paradisa | HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

All that clamor from the lion dance prancing down the halls should be enough to draw attention to the party, even without actual invitations. If not the noise, then perhaps the delicious smell wafting under every door and leading back to the ballroom.

The castle is vain, if nothing else. It has decorated the ballroom in the deepest red and brightest gold with auspicious greetings in the common language tastefully posted about the hall. May your happiness be without end, one says, while another goes May all your wishes be fulfilled. Small order, all things considered.

Round dining tables (with the turning glass part) are set up in the middle of the hall, each with about ten chairs and piles of food fit for a whole village. There are two more lion dance teams hopping about the hall and making a racket while occasionally nabbing that dumpling straight from your chopsticks. That should the least of your concerns, however, with many residents still aiming to settle their grudges before the new year.

Watch your back.

[ ooc; IC mingle log for Lunar New Year plot, feel free to make your own threads! ]

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[And now the smile twists into more of a grin, cocky and amused instead of just pleasantly surprised by compliments.]

Wouldn't be first time. Can just... rip it up, use part for mask.

[She's glad he's here to talk to now, she's realizing. It's been a little while since their last talk and she likes him, it just feels nice to be close to someone who reminds her so much of Bruce. He's protective but knows she can handle herself, he knows how to keep those things balanced so it doesn't become insulting, grating.

And maybe she's good for him, too. All the times she's ever seen him he's been tense and serious, too focused on one thing or another until she shook him out of it. It's her goal, now, to get him to smile at some point during this conversation.]

Never know, about fighting. Someone might... wear same dress, as someone else.

[Maybe she is. It's Joel's turn to duck his head low and try to hide the side of his mouth quirking up. He takes another sip for it.]

Heh - [But he can't help it, picturing Cassie in high heels acting like a bodyguard, splitting up some party feud. It's only funnier knowing she could pull it off.] Hell, knowing this crowd, something smaller could set 'em off.

[It's not exactly judgmental; he includes himself in that crowd, rightly so. Joel reaches to pour himself more to drink, cup running low already, and prompts her to explain herself.]

Wouldn't be the first time?

[And there it is, a smile and a laugh. Mission accomplished, and so far ahead of schedule too.]

Was on a boat, once. Big one, for cruises. Turned out, there was... very bad man, there. Fight started, but I was there... just for vacation. Happened during dinner party, so...

[She shrugs, because she's already mentioned the part about tearing up the dress.]

Got into fight too, to stop them.

Just your luck.

[The stuff he's drinking isn't the best tasting alcohol he's had, but it is strong. He's always had a big frame, but twenty years of starving had left him more on the lean and ragged side of owning one. Even this many months in, all the strong food and drink available here makes his head spin if he's not careful with it.

Joel braces his palm against the nearest surface, leaning, and listens while trying to imagine how that went down. What a life she'd led in a place without an infectious outbreak. No wonder she runs around in a suit, trying to make order out of disorder.]

What were they after?

[She's got an eye on how much he's drinking now, watching how quickly the alcohol is going to work on him and deciding at once that A) she's not going to drink any of that stuff because she'd probably be completely out of it in a matter of sips and two, exactly how many more of those she should let Joel drink before subtly leading him off somewhere with more food and less booze.

But for now, he's fine. He's an adult, after all, she'd just like to keep him from getting a hangover that's too painful.]

The group attacking... wanted revenge. They man they attacked, Namali, destroyed their village. They were peaceful, but he... wanted the oil, under their homes. So, they tracked him to ship, tried to kill him.

[It doesn't help that this is his poison of choice and it's suddenly been made available to him in spades, a man dealing with varying levels of post traumatic stress disorder. What he does have is willpower, so that even when a buzz works its way to the forefront of his mind there's no noticeable change in his demeanor.

He frowns at the story. Very bad man and very messy situation.] That's about the point I woulda high-tailed it into a lifeboat.

[But not Cass, he knows better by now. There's some fondness for that difference between them behind his deadpan confession. He takes another pull from his cup, unflinching.]

[She just shrugs. It wasn't hard decision to stay and fight. Really, there hadn't even been any consideration towards do anything but do her job.]

Was a good fight. Hard, and worth it. Lots of innocents, could have... gotten hurt. Better me than them.

[Joel disagrees. Innocent people he can't put faces to are easier to dehumanize than someone he's gotten to know a little. As good as she is, heroics tend to get you killed, sooner or later.

Instead of words, he makes a sound. A low hrm trailing off into silence.]

[It's funny, even his disagreement looks and sounds like Bruce's. Just a grunt, but instead of making her feel bad she just has to smile. It's sweet and she reaches out to put a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. See, she's still here, not hurt or anything.]

I won, in the end. Turned out good. Bad guys went to jail, vacation was interesting, instead of boring.

[He's used to different reactions to what one might read as aloofness. Joel almost looks puzzled when she tries to reassure him - he blinks, caught off guard. Then he looks away, mulling over her words.]

I can't tell you what to do. [Not his place. As long as she saw it, he might as well address it. Another pull from his drink and he faces her again.] And I know you're damn good at what you do.

[But, unspoken. But she's young and there's no such thing as a good guy with a long lifespan, Joel has found.]

I know.

[And she does know, it's not that isn't true. She'd died enough times to know her chosen profession is possibly the riskiest one there is, she's seen people she cares about die too. But that's just a risk you take, an understood hazard of the job.

She'd hug him now, if they were to that point. Instead she squeezes his arm and tugs, bringing him over to the dessert section on the table. It seems like time to change the subject, brighten the mood a little.]

Try one of those. [She points to one of the sweet dumplings.] Can use hands, no one's looking.

[Ezio is pretty sloshed at this point, though he holds his alcohol well. His smile is just bigger, his swagger a little more bold. He's in a good mood. He's horny, but that's not really new. He wanders around the party, flirting with women and getting frisky and then moving on when his attention span runs out.

But then he spies Cass by the dessert table. Cass could hold his attention for an eternity, he decides, making his way towards her. He notes Joel but doesn't pay him any mind; his attention is singularly focused on creeping up behind Cass to greet her.]

Cassandra!

[And with a brazenness that may or may not be amplified by the alcohol, Ezio wraps his arms around her from behind. One arm wraps tight around her ribs, and his other hand finds one of her breasts and gives it a firm squeeze so that his fingers indent her skin and her cleavage deepens momentarily. Even after, his hand stays there, as casually as if he were laying his hand on her shoulder. With his cheek against hers, his eyes move to Joel and he grins before moving to stand slightly more apart from her, as if that were more socially appropriate.]

Salute.

Edited 2014-02-02 19:03 (UTC)

[Connor is across the room. That doesn't really prevent him from seeing this, nor does it stop him from narrowing his eyes, narrowing his focus -- maybe he is looking for the best place to punch Ezio in the face. You know. The best use of Eagle Vision.

But no, he just kind of leaves after that. No reason!!!!!]

[She knows. Cassie has that halted way of speaking, but he can read the meaning loud and clear behind those two words. It's strange how much she knows, how quick she is to pick up on things and see straight through him. He knows that's her talent and it isn't necessarily anything he's done, but still.

There's no resistance when she tugs at his arm, letting her guide him over to one of the other food tables. Joel brings the cup back up to his mouth while giving the dumplings a thoughtful look. He's just about to take her advice and try one when a new presence barges in on them.

A new and disgusting presence. He's too close not to catch it, his eyes flitting up to lock on Ezio with an expression that is close to murderous. Where he comes from, men like this don't deserve any leeway. They deserve to be under the ground. He steps closer and delivers a hard shove against Ezio's shoulder, with enough strength that it would pry him off and send him reeling back.

If he was more clear-headed and less drunk, he'd remember that Cass could've stopped this on her own if she wanted to. A combination of hard liquor and fury clouds his judgment.]

[And it had been going so well, too. At first Cass is just pleased by the sudden hug because she doesn't have to turn to see who that is, there's only one person with that build and height who would hug her like this in the whole castle. She likes hugs, she looks happy when Ezio hugs her.

But then there's a hand on her boob and it's squeezing and she's a little mortified that he'd do it in front of Joel. In front of anyone, really, but Joel?

There's absolutely no salvaging this now, either. She sees the shove coming and braces herself so she isn't pulled over backwards and catches a glimpse of Connor's back as he's fleeing the room. She'll find him later, she promises herself, but right now she needs to make sure no one kills anyone else.

Ezio is getting a Very Unimpressed Look now.]

Couldn't have... said hello like normal person?

[Ezio wasn't expecting the old man to care so much. When Joel comes at him for the shove, Ezio leans with it, though he needs to take a step back to do it without stumbling. Even while sloshed all those grueling years of training keeps him on his toes. He frowns, though, and heavily at that. He's replying to Cass but it's directed at Joel.]

I did not think you were busy! Had I known, I wouldn't have been so forward.

[And then his attention shifts back to Cass, stepping to close the distance between them again. His hands drift to her waist.]

Forget this old man. You should come dance with me.

[What a fucking animal.

They know each other, Joel catches on, but he can't understand why. Incomprehensible, but it's enough to force him to pause in his instinct to lash out. It pisses him off that Ezio does nothing but slither over again, undeterred. He clenches his right fist, glaring daggers.]

This guy a friend of yours?

[To Cass, the word "friend" spoken with so much distaste he might as well be calling him a piece of garbage. So harsh.]

[Nothing about what comes out Ezio's mouth actually helps to difuse this at all, Cass notes with a sigh. Inconsiderate and insulting and even the offer to dance doesn't exactly fix anything which is unfortunate, she hasn't gotten a chance to dance tonight. Come on Ezio, you're a better man than this.

She puts a hand on his wrist as he reaches for her, keeping his hand on her waist so it won't go wandering anywhere else and getting a good look at him now. How much has he had to drink?]

This is Joel. We were talking. He's not old, he's my friend.

[She's kind of manuvered herself between them again, seeing all that hostility in Joel as she turns to face him now.]

Joel, this is Ezio. [She has no idea if they've ever even met before, but might as well try to make introductions. Maybe they'll be less likely to antagonize each other that way?] We've been friends... almost a year, now.

[A year, Joel. She watches him with the expectation that he'll really hear that, remember what it is she can do, and realize there's no way she'd be friends with someone for a whole year if they weren't worth her time.]

Edited 2014-02-04 21:29 (UTC)

[A lot. Ezio has been drinking a lot. Foreign alcohol, man, and have you tasted rice wine? It's like sugary fruit juice, it doesn't even taste like alcohol. He lets Cass direct him, though, his hand settling on her waist. Joel is so fucking hostile that it almost eggs Ezio on; he loves a good fight, and he hasn't had a good fight in a while. Eighteen years later, Ezio still loves a good scrap.]

Pleased to meet you. [He's smirking again. He's so tempted to say I'm her lover but that much he holds back, saves for a better moment. Instead he turns it into a compliment towards Cass, and chance to fawn over her:] Isn't she beautiful? Who wouldn't want to be friends with a girl as lovely as she is?

[Joel has been drinking too, but not nearly enough for this. He's not the picture of manners during the introduction session, his focus meandering back to the table so he can pick up a fresh cup of that strong alcohol.

And normally, his manners are not half-bad, for a seasoned murderer. Something to do with his southern upbringing. Catching Cassie's look, he pauses-- okay, yes, he hears it. He doesn't understand it, but he hears it. And he respects it only for her. Joel settles down, his posture relaxing.

Looking bored and disgruntled, he tips the cup back and downs its contents like a shot, his eyes somewhere else when Ezio speaks.]

Uh huh.

[Okay, good. Cass can work with this, this is fine. Her shoulders relax a little, but there's still a lot of tension in her. She would have liked it if someone as important as Joel is becoming got along with Ezio, but it's not going to happen.

She considers pointing that out, telling Ezio about the similarities between Joel and Bruce, but it's likely that will only make things worse. So what do you even talk about when two people seem destined to hate each other?]

He taught me how... to ride horses. [It's just the first thing that comes to mind, a skill that's only positive and highlights the fact that she did actually learn something useful from this person who only seems interested talking about how pretty she happens to be.] Do you like horses, Joel?

[She's trying. She's trying so hard.]

[Ride. Ride. Haha. That gets another tug of a smirk on his face.

Ezio presses a kiss to the top of Cassandra's head and returns his eyes to Joel.]

That I did. You are very talented at it, too.

[As a matter of fact, he does like horses. Joel gives Ezio a side-glance, the briefest of side-glances. What an obnoxious face. The more sloshed he starts to feel the more punchable it looks.

So he speaks only to Cass.]

Lived at a camp that had horses before I came here.

[In other words, yes, but he can see that the poor kid is trying damn hard to make this a conversation that is sustainable between the three of them. He doesn't see that happening anytime soon. This man (much older, this man) is her friend that she's known for a year, someone she trusts (again, inexplicable) and this is Joel exiting to make things easier for her. He prepares to turn.]

I'll catch up with you another time, okay?

[Her expression brightens at the kiss because that seems harmless, it's nice, but that only lasts a moment.

Joel leaving is fair, and she expected it. Of course he'd leave to try to make things easier, whereas Ezio only seemed determined to push buttons. She frowns, but she nods all the same.]

Can talk later. Be careful, with the drinks.

[Ezio stays with his arms comfortably around Cass, though he does raise one hand to give a jaunty wave to Joel.]

A presto, brother.

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