I'll be there for you

[mansionstaff]

Who: EV ERY ONE
What: Graduation. Prom.
When: The evening of May 31st.
Where: The Stadium.
Warnings: WHO KNOWS

One might find the stadium a little hot and humid for those used to a spring graduation ceremony. This fine evening the Academy is experiencing its first hints of summer, a warm breeze providing relief to those who would sit on the stadium floor, which had been rearranged into a platform overlooking neat rows of chairs meant to seat the gathered crowd of faculty and students. Towards the other end of the complex was the arrangement for the prom that was to follow. Food and drink, chairs and tables, each with a floral centerpiece, and, of course, a dance floor.



Before everyone could get their party on, however, there was the main event of the evening. From his place at the podium, Master Hand watched students and staff alike find their way into the stadium. With the recent robot shenanigans, there seemed to be tensions in need of dispelling. If the Headmaster knew one thing, however, it was that some silly city antics were not going to ruin this esteemed event. Not tonight. Not if he could help it.

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HEY DUDES! Here's how stuff is going to work. We kick off the log with GRADUATION. This part of the log will be divided into separate threads. I'll post them all at once, so feel free to hop around, mingle, post whenever, wherever.

HOWEVER, once the PROM starts, it will be up to you guys to post your own threads. Please check out last year's log if you'd like an idea of how this works. Everything after the thread titled "DISMISSAL" (I will post that in a bit, so don't post prom threads until I have that up!) will be considered prom, though don't let that stop you from continuing to post in the graduation section.

Please label all your threads appropriately! (Examples: "SHENANIGANS AT THE FOOD TABLE", "DANCE-OFF", "THE PUNCH IS SPIKED", "BOTHER X" In general, a location + what is going on in the thread is the way to go. Obviously, more than one thread can take place at the same location. 

Linking back and forth when and if you thread hop is very much appreciated. If things start to look a bit laggy, we'll bump to the next page. Most importantly, HAVE FUN, and let a mod know about any problems or concerns you might have!

Comments

[mohawk_tomahawk]

Connor cleared his throat as Eirika judged him and adjusted his collar. Letting her. Feeling both embarrassed and yet humble.

His warrior, Assassin feet. At least he had good feet.

He could think of dancing as when he would be having a sword fight? Connor looked at the sky as she said that, as if thinking deeply about all of that.

Including her offer.

"Then I might have to take you up on that offer," Connor said as he put his hands into his pockets and shifted himself.

Oh...wait, he forgot.

Hrm, maybe someplace better where he could think. This music was so distracting, ugh.

"Actually, I was about to leave to the outside for a moment. I was wondering if you did not mind...accompanying me for a moment."

[heartofarapier]

She blinked at his invitation and felt her eyebrows knit together before she actually realised that they had. Dusting him off once more, noting the way he was slightly embarrassed, and yet finding him all the more endearing, she simply gave him a rather light nod.

"No. I don't mind in the least," she replied with a bit of a bashful smile.

What could you possibly have to want with me to call me aside like this, Connor? Do you know what that will look like to outside eyes?

But the thrilling - and unlikely - possibility was that he didn't care.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

That's right.

He did not care.

Well, he did. But. Not too much. He wanted to do this. He felt it was something he needed to do. He had his mind on it. He wanted to do it here to while they were meeting up.

But he didn't want her nervous. It wasn't anything bad.

(Spoilers: He had no idea what he was doing or what he was feeling, let's be honest.)

"Good, I wanted to give you something while just stepping away from this for a moment."

[heartofarapier]

Nervous? Eirika nervous? What a silly thing to think. No, really. She was a little nervous. Just a tiny bit. Slightly. More so when he said he had something he wanted to give her. Because he didn't need to give her anything. She'd done nothing worth being given a gift. Not in her opinion anyway, and she was fairly certain her expression spelled that out to him rather clearly.

At least would have if Connor were better at reading expressions.

"...Give... me something?" she asked him through a painfully apparent flushing of the cheeks. Then she softened her tone and leaned in closer to him, "...Connor, that's unnecessary..."

[mohawk_tomahawk]

He made the smallest smirk as he let out a breath through his nose. As if amused.

"Somehow I thought you would say that."

Frown.

"...I knew I did not have to. But I wanted to. I wanted to show at least a little appreciation."

Pause.

"...Please, accept it."

Oh wow.

[heartofarapier]

Why was it that her chest grew so tight when she heard him? He knew her so well?

"Somehow I thought you would say that."

And she couldn't stop blushing when she heard him. Unable to look to him, however, she tried to hide a little beneath her hair. "...Not... here," she commented gently.

If someone like Innes should see... I couldn't stand to let you endure that.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

He could guess why she would say that...but we're leaving anyway right?

Connor would lead her outside, offering his arm for her to take.







Being a gentleman. Was he doing it right?

[heartofarapier]

Okay. That was a little embarrassing. Charming, Connor. But embarrassing.

She carefully curled her arm about his and drew in a deep breath as if to straighten her posture once more. And she allowed him to lead, wondering precisely what it was that he had for her.

And she still couldn't figure out why. But all the same, she'd respect his wishes.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

What do you want from me?

You looked like you were wearing a huge ass poofy dress, okay???

It was an awkward walk outside. Connor would look at her features and feel him getting a little weird feeling.

Was he doing something wrong again? What was Connor doing with women who were friends anyway? He was obviously bad at this. Dobby and Myriam were just...different. He could hunt and talk in pubs with them. Eirika was too different. This all felt different. Everything. WHY? Why was it different? It shouldn't be, should it?

Connor was lacking words to say again. But once they were outside, he thought he might as well do it. Just wing it. DO IT. He put his hands in his pocket again.

[heartofarapier]

To say it wasn't awkward for her in return would have been untrue. Not too unlike the man who held her arm, Eirika felt all kinds of nerves creep up. Originally, it was easier to classify Connor as a second 'Seth' of sorts. He could be her retainer. That was easier.

But the day she's admitted aloud that she hadn't wanted to categorise him as anyone else, she'd suddenly gotten so much more nervous in his company. Perhaps she had done or said something wrong. She could have understood that. She wasn't graceful when it came to conversation like this.

Outside, she released his arm and looked aside, lifting a hand into her hair, and realising moments later that she was trying to preen herself. Then as inconspicuously as she could, she tried to glance to him sidelong.

"...Yes, Connor?" And she was certain in that moment the bodice to her dress had grown far too tight.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

Oh there it was. Connor tried to ignore everything else and just find this thing and give it to her. Maybe it won't be as bad then.

It was just a kind gesture in return.

Out of his pocket came out something akin to this. Except there were less beads and no possible fancy clamps. He made it himself but eh.

"It is not much...someone else from my village would have done far better. This was not something I have done often..."

[heartofarapier]

When she looked, a few different things went through her mind. One being that he was giving her... jewelry. Two... being that he made it. When her eyes caught onto his, she knew there was a lot of confusion.

Why? She'd wanted to ask and she had a feeling her gaze said it for her.

With a great hesitance and care, she reached out to finger one of the feathers before moving her hand over his. I don't understand you. Why are you doing this? What do you think I've done that I deserve this?

And why... was it that the very gesture made her heart ache?

"I..." So she neared him, thankful that there were no prying eyes - as far as she knew. "...With great reverence, I accept this." And she felt as she said such words that she gave something else with them as well.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

Why?

Because Eirika...you had given him something. He had friends. And then there was that friend who gave him that great sense of true kindness that warmed his little heart of his.

True good. Pure good. It was Eirika. Eirika was purely good. Connor tried to not feel beneath her but every time he sounded that slightest bit flustered, she turned it down and wanted him to be her equal.

His brain was being very complicated here, but his heart even more so...so he tried to speak with his actions and not his words...which at times he preferred to do.

Something to show how truly grateful he was of her.

"It is with reverence the reason why I had made it."

[heartofarapier]

No, you have to stop.

And it was something she almost said. For him to stop with his kindnesses for her. To stop looking at her with those eyes, because when he did, Eirika felt herself go weak. To stop praising her and lavishing attention onto her the way he did.

What to do. No, really. What to do.

"Will you put it on for me?" A direct question not at all reflecting her insides, which she thought a wiser course of action. It was lovely, but by the Everlasting all of it was just too much.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

"Oh. Of course," said Connor simply as he took the necklace in his hand to do so.

He gently placed it around her neck and secured it. In dead silence.

You could hear a pin drop.

[heartofarapier]

He probably didn't feel the same kind of weight that she did when she wore it. Inclining her head, she eyed it for many moments, idly settling her right hand to tap at the beading. What a terrible idea. She'd fiddle with it when she got nervous. And it was extravagant enough just to stand out against her. Which she liked and dreaded all at once.

Looking to him, she tried to collect her words to think of something worthy to his ears, though he likely didn't want or need her words to begin with. This was... not the time to be Princess of Renais. It was a time for her to simply be a... woman, she supposed.

So she beckoned for him to lean in a little closer. "I don't have anything so nice to give back to you..."

[mohawk_tomahawk]

He watched her fiddle with the beads. A swift feeling of joy came to him. He had no idea how to really express it other than blatant thanks. He looked down at her, head dropping lower toward her. Did she really like it?

Did she?

Did she really?

"If you like it, then that for me is enough thanks."

[heartofarapier]

Of course he'd say that. Unable to be so clever when she felt so much in the limelight - though it was only him as her companion - she chose to take his words from before.

"Somehow I thought you would say that."

Her chin tipped up and for many moments, she simply eyed him. And what she did that followed wasn't something she considered uncharacteristic. If anything, it seemed only... fitting as per the circumstance.

"I ask beforehand, that you give me pardon, Connor." Yet she didn't tell him why, or what for. As she'd imagined he'd know precisely why the moment she went along with the first plan in mind.

Her hands lifted, found his cheeks with a surprising ease, and only a few moments after that did her mouth follow in suit against his. And the not-so-grand gift he received in return was a simple kiss.

1/2

[mohawk_tomahawk]

2/2

[mohawk_tomahawk]

As his lips were attached to hers, his eyes went crazy wide. His mind stopped. His heart stopped. His breathing stopped.

He could only stay that way.

He couldn't move.

Connor was devoid of any action right now.

He just. Stayed there. With his lips on hers.

He couldn't even make an opinion.

[heartofarapier]

She didn't linger long. In fact, it probably felt longer than it actually was. But then that moment was over and she moved on. Leaning back, she looked anywhere that wasn't Connor, because Gods knew she didn't want him looking at her.

Not after that, anyway.

Shame? No. Hardly. The gesture itself had been very natural. Had felt natural, anyway. Nice, even. Something that she didn't know how to interpret. It had seemed right and that was good enough for her.

"What I mean to say is-" she began, putting on those princess airs once more. "Thank you."

[mohawk_tomahawk]

Froze.

Connor just. Froze.

He stepped back a little. He didn't say a. Single.


Word.

Not one.

His face was on fire though. It felt like it was on fire anyway.

He could feel everyone he knew looking at him and laughing at him as he was telling himself to DO SOMETHING. But he COULDN'T. He couldn't do ANYTHING.

WHY DID YOU DO THAT....

[heartofarapier]

Great. He wasn't saying or doing anything. That was... swell.

She gave him a few moments longer to stew over what in hindsight was likely not very appropriate on her part. It was true they'd gone somewhere that a lot wouldn't see them. But then she'd gone and...

Basically publicly humiliated him.

"I can go," she offered him quickly. Which was exactly what she had in mind when she turned from him.

[mohawk_tomahawk]

"...Wait."

He didn't know why. Why?

Why had you done that? WHY?

The fact that Eirika was acting that way was more disturbing to him. She didn't look at him anymore.

He didn't...want that at least.

"Wait, no...you do not have to."

[heartofarapier]

It wasn't as if she thought there'd be a repeat, because she was pretty sure there wouldn't be one. Not in that evening. Likely not ever again. At least certainly not if Connor was so overcome that way. What had she really expected, however?

Her main concern was that she'd offended him.

So when she turned again, she laced her hands together and eyed the collar of his suit, because that seemed to be a safe place to look. Because she was blushing and unlike him, she couldn't hide it.

"It wasn't my intention to offend you," she explained gently. "I apologise if I did. That wasn't deliberate."