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Still Open for others! gilded_justice 2013-07-31 11:20 am UTC (link)

By contrast, Mikino had adopted darker hues for the evening. He had been wearing the unsullied shades of his House for so long that it almost seemed exotic now to see him in anything else. He had chosen a dark, earthy brown, one that would not clash with the vibrance of his crystalline wings. Shayleiah, too, was in attendance, though she had run off with Melisande and Mikino trusted her guards to do their duty. This was to be an important night for him. Things were calmer now, the throne secure, which meant nothing stood in the way of announcing his intentions where Avalynn Dubhghail was concerned. He had not arrived at the gala with her, having travelled often between the palace and his home in the past weeks, but he had finally located her and approached her in anticipation of a proper reunion when Azyebel made her entrance. It did catch his eye—the idea had been for her to draw everyone’s attention, after all. They had all night, and he thought little for now of excusing himself to approach the Queen as she subtly demanded, pausing only to perform the obligatory bow before reaching her. The guards were accustomed to letting him pass, and the whole thing must have seemed quite natural. He was no King, had no ambition to become one, but it seemed he doted on this new Queen as if there were some merit after all to the earliest talk regarding the pair. Of course, he had boasted the same familiarity with Sidonie, but in that instance there had been one considerable difference, one which Avalynn herself would be quite familiar with. The former Queen had always been the one doing the chasing. Matters were more complicated here, but complication was a thing he had always relished. The transformation was, as always, astounding at times such as this. She looked the part. No one could deny that. And even without colors or symbols, everyone in attendance knew just who it was being granted the honor of offering his arm to their Queen and leading her, step by step, to her place on the dias. They made for a regal pair, certainly. He had always shone brightest with so many eyes upon him. His habit of leaning in, just a fraction, to speak to her remained, adding the slightest touch of intimacy to the whole image, even if his words were not the dreamy flattery that most likely imagined them to be. “If you were not so insistent on avoiding them, Your Grace, an occasional dress would not cause you such trouble.” (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: { Tag yourself in. } gilded_justice 2013-07-31 04:50 pm UTC (link)

The only other time she had seen him anything but immaculate was that night she had disappeared from the Palace only to turn up at his door. If he had turned her away that night, they may not be here at all now. Or perhaps it would be a different Queen on his arm. Even so, he was not the disheveled mess of finery he had been in his own study that evening, whilst he dwelt on the unsavory tasks which were becoming so clear before him. He had paid little enough attention to Calmcacil, as the man’s presence usually signified Avalynn’s own, and that was where Mikino’s interest would wander without fail. Of course, his choice tonight had much to do with Ava’s apparent preferences, which made the similarity to Nye sensible enough. The two were much alike. Mostly the goal was change. It was what these Galas tended to be about and he had always been one to get into the spirit of such festivities. He took the possessive she favored as a show of dominance, in some sense. She was far from overbearing, but it did well enough for her to let the world know that these powerful figures were hers to command. Her Justice, her Generals, and so on. When Avalynn had suggested that the still unnamed Princess may take an interest in claiming him as anything more than a servant within her court, he had laughed outright. That door had been slammed firmly in his face the second time the two met. It was a wonder they had even come to be friends. Of course, tonight was proof enough that time changed things. Avalynn had refused him more times than he could count. She had to have more than a passing knowledge of those ridiculous dreams to utilize them so, and he teased her for it when he found the chance. Mikino would not deny the same, but he also claimed those ideals had perished some seven years ago for him. “Do you think your mother would speak to me at all, after the embarrassment you caused her on my behalf? You’ve reason enough for the gown tonight. It is your prerogative where you choose to remain. I have never been fond of being trapped in one place for hours on end while a party endures around me, but if that is your preference, I will be sure to send the occasional glass of wine your way. The colors are an… Unusual touch. If it is a statement for me, I fear you are making it too subtly. Perhaps my meddling in what you wear is too similar to someone else, hm?” Not a thought he relished, but he wasn't about to back down either. He seemed as if he was just checking to see if it was his move. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: { Tag yourself in. } dubhghail 2013-07-31 08:23 pm UTC (link)

With house colors discouraged, Ava had been left to turn away from the deep purple of Dubhghail and towards another option. She preferred the darker shades of most colors, playing off the sharp contrast between the dark fabric and the pale quality of her skin and hair. That night, however, she had decided to embrace the sense of anonymity created for the evening. Tossing away those bold colors, she had turned toward the more natural, but that had not been the only aspects of her regular court attire that had been tossed aside. When Mikino had sought her out, it was to find his own dark and earthy tones softened by the smooth cream of her own gown. Gone were the corsets and cinched waists of many of the gowns she had wore recently at Court, a silent bout of rebellion against the conformity she'd been playing with in the choice of an empire waist highlighted with a line of embroidered pearls for definition before the soft fell to move around her. To accentuate the change, her hair was not bound as it usually was. Instead, the natural curls fell over a bare shoulder in soft waves so the ends brushed her forearm each time her hand was taken in greeting. Their initial meeting had been cut short as other obligations had come forward, but she was not distressed by it. It was rare at such events to spend the evening in the company of but one. As he had left, she had returned to an easy conversation started earlier with the head of the Telrúnya house and happily continued until it's conclusion. Only then did they part ways, leaving each of them to pursue their own interests in further enlightening conversations. It was not a definite path she walked, but one that did, indeed, lead her closer to the dais in which their new Queen now sat. Like everyone in attendance, Ava's eyes had also moved to the other woman upon her entrance, as had been the intent. Her appearance did well enough to claim the notice it deserved. She would have been a fool not to take note of the image the two made as the moved side by side; Mikino with his darker tones against the brilliance of their Queen's with her hand resting in his own. Whatever she may have thought on the sight, there was no indication upon her features nor was she overly concerned to dwell on any meaning meant to be assigned to it. Tonight was not meant for such things. She did not wish to interrupt any conversation the two of them were currently holding, and held back a moment before she moved only so far as the line of her guards. When acknowledged, with a practiced ease, she slipped into a curtsy before greeting the Queen before her. No matter any lingering differences of opinion, she was still their Queen and as such, Ava greeted her with the respect and politeness that her position called for. Only after she had greeted Azyebel did her eyes flicker to Mikino's. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: { Tag yourself in. } gilded_justice 2013-07-31 08:31 pm UTC (link)

He had always favored the red and she knew it. Perhaps Nye had as well, or some other suitor she had managed to keep secret from him thus far. Perhaps she did, and it had nothing to do with his preferences. But seeing her now in those colors made him wonder. Maybe this wasn’t a slight at all—maybe it was just the opposite, and this was their chance at having that night to do over… This time on her terms. It brought back a brief moment of that earlier awkwardness as he considered it, and he was for once forced to look away in discomfort. The laugh brought his eyes back, however, which made it somehow worse when he found her looking back, golden eyes locking on those ashen ones of hers. He was so accustomed to seeing her, day after day, that it did indeed catch him off guard now as that glimpse of hers revealed a side he seldom noticed anymore. Everything fell into place in a way it never had between them. His breath caught, he forgot to look away, and he struggled to determine if he had heard what she just said on any level at all. He was able, thankfully, to produce the words with some difficulty. “And what am I to make of this choice?” Then Avalynn was there and he gave himself away subtly enough, clearing his throat and doing something he had never done before—pulling away from Azyebel outright. It was not violently, by any means, but there was a startled quality to it all and the glance he gave to his intended was not devoid of guilt. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: { ... } - dubhghail, 2013-07-31 09:42 pm UTC

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Re: { ... } - gilded_justice, 2013-08-02 09:08 pm UTC

Open. Issy maybe? cullingsong 2013-07-31 07:04 pm UTC (link)

Somehow he always got forgotten at these things. It seemed like he ought to be jealous of Mikino Alcaeyn, the man his fiancé worked for and got along so well with, but in truth it was little Shayleiah who had a habit of stealing Melisande away from him. When it came to the young girl, he just couldn’t compete. He was really going to be in trouble if Mel ever had any of her own children to dote on. Ultimately, he was just grateful he hadn’t been dragged into any fiasco the littlest Alcaeyn could cook up. Usually he spent this time hanging on the sidelines with Cedric, but he had been outdone on that front as well and when he wasn’t directly keeping an eye on Mel, he was off dancing with Jules. Security was a tricky thing, but these galas were designed with it worked into every aspect. There were too many “important” people all gathered in one place for any of the planning to be lax. Getting in to begin with was a bit of an ordeal, though that was kept as unobtrusive as it could be. Being human might not have helped him, but Andrew in particular was here enough that he probably actually got off easy when it came to those checks. He was even allowed a weapon in most instances, though he had opted not to carry one tonight. He was effective without it, and if there were trouble here it was likely to be of the magical variety in any case. Then the coven would be the ones seeing to Melisande first, and to him second. She probably didn’t care for the order, but it wasn’t negotiable. It was great luck that they had the whole “northern” theme going on because it gave the couple a better grasp of what sort of arrangement could be made in a year (if that date indeed held). That was where he was now, curious blue eyes having dipped to the snow crunching underfoot. He had both his hands tucked in his pockets, much as he had that fateful day years before when a snowball was pelted at the back of his head by a woman who would change his life. It had been some time since he had really seen snow and it brought him back to a different time, and a different life. He was paying enough attention (and moving at a gradual enough pace) not to run into anyone, but not a great deal more than that. It would take a bit of a nudge of some sort to draw him out of his reverie. (Reply to this) (Thread)

ab_ystwyth 2013-07-31 09:18 pm UTC (link)

"Oh, excuse me." Came that oddly enticing voice as she stepped out of his way. No one ever had trouble hearing her, men in particular, no matter how soft she spoke, and it was not because she was at all loud but because she was what she was. There might have been more than a little of that compulsion in her voice, the compulsion that made everyone stop and listen to her when she spoke to them. It made her nearly impossible to ignore, which was likely why she was always careful with her words. Better to be silent and unnoticed, she believed, than to be the center of attention and make a fool of herself. And she was sure she would make a fool of herself, after all she was just a Northern woman from the middle of nowhere, parties were rare enough for her but this gala was far more grand than she was used to, especially when filled with so many that ranked above her. The black velvet hooded-gown she wore seemed to compliment the black fabric she wore under her clothes, though she was grateful of the golden threads lining it otherwise she feared she would have seemed like some spectre of death with all that black. She had brought the gown with her, the finest she owned at the moment, and had been encouraged to wear it because while it was elegant it was also simple and unlikely to upstage the Queen. She could only hope the other ladies had been right as she already towered over the Queen and wished not to stand out and more than she already did. Of course, in a setting like this with the company they had, someone so covered up and yet blessed with such a voice was already going to stand out like a sore thumb. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cullingsong 2013-07-31 09:49 pm UTC (link)

It seemed he was destined to always be at the mercy of some such impulse. Usually it was Melisande’s calming aura, but he spent his fair share of time around Liliana and he worked and socialized with Audric Palais. He had experience enough to recognize that subtle little tug he felt inside when she uttered that first syllable. Mikino should have warned him, but it had only been a day and it was Andrew’s own fault that he had not seen Judgment. Melisande was getting better, but she was still nervous before events such as this, and he always dedicated the day preceding them to seeing that she was in the right state of mind to face a crowd. The hood was certainly unexpected and it warranted a double-take. It wasn’t what he had expected upon hearing the sensual notes underlying her words. “No, I… Should have been watching.” Suddenly Andrew wasn’t the most out of place individual in the immediate area. It took a moment to process that, but being the sort of person he was, he filled that space with chatter. “I don’t think we’ve… Well, no, I’m pretty damn sure we haven’t met,” he pressed his lips together firmly for a moment. Hard to say who she was under all that cloth, but he was confident he would have remembered that voice. It made him uncomfortable in a way he felt some undefinable guilt over, but if she was a nymph, like Liliana, he knew better than to believe it was intentional. With all the Sidhe around, it seemed unlikely anyone would target a human anyway. “I’m Andrew.” Such a human name, but he didn’t miss a beat. And she probably knew who he was anyway. Judgment’s infamous interest in humans made Andrew something of a known entity in court, though not necessarily in a good sense. “Are you not a fan of the cold?” He lifted a hand for those flakes to gather on, giving her a quizzical look complete with a tip of his head, drawing his brows together. It wasn’t actually very cold at all—he couldn’t even see condensation from his breath—but it was as mild a way to inquire as he could come up with on the fly. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

ab_ystwyth 2013-07-31 10:17 pm UTC (link)

No title, no surname, simply Andrew. She could not place right away what he was and had not heard about Judgement's human friends beyond the fact that he had a few. It made traditional etiquette difficult but not impossible, she simply followed her own little rule which was to curtsy to everyone who didn't offer to serve her in some fashion. And so she curtsied with all the grace and ease of someone who had spent over a century practicing the move. "Isyllt," she supplied as she came back up, not bogging him down with her title or her position. "A pleasure to meet you. You are right, we have not met, I only just arrived this morning from my home in the North. This is my first time at court." Saying that she was from the North took care of his question of her feelings about the cold, not that he was truly asking after her temperature preferences. He, like everyone else who met her without knowing what she was first, wanted to know why she was so oddly attired. Fae were usually very beautiful beings and were usually very proud of their beauty. The idea of one among them keeping themselves covered as much as she was set eyebrows to arching and tongues to wagging and in general raising a lot of unneeded curiosity over something so simple. "I must remain covered, as you see. I have a particular medical condition that requires it, but have no fear it is by no means contagious." he couldn't see her polite smile but she hoped he could hear it in her silken tones. Somehow it felt much better to say than admitting to being an Asrai, after all they were not common and she had no desire to explain them only to likely get the request to show him her face. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

cullingsong 2013-07-31 10:43 pm UTC (link)

Someday he would be expected to use Melisande’s name in these introductions. She was the one recognized by Sidhe law, whether he liked it or not, and he had been informed in no uncertain terms that taking the name of a human husband would be a disservice to any children they might have. Making a statement on their own terms was one thing, but when it came to the family they both dreamed of, they were considerably more practical. In the mundane world, “Andrew” was enough. He fought back the urge to sigh at the courtesy shown, and instead returned the gesture in kind, with a practiced bow that would admittedly have passed even Sidhe standards, if it hadn’t been a bit late. At least his smile was not burdened by such hesitation. If anything, it came on too swiftly. It was natural enough though, suited to him in a way that made it defining. It had its own sort of natural impact, though nothing so demanding as her voice. He was giving it some thought as to what exactly she was covering herself from, if she was not contagious, but he had no answers and it would have been rude to press for them from her. If the rest of her was anything like the timbre of those words, he was grateful for the concealment. A little temptation was one thing, and he was accustomed enough to pushing back against the effect of it, but even the addition of a traditionally pretty face would have made things more difficult. “I’m from the north too. Not your north, but… Real snow, not like this business.” He shook off his hand and let it fall back to his side. The formality ended with that bow and he was back to being plain old Andrew again. “Doesn’t mean I really like it. I think I miss it sometimes, but then I remember the shoveling and the blizzards and this whole constant summer thing seems like a pretty good deal." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

ab_ystwyth 2013-07-31 11:20 pm UTC (link)

Issy gathered that he must have meant that he was from the other side of the veil but that did not necessarily mean he was human. But she wasn't trying to peg him as anything in particular. She was more open to other races in general, after all she may have come from a sidhe family but she was not one herself, though she had not truly been exposed to very much. She would have been surprised to find out he was human if only because she had never met one before and would have expected them to be different. With a light chuckle she nodded in agreement, "I suppose it is different when you are used to weather cycles instead of a constant single season. I cannot say I have minded living in a land of winter for so long but the nice part of winter is staying inside so long that you tend to forget there was ever anything than the snow piling up out there. I have been fortunate enough not to have ever shoveled snow though so I am afraid I can't speak to that particular unpleasant task." Since she could not eat or drink as normal guests without removing her clothing she refrained but in doing so lost the the more comfortable position of holding something while standing and talking. She simply let them hang at her sides at first before clasping them before her. "I will agree this stuff is more pleasant at least, but I would venture that any attempts of snowmen made from the stuff might end up on the pathetic side." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: {Open} sacredwishes 2013-08-02 03:09 pm UTC (link)

Jeffrey was well aware of all those eyes on him and that he stood their beneath their scrutiny and their judgments spoke of bravery and a strength of character that Shayleiah Alcaeyn would one day come to admire. Those same eyes were on here now, by her doing, but she didn’t seem to even notice. Maybe it said something else that the little girl only had eyes for Jeffrey right now. It was absolutely something that would worry her father, more than her assault on a child so dear to the Queen while he was standing in her presence. She was two years his junior, which among the Sidhe was nothing at all. When it came to emotional maturity, it was quite significant. She had arrived at the beginning of the evening as the very image of innocent perfection, with bouncing golden curls adorned by white ribbon, pure as that snow and those lovely little wings. Now the curls were a complete disaster, half-soaked from their earlier playing. Her dress had originally been a soft purple, which she had chosen for herself, but then she found out that Melisande was in something else and had demanded she wear the same. Mikino, who was already exhausted by then, relented and at the last minute a new outfit was arranged. Tiny slippers sparkled on her feet, blessedly kept on for once. Unlike Liliana, she was not immune to the cold. Her cheeks were a ruddy pink from all of her exertion, matched by the bold display of her tongue as she stuck it out at Jeffrey in a taunt. Everyone within line of sight was looking to how the Queen was going to respond, probably even her father, but Shay was waiting for Jeffrey to make a move, and the second he did she would shriek with a childish mingling or terror and delight and scramble to run in the other direction, fingers bunching up her ruined gown as she did. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: {Open} cullingsong 2013-08-02 03:21 pm UTC (link)

Andrew was the one to step in first, when no one else would. Mel was still with the other children and had no doubt noticed too late that Shayleiah had snuck off. Andrew, however, had been the one to teach her how to make a proper snowball. He hadn’t figured she would go use her new talent a foot away from the Queen, but maybe he should have. He was there when she turned to run, which meant she would be running straight into him. He let that much happen, but was at least insightful enough not to let her fall backward afterwards, leaning instead to scoop her up as he had so many times before, lifting her up over his head and turning about just once with her before she was settled against his side. Her guards, in truth, probably found the whole thing too funny to intervene in. It was sweet enough fun, after all. Andrew stepping up made them a little more uneasy—not because he wasn’t allowed access to the child, but because a human was now holding Judgment’s little girl in front of half the Sidhe at the gala. Even in her current state of disorder, she was pure-blooded Sidhe nobility, and anyone who had been laughing before was not now. Unwittingly, he had put Azyebel in a more awkward situation, and he seemed to realize it then, because he said something softly to hush Shay’s giggling and squirming. Even the little girl looked to the Queen then. He had overstepped, socially, but he supposed he had at least not half-assed that. Many knew who he was, but not everyone did. Well, they would after tonight. He looked somewhat apologetic, though not for the reasons everyone likely expected, but he said nothing else. Usually it was his mouth getting him into these messes, so it made sense to keep quiet and see how things would go. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: { Still Open! } gilded_justice 2013-08-02 03:46 pm UTC (link)

The hush which came over the crowd caught his attention more surely than any shout would have. If Azyebel was troubling herself to listen to him by now, she would be greeted with the soft utterance of a curse quite unbefitting a man of his stature. He was far enough away that it took some effort to wind through the crowd, excusing himself quickly from Avalynn’s side with a muttered, “I apologize, I evidently need to go stop my daughter from committing the sort of crime I exile people for.” He would laugh later. Now, somehow, he did not. When he saw that Melisande was going to step in next, he caught Aredhel’s eye. He was off duty for the night, but he was already looking to Mikino for the orders that were surely coming. Mikino pointed brusquely to Mel and shook his head, and Ares set to obstructing her path to the fiasco for her own sake. They both knew enough of what she had been through to realize that it would have been Hell for her to walk into the spotlight that way. He managed next to scan for Cedric, the leader of her coven, and he took care not to mask the next thoughts, emphasizing them for the telepath to catch. Tell her it is handled. When he did get there he didn’t reach for his daughter immediately, and he made sure not to look at those wide amber eyes or he would have laughed. Instead he splayed those elegant wings of his as he dipped into a bow, executed with impressive flourish. If anyone could steal attention, it was Mikino Alcaeyn, and he meant to do precisely that now. “Your Highness, Lord Jeffrey,” a flattery for the child that he did not rise until speaking his name as well, an homage from Judgment, “I apologize for my Shayleiah’s zeal. Galas are a novelty to her, and snow even moreso.” It was a statement that he left her in the arms of the human, and a bold one at that. It was approval of not only Andrew;s presence, but his actions. “With your leave, Your Grace, I will see to the matter from here." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: { Still Open! } - sacredwishes, 2013-08-02 04:55 pm UTC

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Mel/Open cullingsong 2013-08-02 06:33 pm UTC (link)

The first thing he did once he was free of the whole Alcaeyn Snowball Incident (as the history books would remember it), he found his way to Mel. It was considerably easier to navigate these things without wings. Add in some exceptional coordination and this didn’t take long at all. He didn’t look flustered, even after all that, but he did look worried and the first thing he said to her was, “I’m sorry.” As if he should have had to apologize for what would have, if anyone else had done it, been exactly the right call. If Aredhel had reached Shay first, as he had been seeking to do, no one would have batted an eye over any of it and the whole incident would have been laughed off. There would have been some talk about the little girl being too spoiled or not disciplined enough, but Mikino had always opted to accept that over raising her the way Azyebel had been. Maybe it was the wrong call, but it was his to make. That wasn’t really what his apology was about, though. It was for putting her in that position where she felt responsibility for not just Shay but for him as well. It was at least suitable that he seemed to answer to Melisande, to any who cared to pay attention, and seemed appropriately contrite over his actions. It was less suitable that he reached for her hands as he said it, but that ring on her finger meant they had already more than violated that particular social standard. There were a decent share of women present who would have more than given him the time of day, but not out there for everyone to see. That was the bit that was shameful. He was easy on the eyes and well connected. A set of wings and he’d have had them lining up for a dance. Now if someone asked, it was on a dare, or some cute little rebellion. He was gracious enough, but he generally declined and made certain it was done with some tact. He supposed he should have saved a bit of that, in retrospect. “I’m too used to being back home where no one thinks twice, I guess. Are you alright?” (Reply to this) (Thread)

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Re: Open cullingsong 2013-08-03 09:13 pm UTC (link)

“You’re too sweet,” he laughed, quiet but undeniably affectionate. She was content enough with his presence just now that he felt confident in reaching to brush the pad of his thumb over her cheek the way he often did when there were tears to soothe away. “I’m sorry because I made a spectacle out of something that didn’t need to involve us and risked ruining our night.” He didn’t just throw words like that around. He might be one for talking (and talking and talking), but some things he reserved so they retained their weight. “I think it’s working out okay though,” he murmured, casting a quick glance over his shoulder to the two children facing off. “You’re a mess.” He said it like it was a compliment, the hand that had been at her cheek moving instead to tousle the curls against it gently. “If you’d like, you can punish me with a dance too,” he offered, with a playfully hopeful air. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: Open cullingsong 2013-08-04 12:35 am UTC (link)

“I doubt it. She wasn’t yours to watch tonight, Sweetheart. And I’m the one who taught her to make the snowballs. The worst thing that will happen to that little girl is she’ll be sent to bed. And it looks like not even that’s going to be it, unless she gets herself in more trouble. Which I guess I wouldn’t rule it out.” The grin found its way over his features, quick and easy. “No?” It had been what he meant, but she made it clear enough that it had been a bad idea, so he reassessed with a look around. “We could find somewhere a little more private if you want. Hey. I’m up here.” He tapped her chin. Once, then twice. “You don’t need to dance with me, Mel. Well, you do. Just not here. You’ll owe me one or two when we get home again. I didn’t get all dolled up to miss out altogether. I’ve probably had too much to drink to be dancing properly anyway.” He was still quite coherent, but he had been drinking. It was a change. Without Kaylee fretting over it, alcohol had stopped being such a big issue for him. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

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Re: Open - cullingsong, 2013-08-06 04:33 pm UTC