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

"Tea sounds like a wonderful idea. We can go and do that right now if you'd like." Ignis was all for it of course and Nida by his side? Sign him right the hell up.

So he held out his hand to his lover. "Then let's go and we can plan more on the tree we'll be getting if you'd like." He'd never decorated a tree before and was really looking forward to it.

"It would be my honor to plan it with you," Nida agrees. "Though we really do have to decide, my flame, whose place we will grace with it."

Or, to be put into simpler terms 'where will we be spending most of our time'? Perhaps it was time for them to decide that.

That had Ignis quiet as to where they were going to put this tree. True he'd grown to love Nida's place as his own. But there was the nostalgia of how they became a couple in his apartment, and the dance there that had happened.

But he knew it had to be their decision and not just his.

"My own thinking is that we became a couple in my apartment, with the first memories of us there. The sugar cookies, the dancing." And of course the lovemaking but he withheld that.

"However, if you prefer your place as the central place, we can certainly do that."

"Well, I seem to remember observing earlier that all the cookware tends to be at your place," Nida points out, his voice fond. "The only argument for my place is that the Princess herself would be fussy about moving. But she'll adjust. She always does."

His place can be for after work crashing, or when he needs to see Caelan.

"And last I checked... you didn't have a neighbor," Nida points out, his voice dipping lower. He could get away with being a bit noisy from time to time. "Yes, your place would do wonderfully."

The cookware was at Ignis' place even though he had moved some of it with him when he moved in. There was a small grin at Nida's observation but he shook his head. "It appears that I'm quite by myself." But when it came to Nida being there it had definitely helped that he was quite neighbourless.

It gave them more freedom to be loud or not as they so chose without worrying about anyone else hearing them or interfering.

"We will not leave you by yourself any longer," he smiles at his lover. "Come on, tea. Planning. I'll figure out what needs to stay here for late night shifts rolling into early morning ones."

Because sometimes he's got only a sleep of time between his shifts, so it would be easier to come back to his room, sleep, and head back out without bothering his boyfriend.

Ignis nodded with a smile and went down into Nida's apartment. He didn't sit down, but started the water for tea and poured himself another cup of coffee.

He wasn't sure why decorating a tree seemed such an exciting prospect but it was, and he enjoyed the idea of seeing how it would turn out. But he couldn't wait to present Nida with the Curio shop gift either though it made him nervous to see how it would be received.

Was this a normal part of getting gifts for each other?

"What kind of tea did you want?"

"I think I have some herbal orange spice," Nida suggests. Citrus was a favorite of his at the time of the year, when it wasn't as common elsewhere and he wanted a taste of home.

"So, maybe we can prepare a corner of your place for the tree. Oh! How do we get it to stand up. And keep it alive?"

Now Nida was distressed for the tree.

"Coming right up." Ignis replied, getting the tea water on along with the tea and the cup to place it in. This was nice and he really enjoyed being cozy and domestic with this wonderful man.

But then Nida's voice got him paying attention and he shook his head. "I looked at that. It appeared it had some sort of stand or box to hold the trees in, in order to keep them upright."

"Oooh, if it's water proof maybe we can keep water in there to keep the tree fresh. Do you think trees would work the same way as cut flowers?"

The more they talk, the more excited Nida finds himsel fbecoming over all of this.

He considered. "Well it stands to reason as such since they're both plants." Though obviously a tree will require more water and more stability in the pot or box or whatever they put it in.

The tea water was heating up and Ignis turned to it to make sure it wasn't quite boiling yet. He reached up into one of the cabinets and retrieved some honey in case Nida wanted some with his tea.

Honey would be lovely.

"We should put something at the top," Nida muses, thinking about this tree plan. "Something cute. And small."

What could he get for that?

"A star?" Ignis asked. He'd seen one at the Ball which was why he offered. "But if we could find a lovely snowflake that would be perfect as well. Both are up in the heavens though snow comes down to us."

The tea water announced it was ready, so Ignis started getting that ready and stopped talking for the moment. However he was having a hankering for more of the sugar cookies so he might have to make some here within the next day or so. And he wrote down getting tree shaped cookie cutters.

A star huh? Nida wants to chuckle.

"You know, just because I always longed to go to space doesn't mean I'm obsessed with stars."

Okay, so it does, but he doesn't mind.

"If you don't like the idea of a star, then a snowflake woudl be lovely."

With the tea almost ready, he shifts on the couch to try and be in a good position for his lover to cuddle up with him.

The advisor waited after he heard the statement about stars and he made a small 'hmph' at that with a smile. "Either or will be fine, and we can do one this year and the other next year." Yes he knows what he said.

Bringing it over, Ignis set the cup down on a saucer and set the honey beside it. He had his coffee so he was all set as he sat next to Nida.

Next year. Nida can't help the pleased little sigh the words spark in him. Once Ignis sat he curled himself around the other man a bit.

"Next year, we shall know how to celebrate even better. And I will find strings of snow-flakes to hang in our space. Like a proper Trabian festival."

He nodded. "Indeed. Things should be different next year. And we can always change the decorations every year to make things interesting." But he looked at Nida with a smile. "I suppose we'll have to see what we find in the markets in order to do your snowflake hanging."

Every year. The way he says it... Nida smiles and holds him tighter, and tries not to grieve the loss of this love too soon. Because he won't have years. he knows it.

"I don't have enough saved up for too much."

He wasn't sure what to make of that tighter hold whether Nida was pleased or worried. But it was a quite poke at their future and his lover hadn't gotten upset.

Hopefully those were good signs.

But he returned the tight hold. "It's alright, I've saved up." Some of the hunts had been rather successful and lucrative so Ignis just tossed it all into savings.

"you don't need to spend all of your money on me," Nida whispers, holding the man tightly. He wants to be close to his lover. He doesn't want to sob.

"But it's so much fun to watch your eyes light up." Like he hoped they would once he got the gift from the Curio shop. It had multiple layers of meaning of course, but Ignis wouldn't give more than Nida was ready for. And then there was the shopping they'd have to do together.

They'd need to get the tree hauled up to the other apartment building but that would be fine too, they'd get it done. Plus dinner would need to be made, decorations to be had and hung, and it would just be a busy day.

And as Ignis was about to say more, he thought he felt Nida trembling. "Darling, are you cold? Shall I fetch you a blanket to wrap up in?"

No, it wasn't cold at all.

"My heart is just... warm."

At least with Ignis he would never need to question whether Ignis leaving was his boyfriend leaving him behind by coice.

That wasn't any kind of answer that he would've been expecting but Ignis nodded anyway, even if a little confusedly. "Alright, as long as you're alright."

Now he's worried.

"Do you want me to get your tea for you? Or would you like to let it cool some more? I brought some honey too." He wasn't sure what to do here, so he was trying to be of service.

"I'll get to it in a second. Having you in my arms is more important in this moment than the tea."

Ignis can't understand how important he is.

Now he's really worried.

"Nida..what is wrong?" It almost feels like the man is clinging to him which is extremely worrying. But he would do whatever it took to make this man happy and set everything back to being right.

What had happened?

"Was it our conversation?"

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