Vivienne Stanbury (
kirkhammer) wrote in
pawnstorm2016-08-03 03:31 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
Entry tags:
[CLOSED]
Who: Vivienne (
kirkhammer) and Maki (
cutiepanther)
When: Several days after the dungeon!
Where: Around Caissa?
What: Discussions of dungeons, and then.. dress shopping! Not necessarily in that order. Also one thread serves as overflow from the ball log.
Rating: PG? I doubt this will escalate to anything beyond this.
["There's a first time for everything." is how the saying normally goes, and today marks the first time for many things for Vivienne. This is the first time she's agreed on a one-on-one social outing. This is the first time she's maybe looked forward to said social outing. This is likely to be the first time she's been able to feel... normal? Well, at least normal according to the standards of most other folk. By Yharnam's standards, she's as normal as can be, if not overly polite, but Yharnam's a very dank place.
Patting the pouch of colle at her side, Vivienne checks for at least the fifth time that it's still there. She isn't exactly jittery, she just isn't entirely sure what to expect. Despite her ample free time, shopping for a dress never crossed her mind, and would never have if Maki hadn't brought it up back during the ball. Why would it, after all, when she's so far removed from that sort of thing.
Anyway, it's nearly time to meet Maki at their arranged spot. Vivienne isn't late, but all the same, she does hope Maki didn't arrive early for any reason - somehow, the idea of having kept her waiting irks her. Strange, that.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
When: Several days after the dungeon!
Where: Around Caissa?
What: Discussions of dungeons, and then.. dress shopping! Not necessarily in that order. Also one thread serves as overflow from the ball log.
Rating: PG? I doubt this will escalate to anything beyond this.
["There's a first time for everything." is how the saying normally goes, and today marks the first time for many things for Vivienne. This is the first time she's agreed on a one-on-one social outing. This is the first time she's maybe looked forward to said social outing. This is likely to be the first time she's been able to feel... normal? Well, at least normal according to the standards of most other folk. By Yharnam's standards, she's as normal as can be, if not overly polite, but Yharnam's a very dank place.
Patting the pouch of colle at her side, Vivienne checks for at least the fifth time that it's still there. She isn't exactly jittery, she just isn't entirely sure what to expect. Despite her ample free time, shopping for a dress never crossed her mind, and would never have if Maki hadn't brought it up back during the ball. Why would it, after all, when she's so far removed from that sort of thing.
Anyway, it's nearly time to meet Maki at their arranged spot. Vivienne isn't late, but all the same, she does hope Maki didn't arrive early for any reason - somehow, the idea of having kept her waiting irks her. Strange, that.]
no subject
...but she stays.
And she tries again.
Because foolish as she feels, discouraged as she is, disappointing Maki is even more aggravating. But she at least gets that last part right this time. Now if only she'd relax a little; the arm around Maki is tense, and her posture is rigid. Not to mention she's still staring down at the floor...]
I believe I have it...
no subject
So it doesn't phase her that Vivienne is taller, older, stronger. Right now she may be all those things but she's still failing at someone Maki has been able to do since she was little. And she won't let Vivienne just pout and give up.
She watches Vivienne's feet intently for a few moments, then looks back up at her face. Watching where she is watching. Staying silent as not to disturb her while she gets the rhythm, even though it's off beat. ]
Okay. Good. Now look up at me. [ Maki waits, though when their eyes meet she can't hide the way the tops of her cheeks start to glow ever slightly. ] You need to find the beat now, and move with that. And you can loosen your grip on my back.
no subject
This is the first time she's had that effect on someone too, as far she can recall.]
I'm sorry, was I hurting you?
[The tension in her arm goes away shortly after, and she finds that the moment she relaxes, her movements stop feeling mechanical and forced, making finding the rhythm all the more simple. It's almost bizarre how smoothly things seem to go from there, despite a small number of missteps as she goes.
At least she doesn't stop after each one.]
You're a good teacher, Maki. [A rather pointed glance down now.] I'm glad you're here.
[Here right now, teaching her lame ass how to dance. Still here in Caissa, even after all this time. It works both ways.]
no subject
But she's going at least slightly softer on Vivienne than she might have on someone else. She doesn't want to push her too hard, so she would just give up. ]
Huh? N-No, it's just... you want a little room between us..
[ It hadn't been painful at all no, but it had certainly pushed Maki ever closer to Vivienne than this dance needed them to be. Sure there are couples on the floor that close but... they likely had a different relationship than her and Vivienne.
Sighing, Maki tries to put those thoughts out of her head, looking down for a second again then back up to Vivienne's face. ]
What? U-Um, you don't have to thank me, it's--I just thought you seemed like you wanted to learn! I mean--you should learn, it's an important skill if you're going to come places like this! What if someone here like a rich prince asked you to dance or something?
[ She tries to hide her intense embarrassment by talking about just about anything else, even while she continues to keep in time with her box step. ]
no subject
But yes, a little room. Proximity is usually a point of contention for Vivienne, though how much is dependent on who's getting too close. This, she finds, she doesn't mind all that much. Still, if it isn't right, she'd better amend the distance, sparing a glance to another nearby couple to approximate the correct distance - a natural, casual sort of arm's length, she supposes?]
I'd have refused.
[That... that was rather blunt and readily answered...]
no subject
It's not that being close was a problem at all, but it does make learning to dance easier. Maybe when Vivienne learns more she could pull in in like that--
But now Maki looks up from Vivienne's feet (she's got the steps right now!) to tilt her head at that simple, confident answer. ]
Really?
[ Maki has to think herself about what she'd do... On principle though, she's pretty sure she'd accept, simply because it was the polite thing to do, and pretty much only for that reason. ]
Well--You're getting the hang of it a lot better. We could try the waltz steps now, it's just a little different since you step diagonally..
no subject
Would you not have? To dance with a complete stranger... [Funny that this comes from someone who occasionally engages in casual sex if the urge ever rises.] I can't imagine his intentions would be anything but malicious.
[Because nobles, etc. Can't trust 'em. But as easily as she makes such accusations, she addresses the next topic. And it's actually something she's vaguely aware of. The waltz has been referenced once or twice in a few novels here and there.]
Yes, I'm familiar. [A beat, and then:] It's rather strange that, of everything, our worlds have only the more... insignificant matters in common.
[Though maybe that's for the best.]
no subject
I-I mean, I wouldn't like it, but I'd probably do it just to be polite. I'd rather dance with someone like you.
[ Wait... ] I just mean someone like you who I know! Not like, just because you're a girl...
[ Wait... ] N-Nevermind!
[ This is really turning out really poorly for Maki. So she focuses on their footwork instead, so that maybe Vivienne would forget she said anything at all. ]
Yeah... Did you listen to a lot of music back home?
no subject
Yes... I feel the same in that regard. Had anybody else asked, noble or fellow Hero, I wouldn't have obliged.
[Simply put: she's dancing Maki asked...... though also because she doesn't feel like she was given much of a choice. But mostly the first thing.]
But no, unless there was some special occasion, I preferred quieter methods of relaxation. A good book would suffice. I take this is all very familiar with you?
no subject
I-I guess I can just take be happy with the fact that you didn't tell me no.
[ Maki laughs a little haughtily there... even though she clearly didn't give the other a chance. But things are fall into place now. Despite some mild missteps Vivienne is definitely learning. ]
I-uhm, yes, something like that... My parents would bring me to their fundraisers for their hospital. I really just liked it because I was able to listen to live music.
no subject
[Vivienne on the other hand, can evidently be a little too upfront about her feelings.]
Were you ever expected to dance like this? Perhaps not a rich prince, but I can imagine a number of suitors approaching you.
no subject
For... me?
[ How does she even respond to that? Did that mean...? No, of course it didn't, but it doesn't stop Maki from thinking it despite everything. ]
Suitors? [ Even in her embarrassment, Maki can't help but giggle to herself at Vivienne's archaic choice of words. ] The only suitors I think I've had is my friend Rin, she keeps telling me she wants to marry me when we graduate. Even though she already said she's going to marry Hanayo.
no subject
Is that surprising? Even in the past, you've been nothing but kind to me. I would be remiss not to return the sentiment in some manner.
[""In some manner"", geez. She'll loosen up even...tually... Though speaking of archaic:]
She? Two of the same gender are able to wed?
no subject
It's only natural, learning to dance is an important skill... It's not like I just wanted to dance with you or anything!
[ Wait, she definitely just admitted exactly why she pulled Vivienne out here, but she's also quick to push past it, almost pretending as if she didn't say it at all.
Actually, the next question makes her wish she could forget that too... ]
U-Um, w-well... I mean... n-no, no where I'm from anyway, not yet. Other places like in America where I've visited it's legal but-- I-I don't think Rin really means it like that... B-Besides I wouldn't want to get between her and Hanayo anyway!
[ Her face really is red now. ]