And We Danced (Masquerade Overflow!)

[thespaceopera]

The Captcha is upon us, but the party isn't over! Feel free to continue your threads here, start new ones, and continue the dance party!

- Original Mingle
- OOC Post

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[interstices]

What?

[He's avoiding her gaze, and for once, she isn't trying her absolute hardest to force him to look at her. Just quick, wary glances that leave her feeling like she ought to have something to occupy her hands with, distract herself as she wonders what he's going to tell her. Wonders if she could successfully fake surprise if he admitted what he was. No. He wouldn't tell her something that shattering at a dance, and probably not at all. Shinji keeps everything in until he bursts, while she explodes on a daily basis.]

[She keeps holding onto his hand even as she looks away, though. There's comfort there.]

Go ahead.

[astrobleme]

[Shinji isn't avoiding her gaze so much as he's scanning everyone else. He's looking for people who might be able to overhear them... but the party-goers seem lost in their own glitzy world. His fingers tighten around hers, then.]

We've been here for... three months, by my count. And I still don't know if this Atroma thing is real or just a front for something else. It... [He licks his lips nervously, then turns to face Asuka.] It doesn't matter. Even if they're bad people, I'd be pretty screwed without Atroma. So that's why... these other people, they seem to hate Atroma, so if they... if they try to fight Atroma, I won't be supporting them.

[He has no idea how likely a rebellion is to occur, but he's heard some rumblings off and on. Like distant thunder.]

I want to protect what I have here.

[interstices]

[Asuka's silent for a few seconds, and then she nods slowly. Sure, she's heard everyone else's discontent. She's never been thrilled with being under anyone's unseen thumb, but that's all she's known anyway. At least so far, Atroma's downright harmless in comparison to NERV and SEELE.]

I thought about it a lot to start with. [Her voice is quieter now than usual.] I thought we weren't just getting used for television. But if we are...

[Her thumb traces the back of his hand.]

I'd rather be here anyway. I don't want to go back.

[astrobleme]

[Atroma really is harmless compared to NERV. No one is forcing Shinji to do anything, other than being on this stupid ship and their stupid show. Even if he were alone (god forbid), he'd be a lot better off here than he would be back home. He doesn't have to pilot Eva. He doesn't have to hurt people or watch them die because of him. Here, he's just another face in the crowd, no more important than anyone else. Destiny has never felt farther away.

Now he's looking down at their hands. A smile, a hint of one, sneaks onto his face.]

We should be fine if we try to keep to ourselves. As long as we don't get on Atroma's bad side... [If some sort of mutiny breaks out... well, he doesn't want to think about that right now.

More importantly:]

By the way, that was really scary, what you did. I thought you were going to eat my face off.

[interstices]

[Asuka doesn't think there's a way to get on Atroma's bad side, short of participating in a mutinous conspiracy. If it's really all about the ratings, they've probably done a decent enough job of keeping Atroma satisfied. If not... well, after all these months, Asuka hasn't seen a smidgen of ulterior motives from Atroma yet. She purses her lips, only interrupted in her thought by his comment, one that prompts her to elbow him immediately.]

Oh, shut up! You just can't deal with a little-- [A little what? Passion?] getting rough!

[astrobleme]

[If Atroma does have ulterior motives... Shinji doesn't care what they are, as long as they don't plan on using him to hurt other people. Maybe he also wouldn't like it if they were preparing to cook him and serve him to alien gourmands. But other than that, it's whatever to him. He can keep his head down and stay out of trouble.

Oof. He takes his hand away to rub at the spot she elbowed.]

You're stronger than you look, you know...

[But something about his smile proves that he likes it. He might want some more "roughness."]

[interstices]

You like it.

[It's actually a playful accusation. Mostly. Shinji has to be some kind of masochist to let himself be with h-- be around her, after all. She'd feel sorry for him if he didn't get himself into situations that incite her wrath.]

If you're scared, I won't do it again. [It's a really weak threat, as those go.] But if you can get a little nerve...