[FIN] New Years Date

[TawnyAngel]

Dirt and guts, yes there was a lot of that if you mixed with the kinds of people he had but if you were born lucky Antiva was idyllic... or so he had dreamed up, and thought from watching people and from his brushes with their lives. "All true! But not everyone encounters the underbelly of it, many people go through their lives merely dealing with the chaos of it all and the annoyance of their neighbours, or so I am led to believe!" If things had been different he could have had a happy life there, full of colour and chaos and friends and family....

But here he was in Kodo, in a car with Abel. He had never believed that everything happened for a reason but just at the moment it felt as though perhaps at least some things did.

"Of course, let me get up a map on my phone," Zevran replied with another squeeze to Abel's hand as he dug in his pocket with the other. After some moments of fiddling and typing in the postcode he had a route in front of him. "Ahh, let me see," he mumbled as he studied it, "we continue straight for some time yet but then you will need to take a right, I will tell you when we approach it."  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Ahh, yeah, that makes sense. I think that's how it is almost everywhere; most people go on living their lives in peaceful chaos and never see any of what goes on elsewhere." That's how it was in Sinnoh, that's how it had been in Unova... That was almost assuredly how it was in Kodo too, given Team Rocket's presence amongst others. But he wasn't part of that here - yet at least, though he kind of hoped he wouldn't be at all - so he didn't particularly care to worry about it.

He returned the squeeze, happily flexing his fingers around Zevran's as the other man pulled up the route there. "Straight for a while and then right, got it," he noted aloud, then relaxed a bit now that he knew more or less where he had to go. Then, with a warm smile and another squeeze to Zevran's hand he added, "Thank you."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran made a thoughtful noise and nodded. "Things are the same everywhere I suppose yes you are right. Kodo is small but it is not lacking in underbelly, quite a lot of it seems to come through my warehouse in the small hours of the night." He was not involved with it though, not beyond card games of questionable legality anyway and people seldom got hurt in those! It was a refreshing change for him at least, to be aware of the things that went on but not up to his neck and beyond in them.

"You are most welcome!"

He was quite happy where he was right now.


They drove a little while longer, turning here and there until they reached a palatial hotel right in the heart of the city. Ice blue, white, and golden lights sparkled around a gushing fountain and an elegant sign indicated valet parking off to the left. Two shining cars, a limousine and a classic Bentley, turned off to the right instead; clearly these cars came with their own drivers and did not need to consider valets.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Abel let out a long, low whistle as they approached the hotel. "Man we're not even inside yet and already it looks fancy as hell. Damn." His gaze drifted from the building itself to the - s**t even the signs were fancy - signs directing traffic. The blond nibbled his lower lip thoughtfully. "Which way do we go? I'd rather not do valet parking since I'm not made of money, but I don't know if they expect people to actually park their own cars and walk in. ...there have to be some people doing that though, right?" Probably? He couldn't imagine that everyone either paid for valet parking or had their own personal driver... right?  

[TawnyAngel]

"Ahh..." Zevran squinted around suspiciously for something that didn't look too expensive. He failed to locate such a thing. "Maybe we can drive past the valets and park up in any case?" he suggested after a few thoughtful moments. "Or there might be a place to divert they simply do not wish to advertise lest they be overrun by we peasants. They were rather fancy invitations, meant for the great and the good of the city no doubt." Certainly not for people who couldn't see a six figure paycheck with a telescope.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

"Oh, good point, maybe we can.. I'm sure we'll find somewhere to park for ourselves. I'm sure they've also spotted we peasants immediately, too; my poor car'll stick out like a sore thumb around all these expensive cars," the blond pointed out dryly. His inexpensive four-door couldn't compare to these cars he probably couldn't buy even with a full year's salary. Maybe if some of them weren't as expensive as they looked, but he didn't really care that much to figure it out.

Eventually, after a little driving around Abel found a place to park his own car. Once he had done so, he shut it off, pocketed his keys and got out, then opened the back door to let both Isaac and Clara out as well. "Alright guys, let's go in, yeah? Are you excited?"

"Eon!" The psychic-type put in quite eagerly, his forked tail swishing back and forth as he took in the expansive building. It was almost like some sort of castle or something.  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran chuckled softly and patted the door of Abel's poor hard working vehicle. "She does very well," he observed as Abel drove on in search of somewhere to leave her.

Once they were parked Zevran climbed out and stretched luxuriantly, and was pleased to note that as it was unbuttoned his jacket allowed this without difficulty.

"I am most excited!" he said as he walked around the car to meet Abel and, after a moment of hesitation, offered him his hand. "I am not sure who should take whose arm, so will this suffice do you think?" he asked with a little grin that carried just a hint of shyness.

Clara, who had also jumped out of the car, trotted over to stand beside Isaac and wagged her tail enthusiastically. What a place this was!  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Yes, his car did well enough for what he'd bought it for; cheap, used, meant to only last him a few years until he inevitably moved again... And yet he found himself unwilling to move away this time. He had little need or desire to, not now that he'd found himself two best friends... one of which he was going on a date with. The thought sent butterflies fluttering through his stomach again, and they only calmed a tiny bit when Zevran took his hand. Abel grinned perhaps a little wider than usual, either due to happiness, nervousness, excitement, or all of the above, and gave Zev's hand a squeeze as he leaned down to kiss his temple. "I'm not sure either, so this seems perfect to me," he murmured, squeezing his hand again as his grin softened to a warm smile. "Now, d'you want to hand them our tickets or do you want me to? I feel like it might be better if you do, you're much better at this sort of thing than I am, I think." No, he was.. a little out of his element with the ritziness emanating from the hotel.

Isaac beamed at Clara, his ears perked as he tried his very best to stay still, lest he start bouncing in place. This was exciting!  

[TawnyAngel]

Heh, perfect was it? Well, yes it was.

As they headed for the entrance Zevran smiled and nodded up at Abel and held his free hand out for the tickets. "Of course, I am a master of bullshitting. Shall we be people of influence tonight? I could be, oh, a notable visiting artist who is insulted at not being recognised but pretending not to be? Would you like to be a passionate poet, an aloof philosopher? Or perhaps you wish to... simply be my date?" His date! Abel was, in fact, his date. Suddenly he found himself grinning again as they approached the smooth stone steps that led up to the hotel's grand entrance, in fact he was grinning so much that his face hurt.

Clara beamed back at Isaac, lolled her tongue for a moment, and then trotted along proud and obedient at Zevran's heel.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

With his free hand, Abel withdrew the tickets from an inner breast pocket of his suit and held them out for Zevran with a flourish. "You're much better at it than I am, I freely admit," he reiterated with a chuckle.

And then he was presented with a series of options to pick from. All of them sounded interesting enough, of course, and he was confident he could bullshit his way through any of them just enough to pass off as whichever, except... "I dunno," he said with a small shrug, smiling at just how happy Zevran seemed to be. Seeing him so happy made him happy, so he leaned down to plant a quick kiss to the top of his head. With a deep warmth in his tones and expression he continued, "Those sound pretty great and all, but I can't think of anything better than being your date."  

[TawnyAngel]

Zevran stared up at Abel, speechless for a moment. He hadn't... well he had hoped he would say that but he hadn't really thought he would! "Oh," he said aloud, somehow stuttering slightly over the simple word, "well... well I cannot think of anything better than you being my date. We will do that then." Gladly.

At the top of the steps there were several suit-clad men and women checking tickets; a heayset man with deep purple hair in a short smart cut moved smoothly to intercept Abel and Zevran. "Gentlemen?" he greeted, tablet in hand. "Welcome to the Palace, may I see your tickets please?"

Zevran made a vague noise of acknowledgement and passed the tickets over with just a hint of a smile. "Of course. This is all rather nice; your fountain out there, is it a replica of a San Vermor?"

"Ahh..." The greeter looked up from checking the tickets with a polite smile. "I don't know I'm afraid sir... Ah... These are VIP tickets and the scan is all in order but I'm sorry your names seem to have been left off. Who should I put down as attending?"

...VIP? Well he had not been expecting that. Oh well, there was no avoiding it now! And why should his persona not be a VIP? "Ah," Zevran scoffed, "I did think that was odd. Well of course you know who I am?" He gestured to his tattooed face and smiled expectantly.

"Ahh...."

"...Oh." Zevran's smile faded and his lips pursed a little. "I see there has been... some error in communication. I am the Arl Antiva, I am due to have a - how do you say - a gallery here later in the year? My invitation was to decide where I might like my work displayed. My compaion here is Mr Gray, my guest for the evening." As he said this Zevran smiled again and gave Abel's hand a squeeze.

"Oh, well I'm terribly sorry about that sirs," the greeter said with a professional smile as he tapped some details into his tablet. "Please go on in and enjoy your evening, you'll find drinks and canapés on your right as you enter. Happy New Year!"

"Very good," Zevran nodded at the man and then turned to Abel. "Shall we then darling?"  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Ohh how he just wanted to hug him, to hold him in his arms and kiss the top of his head and not let go, and all manner of completely innocent - for once - gestures. He hadn't expected that kind of reaction from him, but he found himself immensely glad for what he'd said, especially since it was true, and for the fact Zevran didn't seem to know what to say at first.

Abel followed Zevran's lead up the stairs and remained quiet through the conversation, controlling his features carefully to add what small, approving nods or faint, displeased frowns tinged with disdain or disbelief where he thought necessary as his friend bullshitted his way through in spectacular fashion, just like he knew he would. Oh yes, Zevran was much better at this sort of thing than he was, he...

...darling?

He'd called him darling. Darling. Him.

What felt like a balloon suddenly swelled up in his chest and he gave Zevran's hand a squeeze, suddenly feeling like he couldn't breathe, and feeling incredibly grateful that he'd been trying to focus so hard on keeping his face impassive save for what expressions he intended to show, because if he hadn't there was a distinct possibility he'd be grinning like an idiot right now. As it was he wasn't, but his face did light up with a warm, bright smile for his friend. "Yes, let's. Happy New Year," he added to the greeter in response, almost as an afterthought -- because it was, in the face of being called darling. He was just playing along though, wasn't he? ...he was, right? Because if he wasn't, if he actually meant it, then... then he didn't know what he'd think, or do, or anything. Even thinking at the moment was suddenly rather more difficult than it had been just a scant few minutes ago.  

[TawnyAngel]

In fact, caught up in his little role, Zevran hadn't even noticed that he had used the word darling. As they headed inside he just smiled up at Abel and murmured; "I thought that went quite well. Shall we get a drink?" he asked as he scanned the clusters of people already heading through the spacious lobby.

And then he realised what he'd said. His eyes widened just a little and he looked quickly back at Abel. "Ah... ahaha, I hope you did not mind any of that?" Darling. He had called Abel darling. Oh.  

[BlackFireKitsune]

Once Abel could breathe again he responded a few seconds later than he would have normally. "That went perfectly; I knew it would." How could it not? He inhaled deeply again - even, controlled, measured - and raised Zevran's hand to his lips to place a gentle kiss on it, though his gaze never left those brilliant amber eyes he loved looking into so much. "Not one bit," he murmured softly against his hand, a hint of shyness in his expression. "Shall I fetch a drink for you, Mister Arl Antiva? Or would you prefer a different honorific?"  

[TawnyAngel]

This was ridiculous, they were both acting like foolish teenagers! And it made him smile, and Abel's lips on his hand made his heart flutter in his chest. This was... This really was not like anything he had experienced before.

"Yes you may certainly fetch me a drink," Zevran replied with what was supposed to be a smirk but ended up as a brilliant grin as he looked up at Abel. "And Arl is already an honorific though I would not expect you or our greeter to know that, it is minor aristocracy owning a small amount of land; my country is lousy with them."