in the time it takes rosaline to decide, glance around the place, and finally place her hand within his, he remained bowed. his patience was abound with her. only once she was satisfied they were alone, or decided she didn't care, did they begin dancing. luc could feel her heart in her wrist where two of his long fingers curled around. but, a part of him chalked it up to the fast pace of the dance.

once they'd slowed and began dancing a much different type, his hand settled gently on the small of her back. their joined hands came to rest against his chest between them. her body wasn't pressed to his, but their clothes did brush against one another as they swayed. ❝ i'd say yes for most people. ❞ at that, luc's head tilts and smiles down at her softly. ❝ i can't say that i've experienced it with many of my dance partners. ❞ maybe his dance partner's had felt it towards him. but, for him? it was a job. he'd do his best acting and manage a very convincing reproduction of the emotion. speaking of his job, as much as he wasn't a gentlemen in some regard, he was, in this case with her. they could stay here the whole night dancing like this and he wouldn't push for more. she'd need to give him some sort of permission. a kiss or words, preferrably.

though his grip is gentle (courteous), it feels steady, tethering her to the moment, to the night, to the starlight, to him. for a minute, she can pretend that all this is real. that she isn't the princess of thornpointe, that she's just rosaline, that she can dance with whomever, whenever, and wherever she wants, that their swaying under the branches of the cherry willow is chosen and wholly romantic and not necessary for anything other than pleasure.

"...i can't say that i've experienced it with many of my dance partners..." the words echo, a seed planted from which thorny thoughts sprout, threatening to burst the dreamy bubble they'd created around themselves. she can't say she particularly cares about his other partners. there's only one which she's morbidly curious about, but she knows if she asks, she may not get the answer she wants––honestly, she can't even tell which answer would be preferable. she's been known to poke the occasional bear, but she doesn't think she'd survive the outcome of this particular attack. his smile is the only thing allowing her to maintain her sanity, continue on in the illusion without acknowledging the haziness between their current position and reality. she knows its his job to be this enchanting. she knows she's not supposed to be his client. she knows that whatever spark may be between them is dangerous, at best.

[ 📲 : rosie ] what the fuck

[ 📲 : rosie ] that's sabotage

[ 📲 : rosie ] okay, fine, damn. you're bossy 😍

[ 📲 : rosie ] i know you are 😏

[ 📲 : rosie ] what if i told you i'm already in a car outside of your house

[ 📲 : rosie ] i've been ready, girl

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] if you don't want me to sabotage you, then don't play the game in the same room as me 🙄

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] but i think i'd also find a way to sabotage you via text...🤭

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] i've always been bossy 😘

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] extra points for being early

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] i'd say sorry to have kept you waiting, but i'm not, and you also get to see me walk into the building, so you're welcome

[ 📲 : rosie ] it'll be more fun playing while laying next to each other

[ 📲 : rosie ] okay.... maybe not that exact phrasing but

[ 📲 : rosie ] i'm pretty sure it was on the sheet that i spoke french

[ 📲 : rosie ] whatever, not important, back to me being nude 😏

[ 📲 : rosie ] okay, fine fine fine

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] true, i can tap on your screen and mess up your angles in realtime 😈

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] whatever, i'm telling you now, and i'm telling you never to use any variant of "oodles" again

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] you know i'm more than happy to go back to you being nude

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] which is exactly what's about to happen

once she scolds the other men, the ladies sitting with her like her even less, she knows this without any proof. mina was always the odd one out, always favored by her mistress, and thus did not fit in with them. to be a supposed bastard child and get treated differently by all who interacted with her made her a target. she would likely pay for this later and be bothered endlessly later with ruthless words and even disturbing of her personal items. the ladies had stolen a fair few of her nicer items and she daren't say anything unless she wanted to be deemed a telltale and hated more so. but regardless of all of this, there was a grace about her nature and when she speaks up, people listen. the men at the table certainly did. margaery liked to bring her along to events and meetings that she considered important. between the two of them, the room was well and truly captivated as well as silent until given permission to speak.

arctic irises search her face, her hesitation almost alarming. the pause is justified with the offering of her full name. flowers. he understands. it isn’t often that surnames resulting from certain conditions are regarded favourably. he, however, cares not for the extenuating circumstances of her upbringing. he would be a hypocrite to do so, his own family comprised of similar names and stories. “samina flowers,” he echoes, the edges of forested lips upturned. he catches his eye as it wanders through her features, hoping his potential indiscretion goes unnoticed. “a lovely name indeed. it is my pleasure to know it.”

[ 📲 : rosie ] we CAN play 8-ball later

[ 📲 : rosie ] you didn't mark this down on your preference sheet

[ 📲 : rosie ] how am i supposed to know you wanted french?

[ 📲 : rosie ] i'll use it tonight then 😏

[ 📲 : rosie ] ah, yes ... it's just a study in anatomy

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] okay but if you blow me off on the 8-ball again i'm gonna be so pissed

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] i didn't think i had to mark "prefers french language as an alternative to making up words to describe how badly we need to fuck" on a sheet

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] at least you're making the adjustment so quickly

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] i need to practice! and if you're a good model, i might get you to do a whole bunch of poses 😉

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] that's not the point!!!

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] can a girl not want to look put together for five minutes?? fuck

[📲: ET 👾 ] yeah, but i can't do anything about how i'm feeling and that pisses me off 🙄

[📲: ET 👾 ] don't blow me another kiss or i swear to god 😈

[📲: ET 👾 ] you've got like.... 2 hours and i'll be done here

[📲: ET 👾 ] ask ur buddies, they will help 😇

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] 😘😘😘

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] you didn't finish your threat, so i'm taking my chances 😘

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] 2 hours is 2 hours 2 many, but i can try to be patient

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] you have a point. i'm just imagining there'd have to be modifications to make it safe for humans. probably.

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] you know i would if i were there...but if you survive the next couple of hours, i'll make it worth your while

[ 📲 : rosie ] that's an understatement

mr. slutty is typing .....

[ 📲 : rosie ] alright, you got me. you know my game

[ 📲 : rosie ] yeah, is that a problem? would you rather have boocoodles?

[ 📲 : rosie ] that's slang for beaucoup

[ 📲 : rosie ] harsh.... you only wanna paint me for my abs and 🍆 i see

[ 📲 : rosie ] what about my beautiful face? are you just going to leave it like a :^) and everything else in excruciating detail?

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] of course i do. and it's not 8-ball, clearly

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] luc what the actual fuck

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] i'd rather you just start speaking fully in french at this point, that'd be more bearable than this

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] and sexier

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] noooooooooooooooo, it just gives me a chance to practice...anatomy 👀

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] keep up your "boocoodles" bullshit and i'll do worse to your face

[📲: ET 👾 ] fuck, why do you text me these types of things when i can't be there 👿

[📲: ET 👾 ] asking .... is it possible to 🛸🛸🛸 me there or something?

[📲: ET 👾 ] idk how it works fully yet 🤷‍♀️

[📲: ET 👾 ] but 🤤 i'm dying to kiss you in an abandoned basement

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] because i want you to be thinking about it

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] 😘

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] uhhhhh...maybe? i'll see if i can figure it out

[📲: your hoebot 🤖 ] good, i've got out next date planned then

[ 📲 : rosie ] i'm always eager and not because of my career before you try to say that 😏

[ 📲 : rosie ] we have oodles of tension. this only adds more

[ 📲 : rosie ] can it be fully nude? and you have to hang it somewhere in your room

[ 📲 : rosie ] an hour and a half? make it 45

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] you don't have to butter me up, i already know i'm your favourite client 😘

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] oodles? really? that's the word you're going to use in the context of sexual tension?

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] you think i'd want to paint you clothed?

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] as for where i'll hang it...we'll see. maybe if i do a good enough job

[ 📲 : mr. slutty ] 45 minutes?! i can't just irish goodbye this shit!!