four-leaf motherfucker

from here

Henry has no choice but to take Shun's word for it. Even if there had been any tells of lying, he's unable to focus properly as he's itching himself. Once Shun nudges his arm, it doesn't exactly dissipate completely but there's a lessening of it. It's not enough for Henry to notice it, however. He chalks it up to mild relief after scratching himself enough.

"You sure? Whoa—!" Is all he manages to get out until he trips up on a raised ledge. In hindsight, Henry will wonder why he'd been so damn clumsy over the itching. It's just an itch! He immediately reaches out to grab the nearest thing, which is obviously Shun's shoulder.

Edited Date: 3/28/19 03:21 am (UTC)

From:

from here

"Do I, now? Well, seems you're not worried either. I take it you know your own share of classy dances."

Stated almost like an observation or a fact, not so much a question. He gets the feeling she wants to lead for the moment, so he follows suite, falling in step with her motions. This means he's gotta draw in a bit closer, of course, but it's a comfortable distance for both of them.

Edited Date: 3/28/19 03:22 am (UTC)

From:

hoasen

There are some words she picks which shows she's a little old fashioned, but also not quiet socially attuned. She tries her best, but she also works very hard, which does lead to a few awkward moments. But hey, she's trying now too!

So she nods as she follows, not really so much dancing at the moment rather than moving with him to the music, though the sway of her body is at least as elegant as water.

"I agree, it's a good change of pace. And..." Once again, she takes her chance to dips her head like a bow in a dance. "My name is Vietnam, but you can also call me Sen. It's nice to meet you, Henry."

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yarinaosu

It's not enough to make a difference, which is unfortunate. Also unfortunate - or not? - is the way that Henry suddenly trips. Shun's quick reflexes have him snapping out his arms just in case but it seems like Henry stabilizes himself fast enough by clasping onto his shoulder. At least he doesn't fall. And maybe...?

They'll have to see.

"Watch your step," he says after, just a hint of teasing. He does have a sense of humor, alright. Sometimes.

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She doesn't mind. Dancing, to her, isn't anything especially intimate. It's more... performative, honestly. Rose has done swing, which is a lot more up close and personal than, say, a waltz. So, the distance that they may or may not have doesn't concern her in the slightest.

"I know a few. Faster stuff like break dancing or salsa is more my speed, honestly, and I definitely ain't classy." She's just going to establish that from the get-go. It's not anything she's ashamed of though if her smile's any indication. "But I can pretend with the best of 'em." That might not be what someone wants to hear. Still, she does know her stuff as she leads them in the proper steps for a slow dance.

"My name's Rose, by the way. Realize I probably should've introduced myself before the dance but- Better later than never, right?"

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Henry would admit to feeling a little solidarity in not being socially attuned, but he has been fortunate to hone such skills with characters that he does encounter. That's a whole 'nother meta issue altogether, one he'll reflect on when he's alone.

Despite her unfamiliarity to the dance and in dancing with a complete stranger, he is impressed with her rhythm and how well she goes with the flow. It probably comes very natural to her, dancing, even if she claims not to do it much. The slight bow of her head has him bowing a little return too.

"A pleasure, Sen."

If the name comes off as strange to Henry, he doesn't show it. People name their children all sorts of weird things and even name themselves too, as he's grown accustomed to the bizarre naming of people and things in his own town.

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"Thanks," he retorts dryly, though it's not without its own sense of humor.

He does notice a significant drop in discomfort, however. Whether it's a touch thing or a sudden shock of adrenaline thing, he's not entirely sure. He experimentally lifts his hand off of the guy's shoulder, just in case, and straightens up slowly. It takes way more than a small trip to get his heart racing, so he is much more inclined to rule that out.

If Shun is about to say anything in response to Henry's deliberate silence, he'll be interrupted with another heavy hand to his shoulder and a questioning look that's not quite directed at anyone in particular.

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[ While he's reasonably good at following directions, his instincts as a Commander and a Templar are too strong to ignore completely. So even if it's dangerous and the Moon Knights are doing their damndest to keep people out of the restricted areas, Cullen's familiar enough with crowd control tactics to work his way around them.

And well, he can protect himself if need be.

He stays a safe distance from the plants, grateful to be covered up as much as he is, gloves coming in handy to brush away any stray pollen from his clothing. Eventually, he rejoins a group that's evacuating, coming up alongside a well-dressed man who seems to be a bit itchy. Another rule-breaker. Or maybe someone just as curious. ]

It was passable, for a time. I imagine this put a damper on the rest of their enthusiastic welcome.

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As their bodies settle more into the steps of a slow dance, he settles a hand comfortably at her hip. He's not shy, and she sure as hell doesn't seem so either.

Henry isn't much of a fast dancer. Trained mostly in formal dancing, he rarely branched out beyond what was required of him. Things like club dancing or anything like that is something he picked up along the way and merely dabbles in, like so. He's much more confident when the music slows.

Her honesty isn't a turn-off in the slightest, charmed by her forwardness without lacking any tact. It's a fine line that he also tends to walk and always appreciates it from others. He smiles in return, the belated introduction not bothering him in the slightest. Sometimes he never introduces himself to people at all, especially if they're people he can see himself getting attached to.

"Quite, and I'm Henry. I think we all pretend to be to some degree. Deep down, we're all still animals after all."

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[ He lets out a sardonic huff, a sorry excuse for a laugh as he continues to idly itch at his wrist. ]

Perhaps... but maybe it's for the best. Their initial welcoming wagon was a bit strange, if you ask me. An octopus-themed festival to kick things off for the newcomers, that's not bizarre at all.

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Admittedly, this entire place is a bit beyond me.

[ Hello, he's from Definitely Not Here, as his somewhat medieval getup indicates. He'd left his armor back in the room they'd allotted, but everything else remains. Wearing what they'd given him had just been out of the question. Too weird. ]

I appreciate their efforts, despite being overwhelmed. Where you're from, is it anything like this? So, um, advanced, I mean.

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[ The guy does stick out like a sore thumb, so Henry gives him a cursory once-over. Guess he didn't want to wear their weird modern clothes, huh? While Henry had opted to remain in his own clothes for the most part, he could see himself acclimating to their fashion one of these days. He'll have to, after all. Can't just wear the same damn thing everyday, can he? ]

I wouldn't say to this extent, but somewhere in between here and um. The middle ages, I suppose.

[ That's quite a stretch of time, but he didn't really have a point of reference as far as this guy's concerned. ]

Am I wrong to assume you're from such a period?

From:

hoasen

Looks like the fact they feel the same about this might contribute to why she feels comfortable dancing with him. There is no nervousness from others looking, and she's not sure how much of this is in part because of the song making dancing irresistible. But right now, she's sure she could dance like this with no one else.

And while she would've answered all his questions about what and who she is, she's a little grateful that he didn't only because her body just wants to keep moving. Too bad she doesn't know it's something to do with bizarre naming customs.

"I am not sure if it is to strange to say, but I am having fun."

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yarinaosu

He was about to add more but is stopped short by the voluntary touch to his shoulder. Usually, that would put him on edge but he finds that it doesn't. At least, not in the way unsolicited touch usually would. It's... strange. He isn't comfortable, not exactly, but he isn't uncomfortable with it either.

Considering his difficulties with trusting anyone to even think about letting them near before this, it sticks out.

He speaks aloud what they're probably both thinking then: "Huh."

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She's not. Still- Bold move, dude. Confidence is good in a dancing partner though

"Nice to meet ya', Henry." And she does seem to mean it, which might be more uncommon than people realize. He makes a fair point thought about 'pretending' that she considers with a thoughtful hum. Some are more animal than others. Moments like these, she really does feel like the wolf in sheep's clothing that she is.

"We are. Social creatures and all that jazz. So, we pretend to get in with the herd, as it were, and... There's not really anything wrong with that, right?"

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While in this state of ease, he takes advantage of these moments to lead her into a spin. As long as he signals before hand with how he raises her arm and guides into a twirl, he figures she'll get the idea.

"Well, I wouldn't say it's strange," he starts, drawing close as their dance dictates. "Letting loose once in a while, especially after landing on an alien planet, is sure to calm one's nerves. Feels good."

It's said almost matter-of-factly, surprisingly content as well.

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Henry would chalk it up to being a touch out of necessity, for science! It's an inevitable thing that they (now) both know will probably help than hinder. He can tell that Shun isn't put off by it completely, so he leaves the hand there.

That sound confirms his suspicions, and he sighs. At least he's stopped itching now so he can think straight.

"Guess this means we're holding hands the whole way to the drugstore."

He's only 60% kidding.

From:

hoasen

She understood, and after he lifts her arm, she twirls under, with simple elegance, all thanks to relaxing the more she dances with him. She can't even conceal her smile after she spins back out and steps in to place her hand on his shoulder.

"I suppose you are right." And she gives his hand a warm squeeze as she steps in time with him. "I feel a lot better now. And I think, it's not related to the music."

Not that hypnotic nature of it, but the company itself.

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The Middle Ages?

[ ??? ]

I... perhaps? It's currently the Dragon Age, where I'm from. [ And so far, it's been a horrible time for everyone involved, basically.

But anyway, putting together context clues: ] I suppose if this Middle Ages of yours included swords and armor and this era here is– well, technologically advanced, your time has what? No swords but this sort of lighting?

From:

yarinaosu

Sure. They can go with that. For science.

"If it'll help." He says it without much humor. While he's not necessarily enthused about the idea, he also doesn't think Henry deserves to be an itchy mess. This is part of that trying to be 'better' kick he's on.

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"Not that I can think of," he says, leaning closer towards her ear as if his next words weren't fit for decent company. "As long as we don't go around eating anyone."

Maybe he means this literally, maybe he doesn't, but he doesn't clarify either way. The music is all he feels right now, swayed by the bodies around him and specifically the one he's pressing in closer to.

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Henry is equally and pleasantly surprised by the company as well, despite the Moon people's overly eager welcome. He didn't expect to make contact with any of the locals or his fellow 'moonblessed' in such a short (and intimate) time, but here he is, dancing. An activity he certainly didn't go out of his way to partake in.

"Oh?" Playing a little dumb, he realizes, but he's not one to bring that much attention to himself. "I'm flattered to have played a part in putting you at ease."

A little bow of his head as the number continues. Part of him wonders how old she is; Her face looks incredibly youthful, and her height doesn't help. He's practically towering over her standing at 5'10".

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[ Dragon Age, Middle Age, at least they seem to be on the right page (rhyming). The look of confusion on the man's face is both amusing and telling at the same time. ]

Lighting, building structure, economical infrastructure— or at least from what I can tell of it so far— but yeah, no swords. At least not regularly. There are some exceptions.

[ Like, a lightsaber. There might be some nerd out there with an actual steel sword. ]

Technological progress here in general seems much more accelerated than anything I've ever seen. Only things I read in comics or seen in movies. I take it comics and movies are also things you're not familiar with?

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In all honesty, he didn't expect the guy to just accept this idea. From what he could gather from their last conversation, he wasn't exactly the most social or friendly. Cordial, he'd say. Not enough to straight up hold his hand, though.

"How pragmatic of you."

And he's gonna just grab that hand. At least he isn't enough of a dick to lace their fingers together. Not unless Shun does anything to encourage his inappropriate behaviour.

From:

hoasen

Likewise, because who dances with strangers so quickly? Other than with a little help. But the enjoyment is genuine. And so she's going to, for once, go with the flow because who better than with Henry? He's reasonable, so she feels like she can rely on him.

Even when he teases. "It's not something I admit to so easily. So I will try my best for you as well!" Normally, she would think, hey now would be a good time to dip someone, right? Except is that how it works? She's small, he's tall, this would require a bit of acrobatics.

But that there is why his line of thought isn't even entirely wrong. Her appearance is youthful, sometimes mistakenly so in that she still gets checked for ID, she's small and delicate as compared to his much larger lean frame. Yet, it still hasn't yet crossed her mind that she may have to say that she's much older than she looks. Actually, that itself might even sound weird.

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Oh. That's a bit more intimate than just dancing, which- She's not sure how to feel about. The blond doesn't give anything away, of course, she's a better actress than that after all this time but... Hm.

He's far more interesting than she initially gave him credit for.

"Or as long as we don't get caught," she answers in a conspiratorial whisper. Too much? Maybe too much. But she smiles all the same in the meanwhile.

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It's true, he's a pretty reasonable dude. While his occupation may be dubious (at best), he's still a normal guy on some level. He connects, he enjoys, and he hasn't felt this way in a while.

Her determination is endearing, and yeah, it does sound like a good time for a dip. Fortunately for Vietnam, he is pretty flexible and will lower himself considerably for a proper one. She's light, and his expertise lie in his acrobatic abilities.

"You're too kind." Though be careful who you let your guards down for, he wants to say. It's such an innocuous gesture, her words, so he doesn't see his warning to be fitting. Too dramatic, perhaps?

His eyelids lower a little, watching her through his dark lashes before pulling her back up into a standing position. His hand remains at her back, continuing to lead for the rest of the languid ballad.

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If they've become exceptions, what's replaced them?

[ He is genuinely curious– it's the whole military background and all. Or maybe there's a bit of a personal interest. Did everyone switch over to something like Varric's unique crossbow? No, that can't be it, too unwieldy for what he's seen around in the short time he's been here.

Unless no one carries weapons at all, which is an odd future indeed. ]

You'll have to forgive me, but no, I've heard of neither. To give you an idea: we've only just recently started installing indoor plumbing for bathing and the like. Mostly it's nobility that can afford it, but it is possible.

From:

yarinaosu

He isn't. But he also isn't so much of an asshole that he'll let Henry suffer an itchy fate. Maybe back home, he might not have cared but... He boarded the Origin to start a new life. He boarded in the hopes that he could be a "better" person than he was on earth. While he's not sure that's actually something he can be, Shun feels compelled to try.

"If it works, it works." As in, that's all this is. "Just because I think it's ridiculous doesn't change that."

Unfortunately, he doesn't really do much but clasp their hands together comfortably. It's not the first time he's held someone's hand, of course, but it was never... Well, it doesn't matter now, does it?

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Just because Henry looks like a bland piece of white bread doesn't mean he doesn't have a few interesting things about him up his sleeve. Most probably wouldn't assume his dark sense of humour, nor would he normally go about indulging others (and in turn, himself) by letting it come forth like this. Especially so early on, having only just met the woman. For all he knew, she could've rejected him over this. People have done so over much less.

Guess the seemingly minuscule risks he takes pay off, even if he doesn't know this for certain right this moment.

"Mischievous lass," he mock chides, tsking softly under his breath with some humor. "Can't say I don't enjoy that."

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[ They'll both learn to find that everyone's version of Earth or home has its differences, including their dependence on weapons and how they've developed in their own history. That's a whole 'nother conversation for another day, he presumes. ]

Guns, probably. Other high-tech gadgets with a bit more stealth to them. You can't go around wielding weapons around in public unless you're already caught up in a fight.

[ But in his world, that could be a lot of people. Momentarily distracted by the fascinating idea of speaking to someone from such a different time period, he only rubs at his wrist. ]

Guess that answers my question then. Learn anything interesting from your set-up?

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Seeing as none of this even seems to phase the man, Henry drops the light teasing and settles in for the long haul. At least until the effects wear off, whenever that may be. He'll give it a healthy ten minutes. The upside of all this is that aside from the relief of the itch, he feels a particularly troublesome comfort from the act.

"Yeah?" It's a vague sort of reply, trailing off as they walk. "A roll with the punches sort of bloke. Can't say I don't admire that quality in a person."

From what he could tell though is that most of the Moonblessed seem surprisingly calm. It's interesting to think that they've all come to terms with their predicament, uprooting their entire life to be stuck here somehow, without as so much as a sighting of a panic. Not that he's complaining, of course. He suspects most people are equipped with that sort of capability, especially since the Prismaticans were very accommodating.

From:

hoasen

Just two normal people dancing here, despite their...backgrounds. It's not like she has a normal one herself, being that she has lived a very, very long time, and never really had time for just more casual pursuits. But look here!

And oh! Well, he's going for it! She bends as he does, an elegant arc that at least shows that despite all her nervousness from dancing, she has control of her flexible body as he does. And it was so smooth that it was actually rather exhilarating.

"My, you move so gracefully." She says mid soft laughs, before she shrugs a little lightly. "Do you think that was me being kind?" Is that a joke? Perhaps it is, because she is kind. And not because she isn't careful. Rather, she is, but that she confidently believes come what may due to what she is.

Her expression softens as their dance slows, pulled close yet again and she keeps in step with him.

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"You haven't seen anything yet," she can't help but say back almost immediately. She isn't sure why, actually. Usually, she's- Okay, well, she's not reserved. Not by any means. Still, it isn't often that she lets herself be so bold with someone she just met.

"But I have to keep some of it to myself to keep people wanting."

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yarinaosu

There's no point in panicking in Shun's opinion. At least, not yet. He has his suspicions, of course, about this whole situation they've found themselves in. He's wary about the festivities coming to such a screeching halt, the only real people who could be responsible or different would be them.

There's no telling how long the Prismals hospitality will last if strange occurrences keep disrupting their lives as a direct result of the Moonblessed's arrivals.

"Kind of have to be," he admits. "Never knew what was going to happen next back home. Seems like that's no different here."

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Not only would he be shocked should any information about her life and origins ever come to light, but he'd mumble something about Travis's Japanese animes and highly consider trying to reach him via ...phone, or something. Just to ask. Just in case. If he could manage it. Cross-canon interactions are Now A Thing, and that's something Henry couldn't possibly keep to himself.

But for now, he is completely (and blissfully) unaware. Pleased by the successful execution of the dip, he raises an eyebrow slightly at her.

"I would hope so," he says, swaying them gently as the song starts to draw to a close. "What would you've called it?"

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Her boldness works in her favor. He likes people with a bit of spunk and mystery all in one interesting and sexy package. Maybe he's also pretty shallow, but can you blame a guy?

"But of course," he agrees with a nod of his head. "Wise words to live by, if I do say so myself."

A girl after his own heart here, honestly.

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Well, she wouldn't call herself sexy but... would be flattered that he seems to think so. Despite her best efforts, she still has that air of mystery about herself that can't be ignored. There's so much behind this happy veneer.

"I'm glad you agree! It's nice to meet people I got stuff in common with here. It'll make settling in easier."

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"Looks like we share that in common. Glad to see we're bonding so well."

He jokes, point-blank, with a pleasant but genuine look on his face. It's definitely meant as a joke, should Shun pick up on it. There's no attempt to mask this particular sense of dry humor.

"Though here's to hoping we don't get jumped with too many unexpected incidents like this. The locals will probably chalk it up to xenophobic hoodoo and try to sacrifice us next."

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