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.

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Ignis laughed lightly as Nida leaned into him. He loved this whole christmas thing and wished he could somehow share it with the lads though they weren't here for the moment. Should they ever show up, he decided he would tell them all about it. And to his credit, he'd taken photos of some of the things on his phone as well. Not that he could take them half as well as Prompto, but he'd even remembered to snap a few of the Ball and the outfits people were wearing.

Green eyes looked over at Julia who needed attention and Ignis smiled. "Ladies first, of course." This was the stuff of contentment, something Ignis rarely enjoyed. Too, he'd gotten a christmas cake if there would be any room after the goose and all of the trimmings they'd procured. But Nida's excitement had rubbed off on him and they had a grand old time with it as the decorations were a testament to that joy.

"As I've been educated, christmas is about giving. And to that end, I never did give you the gift from the curio shop." So he pulled it out of his pocket a little nervously and handed the silver box over.

"All about giving, huh?" Nida asks. "I think it's about spending time with you."

But he smiles softly at the small box. Nida takes it into his hands and just holds it for a bit.

"You know... I can count on two hands the number of gifts I've gotten since I was eight years old. So there's no arguing that you might well be offering me the best gift ever. The list is short, I can make definitive statements."

He leans against the man, setting his cup aside. And then he had to of course take a moment to shoo Ebony away from it before he started to open the box.

"Of course nothing could ever compare to your love."

He didn't bother to try and hide his smile of course and he tugged Nida into his arms for a small hug as the man contemplates the box. Tilting his head to the side he felt a small amount of displeasure as he was told about how Nida hadn't received many gifts. And silently, Ignis wanted to change that though the man did have a full stocking, a gift in his hands and one under the tree.

Maybe he should've gotten him more things.

A sigh of contentment came out as he heard the part about offering the greatest gift ever and then he was leaned against. "It sounds as if we'll have to fix the gifts situation."

Green eyes slid then closed and Ignis smiled. As was discussed at the ball with Caelan, the man in his arms sounded happy and that was exactly what he wanted. So his eyes opened and he looked at his beau, giving him a slight kiss to the side of his head. "And that gift you will always have."

No need to get more. The things he has been given are all so thoughtfully given. And will mean for to him for having them after all.

"I think we're fixing it quite well," Nida counters. "Every little choice is so full of meaning."

At last he opens the box, and stares in shock and delight at what he finds.

"Ignis. It's... It's so beautiful."

"Well of course they are. And no one said anything on limits." So half of Ignis wondered if he was doing it right after having seen shoppers appear to rush home with stacks of gifts. But beyond what he'd thought of, he'd been afraid of not doing it right with too many as well.

But he held his breath as Nida unwrapped the bracelet and apparently it was very well received. "I went with the Jade to match the necklace you gave me. And I saw it had that gold filling you'd spoken of."

He hesitated a moment and wanted to say something else, but chose a more acceptable response. "And you showed me your bracelets, so I thought you might wear it."

It was so beautiful. So beautiful and so what he'd described himself as that Nida wanted to cry. Instead he hands the box back for a moment and reaches to unstrap the leather bracelets.

Of the four bracelets he wore, they were the only two that were always on. He didn't take the one from his sister from the other worlds or his mother's charm bracelet to work, but wore them whenever he got home. But the leather ones were to hide, not to remember. And this?

Something so wonderful shouldn't share space with part of him that he was hiding.

"Here," he says, offering his wrist out, the one with the charm bracelet, for Ignis to put on him.

Getting the box back earned Nida a half confused face but he watched the other curiously as a few bracelets came off. But once the wrist was held out to him, Ignis took a breath and gently slid the bracelet on. It looked good on the other and he smiled.

"I'm rather glad you like it."

The Jade matched his necklace and that had been the first thing that had caught his eye. The next thing was the gold and it matched the art that Nida had told him about. So as soon as he'd seen it, it was a thing he had to purchase.

"I love it," Nida answers, his voice soft. Once it's on he moves forward, arms looping around Ignis's neck to pull the man in for a kiss.

He remembered. He remembered and found it significant. Damn, he loved this man.

"I love you, Ignis."

The kiss for some reason had been rather unexpected, but of course it wasn't unwelcome. So in turn he wrapped his arms around Nida and just smiled when the other pulled back.

"I love you too darling."

The look on his beau's face, the happiness he radiated. Ignis memorized every last beautiful detail because he had to keep his man this way.

Once the hug ended, Nida's hand came to the bracelet to stroke it, clearly adoring what he wore.

"I'll wear it whenever I'm not working. I don't want it hurt," Nida assures the other man, his thumb moving over a golden crack. "To protect it as you protect me."

Ignis smiled as Nida seemed to enjoy the bracelet. "I know you'll take very good care of it." Green eyes didn't take themselves off of the other and inwardly it choked him up a little to see that the gift had been so well received.

"I believe it's more of a case of us protecting each other." He hadn't forgotten just how dazzling Nida had been in battle.

Well, the man deserves, and earns, a kiss just behind the ear for such a good thing.

"I feel like I didn't present is as good. But here," he says, reaching out for the carefully wrapped paper to offer it to Ignis. Inside the man would find a picture, done in pencil, of Ignis himself, in motion. Clearly it's the man in a fight, knives in his hands.

Maybe he still has fond memories of the poetry that was Ignis in motion.

Ignis took the kiss and smiled. But his hands gingerly reached for the carefully wrapped package and opened it slowly. He was trying to savour the whole experience of this whole christmas thing and worked on doing it slowly.

And then he was quite surprised when his eyes saw the drawing of himself. His jaw went slack for several moments and he simply stared, tracing a finger outside of the pencil so as to not smudge it.

"Darling..this..this is simply divine."

His eyes looked questioningly at Nida for confirmation.

Nida just smiles and nods briefly.

"My training started as Recon and Intel. Part of that was mandatory drafting classes to make map and the like. I started building on it when I was bored, and I guess over time it just... kept growing."

Until he could draw his lover from memory and still manage something fully creative.

"I will certainly be purchasing more pencils and paper for you, if this is indeed something you enjoy." He knew very little about being an artist, but he would do his research and of course talk to Nida about what he wanted to create.

So he reached over to set the precious paper down carefully on the coffee table, looking back at Nida. "It's going to need a nice frame." After setting it down, he leaned into his beau for a nice kiss to more properly say thank you.

He's smart enough to not insult his own work, so he smiles.

"I do enjoy it. I don't do it much, but I keep a small notebook I sketch in at times."

He smiles as he sees the other man start leaning in for the kiss, and he moves to meet it. Because what could be sweeter?

Pulling back from the kiss, the advisor smiled. "Well, more notebooks it is then." He picked the drawing back up and examined it a bit closer noting all of the details contained in it. It was simply exquisite.

After a few minutes he set the drawing back down, determined to get a frame. Getting up, he reached for the package with the green plush bathrobe and handed it to Nida.

"This is for you."

More notebooks. Oh how lovely, not having to ration out his paper. He smiles and leans against his lover. His art being just accepted as 'this is worth showing' makes him happy.

"If it's as lovely as the last thing, I'll be quite pleased."

And it feels so soft and squishy. Nida takes his time opening the present, slowly uncovering the green and plush thing. It's so soft under his hands and he loves it.

"I could wear this forever."

Oh he loved being leaned against because he felt like the man needed him and that was a wonderful feeling in itself. There wasn't much to compare the feeling to at all and of course he reveled in it.

"Warmer." Ignis replied with a smile as Nida began opening the gift. And he smiled once the package had been opened up. "As I recall when we first..stayed together you didn't appear to have anything to keep you warm."

That smile only grew at the other's pronouncement. "I should still hope for some cuddling time whether you're wearing that or not."

Well, he might have been able to keep warm if he'd put on clothing. But he laughs in delight over the point. Being cared for was always his joy. He could definitely be okay with this new plan.

"Of course I'm gong to cuddle you. I think I've lived up to my 'I'm a barnacle' story, right?"

"I'm not quite sure you've lived up to your claim of being a barnacle. Perhaps I need more of a demonstration." And as Ignis looked at Nida there was definitely merriment in his eyes when he said this even if there was the usual poker face.

Being cuddles and the feeling his beau gave him of being needed and wanted were absolutely irreplaceable. He just never knew how much he desired and craved such things until Nida willingly gave them to him.

"If I display my skills now, however will you open your next gift, my flame?" Nida asks, smirking at him. Ha, winning that mental exchange.

"We could take a break from gift opening." Ignis smirked. "But I didn't mean I needed the demonstration right at the moment, unless of course you would like to."

And of course he wasn't about to complain in the slightest about it.

"Oh, that sounds good," Nida grins, getting to his feet. "Snack time?"

Green eyes greedily followed the handsome man as he stood. "Snacks? Well we do have a few." Ignis hadn't meant to go overboard on all of the food, or so he would state. But he did because this was their first christmas and from listening to the children talk with their parents or even the adults speaking among themselves, christmas was a time of giving and of plenty.

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