[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

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

Having spoken to George, (http://kirktastic.livejournal.com/27230.html?thread=1185630#t1185630) a new drink (or was it the third?) safely in hand, De looked around to see if he recognised anyone else.

He didn't recognise Christine at first, even though he had seen Majel with dark hair many times. She was wearing the uniform from that first pilot, the one he hadn't been in. De was just glad he had never had to wear those uniforms. After a moment it clicked that this must be Christine and De made the decision to wander over and say hello.

He had decided, while talking to George, that acting was probably the best way forward. Seeing as how he was an actor after all. And playing the part of a cowboy was one he could slide straight back into. Play the part. Play the part, and nothing else.

He sidled over to Christine, attempting his best cowboy swagger and trying not to feel too self conscious. "Well, howdy there," he drawled, with a smile, a tip of his hat, and one hand placed on his belt.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine couldn't keep the expression of surprise from her face as De greeted her. For a moment she wondered wildly if this might be McCoy - but no, it was definitely De. Smiling confidently and positively sauntering over to her, one hand at his belt.

"Hello, cowboy," she replied, grinning widely and trying not to laugh.

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Evenin', miss," De continued, keeping up with the deep drawl he had perfected over all those years of playing no good cowboys and other such low down characters in westerns. "Now, what's a pretty miss like you doing in a place like this?"

Playing a character again wasn't all that hard. He wasn't sure how long he could keep it up though. What with being...well, out of practise, and everything else that had happened recently...he would just see how it went.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

This time Christine couldn't hold back the laughter. She hoped De could hear the affection in it, and that it wouldn't make him feel self-conscious.

"Just waiting to meet a nice cowboy like you, I suppose," she teased back, willing to keep playing along as long as De was comfortable with it. It was lovely - beyond lovely - to see him like this, playful and sure of himself. He'd never acted that way around her before, and she was thrilled to see him having a good time.

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Ya know, miss, don't cha," he said, in his gravelly tones, as he slipped into a seat next to her "that most cowboys don't have a particulary good reputation." He smiled, a smile that was very much De and not very much cowboy. He had missed acting. Acting was fun.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

"Is that so?" she replied, raising an eyebrow and turning slightly in her chair to angle towards him. "Should I be frightened?" He gave her a brilliant smile, and she couldn't have stopped herself from smiling back if she'd wanted to.

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Well, that all depends, really, miss," a wink, "on whether ya consider me to be one of that sorta cowboy, or if ya think better of me."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Had he just winked at her? She resisted the urge to shake her head in disbelief, remembering how he'd been at the last party they'd been to. He was an actor, after all, she reminded herself. But that he felt comfortable enough here to act like this said something, too.

"Well, I don't know, cowboy," she replied. "Maybe I should play it safe and run away before you can pull me onto your horse and make off with me." She smiled again. "But that doesn't sound like much fun."

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Well, now, I just seem to have forgotten to bring my horse along, so ya don't need to be worrying about me making off with ya that way." He smiled at her again from under the brim of his hat, "I can be assuring ya, you're quite safe with me," although the tone of his voice was more playful than that statement suggested.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

"Well, that's a relief," she replied, still smiling. "But how do I know I can trust the word of a strange cowboy like you?" She was turned completely sideways in her chair by this point, and she leaned one arm across the back of it, propping her head on her hand as she watched him with interest. This was the most fun she'd had in a while.

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Well, miss, I guess you'll just hafta look into my eyes and decide for ya'self," he drawled. He was actually quite enjoying himself. It had been a while, a long time since he had acted, even longer since he had acted parts like this. And yet this had been his life. It was surprisingly easy to slip back into the role.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

He had, of course, the same eyes as Leonard McCoy - clear and blue and full of kindness. Full of playfulness, too, at the moment. She smiled more gently as she gazed into them. "Those certainly don't look like the eyes of a scoundrel," she admitted, leaning closer slightly. "I suppose I won't be frightened of you, after all."

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"I think I'm losing my touch," De said, tempering his accent back down to his normal voice. "I'm out of practise," he shrugged, apologetically. "Haven't acted in a long while." He smiled, a small shy smile. "Sorry I couldn't keep the act up for longer."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Her smile grew wider and more genuine as she reached out to take his hand. "Don't apologize," she told him. "It was wonderful." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "It's so nice to see you having a good time, De."

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Sorry," said De, but the slightly curl of his lip and the light of his eyes showed he knew exactly what he was doing by saying sorry again. "Wouldn't say I was necessarily having a good time, though. Trying that acting...it's easier to act, sometimes, I think."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

She lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, you seemed to be having fun to me," she replied lightly, not wanting to push it. "I imagine it is easier, sometimes, to be able to get out of your head a bit." She smiled at him. "You're certainly a wonderful actor."

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Oh, the acting? Sorry, yes. That is fun. I enjoy that. Be a bit...well, silly, if I didn't. I just...wasn't sure that I'd be any good any more. What with the time, and the, well, the circumstances." He shrugged his shoulders. "Problem being, to get out of your head and act properly, you kinda have to be in your head in the first place. So...y'know. That wasn't very good."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine smiled encouragingly. "It seemed good to me," she repeated softly. "But maybe you could act for me again sometime, when you feel more like yourself."

She glanced away briefly, to the center of the room, as a sound caught her ear. Someone had turned on some music. She glanced back at De, a smile on her face.

"Ready to join the rest of the party?"

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"Maybe," De nodded. "May feel compelled into acting again later. Depends. On how things go. You know. Bill, Len and I could do something maybe. If everything settles down again."

De caught the sounds of the music as well, and noticed how Christine's face lit up slightly as she heard it. It wasn't any music he recognised, but that wasn't surprising. It was quite nice though. Relaxing. Lilty. He followed Christine's gaze to the centre of the room.

"By join the party...you mean?" He gestured to the wide space, and shook his head a little. "I'm not sure...I mean...I don't know."

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

"I used to love dancing," she said, half to herself, but noticing De's uncertainty, she turned her attention back to him.

"Of course, if you don't want to," she hid her disappointment with an understanding smile. She wasn't going to risk pushing him too far, making him uncomfortable again now that he had finally relaxed and come out of his shell a bit. Even if she did think he'd enjoy it.

"We could just stay here and talk. Or go find something to eat, maybe?"

Her favorite song was playing now - one that she'd dreamed of having played at her wedding to Roger, back when there was still a wedding to dream of. She pretended not to hear it.

[de-forest.livejournal.com]

"It's not...I mean..." De took a deep breath. The last time he could remember dancing, he had Carolyn in his arms, she leaning her head against his shoulder, swaying gently together. Carolyn. Dancing with someone else...it was...

But Christine wanted to dance. She might not have been saying it, but De was not so lost in his own emotions and loss that he couldn't tell.

And De was nothing if not a gentleman.

"One dance," he said, taking another deep breath, standing, and holding out his hand to Christine. Now, surely, if he could act a cowboy, he could act that he was comfortable for one dance.

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

She hesitated for a moment, not wanting to force him into anything he didn't want to do. But then he was standing before her, offering his hand, a small smile on his face.

Her own smile was wide and grateful as she took his hand and allowed him to pull her gently to her feet and lead her out onto the dance floor.