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[winged_cupid]

There's very little in the world that makes Cupid quite so happy as a good party. It gets people together and makes the shooting a lot easier. Of course, now that his arrows have no magic in them, this isn't exactly a cakewalk, but it's not the hardest thing in the world either. He's in the usual fare, mostly because suits don't exactly come with

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[turnthebadinme]

Serena couldn't resist a party, and her willpower in that area had only decreased lately. She was bored and unhappy; the only thing to do for that was find somewhere to go out and have fun, and island life made that difficult. This party was infinitely preferable to whatever someone would come up with for Valentine's, so she'd put on her form-fitting white Roberto Cavalli dress * with the black lace at the neckline, pink flowers stenciled over the short skirt, paired it with some black heels and hit the Catscratch.

The music was always good, or good enough anyway, so she finished off a drink and headed out onto the floor to dance.

[winged_cupid]

Cupid doesn't know if this is just Mom's influence, but he's always felt that having blondes around makes him feel like family. When he arrives at Serena's side, he spans his arms out widely and grins warmly. "Can I have this dance?"

[turnthebadinme]

"Well, who am I to say no to that?" Serena asks, grinning as she holds out her hands to him, playful. "Especially to... Cupid himself, I presume?" It's a strange life she leads, but at least that keeps things interesting when everything else seems dull.

[winged_cupid]

Cupid winks at her and broadens his shoulders while he straightens his back. "What can I say? I love a good party, especially when I'm orchestrating it." He takes her hand and spins her out to the dance floor. "All I ask is a secret about you and love."

[spirited_hero]

[gunbladescar]

"So this is where you work?" I ask innocently as though I didn't know the party was being held at the Catscratch Club. My mood is still unbelievably fantastic, for no real explainable reason other than I woke up on the right side of the bed. I'm actually kind of hoping for a Zell overreaction at seeing me in a club. Not to mention dressed as snappy as I am.

[spirited_hero]

[gunbladescar]

"Oh well if you're working," I say, feigning as though I might walk away, but not actually doing so.

"How do you know it was the box?" I continue, ready to extol a lesson on assumption and its negative consequences. "How do you know I didn't have these tailor made for me?"

[saikamai]

It had been a pretty miserable handful of months since the test, and Bert couldn't even really say why. It might have been that his victory had been anticlimactic, or that Cort's disappearance had been too upsetting, or that Marten's arrival had him off his game. Gods, maybe he was just sick of eating boar. Whatever it was, his usual down-to-the-ground good cheer had thinned to a veneer. This evening, he'd bullied himself into doing something about it.

He got trussed up, really trussed up, for the first time in a long while, forsaking the tired old Mejis cowboy formalwear for something more modern. He was grimly determined to enjoy himself and to check any lingering megrims and propriety he might have at the door... the moment he finished stocking the cocktail napkins.

Gods, when did he get so dull?

[aly_brighteyes]

"Well aren't you looking fine," Aly said in greeting, cocking a blue-draped hip. "What's someone so handsome doing sorting napkins?"

If he were to tell her, she would understand. Ennui was a difficult thing to fight, especially for someone used to having her head full to bursting. The adventure with Randall, however anticlimactic, felt like the first intellectual stimulation she'd had in a while. Of course she had fighting and practicing, but it was never the same as truly spying.

[saikamai]

Bert glanced up, looking more surprised than was maybe appropriate by the presence of a pretty girl in a dress chatting with him, considering he was, in fact, at a party. And in a suit himself.

"Well, he gets here, and as it turns out, he's actually scheduled to work," he said, dropping the box on the counter and stepping away from it to have a look at her. "You look lovely," he said, his smile looking momentarily out of place on his face. "Of course."

Bert looked down at his suit, thumbing the tie. "And thank you. I like it; it's more comfortable than what I had to wear at home for these kinds of things."

[aly_brighteyes]

"Work? At a party?" Aly asked, seemingly astounded. "This won't stand at all." She grabbed his hand and tugged him away from the napkins. "I demand fun, this instant!" she declared.

"And you do look good," she added. "Comfortable." Aly laughed and spun around a bit, letting the skirt bloom around her. "A little more casual than the last time you saw me at a party, isn't it?"

[gunbladescar]

Here I am. At a party with a bunch of people. I've heard it's a formal affair, but that box would only give me my formal SeeD uniform so I'd rolled my eyes at it and just gone with the flow.

I haven't said hello to Zell yet and by the crowd, I don't think he's seen me yet. I don't think he's looking for me to be here. I wouldn't if I were him.

But I figure I need to get out there and meet people. It's like me to keep to myself, but it's not like me to go without a plan. Or to give up. I think Rinoa (not to mention Selphie and Quistis) would approve.

And, would you believe it, I'm actually in the mood for a dance or two. I'll admit it. I can be quite competitive and I'm definitely a bit of a show off.

The music changes to something a bit more formal. Something to which I know how to dance so I march right up to the nearest partner less girl... woman. I bow, extend my hand and ask "May I?"

[aly_brighteyes]

Aly hadn't expected to be approached by a stranger to dance, except for her friends and only then for their mutual amusement and laughter, but his approach suited her just as well and she flashed him an open smile. "Goodness," she said, feigning breathlessness, "but I don't even know your name! Isn't that a little much?" Then she shifted into a proper grin and held out her hand. "I'm Aly, and it would be my pleasure."

[gunbladescar]

I grin at her reaction. I completely understand having been in her position in the past.

"Aly," I repeat, guiding her onto the dance floor, careful this time not to bump into any other couples nor to step on her toes. "I'm Squall. It might be a bit much, but that's the point of these events." At least that's my experience.

[aly_brighteyes]

Cordially, she pulled out the side of her skirt into a proper lady's curtsy. "And it is my honor to make your acquaintance," she said with overblown pomp and a sweet smile.

As they entered the dance floor, she took her position. She wasn't necessarily familiar with this kind of dance, but she was a quick study and Squall seemed like a confident enough partner.

[not_the_s]

His...Lex was being looked after by Anatoly and Kon just needed to relax. He needed an out and when he heard about the party, that sounded like the perfect out. Parties were always his thing and as long as there was music and dancing and women, he was going to be able to relax and forget for a few hours that his...Lex had gone crazy and tried to shoot people.

Forgetting about the bad stuff was getting easier again.

He stood on the edge of the crowd, eyes scanning it to see who was there before heading inside and losing himself.