[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she's distracted, absorbed in the rhythm. it's not what she's used to, sure, but by the second or third song she's becoming more comfortable with how to move to match the beat. and by then, a few girls had even taken the time to pull her into their circle, bumping hips with her with bright grins and easy laughter. she's out of her element, painfully so, but the alcohol has long since settled enough to loosen up her nerves and provide a good time regardless.

and by the time fernando drifts onto the floor, she's drifted back to the center of the crowd. moving alone in a sea of bodies, halfway between drunk and blissful, possessing moves that she probably wouldn't even attempt outside of the comfort of her own room. it's a weird sight, really. illeana reyes is many things but she almost looks like a different person in this light, in this crowd, in this movement.

a gasp escapes when he pulls her in and she's stunned for a moment, not expecting him to show let alone place hands on her hips and move to the beat. she follows for a few moments, mimicking because her mind hasn't caught up to her body yet. it does once he whispers in her ear, once she hears the words he murmurs. "perhaps," she offers before turning and twirling out of his grasp. an alcohol tinged grin lingers on her lips and she finds herself shouting over the music to be heard. "i don't know what i expected, honestly, but this is fun!" she never stops moving, however, almost as if the music has control over her now. and really, she's always been a puppet, a girl on strings but this is different somehow. there's no one making her dance, only her own control and it's a feeling she can only describe as incredible.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]it's odd but she's grateful for his presence, for the sense of comfort it brings. even if it's laced with intentions she can't see and wouldn't understand, it's enough to allow her to loosen up further. it's easy to move to the beat but to feel secure and comfortable? that's difficult for her, even with alcohol clouding her mind and judgement. and perhaps that's why she reaches for his hand, to stay close when the crowd shifts closer. a reaction to bodies pressing against her own, a need to keep an anchor as if she'll drift away otherwise.

"you mean it gets better?" an amused laugh escapes at the thought. she shifts a little closer, an elbow the cause of her movements. and yet, her body keeps moving despite those around her. it's difficult to stop once she starts, it seems. and really, if they're gonna be here in the center of the dance floor, they might as well move it until they lose it or something.

she leans in to be heard over the music, grin never faltering. it almost looks mischievous but the flashes of multicolored light make it difficult to tell. "are you enjoying yourself?" and then, as if the thought of more alcohol might help the experience become better, she raises an eyebrow. "would you like me to buy the next round?"

realistically, she probably shouldn't have another drink but she doesn't do things halfheartedly. it's always one extreme or the other, never falling within a neutral area. this is no different, it seems.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]the crowd forces them back together, as if there shouldn't have been distance in the first place. and when he laughs, she looks slightly confused. "why's that?" doesn't everyone come here to have a good time? or is it more an act of escapism? she's not sure what he thought when he initially came here but from her point of view, he seems to be enjoying himself and that's enough to make her brighten.

he agrees and she's quick to reach for his hand, to gently tug with a laugh. "come on!" it had been easier to get into the crowd than it is to escape, that much is now known to her. she has to weave through moving bodies to get back to the bar. and if someone brushes against her or tries to stop her, she doesn't notice. a woman on a mission and that mission happens to be more drinks.

only when they're out of the crowd does her hand leave his. it seems the bar is a little clearer, enough for them to get drinks with an appreciated quickness. and despite not being on the floor anymore, her body still moves slightly to the music. almost swaying, almost wiggling, it's hard to tell.

what isn't hard to tell? she definitely doesn't need this next drink.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]it's probably a good idea to slow down, to drink water, to not get this next drink. and yet, she has yet to understand the concept. realistically, she'll sip hers instead of downing it all in one go. pacing herself, sort of. and eventually, she'll merely just sweat some of it out on the dance floor. but it's going too far that might do her in.

his hand finds her cheek and she turns at the contact, letting out a soft laugh.

"i think so," she replies. drunk enough to have a good time but when does that shift into a point of no return? hopefully never but one drink can start the descent into a mess she doesn't want to be. "this should probably be my last drink." tolerance is something she doesn't quite possess. inexperience bleeds through most of the things she does and this happens to be no different. while she's not necessarily a stranger to drinking, it's the strength of the drinks that always seems to throw her for a loop.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]"i'll try not to," she murmurs. there's hesitation in her, rising as his hand falls to cup her chin. it increases the longer he stares, the longer she watches a smirk curl at his lips. and really, alarms sound at the touch but alcohol dulls them into muffled sounds. she doesn't pull away just yet, instead offering a confused look.

"yeah?" it comes out squeaky, almost nervous. her drunk state doesn't erase her anxiety or the sudden notion that she's in over her head. in fact, it almost increases in this moment and she's glancing away, unable to hold eye contact anymore.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]staring and staring and staring gets her nowhere. she's confused, drunk, and uncertain of what's about to happen. and naturally, when that happens, she blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. the distance between them, his hand at her chin, the drinks? it all leads to one sentence being whispered out, almost rushed and half drowned out by music. "i have a boyfriend."

his hand falls from her chin, a laugh escapes, and she's still caught like a deerling in headlights. thoughts race and her mind reels and she lets out a giggle that sounds a little to breathless and a little too awkward.

"right, don't get carried away," she murmurs. by then, their drinks have arrived and she's already reaching for hers as if she can use it as a lifeline for whatever is going on. his eyes don't leave her but she can't look at him just yet, not with this. and even with perhaps too much alcohol in her system, she ends up reverting back to her usual self: meek and nervous.

FERNANDO SILPH
dance the night away prompt.

[attr="class","illeana"]

[attr="class","illeana b"]

[attr="class","illeana i"]she doesn't realize it's a lie, doesn't even consider the possibility that he'd be nothing short of truthful with her. and naturally, she falls for it with a flushed face and an odd feeling. it's difficult to place and she doesn't bother, filing it into a folder tagged as drunken idiocy.

"it's okay," she murmurs softly. her smile takes a moment but eventually it returns, fuzzy and melting into her cheeks. it falters a moment later, confusion beginning to rise. her head tilts slightly to the left to follow the concept he brings but she can't understand it. not fully, anyway. he mixes something like a compliment and a condescending tone into one and it throws her off. naturally, she questions it. "not ready to handle what yet?"

the drink distracts her from laughter and she's using it as a crutch. except, it's gone perhaps too quickly and there's nothing but an empty glass for her to hold onto. and eventually, she relents her grip on it and sets it back onto the counter. by then, he's delivering truth that's a little hard to swallow and she glances down, eyes seeking the floor.

"it can be, yes," she murmurs. threats are very real, very concrete, and they never seem to fully fade away. the concept had, truthfully, not been on her mind until he brought it up. perhaps it's because she's not technically alone right now, still considered prey but not in the way she would think.

her smile widens slightly, eyes drifting back up to find his. "i will," she confirms. and then, without hesitation, she adds a little further. "like you! i trust you." it's perhaps too enthusiastic but she's wobbly and an open book becomes a little too open.

FERNANDO SILPH