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"A pleasure to meet you, Otto," said Alistaire with a casual nod of his head in the other's direction. He at least waited until the boy was gone before allowing the full smirk to spread across his face, Alistaire keeping his hand securely against Maebe's neck for a moment longer.

"Your tastes sure are...varied," he said, following Otto's departure for a moment, and for a split second, Alistaire's fingers dipped lower, settling into the area around Maebe's collarbone. It would have been an idle gesture, were it not for the carefully neutral expression on his face. "I would have thought you'd be into more...well..."

The sentence trailed off, and he let go, dropping his hands to his side. "I was putting Madeline to bed," he said airily, sliding gloved hands into the pockets of his black slacks. "She wanted to come, but it's past her bedtime, so I made her stay."

The corners of his lips curled upwards. "And then I get here and find you slumming. How...appropriate."

Leaving Mama Zoey in the dust was easy, even in tiny little heeled shoes that make her feel like she is going to topple over just as much as they make her feel like she could walk her own personal staircase to the stars. But its Ripley's stoic way of standing, very regal and specific in its formality, accompanied by his open staring that really makes her feel weightless. There is a moment between where her fingertips leave the fabric of his suit and his hand find her's that she fears she really will just faint away to the floor, but the warmth of his mouth touches her hand and she instead feels a minor explosion of very aggressive butterflies in her stomach. They are enough that her smile is replaced with a hushed gasp that turns into a bashful smile she cannot quite turn to him.
"Th-thanks... I uh... Got this dress on a field trip to... To New York City... I found it in a vintage store." This was, of course, an extremely important detail to mention because it not only showcased her worldliness, but also her foray into interesting fashions. Not that the bunny eared hoodies, brightly colored petticoats stuffed until short pastel skirts, and numerous animal shaped backpacks hadn't already displayed that enough.

The way he folds his arm against her own is enough to send her swooning, but it is the clatter of someone breathless behind them that makes the teen wince.
"Oh! I thought you were gonna head on without me!" Abbi chirped in her best nonchalant voice, her grip on Ripley's arm having turned a bit sharp when Zoey came into view. Before she could say anything the man had done what her mother had asked, a true gentleman that would have made her sparkle had her mother not been there to witness the exchange.
Instead the teen wiggled her hips, granted a fun swish-swish of her dress while she waited from them to shake hands before she gestured.
"Ripley, this is my Mama, Zoey! Zoey Renolds... She adopted me when I was 13!" That was extremely important, even if the girl was quick to tack on a very chipper, "She is the best mama anyone could ask for!"

It went without saying that Abbi was lucky enough to have been given two wonderful mothers, the first taken too soon, the second given too late. But she has spoken of this to Ripley before in hushed tones, blue eyes cast down so he cannot see how wounded she is to always worry about the mother she now has in case something were to happen to her. Deus is a wonderful place, but her mother works a dangerous job and she cannot help herself but to fret sometimes.

Every second of conversation was met with a polite smile that appeared a little too tight on one side of her face due to an old burn--one that she had covered up with makeup as best she could for the occasion but could not hide the extra squint to her eye. Crowell. That was an old name if she remembered correctly, but the only age she was concerned about was the obvious gap between this man and her daughter. Call her old fashioned, but Zoey would have preferred fussing over someone who was still in puberty instead of wondering if she was willingly allowing a cradle robber to get away with Abbi.

At least she had a name to look up after all the vague hints her daughter had dropped. Zoey wasn't in Death anymore, but she still had means of getting information.

"Abbibunny, dear, you hopped on ahead before I was even finished getting ready," she replied with a patient smile, adjusting the rabbit brooch at her neck idly. Her eyes then swept down to their joined hands and up to Ripley's extended one, which she took without missing a beat.

"A treat to finally meet you, Mr. Crowell," Zoey greeted, her smile turning cooler. "I was wondering when she would bring a boy around the house. How are you this evening?"

Her neatly manicured grip had yet to let go of his.

"Not an escort quest, Justin. Considering how many hit points the princess golem had left last time, you need to work on your tanking." Aria corrected as she looked Gale over from top to bottom. It didn't take her very long. "Good evening, Gale. I trust that your evening has been well so far?"

The assistant narrowed her eyes at Lina, giving her adopted daughter the most unimpressed look. "Speaking of guilds," she interrupted, "Justin. In order to form one you'll need to collect signatures. However, right now? No one will talk to you unless you put on a disguise. Luckily for you, Gale happens to be wearing a nice suit coat that you might be able to loot off of him." Aria gave Gale a bemused smile as she added, "Even if it might be a little small."

After a pause, Aria leaned forward and whispered quite loudly to Gale, "Now might be a good time to consider getting all the skills you learned as a Death hunter to good use."

"I'm doing well, all things considered." They were both lucky they had an excuse, because it was clear she would have found ways to prolong her intrusion. Ripley's hand was released, Zoey turned her gaze back on her adopted daughter, and it was almost disconcerting how quickly she transitioned from cool to warm.

"Understood. Say hello to The Baby for me~" she cooed, leaning forward to get one last hug from Abbi before the party swallowed them all up. In her ear she whispered, "Remember the last pocket on the left," before delivering a kiss to the teen's nose and pulling away with a better smile than she had greeted the couple with originally.

"I'll check on you two later. Enjoy yourselves~" she said airily and made for the party. Abbi would notice at some point that she was no longer in possession of her runic dagger.

Shiloh was brimming with energy, excited for the evening and the prospect of sharing it with the man who followed close behind them. He’d crushed on Ian for a long time, but he never would have dreamed of asking him to the ball. Ian was so cool, a few years his senior with impeccable hair and green eyes to get lost in, Shiloh always figured him a league above. It didn’t help that they ran in different circles of friends, and that Shiloh was most times clueless to any hints Ian gave and thus he’d been surprised when Ian finally asked him, absolutely thrilled, but surprised. Of course, surprised or not, he’d said yes, and then spent the rest of the time until the awaited night dreaming up how it might go. He’d, after all, planned to spend it solo, to perhaps snag a few dances with Maebe and friends, but now he had someone to monopolize, and, he dared to hope, someone to share a New Year’s kiss. Not a friendly peck on the cheek, but a kiss with someone he actually wanted to, well, kiss.

Yep, he was excited.

His outfit was about as flamboyant as his personality, his white dinner jacket seemingly normal and appropriate until one reached his pants, which were undeniably pink. It was an odd combination, but it worked, even if it didn’t necessarily match his date’s attire, aside from his tie, the only thing he’d been able to coordinate. More likely the only thing Ian would have been able to get him to oblige changing, Shiloh determined to stand out as Shiloh, and no one else.

“This is so great,” he enthused, grinning back at Ian. “They really went all out this time.”

Gale coughed, shuffled his feet, and tugged at his too-small suit self-consciously, giving Lina a slightly exasperated look that said something like I knew this was going to happen she totally does not like me. Out loud, however, he merely gave a small laugh and a nod, winding an arm around his girlfriend's waist.

"It's been a really lovely night," he said, and then flicked his gaze towards Justin, slightly bemused.

"Uh."