Wall-flowering Time ( Aiden / Ally )

[Deleted]

Aiden, who had never dated nor gone out with a girl, wandered around the dance looking at couples. Everyone had gotten dressed up, but he saw little point in getting all in a tizzy over a simple dance. He assumed it was one of those things where people were being shoved together or social interaction. And more of the enthusiasm seemed to be on the girls side then the boys he thought personally, seeing as many girls thought in terms of romance. Now, boys who were dating tended to be excited as well about them, but as Aiden was neither he was just mainly there.

His father had sent him with a very appropriate suit of course, cut to the French current style fad and it fit his frame well, seeing as he was of a slim build.

Having seen the boats and the dance floor, he wandered a bit around the tables before ending up along the wall for a bit near the refreshment tables. Drinking punch he watched a few dancers and then looked around at the wall flowers. Mostly guys gathered together by the food and the girls scattered in smaller groups around the other side. No singles. And girls wondered why guys wouldn't dare approach them when they formed into small herds? Too intimidating.

Eventually he pushed off the wall and in his wandering discovered a photo booth. Curious, he stopped and read the directions, surprised they had one here. After all, the only moving ones had to be treated by a potion so a muggle versus a magic photo was the same until the process was done as they had learned in class. Curious, he debated getting his picture made so his mother would be all smiles that he went and actually looked good.

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

Ally was used to getting strange looks for her fashion choices. Most kids her age had never heard of steampunk, and those who had didn't understand why she'd choose to dress that way. Still, she was proud of this particular dress. She had made it herself over the summer. It had turned out really well for a first attempt, she thought. She'd admittedly had some help with the shoes from her mother, who had done the finishing touches for her. Despite the fact the dance wasn't actually a masque, she'd worn one anyway. It was more fun that way in Ally's opinion, and it wasn't like anyone who knew her wouldn't recognize her for the dress alone. She had considered looking for a date, but in the end, after everything that had happened over the last few weeks, she had decided it would be far less complicated to go by herself, more fun too.

She hadn't seen Cameron, not that she'd ever admit she'd been looking for him in the first place. It seemed odd he wouldn't be here, since he seemed to like opportunities to show off when they prsented themselves. She wondered if it was possible he couldn't dance, and the thought amused her. Still, a part of her felt relieved. It would be easier to relax if she didn't have to worry about avoiding him tonight. She had, to her credit, danced a few times with different people, rarely with the same person twice. The exception being Olivier, who had, she admitted, been her favorite partner thus far. She'd been a bit tired after that display, and so had excused herself to the refreshment table to catch her breath and rehydrate.

It had taken her three glasses to realize something wasn't quite right with the punch. She hadn't had any since, but she felt slighly off, as though someone had muted what little filter she did possess. She wondered if Aiden had decided to come, and decided to go looking for him. Searching the floor first, she wandered, seemingly aimless, around the well-decorated room. She found him near the photobooth and her eyebrows raised into her hairline. "Den? Wow! You look...wow..." He looked very different than she was used to, but then, so did she. Eying the photobooth, she grinned. "Were you planning to get your picture taken?" Though she had a camera curtesy of her mother, it was upstairs, stashed in her trunk in the dorm. Photography was Luke's thing, and he was extremely good at it. Still, it might be fun to get her picture taken. It would be something to send home so her parents wouldn't worry about her, especially after her conversation with her father several nights before.

Words: 468
Outfit: here
Lyrics: Please Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna
Notes: Say Cheese!

@shava4444

[Deleted]

Being a wall flower wasn't much fun and he often ended up leaving early on when things weren't going to happen (as normal). This dance seemed to be no exception and although he hadn't seen Ally, he hadn't heard any screams so he wasn't sure she was even here. So he was within a hairs breath of leaving when he found the photobooth. The idea of getting one for his mother made sense to him and he was on the edge of stepping inside when he heard the exclamation.

When she spoke about his look he actually blushed; one because it was a new thing to hear anyone compliment him on his looks and two because it mean she was giving him the eye. Either on their own was blush worthy! "Ah, thanks! Dad helped me pick it out..." Right right, blame the suit, not himself that was the key. Or was she saying he looked stiff? Unwieldy? Sudden worry over her impression of him stuck without warning, despite the fact he knew she had no interest in him that way.

"It's from Paris, I think it might make me look a bit too stiff. Do you think it does?" And then she mentioned the photobooth. "Hmm? Oh! Yeah I was thinking of getting one to send home so mom would know I went, you know, Keep-A-Parent happy?" Sudden hopefulness as the idea occurred to him. "It says on the outside that you get two pictures for each sitting. We could each do one and then maybe one together if you like..." Oh to have a picture of them together!

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She had, in her defense, never seen him dressed up before. It was...different, and her brain wasn't quite sure how to process it. This is Aiden, she reminded herself silently. Best friends since the day he found you bawling your eyes out on the train, Aiden. She had watched him for a full thirty seconds before realizing who it was, a fact that would have embarrassed her had it found its way to the light of day. Clothes, she knew, could make a big difference, but then, once she'd gotten past the novelty of his being dressed up, it had drawn her to look at the rest, really look in a way she hadn't since she could remember. The last time she'd examined him closely had been on the day they'd met, over four years ago. It had never registered that he'd changed much, never occurred to her that he had grown up like everyone else. It felt silly, thinking of it now, but somewhere along the line she had stopped seeing his features and started seeing him as her friend, her constant. This moment, therefore, was a shock, and Ally was unaccustomed to being shocked.

She stepped closer, continuing to study him in her customary forthright way. He blushed, and she grinned at him, but the
expression dropped when he mentioned the suit and she frowned, momentarily confused. "No I mean..." She was closer now than she was consciously aware of, appearing to study his eyes as though looking for something she had not been aware she missed. "The suit is nice, its a good color for you, but..." She tilts her head, "I meant you look great. I don't think I've ever seen you dressed up before." Still focused on his eyes, she seems to come to the realization she might be bordering on creepy. Taking a step backward and refocusing on the photobooth, she smirked. "Mum would have had a field day with one of these. I wonder if Luke's gotten here yet, he'll like it too." Camera obssessed, both of them, but she loved them regardless. She noticed his expression changed, and she mirrored him. "Are you okay? You look...unhappy about something."

The suit again, maybe it was uncomfortable for him. Shame. She shook her head emphatically. "I think it suits you" she assured him, and then grinned at the pun. "Ha, suits, that's...really cheesy actually." She rolled her eyes at her own accidental joke. She nodded at his mention of his mother. "I was thinking the same thing actually. Mom will have my head if she finds out they had one of these and I didn't take advantage of it." She thought about the suggestion for less than a second before she nodded. "I like that idea" she agreed. "And then you promised me a dance, remember?"

Words: 513
Outfit: here
Lyrics: I Won't Dance - Jane Moneheit
Notes: Say Cheese?
Notes:

@shava4444

[Deleted]

Her eyes felt exposing, like she was looking at him undressed and he actually put a hand on his bottom coat edge just to reassure himself magic hadn't been performed. He blushed more so as she spoke, unaware of her current realizations. "Ah stop, goof. It's not the way I normally want to be, trust me! I like relaxed much more." On one hand he was happy she thought he looked good, on the other he understood her not being interested in him so the direct observation was more then a bit embarrassing. Besides, friends and family always told you you looked good, it was nearly expected, right?

"What? Um, no, no not really. It's nothing." Oh yes, she had mentioned before her brother's love of cameras; it made sense to hear her mother was the one who had that particular love as well. He chuckled at the pun line, glad to be on another subject which was off him really. "Ha! Good one, Ally," and then shook his head, "Cheesy, just what I want to be in the same sentence with!" He winked to show he was teasing back, trying to bring a bit more humor into the conversation.

He reached for the cloth to pull it back and glanced at her startled. "Did I?" He was surprised she still wanted one really, but it wasn't a problem. He'd love the excuse to hold her waist even if only once. "Sure we can do that next. First things first however, wanna go first?" He motioned inside, holding back the cloth as he did so with a smile for his own manners. Ladies first was the way of things after all. He saw a light in front of her (he had closed the cloth, but he could see the light around the edges) turn from purple to green and then a flash of white and there was a clicking noise from beside him.

Looking in surprise, he saw two neatly trimmed photos slide into the return and picked them up looking at them. With a smile he handed them to her saying "Nice!"

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She saw him blush as she spoke, smiled softly to herself, some part of her clearly enjoying his discomfort under her scrutiny. She rarely ever saw Aiden rattled by anything, and doing so gave her a sort of accomplished feeling. "Too bad" she said softly, then seemed to come to her senses, smirking at him playfully. "Its a good look for you Den, seriously." She shrugged, "this is the dress I told you about, what do you think?" She did a little spin for him before coming to a stop, facing him again. "I couldn't resist the mask, it just sort of...fit you know?" She slid it off, however, for the time being. If she was going to take pictures, her mom would want it off. Eyes dancing, she held it up slightly. "Had to buy it though, I have no idea how these are made." She had been excited to find one that was such a good match, but she'd done a lot of searching to find it in the first place.

Something nagged at her when he spoke, like he wasn't telling her something, and it bugged her. Normally, she tried not to pry with Aiden, though not prying was normally difficult for her. Tonight, however, she tilted her head at him. "You sure?" she searched his eyes, her disbelief obvious in her own. She made a face at him when he teased her. "Well then, what would you like to be in the same sentence with?" she asked him, her tone playfully mischievous.Her face relaxed again a moment later into the amused, somewhat mysterious look that was her general trademark. Ally was always plotting something, whether for herself or someone else. She was barely concealed chaos hidden just below the surface, threatening at points to burst from her at any moment. All in all, she did a fairly good job keeping herself under control. Except for sometimes. Sometimes the feelings, good and bad, became too much, and some burst of energy found itself allotted to whatever she dove into to right herself again.

Drawn from her thoughts by the sound of Aiden's voice, she nodded. "You promised" she confirmed. "Not getting cold feet are you?" She smirked at the joke. She thought about it a second and nodded when he offered to let her go first. "Sure" she answered, ducking her head to slide into the booth. She decided on one nice shot and one silly shot. That way her mother could have the one that was purely for Ally's own amusement. The smile came first, followed closely by a sillier expression. When she finished, she stepped out and grinned at Aiden. "That was fun" she accepted the pictures when he handed them to her, laughing softly at the second one. "Oh that's perfect." It briefly occurred to her to send only the silly one to her mother, but she decided against it. Maybe she would keep it for herself. "Your turn?" She looked up at him expectantly.

Words: 550
Outfit: here
Lyrics: All of Me - John Legend
Notes: Poor Aiden

@shava4444

[Deleted]

He gave in on the point with a half-shrug, knowing she would become more insistent if he tried to get past it another way. His eyes were looking at the dress, but it brought his mind to other things to see as well which he had no time to stare at thankfully. "Looks great! You really should start setting some designs aside for a shop interest, Ally, cause I could see people buying this..." The mask he could swear he had heard was put together with leather, but he wasn't sure. He did know, however, it was considered a separate art.

"Ha, you'd look good in anything, Ally, and you know it! Anything you wear would be filled with your personality in the first place and that is what people love the most!" Replace 'people'with 'me' and he was being extremely honest. And he did love her now, he knew it; there was no question in his heart about it, just too afraid to roll the dice and risk it all for the sake of his own heart. Aiden, a sacrificer, would do whatever it took for those he loved to be happy, even if it meant hurting himself for them by letting go.

And she knew something was up, he couldn't conceal that part from her.

"Oh yeah, nothing. Hardly worth noticing." 'Sentence? You obviously.' "Hmm, good question. I think a beautiful landscape sounds nice." He smiled knowing it was not an answer she was looking for and she would probably push at him for it. "Cold feet? Nah, dancing is like...well it's not second nature, but it's effortless after a certain time You learn a pattern, you can play with it when you want to or be creative, but it doesn't draw me like it does mom and Max." He hesitated for a moment trying to get the words.

"It's like...art when you have the soul for it to watch and enjoy, but it's not my art so much, does that make sense? I can make the pretty forms and patterns, but something is always missing from it that gives it the life." 'You, actually.' "It's funny. Everyone in my family has something physical to be artsy with. And all different really." She had to be somewhat still in the booth and he got a glimpse at her through the curtain slightly, able to stare now without being seen. Holy Sheeet! It seemed cruel of life to him to have given her no interest in settling in any way, such a beautiful girl...

Then it was his turn and he chuckled as she liked her pictures, sliding into the booth while thinking both of his would be pretty standard. First he did a partial smile one and the light flashed in his eyes. He blinked and was doing a serious look for his second one...

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She beamed at him, eyes glowing, clearly proud of her work and appreciative of his approval. "I might, but its a tricky thing, finding something that inspires me to design things like this. Its usually when I go to the muggle fairs with dad." Thoughts of her father reminded her of her impending punishment, and the conversation that would come at Christmas, she wondered how much her mother would know by then. Not everything, she desperately hoped, though in that regard there was much her father didn't know, would probably never know in full detail for the sake of Ally's own sanity. There were just some things one didn't tell their parents, stories about a boy who had found a place in her she hadn't known existed, well those were definitely high on the list.

A surprised laugh bubbled up and out of her at his comment about filling things with her personality. "Thanks Den" she shrugged. "Its unique, which we both know I love. I didn't want to buy something from Madame Malkin's or Twilfitt that looked exactly like what everyone else had on." It had been what inspired her to this dress in particular. She was quite certain there would be nothing that even remotely resembled it anywhere on the floor tonight. She arched a brow at him, grining playfully. "Most people can't spend five minutes with me without getting freaked out. I think you're on a very short list there." Ally was a lot to take and she knew and had accepted that about herself. There was no middle ground, people either loved or hated her. She thought of Cameron and ammended that thought silently. Most people.

She crossed her arms and attempted, since her heels gave her the leverage of being eye-to-eye with him, to look intimidating. "Not buying it" she informed him, eyes burning with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Come on, you can tell me anything. You know that." He spoke of landscapes and for a moment she just stared at him as though wondering whether he was serious or not. "Landscape?" she repeated. "Do you have a thing for scenery I wasn't aware of?" The way he spoke of dancing made her frown. It was her passion, and the idea anyone could see it as just a series of steps and movements..."But its so much more than that!" she insisted. "I'll prove it to you when we're finished with this." How could someone grow up so close to all the dancing world had to offer and not fall in love with it? It boggled her.

"I guess" she still looked bothered. How could someone not like dancing? But then, not everyone's passions were the same, she understood that. He spoke of putting life into it, and she nodded. "Well, we'll have to fix that somehow. You can't have art without that energy really, its...not possible." It took something from the experience that couldn't be replaced by technique or grace. She nodded, knowing that was true. His mother and Max were dancers, his father was a gymnist. She looked confused for a moment. "What does Celeste do?" It hadn't occurred to her his sister might be involved in something dance-related, why hadn't she ever asked? After she had finished with her pictures, and stood watching Aiden through the small gap in the curtain, she got a mischievous idea. She let his first picture pass untouched, since she knew he wanted one for his mother, but on the second, as he was getting ready for a more serious shot, she slid in next to him and turned her head, planting a slightly dramatized kiss to his cheek. She did love surprising him, and getting the reaction on film had been too strong a temptation to pass.

Words: 665
Outfit: here
Lyrics: All of Me - John Legend
Thoughts: Hehe

@shava4444

[Deleted]

Conceding the point, he half-nodded his head. "But Ally my statement still works then. I just said you need to start putting aside ideas as you come up with them and make sure you keep the dresses even if you can't wear them anymore. By the time we graduate you should be able to have quite a few outfits for someone to make copies of to sell." Gosh, Ally as a clothing artist. It fit very well actually imagining her selling things like that. She clearly liked his comment about her personality.

"Freaked out? Ha, they just can't keep up with the strides you make, from clothing making to scaling buildings. Most people have a very small definition to their activities and focus in on their favorites. You seem to think the entire world is your favorite. But freaked? Nah, overwhelmed by awesomeness, now that I can see." His words rang of truth, but he was smiling at the same time as well. There was no one as fascinating or alive as she was, that he knew! He wondered who in her family she got that from?

"Ally...I don't want to pry, but who do you think you get that from in your family? Is there anyone else quite so...energetic? Adventurous?" She focused in on his thoughts and he felt a bit cornered till he thought of something to distract her with. "It's really little. I just...well you're my best friend, Ally, I would expect you to tell me I look good in a suit just like you'd tell me if I looked a wreck and probably make me go change at wand point, but if someone in my family told me that I'd assume they were just saying it from their perspective. I find it hard to really listen to a bias about looks-- and I'm not accusing you of making it up either, it's just hard for me to believe."

And girlfriend less after all this time he doubted there was anyone giving him the eye like she seemed to imply. That was enough of a mix of his own inner thoughts and some trifling doubts to distract her from the real issue he hoped. "It might be why I like relaxed more to, actually, cause I want people to see me, not the outfit so much if that makes any sense." 'I want to know someone actually likes the way I look, feel some sense of appreciation for me,' he thought somewhat unhappily. She seemed to think landscapes was an odd answer. "Yes, landscapes. Can't you just see a pretty view and want to be out in it, enjoying it?"

Rolling his eyes at her, he made a sign of face palming. "Ally...you're missing the point..." As she spoke about showing him he was tempted to drop it, but knew she wasn't going to stop either. "I know you feel it different. But it's the same as if I made you sit and meditate with me. You'd probably see no point in it and figit, but I could get real inner peace out of it. I know it's not something you are into just like I'm not into dancing." 'Ah Merlin Ally, I wish you could see the way I see you right now...' His desire for her grew a bit more even as her eyes changed with her passion! How could anyone have so freaking much life in them??

"We're not completely sure yet. She likes some of my exercises, some of dad's rolls and jumps, and some of Max's dancing too, but she doesn't seem to have settled on any one thing yet. It's going to be interesting to see what happens..." Heck at this stage even Ally was going to have some influence on her. As he settled for his more serious picture for the school, Aiden's mind turned to his sister again, wondering how her picture was going to come out and that was when Hurricane Ally struck without warning. Sliding into the booth as it hit the number three she kissed his cheek just as he started to turn automatically to see what she was doing bringing a luxurious red blush bloom to his face as his widening eyes went her way with a surprised gasp!

The picture caught the beginning flush coming in and wide eyed surprise perfectly; it was a mortifying picture, probably his worse ever and he scrambled out of the booth to get to it before her, but she had already had that in mind. "ALLY!!!" he shouted, at the same time he realized that picture had copied to the school's files as well and he was now enshrined in it probably with the Professor's amusement...

MERLIN! That one was going to end up enchanted he just knew it...

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She smirked at his 'even if' comment. "Den, I'll never outgrow them" she pointed out. She could change her shape any way she wanted, but she doubted he paid any attention or cared very much about her shape in general. Aiden wasn't like most guys, he didn't seem to care about things like that. She couldn't even remember his ever showing interest in anyone, guy or girl. She shrugged it off, maybe he was just overly focused on his fencing, she could understand that. "But I don't get rid of them, so I'll definitely have them for later if something like that comes up." She wasn't willing to think it through farther than that. Ally had trouble thinking practically about the future, if she were honest she really had trouble thinking about the future period. It would be cool to see her designs on others though, so long as she always had her own unique ones to wear.

She listened as he spoke about interests and nodded. "Well, most people don't know what they're missing" she answered. She couldn't imagine limiting herself to just a handful of things. There was so much out there in the world to find, to experience, so much space to fill with creations and imaginings and dreams. "Overwhelmed by awesomeness" she repeated, as though testing the feel of it on her tongue, tasting the words. "I like that...a lot." She hugged him, spontaneously, part appreciation and part impulse. "Thanks Den, you really know how to make a girl feel good about herself." She had thought through all that had happened over the last several months, and come to her conclusions, now all that remained was the hard part, the part that took time. Now she just had to move on.

At his question about her family, she looked thoughtful for a minute. "Its hard to say really. Mom says I'm more like dad, dad says I'm more like my grandmother, aunt Ashlyn says I'm like her." She shrugged. "Probably the most like my grandmother really. Aunt Ashlynn is a little wilder than I am, and dad has...more limits." In truth, it was her dad's wisdom that kept him from certain things above others, but Ally didn't see it that way yet. "My grandmother says I got the 'pirate' in the family from dad." She looked pleased by this thought. "She raised dad that way, so I think its kind of cool really." As the subject shifted, she gave him a look. "Den, if you looked a mess, I would tell you that you looked a mess" she assured him. "You look amazing. I didn't even recognize you at first." She nodded, "I get it, I'm just the best friend, what do I know?" but she grinned and her tone was teasing. "We've only been best friends since forever after all."

She understood his explanation about outfits, and it showed. "I get it" she agreed. "I've just never had trouble getting people to notice me." Her hair flashed white for a moment and she grinned. "I"m a little hard to miss. I mean, in the right light, the hair glows." She thought about the landscape question. "If I'm flying maybe yeah, or scaling." She rarely slowed down enough to notice stationary things, even large stationary things. They continued on to dancing and meditation and she gave him a stubborn look. "There's a difference" she insisted. "I bet I could convince you to get into dancing" she challenged. "What would you like to bet?" She was radiating determination, it rolled off of her in intense waves, combined with mischief and an edge of competitiveness.

She listened as he spoke of his sister, and then her eyes followed him into the booth. It had been purely impulse that made her decide to surprise him that way, and as she darted quickly from the booth to grab the pictures before he could keep them from her, she held them away so she could get a good look at them before she turned back and caught sight of his face. She laughed softly. "You're so red right now..." She looked at the picture. There was shock in the wide-eyed expression, the flush was just beginning to bloom over his cheeks and there was...she tilted her head. Something...else...she studied it closely for a moment and then seemed to shake herself out of her reverie before she handed them to him. "Okay" she smiled sweetly at him. "Ready for ours now?"

Words: 765
Outfit: here
Lyrics: Someday We'll Know - Mandy Moore
Notes: Poor Aiden.

@shava4444

[Deleted]

"Oh. Oh I thought--" He didn't really know of course but a touch of a blush went on his upper cheeks. "I figured as you grow naturally they would change sizes on you, but I wasn't thinking. Sorry." 'And fill out-- Shut up Den you fool' She hugged him for his words and he hugged her back saying in her ear "Oh it's the truth and you know it." As they stopped and leaned back separating he muttered "That's why you really like being around me, polishing up the ego" and he winked feeling bold.

Ah ha, her father's side. "I knew you had to get it from someone, I just knew that. Sounds like you might have gotten some from several people, wow..." Had either of his parents ever been daredevils? He didn't think so, but they did take risks, just safer ones then Ally seemed to. "I... I don't think anyone in our family takes risks like you do, though they do take chances." The fact she said she hadn't recognized him made him believe her a little more. "Really? You couldn't tell it was me? Was that because I wasn't leaning against the wall?" he teased.

They thankfully were then past the tricky part she had been pushing him on and she had accepted his suit worry as the reason; he breathed out a bit.

He held up his hands about betting laughing. "Oh no! No, if I made a bet you'd be even more determined and this is just a friendly discussion!" He grinned, knowing he had her on that part. "I know better then to give you more ammo to use at me..." A few minutes later and he was shocked out of his careful mask and trying to reach the pictures which showed he was sure his reaction, but although she studied them keeping him at arm's length she didn't seem to see it.

Spluttering a bit he said "Well--yeah! You startled the heck out of me goof! Of course I'm re--" he glanced at the pictures and then back up at her teasing face. "If this ends up in the school stuff I am so getting revenge you know. I'd have to." He grimaced then lightened up. "Fine then. Here then," he got in the booth first and put his legs across so she was sitting in his lap nearly. "My turn, troublemaker," and held his arms open for her to lean into him so the picture would show them nearly cheek to cheek. His arms closed around her almost but not quite gingerly and then tightened when she didn't resist.

His face for the picture was one of real peace.

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

She tried not to look amused, she really did. "I knew what you meant, Den" she assured him. Her eyes sparkled with a pure sort of fathomless happiness that seemed to radiate. Times like this, being with him made it so easy to forget all of the bad that had happened in the past few weeks. He spoke in her ear, soft, sincere, almost shy in his honesty and a moment before she pulled away, she kissed his cheek. "I know you believe it" she answers, soft, "and that means a lot." A snort greeted his ego comment, soft but sarcastic. "It doesn't hurt" she teased, a cheeky grin threatening at the edges of her faux-serious expression. He winked at her and she laughed, obviously approving before she stuck her tongue out at him. "I know how great I am" she threw her head back, nose in the air in the most dramatically overdone immitation of arrogance she could muster, hands on her hips, posture radiating the very image of priss and pride.

It shattered a moment later like a glass shell and she relaxed, laughing soft but from somewhere deep and sincere in her chest. "Did you?" She recovered a few moments later and nodded. "Its in the genes really. Mom's family is much calmer, but they all have their adventurous things too. Grandpa Taranis and Grandma Rose still travel a lot, especially on the water. They still act like teenagers sometimes." She wrinkled her nose, "its weird, but kind of cute once you get over how wrong it is." She shrugged, willing to forgive this minor difference. "Its not for everyone" she acknowledged. "Some people just...don't feel the urge I guess. Mom says its something only some people have, that some people are made to be the stable ones who keep the world spinning right and some people are meant to be the ones who push limits. She says they're both important, but I can't imagine being the other kind." She pulled a face at the question. "I just...I'm not used to seeing you dressed like that is all I guess." The most she ever saw him dressed up was in his fencing gear after all.

She made a disappointed face. He knew her too well really, not that she could blame him. "Friendly discussion" she repeated, giving him a mischievous look, "right." She gave him an innocent look, rocking rather dangerously on the heels she wore. "Me? Would I do something like that?" She gave him a look that dared him to answer her. They grappled momentarily for the pictures, and she studied them, looking for what he seemed so determined to hide. Something tugged at her, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, and that bothered her. After several seconds, she finally relinquished them and his relief was palpable. For just a second as she did so, she studied him instead, noting his face was still red and there was a look in his eyes she wasn't familiar with.

Not looking even remotely apologetic she grinned at him. "Well...yeah that was the point" she reminded him, as though it was the most obvious thing in the universe. "It wouldn't have been fun otherwise." Her eyes widened and then, after a moment, so did the grin. "Do you think they'd really...?" She smirked. "Revenge? You?" She didn't look remotely worried. "How would you possibly get revenge on me?" While there were several ways, she had a hard time picturing Aiden resorting to any of them. Plus, it took a lot to embarrass her. Actually, she couldn't remember the last time she'd been truly embarrassed by anything. She watched him, smiling at his back as he re-entered the booth and shrugged to herself. Whatever he could throw at her she was certain she could take. She was equally confident he wouldn't do anything too crazy, not to her at any rate. She settled in next to him, close, going easily into his arms and situating herself against him, getting comfortable and beaming at the camera as the flash went off once, in the second, though, as she thought about the evening and him and all that had happened, the expression softened. For a single, miraculous momeont, the forces that warred inside Alleana Moon went still, and there was calm serenity in the bright blue eyes that focused on the spot she knew the lense should be.

The second flash of the camera broke the spell, however, and an instant later she was up and bounding out to get a look at the pictures as they fell into her hands. She studied them, gave an approving nod, and handed them to Aiden. "What do you think?" She barely gave him time to respond before she took his hand. "I love this song!" It was muggle, classic from a couple of decades ago. She gave him her best wide-eyed, coercing look. "Dance with me, please?"

Words: 830
Outfit: here
Lyrics: Never Let Me Go - Florence & The Machine
Notes: Oh Ally...

[Deleted]

The ego tease inflated and just as quickly let it go bringing a smile to his lips and eyes. Good old Ally, she never failed to be both full of herself and sarcastic in the same sentence and it brought them both mirth! "Well that's okay, I can't see repelling off rooftops as being 'safe' and being a pusher of boundaries either. So we all have our roles I guess, I'm just glad you let me some of the madness. Reminds me where I long to be, right here and safe!" He laughed at his own words, knowing there was a part of him that was very drawn to her and her lust for life.

"Oh Heck, Ally, I'm not used to seeing me like this!" He shook his head and frowned only for a second. "Even in the mirror it looked wrong to me. I can't think of any time I ever get dressed up except for visiting my grandfather and that's not done with a tie or a jacket! Mom and Dad prefer laid back and relaxed when we're doing family time." Glad he had spotted what would have been a disastrous thing to hold in front of her, he nodded back. "Yes cause we're friends. It's the natural thing to fall back to." Man, he would not have been able to stand before a determined Ally!

And she'd be getting to more then she knew as well...

"You? Of course you would, with gleeful intent and then find a way of saying I shouldn't have encouraged you somehow. We've dance that tango before I believe..." Face still red but lessening he gave her a look which said he was a mix of irritated slightly at the same time mostly 'I should have known.' It was those impulses of hers that had come scarily near causing him to drop the mask and ruining their friendship, dang-it-all! "Yeah yeah, I should have seen it coming somehow, though I don't know how I could have..." A smug look as he could see she didn't get it.

"Ha, like I'd spell out my revenge? Who knows you better enough to know what few weak spots you have, eh? You'll just have to trust I have my ways, you just haven't pushed me to use them yet and you should be happy I'm not one who does stuff back at the drop of a hat!" He grinned happily, knowing that if he ever had to she would be very unhappy with the fact he knew exactly where to get her and possibly even apologetic later. For the picture he held her and for a very rare moment, their faces were clearly in sync with each other, a matching pair.

Aiden would see that later as the sign he was doing all the right things. Her contentment was more important to him then his own needs that was for sure, his dedication to helping her soar more fierce then before. As she handed him the pictures he grinned saying "These look amaz-- what?" He took both sets of pictures and pushed them in his inside pocket for later as she pulled on him slightly. Smiling softly he nodded adding "As you wish!" Taking her hand he followed her onto the dance floor, assumed the position as he placed his hands on her waist and they were off!

And he was in his own type of heaven...

His feet knew the pattern by heart and that gave him confidence to go beyond the normal edge, allowing him to support her in those flairs she added or went with because of his backup. He followed her like a perfect partner, giving her the spotlight and enthused about it which made the dance a bit more special for both of them! He might not have had a first kiss yet, but this was surely as memorable a dance as he could ever remember having experienced...

ALLEANA LEI MOON

[ALLEANA LEI MOON]

Roles. She thought about that for a second or two. Yes, she supposed, it was true. She was an adventurer, the kind of person who stretched limits to break point for the purpose of feeling the thrill of success in that one moment before the last string of safety snapped. She had, thus far, always managed to find safety before it happened, pushing only to the brink before settling back again. As she looked at him, she realized he was part of the reason she had succeeded so often. Aiden, who had covered for her consistently and without complaint, though not without protest for her safety. Aiden, who appreciated her strong moments, laughed at her stubborn ones, and held her at her weakest. Aiden. Something...something deep and powerful tugged at the edges. A voice, sounding suspiciously and rather annoyingly like her father whispered words from a conversation that had come as a result of one of her more dangerous gambles. Someone to build forever with, a team. She had thought she needed someone full of fire, someone like Cameron to let her live her whims and wants with abandon until some day she flamed out. Now that she stood on the other end of that thought, she realized that if fire went unchecked, it burned up everything in its path.

Destruction.

Aiden, calm, peaceful, steady. He kept her burning, stayed close enough to be warmed by the light, but he also kept her from burning out of control, remained one of very few influences keeping her from complete chaos. "It can be safe..." she murmured, sounding thoughtful still, "when a person has the right safety net." Though it was meant as response to his statement, it was very much a reaction to her own thoughts as well, and her tone was distracted as she said it. Her eyes cleared, and she focused on him, smirking. That is the difference then, she thought, he longed for the safety and solidity of the ground and she longed to go higher than she could reach. "I think you enjoy it" she accused playfully. "Who would you have to keep things interesting if I wasn't around?" She smiled at him cheekily, confident she was right. "You would miss it." Something had kept her from saying 'me' and she wasn't quite sure what. Ally rarely censored herself from anything, but she didn't have time to consider the moment too closely just then.

She laughed, a warm, amused sound that bubbled up and sparkled from the eyes. Reaching out, she fingered the tie, liked the texture of it against her fingertips, and so she lingered there for a moment before she looked up at him. "Its nice" she murmured, but her tone was different this time, as though beginning to realize more than she was as of yet capable of grasping for. Releasing it, but standing closer than she had been, she nodded. "Most people do" she answered. Not her, of course, life was too short not to treat it as an ocassion, and her wardrobe reflected that belief. In retrospect, her father liked to be flashy as well when the ocassion suited him, she supposed it was another thing they held in common, not that the list wasn't already exceptional. He stated the obvious and she gave him a look for it, part amusement and part exasperation. He really was rather horrid when it came to taking compliments.

He knew her, that much was certain. She didn't even try to argue the point, though she could have. Instead, she smiled. "Well" she did, in fact, look very gleeful in that moment. "You shouldn't have." She was, for a moment, intentionally obtuse. "We've never done a tango before..." She was fairly certain she would remember it if they had, she thought a moment later. It was...a very close dance. Still, he was referring to a more emotional-mental dance, and that was a tangle with which they were very familiar. "Often" she answered, just as lightly, teasing. She caught the vague trace of irritation and had the wisdom to look properly contrite, if not the patience to present a fully convincing image of innocence. Still, she smiled brightly at him, eyes on his from under her lashes in something which at least resembled an apology for exactly the length of two heartbeats. The grin that answered him spread over her face, lighting the eyes with mischievous fire. "You should have" she agreed, and then a moment later: "no idea" in complete agreement, willing to be amiable enough so long as it meant getting to tease him further. It was one of her favorite things.

She caught the slight smugness of his expression and frowned a moment, but let it pass in favor of the more tempting subject matter. "Weak spots?" The sudden, utterly complete expression of indignation bordered dangerously on comical. "I have no weak spots!" she declared in a purposely dramatic voice. Then, softer: "and if I do, you wouldn't use them against me." She was entirely confident in this, though not as confident he wouldn't manage to find some way to inconvenience her. He, of almost anyone, knew her habbits best. It was a startling realization to acknowledge there was one who might on some level be able to predict her movements. Ally, who prided herself on impulse and unpredictability, took this somewhat as a challenge. He continued speaking, and she studied his expression, sizing him up for the first time since the day they had first come face to face on the train. "My ever undying gratitude your grace" she murmured, and gave him a stylish, if dramatically overdone curtsy with just enough sass in the flounce of her skirt to communicate her intended tone.

He had barely won the struggle for the photos when she caught his attention again, and she smiled warmly up at him, eyes wide, bright, and pleading. Surprised at first, by his easy acquissence, she took his hand, walked with him to the dancefloor. He needed no guiding, It was obvious he knew enough to keep the lead, and even beyond what she might have expected. Dance might not have been his passion, but he was, she realized, quite good from a technical aspect. His arms around her gave her a feeling of....of being safe and secure and...wanted They moved together, easily, comfortably and with enough flourish that others had cleared a small space to give them enough to move in. His touch was firmer, more confident than she would have expected, his frame was perfect. She felt certain as she always did that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. The light from the chandelier shimmered, casting soft, sparklilng light over everything and dulling their surroundings. For the first time, maybe ever, Aiden Urquart had her undivided attention. How long had he been taller than she was? Enough so that even in her heels he had her by a couple of inches. She had been this close to him often, and yet, it had never felt quite like this.

Before, his touch had always been calming, comforting, sometimes even restraining when he felt the situation called for it, but this...this was different. New. She had, without realizing, drawn closer than was strictly necessary to this particular dance. Something about him, not the clothes, she realized, but the look in his eyes. It was the same as it had been in the picture of them together. There was calm of course, always calm, but more than that there was a warmth, a contentment that radiated. Here, pressed close to him...her father's words came rushing back. Someone to trust... In the wake of the disaster with Cameron, there was only one person she had trusted enough to go running to, and she was staring at him now with new eyes. The song was coming to a close, the last notes drifting into nothing and she bit her lip. "Aiden..." and then, without considering the consequences, without thinking at all really, she leaned forward. Softly, she brushed her lips over his in a gesture that felt natural as breathing. She lingered, a long moment that stretched a few seconds and an eternity at once. It was there, startling her at first before she sank into it in relief:

The spark.

She pulled back a few seconds later and sense (or what of it Ally possessed) returned slowly. Touching her lips, she took a soft, shallow breath, eyes wide and startled, catching the light from the chandelier. It took a lot to surprise Alleana Moon, but the realization of him, of what was and had for so long been missed, left her silent, still, and unabashedly awed. The song had changed, but she did not hear it, could not for that moment hear anything. "Aiden..." unsure whether to apologize, try to make some sort of joke of the whole thing, or to simply kiss him again, she merely stood, thunderstruck for the world to see.

Someone to build forever with...

Words: 1,515
Lyrics: So Close - Jon McLaughlin
Outfit: here
Notes: Oh dear...

@shava4444

[Deleted]

He shrugged; they would find out eventually he was sure if she stayed determined enough. "Do you actually use a net? I thought you only used ropes..." She laughed a beautiful laugh which despite himself caused his own eyes to respond and then she held his tie lightly and he felt the blush go up some again. It was, frankly, a personal feeling to have someone touch his tie and only Ally could have ever been allowed to do it for long. Not that he objected so much mind you, yet she was not aware that he would let her do more then almost anyone else could get away with. That made it far more personal in a way!

Aiden's mind was far too busy to pick up n her subtle change of nature at this point however.

A half-snort. "You know what I mean, not the literal dance, goof." Ah Merlin she was in a real teasing mood! "You are purposefully trying to get me to respond, don't think I can't see through you, Ally," he chuckled shaking his head at her. Her eyes dared him to try and make her and he stuck a tongue out at her. A slight head bow to her as she spoke in a silly tone and he responded "You are more then welcome, Madam, and you always shall be."

As the dance went on, he began to realize she was looking at him a lot and he wondered suddenly what was wrong.

Unfortunately, he could imagine something was up with her. He was being supportive in the dance and working on making sure he was the rock for her to do what she wanted, but she wasn't striving for extras at the moment and that surprised him. As he paid more attention he began to fear she was seeing through him somewhat and as they came to the end the look on her face was one of some wonder, not one he was used to seeing in her eyes when she looked at him. She said his name with some wide-eyed realization and he stuttered back "A-Ally?" barely before she leaned in suddenly!

A KISS??!!??!!

His mind went into shock really, unexpected, not being prepared at all! If he had been prepared he might have had a chance to react, but the kiss was too brief for him to respond except his eyes getting that glassy shocked look. He registered her touching her lips, but it didn't sink in for a second. She had surprised herself? But she had done it all! And like that he knew it was all in his face, the desire, the wanton, irresistible desire and like that he also knew he would never manage to keep it from her now. Knowing that he glanced around, saw where the nearest wall was and caught her arm. Pulling her with him he walked fast to the corner where it was a bit darker, a bit more out of the way and swung her around (one of the few times he ever had manhandled her in any way).

"Damn it Ally, there is just no way to keep anything from you is there?" and he pressed her against the wall as he leaned in and kissed her like he had in his dreams for months and months...

ALLEANA LEI MOON