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 Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 2:26 pm
Little Miss Shiny She should have expected the witty retort, and gave a warm laugh of appreciation at how readily it was supplied as she let her head fall back, eyes closing to better envelope herself in the music and the movement. "No, indeed we cannot have you forgetting that. I suppose I'll have to settle for everything else, instead." Spoken through an almost dreamy smile. It was the same one she wore when she danced ballet, in fact, though none of the other hosts had yet to see her actually perform. That earned her a soft snicker, as his own eyes closed partway to better enjoy the music, as well. But Kyouya still led, and the floor was not empty, so he continued paying soft, unfocused attention to their direction, and thus also to the lovely smile that flitted across his partner's face. "Best not everything else, either, or the club finances will be in ruins in under a week. An unfortunate price to pay -- we wouldn't have too many more moments like this."
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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2014 3:14 pm
Ootori_K That earned her a soft snicker, as his own eyes closed partway to better enjoy the music, as well. But Kyouya still led, and the floor was not empty, so he continued paying soft, unfocused attention to their direction, and thus also to the lovely smile that flitted across his partner's face. "Best not everything else, either, or the club finances will be in ruins in under a week. An unfortunate price to pay -- we wouldn't have too many more moments like this." "The finances will keep for the next five minutes, bonhomme. This moment will not." A gentle reminder to enjoy the fruits of his own labors, and given with a warm, slightly teasing smile as she let him sweep them both across the dance floor. "I must applaud you also on your costumes for this gala. I believe you gave our guests the most trouble in discerning who was under the mask. Perhaps in a different life you were an actor?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 12, 2014 10:25 am
Little Miss Shiny "The finances will keep for the next five minutes, bonhomme. This moment will not." A gentle reminder to enjoy the fruits of his own labors, and given with a warm, slightly teasing smile as she let him sweep them both across the dance floor. "I must applaud you also on your costumes for this gala. I believe you gave our guests the most trouble in discerning who was under the mask. Perhaps in a different life you were an actor?" Kyouya gave her a small smile, yielding to her point, though he had been teasing as well. "An actor?" A quick, mere-microsecond look of surprise crossed his face, as if this was one of the things he hadn't actually thought about. "I don't believe I've ever been accused of that before, but I think I'm flattered. Thank you," he said lightly. Still, perhaps, there was a slight bit of ... discomfit? ... trouble? ... in those dark eyes, rapidly shielded again by the glasses he was finally allowing himself to wear. "It seemed you fared well in the disguise department too," he noted. "Of course, with the limitations involved, that made it a bit more difficult in terms of being identified, but you did baffle a large share of the guests as well."
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Posted: Sun Apr 13, 2014 8:26 am
Ootori_K Kyouya gave her a small smile, yielding to her point, though he had been teasing as well. "An actor?" A quick, mere-microsecond look of surprise crossed his face, as if this was one of the things he hadn't actually thought about. "I don't believe I've ever been accused of that before, but I think I'm flattered. Thank you," he said lightly. Still, perhaps, there was a slight bit of ... discomfit? ... trouble? ... in those dark eyes, rapidly shielded again by the glasses he was finally allowing himself to wear. "It seemed you fared well in the disguise department too," he noted. "Of course, with the limitations involved, that made it a bit more difficult in terms of being identified, but you did baffle a large share of the guests as well." That brief flash of a reaction, gone so quickly, did not go unnoticed. She smiled, curiosity and just a hint of amusement lighting up her eyes, "You seem surprised. Is it too nosy of me to ask why?" The unsettled look in his eyes was also noted, but Shiny thought he'd only clam up more if she prodded that response. So she stuck to just one light prodding for now. She did not, however, reply to his attempt to deflect the conversation away from himself, but simply maintained her smile as she awaited his response.
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:06 pm
Little Miss Shiny That brief flash of a reaction, gone so quickly, did not go unnoticed. She smiled, curiosity and just a hint of amusement lighting up her eyes, "You seem surprised. Is it too nosy of me to ask why?" The unsettled look in his eyes was also noted, but Shiny thought he'd only clam up more if she prodded that response. So she stuck to just one light prodding for now. She did not, however, reply to his attempt to deflect the conversation away from himself, but simply maintained her smile as she awaited his response. If the pair of them weren't dancing, Kyouya might have shrugged. Rather than let that motion interrupt the flow, he opted instead to let the dance fill in that particular gap before answering. "Not particularly," he decided. "Though it seems obvious to me. It's not a compliment I've received before. Ergo, surprise, ne?" The question-particle was a softening of a more definite statement; perhaps Kyouya was not in the mood to simply shut down at the moment, or perhaps he was still feeling the side-effects of a week of being other people. Hard to say.
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2014 4:56 pm
Ootori_K If the pair of them weren't dancing, Kyouya might have shrugged. Rather than let that motion interrupt the flow, he opted instead to let the dance fill in that particular gap before answering. "Not particularly," he decided. "Though it seems obvious to me. It's not a compliment I've received before. Ergo, surprise, ne?" The question-particle was a softening of a more definite statement; perhaps Kyouya was not in the mood to simply shut down at the moment, or perhaps he was still feeling the side-effects of a week of being other people. Hard to say. "This is hardly your first time playing a role, though. Perhaps it is because acting seems to come so naturally for you that it is taken for granted?" Her words were very clearly meant as complimentary, spoken in a warm tone and with a friendly, open expression in her luminous eyes. "You do also cultivate an aura of quiet, unobtrusive[/i[ competence, after all."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 12:42 pm
Little Miss Shiny "This is hardly your first time playing a role, though. Perhaps it is because acting seems to come so naturally for you that it is taken for granted?" Her words were very clearly meant as complimentary, spoken in a warm tone and with a friendly, open expression in her luminous eyes. "You do also cultivate an aura of quiet, unobtrusive competence, after all." The corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "Are you saying that the competence is all an act? I suppose I should be hurt." Teasing on his part -- but something in those half-lidded eyes had darkened, ever so slightly. "Everyone plays roles," he noted softly. "Whether that's a pair of mischievous twins or an elegant French heiress, or the third son of the Ootori family. Things are expected of us based on who we are, and who we present ourselves as." He paused, as if considering his words carefully. "People see what they want to see and expect to see. Present a different image, and you evoke different perceptions. If that's acting, perhaps you're right."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 8:21 pm
Ootori_K The corner of his mouth turned up slightly. "Are you saying that the competence is all an act? I suppose I should be hurt." Teasing on his part -- but something in those half-lidded eyes had darkened, ever so slightly. "Everyone plays roles," he noted softly. "Whether that's a pair of mischievous twins or an elegant French heiress, or the third son of the Ootori family. Things are expected of us based on who we are, and who we present ourselves as." He paused, as if considering his words carefully. "People see what they want to see and expect to see. Present a different image, and you evoke different perceptions. If that's acting, perhaps you're right." His question brought a warm laugh from the radiant hostess, her head thrown back as she twirled at the same time, "I meant the way you package and present it, not the competence itself. You are one of the most capable and strategically brilliant people I have met - and I suspect you will be the measure for anyone I have yet to meet for a very long time, too." "Which, I suppose, is a facet of that very thing, if you think about it. As one of the first people I met upon leaving Calais, in many ways I have used you as a gauge for most other people I have encountered since." Her own tone sobering as well, though there was still a companionable warmth in her smile and the light in her eyes. "The acting, however, I think I recognize because of my own experience in using it. So often I am terrified of not knowing what to do or to say, or if I am making a total mess of myself, yet I try not to let it ever show. Isn't that acting?"
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:00 pm
Little Miss Shiny His question brought a warm laugh from the radiant hostess, her head thrown back as she twirled at the same time, "I meant the way you package and present it, not the competence itself. You are one of the most capable and strategically brilliant people I have met - and I suspect you will be the measure for anyone I have yet to meet for a very long time, too." "Which, I suppose, is a facet of that very thing, if you think about it. As one of the first people I met upon leaving Calais, in many ways I have used you as a gauge for most other people I have encountered since." Her own tone sobering as well, though there was still a companionable warmth in her smile and the light in her eyes. "The acting, however, I think I recognize because of my own experience in using it. So often I am terrified of not knowing what to do or to say, or if I am making a total mess of myself, yet I try not to let it ever show. Isn't that acting?" "Hm." But there was a complex, strangely weighted inflection in that single syllable, as he brought her back into his arms from the twirl. "Thank you. That's quite an honor. I hope I continue to live up to those expectations, myself." Her sobering was met with a soft chuckle of his own, though. "Acting? I'd call that normal. I think most people try their best to seem confident even if they aren't." His voice dropped slightly, as if sharing a secret. "And most people aren't -- confident, that is." He seemed to review her suggestion over again before adding, "I suppose you could call that acting too, though I'm not sure I'd put it in the same category as stagecraft."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:11 pm
Ootori_K "Hm." But there was a complex, strangely weighted inflection in that single syllable, as he brought her back into his arms from the twirl. "Thank you. That's quite an honor. I hope I continue to live up to those expectations, myself." Her sobering was met with a soft chuckle of his own, though. "Acting? I'd call that normal. I think most people try their best to seem confident even if they aren't." His voice dropped slightly, as if sharing a secret. "And most people aren't -- confident, that is." He seemed to review her suggestion over again before adding, "I suppose you could call that acting too, though I'm not sure I'd put it in the same category as stagecraft." "You are you. I'm not sure if it is possible for a person to fail at being who they are." The observation was followed by a slight frown, as though she genuinely were considering whether such a thing was possible. "Or perhaps they can, if they try too hard to be something else?" She shook her head, realizing these were thoughts better left for more private contemplation, and pulled up that smile of hers once again, "Yes, I suppose it's true that stagecraft isn't quite the same thing. And..." the frown returned, briefly, as she considered her next words, "and I suppose I do know that we're all trying to hide our insecurities from each other, in a way." For a moment it seemed like she would say more... but not knowing how to put words to what she was feeling, Shiny remained silent.
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:34 pm
Little Miss Shiny "You are you. I'm not sure if it is possible for a person to fail at being who they are." The observation was followed by a slight frown, as though she genuinely were considering whether such a thing was possible. "Or perhaps they can, if they try too hard to be something else?" She shook her head, realizing these were thoughts better left for more private contemplation, and pulled up that smile of hers once again, "Yes, I suppose it's true that stagecraft isn't quite the same thing. And..." the frown returned, briefly, as she considered her next words, "and I suppose I do know that we're all trying to hide our insecurities from each other, in a way." For a moment it seemed like she would say more... but not knowing how to put words to what she was feeling, Shiny remained silent. There was, perhaps, an infinitesimal tightness around Kyouya's lips as he, too, thought over the comment about trying to be someone else. Something seemed to wall itself off, just slightly, and then he relaxed again. "You might be right. Though I think I'd prefer not to find out; I'm not personally a fan of failure." They lapsed into silence for a few beats, the music sweeping them along the dance floor -- which let Kyouya release a bit of the tension he'd just realized he was carrying. But he didn't miss that soft moment of hesitation on her part, and opted for a diversion to ease the moment slightly. "A playwright wrote, in one of his plays, 'we're actors -- we're the opposite of people'. It was intended as a joke, but I wonder how much of that is true."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 9:52 pm
Ootori_K There was, perhaps, an infinitesimal tightness around Kyouya's lips as he, too, thought over the comment about trying to be someone else. Something seemed to wall itself off, just slightly, and then he relaxed again. "You might be right. Though I think I'd prefer not to find out; I'm not personally a fan of failure." They lapsed into silence for a few beats, the music sweeping them along the dance floor -- which let Kyouya release a bit of the tension he'd just realized he was carrying. But he didn't miss that soft moment of hesitation on her part, and opted for a diversion to ease the moment slightly. "A playwright wrote, in one of his plays, 'we're actors -- we're the opposite of people'. It was intended as a joke, but I wonder how much of that is true." He was giving enough of those small cues that eventually she noticed his discomfort with the topic and cringed, " Mes excuses, I ...have recently been finding myself more often in...in uncertain situations again, and I have been... ah, distracted? If I am overstepping any... just tell me, and I shall cease."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 10:19 pm
Little Miss Shiny He was giving enough of those small cues that eventually she noticed his discomfort with the topic and cringed, " Mes excuses, I ...have recently been finding myself more often in...in uncertain situations again, and I have been... ah, distracted? If I am overstepping any... just tell me, and I shall cease." This did cause a genuine moment in which Kyouya paused -- if not the dance itself, the flow of communication between the two of them -- to give her his complete, razor-sharp attention. "No, you aren't," he said calmly. "It's a complex subject with implications in all parts of one's life, after all. Everyone gets a little self-conscious thinking about insecurities." Hence the diversion, but apparently since we're in for a penny, we're in for a pound."I'll admit to being curious about the aforementioned uncertain situations, though." Rarely was he so blunt. "I'm aware that your personal history can make social situations more complicated, but if you're having trouble with the host club, you should let one of us know. It will be more effective if you know how to handle yourself properly." Of course, that was accompanied with the usual implication of it will be more profitable that way. "If it's business, that's a little more difficult, but it is something that could be talked over as well, to help you figure out where the lines are."
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 10:29 pm
Ootori_K This did cause a genuine moment in which Kyouya paused -- if not the dance itself, the flow of communication between the two of them -- to give her his complete, razor-sharp attention. "No, you aren't," he said calmly. "It's a complex subject with implications in all parts of one's life, after all. Everyone gets a little self-conscious thinking about insecurities." Hence the diversion, but apparently since we're in for a penny, we're in for a pound."I'll admit to being curious about the aforementioned uncertain situations, though." Rarely was he so blunt. "I'm aware that your personal history can make social situations more complicated, but if you're having trouble with the host club, you should let one of us know. It will be more effective if you know how to handle yourself properly." Of course, that was accompanied with the usual implication of it will be more profitable that way. "If it's business, that's a little more difficult, but it is something that could be talked over as well, to help you figure out where the lines are." Shiny bit her lip against her first instinct, which was to effectively blurt it all out right then and there. But it was neither the time nor the place, and there were far too many other people close enough by that could overhear. So she remained quiet for just a moment longer, considering her response a bit more carefully. Cautiously. "If you are agreeable to it, I think I should very much appreciate a...an alternate perspective. Perhaps soon, we could have lunch together?" Referring of course to the couple of times when she had invited him to the rose maze to eat and discuss things without worry of interruptions or others to overhear. She knew she couldn't talk to him about the problems with her Light, but the other thing, the thing with boys and crushes and kisses... maybe he'd be able to help her be less confused about that.
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Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2014 10:51 pm
Little Miss Shiny Shiny bit her lip against her first instinct, which was to effectively blurt it all out right then and there. But it was neither the time nor the place, and there were far too many other people close enough by that could overhear. So she remained quiet for just a moment longer, considering her response a bit more carefully. Cautiously. "If you are agreeable to it, I think I should very much appreciate a...an alternate perspective. Perhaps soon, we could have lunch together?" Referring of course to the couple of times when she had invited him to the rose maze to eat and discuss things without worry of interruptions or others to overhear. She knew she couldn't talk to him about the problems with her Light, but the other thing, the thing with boys and crushes and kisses... maybe he'd be able to help her be less confused about that. Kyouya considered, mentally flicking over his calendar, absently noting that the music was starting to slow. "I believe I can arrange that, yes." That steel-trap mind of his was already providing him with any number of things she might possibly want to talk about -- and probably a few that were nowhere on Shiny's list at all, but simply a side effect of him being far too calculating for his own good. After all, she had taken her time answering and shown a bit of hesitation ... clearly it was not the simplest of matters, then. "Is this particular discussion time-critical? I can rearrange things if necessary, if so. If not, perhaps in a few days, after the next round of exams are over."
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