A Night in West Egg

[professorlionface]

WHO: EVERYBODY OF ALL AGES
WHERE: The Xavier Institute
WHEN: The night of June 16th, all night!
WARNINGS: Who can really tell anymore? Probable language. Possible violence. Copious dancing.
SUMMARY: PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM PROM
FORMAT: OPEN

The guests into an auditorium transformed. Through the magic of papier mache, the room has been decked out like a speakeasy, the refreshments laid out on a very makeshift bar that will not stock alcohol as long as they can prevent it. The whole room is cast with a cool blue light, and a jazz band's been hired to take the stage for an hour before leaving the rest of the evening to the DJ.

It was time to get this party started.

quick-links!
DANCE FLOOR
REFRESHMENTS
SIDELINES
OUTSIDE

Comments

[luckout]

That's a stupid question. I would have still fed her because she was my lusus. And the necessity wasn't less dire so that means fuck all anyway.

[glowsferatu]

It's a hypothetical scenario. Do try to practice enough imagination to grasp that much! If, by some chance or magic or whatever may allow the desired result in your mind, even luck if it should please you, you would suffer n consequences from neglecting her, would you have?

How complete was the lack of love lost between you two?

[luckout]

Look, I don't get all up in your business about your relationship with your lusus, so why the hell are you getting into mine?

I wouldn't have neglected my duty to her, even if the circumstances were different.

[It's a lie. She knows she wouldn't have, but the circumstances were never different. She did what she had to do to survive and be a good troll.]

[glowsferatu]

You were the one who so triumphantly broached the topic, I merely recognized it for the empty air which supported it. You know how skillful I tend to be with a needle.

[luckout]

[She lets out a irritated huff before she can stop herself. This conversation isn't going the way she wants it, and it's like every time they talk she has less control than she had before and she hates it. She hates Kanaya for it and a number of other things she's discovered, and maybe that's what has her off her game.

With all the petulance of a child that has been denied the unbelievably cool toy in the bottom of the cereal box, her lips turn down in what would, on any other person, resemble a pout. On Vriska, it's an annoyed tick, the kind she gets when something doesn't fall in her favor and someone winds up hurt.]

This conversation is stupid and you're stupid. None of this has anything to do with anything anymore anyway. You're wasting your breath on what ifs and junk that doesn't matter.

[glowsferatu]

[ kanaya knows that look. it's the one she's been waiting for, after all, and seeing it only broadens her own smirk. ]

I'd hardly call it a waste. The fact that you may lack the intellect to properly meet the scenario is hardly my own shortcoming.

[luckout]

[Vriska is so, so tempted to punch that stupid smirk off her face, but she's trying to behave tonight. Cutting remarks are completely different from getting into a fistfight, as far as she's concerned. But her fists still ball up, digging her nails into her skin.]

Just because I'm not answering the way you think I should doesn't mean I'm stupid! Are you saying you wouldn't have taken care of her if you'd been in my position?

[glowsferatu]

I made no such statement. I never even implied any fault inherent to it.

You had your duty, Vriska, and a duty must be seen to its fruition, especially when one's survival is dependent on it.

[ she leans in slightly, playing her fingers against her chin in a mockingly thoughtful manner ] But your defensiveness would lead one to believe that you feel otherwise. Instead you carry it as your burden, something that you suffered through rather than meeting it with the diligence it required. That is why your relationship with her was so strained.

[luckout]

Are you serious? If I'm defensive at all it's because you're trying to accuse me of a bunch of shit. I had my duty and I did it, I don't know what else you want me to say.

Like you would have been any fucking better in my shoes. So what if I suffered through it? I still did it. And she didn't exactly make it easy on me.

[glowsferatu]

I dare say I might have, and perhaps even inspired her fondness in ways you hadn't. [ whether it's actually true is a little tenuous, allowing vriska to believe she really thinks it is should be infuriating enough ] It's all in the attitude with which you meet the obligation.

As an example, despite your constant mentions of the idea, I have raised no accusations whatsoever, but you are so ready to be accused that you found them in my words anyway. I merely find this phenomenon fascinating.

[luckout]

She would have munched your ass because you're soft-hearted. If anything, I at least knew her. Don't talk about my lusus like know a damn thing about how she was.

And I'm calling bullshit! Everything out of your mouth is a blatant accusation to bait me!

[And... it worked. GODDAMN IT.]

[glowsferatu]

[ which is precisely why she's going to keep pressing! ] We could take for granted that I would be far less soft in your position. I would at least be diligent to her, while you could enjoy your coddling.

Face it, Vriska, you want to be accused, you want to be presented with the guilt so you can decide whether to apologize or defend yourself, whichever you would feel more satisfied with at the time.

But do you have anything which demands apology? You had your duty, and you had to fulfill it. That was necessary for your own survival.

[luckout]

[If Kanaya isn't careful she's going to get shoved up against a wall. What of secrecy then. Vriska looks about ready to advance on her. The fact that a lot of what Kanaya's saying it true is really what's going to set her off.]

You don't know jack shit about what I want or don't want. My duty was necessary for the survival of a lot more trolls than just me. Not that it matters anymore anyway, which is why they whole conversation is pointless!

[glowsferatu]

So why have you bothered participating in it, then?

[ she knows that answer already, at least she hopes she does, and if her suspicions are correct, it isn't entirely about vriska's defensiveness.

maybe. hopefully. she's the one who started the conversation, at least. ]

[luckout]

[Kanaya, you can't just ask her about her feelings in public. Or ever. She grits her teeth, finally advancing on her.

She does it quickly to try ensuring that Kanaya can't get out of her grasp when she shoves her up against the wall, eyes narrowed and nails digging into her harm.]

Why the hell do you think?

[glowsferatu]

[ well, that's one way to get her to stop tittering on. instead, she turns red all over as her glow waxes brightly, embarrassment painted all over her face as she casts a glance about the room ]

Vriska, please! Someone will see!

[ worse yet, john will see, and aside from generally not understanding black romance already, he would need to have the incident explained to him. that would mean putting a name to this, which is something she's reluctant to do.

however, vriska does look great in that dress, and seeing her so angry makes her a little weak in the knees. she has to avert her eyes if she expects to keep her wits. ]

But I...I could stop by later this evening for us to further discuss this matter. ...If you wanted.

[luckout]

Wow, are you embarrassed by me?

[She leans closer, sliding her arms around Kanaya's waist so that to anyone else it would look like she's just hugging her. She's not wearing her heels, so she has to stand on her tiptoes to reach Kanaya's ear, but when she does she bites into it less than gently.]

I'd love to, but I've got a date. You know, one that isn't embarrassed to be seen with me. So I wouldn't wait up for a continuation on this. Not tonight, anyway.

[And then she's withdrawing, flicking her bangs out of her eyes again as she moves to turn around.]

[glowsferatu]

It isn't like that! [ well, not entirely...just mostly. perhaps more shame and guilt than embarrassment, the nagging feeling that she should not be pursuing a relationship with vriska and everyone knows it, though that only has the contradictory effect of making the idea even more alluring to her.

vriska holing it against her like this was so obviously unreasonable, right? she catches her by the elbow before she's fully turned. ]

It's a...a matter of propriety. Getting involved with anything in so public a setting would be out of the question, and I'm sure the chaperones would agree! Moreover, your possession of such a date for this evening would make even a momentary interruption on my part rather gauche. The, um, conflicts on one's schedule are usually preferable to not o-overlap.

[luckout]

Yeah, keep saying that and maybe you'll convince one of us that it's true. Here's a hint, it won't be me. John's busy with other people right now, I had time to waste on you.

[She shrugs, jerking her arm out of Kanaya's grip.]

But time's up for tonight. See ya, Maryam.

[She wants to linger a moment longer to see if Kanaya has anything else to say, but that would be giving her power that she doesn't want her to have. So she starts to walk away, making a point to sashay back to her spot to wait for John. She's making it no secret that she's trying to get her to stare at her ass.]

[glowsferatu]

[ and it works, to her embarrassment. which, as she's left there against the wall alone, is pretty much all she'd been left with in general at this meeting's sudden turn.

stupid sexy vriska. ]