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(( Ian -> Lounge, with Nell ))

As he looked around, Ian could see everyone basically kissing each other. Not all on the mouth, of course, but it certain set the tone. The countdown had finished, the champagne was flowing, and smiles were on almost every face in the room. If only he could pluck up the courage to actually follow through on his request.

He looked back at Nell with a nervous smile, his ears even more red than they'd been just a few moments ago. Deciding that it was now or never, he leaned forward and gave his fellow guardian a quick peck on the lips, doing his best not to use to much pressure in his anxiety. After deeming it a successful tradition fulfilled, he offered her a shy smile and rubbed at the side of his neck self-consciously. "Um, thanks... Happy new year. And, um, I hope we both get some good news soon!" He knew she was expecting a frei as well, and wondered about what they would look like. He'd been trying not to dwell too long on his own Raevan's possibilities whenever they crossed his mind; it was better to leave all expectations in the dark than get his hopes up for anything specific. It was more curiosity than anything, really. That and sheer, unadulterated excitement and anticipation. He'd be paying special attention to his cell phone as of late.

((Cesc-->Aina and Eth))

That was... strange, Cesc decided. A bad idea. Ethiriel's happy, half-giddy air was gone, and kissing her had been odd--sad? He didn't quite understand. Her brows had come together when he'd wished her joy for the new year, her expression wholly distant and concerned. And when she spoke to him, there was distance in her voice that had not been there a half-hour ago.

He could feel something from her, too. Some discontentment, and it was pointed at him.

Rhedefre looked at her, lips parted, his gold eyes trying to find hers even as she looked down at Aina. He'd embarrassed her, somehow.

"O-oh," Cesc managed, looking down at the rain Frei with a half-smile. "Kissy friends! A lot of people are kissing on New Year's, it's a way to show how much you care that their new year will be full of love," he said. More pointedly, toward Ethiriel, he stressed. "--but you should probably ask first, just in case it makes someone uncomfortable! Because that's--not at all--what you want."

He rubbed the back of his neck, and turning back toward Aina, he tried on a mischievous expression. "Hey, Aina..."

He wiggled his fingers, and there was a strange crinkling sound in the air, like someone balling up paper. He closed his fist and then opened it again, and in his hand was a pile of golden sparkles. "Do you wanna throw some sparkles in the air with me? Say Happy New Year, like the confetti?"

(( Claire -> Gabe in the lounge; Cadi -> Mordekai, Shep, Ronan & Amity at the champagne table ))

Claire's smile did not falter, as she was quite used to dealing with folks who were just a touch surly with her back during her days as a paralegal. 'Different as night and day,' she thought, comparing him to the elder Knight mentally. That was something one often saw in families, though; she was quite different from her older brother Matt and they were only two years apart. As it stood, she had introduced herself without waiting for Eth to do so, the Raevan preoccupied with both Aina and Cesc, who had moved over to join their little group. Instead, she focused on the tired-looking man in front of her with the clear undertone of salt in his voice who had given her the loose handshake, smile still holding and not missing a beat.

"Actually it was Ethiriel who told me about you, all good things included. I'm afraid I haven't had more than a couple of opportunities to speak to Henry, outside of what I heard second hand from my husband, who is a friend of his." Her smile was nothing but serenity. "We're both Lab acquaintances, Henry and I, although to be fair I think he and my husband hit it off the most." She laughed softly, twisting a little on the couch to face Gabe more directly. "Maybe the next time we are over visiting we'll get a chance to be better introduced? I don't imagine several snowballs to the face as you're just trying to get inside would put you in much of a mood for conversation." She was most definitely sympathetic in that case; he had looked none too pleased as he marched inside (and she should know, as she had been the one to take his place) but she was also not going to ignore his bad mood, either. The party, in any case, was winding down, and she herself was waiting on a text from Aaron to alert her that he was heading back. In the meantime, she'd do what she could to keep this salty sir engaged until all parties were ready to head home.

At the champagne table, Cadi did not register the Aussie accompanying them to the table, passing down another flute of champagne after she had handed one to Mordekai and she jumped when his voice sounded between them. As the blonde drained his glass and took the one offered, she decided to do much the same - now the party was getting started. The bubbles fizzed happily in her mouth and she took the next glass offered to her, plopping her uneaten grape skewer next to the new one; she was going to need food soon enough if she was shooting champagne this quickly. Her cheeks flushed at Shep's friendly greeting and Mordekai's quick-on-the-draw answer, and perhaps it was partially due to the champagne, but she gave a small, startled laugh, free hand running through her curls sheepishly. "A gross exaggeration but very kind of you to say, thank you, Mordekai. It's nice to meet you, Shep." She nodded back towards the couch, where Claire and Gabe were engaged in conversation. "I came as my aunt Claire's plus-one tonight, she's the guardian-to-be there." Cadi sipped a little more slowly at the second glass, about to start in on her skewers when yet two more people joined them, and the sight of a familiar-yet-sleepy face drew another laugh from her, nodding to Ronan's explanation. "No worries, hope she was kicking butt and taking names out there." Another careful sip as she appraised the bat Frei drowsily chewing grapes, bringing out a smile. "Clearly you were, by the look 'a ya." She took a note from her and plucked one skewer from her champagne glass, chewing thoughtfully as Amity offered one more sleepy comment, and Cadi's cheeks flushed again. She had not expected much, coming out tonight, other than to keep Claire company, but her anxiety aside, things had not turned out so badly.

"You're on," she replied, directing her grape-ended skewer at the Raevan and guardian with a grin. "Wanna trade numbers and figure something out sometime? I'm free pretty much whenever."

((Shep--> Cadi, Ronan, Amity))

"Good t'meet you, too! Rhede's mentioned Claire, and she's not bad in a fight, eh?" said Shep pleasantly, pouring himself a glass of champagne that he then made short work of. He smiled as he saw Ronan, more recognizing him and his charge from the snowball fight than anything else. A sudden memory flit through his head then, and his mouth, loosened by the alcohol, blurted out. "Right! The bat!"

Laughing, he waved a hand, amending: "Now I've placed yah--Rhede told me about you guys. Great job in the snowball fight. Mean arm. Come by Vermillion sometime, Vivi'd love t'see y'both."

(( Laz - Xiu // Kyou - ViVi, easing him out ))

Lazarus smiled as he clinked his tall glass with Xiu. "Happy new year Xiu." The Valsaros said, his voice soft, as if the greeting was only for Xiu to hear. It doesn't matter if everyone else was kissing or not. He didn't even need to look around to see if anyone was watching. His eyes were only on Xiu as he leaned in, tilting Xiu's chin upwards a little as he kisses the Sigel on the lips. He held it for a moment before pulling away slowly.

"May we make this a tradition every new year's eve." He smiled as he took a step back, a slight rosy shade on his cheeks. Clinking his glass with Xiu's again, he took a sip of the bubbly liquid.

ViVi's quick peck on his cheek made Kyou blush as he chuckled. It was not necessary, but still very sweet from the lady. "You're welcome. And happy new year too!" He said to her.

Just sitting there at the edge of the table, he watched the party as he pondered everything that happened the year before. It is truly a better year, compared to the last. And he felt blessed for everything that had happened. Year 2016 could only be better!

(( Aina --> Lounge, Ethiriel and Cesc; Mordekai & Seabiscuit --> Champagne table, Cadi, Shep, Ronan, and Amity ))

Aina stared wide-eyed between Ethiriel and Cesc as they attempted to explain, lips parted - she didn't quite understand what they were grasping at, but she gave them both a small nod, smiling nonetheless. If there was one thing she understood from this, it was that the two older Raevans were quieting down, not feeling at all excited - and that was something she couldn't accept.

"Oh, okay...!" she giggled, sleepily; she watched Cesc then, both eyes focused on him as he parted his hands to reveal something magical - something that never ceased to amaze her. She giggled, gasping as she reached for the sparkles - "Ooh-- mhm...!! That's really pretty!"

Mordekai topped his night off with the second flute of champagne just as quickly as the first, grinning as other faces approached Cadi and Shep at the champagne table. He giggled as Amity - a Raevan he hadn't met - sleepily chewed away at some grapes, and the sight of her remembered him that the Frei under his own care was bound to turn into a pumpkin quite soon too - he checked his cellphone quickly for the time, and whispered a quiet 's**t' with a small laugh.

"Ah - happy new year!" he waved toward Ronan and Amity as they left, then turned toward Cadi and Shep while gesturing toward Aina - "We gotta go, too - 'ope we see you both around more, ah? Have a good night!" With that, he waved toward them and quickly paced toward the couches, Seabiscuit right behind him, to pick up Aina.

"Ahh, 'm sorry, Eth, gotta take Aina off your hands now," with a small smile, he knelt down to be level with the couch and held his hands out toward Aina - the Frei protested, but being sleepy made her too docile to do much more but whine.

"But sparkles," she noted, glancing up at the blond then pointing at Cesc - he laughed as he leaned Aina against his shoulder while picking up the clothes he'd folded up on the floor.

"I know, but we gotta go see uncle before he gets his beauty sleep, huh?" once all of their things were gathered, blankets included, he gave Ethiriel another smooch on the temple and smiled toward Cesc; "Sorry for ruinin' your fun, but we'll see y'two soon, yeah?" He glanced toward Ethiriel in particular, "We'll give you a call 'bout meetin' up soon, Eth!"

He glanced toward Claire, too - she seemed occupied, but he waved toward the blonde before walking away - "Happy new year, Claire!" Aina waved toward Claire, too, all sleepiness and fondness.

"Bye, Miss Claire...!" As they left and saw Vivi in passing, the two made sure to give her their regards as well: "Bonne année, Miss Vivi!"

(( Ethiriel -> Aina, Mordekai and Cesc --> leaving))

Now Cesc's mood had changed and Ethiriel flinched to herself at the difference. Great, what had she messed up now? Until Claire had brought it up, the Frei hadn't even noticed her own change in demeanor.

Why did she have to see that?

When Cesc's eyes met hers, Ethiriel's heart hammered uncomfortably. Giving him the most sympathetic look that she could muster, she finally tore away when Mordekai announced their leave as he took Aina from her arms. "O-oh," she stammered, detangling her arms from the smaller Frei. She tried to smile again, though it was far from meeting her eyes. "We will see each other soon, little one. I promise." When Aina didn't offer a goodbye of her own, save for her protests, Ethiriel's smile fell.

Chancing a sideways glance at Gabe, he still seemed pretty preoccupied with Claire.

Looking back to Cesc, Ethiriel's chest hurt. She wanted to apologize for ruining his good mood, for getting so jealous, for being a child, but she couldn't find the words -- even if she could, how would she tell him? That she had feelings for him? It was obvious that his heart was in another place and it tore at her insides.

There was no way she could tell him.

"It sure is a lovely party," she said, now having been left "alone" with the stag, as everyone else present were occupied with other people. "Unfortunately, I believe we must be going soon -- I am not feeling well. Shall I text you tomorrow? As per usual?" she asked, trying to smile a bit more naturally. Her emotions were high and she could feel tears stinging, but she did her best to hide them... at least, for now.

Ethiriel gave Cesc a small, quick and gentle hug, forcing herself to pull away in the end. Her hands rested in his for just a moment. "I hope you have a wonderful new year..."

Once she had taken herself back entirely, she gave him a quick and exhausted grin before turning to Gabe. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder and announced, "If you are able, I believe I would like to leave now..." she said, sounding far from as happy as she had been outside.

When Gabe agreed, Ethiriel followed close behind him, hugging her scarf and bracelet tightly as she chanced another glance back toward Cesc, then another quick one toward Zurine, before she floated through the doors and was gone.