estdeus_innobis | Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

Saturday, October 31st
Evening
The Home of Alessandra Ferdis

The last few days have been, at best, a blur of activity and I can't say that it's left me in the best of spirits. Party planning is always a chore, even a gathering as small as this, and I suppose it's the price to be paid - blood, sweat, and countless hours spent hunched over fabric - for an evening of excitement. Alessandra has been more than accommodating, as I've measured, decorated, and almost completely reordered most of her house. It will take some time, tomorrow once the festivities are well over, to put things back to sorts, but I've already hired hands to assist in that.

That is one benefit of living in Excolo, there is never a shortage of strong backs willing to do a bit of labor for good pay, and in a matter of days the entire place has been transformed into something resembling a fitting locale. The walls have been covered with lush fabrics, the garden littered with a multitude of hanging lights, and the main room leading to the back cleared for the guests. After that, it's only been a matter of setting up the refreshments, finding a suitable place for the music, and dimming the lights.

I could kill myself over the details of course, it's in my nature, and so as soon as things are well in hand, I retire to the upstairs guest suite to dress. It's a simple design, more a personal amusement than anything else, and I doubt anyone will get the joke. Those always are the best sorts of fun, though, the personal chuckles that are mine alone. I finish strapping my sword to my side, mask still sitting on a nearby table, and cross to the balcony doors to peek outside. The sun has faded into the horizon and guests have started to arrive. That leaves me with a bit of time - I have no intention on making anything less than a memorable entrance - and so I lean against the door frame, careful to keep out of sight of those out front, and light a cigarette.

There's movement from the adjacent dressing room. Glass. I'd nearly forgotten, in the insanity of preparations, that she was dressing here as well. It certainly wouldn't do to have Iago see her before the game has begun, after all. I smile at that and call out, "You can't hide in there all evening, pet. Might as well come out and let me have a look."

~~[Open]~~

[It's midnight! Wrapping up!]

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She shudders as I touch her, but when I move over her she freezes fer a sec 'afore layin' back and pullin' me with her, turnin' so we're facin' each other. I suppose all things considered this is a good position - I hadn't thought 'a how she'd be uncomfortable with someone 'a top her. I ain't thinkin' 'v much really, just how I got t'be careful not t'scare her off, and how much I want her.

She puts her hand on my waist, then touches 'long my bodice, tracin' the edges 'n I have t'hold back a whimper 'a desire. I trace a hand 'long her leg, higher and before and kiss her, tryin' not t'take her lip in my teeth as I ache fer her t'stroke under rather 'n over my clothes.

Tess makes a stifled sort of sound when I touch her, and I wonder if I've done something wrong, but then she runs her hand high up along my leg and I forget all about that as she kisses me deeply, and I move my hand up and cup her breast, and that makes me shiver and press myself closer to her, legs tangling together and I realise I've made a low soft moan.

Her hand on my breast feels nice, slow hesitant touch and I push myself into it as she presses closer, our legs slidin' together and she moans at the feel 'v it. The room seems hot, far hotter 'n before but if someone comes I dunt want t'be out 'a my dress, so I just push down the other shoulder. I can't pull my arms out 'a the sleeves like this put it shows more skin.

I slide my hand 'long her jerkin, undoin' the hooks and I pull the shirt out where it's tucked at her waist, slippin' my hand up 'long her skin as we kiss, slidin' it over her ribs t'cup her breast in turn.

I don't know if I'm imagining it or if the room has got a lot hotter. I feel a little like my head is spinning with the heat and the punch and Tess's mouth against mine. She runs her hands up underneath my shirt and I gasp at her fingers on my bare skin, and then she touches my breast and I whimper, feeling a shock like static pass through me, and I know it wouldn't take much to undo her dress and push it down...

I draw back with a shuddering sigh.

"Not here," I whisper. "It's - we're in someone else's house, and -" I touch her mask, "I can't even really see your face. We should - I mean, I, I think this would - be more comfortable at home." I brush her hair out of her face. "Are you upset?"

She gasps and whimpers as I touch her, but then she pulls away and a surge 'a disappointment runs through me. "Not here," she says. "It's - we're in someone else's house, and I can't even really see your face. We should - I mean, I, I think this would - be more comfortable at home." She pushes my hair back, lookin' at me intently. "Are you upset?"

I let my head fall back, lust clearin' from my eyes as I look up at the scrolled ceilin', and sigh. I turn my head t'look back at her, layin' there dishevelled and worried. "No, I guess - I guess you're right." I reach out like she did, slippin' a finger just under the edge 'a her mask 'n runnin' it 'long her cheekbone. "If we go further it should be different." Oh God, I think I love her and where does that lead?

I sit up and fix my dress, re-tying my laces and finishing what Kate started with my hair. I turn and look at her. "Did you want to go back downstairs?"

"If we go further it should be different."

I think that's one of the things I love about Tess - she doesn't say when, she says if. But she isn't timid, either. Did I just use the word love? There are a lot of lovable things about Tess... But I'll put that aside to think about later. She runs her finger along my cheekbone and I stroke her other hand.

"Did you want to go back downstairs?"

"Not really," I admit, and I laugh. "Oh, Tess," I say, sitting up and pinning my hair back up, "I don't know how to explain how you make me feel." I lean across and give her a firm, swift kiss. "I suppose we should go downstairs," I say reluctantly. "But - " I blush, though I don't think she can see it in the dim light. "You could stay with me tonight. Not - I mean, probably not to, well. But... I've never slept in the same bed as someone I - I like," I say. "It might be nice. If you like."

"Not really," she says, and then she laughs, sittin' up and tuckin' her hair back up. "I don't know how to explain how you make me feel." She kisses me, like she's not shy 'bout that, not anymore. "I suppose we should go downstairs. But - you could stay with me tonight. Not - I mean, probably not to, well. But... I've never slept in the same bed as someone I - I like. It might be nice. If you like."

I take her hand and kiss the knuckles, keepin' hold of it as I answer. "I'd like to. It's nice t'fall asleep with someone. And yeah, I know it'll just be sleepin'. But I reckon by midnight we'll both be pretty tired." Part 'a me chafes at bein' slow, but I keep in mind what she's bin through and how she was raised. That we're where we are is amazin' 'nough. I smile at her. "You're a pretty special woman, Kate."

"You're a pretty special woman, Kate."

"I'm glad you think so," I say softly, and then I stand up and adjust my clothes, doing my jerkin back up, and I find my cap where it fell on the floor. I tuck my hair back in as best I can.

"Do I look respectable again?" I ask with a smile, and then I open the door so we can go back downstairs.

Masquerade! Hide your face, so the world will never find you!

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