Welcome to Gaia! ::

Gale's face flushed with simultaneous embarrassment and pleasure beneath Clerise's comments. "I was gonna wear a different suit, but, uh," He glanced at Clarice, a smile on his face, "I may or may not have spilled something on it before getting here."

He'd long since grown used to the third figure in his "parents' " relationship, and Gale opened is mouth to say something else when a pair of arms wrapped around him; a familiar warmth at his back as Lina Richardson appeared from behind, a grin on her face.

"Hey, beautiful!" said Gale happily, twisting so that he could wrap an arm around her waist and kiss her cheek in return. "Sorry I'm late, ran into a bit of, er, a wardrobe malfunction, what have you. You look amazing."

He tossed a wink towards Clarice and Clerise, and then finally Ben came back, the corsage still attempting to chew on people. "Dad - " Gale began, intending to ask him about said corsage again, but the rest of his sentence drifted away into horror as Ben carried on.

The Death lead would find a pair of hands hastily clamped over his mouth.

"Dad no stop what are you doing."

Maybe Peyton understood Shiloh and Maebe's relationship more then she thought. She gave Otto a small nod, flagging him over as a waiter slipped between them, offering sparkling juice, and Peyton helped herself to two,offering one glass out to Otto as he got closer.

Junior threw a hand up, a harsh dismissal of anything Marcus was saying. His lips did quirk slightly in a smirk though, more at the thought of what he'd do.. or what Ceres would do to the other man should he try and put the moves on either of them. He didnt feel the need to waste words on the other. He was always like this. What needed to be said?

The pale man did end up patting John on the shoulder and nodding. "I don't doubt she'll make it worth the wait. I think I'll go look for her though. Thanks.." He gave him a small smile before moving away to make a very 'patrol-like' round of the room.

The food trays made their way to William and company next, the strange man-eating plant corsage having mysteriously disappeared from the tray. Said wait staff had expertly restocked in nonalcoholic apple cider and was currently rearranging all the tarts on the outer rim of the tray in perfect circles.

"Something for you this evening, Miss?" The waiter laughed, and then kissed the woman in the puffy blue dress fully on the lips, leaning over slightly while maintaining perfect tray balance. He pulled out a wrapped handkerchief that was still squirming and probably contained some man-eating plant specimen. "I brought something for you."

As he said this, he managed to pass off three more tarts and a few more drinks befor kissing William on both cheeks and then the same to Harrison. "You shouldn't spoil our son like that, William needs to grow up and discover his own career in life." A stray lock of William's hair caught his attention, and said waiter somehow managed to pull out both a comb and some styling gel to pull a left lock of his son's hair down in a beautiful short braid, just like his own. Pleased, he readjusted his glasses and then muttered something to a passing Ben about calorie content and saving room for dinner.

Maebe's head bobbed boredly as Peyton suggested alternatives, but her keen glare zoned in on Peyton's cousin the minute he ventured forward to talk to them. If he'd just been some schmuck, Maebe wouldn't have given him the time of day. But his loose familial connections offered him the chance to be less than ignored, which put him in a dangerous position.

After all, he was, by her standards, cute. Maybe not ********, maybe not datable, but certainly worth a few long looks. And, she relented, maybe a little ********, simply because it would have driven Peyton mad if it had ever happened.

"Otto." Maebe's dangerously low voice purred out. "You look delicious. Save me a dance, kk?" The inflection on that word might have indicated that she wasn't actually talking about dancing.

Her phone buzzed in her chest, distracting her from her blatant flirting, and she plucked it out and read the message. Her eyes rolled in an over-exaggerated manner, and she shoved it angrily back inside. "Already knew that, jackass," She grumbled unhappily under her breath.

From somewhere on Nev's body came a cute little bubble pop sound, the universal sound for a text message and she moved herself around until said phone was produced from small dress.

"Dorians here Sol." She made a dreamy sigh and reached up to kiss his cheek. "Proper New Years greeting for him, and then I'll tell you about Dads latest self defense technique he taught pandora. Hint, it involves her almost stiletto like heels."

And then she paused, "also if your going to want to carry Dory, you gotta put me down." Plus, then she could properly check out both men, from all angles.

With a pleased flush, Velda accepted the little gift, "Caelius," she gasped in bright-eyed delight. She placed the squirming plant-thing, oddly submissive now, in her hair. "It's not spoiling, this is William's Special Night." Princess nights were always special. Staring up at the man, her lips formed a pout, "You aren't wearing the suit I made you."

She'd taken forever placing all the sequins on this one too. And the bullfighter look would be so extremely dashing on him. Utter despair swept over her.

John gave Junior another smile. "Of course. Hope she turns up soon so you can stop wondering," there may have been another teasing wink here before he turned to look at the room, the smile now slowly being replaced with a sort of frown as he seemed to be looking for someone in particular.

Because he wasn't sure, even after all these years, if Edith would come looking dressed up like him or everybody else.....or like she'd just finished her 5th extra inning in a championship baseball tournament.