Completed Friendsgiving 3.0

[Zaire]

Zaire was late, but it wasn’t his fault. They had to bring a side dish, which was dumb, what initiate could cook? Zaire couldn’t. Or rather, he couldn’t make anything fancy. His mom was a great cook, who would’ve thought a retired templar could make the best dishes over?

But there were some recipes that were passed down in the Glaive family, and there was one especially that he enjoyed. And the best part? It technically required little time to prep, and was delicious. Or at least it was delicious to Zaire.

Dressed in his nicest clothes, which he had because of his last name, Zaire tied up his thick coils in a high ponytail, showcasing the fade on the sides that he had diligently shaved down earlier that day. He left behind anything that could be deemed dangerous, and instead only carried the decent-sized bowl that was quite warm to the touch. Steam was still billowing up from it but he would need to hurry if he wanted to keep it warm for everyone else.

Soon enough, he was at where he needed to be, an uninterested look on his face as he saw the tinkle of lights and heard the low murmurs of pleasant conversation. He frowned, looking down at his dish. He wished his brother could be here. Things were always way more fun with Dak.

Finally he put his dish down on a random table, looking at it in all of his golden, cheesy glory.

Bacon and mushroom Mac and cheese. But with a Zaire twist: anyone who took a bite would be feeling… well, quite relaxed to say the least.

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi smiled at Zinnia’s smile. She was pleased to see what seemed like a real one instead of the awkward ones. It was nice to know that Cassi wasn’t the only one who felt extremely out of place here. Corvus had arrived but she was actually okay without him being her buffer at the moment.

“Me too,” she agreed with Zinnia. She was hungry and the food was smelling really good.

“So what do you enjoy doing outside of classes and training?”

Casual conversation…she had this!

 

[Silas Artesto]

To say that Silas was torn up over Houri's cold shoulder would have been slightly exaggerating things; Artesto had just as much trouble with this whole friendship thing as the rest of them. but he did understand the benefits of such relationships more than some of his peers. Silas wanted to be able to trust these misfits (himself included) when push came to shove. The best way to build trust was nonsense like this, frustrating as it could be.

Be that as it may, it did surprise him a bit when she seemed to have a change of heart and turned around to face him once more, offering him one of her honey cakes with a smile much less forced than the one she'd given him just a minute ago. If he was being honest, they did look rather tasty, there was still small trails of steam rising off of their surface. Pursing his lips for a moment, he reached out with a gloved hand and picked one from the tray. "I can tell you did it yourself, they look about three times more appetizing than any of the slop we get served from the actual cooks here."

This morning had been what Silas had affectionally taken to calling 'Creme de Crap' Which amounted to salty tasting oats in a bowl with a side of milk and white bread. Some days the meals weren't bad, other times they just gave up, it seemed. Either way he eager to have a taste of the treat, bringing it to his mouth and opening wide....

"Poisoned?"

Silas jumped, almost dropping the damned thing as Soleil seemed to come from thin air to stand beside them. His hand clamped down so hard on the cake it broke apart just a bit, warmth spreading over the palm of his glove.

"Damn it, Verdane! What have I told you about sneaking up on me like that?"

Soleil Verdane was a strange one, to say the least. Not mean or unsociable by any means, but strange, nonetheless. She almost had this weird innocence about her that put Silas on edge more than any overly aggressive personality would. And since Artesto's powers had the potential to make an errant twitch into a 5k run if he wasn't watching himself, the way she could slink around quiet as a mouse particularly irked him.

Casting Houri an apologetic smile, Silas raised the cake to his face again, taking a large bite out of the sweet.

"Houri wouldn't poison me. That's more of a Von Fleet move. That girl is a menace."

Pausing as he chewed and swallowed, Silas nodded to Houri, a low hum of approval leaving his throat.

"That's delicious. This whole Dreadlord thing doesn't work out, you could set up shop in town with shit like this."

 

[Houri]

Poisoned?​

Kill her. Kill her. Kill her.

Houri's face heated with anger and her fingers tightened on the tray she was holding. Wisely, the cooks had given her a wooden one. If it had been one of the pretty tin ones she had wanted, the lightning crackling beneath her skin might just have set the whole batch alight. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to retort when Silas beat her to it. Anger dissipated into surprise at such a ready defence and this time her cheeks heated from... a feeling that was warm and unusual unless she was with Ollie or Jiya.

Happiness, Houri. It's happiness.

"Thank you, they're actually my grandmother's recipe," Houri beamed under the praise and then glanced to Sol. Begrudgingly, because it was the right thing, she offered the tray towards her. "Would you like one?" Though really she hoped the other girl said no. She didn't deserve them. Silas, however, could eat the whole tray!

 

[Lumen]

Her eyes followed Caeso Diemut as he engaged with Vasha Drurcius. Like any good wingwoman would. And they seemed to be getting along nicely. She'd been a wee bit concerned his noble-blooded expectations would've gotten in the way.

A warm smile to Cassi Azura as she left to bring Zinnia a cider. Proud big sis/momma-bear vibes were pulsing off Lumen at how they seemed to be getting on. So proud, for a moment, the air around her warmed a bit before she got her magic back under control. And look at Silas Artesto. One girl practically on each arm with Houri and Soleil Verdane. Only he could pull that off.

The other twin's voice garnered her attention. "Hey Cor. Bread sounds great. Probably better than the stuff they feed us daily." It sure looked like it from here, anyway. Stuff the Academy gave them had gone down in quality since the revolution.

And here was Ysobel, her fellow blonde, with TWO side dishes. "Hey pal," a quick swoop of her arm around the other girl for a side-hug squeeze. "Glad you made it. Been okay, just glad C-,"

And Victoria Von Fleet. Eyes narrowed for a moment on the other girl and without missing a beat, she plucked the spider up and placed it on her own shoulder, flipping some golden strands of hair aside. "Vic, how many times have we talked about this? Most folk don't think of spiders as friends they want to be given. But it was a good try."

Head shifted and turned toward those gathering closer to the picnic tables layered with food. "C'mon, let's go get some food." One arm would loop through each of the girls', as she'd tug them toward the table. A head nod to Corvus Azura in silent question - you comin? Releasing the girls as she got to one of the middle seats.

Hands clasped together as she addressed her fellow classmates.

"Nothing too formal to say here. Thanks everyone for coming and bringing at least yourselves. We don't get a day off or a chance to eat like this all the time so let's dig in."

She'd take her seat, going for some of that mac and cheese first, spooning a big pile on her plate. The smell of the salty bacon tickling the tip of her nose.

"Mmm, Zaire, you know how I like meats and cheese!" The spider on her shoulder shifted and trotted down her arm to get a better whiff himself. Lumen had already decided to name him Davi. His hairiness reminded her of the initiate a year above.

 

[Larkin]

Larkin was fashionably late, a choice he made purposefully. It would be much easier for him to peruse the various cliques and groups that would have inevitably formed. He was humming a song he was trying to perfect as he crossed the worn down lawn, his hair billowing softly behind him in the breeze.

The twinkling lights grew closer, and he slid into an easy, charming smile. Ah, just in time to eat. He slid gracefully between those lining up and placed his offering at the end of the table. Chocolate hadn't been easy to come by, but only the best for his fellow intiates, better yet when it was in a pie.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Lumen you've done a wonderful job in setting all this up." A soft smile in Lumen's direction before his mismatched eyes scanned for his own seat. Smile never leaving his mouth, he slid easily into an open spot.

 

[Caeso Diemut]

"I have a solution."

A wry little smirk crossed Caeso's expression.

"We demand a culinary servant attend us on every mission."

There wasn't leeway in the Academy for such, of course. Oh, but in the future? Caeso considered himself a noble first and a Dreadlord second. And as a Reservist, the commonblood dogs running the Guard would have little say over the manner in which he conducted himself. Once he became a Dreadlord of the First Level, they would have even less. As an Archon, he could be unquestioned.

Lumen made her announcement right as soon as Caeso and Vasha arrived by the tables. Others were taking their seats. But before Caeso took his, this was meant to be gala of sorts, a gathering of socializing and friend-making. He wouldn't do this for just anyone. Within Vasha's veins coursed noble blood, and within his the same. There were traditions long honored by time for their enduring class and decorum, and the privilege was Vasha's to be enjoyed.

Caeso pulled out a seat, and with a courteous gesture of his hand offered it to her.

Vasha Drurcius

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil gave a series of lilting laughs, shoulders hitching up and down with each.

In response to being told that the honeycakes weren't poisoned:

"Missed opportunity."

As abruptly as she had wandered up, she wandered off. She cast a desultory glance over the tables and all the elements of the feast upon them, as if all of it might be suspect but there was the greater chance none of it was so exciting as to be dangerous and that this fact left her overall disappointed.

Lumen made her announcement. Soleil apparently didn't pay much attention to it.

Her attention was instead now fixated on one particular light fixture hanging from one particular branch. It so happened to be the one highest up in that tree.

As Soleil's peers sat or else did what they did, Soleil was off by herself staring up inquisitively at that lantern which had her so transfixed. She reached up for it, the tips of her fingers of course several feet short of grasping it.

But her arm detached itself and floated up as it became a swirling little cloud of sand. The sand began to abrate the string holding the lantern in the branch, the scratching sound of this action quiet but vicious.

With her now lone hand she tried to position herself to be ready to catch the lantern when it fell.

 

[Vasha Drurcius]

At the proposal of a solution, Vasha had glanced up to meet eyes with Caeso- and then blinked at his smirk and resulting suggestion. Had she not made the mistake of looking directly at him, she probably would have been able to save some face, but as it stood, Caeso got to see a particularly rare combination of things:

First; her pupils widened, enough to look almost like a normal human's, and a genuine smile managed to fight its way across her unwilling features.

Then, she laughed. It was a small, quiet one, hard to hear over the din of the others- but a laugh nonetheless as she moved her hand to cover her mouth, a bit embarassed. "An' proper equipmen' thoo, rather than han'-me-thowns from the las' class." she quipped back. It was a madman's dream, she thought, to suggest such a thing. But... he could probably pull it off, she figured. She'd seen his demeanor in classes. Prideful as he was, he wasn't all bark.

And then, further catching Vasha off guard during Lumen's announcement- Caeso pulled out a seat for her. At first, she didn't seem quite sure what to do, but then memories of a tall man with dark hair and a gentle smile surfaced as if matching Caeso's motions. Instead of Vasha, there was the ghostly figure of a woman with auburn hair in a red dress being seated. A small girl with matching brown locks, scooped up by the man and spun around before being set giggling in her mother's lap.

...a time she remembered so rarely now, before all of this...

Shaking off the funny feeling in her gut, Vasha dipped her head in thanks and took the offered seat, smoothing out her dress carefully and watching as Caeso took his own.

 

[Zinnia]

“So what do you enjoy doing outside of classes and training?”

Zinnia sank back into her scarf, eyes firmly bolting to the floor.
"Umm...I...that is to say..."

She didn't have an answer. Study? Sleep? Until two years ago the initiates weren't really allowed "hobbies," per se, and since then she hadn't done much beyond being a recluse. Anirius, she needed something. She glanced to the table, at the dish she'd brought. Good enough.
"...c-cooking, I suppose? A-and baking...I really don't--"

"Nothing too formal to say here. Thanks everyone for coming and bringing at least yourselves. We dont get a day off or a chance to eat like this all the time so lets dig in."

Oh thank all the gods and spirits and ancestors. She stood full at attention, gestured toward the table, asked
"Sh-shall we?" And marched into a seat next to Cassi, not paying any particular attention to whom she might've been sitting next to on her opposite side.

Only once seated did she glance over and notice, gold eyes widening in horror, that she'd plopped down to possibly the most nightmarish option possible: Caeso and Vasha.

 

[Zaire]

Sitting down, as all the others where, Zaire was just glad that he got a seat around people who he saw more often than not. Looking at Lumen as she scooped a good portion of his spiked Mac and cheese, Zaire leaned back in his seat.

“I know you do, Lumi,” Zaire said, grinning for a moment as a thought passed by of Lumen getting higher than a kite. “Made it just for you. And everyone else. And it’s center cut bacon, too.” What was center cut bacon? Zaire had no idea, but maybe it was fancier than regular bacon? Or maybe it was worse than regular bacon? “With extra cheese.”

Extra cheese made everything better.

Looking to his side he saw Larkin sitting down, and looking over his shoulder there was…. Zaire turned around. It was best not to look at Soleil and try to figure out whatever she was trying to do. He had learned long ago that sometimes it was better to keep a low profile by keeping your head low.

He continued to look around the table, and that was when he saw her: Houri. He quickly looked away and then took his plate, grabbing some of his own dish. Zaire wasn’t sure he could handle this sober if Houri was going to be here. Didn’t need to trip over his tongue more than he had to.

Unlike Larkin and Cyrus who had all the rizz in the world, Zaire was lacking.

 

[Ysobel]

The beaming look of delight on Ysobel’s face dropped to one of horror as none other than Victoria Von Fleet emerged from whatever cave she was living in and placed some foul, disgusting, hairy thing on her shoulder. Had Lumen not been quick to remove it, Ysobel surely would have toasted the poor creature and added it to the table as her third side dish.

She allowed herself to be dragged along with Victoria to the table and took a seat with Lumen on her left and an empty seat on her right, which she presumed would remain that way given the rather extensive history of her and her notoriously volatile temper. That was until Larkin had taken it. Oh what joy. The universe was testing her today.

“Hello.” Her greeting was dryer than the turkey looked as she loaded her plate with Zaire’s macaroni, salad, and ham. “You look…” She paused, trying to think of something kind to say. This was an event for making friends, after all. “Alive…alive and well. Yes. Those two, combined.”

She took a bite of the macaroni and cheese before continuing with her mouth full. “How have you been?” Her question may have mimicked the one she'd asked Lumen, but she was curious to know what everyone had been up to as of late. She missed out on a bit during her mission followed by a very long nap in the infirmary.

 

[Cassi Azura]

"Cooking and baking...that sounds really lovely," Cassi responded after pausing to listen to Lumen announce that it was time for dinner.

Oh, thank the gods! Cassi was trying but she felt very awkward at the moment. Saved by the food! Thank goodness.

"Uh...yeah..." Cassi said and took the empty seat next to Larkin. She smiled and nodded in greeting as she sat down. Zinnia sat on her other side and then there were Caeso and Vasha. That was certainly a strange group when you put them all together.

Corvus hadn't picked a seat yet and she sent through their secret connection for him to hurry and sit his ass down across from her before someone else took the seat. She needed him near so she could stop being weird.

---

Corvus Azura Larkin Zinnia

 

[Rowley Stone]

Calm down Cass. No one is going to bite you...except maybe Vickie.

Corvus was making his way in that direction, but he had taken a slight detour to grab himself a drink. He was also busy saying hello to most of the people there. A quick hello to Ysobel, Csaeso, Vasha, and Zaire. He was going to say hello to Soleil, but she was in her own little world at the moment and he did not want to ruin that for her.

He spotted Houri across the ground and waved in her direction, finally taking a seat across from Cassi.

"Hey, sis, told you I would make it. Hey Lark." He looked at the person that his sister was speaking to. Her name....what was it...

"Zim- no. Zinnia, right? Sorry, lot's of names. Hard to keep track of everyone."

It was in fact, not that hard for Corvus. He was a fairly sociable person, who spoke with everyone in some way. He just did not want to say that he never spoke to her.

Cassi Azura Larkin Zinnia

 

[Silas Artesto]

Verdane had a bit of a laugh at the scare she'd given Silas, earning a bit of a glower from the boy before she expressed her disappointment in the lack of poisoning and wandered off to chase a butterfly or something or the sort. The blonde boy paid Houri another glance, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't even try to understand how Soleil's mind works, I wouldn't think too much of the comment." He was the one she'd wished the poison on anyways. Well, technically.

Lumen made herself known, thanking them all for attendance and gently directing them to sit and eat. The table she gestured to did have quite a nice spread on it, Silas wouldn't argue with that. Granted, he wasn't a huge eater, he still knew the value of a full meal. Couldn't run on an empty stomach, now could you? Giving Houri a gentle nudge and a smile, Silas nodded toward the table. "Come on. I can't swipe all of these, much as I'd like to. Let's put it with the rest so the peanut gallery can try them out."

Artesto accompanies Houri to the table, if for no other reason than it drew much less attention to him seeing as he wasn't the one with steaming, sweet-smelling baked goods. He'd considered bringing something himself at one point, but cooking wasn't really a talent of his, and he'd rather not be the reason for his classmates retching all over the place. Sliding into an empty chair and taking a cursory look around.

Food was being passed around, and conversations were being struck up as though they weren't all trained killers. It was funny, if not a little incredulous. Still, it brought a smile to his face, one that lingered as he reached out for a piece of meat on the bone.

 

[Caeso Diemut]

There. Seated now, Caeso could have a look at the selection of food avail—

Zinnia sat down on his other side. Caeso minorly glanced over, a little flick of his eyes down and then back up, assessing the girl. A bundle of nerves (truly, how did some his peers survive?) so far as Caeso could tell, and tonight was little different. She seemed almost hidden behind her scarf and beneath her cap, like a timid feline crouched in some corner looking fearfully out into the world. Fine. So long as she didn't intrude on Caeso's time with some awkward mishap.

In any case, back to the selection of food available.

His eyes passed right over the roasted pheasant and poultry. Such was not his preference. He preferred meat not of an avian source. And to that end there was a platter of sliced ham (pre-sliced, he noted with a wry little grin, as if no one sat here could be trusted with a knife) to be the main course alongside servings of broccoli, peppered corn, a buttered potato, some other sides. His plate filled up quickly, and he was going to eat hearty tonight. Such a brimming plate wasn't uncommon for a young man of his build.

A bite later, and his probing doubts about the quality of the food were allayed.

"Try the ham," he suggested to Vasha (only after his mouth was clear; he wasn't a savage who talked with his mouth full). "Just the right amount of added sweetness."

Vasha Drurcius Zinnia

 

[Soleil Verdane]

Soleil danced about lightly on her feet in the effort to reposition herself, adjusting as she reckoned how the lantern might fall. It seemed to her an interesting challenge to try and figure out, and she was grinning all the while.

Snip.

Her cloud of sand wore the string down until it snapped, and the branch from which the lantern hung swayed ever so slightly. Down the lantern fell. Down toward Soleil's upstretched hand.

It struck her palm. Bounced. Tumbled toward her head and she jerked with an excited yelp away from it. The lantern just breezed past her nose in its tumbling, an edge clipped her flat chest, and at last she caught it by trapping it against her stomach with her arm.

The cloud of sand descended back down from the tree branch and her arm reassembled itself from shoulder to fingertips. Three blinks and any onlooker would've missed it.

Now, her prize in hand, Soleil plopped down onto the ground, her back not quite to everyone else sitting at the tables, and began to examine the lantern. It was one which housed a magical source of light, not a mundane fire.

"How work?" she said aloud. Her fingers probed and searched over the surface of the lantern for a way to open it. "Surprise inside? Make good weapon?"

 

[Victoria Von Fleet]

Victoria gave Lumen a slow blink as the hurl corrected her. She didn't quite understand, and she probably never would. "Spiders are good, better than people." She shrugged and gave Lumen a toothy grin.

A tilt of her head at Ysobel, a sweet smile of venom on her lips. She could feel the fear off the shorter blonde, and she couldn't help but revel in it. Still, now wasn't the time to send that fear home, especially not when she was grabbed by the arm.

She narrowed her eyes at Lumen, not used to the familiar touch. She allowed it for the moment, strictly because she was supposed to be making friends. She was sat at the table with Ysobel, and she wiggled uncomfortably as the spaces around her filled.

Soon enough the food was enough to distract her, and she began to fill her plate. The ooey gooey Mac and cheese was her first choice, and she piled her plate high. "Zaire did something yummy, I didn't think he could do anything." Victoria giggled to herself and dug in, eyes still on the surrounding guests.

Her eyes lit up a little as she saw her first ever "friend" Soup. She'd have to go say hi after the meal and share her excitement with him. She really had no clue that he actually really didn't like her, to her his teasing was fun.

 

[Houri]

Houri begrudgingly agreed with Silas' assessment about Sol; she wasn't worth wasting a further thought on. It was the less violent road, the road Proctor Eva would be proud of her for taking, but it certainly wasn't the fun nor satisfying road. She would much rather have seen how the girl could be lit from the inside with a single well aimed bolt. If she put a bit of rope about her neck and hung her from the tree she would make quite the pretty light to accompany Lumen's display, she was sure.

On autopilot she turned to follow Silas to the table where she shifted a few plates around in order to make room for her own plate of goods. Her eyes ran over everything else assembled and her stomach growled.

"I haven't seen so much food since I was a girl..." she murmured softly. One of the feasts her parents had thrown when she was little. The Academy had taken all those luxuries away so there were no distractions when training. She had understood the thinking but this was another of those things she was glad to see had died in the revolution. Grabbing a plate she began putting a little bit of everything on it.

"Do... you... have a favourite?" she asked, remembering the question from the book she had read on Polite Party Conversation in preparation for the event.

 

[Vasha Drurcius]

Vasha had been in the middle of trying to figure out where to start when Caeso suggested the ham. Quirking a brow, she gathered a few thin slices onto her plate alongside some sides of fruit and vegetables. She also managed to sneak a sweetroll for herself- and then Caeso likely found one on his plate after he got caught looking away for a moment.

A rather amusing few details could be noticed if one looked at Vasha's particular collection on her plate as she sat down to eat. She had a much higher favor towards meats, and then on top of that her sweet tooth was notoriously obvious.

Biting into the ham, Vasha had just swallowed her second piece when she heard a yelp from Verdane and jumped a bit, her head snapping around to assess what was going on. Once she realized the other student was up to, however, and that she wasn't the victim of an ambush, Vasha turned back to her food.

Carefully clearing her throat with a glass of water, Vasha nodded to Caeso. "Reminths me of home almosth... I wonther why they only feth us gruel for so long. You'th probably be even bigger than tha' by now if we'th been feth properly." She realized. Curious, she glanced at the others around the table and debated how they might all look if they hadn't had such a hard time of it. Debated how the powerful Dreadlords of old must have been raised. Surely they didn't all have the exact same treatment?

Then, her gaze landed on Zinnia across from Caeso and Vasha froze a little awkwardly as they locked eyes. However if she had to guess- the other girl probably felt like a spooked deer.

Say something!

Caught unprepared, Vasha was relieved when Corvus cut in with a question for Zinnia and was able to break eye contact.

...it probably would be a good idea to stop thinking and just eat for a few minutes.

 

[Lumen]

Lumen glanced over her shoulder at Soleil Verdane. Unless she started a fire, she could do whatever the hells she wanted to do with that lantern. Note to self: bring a magical-lit lantern to the next mission to help distract Soliel from getting into trouble.

By now, she had a good variety of everything on her plate. And she was happily stuffing her face. Even with some of that chocolate from Larkin. Trying not to think about the smiles he always seemed to throw her way.

Davi the spider had crawled somewhere down the table, she'd lost track of him after he's swiped one of her cheesy noodles and meandered away. Perhaps going to build a web in the trees. Hopefully not to disappear into Vasha Drurcius's drink.

After a bite of honeycake, Lumen called across the table, "Houri!" And gave a thumbs up as she held it up, before finishing it off. "Can you share the recipe later?"

Good snacks to bring on missions.

And for a moment, she felt pretty darn proud of their class to be able to do something like this. Maybe it was because she was close to Zaire and those zen feelings he always gave off. Even with his puppy-dog gazes to Houri. Damn, she needed to wingman the bleep out of it for him.

Add that to her list.

A glance to Corvus Azura, who was sitting on her other side. While she didn't know about his ability to speak with his sister's mind, she did notice a funny look on his face. "Hey, you okay?"

 

[Maseno Luana]

At the end of the lighted archway another figure shadowed the entry of the evening's fete. There was something about being late that would have set Maseno's nerves ablaze, but given the circumstances for his tardy arrival he could hardly fault himself, let alone anyone else. The unusual nature of the event had nearly everyone on eggshells despite the shifting atmosphere of their lives for over a year now.

He stood beneath the golden glow of the lanterns and silently took in the spread before him: food of many variety as well as his fellow Initiates engaging in conversation with tethered warmth and excitement. A faint smile grew on his face when his eyes, briefly skating over each student present, landed upon that of his sister Houri. How lovely she looked in her dress and how nice it was to see her among others. He only wished that he'd been granted more time to stay tonight.

"Sorry I'm late everyone," the Initiate called out as he strode toward the long table now replete with a feast and many feasters, "still room for one more?"

 

[Larkin]

The table was quickly filling with familiar faces, and Larkin made sure to acknowledge every arrival with a smile. He felt it was important that everyone felt seen. He tried to remain on the good side of fellow intiates where possible, after all friends turned into enemies in the class above them.

He had neglected grabbing himself food, but turned towards Ysobel as she addressed him. He acted as if she had actually been interested in speaking with him, an easy smile on his face.

"Ysobel, it's so nice to see you tonight. You look absolutely stunning tonight. The lighting doesn't do you justice." He leaned in, letting her know she had his full attention, his mismatched eyes watching her try the Mac and cheese.

"I am indeed, very much alive and well. I've been occupying my mind with a new song that I can't quite seem to grasp. You're looking well yourself, I have to say I'm fairly pleased with having your company tonight"

He was aware of Cassi on the other side of him, and he made a note to give her due compliments as well. Ysobel had seemed a bit morose of late, and he thought that perhaps he could help.

 

[Zinnia]

For how brief of a visual exchange she shared with Caeso, it sure felt like an eternity. Like some purgatory of awkwardness and fear as the harsh gaze of the noble boy bore into her very soul.

She knew who he was and what he was like. Caeso was high-born, pure and majestic, and he wasn't afraid to rub that fact in everyone's faces. To him, Zinnia must have been like looking at dog puke. She was an orphan, and some sort of weird mixed-blood at that. She was less than nothing compared to him. He was probably thinking about smiting Zinnia right now, just to rid everyone at the table of her worthless existence!

Gah, and then right next to him was Vasha. VASHA! So many mixed feelings about Vashaaaa. How had she managed to get in good with Caeso of all people?! How was someone as...different as her somehow high-born as well?? Why did acceptance seem to come so easy to her?!?

Gods, when would this torment end?!

---

These were the waking thoughts of conscious, thinking Zinnia. Subconscious, instinctual Zinnia knew that she needed to move and do *something* to not seem like a complete freak. The slowest of smiles crept across her lips and into a toothy grin as she held eye contact with the young noble and, without guidance from the rational and conscious half of her brain, she meekly plopped a serving of her garlic mashed potatoes onto Caeso's plate, directly on top of the baked potato that was already there.

It wasn't until Corvus called to Zinnia by name that her head suddenly snapped towards him, her conscious and subconscious uniting in one unified whirlwind of lucidity. Her hands went back to filling her own plate with food, and she offered Cassi's twin a polite smile.
"Yes! Hi! My goodness, sorry, I'm a b-bit flustered at the moment. H-how are you?"
She asked, blissfully unaware of what she'd just done moments prior.

 

[Cassi Azura]

Cassi glared at Corvus when he was done being sarcastic in her head but smiled when he reassured her of his presence out loud.

Asshole, she sent through their bond. Love you, she followed up.

Unlike everyone around her, she was quiet as she piled mashed potatoes, bread, and mac n cheese onto her plate. She would get to the meat at some point but the sides were calling her name first.

She took some of the bread and dipped it in her potatoes. The best combo in the world; bread and mashed potatoes. After a bit of the bread and potatoes, she turned her plate around so she could get to the mac n cheese without issue. Cassi took a large bite and made a noise of appreciation.