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!]

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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.

No, indeed.

[She holds her chin, brow furrowed in thought. She'd come all the way out here to clear her head and see if she couldn't make sense of the odd way she was feeling. It hadn't really worked, and all she did was make herself too busy to think about it much. ...Which didn't help the matter.]

Then I wonder if I could be...

[Her voice drifts off as she frowned, puzzled. After a few moments of pensive silence, she sighs, then looks at Sephiroth.]

Do you plan to act on your feelings?

[His feelings? Well there is a question that nearly draws an uneasy scowl. Sephiroth manages to stop it, though, at just short of setting his jaw too tightly. He's not looked back at Rukia though and seems quite content to look out over the crowd and allow his bangs to have fallen to frame his face as they did usually - it's rather natural the way that his hair seems to close him off.]

I've still a great deal to do, in trying to figure out how I'm supposed to feel.

[He'd averted his eyes from anything in particular, the reply being rather more deadpan than any comment he'd made thus far. Typical of any kind of guy who wasn't sure if he were ready to accept that he might have begun to feel something he hadn't before.]

Then I'll decide what to do about them.

[Rukia tips her head forward once, to indicate her understanding. That makes sense. It took her a while to realize that what she was feeling went a little deeper than friendship. Her gaze rests on her knee for a moment in quiet contemplation.]

I think I know what I feel. But I am undecided on whether or not I should make an effort to share those feelings.

[She frowns, leaning back on her hand. She looks as if she means to say more, but thinks better of it.]

I suppose I'll know the answer after we've met with the sage and learned what to do about the Calamity.

[Given that Sephiroth isn't all that experienced with keeping friendships, he's even more confused than a more socially-inclined person would be. Figuring out something that went deeper than friendship required more of an understanding of friendship to begin with, which in turn has required no shortage of him 'pulling back' his own reservations that tell him he might be betrayed again.]

It's going to be a risk, either way.

[Talk about a subject change; but he's not entirely sure where Rukia pulled that comment from.]

What do you mean?

[Rukia looks at Sephiroth, hesitating for a long moment. How can she say this? She wouldn't want it to sound as if her own ideas and solutions should be applied to himself. It's also not easy for her to open up, but they've come this far already... Her gaze travels back to her hands.]

I don't know what will become of us once the Calamity has been defeated. Will we remain here? Will we be returned to our homes? If it is the former, then perhaps I could...allow myself...to indulge.

[It's difficult to admit it, but the thought of letting herself love someone, and be loved in return, is a little tempting.]

But if it's the latter, and separation is not only inevitable but soon to come, it would only cause heartache, both for the other person and myself. I have not forgotten what I am, nor have I forgotten my duties. A soul reaper has no business forging a relationship like that with the living.

[Well they've both at least flashed some of their cards at each other now, there is little point trying to deny that at least. It's not exactly something he would usually sit around and chit-chat about either...he's already blaming the festive cheer, or perhaps he needs to slow down on the whiskey just a little.]

There is no way to know, ultimately. Which is what frustrates me the most about being here, at times.

[Sephiroth wets his lips and sets his jaw a little before continuing. Those thoughts never fail to ruin the best of his moods.]

We've no idea how any of this is going to end; for all we know all of this might just cease to exist entirely and we'll just go back to where we remember being. Completely none the wiser. [Shrugs.]

If that's the case, though...well...there is a strong argument in 'living for the now'. At least in my case.

[Rukia inclines her head in quiet agreement. She really doesn't want to forget any of this. Truth be told, that upsets her far more than the thought of an inevitable farewell. She knows she's grown here, thanks to the people she's met, and there have been so many who have accepted her as a friend. It's not something she's willing to lose.]

Should that happen, then I wish to thank you for your support and friendship.

[And for talking to her about this. It isn't easy to show this side of her, but there's still a part of her that yearns for discussion and understanding. She feels like Sephiroth probably wrestles with very similar problems, so it's easier to confide in him.]

...Do you think you will choose such a thiing? To live in the now, as you said?

[It's not a set of circumstances Sephiroth likes to think about for too long. To go home, exactly as he had been with no knowledge of what had come to pass here...only to then proceed and attempt to exact his own private revenge for everything against the Planet and all those who lived upon it. To literally become the Calamity of his own World.

In Crystallis he's made, for the most part, a place for himself. Within the military, where he'd risen through the ranks based on entirely his own merit with no question of somehow being 'put towards' it. With regards to Terra, as well, Sephiroth knows he'd never get a chance at that type of happiness again.

Friendship. The word makes him pause and flick his eyes back to Rukia's for a moment. He's never going to get used to that being directly referred.]

I'd call it more of a working association, but you're welcome all the same.

[There are a lot of issues that Sephiroth has wrestled with, to a certain extent. Most of which do not get aired, hardly ever.]

Considering what I know now that I didn't before, there can't be any other way to live. That said, I'm very much a forward-thinker. It's difficult.

.....Ah. I see.

[A working association. So be it. Perhaps she'd assumed a little too much in that case, and shared more than was respectful. Rukia nods to him. Well, it's something he'll need to make his mind up over at his own pace, and on his own terms. She doubts he'd appreciate her encouragement.]

Well, I'm confident you'll know what to do when you need to do it.

[Rukia slips off of the couch arm to drop onto her feet, picking up her empty glass and her notebook.]

I'm certain there's someone else you'd rather talk to tonight than your coworker, stop wasting your time with old women~

[Just a light bit of teasing. She thinks she spots Yuri hanging out in a peculiar place, so she really needs to go bother him about that.]

[Quite the contrary, actually. Sephiroth has taken a great deal from this rather unusual conversation with Rukia...if only he'd let her see such. Too quickly, whenever friendship is mentioned, he's still prone to retreating as far back into his shell as possible. It's too synonymous with hurt, pain and betrayal for him, still.

With the exception of -maybe- one person...

He's just a little aware of how his comment may have discouraged Rukia from continuing to sit and talk with him but at the same time Sephiroth's no idea how to repair after such an off-putting remark. He didn't really feel the need to apologize, yet he did feel a little like it was his fault.

Her light tease takes the edge of that thought off a little and he flashes a quick grin before tipping his head up in a farewell. He might sit for a few more minutes before getting up again, himself.]

By all means, get out there and enjoy yourself.

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Christmas Party & Cheer

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