#pre-plot drop

Little Village wasn’t the best neighborhood to be in around that time and she might’ve been haughty at times but she was smart enough to know that Ryan could come when she needed help. Piper was a whole ass grownup and she knew she should be able to leave the past there, but seeing her brothers always triggered a part she tried to bury deep where she felt neglected and alone when they were gone but together. Maybe it was her pride, that had to be it because she looked at Ryan now and felt like she needed to prove something. Although, she’d never been exactly sure what that was. “Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t realize it was going to break down and I don’t have my bus card on me. So, yeah. This is an emergency.” She said, not really meaning for her words to have a crisp coldness to them but it’d been a long day and, ultimately, this wasn’t the live she wanted. “Should we just call for a tow truck?” Piper remained unaware that the reason behind the failed breaks wasn’t mere coincidence or lack of care for the vehicle. 

"Brother!" Maria announced with much gusto, a gift granted to her from the bottom of the bottle gripped tightly in her hand, feet leisurely raised as she sat back in the most lavish chair a ship had ever provided her. If she had to relinquish the gloriously dingy ships that belonged to outlaws, bandits, and thieves, at least she could be as lazy as she wanted. "Please, don't let your favorite sister enjoy the amenities of this fine vessel alone," she raised her eyebrows, her hand on the neck of the bottle rocking it back and forth like a ship on the waves, "Despite the proximity of a ship, or lack thereof, it is always the perfect conduit for trouble."

“My dear Melina, considering you are my sovereign princess, my head has always been on the line from the moment we started our little dancing games of attraction,” he chuckled slightly, shaking his head slightly and obviously referring to their outrageously , never-ending flirtation-ship the two had with each other every time they crossed paths. Something both of them clearly enjoyed for the teasing and good-spirited fun it was, made only the more delicious when it did culminate in the pair actually engaging in a good sexual romp a couple of times even. He chuckled lightly again as the Tyrell princess physically steered them to walk towards a much safer conversation space.

“Oh?” an eyebrow lifted at her statement, as great amusement crinkled at his lips, wondering what sort of place she had in mind. He then playfully pondered over her question. “Hmm, whilst making you wait for it , is a much enticing prospect, I suppose I could drop a hint or two.” A tiny hint of a smirk begin to tug at the corners of his lips, but he managed to keep a straight and seeming proper face, before he lowered his voice and moved his head down closer towards her and to the eyes of any observer  watching them as the pair walked out of the ballroom, it would seem as if he was confiding a serious and solemn matter to Melina. “It would involve us being away from the masquerade for quite some time, probably till the wee hours of the morning. And we’ll probably be more than quite famished for breakfast when that morning meal time rolls around,” the rakish Lefford ended with a confident tone. He rolled his eyes with a lazy smile at her last comment, ”Now where would be the fun in that, princess? Just politely asking for a simple favor of your time and attention? Nay, I would never stoop to be as boring as that,” he fake shuddered, whilst his eyes were as light and easy-going as ever. “I do pity you having to endure that with half of the people in the room who conform to such dull entrances to conversations.”