tampered | (no subject)

(no subject)

WINTER GALA IS OPEN ~ !

Seen the sign? It’s everywhere.

And every little corner, and every little street, strident and glistening and snow everywhere. Statue here, statue there – North, South, East, West – they do call it the Square. There’s word they’re war heroes, or troubled hallows, or nothing of the sort. That might be ice they’re sculpted in – or the sliver in some champagne glass, because giants drink too, and the City knows things. The City doesn’t tell.

But the tap those statues once or twice, and tap them strong, and tap them well, and they’ll whisper a secret. The little Elf army scuttling about has seen better days for wear (mostly Thursdays), but they’re only three feet tall, and the silver powder on their cheek’s both rigidly applied, and rented. Kick’em. They’re fluent in seven languages, you know. They have a degree. Naghladi’gjamarai got a Nobel nomination last year; no one knows. The human reporter didn’t look down to his knee when he was interviewing. Humans, so damned righteous.

Like the lights everywhere can never go out.

Like they’re the first ones here, dancing all too merry.

Like it’s their celebration.

Like it’s not all coming out of their City taxes.

Idiots.

[ooc: OK, kids, as per Jesse instructions: please title your comment + replies in such a way that you mention if they're directed at anyone in particular. Free-for-all ball, enjoy ~ ! ]

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"You know," she began, not bothering to even pay attention to that fake heartache crap, "I made a list, but I think I dropped it somewhere. Looks like we'll never know how many men Faye Valentine managed to woo off their feet with her fancy footwork. You'll just have to suffer without knowing."

In all actuality, she'd managed to avoid dancing up until this point. It wasn't that she was bad at it--even though she was--and it wasn't that she didn't want to--because she couldn't lie to herself and say it didn't look entertaining--but, rather, because she'd been so concentrated on really feeling those martinis. He had a head start on her in this dancing thing, if he hadn't already broken a similar seal.

Not that he needed to know that.

"That's a real shame," Vash said. "You must've worked hard on that thing."

He held a gloved hand out to her in invitation and cocked an eyebrow. "Care to show me how it's done? That is, if you're done with your smoke. And your drink."

He wondered just how many drinks she'd had. If it was enough to affect her stride, this dancing thing could be really interesting. If not entertaining.

Faye put the martini down on a nearby table and flicked her cigarette to the ground, exhaling deeply so that the last evidence of a good smoke went the way of the sky. Of course she blew it out of the direction of Vash's face. Of course.

Her legs didn't feel that unsteady when she threw her arms out, dramatically, tossed her head back, dramatically, and declared, dramatically, "I never thought this day would come."

She cupped her fingers and motioned him forward. This was also done dramatically.

Vash blinked at her for a second, but there was no way in hell Faye Valentine would show up Vash the Stampede in terms of being dramatic that easily.

He took one smooth step towards her and caught her waist in one arm and her hand in his, then dipped her, dramatically.

"Well, tonight all your dreams come true," he said, flashing his most charming grin at her. "Though you could've said something sooner if you were that desperate to get close to me."

She wasn't swayed. And she wasn't amused. Well... she was trying hard not to be amused. No use in giving him the upper hand and all that, not when he already had one in physical terms. Just wait until she got the chance to dip him.

Faye managed to work her way back up, not noticing that she'd (dramatically) kicked her foot out from underneath her when he'd dipped her. "I'm just trying to keep you on your toes," she said, spinning just out of reach but stopping before she knocked someone over. "Where's the fun and mystery in putting all my feelings out on the table at the start of the game? Come on, haven't you ever played cards before?"

Vash cocked an eyebrow as Faye spun away and sauntered after her. He felt vaguely sorry for the people unfortunate enough to attempt dancing anywhere near them, but his amusement over the situation quickly overrode that. It occurred to him that there might be a reason he and Faye didn't hit more social functions at the same time... Liabilities.

"I think you should dial that poker face of yours down once in while," Vash countered smoothly as he went after her. "You'll never get what you really want if you're bluffing all the time."

"Did you just offer me romantic and-or psychological advice on the dance floor?" asked Faye, cocking an eyebrow as she very nearly tripped over both sets of their feet.

She could remember, from ages and ages ago, that she knew somewhat how to box-step. So she tried that one for a while. It would at least make conversation easier, until Vash tried to show her up gain. "Come on, Vash," she continued, playfully, "you should know better than to mix counseling and a waltz."

"But isn't dancing one of the most intimate things you can do with a person?" he asked cheerfully. "It seems only fitting that you should get intimate advice during this sort of thing~"

He was having a harder time keeping up with Faye's dancing, but it was certainly that much more interesting. Like she said, she kept him on his toes. He just hoped he could stay off hers.

Faye had a feeling they looked something like a car crash, and she had an even stronger feeling the people around them were having the same reaction, unless she was imagining them looking horrified as she and Vash ambled past. He hadn't crushed her feet yet, though, and she wasn't leading too much. So far so good.

She shrugged in response to his question: "I don't know. I can't remember the last time I actually danced with someone." It was a stretch, but she made it. "Besides, since when are you the expert on intimate advice?"

Vash took a quick glance around and couldn't help but notice that people were being careful to keep their distance from him and Faye. Wise move.

"That long huh?" Vash mused, twirling Faye around. "Thank God I'm around to change that. And I've been an expert on that for a while now, thank you. It's not my fault you've never thought to dip into the well of my wisdom."

"Only because that well is shallow and dry," she shot back, not bothering to hide the fact that she really was grinning now. The vodka must have been getting to her. The fact that she stumbled a bit over one of his feet as she turned underneath the bridge of his arm only confirmed it.

"I'm not about to dip into something I get absolutely no use out of," she went on, hand on his shoulder to steady herself. He really was too goddamn tall for his own good. "Besides, I bet the water tastes like donuts."

Vash gripped Faye a little more securely to keep her...upright. Yeah, this was getting more entertaining, all right. Just so long as she didn't pass out or anything like that, they'd be in good shape! Though he was starting to wonder if he should catch up with her, drink-wise. A quick glance to check on Zaheela made him think twice about that, though.

"Donuts and love and peace," he corrected. "You'd never be able to go back to regular water if you knew what you could have. It's probably for the best this way."

"So you've been holding out on me," she corrected, pushing forward a little bit so that Vash would have to take a step back. It was a challenge, albeit a playful one, and she made sure not to step anywhere near his toes when she took lead.

"I didn't think you were that selfish, Vash. Haven't you ever heard that sharing is caring?"

"That's what you get for using that poker face and not letting me know what it is you really want," Vash shot back, taking the step back and spinning both of them around. She wouldn't take him that easy.

"I'm perfectly willing to share with you, Faye, but you just keep locking me out~"

She dipped under his arm and reversed their positions again, trying to get back on top of things. It was difficult when he was so much taller than she was, but Faye had never let a little detour stop her before.

Without missing a beat, Faye came forward, "This is typical of women, you know. That's the whole point of being a woman: we don't have to let you boys know what it is we want. That's part of the skill of the game. And anyway," here she paused to look down between them, making sure she wasn't about to trip as she got her leg to do what she wanted, "you should know my poker face better than anyone."

Vash let her reverse the situation for now and smirked down at her, taking the step back.

"I do know your poker face better than anyone," he confirmed, taking her lead for the time being. "But I'd hate to make you feel like that you're so easy to read. Because, you know..."

Here he went back around her and took the lead again, moving towards her with a cheeky grin.

"It can feel really vulnerable when people read you so easily. And I know how hostile a woman can get when she feels vulnerable."

Faye snorted, not bothering to fight back this time when he took the lead. It was more than partly due to the fact that she was too busy listening to him, but she would be caught dead and cold before let him know that. Pretending to be aloof had never been her strong card, however.

And he had a point. Touche.

"Who's feeling vulnerable?" she struck back, matching his grin with one of her own. "Out of the two of us, who's the one packing firepower under her skirt?"

Vash hesitated before replying to that. He was armed too, but he had to be careful about how he worded this or he'd never hear the end of it.

"Seeing as how you're the only one here wearing a skirt, I'd say you're the only one with a gun under it," he reasoned. "But in a place like this, everyone's always armed if they know what's good for them."

He paused and twirled her around.

"Unless they've got a well-armed escort to take care of that for them."

She let him lead and she laughed. She actually honest-to-fucking-god laughed. And it was funny. In a place like this, with people she'd come to care for, even trust, maybe, not one of them had checked their weapons at the door, and Faye was alright with that.

And she laughed at the way he dodged her question, too, and told herself it was the alcohol when she knew that it wasn't. "Somehow I don't think rolling up with a sub-machine gun or a tank would go over very well, but you could try it if you're interested. I've always wanted an escort, myself. Just for the hell of it."

Vash smiled as Faye laughed. One of those "real" smiles Wolfwood had made a big deal out of when they'd first met. One of those smiles that wasn't just used to cover up something or get a smile from someone else. He really was enjoying himself. It was turning out to be an even better night than he thought it would be.

Then he laughed as well, which he didn't often do, unless he was purposefully being stupid. "You never know around here! It's amazing what they let you get away with! ...Most of the time, anyway!"

"Like keeping me away from all my admirers?" Faye asked, not bothering to hide her smile either. Vash's was infectious, and she wasn't sure that she'd ever seen this one before. She had a feeling that this would start bordering on cheesy if she didn't put a stop to it, though, and Faye could only handle so much dairy in one night.

It was fortunate for her that the song seemed to be winding to a close.

Vash looked around in a very obvious fashion and then cocked an eyebrow at Faye.

"Yeah, they're just lined up and waiting here, aren't they?" he said cheekily. "Don't worry, I won't keep you much longer."

He dipped her one more time as the song finished and grinned.

"I have to admit, Ms. Valentine, I'm pretty impressed! You're quite a dancer!"

She was scowling again by the time she came back up from the dip. "Yeah, well you can't dance for shit," Faye said, though there was obvious humor there without having to look for it.

"I should punch you. You're lucky I'm in a good mood."

"Hey, I'm a great dancer," Vash argued. "Your feet aren't all broken, are they? And what's with the sudden violence?! Am I going to have to get a restraining order here?"

Of course it wouldn't take a particularly perceptive person to realize it was all said in the best of humor. Vash could bitch like few others, but it was nearly always for the sole purpose of eliciting a reaction from someone else.

"Only if you're getting it for me," she replied, smirking at him once more and stepping back to survey the damage--or lack thereof. They hadn't done too bad. No one was lying crippled and maimed. Vash's head was still on his shoulders. She felt like she was alive.

Her head felt a little light, so she easily blamed the next action to on the vodka. Up on her toes--and it was a considerable stretch--she placed a hand on his shoulder and craned her neck some more until she was able to give him a kiss on the cheek--well, his jaw, because she wasn't stretching up that goddamn far for Vash.

"Thanks for the dance. Moron."

(no subject)

HO SHIT. GET OUTTA HERE. IT'S GONNA BLOW

GET IN THE BOMB SHELTER

I'M ALREADY IN. IT'S TOO LATE FOR YOU.

OPEN THE DOOR!!!

GIVE ME A QUARTER

THERE'S NO TIME!!

I BETTER GET A QUARTER LATER

YOU WILL, I SWEAR

OKAY, YOU'RE OFF THE HOOK

SCORE

SCORE

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