middaeg | VALENTINES CHARITY

VALENTINES CHARITY - Feoveuer 14th

♥ THE FESTIVAL OF LOVE ♥

"At the Festival of Love: Shine like thunder
At the Festival of Love: Cry like rain
At the Festival of Love: Hear my calling
At the Festival of Love: Hear my name"

...wait, who prepared this poster? The vibe it gives off is totally wrong... ah, well, it will do! ♥

I. Welcome! ♥

On Feoveuer 14th regulars of DiplomaTea will immediately notice that the place looks different. Fresh flowers, garlands and paper decorations are everywhere, all in lovely shades of pink and red. Heart-shaped confetti is falling from the ceiling, magicked to disappear shortly after touching the floor so it would not make a mess. Quiet music is filling the whole cafe, one of the many masterpieces of Amadeus Mozart and a particual favorite of Marie who picked this particular song to play. Even those who have missed Marie's flyers and announcements about the upcoming event would definitely notice that something joyous is going on inside, why not check it out and join everyone?

If you haven't heard before, the posters will explain everything. Today's event, The Festival of Love celebrates the holiday known as Valentine's Day some Mirrorbound might be familiar with. This is the day to celebrate love in all shapes and forms. Spend a wonderful, romantic evening with your partner... or your friends and family, because these kinds of love are important too! Or get some sweets and eat them all by yourself, because self love is also important! All money collected during today's event will go to aid the refugees and help those who have been affected during last month - celebration of love for your fellow woman, man and everyone else.

a. Preparations ♥

Of course an event this big cannot happen without the help of many. Making and putting up the decorations, enchanting the confetti and music, building the booths, preparing the tables, all of this and much more took almost the whole previous day. Everett will also defintely need part-timers to help tending to the increased number of custoers during the event. If you visited DiplomaTea during that time, you probably couldn't enjoy your drink in peace... or maybe you were roped into helping? Marie gives you a pleading look. Every pair of hands is useful, you know!

II. The Festival of Love ♥

Kissing Booths ♥

Two hastily made but lovingly decorated wooden booths have been placed on DiplomaTea porch. For supporting the cause with a small fee of 100 cunes the person inside will gladly give you a lovely kiss... though you are, of course, welcome to throw an even bigger amount into the donation box! The Mirrorbound staff the booths in shifts so nobody will be forced to sit out the whole event and more volunteers are always welcome... come on, don't you want to support the charitable cause? Marie is quite persuasive, she might find a way to convince you even if it's not something you would have usually agreed to ♥ Or maybe your crush is currently in the booth and this is your big chance? Either way, thank you for your support, good people!

Bake Sale ♥

Are you skilled with the cooking appliances? Would you like these skills to serve a good cause? The tables just next to the main entrance of DiplomaTea have been filled with cakes, pastries and other kinds of sweets donated by Mirrorbound - help yourself to some! You have to pay for it, of course, but all the money collected helps the charitable cause! For those who are not fond of sweet things, savory and spicy snacks are also found on the table.

Did you bring a dish? Would you like to buy something? Or maybe you are just staffing the tables and helping with the bake sale itself? All kinds of help are appreciated! Are you culinarily challenged but refuse to admit it? Thank you for your donation anyway, it is going on sale! Did anyone see the Fae who donated these cupcakes? These appear to be enchanted and eating one will cause you to say the opposite what you mean for fifteen minutes. What do you mean, Marie, we are putting these on sale as well? Could it be... that Fae was... No, impossible!

Auction ♥

Want to support the cause with a bigger sum? As a part of the main event, a couple of items will be auctioned. To show their support, the Coven donated several valuables that could definitely be of use for both Witches and Monsters:
an ornate golden ring Fae-blessed to provide the wearer 12 hours of invisibility (which does not have to be used consecutively, it's 'turned on and off' by rubbing the stone set into it, and does not conceal the wearer from other Fae)
a suit set and a dress that will both transform magically to fit whatever Monster form the wearer has (and will also take on the wearer's color and design preferences)
a book on imbuing baked goods with minor luck spells - good and bad both.
Place your bids now! But that's not everything that will be put on sale today - donations from Mirrorbound are also accepted and will be auctioned! Do you have any items you no longer need and could contribute? Maybe it's something you have crafted yourself? Or a voucher for any kind of services you can provide? Whatever it is, thank you for your donation! Yes, even if it's enchanted. Especially if it is enchanted!

Not donating or buying anything? You could certainly help with the organization part! That pile of items over there... Mind checking out what we even have there and assign starting bids?

A Word from our Sponsor ♥

DiplomaTea is offering a couple of special offers on this special day, all proceeds will be donated! Extra large mug of cinnamon cocoa you can share with a special person to warm up your bodies and hearts. You can also drink it yourself if you want to, nobody will judge you and certainly not Everett. However, even if you came here by yourself... Are you sure you can finish it by yourself? How about splitting the cocoa with someone who also came alone? That's the spirit of the day!

For those interested in a drink that can provide more thrill than simple cocoa, Everett is offering a tea blend called Ardric's Warmth. In his own words, it tastes like a live firecracker and has enough caffeine to raise the dead. And yet, this blend seems to have its dedicated fans in Aefenglom, especially among Dragons. Dare to try it? Or maybe someone tricked you into drinking some?

Inkchanted Corner ♥

Caster Cú Chulainn is doing a promotion on behalf of his and Waver's tattoo shop, Inkchanted. Still undecided if you would like to visit their place? Unsure about a permanent tattoo? You can try it out here and help the cause! For a low fee you can have Caster draw a small, enchanted painting on your skin. It can make you give off a charming aura, perfect if you are still looking for someone to spend the evening with or trying to grab the attention of that particular person. Or maybe you are celebrating self love and just want a spell that will allow you to eat a lot of sweets without consequences tonight? Perfect! Another idea? Be sure to communicate it well, you would not want to end up with an enchanted painting that gives a different effect you originally wanted... though even if you do, the magic will only work for a few hours. You can wait that long, can you?

Magic Show ♥

Trucy Wright, one of the recent arrivals to Aefenglom is on stage and about to perform her splendid magic show! Huh, that's nothing special in Aefenglom, you might think. Magic is an everyday thing for every Witch after all. However, this young lady here is not a Witch, so how does she do it? With totally real magic, of course! Get your seats and pay close attention to everything she does, but you are not very likely to notice anything - this girl is a professional, after all. In using real magic, of course! Or maybe you have similar skills? You are welcome to join her on stage and perform your own well-practiced trick. If it's not as well-practiced as you thought... well, at least you made the audience laugh? In need of a charming assistant? Just pick someone more or less willing from the audience!

III. Cleanup ♥

Tired after a busy day? Congratulate yourself on a job well done, we managed to collect a nice sum that will certainly help a lot! But before you can rest in your bed, there's more to be done. Taking off decorations, removing the confetti enchantments, washing the dishes, collecting the trash and cleaning the whole place. We cannot leave Everett alone with this mess after he was so nice to allow the usage of DiplomaTea for today's event, can we? You can stay and help, can you? Maybe there are some leftowers from the bake sale to sweeten the deal?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ This is not his dream job, by any means, and unlike delivering flowers, he doesn't get the opportunity to walk around and enjoy the fresh air. Sitting here like an item waiting to be purchased is mindnumbingly boring, so much so that Steak's head begins to droop, towards the table, eyes fluttering clos— ]

Nnn?

[ — Never mind the nap. ]

Don't we have a sign?

[ Why bother him about it when they could just write OPEN somewhere. ]

[She stares at him, incredulously when she realizes that he hadn’t just been zoning out.]

You can’t sleep on the job.

[Now, she’s never been employed before but she’s certain of that.]

That’s not how this works, you’re supposed to- [This is the case of the pot calling the kettle black, but she can dig deep and, using her very best Lance impression:] Fair lady, let me offer you dinner to go with your… kiss?

[Hm.] Kind of like that?

[ Are they really on the job when there's no one around asking for their services? He huffs but says nothing about it, not really getting a chance to anyway, as Allura breaks into her... impression.

And Steak raises a brow, a laugh bubbling in the back of his throat. ]

... [ Nope, sorry, he's laughing now, a full, delighted sound. ] Is this a dating booth?

[She blinks a few times, surprised, because in the few days that she's known him, this is a first.]

You're laughing. [He's laughing! Wait-] D-Don't laugh at me!

[Heat pools in her face and she covers her cheeks with her hands,] It was only an idea. Kissing and dating typically go hand-in-hand, don't they?

[ He's allowed to laugh!!! GOSH! And her reaction only gets him to continue. ]

You shouldn't sound so much like Eggnog!

[ Seriously, that line... Fair lady... ]

Are you going to date everyone who puts money in your box?

[She'd say it looks nice on him if she wasn't busy being flustered.]

I am not. I just said that the two are related, is all. It's reasonable that one would use similar... terminology...

[Huff! Nevermind, she's kind of lost the point of that sentence.] And I don't think I sound like an egg, I was pretending to be Lance.

[ Okay, okay, he's stopped. And while he doesn't know Lance, he knows the type. ]

He sounds like a friend of mine.

[ The aforementioned Eggnog. ]

[Some of her hackles relax as he stops laughing, and now that she's not so embarrassed, she can't help a small smile that pulls at her lips as well. It was rather ridiculous, wasn't it?]

Your friend is named Eggnog?

[Luckily, in her case she doesn't know what Eggnog is, but it just sounds like a silly name.]

Of course.

[ He's called Steak, Allura, how is it weird that his friend is Eggnog? ] He was the Food Soul to part of the royal family when we met.

[The same way that the fourth psychic mouse that she calls a friend is just as odd as the first psychic mouse! But he makes a good point and she gives a small "huh."]

I just have never heard of an Eggnog before. [The food item. Anyway.] Moreover... [She leans in close to Steak, bringing one hand up to touch the floppy ear at his side, pinching the hide lightly between her fingers.] You didn't have ears like this the last time we met, did you?

[ ... Huh. ]

It's a—

[ Dri... ink?! ]

W-what are you doing?

[ His spine goes stiff, expression shifting comically at the sudden touch. ]

[She yanks her hand back from his ear, sucking in a startled breath.]

Did I hurt you?

[ He's... flustered, and flustered usually turns the volume up. And makes his cheeks red. ]

You could have asked!

[ That tingled. Eesh. ]

[Oh no, is he embarrassed? Allura tries not to let the small smile quirk up her lips and she has to cover it with one hand.]

I’m sorry. [She should know better than just to touch someone’s ears, she supposes.] May I touch them? They’re very soft.

[ N-no, of course not! ]

... W-well. If you must—

[ They're strange, and not that interesting, but if she really wants to... it won't hurt anything. ]

[Listen, they're bored and nobody is coming for kisses right now so. The ears are interesting to her. This time she reaches in with both of her hands, gently taking his ears between thumb and forefingers and rubbing gently. The fur there is so short and it's warm.]

Are you just going to keep growing these parts until you no longer look like a human?

[She lifts his ears up, doing her best to make them look like they're sticking out, like her ears.]

They aren't so bad.

[ It's... oddly ticklish, and his ears twitch reflexively, wriggling within her grasp. ]

It seems that way.

[ He huffs out the words, clearly not impressed by any of it. ]

This place has changed the shape of my horns.

[ Honestly, that's the biggest affront. Even more than how much he resembles Uke Mochi like this. ]

You mean you had horns before you arrived here?

[She's always just assumed they were part of his transformation. She smiles despite herself when his ears twitch, not unlike the mice's ears, but much bigger.

She lets them go, letting them flop back against his face.]

I think they're cute.

[ His head tilts slightly at the question. He's so used to having horns that it seems strange that he would even have to specify that he had them before this place. ]

Yes. They were much easier to take care of on Tierra.

[ He has to reach to keep them in condition here. He doesn't like it. ]

People don't have horns where I comes from - though it's more common on certain planets, I suppose.

[The temptation is strong to touch his horns and- she stops her hands just an inch from where she was about to poke the tip of them. She meets his eyes.]

May I?

[ That seems to be a common sentiment here. People not having these features in the first place. ] They only occur in Food Souls. [ Himself, Yogurt, Milk, Roast Lamb... ]

Alright. Be careful.

[ Though he never uses them as a weapon, even now, Steak takes great care to keep his horns sharp and deadly looking. ]

Are you concerned I'll break them?

[She asks, taking one of his horns in both hands. There's plenty there to hold onto and she shifts in her seat, then leans in close to get a good look at them. Sure they're still in public and she's going to look like a weirdo inspecting his horns like this, but they don't have anything else to do while they wait for kisses.]

You might be foolish enough to hurt yourself.

[ Read: he doesn't want her to hurt herself. He carefully ducks his head enough to allow her to easily grab onto his horns. They're slightly rough, ribbed in regular sections as they curve upwards, but cool and solid under her touch.

And he shifts a little, awkward even under this clinical examination. So few people get to touch them, or ask to, that he doesn't know what to do with the dull sensation of her hands gliding up and down. ]

Foolish?

[The last syllable is clipped and her gaze flicks down to him as a frown pulls at her lips. Her hands slip down the curve of his horn, over the ridges and to the tip where she presses a finger against the point there, maybe a little more forceful than she should have.. Her eyebrows raise as she pulls her hand away with a small breath in.

...]

Do not say that you told me so. I was just. Surprised.

[ It's nothing personal. It never really is, unless you're called Red Wine. The words just slip out of Steak's mouth as soon as they come to mind, without a fraction of thought or consideration behind them.

And he's proven right, tsking quietly as he reaches out a hand to grab her wrist. Is he going to need to find a bandage? ]

Does it hurt?

VALENTINES CHARITY - Feoveuer 14th

babieeeee

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