#bnybirthday

[hannahxinterrupted]

"Trust me, running into him was not on my apocalypse bingo card." But the surprise wasn't an unpleasant one. Underneath all the complicated feelings Hannah had towards Roman there was at least one fact she was certain of; He was never going to let himself fuck up as badly as he had before. Roman had expressed as much, that he would never June or Hannah get hurt again.

So far.. he'd kept his word. But now that he was starting another family, would he keep looking out for his first one?

"June has been waiting for dance lessons when you're feeling up to it." Hannah did a simple sign for ballet and pointed to Aggie with a smile. "She doesn't admit it but I know she still thinks you're Barbie." In her toddler years June had watched Barbie and the Nutcracker one too many times and had gotten it in her head that Aggie must be the real Barbie.

Nodding brightly, her relieved excitement was clearly evident on her face and in her smile that grew as Hannah continued her list of people from her life that were alive and well and there with them. Not ghosts haunting The Wexley afterall, at least none that she could see. It was the mention of Roman, though, that had her laughing so brightly.

Face screwing up in a playful version of an angry one, even her signs were unserious. 'Roman. Yuck'.

[ashton-ryder]

// open. int. the w bar - night. 1st april

Despite Ash having no affinity with parties, the Wexley however loves them. Having avoided as many as he could in his years here, as many as his friends would let him anyways, guess it's much harder to avoid them once you're actually stuck in the building with literally nowhere to go. And it felt rude to not be here when it's a celebration for someone's birthday, especially Mr Wexley's. He knows he's not fun at parties and didn't want to bring it down for anyone. So instead, he found himself offering Charlie his help, not wanting her working any harder than she already is with not many people knowing of her situation, now standing behind the bar serving people drinks and watching the party go by from the sidelines.

Perhaps there was something about seeing families, friends, lovers, reunited since Spring hit, now altogether in one place here with a heartfelt warmth that filled the room, that an unfounded weight sank in his chest. Or perhaps it's the barrier of a bar counter and physical separation that made it more apparent of what he avoided feeling, but damn, he didn't like admitting that he felt lonely for the first time in a long time, and there was a guilt in feeling that, considering how lucky he's been. Ash was leaning back against the wall behind the bar, lost in his thoughts with a beer in his hand (knowing he's not in the right headspace for anything stronger) as his eyes glazed over the scenes passing by him at the bar and atrium until he realized someone had come up to him while he was spacing out, "-sorry, what can I get you?"

[valeriixchen]

Where: Games Room When: 8:45

"Don't be a pussy," Val chastised as she began removing her heels. She leaned against the pool table for support as she kicked them off, a talent that didn't require any hand work. "It's no fun to play alone."

She'd challenged the other resident to a game of Dance Dance Revolution and was not accepting any excuses or forfeiting. She turned to the small silver serving tray she'd smuggled from the W that held several jello-shots, grabbing one for each of them. She stumbled slightly on her way to the other resident.

[rioreeve]

//The Atrium. Apr 1.

closed starter for @survivalxofxthexfittest

Maybe Ria and Ember weren't as mad as he had suggested when he heard about the party and saw them with all the decorations - the Wexley looked nicer than ever and maybe that's what everyone needed. Even a grump like him could use a break from landscapes full of debris and half-rotten corpses. Maybe that was survival too. And then after a short conversation with his brother, he also thought he was a hypocrite - inviting Emily to play games only to question the purpose of a birthday party in the middle of an apocalypse. Besides, didn't Tobias deserve a damn birthday party?

Obviously, his first reaction was that he'd help Mal set up everything in The W, but wouldn't attend. Not everyone liked that option so Zach soon found himself making plans for that evening, and promised Emily he would meet her there. When the day came, he even thought he could pick her up so they'd go together, but when Eric stormed into Zach's studio asking for help ("Any clothes I could borrow so I don't stand out? Of course, black is more than fine!") he knew they'd be taking that elevator to the first floor together.

"No, they swam back to the shore on a raft together, but I'm not the next Clint Eastwood."

"But the parallels are striking," teased Zach, and their laughter grew louder as the two left the elevator and glanced around, each pair of eyes scanning the atrium for a different female. Zach wanted to find Emily before she thought he might've stood her up, and Eric... Well, Eric was curious if Miss Pirouette would appear there at all, or maybe she had spent too much time in the darkness to let that much light in.

"Fuck that, women are trouble. One day you're a happy guy, banging a cute chick you met and the next you're this fucking close to dying on a raft 'cause your plane got shot down."

Zach hummed in agreement. He knew Eric wasn't being serious and he had every right to still be bitter about how his relationship with Veronica ended. He chuckled again at the whole "actor/accident/near-death experience/raft/making it back with another survivor" similarity they had been laughing at for a few minutes.

"No. Stop it. I'm not doin' Clint Eastwood impressions so you can make fun of your brother almost turning into some crisp but bloody firework. Besides..." He jerked his head to let Zach know he should turn around. "You don't wanna get caught agreeing that women are trouble now," he added with a smirk and greeted Emily with a friendly smile and a nod, before walking away.

So, Zach turned around, knowing exactly who he would see there and... — He had seen Emily so many times, but it had to be the first time she looked like this and he instantly understood that the last train to We're Just Friends via I'd Never Look At You Like That has just left the station.

[hannahxinterrupted]

@ashton-ryder the w

Hannah was fairly certain Ashton hadn't left from his station since the start of the party, taking his position as bartender just as seriously as any military order he may have been given in a previous life. Duty = Responsibility = Guilt? More pieces to add to the ever-growing puzzle she was putting together in an attempt to understand him. If she did some self-reflecting there was no doubt something to be said about her need to understand people in order to feel safe around them. As if it bad things wouldn't hurt quite as much if she could just see them coming.

She approached him with her hands full of stacked paper plates, "Please tell me you haven't eaten yet or I'm going to be forced to deal with all of this myself." Careful not to spill or knock anything over Hannah put the plates down in front of him to reveal the treats. Cake, macarons, popcorn, and a few slices of pb&j.

[lindsohalloran]

who ashton @ashton-ryder when mr. wexley's birthday bash where the w

❝ ―look, it wasnae my fault, ryder, ❞ lindsay defends himself, leaning against the bar of the w as he fixes his long-time friend ― and the event's makeshift bartender ― with a pointed and unwavering stare. ❝ she came up tae me with a feckin' fistful of 'em, talkin' all ❛ can ye hold 'em for me please, uncle lindsay? ❜ as she's dumpin' jelly beans in me palm. and i was jus' gonnae hold 'em fer her 'til she was done playin', but i've a heavy feckin' sweet tooth― ❞ ashton knows this about him, certainly ; street food sweets were one of very few vices for the ex-scotsguard back in belize, and he could frequently be found with pockets full of of fresh wangla from one of the vendor carts near the base. ❝ ―and i couldnae resist, figured just a few couldn't hurt. and jaysus were they stale, like ― probably from last feckin' easter, so they are ― wee, hard lumps o' sugar. how was i s'posed tae know there was a feckin' barbie shoe mixed in with the lot? t'weren't no more or less toothsome than the candy. i couldnae tell a feckin' difference. ❞

there's a shake of his head and a chuckle in spite of himself as lindsay lifts his glass to his lips. ❝ christ alive, i cannae believe i ate it. ❞

[viesanders]

//The W. Apr 1.

closed starter for @ashton-ryder

"Man, they really made ya everyone's favorite person but at the cost of giving you the least favorite job." It wasn't the worst job per se, obviously, but bartenders were always the busiest. "Take a breather, lemme help ya."

Eric put his empty glass on the countertop and walked around the bar to join Ash on the opposite side. As his first gig, he poured himself a shot worth of whiskey; it was more of a playful act and if Ash told him to get the fuck outta there, Eric would.

"Seriously, you deserve a break, even a short one..."

[henrisolivier]

@sadavang the roof

they'd been in her loft, standing on the balcony and toasting to an evening of success when sada noticed movement against the dark sky. it had been irregular enough to hasten them to the rooftop in an attempt to investigate. as henri threw open the door and stepped into the cold night air he was able to make out not one but several shapes rushing over the adjacent cityscape. "i think they're drones," he suggested as sada approached his side.

it was utter luck that they were still standing at the doorway because without warning one of the aforementioned drones passed over head and released a package onto the roof. "wait--" henri held his arm out to block sada from stepping further as the crate sprung a parachute and it's fall began to slow. he turned his attention back to the city around them and saw that the other drones had also begun releasing packages. most of their targets appeared to be rooftops and henri wondered if that was a sign of survivors inside them.

with obvious sarcasm henri dropped his hand and turned to her. "do you think it's party favors?" or maybe a present for mr. wexley himself.

[byenycfm]

Where: Rosie's Bulletin Board When: March 29th

Pinned up on the bulletin board in Rosie's as well as taped up on the walls all over The Wexley (including in the elevator) are brightly coloured flyers. For the entire weekend @rhianwells and @emberwexley will have been going around trying to recruit everyone to some sort of job. Shoving armfuls of streamers, banners, and tape into the arms of the taller people, and handfuls of balloons at others. @postapocalypsemalone and @rioreeve have been roped into making sure the karaoke system was set up in The W, as well as setting up a performance space in the center of the Atrium, where the old Christmas tree had finally been vacated from, for @sarahshercohen to play some calmer music for those less karaokely inclined. Ember and Ria even thought of everything, by making sure that the game system in The Games room was fully functioning and ready with Rock-Band and other games, and a Disney Movie Marathon on in the Media Room for the kids. Battery operated fairy lights are being strung everywhere, and even the dance floor lights set up in the bar as well. @pxtitxrosx has been busy in the kitchen planning out what sort of mixed drinks they had, as well as roping in @survivalxofxthexfittest (Emily) to help her and @rosiesdiner make as many macaroons as they can, as well as a birthday cake. (Thank goodness for icing sugar).

The Birthday Party event will run from December 2 - December 6th, with of course options to continue until completion of threads. There will NOT be a thread pause during this event and regular threads can continue.

Ember and Ria are looking for volunteers to help get everything set up for the party, so please don't hesitate to message Nikki and she'll add it to this post.

[romanxdrake]

@pxtitxrosx

the atrium

while a lot of things between them were murky right now it had been clear that they both needed time to process their situation. their relationship was already strained because of roman leaving to find birdie and failing to return with her when he had. the news of charlie’s pregnancy only added another layer of complication. he wanted to give charlie time to work through her feelings (and hell, he needed the same).

seeing charlie spend the evening on mal’s arm was somehow less surprising than it should’ve been. roman had been less upset with either of them than he’d been with himself—he should’ve asked charlie to come.

but he couldn’t.

and instead of being mad at mal, he was relieved that someone was giving charlie was she wanted. he’d be the first to admit his shortcomings as a partner had ruined his relationships before. he wasn’t always emotionally available, he was prone to pessimism and self destruction. stability and commitment terrified him.

so maybe he was still too freshly wounded (physically, emotionally, spiritually) to give charlie what she wanted but he could still give her a dance.

he approached her with a kind smile and a long inhale, trying to be subtle about his need for a forced breath of calm.

“your date mind if we dance?” it was a light acknowledgement of their awkward predicament.

[judahfisher]

who hannah @hannahxinterrupted when the old fuck's birthday party where underneath one of the tables in the atrium ( at least judah is )

knees are pressed into the tile so intently he's sure there will still be marks on his skin from the grout lines and he can still taste her on his lips when he pulls away from warm, sweet flesh, careful not to knock his head on the solid underside of the table. ( there's an assortment of glassware just above him, separated by only about an inch or so of wood, his own drink among them ; he doesn't mind causing a scene if anyone sees the glasses rattling, but he'll be damned if he's going to waste a perfectly good glass of whiskey. ) he swipes his lower lip with his right thumb, wiping away the lingering glisten as the palm of his left hand spreads flush against her leg and gives her trembling thigh a solid squeeze. and then he's shifting beneath the table ― there's a rustling of fabric as he bats the corner of a slightly too-long tablecloth out of the way before his head appears just inches from her chair.

there's a devilish grin tugging at his lips as he emerges, splitting his features in two as a curious gaze searches his immediate surroundings to see if anyone's around to spot him before landing on hers. ❝ well? is the coast clear, doll, or should i bide my time and go back for seconds? i do love a good dessert buffet. ❞

[thedevilworksharder]

⋙ WHEN? mr. w's birthday party ⋙ WHERE? atrium ⋙ WHO? open

Devan doesn't know whether he was specifically invited or not or if it's a general invitation. Regardless, they're not the kind of person to purposefully miss out on a party of any kind, be it fundraiser with too many rich folk, a rave with too much ecstasy, or a fancy birthday party with too many people they didn't really know. But he's here now, in a pair of slacks and a dress shirt with rolled up sleeves that he borrowed from an empty apartment somewhere — the doors of which he had absolutely not lockpicked because he's a not a nosy cunt and he just wouldn't do that.

Their entrance is subtle, through the door leading to the stairwell rather than having taken the lifts all the way down; most of the residents would be at the party and this is a prime opportunity to study them without it seeming weird. The dimmed lights hide the angry red scratches along the left side of his face, from forehead down to his jaw, like he'd had a nasty run-in with a cat — except the lines are further apart from one another, indicating an attack with a much bigger appendage than a regular cat would have.

Their intention had been to linger on the sidelines for a while before they'd even start to mingle, or even make their presence known, sticking to the sides of the room — uncharacteristic to anyone who really knows them, but luckily, the people who truly know them in this place they can count on a single hand, and not even a full one at that.

"'Scuse me," he says, loud enough to be heard over the sound — both electronic and human — hoping to get by quick enough that the person he's passing by won't address him, the rumpled clothes just a little bit too big for him, or the obvious wounds on his face. The goal right now is to get a drink from wherever so he has an excuse to point to to linger on the sidelines. Besides, he hasn't had a beer in ages.

[jonahfisher]

who: @survivalxofxthexfittest ( emily)

where: the w

when: april 1st, birthday party

the bartender seemed.... off. he'd been zoning out and jonah hadn't had the motivation to try and get his attention yet. he still had the craft beer from the diner and honestly jonah wasn't much of a heavy drinker. used to be, but that was a story better kept to himself. the artist stopped looking at the blonde and turned his attention to someone else who approached the bar. a familiar face he'd already heard was at the wexley from judah. "so you say hi to my brother but you don't say hi to me? i see how it is. guess there's no code between artists, huh?" he was teasing, hopefully shown by the slight smile on his face.

[valeriixchen]

[rioreeve]

//The W. Apr 1.

closed starter for @ashton-ryder

"Don't say a single word about my suit, Emily likes it." Zach arched a brow in a silent warning but grinned a second later as he half-sat on a stool. They had discussed this matter so many times and nothing new could be said about these two never borrowing each other's clothes like true besties. Wrong Sanders.

When he glanced around it looked like one of those rare moments when everyone had something to drink and wouldn't bother Ashton anytime soon, so he turned back to his friend with a question. "Wanna check on Doom with me? He was fast asleep when I was leaving, but I wanna make sure I still have a place to go back to."

[hannahxinterrupted]

@mrwexleysr the atrium

hannah held a champagne flute in her hand as she walked through the atrium, content to admire everyone's beautiful outfits. it was heartening to see everyone enjoying themselves, to see them in this light, instead of burdened by the weight of survival as they so often were. she gave a warm smile to tobias as he finished talking to another resident and turned her way. "i'm in desperate need of a dance partner that actually knows how to dance." she assumed that with his status as a businessman and socialite he had to have some experience in the area. "and i think since it's your party, you can't say no if someone asks." a totally made up rule. but weren't all rules made up?