[ Can't believe I, the player, am going to have to do this to poor Marco. Apologies to his future bliss or lack thereof. ]
I... am not much of a gambler. [ At all. That sort of thing had been something her parents would have taken to much more enthusiastically, with the money she'd earned from her performances. ]
But the front desk said, in collaboration with a particular service... for agreeing to this date, they gave me a voucher. So this should be able to cover anything we order.
[ And she's a little happy that she can finally repay Marco for his assistance. ]
[ there are worst ways to have one's bubble popped.
hamel, at least, is kind and delicate. it helps she is already functioning under the assumption that she and marco were on the same page. that softens the blow, somewhat, in the sense she isn't left to struggle with her own awkwardness... though tough to say if that'll still be a factor when it becomes very clear, in about two seconds, just how unaware marco had been. ]
...A date?
[ he stares at her, for a long long second, trying to piece together a puzzle that had only just been dumped onto his lap. ]
... Hamel blinks at him slowly, then glances past him, as if she's trying to find the concierge who... apparently dragged him here and did not escort him with any kind of explanation at all. Could this have been a misunderstanding? Was he not meant to be here? But he'd been brought directly here...
Ever so slightly, she shrinks down a little in her chair. This could be a mistake. ]
When I... checked in, officially, something about my file seemed to have upset the woman at the front desk, and shortly after, I was informed that I would be... experiencing a variety of dates with other singles here. For my sake. [ Or something. ]
I didn't know you--that is, that you hadn't even been told, I'm deeply sorry--
[ She does, indeed, look as though she wishes for Under the Table to claim her where she sits. ]
[ hamel, no, don't go under the table it's not that kind of date (or is it? haha jk unless)
anyway it all clicks for marco a second too late. realizing it is some Resort Tomfoolery, and not merely a consequence of circumstance makes the very premise of their meeting now a little sullied, but it's Fine. they can rally. though marco is seeming to manage it faster than hamel, oh no, ]
No, don't apologize—
[ he says that perhaps too quickly, more quickly than one might feel believable, but that's just his haste to get her to stop looking so dismayed.
he holds up a hand, then slowly rests it down over her menu. trying, without touching her, to tether her back to the present. ]
I'm sorry for my confusion. I wasn't told, but that's fine. There's no reason we can't.. continue.
[ he paused. awkward. ]
Truthfully I haven't been on a date in some time, so I can't promise I'd be very fun. But it should check one more off your list, right?
[ It's a very valid gesture, because Hamel is about three seconds away from retreating into her own mortification. As it stands, the hand on the menu (that she hasn't even looked over yet) draws her back into the present and she pauses to just allow that to permeate her senses.
She doesn't look any less remorseful, but at the very least, she no longer looks as though she's actively looking for some manner of exit from the situation. ]
I... also haven't been on a date in a very long time.
[ A. A very long time. It's fine. ]
But I don't want you to feel as though you're obligated, either. I understand this came as a shock. And I was prepared to offer this to any potential dates, that they didn't have to commit to something like this...
[ Well, she can blame herself until the cows come home, but she can't stomach the idea that someone else feels like they're inconveniencing her. This, too, hasn't come up very often in her life, so if she looks a little surprised before she speaks, that's exactly why. ]
We're... companions, at the very least. [ Calling them friends still seems like she's being too presumptuous. ] I've enjoyed your company, so I have never felt like you're consuming anything of mine that I did not offer freely.
[ Why she worded it like that, I could not tell you. ]
[ for someone who feels the same way about companionship he sure does keep addressing her with formalities. but that's another thing entirely. now that they've more or less gotten that settled, he picks up his menu once more. ]
Save your voucher for a rainy day. It'd be a waste if the proprietress is already offering us a free meal. Now — what kinds of foods do you like?
[ This continues to be strange. Baizhu, asking what her favorite flower is. Marco, asking about foods she enjoys. Hamel hasn't thought of preferences in years, pausing to scan the menu in the mindset of a dancer. In terms of food like that... ]
... It should probably be a salad. Though, carbohydrates...
[ Well, it's both answering the question and not, isn't it-- ]
[ he has no concept of the training and discipline it would take to keep up a certain body type. it's not as if athletics is a thing back in ergastulum. most of the time, people were happy to eat at all. ]
...I understand. I won't dissuade you if you think it's for the best, but.
[ but. ]
Will one meal really make that much of a difference?
[ There are certainly people like that in DisCity, too. Particularly Syndicate. Hamel's fame and abilities had been enough to ensure she ate, though strictly so. As for the rest of the money...
... That much doesn't matter much, anymore. Not in the scheme of things. ]
It could encourage me to shirk healthier meals in the future. [ Firmly. ] Though I intend to do my usual stretching and practice tomorrow morning. But...
[ marco is of the opinion hamel has much stronger discipline than that, if she's managed to hold out for this long, but he's not about to go around acting like he knows people better than they know themselves.
besides, she seems ready to make a concession regardless. he has no designs to be anyone's devil on their shoulder, but he thinks after all of this, a little treat can't hurt.
he meets those uncertain eyes with a smile. just in time for a waiter to come over, asking for their orders. ]
Two of the house salads, please. [ he catches hamel's eye over the menus as they're taken back. ] For now.
[ She somehow gets the distinct impression that she might be getting indulged right now, and a hint of color appears in her face; it takes all of her courage not to duck her head in embarrassment, but somehow, Hamel manages. ]
I hope you didn't get a salad because I made you feel self-conscious or anything... I don't think I know your preferred foods yet, Marco.
[ If it's a date, she might as well take this time to get to know him a little better, too. ]
[ is the main reason for his choice to make things less awkward for her in the long run? obviously. he wouldn't feel at all okay if he were to order something more rich and laden with fat, while she had to suffer through her determination. but that isn't the reason he gives her, though it should be noted that the reason he does give isn't untrue either. ]
Fresh produce is a rarity where I'm from. A salad is an indulgence for me, don't worry.
[ will it be the most filling? no. is it a bit of a waste for his free meal as a lowly 2 rank? probably. but all that doesn't matter, in the moment. ]
Though I'm partial to pastas. A coworker of mine would make great butter noodles.
[ Not Marco chucking away the opportunity for delicious meat and pasta for Hamel's sake????
She gazes at him very solemnly from across the table, as though she's not entirely convinced by his reassurances, that she thinks he may be prioritizing her a little too much here, but she doesn't know him well enough yet to bring that up. ]
Oh... pasta is also very delicious. [ Carbs! ] Though I've never had homemade ones before. If the salad isn't filling enough for you, we could share a plate?
[ Pasta is also acceptable for a dancer, apparently. ]
[ there's a moment's pause where marco returns that look of hers, though perhaps a touch more critical. he is not entirely sure her acquiescence regarding the pasta isn't entirely for his sake. it's rare indeed to find someone just as willing to inconvenience oneself for another.
is there room enough in this town for the both of them..........
survey says: yes. his expression clears, and he inclines his head in something of a resigned nod. a compromise, then. ]
That sounds like a great idea. Pasta dishes tend to be pretty large servings anyway.
[ In before the servers make them "Lady and the Tramp" it... ]
That's true. More often than not, I'd be able to eat a small portion of it an hour or so before I'd need to dance, and that was more than enough for me. [ But see! See! She eats pasta, he doesn't have to think she's doing it for his sake entirely, even though she is definitely doing it in this case because he brought it up!
anyway, here he was, already halfway to wondering if there were any ballrooms within the resort to take her to, should she wish to work off some of the carbs and feel less guilty about their choices here
but then she goes and asks him that, and the very thought has him bubbling out a laugh. ]
Me? No, no, I don't... I mean I've never tried, but I'm not really...
[ "graceful," he'd been about to say, but he remembers how striker used to describe the way he fought, and be swallows that back with a rough clearing of his throat. ]
I don't think so. [ Thoughtfully, and here's where Marco gets to be a little uncomfortable as Hamel's eyes gain a bit of pensive light. ]
The way you carry yourself suggests both awareness and comfort of your body and its movements. You don't appear to be physically inactive. There's a distance but also a warmth to your demeanor... I think you would be attentive, as a partner.
So even if you haven't tried to dance before, I think you might take to it better than you think.
[ --And then she realizes this might sound like pressuring. ]
--Ah. That is, if you were ever interested in trying...
[ he's more than a little stunned by her astute observation — both due to its uncanniness, but also because of its... almost gentle perspective. he hasn't quite heard his physicality described so tenderly. ]
...I see.
[ he ducks his head, smothering a small smile. well? why not, given everything else he's been made to do here? he might as well try something outside of his comfort zone that's by his own choice. ]
In that case, if you wouldn't mind teaching me, I would be honored to try it with you.
[ Oh. Perhaps that's a smile but it's too difficult to tell without Hamel leaning in closely to investigate, and she's nowhere near bold nor shameless enough for that.
Her own gaze softens, into something a little happier. For all that she's been forced to dance and not in the way she would have chosen... ]
I've found that dancing is one of the easiest ways to communicate. So I would be more than happy to teach you.
[ unlike hamel, marco has an easier time discerning the softness lighting up her eyes. he feels buoyed by it, prompting him to make his next suggestion, and momentarily forget what a disaster it might all end up being. ]
Then, if you have no other plans after this, would you like to have our very first lesson?
[ first and last, lbr. marco has no delusions he'd make a very good student, so he imagines it would be a brief stint, if only to humor him. ]
[ He's about to learn that Hamel doesn't need him to be a good dancer to let him Dance.
But for all that her gazes might be more subtle, there's no mistaking the way she brightens now, once he's made an offer. She would have been fine making plans for another day, but to offer it immediately after their meal?
Congratulations, Marco. This is a rare level of delight for her. ]
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I... am not much of a gambler. [ At all. That sort of thing had been something her parents would have taken to much more enthusiastically, with the money she'd earned from her performances. ]
But the front desk said, in collaboration with a particular service... for agreeing to this date, they gave me a voucher. So this should be able to cover anything we order.
[ And she's a little happy that she can finally repay Marco for his assistance. ]
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hamel, at least, is kind and delicate. it helps she is already functioning under the assumption that she and marco were on the same page. that softens the blow, somewhat, in the sense she isn't left to struggle with her own awkwardness... though tough to say if that'll still be a factor when it becomes very clear, in about two seconds, just how unaware marco had been. ]
...A date?
[ he stares at her, for a long long second, trying to piece together a puzzle that had only just been dumped onto his lap. ]
Sorry — what's going on?
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... Hamel blinks at him slowly, then glances past him, as if she's trying to find the concierge who... apparently dragged him here and did not escort him with any kind of explanation at all. Could this have been a misunderstanding? Was he not meant to be here? But he'd been brought directly here...
Ever so slightly, she shrinks down a little in her chair. This could be a mistake. ]
When I... checked in, officially, something about my file seemed to have upset the woman at the front desk, and shortly after, I was informed that I would be... experiencing a variety of dates with other singles here. For my sake. [ Or something. ]
I didn't know you--that is, that you hadn't even been told, I'm deeply sorry--
[ She does, indeed, look as though she wishes for Under the Table to claim her where she sits. ]
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anyway it all clicks for marco a second too late. realizing it is some Resort Tomfoolery, and not merely a consequence of circumstance makes the very premise of their meeting now a little sullied, but it's Fine. they can rally. though marco is seeming to manage it faster than hamel, oh no, ]
No, don't apologize—
[ he says that perhaps too quickly, more quickly than one might feel believable, but that's just his haste to get her to stop looking so dismayed.
he holds up a hand, then slowly rests it down over her menu. trying, without touching her, to tether her back to the present. ]
I'm sorry for my confusion. I wasn't told, but that's fine. There's no reason we can't.. continue.
[ he paused. awkward. ]
Truthfully I haven't been on a date in some time, so I can't promise I'd be very fun. But it should check one more off your list, right?
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She doesn't look any less remorseful, but at the very least, she no longer looks as though she's actively looking for some manner of exit from the situation. ]
I... also haven't been on a date in a very long time.
[ A. A very long time. It's fine. ]
But I don't want you to feel as though you're obligated, either. I understand this came as a shock. And I was prepared to offer this to any potential dates, that they didn't have to commit to something like this...
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anyway,,, ]
Truthfully, Miss Hamel, I don't think anything has to change.
[ he gives her a tentative smile, drawing his hand back to fold over his own menu. ]
I was already happy to sit here with you beforehand. Now that I know this can benefit you too, I get to feel less like I'm taking up your time.
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At least Hamel has a valid excuse?? ]
Please don't think like that.
[ Well, she can blame herself until the cows come home, but she can't stomach the idea that someone else feels like they're inconveniencing her. This, too, hasn't come up very often in her life, so if she looks a little surprised before she speaks, that's exactly why. ]
We're... companions, at the very least. [ Calling them friends still seems like she's being too presumptuous. ] I've enjoyed your company, so I have never felt like you're consuming anything of mine that I did not offer freely.
[ Why she worded it like that, I could not tell you. ]
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anyway, why did she word it like that. ]
Um, thank you. I feel the same way, Miss Hamel.
[ for someone who feels the same way about companionship he sure does keep addressing her with formalities. but that's another thing entirely. now that they've more or less gotten that settled, he picks up his menu once more. ]
Save your voucher for a rainy day. It'd be a waste if the proprietress is already offering us a free meal. Now — what kinds of foods do you like?
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... It should probably be a salad. Though, carbohydrates...
[ Well, it's both answering the question and not, isn't it-- ]
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..."Probably," Miss Hamel?
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But I also should eat a certain way, as a dancer. It's the only skill I'm good at.
[ She very much said that matter-of-factly. ]
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...I understand. I won't dissuade you if you think it's for the best, but.
[ but. ]
Will one meal really make that much of a difference?
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... That much doesn't matter much, anymore. Not in the scheme of things. ]
It could encourage me to shirk healthier meals in the future. [ Firmly. ] Though I intend to do my usual stretching and practice tomorrow morning. But...
[ ... Her eyes lift, a little uncertainly. ]
If they had ice cream, perhaps, afterward...
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besides, she seems ready to make a concession regardless. he has no designs to be anyone's devil on their shoulder, but he thinks after all of this, a little treat can't hurt.
he meets those uncertain eyes with a smile. just in time for a waiter to come over, asking for their orders. ]
Two of the house salads, please. [ he catches hamel's eye over the menus as they're taken back. ] For now.
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I hope you didn't get a salad because I made you feel self-conscious or anything... I don't think I know your preferred foods yet, Marco.
[ If it's a date, she might as well take this time to get to know him a little better, too. ]
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Fresh produce is a rarity where I'm from. A salad is an indulgence for me, don't worry.
[ will it be the most filling? no. is it a bit of a waste for his free meal as a lowly 2 rank? probably. but all that doesn't matter, in the moment. ]
Though I'm partial to pastas. A coworker of mine would make great butter noodles.
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She gazes at him very solemnly from across the table, as though she's not entirely convinced by his reassurances, that she thinks he may be prioritizing her a little too much here, but she doesn't know him well enough yet to bring that up. ]
Oh... pasta is also very delicious. [ Carbs! ] Though I've never had homemade ones before. If the salad isn't filling enough for you, we could share a plate?
[ Pasta is also acceptable for a dancer, apparently. ]
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is there room enough in this town for the both of them..........
survey says: yes. his expression clears, and he inclines his head in something of a resigned nod. a compromise, then. ]
That sounds like a great idea. Pasta dishes tend to be pretty large servings anyway.
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That's true. More often than not, I'd be able to eat a small portion of it an hour or so before I'd need to dance, and that was more than enough for me. [ But see! See! She eats pasta, he doesn't have to think she's doing it for his sake entirely, even though she is definitely doing it in this case because he brought it up!
It's fine, they're both not admitting to it. ]
Have you ever danced, Marco?
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anyway, here he was, already halfway to wondering if there were any ballrooms within the resort to take her to, should she wish to work off some of the carbs and feel less guilty about their choices here
but then she goes and asks him that, and the very thought has him bubbling out a laugh. ]
Me? No, no, I don't... I mean I've never tried, but I'm not really...
[ "graceful," he'd been about to say, but he remembers how striker used to describe the way he fought, and be swallows that back with a rough clearing of his throat. ]
I doubt I'd be very good at it.
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I don't think so. [ Thoughtfully, and here's where Marco gets to be a little uncomfortable as Hamel's eyes gain a bit of pensive light. ]
The way you carry yourself suggests both awareness and comfort of your body and its movements. You don't appear to be physically inactive. There's a distance but also a warmth to your demeanor... I think you would be attentive, as a partner.
So even if you haven't tried to dance before, I think you might take to it better than you think.
[ --And then she realizes this might sound like pressuring. ]
--Ah. That is, if you were ever interested in trying...
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...I see.
[ he ducks his head, smothering a small smile. well? why not, given everything else he's been made to do here? he might as well try something outside of his comfort zone that's by his own choice. ]
In that case, if you wouldn't mind teaching me, I would be honored to try it with you.
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Her own gaze softens, into something a little happier. For all that she's been forced to dance and not in the way she would have chosen... ]
I've found that dancing is one of the easiest ways to communicate. So I would be more than happy to teach you.
[ In the end, Hamel still loves to dance. ]
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Then, if you have no other plans after this, would you like to have our very first lesson?
[ first and last, lbr. marco has no delusions he'd make a very good student, so he imagines it would be a brief stint, if only to humor him. ]
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But for all that her gazes might be more subtle, there's no mistaking the way she brightens now, once he's made an offer. She would have been fine making plans for another day, but to offer it immediately after their meal?
Congratulations, Marco. This is a rare level of delight for her. ]
Yes, of course!
sry sry i'll skip dinner in the next tag!
I'll forgive you
thank,
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