melodiesoflife | Christmas Party & Cheer

Christmas Party & Cheer

WHO: OPEN
WHEN: FORWARD DATED: December 22nd
WHERE: Christmas Town
WHAT: Celebrating the snow, the holidays, good cheery, warm fires and friends.
WARNING: Mistletoe?

With Rukia's help they were able to find a large enough hall in Christmas Town to throw the party. Zelda had set it for this day since a group of brave heroes were going to set out on the 24th. She had made sure that everything was perfect and of course everyone was invited. There were at least six decorated trees with polished silver and gold ornaments hanging from their branches. Scarlet red ribbons decorated the trees and tables with large bows tying the streaming trails together.

There was one very large tree at the halls center and there were a few presents around the bottom for those who needed a place to put gifts. At it's top was a large pointed star.

Champagne and small finger snacks were set on the tables and a part of the room was cleared for those who wanted to dance. Zelda was even able to hire a few people to play Christmas songs throughout the night. There was a table dedicated to sweets with cookies, cakes, small pies and other wonderful treats spread out for people to try.

Among the decorations was mistletoe. This little plant hung above the doorways waiting for any pair who happens to be caught in their hold. Most of the mistletoe was thanks to Minako but Zelda might have put up one sprig at the entrance to the party; it's all in good fun and kisses on the hand or cheek are perfectly acceptable.

[ooc: feel free to make open posts and tag around! It's a party!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He's oh-so very new to the idea that anyone might want to gift him in such a way. Sure he might have been awarded medals or trophies in his younger years but they had always been due to some effort he'd put in. As far as Sephiroth can fathom, he's not done anything to merit such a reward even if he is well aware of the tradition at this time of year.

Let Rukia run with that thought; he is touched. Just a little though. At her further clarification with regards to how she'd arrived at such an item for him Sephiroth sets his jaw. He doesn't want to seem overwhelmed at such thoughtfulness towards him but at the same time it's rather difficult for him to hide it.]

Can never have too many bases covered. [He nods, and flashes a smile slightly wider at her.]

Not that I ever plan to be forcibly disarmed, as far as I can help it.

I certainly wouldn't harbor any doubts in that regard~

[She tips an open palm in his direction, a playful smirk working its way over her face. It's true, he's certainly one of the most capable and skilled fighters she knows, and it's difficult to imagine that he would ever be overpowered or outmatched.]

[But no one is perfect, and it pays to have a back-up plan just in case. Honestly, she should carry something like that herself, instead of relying so heavily on her zanpakutou that she recently regained from Cid.]

I'm glad you decided to attend the party. Honestly I didn't expect you'd come. How many people twisted your arm about this?

[She knows there were, what, at least two letters about how people should convince him to lighten up and have fun? His Moogle and Cloud both mentioned it, but she's not bringing that up since it was told to her in confidence.]

[He nods again to her open palmed gesture, his pride stirring a little in the deep recess of his conscious thoughts where it was often banished these days. Odd, that he'd never given much thought to the 'Plan B' in terms of keeping himself prepared for anything. But then, old habits die hard and he'd only ever needed Masamune once upon a time. If anyone ever used to get inside his range he'd just devastate them with hand-to-hand, with a level of skill they probably wouldn't expect.]

Actually...[After a moment chewing invisibly over what to tell Rukia, Sephiroth's honest nature wins out. He has his back to the majority of the room right now, which is probably the only reason he's not then immediately looking for the girl he had arrived with.]

I chose to come. Twisting arms doesn't tend to work on me.

[Not denying there hadn't been a few who had mentioned it to him, at least indirectly, but at the same making it clear that it was his decision ultimately. No matter how much Terra had wanted to come.]

Oh?

[She doesn't mean to look so surprised. Certainly she doesn't intend any rudeness, but the fact that he made the conscious choice? She's glad. Rukia smiles, and inclines her head.]

No, nor I.

[It's why she hadn't acted on either behest. Whatever his decision, he's more than earned her respect for said decision. But of course, that stirs her curiosity as to why he wanted to come?]

Are you going to practice your dance moves? Or perhaps you wanted to try the mistletoe tradition that so many are fond of?

[Ho ho ho.]

Would you be surprised if I said neither?

[He doesn't think she would be but it's worth to keep the conversation going. Call this his poor attempt at small talk. Sephiroth isn't one to boogie, neither is he one to kiss just for the sake of obeying a tradition-

Never mind that later on that'll be exactly what he falls into with the green-haired flower girl that he's spent a great deal of time with over the last few months since the battle. Not that Rukia ever really saw him out of work.]

I suppose I'm here as a chaperone of sorts. It doesn't hurt to keep sharp eyes peeled, either.

[In other words, he's not working...but he sort of is.]

Neither?! Oh my, you've blown my mind!

[Yeah, she can't even pretend to be serious about that. He's a lot like her brother, now that she thinks about it. Byakuya, too, is noble and serious with a hidden dry sense of humor. Is that why she and Sephiroth are getting along? Regardless, if he did dance, her mind probably would be blown.]

A chaperone? To someone in particular, or just the generic sort?

[This eggnog is delicious. ...And gone. She'll get a refill soon enough.]

[He doesn't have a drink at this point, having already finished his first whiskey. Sephiroth is expectantly sensible with alcohol; perhaps paying too much attention to how much he drinks than most people. He'll stick to water for a bit if he feels the need.

As for theories why they get along; maybe it'll become clearer as time goes on too.]

I came with someone. [He's not saying who.]

But it doesn't hurt to make sure that everything goes as advertised.

...You did? You're dating?

[Maybe he'll blow her mind without dancing after all, since she hadn't imagined he would be the type interested in that sort of thing. Now she's doubly curious, and nods to the spot on the couch next to the arm she's perched on.]

Interesting! How did you meet?

Oh-

[Dating? Really? He's completely oblivious to how Rukia arrived at that impression. Just because he came with Terra doesn't mean-

Didn't it though? Sephiroth frowns a little before shaking his head.]

-not like that. I'm just looking after a housemate.

[He's not about to sit next to her on the couch and start spilling the whole story, either.]

Oh. My apologies, then.

[She sits back, a little embarrassed. Ordinarily she wasn't prone to that kind of gossip, but the thought of Sephiroth dating was so surprising... Well, it seemed he wasn't dating after all, so her reaction was for naught.]

[Sephiroth's frown softens around the edges of his eyes a little. Awkward much; this is only one of the reasons that he doesn't make a habit of socializing very much more than what is considered appropriate. It's uncomfortable and to think that what he said could easily have been taken the wrong way doesn't help.

He smiles a little, down at Rukia and then moves to take the seat next to her anyway. As a way to make up for the confusion he clearly caused.]

No need to apologize. It's my mistake, I wasn't clear.

[At least he can see some more of the room now he's sat on the couch; before long eyes are drawn to at least acknowledging whereabouts Terra is at that moment.]

Besides, I suppose it could be seen as a date. Between...friends.

[Careful, so careful using that word.]

[Oh? He's changed his mind? That perks her up a little, and it's clear to see the decision to sit and chat has made her happy. She crosses her legs at the ankles, content to keep sipping her absolutely alcohol-free eggnog, as she has no intentions of embarrassing herself at a holiday party any time soon.]

Ahhh, that I can understand. That's the kind of date I was allowed to experience as well.

[At least, she's pretty sure that's what it was. At the time. Just friends.]

Did you uphold any of the common dating traditions, or did you merely arrive together?

[It's a rare thing, to actually feel that his small attempt at being more sociable than he generally was being well received. But the fact that Rukia seems a little chirpier when he's sat down convinces him it was the right thing to do. Never mind that he felt a great need to further clarify-

He rested one hand, still holding his gift box, atop a knee as he made an effort to sit back into the couch. Just to at least attempt to relax a little more.]

Common...dating traditions? [An almost-snort of a laugh coughed between them. Sephiroth has an idea what she might be referencing but for sure it's strange having this sort of a conversation with another person. Not to mention a girl, who is also a colleague.]

I suppose that depends what you consider such traditions to be?

Fortunately, I happen to have a few illustrations.

[Rukia finishes off her eggnog before setting it aside, then hops off the couch to reach underneath and withdraw her drawing pad. Has she been keeping it there the whole time? Yes, yes she has. She's never without it, just in case she needs to explain something complicated. She smiles happily as she flips through the pages before finally she arrives at one of many drawings concerning the art of dating.]

As I was unfamiliar with the custom myself, I studied several examples at the library, and took note of recurring themes. Of course, some worlds have different cultures, but I believe these are fairly common.

[Well. Sort of.]

Are you-

[Serious? The word is lost though as Rukia so readily hops up, retrieves her sketchbook from under the couch and starts flipping through pages. The last word to his comment cut off as she arrives at the appropriate sketch. Sephiroth is quick to take in the relevant details; he'd have laughed at the somewhat humorous scenarios and how they were drawn, if it weren't for the fact that a tightening to his jaw betrayed how he does relate to at least one of them.

The small item still tucked in the inside pocket of his jacket, that gift still yet to be handed to Terra, suddenly feels a lot heavier. Though two out of three matched up, maybe...that third...

Sephiroth shakes his head, refusing to allow the drawings to bug at him too much. They didn't laugh all that much around each other simply because they weren't that type of people. Still, he can't remember the last time he heard her laugh...]

I'm not sure. I think such things are a little more complicated, generally speaking.

[Typical Sephiroth; over-complicating everything]

True. As every person is different, it's impossible to account for all of the possibilities that may or may not arise.

[She looks over her drawings with a little frown, her brow pensively furrowed.]

Certainly none of my research materials covered fighting monsters, riding chocobos, or touching a giant crystal. Yet these were central events that took place in the auction dates in which I previously engaged.

[As such, Sephiroth can rest assured that Rukia has no idea what she's doing, and probably isn't a reliable source for dating advice. Or is she??? After all, she's probably even more out of her element than he is when it comes to dating.]

Have you gone on any dates before?

[He can't help but to chuckle lightly as Rukia reels off her experiences as a result of the date auction which had possibly been the worst thing he'd ever willingly participated in. Sephiroth can't remember seeing Rukia there at the time, but then...he'd been a little preoccupied.

Yep. Worst idea. Ever.]

Not really. At least, not prior to being brought here.

[He glances again at her drawings, before continuing.]

As for my experiences here, it's never been as simple as all that, either.

No indeed.

[More's the pity, because she'd like to understand this aspect of the culture, but it's a little difficult without giving people (or Moogles LOOKING AT YOU CHAPPOPO) the wrong idea about what she wants and expects.]

May I ask what happened in yours?

[Uh oh, she's flipping to a clean sheet of paper, pen poised. This might wind up being an illustration if he indulges her with any details.]

[She's not the only one who has a lot of reservations about even conjuring the right words with which to ask questions on this sort of topic. It's hardly something a man of his age should be asking; no matter how one wouldn't have to know much of his background to appreciate the insecurity. Still, Sephiroth likes to be confident and this is a subject he's quite the opposite in.]

You couldn't really call it a date. I only had one and it was...more a...well, quiet evening in with a moogle.

[He makes a point to look away from Rukia then, quite certain he doesn't want to either discuss it further or for her to take that any other way that what it was intended. Sephiroth discreetly nibbles at the corner of the inside of his mouth while pondering back on the small things that he and a specific someone have done otherwise. Strange, he doesn't consider it dating-]

You have the classics though, I suppose. Walking together in the park. Sharing a special meal. Stargazing together.

[It almost sounds as if he's pulling ideas randomly, out of no where. Doing his very best to remain as detached as possible.]

Mm, yes. Zelda mentioned activities of a similar nature being viewed as 'classic.'

[Not really worth drawing, though. They're easy enough to remember and don't require any special tips or advice to keep in mind.]

These are ideal to you?

I'm not sure.

[Not like he's ever given it much thought; though each of said events with Terra had seemed to have had an increased effect on his affection towards her. Was that due to their activities though? Or was there something else going on with the way they just seemed to 'click' that can't be explained?

At this point, he's mostly still unsure of how he really feels. Whether it's a developed sense of protection over her, or if it's grown past that.]

They could be, to anyone, I suppose.

That's a little vague, don't you think?

[She grins a little. Could it be that he's harboring a little bit of a crush? If she didn't respect him so much, she might tease him to see if she couldn't coax out more details. But she won't. ...Not unless it looks like he really wants her to pry and get him to talk about it. But for all she knows, it could be something very private.]

Surely you must have something in mind for how you'd imagine a good date night to advance.

[It would be very private, if Sephiroth himself had come to terms with the way he really felt and learned to be honest about those feelings. The majority of the time they either confused or frustrated him further. But for sure, all the signs of a potential crush ~~at least~~ are there already.

~~Not to mention what happens a little later on.~~]

Yes. [Of course it's vague; he's pretty clueless even if he's trying currently not to appear such.]

I'm not sure...that I'm someone who might put so much weight into date nights as such. Whatever activity might float your boat, it's the company that makes it.

[That seems to be something she hadn't considered before, given the thoughtful way she turns her head to regard him. He has a point, she supposes. She got so wrapped up in playing a role and matching her responses to fit the event that she lost sight of the goal. Reflecting back, she thinks of the monsters she fought with Graham. He'd been happy. She also remembers Ramza's flustered discomfort when she hugged him.]

[And Raven...]

...I think you may be right.

[Her smile softens, and she closes the notepad, slipping the marker into the spiral ring. Maybe she's had enough of relying on notes.]

Some of the best moments I shared were completely unexpected, and unplanned. The right person...

[Rukia considers this for a moment, and there's a faint darkening in her cheeks as she presses a fist against her mouth in thought.]

Do you think the right person creates a sort of warmth?

[For all of their sakes, the fact that Rukia has put the pad away is a sign of good things to come. It was hard enough to keep an objective face trained at the meeting where she'd presented her report of events over the Reaper.

Sephiroth nods lightly.]

Quite often you don't first recognize them as the best moments, either. It requires some contemplation, afterward.

[He looks away from her a little, just in case the lighting didn't quite hide the faint blush to her cheeks as it were clear she were chewing on yet more thoughts about the subject matter.

Not only that, but his nose twitches a little at the edges; her question touched something too raw to have been desensitized yet. That's exactly how he feels, only being in Terra's company for a few moments.]

I do. [Eventually, an answer.]

But I think it's not easily one of those things that can be explained, either.

Christmas Party & Cheer

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