calderamemes | TDM #4

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!mod post,
!tdm

TDM #4

ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

And you most certainly do.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU

WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.

JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.

S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.

MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!

HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.

CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.

GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

FANNING THE FLAMES

The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.

SEASON OF LIGHT

The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.

Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.

One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.

The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...

THE GRAND MASQUERADE

Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.

The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.

Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.

As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.

THE SKY'S ASCENSION

At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.

Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.

The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.

Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.

THE SEA'S SECRETS

On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.

Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.

The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.

Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.

As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.

THE LAND'S EMBRACE

In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.

Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.

Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.

As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.

QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.

For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

All locations are available to be explored!

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Do you have a better word for it?" Fancy magic land. That's what this was. Alex lifted a hand to gesture at him. "You're wearing a little mask, Henry. I think I know what you look like enough to see past a little owl mask."

He sidled up to the prince. Unhinged? Alex Claremont-Diaz?

A grin was Henry's only warning before he gave the prince's rear a definitive little swat. "Besides I'd know that ass anywhere." There it was. There was the unhinged. He was still grinning, quite pleased with himself for the comment.

There was an undignified little snort as Henry's ass was promptly swatted, and then his eyebrows raised even further though it could not be seen for the mask.

Ah, there it was-- the comment that Henry had been expecting that dropped from Alex's lips. The First Son looked so pleased about it too, as if he had been saving his whole damn life to put that little zinger down. He took a sip of the champagne, grateful that he hadn't spilled it, though he was making eye-contact with Alex the entire time.

"I will have to choose a better costume next time, maybe a sheet over me? I will go around saying 'boo' or whatever sort of things that you think that british ghosts say." and then clearing his throat. "You look very good... it's actually not very fair." the way that Alex made him disaster in all the right ways.

The snort was very rewarding, exactly what Alex had hoped for. Alex was rather jealous of that champagne and would have to find himself a flute as well. Or see if he couldn't steal a sip from Henry's lips. That thought had him flushing, mostly hidden at the moment by the mask on his own face.

"Pip pip cheerio, govnah. OoooOOOoooh." Alex informed him, settling in a step closer. He looked down at himself with a laugh. "I look a little ridiculous. Not sure if I should be at this sort of masquerade or the Victoria Secret fashion show." Tits out and pretty wings, that was Alex at the moment. His grin turned sheepish before softening, eyes roaming over the sight of he prince.

"You look beautiful."

Another snort, and thus was Alex getting paid back with dividends beyond his expectations-- he held his flute and then tilted his head to the side, looking very the image of quite the curious owl, highly entertaining considering that they had argued many a times over what Hogwarts House that Henry belonged to.

"It fits you, I personally find no complaints with your attire."

And then he placed his emptied flute on a passsing-by tray and then he offers out his hand. "Would you like to dance?" and then with an almost shy smile. "This is the first time I've danced with.. another man." this was the first time he's been allowed to.

Everything was coming up Alex right now, with Henry giving him that good a reaction. Really, amusement, happiness was a good look on the prince, especially when it wasn't just some affectation. And Alex was starting to be able to figure out when it was genuine and when it wasn't.

That smile, tinged with shyness, nearly undid him right then and there.

He reached out to take that hand. "Yeah I'd like that." He'd like that very much, even if this was very much not the sort of dancing he was used to. He'd figure it out, probably. "First for me too. So... who's leading?"

Ah, that was an interesting question and also? Valid.

Henry had been taught to lead from a very young age, he could do it effortlessly. There was no real hesitance on Henry's part though of course as long as Alex was alright with following. "I could ballroom dance in my sleep, so I will lead. I am not opposed to not leading, but I figure I can show you the ropes and and then when you are comfortable, you can then take over if you wish. But at the very least it will prevent us from barrelling against the other dancers."

The hand felt good, felt right in his own. He tried not to think about exactly how right it felt, as Henry was attempting to be circumspect in his own expectations, schooling himself to guard against any disappointment.

This was a flirtation right? Nothing more-- and there was a part of himself that felt like if he grew too attached, then this would be all the worse for him when he went back to the real world and had to go back to being the Prince again.

"Then I'll follow," Alex said. For as often as they were in a state of continuous competition for the upper hand, well, Alex found he didn't mind ceding this particular piece of control to Henry. The prince did have a much better background in ballroom dancing than Alex did.

He let his thumb run across Henry's knuckles, a gentle little touch that was entirely unnecessary, a small affectionate thing for the sake of affection alone. Yup, definitely just flirtation with nothing more significant. Alex did not have the same misgivings about returning home, about any of it. Life was simpler in many ways for him, and he was only partly aware of just how true that was.

"Sorry in advance if I squash your toes."

"You are not the first person who will have stepped on my toes, and I doubt you will be the last." Henry said with a small grin as he lead Alex out to the floor, the two of them made quite the pair, both light and dark-- it was a beautiful dichotony that he was not quite aware of because he was in the moment with the other guy.

He placed one hand on Alex's waist though proper; there would be nothing but proper in everything that the Prince did, certainly enough for a chaos gremlin to attempt to disturb a little bit. It was so-far shaping up to be super effective.

"I am also mentally calculating your wing-span; though it is comforting to know that in case we are attacked here at the ball, I can use your wings as an offensive measure." what a romantic guy, this Prince.

Or maybe that was a joke, it was hard to tell with Henry, but there did seem to be the glimmer of humor in those blue eyes.

Proper had never really been in Alex's lexicon. His heart ran away with his head in most things -- his passions, the things that he believed in, his affections, they would always overrule his better sense -- and this would be no different.

He knew, from the minor crash course in ballroom dancing he'd had before some state function or another that he was going to be expected to attend, the basics of this sort of dance. He knew that he should set his hand lightly against Henry's shoulder, like that proper touch at his waist. And that's where his hand started, but it slide, as Alex stepped in that much closer, fingers tracing along Henry's shoulder, draping more than resting now, fingers tracing up the nape of his neck, touching just at the ends of soft blonde hair.

"Glad to know I've got a tactical use. I'm touched." Alex teased right back, wrinkling his nose at the prince, even if the effect was a little lessened by the mask he wore.

Magically and mysteriously, Alex Claremont-Diaz had turned into candlewax against him, the touch was languid and fluid, and he was infinitely aware of fingertips grazing against his neck as his entire world was upended and his psyche was reading into it too much. The thing with the Prince that it was hard for him to think that he could have nice things, and that included relationships.

He'd had a few that could've been more but he'd never had the courage to say yes to that, never had felt as if he had to upend his world for that person.

But here was Alex, doing it quite on his own terms.

The music started and then he took that opportunity to lead, one foot in front of the other as he attempted to squire Alex through the motions of the dance. "Yes, though unfortunately with you as a weapon, we do not have the luxury of stealth.. you could not be stealthy even if you tried. In the Pirate to Ninja pipeline, you are absolutely a Pirate."

Alex fell into step, relying on Henry more than he would entirely admit. When he wasn't being a human disaster -- and when he hadn't had a little too much to drink -- Alex did have a surprising amount of natural grace and rhythm to him and it served him well enough once the music got a hold of him. Besides, it was easy to follow Henry, to look at the prince and forget about worrying over his footwork.

He rolled his eyes. "Please, I could be stealthy if I wanted to. You've never seen me sneak out of my bedroom window. ...pirate is cooler anyway." He'd make a pretty badass pirate if you asked him. "And where do you fall in that pipeline?"

It was clearly an important question, or maybe he just wanted to hear Henry talk. Hard to say the way his gaze seemed unable to stray a moment from the other man's face.

"Ninja, because they are not seen; I would rather not have attention drawn to myself." he said with a little shrug as he started to whirl Alex around the ballroom floor with an easy grace. "I have never been one for the spotlight, which of course is unfortunate because I was born to well..." he made a gesture with their joined hands, in a very vague sort of manner.

The answer that Alex gave him tracked, though he did point out rather sagely.

"You can be full of stealth, but how many times are you compelled to be so? I think that you are much more at home causing a bit of a stir; also.. I do not think that your mouth holds any sort of regulations.. it defies the Geneva Convention on a regular basis."

Alex's brow furrowed. Henry was always so poised, always looked like he belonged right out there in the public eye, effortlessly charming and beloved. But he had come to know how much of Henry there was that was well masked below the surface.

"You were born with a hereditary spotlight shining on you," he opined with a thoughtful nod.

His expression started to turn sheepish because yes, he was good at causing commotion -- it was seldom really his intention, but it did seem to be a talent -- before Henry kept talking and instead his jaw dropped. "Wow, okay. First time my mouth's been called a war crime. That's got to be an achievement."

"I am sure that your mouth is good at things other than inciting violence." that was tongue in cheek, that also may have been a bit of a well-placed innuendo, he was carefully avoiding looking into Alex's eyes, perhaps it was because he would be lost in them.. or maybe it was because they were probably dancing sparks at the effrontery.

That is if Alex took offense to begin with.

Doubtful.

"You are a hurricane, a missle, a war crime, a surprise attack.. I could go on. Do you want me to?"

Was that innuendo? Alex was impressed. "Oh it is. I'm happy to provide a demonstration if you'd like." Because Alex would like. He would very much like to kiss the prince's obnoxiously perfect mouth until Henry had no words left in him.

He laughed at the string of, well, he was going to consider them compliments. "Oh please yes, by all means, what other destructive forces do I bring to mind, your majesty?" He was prodding now, deliberately. "Because you should know you are a rip tide, a flash flood, a blinding light and I can't seem to take my eyes off you. So what does that say about me?"

Was this squabbling or flirting? Was it both? God he wanted to kiss him.

All of these things, Henry would not have thought of such about himself but perhaps he was not thinking of exactly what those phrases entailed; studying at Cambridge and that neverending stream of classes and he should know was that everything that Alex mentioned were not destructive on their own, but to the people caught within them.

Very carefully, this was considered. "I would imagine that it says that you are both danger and attracted to danger.. but I do not consider myself dangerous in the slightest." he'd always been obedient and mild-mannered, always ignoring the intensity underneath.

It was the intensity that expressed his passionate ideals, who went on long tirades about Byron and Oscar Wilde, it was a vein of lightning within him that when it struck water, it destroyed everything in its path. But he did not see these things, because he was those things.

"That's what makes you dangerous. You don't see it. I didn't at first either. I saw what you wanted me to see, I think, what you show everyone. All that calm still water, reflecting what you think you're expected to." The metaphor was crafting itself as he continued, the dance forgotten even if their feet were still moving, sweeping along the dance floor, dark and light, day and night. "But you're so much more than that. I thought you were shallow, but your waters run so deep, I'm not sure I'll ever find the bottom."

But he wanted to try, would take the risk -- the very real risk -- of drowning in Henry, in all that hidden passion and intensity and the gentle kindness in him. Damn it, he was starting to sound smitten in his own head.

"It's your fault too. You let me actually see you. What did you expect to happen?" Besides Alex going and deciding that Henry was a beacon that he needed in his life.

Well bloody hell, Alex was talking and Henry was listening; he had no choice but too. And not in a chance in hell that he could survive those beautiful words of someone who saw him for who he was and not just who he presented to the world. Henry made eye-contact, those ocean eyes looking as if they were ready to drown in the words that waterfell from Alex's mouth.

"I did not expect anything to happen, not really. But I am glad it did, I am glad that cake fell on top of us.. humiliating though it was. Because my life changed irrevocably and I am better for it."

Sharing moments with the other guy, sharing text conversations. He had gotten Alex's cellphone number through underhanded means because he'd seen something in the other guy and he'd wanted to be closer; he wanted a warmth that he'd never really gotten. And here he was now, basking in the sun that was Alex, the radiant fire. "The cake was still your fault, however."

"So am I." So much better for it. He'd never known how much he was missing until he found it in Henry, in someone who understood him in all his mess and disaster that he usually tried to rein in as best he could. Those eyes met his, and Alex was lost with no hope of rescue.

They were still dancing, and Alex stepped in closer, closer than was appropriate for a proper ballroom hold and posture. To hell with proper though. Alex didn't care about proper, he cared about chasing the warmth that was building between them, the pull that urged like his heart had become a magnet drawn inexorably towards Henry's. He was close enough that he could lean their foreheads together, so he did.

"I'll take the credit for the cake, since it got us here. Favorite mistake I ever made."

The moment that Alex stepped in closer, he felt it-- the way that the other man infiltrated the space; back in his world this would've been immediately remarked upon and promptly censured, but they were not there at this moment. This was a place carved out that felt as if it was infinitely more accepting; he looked into those whiskey eyes and felt himself grow a little bit drunk with it.

"I would have to say, that was my favorite of your mistakes." he chuckled and Alex could likely taste it, the taste of champagne and also something giddier. "Though I promise I will never hold it against you, that mistake.. though I may tease you, a little bit."

He remembered the conversation that they had, about everything. The confession and the acknowledgement to Alex's inevitable hitting on him-- the safety he felt here in those arms as he was swept up, and how he wanted to bask in it like the sun. "You know..." oh gods he was going to open his mouth and ruin it all, wasn't he? "When you overheard me telling Sean to 'get me out of here'; at that point I thought you were the most beautiful guy I'd ever met and if I hadn't been so very overwhelmed and exhausted, I would've wanted to stay and well.. show you the ropes."

He had the wild thought that if he closed the distance between their lips that Henry would taste like home. It was dangerous to start thinking that way, but the thought was there, and he couldn't shake it. Maybe he didn't really want to. He liked the sound of Henry's laughter too.

"You? Tease? I'd never have guessed." Feigned shock preceded a quiet laugh of his own. God he really wanted to kiss him, but he wasn't sure that once he started he'd be able to stop until one of them was backed up against the nearest wall and they were both flushed and breathless.

He wasn't expecting what Henry said next though. His eyes widened in surprise behind the gold feathered mask at the mention of their first meeting -- a charged topic as that was. But this was certainly a different piece of it than Alex had ever known guessed. Henry thought he was beautiful? "Guess we lost a little time then, huh? But maybe we've found it now. You can show me any ropes you want to, any time."

That felt charged and loaded, it also felt like an invitation for something further and he was not sure if he had the courage to cross that distance but it was like Alex was leading him to that point, held aloft by a compulsion. He could nearly taste the cologne on Alex, it was Santal 33 but also held a spice to it that was likely all Alex's own body chemistry.

"You have proven that you are a rather quick study, all things considered."

It felt as if the dance could go on forever, but it started to get slower and far more intimate which meant that it was easier to linger closer together. "We did lose time, but I suppose there is no time like the present; and it seems as if we cannot get back to where we are for the time being so it's best to make the most of what we have right here and now."

"Was that a genuine compliment?" It was Alex's turn to tease. For all that the affection they felt for each other as their friendship grew was obvious, they also had always tended to wrap it in traded barbs, as if that somehow made it more acceptable for it to exist, if its edges were slightly sharp.

Here they were though, and Alex wasn't feeling sharp-edged. He was feeling like Henry was the only other person who existed, despite the dancefloor full of people, despite the extravagant gala going on around them. The music slowed and they slowed, and Alex gravitated closer.

He gave a little nod, like he'd come to some internal conclusion. "I think so too. All we really know that we have is right here and now. So... let's make sure we don't waste it."

Alex was so full of hope and optimism, whereas he was full of anxiety and worry. But around the other guy he almost felt that the First Son was rubbing off on him, he leaned in closer and then he did nearly the unthinkable, his fingers move up to graze against a high cheekbone, lightly caressing the skin there.

It was a little bit bold but there it was, it was the Prince reaching out in a subtle form and fashion. "I do not want to waste it, especially a little pocket of freedom like this."

That touch felt like it should have burned with the way it lit a fire in him, but there was no pain to it, only a warm rush that seemed to flood over him, through him. Such a small, innocent touch. Alex turned into it ever so slightly, the movement entirely unconscious, as if all of him was simply drawn to Henry by some rule of physics that he couldn't hope to understand.

"I want to kiss you so bad right now..."

He hadn't meant to admit that, and certainly not in the breathless whisper of words that it rushed out in, but the words apparently needed to be spoken because they did not give him any choice.

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