One Sandwich Short of a Picnic

[Kella]

The beach stretched on for as far as Jack could see in either direction. It was rather different than the last time she’d seen it. The sea foam was more black than white, now, and the sand was littered with chunks of scrap metal and a few barrels that still seemed to vaguely glow, in something that was probably related to the rusted remains of what looked like a ‘nuclear waste’ symbol stamped on the side.

But the ocean still sounded like the ocean, so Jack didn’t mind. The only thing that gave her pause was that she and Richter still hadn’t heard back from anybody yet.

As if on cue, her commpad pinged. Jack checked it, tapped off a reply, then promptly plopped down on a discarded I-beam. She dropped the picnic basket in the sand, and began to rummage around.

“Seems like everyone else bailed,” Jack said to Richter, and shrugged. “Guess I’ll just have to eat Hotdog’s piece of pie. Darn.”

She started tearing into a sandwich.

[Moonfire]

Looking out over the beach Richter felt his stomach roll. When Jack had mentioned having a picnic with some old friends by the shore he had jumped at the idea, volunteering to make a couple sandwiches and his attempt at chocolate chip cookies. They had come out a little... flat, but what the hell did 'creaming the butter and sugar' mean anyway? But this wasn't anything like what he was expecting. In the holovids they always showed happy Zeltrons playing in warm sand with pristine crystal clear water, nothing... Nothing like this.

But, the idea was nice anyway. It had been a long time since the whole gang was back together, and Black Lagoon or not, it could be fun. "Man, I can't wait to see Karina. I haven't seen her since-" But Jack, like she so often did, cut him off with a single finger before checking her holopad. Her facial expression dropped slightly as she tapped out her reply.

"Hotdog and Karina couldn't make it? Not even Jabberjaw?" Richter asked his face falling as he laid out the blanket in hand. "Oh well, you're better company anyway." He said with a smile before reaching into the basket for one of his flying saucer cookies.

[Kella]

"'Course I am," Jack said, grinning.

As much as she enjoyed the company of their friends, Jack wasn't so much into comparing potential realities. A picnic on the beach with Richter sounded like a good day to her. And then there was the potential of visiting her family -- that was always nice.

"There used to be gulls," she said, a statement of fact without any nostalgia. "They were entertaining to throw food at." Jack smiled at the memory.

"If there's anything still living here it's probably got the wrong number of appendages," she added, somewhat amused by the idea.

[Moonfire]

Pulling away the foil that concealed the sandwich, crinkling obnoxiously between his fingers, Richter took a large bite, relishing in the flavors of the condiments. Chewing softly, he looked out at the beach again, his stomach rolling again. Was this really what I beach looked like? Or was this just Jaemus? Had the people here soiled the oceans long ago? He had read that something similiar had happened on Coruscant years before.

"Gulls? Really? How long ago...?" He trailed off, still chewing his food and taking a big swallow. Free hand rummaging through the basket he looked back at Jack, smiling with her despite himself.

"It hasn't always been like this?" Withdrawing a bottle of some sort of sparkling beverage he held out a glass to Jack, offering to pour it for her.

[Kella]

Jack shook her head at Richter's question, then said "Yes please," at the offered drink.

"Nah, it was a pretty normal beach -- sunbathers, gulls, shells, the whole nine yards -- last time I was here. So that'd be... four years." Jack wasn't really surprised by the change. That wasn't to say she'd expected it specifically, but war had a way of changing everything. "The Sith've been using the shipyards over Jaemus for a while now, guess they needed somewhere new to dump stuff." She shrugged.

The war was rather beyond Jack. It wasn't her crusade, as it was for many who fought. The Republic weren't her enemies, she had no special affection for the Sith. The war just gave her a chance to fly, as as long as her family remained secure, there was nothing to be bothered by.

[Moonfire]

The sparkling lilac juice flowed from the orange bottle with a fizz, foaming and spilling from the glass in the most peculiar green color. Chalking it up to being some native beverage, Richter took a careful sip, surprised by the refreshing, almost spicy-sweet taste.

So the beach hadn't always been quite like this? It seemed like such a shame. If this beach had been anything like the holovids Richter watched as a child then the destruction of this place was... well a crime. That train of thought ended quickly though. What the Sith were doing, liberating planets from the tyranny of the Republic, it was for the best. But... did the ends justify the means? All these thoughts, that bounced around in his head, stopped. That wasn't a train he was ready to ride. For now, to enjoy his picnic with Jack.

"So you grew up here, huh? Hmm... What was... uhh... Your favorite thing to do growing up? Let me guess... Jumping off high places, pretending you were flying?" His smile reached his eyes that time, picturing a little Jack, probably still called Anessa then, climbing as high as she could to try and jump down.

[Kella]

"Actually, no," Jack said with a laugh, taking a drink and letting the tingle and bubble fill her whole head. "Fiddling was my favorite thing." She started as if to take a bite, then stopped, "Actually, I'd say in a way it was fiddling that got me into flying. When I was seventeen, my horse started and dislocated my shoulder, tore a few ligaments. It was bad enough to where I wasn't going to be able to use the arm right again, but there's not anywhere on Jaemus that does that sort of fixing.

"If it weren't for how much I loved to fiddle, I doubt my father would have scraped up the cash for a shuttle up to the hospital in the shipyards, and if you could have seen how it felt seeing all that for the first time, just laid out in miniature, all the mountains and the farms and the clouds..." Jack's voice, having grown wistful, trailed off. She seemed lost in her head for a moment, before remembering Richter and quickly making eye contact again. "Anyway, it's what got me hooked. Haven't been able to get rid of the bug since." She grinned, though almost wryly.

[Moonfire]

"Heh."

Taking another massive bite from the hoagie Richter chewed, nodding along as Jack spoke. Of course, the fiddling, how could he forget? Whenever they found themselves on base, enjoying a few moments of spare time, Jack would whip out the glossy instrument and draw her bow back and forth over the strings, a feverish sound filling the room. As others grabbed partners to dance or yelled out encouragement, Richter would hang back watching her play.

It was almost like watching her fly. Almost...

Taking another deep sip of the bubbly beverage he couldn't help but smile wider, falling into his old goofy grin as she dreamed on about being amongst the clouds in her wistful way. Orange eyes met his brown ones and for a moment he lost his breath, forgetting what it was he wanted to say. For someone he spent so much time with, how often did they truly make eye contact? Turning back to his drink he sipped again, buying time as he collected his thoughts, unsure of what came over him.

"I suppose I should have saw that one coming. You do play a pretty mean fiddle."

[Kella]

Jack smiled widely. "Well thanks. You just might get to hear some more tonight..."

__ //|\\ __

As Jack drew the bow across her fiddle's strings, it sang with delight. She coaxed into a few long, mournful notes, before the banjo began to pluck in with a tune. The fiddle's voice rose to climax, then paused for a count. Jack winked at Richter, then her bow began to dance.

The music filled the market square, as if it had never felt so grand before. The drums thumped, the banjos twanged, the tamborines rattled and the washboard growled. Feet stamped and hands clapped, and over it all Jack's fiddle sang, soon joined by another -- her father's. The music moved them and they danced around the clearing and each other, never missing a beat.

Jack had no idea her luck would be this good. The little village was still putting on hootenannies every Natunda, and Jack knew by the first abandoned farmhouse that everyone was in the village square. The raucous noises drew louder as they grew closer. As soon as Jack had been spotted, she was fetched a fiddle and ushered into the center of the square, only able to offer Richter an apologetic look.

But all that had melted from her mind as soon as her bow touched strings. Jack had no idea how many songs they'd played, as one tended to run into the next, but she was breathing hard by the time the band decided it was time for a break. As they handed off their instruments to the next group, Jack threw her arms around her father. He smelled like he'd always smelled -- horses and grease and resin. It was nice.

"Well hey there, stranger," he said warmly.

"'ello to you too," Jack said, stepping back and smiling. She handed off her fiddle as well, as the crowd began to chatter and mingle and the new band struck up another, somewhat tamer tune.

[Meira]

It was a hard life on a ranch, even with modern technology. Evan's father had always told him not to rely on it too much. "You can only do so much with cattle usin' machinery." he'd say, and he was right. Nutrition and the like, yeah, tech helped improve stuff like that. But in the end, cattle needed feed, water, and room to roam. Nature knows best. That phrase might as well be his family's motto. They weren't alone in the sentiment either. Jaemus, and his village in particular, didn't make much of a fuss over shiny new metal machines. Hard work, sweat, and blood did just fine for them.

It was after a long day of those three ingredients that Evan saw himself home and into a shower as the sun began to set over the land. There'd be a hootinany that night, and he wasn't about to miss it. After cleaning up and dressing, and obliging his mother one small bite to eat before he left, Evan finally made his way to the crowd that was already in full swing. He was a bit late, but that meant no never mind. This shindig, like all the others, was sure to last long into the night.

He posted himself up with a group of friends as soon as he spotted them, an ale placed in his hand without even having to request. That's just how it was 'round here. Their banter, as is the banter of most young men who work too hard for too long, was loud and rather raunchy. But that too, was just how things were 'round here.

They meandered for a bit until Evan caught an earful of a frightfully familiar run of fiddling. He stopped in his tracks, ear slightly raised to the air to listen. At first, he couldn't quite place it, but when he did it nearly knocked him on his backside. He dismissed himself from his companions rather abruptly, moving through the crowd toward the source of the sound. Finally, he caught sight of her right as she played the final flourish of the song. Evan couldn't believe his eyes. Without even looking at the man next to him, Evan held his bottle of ale to the man's stomach until it was taken. The look of confusion on the man's face was never noted. Evan was walking, no, trotting across the open space toward her.

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIEEEE!" he whooped. "If that ain't Magnolia Anessa Farmer, I'll eat my hat! Girl get over here!"

Without waiting for her to reply or permit him, Evan scooped Jack up in a bear hug, just after she was released from her father's arms, lifting her a good foot off the ground before setting her back down. "Mr. Farmer." he said to Jack's father, touching the brim of his hat in greeting. "Forgive my manners. It's just been too long since I've seen your girl here. And you," he turned back to Jack. "what's this mess playin' that fiddle without me on my banjo to make you sound good?" Evan's smile was winning as he gestured toward the changing musicians. "That's some kind of awful deception is what that is!"

[Moonfire]

Richter hung back away from the impromptu stage as the locals swarmed and danced, hooting and hollering in time to the rapid music. Most found a partner and spun and twirled together laughing merrily. A girl with bright green eyes even extended her hand, inviting him to dance, but Richter smiled shyly and waved her off, content to watch Jack do her thing.

Her bow slide across the neck of the fiddle with fervor over the strings, hair wild as she lost herself in the music. Not quite dancing, almost battling some unseen beast as her fiddle sang the banjo crying out behind her in its deep tone, Jack was alive but still all at once. Richter was in awe. Another man joined Jack, his eyes the same blazing orange, a fiddle of his own in hand, jumped into her melody.

Heart soaring with the music, Richter relaxed against a fence post, eyes shut as the music swayed him. Never had Richter been much of a music fan, but listening to the harmonized fiddles, the banjo twanging in the background. This was music with soul. Nothing like the commercialized stuff so popular on Taris. Teen girls whining about being too rich and too spoiled. This... This was so much more.

Eyes opening again he smiled widely, the goofy grin plastered over his face as the music reached his climax. Energized by the good vibes the lad went over what he'd say to his partner at the end of her set. Great job, Jack... No... Thats too... Its not right. Uhhh... Wow, Jack. I've never seen you play like that! No, no, no. Ummm... Jack, you're amazing... On the Fiddle... Not to say... No, just no."

The grin flipped back into a frown. Why was he having so much trouble telling her how well she played? Nothing seemed right. What exactly am I trying to say...? The music swelling and the strings were hot and the people twirled all the faster, Jack's fingers moving in a blur up and down the neck of the fiddle.

Great job, Jack! That was beautiful... Yeah... Thats it, thats the one. The words finally came to him, forming something that wasn't completely lame. With a flourish the music ended and Richter took a step forward, his grin on and wide, ready to tell Jack what a beautiful job she'd done. With a happy laugh she flung herself around the second fiddle player, a relative of some sort. Perhaps she'd even introduce him!

Summoning up all his social graces and courage, Richter called out "Ja-" But then wordlessly a rather... rugged looking fellow held out a bottle too him.

"Umm... Excuse me..." Richter said quietly, the wind nearly knocked out of him at this... awkward turn of events. Not according to plan at all. The man didn't turn to acknowledge the lanky individual he held his beverage out to, only standing stock still with the bottle against Richter's stomach.

"I guess... I'll just... er, take this then." Gripping the bottle gently, he held it out away from him, watching as the stranger waltz up to Jack, shouting out all manner of incoherent and rural phrases before wrapping her up in a big bear hug.

With that Richter deflated, stepping only a foot or so forward as the man and Jack reconnected, speaking excitedly with the other fiddler. The ale bottle twisted and turned in Richter's hands, as he stood back, his words and thoughts lost.

[Kella]

Evan crushed the breath out of Jack, but she was to happy to see him to care. He'd been her best friend for... Oh she didn't know how many years, she couldn't help but beam.

"Oh hush," Jack chided in return, "You're just jealous 'cause I could fiddle your banjo up the river with my eyes closed." She held Evan in an appraising glance for a moment, then smiled deeper. "It's good to see you."

Jack suddenly realized that she'd been distracted. "Oh, I have someone for you guys to meet." She searched for Richter for a moment, then spotted him. "Hey!" she called at him, catching his eye and beckoning him over.

"This is Richter Kast," she said to her father and Evan, "He's another member of my unit. Richter, this is my father, Edison, and an old friend of mine, Evan."

On cue, Edison came forward to shake Richter's hand. "Glad t' see yer already gettin' in the spirit!" he said, in reference to the ale, and clapped Richter soundly on the shoulder as he vigorously shook his hand. "Any friend o' Magnolia's is a friend o' mine," he said warmly. "Scarlett, m' wife, 'll be along in jus' a moment, and you'll get t' meet the whole crew."

[Meira]

Evan allowed Jack to boast, offering her only a smile and a roll of his eyes in response. If she wanted to toot her own horn, or pluck her own string?, then he'd let her. She'd been gone far too long to be argued with. If it meant spending some time with her, then he'd let her brag the whole night long.

Jack soon seemed to remember something and then informed Evan and her father of a friend of hers. Evan turned to see who she was gesturing at. The man looked like he could use a few more square meals, and maybe a plow and a few rows to help him out with what looked to be a severe muscle deficiency. But Evan wouldn't say anything on the matter. Such bad manners had been whooped out of him at a very young age. So after Mr. Farmer greeted Jack's fellow soldier, Evan offered the man his own hand.

"So you're a pilot too then?" he asked. "Must be pretty good at it if they think you can keep up with the likes of Ness, here." Evan hung his arm across Jack's shoulders. "From what I've heard, she's the best bird in the sky, so to speak." He looked down at his old friend, the affection apparent in his eyes. "She sure flew outta here quicker'n you can tune a banjo string."

[Moonfire]

The bottle twisted round and round in Richter's fingers as he stood back, watching the reunion between... friends? All the words and feelings that had filled his head floated gently out his ears and into the world as his heart ever so quietly sank. What was he thinking, there were boundaries he and Jack had set up when they first started working together, why was he constantly toeing the line? There was no need. Why did he feel this damnable urge to muck up a perfectly good thing?

With a raise of her hand and a shout, Jack called him over, a polite small smile covered his face as he walked forward, introductions being made. "You must be Anessa's fa-" The air was nearly walloped out of the young man as the older gentleman gave him a firm and rather unexpected pat on the shoulder. Their farm strength was something the poor city slicker was incredibly unaccustomed too. Drawing breath as lightly as he began again.

"Its a pleasure to meet you, sir." Regaining his composure, Richter forced another smile and shook the man's hand with greater firmness. Glancing back the ale bottle in his hand he couldn't help but choke out a laugh. "Oh, uh yes. Though, I'm afraid this isn't mine."

Extending hand with bottle clutched in toward Evan, Richter held his cordial look. "No, I'm no pilot. I man the guns, so Anessa here can do what she does best without any interruptions. Shes a magnificent pilot, I couldn't imagine trying to best her." He said eyes flicking just a bit to smile at her.

The momentary glance Evan gave Jack did not go unnoticed by Richter and it was with that he tossed away whatever was left of the compliment, not that there was much to recover, out the window. Taking a step closer, now free of that dreaded liquor bottle, he dropped his voice low, addressing her.

"So... Magnolia, huh?"

[Kella]

When Evan hung his arms around her shoulder, Jack met his look of affection. He was right, about her leaving, and part of that feeling of restlessness was why she’d never pursued a more serious relationship with Evan. Even now, that sort of thing didn’t feel right, but that didn’t mean Evan was any less her friend. So she beamed, almost bashfully, at the compliment.

"No, I'm no pilot. I man the guns, so Anessa here can do what she does best without any interruptions. Shes a magnificent pilot, I couldn't imagine trying to best her." Anessa huffed almost wryly. So many compliments. She knew her capabilities, she just wasn’t all that used to having them so warmly relayed back to her, as in their unit silence from the commander was usually the highest compliment.

Evan gave Anessa’s shoulders a squeeze before unhooking his arm, smiling with what seemed to be a bit of pride, as Richter approached.

"So... Magnolia, huh?" he asked.

“Hm? Oh, yeah, it’s my first name,” Jack said. She took a breath to continue, but it was quickly knocked out of her by a blur of overalls and wild black hair.

Anessa stumbled backward under the force of the hug. “Well hi, Jenny,” she said.

Jenny jumped back. “Hi!”

She was quickly upstaged by Dawn, who flounced in from the side in her ruffly pink dress, and who despite her decorum crushed Anessa almost as soundly as Jenny had.

“It’s so good to see--” Dawn’s voice caught, “What are you wearing?” Her brow furrowed in disappointment.

“Clothes,” Anessa said, “Though I hear vegetables are in this year.”

Dawn harrumphed. “You’re almost as bad as Jenny.”

“Hey!” Jenny said.

“Well if it isn’t the prodigal daughter,” Marie suddenly cut in, having appeared over Edison’s shoulder. “You don’t call, you don’t write...” But her tone was lighthearted, and it was Anessa’s turn to offer a crushing hug. Scarlett, her mother, was right behind Marie, and she and Anessa exchanged a warm, quiet look. It was good to be home.

“Are you Anessa’s boyfriend?” Jenny said. Anessa spun to see her standing with her arms crossed, analyzing Richter with the same gaze one might examine livestock.

Anessa chuckled lightly. “No,” she said, with an apologetic glance at Richter. “If you hadn’t distracted me,” she glared at Jenny, “I could have introduced him better. This is Richter Kast, one of the members of my unit. Richter, these are my sisters, Marie, Jenny and Dawn, and my mother, Scarlett.”

Anessa noted the way Dawn flashed a winning smile at Richter, and cocked an amused half-smile.

“Well then why’s he the only one here?” Jenny persisted, expression brightening as if discovering some conspiracy.

“Jenny,” Scarlett warned, while Jack said “Well, everyone else was quite sad they couldn’t make it, to meet the kind and lovely people that are my family.” Jenny stuck her tongue out.

Jack turned back to Richter. “So, yes, meet the Farmers,” she said, with a touch of wryness.

[Meira]

Evan accepted the bottle, uttering a quick "Pardon." as to the manner in which it had found itself in the other man's hand. He also gave a nod at Richter's explanation that he wasn't a pilot like Evan had assumed. Evan wasn't quite sure if he should apologize for that too. He took a swig from the bottle instead.

"Well, if you've got Mags' back up there," he gestured toward the sky, "then you're quite the hero in my book." It's a big responsibility. He thought it, but didn't say it as Richter and Anessa had a few words. Those words were quickly interrupted by the arrival of Anessa's siblings and mother. Evan stood to the side, offering the girls a smile and a tip of his hat to Mrs. Farmer. I wonder if you know just how big... he mused.

“Are you Anessa’s boyfriend?”

Jenny's question had caused Evan to arch an eyebrow as he took another drink from the quickly emptying bottle. His ears perked up to hear the answer. It came from Anessa, and was a quick no, but Evan's eyes remained trained on the man to gauge his reaction to the question.

In all honesty, it hadn't occurred to Evan that Anessa might find romance while she was out gallivanting in the stars. It wasn't that he expected her to come back to him. Their time had come and gone, and as much affection as Evan had for her, he knew Anessa wasn't the one for him. This didn't stop a certain protective instinct to suddenly kick into gear, however. Evan couldn't help but eye this soldier just a little more suspiciously now.

Sure, Anessa had answered the question; they were not an item. But that didn't mean this man didn't have intentions. If he did, Evan would know them, and he'd make damn sure those intentions were honorable. There were few things in the universe that Evan had come to know that he could not abide, and one of those things was a man who did not account for a woman's heart.

Call it backward or old fashioned, but it was part of his upbringing. Women were to be treated with the utmost respect and care. Not because they were fragile beings who needed to be coddled; take one look at the Farmer girls to see that wasn't true, but because they were the ones who brought new life into the world. That was something to be honored and respected above all other things, and it was the duty of a man to prove himself worthy of such a gift.

At that moment, Evan made it his mission to know this Richter a bit better, and to ensure the man knew his bearings before he left Jaemus with Anessa.

[Moonfire]

"Not a problem, though I gotta say she probably helps me more than I do her... Heh heh." He laughed weakly to Evan, watching as Jack gently shrugged away the rather rural fellows arm.

Richter's eyes grew wider as more and more people flooded into the space, the girls though different in noses or hair all bore the same sort of face, the resemblance almost blowing the poor boy away as he tried to pinpoint the feature that drew them all together with their mother and father. He might have been inclined to say the eyes, but only Mr. Farmer and Jack seemed to have the vivid orange that he had associated with her face so starkly, perhaps it was something in the shape.

This line of awkward thought though was quickly broken as the one, who at first glance could almost be mistaken for a boy Farmer, appeared before him, arms crossed and looking sternly up at him with the most interrogating look he'd seen outside of the military.

"Are you Anessa’s boyfriend?” Jenny asked, eyes narrowed, piercing into his very soul... Or something like that. With a look like that a girl could weasel information out of the loyalist of Republic Spies. A bright, burning blush covered Richter's face as he attempted to compose a suitable reply.

Jack though, ever prepared handled it marvelously, leaving a recovering Richter the moment to regain control over the color of his face and give a soft though slightly stiff smile to Jenny before nodding hello to each of the Farmer's in turn,

"Its a umm... Pleasure to meet you all, thank you for inviting me." He said, feeling his muscles loosen once more as he fidgeted lightly before addressing Jenny again, who had inquired on the missing group.

"They all got a little tied up, but hey all the cool people are here... and by cool people I mean Magnolia, of course." Richter could hardly suppress the wide grin that begged to stretch from ear to ear as he used her first name for the first time. It rolled off the tongue beautifully in his teasing tone.

With a strum of strings and the blow of some strange wind instrument Richter had never seen before the band began again, the people over taking the pseudo-dance floor once more.

A wide grin spread across Richter's face as he stepped forward, the music inspiring him as he extended a hand to the ruffle decked sister. "If you wouldn't mind Miss Dawn, may I have this dance?"

The younger sister has been giving him glances all night, he reflected with a smile, he couldn't help but humor her. What she didn't know was the awkward lanky fellow actually knew how to dance rather well, his parents having sent him and his sister to dancing lessons throughout his childhood. It was character building they said. Taking the younger girls hand he swept her forward, a hand gently resting on her side as they began to sway and twirl to the music.

[Kella]

Dawn blushed deeply when Richter asked her to dance, but this didn't bother the girl, as she knew for a fact that she looked rather demure when she blushed. Dawn caught an odd look from Jenny as she twirled by, but Dawn could feel no guilt. Anessa had said quite clearly that Richter was just a friend, and well, if she was that blind or that dishonest with herself, it wasn't Dawn's fault.

No, instead she threw herself into the dance, mind spun into a wonderful buzz trying to keep up with this Richter's dancing, which was just different enough from the Jaemean traditional to keep her on her toes -- quite literally. She was all coy smiles and demure glances, her usual conduct with the boys.

Dawn knew how it was -- rarely did visitors ever stay for long, and even more rarely did new folk join the village. And unlike Anessa, Dawn didn't think she could bring herself to leave Jaemus behind. But oh, what was the harm in a little flirting? Or, you know, a lot of flirting?

She let herself fall a little closer to this Richter as they twirled, and an airy, wistful sigh parted her lips.

~

Richter was doing great, Jack thought to herself, considering how unfamiliar this sort of thing was to him. In fact, he managed to far surpass Jack's expectations by offering Dawn a dance. That girl and her Doe-eyes. Jack grinned to herself as Richter spun Dawn onto the dance floor. Well, well, would you look at that, he actually knew how to dance!

Jack left Richter to his dancing, remembering the itching sensation that Evan's mood had shifted a bit when Jenny had proposed her question. Poor man, he needed some attention.

"Well," she said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot, giving Evan a good-natured glower, "Are you going to ask me to dance or not?"

[Meira]

Nessa's question pulled Evan out of the brooding state his thoughts had sunk him into. The look of her face and the way she stood there tapping her foot and crossing her arms, it was like she'd never left Jaemus. Like she'd never left him. Strange how easy it was to slip back into that mindset. She was his girl. In a way, she always had been. It was like an unspoken thing that everyone had just known was bound to occur. Hell, maybe she always would be his girl. Not in the romantic sense; Evan still knew very well that that time had passed. But she'd never be completely gone from his heart. Bsuwon doubted this was an exclusive thing. Evan got the feeling that I was just a natural side effect of being around this woman. One that all those who came into contact with her suffered. She hunkered down into a corner of your heart and made it her own. Maybe she never comes back. It doesn't matter.

Evan chuckled as he gave his old friend a bow and reached out to take her hand. The mental image of Jack was here. scrawled out on the inside of his heart seemed rather fitting. "My apologies, miss." was all he offered her in words as he escorted her to the floor.

If a body could get drunk off of nostalgia alone, Evan might have. They moved real natural like together. The whole thing had a way of causing Evan to sort of lose track of things; time, other people, it all just kinda faded to the back of his mind. The only other thin that could do that for him was a hard days work out in the fields. It was a rare comfort, and it caused a deeply satisfied smile to cross his features.

"It really is good to see yah, Mags." he said, holding her just a touch closer. "And doing so well too. You seem happy."

[Moonfire]

The music swept through Richter, his steps while more formal and methodical than the Jaemian style were soft and fluid, gently twirling with Dawn across the dance floor. One hand rested lightly on her side another carefully holding her much smaller hand, guiding them across the floor in long dramatic spirals. Grin large and goofy Richter peered down at the much shorter Dawn, her skirt spinning and fluttering around as she pressed closer.

Richter had always found dancing to be cathartic, though he did it so rarely. Unlike his sister, who had come to specialize in many forms, some not quite as refined as the ballroom version he preferred, the lanky awkward young man would stumble and trip his way through the dance clubs. No, the ballroom was much more set, more routine based. And the music! Light and melodic, even this folksy Jaemian music fit well into the structured motions of the dance, his heart pounding with every step.

As the music grew and swelled Richter and Dawn spun and twirled all the faster, light footed and laughing as the music reached is crescendo he held the young woman’s hand and twirled her out spinning her not once but twice before pulling her back against him as the music ended and the soft sounds of the night came flooding back before the townsfolk let out another cheer for the band.

Smiling down at Dawn, Richter lifted her petite hand to his mouth and gently kissed it.

“Thank you, Miss for a lovely dance.” Leading her back towards her family he gave a sweeping bow before his eyes, now full of courage and determination searched for Jack.

Picking her out from the crowd he approached with head held high, giving a gentle nod towards Evan.

“Sorry to interrupt…” His heart starting to force its way to his throat, pounding with newfound vigor as her orange eyes peered up at him.

“But I was wondering if you were interested in a dance, Anessa?… With me that is.” He clarified, internally beating himself up for his awkward choice of words. Why was it moments like these never went according to plan?