[open] lookin' for the love getaway.

[babbylon]

Who: Gilgamesh and everyone visiting Heaven's Feel!
When: 5/1—5/8
Where: Caissa, Heaven's Feel storefront
What: The grand opening of Heaven's Feel, Caissa's premier matchmaking service, has arrived! Stop by for food, drinks, and some friendly fun with your fellow Heroes! ...or maybe even pick up a date, who knows.
Rating: General audiences, except for Gil's threads because he was pretty much making out with everyone. Tread carefully.

Heaven's Feel



[Maybe you've heard, or maybe you haven't, but there's a new business in town. It's plastered everywhere, posted on the side of every building and shouted from the end of every street corner in Caissa. Heaven's Feel, Heaven's Feel, come fly with the angels at Heaven's Feel! Really, who writes something so cheesy? The owner must be a real piece of work, you think, yet there's something enticing about the sound of it...

If you do decide to stop by within the first week of May, you'll find a massive celebration awaiting you: the celebration of opening day! Eager workers wave down anyone who gets close, with offers of wine tasting, sweet treats, and even speed dating. The store's interior bustles with activity as visitors fill out cute little survey cards in hopes of a hook-up. The owner in question can be found mingling in the crowd, bartending, and drawing charcoal caricatures of couples for a nominal fee.

Overall, the atmosphere is one of excitement. Hop right in! There's plenty of room for lounging on the cushy furniture, and plenty of time to find your own hottie.

...or perfectly platonic friend. Look, we're not judging or anything.]

Comments

gilgamesh | open

[babbylon]

[Who else but Gilgamesh would open an establishment like this? But he has no shame to spare, not this day and not ever. To the contrary, he's in an unflappably stellar mood, greeting guests, pouring drinks like a professional and sketching up a storm. Those who know him will recognize that even given his typical temperament he seems unusually cheery, though it's easy to see why.

They've only just opened, and already they can barely fit everyone through the door. Someone has clearly put their charm magic to work! If you don't approach him, rest assured he'll approach you with a clap on the back and a broad grin that, for once, speaks more to genuine glee than mischief.]

Having a good time? Perhaps I might make it even better...?

[...never mind, there's plenty of mischief waiting in that statement right there.]

[hoasen]

[Here's the problem. Gilgamesh charmed a large amount of people (whether with magic or not) to come visit the establishment. Some people also came just for the free food. Everyone's going to eat so much and more food will have to be purchased for them! That's money!!!

Nevermind that she's also inhaled a good potion of the food available.

So she took a photo of his accounts book (she even tried to get the lighting just right for it to look super disturbing) and sends it to him, with this note attached:]

I know where you live.

[She'll go approach him soon, she's just by the sweets table. Very busy.]

[babbylon]

[Money, what money? Oh, you mean the thing Gilgamesh no longer has. Right. Well, he's not too worried about that, at least not until he got that particular photo and cringed right in the middle of what he was doing, and he was kind of sort of in the middle of trying to seduce another big spender and... yeah, that went a little south. Gilgamesh has only regrets left to hold. That and that picture.

So Gilgamesh sighs, he definitely didn't cry, okay, that did not happen under any circumstances, and heads Vietnam off at the pass. Sliding in front of that bowl of candy she's reaching for and sitting on the edge of the table, instead, single eyebrow raised.

And then he effectively seals his death sentence.]

Was that your way of inviting me to bed?

[Fuck your threats, you devil woman, he's not playing this game.]

[quaria]

[ Hi, King. Where's my flower. Setsuna finally arrives, hours later after this call. From the glass windows, he can be seen stopping his motorcycle outside the shop and shortly folding it away to his weapon belt. Once that's taken care of, he steps in and right away proceeds to look around.

The cupcakes catch his attention, but more than that, he's staring at the flowers again. Before anything else though, he moves on to find the person he's visiting the shop for. ]

[babbylon]

[It takes a few minutes for Gilgamesh to work his way through the crowd, towards Setsuna. But eventually he manages it, manages to grab a table and a set of chairs of them both, and gestures across the smooth surface to signal him into a seat.]

You truly wanted that flower, didn't you?

[Gilgamesh already had his sketchpad in hand, full of previous drawings, and he flips to an empty page. He also catches a wandering attendant and snags a pair of cupcakes for them, laying one in front of Setsuna. Did the man enjoy sweets? Time to find out.]

As you can see, I am a very busy man, but I will make time for my knight. Just this once.

[Note: this is a lie. He'd come running at there mere sound of King.]

[hymnals]

[ It's nice to see Gil happy. He's usually brimming with confidence and cheer in Adra's presence, to be fair, but Adra sees something else in him at the moment, something that suggests peace and ease. It's a good thing.

He drains the last of his second wine cup, and then pats his cherry-red cheeks. He can feel, quite definitively, that he is drunk. He leans forward, laughing. Maybe a little dizzy. ]

Fairly sure my time is as good as it can get. But it's nice to see you having so much fun.

[ He steps back, stumbling a bit, and makes a vague gesture towards the sweets tables. ]

I hope the cupcake towers lived up to your expectations.

[ Hic. ]

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh sees something else in Adra at the moment, alright. Something of a drunkard, a side that hasn't made itself known until this point, and while it would be easy to torment him in this state Gilgamesh makes the quiet decision to take it easy. For once. Rather than forcing Adra to hobble around on his feet, he gently guides him to a couch where they both might sit together.]

More than lived up to. They were an incredible hit; I've vetted questions all day as to who the mystery chef was.

[Gilgamesh cozies up close to Adra, because taking it easy didn't mean he wouldn't get to tease him at least a little, and reaches for a hand.]

I am quite fortunate to count you among our ranks. You have a delicate touch even I simply cannot match.

[sakeplz]

[Now, he could be filling out a card but he'd not. He's simply found his way inside and is enjoying the atmosphere. After this call one can be certain that Jiroutachi is sure to hang out here until he can see this King of Heroes in person. To say he's entertained is to put things mildly since it's not very often someone interests the oodachi enough to want to look past the alcohol. Or even given a hint that there miiiight be more than just a gorgeous drunk sword.

So he's here and fixing one of the flowers in his hair while he sits there, one shoulder of his outfit slightly off the shoulder. Not intentionally though, it did slip due to him not tying this tightly. Humming a little, he looks up at the familiar voice and smiles at Gilgamesh.]

One might say you already have.

[By existing honestly. Jiroutachi is here to flirt some more. He hasn't decided if he'll bother with filling a card out or not though. That seems silly when he came to poke at the owner.]

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh certainly doesn't mind being poked at, in more ways than one. He turns, ready to raise eyebrows at whoever was bold enough to demand his attention, but his face immediately lights up with recognition and any annoyance gets scrubbed away at once. And indeed, it was quite a different thing to speak to the King of Heroes from afar than meet him in person; up close and personal, he's like his own little ray of sunshine, bold and bright and beaming.]

Well, well! I see you took me up on my offer after all. Good to see you.

[Just as boldly, Gilgamesh reaches for the sword's hand and brings it to his lips, head dipped into a graceful bow.]

My, you are quite the weapon, aren't you? Yes, thinking over it more, I believe I met another of your kind here.

[Gilgamesh gestures to an available couch, grabbing a glass of wine for them both off a wandering attendant's tray. He offers it without delay.]

Come and sit with me for a bit. I should like to get to know you better.

[sediments]

[ Better believe that Bolin's having a good time! He's a lover of good parties, especially ones that involve delicious pastries and fancy drinks.

When Gilgamesh wanders over, he carefully swallows the cupcake that he's been helping himself to. It's easy to recognize Gilgamesh as the owner of the establishment, and the earthbender looks mildly guilty as he turns toward the other man, feeling bad for eating the food without bringing any business. ]

Oh yeah, this place is great!

[ He should say something so he doesn't look like a freeloader. ]

So... what kind of matchmaking do you do? Just the romantic kind?

[babbylon]

[Hasn't this man had his fill of snacks already... make no mistake, Bolin, Gilgamesh has been watching you. Watching you sample every cupcake and every pastry and judging you for it. His eyes are a little chilly when they settle on him, though his tone remains cordial. For now.

It may not last if he grabs for another glass of wine.]

Hardly. I sponsor any form of human connection.

[You look like you could use as much sponsoring as you can get, Gilgamesh thinks dryly to himself.]

[houndumb]

[Well, let's see: Nora completely blew off the network post as soon as the word mongrel came up, anything with Heaven in it just sounds horrible to a demon, and he is literally the last person interested in matchmaking. And so: every single star was aligned against this particular mongrel somehow turning up to mar the classy establishment, and yet, here he is. Somehow.

Probably still dressed in a Blanc uniform that's seen much better days (we still haven't figured out how the hell they do laundry), sporting his usual fashion disaster combination of bad hair and a literal collar, and munching on something much too delicate to be gobbled the way he's doing it. Whatever card thing they gave him is probably either on the ground somewhere or stuck someplace he forgot... like his hair.

Yep, thug aesthetic CHECK. Free food CHECK.]

... Well, I mean, unless you got better food than this-- [since it is pretty good food Gilgamesh has interrupted him with, Nora just gives him a vaguely bemused look] --I don't think so?

[Rejected for a hors d'oeuvre, I guess.]

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh contemplates shoving the hors d'oeuvre up his nose and spanking this mongrel, but for whatever reason decides against it.

Gilgamesh clears his throat instead and ever so delicately plucks the poor ravaged snack from Nora's grip, depositing it in the nearest trash where this man... dog... thing clearly belongs. Really, he seems like an absolute idiot and not even the sort of idiot a King among them would entertain, so Nora's getting fixed with a Look.

A very intent Look that's about five seconds from kicking him out.]

My food, you mean?

[Giving away he's the owner, as if that weren't apparent enough already. Time to grovel, mutt.]

[avantguard]

[ She's only here to make sure nobody is getting killed, but she's surprised by the throngs of people at the door. Or the amount of people inside when she finally gets here and that they're having a nice time. And how many faces are familiar...

There are a lot.

By the way, she's not a huge fan of crowds. So she's walking around the edges of this gathering when Gilgamesh catches her. Her shoulders twitch from his clap on the back and she goes still, slowly looking over her shoulder to reveal that she did indeed come like she said she would.

She had no plans to talk to Gil, only to check in, and yet here she is. Face to face with the man himself. Who is grinning so happily. ]

Is that your greeting for all customers?

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh finds himself a little surprised to see Asuna here. She'd stormed off in a huff over the network, but he didn't think much of it, and he certainly didn't think she'd follow through on any promises. So he looks at her with curious eyes, shakes his head without really thinking.]

I do not believe you to be a customer.

[But he could be wrong. Somehow, it did happen on occasion. Did she drink? Would she eat? He isn't entirely sure what to offer her.]

However, you are still welcome. I would be foolish to turn such a pretty face away.

[burnmydread]

[ Minato really has no interest in a matchmaking service. Maybe it's because of his inherent #ProtagSwag, but getting dates isn't something he's has a problem with. However, Minato is also almost comically motivated by food, sometimes even more than the promise of completing a Social Link. (And we know how that usually goes for him.) So it shouldn't be a surprise that he does make an appearance after their previous conversation.

The contract is sealed. He never lets a free meal go.

In no small part thanks to Yukari, when he shows up he's actually not wearing his hero uniform. (But he is wearing clothes, for the record.) He was planning on looking for Gilgamesh but it seems like he doesn't have to. ]

I'm hungry.

[ Right to the point. ]

[babbylon]

[He's been waiting for this.

No, really. Gilgamesh has been around Minato long enough to understand that he did not speak in tongues; he was straightforward, said what he meant and meant what he said. So he's prepared for the boy by the time they run into each other, and so gestures to a certain table that he's made ready ahead of time.

It's nothing fancy, as they were far from a diner, but sitting there just waiting to be devoured is plate full of choice meat, vegetables, and of course a cupcake for dessert. Given there were literal towards of them hanging around, that had been the easiest part to fix.

...however, there's also an identical plate sitting across from it. And a candle flickering between them. So this really was a date.]

By all means. Dig in.

[But it goes without saying he'll have company. ...including the staff just standing around, they're probably going to be watching too. Awkward.]

[showsnopiety]

No, that's fine.

[She's quick to say so. She hasn't been mingling too much; a little here, a little there, and she brought her own fruit. Her carrier slides over her shoulders, clearly at ease. And unlike some of the other times he might have seen her...Caren allowed Sion to dress her today. At least now she doesn't appear to be a hero. Merely a golden eyed woman curious about the new place. ]

But you can tell me where your office is.

[babbylon]

[...oh. She looks like a pretty little thing, dolled up nice. Fortunately for Caren, Gilgamesh has already categorized her differently from everyone else, so she won't be treated just like anyone else. He nods, and gestures for her to follow along behind him, making certain to pick up an extra glass of wine for her along the way.]

Over here. If you don't mind, we have a bit to discuss.

[A bit that they've been putting off until now, but it's a good a time as any to broach the subject.]

[armorial]

[ This is Saber that he's trying to pull this over. She, like many other times, is enjoying her time with these treats and maybe a cup of wine for herself. All of it is extravagant, something of Gilgamesh's caliber, but holds a different atmosphere than the man in question.

She doesn't approach him when she sees him, opting out to looking around and people watching like a loser. Of course, she can tell the man is in a good mood. No need to ruin it because she knows if he approaches her with the same words he uses on his guests, she will throw him the sharpest daggers eyes can ever spawn.

... That's what she thinks, but when he does approach her, she's quiet. Is this the same man? Who is this? ]

Is this your alternate persona? [ It's gross. Don't do it. YOU ARE NOT FOOLING HER? ]

[babbylon]

[And, as ever, Saber manages to throw him off.

Alternate persona? But Gilgamesh can't even imagine such a thing; he's only ever been one person, one man, one King above them all. His eyebrows furrows and he kind of stumbles his way through pieces of a few responses before settling on something. Which still sounds baffled, but hey, he's confused by her confusion!]

Do you truly find it that distressing?

[...wait, was she thinking in the mindset of that Gilgamesh from her world? That would explain it. That would explain a lot, actually.]

Ah, I am a bit different at play, I suppose. I've no war to win, no throne to rule, and no station to oversee, so all that's left to me is pleasure.

a few days after opening

[flirtations]

[ Jae-ha had supposed that trying to find Gilgamesh would be easier on him if he took on this quest on a day that wasn't the Grand Opening, but perhaps he had been wrong. Despite it not being the first day of matchmaking madness, business was still booming. Not that he can be too surprised-- everyone wanted to find love (or company for the evening), after all! Slowly, he stands near the edge of the room and surveys the crowd, looking for the owner, and not catching a glimspe of that golden hair, decides that perhaps he should come back later.

It's in that instant that Gil happens to find him, and his eyes widen with pleasant surprise as he turns around. ]

Ah, there you are! [ Gil looks happy, so things must be really good. ] I was hoping I wasn't too late, that something else hadn't already caught your attention. [ More accurately, someone?!

He beams. ]

Congratulations, again.

I got you something.

[babbylon]

[Gilgamesh was, apparently, tireless, as he'd been by far the most visible face from store opening to store close. He chats with everyone, smiles at clients and visitors alike, and ultimately does his utmost to make all guests feel welcome. Jae-ha was no different, and his grin widens spotting him, and he waves in full enthusiasm.]

Jae-ha! There you are!

[For all his wisdom as an ancient, at times Gilgamesh could be as youthful as a child. He bounds over to the man and snakes an arm about his shoulders, comfortable as could be. He shakes his head, and looks all the brighter to hear his favorite sort of talk: talk of presents.]

Oh, a worthy tribute, no doubt! Let us see it; I will determine if it is worth of the great Gilgamesh.

[Of course, the way he talks, he seems ready to accept just about anything.]

[sugegasa]

I am, and I'm not sure it's possible to make it better! You've really outdone yourself here, I'm impressed!

[If there was one thing Shunsui knew, it was formal parties. He was nobility, after all, and while he didn't mind the actual atmosphere or guests, his family had insisted upon his best behavior at all of them. Which had sadly left him often short of the drunken revelry he would have truly enjoyed!

Still, he'd also had a lot of experiences of this sort as a Captain, although not for a business like this! How could he resist, though? Free food and wine, and the chance to meet someone lovely out of the many attractive people in this place? He was all for it, of course.

After their conversation on the beach, he had to smile at the cozy and casual air the place provided.]

I suppose I should have expected nothing less, though.

[babbylon]

[Dryly:]

How amusing. You did not strike me as particularly difficult to impress to begin with.

[Welcome to the wonderful world of Gilgamesh, Shunsui. If you really wanted to make a companion out of him, you'd better get used to a fair amount of snark and some genuine callousness on frequent occasion. Even so, Gilgamesh does appear grateful to see him here... for whatever that even means, going by the man's standards.

Predictably, Gilgamesh puffs up with pride at the praise. At least that's a clue on how to win him over: shower him with compliments.]

And of course not! I am a host without equal. It is my duty as King to tend the flock, and tend it well.

[Just what does he mean by flock? Maybe it's best not to ask.]