May 23rd, 1895 — Adebayo Celestial Ball

I could be alone forever
Or maybe fall in love or whatever
Feeling like it's now or never
I should fall in love or whatever
It might help me to forget her
August was not sure if his invitation was an oversight, an attempt to avoid awkwardness, or because he had eligible friends, but he was certainly feeling strange about being here. It didn't help that his silver-and-gold suit was brighter than the colors he usually favored, or that he kept having an impulse to make sure that Miss Callisto Adebayo saw him having a good time. (Was this normal? He could not decide if this was normal; theirs had just been an imagined future.)

He couldn't dance with debutantes; he could talk to them, though. The other awkward thing currently in his life was his connection to the witness preparation team for the Spaans family — luckily he had not yet been tied publicly to the thing, and August was frankly hoping he could glide through on either 'eh, lawyer' or no one particularly being interested in non-trial lawyers. Still, it was with some amount of trepidation that he nodded at one of the Miss Dempseys as the two reached a line for beverages.

"Go ahead of me, Miss Dempsey," August said, with a small smile. "Although I do ask that you indulge me and let me know which of the Dempseys I find myself in line with."

Lycoris Dempsey Tycho Dodonus

  

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set by Bree

Lycoris was surprised to find herself in close proximity to one of the lawyers involved with the court case over her niece. She could not wholly remember in what capacity but she figured it would do Don Juan only good to get on his good side. And even if it turned out he was not a key lawyer or anything, it cost nothing to be kind to someone.

"Oh, how kind of you," Lycoris said with a smile as she accepted his offer. "Should I be offended that you do not find me memorable enough to pick me out of a crowd of Dempseys?" She was only teasing though she was mildly offended. "I am the youngest of the brood, Lycoris Dempsey. And I believe you are August Echelon-Arnost?"

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Miss Lycoris was teasing him, and August knew he had to accept that gracefully, with a nod and a small smile. "I shall do my best to make up for the offense I've caused, Miss Lycoris Dempsey," August said, his tone jesting even as he actually meant it, because trying to have a positive conversation with her meant that he could not look about for Miss Adebayo.

He would do his best to be charming — he knew that he could be charming when he worked at it, instead of just a bit awkward, even though he was best at it via letter — for the duration of this interaction. It was a shame that he could not try to smooth things over with a dance like other gentlemen sometimes could.

"Especially because you're right — I am August Echelon-Arnost," he added. "Are you enjoying your night so far?"

  

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set by Bree

Lycoris smiled when he did not seem to be put out or offended but rather returned the jest. She knew some men could be particularly sensitive about being teased. She was glad Mister Echelon-Arnost did not seem the sort.

He confirmed who he was and Lycoris had been pleased to be right. Not that she had doubted it, she had a passing knowledge of the lawyers that were involved in the ongoing suit. She wished she could ask him what he thought about all of it and what he would do but she knew she could not.

"I am, thank you. The Adebayo's have really outdone themselves with this affair." And she had heard about his dealings with one of the Adebayo's which made her wonder if he was attending out of some sort of spite or melancholy.

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   August Echelon-Arnost

The Adebayos had outdone themselves; in August's experience, they often did. Maybe that was part of why Miss Adebayo had said no to him — although August really ought to make peace with never quite knowing the answer. He certainly was not going to learn it tonight.

And he really ought to focus on the debutante in front of him, instead of on one who had already turned him down. "This is certainly an excellent way to kick off the season," August said, "I suppose that one of the Adebayos must be interested in astronomy — are you interested in the celestial, Miss Lycoris?" (Merlin, he hoped that he was right that she had older unmarried sisters!)

  

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set by Bree

"I would say I have more of a casual interest though I'd at least be able to tell you a nice amount of which constellations are which," Lycoris admitted. She had taken it at the NEWT level but had spent half the time sleeping. She had gotten an A though so that was something and she knew which constellations could be used to flirt about as well as Astrology. She could hardly tell him that though lest he think her vapid.

"Do you have an interest, Mister Echelon-Arnost?"

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