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

[fourbutts]

[ Looks at Maya. Looks at Peregrine. ]

Oh, I am so down.

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine's currently drinking some punch and getting some air, so she misses the look her way. She's an easy target. ]

[mayavericks]

[With one of Janis's hands clutched between her own, Maya makes her way over. She doesn't announce herself, at least not behind a warning clear of the throat. Then her free arm is slipping around Peregrine's shoulder.]

May I have this dance?

[fourbutts]

[ And, on the other side, Janis slips her hand around Peregrine's waist. ]

Can I have this dance?

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine almost drops her punch. ]

Oh, jeez— you guys! [ She sort of clumsily spins to try and face them. ] I see, surprise attack on the new initiate.

[mayavericks]

You make it sound like a cult.

[Though, as she starts to coax Peregrine toward the dance floor, she does cast a look at Janis.]

Are we a cult?

[fourbutts]

I think we're just a threesome right now. You probably need more to be a cult.

[ though if this polycule keeps growing they might consider registering as one

anyway, out towards the dance floor it is! ]

[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.

[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.

[fourbutts]

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

[comeandfindme]

[ Peregrine looks between the two of them. Her face flushes more. ]

Since when did you guys become royalty? Or...royalty-adjacent?

[mayavericks]

I only just found out about Janis's status myself. Can you believe she kept us in the dark! I was very disappointed in her.

[Maya's shifting into position, taking hold of one of Peregrine's hands, as well as one of Janis's.]

[fourbutts]

I only learned Sunday!

[ She laughs lightly. ]

But yep, that's me. One of the five Spring Fling Queens, apparently.

[comeandfindme]

You?! [ wait. wait how shocked she is sounds awful— ] I mean- I didn't think you'd be into that kinda thing.

[ This serves as the perfect distraction from her own nerves, for the record, so. Good job! ]

[mayavericks]

[Never mind all of that.]

I knew there could be multiple queens. I must reemphasize my earlier bid for Prom King.

[fourbutts]

I mean there was supposed to just be the one, then Cady made a whole thing about it and broke the tiara into a bunch of pieces, and the teachers just sort of went with it?

[ She shrugs. ]

And so, at least while I'm at school dances, I am in fact Queen Janis. We could always get a vote going...

[comeandfindme]

No. [ Just! Instantly! ] Before either of you get the idea, no. You go be royalty, I'll be the...royal photographer.

[ Is that a thing? It's a thing now. ]

[mayavericks]

[Maya can't help but laugh, both at Janis's tale and Peregrine's reaction. Perhaps it's wrong that she feels so comfortable like this, in this place. For right now, she won't question it.]

But Peregrine, I am no one without my queen of the forest!

[fourbutts]

[ Janis laughs. ]

See? We're both queens, it's only fair.

[comeandfindme]

[ Maybe it's the whole illness thing, but Peregrine's face looks pretty red! Huh! ]

You guys are impossible.

[ ...But she's smiling. ]

[mayavericks]

And we're all yours, too.

[She's going to disrupt their flow to lean over and kiss one of Peregrine's cheeks. Hopefully the quick glance she throws to Janis gives her the idea to follow suit!]

[fourbutts]

[ And she absolutely does! Synchronicity, baby. ]

Whether you like it or not and, I think, you like it.

[comeandfindme]

[ Holy shit forget this weekend's case, you guys are killing her right here. Peregrine squeezes their hands simultaneously, out of surprise. She almost steps on both of their feet, which is an amazing, uh. Feat. Of it's own. ]

Do you just plan these things?!

[mayavericks]

Of course not!

[Maya blinks innocently.]

Lesbians can just communicate telepathically of course. Did you not know that?

[fourbutts]

We spend a lot of time talking about how nice you look. It's embarrassing.