May 7th, 1891 - Jewell Rainbow Ball
Noble Greengrass

Daffy knew attending an event the night before her own family was set to host one was probably spreading herself a little thin, but she didn't intend to stay too late this evening and for the most part, enjoying for tomorrow we set up already. Plus Zinnia had really wanted to go and Senna had agreed to come along and Daffy couldn't think of a good excuse not to go when asked. It wasn't like she could flat out say she was avoiding social situations so she wouldn't run into Noble. According to everyone in her life he didn't exist.

She'd found a pretty teal blue dress in her wardrobe she hadn't worn in a while, charmed the fabric to be a little more iridescent and wove a kaleidescope of small colorful blooms into her hair to suit the theme. It was a Rainbow Ball after all and Daffy was nothing if not normally colorful. Normally anyway. She'd lost a little bit of her sparkle as of late, but hopefully it would come back...

So far the evening had been more pleasant than expected. The new cordials the distillery were premiering were quite tasty, but
Daffy knew better than to have too much. She'd run into Mr. Grimstone again, which was a delightful surprise and a good distraction on the evening. He seemed to have recovered nicely from his crash landing in the pumpkin plants, which was all that mattered. They'd parted ways after a few witty comments on the fashion show and Daff had invited him to the garden party the following day. She then found herself looking for her sisters to see if they were ready to head home yet.

Of course it wasn't Senna she found herself face-to-face with, but Noble, as she turned around once more in her efforts to find her sisters. Daff bit her lip to stifle the reflexive smile, softening her look from the surprise that was clear on her features. "Sorry, I was just looking for my sisters." She said by way of an excuse for the two of them not to have to do this right now.

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Noble was kind of buzzed, which meant that he no longer had a drink in hand, and Daff was around, which was a nightmare. He had only seen the edges of her — talking to some ridiculously tall guy — but he'd seen most of her sisters in brief snatched moments, which meant that she was around. And they had the Potts garden thing tomorrow, and Noble hadn't come up with a good excuse to avoid it yet, which meant that he would probably have to go.

Last month he had told Ford that it was terrible seeing her around, even though he hadn't had the experience yet; tonight he did, and he knew it was true. He wanted another drink but was sure he ought not have one. So — it was just this, attempts to avoid her without looking like he was trying to avoid her, and a ballroom that was very slowly changing color.

He had thought he was so aware of her presence that he couldn't possibly be surprised by her, but Noble turned away from a friend to find himself faced directly with her. "Miss Potts," he said, carefully controlling his expression to keep it neutral — no visible frowns, but not his usual smile, either. "I — thought I saw one of them a moment ago."

Merlin, let one of them save him and pop up.

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set by Bee

Daff felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. There was no way she could have prepared herself for this feeling, even though she'd known that running into him at events was highly likely. Not just a month ago coming across one another in a sea of people was like as little life raft to get them to when they could see one another next. Now she felt like she was on an island by herself just watching any hope of rescue float by in the distance.

Daff toyed idly with the bracelet* she'd recovered from his brother earlier in the evening before realizing she was drawing attention to it. Daff hadn't even thought twice about putting it on, even though it brought on another little crack in her heart. Even now it brought a soft, fond sort of smile to her lips as she glanced down at it.

Realizing she was being painfully silent, she finally looked back up at him. "Oh, alright, thank you. I'll —" Daffy had meant to say she'd see him around, and though it was likely true, she didn't think it needed pointing out. "I'll ah, see if I can't find her. It was good to see you Mr. Greengrass." Painful, but alright.

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*I decided it was one he'd given her, for extra awks. XD

  

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Noble's eyes slid down to the bracelet and caught on it. He'd bought it for her a few years ago — before his father had died, and before he'd moved to North Bartonburg — and he felt something tighten in his chest. There was a real, physical sign on her wrist that they had been real — even if only in secret, even if only for a moment — and he didn't know what to do about it.

None of this was easy, but it was certainly easier when he wasn't standing right next to her.

He'd been so busy looking at her bracelet that he didn't hear what she said. "I'm sorry, what was that?" Noble said, looking back up at her face and feeling faintly embarrassed. Maybe the drinks had affected him a little more than he'd thought.

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   Fortitude Greengrass

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set by Bee

Daffy caught his glance at her bracelet and just barely conquered the urge to hide it. Why she'd even thought to was beyond her, but that look on his face and the fact that he apparently hadn't heard what she said, gave her a moment's pause.

She did stop playing with it, instead smoothing out her skirts to give her hands something to do. Perhaps she shouldn't have worn it, maybe she should tuck away all of the things that he'd given her or that reminded her of him. The problem was, she didn't want to forget, she didn't even want it to be over, she still loved him as much today as she had a month or a year ago, but that didn't change the fact that she didn't know where, if anywhere, they were headed anymore.

"I said thank you and that it was good to see you." She kept the soft smile in place. What Daffy wanted to say was that she was sorry, that she didn't mean what she had said, but she couldn't, not here.

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"Oh," Noble said. Usually he was good at small talk with anyone, and — he could not recall ever having been at a loss for words around her before. I'm sorry, I can't tell you, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. He couldn't tell her. Telling her would have ruined everything just as much as not telling her had, and would have put them all in danger besides, but — he regretted it.

His expression was that of a person on the verge of apologizing, but what he said instead was, "It was nice to see you, too. I hope you're enjoying your night." It was true, even if he — definitely hoped she hadn't enjoyed talking to Mr. Grimstone too much.

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set by Bee

Everything that went unspoken between them weighed on her like the gravity of the moon pulling the tides. She could feel the apology on the tip of her tongue, she very nearly said something aloud, but this was not the time or the place. The problem was, would she ever be able to find either again? With out arranging to see one another, which she wasn't so sure he wanted, would she ever get a chance to explain herself?

Daff fiddled with her bracelet again, speaking before thinking, "So far so good, I had a rather enjoyable conversation with your brother earlier." Though she knew who he was, she doubted the recognition went both ways. It had been lovely though, to get to know his family even on a superficial level. The conversation had flowed naturally and he'd very graciously dealt with the bracelet incident. Just thinking about it made her heart ache a little bit and had her kicking herself for prolonging the conversation unintentionally; Noble was, and always had been, easy for her to talk to.

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The following 1 user Likes Daffodil Grimstone's post:1 user Likes Daffodil Grimstone's post
   Noble Greengrass

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The words were startled out of him before he could think better of it: "You met Ford?" He'd lost the apologetic expression and gone to pure surprise — his eyebrows had shot up as soon as she said your brother. Still unthinking, Noble added, "Um. Fortitude." As if Daff didn't know Ford's nickname, as if she didn't know why he was so surprised — it had been years, and other than Clem, Noble didn't think she'd met any of his siblings.

She'd said she'd enjoyed the conversation. Had she liked Ford? Even under the thick layer of his shock, and under everything else in the aftermath of their breakup — Noble sort of hoped Ford and Daff had gotten along.

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   Fortitude Greengrass

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set by Bee

Daffy bit her lip, hesitating on continuing the conversation any longer. What were they doing? They weren't supposed to do this anymore. And yet, she couldn't stop herself. Daff would take whatever moments she could get in his company.

"I— yes. I accidentally threw my bracelet at him." An unintended slip on a spilled drink had sent it flying as she tried to keep here balance. It was on tighter now and it wouldn't happen again, she couldn't stand to lose it. "We had a very nice conversation, he's very sweet." Fortitude had been easy to talk to and graceful with her slip ups.

"Noble look, I—" She really didn't know what to say, stopping herself short of starting a conversation she had no business starting here. "I should go." She cast him one more smile, taking in his handsome face.

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   Noble Greengrass

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Ford and Daff had talked and Daffy liked him, and there was something warm in Noble's chest because of it, except — this wasn't how it was supposed to be at all. He'd told Ford a month ago that it was over — he'd implied that it had been over for a while — and he hadn't even talked to Daff since the night in the workshop in March.

He bit his lip. "Miss P—" Noble sighed. He couldn't call her Miss Potts in public; couldn't call her Daffodil, either. "I'll see you around," Noble said, although he hoped that wasn't true.

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   Elsie Kirke, Fortitude Greengrass

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set by Bee