Gathering: New Year's Eve Gala

[concierge]

The annual Nexus New Year's Eve gala began at 8 in the evening. Too grand to be contained by the lobby or dining hall, the gardens at the front of the hotel were employed, with long strings of white lights forming a twinkling canopy from the front doors all the way to the hedge maze. The weather was temperate and calm, and the night perfectly clear.

Drinks were served at various bars set up throughout the gardens and lobby, with champagne cocktails being the specialty of the night. Wheeling through the crowd was a bartender with golden cart providing warm drinks on the go: Tom and Jerrys, rum punch, negus, and Irish coffee.

Crisply-dressed wait staff wove through the collected guests with an abundance of hors d'oeuvres for all different tastes. The Bistro remained open with a limited selection of items for those who were wanting something more substantial.

Above the front doors was hung a large, gold-rimmed clock counting down the last hours, minutes, and seconds of the current year.

Comments

[designerebel]

Grey is tall and lean. Thankfully, he's filled out some from the skin and bones he was when Cinna had first met him. Grey is beautiful. And yes, taller than Cinna by just a bit. It isn't something that's always noticeable unless they're this close to each other, which they often are. But for as much as Cinna likes to fade into the periphery of every day life, he is somewhat larger of a personality than Grey, and perhaps that perception is what makes the height difference so interesting.

Where was it that they first danced together? Oh yes, down by the pool in the Temple in Teleios. It was a toga party that Augustus had thrown. Cinna, not understanding when he was told to wear bed sheets, had designed he and Grey these elaborate clothes made out of bed sheets. That had been a good evening.

"Do you remember when we first danced?" He asks Grey.

[silenttrainbaby]

At the mention of the memory, Grey smiles against Cinna's temple, his mind reminding him of the evening. Yes, they had been dressed differently than everyone else, but that had never bothered him. The only time he's cared is when he first arrived, filthy and stinking of human suffering that he'd thought to care of the impression he'd made. He'd been reminded again when the train car had shown up.

But now, here, they are clean and if anything, Grey smells of Cinna - never a problem. They sway together and he nods; he remembers, spelling a word on Cinna's back, not that he expects his lover to be able to decipher that. P-O-O-L.

But he remembers. That was a good night. They went back to their room later and Grey stretched out on the bed and felt Cinna against him.

It's that after-dancing memory that makes him shiver, pressing closer.

[designerebel]

Cinna has no idea what Grey wrote against his back, but it's enough to let him know that Grey remembers their sitting together on the edge of the pool with their feet in the water, wearing their fabulously designed bed sheet clothing. It's one of the earliest of memories with the two of them together once they had decided they were something... more.

And of course the aftermath of that party is a good memory too. Most memories with Grey are good. The ones that aren't are when either of them were being toyed with in one way or another. Even before they called what was between them 'love', they were protective of one another.

Grey presses closer and Cinna turns his head to kiss next to his ear. "We'll make good memories here too. We're together."

[silenttrainbaby]

They're together: that's it.

When the music stops, he leans back, cheeks rosy with happiness, his hands twining with Cinna's. He nods toward the food tables. They can see what there is to eat? It looks quite sumptuous and as Cinna knows, Grey can always eat. And eating with Cinna is its own sensual pleasure, too.

In fact, he grins. There seem to be strawberries.

[designerebel]

There's really nothing more that Cinna could ask for. They've both accomplished all they will accomplish in their worlds. He should be dead, after all. They both should be dead. But here they are. And that they're here together, well, that's a miracle. For a man with no faith in anyone but humanity itself, Cinna has certainly seen some miracles happen.

The look on Grey's face when he leans back is lovely. Again, Cinna wishes he had his camera to capture the moment. Grey's happiness should always be remembered, he thinks.

They move toward the food and he is already grinning when he spots the platter of small red fruit. His smile meets Grey's and Cinna quickly fills a napkin with a handful of the strawberries. In this matter he is nothing if not predictable. "Perhaps you can help me eat these." He offers. "Is there anything else you want?"

[silenttrainbaby]

Cookies! Cake! Sweet baked goods are still and perhaps always Grey's weakness. He doesn't so much point as just start grabbing a plate and piling it high with treats. Everything looks decadent and without surprise, he grabs all sweet things and breads and nothing that is remotely green.

They will share the strawberries and the sweet treats. And - he gives Cinna sly look, taking a bottle of what he hopes is wine and slipping into the folds of his clothes. They don't need to sneak most likely, but there's a small thrill of taking what isn't theirs. Now they'll go? To be alone together?