#gray support

Gray makes a short trip towards the refreshments table and makes his way near the regal blonde he scouted just moments ago. When the time was right, he makes his move, approaching him midway only to trip on thin air, the glass filled with sparkling water conveniently pointed towards the man, "Awww, shoot! Sorry my man. Don't worry, that has lemon. It's cleansing!"

He did so enjoy festivities like this. A time for nobility to relax and mingle, yes, but more than that, it also lifted the hearts of common folk. This wasn't a gathering of elites, it was a melting pot of life experiences.

Everywhere he looked, everyone he spoke with; such a broad array of backgrounds, and it all filled him with such peace. He meandered towards the refreshments, but was more preoccupied with the sights and sounds of the ball room.

But a sudden splash of cold water in his face brought all his senses firmly back to reality. Reflexively, hands came to his face. Wiping and wiping until he managed to crack open an eye.

An accident, his assailant was claiming, but judging by his flippant tune, he thought it was anything but.

Still, it was only water.

"No harm done." He replied lightly, wiping away the last of the water. "...The lemon could even be a sort of potpourri, hm?" Then trying to joke.

"Dude, these are... wow." Gray threw away all notions of personal space and privacy and playfully taps the artist's back as he gawks at his works. He knew it! They were sketches of the ladies! Sure they had their respective dancers included in the sketch, but the details on them made them pop-out more. Clearly, they were the main focus.

It was then and there, Gray knew, he found a new friend. "You being paid to do all these? They're amazing!"

Ignatz let out a light scream when Gray tapped him. Instinctively he slammed his sketchbook closed. “Ah... no it’s... it’s nothing!” Holding his sketchbook tightly to his chest, he anxiously waited for Gray to leave. After a few minutes, Ignatz relaxed, assuming he wasn’t going away anytime soon.

@15shadesofgray

The Ethereal ball had indeed done well to break social boundaries. Eldigan never thought he would be such quick friends with Gray, or perhaps rather, that Gray would bother with him.

But the two found they had a taste for each other's company, as well as the nightlife of the castle town. Winter nights came quickly, and the sun had already set by the time they left the local tavern.

The celebrations after the two armies had united and they’d beaten a god really seemed to hit everyone in the strangest ways.

He’d had beer in his hand, a good mood in the air, talking to someone (Leon?) about something. The next second one of the younger ones from that green haired kid’s army had stumbled their way over, clearly having drank far too much in his celebrations for his level, and nearly threw himself at him.

Gray hunched closer to the fire, holding his hands as near the flames as he dared. He’d made the mistake of having a snowball fight with Tobin earlier and now his fingers were stiff with cold. He truly hadn’t minded the cold earlier in the day since the sunlight was warm against his skin, but now that the sun had set and the howling winds of a fresh storm approached, he could feel the frigid air seeping into his clothes and against his skin.

Shivering, he rubbed his hands together, willing warmth back into them. He nearly jumped when a soft voice spoke beside him. “Are you warm enough? I think we’re stuck here for a while.”

Looking up, he saw Silque and shot her a rueful smile. “Yeah, I’m getting warmer. Just regretting having a snowball fight without my gloves. Even keeping my palms warm is better than nothing.” His smile grew a little softer. “We don’t have snow like this in Ram, if we get it at all it’s a bit of a dusting that’s gone before lunch. It’s nice to be able to enjoy it with friends.”

Casting a glace towards the outside word, Gray grimaced a bit. “Even though this storm probably means we’re stuck, like you said.”

Silque hadn’t meant to spook Gray but that didn’t seem to work out. She didn’t consider herself to be quiet enough not to be noticed by others, but she supposed Gray was concentrating on getting warmth back into his hands and body. She had noticed the snowball fight earlier. By the redness of his hands she suspected that he hadn’t worn any coverings to protect against the cold and the chill.

She listened to him speak, explaining what happened either and his own inexperience with the cold and snow. She drew closer to the fire too, trying to get warm herself, although having stayed inside most of the day, she was not as chilly as Gray. The heat was a comfort nonetheless. She could remember days spent elsewhere, huddling close next to her mother as they warmed from a day’s walk in the frigid air. 

“It must be exciting to get to experience something new like snow. I always found it to be beautiful, but it’s certainly not something everyone can get used to. Some find the weather too cold for their liking.”