OPEN TO EVERYONE: Summer Gala

[bowdown]

Characters: Everyone!
Location: By the Park swimming pool
Rating: G to PG (any higher rating, please make a private log)
Time: 20th June (FORWARDED DATE)
Notes: Go ahead and add links as you please under the main threads. If there is anything you need or I forgot, contact me and I will add!

Tonight, the park is full of life. Lights show the way towards the swimming pool, where you can find large white tents set up, all connected to each other. Music, loud chatter and laugher come from them, and inside you may find Guests and Natives enjoying the night together, a rare sight after recent events happening in the City. But tonight, all of that is to be forgotten. Maybe.

Welcome to the Summer Gala.

Feel free to leave your coat by the Coat room, listening to music (some songs are even played by Guests such as Karina, Shinji, Nanami, Hamel and John), dance together (don’t forget the Partner’s dance!), enjoy good food and good drinks, and perhaps after take a stroll by the swimming pool and the park.

But please, don’t forget to thank your hosts, Keroro’s and Eve’s Metokkori R and Hikan Café, and thank Cupid, Lily’s Yesterday's Magic, Hyoubu’s World’s End, Condesce’s Betty Crocker Bakery and the Watch for all their help. And if there is any disaster with your clothing and hair tonight, look for Kanaya and she will give you a hand!

■ PREPARATIONS

Condesce [Open]
Keroro[Open]

■ ARRIVAL/COAT ROOM

Condesce [Open]
Sendo [Open]
Saya [Open]
Bumblebee [Open]
Matt [Open]
Re-l [Open]
Naoto [Open]
Lee [Open]
Fujino [Open]
Meenah [Open]
Minatsuki [Open]
Minako [Open]
Duo [Open]
Near [Open]
Hyoubu [Open]
Giroro [Open]
Kanaya [Open] - Clothing Repairs
Edgeworth [Open]
Dolorosa [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open]
Alucard [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Raidou [Open]
JK [Open]
Yuugi [Open]

■ DINNING TABLES

Saya[Open]
Senji [Open]
Re-l [Open]
Duo [Open] *
Josuke [Open]
Vincent [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open]
Naoto [Open] *

■ BAR

Matt [Open]
Re-l [Open] *
Psiioniic [Open]
Senji [Open]
Duo [Open]
Snake [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Meenah [Open] *

■ BALLROOM

Partner's dance
Lily [Open]
Minatsuki [Open]
Minako [Open]
Karina [Open]
Genesis [Open]
Kanaya [Open]
Dolorosa [Open]
Fujino [Open]
Hamel [Open]
Sugata [Open]
Hiro [Open] *
Yako [Open]
Asuka [Open]
Cupid [Open]
Sendo [Open]

■ SWIMMING POOL

Saya [Open]
Matt [Open]
Condesce [Open] *
Hyoubu [Open]
Shinji [Open]

■ LAVATORIES

Condesce [Open]
Yamazaki [Open]

■ WATCH AREA

Neji [Open]
Mello [Open]
Fabiola [Open]
Karkat [Open] *
Gray [Open]

■ PARK

Amaterasu [Open]
Mizuno [Open]

Comments

[tauborn]

[He's not going to wait for Yuugi to ask him to dance. Then he's going to wind up dancing the girl's part and he's learned his lesson after trying to waltz around with Sugata.]

Yuugi! You made it. And you're looking sharp. [He grins, holding up a hand.] It's the partner dance, you know.

[mieru_mienai]

[Wait, what. Yuugi wonders for a second if Takuto is just messing with him and then remembers... It's Takuto. A warm flush creeps up his neck and he tries to think of how to escape as politely as possible.] U-uh-- I don't know how to dance. So...

[tauborn]

[Takuto's grin becomes quite a bit more mischievous. He's up to something, Yuugi, but it's too late for you anyway. And the fact that you're starting to blush means he's going to milk this for all it's worth.]

You'll be fine. [He gestures for Yuugi to take his hand.] I know the steps and all you have to do is follow my lead.

[Yep, you get to be the girl.]

[mieru_mienai]

[... Why is this happening. By now Yuugi knows his roommate well enough to guess that he isn't going to let this go, and though to be honest Yuugi wants nothing at all to do with dancing a girl's part, he sees how things are going to turn out whether he wants it or not.

There's also more than a little guilt factoring into his decision when he very awkwardly and loosely takes Takuto's hand.]

F-- fine.

[Only one dance, though. Oh, and for the record there is no way he would've agreed so easily if there weren't already other guys dancing as partner couples on the floor. Otherwise this would just be way too weird.]

[tauborn]

[It's true that they aren't the only same-gendered couple, and honestly, even if they were it wasn't something Takuto would really care about, either. He'd already danced around with Sugata, after all, and since he's not sticking to dancing with just Yako, it's clear that dancing doesn't mean romance. It's actually more fun than anything else... and weirdly like resonance: once you got over the initial awkwardness, it was pretty easy to just go with the motions of your partner.]

You don't have to make that kind of face--I'm a pretty decent dancer, you know! [Note he doesn't say he's particularly good, just that he's not bad. But he's telling the truth, and he won't step on Yuugi's toes, and even if Yuugi is being kind of a sourpuss, Takuto is still having fun.]

[mieru_mienai]

[Yuugi's not trying to be a sourpuss--you're just too dazzling and uninhibited for him sometimes, Takuto.]

I believe you. [he assures him, reluctantly letting the other boy lead him out to the dance floor (and trying not to look around to see if anyone thinks it's weird.)] That's not the problem...

[tauborn]

Then what is the problem?

[And he's going to stare at Yuugi until Yuugi gives him a satisfactory reply. Even if he's maneuvering them around the floor with steps small enough for Yuugi to follow without too much trouble, his eyes will be boring into Yuugi's face.]

[mieru_mienai]

[Yuugi opens his mouth to answer but he really doesn't need to say anything; his clumsy shuffling footwork speaks volumes, left hand hovering near Takuto's shoulder almost without touching him at all.]

This isn't-- [Whoops, that was his foot bumping into yours.] --really my thing.

[What is timing. How does this work. He's also not very good at letting Takuto lead, his lack of experience with dancing making him want to always think one step ahead. Maybe bringing the resonance metaphor to his attention would be helpful...]

[tauborn]

[At least you're not stomping on his foot on purpose or something.]

Okay, hold on a second, just stand still. [He places Yuugi's hand firmly on his shoulder and holds the other one a short distance away from their bodies.] Now, when I move my foot, just follow the movement with yours. We'll go slow so you can get the hang of it.

[He slowly moves his right foot backwards, his hands pulling gently so Yuugi will follow.]

It's kind of like resonance. I'm the meister--I know what I'm doing so just trust me and follow along.

[mieru_mienai]

Er, right. [Yuugi nods once and attempts to do a little better this time around; the comparison with resonance does in fact help somewhat, with the following part. Which of course doesn't make it any less embarrassing that he's dancing as the girl but still, at least over time he manages to look a bit less like a stumbling fool.

The comparison to resonance brings other thoughts to the forefront of his mind as well, however, and he knows there are some things he can't and shouldn't put off much longer.]

Hey, Takuto-kun. [After a few minutes of concentrating solely on the dance, as soon as he opens his mouth of course he misses a step, but he gets back on track with the next one.] There's-- something I need to talk to you about.

[tauborn]

[He's patient with Yuugi, and there really is no need for any of this to be a contest, so as long as they are, in some sense of the word, dancing, then all is well. He blinks a little at Yuugi's words, but shrugs.]

I'm listening.

[mieru_mienai]

[There's probably a better place to discuss this but Yuugi has been keeping it to himself long enough. They're both men--well, young men--and they've been together for a while, not as official partners but reasonably close. As a friend of course Yuugi wants to be considerate of Takuto's feelings, but now that he's brought it up he isn't going to dance around the issue.]

It's about the pharaoh. [He draws in a breath, letting that sink in first for a moment.] He asked me to be his partner...

you really just said he isn't going to DANCE around the issue? LOL

[tauborn]

[Takuto's dancing falters.]

H-he did? [Unconsciously, his grip tightens on Yuugi's hand.] And what did you do?

Yes. Yes I did.

[mieru_mienai]

[When Takuto falters Yuugi slows and stops altogether, pulling the other boy off to the side and more or less out of the way of the other dancers. There's no way he can concentrate on footwork with that kind of reaction.]

I-- You remember when we met, when I said I hoped you found your partner and you told me it wasn't like that? [Yuugi remembers Takuto's words exactly, spoken at the time out of a very fresh pain.] "It's always good luck finding a partner."

[He's not trying to stall; he just really needs the meister to understand.]

[tauborn]

[He lets himself get dragged off the dance floor, folding his arms across his chest as he focuses on Yuugi. This didn't sound like Yuugi had said "no." This sounded like an explanation for why Yuugi had said "yes." And Takuto is a little surprised to feel the way he does about it.]

Yes, I remember that. [Though he usually doesn't try to remember that time period, or why that's what he believes.]

[mieru_mienai]

[With his hands free Yuugi has to fight the urge to fiddle with the chain of his Puzzle, anxious despite the certainty of his decision. His gaze drops momentarily and then he forces himself to look up again, meeting Takuto's eyes with resolute steadiness.

This does not feel good at all, but to avoid the conversation would be a great deal worse. When he speaks again his voice is soft, yet unwavering, words chosen with care.]

The pharaoh... He's my partner.

[tauborn]

[He opens his mouth and then snaps it shut, surprised by the sudden feeling of jealousy. Yuugi doesn't deserve any kind of harsh words from him--he can tell it's taking a lot for him to get the few words out that he has, and there's nothing unkind in his roommate's demeanor.

Still, it's unfair. Yuugi has his partner, and Takuto doesn't have his. And maybe... maybe for a while he'd been thinking that maybe... maybe Yuugi could have been....

He takes a deep breath, and nods slowly.]

And you're sure? That it's him?

[mieru_mienai]

[Damn, Yuugi hates this. He hates the thought of hurting anyone, letting them down... Especially a friend. So even though there's only one answer to Takuto's question, it's still hard to give. He swallows.]

I'm sure. [And this time when his gaze falls to the floor it's not because he's avoiding the meister's eyes, but because he's calling up memories of another world.] I'm his partner back home, too. It's my-- [Job? Duty? Destiny? He shakes his head slightly, dismissing the entire thought.] It's what I need to do here, too.

[Even more than that being Atem's partner is something he wants, but that part is still a little more difficult for him to say out loud.]

[tauborn]

[Takuto is quiet for a long moment, thinking hard. He knows exactly what he'd do if Aion returned. So there was no way he could blame Yuugi for making his decision.

That didn't mean he felt confident about the Pharaoh.]

If you were partners in your world, then why... why did you wait so long? Why did it take him such a long time to want to ask you? [He starts to frown.] Why didn't you ask him?

[mieru_mienai]

[Takuto's line of questioning runs dangerously close to tipping Yuugi back into his more awkward self; some of the answers to those questions are actually a little embarrassing now.]

He didn't know me when we first got here. For him we haven't even met yet, in our own world. [And wouldn't for about three thousand years further.] So we both needed time....

[There's really no need to mention that Yuugi's feelings were clear from the beginning about the partnership he wanted, or to explain the number of reasons those feelings have only now come to fruition. Largely that Atem wanted nothing to do with him for a while there.]

[tauborn]

[It's actually a pretty good excuse. He's trying to imagine what he'd do if, say, Sugata hadn't recognized him when he arrived in Death City. (He's trying to not imagine what he'd have to do if Aion returned without memories of his stay here, too.) It'd be painful, at least at first, but since he'd done it before it'd seem rather inevitable that he'd be able to befriend Sugata again. And although this does explain why Yuugi's seemed so up and down in his relationship with the Pharaoh, there's still something bothering Takuto about the whole situation.]

You mean he needed time? Because if you've always known.... [He hesitates for a moment, then plunges ahead.] People change, Yuugi.

[mieru_mienai]

[Takuto can say that again.]

Yeah, they do... [Yuugi agrees with the sentiment slowly, unsure for a moment what Takuto is trying to say. It takes him another second to realize that the other boy is actually worried; he'd been so concerned about hurting Takuto with this seemingly abrupt decision that he hadn't thought to expect that.]

It's all right. I know he's different--we both are.

[Trying to explain further rouses a mysterious feeling within him, one part eager anticipation, one part longing, and one part pure contented happiness, but the emotion is still vague and unexplored because when he isn't actually with Atem he quashes it back down again almost immediately.]

[tauborn]

[He raises an eyebrow as he looks at Yuugi carefully. The shorter boy has been his roommate and friend for quite some time. There's always been something about Yuugi that's reminded him of himself, and it hasn't just been the dazzling hair. There's still a strong determination within Yuugi, a desire to protect all of his friends and refuse to give up. He can't help but get the strange sense that Yuugi is falling into something he doesn't fully understand, but he knows that it revolves around the Pharaoh.]

Then how do you know he's ready? How do you know he's really the Pharaoh he's supposed to be in order to be your partner? I've... I've heard some things.... [He trails off into silence and then shakes his head. Sometimes the Pharaoh seems like a nice person, and sometimes... sometimes he doesn't.]

[mieru_mienai]

[Yuugi really didn't expect the conversation to go in this direction, and it's difficult because Takuto is asking him to consider the situation in a way that is absolutely foreign to him. Doubt or question Atem? Yuugi doesn't know how to do that.]

Heard some things...? [He repeats, uncertain for a moment until he suddenly frowns.] From Bakura? [The lack of suffix makes it clear he doesn't mean Ryou.]

[tauborn]

[He nods.] I mean, not Ryou--the other one.

[Takuto knows what it's like to utterly (and blindly) trust another person, and he's ended up burned by the experience. He doesn't want to see the same thing happen to Yuugi.]

I asked the Pharaoh about it, but he wouldn't give me any answers. He's... got an awful lot he's hiding.