quixotic;

“We went on a pseudo date but I had to run out of there because of a volleyball meeting I forgot about,” Mimi sighed but cheered up remembering just how cute Andie had looked in her outfit. No one should look that good in Adidas but there she was, in a cropped shirt looking like a goddess. Which, technically, she was that. “The goal for tonight is to at least get her phone number. One step at a time, you know? I certainly have a type. Powerful girls who could destroy me emotionally and physically. It’s like that time I had a crush on Tatiana growing up.”

Her best friend was absolutely the cutest little bean in the entire world and Mimi would be damned if she didn’t live to see her smile. At least one of them seemed to understand the basics of relationships.

“Well that’s easy.” Mimi winked and grabbed her hand, squeezing them softly, “I’ll teach you. It’s as simple as one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four. If you step on my feet who cares. We have to get you practicing when you finally find your prince charming. Or you and I decide to run off into the sunset and get married for tax purposes. I will be waltzing at my wedding.”

“Meems! Next time, skip the volleyball meeting!” Elle insisted, eyes wide as she took in the fact that her best friend had somehow passed up the opportunity. If she wouldn’t have skipped out, maybe Mimi and Andie would’ve been at the ball together. But taking your time with things was probably good too, right? Absence makes the heart grow fonder? “Okay, that seems like an attainable goal. But also... can’t relate. Any girl who can crush me emotionally reminds me of my mom.”

That was probably a statement that needed clarification, but Elle instead just cringed, thankful that they’d instead moved on to a waltzing lesson. Did she still have any clue how to do it? Not really. But it seemed like the point was that someone else was supposed to lead, so she nodded like she got it. She had time to learn, given that Mimi wasn’t about to run off and get married that very night. Probably.

“It’s kind of weird that we still refer to our ideal partner as Prince Charming when there actually is a Prince Charming, don’t you think? But I’m up for a tax break wed-Oh my gods, we’re financially independent from our parents so we have to pay taxes.”

Improvements to the site had been looking pretty awesome, though as Silas had been clicking through, he had noticed a few errors in what the links said they were going to and the pages they actually went to. This was more Ally’s realm than anyone else’s and really, he knew he should have been going to her with the problem, but that just…didn’t seem like it was possible at the moment - or ever. Yeah, ever seemed about right. So, instead, he had scrolled through to find someone else on the team who he could alert with the problem. Elle Gothel, that worked. Really, anyone but Allegra worked. Finding the girl proved to something of a challenge, though maybe that was because Silas kept going to the places on campus that he considered to be awesome places to hang out rather than bothering to ask anyone if they knew where she spent a good chunk of her time. Still, keep onto any task long enough and eventually you’d find success, that was his motto, and it was one that proved right time and time again as he located his target. 

“Hey, Elle right? I wanted to ask some questions about the new site that’s going up for the school. Also there seem to be some issues that I figured I would let you know about so those can be fixed. Since I’m sure you guys don’t want links being broken or wrong or anything like that. Got a second?” @ellegothel​

So far break had been pretty nice. Elle had gotten to do a little bit of prep for her upcoming classes, and had spent a decent amount of time at the library, sipping her tea and thumbing through various works on composers and genres of music. Her next semester was set to be a little lighter on astronomy and a little heavier on music and gen eds - the blessing of a double major.

She was just getting ready to leave the library that afternoon when, out of nowhere and maybe for the first time ever, she was recognized and called out to by an entirely unknown voice. Turning to try and click into place the identity of the person who the voice belonged to, Elle wasn’t coming up with a name as she listened to the male launch immediately into what he needed.

Right. She was on the school website for more than just socializing.

“Uh... yeah, that sounds great,” she started cautiously. Mother had always said be cautious around strangers, and even though she was in Auradon, Elle occasionally found the teachings of her mother difficult to ignore. “Who are you, though?”

Winter break was a good time to get in extra hours volunteering. Cane had no plans to go to the Isle, probably ever, but at least for right now. Even though his father was furious about him not returning for Christmas, he much preferred celebrity here where he felt like he was doing a good thing. It was difficult these days to feel like he was doing anything right. Seeing Elle on campus was difficult. They had managed a pattern of avoiding each other on the Isle but now every time he saw her this gnawing feeling of guilt bubbled up in his stomach.

And so of course they had now been asked to work in the same ward for volunteer work. Lovely. He was going to make himself look like a fool in front of Elle and the children. He should have just feigned sickness, pretended he couldn’t have gone in, but a small part of his brain nagged that maybe this was a chance to right a wrong that had weighed down heavy on his heart.

Cane stopped by the vending machine as he walked towards her. At least he’d have a peace offering. 

“So,” he swallowed hard, voice cracking. “I guess it’s us today.”

@ellegothel​

When Elle had joined Hospital Volunteer Group, she had figured it’d just be a nice thing to do once a week - bringing some joy, or even some normalcy, to people who maybe needed something like that. It was always nice to be able to spend some time with the kids in the children’s ward, and she had been looking forward to it that day.

Until she’d arrived and had seen who else was going to be helping out. It had taken everything in her (and the reminder that she had promised a child the previous week that she’d be back to read them their favorite book and that wasn’t a promise she wanted to break) not to turn right back around as soon as she had spotted the familiar male. But she was going to be the bigger person. She was going to get through things, even if they emotionally killed her.

Stupid Zachariah. Had no one else in Hospital Volunteer Group been free that day?

Looking anywhere but at him, Elle focused on the nearby vending machine as he spoke, zeroing in on the M&M’s halfway down as she internally debated whether or not to dignify him with a response. In the end, she decided to keep it simple, still not acknowledging him as she let out a curt “Yep.”

Ally: Let's do it! We can get our tea and little cake party down!

Ally: Awesome! (/^-^)/*** are you available for tea sometime soon? I'd love to go with you!

Ally: hehe you're right he doesn't!

ELLE: i'm currently on campus, if you're nearby. i have no plans all break!!

“Well you know I’ve been watching after Andie, but something tells me the chances of that happening tonight are going to be a swing and a miss,” she gestured to where the girl was, close to Amelia, following after her like a love sick puppy. “What is wrong with me? I’ve never wanted to do this sort of thing before. And not have someone just flock to me? I’m gorgeous! It’s devastating beyond belief.”

“But speaking of gorgeous, look at you! Did you want to dance at all tonight? Other than with me because obviously you’ll be getting one of those. Or one thousand of them. As long as you’re happy I know I’m happy too.”

“Hey, you never know what the universe may have in the cards for you,” Elle was sure to point  out, needing to give that reminder before she could even fully process the rest of what Mimi had said. Having quickly done so, she continued. “And nothing’s wrong with you, you just have a crush. A crush who would be crazy to not see how amazing you are. Give her time. Have you two been talking? Getting to know each other?”

For someone who had never been in a relationship before, Elle liked to think that she sure sounded like she knew what she was talking about. Thanks, books.

“Well, yes, I was counting on that, but please do not let me monopolize your time. I absolutely do want to dance the night away, but... I do not think that the my mother taught me a proper waltz, so I know I’m going to have to sit out a few. Or more.”

Ally: thanks Elle. You're a sweetheart. we should definitely hang out sometime without having to fear for what the school website will look like

Ally: and maybe we can delete him.

ELLE: oh i would absolutely be up for that!!

Right now, Tatiana was just focusing on snagging one of King Roux’s fancy liquor bottles and sneaking out of the back with Val. This ball was full of drama that she wanted no part in, already having her fair share of bullshit two months ago, she was thankful the light of shitty behavior was now being casted on someone else. It made attention go elsewhere, too many people whispering with speculation as she snagged yet another flute of champagne and kept herself on the outskirts of the event to watch the shit go down. Mitch and Beatrice made sense on paper, she was smart and organized, he was impulsive and reckless. A good balance, but the chemistry lacked, she could spot a forced smile a mile away.

Still, it was really none of her business past the fact Ela was involved, and that was supposed to be one of her “close friends”. When someone approached her, she tilted her head to the side, surveying who it was. Elle Gothel, she didn’t know too much about her, but at least she wasn’t some royal who was boo-hooing at a predictable power move. Thinking back on the other events she’d attended, she hummed, “Eh, they always have their fair share of bullshit drama. This, however, is pretty juicy stuff so. Makes sense, the hushed whispers and what not.” She explained, shrugging her dainty shoulders before smirking, motioning to the area around them, “Welcome to Auradon, little Gothel.”

Juicy stuff? Elle thought to herself, nodding silently to communicate to Tati that her words had at least been heard. Was it only juicy because it was the King who had revealed an unexpected relationship or would anyone have been fair game for the nonstop whispers?

“Auradon isn’t quite what I thought it would be,” Elle murmured so that only Tati could hear, turning to face the girl head-on as she continued. She had only been there since September, and she was definitely still adjusting, but by that point she had some sense of how things worked and it was not like she’d always imagined. “I’m still so thankful to be here and to have this opportunity. I just... on some level I thought the whispers were just an Isle thing. But no. That seems to be typical human behavior. If anything it might actually be worse here.”

Fjord nodded at her, taking a sip of his drink. “Yeah, spicy, saucy, whatever adjective you wanna use.” He shrugged, “Anything really.” Observing her over the flute, Fjord couldn’t hide the amused grin tugging at his lips. She seemed to be unsure of how to proceed with the conversation, perhaps internally panicking over what to say. To be fair, it was a pretty odd way to strike up a conversation but then again it was Fjord asking - he was kind of odd at times. But he figured even the most mild mannered of ball attendees probably had something interesting to say about the going on’s - wasn’t there rumors of relationship drama at the least? Not that Fjord cared much for that, he would rather focus on anything but his peer’s love lives.

It looked like the nervous one was willing to deliver.

He had been mid-sip when she brought up the music, and Fjord nearly choked. Setting his own drink aside, the young man’s head bobbed enthusiastically in a nod, eyes wide with agreement. “Don’t even get me started on this garbage. I’m appalled, frankly. I mean, King Mitch is like the modern youth’s leader. He brings those isle kids here and spices things up - the least he could do is give these balls a much needed upgrade when it comes to the tunes! I’m pretty sure my grandma wouldn’t even be a fan of any of this. You know, if she was alive.” He shook his head, “The music’s been such a drag. I mean thank goodness the food is good, but, like, balls are all about the dancing and stuff. Let’s shake it up!” He thought for a moment before raising a brow at her, a mischievous look glinting in his eyes. “Do you think they’d be mad if we requested the Electric Slide or something? Can you imagine King Adam’s face if we traded the waltz for a line dance?”

As they spoke, Fjord couldn’t help but tilt his head to the side and eye the girl curiously. She looked familiar, but so did most people. Most of the younger people there were students at AU so likely they had crossed paths at school but he couldn’t place his finger on exactly where. Or maybe she was a groupie or someone he delivered food to frequently - he had many ways to encounter people but an attention span that was too small for him to recall their faces. “I know you. How do I know you? Are we in the same class? Or did we hook up once?” Fjord honestly couldn’t place her, but then again unless you were related… there was a big chance he forgot who you were within five minutes.

“Oh, wait,” Elle insisted, trying to stop and clarify things before they went too far. She hadn’t meant that all of the music that night should have been tossed out... just a few pieces. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with classical music. It’s the entire reason why I’m studying music. It’s some of the only music I was allowed to listen to growing up. And actually, some of my favorites have been played, but I figured there would be a little more... mixing it up. Like... with us Isle kids...”  she drifted off, that statement sitting oddly with her. She had said it to try and sound more like she was agreeing with him, but it had just come out sounding awkward.

Bringing in the Isle kids hadn’t been so much mixing things up as it was righting some wrongs... right?

“A lot of the kids from the Isle are definitely at a disadvantage as waltzing is not taught there, nor are any fancy dances unless your parents specifically teach them to you, but I’m going to be real honest with you, I also don’t know the electric slide. Still, something written this century probably would be a welcome addition for a lot of tonight’s attendees, I’m sure.”

Eyes widening as Elle listened to the male trying to piece together where he knew her from right as she’d taken an unfortunately large sip of champagne, the girl was determined to help him to remember as quickly as possible. “Oh. Oh, no. No, it’s the first one. Class. We have class together.”

Eyes darting between the view of the ballroom before him and the napkin spread out on the table, Callum began refining the sketch of dancing figures on the piece of cloth, careful not to wrinkle the paper and distort his drawing. He’d done a great job of being anti-social and separate from the merriment, but that didn’t bother him. He wasn’t much of a dancer and he wasn’t much of a conversationalist. What he was was an artist, an artist who always had a pen in his pocket for when he got bored. And that’s precisely what happened. For the last twenty or so minutes he’d been sitting there alone at one of the empty tables, observing and capturing the scene before him on one of the napkins left untouched and unused.

As he had begun adding subtle details of King Charming’s grimace - no doubt directed at some unsightly creature at this high society gathering - he’d almost missed it when a girl wandered over towards his table. Glancing at her from the corner of his eye, he hadn’t acknowledged her, swiftly going back to the doodle he’d been laboring over. He had figured that maybe she was just looking for an untouched flute of champagne and would soon pass by when she didn’t find what she desired. Unfortunately that wasn’t to be the case. As her voice filled the silence in that corner, Callum paused mid-sketch and looked up towards the girl. He stayed quiet as she rambled, subtly glancing around in case he had seen her missing phone, before pulling his sleeve back to take a look at his watch. “Quarter to nine,” the Scotsman said, frowning to himself when he realized not that much time had passed since he arrived. And there was still more time left in the evening.

He had resumed his drawing on the napkin, when of course a pair of voices began nagging him from the recess of his mind. Why was it that his mothers’ ghostly apparitions seemed to appear in his subconscious when he was occupied in his solitude and had no desire to help others? “So yer just gonna sit there and nae bother to help the lass find her things?” “That’s nae very gentlemanly of ye, Cally.” He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the thought. Merida and Caitriona taught him to be chivalrous, and he could be. He could be very chivalrous… It just that he didn’t always want to be. Or just right then and there he didn’t.

Yet despite this, the young man capped his pen and slipped it back into his pocket before slowly standing up, the intricately drawn napkin suddenly forgotten. Turning his attention to the areas surrounding him, Callum’s gaze narrowed as he spied about the room. “What does yer phone look like? I’ll help ye find it. Two pairs of eyes are better than one, right? I’m sure we’ll find it shortly.” He ducked under the table to see if it had fallen on the floor nearby, frowning when he hadn’t seen anything looking like a phone anywhere. “Where did ye last have it?”

Quarter to nine. Right. Eight forty-five. PM. Only 8:45pm. “Thank you,” Elle nodded, turning away from the male as she began to truly panic about where her things might have run off to. Not that they had been stolen! Absolutely not. They had just been misplaced. By her. Just how expensive was that clutch? And what did it say about her that she’d been able to lose it that quickly?

Fully ready to let her search get a little more frantic, Elle almost didn’t realize that the male she’d just spoken to was already looking around until she turned to see him doing so, words confirming it coming seconds later.

“Oh, you don’t have to-” she started, realizing as soon as the words were out of her mouth that she really just needed to work on accepting help when it was easily offered. Especially when she so desperately wanted to accept it. “Thank you,” she pivoted to conclude instead. “It’s in a bag in the shape of a star, covered in glitter that I promise will not get on you if you find it, and you will know that it is mine as there are a fair amount of cookies in there to accompany the phone.”

It wasn’t an embarrassing admission or anything, so she was able to keep her search going without a second thought, almost missing the opportunity to glance at the napkin he had been hard at work on when she had interrupted him. Luckily, she did not let that opportunity pass her by.

Not at all an artist herself (unfortunately, and much to her mother’s disappointment, she’d never advanced past stick figures), Elle was absolutely an art appreciator. And so she didn’t hesitate to let her appreciation be known. “Oh. Hey. That’s really good,” she remarked, for the moment her search suspended.

“god… are you going to keep apologizing? because you doing that isn’t doing anything, you do realize that, don’t you?” he asked raising a brow at the girl who had ran into him. 

he didn’t understand why people had the idea that being nervous and chattery every time they made a simple mistake. sighing through he rolled his eyes. “maybe just watch out more, how about that?” he simply suggested. “what were you in such a damn rush to do anyway?” he asked after realizing his energy that was so focused on being mad was mostly just because he had to look nice by wearing something he hated so much. he thought he looked perfectly fine in his dark jeans and jacket. 

“I-sorry. I do realize that but it also probably won’t stop,” Elle cringed, knowing that she’d inadvertently just apologized again. Gods, her mother had been such a stickler with manners that Elle had begun apologizing for everything at a very young age. It wouldn’t be an impossible habit to break, since nothing was impossible, but Elle had a feeling the universe could probably use another person in it that apologized too much as opposed to too little.

Fiddling with one of the star-shaped rings on her fingers, Elle nervously glanced up at the male again, nodding along to his suggestions as he spoke. “Right. I will do my very best,” she agreed, and she meant it. She really wanted to avoid running into anyone else that evening. And also for the rest of her life, but that one was unlikely.

“I like this song so I just... wanted to get out there and make that appreciation known,” she murmured, not feeling so intent on getting out on the dancefloor anymore. Would it be terribly annoying if she just wanted to chat at that point? “Are you... having a nice time?”

If there was anything in the world that Mimi loved most of all, it was getting to see her best friend in the world with a smile on her face. She had worked harder on making sure Elle felt like a princess than her own look for the evening. Sometimes little sacrifices like this were okay to make to see that sweet smile as her best friend looked like the absolute belle of the ball.

“Of course, Elliebelle. You look amazing. Every girl deserves to look like a dream come true,” she reached up and readjusted the pins in her friend’s hair and kissed her forehead. “You especially. Just call me your very own personal fairy god-friend.”

“You are my personal god-friend,” Elle insisted, reaching up into her hair to try and figure out how Mimi had placed the pins just in case they decided to jump ship and need adjusting again. Elle hadn’t had to figure out a single aspect of her ensemble that evening. Mimi had just taken care of it all, without even being asked to. Truly, where would Elle be without her?

Ally: You're doing a lot of work and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! I was thinking of making sure everyone gets baskets of gratitude once the website is completely up and running. Then we can sit around and watch movies together or something to celebrate.

Ally: Maybe no magic wand will work, but I definitely think we can work something out! It's not too hard once you get the hang of it.

Ally: not so much a mean ex-boyfriend as an exboyfriend i still have feelings for.

ELLE: omg what's a basket of gratitude? i love movies!! we definitely should.

ELLE: really?

The dance floor was bustling, the ballroom teeming with elegantly dressed royals and excited citizens. Nothing quite rang in the holiday season like a fancy ball hosted by the royal family. To his dismay, Fjord was almost forced to attend. It was expected of the royals of Auradon to show up to these events whenever they popped up, and the youngest prince of Arendelle was no exception to the rule. Even if he didn’t appear to be the classical princely type, Fjord had always known that once the invitation to a ball showed up in the mail it was expected you turn up in your best formal wear and have a grand ol’ time. And sometimes you did - he thought the balls back in Arendelle were pretty fun, though that probably had to do with the sentient snow man walking around or the queen with ice powers if anything. Balls in Auradon were… a lot less interesting. Still, he made a valiant effort to do his best by appearing in a dusty pink velvet jacket and his favorite flamingo patterned bow tie, and he would try even harder to make sure the night wasn’t a total dud. If only the music for the evening didn’t already put a damper on his mood.

As the small orchestra droned on another waltz, Fjord silently wondered what it would take to get Ragnar Rock up there instead. With how young most of the royals were, it made a bit of sense to at least modernize the entertainment for the night. And given the front man of this band was just another one of the next generation of Auradon royalty, he couldn’t see why they shouldn’t be allowed to sing for the masses. Not to mention the kind of fee they could garnish for a royal event… that could set them up for a while. The more the thoughts came to him, the more convinced he was it wouldn’t work. Sure King Mitch was a cool dude but tradition was tradition and while the older royals with the firm sticks up their asses still attended these balls, there was no chance of a synth pop rock band taking center stage. So with that put out of his mind, Fjord focused on the next best thing at any royal shindig - the food. There was a serious lack of hot chocolate but damn the dessert spread was banging. Sauntering over, nabbing a flute of champagne on the way, he reached out for a cheesecake ball, popping it into his mouth. As he chewed, he noticed a familiar face just a few feet away. Balls were for socializing right? Managing to grab another flute from another wandering waiter, Fjord sidled up beside the other and offered them the drink. “So I had a fortune cookie last night that said, and I quote, ‘you will be invited to a social gathering with lots of spicy conversation,’” his tone portrayed a sense of seriousness when it came to this fortune, but he immediately melted into a devilish grin, “So let’s hear it - your spiciest thought of the night, please.”

Elle may have been caught off guard at the offering of a champagne flute from seemingly out of nowhere, but she didn’t let that surprise last for long. With a gracious smile and a thrilled ‘thank you’, she took the flute into her hands, taking a small sip.

She was pretty sure that she and the male who had handed it to her had a class together. One of her music classes, to be precise. But she also wasn’t entirely sure. He had a familiar face, though, so she drank without hesitation. Somehow all of the champagne bearers had avoided her thus far in the evening. Shoutout to the Powers That Be for making sure she was well supplied anyway.

If she’d known what she was signing up for, though, maybe she would have declined.

“Spicy conversation?” Elle asked, panic setting in the more she thought of what she was expected to say. What did one consider to be a spicy thought? What if the spiciest thought she could come up with was only mild? Was the girl really even capable of a spicy thought? Probably. Deep down. But getting those spicy thoughts to come out seemed less likely. Especially at a ball, which her mother had always coached her to a) never attend but b) be the most ladylike at if she were to somehow be forced to go.

“Um. Spicy thought. Some of these music choices tonight are... terrible,” she tossed out, really not wanting to sound mean, but also realizing in that moment that it wasn’t untruthful. Well then. “Wow. That thought actually made it all the way out into the light of day.”

It felt like she’d been searching for an hour, but that was probably the exhaustion of doing several turns about the room after already having danced a decent amount. All in heels. Zeus, what time was it even?

Finding a male already sitting at the next table she was set to search, Elle gave the area a quick once-over as she considered speaking up. She didn’t even know if she’d ever heard the male speak before, but he could probably answer a simple question for her, right?

“Sorry if I’m intruding on a... quiet moment of reflection, but do you happen to know the time?” she asked, continuing on to over-explain herself as per usual. “I think I misplaced my phone and it feels like this night has been going on for days, so I clearly have no sense of things.”

@calofdunbroch​

Classy. Elegant. Regal. Fine, upstanding behavior from such a pretty girl. All of the words coming into her mind in that moment were in her mother’s sarcastic voice, and Elle had to shake herself free of them before she could stop coughing and make the situation as lighthearted as possible with the person who had come up near her.

“Do you think it would be frowned upon if I just... took cookies home in this surprisingly roomy clutch?” Elle asked, somehow able to contain a cough to settle the cookie remnants still sticking around. “Is that allowed? This is my first ball so I don’t super know what the do’s and don’ts are... but I’m pretty sure no one in any of my books ever did it.”

@aponilocklear​