A Dance and Relationship troubles

It was rare for Yama to attend social events of this magnitude, hell, any size, and one could expect the standoffish tailor to skip out on it entirely. Still, he was here, even if the man had taken respite against a wall in the grand venue. It was obvious by his posture that Yama was trying to avoid standing out too much, attempting to be obscured.

To keep his hands busy, Yama swirled the champagne in his flute, a pensive expression on his face as he pressed the glass against his lips. While his goal was to remain a little more incognito, Yama was easily recognized, even if it was just the back of his head. It was to be expected when you had two-toned hair split a specific way.

These events were always so...energetic. Yama felt so out of place, and the thought did cross his mind in regards to mingling with others. The tailor could have sworn he’d recognize a face or two in the crowd, and while it was tempting to approach them, Yama didn’t even know how to start a conversation. So, here he’d stand, looking as intimidating as ever.

Lucien wandered through the gala and looked around at the well-dressed people, taking in the lively atmosphere of the event. His butterfly-themed dress was stunning and highlighted his curves, earning him admiring glances from the guests. The fabric sparkled in the dim light, showcasing his talent as a designer.

Suddenly, he spotted a man standing against a wall. The man was striking, even among the gala's rich and opulent surroundings. Lucien's eyes lingered on him, and he decided to approach him for some delightful company.

Lucien approached the man gracefully, with a playful smile. "Well, well, what do we have here?" he said softly. "You seem a bit out of place, mon cheri. Do you need help navigating the social interaction waters?"

With a playful twirl of his champagne, Lucien leaned in closer. "I must say, you stand out, even when you're not trying," he said, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Yama’s ears twitch as Lucien speaks to him, slowly lowering his glass from his lips to spare the fashion designer a glance.   “Lucien.” Yama greets as the other approaches.  It was true,  it was hard to hide with his hair, standing out like a sore thumb.  Other instances it was also Yama’s fashion choices that would normally draw attention to him as well, the pearls on his fishnets catching light.  For the Gala however he went with the classic black and white, one might confuse him with one of the butlers had it not been for the butterfly pattern on his tailcoat instead.  

The bun debates his next works, twirling the stem of his glass between his fingers before he sighs out, “Extravagant wears as always.” Yama could appreciate Lucien’s fashion sense, the two were in similar fields after all.  “As for your offer, no, I don’t think so.”  His voice was gruff, Yama casting a  glance to the crowd as he spoke, the man was avoidant. 

Lucien's voice dripped with confidence as he took a sip of his champagne. "Extravagance and style are my middle names, darling," he said with a playful smile. His eyes scanned the room, sizing up the competition. "But you're no shrinking violet either," he added, nodding towards Yama.

"So you are sure, mon cheri? This crowd can be rather intimidating, even for the most social butterfly," he continued, tilting his head a bit. "Not to mention, there is the issue of the dance floor," he teased, gesturing to the dancing couples

Lucien didn’t skip a beat to lean over with a hum, resting his hand on Yama's shoulder. "It is not a requirement, but if you wish, I can accompany you," he offered, flashing the man a charming smile. "We can dance, or you can simply follow me around until you find a friend to talk to."

With the obvious compliment given to Yama, the tailor lets out a scoff, setting the glass of champagne aside on the table as if to busy himself, providing himself a distraction from having to give a proper reply. He was never good at accepting compliments, finding the words to accept them hard to come by. So, instead, as always, the bun looks more annoyed than anything else, even if the truth was that he just felt flustered.

His attention isn’t off Lucien for long, being drawn back as a hand is placed on his shoulder. A dance, right. There were many couples dancing even now, and Yama had finished his dance with his date not too long ago. “You make me sound more like a puppy than anything else,” Yama sighs, shoulders dropping as he does. Honestly, it may be the truth that Yama didn’t have many friends, but he wasn’t going to tag along with Lucien until he ‘found someone to talk to’; he had someone to talk to if he really needed to—said person just currently needed some space is all.

Still, perhaps a distraction would be good for his worrying mind; it was just a dance after all. “If you don’t mind my lackluster footwork, then yes. I can accompany you on the dance floor.” With their agreement, Yama pulls away a bit from Lucien so that he may instead extend a hand out for the other to take so Yama could lead them to the dance floor. He was always the type to take the lead.

"I don't mind, my dear, I am a fantastic teacher," Lucien replied. He smiled, taking the other's hand and leading him to the dance floor. "Besides, it will be fun." He took the position and smiled at Yama, putting his hands where they were supposed to go.

"I have to admit, it's quite exciting, dancing with such an interesting man," Lucien said, smiling up at the other. "A very handsome one, at that."

‘An interesting man’ Lucien says, adding on how handsome Yama is.  Yama can’t help the blush that creeps on his cheeks, ugh he was so awkward with compliments, Lucien knew this so Yama felt the other was just teasing him.  “Interesting?” Yama echoes back in the form of a scoff, eyes rolling as he doesn’t seem to believe Lucien’s words.  

“Save the flattery, Lucien, I doubt there is anything I can provide you with right now.” The tailor tuts, his grip on Lucien’s waist tightening as the pair did a small spin, following the queues of the other dancers.  Yama was always one to be rather brash, but his red face and trembling hands always gave away how flustered he would get.  Yet, he seemed to be a bit more harsher than his other encounters, something was troubling him.  There is the temptation to ask Lucien for advice, but oh...Yama was never the type to reach out on his own, the words had to be pulled from him.

Lucien chuckled and stuck out his tongue slightly as a tease. "Oh, you can always provide me with something, mon cheri. Even if you refuse to flatter yourself, I will still flatter you," he said, smirking.
The designer moved with ease, guiding his partner in the steps of the waltz. He watched Yama intently, seeing the blush on the bun's face and noticing the slight tremble in his hands. Lucien was quite observant and had picked up on Yama's body language, even in the few times they'd met. Something was definitely bothering him, though he'd let Yama speak up first.

"If there is something on your mind, please don't hesitate to tell me, darling," Lucien finally said, giving a small smile. “ My charm makes one flustered but not to this length, there is something else bothering you."
An eyebrow quirked up is granted to Lucien in reply; if Lucien was alluding to something to give, it was lost on the tailor. He couldn’t provide any service without his tools, so anything he could ‘provide’ was a mystery to Yama. The tailor had felt that compliments should be earned; he thought nothing of his appearance, taking most pride in his craftsmanship. Lucien was stubborn, or perhaps just kind. Yama knew if he tried to get Lucien to stop paying him compliments, he’d get nowhere; after all, what bunny is really going to sit and argue about receiving compliments? Perhaps Yama was the oddball here.

Perceptive Lucien was, and Yama was easy to read, even if the expression he wore looked pissed off, his body language was always more clear. “It’s complicated,” Yama grunts, for now allowing Lucien to lead the duo in their dance; it was easier to focus on his thoughts this way. Surely Lucien could provide good insight. “I came here with someone. We used to date.” One of the only people Yama had ever been in an official relationship with. “And things soured during our dance. Old emotions welling up. I suppose I’m just having trouble figuring out how to handle the situation. I do still care about them. I’m just not cut out for monogamous relationships.” Yama sighs, his movements slowing as the song comes to an end.

"Monogamy isn't for everyone," Lucien replied. "Some are polyamorous, some aren't. That doesn't mean you can't care about a person and still not be compatible for a relationship. As long as both parties understand and are comfortable, then it can work." He gave a reassuring smile, taking his hands back once the song ended.

"If they still hold feelings for you, mon cheri, then I suggest a heart-to-heart. If not, then perhaps the two of you can remain friends," he continued, placing a gentle hand on the man's arm. “ Alas, darling I’m no expert with the complexity of love. I find the concept, what you would say, a waste of time. Love is like a game, it only gets dull when the rules become boring. However, if you find that rules are no longer working, then change them.”

He chuckled and leaned up, kissing Yama's cheek. "That's all the advice I can offer you, my dear. Do whatever your heart tells you."

Listening to one's heart was always easier said than done, wasn’t it? Sometimes one’s heart was stubborn, refusing to listen to any logic.  Yama briefly thought if he even fully understood his own wants, but that was something to mull over another time, not at a masquerade. With the dance over, Yama’s posture shifted to an upright position, standing at attention as he took in Lucien’s words.  

A heart-to-heart.  That’s really all that could be done in regards to the situation, it was never easy, being in a vulnerable position like that but sometimes it was necessary.  Of course, as Lucien goes on to talk about his own views of love, it does earn a laugh from Yama.  Yes, some did see it that way, didn’t they?  To each their own, it was not Yama’s place to scrutinize someone else’s ideals. 

“Mm...” a noise of acknowledgement from the tailor, signaling he had at least heard Lucien’s words, it was something to mull over. “Right.  Well, thank you for the dance Lucien, I should get back to my date.” Yama sighs, pulling away from the other bun and offering a small bow before his departure.  Hopefully said date hasn’t drunk himself into a stupor during their time apart.