you only live twice or so it seems

[scalpedsociety]

Who: Aramat and YOU.
What: Aramat's Birthday! (Gifts optional, but recommended.)
When: May 10th
Where: The Loft, the Grocery store, Various Clubs and Bars.
Warnings: Possible sexy stuff, possible violence, etc, etc....

01: PREP | May 9th | did my invitations disappear/why'd I put my heart on every cursive letter?

Sometime during the 9th, an anonymous email comes in for everyone that knows Aramat. The contents are as such.

FRIENDS OF CERTAIN PRIDE PIANIST (PRIDE, VIRGO, OR OTHERWISE)

Her birthday is soon and she's throwing a little gathering at this address on the tenth of May starting at 2 P.M....

And the address to the loft is plainly out.

There will be cake, food, alcohol, and the possibility of performance. Gifts are optional, but appreciated. Let's enjoy ourselves before this world tour begins or one of us disappears. :) See you there!

P.S. Delete this email soon as you get it. If you snitch, I will come after you and collect my presents.

Aramat isn't sure what came over her to type that out but it feels right enough to make that threat. (Snitches get fucking stitches and have their important organs removed for her trophies.) Aramat wakes up early to go to stores for food, decorations, and most importantly, alcohol.

Will you run into the lady over at one of the stores?

02: PARTY | May 10th | i keep doin' it over and over again/the never ending places i never been/no one is catching on or calling my bluff

If you ask Aramat how old she is, even she can't really tell you.

Either way, that doesn't matter. Aramat is just getting finished setting up the spread of food on a large table surrounded by every type of liquor imaginable. (There also soft drinks as well, for the teetotalers in her life.) The menu is sort of diverse, Italian recipes that are fish related, steak, finger foods such as deviled eggs, ordered sushi, classic mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and fried chicken, there's plenty of desserts as well. Cookies, cakes, and pies as far as the eye can see.

Aramat gets into a red dress and waits at the entrance of her in a chair, calm music, fresh flowers in vases, and fairy lights strewn all over the loft.

She wonders if she's just in denial about herself or what's going on.

03: PERFORMANCE/KARAOKE | May 10th | do every stupid thing that makes you feel alive/do every stupid thing to try to drive the dark away

In a corner of the loft there's a basic set up of drums, electric guitar, and bass. However the guests can bring their instruments of choice. What else does a bunch of somewhat drunken (brainwashed) musicians would do with instruments? Play of course.

04: BARS/CLUBS | May 10th | it's your birthday, it's your birthday/bad bitch contest, you win first place

Aramat isn't Squalo with his tour of 23 bars, but after her party she feels the need to cut even more loose. She isn't settling for a specific number, but she is hopping from bar to bar, from club to club in her slooty dress . She may already be tipsy from the party, so she's stumbling a bit.

Comments

[psyvampexperiment]

He's pleasantly surprised and delighted to have her join, might even slip his voice into the background to provide some of the harmony, letting her take the main melody.

When the final notes have faded and the audience is applauding, he'll rise and join her, glancing to their accompanists. "Shall we sing another?" he asks.

[scalpedsociety]

"I'd love to. Any suggestions?" So far this is pretty fun.

[psyvampexperiment]

"Hmmmm," he says, tilting his head, thinking. "I'm in the mood for love ballads, it would seem... what about "Dream a Little Dream of Me" in the style of The Moms and the Dads, or perhaps "Something Stupid" ala Alberto Garavanta?"

[scalpedsociety]

"Something Stupid. I was never really a huge fan of Garavanta but I do love his daughter, Sharon."

[psyvampexperiment]

"Mmmm, her father has a bit too much swagger for my liking, but his songs always have a sort of raffish good taste to them," he says. "Shall I take the second voice and give the melody to you?"

[scalpedsociety]

"Go ahead." She encourages.

[psyvampexperiment]

"Say no more that isn't singing," he says with a smile and a bow before nodding to their small combo.

The guitar player starts playing the lead-in, with the rhythm-section player picking up softly. He'll look to them before turning to Aramat and giving her a nod, with him singing the second, lower voice:

"I know I stand in line until you think you have the time
To spend an evening with me
And if we go someplace to dance, I know that there's a chance
You won't be leaving with me"

[scalpedsociety]

Aramat finds their voices combine pretty well.

I can see it in your eyes
That you despise the same old lies you heard the night before
And though it's just a line to you, for me it's true
And never seemed so right before

[psyvampexperiment]

They've sung together before, harmonized before, but it escapes him if their voices ever blended together like this... He can't help but wonder - though he'll do it best to hide it in his face, choosing to pour it into the words and the melody - if there's a magic here, in their words or just in the moment:

I practice every day to find some clever lines to say
To make the meaning come through
But then I think I'll wait until the evening gets late and I'm alone with you

[scalpedsociety]

The sound is nice and she's always knew about his crush on her. So she coyly sings with him:

The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like "I love you"

[psyvampexperiment]

Maaaayybe a hint of colour might show in his pale cheeks, at the way she sang those lines, showing more keenly than on most people, given the near lack of melanin in his complexion. As the keyboardist and the guitarist play through the instrumental bridge, he might drop his gaze almost modestly, before looking up, finding her face and a shy smirk crossing his lean face.

The time is right, your perfume fills my head, the stars get red and, oh, the night's so blue
And then I go and spoil it all by sayin' something stupid like "I love you"

There's the temptation to lean in and brush the side of her head with his temple, but while he might lean closer, he'll stop himself from such a tender gesture.

[scalpedsociety]

And she looks at him directly in his eyes and sings along with him:

I love you
I love you
I love you

[psyvampexperiment]

At first, he might seem a bit uncertain at meeting her gaze, and that sunset hue crossing his face gives away the reason for it, but he'll collect his confidence quickly enough and meeting her gaze, he might lean in a little more, narrowing the gap but not closing on it. But the pleased smile crossing his face as they sing the last lines should speak volumes...

[scalpedsociety]

That was a fantastic duet and Aramat will let Sariel know.

"That was wonderful, we should perform more often."

[psyvampexperiment]

"Perhaps we could take in the next open mike night at Crawley's? They'd be happy to have us there," he offers.

[scalpedsociety]

"Perhaps, I haven't gone there in while." She laments.

[psyvampexperiment]

"I'll look at a few songs for us, unless you have some you'd much rather bring to the table there?" he offers.