[GRAM ORP] Kiss Kiss Fall in Love

[LexThetaSigma]

(Buffet Area --> Towards Games with Aulus and Tambrey, Izaya, Whoever else is around??)

"We'll have to see later," Rory offered his girlfriend a smile before they were interrupted by the man in pink.

And he had to admit, he was impressed at how Aulus had Tambrey's back as she shut down Izaya's idiotic comments. Who was he to try to set them up for a competition or to think she ever should have been seen as a prize? Not only did she have the brains but he had heard about her training with her former partner; he doubted many would hold a candle to her.

Even if he hadn't managed to win points in the other Rocket's book yet, he had won quite a few in his then.

Catching half of what appeared to be a conversation between Tam and the Chingling, he gently placed a hand at the small of her back. "Games could be fun."  

[Blood_Goddess]

Andre

During his discussion with Izaya, something small squirmed its way from under the table cloth.
A Minun, dragging in a card straightened up, shaking his ears out and pushed the valentine toward Andre before squeaking and taking off again.

Congrats! you got a Valentine!  

[Blood_Goddess]

Eumelia

"Raiiichu!" A pokemon cooed out not far from Eumelia's side, and a Raichu with heart shaped cheeks pushed herself up onto her hind legs, sliding a Valentine onto the table in front of the women.

Congrats! you got a Valentine! USED

Long tail swishing back and forth, Kiss Kiss gave Dith an excited greeting, and a wave.  

[Blood_Goddess]

Rory

Someone stepped up next to Rory's elbow, a gentleman wearing a KSO officer's uniform clearing his throat to catch the man's attention.
"Good evening Gentleman. Lady" He said with a nod of his head toward Tambrey.
Then held out a Valentine to Rory.
"Enjoy your evening."

Congrats! You got a Valentine! USED  

[Blood_Goddess]

Citrine

"Excuse me miss." A friend voice spoke from behind Citrine, Officer Pyre having approached her now looking down at the younger trainer.
With a slight bend in his torso he held his hand out to give her a Valentine
"You look lovely tonight, I trust you are enjoying the festivities?"

congratulations! You got a Valentine!  

[Blood_Goddess]

And now the rewards for number of posting!

Kitomyx: 1 Valentine USED
Lural: 1 Valentine
Tawny: 2 Valentine USED
Gwen: 1 Valentine USED
Shaddaling: 1 Valentine
Lux: 1 Valentine USED
insidiousEnigma: 3 Valentine
Verity: 1 Valentine USED

congrats on the Valentine!  

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

[Buffet Area: Under the buffet table with Andre]

"But I'm not - h-hiding myself away!" he hiccuped. Then thought about it. "...am I?" Hiding his heart, maybe; within an impenetrable fortress that brutally ripped apart anyone who got too close.

Andre's expression of emotion when he snapped about caring seemed to sober Izaya. At least he didn't feel like he was the only one in pain. Perhaps the older man liked to act as though he couldn't or didn't feel, but even if he couldn't sympathize with other's feelings, it didn't seem like he could completely keep from relating.

Which made Izaya wonder if he could get the other to understand his dilemma. It was risky, especially since he knew the normally-withdrawn man was opening up to him by telling him things, but he had to try. "Senpai," he said seriously, his volume just above a whisper, "it may be easy for you to say that because you might not think there will ever be another you cared for like Vincent-kun.

"But...imagine for a second that you had Vincent-kun back again. He wouldn't remember you, so you would have to start over, but you'd be happy to have him back, wouldn't you? Because there would be the potential for you to reach where you once were as long as you put in the work and effort to make it happen." Izaya hesitated. "...And...suppose, though a great deal of time and patience, you managed reached the same level in your relationship that you did before he died. But then he died again. Do you think you could handle losing him a second time?"

He didn't dare look at Andre. He knew very well that the man didn't want to talk about his deceased friend and yet he was using him as an example. Was this just another mistake? Would Andre end up hating him too? His ponderings were briefly interrupted by the intrusion of a Minun, who slipped Andre a valentine before leaving. Izaya couldn't help but laugh a little between hiccups. So, it had found them even under there. How cute.

show spoilerhide spoiler

InsidiousEnigma

 

[insidiousEnigma]

[Buffet Area: Under the buffet table with Izaya]

"Perhaps not literally, but actively shutting people out is a mechanism used to keep what's inside safe." He knew that all too well. It was safest to keep people at an arm's length, to shield your true feelings and thoughts so others couldn't exploit them. He understood that perfectly...but he also knew that as much as one might say they're fine alone, there's always that deep, lingering loneliness.

Absently, he took the card handed to him with a soft, "Thank you". But his mind drifted as he thought over the situation presented to him. He honestly didn't know what he would do. It was hard to think the situation over clearly, not with the tight knot twisting in his stomach and his lungs feeling like they were constricting. His instinctive reaction was to push the subject away...much as he thought he would handle Vincent's hypothetical return. He knew his immediate reaction would be to push him away, to not let the opportunity to get hurt again happen.

But if he knew what it felt like...wouldn't it be easier to handle the second time?
Theoretically, yes. But Andre felt like he didn't have nearly enough data to support that.

"...You make a fair point." He said with a nod, eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Honestly, I can't tell you. As I was before Vincent's...death, I would surely tell you that I wouldn't bother with him the second time around." He heaved a weary sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "But now...I think I would just be grateful to have more time with him." He said it softly, thoughtfully, as he let his hand drop back into his lap. "It's better to have love and lost than to never have loved at all. Isn't that the old saying?" He shrugged halfheartedly. "Losing him again would probably hurt...but at least I would already know the pain instead of feeling this...this unknown...emptiness."

show spoilerhide spoiler

IZAYA ORIHARA

 

[Suudonym]

[Back - Zacharie, Citrine]

show spoilerhide spoiler

insidiousEnigma

Lural

"Guh!" The sudden bump at his back surprised him more than anything else, and when he turned to dismiss the apology, he was met with the sight of a very tall guy and a very short girl. The more intimidating of the pair occupied more of his attention, and Shoyo stiffened up, bowing in an apology of his own, "Yes! No! I'm sorry for being in the way!"  

[insidiousEnigma]

[Back - Shoyo, Citrine]

show spoilerhide spoiler

Suudonym

Lural

Zacharie tensed considerably at Citrine's question, "No." He said flatly, tone suggesting that at that particular moment the subject was an unwelcome one. "I didn't have a human friend until I was until I was 17."

And he left it at that because thankfully, the small, orange-haired boy was effectively changing the subject at hand.

"Uhm..." He didn't know what to do in this situation. It was obvious that he'd managed to scare the boy...but that had never happened before. "Ah..you d-don't have to bow." He said awkwardly as he fidgeted with the cuffs of his sleeves. "You weren't in the way...well, I suppose technically you were in the way of my path but since I was the one in motion and not paying attention the fault is mine." He rambled before giving a huff. "...I'm Zacharie." Perhaps that would have been better to start with.  

[TawnyAngel]

[Near the games - Keita & Lex]

"Oh?" KO raised his eyebrows with interest at Lex's minor revelations, he was always keen to hear the latest gossip! Gossip was useful, and entertaining too of course. "I only just got here myself so I haven't seen anything other than the décor but," he tapped his jacket lightly, "I may be able to help with your dilemma, discreetly though! I wouldn't want us to get thrown out for damaging a family friendly event with the devil's water." KO then turned to Keita with a small smirk. "And I'm glad I'm making things interesting for you! Hopefully these games will too.... I wonder what kind of games you can play at a Valentines ball?" This last was said with even more of a smirk; it wouldn't be anything like his salacious expression suggested of course but he enjoyed implying that it might be.

show spoilerhide spoiler

Shaddaling

VerityHattress

 

[lZAYA ORlHARA]

[Buffet Area: Under the buffet table with Andre]

Hearing Andre's response to his hypothetical question, Izaya pouted. "Addicts might not say the same of drugs, you know." He rested his chin between the tops of his knees. "I might have thought you would have repeated that stupid saying just to make me feel better or because it's what I want to hear...but then I remembered your lack of empathy would make that impossible for you to do even if you wanted to. Because how would you know what I wanted to hear?" The corners of his pouting mouth uplifted in a tiny smile of amusement.

But then his brows furrowed again. "How would already knowing the pain help at all? Even if you've experienced it before and are able to identify it, how would that make it any easier to bear? I'd think that knowledge would make anyone just try to avoid it all the more."

show spoilerhide spoiler

InsidiousEnigma

 

[Suudonym]

[Back - Zacharie, Citrine]

show spoilerhide spoiler

insidiousEnigma

Lural

"O-Oh..." Shoyo wasn't completely certain if the guy was irritated or not, but if he had to make a choice between the two, it seemed a little more likely that he wasn't. And his companion didn't appear to be irritated either, so he relaxed a bit. "I'm Shoyo," he said, then gestured to the Hawlucha and Rufflet on either side of him, "and these two are Giant and Yuki." He smiled in response to Citrine's question, unintentionally dropping whatever guard he'd been keeping, "Yeah! We've mostly been by the food until now - Yuki especially has been enjoying it a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of game it'll be!"

the black Hawlucha interjected.

"Yeah, Giant really wants to win," Shoyo translated, then clenched his hands into determined fists. "I do too!"