It's Swing Time~

[cipherspeak]

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out Elisha's motivation for organizing - or, honestly, delegating the organization of - a semi-formal dance party. Lucinda had suggested a ball, with stars in her eyes. She probably had already picked out ballgowns and themes in her head when Elisha had nixed the thing and - in a moment of desperation, with the memory of the swing-themed Fox wedding still in his head - suggest a Spring Swing, instead.

Everyone had run with it, and Elisha was pleased to say it had come out well. He was even more pleased to say that he didn't have to wear a suit, even if he stepped out into the lantern-lit gardens in everything but the tie. He paused near the raised dais provided for dancing and gave the small band the signal to start up the music before he attempted to fade back in the crowd. Not that that ever worked.

"Let the games begin," he murmured to no one in particular as he picked up a glass of champagne off a tray.

Note: Open to everyone and their brother; tag around, have fun!

Comments

[lowtohigh]

There had been a fairly masterful plan. It had involved a neutral dress and a few bottles of dye and fabric paint to make something really a bit crazy.

But white dresses had been vetoed and Argine had been rather sharp about guarding the garment against alterations. On the bright side, that had resulted in a bit of actual mother-daughter conversation about things other than being grounded and what colour looked best with pale features.

So Eileen's stuck wearing a fairly neutral blue dress, yes, and hoping that her hair is enough of an identifier for Leigh. The dress, of course, has very little to do with her being in a much better mood than she has been in the last few weeks.

Dances are just... fun. Nothing wrong with enjoying that, right?

[allthesamemask]

Leigh had been rather more successful at convincing Säde to go for dramatics, so she's wearing a fairly dark green dress with enough neon trimmings to almost blind someone looking from space. The Queen of Diamonds isn't attending, so there's no need to act particularly prim- at least, not to the extent that it would get back to her.

Still, she's gotten tall enough to look out for reasonably-sized young ladies with blue flowers in their hair. And ideally should have tapped the right young lady on the shoulder.

[lowtohigh]

Argine is present--somewhere. But Argine had surely been appeased by the entirely demure dress. That surely meant that Eileen could actually enjoy a lovely night outside with properly fun music and wonderful friends.

It was, at the very least, her intention, particularly when spinning around brought Leigh and her much more fantastical dress into her sight-line; and, of course, a moment later, into a hug. "It looks even better in this light, Leigh, honestly."

[allthesamemask]

Hugs are meant to be warm squeezes that leave no space for breath. Leigh is putting all her strength into this one, with just a bit of relief that she's got the right girl. "I swear everyone's been making the exact same two kinds of expressions when I get past them. Either I look funny or I look weird- bad-weird, I mean, not good."

[cipherspeak]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Even Elisha, who has admittedly all but wed his office in unholy matrimony in recent months, is having some fun. At the Queen of Spades behest, the jacket was flung across the dance floor, and so was the vest, so by the time he approaches his Ace, he's down to well-tailored charcoal pants and a crisp Turnbull & Asser shirt that's probably rumpled enough to make Gideon cry.

Eileen, on the other hand, looks like a picture.

"Please say you've at least tried out one of the bouncy castles," he says. "For science."

[lowtohigh]

Gideon will forgive them, hopefully. Then again, hopefully, Gideon is actually enjoying himself at least just a little. It's important that everyone does it.

Even if the evidence is immediately hidden. Argine's got amazingly strong fingers for getting hair neatened back into place.

"Promise. With Leigh. She can verify." And, likely, the bright smile can verify as well. "Did you? Or is this--" the gesture at his rumpled state is without judgement "--just from entirely athletic dancing?"

[cipherspeak]

One hopes. Of course, Gideon's version of enjoying himself probably involves making certain that no champagne flute leaves the castle without sparkling as much as it could possibly sparkle.

"There's a rumor that I've grown up too much for a bouncy castle." So, no. Not yet, at least. "But the Queen of Spades was offended by the presence of my suit."

[heartbreakclub]

"Good evening, beautiful," the older man in a suit greeted with a warm smile. He's swapped out the hard liquor for some champagne, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't succumb to his usual vice later in the evening.

"You know, I was told we were supposed to dress down for the occasion, but that dress looks like something your mother would wear."

[lowtohigh]

"Good evening, Mr Caleb."

It's a fairly standard sort of greeting, yes, but it's absolutely underscored with an incredibly cheerful sort of smile. That's got to be an improvement from the usual tired grin that came with translations and moody chess-playing.

"She says I can pick out the next one. Which, I'm guessing, won't be until I'm fourteen or fifteen. She didn't approve of my attempts."

Which might or might not have been rather neon shades of purple and red.

[heartbreakclub]

"I'm sure she must have said that more than once." He didn't doubt that Eileen would have chosen something a little more... flamboyant - and no one in the room would have objected to it. But he couldn't complain about the respectable attire Argine had chosen for her daughter.

"It does take half the fun out of being Ace if you can't say no to your mother."

double-tagging might be about to happen, i will hold off on triple-taggin

[theacethatmatters]

Eventually at some point during the evening, Julien will move his way through the crowd until he and Eileen cross paths. For her, he'll smile slightly and nod down at her dress. "Why do I suspect that was someone else's choice?"

So do or don't go growl at Justin. :|a

[lowtohigh]

The smile gets a smile in return, of course, as well as the tiniest bit of a frustrated sigh as she looks down at herself. Self-conscious tugging at her skirt has been happening all night, and absolutely happens now.

"My mother's. I'm fairly certain she must have had one just like it at my age."

Well. He's there. Invading her castle. What do you think?

[theacethatmatters]

"You had something else in mind, then?" Well, obviously, he can tell by her reaction to the dress.

"Of course, you don't have to wear it for much longer." Just until the event was over, anyway. And then she could wear whatever she liked.

[fiddlerjohnny]

Not that the itinerant Heart fiddler or the de facto Club princess had ever had much to do with each other, but that doesn't mean when he ends up in her vicinity he still won't give an over-flourishy sort of courtly bow.

Blame Cynric.

"My lady, you are positively a vision on this lovely evening."

[lowtohigh]

It's a good mood sort of evening. And it's a very silly, very Joker-like sort of greeting. Her grin stays absolutely in place as she drops a much more demure sort of curtsy.

"You're ridiculously kind, I'm sure, Mr Johnny."

[fiddlerjohnny]

"Can I be ridiculously kind and tellin' the truth at the same time?"

Of course he can, no question.

"Beside,s shindig like this? You've gotta be on your best behavior, huh?"

[spysinspades]

They weren't on the best of terms, he would admit. And he deserved it.

And yet... It was a dance. And perhaps he'd be able to convince one out of her.

"On a scale of one to fiery rage, how much would you dislike a dance?" His lips make it a joke, and standing next to her facing forward makes it impossible for his eyes to give away the lie.

[lowtohigh]

She's not particularly pleased, of course, to see him. But today, at least, is a good mood. The evening, at least, is a pleasant sort of one that involves feeling charitable.

"...I think a four, really. It wouldn't have been so bad if she'd let me dye it brighter like I wanted to." It isn't the same. It isn't being able to run to her uncle, to cling to his hand and fall into the safety of someone she trusted. It's far from that. But this, at least, is a civil conversation as she watches the dancers. "Are you having a good time, David?"

[spysinspades]

"A four is a rather negotiable number," he observed, casting an eye over her outfit.

"It's a flattering color, if not to your taste. If you really wanted to annoy her you could paint it in food, though." David always had a good time at dances, so he thought about that question as he swayed on his feet.

"I do love a good reason to dance."

[threecardmonty]

"Hope you saved some dances for us old geezers," Monty teases her. "Reckon it's a might harder to smuggle out a change of clothes and do the old switcheroo on your way to the dance when it's held at your house, hmmm?"

[lowtohigh]

"If you haven't broken yourself already trying to impress your hip young girlfriend." But of course she has. Of course her hand is already reaching over for his, to cling to that if not to start dragging him into a dance. "It's not such a bad dress, is it?"

[threecardmonty]

He takes it and swings her out on the floor in a move flashy enough to show he knows what he's doing. "It's a right pretty dress and you look right pretty in it, only I caught a gander of Leigh earlier and reckoned you'd be a matching set.

"Think the Deck'll be ready for the twist come 2050?"

[hommesadique]

The sight of Eileen in a dress that wasn't black surprised Pierre; the flower in her hair was even more shocking, but he managed to school his expression into calm neutrality. Fortunately, he'd had years of practice at precisely that, so it wasn't overly difficult for him.

When slower music began, he bowed as was appropriate for a Ten to his Ace, then offered his hand to her. "May I have this dance, my Lady Eileen?" He'd be slow with her, gentle. Would possibly even smile for her. Maybe.

First, she had to accept the dance, of course.

[lowtohigh]

It had to be done. In fact, it ought to have been done with a brighter colour. How in the world was Leigh meant to pick her out of the world without something distinctive about her?

And, well, looking soft had gotten a few appropriately-aged young men approaching her, if not actually getting the nerve to ask her to dance. That seemed to be reserved for gentlemen over the age of 20.

It didn't matter. Eileen possibly even preferred it, from the look of her little grin as she took Pierre's arm easily. "It would be my pleasure, Pierre."

[hommesadique]

"No, miss. I assure you that the pleasure is mine," he chuckled coolly as they assumed their places on the floor. The music began, and so did their movements. He held her close, but not questionably so; his arm was tight around her waist, but not painfully so.

"You look flawless this evening, if I may say so, my Lady."