[SE] eyes full of stars

NOE

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

Noe was in Torchline on a whim, interested to see how the LongNight partying she’d heard so much about stacked up against the celebrations in Stormbreak. So far, she hadn’t been disappointed. She’d met up with an old friend earlier to deliver a pretty blouse as a LongNight gift, then made her way down to the beach, where her friend said all the best partying was.

She wandered amongst the bonfires for a while before finding herself at the Miana Pool. Light reflected off its surface, dancing across the water from the many torches and bonfires nearby. If not for that, the pool would probably have been invisible in the dark. The inky blackness that it reflected from the sky was nearly impossible to discern save for the lights’ reflections.

Noe found a place near one of the bonfires that was selling drinks and made a purchase; when she turned back towards the pool, it was with a red solo cup in one hand and a grin on her face. Now that she’d accomplished her only task in Torchline, it was time to party!

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

i'd wipe the dirt off your name with the shirt off my back

Flora wasn’t exactly avoiding Noe, per se. Normally, she would have just... let the night take her where it wanted, which in this case probably wouldn’t have involved strolling up to her former whatever’s little sister and striking up a conversation.

But normally didn’t account for the warmth of alcohol in her veins, or the way the bonfires set the whole beach aglow in flickering gold, or the way the endless LongNight darkness made everything feel just a little surreal. And maybe it was just the buzz, or maybe it was just Torchline, but suddenly, why the fuck not?

So, with her drink in hand and a grin curling at the corners of her lips, Flora moves through the crowd, swaying a little to the pulse of the music as she makes her way toward Noe. The other woman is easy enough to spot near one of the bonfires, red solo cup in hand, looking every bit the out-of-towner here to indulge in the infamous debauchery of LongNight.

"Noe, right?" Flora hums, lifting her brows as she comes to a stop beside her, close enough for the firelight to highlight the wicked glint in her aqua eyes. "Didn’t think I’d see you down here. What’s the verdict? Does Torchline party better than Stormbreak, or am I going to have to show you how it’s done?" It’s said with only a little teasing, because whatever else was going on, Koa’s little sister didn’t owe her anything, and that meant there was no reason they couldn’t drink together and enjoy the night.

NOE

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

Noe had just started to sway to the beat of the music when a familiar face popped up beside her - a familiar face who Noe was not particularly inclined to spent time with, when it came right down to it. She didn’t know the particulars - Koa had been away too much for her to pry too deeply into his love life - but when her brother came home elated one day and depressed the next? She could put two and two together.

Still, the drink in her hand wasn’t her first of the night, and she was a much more cheerful drunk than anything else, so she grinned at Torchline’s queen and raised her red solo cup in a toast. ”Oh, Torchline’s way better,” she said. ”Why do you think I’m here?” What was she going to do at home? Sit around with her dad while Koa was out doing gods knew what? And Jude, for all that he was her best friend, hadn’t seemed to be in a partying mood - not like Noe, who was in the prime of her life and loving every minute of it. ”I bet I could give you a run for your money,” she said, arching a brow in a playful taunt. What that meant, exactly, was more or less up to Flora - but Noe didn’t intend to lose whatever challenge she’d just started.

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

i'd wipe the dirt off your name with the shirt off my back

Flora's grin sharpens at Noe's response, pleased both by the enthusiasm and by the fact that, at least for now, she doesn't seem to be getting the cold shoulder for whatever happened with Koa. Lifting her own drink in a lazy, approving toast, she tips it back for a quick sip before humming in amusement.

"Good answer," she says, the firelight catching in her aqua eyes as she gives Noe an appraising once-over, head tilting just slightly. "But if you think you can give me a run for my money, babe, you might want to pace yourself." There's a teasing lilt to her voice, but the challenge is real, glinting wickedly behind her smirk.

Flora doesn't do half-measures, not in anything, and certainly not when it comes to a night like this. If Noe wants to play, she'll play.

Taking a step back, she gestures loosely toward the fire-lit chaos of the beach, the pulse of music, the laughter and drunken revelry spilling into the night. "Pick your poison." She arches a brow, lips curling with delight. "You wanna drink? Dance? Gamble? Or are we just seeing who can make the worst decisions before sunrise?"

NOE

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

Perhaps it was just that Noe was bored, and that Flora was there, and that the drinks were flowing, and that it was LongNight in Torchline, but she was ready to party. And maybe this time that meant partying with one person who she was pretty sure she was supposed to hate on principal.

She grinned at Flora as the queen took her challenge and ran with it. Taking a sip of her drink, she considered her options. ”Or all of the above,” she suggested, listing a brow at her companion for the evening. ”But let’s start with dancing.” She grabbed for Flora’s hand and made their way over to a nearby impromptu dance floor, which was already filled with writhing bodies. ”You do dance, don’t you?” Noe shouted over the music as she began to sway with the beat.

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

i'd wipe the dirt off your name with the shirt off my back

Flora lets out a bright, delighted laugh, entirely unbothered by the way Noe grabs her hand and pulls her toward the makeshift dance floor. Finally, a woman with some sense.

"Do I dance?" she repeats, her grin nothing short of wicked as she steps into the throng of bodies, the pulse of the music vibrating through the sand beneath her feet. "Babe, I own the Hanged Man. If I didn’t dance, I'd be a disgrace to my own bar."

With the confidence of someone who knows she looks damn good doing it, Flora rolls her hips to the beat, letting the music sink into her bones. The flickering bonfire light catches in her gold jewelry, her curls bouncing with each fluid movement as she finds the rhythm with an effortless sort of ease. The beat is infectious, the warmth of the night wrapping around them like a second skin, and Flora is thriving in it.

Tipping her head toward Noe, she smirks, voice carrying over the music. "You sure you can keep up?" she teases, reaching for Noe’s free hand, twining their fingers as she pulls her in close enough that they’re moving together, their bodies brushing with each shift in tempo. "Because I’d hate to outshine you on your first proper Torchline party."

NOE

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

”Hey, just because you own a bar doesn’t mean you can dance,” Noe insisted, eyes twinkling with mischief. ”Maybe you stay behind the bar. I knew a bartender once who had a rule about it and everything.” She grinned, knowing full well that Flora wasn’t that kind of person - she seemed very much like the type to be the center of attention and enjoy every minute of it. And that, at least, they had in common.

Noe joined Flora in moving to the beat, allowing the music to drive her movements in a way that made it clear that this wasn’t her first rodeo. As Flora pulled her closer, their bodies brushing in time with the beat, Noe’s first thought was that it was hot - and her second was that that was weird, given whatever had happened with Koa and all. Still, she smirked up at Flora. ”Try me,” she challenged, happy to see where the night took them.

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream

i'd wipe the dirt off your name with the shirt off my back

Flora's smile widens as she and Noe meld into the rhythm of the night, their movements as fluid as tides under a full moon. The sand beneath their feet becomes a stage where every sway and spin reveals a fragment of who she is—a woman who owns her space and revels in the chaos of Torchline's LongNight. As she pulls Noe closer, Flora feels the pulse of the music resonating in her veins, a steady beat that washes away old doubts like the tide erasing footprints on the shore.

"Keep up if you can, babe," Flora teases softly, her voice playful yet edged with genuine warmth. The flickering bonfire light dances over her gold jewelry and cascading curls, each glimmer a reminder of the life she's built despite all its jagged edges. As she glances over at Noe, whose eyes sparkle with mischief and a hint of challenge, Flora's heart flutters—part defiance, part delight.

The queen's gaze sharpens as the music deepens, and she deliberately draws Noe even closer. The space between them narrows until their bodies almost merge, and every movement becomes a tantalizing invitation. As they dance, Flora’s hand trails slowly along Noe’s arm, her touch inviting shivers turning her natural flush into a beacon for every curious onlooker. The rhythm of their steps becomes a sultry performance—each sway and turn a secret message of defiance and desire. With a playful, knowing smirk, Flora arches her hips just so; a crowd had gathered around them, so why not give them something worth watching?

NOE

'Cause, baby, I could build a castle
Out of all the bricks they threw at me

As the music played on, Noe felt any lingering inhibitions she might have had melting away. She had always loved to dance, and it was even better to do so with a partner. And with the Queen of Torchline to party with? Well, this was gearing up to be quite the LongNight party, indeed.

Especially with Flora dancing tantalizingly close like that. If she had been any other girl, perhaps Noe would have wondered what the region would think of their Queen - but this was Torchline, and she was Noe, and she'd be damned if she cared what anyone else thought of her and especially of Flora. That was her problem, and it certainly seemed like she was eager to put on a show. With that in mind, Noe threw herself into the dance, meeting Flora's intense gaze with the defiance that only comes with youth.

She wasn't entirely sure what she was doing anymore, nor what the challenge that she was fighting so hard for would yield; she only knew that whatever it was, she was determined to walk away the winner. And so the night went on with drinks and dancing galore, the party lingering on and on until, eventually, the sun would once again rise.

fin

And every day is like a battle
But every night with us is like a dream