[HALLOWEEN PARTY!] -- [Open to ALL PLAYERS!] -- [IC Event!]

[kirktastic]

It had gone out as an announcement over a month ago, sent to every padd and station by one very excited Captain. A Halloween party! Must come in costume, must have fun!

Despite the hell that had been going on for the last few days, Kirk was determined that it still would happen. After a long discussion with the ship's quartermaster, along with a small army of crewmen who wanted to help, the largest rec room was decorated.

A huge buffet table had been prepared by the galley and sat spread out, all in Halloween theme. Green punch with floating eyeballs, cake decorated to look like a gravestone, a huge bowl of candy, a holographic severed hand that was scurrying around on the table top. There was even a bar set up with quite an expanse of liquor that had been secured on Risa.

There was a small seating area off to one corner, a huge dance floor, tables spread out for a real meal, and a small corner set up for music.

(OOC: Just like the thread with Risa... this is a party that's 'open' from now until Sunday night at midnight! Go nuts! This IS supposed to be IC, like the Risa party, so keep that in mind!)

Comments

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim had a drink, and watched Bill's antics with a rising degree (and complicated mix of) amusement, incredulity, and arousal. Did Bill really think he went around sticking his tongue, among other things, into any willing receptacle? Considering the fact it was generally well-received, he thought perhaps he ought to start. Hell, watching him, Jim was becoming sort of impressed with himself. Even more so than usual.

But the fact remained that Bill-as-Jim was scoring the most tonight, and Jim wondered if that said more about his performance-as-Bill or some innate difference between the way people saw both of them.

Or maybe it was just that he, the real Jim Kirk (or one of them), didn't actually go around kissing the entire crew of the Enterprise. And then he remembered that it was Halloween, and wandered off to start.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Sipping a drink from the bar, Christine looked around for someone she knew. Her brow furrowed in curiosity as she saw Bill standing nearby. He didn't seem to be in costume.

"Bill," she called in greeting as she walked over to him, wondering how recognizable she was in her own costume.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

It took a moment, but Jim did recognize Christine Chapel. He could not, for the life of him, figure out who she was going as. He recognize the uniform of course, and it wasn't as if he was unused to women (or men) changing their hair color for fun. But now that he looked at her...

Wait. He'd seen this woman before, somewhere. Though it was a strange memory, not like meeting someone. Still, he had to say something.

"Er... Nur--" Shit, what did Bill call her? "Christine!" he settled on. "You look marvelous."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine smiled in gratitude at the compliment. "Well, it's not nearly as elaborate as some of the costumes I've seen, but..." She shrugged easily and reached out to squeeze his hand affectionately. "How are you tonight, Bill?"

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Bill and Chapel had definitely spent more time together than Jim had thought. Interesting. It did mean Jim shouldn't prolong this.

"Good," he said happily, squeezing her hand back. "I hope you're having a good time."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

She held her drink up briefly as if to toast the party. "The captain certainly went all out," she said, glancing around at the decorations. "I'm surprised he had the energy to go ahead with it, after everything that's happened. But it is nice to see everyone here." She smiled at him. "I think we could all use some fun right now."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim nodded. "That seems to be a common theme around here," he said. "Is space life always so... exciting?"

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

She shook her head. "Not always," she reassured him. "It only seems that way sometimes." She glanced at him. "It must be difficult for you three, with no real role to play here." It was hard enough, being on a strange ship and still very aware of her status as an outsider. But at least she'd been able to contribute.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim shook his head, smiling sheepishly. He couldn't lie to her. "Speaking of which," he said, "I'm not Bill."

He paused, looking at her significantly.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine tilted her head in confusion, just staring at him for a moment. What did that mean? Was he supposed to be wearing a costume, and expecting her to figure out what it was?

Then it clicked, and her eyes widened. Oh. She was unsure, for a moment, whether to blush or to laugh. She settled for a soft "oh!" and a slow smile.

"Captain." She shook her head, mostly at herself. "Well, you certainly had me fooled." If it had been Bill she would have teased you're going to get in trouble this way, you know - but it was Captain Kirk, and she settled for smiling again - somewhat reproachfully, but not without humor - and busying herself sipping her drink.

It could have been worse. At least she hadn't greeted him by reminding him of the hug Bill had promised her.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

The delight at fooling her perversely heightened his resemblance to Bill, but he couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry, we couldn't resist. And I've remembered who you remind me of. I never met her, but I've seen... images. Used to serve with Captain Pike, on the Enterprse."

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

From across the room, Bill eyed his double with narrowed eyes. It had just now occurred to him to wonder how exactly Jim was going about pretending to be him. He hoped he wasn't giving away anything embarrassing. That giggle, for example - even when he went to parties as himself, Bill was very careful only to allow the Captain Kirk dignified laugh to pass his lips, if he could help it. And then there was - well. Jim flirted with everyone; Bill couldn't imagine that a suit was going to stop him. He tried to gauge the nature of their conversation via body language, hoping against hope that Jim wasn't flirting with Christine, because that could be...awkward.

Luckily, most of the people he himself had made Jim dates with had worked out the switch in clothing. But he would have to warn Jim about the Dr McCoy situation, on the off-chance that the younger Jim hadn't already explained things. And then -

...ah, well. He'd have a chance to check in with Jim, if not at or after the party, then at least later in the week. They could laugh at their own cleverness (and, uh, idiocy) then.

He turned away, and knocked back the remaining contents of his glass.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? How strange. This is just an old uniform I found in the closet." She glanced down at it and back up to his face. "If I remind you of someone - well, they say everyone has a double, don't they?" She grinned at him.

"Don't apologize, Captain. Your acting was very impressive."

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Bill knew that restless walk all too well. He grinned, unable to resist the temptation to see how Jim had been getting on. He strode across the room, coming upon Jim from behind and taking hold of him by both arms without warning.

"Why, Bill," he purred into his counterpart's ear, "What on earth is a handsome young man like you doing all on his own?"

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim grinned unseen. He'd wondered when he'd get a chance to confront Bill about his ridiculous display.

"Wondering how on earth a poor actor is supposed to get any play, with a notorious flirt like Jim Kirk on the prowl," he said. He turned, favoring Bill with a sweeping glance. "Then again, who can blame either the flirt or the flirtee, in this case?"

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Bill laughed softly. "Who indeed? I really can't think why nobody's made a flirtee of you yet, though." He reached up, smirking, to cup Jim's chin in his hand, turning him fully so their faces were an inch apart. "Then again, there are certain...advantages...to being the Captain."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"I think they're afraid of Len," Jim said sheepishly. Bill's hand on his jaw was commanding. Interesting, to be confronted by the figure he found impossible to separate from his own on that program of theirs. Bill himself was different. Bill-as-Jim was... well, aside from the rampant flirtation, he was almost more Jim than Jim.

"And what might those be? Some sort of droit de seigneur?"

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Bill smiled slowly. Like this, with all the power in his hands, he remembered why exactly he had loved being Jim Kirk so damn much; loved it to the extent that he sometimes found it difficult to admit that he wasn't, in fact, the captain of a 23rd century starship. And Jim with that innocent look on his face was irresistible. Bill didn't pause to think too deeply about this situation.

Instead, he just allowed himself to smile a little more, and run his thumb over Jim's lower lip. "You might say that," he allowed. He held Jim's eyes for a long moment. "And Captain Kirk is most definitely not afraid of Len - foolhardy though that may be."

And he leaned directly in - neither up, nor down - to run his tongue over Jim's mouth in the wake of his thumb, before sliding his hand around to the nape of Jim's neck and pulling him forward into a kiss.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim admiring Bill as an attractive man was, he thought, perfectly valid without wasting too much time on the psychology of the matter.

Getting utterly turned on by the fact that he was pretending to be Jim--and, likely, the fact that Bill was pretending Jim was himself--probably raised a whole host of other questions Jim's cock didn't want answered. Including why he'd fallen into the role of the pursued, and why that hand on the back of his neck sparked something deep within that came through in the kiss he returned. The plush velour felt warm under his hand as it settled around Bill's waist, and part of his wondered every so briefly how many he'd simply overpowered in this manner.

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Probably, kissing Jim like this, in so public an arena, was bad for both their reputations. But then, this was not Jim's ship, and he was not in command; and more to the point, Jim kissed back too nicely for Bill to actually summon the willpower to care. Not when his veins rushed so fiercely with this sense of competence, of control; not with Jim's hands on his waist and Jim's mouth opening under his as he licked into it, plundering, demanding. Far from offering any protest, Jim seemed to have gone completely pliant against him, and Bill fitted their bodies close and warm together, pressing himself against Jim's thigh just sufficiently for Jim to feel the effect that he was having.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

The equal (though not opposite) effect had to be apparent to Bill, as well, as Jim let him take, and he gave, not so much collapsing against his force but letting him in. He wondered how much flack he'd get for this later, and how many people were seeking the nearest dark corner for their own purposes, and how he'd come so far from the image he'd always tried to project on his own ship.

Fuck it.

If anything, the consummation of... whatever was going on here had only made things worse. If by worse one meant better. When the kiss broke, Jim rested his forehead against Bill's.

"Captain," he murmured. "Your reputation."

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Bill smiled. "Yes...perhaps this kind of thing would be better conducted in my quarters," he conceded. His mouth found Jim's for a last kiss, for now. He didn't want to actually completely destroy Jim's command image. "At some point." He laughed. "I wouldn't presume to expect you again too soon," he added, breathed against Jim's cheek in a tone caught somewhere partway between Bill and Jim. "You do have more than one reputation, after all. Jim."

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"Mmm." The sound escaped him as their lips parted, his eyes lowered in unconcealed arousal. "Much later," he added, "considering you seem to have done your best to fill my social calendar. Too much for you, Bill?"

[canadianbill.livejournal.com]

Bill laughed. "I'm only playing around," he said. "I have no doubt I'll be going back to my own room tonight, same as always." He took a step back, and smiled. "Don't wreak too much havoc on my reputation, will you? I promise not to get you into any real trouble. I haven't actually made any dates you'll be bound to. Although you may have to explain some things to Dr McCoy. Um, both doctors."

And with a parting squeeze of Jim's hand, he turned and walked away into the crowd.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim watched him walk away with undisguised attention to his posterior, shaking his head and smiling. Bill. He already had an engagement tonight, or he'd be sorely tempted not to let the man walk away. Or at least, not for long.

Bill's own reputation was hardly in any danger. But Jim was starting to wonder what he meant about Bones...