Irial ♥ 5

[gentle_cruelty]

♥ Who: Irial gentle_cruelty & anyone passing by
♥ Where: around Festival bonfire
♥ Style: Your preference
♥ Status: Open like faery wings

There were two things faeries of each court seemed to enjoy, and that was excellent wine and dancing. Of course, the style of dance differed between Courts. Summer Court fae preferred a happy dance in a meadow beneath the sun, or

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[gentle_cruelty]

Irial drained his first glance in moments, passing it off to obliging child who seemed fascinated with the empty cup as the faery moved back into the crowd of dangers.

Partnering no one, but partaking of everyone around him, Irial moved to the sound of the upbeat instrumental music being played, his expression serious and intent. It might not look as though he was enjoying himself, but he was thoroughly engaged in the little world around him.

[gentle_cruelty]

The faery turned, looking more expectant than startled, as if he had been aware of the other man's presence from the beginning and he was merely waiting for the segue to leave the dancing and move to greeting him.

As it was, Irial moved over to the man and took his hand, leading him back into the dance, spinning him around once, before properly replying to his greeting - and that he did with a sound kiss, having missed the warmth and the connection.

"You drank without me," he teased after breaking away again from his mouth, one brow raised. Of course, he could taste the wine on his lips, not that the same taste wasn't on his own.

[beautifulmartyr]

Since the other night when she was out with Malik, Aerith had wanted to go to one of the dances. No one seemed willing to come with her, so tonight she decided to join one herself. It couldn't hurt, now could it? Half the time she didn't know what she was doing, just letting herself fall to the rhythm of the music. Some random man would grab her arm, spin her around, then send her off to someone else. All the while she laughed, glad that she had gone out, alone or not. Within the group of people, she could lose herself for just a little while.

[gentle_cruelty]

Irial was of the same mind; public dances were meant to be communal experiences. If you didn't want to dance with strangers, or at the least, be seen by other people, then staying at home or private parties would have made more sense - not that he didn't enjoy the discomfort of a wallflower almost as much as the pleasure of a party-goer enjoying themselves in the music.

The faery was not playing voyeur tonight, however. Instead he was an active participant, feeding off the lack of inhibition, the pleasure of heads being thrown back and bodies arching in the freedom of the dance. He moved against women who in turned swayed against him, and exchanged conspiratory glances with the men who were prowling the circle, looking for a partner.

Spying a new addition moving from the periphery, Irial greeted her in the same way he had the other strangers, extending a hand silently and offering to dance.

[beautifulmartyr]

And she took it all too willingly, spinning into the bare-chested man with another burst of giggles. Whatever she had been upset about previously; that dream of Zack, worrying if Malik would go on a murdering spree, whether or not Alphonse was doing okay home alone, was locked away in the back of her mind. She knew, one way or another, everyone was--or would try to be--enjoying themselves wherever they were.

By the time she reached Irial, she had been moving quite a bit, and with her free hand; made a motion for him to hold on a minute. Here she leaned down, tugging her sandals off and tossing them out of the crowd. Likely she wouldn't find them later, but that was okay. Knocked down to her normal short stature, Aerith smiled up at him, tugging him further into the crowd and swaying with the music. As she had done with everyone else, she said,

"Are you enjoying yourself?" just for the sake of conversation, and she wanted to ask why he didn't have a shirt on. That was new.

[gentle_cruelty]

Not being much of a conversationalist while in a club or a crowd, where he was so focused on savoring the taste and feel of those around him, satiating himself on emotion and the experience, Irial's response was delayed. Instead, he stared into her eyes for long moments, his mouth barely curved, his body swaying instinctively in ways that felt right and felt good, the proximity of the bonfire warming his skin in spite of the lack of shirt on the cooler evening.

"Immensely," Irial finally murmured, and of course, while it didn't reveal much, it was the absolute truth.

[lethal_smile]

Hakkai thought it would be a good idea to get out of the house. He'd been holed up there for quite some time, long enough that every corner of his cottage was immaculate from his excessive cleaning. This time of year inevitably brought misery for him and he didn't want to expose his friends to it, not while they were all so happy.

He hadn't told anyone in Somarium about his birthday, so the 21st had passed by without incident. He was thankful for that. It brought back too many memories. Even now, as he sipped wine from a cup and watched the people dance, he didn't feel the need to participate. His mind was somewhere in the past with someone that he'd lost.

[gentle_cruelty]

Distractedly, Irial glanced towards the new arrival, keeping toward the periphery of the dancing, a cup in his hand. He was rich with emotion that Irial could taste even form the distance between them, intrigued. Running his tongue along the inside of his teeth, the faery moved away from the spinning and swaying for a moment, approaching the stranger.

"Will you dance?" he asked, too direct for formal introductions or inquiring as to the man's unhappiness. Irial wondered if he could tempt him to join the crowd, or he was steadfast against it.

[lethal_smile]

Hakkai was not expecting that. So abrupt... He wasn't sure what to say. Up until now he'd only been watching with no intention to join in the dance. ...but, hadn't he come here to interact with people? "Yes."

It felt a bit strange to step onto the dance floor with a someone he barely knew. Then again, there weren't many things in this place that weren't strange.

[gentle_cruelty]

That was a quick and unexpected victory. Irial's eyes warmed, though his pleasure was not evident in his expression.

Eyes casually taking in the other man, Irial returned with him to thr circle of dancers celebrating in movement around the bonfire. The faery reached for the hand of the stranger, not content to share the same space. Irial led him in an unchoreagraphed dance, the razor blade around his neck shining against his bare chest.

[badtouchness]

France, at first, had been much more solitary than would fit his usual self. This world had put him on edge, and he had been suspicious of just about everything. And, well, he hadn't quite believed it in full, but he had gotten antsy. He needed to be out, to do something, to pick up young ladies, young men, to drink wine and be satisfied with the knowledge that he was better.

And so, he found himself decked out in a very fashionable coat, frills almost everywhere. His leggings were silk, his shoes were polished, his hair was pulled back into a ponytail held by a ribbon, and, in his time period at least, he would be the epitome of fashion.

He was taking a liking to this celebration so far. He was in the middle of the dancers, changing partners frequently, and drinking wine even more frequently. And with each cup, his guard fell down, and his frivolity increased.

[gentle_cruelty]

Irial caught sight of the man and smiled, already anticipating his displeasure when he realized he was keeping company with the faery-intruder. He was less than pleased by their original encounter, and realistically, Irial did not expect the addition of wine instead of coffee, and dancing rather than an uncomfortable stare-down to entirely improve his perception of the faery. And that was just as well. There was plenty to satisfy Irial if he was angry or distrusting.

Passing between swaying and spinning bodies, Irial moved into space as it was vacated by the last partner, dancing next to the overly dressed man, enjoying the fact that he both had the advantage in height and the element of surprise.

The fire dancing across his shadowy eyes, Irial raised a single brow, no words offered in greeting.

[badtouchness]

France turned away from his last partner and found himself meeting eyes with a somewhat familiar face. He knew he had seen this man before, and there was a very distinct feeling that this man was not the most polite. But, then again, there was also the very distinct feeling of a swarm of dancing bodies and alcohol, so that more or less cancelled them out.

Figuring that remembering just where he had seen this man before was too much of an effort, he simply smiled curiously and held out a hand.

"Pardon me, but have we met before?"

[gentle_cruelty]

Irial's grin was wicked, enjoying the fact that the man seemed intoxicated. Maybe his mood would improve after all, both from the effect of the wine and selective memory.

He could not speak the lie and deny having met, when they had even exchanged names. And so Irial offered an one-shouldered shrug, taking the extended hand, sliding his palm across the offered one.

"Will you dance?"

[nvrtheeasyway]

Lara was sitting a bit in retreat of the crowd, watching the people dancing and drinking, basking happily in the warm glow of the bonfires. There was half a smile on her lips, a thermos of warm, spiked apple cider nestled between her legs, the cup in her hand as she sipped slowly on it. She wasn't one that usually participated in such festivities, but sitting around the fire like this reminded her of some her excursions for hidden temples and sacred treasure. She leaned back comfortably, her foot lightly stomping to the rhythm of the music.

[gentle_cruelty]

Irial glanced back over one shoulder, intrigued by another guest hovering at the periphery of the dance. She did not look shy nor give off waves of discomfort. And she was beautiful to behold, a figure that would better suit the movement of a dance than sitting down tapping her foot to the music. What a waste.

Spinning away from the others who laughed and swayed in his absence, carrying on with the celebration, Irial walked with purpose towards the woman, invisible shadows clinging the bare skin of arms and chest, briefly passing across his eyes.

Standing a foot from her, Irial stared down at her in a way that might be perceived as rude, intimidating, or creepy depending on the recipient. He would have found the attention flattering and satisfying.

"Will you dance?" He invited, aware than human custom usually required an introduction and some conversation, but being a faery, he did not follow these rules. And he was impatient to skip to the part that pleased him.

[nvrtheeasyway]

It was a good thing for the man that Lara was hard to either intimidate nor being crept out. She simply raised an eyebrow at him. He was handsome, no doubt about that, but she was not that easily swayed.

"I have not yet had enough to drink to get on the dance floor, thank you. And it would probably be better for your feet for me to stay here."

It wasn't that she didn't know how to dance, she simply preferred not to. At least, not for the moment. But the man was welcomed to try and change her mind. She even moved a bit on the bench she was sitting on, leaving enough space for him to sit down if he would choose so.

[gentle_cruelty]

His feet were bare, but he was hardly squeamish about the pain - if indeed she was as clumsy as she claimed, though he was inclined to doubt. She seemed too confidant for skiddish footwork, but more one in control of their body, even in the dance. She was in control of her emotions, that much he could glean from the initial taste of the air around her. He also took her scent, which he found naturally appealing.

"But you're not drinking wine," Irial pointed out, with a faint smile of amusement, his eyes wicked. How, then, was she supposed to lose her inhibitions and give herself over to the dance, if that is really what she required?