A Very Nexus Reception

[smartass_captain]

To all the friends of the happy grooms, PINpoint messages have already been sent weeks ago inviting them to expect quite the street party arranged in the commons of the Nexus. Guests have been invited to bring an appetite--both for food and for a social adventure. Nirnish weddings are public affairs, after all. While the ceremony has had to be somewhat sequestered for the sake of keeping the existence of Other Worlds a secret, neither Felix nor Jim would want to leave out their interdimensional friends entirely. Having a reception party arranged in the Nexus became the natural plan of action.

Overnight large sections of the Commons are transformed via diligent craftsmanship and quite a lot of magic from those who’ve volunteered. Lanterns representing the Divines are hung along every lamp post, bringing at least the idea of warmth even if the flames are too small to heat their surroundings alone. Bardic tunes carry in the air as readily as the scent of food and drink. Past banners of red and black, blue and white the people gather.

For both grooms this is nearly a continuation of the day before. They’ve had the chance to sleep off the nerves of their ceremony. Today is entirely for celebration--uninhibited celebration at that. No more minding what is said and isn’t. No more pretending to be anything other than who they are. Jim’s traded out his Nirnish finery for a suit and tie, garments he’s much more familiar with. Felix is staying with his native clothing; though he may have dressed down a little from his wedding clothes, the conjurer’s dressed in fitted breeches and his best fur-trimmed coat and boots, the soft hide dyed blue to match his tunic. By their side sits the conjurer’s spectral wolf familiar, ears pricked at the gathering.

As the guests find their ways over it will be easy to spot their friends amidst all the decor along with many other avenues with which to enjoy themselves….

Greetings
Food and Drink
Music and Dancing
Bonfire Entertainment
Party Games

((Links to all relevent wedding Prose can be found Here!))

Comments

[elderspeaksfirst]

The heavy beat of wings and a stone-shuddering thump heralded the arrival of a particularly large visitor. Though many guests decided it was a good idea to move away from the white dragon coiling himself over a small building near the bonfire, it’s been a little while now. The newly wedded couple have ventured close enough to exchange some polite words with the creature; nobody has been roasted or snapped in twain, and it seems the dragon is content to sit peaceably at the very edge of the party.

Slowly, the guests have dared to venture beneath his shadow again, and the celebration resumes as it had before. Though the dragon’s eyes are pale and his wings ragged, his gaze is sharp as he watches the proceedings, especially the display of music and fire magic that kicks off the bonfire. He’s keeping still and quiet, not to unsettle any of the revelling mortals, but he’s quick to take notice of anyone who comes close enough to talk.

[smartass_captain]

It will be an hour at least before Jim can come back, his husband once more at his arm. This time, the captain’s footsteps are more sure. His posture more confident. Nor does he stop so far away. It won’t feel like much of a conversation if he has to shout up to be heard properly with every word. It’ll be much closer than Felix is probably comfortable with--and the conjurer must put his foot down when his husband tries to climb up to sit down atop the roof any closer to the dragon.
Friendly or not, getting within snapping distance of those jaws is just tempting fate, beloved.

“We’ve returned, Paarthurnax. If it’s still alright to sit and talk a while..?” He sounds so hopeful, eager excitement written onto his face. Oh, he’ll still startle when that hot breath ruffles his hair as his puny human instincts wage war, desperate to be heard. But Jim’s not gotten where he is now by listening to reason constantly. Sometimes, it pays to take risks. He’s hoping now is one of them.

[elderspeaksfirst]

They seem so young in their excitement, much more than they truly are. Paarthurnax’s head lowers from watching the dancers out on the floor - he has never seen a spriggan like that, nor one that dances, and it’s intriguing. Not so intriguing that he isn’t pleased to see his human hosts arrive. There’s a scent of fresh blood suggesting he’s eaten in the meantime, but thankfully no sign of gore.

“Pruzah. Your return is welcome.” He shifts on his perch, talons digging into the concrete as he leans closer. A polite distance must always be kept, though they all know that makes little difference when dealing with a dragon.

“You spoke of questions. But I also have questions for you. One of you carries the scent of Taazokaan... of Tamriel.” His head swings gently from Felix to focus on Jim. “But you are of another realm, I think. Where do you come from, wunduniik?”

[smartass_captain]

“You can smell it on me?” Jim doesn’t deny that he isn’t of Felix’s world. Not here, he has no reason to hide his identity within the Nexus. But he’s shocked that Paarthurnax can tell so easily by scent alone that Jim isn’t of the same world. And yet it’s true. Ground into him are smells nothing like Tamriel. The faintest whiffs of coolants, the nearly sterile smell that air scrubbers leave in their wake, of artificial chemicals that make up his soaps, of coffee. And utterly lacking are the scents of any kind of magic save for the band around his finger. Jim casts a glance toward his husband in case this was some kind of Obvious thing that Felix was well aware of this whole time. The man is a conjurer after all and his familiar knows Jim Kirk's scent all too well by now.

To a creature of scents, Jim Kirk and Felix Caelus could not be more different.

“I come from a realm that spends much of its time out in the Void. Our...our Oblivion works much differently than yours does. I think. I obviously can’t bring my ship to Tamriel to test the theory.” Jim rubs at the back of his neck slowly while he talks. He’s acutely aware that all of his theories are mere guesses at this point in time. It’s so hard to test any of them on Nirn without causing some sort of mass panic.

“But this place is between realms too. I suppose it’s not so surprising I would be of a different Plane.”

[conjuredskies]

Felix shrugs and smiles at Jim's questioning look. It's not like you smell bad, Jim. Just different. The conjurer has brought over a couple of small folding stools, setting them up while Jim speaks with their outsized guest. He may have insisted on them swallowing a couple of fire resistance potions before they came over (it made Stratos feel a lot better, too) but it's not like he doesn't want to facilitate this conversation.

"They say dragons are the children of Akatosh," he remarks. A name Jim's grown to know by now, albeit he may not know much about the god in question. The chief of the Divines is not foremost among the Caelus family's particular patrons. He looks up at the dragon sheepishly, never so polite as when looking up into a mouthful of teeth the size of his arm. "I mean- I don't presume to know how much is true of what people say. I just mean it would make sense, if you were more attuned to the nature of Tamriel."

[elderspeaksfirst]

"Hmm. Yes. That tale is true. Akatosh bormahu. He is our father. The dov were born in the beginning of the world. We know the taste of it."

The dragon rumbles deep in his throat, a low thoughtful sound. "It is not strange to find wunduniikke, wanderers such as you in this place. But you have bound yourself to one of another realm. Your fates are now bound. An unusual path, even for those not mortal. Perhaps Tamriel's fate will also change, hm?"

Perhaps that's another reason he's inspecting Jim so curiously.

[smartass_captain]

Jim's heard that before, actually, though he struggles to remember where at first. His memories of being cursed into his childhood body are hazy at best but somehow 'don't talk about a god's junk' is the first thing that lodges itself into Jim's head and he sits on that thought, unsure of what to do with it. More importantly, isn't Akatosh one of the good guys? Like the Leader of the God Posse?? That's probably not any better Jim try to take this seriously for a minute this is a dragon that can Eat You--

Wait. Wait hold on. Back up a step. He only stopped paying attention for like a second and now they're talking about changing all of Tamriel's fate?

Jim holds up both of his hands quickly, his wedding band visible on his left hand even as he waves them briskly in front of himself.

"I'm not looking to alter the fates of any worlds. I'm honestly doing my utmost to not affect the greater world of Nirn more than I absolutely have to." Everything Jim's been raised to value says he shouldn't have cultivated such a deep relationship with Felix Caelus to begin with. He's breaking so many of his world's rules to do this much. Jim can't make himself regret it but he knows that on some level he's a hypocrite for saying he values not interfering with other realms.

"Rest assured, I'm not looking to cause trouble." Then again anyone who knows James T. Kirk will tell you that the human rarely goes Looking for the trouble he so often finds himself in.