[16:29:01] [@Kain] It's just after the whole thing with the fireworks. The guards are cleaning up any messes that've been made, and things have quiietened down quite a bit. Noah is at the bar, blending together something mild.
[16:31:39] * Amaryllis exits the kitchen, having slipped off there sometime during the celebration to coordinate the clean-up effort like a responsible chef. She meanders over to the bar herself, giving Noah a hug before slumping down in a chair next to him. "Make me one too, will you dear?"
[16:37:29] [@Kain] It's a very light sort of improvised drink made from orange liqueur, cream and some leftover cinnamon balls. He smiles and nods, doing so. "Of course, Amaryllis. It's been quite a long day, hasn't it? And we're still not through yet." he passes you the cocktail once he's done and has a seat next to you, leaning against you with one arm around your back.
[16:37:32] * Kain is now known as Noah
[16:41:08] * Amaryllis nods. "Thanks. Treno, Madain Sari...maybe we ought to cut back on Madain Sari." She sips the drink.
[16:41:48] [Amaryllis] "Have you thought at all about new year's resolutions?" She rests her head on her arms and turns to look up at Noah.
[16:49:00] [@Noah] He looks thoughtful a moment. "I have. I've been considering, and given how much you've made me realize I'm still lacking when we exercise together-" he teases, a smile on his face. "I think I should resolve to become a better fighter. The last thing I want is to worry you. Bettering myself... actually that's sort of a boring resolution, isn't it?" he considers. "And we were on the way to
[16:49:00] [@Noah] doing it anyway. Perhaps I'll strive to make my life a bit more interesting. Despite traveling the world, I don't have all that many hobbies..."
[16:50:41] [Amaryllis] "Good." Ammy says with a small smile. "I was going to threaten you with dragging you off to do wall-sits and pull-ups with me starting tomorrow if you did not already have a plan for that." She picks up her glass and raises it. "Count yourself lucky, dear." She sips at it.
[16:50:53] [@Noah] He laughs nervously.
[16:51:12] [@Noah] But then he has a sip, himself.
[16:51:15] [@Noah] "And you?"
[16:51:15] [Amaryllis] "What about," Ammy glances around to make sure they're relatively alone. her voice gets quieter. "the Gates? We've been slacking some, have we not?"
[16:51:39] [Amaryllis] "Me?" Ammy has to think a moment.
[16:51:48] [@Noah] "Oh, well... I suppose we have a bit, in that regard..." he frowns.
[16:54:04] [Amaryllis] "My apotheosis, my training, none of that makes for a good resolution if I am already hard at work at those. I do not know." Ammy reaches up and ruffles Noah's hair a little. "What do you think I should resolve to do?"
[16:54:38] [Amaryllis] "Learn more of the world's cuisines?" Ammy shrugs a little.
[16:55:48] [@Noah] "You're not quite bad at that, either. Mm... maybe you'll know your answer before the end of the night." he says, with a knowing tone.
[16:56:06] [Amaryllis] "We can talk about the Gate business in a bit." She mumbles. "More light-hearted talk first, and some time to become properly inebriated."
[16:57:38] [Amaryllis] "Hm? Know something I don't? Hiding a surprise?" Her lip curls into a shrewd smile.
[17:03:13] [@Noah] Noah shrugs. "Am I?" he says coyly, and then squeezes Ammy's shoulder. "You know, we didn't have time for a dance ourselves, earlier."
[17:05:24] [Amaryllis] "Trying to keep secrets from me? You should know better." Ammy says teasingly, her eyes glowing softly for a moment. "But I suppose I can allow myself to be bribed with a dance instead." She takes Noah's hand as she stands up, finishing off the rest of her drink as she does.
[17:06:24] [@Noah] Noah downs the rest of his drink in a gulp, after haivng chipped away at it lightly, takes your hand, and joins you out on the now-empty floor.
[17:08:42] [Amaryllis] "I'm a tad drained, Noah. Can you do the music this time?"
[17:11:02] [@Noah] "Of course, love." With a flourish of his hand, the lights seem to dim, and the faint sound of a sax playing jazz starts up, with a spotlight on the two of you.
[17:11:39] [@Noah] All an illusion, of course, slightly ruined by your golden eyes, but you can enjoy yourself nonetheless.
[17:12:52] [@Noah] Noah slowly dances with you to the tune of the music, arm around your waist and hand on your shoulder. Not the same arm and hand, mind you, he's not a contortionist.
[17:12:54] [Amaryllis] No more ruined than when she was conjuring the illusion herself last time! Ammy lets Noah lead the dance once more, still more confident in his gracefulness and balance.
[17:15:05] [@Noah] Noah is more than happy to! Though after a moment he gets a mischevious smile on his face and raises his hand, waving an invisible conductor's baton to speed up the music. Drums start up along the rhythm, trombones start blaring, and clarinets accompany in the background as the style changes to an upbeat swing. Noah's pace speeds up to match and he twirls you around, going from a slow, intimate
[17:15:05] [@Noah] dance to a quick-paced swing himself.
[17:15:29] [@Noah] More spotlights appear on the floor, this time circling around the hall randomly.
[17:15:53] [Amaryllis] "What are your plans once all this is over? Certainly we will still have to keep a watch over the Gates, but it should be a good deal more calm once my apotheosis is over, and the killings stop. More freedom, and more free time."
[17:16:42] [Amaryllis] "H-hey, this is hard to keep up with." Ammy stumbles over her words a little as she stumbles through the quicker paced dance.
[17:20:00] [@Noah] "You'll get the hang of it. Let loose a bit, Amaryllis! We needn't be so formal all the time." he laughs, putting his entire body into the dancing. "And haven't we discussed this before? Given up on the flying diner dream so soon?" he wonders.
[17:21:32] [Amaryllis] "Noaahh." She says with a slight whine to her voice. Her gaze is darts between Noah's face and down at her feet to make sure she doesn't trip or step on his toes.
[17:22:28] [Amaryllis] "And I thought about that actually. It is difficult to take reservations for a restaurant that may be in one city for day then another entirely the next, is it not? Cannot get repeat cust- Sorry!" Ammy quickly moves her foot off of Noah's. "repeat customers or much of a sense of reputation that way."
[17:23:25] [Amaryllis] "But what do -you- want to do? The diner would be largely my own interests, and you said you were seeking new hobbies, did you not?"
[17:28:06] [@Noah] Noah winces, but his cheeky grin never leaves his face. "What is business management, if not a new hobby?" he responds. "As long as I'm together with you I'm sure it'd work out." He spins Ammy under his arm. "And you know how ludicrously efficient Moogles are."
[17:31:11] [Amaryllis] "I love you, Noah dear, but spinning and drinking is not the best of combinations." She rights herself and barely manages to keep with Noah's pace and moves. "And less formal all the time?" Ammy returns the cheeky grin with one of her own. "Oh you silly sod, Noah, was last night not informal and casual enough for you?" She says teasingly.
[17:31:53] [@Noah] "That said, I'm still thinking on how to work my own interests into the ship. Perhaps a book store..."
[17:33:13] [@Noah] "I meant the dancing, of course." he turns red a bit and flusters. He doesn't spin you around anymore either.
[17:34:13] [Amaryllis] "That was its own kind of dance, was it not?" Ammy's grin just widens."You're adorable when you get flustered by the way."
[17:36:29] [Amaryllis] "I'm not sure how much less formal I could have made that." She says in a teasing sing-songy tone. "Anyway, a book store would be more of the same with your interests, would it not? Have you thought about crafts at all?"
[17:37:22] [Amaryllis] "How much did you really want to branch out?"
[17:37:54] [@Noah] "Like..." he thinks. "Perhaps I could sell magical trinkets? I could learn the art of synthesis."
[17:41:02] [Amaryllis] "Perhaps, perhaps." Ammy looks a tad disappointed she didn't manage to fluster Noah more than that. "Have you thought perhaps of becoming a published author as well?"
[17:42:08] [Amaryllis] "Maybe we could co-author a book of short stories?"
[17:48:36] [@Noah] "That's a thought for certain...." the music dies down and the illusions fade, and Noah pulls you into his arms with him behind you, his arms around your waist, and his lips at you neck for a brief moment. "Penning tales together, the thought of that makes me rather happy..."
[17:51:35] * Amaryllis rests her hands on Noah's arms and leans back slightly into him, snuggling in. "It is a very storybook ending to this chapter of our lives, is it not?"
[17:52:36] [Amaryllis] "I've been meaning to ask, is there anything I can do to help you now?" She pauses. "Whether Gate business related or not." She adds after a moment.
[17:53:55] [Amaryllis] "'Only three of us are in contact now. And between your duties and my personal requests, you've been run ragged. Sending you off to ruins, asking for your help with hypnosis, and now possible new research on emerging Eidolons...is there anything I can do for you?"
[17:56:08] [@Noah] He's considering it.
[17:57:56] [@Noah] But then, with a smile he says, "I'll have to think on it. For now, just support me as you always have, my dear."
[17:59:50] [Amaryllis] "Of course I shall. Just let me know then if there's anything I can do to help ease your burdens." ... "...Aside from the usual couple things of course. Those are a given." She adds in a whisper with a slight squeezing of his arms, trying to provoke another bout of flusteredness from him.
[18:00:23] [@Noah] He turns a shade of decidedly dark tomato and stutters a bit. "H-how lewd."
[18:00:36] [@Noah] It's getting about the time to go to Treno...
[18:01:26] [@Noah] (And the game is about to start, sorry :C)
[18:01:54] * Amaryllis giggles a little. "...The others will come get us before they leave, yes? Can we just...stay like this for a while?"
[18:02:04] * Amaryllis snuggles in a bit more.
[18:02:39] [@Noah] Noah flusters a bit at the thought of being walked in on like this, but he nods. "Of course." He squeezes you tightly.
[18:03:09] [@Noah] And... that is a wrap.