NEW YEARS EVE FESTIVAL LOG (WOW GUYS, THIS TOTALLY ISN'T LATE OR ANYTHING...)

[asgardmods]

Who: Everyone!
What: New Years Eve! WUTWUT.
When: Err...New Years Eve. Wut...wut? (December 31st, Day 14, etc.)
Where: The Castle Plaza
Rating: Worksafe. If this changes, PLEASE INFORM THE MODS.

[Look down. Now back up! Where are you? You're in the Castle Plaza, with the Gods your Gods could God like.

[Lively, pleasant music hangs in the air around you as fireworks explode in the sky above. There is a tempting aroma teasing at your nostrils. Where is it coming from? Those long tables at the center of the plaza, overflowing with food you love. Craving anything from home? You'll be sure to find it there.

[Look around you. What do you see? Carnival games. Hundreds of Carnival games, including a dunk tank, and all for free! Carnival games not your thing? Why not give the dance floor a try? That music is awfully catchy, and just look at all those stunning lights!

[Enjoy yourselves, travelers. A New Year is upon us.]

Comments

[designerchild]

Are you making that a challenge?

[ Uh oh, now he's doubly determined. ]

Just once! I know, I know. My voluptuous hips set the bar high — [ Except he can't manage saying that with a straight face. ] But I know you can do it! No one's going to laugh!

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

You - your - [She can't even function. Her brain has short-circuited. Now she can't help looking at his hips as his moves to the music, and that makes her blush so deeply that she feels dizzy. It's like when Souji put his hand on her shoulder - her whole mind just went blank, and everything felt far too warm to be natural. She's back there again, and in that mentally numbed state, she shakes her skinny, shapeless hips a little.]

[designerchild]

[ Shit, is she okay!? Worried that she’s going to be sick (maybe it’s too hot on the floor), he reaches out to her, about to ask if she needs to sit down (water, she needs water!) when…

She shakes her hips! Mouth dropping in disbelief, he watches wordlessly before excitedly letting out a crow of victory, complete with a fist pump. ]

You did it! I knew you had it in you. You’re a pro at this

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[That's when the music slows a little, and she lets out a sigh of relief. There's no way he'd ever want to slow dance with her, so she can take a break and gather herself. Pushing her fringe off her face, she glances over at the sidelines and back to him. Does he want to come along?]

[designerchild]

[ The new tempo doesn't immediately ping Jr. because he's never been to a dance before and doesn't know what to expect. However, having seen enough movies, he knows what's expected when he sees what the other dancers are doing. Hands on his hips, he quietly "Ohhh"s and looks around for Nakama. ]

Hey, Nakama — ! There you are. Do you want to...?

[ He realizes that she's trying to abscond. ]

Tired? [ A grin. ] Not going to honor me as my partner for my first slow dance?

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[She turns back around to look at him, and when he speaks, she just - blinks. And blinks. Probably a solid half-minute goes past before she speaks.]

You - want to?

[designerchild]

[ Jr.'s generally not a patient person, but he doesn't try to rush her. ]

Of course I do! Don't you?

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

Oh - [Well, now she can't say no, it'll seem like a snub.

She approaches Jr. and - just sort of stands in front of him for a minute, wondering what to do. She'd noticed he was small during their first meeting - with some surprise, in fact - but now she's realizing just how much shorter he is and how awkward this could make dancing.

Finally, she rests one hand on his shoulder and lifts the other up to be held. Her palms are sweating furiously, and she's half-afraid he'll just let go and rub his hand on his leg, then refuse to dance with someone so clammy.]

[designerchild]

[ Used to being the shortest one around, Jr. accepts her hand and doesn't seem to notice if it's sweaty one way or another. Of course, he's looking to her for guidance on this, as he's basing his knowledge of these dances from unreliable videos. ]

Hey, Nakama.

[ He's serious now, but still smiling. ]

If you don't want to, it's okay. I just remembered what you said about teaching others about how to use this world's technology and figured...well, you could help teach me this! I can harass someone else if you need a breather. [ He winks. ]

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[Well, when he puts it that way...]

No, it's fine. I'd - I'd like to. [Smiling shyly.] Just put your other hand on my - my waist, and it's like the dance we were doing earlier. Left-together-right-together. But you go in a circle. I'll lead for now.

[She's leaving enough space between them for a good-sized person to walk through, though. She doesn't want to give him the wrong idea, and getting any closer... the thought makes her a bit dizzy again.]

[designerchild]

[ He does so, grinning secretly. He is familiar with the basics of dancing, though he's had no formal training. It's good to see Nakama loosen up though. ]

Gotcha. I'll follow you.

[ Jr. never gets wrong ideas. ONLY THE GOOD ONES. ]

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[She starts to move, gently nudging him in the right direction. It doesn't feel so agonizing once she's in the middle of it, but she keeps glancing down at his face, then looking back over the top of it in a curious sort of way. She's dancing, with a boy. She never would've thought she'd dance with anyone but her mom during their playful lessons.

After another quick glance down at him, she looks over his shoulder with a brilliant blush, trying to ignore how warm and heavy his hand feels on her waist.]

[designerchild]

Thanks.

[ Wait what? That was totally not what he meant to say. He was going to tease her about the blush! Groaning mentally, he forces himself to finish the thought. ]

I missed out on stuff like this back...home. So this? This is nice.

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

Oh... [She grins a little, and her arm moves without any thought behind it to curl slightly around his neck, bringing them closer together.] I've never really done anything like this either. It - it is.

[Then she looks back over the top of his head, and her expression becomes slightly melancholy.] ... sorry.

[designerchild]

[ Playfully, he peers down at their feet. ]

Why for? You haven't stepped on my toes once!

[ But beyond the teasing demeanor, he's studying her in concern. ]

Nakama?

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

Well, it's your first dance... and there's - there's lots of other girls here, who're... prettier, and cuter, and cooler, and I'm...


... I'm sorry.

[Yes, she's apologising for being herself. Smack the girl, if you will.]

whoops, if this comment posts 3 times, I'm sorry <3 internet connection sucks

[designerchild]

[ He actually starts to snort with laughter. It's really classy. ]

Are you serious?

[ Okay, enough of this boring shuffling. This may be his first dance, but this isn't the first time he's danced . Taking the lead, he flashes her a cocky smirk and then dips her. ]

How can you not know you're one of those girls? You're waaay cooler! Or are you trying to insult my taste in friends?

[ A mock serious glare. ]

haha, only got it once <3

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

Yo - ahhh! [She almost falls over when she's dipped, but just manages to stay in his arms until they're both upright again. Their bodies seem impossibly close when she's lifted back up, and her eyes are massive, her cheeks brilliantly red. The shock leaves her unable to voice all the objections that were building on her tongue.]

[designerchild]

[ Innocently: ] Me, what?

[ Back to tame shuffling once more. ]

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[She tries to look accusing, but it's mostly just sad.]

You're making fun of me, aren't you?

[designerchild]

[ The humor leaves him. He returns her look with one of his own. ]

Don't you know me better than that?

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

It's not you, Jr. It's not that I don't trust you. It's just...

[Her hand unconsciously moves to the back of his neck, cupping it ever so lightly. It's as though she's afraid of him running away, and whatever it is she's feeling right now, it's so strong that she's willing to make such a bold move to keep him nearby.]

... it's just that I know I'm not pretty, or cool. I've always been ugly, and I haven't been around people enough to know how to act. I say the wrong things, and I'm nervous all the time. You don't have to say nice things about me just because you're my friend.

[designerchild]

[ He feels her hand brush the hair on the back of his neck, wait, when did it get so long, and his cheeks color slightly in response. Blinking, he reevaluates Nakama in surprise. ]

You're not ugly. [ Brows furrowed, he stares at her in bewilderment. ] And maybe you don’t know how to act — that’s fine, because neither do most people! You’re human. No one is expecting you to be anyone but yourself. So this…

[ He gives her a pointed look. ]

So you are okay.

[agoodfamily.livejournal.com]

[She's going to cry. She knows in a moment that she's going to cry, again, when they're supposed to be having fun. And she's so furious with herself for ruining every good time they have...

... but he said she wasn't ugly. She can hear her mom's boss, there are some weirdos who might like you, and her mom, I'm sure you'll grow up to be pretty, and the chorus line of girls in her school, and suddenly all of them go silent. Because Jr. said she wasn't ugly.

She moves a bit closer, close enough to bend down slightly and rest her head on his shoulder. Her heart's never raced this fast in her life. Is this what it feels like, that thing she thought would never happen to her? That part of her she thought was broken or blunted forever? She'll never tell him, no matter how many nice things he says about her - but somehow, in this moment, she feels more alive than she ever did before her death.]

[designerchild]

[ Frowning lightly, Jr. stares at the far wall through the crowd of bodies, distantly wondering if he said the wrong thing. Was she upset? Shifting, he glances at her, but with her head tucked against his shoulder like that...

Man, girls are hard to get and no one understands.

After some time, the song eventually comes to a close and the dimmed lights seem to spark back into life. Blinking, Jr. pulls back, offering her a wide, if uncertain, grin. ]

Soooo, how was that?