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Aiden Hale - outfit

“Why don’t we go over there.” He nodded his head in the direction on the opposite side of the room from the music since pointing was kind out of out the question with both of his hands full at the moment. Not that it was really even that loud, there was just a lot going on.

Without really waiting for an objection, Aiden headed in the direction he had tried to indicate; bobbing and weaving between gala patrons all the while guarding his food, so it didn’t get knocked out of his hands and land on someone, and trying to avoid stepping on anyone’s dress.

True fact, in highschool one of the guys he knew was dancing to the Macarena and when he jumped and turned the poor guy landed on the hem of this girls, Alyssa’s, dress. Her eeping shreek could be heard well over the music as she held the top of her dress up; poor guy broke one of the straps and got socked in the shoulder pretty hard. If at all possible, he didn’t want to be that guy.

Upon approaching the table he set his plate down then pulled the seat out for Alexandre.

Cassadega Bright - Side View Dress

If Cass noticed that his attention left her, for another woman, it didn't show. Perhaps it was her own confidence or self assurance that it didn't matter if he was looking around because he was here with her, doing something he didn't seem keen on because she wanted it. That said volumes, even if Jericho preferred to be tall, dark, and grumpy, in her opinion at least.

The green haired woman didn't bother hiding the cheeky smirk that spread across her lips when he leaned in, clearly intending to meet her at least halfway for a kiss, before the opportunity was gone because, undoubtedly, Cassadega Bright was a god damned tease. How could she not be when he was acting like like that?

She liked the grumbling that she could feel and the way his grip on her tightened. Were she in any less control of herself, she would have shivered.

"Don't worry, considering I left him almost the moment I found you and Ilian..." Cass shrugged, wetting her lips carefully as to not disrupt her lipstick. Everything with Jericho was a came of chicken; who would push until the other broke or who would break first and pull back. She enjoyed the thrill and flutter of the chase and flirting too much to back down now.

His lips grazed her ear and her lashes fluttered, breath catching in her throat for a second before she shook her head. If her dance partner wanted to play that game, she had no issues participating. "Depends, Mr. Cross," she stretched, almost tall enough with her heels to not have to but not close enough, and let her lips brush against his jaw, "on what you have to offer me."

Cass already knew the answer, but it was fun to say anyway.

"I know, but you don't get too much time with just him. I can circle back, I see a cute waiter I think I should go pester." It didn't matter that she meant Cabhan and that Jericho probably didn't see the boy as a threat, the point was to tease and see how he reacted.

"Sounds like," she said slowly, already beginning to lead him in the steps of the dance she wanted, "you've got some learning to do, Jer. Don't worry, I'm an excellent teacher."

385

"I am the luckiest man to have such a cute princess grace me with her gentle guidance." It was all humor, all flourish for the girl who he had taken as his daughter, despite their actual blood relation.

Even then, it was painful, to have to lie to his little sister if only to protect her from their father.

"Up we go-" Lifting her up by her arms, Elzo set Giulia on his feet with a grin, tapping one foot so she'd bounce for a bit.

"There we are. I will dance slowly and we'll do small circles. Your dress will hide if we make mistakes." He winked down at her. "But then, that would be me. Princess don't make mistakes now do they?" If Giovanni could not offer her a worthy father, Elzo was determined to fill the roll to the best of his knowledge.

Her voice broke the thought with a sudden clarity of what she'd called him. Not Mr. Elzo. Not 'Xanis'.
Daddy.

It was a dull twist of the knife that was both joy and guilt. He swallowed the sudden well of emotions in his throat and began to gentle dance with his sister-daughter.
"Of course Giulia. I'll only be mean if they'd not treat you right. You deserve no less than the most perfect prince."

Giulia Montgomery (Outfit)

She giggled, enjoying the teasing and (what she considered) flattery that Elzo gently offered. She settled her feet onto his, curls bouncing along with the rest of her ad he bounced his big feet and her skirt jostled and bounced. Tonight was an excellent night, and even here, standing on Mr. Elzo's feet, Giulia felt like a grown-up girl. How could she not? Everything had gone great.

"We'll do the best dancing," she told the tall man reassuringly; "I'll count out the steps with the music, so we'll move at the same time and it will look all proper and everything. It will be our secret, and if you make a mistake, we can tell them it was- im... poov i zay shun. On one of the tv shows he said We don't make mistakes, only happy assy dents."

But small circles were a great idea. Giulia was quite pleased with that one.

She missed his reaction to her calling him 'daddy' as she wriggled closer, squeezing his hand with her own and pressing in closer to to the tall white-haired man. "Will you help find a Prince for Jada and Zora, and Princesses for Lucas and Aidan?" He might only be Elzo's daddy, but Mr. Michael didn't talk much about royalty. "We can use them as tests to find the perfect prince." her nod was sagely. "And you can practice meanness and not-meanness."

The look he received from Chase, assessing and considering, was more unnerving than he had expected it to be. It threw him off balance, and for a moment, he forgot all his smooth words and very nearly the whole thread of the conversation. What, exactly, the young man was assessing him for wasn’t quite clear… but it was still enough to fluster him for the first time in a while. With how much time he spent around people, entertaining them and being charming, he had almost thought he couldn’t be put off any more.

Seemed he’d been mistaken.

“Ah, um… y-yes, of course.” The stumble in his words was embarrassing and Trey struggled to push the heat down out of his face. Reaching into the inner pocket of his suit coat, the young man pulled a card of silky smooth, off-white paper, offering it between two fingers. “Please feel free to call me any time.”

It seemed with that, their little meeting was over. Chase and Priscilla were off to dance and Trey was left standing by himself, and not too upset about the chance to recover alone. At least he’d be able to claim the introduction had been a success… and he had no doubt the moment he moved, he’d find his pointedly absent mother was at his side.

Trey hummed softly to himself as he pushed his coat back and slipped his hands into his pockets. Tonight had been… interesting. He couldn’t help wondering where it would end up.

[Katrina Halloran] (outfit)

The ball was a bust. Sure, there was free food and free drinks, but Katrina Halloran had spent more time avoiding people than she had enjoying everything. She'd caught a flash of bubblegum and cotton candy-- Prissy-- and darted in another direction before she could be spotted, snagging a champagne flute off of a passing tray along the way. Kat wasn't entirely sure that she could make herself play nice with her best friend's beau in public just yet and didn't want to risk causing a scene knowing damn well there wasn't anyone who would bail her out if she got picked up for starting one that night.

Champagne wasn't her favorite thing to drink, she'd discovered since her twenty-first. It was better when mixed with orange juice; better yet when someone else was drinking it and she had something with more taste. That didn't keep her from tossing the contents of the flute back, dropping it off on another tray in passing as she caught a glimpse of Archer out of the corner of her eye. He seemed rather well occupied and it would be rude to interrupt... Just as rude as it would be to blow up his phone with a dozen messages while he was standing there chatting away.

Tempting. Not so tempting that she wanted to risk putting a strain on their working relationship, however... Next time.

Kat shifted her clutch, pondering drawing her phone out anyways just to see if she'd heard from anyone else. She didn't, however, making a beeline for the bar instead. It would be only too easy to send out texts later.... After she'd had another drink or two.

For a moment, as he turned his back on Cerisse and the table she now resided at, Tristan wondered if leaving her alone was the wisest choice he could have made. It was enough concern to make him pause before he shook his head, slicked back hair slipping free and into his face a little bit. She had been doing just fine before he had run into her and she would be fine without him. Even in her compromised state, he had little doubt that she would shut down anyone that attempted to take advantage of her.

He had seen her when she was acting professionally, before, and had little doubts that her sharpness would return when it was needed.

Besides, he needed something for his nerves still. He really needed to stop letting Fiona convince him to go and do things when she couldn't come with. Or, if she did convince him, then she needed to take his phone and contact his few friends to go with him. Adjusting would be easier once he started to re-develop meaningful relationships.

So, the tall and lanky man continued on his way towards the somewhat crowded bar, long legs carrying him forward and relatively thin frame allowed him to slip between the people that were leaving with their drinks and the ones still waiting without too much trouble.

When he managed to get the bartender's attention he offered a weak smile before he worked. "Whiskey coke and water, please." He received a nod in return and found himself leaning up against the bar, trying to remind himself to breathe and chill as he waited for the man to return, hoping he didn't get distracted on his way back.


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