The monster mash, it was a graveyard smash

[assistanting]

Who: April Ludgate-Dwyer and everyone ever
Where: Realside Ballroom
When: HALLOWEEN
Rating: PG-13?
Summary: ITS A HALLOWEEN PARTY
The Story:






[it's no secret that halloween is april's favorite holiday - she'd been planning this since her network post in september. she'd been ignoring the network and the tapping on her own mirrors in favor of just having this one stupid thing, and she really does go all out. it's a testament to the fact that when april puts her mind to something she can do anything she wants (with the help of a few gracious wonderlanders, and the magic here) and somewhere, leslie is just so proud, she's probably exploding. gross.

when characters arrive, they'll find the ballroom transformed into a creepy halloween paradise - tons of pumpkins, fake spider web (or is it???), fake dead bodies (or are they???), and a plethora of other decorations carefully handpicked by april. she didn't just ask the ballroom to do this, she worked out every detail.

there's an open bar and more candy than you ever needed in your life, plus a bunch of different Halloween themed food (spagehtti for brains, apples for bobbing). there's a dance floor playing a mix of mostly halloween music but also some other stuff even she can concede her taste in german death reggae isn't for everyone. and honestly, she actually wants people to have a really good time.

april is dressed up as moritica addams from the addams family and will actually be around mingling with people and being sociable - maybe that's the true horror of the holiday.]

Comments

[vampdetective]

I'm not really big on Halloween.

[Which sounds silly, considering he'd shown up here regardless, but he's trying. It's an uphill climb, trying to keep every loss from sending him backwards and making him withdraw. Being out among people is more important than ever right now.]

Angel.

[He doesn't offer his hand, either, although a faint smile pulls at one corner of his mouth.]

You work with the Avengers, don't you?

[araneidal]

[ A soft, sympathetic noise, that might've bloomed into a you must love Christmastime if not for what he says next. ]

Yes. [ a beat. ] If you want an autograph, I take bribes.

[ While she's not surprised he already knows of her, it's not an immediate signifier of the same world — she's starting to wonder just how strongly the other Natasha's web held with all these people. ]

[vampdetective]

I lived in Los Angeles for five years. I try not to make a habit out of harassing celebrities.

[Not that it's ever been a challenge, especially given he doesn't know who most of them are-- Natasha is different, since he makes it his business to know who comes and goes from the mansion, and while he's sure there are similarities, he already knows this Natasha isn't quite the same as the previous one.]

I've seen a lot of your teammates come and go. Versions of them, anyway.

[araneidal]

Like the other Widow?

[ She doesn't say other me. The only thing they truly share is the Widow, anyway. They aren't the same, and though Natasha would've stepped into the role happily it's not quite right to tell the same lies on the cover. She can tell her own, spin off a more complicated picture. It works for both of them. ]

[vampdetective]

[He nods, just once. He can't say he knows how that must feel from experience, to know that there's been some other version of you that's come before-- but he does know a little something about dealing with preconceptions, and the reputation left for him by his past self.

It's not the same, but it's enough that he can sympathize to a certain degree.]

She was one of them, yeah. I didn't know her well.

[He doesn't think they ever spoke, in fact, though he'd been aware of her, same as he tried to be aware of everyone else.]

Not really a people person.

[araneidal]

[ He could be lying, but there's not the same recognition in his eyes there was with the others. It's a curious kind of fresh start: the mold already there with the rest waiting to be defined. ]

He says, as he comes to a party.

[ Her tone is wry, with a touch of sympathy. Natasha has time for birthday parties and the regular get togethers at Christmas because Tony's insufferable if she misses it. ]

Running from something, or towards it?

[vampdetective]

[He smiles grimly, his only other immediate response a stilted shrug.]

Trying to be more social. Expand my horizons. Not to mention it's Halloween.

[Back home, that didn't bear a lot of significance for him, but here?]

Last couple Halloweens, the mansion decided to get nasty. Figured I ought to be where the people are, keep an eye out. If something's going to happen, there's a good chance it'll be here.

[araneidal]

A little bit of both, then.

[ Her expression turns briefly sharp. ]

Something will always happen. It's a rule, I'm afraid. So my other question is — how well do you dance, Angel?

[vampdetective]

[He freezes.]

I--

[Dear God.]

I don't dance.

[Please don't make him do it.]

[araneidal]

[ She laughs. ]

It can't be that bad.

[vampdetective]

Trust me on this one.

[Just-- trust him.]

It's bad.

[araneidal]

Now I'm intrigued.

[vampdetective]

Not gonna let it rest, are you.

[He might be legitimately afraid of that.]

[araneidal]

I'm curious.

[ Count yourself lucky she's not asking about something else to start with. ]

[vampdetective]

Sorry, you're just going to have to wonder a little longer.

[But he manages to crack a half-smile all the same-- it's nice to be talking about something mundane, like dancing, instead of yet another encounter turning into an in-depth examination of his past actions. One of the benefits of talking to someone who's relatively new in town.]

If I could get drunk, you might have better luck catching a glimpse of it, but you're out of luck there, too.

[araneidal]

Oh, you're no fun at all.

[ She mirrors the smile. ]

So, what's your secret? Immunity to poisons?

[vampdetective]

Well-- not quite.

[Some, though-- but that's more a side effect of what comes next.]

Vampire, actually. I, uh-- metabolize alcohol too quickly for it to do much good.

[araneidal]

A vampire?

[ Natasha gives it, oh, maybe 0.03 of a second to be appropriately surprised, then her gaze turns curious. ]

Where are you getting blood from?

[vampdetective]

The pantry and closets are pretty good about providing it. Before here, I had a deal with the local butcher.

[He pauses, just for a beat.]

I don't drink people. Pig's blood, mostly.

[araneidal]

[ I don't drink people. Natasha didn't ask for a justification or an explanation, or which blood, specifically — Angel filled that in himself. The qualifier is unnecessary: it says simply, don't think of me as a monster, and if you do, I'm friendly. ]

Now I really believe them when they say the closets provide everything.

[vampdetective]

[He's so used to having to give explanations that he just volunteers them at this point-- transparency is a good thing, he's convinced, given his situation. The fewer secrets he has, the less of a threat he'll be considered by many of the supernaturally opposed people within the mansion.]

It's not always the best quality, but the closets come through well enough. I get by.

[araneidal]

And during the events?

[ Natasha's tone is deceptively even. ]

[vampdetective]

[He shifts slightly, uncomfortable.]

Usually not a problem. There are-- measures in place, in case steps need to be taken.

[Like a cage in his office. He's also had someone donate during an event, but he'd rather not go down that road again.]

[araneidal]

[ Wryly, ]

You're used to this line of questioning, do you?

[vampdetective]

It comes up more often than you might expect.

[People hear the word 'vampire' and tend to want explanations and reassurances, in his experience.]

I'm used to having to try and set people's minds at ease about it. Results tend to be mixed.