16654/Deck the Halls With Bricks of Brimstone

Deck the Halls With Bricks of Brimstone
Date of Scene:	24 December 2024
Location:	Lucifer's Penthouse, Melville
Synopsis:	Lucifer, Nathaniel and Nick have a gift exchange...or really...a shower of gifts for Nick.
Cast of Characters:	Lucifer, Phantasm (Drago), Sinister

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Lucifer has posed:
T'was the night before Christmas and all through the club

Not a person was working, seems everyone's a dud.

The lights are all off, there's no sound from the stage

Ones who try to visit might be filled with rage

Then there's the happenings up in the Penthouse. Lucifer has actually gotten a tree. It's decorated. But it's not any Christmas tree, oh no. This one is black, with flashing colorful lights adorning it. There are syringes and DNA strands, and genome metrics somehow all decorating the tree itself - along with coal ornaments and some made to look like embers.

It may not actually be Christmas Eve, or Christmas. But a text has gone out to the One Who Donates Time. There are actually presents under the tree. A few boxes wrapped neatly, tied with bows, and a few envelopes scattered within the tree itself.

"Do we want to spike the eggnog, you think?" Lucifer calls out to Nathaniel.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
It may not be Christmas or the eve that comes before.
But the invite to come over was not one to ignore.
Although he gives his time, Nick does not bring a box.
Who are we kidding, what would he give them? Some seasonal Sock?

So empty-handed the rocker makes way
To seek the devil and his love on this non-Christmas day.
But there is still that wait, a few minutes more
As there may be anticipation of a slide of that elevator door.




Ding!

Sinister has posed:
"I think that optional spiking is probably a better option, after all it's that time of year. Happy Yuletide, my Darling--" a kiss under mistletoe? Sure thing. That's pagan. It has tradition that wasn't all hijacked!

"We didn't agree with secret Satan did we? That might be a little bit Krampusy."

A few extra ornaments are floated into different positions because this man is -fussy- in his OCD, but it is polishing on the organized chaos.

He even has a dark red Santa hat with a glittery white pompom. Fear the pompom.

Lucifer has posed:
"Mmn...optional spiking it is..." Lucifer offers as he finishes off the last batch of eggnog. Yes. He has made it - two pitchers worth - from scratch. The traditional way too.

"No. No deals were made with anyone...these are all legitimate gifts. Some for you, some for Nick." He waves a hand in the air and then is kissed. Under mistletoe. Because fuck you, that's why.

He may be Christian-derived, but Lucifer is pagan at heart. Why would he celebrate the birth of...okay. No mental rant today. Save it for some other time.

"Welcome Nick!" At the sound of the elevator opening. "Come in, come in. We have finger foods, eggnog, and other drinks if you prefer. The eggnog is currently virgin, but if you want to give it a little lovin'... no one is going to tell you no. Just pick your poison."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
As previously stated there is no sign of a box.
In the arms of the performer of songs rock.
But swinging upon Nick's fingertips is a white woven handle.
What's in the bag? Dear God hopefully not another scented candle.

Door parted ways, Nick steps out into the penthouse, taking a moment to look to the biohazard tree of darkness. Stepping over, he sets the bag down near the tree, but not directly under it. Nick turns to the hosts of the evening.

"Thank you for the invite." Nick replies, glancing over to the indicated Eggnog. Well... with the general tolerance for alcohol and this not being the same day of when he'd be helping out elsewhere- "I'll be over at New Hope in a couple days. Lucius seemed ok with it."

Sinister has posed:
"Oh, I do so hope that they're whimsical." Indeed, do you get them socks? No, these are the kinds of individuals where you get them things that just mean something, or are completely silly. They have everything and anything that they might want at the drop of a credit card or a suggestion -- it's the needful things one never knew that they needed, that make the night.

Nick's words draw the doctor's eyes his way, wearing his rose-tinted spectacles as he does. They are a fixture when the world needs to look rosier than it usually is, after all.

"There's several varieties of flavoured brandy. Butterscotch favours eggnog quite well..." there's a fleeting look of nostalgia and a faint smile, plucking a red-filled syringe from the tree and bringing it to his mouth. It's squirted in. "Strawberry schnapps."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer smiles as Nick drops a gift bag under the tree. He would say the man didn't have to get them anything, but of course he didn't have to. The fact that he wanted to is what makes it more memorable. There's a couple gifts each under the tree for Nathaniel and Nick. (Nathaniel may have snuck something there for Lucifer at some point, but the Devil doesn't know.)

"Oh good. I'm glad you're still volunteering there..." It will make one of the envelopes easier also. "So, how have things panned out the last little bit? I think you left the cottage to go back to California for some things you had to take care of." (It's sort of how a scene or two sans-Nick was written.) The Devil then watches as Nathaniel plucks a syringe from the tree. Who needs candy canes when you can have liquor filled syringes? He also moves to the tree to pluck a blue colored syringe out. "Blue raspberry liquor for me then."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick was already glancing to the offerings positioned closest to the eggnog. But to the suggestion of butterscotch flavored brandy, a contemplative look forms upon Nick's face.

"I'll give it a go." The rocker decides, moving over to prepare his drink using the previously identified eggnog and properly labeled flavored brandy.

"Yeah, I'm glad I still can as well." Nick pauses to the mention of California, "Well we got Jacob to come to New York. He basically wanted to go over some future projects that are currently in talks."

As far as the type of gift that Nick put under the tree it's likely not an expected gift. There is no tag to indicate who gets to open it. Almost like it is for the both of them. But the bag is somewhat small and a bit... unthematic for the holidays commonly celebrated in December.

...It's a Halloween gift bag. Which, probably meant it was heavily discounted by the time Nick secured it.

But it's got a black cat on it. So that works, right?

Sinister has posed:
The sound of what is IN the bag, the movement of the fabric and other little tattle tales causes Sin's gaze to drop to it with his head tilted. Lace? The stiffness of that particular... he blinks, setting the spent syringe in the 'sharps bin' because there has to be continuity when they're rinsed and refilled... in order to come closer and just listen to the bag. And then, he peers into the top, cradling the body of the carrier with one palm glancing at it solemnly, right up until he bursts out laughing.

The gift is passed to Lucifer, still laughing.

"Thank you Nick, this is classic and now you can picture the two of us attempting to utilize that..."

The language was deliberate of course, so as not to break the surprise for the Devil.

"I think the green slime ones are Granny apple."

Lucifer has posed:
Lucifer raises a brow as Nathaniel has picked up the gift from Nick and peeked inside. When he busts out laughing, there is curiosity in his gaze. Then he is handed the bag and gets to look inside. "Oh my word...can you imagine? If we could actually get Raven into this and then ourselves into similar clothing....think of the family portrait!" He says this and laughs as well. "Oh this is wonderful. Thank you, Nick. Truly."

Then, to keep the momentum going a bit, he plucks a couple of envelopes out of the tree and makes sure they're marked for who he wants to give them to. Walking over towards Nick, he offers both envelopes to the man, actually. There is a third one in the tree. Marked for Nathaniel.

Maybe open that one privately.

"Here's to you and the ones you tend to and care for. Happy Holidays, Nephew."

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
Nick pauses in his drink prep as Sinister goes straight over to the giftbag. As soon as the doctor starts laughing, Nick grins.

The expression strengthens as Lucifer's laugh backs up the initial reaction.

When the envelopes are brought over, the musician looks to the envelopes curiously before he looks inside the ones marked for him. Finding the check to New Hope, Nick looks to Lucifer. "Oh I'm sure they'll love this." Nick responds on the shelter's behalf. After all, $30,000 can go far when a shelter's good with managing funds.

Which reminds Nick that he needs to revisit his budget to see how much is left of his giving budget for the year.

"Thank you."

Sinister has posed:
One HAS to wonder about Nick and where all the money he surely makes by being a movie /and/ rock star, happens to actually go. After all, when you reach a point in wealth you can just let it sit there and it gets bigger all on its own, by compound interest!

"Oh, wouldn't that be just priceless. Although now it begs for a filming to be set up, to capture our /attempts/ at putting a victorian gothika waistcoat on the cat. And the further attempts to get her to stay still." Sinister grins, serving himself up a little egg nog with a splash of both peppermint -and- butterscotch, setting it aside after a sip.

He glances at the tree, then selects a different envelope, this one about the size of a credit card. It's handed over between index and middle finger in an elegant fashion, with a small nod.

It's not a credit card, but a business 'membership' pass with an ID code and a phone number on the back. It looks to be from a company known as Repurpose Logistics. They are a company that takes good food that isn't off but is lumpy, abnormal shaped or otherwise not 'sellable' and takes them to soup kitchens. It's not quite a charity, as there are expenses, but it seems the wheel and the deal and the contact to do the footwork and collections is all pre-negotiated. "They deliver twice a month, beginning and middle. They're contracted for a year."

Lucifer has posed:
Seems like New Hope is going to be buzzing with talk about the generosity of the community. Or at the very least, three prominent members of said community. Either way, while Nathaniel is gifting another envelope to Nick, Lucifer shifts to kneel and grabs a small box from under the tree. It's wrapped in festive paper and tied off with a black bow.

He waits for Nathaniel to finish gift giving to Nick and then proffers the box over to his lover fair. "You didn't think I forgot to buy you something, did you?" Asking this with a cheeky grin and urges the man to take the gift.

Inside will be a snow globe, different from the one he got on their very first date. This one will be a park bench with two figures seated upon it. They are carved to look very much like Nathaniel and Lucifer, sitting in Central Park on a snowy day. A little shake and more snow falls.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
One could wonder. But they could also ask. But who really wants to be bludgeoned to death by the general financial processes of a rock star? If anything the pair he's with know that the musician's primary concerns with shelter less about affording it, but more about keeping it from being blown up.

Yes that's another wall of thoughts that one might not wish to trigger unless REALLY curious.

Either way based from the general smile coming from Nick to the gifts that are quite notably directed towards helping others instead of him-

Bu-

Ok fine one check was meant for him. But it's still going to go to helping others-

Back on track. It seems benefiting the shelter seems spot on for gifts.

A thumb rubs along the smooth surface of the card considering the explanation that comes with it. He'll have to relay the very information to those who actually run the shelter later so it's best to pay attention now.

To the end of the explanation, Nick gives a nod. "Thank you."

Making sure to put the card in a safe spot for later, Nick tends to his doctored eggnog while Lucifer tends to his love.

Sinister has posed:
Sinister gives a solid nod to Nick at the acceptance of the card with its instructions. Solemnity and all that, until it brightens a measure. Decorum and a touch of Old English mannerism, before it's all left for a giggle at the park bench and its snowglobe and its 'old couple' vibe.

"Well, isn't that just the most charming kitsche imaginable... thank you darling..." kiss. To cheek. To lips. Again to cheek. And then a careful float to join the other in the snowglobe kitchery on the mantle beside powerful and ancient artifacts.

Nobody said the devil isn't whimsical, after all. And his partner occasionally has these fits of indulgence also. It's a thing.

"The new year should have some positive things to look forward to for some, I am sure. Later, I intend to scrutinize that in depths, but for now... there's nog. And crackers."

Lucifer has posed:
There are a few presents left under the tree, and Lucifer has to grab one last one. The rest are for Nathaniel - and likely are intended to be opened in private rather than in front of guests. It's just a polite thing to do.

He walks over to where Nick is still sipping his doctored nog and sets the box down on the counter near the man. It's not big, but it's not small. Upon opening it, Nick will find a few things that Lucifer thinks every musician needs. A book of empty music pages, a notebook ready for the scribblings of new lyrics. Pencils - mechanical of course. Picks for guitars, about four sets of drumsticks. And one of those microphone pedal thingies. He doesn't know precisely what it does - but hopefully Nick will!

"Merry Christmas to you both...and yes...the new years will bring us good tithings and better times." He offers this much and then doctors his own eggnog. With whiskey. Caramel whiskey.

Phantasm (Drago) has posed:
The proclamation from Sinister that the next year will have good things to look forward to gets a nod in agreement from the musician. If there's any positive outcome from having your childhood heavily manipulated from the shadows by a terrorist organization it's that it has set the qualifying criteria for a good year exceedingly low.

Really low.

Honestly if he can get through a year without the building he's in getting partially blown up or raided by a Hydra controlled DHS team. Or have a family member or friend murdered- well yeah. Fantastic year!

As Lucifer brings the box over, Nick looks to it before setting his mug down.

Another?

Curious, and somewhat encouraged of past gift exchanges, there's no protest to this gift this time. Be it a decision to delay judgement until after looking to the contents or just general acceptance, that's left up to the observer to decide but- there is no protest at receiving the box. Nor after opening the box to look to the contents. Nothing overboard. More of a musician's survival kit of sorts. And judging from the variety of items inside, not one of the pre-fab ones either.

Someone had to pick out and gather the items together.

Pale eyes look to Lucifer.

"Thank you." He responds. He sets his hands down upon the table. "I know this is more something that would fit with a holiday from last month but- I really appreciate the time I've gotten to spend with you guys. I think this year has been one of the better ones I've had in awhile and I think you two were a big reason for it."

Sinister has posed:
Solemnity comes again at the revelation of the gift presented- the bar really does have to be low of the devil and his sin are considered to be an upside.

But then, family is an odd thing, particularly when you don't have any of them. They're all dead, or completely oblivious. And the others, well... they're strange.

There's another nod, the seriousness of gratitude having its own kind of knock-on effect on the doctor.

"It's good to feel like someone actually wants to see you. Be in your company, listen to what you have to say and doesn't judge. That sounds far -too- human of me, now that it's out of my mouth."