Event | Masquerade Ball

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Characters: All
Date: The Evening of October 30th
Location: The Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: Valdis and 'Rue' have put together an All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball.
Warnings/Rating: None

The day has finally arrived and the morning and afternoon are spent putting together what will be the scene of the Masquerade Ball at the Courtyard of Public Opinion. Kedan can be seen coming and going, carrying in decorations and lights and later on, various foods and desserts. Valdis, and Rue can occasionally be glimpsed directing people and moving things around, but anyone not a part of the setup will be ushered on and discouraged from lingering.

As night falls, the Courtyard will be brightly lit and ready for guests...

Comments

[denyamenti]

Other than a faint tightening of fingers around the girth of the glass, and the unerring track of mahogany eyes through the wolf mask as soon as China came near, there was little in the way of outward reaction from Bakura. He hoped that she was merely passing by him as an irritant, but then she returned with her own glass.

He sipped the potent alcohol from his own, the heavy ice cubes clinking against the glass. On one hand, being even slightly inebriated around China was probably a bad idea. On the other, it might be the one thing that takes the edge off her effect.

"Sha-kharew," he said coolly.

[inkulcation]

"My dearest Bakura," she returned easily, as light as if it was a genuine chance meeting in the streets and they both delighted to see each other. As if his tone was not a chill to match the oncoming winter. "You've outdone yourself tonight." This said with a flick of her pale gaze up and down him, appraising. And it was true, he cut quite a figure in that coat and mask.

Her own glass was only wine, something pale and cool, and her posture said she was entirely comfortable right where she was.

[denyamenti]

He replied to her compliment with a non-committal noise, as if he was merely humoring what he assumed to be a sly mockery. "And you," he replied, in the same level tone. "Enjoying yourself? Or is that a foregone conclusion?"

[inkulcation]

It was no mockery, though it didn't bother her over-much if Bakura took it that way; that was his own business. "It's a lovely evening," China said lightly. "The food has been well-prepared, and I've had dance partners whose grace is nearly unparalleled, and I've seen any number of rare sights. So yes, I'm enjoying myself, my dear. Can you say the same? You seem..."

A pause. She didn't repeat the up-and-down glance, but she considered, and took a sip of wine.

"Less than pleased," she decided, a moment later.

[denyamenti]

"It has nothing to do with pleased," he replied, except that it did insomuch as he'd been more or less fine with things until she'd wandered over. "This isn't a stage I'd prefer," he added, which was not a lie but not a truth either.

[inkulcation]

"You didn't strike me as the sort to prefer any stage," China said lightly. Thief, after all. Bakura would work best when un-noticed, and a stage was all about being watched.

She considered it, then amended. He would know there was value in being seen, but on his own terms, rather than anyone else's choosing. "Save your own making, perhaps, but another chose this one for you."

[denyamenti]

There was little use denying that, since he'd said that his costume was not his own doing, so he lets her assertion stand as is. It was also something of a dichotomy, since while a good portion of his thievery required being unseen, one didn't become the King of Thieves because they wanted to stay under the radar. And likewise, he was drawn to the competition of dueling, and the publicity that came with it, even though many of the times he'd dueled were for stakes beyond any title.

"In contrast to you, who puts herself on stage just by being?"

[inkulcation]

"So I do," China acknowledged, smiling. "One I made myself."

It wasn't like she'd been born with the curse of eternal adoration, or something equally trite. She'd made this choice herself, and used it as she would. She slanted Bakura a sidelong glance. "There's no hope of getting you out to the dance floor, is there, my dear wallflower," she said, contemplative. She might well be able to coerce him into it, but the fallout, especially tonight, would by no means be worth the entertainment. "What a pity."

[denyamenti]

"I wouldn't dream of ruining your streak of excellent dancing partners," he said, with enough dryness that it almost made the humour genuine. It wasn't as if he was ashamed of not knowing how, and any attempt to obfuscate on his part would just give China more fodder.

[inkulcation]

"Such a thoughtful man," she murmured. It sounded, more or less, sincere, though she was using it to cloak mild irritation. "Then I shall simply take your company for a little time," A pause. "Unless you plan to run off on me, my dear?" It would be so horribly rude, her tone implied, that she didn't genuinely expect it of him. But he might yet; Bakura seemed thus far an eminently practical man.

[denyamenti]

"That depends on whether you intend to behave yourself," the thief answered, raising his glass and taking a sip of the amber-sweet liquor. "And while normally I'd be inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt when in such a public view as this, you've burned that bridge."

[inkulcation]

China smiled behind her own glass, fully aware it wouldn't hide the expression. "Oh, I've been on my best behaviour tonight," she said, earnest, with no appreciable trace of sarcasm, though there was plenty of opportunity for Bakura to have seen her dance with Shudder. "I'm not about to do anything untoward in public, dear Bakura. Your purity remains secure."

She was equally sure anything resembling purity had long since left Bakura.

[denyamenti]

"I don't think the djadjut would quite agree with your self-assessment," Bakura answered. "But then, you seem incapable of making a good impression on anyone from your world, for someone who supposedly everyone adores. Coming to Tu Vishan must have been surprisingly refreshing for you. It really makes me wonder what would happen if you suddenly misplaced that defining trait of yours."

[inkulcation]

She laughed then, bright and cheerful. "I do have a reputation," she said. "I was, for a time, on the opposite side of the war from Shudder and his brothers. I took myself outside things, stepped down to neutrality, and have maintained that ever since, but Shudder does have a temper problem."

The smile she flashed over at Bakura had none of her charm in it, only cheery wickedness. "He's much less intimidating on his knees," she murmured, slanting her gaze down into her wine like it was suddenly very interesting.