slow dancing in a burning room

[honestypolice]

slow dancing

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ a meme

 

→ COMMENT WITH YOUR CHARACTER'S NAME, FANDOM, AND PREFERENCE.

→ PICK A CHARACTER YOU WANT TO TAG AND GO FOR IT.

→ PLAY NICE; NO WANK, FLAMES, OR GENERAL HUMBUGGERY.
 

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈ the deal

 

FORMAL OR INFORMAL, WITH MUSIC OR WITHOUT, YOU COULD BE AT A GLAMOUROUS GALA WHILE A SINGER CROONS SOFTLY OR IN THE SILENCE OF YOUR OWN LIVING ROOM. WHEREVER YOU ARE, YOU HAVE THE URGE TO DANCE. DID YOU ASK YOUR PARTNER OR DID THEY ASK YOU? HAVE YOU GOT TWO LEFT FEET OR IS THE VIENNESE WALTZ YOUR JAM? IT COULD BE AWKWARD, IT COULD BE ROMANTIC. EITHER WAY IT'S CUTE AS HELL.

 

Comments

[aureately]

[NOPE he's not defensive, exactly, but he's still deflecting that question, since he doesn't want to talk about Saki with someone hes' just met. And he especially doesn't want to talk about how profoundly wrong he'd been once, and what it'd cost his someone waiting. It was her fault too, for trusting Izaya, but...that doesn't change the fact that he froze up, that he hadn't saved her, and that he'd trusted Izaya as well.

So. DEFLECTING, DEFLECTING~]

Ah, but we've been talking this whole time! So unless my imagination is SO good that it grabbed me and wrenched me away and then tossed me aside so carelessly in its wake that hit my head I got amnesia...then YES, you said something! And I said something back, and then you said something...isn't that normally how conversations go~?

1/2 wtfffff my phone is hellbent on keeping me from this tag B[

[flipkicking]

[...

He's good.

Not convincing, not now -- but damn, he's good.

And there is a large part of her that wants to know what's wrong -- not out of curiosity, but because something is very wrong, her gut's telling her on top of what her head's already deduced -- but that same part knows that she is in no position, has no authority, no right to inquire, especially going by just a few (obvious) cues and a hunch; whatever the problem is, it's not immediate, nothing she can do anything about right here and right now, if at all. And Jill certainly doesn't want to push him away by overstepping any boundaries, for a few reasons.

Those are the arguments she tells herself in the short pause, reigning in a nature that wants to jump in head-first when someone is in danger or hurting or otherwise not okay. She's probably assuming too much -- he just doesn't want to talk about her, that's all, he's entitled to a private life -- but even if she's known him for no more than an hour, Jill can't shake That Feeling.]

2/2 WELL THAT WAS ODD. it must not ship this, either.

[flipkicking]

[But feeling or no, her next smile comes easily and smoothly -- still friendly, but with just enough of a serious shadow to say she's not fooled. She's giving in because she chooses to.]

Normally, yeah. [She glances idly aside -- and that's more for him, in case there's anything in his expression he wants to fix before she looks back.] But neither of us probably cares much for the normal, anyway, right?

...But HOW COULD IT NOT this is so ~sexhay~ X'DDD

[aureately]

[He can tell by that glance aside that he hasn't fooled her, but his instincts said she wouldn't be the type to pry, even if she wanted to. And she does seem to want to. Something to be aware--or perhaps even a bit wary--of, if meetings like this turn into a common thing.

But for now, he's not letting that smile drop. They're here to have fun, after all, not talk about the past and things that can't be changed.]

Hmm...IMPOSSIBLE TO DECIDE! It's more a case-by-case thing, I'd say, wouldn't you? For example, I'd be perfectly fine with having a normal bowl of ramen served to me at a ramen bar, and a normal check-up at the doctor's office, and most especially perfectly fine with a normal flight to New York or London or Paris!

BUT-! A normal night out or a normal life, or even just a normal walk home from school? NEVER~!

haaaaa TOOK THE WORDS *RIGHT* OUT OF MY MOUTH THERE XD

[flipkicking]

[Jill's convinced that no one she meets lately is arguably normal -- even if they don't have superpowers or use magic or whatever, then something about their lives sets them apart from the rest of those around them. Something makes them interesting, even if it's not a good something.

So for now she'll chalk Kida's mystery problem to being something currently outside her understanding -- just like many of her experiences would be to someone else. Looking at it that way, it's easier to let it slide.]

But a normal night and walk home would be nice now and again -- I think, anyway. Some people like the quiet life. [Or, you know, more often than just "now and again," even. Jill isn't down for the count just yet, but years of fighting take their toll on anyone.

But she's still all smiles as she adds,] But I just appreciate any night where I can go somewhere unarmed, personally.

[...Which does beg the question of whether tonight is one of those nights -- and if she's managing to conceal something under that small, snug outfit, only she knows. |D]

Does that make me a word-thief? |D

[aureately]

[Get ready for some babbling, YOU KNOW YOU MISSED IT...]

Ah, but 'unarmed' isn't the same thing at all as 'not dangerous'! For instance, there's an acquaintance of mine back home who can rip telephone poles and street-signs out of the ground with his bare hands, and regularly throws vending machines and motorcycles and people who really piss him off through the air for hundreds of meters! You could be the same for all I know! You could be a superhero or an alien in disguise! Perhaps you're secretly a magical girl and you're just one inexplicably uninterrupted twenty-second transformation sequence away from being able to take down everyone in this room! Or...maybe you're still totally human, but you aren't unarmed~?

....YES.

[flipkicking]

[She just gives him a total iconfais sidelong look, glancing aside again with a breathed-out kind of laugh.]

What kind of well-intentioned person comes to a dance armed, though?

//CACKLES AND FLEES INTO THE NIGHT WITH 30 DICTIONARIES >D

[aureately]

A smart one who never knows what quite to expect and is always ready ~JUST IN CASE~ of course!

[Have an iconfais back, 'cause all he can think is SHE HASN'T DENIED IT so~...]

Also GUESS~ WHAAAAT~ X'DDDDD

[aureately]

[He should just leave it there and let things stay light, since that's what he wants, but his mouth keeps moving and he's kind of prying at her a bit in return for her prying a few moments ago.]

...Or maybe one with enemies who are still on the loose, and who aren't quite so well-intentioned.

\o/ /FLEES INTO THE NIGHT WITH ALL YOUR HIDDEN TAG SPAMS XD

[flipkicking]

[...Ah. Fair's fair, huh.

The look flickers, but it's only to appear musing -- in a lighthearted way, suggesting she's humoring him more than anything.]

Both good guesses. But something as meaningless in the long term as a night out -- and in a setting like this? [She glances around indicatively.] It's hard to spot anyone coming. Harder to identify and track any threats. And I'd be putting myself in a position where I don't have much on me in terms of defense.

[Not to mention the risk of being seen with and potentially endangering someone who isn't involved...

She looks at him again, that same smile back in place.]

...If someone really had enemies that dangerous out and about, wouldn't something like this be an unnecessary risk?

[...Yes, she's continuing to respond in questions -- to avoid direct answers? Or to see how much he can deduce with just a couple hints?]

[aureately]

Ah, but life is FAR too short to resist any real chance to make it at least a little bit sweet also! Living in fear isn't really LIVING at all!

[He's smiling and babbling a mile a minute in Classic Kida Style, his tone casual and cheerful and utterly normal; but his eyes are just a shade too watchful to really sell it, something he's probably fully aware of.]

And maybe you're just really good at whatever it is you do, so it's not actually much of a risk at all!

[flipkicking]

[If she didn't already think he's an odd kid, that would do it.

Jill holds the look, her own still unchanged, before giving a low hum of a laugh.] That would be something, wouldn't it?

[She almost said something about how that doesn't solve the issue of endangering others, necessarily, but she's sure she couldn't manage it with a totally neutral face. That fear is one that she's finally managed to bury behind her, and that's where it should stay.]

But if that was the case, then you could see why "normal" doesn't sound so bad now and again.

[aureate_ly]

[...Aaaand now he's 100% back to totally selling that goofiness. X'D]

Hmm, now and again, now and again maybe! [He semi-carlessly waves away the idea as he puts himself through a quick double spin.] -BUT! If you're someone who's not "normal" in the first place then "normal" for you isn't really so normal! And what you might perceive as "normal" for other people might not really be normal at all! So why even bother with thinking about things like "normal" or "not normal"? Instead, you should classify everything by "fun" and "not fun" or "cool" and "not cool" or whatever factor is most important to you! "Normal" is WAY too subjective to be any sort of standard for anything--and in any case, it's really mostly just a way of saying that something is boring!

[flipkicking]

[As expressive as Jill can be when she wants to, there's enough laughter in her eyes and her smile to make up for what she doesn't express verbally -- but there's a hint of it when she responds.]

Okay, okay, point taken. In that case, I'll reword it as...

[She considers for a beat or two]

--I prefer nights that are fun, memorable, and... relaxing enough to be comfortable. [She gives a slight nod in his direction.] Like this one.

[aureately]

Mm, that's a lot easier to get behind! Doesn't all of that sound a lot better than "normal" anyway?

[Getting that many indirect compliments from a Beautiful Older Woman actually catches him a little flatfooted though, and for the moment, he suddenly can't find anything to say. Although...the thought also crosses his mind that she might not even be talking about the time she spent with him. She could've had that fun, memorable, comfortable time with someone else.

So for the moment, he'll just keep dancing, adding +5 Silliness by spinning himself out and then back in.]

[flipkicking]

It does.

[Ah, but when he goes to spin back in, Jill sidesteps quickly at the last second to turn them in a semi-circle, spinning him out again in the other direction before he can come to a full stop. |D]

[aureately]

Jill-oneechaaaaan~ I thought I warned you about this already~! ♥

[He's giggling fff laughing though as he lets her spin him back into Normal Dance Position.]

You're determined not to learn your lesson until it's too late, aren't you? The blame will be entirely yours when I waste away to nothing, pining after my ~LONG LOST TRUE LOVE~ who was only playing with my heart all along!

[flipkicking]

So if I say too much, it's risky, but I just stay quiet and dance too much, then that's risky, too.

[She gives him a pseudo-criticizing look.]

I'd say we're at an impass, then.

[aureately]

Some people are just so irresistible that they're risky no matter what! Yet another thing we have in common! ♥

[Kida doesn't know much about Classical music, or whatever sort of music this waltz tune is, but if he didn't know better, he'd think that it was starting to wind down...and he's not sure how he feels about that. He'd had fun for sure, and dancing with a beautiful older woman was something that he'd never say no to, and she seemed like a good person...but maybe that's exactly why he doesn't want to let her get too close to him. (...A little bit close/closer is fine, but not too close.) Still, he can't promise that he won't bother her again at a later date if he sees her around.]

[flipkicking]

[Another laugh at that, because seriously this kid she can't even.

Jill notices the slow-down, as well -- and time hasn't been the easiest thing to track since arriving, but she's sure they've been at it a while. Not that she wouldn't mind more time with him, but she's had him long enough and she doesn't want to get him into any trouble by doing so any longer, if his parents are around. Not to mention she would like to look for some friends before the night's over, so...

Her movements match the music, slowing at the same pace -- but still patient, clearly in no rush to get it over with.]

Irresistible or not, I'd hate to keep you to myself all night. But it's been fun. [And... a winning smile to go with that last part, hopefully proving that she Means It.]

[aureately]

[Kida follows suit, letting her take the lead for these last few minutes.]

I wouldn't particularly hate being kept all night, or even longer! But too much of a good thing too fast can be a little overwhelming, and there's no rush! If you think that we should take things slow I'll easily agree! After the chance first encounter, next should be a casual meeting over tea! I'll be my treat, so just let me know what day and time works for you and it'll be a date!

[flipkicking]

[...Ahaha well.

She appears to think it over, filling the silence with more slowing moves.]

How about... surprising me?

[...Things are unpredictable enough these days, anyway; what's one more bit of surprise? Not to mention it's... hard to really make plans sometimes.]

[aureately]

[And they're almost stopped now, so Kida will simply twirl himself out of her arms and then give her the Too Coll Finger-gun, awwwyis X'D]

Ah, I see! So you want to rely on Fate a second time to be certain that we're truly meant to be together? All right then! That will definitely make our next meeting a surprisingly surprising surprise! But~ when I crash your date or barge in on a possibly-romantic moment, don't say I didn't warn you!

[flipkicking]

Hey--

[She points back pseudo-accusingly]

I said surprise me, but use some discretion, all right?

[aureately]

Oho~! So now ours is to be a ~SECRET LOVE~ is it? In that case, you'll find me the soul of subtlety! The spirit of secrecy! The manifestation of mystery!

[He gets a little more strident with each additional title, showing how very much he is not any of those things. At the moment, at least, anyway.

He's going to make a grab for that hand she's pointing at him with, attempting to capture it with both of his and clasp it overdramatically.]

If this is truly what you want, I'll agree to this as well! After all, we're both spoken for officially, and I wouldn't want to ruin your good name for anything in the world, Jill-oneechan!