ximilia | { video } | Yule be Home for Christmas

[ The ~~brain~~ video feed turns on, revealing a very charming and handsome young man sitting in front of the camera wearing a pair of sunglasses. Where’d he get those glasses from? Ray-Ban could never!

It looks like he’s sitting in one of the residential rooms that appear to be somewhat polished, save for the packaged meat sitting behind one bed. ]

Well? Come on, then! And maybe don’t look so cross, you know, show them a little holiday spirit! Should we get you the hat? We should get you the hat —

Shut it! I know what I’m doing.

[ An exasperated sigh can be heard to the side that sounds eerily Clara-esque. ]

And what’s all that about?! Why am I the one delivering this? Just get flappy bird to do it! Why can’t we send them an e-mail? Or one of those carrier pigeons?

What pigeons, Doctor?

Hold on a tick — did we get pigeons in our item drop? That’d be brilliant, eh? We’d hardly need these communications devices, oh! Oh, I could show Alina —

No! Now, stop it! You’re distracting yourself.

[ In a few moments, the Doctor (the cute one) is looking off to the side with his eyes slightly squinted. ]

Read. The… Yes! Yes! I know!

[ The Doctor (the incredibly smooth and sexy one) starts sifting through a short stack of index cards in his hands. ]

Hello. This is the Doctor. You know? The incredibly tall and sauve one. Not the old, crinkly man who is currently reading this messa--

[ His eyes immediately shoot up to show his predecessor the meanest of mugs.

There’s an audible “Ow!” heard offscreen, followed by Clara reaching over to grab that first card. You can clearly see the internal struggle the Doctor (the one who is serving Einstein meets Beethoven realness) is going through. Like a child being tasked to wash the dishes or having to kiss their granny. ]

These past few months have been incredibly difficult and tiresome, but I assure you all are doing a brilliant job. This is the part where you give them a thumbs up and a smile.

[ ...Skipping that part. ]

Given that we’ve spent over 500-some odd hours together on this station, me, Clara and the old bat who looks like a grey dusty tumbleweed reading this messa—

[ Tossing that away! ]

—Would like to invite you all to celebrate Christmas with us. For all of my non-Earth friends, it is a special holiday most humans like to spend together. There will be plenty of food and fizzy drinks to go around. There will also be tree-mendous decorations. Stop for laughter. [ … ] I snow hope you will all able to join us.

I love you all from my head to my mistletoe.

[ After all that is read, the Doctor promptly reaches for a brick and clutches it against his chest and lets out a sigh of relief. From somewhere off-camera, there’s a series of claps, maybe applause? Maybe a fly somehow made it onto the station? (No it’s definitely applause, joined with a ‘See that wasn’t so hard now, was it?’) ]

Doctor!

Can I have my crisps now?

[ ooc note: threadhopping is a go!

color key: clara = orange, the doctor (11) = blue, the doctor (12) = purple ]

[ ooc update: You can find the Christmas Party log HERE!!! ]

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[ the halting beat that follows, the pause around the shape her mouth begins to make — it's a small blip of embarrassment, uncertain of whether her eagerness is something to be self-conscious over, now that it's been called to her attention. the sides of her smile strain, shy. ]

Maybe a little, [ she mumbles, suddenly reticent. ] I wasn't welcome many places back home. Knowing that there are people that actually want me around is new.

[ and the last party she had attended ... well. this is an improvement from being paraded like a prized pony, or the chaos that had followed. ]

I don't think you'll be needing more than one drink after you open your gift. [ nothing like magical wine to improve a mood, apparently. alina's smile tips upward, a little brighter, a little more amused; kovac's smile is so rare that even the smallest sign of it feels like a victory, stark in contrast. with a bemused wrinkle of her nose, as she huffs out a quiet, confused laugh: ] What kind of smoke would that? Are you going to transform into a dragon for your next trick?

[ it's a familar idea, being unwelcomed, although in his case, most of them had warranted reasons for not welcoming him. it's not like kovacs has ever been exactly skilled at making friends, and most of the time, he's only willing to befriend trouble. getting invited anyway was an invitation to a trap or a fight, or usually both.

but he doesn't judge alina for her excitement, even if he's resistant himself on the concept of going. ]

You know, some people actually would call it that. But let's just say I might have a few things in my bag that ... really lighten a mood. Make you feel all kinds of good, like you're floating, like you're weightless.

Does it also make you sound like a merchant trying to peddle stolen wares, by any chance?

[ really, it's the behavior of a merchant peddling awful wares, suspicious and persuasive. still, alina chimes out a fond laugh. what's the point in behaving like her interest isn't piqued, when she's felt nothing but weighted by her burdens lately? ]

We'll have to see if it's as good as you say, won't we. [ notably, it isn't a question. ] Save something good for me.

{ video } | Yule be Home for Christmas - w/ #TeamTARDIS

cw: puff the magic dragon

cw: kovacs' regularly scheduled drug chatter

cw: don't do drugs stay in school