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There were lips against his cheek, not long enough for anyone to consider inappropriate, but it wasn’t light or fleeting, an obvious gesture with an obvious meaning, full of gratitude and affection.

Roselite froze, shoulders rising to his ears, then curling forward into an embarrassed hunch. His face flushed, bright and hot, and his eyes flicked around wildly, from Kamacite to their superiors to all their comrades, before lowering to the floor when Roselite couldn’t bear to face anyone.

The kiss wasn’t unwelcome, but he thought it might be undeserved.

“You… You’re welcome,” he said, looping an arm around Kamacite’s shoulders, helping him away from the table.

His hands shook while he piled more snacks onto a plate for them. Roselite didn’t stop for drinks, wary of tempting Kamacite by bringing him closer to the champagne.

He felt guilty for ducking out when there was more cleanup to be done, but he’d feel guiltier for leaving Kamacite on his own. Leading him away, Roselite decided he would come back later to help, once Kamacite was a little more sober, safe at home with someone who cared about him.

“Come on,” Roselite urged him quietly.

With any luck, they’d get to Captain Bloodstone’s office without incident.

EXITING with Kamacite redface

"For now, you'll move up no doubt." He knew she was good, fencing was her thing, and soon she'd move up to teaching others. He had no doubt about that. "You should do something with it for yourself, if you aren't already, something beyond just teaching." Shrugging a bit as he spoke, his eyes looking around for anyone with a drink he could grab. Was there any youma around with drinks on offer?

he didn't care much for getting up to get a drink, at least not right now, and his glass was now empty. When it had become empty he wasn't entierly sure. "Have you gotten a job? Something well paying, I hope." Her life really wasn't his buisness any longer but he was curious about it. He did hope she was doing well, despite their past.

Another glance about and he finally stood slowly. "If you don't mind following me, I could use another drink." Anything that wasn't alcholic, which he was sure they had on offer.

Hatsya hesitated.

Her mind reeled, searching for excuses to stay but ultimately came up with nothing that couldn't just be superseded with a stern look. Benitoite, after all, was a General, and even though he was no longer hers, she still had to obey him.

"Prehnite was going to bring me some water but it looks like he might have gotten lost." The Halls were an impressive size so no doubt he got busy in conversation.

She stood, then followed the ashen-blond General towards the beverage table, this time feeling a bit less apprehensive than before.

Eion Risk

Lilith made it look so easy, reaching over the tray and plucking one of the delectable crab puffs. But Eion couldn't manage it — not well. The crab puffs liked to move, either because of Albite or because the entire room was moving relative to Eion. He couldn't tell which, couldn't care which.

Albite mentioned something soft to him, and Eion's complexion turned a little ruddier for it. Swatted the unruly subordinate of his in the arm.

When Lavendulan approached, Eion immediately sidled closer to Albite. Lavendulan — so stiff. Clearly she needed some alcohol. Saw opportunity, took it. "Think she absorbs alcohol through her skin?" Fish did that, right? Maybe if she had gills, she could breathe it. "Here —" Eion pressed his wine glass clumsily toward Albite, nearly spilled on him what was left. Would have, if the damned thing was full. "Try it —" And he gave a little wave toward her, as if their plan was so secret, as if Albite had the sense to do something like that.

Albite was pretty senseless. He would likely do something like that.

Lilith was distracting her; Albite had a perfect opportunity. But then the conversation — simple introductions — drifted to him. Lilith didn't introduce him like she had earlier. Did she know something he didn't? Was there a social cue that he didn't know, that only humans knew? Caught voiceless, every name he'd ever heard ascribed to himself came to mind: Elex, Eion, Faustite, Kholat Syakhl, Velvet, Firebrand, sometimes he called himself Chrysocolla. But he didn't feel like any of those names. Didn't feel like anyone. Displaced was the first word to come to mind.

Knew how Schörl would disparage him for this. Oh, the things she'd say, to any listeners. Embarrass him for the sake of nothing in particular, nothing but enjoyment. The party roared around him. Too many seconds passed; he felt the awkward silence.

"Faustite," he murmured at last. Then he realized his hand was still holding the stem of a wine glass that didn't exist anymore, and he dropped it to his side.

"Dragon, m'pretty sure she's a really lovely dragon. Aren't you Lav?" and the scales were stunning, and it was easy to play serving platter, drink holder, and pillar at once. To laugh along with Lilith who was absolutely stunning in her own right.

"Aww, c'mon firebrand, ya gotta add the honorifics n' s**t - that's like, the best part of being 'Legion' in this place, yeah?" downed the wine that was handed to him, because if Eion was pressing drinks in his direction, pressing stemmed glasses into his hand, then he was drinking them. Because Lav wasn't a fish, maybe, or was she? ******** know, didn't care, was sipping down red like air. Whistling down another errant server, servant? Poor low end of the totem pole things - watched some lime haired boy with a barely balanced plate of glasses near over brimming pause and freeze.

Narrowed his eyes at him and beckoned with the empty glass he now had - because even if Faustite was wrong about Lav being a fish. He was right about her looking like she needed a drink. Oh just, all the drinks.

"He's General Faustite Lav - wine coinsure, heart breaker, heh - destroyer of worlds." lascivious grin, the way he glanced between her and him. Tossed Lilith a wink and overloud stage whisper "This is the only time I get to do this s**t~ S'too fun to let him loose, 'fraid the floor might swallow him up n' then where would we be?"

Caught an Aura in his periphery, caught that lengthy flow of waterfall blues into purples, would've known the midnight poof of a glittered up gown anywhere. His Bossette, a glimpse of her, hint and sight of her at a distance playing wallflower. Would give it a moment before he started making noise and could get her attention the only way he knew how - l o u d l y - as if he'd never learned how to work a communicator in his life, as if tablets in subspace didn't exist to someone with a megaphone for a mouth.

A sweep of pink raced across Lavens face when Lilith began the introductions.

Definitely called out, albeit in a polite way, for not remembering her name. But as the Corrupt mentioned, things were really hectic in the Rift. When they had finally made it to Base Camp, everyone seemed to have parted ways; Laven, on her part, either spent time at the canteen or talking with Lopezite rather than getting to know the people she had been grouped with better.

Perhaps she should have taken time after returning to the Dark Kingdom to look up names and faces in the database on her tablet. Would have at least better prepared her for a social gathering like this.

Lessons learned for another time.

Still, she smiled, “Yes, it was pretty chaotic down there. But you did a great job translating, Lilith.” It at least kept Radon preoccupied in conversation and afforded her time to look for the tracks.

But then she caught the comment about absorbing alcohol through her skin and Laven’s friendly smile faltered. Would have quipped a comment in return but when he offered his name, her stomach churned violently and suddenly she felt sick. Not a civilian, but a half-youma as she was, but in glamour.

That, however, wasn’t the most harrowing bit of information. It's that it was General Faustite. A moment longer and she would have no doubt made a damn fool of herself. Thankfully the towering corrupt with intricate tattoos racing down one side of his body, Albite, as what Lilith had called him, spoke up and corrected him.

The lump in her throat was near suffocating all she could do was nod in response to his question.

Heart racing from the anxiety she glanced around the room, noticing Lopezite had recently arrived; should have just waited a few more moments. At least she could politely excuse herself without hopefully offending anyone. But then the towering man yelled something that caused her to jump and Laven realized then that the joke she had sent to her General about socializing being terrifying was more true than she initially thought.

Another corrupt soon joined the table and she looked about as nervous as Laven had felt. Offered a quiet hello of her own and Laven raised a clawed hand to waive.

“I uh,” she stammered a bit. “I’m going to get something to drink,” pointed to the table of beverages. Give her something to hold on to at the very least to keep from fidgeting. “Enjoy the party; Lilith, Faustite, Albite, Bossette.” she quietly added, nodding to each of them in kind, trying to commit each of their names to memory as to not fail so horribly at introductions again next time she ran into any of them.

Eion Risk


"And it's conno — con — uh — hic — coinsurer." Cleared his throat, swallowed, furrowed his brows for how his body subtly rebelled. Felt queasy for it, but a moment's pause let the feeling settle like a thick sludge at the bottom of his organs. Well. Clearly that meant he needed more wine, and luckily, Albite had already flagged a waiter over. Wasn't helpful that Nembus came with it — she was ever a sobering sight for how upwound and uncertain she was, infecting all her immediate conversation partners with a layer of anxiety that they never asked for.

Or maybe it was just him. Stole a glass from the tray, nearly spilling it on himself, but he felt a little better for having it.

Until Lavendulan ran off. So much for being a ******** dragon, excusing herself like that. Giving up on all of them, like they weren't worth her company. "Fine, didn't want to talk to you, either!" He snarled after her. Downed the glass in a handful of hefty swallows, pausing only once to breathe through it, and he handed that one back to Albite, because clearly he was collecting them now. Expert Glassware Cabinet, Schörl would say.

Taking a couple stumbling steps back, he shouted toward the Sovereigns, specifically Axinite: "Do you get it now? We're too ******** dysfunctional to make friends! ******** half youma…"

Turned to Albite and Lilith, who each swam around the room by now. "Going home." He stumbled as he turned, stumbled over his feet and ate floor in a clatter of bird bones and sandals. The ground wouldn't stay still beneath him, and he struggled to pick himself up.

Basic.Corrupt Senshi Albite

Albite couldn't have blamed Lav for getting out of dodge as quickly as she had. Poor thing. They were a helluva group, she'd been sweet enough at least; to suffer them for a moment to come by and say 'hi'.

He didn't mind her leaving - though apparently the bundle of lithe drunk in his arms did. Slippery thing. He could only watch with growing amusement as Eion got loud. Could only take on more glasses and find a way to pass them off onto other unfortunate souls.

"Ohman - Bossette, Nembs! M'glad you're here, have you tried this stuff? No wait, how're you doing?" had to reach out and snatch her in closer- snicker for the whole scene unfolding before them. Thoughts trailed as his gaze trailed. Followed Eions wavered steps - to the floor - and then up into the helpful arms of someone who made him think of Meri if she'd gone through a pallet swap; well a few swaps more than that even.

Albite made a note, to make it his personal mission to figure out who in the Negaverse he had to cozy up to in order to get a set of horns. The sovereigns, metallia herself? Shirtless was nice, but damn, the sharp a** slew of horns on uniforms was a *thing*. "Gonna halfta help me deal with this one, by taking lots and lots of pictures, yeah? Maybe - pretty please? Also! Have you met lil's? She's fun - you two'll get along..." would let it all go on a little longer before - well - Eion technically was home already, in a sense? Could've probably been more home. He should've probably been a good subordinate and gotten him out. Except - tall drink of an ice blue dragon seemed to have things well in hand for the moment. Heh, had his boy handled for sure.

"Oh yeah - vertigo - terrible s**t. I hear it clears up real well if you take hair of the dog the morning after. Course you've gotta take someone home the night before, or all you'll wake up with is double vertigo. There's a whole methodology behind it - uh 'the cure' for that." ******** glittered from the sidelines at the pair of them. Fafnir and Eion, any plans to make things better before making them worse thrown out the third story window at the absolute picture they made.