notfaking_it

Entry tags:

gathering

May 4

When their roles are posted, Lily smiles knowingly at Nina across the small crowd of mostly disappointed dancers, then crosses over to her and tells her they're going to have a party to celebrate. She tells Nina to invite whoever she wants, says she'll host it, it'll happen this weekend, then she disappears to make plans. She leaves Nina without time to protest on purpose.

On the night of the party, she has drinks and food set out in her kitchen. She's invited most of the people she knows and even a few she doesn't -- dancers, mostly, because she doesn't want to leave them out -- and there's already music playing even before anyone has arrived. The intention is to be casual, relaxed, but there are pills in Lily's pocket, for anyone who knows her well enough to ask, for anyone she thinks might need to relax a little.

Nina's doing better now, but Lily has no problem helping her come out of her shell if it comes to that. And she has no problem helping anyone else either.

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This isn't, in any shape, way or form, his kind of shindig, but Lily, one of the first people he'd met here, had a demanding kind of way about her. That, and he couldn't figure out a way to respond to the message she'd sent him on his phone to give an excuse. He at least pretends to be a gentleman most of the time, at least with women, so leaving one of those messages just didn't seem... proper.

So now, he's here, standing in the back with a drink in his hand. He doesn't know the music, only barely recognizes most of the food, and he doesn't know a damn person other than the hostess. Why did he think this is a good idea again?

Lily has invited plenty of people to the party with the expectation that many of them won't come. She knows that not everyone's schedule will work or that some people just prefer not to attend certain parties and she's fine with that. But of all the people she invited, she's most surprised to see Booker.

"To be honest, I wasn't sure you'd figure out my message," she says when she arrives at his elbow, a drink in her hand. She's teasing, but only partly. "I'm glad you were able to come."

"Saw the message, couldn't figure out how to respond to it." The technology of this place is impressive but a pain in the ass. Still, maybe tonight won't be a total loss. Isn't his crowd, but the alcohol's free.

"Besides, I try not to disappoint pretty ladies. I hear congratulations are in order?"

"I'll show you how to use the phone sometime," she offers, though not tonight, not in the middle of the party. Another time, if he doesn't figure out how to use it between now and then, which he very well might.

"Congratulations for me doing my job?" she asks, but she's teasing. "No, thank you, it's a good role to have. I've danced it before, but never with a female counterpart, so the change will be interesting."

Edited 2013-05-03 18:26 (UTC)

"Well, I don't know anything about dancing, at least the pretty, artsy kind, but I'm sure you'll do great." After all, the dancers he knows tend not to be the fancy kind. More cash transactions, fewer clothes. Although here, in this place, it was a lot fewer clothes than he was used to.

"When's the show, I'll make sure I'm sober."

"Really?" Lily asks, arching an eyebrow, surprised by the offer. "Mid-June, but I can let you know the times and dates closer to the opening. I'll even give you a comp ticket so you can come for free, just in case you hate it." She loves the ballet, loves dancing more than anything, loves watching almost as much, but she knows it isn't for everyone.

"You know what, if you can make that two tickets, I bet Elizabeth'll like it, even if I hate it." And that right there would be worth any boredom he might have. The kid deserves some time on the town, safe, supervised time on the town. She's picking up a lot, but he knows she's never lived in any city, especially not one like this.

"She likes dancing."

"I can do that," Lily says, lighting up in a smile again. "So you found your Elizabeth, then?" She didn't have a hand in it at all, but she's glad to hear it all the same. He'd seemed so concerned about her that first day and it's nice to know that at least one thing has gone right for him since his arrival.

"She showed up here a few days ago." And as much as he hates that she's trapped in this new cage, he's glad he's at least here to keep an eye on her. Kid never gets a break and for the first time in a long time he feels something like... affection for her. He wants to protect her. Needs to. She's still somebody's daughter if not Comstock's.

Damn, why does his head hurt all of a sudden?

Rubbing his temple, he still manages to smile, "She's getting used to the place."

"That's good to hear," she says, and she means it. Darrow can be an adjustment for most people, but she can't imagine what it's like for someone from a completely different time and although she doesn't know Elizabeth at all, she can tell Booker cares for her. "I'll have to meet her sometime."

Though she has to wonder if Booker would appreciate her influence.

"I think she'll like having people to meet." Not that he isn't going to keep an eye on it. He wants to make sure she's making the right friends and not getting in trouble.

"She had a... let's just call it a sheltered childhood."

"All the more reason for her to have a friend who might be a little less... sheltered," she answers, one corner of her mouth lifting into a smile. She's far from sheltered herself, having been on her own since she was seventeen, pushing herself into the world of dancing at any cost. "Especially with some of the people out on these streets, pointing guns at people just trying to help them," she teases.

"Hey, now, I was having a very bad day. And I didn't shoot you, did I?" He's teasing, a smile on his face. He knew she wasn't holding it against him, but he could poke some fun if he wants to. She seems to be a nice gal, even if she was forward.

"I need to make it up to you?"

Not even a week ago, she might have made a suggestive comment or asked him to take her out for a drink, but she finds herself unable to do so now and she knows it's because Delta's here, standing not far away. She doesn't dwell on that for long.

"You came to my party," she says, smiling a little. "If my very sweet friend Nina comes over to talk to you and you're nice to her, I'll consider us even."

"Nina, hm? I'll have to keep an eye out." While he enjoys his nice drink. Sure are a bewildering amount of them at this party, he's never seen so many kinds. But then he's always been just a beer and whisky man himself, so he's not an expert on the fancier things.

"Anything I need to know about her?"

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While still sober, she hadn't taken Lily's suggestion to go and talk to him very seriously. Now, less than sober, she slipped her way through the crowd, with a focused confidence that only seemed to come at times like these.

"Hi, I'm Nina. Lily's friend," she said, one small hand resting on his arm.

"Well, then, hello Nina Lily's Friend. I'm Booker." He feels warm, the alcohol's finally kicking in, which is good. Maybe not too good, he'll ahve to watch how much he drinks tonight in case Elizabeth's still up when he gets back. Or maybe she'll be down at her place.

Doesn't like the fact that she's all alone down there, but he hasn't figured out a way to get her to move in with him without her throwing another book at him.

"She told me," Nina said, and she was high as a kite, but not quite so far gone that she immediately plastered herself to him.

That would probably come a little later.

"You're really new, right? Just a couple weeks?"

"Yeah, I'm still trying to figure a few things out. This place is... very different from home. You been here long?" He's feeling a little awkward, despite the warmth of the alcohol in his belly. He's not what you'd call a sociable man, but he'd made a promise of sorts. Be nice to Nina and this is apparently Nina.

"Five months, I think? Not as long as Lily," she said, which was strange. In New York, Lily had been the new dancer in the company, and on the island, she'd followed Nina after a few weeks.

This time, Nina was the new kid.

"What's your home like?" Without the aid of alcohol and that little pill she'd been given, there was no way she would've been asking so many questions.

"Well, the calendars all read 1912, horses are still more popular than those cars everyone's fond of, and I hear the west is pretty wild still." At least that's what they call it in the books he's flipped through. He's not really the learning type, but he picked up a couple books here and there. Just to get the highlights of the last century.

Crazy things happening.

"I'm from New York City."

"Me too! But... eighty... eighty-six, no... eighty-eight years after you?" she said, frowning at how difficult it had been to do the math.

The pill was definitely working.

"You don't see horses in the city very often, anymore." Mounted cops, sometimes, and those carriages people hired because they thought they were romantic.

"And the city's a much cleaner place for it if you ask me. I kinda like these cars you all get around in." She's standing pretty close to him, close enough that he's noticing. Women in this world, damn, he's never going to figure them out.

"You having a good time tonight, Miss Nina?"

"I've never driven one. Ridden in them, but I don't know..." she trailed off, turning to watch as Lily disappeared down the hall with someone tall and well-dressed.

"I--" she blinked, smiling up at him when she remembered she'd been asked a question. "Yeah, I am. It's... parties are really more Lily's thing, but... it's nice."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it, even if it's not... your thing." It's an odd turn of phrase, but one he's heard before. Language has change a bit, but not so much that he can't usually follow along and nod like he gets it.

"What is more your thing, if you don't mind my asking?"

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