly traumatizing) but things could be worse. Waverly is here now and while she knows she shouldn't be so happy her sister is stuck in Wonderland now too, she is. ]

I don't know, am I going to regret saying yes?

[tbh she'll probably not even care if it's gross, wynonna doesn't have what one would call a refined palette. ]

[beatupgrass]

[Rocket is immediately suspicious, but that's less because he has trust issues (though he does have those in spades) and more because he CAN ALREADY SMELL IT. There is a horribly acrid sweet-smelling base in that liquor and it's making his stomach turn.]

Man, protip? If you're gonna play that game, make sure you ask someone who don't have a sensitive nose. What did good liquor do to you that you had to do that to it?

OTA!

[blackbirdsing]

[ Sarah actually loves working at Damon's bar, though can it really be called working when you don't get paid? It's more like volunteering thing, or something, right?

Anyway.

She's waiting tables tonight and stops to check in, always friendly but not overbearing and only stopping to chat if someone asks her to. ]

Hey, can I get you anything else? More to drink?

Billy | OTA

[actualwizard]

[ Of all the “jobs” Billy seems to have taken on in Wonderland, the bar might be his favorite. He’s always enjoyed people watching, and being behind the bar he gets to do it without seeming like he’s prying. People always tend to spill to their bartender and Billy has always been a good listener. It also doesn’t hurt that his best friend is usually there waiting tables or just hanging out.

He’s also gotten much better at mixing up whatever drink people ask for and creating something new if challenged.

If you come in while the mansion is a giant cookie then you might even get something on theme. ]

“So what can I get you?”

Speed Get-to-Know-You Night

[eyething]

Want to make a friend? Want to get a date? Want to get to know people in Wonderland under the guise of being friendly about it? Who's gonna judge? Honesty is not required.

On this night, all the tables are out with cards set at them full of questions to ask the other person sharing the table with you. The rules are to take turns asking questions from the cards until the buzzer goes off in roughly 6 minutes.

You may make a friend. You may develop more reasons to want to drink.

OTA

[henrydaniel]

[ Okay, Henry's game for this. Not so much the dating part, but getting to know people who aren't trying to convince him that he's related to them. So, here he is across from you, answering What actors or actresses play the same character in almost every movie or show they do?. ]

I mean, Tom Hanks, right? You know when you see that name attached to a movie, it's gonna be a specific kind of movie. Not that that's bad. It's just, you know...a Tom Hanks movie.

OTA!

[uncaging]

[ Elizabeth shuffles through the cards, frowning at the first few she has read to her. ]

A lot of these seem to be about moving pictures and television. I'm afraid I don't have too much knowledge there. Could you find another one?

[ She smiles apologetically, but then looks a little more confident at the next question chosen: What word is a lot of fun to say?. ]

Oh, this is a good one! 'Verisimilitude.'

MJ Watson | open

[dramatic]

( mj watson is in the house, folks. all fire-red hair and a shimmery black number.

no one would guess she hasn't been having the easiest month, with the way she's smiling and chatting people up. celebrations are her favorite form of distraction, and wonderland has not been delivering properly. she's going to take advantage of it whenever she can. she isn't a drinker for lots of reasons, but she's never needed to drink to have one hell of a good time. she plans to make sure whoever is accompanying her tonight has one hell of a good time, too.

she's sitting across from -- i don't know, you tell me! )

What’s the funniest pick up line you’ve heard? ( oh, these questions are good. )

( ota. )

[wildwest]

[ speed dating? yeah, doc has zero interest in that part of the activity, and while he's not necessarily interested in making friends, either, he is curious. enough to indulge for a little while — and of course, drink to his heart's content.

the first card in his draw reads: ] What was your most recent lie?

[ he pulls a face. perhaps this wasn't the best idea after all. irony, apparently, is the name of this game. ]

ota!

[geekorthodox]

[ This is probably really silly, and she's not sure if she's even ready to date anyone again, given her pretty horrible track record (one boyfriend dead, the other one secretly a domestic terrorist who tried to kill her), but this isn't really even dating at all, just having some fun. So, the pressure is off, and she's fairly relaxed as she contemplates the first question, If you owned a restaurant, what kind of food would it serve? ]

Oh, definitely grilled cheese. Like, every variation of grilled cheese possible. With...mac and cheese. So, wait. I guess I'd say cheese would be the overarching theme, actually. Everything with cheese, as much as possible.

Literature and Fondue Night

[eyething]

Do you love books as much as Elena Gilbert does? Are you a fan of melted cheese or chocolate dipped on to pretzels and fruit and bread?

Then this night is for you. Damon started doing this night because he loves Elena Gilbert, and he knows how much she loves literature, fondue, and wine. Every table has its own fondue fountain. Some are chocolate and some are cheese. Every table has its own bottle of wine, but all the tables are pushed together during this night to allow discussion to flow more easily. Bring a favorite book to discuss, convince other people why the book's good to read, or find someone else who loves the book as much as you do.

Run in with 50 Shades of Grey and make everyone sigh simultaneously.

[thevulnerability]

When Elena mentioned the book club, Chloe decided to give it a try. It has been a long time since she's really had a chance to read anything that was over a sixth grade reading level (at least Trixie has always been a precocious reader, although if Chloe never reads Coraline again it will be too soon and hilariously meta), and this seems like a good way for her to wade into the wide world of adult literature.

Also, there's food.

She arrives woefully unprepared, seeing as she doesn't have much of a reference point to start from. This leads to her staying relatively quiet throughout, peering over the shoulders of everyone else to get an idea of the kind of books she should consider reading. Mostly, Chloe occupies herself by munching her way through too much fondue, and once things have died down she decides to approach Damon. For as close as she's become to Elena since she came to Wonderland, her and Damon haven't interacted much; largely on the fault of Chloe, who still carries guilt for what had happened to Elena just after Chloe arrived.

"Uh..." She's still holding a small plate of cheese covered snacks, poking a pretzel absentmindedly with her finger. "So you put this together for Elena, huh? That was really nice of you."

[interpersonal]

Elena Gilbert hasn't been her social self lately.

She's quieter and much more restrained than usual. She doesn't like being the one with the sadness, but sadness always finds her. She tries -- when does she ever not try? -- but it's harder this time than all other previous attempts.

It doesn't mean she won't keep trying.

Sitting at the table with the book she herself suggested previously, Elena is going to be slightly apologetic about the fact she hasn't gotten around to reading it; the past few months have been challenging, and that's putting it kindly. She's forcing herself to get out there, though. That means turning to whoever is sitting next to her and giving them a smile. "Enjoying yourself?"

OTA

[poppycock]

Not one for socializing or people in general, Klaus prefers the company of books or, more accurately, blessed and wanted silence. Since he returned from his sojourn home, however, he's been quite restless despite the relative comfort he's taken in the results of Freya's spell to save their brother, Elijah. So. Here he is, seemingly utterly unprepared without a book to speak of, though he's read upwards of thousands. (Hello, Wonderland. This is your resident book snob.)

Klaus spends his time moseying about the room, a tumbler of bourbon not far from his hand, listening to errant discussions, peering at book titles with expressions ranging from amusement to disgust to interest, and congenial enough to approach.

MAKE YOUR OWN OR PICK YOUR ADVENTURE!

A. "I wouldn't touch that one without another drink." The advice is spoken with all sincerity as you pick up one of the books abandoned about the tables.

B. Eventually the sub-par fondue (that's for you, Damon) and literary festivities get tiring, and Klaus takes to a table by himself with a novel he might have heard a few things about (Atonement by Ian McEwan) propped open in his lap. He flips slowly through the pages and eventually is engrossed. At one point, he scoffs out a surprised laugh and lifts his head. If he disturbed you, he pauses to say, "Apologies."

ota

[directed]

It's important to find ways to stay occupied--not to mention the prospect of finding new allies within this world.

So had gone the advice offered from one Rip Hunter to a comrade less inclined to see the point behind attendance at such a gathering--not that she'd been wrong to call him out on his interest in it. Certainly Rip is not a person one would consider overly social. Yet he shows up all the same, not dressed in any special way for the occasion, but carrying with him a book that he thinks is suitably formal enough. He sets it with the other offerings, less interested in perusing his own contribution than that of the others who've also come. He'll spend a fair part of the evening at one of the tables (chocolate over cheese, thank you), skimming through various books to see what might catch his interest or sipping a glass of the offered wine. More one to observe than converse, Rip still will make conversation if someone catches his eye or approaches to be polite.

Alternately, if someone sets aside any given tome with a particularly visible reaction, he might wander over to get their opinion on it. While he's well versed in the classics and those pieces that have survived the course of history, he's equally aware that there are less notable works that might prove a happy distraction for a brief while.

And of course, that might say something about the person who selected that particular book as their suggested reading.

Karaoke Night

[persevere]

Damon's night off is the day that Caroline takes the place over for a night of drunken singing, hopefully not entirely off-key.

She has tables set up with appetizers and pre-poured drinks if you're in the mood for just champagne or a mimosa. The bar is open as usual, however, but she's not tending bar.

Nope, she's on the microphone, introducing singers, setting up the karaoke machines and doing a song or two herself if things slow down. The girl can sing, so she doesn't mind.

So step up, fill out a paper, and get singing!

OTA

[shslliar]

Obviously, this kid hasn't touched the booze, but he heard there was karaoke and he wanted in on it.

The boy can sing pretty dang well, but he didn't go for any Disney songs this time. Instead, he told the hostess that he was going to sing American Pie... Then proceeds to sing about Annikin Skywalker.

He'll be helping himself to the appetizers after, so feel free to ask him who introduced him to the music of Weird Al Yankovic.

[dramatic]

When Caroline finishes her song number, MJ is one of the first people to join in on the applause.

"You've got pipes!"

Don't mind if she is ecstatic to meet people who share her same interests. She hasn't had a chance to get to know Caroline, but she saved Peter's life, and potentially MJ's. She's got gratitude to spare where that's concerned. Also, singing.