cuddlecity | EVENT: A VERY NICE BALL.

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EVENT: A VERY NICE BALL.

Blink, and a week goes by; close your eyes, and the evening of the fifteenth comes to life, the cool glow of moonlight illuminating the quiet streets of the city. For once, it seems like the entire city's come to a standstill — many of the local businesses have closed early today, with signs advising they'll reopen first thing in the morning, and even the dependable, cheerful squawks of the street vendors have hushed for the time being. Hurried as this year's event may seem, the annual celebration is a city tradition that's not to be missed; bakers and booksellers alike know this all too well, and any lingering souls in their shops will be gently but firmly shooed to the exits by late afternoon. They've got to get all dolled up too, after all, and such finery takes time.

Whether the Social Committee's video enticed you or you've been dragged by the metaphorical scuff tonight, the Samhain Ball hopes to offer you an evening of seasonally appropriate escapism. There's something for everyone tonight, from the comforting swells of smooth jazz and upbeat swing pouring out from the stage where a live band plays, to the mouth-watering smells and tastes of a gourmet plated meal served early in the evening, to even the simple beauty of the decorated ballroom itself.

The first hour or so of the evening allows for guests to enter at their leisure through double doors at the north end of the ballroom, where all are greeted by the smiling faces of Flora and Cornelius in their matching cream pantsuits. Should you choose this main entrance, you and your companion — or companions, if you've brought more than one — will be announced in grand style, befitting the occasion. (Savvy — or sneaky — attendees may note the auxiliary entrance on the west side of the ballroom. Follow the garden path, and be mindful of the sprinklers. They do have a tendency to go off at the wrong moments.)

Take a look around, and soak in the sights. The ornately carved ceiling of the ballroom has been obscured for the evening with tasteful black draping dotted with the gentle glow of strung lights. It lends a twilight quality to the evening, enhanced by the soft flicker of tea lights placed at the center of each table on the east side of the ballroom and the sconces hung on the wall throughout. Each table, too, features a soft cream tablecloth and a bounty of autumnal florals, perfectly arranged to match the golden chairs surrounding. There's plenty of seating for all, and no assignments — feel free to claim a table for you and yours, and free your hands of anything you may not wish to carry.

The slow fade of music from the stage signals attention to a single woman illuminated by spotlight, whose silhouette should look familiar to anyone who's spent time in the city. With a small, tired smile, Mayor Drake welcomes you and yours to the city's annual Samhain Celebration Ball; her speech is short, but touches on the importance of the holiday, from the appreciation of the harvest to the welcoming of the new year, and reminds both natives and visitors alike to take time in the coming months to cherish their blessings — including this most immediate one, the promised Samhain feast.

Once you've settled around a table, the ballroom welcomes you to chat with strangers and friends alike, encouraging conversation with soft instrumental music and the quiet, pleasant generosity of passing waiters carrying flutes of happily bubbling champagne. A little liquid courage never hurt anyone, after all.

Dinner is an affair in itself, plated and served by hushed but skilled waiters whose capable hands whisk courses in and out with no more than a smile. No matter your dietary preferences or needs, there's an appetizer, entree, and everything in between available for you — simply raise a hand, and a member of the waitstaff will be at your side to assist in taking your order when you're ready. Linger as long as you like at the table; there's no rush to leave, but when you're ready, let the swells of the music from the stage entice you to the west side of the ballroom, where a dance floor's lit by the warm glow of so many twinkling lights overhead.

The music itself goes on through the wee hours of the evening, so there's plenty of opportunities to fill your dance card with any number of partners. The songs themselves vary from gentle waltzes perfect for cheek-to-cheek swaying to faster rhythms suited for swing dancing's signature dips and twirls, and requests are always welcome if you've something particular in mind. There's even a microphone tucked to the side, just in case you feel the urge to croon with accompaniment to someone special as the night goes on.

Of course, if you don't feel like dancing, or just need to rest your feet, there's plenty of entertainment tucked in the hall. In a small room just off the ballroom, you might find a collection of old-fashioned photobooth machines, ordered on accident and set here where they won't clash with the rest of the decor. They're operational, of course, and free of charge; feel free to take a few silly photos, but be sure to wait for them to print. There's the gardens, too, equally decorated with twinkling lights, though the effect is muted by the moonlight that trickles through the canopy overhead; the adjoining hedge maze and walking paths have often been a perfect site for quiet walks and romantic interludes in years past.

While a perfect world might allow such a charmed evening to last forever, unfortunately all good things must come to an end, and as the late hour of the evening gives way to the promise of dawn, a familiar tune is played to signal the end of the event. As the lyrics go, you don't have to go home... but you can't stay here. Time to make your way to the exit, and see where else the night takes you.

Whew, talk about words. Should you need a recap: be pretty, because this is a fancy event. Bring a friend or come stag, whatever you choose; eat, drink, dance (or don't) and be merry, for this is an event without any dramatic accidental consequences. Well, except the sprinklers... and maybe your own excessive consumption of champange, but that's up to you!

And, though we say it every time, please don't forget that your mod team is here for you with answers to any questions you might have, whether related specifically to this event or the game in general. If you have any further questions specific to this event, we encourage you to ask away on our QUESTIONS COMMENT here in this post. If you have general questions, or prefer a more private venue, our GENERAL INBOX (and SCREENED INBOX) is always available for you.

Enjoy your evening, cuddlers, but if you would, please — save the last dance for us?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ A hint of a flush reaches his cheeks, embarrassment evident on his features. It's not that he thinks he did anything wrong, per se, but Baby is not the best at first impressions - after all, most of the people he'd worked with in the past thought he was a mute half the time, and Baby carefully cultivated that image, for obvious reasons. Talking was not something he was good at. ]

I don't... know. [ Because it was the truth. He really wasn't sure what Alec thought of him, at all. ] I think he's probably not my biggest fan.

[ Which Baby would like to understand, but it's tough - being a single child with the family life he's had, having sibling support is not something he's ever really thought about. Isabelle and Alec are completely new territory to him, and he has to wonder how he'll get Alec to like him. ]

What should I do, in your opinion?

( she would whole heartedly contest that belief, she'll have you know, baby. as far as first impressions went with isabelle, a majority of the time they'd make or break how any sort of relationship was to unfurl. there was something to be said for the warmth that'd emanated from him the first time she'd slipped from that apartment to him waiting in a driver's seat just beneath striking, golden rays.

of course, intentions for an impression differently greatly when it came to a woman, and then her brother. she's witnessed first hand the nerves that often flare up in the forefront of baby's mind, but as they've presented themselves in all of those moments with her—it's no different now that she wishes to soothe them over.

she can't help but to snicker, and it isn't out a lack of sincerity, but more so the fact that that's basically par for the course to another's perception on how alec may feel about them. she reaches a hand up to brush her thumb against his cheek, the flush that's taken it over, before she's finding his hand and bringing it to her lips to kiss one of his fingertips. ) Alec isn't really anyone's biggest fan, Baby.

It's nothing personal. ( perhaps a cliche statement, but it rings with reverence. ) It just takes him awhile to warm up, he's protective. ( a lithe shrug, mindlessly toying their digits together, letting them down to their sides where she laces them. )

Once he sees how I feel about you, how I trust you, he'll come around. I promise.

[ She says it's nothing personal, and Baby makes a noise at the back of his throat, because he doubts that. There's probably an added element of distrust, here, if only because Baby is dating Isabelle, and if he was a big brother, himself, he would probably feel this way, too. Protective. He already feels this way about Isabelle, so he can understand, even better. ]

I think it's definitely at least a little personal, Isabelle. [ Baby smiles, reaching up with his free hand to brush his thumb along her cheek. ] He's protective of you. I think his opinion would be a lot more neutral if I was dating someone he doesn't have any connection to. He might not like me still, then, but it'd be a lot less. Well. Personal.

[ Still smiling, he squeezes his hand around hers where they're holding onto one another. ]

At least I'm sure he and I can agree on a number of things. At the end of the day, his opinion is not the one that matters most to me.

( he's focusing on the technicalities of it all, which she gets—if there were anyone that'd come to cadelle that was close to baby, it'd be of utmost importance that she nuzzled into their good side, as well. but she knows her brother is a bit more difficult, not as transparent nor black and white. interactions were hit or miss, and while alec would hold every means to softly prod at her judgement, given missteps in the recent past, she trusts he'd coincide with her decision to let baby in.

it wasn't something small for her, wasn't just another boy to bring home to the parents—her life certainly didn't fit to the stereotypical life of another girl her age, but even so, she's never really had someone to speak for. she makes a face, depicting a press of 'relax' upon her features, before it ultimately dissolves into a smile to mirror his own.

his thumb at her cheek, as always does, leaves behind a brazing trail. ) Of course it would be more neutral. He cares about me, and I care about you. ( two digits gently take hold of his chin, reeling him down for a brief, sweet kiss-- as if to seal a reassurance behind it. )

That's what matters. ( a little hum, tapping nail to the body of her glass before she's nodding back toward the dance floor, holding a gathering of couples gliding to an easy, softer melody. ) Dance with me?

[ And like that, the topic is closed. Baby isn't sure what to think - isn't any surer of what to do, really, when it comes to Alec, but he also isn't sure Isabelle can give him any indication of what to do better, besides just keep going, keep trying, show himself as who he is.

It's the only thing worth doing, anyway. And she's right: the fact that she cares, and she likes him - that's the only thing he really worries about, when it comes to the two of them. Hopefully, if her brother doesn't come around, she'll still like Baby.

He nods, putting his glass down on a nearby table. ]

Of course.

[ He leads her to the dancefloor, wrapping an arm around her waist and keeping her hand in his, swaying to the music as he pulls her close, his nose against her temple. ]

Is this what you thought life in Cadelle would be like?

( it's easy, fitting against him like this, holding herself steady and calm to his chest as they fall into a natural rhythm with one another. the graze of nose at her temple causes thick lashes to flutter, eyes closing to savor in the way the music carries them, how well it all seems to fit—that she's here with him, brought all too vividly within her mind back to the night he'd sang for her in her night-painted kitchen.

she takes her time answering, thumb brushing along the side of his palm, crown bowed just slightly. when she does speak, it's a hushed tone meant only for the two of them to share. was it where she thought she'd be within a foreign city, offering so many promises? not even slightly. ) Honestly? I wasn't sure what to expect. If it was even right of me to come here at all.

I had to leave a lot behind, even though it's just temporary. It was... difficult, the first few days. ( a quiet breath is stolen, catching teeth at the inner of her lip. ) Then I met you.

[ He loves having her against him in this way. It feels right, comfortable, easy. It feels all the things he didn't think he'd get to feel, here, pushing his life away to try and make it better, without actually facing it. There are parts of him that wishes he'd made a different decision - make it about Joe, instead of letting his wish be selfish.

But then he looks down at the girl in his arms and he can't imagine doing it any differently. This is perfect - she is perfect, in all the ways she isn't. She is perfect for him, making him want to be a better person, every single time she looks at him. He didn't think he would get to meet someone like Isabelle. ]

Yeah, it was hard. [ Despite everything, it was tough for him too. He had to come to terms with the fact that he probably wouldn't see Joe again. ] You've been a lot more than what I expected, though. [ His voice is soft, too, genuine, as he presses the words to the top of her head. ]

( a tiny hum envelopes the space between them, minimal as a breath and just as soft; it's a relief that's intoxicating, being held against him and having thoughts that are so often harrowing and at the forefront left hushed in the background, blending with the clinks of glasses and heels on the floorboards. to be with someone and have it feel like second nature, mere reflex the way they move, touch, speak—she doesn't know what to make of it.

all she can do is keep him close, ravel their laced fingers a little tighter. ) What did you expect?

( it's one of the two routes she could take this conversation. instead she could've chosen flattery, had him tell her exactly how it was she impacted him, though it seems as if that's a conversation meant for just the two of them. all the more private than they were right here and now ( in bed, maybe, curled together and sharing the same breaths ). )

[ He lets out a soft sound, looking up at the ceiling, the glittering lights strewn from chandeliers, illuminating the room around them so softly. it really is a romantic setting, the kind of setting Baby never thought he'd be in the middle of, ever. ]

I expected to fail. To be the same person I was back home, and struggle to make friends, struggle to find a legal job. I thought it'd be more of the same, here, as it was back home.

[ And how mistaken he'd been. From the day he arrived in Cadelle, he'd been accepted, welcomed, changed, from the inside out. In a few short months, he felt like a different person. Someone with a future and possibilities. ]

I definitely didn't expect to fall for anyone.

Edited (icon..............) 2017-11-13 09:43 (UTC)

( it's the sound that encourages eyes to flutter up to his features again, watching the way the golden light sits at the apple of his cheeks, makes light lashes nearly transparent. when he does decide to lower his gaze again, he'll find hers, brushed over with an incredible softness, an understanding that's an embedded trait within her character. still, as much as she wants to know, still wants to learn of him, she lingers on the heavy words that fall from plush lips a moment later.

there's a reverence hidden within them, a sincerity that causes pulse within her chest to give a stuttered thump. edge of her mouth only manages to twitch upward, though it's only for a moment, drawing lower brim into the catch of her teeth. ) I didn't either. I still wonder the whole wish thing is too good to be true. ( a shake of her head, a stolen breath, limbs naturally adjusting to the next song in queue, still just as lulling. )

But I feel better knowing I'll still leave with something. Someone.

[ He does look down, one hand moving from her waist to caress her cheek, before he moves it back down, keeping her close.

It's her last words that stop him short. He blinks, surprised, and gives her an appraising look as he forces himself to move to the music once more, like nothing happened. ]

What do you mean, knowing you'll leave with someone?

[ There is a breath of confusion in his words, as he wonders - does she mean to go home soon? Does she mean to take him with her? Questions spin in his head as they spin on the dancefloor, his lips parted as he looks straight down at Isabelle. When he thinks about it - which he tries not to do too much yet - he quite likes the idea of going home with Isabelle, or taking her with him. But he knows it isn't that simple, far from it. They both have responsibilities, back home. People they care about, families to get back to. Their own, fully formed, lives.

The thought of not seeing Isabelle again feels terrifying, and he clings a little tighter, fingers digging into her hip. ]

( it's the brief dazzlement that takes to his gaze that, in turn, almost causes her own movements to stop. there's a shift between them, there, words hanging above the both of them in which she can't tell is relief or conflict. perhaps she should've thought it over a bit more, should've waited until it came up between them, what might happen when either of their wishes were fulfilled, when all that was keeping them in cadelle was each other. )

With you. I— ( she takes a moment to gather her thoughts, organize them into something a little quieter. was she the only one that thought on it? that this place, this city, it wasn't their home. they'd come from two separate worlds, two different lives; was it expected for her to let go when they left cadelle behind? ) I like to think I'd still have you when we leave.

( she's searching between both of his hues, trying to gauge what's right to say, and all she can come up with is how she feels. the truth. )

Even if we're apart. I guess I should've asked. ( a flustered breath, sights dropping to where their upper halves connect, a blush sitting at the swell of her cheeks. and then back to his, beneath sooty lashes. ) Would you want that?

Of course I'd want that.

[ There's no hesitation there, in his tone or the words. There's nothing he would want more.

And of course he'd thought about it, but without a solution in sight, he'd let it go. Because she was dedicated to the life she left behind, but Baby couldn't just leave Joe. So he'd folded the thoughts in a corner of his head, determined to make the most of the time they had here. ]

I guess I just - I figured, we have time, to think about it. To think on how to make it work. Are you really eager to leave?

[ He isn't. In Cadelle, he's found a peace and the ability to be the person he's always wanted to be. He likes it here. But he knows their lives are entirely different, and she's got different goals from him. ]

Did you think of it as - did you think of taking me with you?

We do. ( the softest rush of assurance, a whisper carried between the two with enough sincerity, she hopes, for him to know that she hadn't meant it in terms of rushing. he might be the first man she's ever really... well, felt for this way, but she knows how it works. was she anxious to return home? admittedly, she was—but if there was one thing to tie her to cadelle other than a for now unfulfilled wish, it'd be the boy holding her in his arms. )

We have time. It's not that I'm... eager, it's just not home, here. I'm not looking for it to be.

( a slight shrug, there wasn't anything wrong with cadelle, but it wasn't the institute. here she felt restless, like most of her time was spent far too idle, and while she knows it's for the sake of too many lives lost, she can't help but to feel like she's abandoned her duty in brooklyn, that she's shaming the lightwood name by taking time off. )

I'd love nothing more than to just enjoy you here, right now while I do have you. I guess I'm just not used to having to consider these sort of things. It feels like such a temporary place, fragile, even. You—being with you doesn't feel that way.

[ The next exhale Baby lets out trembles a little, stuck in his lungs for too long as his heart picked up speed, in fear that Isabelle was about to tell him she was ready to leave already, done with this place and with him.

But it wasn't quite that. It was more complicated than that, and Baby knew it. Her life, back home, was incredibly different from his, in ways he could not even fathom. And while this place, Cadelle, could turn into a home for him, it was too far removed from what she knew, what she lived through, every day. He could find ways to make himself feel useful here, but her skills were too different. ]

Is it so bad to... not? Consider these things? At least, for now, while wishes are still unfulfilled and neither of us are going home anytime soon?

[ He pauses, biting the inside of his lip for a second before continuing, wishing he was better at expressing himself. ]

It's not that he wants to run from the facts, Izzy, because - I know this is not a forever thing, not like this anyway. But I guess I wish we didn't have to worry about it now. Or just... we can agree to look into what we can do? If we both go home, I mean. How to make it work.

[ Basically, not contemplate the possibility of not seeing each other again. ]

( it's true, at the moment, wishes weren't fulfilled—but isabelle is careful with her agreements, precise. it wasn't long before those three months would hit and she'd be granted the opportunity to return home, to return to brooklyn, to serving the purpose she'd been raised into.

there's no part of her that wants him to carry any sort of pressure, but she can't lie to herself, can't pretend as if he wasn't one of the sole reasons she'd consider staying past that point. was he worth it? she likes to think so, she feels he is, but how long could she put off duty, her name for the sake of love before it proved naive?

she isn't one to push things off, and perhaps that's where they differ. she's bowing her head, tucking her lips together and drawing a steadied breath in thought. she can resolve this, if just for the night—it's going so well, so tender, the last thing she intends is to ruin it with something that isn't necessarily soft. ) Sooner or later, I will have to go home, Baby. Three months is the first opportunity.

( a pause, looking up at him with honesty, clear in her gaze how torn she is. ) I don't have to take it. If you don't want to consider it, not now, you don't have to. But you're important enough to me that I will.

[ Baby isn't an angry guy. The last time he got angry, truly angry, people got hurt, left, right, and center. But it's not how he walks through life, or how he makes most decisions, or what influences him most of the time.

There's a small. smoldering part of him that's angry, right now. A tiny ember deep in his gut, living through his feelings that none of this is fair, that, at the end of the day, he'll end up alone again. Memories flash in his head, of being in the system, feeling so lost and lonely he lashed out.

He doesn't lash out at Isabelle. It isn't her fault. Does he wish she wasn't constantly thinking about leaving - leaving him? Sure, he is. But he knows that home is a part of her in a way it isn't for him, that this is just a pit stop. A means to an end.

The anger dies out, as he reaches out and brushes two fingers along the shell of her ear, down to the hinge of her jaw, gentle, a soft smile appearing on his lips. ]

One of the very best things about you - one of the most attractive things about you - is how much you care. You have to go home, there's too much there that you need to do. I won't keep you here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

EVENT: A VERY NICE BALL.

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BACK TO WORK but i wanted to toss this at you because my heart

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