one mistake at a time

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

After that afternoon's meeting had ended, Dahlia had departed back to Stormbreak—wanting to take care of her region, as any good leader would surely do—but had said for Everest to stay if he liked, (and thanks to her influence, he did). Having occupied one corner of the room where he could watch guests come and go with a glass of wine in his hand if anyone seemed to notice the aviator occasionally mumbling something under his breath to no one in particular, they didn't mention it.

Brushing off the sleeve of his jacket to rid it of static electricity, Everest glanced to his side with his eyebrows raised, before rising and making his way across the room to where a certain blonde, newly freed of her dance partner, had just picked up her own glass of wine.

Despite Ever's newfound confidence, there were butterflies in the pit of his stomach that he couldn't entirely contribute to the wine he'd already consumed. And indeed, regardless of how well-fitted the deep plum suit he wore was (a gift from Dahlia), he suddenly felt strangely naked.

"You know, I shouldn't be surprised at how well you dance, but.." Murmured just over Isla's shoulder, the aviator, whose presence has likely been heralded by the Spinebloom on his lapel, smiles. "-I did quite enjoy watching."

Isla

Not having seen the aviator enter the ball - she'd been busy dancing, as he's already surmised - Isla has been content to watch the other couples sway to the music, until a foul and eerie scent invades her nose. Wincing and gazing down at her glass of wine as if it might be the culprit, she soon straightens at the familiar rumble of a voice. Turning with a smile already blooming across her face, it falters a touch at the spinebloom she spots on the aviator's lapel.

"If only you had been here sooner, perhaps you could have had my first dance," she says nonetheless, her unease at war with the delight that unfurls in her chest to see him again - an emotion stronger than she'd care to admit, in truth. "Have you been in the Grounds all this time?" she wonders, having known the trajectory of his travels from his letters but being unable to pinpoint him exactly.

"I have to say, by the way - that's an interesting choice of flower..." She nods at the bloom, wanting to draw closer but simultaneously feeling held at bay by it.

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

"Next time." Ever vows as he reaches for one of Isla's hands, and lifts it to his lips while holding her gaze. Pressing a kiss not against the top of her hand, but instead against her fingers, just below the knuckles, the aviator's mouth twitches in a small smile against her skin before he relaxes her hand back down.

"No, not the whole time. I was in King's End for several weeks, before coming here." Pulling his gaze away from Isla, somewhat reluctantly, he nods toward Danta. "At the Dusklight." Quickly his eyes return to hers, his smile having never dampened. If this was the point where he ought to have leaned in and whispered I learned a lot, while I was away, the moment is halted by the Remedy's notice of his boutonniere. "Ah, why thank you." Glancing down, Everest adjusts the bottom of it with his free hand, inhaling its, subjectively, sweet smell.

"I didn't have Mateo to consult with, but I thought it went nicely with the colour of my suit. It's called Spinebloom."

Isla

Feeling her pulse quicken at the press of the aviator's lips against her fingers - despite the odour that lingers in the air, because Isla is distracted by the memory of how his mouth felt elsewhere - the Remedy forces composure through a gentle smile as her hand is returned to her. "I see," she murmurs, following his gaze towards the Maverick but similarly lingering there only very briefly. "Are you ready to move on again now?" she wonders. Perhaps to another region, or perhaps back to Torchline, to my bed?

Alas, her attention is once again stolen by the spinebloom and the way Everest inhales its aroma as though it's just another flower. "And the scent doesn't bother you?" she hazards gently, tilting her head. "It's void touched, is it not?" She hasn't done much research into the void flora and fauna, but the sight and smell of it alone is enough for her to make a good guess.

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

"I did want to sample Molly's, but I need to speak to Mateo about it first, just to make sure I'm not crossing any lines by being there." It was his friend's place of work as much as a place of pleasure, but almost all of the staff would be well known to Mateo as well. "That said, I was planning on returning home after all of this. The Ball seemed as good a time as any to conclude my studies." Not for the first time Everest says this as if he really had just been away on some academic transfer program, rather than literally spending his days in the beds and between the legs of countless strangers.

"No?" Frowning somewhat, Everest again glances down. "I thought it smelled rather sweet." As for it being void-touched, the aviator can only shrug. "I think it might be. I can take it off if it upsets you?" Already in the process of doing just that, the aviator is careful not to let the razor-sharp petals push against his fingers as he pulls it free. Setting it down on a nearby table where the smell and aura could haunt someone else, Ever turns back with an easy smile on his lips and with blue eyes that seem to drink in Isla as if she were a mirage who might otherwise disappear.

"I was hoping you would be here tonight. I thought perhaps if you were, you might do me the honour of dancing with me, and if that went well, that you might let me take you on a date when all of this is done. But—" Holding up one finger, the aviator smiles a touch crookedly. "Before you answer, you should know that I don't know how to dance, and I have never been on a proper date."

Isla

"I'm sure he would be pleased to see you if anything," Isla says of Ever frequenting Mother Molly's, given how long the aviator has been away on his travels. "But of course, you're quite wise to consider asking about it first." As for his going home, her head tilts at that, though she does nod to him. "Would you perhaps consider joining me in Torchline for something, whether it's before or after you return home for good?" she asks. "The Hanged Man will be re-opening soon, and I imagine it will be quite a party."

Not one to insist on something as arbitrary as an accessory, Isla nonetheless thinks anyone would find an exception in the spinebloom, and she sighs a breath of a relief as Ever removes the flower and sets it down. "Thank you," she murmurs, already feeling herself want to drift closer to the aviator now that nothing seems to be holding her (metaphorically, anyway) at arm's length.

As for his offer for a dance - and a date - the Remedy hears him out with pebble blue eyes sparkling with delight and cheeks round from the force of her smile, only to nod an emphatic yes regardless. "I will teach you the easiest dance steps I know," she assures him, "and it has been a long time since I was on a proper date, so I'm not sure you could disappoint me. I would love to do both."

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

Gently raising his eyebrows, the aviator considers Isla's offer for just a second or so before nodding. "Of course I will. Though, I will probably need to check in with Flora first." The queen had seemed quite annoyed with him that afternoon, not that he could really understand why.

"You're most welcome." Given his recent proclivities, Everest had to remind himself to stay a polite distance from Isla, not to immediately begin undressing himself or her, and to keep his commentary respectful. These things did come naturally to him of course, but muscle memory had his fingers twitching a touch at his sides, wanting to reach out for her. Her smile soothed him almost as forcefully as Dahlia's kiss once had; in the last several weeks, not a single person had looked at him the way she was now, nor had made him feel as she was doing despite their tricks, abilities, and extensive skillsets.

"Shall we?" Setting down his wine glass, Ever extended a hand toward the former duchess.

Isla

"Oh? Alright - I'll wait for you to check in with her, then, but I do hope to see you there." Isla smiles, having no context for why the Doubletake might be upset with him. But then she supposes Ever had been a former bartender at the Hanged Man, so it isn't that difficult to imagine a potential conflict arising.

Finishing her wine as well - and feeling very pleasantly buzzed from her drinks by this point - Isla sets down her glass and similarly has to school her fingers to remain polite as she takes the aviator's hand. "It would be my pleasure," she chimes to him, leading them out onto the dancefloor until they can stand opposite one another.

Dipping into a curtsey, she offers him a conspiratory wink. "Now you bow," she tells him, in case the prompt is needed. Luckily for the two of them, the tempo of the music has slowed to a gentle waltz, which shouldn't be difficult to teach the aviator at all.

"You're a musician," she murmurs, stepping in to let her arm rest gently around his shoulders, her other hand clasping his own, "so you can probably already hear the rhythm in this. Three beats - three steps. Easy, right?"

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

Ever, who might have at least guessed he was meant to bow, nevertheless looks appropriately surprised by the instruction before pitching himself forward in a pantomime of the sort of bow you might hear described in a fairytale (which is precisely where he did read it).

"Well, so far, anyway." Everest agrees, though indeed he has already internalized the time signature of the movement, which Isla will feel his fingers pulse against her own, every now and then.

Glancing over Isla's shoulder for a moment to quickly take in what everyone else was doing, and yes, it did actually look quite easy, he raised his eyebrows slightly and took a breath. Having done nothing but learn the steps to physical dances, Ever was quite confident he'd be able to pick this up in stride.

"Ready when you are."

Isla

Very charmed by his bow, Isla allows him to take his time in observing the other dancers before deciding he's ready to begin, and she laughs softly at his remark. "Luckily for you, the waltz does not get any more complicated than this," she promises. She might have leaned in and advised him to take it slow, perhaps in a tone reminiscent of his first time between her thighs, but she's regrettably still a glass of wine or two off such comments.

As such, they move together to dance instead, the Remedy casually close compared to some of the other stiff-armed dancers, able to quietly remark on their steps and movements to ensure they don't bump into anyone else as they go. "You're a natural," she assures him as they go, more than happy to stay in close proximity now that the spinebloom has been abandoned on a table somewhere.

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

Isla's not wrong, in that the steps don't seem that hard to grasp and given how quickly they repeat, it takes only a moment or so for Everest to all but internalize where his feet are meant to go. With the Remedy more or less keeping them afloat in terms of not crashing into anyone else, the aviator finds that he's able to relax quite quickly such that he can focus his attention back on his dance partner rather than the dance itself.

"And you are a very good partner." Ever replies with a sly smile that at least hints at a double meaning. Glancing towards where a small orchestra was assembled, the aviator tried to gauge how long the song might go on for, and thus the dance. He'd only asked Isla for one after all, so assuming that someone else might ask for her hand as soon as the music ended—Ever was fairly certain he'd seen Remi eyeing the Remedy quite intently just a moment ago—he thought he'd better make the most of what time he had.

"You know-" With a smile that lit up his eyes more than it moved his mouth, Everest leaned forward slightly as the hand pressed against Isla's back hugged her close against him. "I thought of you so often while I was away, and perhaps it's just the fault of my memory or imagination, but..." Pulling back if only so that he could let his eyes slide down what little of her could be seen between them as they danced, the aviator sipped in a steadying breath through his nose before exhaling slowly. "You are more stunning than I could have ever imagined."

Isla

Offering little more than a subtle bounce of her brows at the double-meaning she most definitely hears in Ever's words, Isla nonetheless lets herself relax further as well as they dance. Pointedly not looking at the orchestra - or at anyone else for that matter (you'll get your turn soon, Remi, not to worry) - the Remedy instead inclines her head back towards Ever as he speaks. And his words have her blushing prettily, though it's not quite the same colour as her dress, Isla leaning in so they might continue the conversation as if it's a secret.

"I thought of you as well," she tells him easily. "Though I never thought the next time we met you'd be looking quite this dapper. And," she adds, lowering her voice further, "I am not ashamed to say that I am very much looking forward to you showing me all that you've been learning." Her fingers smooth idly against the back of his neck, and the sigh she lets out is almost lamenting towards the number of other people present. "Perhaps I can come and visit you in Stormbreak soon, if you plan to head home from here?"

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in

Got a bag full of clothes, a bottle of wine. Only say how I feel From the back of my mind

For all that the aviator has learned over the proceeding few weeks, he realized that there was a sort of intimacy that could come despite being entirely clothed and standing at an appropriate distance from someone else; an intimacy that his studies absolutely hadn't prepared him for. As the pair swayed easily (or, at least easily enough) around the dancefloor, Everest found his breath routinely lodged in the back of his throat as his eyes fell upon some facet of Isla he hadn't had the opportunity to notice before: The slight variation in the colour of her hair, the length of her eyelashes, the smattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose or the way her skin stretched taut over her collar bones.

Lowering his head to catch her words, Isla would likely hear the aviator's shaky inhale even if she couldn't see the flush of his cheeks. Despite this rather boyish response, Ever's hand only clutched Isla all the closer, rather than trembling with nerves as he might once have done. "As it turns out, I quite enjoy being able to please and spent a good deal of my time focused on that." He replies softly, lips nearing the shell of her ear. "And I thought of you, every time that I did." No matter the thighs he found himself better, it was always Isla he imagined writhing around him, always Isla's voice begging for more, offering guidance, calling his name.

Having had quite a lot of sex recently, Everest was surprised by just how little he wanted to wait before tumbling back into bed with the Remedy. "I am still rather smitten with you, Isla." The aviator clarifies, pressing his lips softly just below her ear before straightening just enough to be able to catch her eye. "But if you weren't planning on flying home tonight, I do still have my room at the Dusklight."

Isla

Her smile only growing to hear his intake of breath, where once Isla might have expected Ever to draw back, she's very pleasantly surprised to find herself clasped closer to the aviator. It's enough that what they're doing now can't really be said to count as a traditional waltz (they aren't keeping quick enough time for that) but more like a slow dance at some prom - not that she minds one bit.

"I might have been able to tell you that much," Isla whispers the admission as he begins, her tone mischievous as she recalls his time spent between her thighs and the sounds of pleasure he'd dragged from her throat. But to hear that he'd thought about her each and every time? That gets Isla's attention, and a few butterflies take flight in the pit of her stomach, fighting up towards her throat at Ever's next comment.

Smitten isn't a word she's heard in a long time, and it takes a good deal of self control not to lean in and steal the sound of it from his lips in a kiss. "Whatever plans I did have can easily be rearranged," she half whispers, vaguely aware that the music around them is beginning to slow and fade. "I'll find you once the ball is over, and you can show me the way? I've never had the pleasure of going there."

passing by, you light up my darkest skies
you take only seconds to draw me in