Club Astrum, Baltimore, Friday Night (Opening Night)

[my_own_advocate]

It had taken something close to a year, and several fits of terrible trauma, but now the time was there: Club Astrum, Lux's little spin-off in Baltimore, was opening. And Lucifer had pulled out all the stops: sparkling champagne with sparkles, a massive ice luge in the shape of a heavily-embellished star god of some kind, balloons, and some extremely, painfully hip indie bands playing on stage.

The indie folk one due to come on in a few hours was all Duke's fault.

"Welcome," Lucifer declared from the round platform that oversaw the rest of the club, right at the front. He spun around as the sparklers sparkled behind him - and so did the rather massive sparkly sparkler statues at the back of the club.

Ooh, pyrotechnics.

"To Astrum," he crowed. "A project a long time in the making, the new star on Baltimore's firmament. Please, come in. First drinks are on us!"

And he stepped aside.

The space wasn't huge, but it was big enough; little star lights hung from the ceiling in natural patterns. They cast the club in soft blue hues, the bar tastefully framed with almost ethereal curtains.

Red patterns scattered over the floor, as if to signify magma flows. Various setups of modern white leather couches stood everywhere, most facing each other, some facing the round stage near the back of the room. There were more curtains along the walls, creating an intimate feel.

By the bar stood a jar for everyone's tokens, so they could come to collect their free drink.

It was going to be a good night.

[[ for anyone who's been specifically invited, anyone who can assume they're invited, and anyone who might wander into a random new club in Baltimore on a Friday night - open! if SP! ]]

Comments

[my_own_advocate]

"Exactly that," Lucifer said, and was entirely honest about it. "It's got a certain kind of moxie that should be inspiration for my staff, frankly."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Well," Summer snorted a little and you'd better believe she was going to be flitting about the club with every ounce of moxie she could muster from here on out....or at least until she was too drunk to even know what moxie was, "if you ever need a pinch-hitter bartender who could probably show them a thing or two, I might know a gal. I'd warn you that she doesn't come cheap, but I doubt that'd be an issue."

[my_own_advocate]

"Mmm, a Summer Special night?" Lucifer said. "We could keep it all mysterious what that means, let tales of your jello spread by word of mouth..."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"I mean," Summer pointed out, "my jello already does have a pretty far reach"--into space, even!--"but I do like the sound of leaving it up to a little mystique, a little enigma....after all, what's the point of having a friend with a club if you can't even fuck around behind the bar every once in a while, right?

"Place looks great, by the way," she added, giving another approving look around.

Even the bands weren't even that lame!

[my_own_advocate]

"Thank you," Lucifer said, giving it another cursory look around, as if he didn't know. "Feels like I've spent an eternity yelling at interior decorators, frankly."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"...are you going to miss that?" asked Summer, with a faint grin.

She'd probably miss it. At least a little bit.

[my_own_advocate]

"... I am, a little bit," Lucifer admitted. "It's like building a doll house or dressing someone up or something."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"And you get to be bossy and in control and sometimes that's just nice," Summer noted, with a pleased little grin for having clocked that one. "Or at least that's how it is for me."

A sip of her drink and she added, "I'm looking forward to shoving drinks at restless you when the new shinyness of this wears off before you find the next project to sink your distraction into."

[my_own_advocate]

"Please, I'll just throw a series of very elaborate parties," Lucifer sniffed. "... And perhaps see if the DC PD is more interested in having a consultant around than Baltimore was..."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"....no," said Summer, firmly, after a moment, looking faintly disgusted. "You can't revert back to that whole consultant thing again when there could be parties, Lucifer, please."

[my_own_advocate]

"I'm not reverting," Lucifer protested. "Just-- diversifying."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Oh, yeah?" asked Summer. "And how about diversifying into that whole god business? Is that a thing you're still avoiding?"

[my_own_advocate]

Lucifer opened his mouth. Closed it. Poured some wine into it. "Next subject."

[somethingwithturquoise]

Summer's lingering look was going to just let him know that she'd leave it for now, before she, chipper as ever, moved on to, "Soooooooo, tell me about what about this new place is your favorite so far, not including the location, obviously."

[my_own_advocate]

"I rather like the lighting," Lucifer admitted, looking up at the fake stars. "I had something like it at Lux, but it was more... rigid. This feels a bit more like the new me."

[somethingwithturquoise]

"The new you who wants to go back to police consulting?" asked Summer, with an arched brow, because she could not help herself. It was right. fucking. there.

"But," she added swiftly, her eyes now drifting to the lights in particular to appreciate them anew, "I really like the lights, too. They give a good...ethereal vibes. I can't really compare them to Lux, though, because I definitely do not remember almost anything about that place."

[my_own_advocate]

"The new me who is actually stable and happy and not chasing after things that hurt him," Lucifer said, and then took a big sip of his wine, "But thank you."

[somethingwithturquoise]

Summer's lips pursed a little around something else that was right fucking there, but she was good, and washed it down with a swig from her drink, and then she nodded.

"You're welcome," she said. "And I'm glad you're doing well. And that you finally managed to get this place open. It seems well worth the wait."

[my_own_advocate]

"Thank you," Lucifer said, beaming.

It was, wasn't it? It felt like a statement, of a sort.

"How's your significant other enjoying it?"