High Commander Diah's Resistance

*My Bat Winged Hero...

My dizziness calms as I realize I have been part of an arial version of a human purse snatch by my very own Squishy-Bear. I gasp in delighted scandalization as he zips off through the air with a wicked laugh of mischief. "Dev?!" I ask with a breathy tremor as I try to keep upright in his arms and yet not wrap myself around him like a damn squid and end up looking indecent. He just cuts a smarmy smirk at me as he twirls us through the air and away from the other tourney prospects who are trying to keep a respectable distance, while still vying for a good spot to swoop in and get the next dance with me. "You looked as though you needed saving just then... and I mean from maiming that Lagos male." Dev's rumbling laugh has me giggling softly. "You are not wrong Squishy-Bear" I murmur as I let my head drop to his shoulder in exasperation. Dev's head turns into my neck inquiringly as I hear him mouth 'squishy-bear?' into my hair. I smile into his cheek as I move to answer him. "I'm sorry, you and Tav just make me feel like I've found brothers I never knew I lost out on knowing. And a Squishy-Bear, to me is basically a comforting entity, that one can feel safe and warm in their arms." Dev looks at me, a large grin spreading across his face. His arms engulfing me even more securely. "And you feel this about me? That I am your safety? Your brother? And it doesn't matter to you... my history?" His look is both hopeful and disbelieving. "I know I haven't known you long, that I haven't spent really any time at all with you. But something about you just makes me feel safe Dev. I'm not really too worried about the why of it, since you are kin to so many honorable males, and they all trust you so much. I just think it's time you start letting yourself believe in the trust they have in you too. And even more so, in the way they care about you." I give him a squeeze as I say this last part, letting him know how sincere I am.

He draws in a deep breath and we both just exhale at the same time, twirling and hugging through the air. It may have started out as a daring rescue with him keeping me from slapping the smug right off Craytoo's face, but now I think Dev's been he one rescued from his insecurities at last. 'Bout damn time if you ask me and anyone in his family. I imagine they have just been waiting for him to accept that they love him no matter his origins or even that he has no real reason to be ashamed of them since his dad was willing fight for both Dev and his mom. Cheezeums... I could have sworn he had figured this out the night Brix dropped by and I met Dev for the first time. Oh well, better late then never I guess. I pick my head up as the music begins to fade into another song I peek in alarm at the eager expressions and the way tourney guys speed up trying to be the next to get their hands and wings on me. I thunk my head on Dev's shoulder a few times in annoyance. "I may as well get this over with, just pass me off to the one that looks the least arrogant I guess... and just stay close please." I murmur in his ear. He nods to me before considering the trail of males. He glances towards where Tav and Setvella are swirling it up not far away. "I will let Tav know to try to keep the more troublesome looking ones for last as well so that we can try to keep your time with them as short as possible." He says just before pulling a whirl and bob move that has me in the arms of a fairly decent, if forgettable looking prospect seconds later. I am left blinking at the male with a slightly bemused expression as he clasps me to him quickly in surprise.

I wasn't wrong about him being forgettable, I couldn't recall his name to save my life after he told it to me. But our quiet chat during our dance was pleasant enough... I think? Dev was on hand to help me swap partners for song after song as the evening wore on. I caught glimpses of Diah as he kept to the floor and hobnobbed with the Elders and High Elders alike. He looked stiff and formal as ever as he did so, making me wonder what all they were going on about. 'Cause whatever it was? The HC was not happy about it. At my next swap I mentioned it to Dev, who peered down at the expression on his cousins face, which now resembled a lemon bitten one. He let me know he would check things out to see what had Diah in such a state. I expressed my gratitude before being twirled off yet again.

A good twenty guys later I was extremely thankful that only about half of the guys had insisted on dancing on the actual dance floor. If not I would have probably have been suffering some seriously sore little piggy toes. By the last one I was so ready when Dev snagged me out of the guys arms, even though he had tried to be slick and flit towards an open window, like he was gonna keep the party going somewhere else... as if. I made an exaggerated swooning motion in Dev's arms as I declared dramatically "My bat winged hero! Finally the last of them! Now won't you get me the hell down from here?!"

Dev just raised his brow at me and made a dry inquiry as to what a bat was as he brought us gently back to the ground. I had just finished attempting to describe the blind little buggers, when my elbow was clasped by Diah. I turned to him with a startled intake of breath, not quite a gasp fortunately, since that would probably have had him smirking at me like the pain in the ass that he is. As it was his eyes were already glinting with a bit too much amusement at my surprised expression. "Time to return to the dais, the after dancing refreshment fare and drink are to served." He informed me. I felt my brow crinkle as I try to understand this notion. "So like a post dinner appetizer?" I guess aloud.  Diah looks to Dev, who in turn looks to me and says, "The fare and drinks are to replenish energy lost while dancing." I give him a 'duh' look before saying, "I get that, but isn't what we ate at dinner and dessert more than enough to fuel the dancing we did?" I am very confused by their logic with this. It just sounds like an excuse to stuff their faces again to me. Which if I was the one gaining monies off this little event? I'd tell them to knock themselves out.

The guys just shook their heads at me as though I was being silly, then led me back to the table. As soon as I sat down Setvella made Tav switch seats with her and started nattering in my ear about all the guys she saw me cutting an ariel rug with. I just let her yap and would smile and nod to let her know I hadn't fallen asleep with my eyes open. I don't think she's quite grasped the fact that I am not as enchanted with this whole thing as she thinks I should be. Tav keeps things interesting by making silly faces at me over her shoulder.

The 'fare' turns out to be tiny portions of mildly flavored foods. Some savory and some sweet, so snacks basically. And the drinks are pretty much all of the boozy varieties. I raise my brows at the way everyone is indulging, even Diah. This surprises me, as I would have thought he would be too stiff and serious to enough to enjoy a little drinky-drink. Hmm, a tipsy HC? This I gotta see, so I order some kind of sangria-like beverage, and sit back to watch the show. Because Diah is already a little red in the ears and cheeks, and we've only been sipping on our cups for the last ten or so minutes as everyone at the table chats.