nytcwl

[nytcwl]

❝ Well, you are definitely way cuter, ❞ Umi stared at her with a smile, just then realizing the veracity of that comparison. Her playfulness and curiosity have been mere glimpses for the merfolk, but now that she was looking at her (respectfully) more clearly, she noticed a spark of attractiveness that was beyond that of her definitely long-gone sea lion friend, Kochi’s. She feigned a cough to recompose herself, not wanting to further linger on that thought lest she might think her weird or creepy or whatever else. ❝ Dolphins can be terrible bullies, so best keep a distance from them. ❞ ❝ That’s too kind of you, Ms. Leone, ❞ Umi felt her cheeks flush, so she instinctively looked down, away from Marlowe’s cute eyes. She wasn’t quite sure whether she deserved such kindness or appreciation. Ryujin knows she’s done unkind things to survive. As much as she’d like to witness Marlowe’s perfection, she wasn’t sure she deserved to. Her question of home and missing it only served to make her feel sadder. ❝ I do, actually, ❞ Umi remembered her old swimming grounds, the rivers and seas that made her feel free, the beaches that were home. Then she remembered her guardians, her captors, how they exploited her abilities and her very existence, and suddenly, home was never home. Maybe she’s still looking for it to this day. ❝ But there’s a reason why I’m here now and no longer there. Maybe you’ll find your reason to travel further soon. ❞

the comparison may have come off as odd or random to others, but marlowe is delighted by the comparison. ❝ i'm TOTALLY a sea lion, aren't i?? ❞ maybe she's the only one in town that would get excited by such a comparison. as long as nobody tells her that they have been known to eat penguins. ❝ playful, curious, social... that's me! dolphins get everyone's attention but sea lions are way cuter! ❞ in her mind, they were like giant otters. and she definitely has a soft spot for them from a trip to an aquarium when her family was still whole that she can barely remember other than getting her picture taken getting a kiss from a sea lion after her dad worked double time to get her chosen out of the crowd.

❝ yes!! i'll need your brutal honesty so i can get them perfect for you!! ❞ she'll try her hardest to get them as perfect as possible the first time, but as always she's sure there will be room for improvement. her hand gently rests on umi's wrist that's still on marlowe's shoulder when the other woman mentions home. ❝ do you miss it? home, i mean? i didn't even leave the state the only time i've lived away. ❞ maybe it's too intrusive of a question considering they have just met, but marlowe definitely already considers her a friend.

[nytcwl]

❝ Hmm, yes, flesh, ❞ Lana turned at what exposed flesh of Maia’s her eyes could lay witness to and ran a finger over it for a brief moment or two, savoring the warmth of her skin. The last time they were together was quite the most fun she’s had in recent memory, both the fun times in bed and more questionable activities elsewhere. She almost admitted to missing her touch, her very presence, but then she remembered it might be considered a weakness, and Lana would rather not have her weakness be exposed (at least not with clothes on), so a playful jab it was, ❝ I’ve been better. Almost forgot you even existed. ❞ ❝ What about you? You’ve been missing this pretty little thing, haven’t you? ❞ she narrowed her eyes toward the sultry woman, as sweet as she was, how the newborns would say, spicy. Theirs was a rollercoaster relationship—no, not that word—attraction, and despite the bumpy start, the witch always enjoyed the night walker’s complexity. Lana herself was no saint, after all, and sinning to her was simply another freedom exercised. She grinned, scrunching up her noise, feigning a bite at the seductress, ❝ Do tell. Or is the trouble you mean to cause here tonight much more fun? ❞

Maia grinned as soon as the recognition fell over Lana, happy to be on the same page now. "In the flesh. It's been a long time Lana." She gladly held eye contact with Lana, memories flashing back of their trysts together among the years. Maia watched Lana look her over while taking the money, expecting nothing less from her. "I'm always lucky to see you. How have you been?"

"Oh we can't have that. Pretty little thing like you? Everyone should be falling over themselves to entertain you." Maia walked forward to help close the space between them. The two of them had a history of falling into each other. It was fun and helped pass the time, so it only excited Maia to know that she had another person she knew in town. As the two got closer it was like the spark was ignited again. She gladly moved her hair and leaned in even closer to Lana. "Oh I have loads of suggestions but they'll all take us away from the festivities tonight." She said with a wink.

[nytcwl]

❝ Local? I suppose you can call me local now, but I prefer you call me Lana instead, ❞ she had to think about that for a bit. At least the first part. Was she truly a local? She was definitely more of a local than him, having already spent more years in Westray and not seeing herself leave for a few more. But, like him, she had moved here, too. Was that the end of their similarities? ❝ Why the move, Roland? Does Grand Viridian pay that well for security? ❞ Considering the...things in this settlement, maybe it did. But also considering the same...things, how much money does one actually need or want for them to risk their very life against those...things? ❝ Or are you just passing through? Staying for enough time to sample the local...delicacies? ❞

he chuckles along at her reaction to his confession. ❝ a woman after my own heart. we're here for a good time, not for a long time, right? ❞ there isn't a shine of disappointment in his eyes at her assessment of how fun the event would be. maybe the gawking and gossiping about who is dancing with who is the highlight of this event for most, but the expectations of the substance of events, even annual ones, can be tossed out the window by the citizens of westray now that clan solune is settled. ❝ a fight? maybe under the right circumstances. ❞ spilling some blood on the marble flooring does sound a little inviting, he won't lie. ❝ how rude of me to not introduce myself to my knight in a shimmering blue ballgown. i'm roland, a security guard at the grand viridian. i've been in town a couple of months getting it all set up. what about you? are you a local? ❞

[nytcwl]

❝ Oh, it’s you, ❞ she had her theories, but as soon as the mask was off, Lana was face-to-face with a most beautiful fact. Maia Kelly was definitely one of her most favorite memories. There was no denying that. She watched her with narrowed eyes, as if intending to memorize her features, as if she would suddenly vanish if Lana took her eyes off of her for even just a second or two. Without averting her gaze from the other woman, she felt the money with her fingers, placed it over her nose and lips for a sniff and a smooch, and gave her a devilish grin, ❝ Aren’t you lucky it’s just little old me then? ❞ ❝ This must be my lucky day as well. I thought I would die of boredom, ❞ she raised an eyebrow, her ice cold eyes wandering all over Maia’s body, obviously enjoying (maybe a little too much) of the view before her. Much of that enjoyment was doused in playful intimacies, past naughtiness with each other. What started as occasional barbs, which still exist every now and then, turned into a more enjoyable tryst when the occasion called for it, and it usually did, often, between them, when they were in the same space such as now. Lana walked closer to Maia, and once only a breath separated them, she whispered into her ear, ❝ But now that you’re here, Maia, we can finally have some fun. Any suggestions? ❞

Maia sighed, hoping that the other person wouldn't take too much joy into it but expected it none the less. "Yeah yeah get your laughs in now." She grumbled before walking a bit more forward to see who it was. The moment she recognized Lana she laughed and lifted up her mask so she could see. "Wow how rude I thought I'd be more memorable." She reached in her bra to pick out the cash and hand it over. "Yes, we have but it was a while ago. Didn't think I'd see you here."

[nytcwl]

❝ Oh, ❞ was all that Umi could say after taking in the facts that he knew Amaros intimately but they weren’t related or coworkers or together. It disappointed her, realizing that they may just be close friends, as she thought her first suspicion was more interesting, but then realized that it also meant her strategy in making Amaros buy more of her catch was still in play. ❝ But you would still know whether he was single or if he even likes women, right? ❞ There was nothing to suggest to her that that Amaros wasn’t single or he didn’t like women, except for maybe her seeing them together earlier and assuming what their relationship was. Still, to Umi, having someone there who knew Amaros was too good of an opportunity to learn more about the Setting Sun bartender to simply pass up. ❝ Zak... Of course! That does make more sense! Although I’m sure some people still call you Tony? Where are you from, Tony? Have you always lived here in Westray? ❞

"I'm not sure anybody knows Amaros quite as well as I do." The words slipped out without much thought. Not entirely sure what he meant. To his knowledge his friend wasn't open with many other people, but he liked to think the two of them shared a sense of openness and familiarity. He could easily be wrong though.

He couldn't help but laugh a little at the suggestion of him being related to Amaros'. To be honest Zak didn't think he could survive a day being involved with that family, but there was probably more to him being thankful he wasn't related to the boy. "Nope, and no again. I don't think I could hack it behind a bar." Having not worked a day in his life, Zak wasn't entirely sure what he could hack, but a bar was not his first choice.

There was a reason Zak usually went by a nickname. Even letting people call him Red was easier than his full title. So he was quite used to people finding it peculiar. "It's an old name. A very, very old, family name." He smiled "Most people just stick with Zak though. It's easier to pronounce."

[nytcwl]

❝ Well, I do enjoy...a lot of fun. Consider your invitation accepted, Mr. Riddle, ❞ Umi continued to smile, even if she wondered, at the back of her mind, if that so-called fun involved the missing humans. Fortunately for her, she was not human, and the last time she went missing, she only learned to better survive what dangers were thrown at her. She was confident that this, if it was anything dangerous, she would survive. ❝ That sounds like a very profitable possibility for the two of us, your business and mine, ❞ she let out a gleeful chuckle, moving her upper body backward a bit and raising her shoulders to boot. She had seen someone else do it before: A young girl who wanted to be treated like a woman. It worked for that stranger back then. Why wouldn’t it work for her now? Of course, Umi wanted a different thing, and that was for Finn Riddle to think she was very much involved in her own business, more involved than the years have made her. ❝ Tell me: Does your gathering have seafood on its menu? I would love to indulge your guests’ appetite with all of what Westray’s waters could offer. ❞

The reason why he had decided to be polite and adhere to the normal etiquette at such gatherings was not kindness, yet she did not need to know of that. His smile grew brighter with her words as if the compliment meant something more than intended. “  I would love for you to visit, perhaps you would have a better understanding of my gathering. I need to warn you, though – you’d have a lot of fun.”  He had decided not to address anything else that was hidden in her words; it was obvious why she avoided the topic of the rumours for his establishment – some simply did not understand that a good time was always priced in more than money, and sometimes it was not what one could afford. “ They have indeed, they are not only efficient but also adapting to the growing demand and I’d love to see you stay on the market for long and grow. We can collaborate if you think an expansion might be a plan in your future. I am certain my guests would enjoy your food.”

[nytcwl]

❝ Well, well, well, ❞ Lana smirked, both her lips and her eyes delighting playfully. She looked her prey over, delighting even more at the beautiful view before her, trapped for only her to do with as she wished. Now that was another delightful thought. Licking her lips, she mangled the term, ❝ Looks like I caught a pretty little goat crasher. ❞ In Lana’s defense, she’s seen more goats crash into things than gates getting crushed. Goats as in the livestock but also as the things that no one normal should ever see deep in the mines. ❝ You look familiar, ❞ she narrowed her eyes when she suddenly sensed some familiarity with the very attractive young woman. Now that she was thinking about it, her prey’s face was something she had definitely seen before. She extended her hand for the $40, even though she was already thinking about the pretty little things she and her plus one could do after the party, ❝ Have we made out? ❞

open event starter, Maia Kelly

Maia knew she wasn't supposed to be there but it was a thrill trying to get in some place that was off limits to her. And after all she was trying to be good since coming to town, even so much as giving up her old ways of life to try to be normal for the first time ever, so she felt like she deserved to do something fun for a change. So of course that meant crashing the werewolf party that was invite only.

She came prepared of course, in full gown and mask, but there were still some things she didn't plan for. First she was having a killer headache that she couldn't remember the last time she had one this bad. But she tried to drown it out with music and alcohol as best as she could. Her eyes started to wander around the artifacts, seeing what the museum held and if anything was worth swiping.

Maia knew the secret of getting away with things was acting like you belonged there. But that was hard when she took a very clear wrong turn and ended up at a dead end, turning around to find someone blocking her only way out. She figured there was no use but to come clean. "Okay so maybe I crashed. I'll give you $20 if you forget you saw me. Or another $20 if you add me as a surprise plus one."

[nytcwl]

❝ I like weird, ❞ Lana shrugged, as if that was a normal thing to say, as if nothing she’s said was out of the ordinary. To be fair, she’s been weird her entire life, her history nothing but weird. To that effect, she often found herself drawn to weird things, sometimes even weirder. ❝ Weird is better, less boring, ❞ she continued, still seemingly oblivious to what was wrong with being weird, if anything. Her expression switched from mild disinterest to an excited beam when a certain dessert was mentioned, and back again when she heard the disappointing truth. ❝ Ah, that is a shame, ❞ she frowned, looking him over again. Did he smell like cheesecake? Was that why she thought he smelled familiar? It couldn’t have been just that. She sniffed him again, right then and there, and turned her frown when into a scowl when she realized he didn’t smell like it. An eyebrow raised, she heaved a sigh, shrugging, the concept of a pick-up line lost on her, his teaching included, ❝ I suppose I could be the snack. Do you want to eat me? ❞ ❝ Every weekend? ❞ Now that was a statement that confused her, even though the answer was clear. She shook her head in disbelief, with a hint of disgust, not just disappointment, bubbling underneath. Lana was a simple woman, a dark witch but also a miner and store owner. She sells the stones she finds, sprinkle some magic on a few, and call it a very exhausting day. Crossing her arms over her chest, she continued with her interrogation, ❝ Do you not get tired from working? ❞

"That's a weird pick-up line.", Luke muses, hands pushed inside of his pocket, "Babe, you could have just said I look familiar." Remembering that she might not be a supernatural, Luke scans her some harder, but then he briefly recognizes her from the Bite, and some glimpses he got outside of the kitchen. "You're that witch that always gets the cheesecake!", the brunette remembers, "Fascinating to see you outside of the Bite for once. Sadly, no cheesecake from me today."

Looking them up and down, Luke allows himself to scan their body, "So that makes you the snack." A dramatic pause follows, "See, that's how you do a pick-up line, darling. Dramatic timing, all that. Cheers." Lifting his glass of champagne, he takes a sip, "I go to events like this basically every weekend. Does not get any less boring, really."

[nytcwl]

❝ Ha! Now you just made my night less boring, ❞ Lana let out a chuckle. She had expected as much, which was her greatest motivation to insert herself into his situation. It was either stumble into small talk with familiar faces, conversations that would have been very similar to ones outside parties, or start a fight, so him crashing the party uninvited was the best option for her. If anything, a fresh face would make for new stories. ❝ How new? Hope you don’t get bored. Aside from free food, there’s more gawking and talking than anything fun. Unless you want to start a fight, newbie? ❞ That was obviously the worst idea to have in a closed space with witches and vampires and everything else, but Lana would definitely have a raucous laugh from all the chaos. ❝ What is your name, by the way, and what do you do in town? ❞

eyebrows raise when the words slip from her lips. guess he wouldn't need to use his smooth talking, enhanced by his vampirism or not, to get through security tonight. a well-practiced embarrassed smile meets the guard's somewhat skeptical face as his hands pause his faux pat down before he takes her arm. ❝ she even reminded me to bring my id, she's always telling me how forgetful i am. ❞ then they're walking into the event and he's hoping this is a sign that his night is on the upturn after this killer headache settled in as the sun started to set. ❝ you can cash in your favor any way you'd like, this evening or otherwise. i appreciate it. ❞ he gently pulls his arm from hers once they reach the main room of the museum that will serve as the ballroom tonight. ❝ how upset would you be if i said no? i'm new to town and didn't want to miss out on the party of the early summer. ❞

[nytcwl]

Umi let out a brief laugh, genuinely finding her humor refreshing. It wasn’t that high of a bar, though, as the merfolk found most things funny. She placed a hand on Marlowe’s shoulder, wiping a nonexistent tear from an eye, mostly because that’s what she believes the most human thing to do. Even after so many years, her immediate referential source of human behavior was still those aged cartoons that had just shifted from black-and-white to full living color, ❝ You are a hoot, Ms. Leone! ❞ ❝ You remind me of a sea lion, ❞ Umi randomly stated, as if she wasn’t the one who started clapping a little earlier from then, as if that was simply a matter-of-fact, though in a way it was, a matter of fact, as it was simply her referencing an old friend from years ago. His name was Koshi. He was dark grey, around 7 feet and a thousand pounds. He and his kind went extinct in the 1970s. She looked at Marlowe with utmost affection, keeping her hand on her shoulder, ❝ Mochi would be best, but everything else wouldn’t be so bad either. ❞ Umi didn’t think much about it, but the existence of her sweet tooth could not be denied. She especially enjoyed the ones made by hand, by passionate bakers, professional or otherwise. As if her swim down memory lane wasn’t enough, she further admitted, ❝ It would remind me of home. ❞

she's completely unaware of how on the nose her statement is. it's quite hyperbolic, the phrase, though she's fortunate to not be plagued by anxiety with new experiences and new people the way some are. ❝ odd, isn't it? i promise i wasn't flopping around on the streets. ❞ she laughs at her own joke for a moment before realizing how odd it sounds. her mom's always told her that her mouth can run a mile per minute at times which can lead to her saying things that people usually kept to themselves. it also drove her ex a little crazy, which left her more eager to be true to herself. if people were too straight-laced to not laugh off an awkward moment or two, loey didn't think they were worth her time anyway. ❝ we are really lucky aren't we? it's a privilege to live passionately. ❞

the sudden seriousness in umi's tone and gaze stops marlowe short. seems like her new friend, yes she already considers her a friend, is hardcore. she's about to let out a nervous chuckle with a statement that she wishes she had no weaknesses when umi laughs herself and admits it's strawberries. instead of nervous laughter, a chaotic and unbridled one erupts from marlowe instead. she believes she's found a kindred spirit, outward excitement accompanied by clapping? maybe she shouldn't have held back earlier.

❝ strawberries is a great answer!! one of the best fruits if they're not the giant, bland monstrosities from the grocery store shelves. ❞ she listens attentively to the suggestions. ❝ ooh mini cheesecakes would be great! hmm... i could try my hand at red bean paste cookies. crinkle or madelines! and i've always wanted to try my hand at mochi. ❞

[nytcwl]

❝ You are most kind, ❞ Umi’s lips curled into a smile at the flattery before her eyebrows shot up as he pressed his lips on her hand. A gentleman? She was most pleased at having her instinct for interesting things proven worthwhile. The merfolk fisher mouthed his name but never spoke it, simply trying to get used to an equally interesting moniker. ❝ I have, I believe. Don’t you own that club in the forest? I haven’t been there, yet, but I’ve heard so many...things about it, ❞ she made sure to mince her words appropriately. As a fellow local business owner, even if just by name and rarely by practice, Umi knew full well the dangers of bad advertisement, and that not all promotion is good promotion, or however those phrases work. Idioms? Umi wasn’t quite sure what the right word was but she also wasn’t quite sure there was any truth about the disappearances. Or if there was any concern from her side. She gave him a slight bow, a gesture of appreciation for his kind words, though she took none of it for herself, ❝ The management has done wonders for Oyster Royale. Our general manager has been very...efficient at their work. I will deliver to them your praises. You will find them most grateful and appreciative. ❞

A place full of bored souls waiting for someone to entertain them, and also those who knew how to entertain themselves. He could not ignore the effort that was put into bringing the differences of all citizens together; it was indeed charming to believe a gathering could soothe a fire of anger that had burned for years. Still, pettiness did not look good on him, and instead, he decided to use it as a way to entertain himself and perhaps create a few useful connections. His thoughts were interrupted by a bold statement that he decided he would take as a compliment – he looked charming, yet interesting was another useful way to be perceived. “Thank you, and you look stunning.” Instead of shaking the extended hand, he took her in his and gently kissed it, lips barely brushing against the skin, for he was a gentleman.  Her occupation was more interesting than her name, still, he had to pretend to ignore that for a while. “ It is a pleasure to meet you, my name is Finn Riddle, and I assume you have seen me around.”  His advertising campaigns never lacked attention; there were a few billboards with him, but he was more careful with those, after all, everyone would see he was not aging. “ I have dined in your fine place; the food is always exquisite. I can see it is managed with great care. I  can only applaud the management.”

[nytcwl]

who & what: @faeriddled (closed; for finn riddle) when & where: the lunar eclipse masked ball at the moonstone museum

❝ You look interesting, ❞ Umi turned to the man standing next to her, Finn Riddle, and her attention was immediately grabbed by what he was wearing. Something about them made her feel all sorts of things, but she wasn’t quite sure yet if those were bad or good. All that she was sure of was that he seemed like he had a story to tell. ❝ Izumi Tokugawa, owner of Oyster Royale, ❞ she introduced herself with a hand out for him to shake, a smile on her lips. Despite spending more time fishing at the beach or at the ports, she knew it was much better to attach her name to the restaurant she (barely) owns. Technically, it was under her name and she made all the final decisions, but the head chef and the general manager were the ones who worked there every day (that was a working day), not her. She knew and accepted that without any hint of embarrassment or annoyance. Right then and there, she also suddenly knew who the person next to her was, the realization just dawning on her and making her ebony eyes widen with surprise, ❝ I know you, don’t I? ❞

[nytcwl]

❝ Not as much as you do, apparently, ❞ Umi put on a frown, the cutest she could make. It wasn’t as unsettling as most other attempts would be. Despite her actual age, she still had that youthful glow around her face, making her appear that the attempt was just normal for how old she appeared to be. Immature or playful, that was more subjective. ❝ You’re not related, are you? Or do you also work at the Setting Sun? ❞ Umi tilted her head to one side, confusion taking over from the previous frown. With each second that passed, she was growing more and more curious about Amaros’ friend, especially with a last name such as his. Where has she heard that before? Despite intentionally staying far away from sociopolitical matters, it still sounded quite familiar to her. ❝ Your last name sounds very...interesting. Well, your full name is, and that’s coming from me! ❞

After arriving with Amaros Zak had found himself alone stood by the door. Feeling a little out of place, but thankful to be at a big fancy event that wasn't in any way put on by his parents. It meant he could finally relax, have some fun, mingle without the pressure of his title.

As he took a long swig of his wine he clocked the woman coming towards him. Smiling warmly as she greeted him. There was a strange sense of familiarity about her. He hadn't seen her before, not that he could remember anyway, but there was something about her he just couldn't quite place.

"Hello, It's a pleasure to meet you Tokugawa." He nodded, reaching out his hand to hers and shaking it, firmly , like he had always been taught to do. "I'm Zakatonus., Zakatonus Marlinheart." He replied, almost blushing when she asked about Amaros.

"Together?" Zak knew there were many different ways that humans interpreted such a word, and he knew exactly the way she meant by asking. "Not together, no." He said, with a hint of regret in his tone. "I've known him for some time, do you know Amaros well?"

[nytcwl]

Umi raised an eyebrow. For someone who often spent more time fishing on her lonesome than socializing at her restaurant, she appeared to be very much in her element at the masked ball. She had no problem politely smiling at unfamiliar and familiar faces, making small talk and feigning interest in how they were, though by the time she decided to flutter toward the bar, her cheeks and her jaw felt like bowing out for the night. Then the eyebrow-raising, confusing greeting from her so-called favorite bartender. For a split-second, Umi thought about f#@%ing with him, pretending she didn’t know who he was, that she wasn’t the annoying fisher who’s been trying to get some fish items on the Setting Sun’s menu, all so she could sell them her extra catch. Would that be cruel? ❝ Have you had too much to drink already, Amaros? ❞ Umi leaned toward him, a playful smirk on her face, as she gracefully placed her hand in his. Then she let out a tiny laugh, ❝ Or am I just too beautiful tonight that you didn’t recognize me? ❞ Being this close to him would not have been anything different or special, as she had a terrible habit of invading his space to get him to buy her extra catch. But in this context, in the setting of a ball, with him in a rather dapper suit and her in a ball gown, things felt a little more interesting. ❝ Still, I do enjoy flattery. The pleasure is all mine. How has your night been so far? ❞

( @nytcwl -- The Lunar Eclipse Masked Ball late, in the evening )

Completely delighted about getting a single moment of piece, Amaros slips onto a chair at the bar, and is immediately confronted with his wonderful, stunning older sister. She's that by just one year, and even though they are almost the same age, she seems to have found joy in behaving like a toddler, pestering him constantly whenever she gets the chance. To his luck, she disappears after a few moments of bickering, running to find Zak. Amaros lets his head sink onto the counter of the bar, and takes a deep breath. When he lifts his head off of the counter again, he's faced with an unfamiliar face. On his chest, the crystal emits a faint glow -- identifying the person right in front of him as merfolk.

"Hey.", Amaros greets Umi, "I don't think we've met, which is a crime, because you look fabulous, and I've been here my whole life, and usually gorgeous creatures never get past me." He holds out his hand for Umi to place hers in it, so that he can kiss her knuckles, "Amaros Coralin. A pleasure to meet you."

[nytcwl]

who & what: @cursedspeed (closed; for lukas haskell) when & where: the lunar eclipse masked ball at the moonstone museum

❝ You smell familiar, ❞ Lana narrowed her eyes as she approached the man who had the mask that was close enough to hers. At least in color it was. Some of it at least. Besides that, Lana could swear there was something familiar about him, something that reminded her of someone she once saw. Even if she actually spent most of her time between the Soulstone, which she owned, and the Mines, which her dark half illegally owned, she had once or twice ate at the Bite for the best cheesecake of her life. Has she seen Lukas Haskell there? Probably. She barely even knew who owned the fancy restaurant, let alone the identity of the son, chef, or heir apparent, whichever he was of those three. Heaving a sigh, she looked around them, utterly bored, ❝ This place is less boring with less people. ❞

[nytcwl]

who & what: @peaceworn (closed; for roland dixon) when & where: the lunar eclipse masked ball at the moonstone museum

❝ He’s with me, ❞ Lana stood beside Roland Dixon, showing security her invitation. Days before, she wasn’t quite sure she’d be joining the masked ball, as it all seemed too much of a hassle for her, but she decided at the last minute that it was at least worth a peek. Lucky for the man who seemed to have forgotten his invitation. If he even had one in the first place. Turning to him as soon as security finished verifying her identity, which didn’t take too long, she gestured with her eyebrows for Roland to let her borrow his arm. Then, after taking it and as they made their way inside, far from any security’s eavesdropping ear, she whispered to him in a low voice, ❝ You owe me dinner now. Or at least some sort of...fun, stranger. Were you really invited? ❞

[nytcwl]

who & what: @eddyxftzz (closed; for zakatonus marlinheart) when & where: the lunar eclipse masked ball at the moonstone museum

❝ Well, hello there, ❞ Umi purred as she approached the familiar-looking gentleman in the crimson suit. As she neared him, she squinted at the make of his clothing, feeling a sense of familiarity with the craft. Was it...? No, it couldn’t be. The merfolk fisher shook her head, temporarily putting that thought to the back of her mind. ❝ I’ve seen you around the ports, haven’t I? I’m Tokugawa Izumi, Oyster Royale, ❞ she held out a hand for him to shake. To Umi, anyone who appreciated the ports and the beach, the ocean and seas around Westray, was well worth knowing. She considered her territory of sorts, not belonging to her and her alone of course, but as the place that she must do her part to protect and enrich. With ebony eyes glued on him, she tried to fish for the whereabouts of his companion, ❝ Weren’t you with my favorite bartender earlier? Are you two....together? ❞