Le Masquerade

[tragic_mask]

[ooc: please go first to the Through the Door thread. Thanks.]

 ETA: As of this thread, all new threads in the masquerade are now after midnight [the links below are now re-linked to after-midnight sub-threads]. React at your leisure.

The ballroom itself is a burst of dazzling light. Hanging from the vaulted ceiling are two gold-wrought chandeliers, both of which glow brightly over the occasion, and tall lanterns shine throughout the room.

 

The grand staircase descends with a flourish and opens onto the main ballroom. A balcony, which providing a clear view of the goings-on below, runs all the way around the edge of the room. It can be reached via any of the four spiral staircases in each corner of the ballroom.

 

Below, the wooden dance floor flickers gently in the light from above, and musicians in the side room play soft, classical music. Meg Giry, the dance mistress for tonight, is on the floor with a microphone in hand.

 

A low, wooden bar in the corner provides hors d’oeuvres and drinks to revelers; small tables for two sprinkle the area.

Comments

[bothbutneither.livejournal.com]

The sound of Gren's laughter is muffled by his mask and he has to tilt it away to take a sip of his Atlantean, but it isn't like Faye doesn't know this is him and suddenly hiding behing the mask seems both poignant and ridiculous. But it's the protocol here, so he tries to remain hidden... as if anyone really can.

"I did finish it for you. You might even like it." He doesn't tell her he changed the name on it; at least in his mind now it's called Faye's Lament. It's not a sad song, though, far from it. It reminds him a lot of Faye: the melody weaves back and forth, and sometimes it's smooth and sometimes it's abrupt. Part of the song is sad and slow, but part is faster, more melodic, lilting. It's complex at its core and he hopes it does her unique personality justice.

The Atlantean is strong -- he can almost feel it doing something to his sense of perception -- but not quite. That's one thing this place has taken away from him. It's a singularly disturbing thing to be able to feel everything in his heart but not in his body. But when all is said and done, it's just one more dichotomy in a long line of similar things, and even when it feels like the universe is just laughing at him he knows better than to take it personally.

[anythingbutblue]

"Oh, I might. You know what a tough critic I am when it comes to music. I'll be listening very carefully."

Even though she barely smiles above the lip of her glass, her eyes flash with amusement behind the mask.

"So when do I get to hear this masterpiece?"

[bothbutneither.livejournal.com]

For the second time tonight he's glad for the mask; he can only imagine what his face really looks like behind it. Some mixture of surprise, amusement, and satisfaction, he guesses. No one's flirted with him this way in a very long time, and it feels pretty good.

He leans forward -- no, he's not looking down the front of her gown; women aren't his style -- and speaks quietly. "I don't know, Faye. I guess it depends on how much longer you want to stay at this masquerade ball. We can wait till midnight to unmask, or... we could do it somewhere else. Somewhere with music."

Predatory, he thinks, but it's all in fun... mostly. "You're the fairy. You decide."

[anythingbutblue]

Now her smile widens.

"Well, I'll let you in on a little secret. I was planning to hit the road at the stroke of midnight, anyway. Fairies like to keep an air of mystery about them, you know."

She almost lets out a small laugh. Being able to dress up and go out and not think about certain things or certain people really does suit her.

And the Atlantean doesn't hurt.

"Like Cinderella running from the ball at midnight, I'll just have to leave anyone I've dazzled from afar to wonder who I am."

[bothbutneither.livejournal.com]

Behind the mask, he laughs even though it's muffled. "If there's anyone here you haven't dazzled, either up close or from afar, I'm going to have to find out what's wrong with them. You've certainly dazzled me. You're the loveliest vision in this whole place."

She is. There's something about the night: he's not sure if it's the masks or the costumes or the Atlantean or the atmosphere or maybe it's nothing in particular and everything at once, but he actually feels pretty good. Part of him insists that the dead don't have feelings like that, but a different, stronger part quiets that voice.

"It's almost midnight. Want to make a break for it?" Moving the mask aside, he takes a good sip of the Atlantean: it's not something to be wasted. "And then I can play you music, or whatever you want. I know I'll be the luckiest man in the place if I walk out with you on my arm."

Sometimes flirtation is harmless, but only sometimes.

[anythingbutblue]

For a split second, she's a little puzzled by him. There's no reason for him to be this nice to her, and there are lots of people out there who could make her suspicious just by treating her like Gren does.

(Not that she doesn't think she's entitled to a little appreciation.)

But Gren never has been like anyone else.

Tonight's not for thinking about what's going on outside the bar or what's going on inside or how Spike's doing or if Beth's had her baby already or what happened to Julia when she left or, most importantly, why there's no door for her. Tonight's just for enjoying herself.

And if Gren says it's nearly midnight -- and he's probably right because she knows she was fashionably late -- then it is about time to make her escape. If he wants to go somewhere and play her song for her after this, that's fine with her.

It's not every day someone writes a song for her.

"Thank your lucky stars then, Mister Saxophone." She slips her arm in his, but lifts her glass to her mouth again. "Hold on. If this magically got put on my tab," she adds lightly, "it'd be criminal if I didn't enjoy it."

It's just two quick mouthfuls of the Atlantean, and then she lifts her chin in the direction of the door.

"Time for Faye's famous disappearing act, don't you think?"

[bothbutneither.livejournal.com]

"No matter whose tab it's on, it'd be criminal if we didn't enjoy it." All one can do with Atlantean is sip it, really: it's that strong and served in such small quantities. There's only one other liquor he's ever known that's as fine and rich as this, and it's extinct, not made any more. Titanian Silver is its name, and he only ever had it once and that was a very long time ago but he remembers it being so pleasurable it was nearly unbearable.

One is silver and the other gold. A bit of the old childhood song plays in his mind and it makes him smile.

"Time for Faye's famous disappearing act... so long as you take me with you." The cheer in his voice belies this sudden great and entirely unbidden moment of sorrow over what has been and what will never be and for a third time tonight, he's entirely grateful for the mask.

"Lead the way, my fairy."

[anythingbutblue]

Two quick mouthfuls of Atlantean packs more of a punch than anything she's ever had, and she's reminded of that as she turns toward the door, feeling a flush in her cheeks.

It's just that she's never been all that great at policing herself. If she's got access to something good, she better hurry up and enjoy it while she can and before anybody else gets any bright ideas. It's how a lot of things go, and she's used to it.

"I bet it's an even more impressive act if I make you disappear with me."

To her credit, not even downing the last of her Atlantean too quickly makes her wobble on her heels as they make their hurried getaway, only pausing to let Gren step in and return his mask; she's had plenty of practice wearing heels in tricky situations. There's little she can't handle.

She only lowers her mask once they've exited the room, gone through the bar, and reached the stairs.