Logs:Gong Xi Gong Xi
| Gong Xi Gong Xi | |
|---|---|
| Dramatis Personae | |
| In Absentia
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2021-02-12 "We get that party started early, you'll be a bit warmer, ya?" |
| Location
<XAV> Rec Room - Xs Second Floor | |
School this may be, but life for Xavier's students certainly isn't all studying. Outside classes, this is a popular spot to find students in their downtime. An enormous tribute to slacking off, this room is a wealth of fun and relaxation. Comfortable armchairs, couches, and beanbags offer plentiful seating scattered throughout the room, and the cushioned windowseats by the high windows offer a cozy nook to curl up and look out on the grounds. The room is often filled with the noises of gaming -- whether it comes from the big-screen television (tall racks of DVDs beside it, if nothing can be found on the multitude of cable channels), tricked out with consoles from retro to the latest releases, or the less electronic clatter and thump of the pool table, air hockey, or foosball. For those a little more subdued in their gaming, the cabinets hold stacks and stacks of board and card games, ranging as classic as chess and go to as esoteric as Dixit, Catan, and Gloom. More days than not, there's some variety of snacks to be found on a table beside the gaming cabinet -- quite often in the form of fresh-baked desserts. The rec room is decked out in red and gold today, with paper streamers and lanterns and painted wall hangings with Chinese style art depicting fish, fruit, gold ingots, and lots of cows. The table is laden with a dizzying variety of foods, from whole mandarin oranges to rice crackers to little cakes in the shapes of persimmons. There's an intricate red-and-gold 3-D paper centerpiece of a bull amongst all the plates and bowls, watching over the delicacies with a serene gaze. Traditional lunar new year music -- heavy in Mandarin Chinese but with a sprinkling of Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, and others -- has been playing on the sound system all day despite occasional surreptitious sabotage, perhaps by passing students who do not appreciate the pentatonic scale. Harm has come here directly from their last class, clad in new clothes for the new year sent from home: a red brocade tunic with stylized bats in black and gold, loose black pants with gold piping, and red brocade shoes also decorated with bats. They're still toting their usual bicycle inner tube bag, a stray tail of pink yarn poking out from one corner, and they're in the process of filling a red paper bowl with a mix of rice crackers, singing along under their breath to the lively, jangly tune of "Gong Xi Gong Xi" playing on the speakers. Kieow hums giddily as she heads out of the dorms hallway where she changed when her classes ended. She's donned a sabia of bright crimson, laced over in gold thread, growing in bamboo patterns over the silk. Her sinh is a darker red with fewer golden interruption. She's also taken pains to chose a jade pothos so that her skin is a harmonious contrast to her clothes. Slippered feet take her to the banquet table as she peruses the offerings. "Hmmm. I thought maybe if I only wore this during the afternoon, it wouldn't be so cold... but... uh. I'm getting goosebumps already." The words are directed at the first person she sees - Harm. Nanami has been in here already, dressed in a three-quarter sleeve a-line dress in black satin embroidered with pink plum blossoms and trimmed at the collar, cuffs, and knee-length hem with pink lace suggestive of ice crystals, pale pink tights, and chunky black ankle boots with heart-shaped cutouts in front. "Chee, you look amazing." She's been comfortably lounging in an armchair and munching on some peanut brittle, but hops to her feet when the others enter, polishing off her candy and traipsing over toward the table to pluck up a small persimmon cake. "Only spring in spirit, unfortunately. Gonna suck it up and go downtown tomorrow anyway." Draped in another chair near her sister, Kelawini is in a black satin tunic wrap top festooned with red and gold koi that she has wrapped somewhat low, though it shows no cleavage, only the tight red tanktop she wears underneath, a black belt with a large goldtone buckle, red skinny jeans tucked into strappy tank boots. What's actually more striking than her outfit today is her hair, usually in loose flowing waves or a single thick braid, has been trained into an intricate updo, held in place with a gleaming pua shell hair stick. "Everyone looking fine today. Well, everyone know it's new year, anyways." She is gamely peeling an orange in a thin, continuous spiral, her eyes lighting when the others enter though she rises more leisurely. "We get that party started early, you'll be a bit warmer, ya?" "Thank youuuu" Kieow replies, grinning brightly in response. She's picking up cakes and candies methodically, making sure to grab at least one of everything. "I am simultaneously looking forward to... and dreading tomorrow. I am excited because it's my first new year in America... but it's going to be so cold. I'm going to put on all of my layers." Her eyes dart up to Kelawini's pua shell ornament and smiles. "That is nice!" "Girl where you been for months, it's been cold." Nanami snags herself an orange along with her cake, a twirl in her step as she heads back to half-sit on the arm of the chair she'd just vacated. "Stay warm if you stay dancing though. I hear both Chinatowns have real kine party. Almost like home maybe." This is only a little grudging. "Tonight, though," she announces this with a flourish of one hand, "I'm staying warm with a bonfire. Can't avoid 'em for always." "Thanks! Here I think maybe you don't get cold." Kelawini is glancing to Kieow's leafy hair. "What's happening tomorrow? Everyone going to the city?" She deposits her orange peel in the trash can and starts pulling off sections of her orange, casually offering one to Nanami--nevermind she already has one of her own--then the others, casual and unconcerned whether or not they accept. Possibly she's been snacking for a while already. "I'm so ready for bonfire. You guys come out, too. But no witch-magic, 'kay?" This last to Harm, but with a broad enough smile to take any sting out of it. "Happy -- first new year in America!" Harm tells Kieow earnestly. "I'm going to check out both Flushing and old Chinatown. If you go visit Ms. Hua at her family's bookstore, she'll give you a red envelope!" They lean against the back of the couch, crunching on their rice crackers. "If you want to pre-game for bonfire, I have special candy." They fish out a handful of small cubes wrapped in red wax paper. "Made from honey, in case you're allergic. They're strong but not like, strong strong. My parents send me so much now they're back together. I can actually buy stuff in town this weekend." "Oh, I don't know if there's something specific happening tomorrow. I just was going to go to Chinatown with my brother. -- but the old one is good?" Kieow accepts the special candy from Harm and grins as she turns it in her fingers. "Niiice." Sitting down on the couch, she pulls her plate close to her chest as she snags just a little bit of one of the persimmon cakes. "When is the bonfire? I was going to head to the city... for dinner." "There choke thing happening all weekend, like. Who's everyone? I'm going. Maybe with Gae, I dunno." Nanami chomps half her cake down in one bite, tongue swiping carefully across her teeth before she speaks again. She glances towards the rec room door, then beckons at Harm's candy with a 'gimme' hand. "What? Bonfire's at bonfire time, I no know. Night. I got firecrackers too. Now we got candy. Excellent. My parents send me books." Her cheek sucks dismissively against her teeth. "Both Chinatowns gonna be crazy," Kelawini says brightly. "Parades, music, dancing, alladat. Both good, just different ways." The waggle of her eyebrows at her sister is exaggerated but brief. "Mebbe I bring Kavalam." She plucks a candy from Harm's hand and pops it promptly into her mouth. "Thanks! Bonfire happen as soon as we get enough people in here, ya? We get all kine good things." "There's no good word in English for it but yeah, Chinatowns will be rè nào all weekend," Harm agrees, excited, as they pass a piece of candy to Nanami. "It's like -- lively? But even more lively than that." They tilt their head at Nanami. "New year books? What kind of books? I have no complaints about my care package." They tuck away the rest of the candies and start back in on their rice crackers. "Maybe we can ride down together? Uh, unless..." Their eyes dart from one Māhoe to the other. "We don't have to, obviously." The flush in their cheeks is just faintly visible through winter-pale skin. "We should meet up at least," Kieow's been nodding along enthusiastically as the others describe the weekend's opportunities. "If my parents sent me anything, I think it will be with Bua." She unwraps her candy and stuffs it in her mouth - "So... who's Kavalam? That someone you like?" "Didn't look. Weed candy's much better." Nanami finishes off her cake and leans down to tuck her own piece of candy into her purse. "Eh, he nobody," is somewhat contradictory with her enthusiastic urging to Kelawini: "Bring 'im. More lively than lively? I'm ready. Well. Will be ready. Party here then party there." Her brows furrow, and she looks at Harm in confusion. "Unless what? Yeah, sure, we go together. Maybe even find somewhere fo stay the night, huh? One Chinatown per day. Where's your brother stay at?" Her chin lifts to Kieow with this question. Kelawini straightens up and casually socks her sister in the shoulder--none too lightly, though her rebuttal is gleeful and not actually a disagreement: "The best nobody, you don't even know." Her dark eyes gleam. "Yet. We all go together." She has evidently decided this despite Harm's blushing. "What about Gae, his guys got a big place ya?" Though here she winces. "More crowded now though." "Kavalam is my roommate," Harm adds, perhaps a touch more helpfully than either of the sisters. Their blush fades, but they duck their head slightly, apologetic. "More rè nào if we go together. And it would be nice not to have to ride back at night just to go out in the morning again. Maybe we can ask Marinov if we can crash at their place. I'm guessing it's pretty small, though." "Bua's place is near Tompkins Square Park in the East Village. It's smallish. Specially since Skye moved in. But she'd probably have fun going around with us." Kieow's attention shifts back over to Harm's face, brows rising. "You have a roommate?" She finishes off her small cake and starts picking through the other options. "How many people are at Gae's house these days?" "Who?" Nanami's frowning at Kieow, now, but dismisses the question almost as soon as she's asked it, with a small shake of her head. "Gae -- I dunno, like, 'leventy million? Is big yeah but what stay with one whole-ass teacher? Mmm." She's looking contemplative, one foot swinging to kick her heel slowly against the side of the armchair. She's pulling out her phone to tap at it quickly. "M-aaaybe." "Oh right, right, Marinov living it up in the city now." Kelawini's eyes dart to Kieow and narrow slightly. "Sure they got a roommate, what you think they can't have one since they wen get rid of their gender?" This is sharp and challenging, though she's quickly distracted by, "Wait, why don't Gae get no roommate den?" She tilts her head suddenly, distracted by something else; then brightens, laughing and waving her half an orange in her sister's direction. "That's the ticket!" "Mister Tessier is kind of like, half a teacher at most," Harm suggests, sounding very indulgent. They duck their head again when Kelawini bristles at Kieow. "I didn't exactly -- get rid of my gender?" Though they sound a touch uncertain. "Anyway, I don't think she meant that, she just can't remember Kavalam. Yet! Like you said." Their phone has been buzzing erratically in their bag now, louder when it bumps up against the knitting needles or whatever else they have stuffed in there." They fish it out, eyes widening, and swipes out their own reply before tucking it away. "This weekend is going to be way more lively than lively."
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