[Midnight Hotel] July catch-alll

[gistful]

Characters: Anyone, everyone.
Date: Month of JULY, 2016.
Location: The Midnight Hotel.
Situation: Catch-all post! Feel free to use this post for anything that happens within the Midnight Hotel during the month, using the subject header to label specific rooms or for specific people. See also the OOC note at the bottom.
Warnings/Rating: Mark your threads if content warnings become applicable, please!

Though the attack on Anton and Jintou occurred outside of the Hotel, its effects can nevertheless be seen on the Hotel’s runnings during July. Jintou is absent, in the first place, though Anton keeps his room in the event he’s found.

For the last few days of June and the first couple days of July Anton is preoccupied with rebuilding the shops he damaged in his attempt to stop Jintou from being taken, and therefore a good deal of the Hotel’s daily running is in the hands of his staff and a handful of trusted ex-gang kedan.

Within the first few days of the month Anton’s health takes a nosedive. Though the chronic condition discovered by Raine and Tony wasn’t previously active, the poisoning attempt apparently changed that and for the rest of this month Anton is under enforced bed-rest—or if not bed-rest then an enforced holiday. For that reason, any and all offers to help out with maintenance, cleaning, cooking, accounting and other daily chores at the Hotel will be welcomed.

Provided, that is, that no one minds the Hotel proprietor hovering over their shoulders—when he isn’t being sat on by a giant wolf to make sure he doesn’t overtax himself.

Hotel rules are, obviously, still in effect.

[ooc: The Midnight Hotel’s status page is available here, with the rules at the top and ongoing status at the bottom. PLEASE POST TO THE STATUS PAGE IF YOUR CHARACTER WOULD LIKE A ROOM, JOB OR AREA IN THE GARAGE, OR ARE MOVING OUT. Anton will manufacture means of payment until Foreigners are able to properly offer recompense or choose to move out.]

Comments

Closed to Valdis | Early July | Mild spoilers for SP likely

[edgeoftheknife]

Ah, paperwork. How Ravel missed you. Almost as much as he missed endless meetings, hours in the bloody conference room in the Sanctuary, itchy collars and gallons of caffeine and takeout food at two in the morning whilst trying to stay awake in his office.

...so basically except for the takeout food (because homecooked meals have always been a rarity for him), not at all.

At least this wasn't a stack of reports detailing how badly Ireland was faring against the Supreme Council. How many Irish sorcerers had been captured, or how many foreign agents had been spotted within the country. Enemy movements. Casualties. Compared to all that, an inventory of the Hotel's supplies was positively cute and fluffy.

Ravel sipped absently on a cup of coffee while shuffling through the pages of the inventory, slouched almost impossibly far down in the chair behind the front desk with his shoes kicked up on the edge of the desk. Anton wouldn't approve of that, the feet on the desk. Good thing Anton was off resting.

[redlightgreenlight]

It felt good to stretch her legs, to move about as a hound was a joy that she hadn't allowed herself lately, too concerned about Anton to do much other than hover. She nosed open the door to the Hotel from the earth sector and walked inside, flicking her tail out of the way so it wouldn't get caught in the door as it closed.

As she moved past the desk, her lip twitched at the sight of Erskine's feet. Anton wouldn't like that and seeing as Anton was currently resting...She yawned, showing off her large white teeth and then lowered her shoulders and stretched out her front legs, before moving over to the desk and shoving his feet off the desk with her nose.

Anton | July 2nd | Probably SP spoilers

[redlightgreenlight]

In the days after Anton's poisoning, Valdis hadn't left the hotel except to go to the Dojo to teach her classes. Otherwise, she watched Anton with all the devotion of a sheepdog, always keeping one eye on him and every sense on alert for threats. Even the Kedan who normally hung out in the hotel had been more cautious in their interaction with Anton lest they incur the annoyance of the hound. This particular evening, while Anton was supposed to be resting in his room, the black wolf was curled up as small as she could get near his door, her tail over her nose, apparently asleep.

[gistful]

The only times Anton left the Hotel after the attack on himself and Jintou was to repair the buildings the gist had broken. He'd unleashed it out of something close to instinct, not having been thinking clearly; in retrospect it had been foolish and he was fortunate no one had been hurt.

After his fainting spell ... well, maybe he'd be able to convince Erskine to stop hovering given a few days.

Although Anton had rested more today than he ever has in the last century, a sense of restlessness and stubbornness prompted him to rise sometime that evening, before Erskine had come to bed to keep him there by sleeping on top of him. All Anton wanted was a cup of tea, and he was grimly satisfied to reach the door with a minimum of dizziness. Truthfully it had all but faded.

He opened the door and stared down at the wolf block the route out, and sighed. "He's co-opted you as well, I see."

Anton | Early July | CW: silly fluff

[edgeoftheknife]

Things had finally started to calm back down for Erskine. He was no longer chained to Skulduggery, which meant that apart from regaining a much needed measure of privacy, he was sleeping in Anton's room again. He could eat food whenever he felt like it (which was admittedly not often enough, but the capacity was there). He could shower without undue hassle.

And then Anton fell ill after getting poisoned, and things got a whole lot more complicated again in a hurry.

Suddenly Anton was on bedrest, courtesy of Raine, and Erskine had more or less bypassed everyone else working in the Hotel to proclaim himself the temporary head of operations. Which was fine. Everything was fine. People were pitching in, chores were getting done, and food was getting made (by some small miracle). Erskine was more worried about Anton than the Hotel, in all honesty. The idiot didn't seem to know the meaning of the term "bedrest."

So Erskine decided to enforce the idea the best way he knew how: by sleeping on top of Anton.

It was actually a bit of a bargain: it kept Anton pinned to the bed, and it usually meant Ravel slept better. Win-win.

[gistful]

... This was annoying. It was annoying that Anton, while he could wake up at the slightest hint of something wrong, he didn't wake up when someone he knew got too close to him. It meant that he didn't wake up when some idiot, for instance, sprawled across his chest.

Ordinarily Anton would just kick Erskine off him. He'd done it to Larrikin enough times, and most of the others every now and then.

The problem was ... Erskine was sprawled across Anton's chest, and one of Anton's arms was pinned under him, and he couldn't get enough proper lift with his other to move that much dead weight on its own. Maybe he could have managed it a month ago, but not currently.

So Anton resorted to flicking Erskine's nose with a flat sort of resolve.

Closed to Anton | July 19

[wrathfulkhan]

Anton had been ill, and Gene wanted to check up on him, show his support. He liked the guy, after all, and even though he didn't live here anymore he figured he might as well pitch in and offer to cook. So he went and knocked on the door of Anton's room.

"Hey, Anton? May I come in?"

[gistful]

Anton had discovered, after a couple weeks of enforced bed-rest, that when he was most restless was when the symptoms of this condition tended to strike him unawares. They were never as bad as the beginning of the month--but the tremble in his hands, dizziness as he walked, that new numbness in his fingers ... they all made themselves known.

This was one such day, when all Anton wanted to do was lose himself in some soothing manual labour, so much that it made him less capable.

The result was that he was lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling instead of sleeping. He'd never been so indolent as in the last month, in all his five hundred years. He couldn't even knit, because his hands trembled too much, as they did now, clasped over his chest. They always did more when they were still. After a moment Anton grunted his frustration and got up to walk around the room. He was dressed down, which meant he wasn't wearing his coat or shoes, but that was all. He was actually glad when there was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

His vision washed slightly white and with a sigh Anton sat on the end of his bed so the dizzy spell didn't get any worse.

Anton, Erskine, Open | July 21st

[purered]

It was nightfall by the time Klaus got to the hotel. He hadn't meant to take so long in arriving, truly. There were just a lot of sights to see, and though he already missed his teammates profoundly, it was a nice change of pace being in a city where several hours could pass without something blowing up, falling down, or going on a rampage. He'd stopped at a few shops for necessities - a change of clothes, some toiletries, a comb. Klaus felt he had exercised remarkable self-control in not purchasing that cologne that had some strange, but oddly pleasant and subtle notes.

The money he'd gotten for the coins in his pocket was not much but he'd added it to the small stipend from the welcoming center. He could get by for a couple days if he was frugal. He'd have to avoid giving in to temptation- which meant no sweets. He wasn't sure how his poor heart could stand it.

Ducking a bit as he stepped through the door out of the wind, he peered around curiously at the lobby. It had that modern rustic feel, with its wooden supports and marble floor and illuminated in yellow light. It looked, for all intents and purposes, quite inviting.

Shutting the door behind him with a soft 'click', Klaus strode through the lobby, past the fireplace and to the front desk. He didn't see anyone around yet, but that hardly meant anything. A run to the back room or something might have been necessary. For now, he took a seat on one of the couches, going through his notes and maps, and notes on maps for places to explore. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but it kept his mind off things he couldn't do anything about for now. He hoped what was said about time not passing was true, but still, he worried. He always worried. It knotted somewhere in the pit of his stomach until everything felt terribly tangled.

No, it was best to focus on other things for now. Even if time wasn't stopped, Libra could get by without him for a little while.

July 22nd, after the 21st's meet n' greet

[skeletonenigma]

It was strange for Skulduggery, walking into the Hotel and not immediately bracing himself. A feeling he'd have to get used to, if recent events were any indication.

The lobby was empty. In any other hotel, that would have been a sign of the early hour of the morning. In this Hotel, it was another reminder that Anton wasn't at his full strength, and Ravel was running things in his absence. Not that Ravel wasn't doing well; he was actually doing significantly well for a man who mere months ago was scrubbing toilets for the first time in his life. But he wasn't Anton.

Skulduggery paused for a moment just inside the threshold; then he took off his hat and made his way through the Hotel to the garage in the back.

[edgeoftheknife]

Ravel had only stepped away from the desk for a minute to get himself a cup of tea, honest.

He didn't like leaving the desk when he was the only one covering, even when it was later in the evening and it was a particularly slow night like this one, but he hadn't been able to locate anyone else to bribe for that cup of tea and he wasn't going to bother Anton. Besides, he'd only be gone for a few minutes and the caffeine would help keep him awake for the rest of his shift. It was particularly frustrating that it took so much effort on his part to get more than a few hours of unbroken sleep at night and yet he found himself dozing when he was meant to be working.

Shortly after Klaus settled himself on the couch, a man who could best be described as beautiful appeared from the direction of the kitchen, heading back toward the front desk. There was a half-eaten piece of toast in his left hand and his right hand was stretched out in front of him, palm upward. Roughly six inches above that hand floated a mug of hot tea. Somewhere along the way he'd become accustomed to levitating his tea rather than risk spilling it in shaking hands. It was just easier this way.

The floating mug kept pace with Erskine perfectly... or perhaps vice versa. He'd just taken a bite of his toast when he noticed someone sitting on one of the couches nearby. Without more than that cursory first glance, Erskine nodded and gave a little grunt of acknowledgment--yes, I'll be right with you. Sorry. Mouth full.

He rounded to the other side of the front desk and floated the mug of tea gently down to the desktop.

After Erskine's welcome, same night

[gistful]

With how much sleeping Anton did these days and how frequently Erskine had accidentally woken him in the night previously, Anton's sleep schedule was haywire. He had to rest, yes, he knew, but while he'd learned to sleep at every opportunity during the war, now he found he had too much opportunity.

The result was that he'd slept away the late afternoon and early evening, and sometime between then and midnight he came out of his bedroom to find a place by the fire in the common-room, his bag of knitting cradled in his arms because his fingers wouldn't have the strength to carry them by the strap.

PARTY TIME | Late July | OPEN

[edgeoftheknife]

It's been almost a month now since Erskine's "hostile takeover" of the Hotel, and since the call for assistance around said Hotel while Anton was on bedrest. Things have been running smoothly, more or less, which speaks pretty well of the help that's been given. Meals are getting cooked (and not poured from cereal boxes). Laundry is still getting done, things are clean, and the Hotel's books are finally back in order (no thanks to Erskine on that one--thank you, Klaus).

So maybe it's time to thank everyone for their help. Erskine realized a few nights ago that aside from the few words of direction he's given people, or the occasional absent greeting, he really doesn't know anyone who works at the Hotel. And considering the fact that he's not only been on staff for months, but has barely left the Hotel in months, that's quite an accomplishment.

Today there's a large sheet cake in the common room of the Hotel, flanked by little plates, forks, glasses, and drinks of various non-alcoholic sorts. The cake has "THANK YOU" scrawled across it--it's a very nice, very pretty cake. Erskine didn't make it.

Anyone, and I do mean anyone except China kthxbai, is welcome to come around and have a piece of cake. This might even turn into a party.

If there's music, it might even turn into a dance party.

Spoilers: It will.

((ooc: Please feel free to make other threads under this, tag in ANYONE, and have fun! Replies can be in prose or actionspam idec. Just have fun and enjoy a non-flaily non-angsty party :3 ))

OTA

[wolfstrike]

Spoilers: Yuri made that cake.

And since he made that cake, and helped with the set up, he's hovering around.

With everything that's happened lately he's been a bit preoccupied, but one wouldn't know that from looking at him. However he hasn't let Anton down since that one time he'd shown up late, and has been doing his part to keep the hotel running smoothly.

Yuri seems in good spirits enough when people arrive and he cuts the cake, handing out pieces.

DANCE TIME | open to all!

[phoenixstrut]

Spoilers: once the music starts, Dove will be the first to start the dancing.

It's been far too long since she had last felt rising spirits, and the sensation of any sort of carefree happiness is like a drug to the lovely angel. She's going to latch onto it and keep the spark growing, if it's the last thing she does. It's what she's made to do, and she's good at it.

Easily approachable and practically glowing (maybe even a bit literally, as her inner Light swells with the lifting spirits), all she needs is a dance partner, be it ballroom or freestyle. She's flexible.

Somewhere nearby, her little black kitten is perched and rolling its eyes at her. At least she's happy and giving that angel glow again.

[irishthor]

It's pretty late on in the night when there's some movement from the kitchen. He's not exactly trying to be quiet, things just lean that way for him.

Shay is currently checking the cupboards with one hand, hunting for a decent glass to drink from the bottle of rum in his other hand. He hears the party in the other room, but doesn't rightly feel social right now... He's also not going to inflict himself on the others having a good time.

So, rum-drinking alone, it is.

And because I didn't actually say what he's doing... Erskine | OPEN

[edgeoftheknife]

Once he's relatively sure that things are running smoothly, Erskine's going to find somewhere along the fringes of the party to sit back and have something to drink.

He's used to having to mingle at parties, whether he wants to or not. Whether the people he's mingling with are anyone he'd actually want to mingle with or not. Such are the perils of having been a politician for the last hundred years, and then the Grand Mage of Ireland for the last handful. Granted, not all of the parties he's been to over the last century have been those sort of parties, but this isn't necessarily the other kind of party either.

This is... friendly. Nice.

There's no alcohol in the Hotel, so he's not getting drunk. He's just... enjoying the atmosphere. And trying not to get too overwhelmed.

Come bug him anyway?

OTA

[seismometrics]

[Parties mean one very important thing: Cake. And Toph is taking full advantage of it. Plate piled high with the stuff, the girl is camped out near the edges of things, eating large bites with her fingers (and sucking them clean in between).]

[If the music is going at that point, you'll probably find her foot tapping, enjoying the beat . . . but it's anyone's guess if you could get the blind girl to dance.]

[Hopefully between cake and music, the party will be a lift to her mood.]

Shall We Dance? OTA

[redlightgreenlight]

She was never really one to miss a party, and considering all that had been going on, she needed the light atmosphere that parties always seemed to have. Being around others, especially those she saw as equals, made the emptiness go away. In fact, she almost felt happy now that her magic was dormant, it wouldn't stay that way forever, but for now it was enough. It helped that the music was upbeat, suitable for numerous styles of dance, and all she needed was a partner.

OTA

[risingwinds]

[Ever since Terra left, Ven's mood has tanked. He tried to hide it, but after finally seeing both his friends again, just knowing that their trio's down one member stings like a thousand hornets. But, not one to wallow in his own sorrow, news of a party was just the medicine he needed.

But he hasn't come alone. Having picked up on Xion's awkwardness before, he opted to take her along for the ride. Maybe they can use this party as an opportunity to get to know each other better and, more importantly, have fun. So don't be surprised if he walks up and tries to start a conversation. He might be a touch too eager, but at least he's friendly!

With that said, Ven can be found all over the place, greeting strangers with bright smiles and enthusiastic waves. This is a great opportunity to make new friends, and when the music starts, he does this. Sparkling break dancing, ladies and gentlemen. It's a thing.]

LATE TO THE PARTY

[purered]

It was late in the evening when Klaus awoke to the muffled hubbub downstairs. Tying a dressing gown around his pyjamas, he padded down the steps to see just what the fuss was. The fuss was, apparently, cake. And music. And dancing.

Klaus had nothing against cake. He quite liked it, in fact. He also liked music and dancing.

Correction- he quite liked watching other people dance. Beyond his enormity making dancing with a partner fifty shades of awkward, he just had no talent for it. He instead munched contentedly on a slice of cake, watching the party with a sort of bemused interest. For a man who was only twenty eight, he could be a bit of a fuddy duddy.

Re: PARTY TIME | Late July | OPEN

[whitelotustile]

[Free cake? Why not! Iroh is willing to provide tea suitable for desserts in exchange, but the tea goes best with sweets. So he's going to help himself to some cake.]

There's tea if anyone wants it.

[After he's finished a cup of tea, however, he might set up his pipa and take a turn at playing music. This looks like good grounds for a sign-a-long.]

open;

[inkulcation]

[As 'anyone except China Sorrows' is not actually a phrase that Ravel remembered to attach to his open invitation, China turns up to the party. She even partakes of cake. This is at least 90% because it will bother Ravel and Shudder, and things have been a little quiet for her lately.]

[As a result there's an unfairly beautiful woman who's made herself a fixture in one corner, watching the intermittent dancers with an eye a little too speculative to be anything other than interested. And mentally critiquing the dancers, of course. She won't outright address anyone who comes near her, but she will smile. No magic -- she's not that ambitious, with Shudder in the area -- but a smile.]

backdated; closed to Anton

[pushtheboundaries]

[with Anton under the weather, he could probably use some company - or, at least, some sort of distraction. which is why Robert's making the short trip with a small care package - as well as being ready to volunteer his services, if they're necessary.

it's the least he could do, really.]

[gistful]

['Some sort of a distraction' is very much a thing in need at this moment. Even though Anton's feeling much better than he did, he's still not completely well, and he's wise enough to know that pushing himself by taking back his duties before he's over the last hurdle is a bad idea. No matter how galling it is.

[He can be found, nevertheless, sitting in the commons and counting his skeins of yarn from his knitting bag, though he looks up when Callaghan approaches and abandons the count with something less than his usual inexorability.]

Professor Callaghan. How may I help you today?