one thing's universal, life's no dress rehearsal

[stagemanagers]

[Prom night! The greatest night of your young lives if you watch any Western high school media from the past 60 years. The looks, the music, the copious amounts of fancy snacks, the sore feet from dancing heels and then spending the rest of the night in bare feet- it’s all part of the bigger package.

The courtyard and the roof have both been decked out in a special way for tonight, despite no one really seeing Hester or anyone/anything else decorating. There are round tables set-up in both places, covered in yellow-gold tablecloths. Some of them have platters of snacks laid out on them, one has a large punch bowl that never seems to empty no matter how many drinks are taken from it.

On the roof there’s an extra table with pencils, small slips of paper, a box wrapped in gold wrapping paper and a notecard labeled Song Requests. Just write a song, pop it in the box and within a few minutes it starts playing! Weird, there doesn’t seem to be a sound system anywhere...

Red paper lanterns have been strung around the outline of the roof and between stakes in the courtyard, granting soft romantic light for a night to remember. Put on your best costume shop formal wear, get ready to lose your shoes after an hour and sneak in liquor even though most of you are of age.

After all…tonight belongs to you.]

Comments

[mayavericks]

[Oh.

Of all the beautiful, wonderful things Maya might have expected of tonight, she certainly doesn't expect this. And despite having stricken most of the women in their group dumb a few moments prior, she's now the one left to stare at Hester, completely baffled.]

I --

[Desperate to save face, Maya kneels down to pick up Hester's hand and -- well. The mess there is hard to miss. She glances up at the woman with furrowed brows, before completing the kiss.

Later. She can ask later. Once the evening has slowed down.]

Yes. I would love to.

[fourbutts]

[ She shrugs, putting the appropriate hand on Maya's shoulder. ]

What can I say, brave knight? I, Janis Sarkisian, one of the five Spring Fling Queens of North Shore High, find you... oh god, "comely" is such a gross word to say with the mouth - handsome indeed.

[mayavericks]

[Regardless of who it's meant for, Maya will send a thumbs up Cassandra's way. And eventually, once she's clambered off and done her rounds, she'll actually approach.]

I owe you... so much.

[fourbutts]

[ Janis is, as it were, cool both leading and being led! So it's cool. She vibes with this. ]

[comeandfindme]

Spongebob.

[ Even Peregrine knows this is babbling. ]

I understand. I get it. ...Me too. How weird would it be to just...visit Bikini Bottom?

[fourbutts]

Oh hell yeah, good job.

[ She supports u in ur efforts to lock down the monarchy, Cass. ]

Well that's great information if I ever have to borrow her to get back at Maya!

[comeandfindme]

Is that only 'cause they don't have it in Japan, or something?

[ Peregrine keeps glancing at her hands, her feet. It's a little different than the three of them dancing together by themselves on a rooftop. ]

[mayavericks]

I -- [Maya's huff is embarrassed. She puts her hands to her face.]

I'm sorry. Truly, I did not mean anything ill.

[mayavericks]

You didn't tell me I was in the presence of Royalty! I would have done much more bowing for you!

[comeandfindme]

[ fdsafw—

they have successfully flummoxed her. Peregrine stammers as they guide her out to the dance floor once more. ]

You guys, oh my god.

[employeeoftheyear]

Of course you don't; you're amazing!

[He follows out to the dance floor, but he finds himself stopping short.]

... Hey, Maya? I never... I never got to apologize for scaring you yesterday. You've been such a great little sister and I still...

[He trails off, not really sure how to finish that thought.]

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah snorts, half a smile materializing across her face when she realizes Maya’s embarrassed.]

No. I get it. The term’s hot mess, by the way.

cw: suicide attempt talk

[brokeforgood]

[Farrah’s quiet in return. A question like that deserves a little quiet. Not too long, though.]

…No. You’re so fucking tough.

[barberic]

[The song is a slow one, after it seems the kids' steady stream of requests has begun to run dry, and Benjamin is...waltzing, in careful, unpracticed steps, looking almost as free and young as he did back in those first three weeks, before his memories became a curse.

He raises his arm to let his invisible partner twirl beneath it, laughing brightly. And when he pulls his partner in, he begins to sing, low and sweet.]

I'll see you again
When ever spring breaks through again
Time may lie heavy---between
But what has been
is past forgetting

[It's easy to picture, with how involved he seems to be, the girl in his arms, with a long, sweeping dress that swishes around her legs as they move, a fall of golden yellow curls that bounce with every step.

He dances like...a father, giving his daughter away.]

This sweet memory
Across the years
Will come to me
Though my world has gone awry
In my heart will ever lie
Just an echo of a sigh

[He moves in such a way that his line of sight passes over where Farrah is sitting. And then he opens his arm again, to let his partner spin, and lingers there for a long moment before he...

Lets go.]

Goodbye...

[He closes his eyes, wiping tears from his face with a sniff, as the vision of Johanna fades away, safe into Anthony's arms.]

[fourbutts]

It's a recent development.

[ She smirks. I like to think they're doing this while like. This plays. ]

You can make up for lost bowing later. I'd very much like to dance, brave knight.

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice smiles back, maybe not quite as warm as the sun, but gentle all the same. Like the moon.

And off they go! Eurydice will lead unless Hester makes it clear she wants to. Turns out Eurydice is a really good dancer. She'll even laugh, once or twice -- she's having fun. ]

[mayavericks]

Mostly! But I know how to dance and dress formally. I think I have the gist of it.

[Maya doesn't complicate things too much. It's probably just a simple waltz, the same she's started all the others out on.]

[mayavericks]

Foursome, if we want to be technical! [Never forget Claudine, of course!

And maybe Maya's eyes slide over to someone else but. That's not important.]

We -- [Well, maybe she shouldn't assume?] I love you, Peregrine Wells. And I am determined to fully spoil you this evening.

[employeeoftheyear]

[That gets him to shut up, but his eyes still sparkle.]

It wouldn't be that weird at all! I mean... assuming it hasn't been destroyed. I'm sure it would fit right in! I'd like to think you and Sandy would be great friends!

[brokeforgood]

[Well, this is just a night of Farrah eavesdropping on extremely emotional and personal scenes between people she loves and their hallucinations.

Maybe she can just. Get up and leave, and that’ll be fine?

But there’s something about the dance that mesmerizes her. It’s beautiful, and sad, and pulls at her heart. And still, she doesn’t dare interrupt. Not until that final goodbye has passed for a few seconds, does she dare get up, and cross the dance floor. She doesn’t dare try and fill the empty space, but she does gently put a hand on his arm, gazing up at him.]

That was beautiful.

cw: suicide attempt talk

[comeandfindme]

Yes, actually. It... [ ... ] Last week. Before... Well, before the campout. Scared Maya pretty bad.

[ There's a wry kind of expression on her face. ]

There were...some things I started remembering. After... After Connor. That first week, I... Well, I was too focused on...on him to really let it get to me like that. But, then... [ She lets out a slow breath. ] I thought...if I loved someone, it'd be like marking them for death. So, maybe I should be dead instead.

[ This isn't...a fun conversation. Not for a prom. Not ever. But it's an important one. ]

...I...still think it, actually. Every so often, when...when everything gets too dark.

[fourbutts]

Oh, same. What's the point of dating a knight and a queen who both dance if we can't spoil you?

cw: suicide attempt talk

[brokeforgood]

[Farrahs heart twists when Peregrine speaks. Because she knows what she’s talking about. Not just wanting to die—- but the one about loving someone. Farrah holds her hand out for Peregrine. She knows she’s tough, and might not take it. But it’s there.]

…Like you’re cursed. That somehow, you’ve caused it, even if—- if it doesn’t make sense.

Like you’ve doomed anyone you love.

[comeandfindme]

[ Oh thank god. She thinks she can do a waltz. Never mind that the most elaborate dance she's ever done before is the box-step. ]

Basically. This is what I...understand them to be? There's...usually some kind of voting. For Prom King and Queen.

[comeandfindme]

Cartoon, Spongebob. Remember? For me it'd be like... I don't know, I've never even really been to the ocean.

[ ...Wait- ]

Would I- be human, there...?