Morningstar Manor

Zack was beginning to feel a bit better. It had been very touch and go for a while and if Brendan hadn't been staying with him he might well have ended up in the hospital. But he'd gotten through what he hoped was the worst and now actually felt up to going down to the Mocha for a coffee and to nibble on a muffin.

He looked pale, small in his oversized hoodie and scarf. He'd lost weight and that didn't help matters and his eyes had dark shadows under them but they twinkled again now and his smile, though tired, was genuine.

He sat curled on one of the couches near the fireplace and answered an email from his iPhone while he waited for Brendan to come back with their coffee.

***

Gabe had had a grand time with the photoshoot but he was glad it was done. Lewis, bless him, was a dear and lord knew Gabe had had a fine time with a few of the models but he could only handle them all for so long was thankful he had his and Kris's apartment to themselves again.

Sitting at a table he chuckled as he replied to a text to one a friend. Oh the gossip that had come from that shoot!

***

Eris sat at a table, sipping a white chocolate mocha and looking through various brochures on various tropical places. Money wasn't a problem and she knew Daddy would keep her apartment open for her so how long to be gone wasn't an issue either.

The only question was where to go?

***

Loki was sprawled in one of the overstuffed arm chairs, legs dangling over one arm and head dangling over the other, bright red hair nearly touching the floor. His eyes were closed, headphones stuck in his ears and playing something with a low bass loud enough to be heard by passers by.

***

Max was headed to Sanctuary but he had a bit of time yet so stopped into the Mocha for a coffee and found himself an empty table to enjoy it at as he flipped through a newspaper someone else had left.

"The Slaughtered Lamb," Callan said as he walked in and smiled at the pretty redhead working the tables immediately.  "This sounds like a good place to get nice and fucking stupid."

"No place is a good place to get nice and fucking stupid. No fighting."

"Right," Callan said, but smiled the entire time. "Do they have something on tap besides Guiness? Holy shit," he said as he and Declan took a seat at the bar. "They do!"

Declan drove to the airport at a low simmer, the window half open so he could chain smoke. It didn't matter that he'd invited retaliation from Sterrin. What she'd done had been absolute bullshit and she would know that. Homophobia was still a problem with his investors, and she puts a fucking penis shaped bar of soap in his portfolio? Jesus.

Declan walked into an empty apartment grinning like an idiot with a huge box in his hands. He'd been worried about Sterrin all week. Ever since he'd told her of Callan's visit, she'd been unnaturally subdued and spending more and more time away from the apartment - not that he and Jack were complaining about that - but he still worried. He didn't know where she went, although he assumed it was to Max and that was far better than some of the alternatives she'd chosen in the past when it came to Callan. She was at least somewhere semi-safe.

"Well only if you're sure. I'll see you then. Bye."

Declan hung up the call and stared down at his phone for a long moment. This could make things very awkward, maybe not so much for him as for his sister.

The pool house had been specially warmed for the occasion and extra loungers brought up. Screens had been erected for the models to change behind and everything was ready for the beautiful people to arrive.

They had their schedules - the ones who would be wearing the collection items and those who would be providing a back drop - and it was anticipated that the shoot would last most of the day and maybe into the evening. There was no knowing.

[ooc: Party post so tag in and let the pups chat amongst themselves, or if they want input from one of the staff, please give us a poke.]

All the boxes had been emptied, and the ball room was full of clothes and clothes and clothes, on racks and on chairs and in stacks and in bags.

There were a few makeshift curtains between the pillars, and Lewis was hopping between them like a goblin, bringing new suggestions for outfits, or parading his makeshift models in front of a big mirror.

He was being followed by a calm woman in her fifties who was wordlessly scribbling on a large pad, Andras who was snapping the 'winning' outfits with a compact camera, and a little girl of about five who just gaped at everything and tried to stay out of the way.

When Andras almost fell over her, he just turned, grabbed her, put them on his shoulders before she could even squeal, and just carried on working as if she wasn't there.

Into the Mocha they went and Kris looked around, seeing a few of the gorgeous faces and bodies he had hoped to see, and he cleared his throat and tapped on a table to attract their attention.

"Um - ladies, gentlemen," he said, "we are in - frankly - awful trouble and are hoping some of you might be kind enough to help us out. The fact is - we have a designer and a complete collection of clothing but the photographer and all the models are stuck in Switzerland. So - would you be prepared to wear Lewis's clothes and have photos taken? What do you say?"

He looked round hopefully. "Anyone?"

There were noises coming from her brother's bedroom that she was definitely not going to listen to or try to identify, lest it give her a mental image that made her want to scoop her brain out. She concentrated very hard on pouring her cup of coffee, and a trip to the refrigerator for milk brought her closer to Declan's bedroom door. She tried very hard to block it out, but... Was he crying?

Written by hand on Angel's spa note paper:

Dear Mr Macnamara,

I would be grateful if you could contact me by any of the above means as I have a proposition for you that we may find mutually beneficial.

Yours

Kris Angyali
Angels Spa.

"Fuck me," Declan said in a slightly awed voice from his place on the couch, a newspaper open in his hands and a cigarette billowing smoke into the air.

Sterrin, in the kitchen pouring herself a glass of juice, wrinkled her nose and figured he had to have thought she was Jack moving around. "It's me, Dec."

"Huh?" He glanced over his shoulder, then thought about what he'd said and scowled. "Don't be retarded. Have you seen this? Richard was calling all morning and I almost didn't believe it, but Stunning has fucking SOLD OUT!"

My answer is yes. Meeting w/boss now to give notice.

Declan walked into the apartment at an ungodly hour alone, tired, pissed off and with a knot of tension in his stomach. He had to turn his phone on at some point, but it wouldn't be tonight. Tonight, he wanted to take some Ambien and sleep until he felt like he was rested enough to handle the huge flood of bullshit that was heading in his direction right at that very moment. However, he heard the TV playing in the other room and he knew his sister was up, and that she no doubt knew. Those that couldn't get ahold of him had likely sought her out next.

Nervous didn't begin to describe what Jack felt, though you'd have to know him really well to see it. It had taken a bit of convincing but he'd gotten the time off - both here and at the Lamb. He was free until Sunday morning and he was headed to New York for a big party.

The Stunning launch party. Declan's new magazine. The one with Jack on the cover.

Granted he didn't have to do anything but stand there and look good but still. Fuck.

Now he stood in the lobby, his bag on the floor next to him, and waiting for Declan and their ride.

They had about a week before the gig at the Lamb and, as luck would have it, Jack and Nick both had a bit of free time late this afternoon. So Deacon called an impromptu rehearsal - but in the ballroom instead of their usual rehearsal spot in the Square. Jack for one was technically on call so had to be close to hand.

As usual there was a good bit of joking and teasing as they set up their equipment but once they were ready they all got down to business.

Kate sat in the Mocha again by herself at a corner table, people watching with a confused look on her face. People were fascinating creatures sometimes, she pondered as she watched a gentleman walk by with what looked like fist-sized holes in his ears. "Why would he do that?"  she said out loud to no one in particular, not disgusted or anything like that. Just... Confused.

Declan was definately not in the Mocha or even anywhere close to the Mocha. He could kill his sister, he decided for about the millionth time since last Saturday as he puffed on a cigarette up by the pool. He hadn't had coffee in days aside from the swill he'd tried to brew up on his own and it was just - not working.

Olivia was down in the laundry room tediously folding a stack of her intimates and singing along with a surprisingly good voice to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs song that was playing through the one iPod earbud she had in.

Smith was down in the gym currently pounding the crap out of the punching bag with a knife wound he'd stitched up himself on his right bicep. He felt restless and uneasy and was snapping quicker and easier now, which had lead to the fight that had caused the wound. He hadn't seen Laura in forever, however he was keeping tabs on her to make sure she was staying safe. Had he seen her, the stitches might have been a little prettier.

Drew was a little drunk, he decided as he made his way into the lobby. He'd had a few Ketel One martinis and while they might look  like pussy drinks - whoa, was he trashed. Smiling at Frank, he tipped an imaginary hat and ripped down a bright yellow flyer that he'd seen other places in the City. "Motherfucker," he murmured to himself.

Anastasia stood in the garden, definately not dressed for the weather in a pair of dark jeans, black slouch boots, the tank top she'd gotten as a secret santa gift and a open cardigan. She was shivering and her hands were starting to go numb, but she'd get inside just as soon as she could stop camera ninja-ing all the pretty snow and ice that had settled in on the various fixtures in the garden. Hyperthermia? Pffft. Second fiddle to art.

Niles was feeling froggy today. He had plans with Kara for Christmas eve, no plans for Christmas day aside from handing out gifts to his friends, and that made him happy. Wearing a t-shirt that had been given to him as a joke (dark blue with the words "Sorry ladies, I'm gay" on it in white letters) and a pair of jeans, Niles headed down to the Mocha. He might get himself a coffee and then go buy himself a KISS pinball game for his apartment as an early gift-to-self. Fuck it.

Isabella sat in the Mocha slightly more tan and definately jet lagged in a black dress and a pair of leopard print shoes. She'd just gotten back from Hawaii with Micah and was hoping to have some time before they took off to NYC to see her mother to rest up. Stiffling a yawn, she flipped the page of her newspaper and conciously avoided checking emails on her iPhone.

Bea stood in the conservatory with Pippa in a vintage Catwoman t-shirt and a pair of jeans, trying to remind the puppy that it wasn't okay to poop in the flowers.  Ever. Nor was it okay to eat them or dig holes around them. Sighing, she pinched the area between her eyes and made a mental list of all the things she needed to do before Christmas.

Declan was in the ballroom, quiet as a mouse, wearing a black leather jacket, a black and grey scarf and a white v-neck t-shirt with a pair of jeans and smoking out the door to the outside. What? It was freezing balls out there and he needed a cigarette to go with the hot cup of Mocha coffee cradled in his left hand before he went back into the Mocha to finish reading the paper. Later, he'd probably do some last minute shopping for Jack and Sterrin.

Speaking of, Sterrin was up by the pool in a very tiny and pale blue bikini, lounging in the sun like a cat. She had masses of wrapping to do even though she'd only bought gifts for Declan, her mother, one or two for Jack and Leo, and one for Isabella. She wondered if she should buy a gift  for Max or even Trevor. Did sleeping with someone more than once necessitate a gift? Pondering, she flipped over on the lounger and let the sun warm her back.

Drew was in line in the Mocha fresh from the hospital and still in a pair of blue scrubs. They were comfortable, and after he had some tea, a cookie, and dominated this game of Bejeweled Blitz on his iPhone, he was soooo going to go upstairs and crash.

Sterrin sat on one of the couches in the Mocha wearing a blue dress and looking at a magazine and feeling bored.  She absolutely detested cold weather and her brother was constantly swamped at work, which was putting him in a bad mood. They'd just had another argument this morning and she glared at him where he sat at a table, reading his paper and looking smug. He smirked back at her and she flipped him off. God, she hated  Christmas.

Declan sat at his table wearing a tight, black v-necked sweater and a pair of jeans, and laughing at his sister. She was a pain in the ass and often times more trouble than she was worth, but it was nice having her around to argue with if nothing else.  His gaze returned to the stock quotes in front of him and he smiled as his mind calculated how much richer he'd just gotten. He'd been grumpy this morning, but pissing off Sterrin and making money always made him feel just a bit better.

Coffee was a wonderful thing. Coffee and muffins were even better. Coffee and muffins and watching your little girl coloring pictures of turkeys and pumpkins was probably the best. Okay so technically she wasn't his little girl yet - they were still waiting on all the adoption paperwork to go through but as far as Deacon was concerned Nia was his.

"That's gorgeous, baby," he said when she proudly showed him the rather messy picture. Nia beamed and started a new one and Deacon smiled and sipped his coffee.

*******

Kara was sitting on one of the couches, sipping her coffee and going through the last few things she had to do before heading to Boston for Thanksgiving. Today was the last day at work then she could leave tomorrow - well they could leave. Her and Niles. That thought made her smile.

*******

Jack had been up before the sun. Mrs. Eddings's heater had busted, lift two had gone wonky, something had been messing with things in the basement... Yawning and already looking a bit ragged he stopped into the Mocha. It was time for a break dammit.

******

Jason was taking a break too, sitting just in the doorway of the Mocha and watching the room as well as the lobby. Oh sure Frank was covering the desk for a bit but it was the holidays. That meant guests were coming to the Manor and Jason liked to keep an eye out to see who the guests were. Holidays - at least for him - were always stressful.