Log: Dani & Forge

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Forge and Dani hang out for a bit at the Winterland Ball, enjoying themselves and catching up with their workaholic selves. And they dance later ;)



Forge gave Crystal the slightest of nods as he walked into the ballroom. Seeing Medusa and Blackagar together, he smiled wider and gave her a thumbs-up. He'd known for a week or so about her plans to invite the Crown Prince to visit as a surprise for her sister, and had been rather proud that he hadn't slipped up and mentioned it during his conversation with Medusa.

Well, it seemed that the elder Amaquelin wouldn't be needing that dance after all, he reasoned, which took a large load off his mind. The last time he'd tried dancing with someone her height, Catseye had nearly dislocated both his shoulders.

Catseye's dancing had been a bit...erratic at best, similar to the traditional Cheyenne dances with her natural catlike grace and enthusiasm, but lacking in form or structure. Not that traditional Cheyenne dances were on the agenda for tonight. Punch in hand, Dani made her way to Forge her usual dance-companion absent and Marie off somewhere else.

Glancing away from the dancers, Forge noticed Dani walking over with a glass of punch and gave a small nod. "Chaperoning or participating?" he asked, hands in his pockets as he leaned against the wall.

"Yes," Dani agreed, handing him a cup of punch. "I can't participate and chaperone?" she teased, trying to avoid ruffling his hair. It looked better a little messy in her opinion.

"Just asking. Thanks," Forge said, taking a sip of the punch carefully. He'd heard about the old standard "spiking the punch" tradition that someone inevitably tried at school dances. Not that he'd ever been to one before Xavier's, and there was a distinct lack of delinquents among the student body - Jennie and Marius notwithstanding.

He finally noticed Dani's dress and gave an approving nod. "You look nice." And she did, bearing almost no resemblance to the tottering pregnant woman he'd been accustomed to when they first met.

Dani smiled, pleased he had noticed. After two years at the school it seemed that Lorna's attempts at teaching her to dress more fashionably were finally beginning to pay off. At least she didn't wobble in her heels anymore. "Marie did my makeup," she confessed, warpaint she understood, makeup had subtle nuances that evaded her, "But I braved the malls alone and picked out the dress." For her, an accomplishment.

Forge looked down at his suit, the one he'd bought for Moira and Nathan's wedding. Originally it had needed altering for the sling he sported at the time, but now with both arms mobile and about two inches of height over the year or so since, he'd filled out enough to wear the bespoke outfit well.

"One of the benefits of being a guy," he admitted with a smile, "we can have one outfit for pretty much every occasion. As much as I am not fond of the tuxedo as a concept, it does tend to be quite utilitarian."

"You look very dashing," she told him. And he did. He looked older too. "Shouldn't you have a date from school or something? I bet all the girls in your classes are after you."

"I don't date," Forge replied flatly. "Not that I'm opposed to the concept, I just don't want the extra responsibility right now." He flashed back on his conversation with Scott, about priorities and being overworked. "I mean, I'm not ruling it out in the future, but for the time being I have my studies, and my research, and work, and my friends here. If I were going to be dating, it'd have to be casual, with someone who knows I'm not looking for any kind of relationship or long-term plans at the moment." He shrugged, giving a small laugh. "Of course, you try and actually say that to a girl these days, and
they translate it as 'one-night stand', which isn't me either. So I just don't concern myself with it."

Dani raised an eyebrow. He didn't quite look like Forge, but he still sounded like Forge. "You could just be friends with someone? Or several someones?" she suggested, finishing her punch. She was more prone to the one night stands herself, not that she was seeing anyone socially at the moment either. Her taste in men left something to be desired.

Forge raised an eyebrow. "I'm friends with lots of people. Just nobody dateable. It's okay, I like how things are. It's easier and I don't want to throw things across the room on a regular basis." He finished off his cup of punch and looked out across the floor. "They're all enjoying themselves. After all that's happened this year for some of them, I wondered if they'd ever have a moment like this, you know?"

"They're strong warriors," Dani replied matter-of-factly, gazing around at the comfortably full ballroom. She knew most of their nightmares intimately, and they had more than earned their happiness, if only for one evening, "And we will only get stronger, Hahkota," she raised one hand to stop his impending protests over the nickname, "We are strong, because we stand together. As a tribe."

Two years it'd taken, Forge thought, but she finally got it.

"We will," he said with a smile. He opened his mouth to go on, but then saw someone across the ballroom that he suddenly realized he needed to talk to, and now was probably the best opportunity. "And you know what, you're right. Maybe I do need to look at things a little differently. Thanks, Dani." He reached out to pat her on the shoulder and give a gentle squeeze. "Dance later?"

"Anytime, Hahkota," she said, smiling fondly. It took him two years, but he was finally beginning to get it.