OPEN ♔ I WISH I COULD SAY IN JUST ONE SWEEP WHAT YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU MEAN TO ME

[socialgraces]

♬ Silent Shout - The Knife

WHO || Anyone and everyone! [OPEN]
WHAT || Francesca's birthday party
WHERE || One of the big parlor rooms on the castle's second floor.
WHEN || [Backdated] July 11, Evening
HOW || Actionspam

 

[Earlier in the week all DRAKENET devices received a message announcing Francesca's birthday party, courtesy of Sir Bancroft, to be held the evening of July 11. No RSVP needed. It's especially good timing now that many mission groups have returned to the castle, at least for the time being.

As the guests make their way in, it's clear the party's been well stocked with food and drink. There's plenty of room for mingling and some music in the background. Gifts are completely optional, but welcome. Come in and get comfortable.]

(OOC: Feel free to make your own threads/threadjack, etc.)

Comments

[cabot]

[ he hisses in a sharp breath through his teeth, pulling a face ] Ugh, that word. Need we go there? [ he leads her towards the dance floor, even as he jokes around. ]

[socialgraces]

[She rolls her eyes.] Unfortunately, I'm having a hard time not feeling that way lately. But I don't foresee sentimentality being an issue for us. [She turns to face him as they reach their destination.]

[valdrin]

I'll do my utmost to keep sentiment straight out of it.

[socialgraces]

I thought this dance was supposed to be your way of proving me wrong.

[cabot]

I wouldn't want you to get uncomfortable.

[socialgraces]

First you'd have to make me believe you. [Good luck with that.] False sentiments are hardly discomforting. [She'll take a step forward to initiate the actual dance, eyebrow raised in challenge expectation.]

[valdrin]

Where should I start then? [ he winds one arm around her waist, taking her other hand and stepping smoothly into a dance (19) ]

[socialgraces]

[They haven't been this physically close in years but she can't deny the easy familiarity of it. She effortlessly falls into step with him (dance 30).] I must admit I was surprised to see you here. Why don't you start with that.

[valdrin]

I suppose "I was in the neighborhood" isn't quite candid enough. [ he turns her through the crowd with ease, though his eyes drift from hers as he seems to consider what to say ] Perhaps I've simply missed the society of someone who can hold a good conversation.

[socialgraces]

[She can read between the lines, but she won't call him out. Yet.] If I'm your estimate of enthralling conversation, you definitely need to get out more. Although I have seen you do your fair share of mingling lately.

[valdrin]

Or it was merely getting stuffy in our particular corridor of this fair castle.

[socialgraces]

It certainly can get lonely. [Her voice is quieter than she expected it to be. And in order to cover up her sudden show of vulnerability, now would be the time to call him out.] So you're here because you missed me, or because you were bored?

[cabot]

Well... [ there's a moment where he seems to hover on the edge of a witty comment versus a sincere response, but he comes down on the side of the latter ] certain events might drive even a man like me to nostalgia.

[socialgraces]

A man like you? [She gives him the softest smile.] I never found you as indifferent as you let on.

[cabot]

[ his answering smile is wistful in its own way ] Not about everything.

[socialgraces]

If only your charm was as discreet. [She keeps her tone light, because she's not really trying to start some sort of awkward argument.]

[valdrin]

Such a polite way to phrase it.

[socialgraces]

I'm nothing if not diplomatic. [But she quickly drops the smirk for a more serious demeanor.] I do wish things were different, between us.

[valdrin]

[ his eyes rivet to hers, as if measuring her sincerity, before he responds. ] Theoretically, what would that entail my doing to make it different?

[socialgraces]

[ She is sincere, mostly. She's just... cautious. Not that she means something romantic, but any involvement with him makes her feel completely vulnerable and uneasy. She'd definitely like that to go away, so maybe they can, like, work through it, or something :/ ] I'm not even sure what different would entail, I'd just like to drop this apathetic pretense.

But I'm just as wary as you are.

[cabot]

[ Love Is Gone - Dommin

a tiny little smile curves up his lips, though he looks a little sad almost. ] Pretense is so much simpler, I imagine. Or at least, I thought it would be.

[socialgraces]

[She watches his face closely, her brow creasing as her own grief sets in. She's not sure if she feels regret or guilt. Looking down for a moment, she takes her time responding.] That is how we were raised.

[cabot]

All the more reason, perhaps, to go against our instincts. So to speak.

[socialgraces]

[She hesitates, because it's a lot more tempting than she'd ever admit to him.] You make it sound so easy.

[cabot]

I think both of us have always excelled at making the difficult look easy.