Comfort and Joy

[noprevaricating]

Who: Come one, come all! ...In formal attire.
What: A Christmas ball, old world style.
When: December 1st, beginning around five in the afternoon and ending when the last person leaves.
Where: The rec center.
Summary: Earth's eighteenth-century peeps are throwing one hell of a party.
Rating: Well, considering no one is serving water? Probably PG-13 for

Comments

[slaying]

Buffy felt a little all dressed up with no place to go. Or, rather, she had a place to go but no one to go there with her. The meal, of course, was delightful. The music? Magical. The tree was perfect and the Slayer seemed to spend most of the post-meal evening near it; the scent of fir enveloped her. She was by no means shyly sitting or waiting for anything. More like anxiously standing and waiting for someone..

But when friends and acquaintances stop by to chat she will be all bright smiles and scintillating socializing. Although she did seem rather self-conscious in the fine period-appropriate dress -- she alternated between smoothing its rich fabric beneath her fingertips and fiddling with the small pearl earrings filling only two of her five ear piercings. Ever a fashionista, she still could not manage to feel at home in this style. Eventually, she attempted a card game or two to take her mind off quieter troubles of the evening. Inevitably, she still always found herself back by the tree.

Buffy was a woman who was used to

[lists_to_port]

Jack Sparrow landed groaning in a snowbank outside the rec center. It wasn't the Malnosso's fault, entirely; he'd wheeled and dealed with them to deposit him somewhat near the party in exchange for taking on extra duties on the cargo vessel where he'd been stationed. They'd merely been trying to honor that deal, though the weary pirate wasn't thanking them too heartily for that as he stood and rubbed his aching back

[slaying]

She was focused on one single ornament. A little bird cage with an inhabitant possessing plummage just about as red as her own wings -- wings that fluttered and flicked every few moments. This movement was just about the best measurement of her mind's genuine state. Another telling twitch and she touched the corner of the cage; it spun lazily, leftwards. Colliding with an inch of garland. One half of her mouth quirked upwards and she watched it only for an extra second or two before lifting her attention to the room. Someone she recognized passed by and so she smiled her recognizable smile and saw them on their way through the crowd

[lists_to_port]

Buffy, Jack reasoned, would not necessarily want to see him as a great piratey smudge on the party. He gnawed on a fingernail as he watched her, wanting nothing more than to go to her, but not wanting to embarrass her. The slayer was so particular about her dress and her manners at social gatherings. Dawn's birthday party had been an utter case in point: when occasions were had, Buffy Summers rose to them.

So he simply continued to gaze at her, following the line of that gown and the crowning glory of that golden hair. Grace and goodness and light.

[shadedsunlight]

It was through some combination of stubbornness and pride that brings Ginia out to the party. Though she'd only been able to help with the barest of decorations and had to bow out of food preparations entirely, she can still provide some piano music - it wasn't as if she looked at the keys anymore while playing anyway - and otherwise talk with friends and enjoy the night. Besides, even if she can't see a thing, being out is far better than being stuck in the apartment

i felt this icon was appropriate.

[straightatem]

It should be bad that Jack makes a bee-line for Ginia as soon as he spots her. He is a tad distracted by the shoulder line she presents but it makes her look all the more lovely he thinks. It is when she goes from the piano to her seat that he walks near her and smiles big - unaware that she cannot see him but he would smile nonetheless.

"Miss Ginia, how are you this evening?"

|Db

[shadedsunlight]

From the piano to the seat she's set for herself, Ginia carefully counts out the steps between, one hand slightly outstretched in case there's someone approaching. Her hand is on the back of the chair when she hears someone call for her, turning and smiling, blue eyes no longer bright, but dull and white.

"Good evening, sir." she responds, carefully taking her seat and giving an embarrassed smile. "You'll have to forgive me for not immediately recognizing your voice. I'm still getting used to this."

[straightatem]

The surprise on his face shows quite easily....perhaps it's best that she can't see it. He, for once, is quick about solving what has happened. A voice for her sight. Now what in this world could possibly do that?

Jack does his best to sound as charming as he meant to be.

"Captain Jack Aubrey, at your service ma'am."

[lists_to_port]

When Jack Sparrow finally returns to the party, it's after scrubbing himself clean at House Seven and suiting up.

Lord Cutler Beckett taught him well, back when he was acting as the other man's captain in the EITC. There were at least two occasions when he had to blend in with the quality at their customary parties. So believe it or not, Captain Jack Sparrow will be clean and mannerly tonight. Partly this is because he still has not had a chance to rest after his week-long mission. The man is tired. However, rum punch will go some distance to make him tired-and-happy; seeing his friends again will also help to get him into the spirit of things.

Jack will gladly take part in the dancing; he might, after relaxing a bit more, request a lively tune that was often played back in the Twelve Daggers and the Faithful Bride. He is absolutely going to eat.

He MIGHT be standing under the mistletoe at an opportune moment.

You could talk him into a wager as well, though much of his night will probably be occupied by staring at Buffy.

[tehoniongirl]

The only thing that could make the night better was having everyone together in one place. She had hoped Jack would be back in time, of course, for Buffy's sake...but she had been afraid to count on it. And when the night had started and he hadn't shown, she did her best to swallow the worry and the enjoy the night.

It's only later that she catches sight of him through the crowd. She almost doesn't recognize him, stepping off the dance floor to give her feet a rest. Holding her skirts up with one hand, she's smiling and doing her best not to trip when she suddenly realized just who she'd spotted.

Eyes wide, she forgets the worry of stumbling over her feet as she hurries towards him, sheer relief and joy lighting up her eyes. "Jack!"

[lists_to_port]

"Jilly!" The pirate wastes no time in catching the young artist up in a hug. There is time for a double-take before that show of affection, though; rarely has Jack seen the woman in anything remotely as fitted as this gown, which shows off her figure admirably. "Unless you are simply an ethereal vision of beauty and not our Jilly at all?"

[tehoniongirl]

She laughed, eagerly returning the hug. This was the perfect complement to an already wonderful night. "I'm very real...and you're a shameless flatterer. If you want to complement someone, complement Elizabeth for picking out the dress."

[boomchucka]

Ceodore has this knack for spoiling Selphie and it seems like he's had some help with this outfit that has been picked out for Selphie. The dress is emerald green, very close to her eyes with a silver, snowflake bracelet wrapped around her wrist. Her hair has been pulled off her face and braided to fall gracefully down her left side with a cheery green ribbon. For the more bashful in attendance, a see-through short sleeved green jacket was worn overtop of her clothing so that she wouldn't dare to offend any in attendance. It buttoned quite nicely in a v-neck which highlighted the snowflake necklace about her neck with it's small diamond pendant in the centre. Silver ballerina flats finished the look as Selphie stared up in wonder at the decorations

[lunarianlegacy]

If there's anything Ceodore enjoyed more than the sight of Selphie in that amazing gown, it was watching her have a fabulous time being social. Not for the first time, his mind strayed to home, and what a marvelous princess she'd make. Not that they were going to have that discussion again anytime soon, nor was there any way to make that happen. But watching her eyes sparkle and smiles grow made him all the more determined to find a way.

He was polite enough to wait until she had a moment alone to slip up beside her and execute a polished bow, as he held out his hand. "Does the lady care to dance?"

[boomchucka]

She just may be chatting up just about everybody she sets her eyes upon that evening and dancing to her hearts content once she manages to get the steps under foot. Some people in Luceti are far more patient teachers with her clumsy antics than others back home would have been. Like others, this party was having her miss home and the festivities that would've been planned around this time of year. Gift exchanges and all sorts of other ideas came to mind but she kept those thoughts at bay with ample distractions. She'd tell Ceodore about those later and as she had been doing lately.

She was standing by herself near the Christmas tree when her Prince approached her. She placed her hand in his and nodded accordingly with a giggle. "The Lady would care to dance and apologizes if she steps on your foot by accident."

[lunarianlegacy]

"You'll be fine."

He had no doubts at all that she'd do well with the steps, and if not would most likely just improvise them if not. It seemed odd to him that he had more experience in this arena than she, although he wasn't about to comment on it. Possibly a matter of difference in upbringing and this surely wasn't the time.

Leading Selphie to the dancing area, he glanced over his shoulder at the tree she'd been near. "I'm not sure I understand what the tree is about."

[tehoniongirl]

Jilly wasn't a nervous person, particularly about appearances. Clothes were, more often than not, either comfort or costume, and she was happy with either. But even for Halloween extravagance or the occasional gallery showing, she had never really worn anything so elegant as the dress that Liz Swann had talked her into. Used to jeans or dresses with much less substance to them, she was still learning how to manage the full skirts, holding them up with one hand so she wouldn't trip as she made her way into the recreation center

/attacks. with love.

[straightatem]

Jack Aubrey appears with a cup of wassail in his hand meant for Jilly. He was as happy as he could ever be and he wanted to ask for a dance to be saved later tonight with his most favorite partner in Luceti.

"Miss Jilly, you make that dress look rather pretty!"

Oh so smooth.

The best sort of attack. ^.^

[tehoniongirl]

She laughed, accepting the cup gratefully as she looked up at him. Very much up. "That's very sweet...but I think you have that backwards."

[straightatem]

"Come now, Jilly I know I mix my proverbs up but I really must insist you do the gown justice."