aterat | A Winter's Ball

Entry tags:

A Winter's Ball

Who; Everyone!
What; The Ball promised by Halcyn!
Where; A newly (and quite abruptly) renovated ballroom in the Noble District
When; December 15th, evening
Warnings; None as of yet, though there is some mischief afoot for those looking for it

The morning of the 15th, the day of the Ball, opens with a letter under every door, reminding the residents that today is the day, that the Ball to celebrate and be merry is upon you. It also includes a small golden ticket that all attendees are asked to present at the doors to be allowed into the hall in the Noble District. It bids the attendees to enjoy themselves, forget their worries for a time, and is each personally signed by Halcyn.

Arrival | Under the Mistletoe;

The chill in the air at the change of seasons makes for a cold journey to the Noble district, though the streets are well-lit (an improvement in the otherwise dilapidated quarter in the first place) and at the end of the street indicated in the invitation letter, stands a beautifully restored building wreathed in white lights and adorned with wreaths and holly. All roads and citizen paths have lead to the ballroom today, and it is a beacon of civilization in the otherwise unused quarter. A guardsman is checking tickets at the door, and allowing admittance to the foyer of the ballroom.

The foyer is also decorated in trees adorned with shining lights. There are people flitting about with trays of champagne and people are greeting each other, gathering in groups and generally enjoying one another's company. Six archways lead further into the ballroom, and into what seems to be a seating area with round tables atop which glittering floral arrangements sit and to which servers bring meals for those who have a seat. At the top of each of the six arches hang six bundles of mistletoe.

Some are able to pass beneath the bundles with no issue, but others may find their way blocked by an unseen wall, unable to escape the arch until someone joins them, and a kiss is exchanged. It could be innocuous, even a cheek would suffice, but who's to know that without experimentation?

Try the Grey Stuff, It's Delicious

In the dining hall, meals are limited, but there are options for various palettes and even a vegetarian option. There is wine and champagne, and also non-alcoholic options of you're less inclined to partake. The music from the main ballroom, accessible through a set of ornate double doors, is muted here, providing a sense of ambiance but not overpowering the conversations that may occur at the tables scattered about the room.

The desert is the same for all who try it, though, and fluffy (is oddly colored) meringue that is simply to die for, but it seems to have some strange side effects. As the night progresses for those who've eaten the strange confectionary, they will begin to feel more and more happy and carefree, but also much more open. Those who are reserved about their feelings or their thoughts, even their histories, will feel less inclined to be so withdrawn. That couldn't possibly make anything awkward, could it?

Shall We Dance the Night Away?

The main even by far is the grand ballroom. A 15 piece orchestra sits atop a small stage to the north of the dance floor, their music varying between melancholic, haunting, warm, and uplifting, and the citizens are quite enjoying the time to let loose and dance the night away with their partners.

Spiral staircases lead to the balconies on the second floor overlooking the dance floor below, affording tired dancers chairs and refreshments with which to rest in order to return to the floor below. The music here, due to acoustics, is muted which affords a more intimate place to converse.

Even more intimate are the outdoor balconies accessed from either side of the second floor. Here, small sconces have been lit to afford a romantic glow to the area, but the light is dim enough to enjoy the glittering starlight above. The flames also give the area some warmth, warding away the chill in the night air and allow guests to enjoy the solitude of the area without freezing. The music out here is a pleasant background hum, making the setting even more romantic and ethereal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"That sounds rather lovely." Ignis smiled. What he wouldn't give to be able to step back in time and meet the man and mayhaps dance with him. It would be fun to get to meet a younger version and see who he was. A glass dome simply sounded so wonderful and romantic.

Ignis wouldn't have been impressed by younger Nida. Not in the slightest.

"It was. The night was magical. Well, Squall did bump into me because he wasn't in a dancing mood, but it's not that shocking. He didn't really notice me much."

There was a smile. "Squall..the one you keep speaking about. What was it about him that made him so amazing to you?" Nida had said the man was good looking and all of that. But beyond looks, Ignis was curious what had caught Nida's eye about him.

Oh what a question. He bursts out laughing and shakes his head.

"Squall was a classmate of mine, who sorta grew up to live out a fate of saving the whole damn world. He ended up being my boss, and maybe one day, if I go home, he'll be my friend, far in the future. But basically, Squall, Commander Leonhart, is central to the world in a lot of ways. Plus, being my boss, he's sort of the embodiment of what I'm loyal to."

Squall was to Nida what Noctis was to Ignis. If Squall showed up here, in this place, Nida might defer to him some. Except, by being with Ignis, that bond was being laid aside some.

Granted, he'd long since given up on his youthful crush on the gunblader.

"I see." Ignis replied. He wasn't sour on the fact that Nida had a crush on this Squall gentleman, no. What he was unhappy about was the part about the talk of going home. But he bit it all back and smiled. "Well I hope he shows up here for you someday. It would be quite the honour to meet the man that stole your heart when you were younger."

Nida doesn't want to go home. But these places keep stealing his happiness. And he accepts this. But he sighs at the very idea of Squall's presence.

"No. I don't want him here. My world needs him," Nida dismisses. "He'll keep peace there."

No, he... his heart yearned more for Seifer. And he didn't know why.

"Alright." Ignis replied quietly. It was the same with the lads back home. He didn't want any of them here, and Gladio would probably just wait to get back..if a bit impatiently.

His head automatically turned at the sight of a blonde head and it was Namine with her lad. She looked really happy and Ignis turned his attention back to Nida. "Are you ready to go home or would you like to stay?"

"Home. I think I want to be jealous with your presence. And dance on the roof maybe, under the stars. And then get me out of this uniform coat. I hate wearing it."

But he wanted to wear it for others.

Ok that was a new one. "Jealous with my presence?" Really he hadn't danced much with others unlike Nida. But it had been fascinating to watch the man whirl others around and of course he'd been smiling the entire time which was pretty important.

The thought of dancing on the roof made him smile because reasons for the future. But for now he nodded. "Indeed, the roof should give us plenty of room to dance." And it would be the best test for that future plan.

Se he took Nida's hand and started walking. And after a moment, a smile appeared. "I love how romantic you are."

"You're beautiful tonight, and I don't want to share," Nida admits with a shrug. Maybe it makes him a bad person. And he doesn't care that he is. He knows Ignis won't hold it against him.

Test away, oh planner of the couple. In the end, though, Nida's left flushed at the suggestion.

"I'm not sure I am. I thought I was horrid at it. But there was... Oh Hyne I'm falling back on books again. The ones the woman I trained with in the first strange world leant me. There was this scene where one lead wanted to make his partner smile, to show he was serious. And they ended up dancing slowly in this gazebo while it snowed lightly around them. I thought it might be magical."

No Ignis won't hold it against him because he's far too busy being flattered and confused.

And that continued with the other now flushing. But the explanation made him smile and he nodded in agreement to it. "There's no gazebo up there unfortunately. And I'm not sure who to speak to in order to have one installed." That wasn't a bad idea now that Nida mentioned it though. And if they had a better season to get that done it would be a thing to do.

Speaking of serious things, Ignis remained quiet about it until they got home. But when he opened the door, Nida would see the green roses on the table.

Oh no, Nida's laughing at that comment. That's just so Ignis.

"Just because I read it in a book doesn't mean I need done. But perhaps we'll inquire when the weather is better."

But then there was the quiet, Nida walking the guy forward toward Nida's apartment. His smile continues while they're outside of his apartment. And then... Oh. He steps further in and moves to the impossible sigh.

"Ignis, my love... did you do this?"

"Inquiring would certainly be a start." Ignis agreed. And he wasn't offended at Nida laughing at him, in fact it was good to hear even if he was the cause. Keeping his lover happy even at his own expense was worth everything.

But once they got in and Nida rushed towards the roses he nodded at the question. "However, it wasn't possible to get you your gift to go along with it today. But I will be going out to get it tomorrow."

To see Nida's face light up, oh how beautiful it was.

A gift? Nida looks back at the other man in shock. He wasn't expecting a gift. This wasn't the gift?

"No one has ever gotten me flowers before," Nida whispers in awe. "How could there be more?"

Ignis wasn't sure what to think at hearing how no one had ever gotten Nida flowers before. Why not? But he couldn't ask that so he just smiled. "Darling, why do I get the feeling that you're not used to being spoiled?"

He tilted his head. "I should get us a tree tomorrow too and some of those decorations we saw at the Ball to make this place a little more..something of what you might be used to."

Slowly he advanced on his lover and held his hand. "Traditions are important."

"Because I've never been spoiled. Even..."

No, he's NOT doing this. He needs a name for the one he had cared for who didn't try and kill him was.

"I'll call him Seb. The one in the last world. Seb. My Star-eyed boy. Seb never spoiled me. But we weren't in a situation where that was possible."

A tree? Nida looks a touch confused by the idea of having a tree in the apartment.

"You want a tree? Alright. I'll go with you to find one, even if we have to head into the forest. I admit, I'm not used to trees."

Somehow Ignis felt bad and wasn't sure what to do. Sure the gift he'd ordered from the Curio shop was a start, and he couldn't go past what he'd already done because that was too far though it gave him ideas for the future.

What else could he give? What else could he do?

Ignis then caught the questions and green eyes looked into Nida's. "It seems to be one of the traditions someone at the Ball informed me. But if you're not comfortable with the idea we don't have to."

He gently gathered his lover's hands in his and gently kissed them, worried he wasn't doing enough.

"No," Nida smiles. With Ignis's hands in his, he pulls the other closer and kisses him back.

"Let's make traditions together. A tree. But let's see if we can find star or snowflake decorations to go with it?"

Surely that's enough. But he's so very happy to do this. To share this with his lover.

Ignis smiled. "I'm certain we can acquire such things for our first tree."

Those things should be easily enough found because he saw some things like that at the Ball for decorations. Stars were meaningful to Nida with the stories he'd told which gave him an idea for a few more gifts.

And as he looked at his beloved's face that told him all he needed to know right there. He seemed happy and almost a bit excited. The gift was due tomorrow so he thought. And it was a tradition to put gifts under the tree with wrapping paper from what he'd seen with a few of the decorations.

He'd also heard something about stockings. That one might be a bit tougher, but he'd have to see what he could find. Gingerbread cookies or maybe if he could find star shaped cookies could go into the stocking.

And normally he would love to go shopping with Nida, but from what he understood everything was supposed to be hush hush. So gifts shopping solo in the morning after stopping at the curio shop, and he'd bring Nida back some coffee. Then they'd get a tree and Ignis would find some excuse or other to wrap the gifts and hang the stocking after the tree got decorated. Plus he could make plans for a nice dinner.

Plans, Ignis had them.

"Want to go out with me tomorrow to see if the markets have some things to decorate with?"

Nida moves to the kitchen to get out his jug of spiced cider, reaching out to stroke Julia's head when the feline leapt down from the fridge. Soon he ca caught up in scratching under her rhinestone collar. Yes. She was spoiled.

"After I go pick up your gift I can come back to get you and we can certainly go together." Ignis said, thinking fast. He wanted to get the stocking and what was it they said? Stocking stuffers? They would be cookies unless he could find something small perhaps to wrap. Small things to fit inside with the cookies shouldn't be that hard to find and acquire.

Gift? Nida stares at Ignis in shock. "You're getting me a gift? I... what?"

He tilts his head as he considers this.

"Wait, is this like the gift exchange thing in the Iteration? Is that what winter is like? I need to find you a gift."

"Now hold on." Ignis smiled, reaching for his jade pendant. "You already got me this gift, remember?"

The blonde head shook then trying to recall all that he'd heard this evening. "At the Ball, they talked about gift exchanges and stockings. And someone told me about a Saint Nicholas who gives gifts in stockings. That's also where we saw a few decorated trees."

He looked at Nida. "I thought this was all something you would know of but I'm assuming incorrectly?"

Oh, he had. Nida smiles and reaches out, his hand on the pendant. Every time he saw it, his heart ached with joy.

"The Iteration had a gift exchange in the winter. We woke up to a name and a list of five items. There was a box with materials, and we had to make something from the list and put it in the box. And deliver it. But Seb said it was based on a tradition from his world called Christmas. That it was religious, and his religion was different. He told me all about it. I don't remember much of the story."

He really liked the idea of the tree though. The tree with little things on it.

"In Trabia everyone stays up through the longest night, by fireplaces if they can. Too bad we don't have one."

Ignis listened and nodded along as Nida explained though his heart fluttered when his lover touched the pendant. "I have christmas cookbooks, I could see if they have any christmas traditions listed in there." It hadn't occurred to him too much until this point.

But hearing about Nida's personal traditions was perfect. "No we don't have one of those. However, we can still stay up and have some hot chocolate and your star shaped cookies if you'd like." Having said that, he placed a kiss on those wonderful lips.

Well they were going for new traditions, right?

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