Argenti's Palace

[beautifulknight]

The stage is set they say;
They don their masks and shields,
Shadows creep and cover their minds;
Now, what beautiful role shall they play?

𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓲𝓷 𝓒𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓵𝓮


♫

Comments

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis is going to approach one of the shadowy pairs. Are they acknowledging him at all?

He's also taking a leaf out of Argenti's book and just walking off without talking to people, sorry. ]

[cirquedesang]

[No wandering off?? Alone?? This may be Argenti's palace, but that's still a bad idea??

Don't mind him following along just in case.]

[beautifulknight]

[ A pair heading straight on over to one of the shadowy pairs. They stop dancing for a moment when McGillis and Céleste approach, but then after scrutinizing the two, turn their nose up as if to "hrmph" and dance away (6). Rude. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ So they're taking note of them, but perceiving them as not good enough? Interesting.

McGillis considers for a moment, and then turns to Celeste. His right arm is still... in debatable state, but it's well enough that he can hold out his hand. He's totally deadpan, his eyes are saying 'this is serious business'. ]

May I have this dance?

[ The shadows want proof of belonging? They can have proof of belonging. ]

[cirquedesang]

[Well, considering neither of them truly belong in a setting like this--

...

Anyway.

McGillis might be treating this as Very Serious Business, but Celeste's expression is already somewhat playful when he turns to him, and his own hand is halfway up as though he'd been about to offer much the same. They really need to stop that. It's easy enough to shift to be the one accepting the offer, though, and so he takes McGillis's hand and dips into a deep curtsy.]

It would be my honor.

[Fake it 'til you make it.]

[goei]

[WATCHING THIS WITH CLENCHED FISTS FOR NO SPECIFIC REASON, HE ISN'T JEALOUS.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ DO YOU EVEN KNOW HOW TO DANCE, IZOU?

not eli trying to ignore the dance floor rn ]

[goei]

[HE COULD FIGURE IT OUT PROBABLY???]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ THEN GRAB SOMEONE ELSE TO DANCE WITH AND ONE-UP MCTITS??? ]

[goei]

[NO BECAUSE THEN HIS JEALOUSY WOULD BE OBVIOUS!!! HOW DESPERATE DO YOU THINK HE IS!!!]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ super desperate since he is discussing picking up prostitutes with aaron??? ]

[goei]

[WOW IT'S A TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY???]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ AARON AND IZOU ARE GOING TO SLEEP WITH HOOKERS AS A TEAM???! ]

[goei]

[I MEAN IF AARON IS DOWN FOR THAT....]

[vogelfrei]

[ ... the way McGillis finds his own gesture mirrored before he can even complete it does make him smile a bit despite himself. They do need to stop meeting like this-- But it does make them perfect partners for the ultimate dance of lies.

Celeste is a performer, McGillis has no doubt that dancing is an easy task for him. It's the same for McGillis, who has been raised to be a perfect gentleman and tried extra hard to make up for the birthright he lacks in the yes of all.

It's good that McGillis is used to being the leading partner, because that means he does not need to raise his right arm as much as his left. His form for ballroom dancing is pitch perfect - he's never liked doing it at all, but when has he ever been slacking. ]

Let's rise to the occasion, then.

[cirquedesang]

[They do need to stop meeting like this, but if they must... at least let it be a meeting of convenience. Lies as a means to an end.

Celeste is a performer, and McGillis is used to being the leading partner. A fortuitous pair, because where his own form may not be nearly as pitch perfect, he can certainly anticipate motion and follow, allowing himself to be led.

Likewise, though, in the following position, he can add a flourish here, a gesture there to make any injury-borne stiffness seem intentional.

Mutual compensation, then.]

And let us hope he finds the audacity beautiful.

[beautifulknight]

[ A spotlight shines down upon the two as they dance.

The sound of violins begin to play, adding to the aesthetic. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ It's easy to rely on Celeste - a realization that should be startling, but that McGillis now accepts with a worn-out resignation. He's never met a man alike to himself before, and now that he's confronted with one it's an intriguing journey that is wearing down his defenses. It's nice to be known, for once.

He hasn't had fun dancing with any noble ladies, but he does have a bit of fun with this. He enjoys showing off, even when his shoulder screams at him to stop already.

The violins are great encouragement - they're catching Argenti's attention here, and that is what matters. They're being given a melody to follow, to compete with whatever shadows are dancing in his heart alongside them.

... dipping Celeste at the end of the dance is probably a horrible idea given the state of his arm, but McGillis has never known his own limits. ]

[cirquedesang]

[Help the youtube music algorithm is watching us--

Such is the paradox of the horrifying experience of being known. Usually he, too, avoids meeting others like himself, willfully keeping his mask up and pointedly ignoring when others' slip, but in a place like this, when carefully constructed masks are forced to crack and crumble away instead?

Well, it's nice to have someone who understands to rely on, and if McGillis can have even a sliver of fun in something that would have been a painful memory, then all the better.

The spotlight and the violins, while encouraging, showing them that they've certainly gotten Argenti's attention, do both make him laugh at how ridiculous the situation is and make the steps easier to follow...

Even to the point where he can compensate for the dip, too, supporting his own weight despite the pose so the only limits that have to be pushed are that of a range of movement. No need to overdo it, yet, when they're relying on each other.

The fact it's a mirror of when he'd more comically "swooned" into Izou's arms after their fight is not lost on him, either, though.]

[vogelfrei]

[ Thank you for saving his arm, Celeste...

When they manage to land the pose despite the handicap, McGillis actually grins down at Celeste for a fleeting moment. ]

You were not exaggerating - you truly are a formidable partner.

[ But best to not hold this pose for longer than necessary, before something does tear. It's time to disentangle. ]

Let's see if our hosts give us the time of day now.

[ Approaching the dancing shadows: TAKE TWO. ]

[cirquedesang]

[He'd be a poor excuse of an acrobat if he couldn't manage a partial back bend...

Grin - and compliment - are met with a smile and a wink.]

Nothing by half-measures.

[WORKAHOLICS.]

Perhaps they'll allow us to cut in.

[Also going to gently hold on to McGillis's arm while they approach the shadows just to keep up the theatrics for good measure.]

[beautifulknight]

[ The dancing shadows are watching.

In fact, all of them are. They seem to actually be clapping, some whooping and hollering.

It appears their dancing impressed them (20). ]

Truly you are dancers blessed by the splendor and wonderous light of Idrila themselves!

[ One of them, speaks, clearly with a woman's voice: ]

Yes, you must have been blessed by our dear Wondergazer!

[vogelfrei]

Why, thank you kindly.

[ It's deeply satisfying to have nailed this. Take that, high society of Argenti's heart!!

Now, what the fuck is a Wondergazer...?? ]

Being blessed like that is an honor we had only dared dream of.

[cirquedesang]

[Since he'd been following in the dance, he'll lean even further into the dramatics and curtsy again towards the shadow with the woman's voice. If it doesn't help their case, hopefully Argenti can appreciate it after the fact, at least.

...But, yeah, what the fuck is a Wondergazer?]

That is such high praise, my lady~

[beautifulknight]

Oh naturally, I cannot allow either of you two clearly devoted individuals just go away without praise! Those who are so dedicated must stick together.

You know how it is, after all. Others often revile us with such jealousy and mockery because of how deep our faith is. But it simply means that we can spend our time having a ball while they drown in a pit of sorrow and despair!

[ She says and the others laugh, you know in the way nobles do in high society. But they seem a little less composed than that, given some of them were hooting and hollering in cheer earlier. Kind of very expressive, in fact.

One of them, a shorter male asks: ]

So, what brings you two here? We shall not keep you waiting if you have an audience.