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xp_logs2004-09-25 09:08 pm
x-foliate.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2004-09-25 09:08 pm
Alison, Paige and riding crops
Backdated; HeliX formal. Alison meets up with Paige during a spare moment. They are witty, dance and create a giant scene. Not always in that order. Plot development? What plot development? Oh! We've developed that Alison is a horrible influence on Paige. Fin.
Paige didn’t know the time and it was driving her mad. She knew that her father’s old, clunky watch did not “go” with this dress, but her wrist felt so limp and helpless without it. She didn’t know if she’d be standing out here for ten minutes or ten seconds. Maybe ten hours; it was starting to feel like ten hours. Angelo had be lost ages ago to the horror that was the punch bowl and it was her job to hold this wall up now. It was a boring, tedious task, but someone had to do it.
"The wall's not gonna fall down, you know?" Alison commented as she leaned on it herself, glancing back to the dance floor as Haroun led Madelyn off for a dance. "And that is one nice dress, I have to say. Hiding out a bit from all the noise and people?" she asked sympathetically.
Blushing almost red enough to match her dress, Paige turned her head, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Thank you. I assure you I didn’t pick it out but it certainly helps with looking the part at least,” she said quietly, unconsciously edging closer to the older woman. This was just not her scene; so many people from such a different world than hers.
Alison didn't mind in the least, recognizing that gesture herself only too well - instead, she took a half-step to close the distance, leaning into Paige's shoulder. "There's a trick to it, see? You just tell yourself, 'This is my party, my gig, my place and they're all here because I let them' and then off you go. Doesn't matter who's there. Or who they are. It's your party anyway." She paused, then grinned. "And when there are people you know, it makes it a whole lot easier to pretend."
“You’re not going to believe it, Lee, but I don’t do this sort of thing very often. The concept of a “gig” is really quite foreign to me. There mere idea...” Paige trailed off, shaking her head. She’d never be able to fake to that kind of confidence in something she wasn’t positive of herself. “But at least a familiar face is nice. I don’t have to pretend to be interested in what kind of champagne they’re serving here for the five millionth time.”
"I believe you," Alison chuckled, slipping her arm through Paige's reassuringly. "I just got numbed to a lot of this as a kid, I guess. Used to do small piano shows for my mother's friends and to impress father's associates and all that jazz." She eyed a passing tray of canapés and winked at Paige. "Those canapés nearly got flambéed earlier when Lorna got stubborn about getting ready for the ball."
Paige smiled at her companion, nodding slightly to her story. That didn’t sound so bad; at least she’d had a reason to be there and piano to retreat to when things got rough. “It’s a wonder Lorna and I aren’t better friends. We seem to be the only sane ones at this entire shindig.” Watching the people in turn, she idly wondered how many footbaths there would be occurring at the mansion alone tonight.
Well, except for the part where her date got punched and she dumped him there to go wander off with her ex without a word, Lorna was fairly sane, yes. Alison wasn't quite about to argue with results, but still - she'd be talking to her roomie in the morning. "Haroun is wonderfully sane," she offered instead, grinning a bit. "Me, I just pretend real good. Got you all fooled. Yep."
“You’d have to do a lot of convincing to get me believing that. He brought you here, didn’t he?” Paige teased, not meaning it one little bit. There was a full pause, in which both of them knew she had more to say but was letting the beat pass. “Teach me to waltz. I’m bored and want to create a little bit of a scene. You can even be the man if you ask really nicely.”
Laughter greeted the request and Alison nodded, pushing off the wall and bowing deeply before Paige before stretching out a hand in invitation. "It's dead easy - just follow my lead and I'll talk you through it." And, she figured, maybe even suggest to Paige that she join the dancing class. Or please nicely just to make sure the girl had one class which wasn't about deep intense studies for a change.
Covering her giggle with curved fingers for a moment, Paige finally took Alison’s hand, allowing herself to be led out. “This is the one that goes one-two-three, isn’t it? That would make sense considering valses are in three-four time,” Paige babbled, the only real indication that even this tiny movement was shaking what little nerve she had. She’d never even considered taking dancing class or Creative Writing and even Gymnastics was brushed aside, even though it had other uses.
"That's right," Alison grinned, leading them towards one of the calmer spots on the dance floor. "it's the only ballroom dance written in three fourths time," she continued conversationally, attempting to distract Paige from her jitters. "Three beats for each measures, with a pause for the fourth - it's usually called the Hesitation." She paused once they reached the right spot and raised her left arm, bringing Paige's hand up with hers, settling Paige's other hand on her shoulder before placing her right hand behind Paige's back, just below the shoulder blade.
“Your very smooth diversion tactic involving giving me as much useless information as my brain can handle is working incredibly well,” Paige remarked, moving into position with little fuss. As long as she was kept busy enough that she was unaware that there were possibly hundreds of people staring at the two of them, she was fine. “Especially considering that I know you’re attempting to distract me.”
A wicked grin was her only response, Alison taking the time to correct Paige's pose slightly. "Now, listen carefully. Because of the way the measure is counted, a waltz combination is usually written in a series of six steps. The one leading starts the first pattern with a left, right, left and the second in reverse." Alison straightened her own back, giving ample clues as to when she'd start moving, exaggerating her own body language enough for Paige to read it clearly. "Now, basically, you mirror what I do, in reverse. I step forward, you step back. And so on and so forth. Basic pattern is a box, so we're not moving far for now. Ready?"
Giggling just a little bit, Paige nodded. It was a nervous giggle, but keeping her eyes on Alison’s was helping. “I’m good at patterns,” she answered steadily, taking a deep breath. “Very good. In fact, it’s why I’m so good at Math, although, I still prefer the sciences. Chemistry in particular; there are less mutants that destroy all it’s set formulas.”
"Well, patterns are all there is to this." And there was, for a beginner. Style could come later, and Alison had no doubt that Paige would push things to that point if she took a taste to this. "You're supposed to look over my shoulder when we start - now, I'm going to be careful to make it obvious what I'm doing, right? Look at my shoulder. You'll get big cues there." Moving carefully, giving her cues with hands and whispered hints now and then, Alison started to lead Paige into the waltz.
“Oh, you put on sparkles,” Paige comments in surprise, looking at Alison’s shoulder obediently. She was clumsy at first, movements halting as if she was afraid to get something wrong, step on her partner’s feet or worse, have her feet stepped on, but after making several careful boxes she finally let the worried crease ease on her forehead and smiled a little. Look at that; she was waltzing. “This isn’t so bad.”
Keeping to the exact same pattern Paige had just succeeded in, Alison grinned. "You're doing fine. And the sparkles are really light. You're only supposed to see them if you're actually looking," she winked at Paige, renewing the pattern again with more smoothness this time. Projecting a little less, although still leading clearly, hands guiding Paige into the right motions with the lightest of pressure.
Paige covered up a snort as best she could; snorting was supposedly not ladylike, who knew? “So. Um... I’m sure we’re supposed to make idle chitchat about now,” Paige said casually, trying to come up with some words before slipping out of her news reporter accent into something a little bit more nasal. “Your dress is stunning, darling. Where ever did you find it? An original, surely.”
Laughing quietly, Alison shifted into a second pattern, very carefully leading Paige through the new steps while giving her an amused look. "Why, I do believe I should be asking you that question, young lady?" she didn't press the issue though, so as to not break Paige's composure. "Shift of pattern here, there you go," she murmured, smiling in approval.
“It was a gift. Really, Lee, I don’t have this much taste,” Paige answered breezily, causing a slight fumble in her steps before she quickly, and surprisingly gracefully, skipped back into step. She could vaguely understand why people did this for fun. Even the pointing and whispering was amusing at this point.
She didn't comment on Paige cutting herself down, instead choosing to keep the pattern before adding an extra flourish, just to hear the whispering pause and intensify. It was fun to mess with people's heads, it was. "I think we're going to end this one with in style," Alison commented idly, a gleam in her eyes. "You game?"
There was a moments of hesitation as Paige weighed her options before her smile spread into a grin. She gave a tiny nod in confirmation. “Alright. Extra points if you get more than ten pictures taken.”
"Oooh, do I win an all paid trip to the Bahamas?" Alison asked with exaggerated giddiness, before snickering cheerfully. The waltz was nearing it's end and with a wink, Alison counted out the last measures under her breath. "Ready now, and here we go!" with a graceful gesture she shifted the hold on Paige, sweeping her into a low dip before pulling her up again, grinning widely.
“That or Canc-“ Paige tried to say, before letting out a little squeak, finding herself dipped back and then upright again in a matter of moments. Her hair flew forward, into her eyes and then fell back, leaving just a glimpse of sparkling, wide eyes. “Well! We need to do that more often!”
Laughing, Alison stepped back and bowed, still playing the part of the gentleman to the end, before leading Paige off the dance floor. "If you want to, we'll be doing waltzes and other types of dances like that in a few weeks, in one of the dancing classes. You can just wander in and join up for those, if you'd like."
Paige smiled; curtsying as well as she could with very little skirt to pull away and allowed herself to be led. “You know I don’t have time, Lee. Between college courses and some home classes I don’t even have time for lunch, never mind dancing. And I hear lunch is pretty important.”
"Please?" Alison clasped Paige's hands to herself, eliciting a few gasps from somewhere nearby. "I miss you horribly and you're always studying! And stuff! Pretty please?" Maybe batting her eyes at the girl was too much, but this was fun.
“Alison!” Paige cried out, feeling particularly giddy and so willing to play along, no matter who was watching. “I told you, I have other commitments. I miss you too, but you can’t keep doing this. I let you know how this would be, stolen moments here and there, when we first started this.”
Alison gave her a stricken look, lower lip trembling, tears suddenly threatening to spill from her eyes. "But... what about all the promises?" She continued sotto-voice, only for Paige's benefit. "The riding lessons, among others. Hubba hubba."
Paige gave her a little smack, curiously close to her rear end to one not totally paying attention. “Fine. Riding lessons. That’s it, though, and I’m bringing the crop. Now, come on. We have a coat room to find,” she said sternly, grabbing Alison’s hand and dragging them off the dance floor with a confident stomp. They made it all the way across the room and around the corner before the two of them collapsed against the wall, giggling.
Paige didn’t know the time and it was driving her mad. She knew that her father’s old, clunky watch did not “go” with this dress, but her wrist felt so limp and helpless without it. She didn’t know if she’d be standing out here for ten minutes or ten seconds. Maybe ten hours; it was starting to feel like ten hours. Angelo had be lost ages ago to the horror that was the punch bowl and it was her job to hold this wall up now. It was a boring, tedious task, but someone had to do it.
"The wall's not gonna fall down, you know?" Alison commented as she leaned on it herself, glancing back to the dance floor as Haroun led Madelyn off for a dance. "And that is one nice dress, I have to say. Hiding out a bit from all the noise and people?" she asked sympathetically.
Blushing almost red enough to match her dress, Paige turned her head, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “Thank you. I assure you I didn’t pick it out but it certainly helps with looking the part at least,” she said quietly, unconsciously edging closer to the older woman. This was just not her scene; so many people from such a different world than hers.
Alison didn't mind in the least, recognizing that gesture herself only too well - instead, she took a half-step to close the distance, leaning into Paige's shoulder. "There's a trick to it, see? You just tell yourself, 'This is my party, my gig, my place and they're all here because I let them' and then off you go. Doesn't matter who's there. Or who they are. It's your party anyway." She paused, then grinned. "And when there are people you know, it makes it a whole lot easier to pretend."
“You’re not going to believe it, Lee, but I don’t do this sort of thing very often. The concept of a “gig” is really quite foreign to me. There mere idea...” Paige trailed off, shaking her head. She’d never be able to fake to that kind of confidence in something she wasn’t positive of herself. “But at least a familiar face is nice. I don’t have to pretend to be interested in what kind of champagne they’re serving here for the five millionth time.”
"I believe you," Alison chuckled, slipping her arm through Paige's reassuringly. "I just got numbed to a lot of this as a kid, I guess. Used to do small piano shows for my mother's friends and to impress father's associates and all that jazz." She eyed a passing tray of canapés and winked at Paige. "Those canapés nearly got flambéed earlier when Lorna got stubborn about getting ready for the ball."
Paige smiled at her companion, nodding slightly to her story. That didn’t sound so bad; at least she’d had a reason to be there and piano to retreat to when things got rough. “It’s a wonder Lorna and I aren’t better friends. We seem to be the only sane ones at this entire shindig.” Watching the people in turn, she idly wondered how many footbaths there would be occurring at the mansion alone tonight.
Well, except for the part where her date got punched and she dumped him there to go wander off with her ex without a word, Lorna was fairly sane, yes. Alison wasn't quite about to argue with results, but still - she'd be talking to her roomie in the morning. "Haroun is wonderfully sane," she offered instead, grinning a bit. "Me, I just pretend real good. Got you all fooled. Yep."
“You’d have to do a lot of convincing to get me believing that. He brought you here, didn’t he?” Paige teased, not meaning it one little bit. There was a full pause, in which both of them knew she had more to say but was letting the beat pass. “Teach me to waltz. I’m bored and want to create a little bit of a scene. You can even be the man if you ask really nicely.”
Laughter greeted the request and Alison nodded, pushing off the wall and bowing deeply before Paige before stretching out a hand in invitation. "It's dead easy - just follow my lead and I'll talk you through it." And, she figured, maybe even suggest to Paige that she join the dancing class. Or please nicely just to make sure the girl had one class which wasn't about deep intense studies for a change.
Covering her giggle with curved fingers for a moment, Paige finally took Alison’s hand, allowing herself to be led out. “This is the one that goes one-two-three, isn’t it? That would make sense considering valses are in three-four time,” Paige babbled, the only real indication that even this tiny movement was shaking what little nerve she had. She’d never even considered taking dancing class or Creative Writing and even Gymnastics was brushed aside, even though it had other uses.
"That's right," Alison grinned, leading them towards one of the calmer spots on the dance floor. "it's the only ballroom dance written in three fourths time," she continued conversationally, attempting to distract Paige from her jitters. "Three beats for each measures, with a pause for the fourth - it's usually called the Hesitation." She paused once they reached the right spot and raised her left arm, bringing Paige's hand up with hers, settling Paige's other hand on her shoulder before placing her right hand behind Paige's back, just below the shoulder blade.
“Your very smooth diversion tactic involving giving me as much useless information as my brain can handle is working incredibly well,” Paige remarked, moving into position with little fuss. As long as she was kept busy enough that she was unaware that there were possibly hundreds of people staring at the two of them, she was fine. “Especially considering that I know you’re attempting to distract me.”
A wicked grin was her only response, Alison taking the time to correct Paige's pose slightly. "Now, listen carefully. Because of the way the measure is counted, a waltz combination is usually written in a series of six steps. The one leading starts the first pattern with a left, right, left and the second in reverse." Alison straightened her own back, giving ample clues as to when she'd start moving, exaggerating her own body language enough for Paige to read it clearly. "Now, basically, you mirror what I do, in reverse. I step forward, you step back. And so on and so forth. Basic pattern is a box, so we're not moving far for now. Ready?"
Giggling just a little bit, Paige nodded. It was a nervous giggle, but keeping her eyes on Alison’s was helping. “I’m good at patterns,” she answered steadily, taking a deep breath. “Very good. In fact, it’s why I’m so good at Math, although, I still prefer the sciences. Chemistry in particular; there are less mutants that destroy all it’s set formulas.”
"Well, patterns are all there is to this." And there was, for a beginner. Style could come later, and Alison had no doubt that Paige would push things to that point if she took a taste to this. "You're supposed to look over my shoulder when we start - now, I'm going to be careful to make it obvious what I'm doing, right? Look at my shoulder. You'll get big cues there." Moving carefully, giving her cues with hands and whispered hints now and then, Alison started to lead Paige into the waltz.
“Oh, you put on sparkles,” Paige comments in surprise, looking at Alison’s shoulder obediently. She was clumsy at first, movements halting as if she was afraid to get something wrong, step on her partner’s feet or worse, have her feet stepped on, but after making several careful boxes she finally let the worried crease ease on her forehead and smiled a little. Look at that; she was waltzing. “This isn’t so bad.”
Keeping to the exact same pattern Paige had just succeeded in, Alison grinned. "You're doing fine. And the sparkles are really light. You're only supposed to see them if you're actually looking," she winked at Paige, renewing the pattern again with more smoothness this time. Projecting a little less, although still leading clearly, hands guiding Paige into the right motions with the lightest of pressure.
Paige covered up a snort as best she could; snorting was supposedly not ladylike, who knew? “So. Um... I’m sure we’re supposed to make idle chitchat about now,” Paige said casually, trying to come up with some words before slipping out of her news reporter accent into something a little bit more nasal. “Your dress is stunning, darling. Where ever did you find it? An original, surely.”
Laughing quietly, Alison shifted into a second pattern, very carefully leading Paige through the new steps while giving her an amused look. "Why, I do believe I should be asking you that question, young lady?" she didn't press the issue though, so as to not break Paige's composure. "Shift of pattern here, there you go," she murmured, smiling in approval.
“It was a gift. Really, Lee, I don’t have this much taste,” Paige answered breezily, causing a slight fumble in her steps before she quickly, and surprisingly gracefully, skipped back into step. She could vaguely understand why people did this for fun. Even the pointing and whispering was amusing at this point.
She didn't comment on Paige cutting herself down, instead choosing to keep the pattern before adding an extra flourish, just to hear the whispering pause and intensify. It was fun to mess with people's heads, it was. "I think we're going to end this one with in style," Alison commented idly, a gleam in her eyes. "You game?"
There was a moments of hesitation as Paige weighed her options before her smile spread into a grin. She gave a tiny nod in confirmation. “Alright. Extra points if you get more than ten pictures taken.”
"Oooh, do I win an all paid trip to the Bahamas?" Alison asked with exaggerated giddiness, before snickering cheerfully. The waltz was nearing it's end and with a wink, Alison counted out the last measures under her breath. "Ready now, and here we go!" with a graceful gesture she shifted the hold on Paige, sweeping her into a low dip before pulling her up again, grinning widely.
“That or Canc-“ Paige tried to say, before letting out a little squeak, finding herself dipped back and then upright again in a matter of moments. Her hair flew forward, into her eyes and then fell back, leaving just a glimpse of sparkling, wide eyes. “Well! We need to do that more often!”
Laughing, Alison stepped back and bowed, still playing the part of the gentleman to the end, before leading Paige off the dance floor. "If you want to, we'll be doing waltzes and other types of dances like that in a few weeks, in one of the dancing classes. You can just wander in and join up for those, if you'd like."
Paige smiled; curtsying as well as she could with very little skirt to pull away and allowed herself to be led. “You know I don’t have time, Lee. Between college courses and some home classes I don’t even have time for lunch, never mind dancing. And I hear lunch is pretty important.”
"Please?" Alison clasped Paige's hands to herself, eliciting a few gasps from somewhere nearby. "I miss you horribly and you're always studying! And stuff! Pretty please?" Maybe batting her eyes at the girl was too much, but this was fun.
“Alison!” Paige cried out, feeling particularly giddy and so willing to play along, no matter who was watching. “I told you, I have other commitments. I miss you too, but you can’t keep doing this. I let you know how this would be, stolen moments here and there, when we first started this.”
Alison gave her a stricken look, lower lip trembling, tears suddenly threatening to spill from her eyes. "But... what about all the promises?" She continued sotto-voice, only for Paige's benefit. "The riding lessons, among others. Hubba hubba."
Paige gave her a little smack, curiously close to her rear end to one not totally paying attention. “Fine. Riding lessons. That’s it, though, and I’m bringing the crop. Now, come on. We have a coat room to find,” she said sternly, grabbing Alison’s hand and dragging them off the dance floor with a confident stomp. They made it all the way across the room and around the corner before the two of them collapsed against the wall, giggling.
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(She secretly enjoys dancing. A little bit. JUST A LITTLE!)
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Excellent log!
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Though I say it was always there just waiting to come out. >:D
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Betcha it was all an act.
(Alison: Betcha I can still make her blush. >:D)
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(Me: Oh, I don't doubt it. Ignore the icon, I just really like it.)
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