Hars sits on one of the decorative couches, Driss at his side. The walk here with her, at sunset, had been wonderful. Hand in hand, dressed to the nines, they had slowly made their way through the gardens and paths until they reached the gleaming Officer’s Mess. The main room was filled with streamers and balloons, hanging masks. The music was pleasant as they entered and were greeted by several people who knew Driss from her Cafe, and him by association. He’d always been rather quiet, and since losing his ship, had kept to himself a great deal. Although the scene was lovely and Driss so beautiful and glowing, he had been forced to whisper to her that he needed to sit down. Perhaps they should have beamed over instead of walking. He’d felt so good when donning his Mess Dress uniform. Perhaps it was the heavy sword at his side that had thrown off his balance. He regretted not choosing to wear a tuxedo instead, no matter what Po would have said.
Hars cast his eyes around the crowd, seeking for her. She barely spoke to him these days, something he profoundly regrets, but in mulling over the situation he can’t see how he could have behaved any differently than he did. He thought it highly unreasonable of her to be jealous of him and Driss when she was so clearly involved with Souleymane. A young officer comes up to them, smiling at them both but mostly at Driss. She declines politely and the boy nods and moves away. Hars turns to Driss, “You should dance, mo choi, you look so stunning this evening and the music is wonderful. I want you to enjoy yourself.” He will squeeze her hand lightly as he whispers to her.
Nico stands on the outer edge of the dance floor, watching the dancers. He’s trying to remember why he agreed to come to this damnable event. Social interaction was not his strong suit. The Diplomatic Corps would pay good latinum to keep him as far away from them as possible. But he was here … and he was effectively on a date … with Arroz …. something he had never done in his entire adult life. They used to call it the closet.
He glanced at Arroz, who still seemed both amazed and angry that his tuxedo, which had been pristine when they had left the house, now looked like Nico had taken a nap in it. But that just seemed to be how clothes worked on his body ……
Arroz leans, broad shouldered and taciturn, against the wall behind Nico. He’s confused and his inability to sort out what to do and how to be makes him quiet. His annoyance with Nico, who looks so disheveled, grows. What the hell are they doing here? He watches the couples swing by them, mostly male and female as is standard on Astra, but here and there, a female female or a male male. He is surprised to see two J'naii there. They have such distaste for gender associated activity, viewing it as distasteful and primitive. In a way, he envies them. Although Starfleet adheres to the Vulcan philosophy of IDIC, not every member planet of the Federation believed the same. They had to show tolerance of differences in order to join, but that didn’t stop those in the population who believed differently from making their views known. The J’naii are dressed so plainly that they attract attention at this overdressed masquerade ball. He sees Opal come in on the arm of Girpoz Stleew, the Beryl Supervisor. She’s got a huge headdress that makes her look like a Sabre-tooth tiger with a fruit hat. He makes a noise in his throat. Detaching himself from the wall, he moves to Nico and says bluntly, “Let’s dance, dammit.”
Driss squeezes Hars’s hand back. “With him?” she asks, as if she honestly thinks she would do it. “I’d rather drink replicated tea.” she snorts softly. But she turns to him and watches as he sits. Even sitting he was cutting a fine and dignified figure. “I have a dance partner, thank you very much.” she huffs. Lifting his hand she rests her cheek on it. “It’s all so beautiful … the decorations are glowing and it’s … like magic. But I think without you, I’d rather be home with Fuku and Aki.” she tries to keep her voice serious. “Besides, the songs are too fast. I would feel silly stamping around the floor as if it were on fire.” leaning into him, she kisses his cheek. “But we must find a way for us to dance while I am standing and you are sitting … or while I am sitting in your lap.” she proclaims. “I know there must be a way ….. and if there isn’t I will make one up!” she proclaims with a nod.
Nico glances to his right when Arroz approaches him. He had been looking at the fruit on Opal’s head and wondering if it had rotted just being in her presence before he realized it was probably fake. But Arroz’s voice reaches him and for a moment all he can do is stare. While he can see the female and female couples, as well as the male and male one, he has never …. he opens his mouth and then shuts it. “I …. don’t do … this … well … fast … well … music …. “ he stammers. “I’m …. too old.” he offers as excuse. “This is for … younger … well … Arroz. Besides …. you want me to dance with you, you might not want it to sound like you’d rather have a tooth extracted by that low tech doctor on N’Doto.” he huffs, honestly indignant at the way he was asked. Below the filth was a romantic heart. “ If you could ask me like you really wanted to, I would love to ….. I would. You know that, right?” he pleads. “But I’m not cut out for … this … “ he motions onto the floor and spots his former boss, Commander Litac, who arches both of his eyebrows in disapproval. Nico tries to ignore him. “If they ever play any slow music, of course I would dance with you in a heartbeat ….”
Hars smiles to Driss. How sweetly she declined to dance with anyone else, and although he is sure she is disappointed, his heart can’t help but be happy that she has eyes only for him. She is so young in his eyes, and yet he is totally aware of her dark and tragic past, how much she has tried to hold herself together and survive in the face of adversity. He is thrilled he has met her, and that she cares for him so much. He hopes he can live up to her dreams. His brow furrows slightly as he thinks of their picnic a few days back, with Fuku and the dog. He has to admit, he found the child exhausting. She was so active, always moving, and the playful mutt had almost thrown him off balance more than once. It made him wonder if he was cut out to be a father. He looks down at Driss, as she makes a joke of dancing with him, and his heart beats faster, a mix of sadness and joy. How he wishes he was a healthy man, he’d lift her up and swing her around with the rest of them and come home to her and their five children after landscaping the grounds to eat one of her delicious suppers and then make slow, easy, tender love as Questi rose to shine silver down on their happy home. His lips twist wryly. “If they play something slower, and I take off this ridiculous sword, we will trip the light fantastic,” he promises.
Driss smiles as he promises her a dance … if there is slower music. If it weren’t for Hars and the fact that she knew most here, she thought that she would really have stayed home. The planet seemed to be full of disaster in the last several weeks. What happened with Treman couldn’t really be considered an Astra disaster, she thought, but she did not understand the military mind and how it would all affect the planet. But the fire … and then that horrible thing at the hospital. Hars had explained that the planet was now on high alert, and that this dance, which had already been planned had not been cancelled despite the security status of the colony. The logic was that the ball would be a welcome distraction, and those who agreed were apparently here … while those afraid of an attack stayed away. She and Hars had come to support the planet … which had become Driss’s home. Here, she had found a home and friends .. and Hars. Love was the last thing she had expected to find, yet here he was. She thought of this as she leaned in and whispered. “I’ll be right back.” and she moved to where the music was being played. She stood, shyly by, but she was recognised and was asked what she needed. Driss told them, then moved back to Hars, standing before him until the song stopped. A moment later, the announcer said “This song if for the lovers with us tonight…” and a slow song began to play. Smiling at Hars, she looked at him. “We could dance right here.” she suggested. “You wouldn’t even have to stand, beloved ….”
Arroz stands brooding at Nico’s side. He’s not sure why they came at all. Neither of them are enamoured of Starfleet, and both dismissed the wearing of Mess Dress and wore the optional tuxedo. He’s aware of the hopeful glances from different females in the room. A fellow Security officer, dressed in an odd sort of gown he supposes she thinks is pretty. With her hair piled on her head it almost looks like a Terran pineapple with a straw stuck in it, moving to music. Opal looked suggestively at him more than once. A little Ops officer he knew, stiff in her new Mess Dress, standing back from the dancers, and alone. There were probably fewer Starfleet here than normal, given the situation on the station and at the MCH. Both were damaged a week ago by what appeared to be unrelated issues, but the Colony Commander had raised the alert level. These two occurrences, along with the Beryl Fire, had brought them to DefStat two. Nico wasn’t very happy with him and refused to dance with him because he hadn’t asked nicely enough. Probably just didn’t want to out them. He shook his head. “Fuck if I know why we’re here,” he grumbled over the music.
Nico watched the young women watching them … well watching Arroz, at any rate. His heart pounded so hard and loud, he thought it could be heard by Arroz and anyone else within ten meters of them. But over them, he heard Arroz ask why they were even here. Lifting his hand, feeling his pulse in his fingers, he touched Arroz’s shoulder. “Because I figured you would want to be here. Socialize. I’m the hermit. You’re the young, social butterfly.” he tells him and he swallows. Around him, the music stops and he waits …. seconds later, a slow song begins. He leans in slightly. “But I am here for you.” he murmurs over the opening bars of the song. “Arroz, I have never in my LIFE, danced with another man in public. Never been SEEN with another man in public. But ….” he takes half a step back, inhales deeply, and offers his hand to Arroz. “May I have this dance, Arroz?” he asks. The sound of his heart is loud in his ears, and he fears … no … if Arroz takes his hand, the Earth cat will be out of the Earth bag. He was ready .. for this young man … but was the young man ready for this?
Hars watched Driss move away, assuming she was going to the Ladies Dressing Room to freshen up, he looked around the room, noting some of the more colourful costumes. It occurs to him perhaps one reason why he can’t see Po is that she is wearing some kind of a getup. He begins instead to look for Souley but the crowd is too thick. Out of the corner of his eye, he catches a glimpse of his girl moving back towards him. The music changes, and she looks down at him, suggesting they dance as they are. He shakes his head to her, reaching for his belt and removing it, letting the heavy saber fall onto the couch. He’s sure he’s a kilo lighter without it. He gets up carefully and finds his feet steady. He would brush her forehead with his lips as he draws her into his arms, and they begin to move, very slowly, onto the floor. “Practicing for our wedding dance,” he tells her. She is warm and soft. His arms would tighten just a little more, wanting her near.
His eyes on the young OPs officer, who is clearly uncomfortably wishing she was anywhere else, Arroz is tempted to go and at least talk to her. He knows what it’s like to be the new one. But he is aware of Nico at his side. Normally at an event like this he’d be making the rounds, chatting to friends, bitching about his chief, making fun of the senior officers, and enticing the Astra girls to ask him to dance, just because he could. Is this how it’s going to be? Never wading in the stream together, always standing on the opposite side from one another, the meter between them stretching like a light year. Maybe it would be that way with anyone. He’s not used to being tied down. Starfleet has him chained enough that he frets to be free. Nico tells him he’s a social butterfly, he shrugs. “There’s a million opportunities to socialize,” he responds. Nico’s words go on, telling him how special he is, that together they will make a statement. He hesitates. Once he does this, everyone will know. In the past weeks he’s come to feel that love should be genderless. That humanoids cling to male and femaleness as though it’s something that defines them down to the DNA. But the J'naii remind him there is another way. Hell. The parents will just have to understand there will be no grandbabies. At least not the old fashioned way. Opal swivels her face to look at him, smiling seductively behind her tiger mask and fruit hat. She drops the mask to let him see her eyes. Arroz smiles in his dark and sexy way, nodding to her. She grins wider. Then he takes Nico’s hand, and swings him onto the floor. Her face morphs into a look of stunned surprise. He gracefully takes the lead, one hand on Nico’s waist, moving in time to the traditional Astra Sunrise waltz.
Driss smiles as Hars removes his belt, leaving his sword behind. As he leads her out onto the dance floor, she is already looking at his face, and the feel of his lips on her forehead only secures her to him more. Each of his touches seem to. She allows him to draw her as close as he would like and she moves slowly with him, her steps uncertain … not only is this her first ball … it is her first dance … the dances at her first wedding were nothing like this .. slow and sweet. Looking up at him as he speaks, she smiles. “Our wedding ….” she whispers, as if still unable to believe it. “I must learn what to do and how to be.” she snuggles into him a bit. Dancing seems very simple and she is grateful for that. “Am I doing it right?” her voice is uncertain and a giggle escapes her. “How many times will I ask that question before we wake the morning after we wed?” she wonders, her heart tensing slightly about that night …. the first night … as his wife...
When Arroz takes his hand, Nico suppresses his sigh of relief. They move onto the dance floor and the younger man takes the lead. Pointedly, he focuses on his young dance partner. He almost fears what he will see if he looks around, and so he refuses. But even as he quashes the thoughts, he asks himself what does it matter? What if he is interested in this young man? And the young man, in turn is interested in him? Somewhere in his head, he hears accepting voices, then his father’s voice, which is far from accepting. But as he dances, he relaxes slightly and he takes in a relaxing breath. Then his thoughts turn on him again, but at least this time it is not about the fact that he is dancing publically with another man. Now he considers their age. Swallowing hard, he closes his eyes. “If one doesn’t matter, Nicoli, why should the other?” he murmurs and looks down very slightly into Arroz’s eyes, as he is the taller of them. But now a new worry taunts him … the one that tells him that Arroz would be much happier with a man … in his own age range.
Hars looks down at Driss, shaking his head with a slight grin, “I hope not often. What to do is what you like to do, what you are inspired to do by your own heart and creativity. How to be is… be you, learn to know yourself without the expectations of others. Communicate, yes, express your thoughts and emotions, and agree to compromise, sometimes. But always from your own self, Driss. Do not try to think of what I want or how I want you to be.” His face is ernest, “Don’t change to please me. Please me by being yourself. Even if it makes me angry or irritated...” He tries to explain over the music and the sound of many voices. He gently moves her a few steps, guiding her by a swirling couple with long capes, having care she does not trip. He’d seen the slight worry in her eyes about the wedding night. He bends his head again, whispering in her ear, “I love you Idrissa Senhor.”
Arroz leads Nico through the steps of the dance, realizing it is probably awkward for him to be lead for what might be the first time. His hand on Nico’s back is firm. If the guy would just let go a bit, they would flow a little easier. Somehow they must be in tune, for even as that thought crossed his mind, Nico relaxed. Although Arroz is slightly shorter, his elegant bearing draws many eyes. He begins to show off, now that Nico is following his lead so well. They cut quite a dash through the circling crowd. Several jealous female eyes follow them. As his instincts tell him the music is about to finish, he brings them back to their starting point with a final flourish. The traditional song ends, and everyone applauds politely, and he grins to Nico as he claps. His mood is lighter.
Idrissa looks up at him as they dance. She watches his lips as he speaks to her. “I can’t be anyone but me.” she reminds him. “Now that I am here, and established …” she sighs and tries to move even closer as a couple wearing clothing that expanded, it seemed, to fill the room passed them. “When I left Earth, the paradise I imagined was a little shop on Deep Space Nine … having quarters I could make like home, but better. To find Souleymane and get him to live with me, where he could be safe.” she places her cheek on his chest. “Astraios is all of that and more. A pretty house. Souleymane settling down with a child and a family. Not taking risks that could get him arrested or killed.” she hugs them as they dance together. “And you.” she looks up at him. “I love you, too Hars Darax. You are my gift.”
Being led was not Nico’s favorite thing, and allowing Arroz to do it confirmed the feelings that had been increasing slowly over the weeks since he’d moved in with the young man. Remembering his own youth, which to him feels like a thousand years ago, he smiles softly when his partner begins to show off a bit. He isn’t sure if he is showing off how well they dance together when they never had before, or if he is showing off his man. The smile increases a bit at the thought that Arroz would ever consider him ‘his man’. When the dance ends and they are back to where they began, Nico claps with him.
“If I had known all of this, I wouldn’t have let you go so easily.”
Nico turned and found himself facing a man he had not seen in a very long time. Eight years. The man was about the same age as Nico, Trill, resplendent in full Mess Dress and smiling at him while also taking in Arroz. But soon his attention was back on Nico.
“Reja?” Nico knew he sounded surprised … and he was … “It’s been years ….” he accepted the hug automatically. It was the quick kiss that took him by surprise. He pulled his head back, obviously taken aback by it. Clearing his throat, he tried to dispel the awkwardness he felt. “Reja Pavun, I’d like you to meet Arroz Arum.” he stopped there, not sure what to call Arroz anymore. Friend? Roommate? Man who is becoming more dear to me than anyone before him, including you? So he played it safe and just stopped talking, looking at Arroz, curious to how he would take meeting one of his exes …
Hars lets the night take him away, for a time it’s like they are dancing on a cloud and he has no pain. He smiles and whispers, “Where would I be without you, A chuisle mo chroí? How lucky can one man be, to meet the girl he could only dream of, on a planet so far away from where they were both born? If you told me this story, I wouldna believe it,” he squeezes her hand warmly as they dance, hoping the music will go on for a few minutes more.
Idrissa nods into his chest. “It is like a dream, isn’t it?” she bites the corner of her lip. “So wonderful. Maybe I am too simple of my mint … but for me, this is as close as it gets to an ideal life for me.” looking up at him, she nods a bit. “A new life begins with pain … and it took pains for both of us to come to this place in our lives that we could meet, and fall in love.” for her it is just that simple and, as the song ends, she stops and sighs. “And this night for you … so beautiful and fancy … I will never forget it.”
Arroz claps, replaying the dance in his mind, remembering the look on Opal’s face made him want to laugh out loud. He smiles to Nico, who looks just as untidy as ever but is glowing slightly. Warm from the dance, perhaps, or maybe something more. Arroz felt it too and was about to say so when a voice interrupted. He swivelled his eyes to an officer in Mess Dress who was smiling at Nico. Wha-? From the conversation, it appeared they knew each other very well. Arroz kept a grin pasted on his face as they were introduced and exchanged pleasantries.
Reja looked over at Arroz, who Nico noticed was grinning a bit. Was this awkward for him? The Trill nodded at the younger man. “A pleasure.” he speaks in that tone of voice that dismisses Arroz from the conversation, in many ways. Then he turns his full attention to Nico, and the ex lovers look at each other, as two people who haven’t seen each other in a long time do when they run into each other unexpectedly. But Nico didn’t expect the words he heard. “You changed.” Reja’s voice was low, but still easily heard by anyone around. Nico had no doubt that Arroz could hear him just fine. The Trill reached out and took the lapel of Nico’s jacket between two fingers, smoothing out one of a thousand wrinkles. “You’re still so handsome, you draw stares from men and women. And still as rumpled as the dog’s favorite bed.” he didn’t take his eyes off of Nico, and he smiled in a way that was almost hungry. Like a lover who wanted to go to bed, not now but right now. Nico remembered the look well. How quick and spontaneous it had been with them. And how risky. But Reja is not finished. “But now ... “ and finally he spares Arroz a glance. “Dancing in public with another man?” his eyes go back to Nico. “Does that mean you are out of those shadows you had been hiding so deeply in when you were with me?” he takes in a deep breath. “Wonderful.” Reja takes Nico’s hand, as confident and arrogant as always, and turns towards the dance floor as another slow song begins. “Dance with me, Nico. In the light, for all to see.” it is like a demand from a superior officer.
As the music ends he lets go of her with a smile of regret, clapping politely. He is not fatigued, although the nerves in his legs are just starting their customary jangle, telling him that he should rest. He ignores them, and would take her hand, and lead her off the dance floor, but not to their seats, but instead towards the platform where the orchestra sits, now preparing to play another piece. He approaches the same man who knew Driss, and had played the slower song she had requested for them. The man looks to them, smiling, a question in his eyes, where they coming to thank him or something more? Hars leans in to whisper something in his ear. The band leader nods to him cheerfully, pointing to the microphone on it’s stand. Hars steps up onto the platform, if permitted, still holding his girl’s hand. People are milling around, chatting, waiting for the next dance. He says, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you are enjoying this beautiful night, the fabulous music, and the great company.” There is some applause. He pulls himself to full height, standing straight in his Mess Dress, “I am Captain Hars Darax, and I would like to announce,” he looks down to Driss, “that the most wonderful woman in the universe has agreed to be my wife.” There are scattered exclamations of happy surprise. “A ghrá geal, you have truly blessed me with your love.” He looks up at the crowd most of whom are now turning to see the couple, smiling and starting to clap, “Miss Idrissa Senghor.” He then steps down to her as the music starts, an old Scottish song, “Skye Boat Song,” and he will take her in his arms gently, beginning to move to the music again if she will allow, his heart bursting with pride and love.
Arroz stands mutely watching Reja. The man has pointedly ignored him, and ignored as well the relationship that likely exists between Arroz and Nico, as evidenced by their dance in this very public event full of couples. He still grins but a slow burn begins deep inside him. It disconcerts him. He’s never been jealous of a woman, in fact. Slate Talc’s willingness to do anything to please his girlfriend was something he understood as an observer of behaviour, but not anything he had ever felt himself. As Reja reaches a hand to touch Nico, and makes suggestive remarks, his face grows darker. The music fades, the people fade, and as in a dream he sees Nico and Reja hand in hand, moving towards the dance floor. Without thinking, he leaps. A burly arm comes down on the point of connection.
Driss is a bit confused, as once the dance ended, she expected for them to sit again. And she would have, happily. The one dance was more than she had hoped for after their long walk to the ball. Hars was surely getting tired now and would need to sit and rest. But he took her to the stage and speaks first to the leader and then … he steps up to the microphone. His announcement surprises her most of all, she thinks. Although they had not made any kind of formal announcement, it was hardly a secret and Driss told anyone who noticed and asked about her Lukenbooth brooch, which she wore always, including tonight. She smiles up at him. When he stands at his full height, her lack of same always seems glaring. As he steps down and takes her into his arms, she glances around quickly for Souleymane. But she cannot see him for the crowd .. and the stars in her own eyes. She begins another dance with him and looks up at him, tears glimmering. “You told …. everyone …” she marvels, as if she’d not expected that .. and she hadn’t. “I will make you proud of me, I swear it. As your wife, we will belong to each other.” she tells him. “And I will never bring shame on our family.” she vows to him, even before their wedding vows. She will forever be old fashioned .. perhaps now Hars understands that some women are submissive to those men important to their lives … and he was to her.
The moment Reja touches him, Nico remembers all of the reasons he so easily asked for his transfer. He resists the pull, but also, out of the corner of his eye, notes Arroz’s expression. The young Astra man was jealous! Warmth and love fill Nico’s heart and, even as he feels Arroz’s hand move to separate he and Reja, Nico pulls his own hand away. “No, Reja.” he frowns. “How dare you even ask.” he will reach for Arroz’s hand and he prays he can take hold of it. “You of all people should know how deeply I have to care for a man to come out of the shadows and be seen with him in public. I’ve never done it before. Because I never trusted anyone the way I trust Arroz. Never … loved . anyone like this.” he sighs and will move closer to his .. date … they aren’t lovers yet, he reminds himself, mildly surprised at his depth of emotions for a man he hasn’t even had sex with. But it had always been that way with Arroz. He knows that Arroz is angry … infuriated … maybe even blind with jealousy … and that warms and excites him. Cements things in his own mind. Now he turns to the young Astra man. “May I have another dance?” he asks, making eye contact if he could. “In the light, for all to see?” he parrots Reja’s words.
“I am already proud of you, my darling,” Hars replies. “There is nothing you need to do to make me proud. I am proud of who you are, how you are, and I am very proud to be your chosen husband,” he feels like he’s writing wedding vows and grins. “There can be no shame between two people who belong together. We promised each other the truth, if we are honest with each other, there is nothing anyone else can say or do to damage our bond, because we will already know what was said or what happened.” He slowly moves across the floor with her, glad others are now joining them in the dance, their fifteen seconds of fame now over. “Since we are being honest, I have to say that part of the reason I made that announcement was because Po isn’t dealing with it. I have sent her two requests to speak to her. I know that she knows. She’s shutting me out, and I don’t like it. It’s unkind and it’s unfair, especially since she has someone in her life too. I can’t understand what she’s thinking. It feels so unlike her. It makes me confused as I thought I knew her well.” His face has grown serious, he looks down at Driss and smiles wryly, “I wanted everyone, including Po, to know that you and I are spending the rest of our lives together,” he smoothly kisses her forehead as they whirl. “And, my love, another confession: I need to sit down after this,” he winks at her.
Arroz’s arm slices through the air without impact, as Nico has pulled his hand away from Reja’s, and offered it to him instead. It takes a beat for Arroz to comprehend what has happened. The red mist in his eyes fades a little. Nico makes it plain who he prefers to be with. Arroz swivels his eyes to Reja, his face dark, frowning, the stance of his body clearly ready for a fight if the man wants one. “Don’t you dare,” he mouths to Reja, even as Nico asks Arroz to dance. Arroz takes Nico’s hand in his... the music fades for a moment while someone makes an announcement... he is so occupied with their own play he doesn’t hear it. The orchestra strikes up another slow dance, and he gracefully moves past Reja, deliberately jostling him, pulling Nico with him, whirling in place until he faces his partner, nodding his head to the beat as he places his hands correctly, then begins to lead Nico away, taking their first steps around the floor.
Driss dances and listens, smiling for the world … and for Hars. While she agrees with his every word, she doesn’t respond to them. It is the words about Po that spark her interest. “She is very formal to me, as well.” she sighs and bites her lip. “You know she and Souley are … well … much closer than you and I are … in that .. way…” she wondered if she would always be so hesitant to talk about sex. “So I can’t understand why she would be so upset about you and I ….” she pauses. “Unless it is not as much you as it is me. And I cannot imagine someone as independent as she is being jealous of someone like me.” she sighs. “My brother will come to our wedding. He likes you. And I want him there .. to give me to you.” she considers. “Maybe you can talk to him about talking to her?” she suggests, not at all sure how good an idea that would be. “Now everyone knows we are getting married. I love that. Not sure why but ….” she giggles at his second confession. “Come … lets sit and watch and rest, please. I am not used to all of this attention. Is it wrong I LIKE to be seated with you watching the others?” she asks, softly.
Nico catches the … motions and hidden messages that Arroz sends to Reja, and for his part, he doesn’t even look back as he goes out and Arroz again leads. The first steps are very much in sync … they are … and he loves it. It’s like they’ve been dancing together for years. He glances when he can towards Reja and, sure enough, the man has already moved back to a LTjg who wasn’t bad looking. The Trill snaps something and the other man follows him out the door and out of the ball. Sour grapes … but that was Reja. Nico moves closer to Arroz if he can, and enjoys the closeness. For a long time, he simply enjoys the dance … much easier with Reja gone. But in time, he looks down at his shorter, but more aggressive partner. “Thanks.” he speaks softly. “For not getting arrested … and for ..” he shrugs slightly. “Being ready to … well … you know …” he hedges. What he is feeling .. what he is doing now .. has been a dream of his for a long time. “Even ... before … in the ‘shadows’ … no one ever acted like I might be worth … well .. much.” he chuckles suddenly. “I go to work and I bark and snarl and sometimes bite … been every rank up to Commander and back at least twice for my mouth and my attitude. But …. in case you hadn’t noticed … that is … my public face.” he falls silent then. “Anyway … thanks.” he finishes lamely, going back to this public display of affection and enjoying it immensely.
Smiles to her, and glances up to deftly move them past two men who are starting to dance, taking himself and Driss back to the couch where his sword lies. “It is quite a spectacle tonight,” he says, “I have been to this event before, and the costumes have always been fun to look at, but tonight seems more colourful than ever.” The last two times he had come, he had been Po’s escort, but he doesn’t say so. He just wants Driss to enjoy her night. They arrive at the couch and he offers her his hand to assist as she seats herself, then plops down at her side with a side. “I’m thirsty now,” he says, beckoning to a waiter, “How about you? Champagne? Cider? Sparking water?” He wonders what she will choose.
Arroz is pleased that Nico and he are dancing again, especially pleased to throw that fact into the face of Reja, who he has decided he dislikes. The guy was plain rude, coming up and asking Nico to dance in such an obvious way, challenging Arroz by clearly coming on to Nico in front of his face. The man has left, ‘good riddance’ he mutters, swinging Nico around the floor deftly. All those lessons paying off. He’s sure they make a great looking couple. Or would if Nico could look a little more… pressed, and a little less wrinkled. “It might have turned ugly,” he confesses to Nico. “If you had made another choice, if he had persisted, I would have taken him down.” He has no conceit, in his mind, he has all the skills to deal with another man decisively. “I would have had him on the floor and then out the door within a couple of minutes. Most people wouldn’t have noticed.” He notices the room is getting fuller, many people have been dancing for awhile in heavy costumes, he gets a wiff of sweat as a large man dressed as King Louis of Frances swings by with Marie Antoinette in his arms. He makes a face. “I’ll need two showers after this.”
Driss takes the hand gratefully and sinks into the couch with less grace than she’d hoped for. Hars may be tired, but she was exhausted. The ball, all of the talk, the announcement. It had made her a little dizzy and more overwhelmed than she’d been since Souleymane’s ship had been boarded and she’d been introduced to this planet via the hospital in Majel. “So many people…” she agrees, sighing. The waiter comes by and she doesn’t hesitate to select a soft Astra cider, ignoring the hard stuff. She watches as Hars makes his own choice and, taking a sip she sighs again. “Could we leave soon. Go home … I mean … well, you know what I mean.” she stumbles over her words. “It’s been so wonderful, but … I actually think I am overwhelmed by all these people. Is the whole planet here?” she wonders. Taking another, deeper drink, she looks around some more. “It’s so beautiful. All of it. I’ll never forget this, Hars. Not as long as I live.”
Nico dances, finally looking around at those around them and he realizes that the place is filling up. He stiffens a bit, as crowds were never his thing. Give him his office, his schematics, a raw hole in the ground that would, in time and with his guidance, be a simple cellar and he could feel better. “I’m flattered. But I am about ready to go home.” he replies to the words and then when the king and queen pass them by and Arroz mentions two showers, he lifts his brows. “You WILL let me help with at LEAST one of those, won’t you?” he teases. “After all, you KNOW what a dirty man I am…..” and he winks. The ball has been great for him, but more in what its shown him about his roommate than anything else.
Hars takes a sparkling water, bringing the glass to his lips with a sigh of relief, and downing half of it before turning back to Driss to hear what she has to say. He smiles, “I’d love to walk you home. Why don’t we take our drinks out to the lawn, and sit on one of the benches for a rest, and then take our time going back to your house?” He rose, ready to take her arm, ignoring his sword. There was no way he was going to buckle it back on, nor was he prepared to carry it all the way to Driss’s and back. He’d leave it there and get it later, or replicate another one. He doubted he’d need Mess Dress again for awhile. Maybe for their wedding, whenever that might be, looking to Driss’s face, he thought they should wait a little while. Souley and Fuku were just getting settled, there was the Beryl fire and some kind of explosion on the station as well as at the hospital. He wanted her to be calm and happy, not worried about things. If he could have an hour with Po, he’d talk to her about his ideas with regard to the Treman situation. It was so frustrating to feel cut off. He knew he was retired, but he’d always been able to talk to Po and had felt he had something to offer as the former CO of the flagship and a longtime Starfleet officer. He sighed as he led Driss through the dancers and out into the night air. The sky was clear and Questi was beaming down, silver, lighting their way. “That’s better,” he said, still carrying his cup.
Arroz blinks as Nico suggests taking a shower with him. His pleasure at the success of the evening, shocking Opal, defeating Reja, and dancing so well, ‘winning’ Nico… morphed into something else he could only call reluctance. He had paid the piper and now he would have to play the tune. He deftly moved them across the floor to one of the open doors, bringing them to a stop as a Captain and his date moved by them, carrying glasses, obviously also looking for some fresh air. “Let’s go,” he said to Nico, stopping the dance but still holding his hand, pulling the man through the door and out onto the lawn. It would be a ways to the parent’s house, even longer than normal as they couldn’t walk through the burnt village, but needed to take the road around it, since it was all blocked off for security reasons. He looked to Nico with a brief smile. “Up for a walk?”
=^=
