A Wild Venus Appears!

"Only about a gajillion times." Shin replied with a chuckle. A gajillion. Yup. That was a number he could count in his head. Somewhere beyond pi.

"And as for your dress." He turned the conversation back on her. And shared good emotions. "Words cannot describe."

Try 'hot'. Someone almost eyerolled as he overheard their not-so-dramatic entrance.

"So, what kind of stuff will there be here, again? I haven't done many new years eve parties like this." Such a shame he hadn't mastered shard armor yet. That would have been quite the show.

Kealey grinned in Shin’s general direction. He approved of the dress. Granted, she’d known that the second she put the thing on, but confirmation was still nice. As she slipped from her jacket, Kealey grinned more. Shin wasn’t the only one who approved, and while she wasn’t seeking out the appreciation...again, confirmation of a good choice never hurt a girl’s ego.

”Words might not...but emotions do a pretty good job.” The blond murmured, almost to herself.

As to Shin’s second question. When they were fully inside, and looking at the people milling around on the multiple floors, Kealey shrugged her shoulders, glad that it was warm enough inside she didn’t regret her lack of shawl.

”Dancing. Mingling. Champagne and confetti at midnight I would assume.” around she glanced, eyes falling on one old colleague after another.

”I simply have to introduce you to the lady who works in the romance novels...she looks like she walked straight off the pages.” she said, eyes scanning, ”It’s unca....”

Kealey stopped talking and leaned forward, squinting as her eyes fell on an almost humorously large figure making his way into the building. Was it? Could it be? Surely, dressed like that...

”Venus?!” she half-shouted, with a little wave in his direction. It had been ages.

Venus continued up the stairs a dangerous smile that if any of his brothers wore it might promise violence but he was different kind of beast altogether, the smile he wore promised something dissimilar entirely. There was something about a woman calling his name, a mix of excitement and curiosity that set his blood to warming. Perhaps this night would be more interesting then he thought.

Speaking of emotional appreciation, the compliment his feelings delivered might have bordered on obscene. The way the gown showed off her shoulders and neck, simply delicious. A vision in a gold dress, the one who got away, too innocent to be defiled by his wicked ways, but it looked as if she had found her own. Venus observed the young man. Fine features that it seemed only oriental males could boast. They made a good looking couple, But oh so tense. Then it hit him, The one that changed places with Abyss. Abyss had spoke of the young Asian that he had possessed for some time. He had also been the one to return the motorcycle. Perhaps that was reason enough to be afraid of seeing someone big and red coming your way.

He reigned in his smile, and removed his appreciative glance at the woman who had called his name. He finally closed in on the couple. He took his time on the small steps, one with his size shoe couldn’t be to careful on what humans called a reasonable sized step. His tail and cane would keep his balance for him of course, but it wouldn’t do to stumble.

“Well if it isn’t the gorgeous Kealey Quinn, you both look stunning. How have you been, sweetheart? You must introduce me to your fine looking man candy.” He grinned at Shin. Boyfriends tended to be thrown off jealous protectivity, if you complimented them just as much as their girlfriend. It took some of the sting out; of course it didn’t hurt if it was true. Give the man a freshly clipped white rose and a dreamy stare and he’d run away with a girls heart.

Was that sort of talk supposed to make him lower his guard? If he dropped down his shield, he was sure to take an arrow to the heart. Or was it not even the heart this guy was aiming for?

Who dressed like that?

Who talked like that?

Sure, he agreed with what this 'Not Abyss' had said, but... gah. This whole situation was complicated. All he could do was let Kealey go, and trust to her sanity. And hope the big red guy didn't take something as an offense at some point and try to shatter him like he had his ice man boss.

The Asian carefully offered a hand. A hand he knew the red man would have to work his damnedest not to break. "I think we've met..." He said, with a restrained smile. That might have had a bit of nerve and guts behind it. And an inkling of mistrust. "Were you one of the brothers who helped us beat up Sam at the Pharmaceutical fight?"

It very nearly was... Kealey thought, deciding it was probably prudent to keep those details to herself. At least for now. Venus, as always, was charming and as Shin held out a hand, Kealey smiled. Handshakes were always a good sign. Someone, possibly her father, had told her once that it was how men took the measure of one another in situations where such a thing needed to be done. She hoped both of them would be pleased with what they found.

It seemed that Venus and Shin had met before, at the fight that had happened at the large pharmaceutical company. A slight frown crossed the blondes face at the memory.

”I watched all of that on TV.” she interjected. ”But I wasn’t there.” Nope. She’d watched the SWAT team go in on Jacen’s TV, wondering if he was among the officers. He had been, but apparently something had happened with Sam and they’d all had to fight. Venus had helped Shin, and now he wanted to know how they’d met.

Kealey grinned at Shin and his tux, and shrugged her shoulders, ”Well...we actually met right after I met you.” she explained.

”I was walking around town...and saw this...thing in the window of a bookstore. I just had to go in. Turns out it was the Full Circle, and Shin had made the waving blue badger. He helped me find some books. That’s just how we met though...”

Venus nodded to Kealey. “ It’s for the best, those things are always overdramatic, and quite frankly foolish. A whole lot of people fighting other people for next to no real purpose.”

True interest chimed in Venus’s baritone timbre, He was always a sucker for love stories. “oh? A chance encounter in a bookstore, cozy, witty exchanges, perhaps your hands touched as you both reached for the same book? Was it love at first sight?” He looked expectantly at the pair. The monogamous steady relationship, wasn’t something he participated in, but that didn’t mean he thought that it didn’t have a certain appeal. He had just seen the instability of the world and partners that weren’t loyal, he very well might give loyalty and his complete focus, if said person could prove that they would do the same.

“Ah, I see, Shin. Thank you for Saving her, , she gets in entirely too much trouble.” He smiled kindly at Kealey to take any unintended sting out of the words. “Well, I am certainly happy for you both, you seem very well matched, a good energy between you both.

A woman neared the trio. She had black flowing wavy hair and skin the color of crème,She had the delicate features that came with Greek descent, she wore a robust red dress that fell off her shoulders and showed off her ample cleavage, how the dress stayed up was a puzzle to Venus, one he intended on solving. A lingering gaze fell over the woman as she took his hand, losing her own in his much larger grip. It wouldn’t take an empath to see the fire that she lit within Venus. He seemed to come unfocused with her presence. “ Hello, my Delight. Nickoletta, you might already know Kealey, but if not this is Kealey and her Boyfriend Shin. Shin, Kealey this is Nickoletta.”

>>"Shin was working, and helped me find some good science fiction."

Some good science fiction that had been lost to a fire. Luckily for her, he had had his stash.

And a stash of palindromes. Shin smirked a little at the memory. And bobbed his head at her assertion that where he worked was something special. Or had been. His smirk faded slightly. Damn trains of thoughts. He shook it off, thankful Kealey had been distracted by Venus's date.

The woman was pretty, but in no way prettier than his own date. Shin smiled politely at her. "It's nice to meet you." He said.