New Years.

New beginnings, happy endings, and a great reason to dress up. The place to be in New York on New Year’s Eve was Time’s Square, but not for Kealey Quinn. There were so many people there. So many people doing uninhibited things, with their emotions careening out of control. To an empath, it was a disaster waiting to happen.

Fortunately, there were other places to go on New Year’s. Other invitations to accept. Like the one Kealey had gotten from her old co-workers at the main branch of the public library. The place was beautiful, and Kealey had known that sometimes parties were hosted there, but she’d never really thought to be invited to one!

Yup, it was a formal affair, and Kealey was wearing a golden dress! It sparked when she moved, and Kealey just felt...glamorous, and pretty, and oh so excited as she and Shin made their way down the street towards the huge staircase that beckoned visitors, its twin lions daring someone to show up less than well dressed.

Up they went, and luckily they passed muster in their fancy clothes, for the lions stayed where they were.

”Have I ever told you I like the way you look in a tuxedo?” Kealey asked Shin, with a bright grin, as they made their way inside.

"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.

He had to have his tailor make it to his girth but he thought it was worth it, origanally he just wanted something that would let him get away with carrying a cane and not immediately invoking a disco pimp and he thought he did well. The Indian style wedding suit was spectacular and his broad shoulders left plenty of space for the beautiful geometric designs India loved.

This was the second stop out he had made some promises, and he intended to keep them this year. He had met a saucy little work study student here and she insisted that he had to stop by, he asked her if she was sure, that she wanted to have him around that night and she insisted so here he was walking up the steps of the library, it was a great place to check out...women. The books were nice too, the library had a certain pleasant smell, but the caliber of brainy women here made it that much more worth it. He wondered if He would b able to find the girl...

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.

>>”Dancing. Mingling. Champagne and confetti at midnight I would assume.”

Shin nodded. These sounded like reasonable things.

>>”I simply have to introduce you to the lady who works in the romance novels...she looks like she walked straight off the pages."

And that sounded like it would involve describers like 'earthy' and 'acorn', 'wind-tossed', and 'dun'. It was uncan--

uncanny?

Kealey? Why'd you stop?

Why'd she stop?

Kealey?

Shin looked around, as if someone might answer this question so he didn't have to.

>>"Venus!?"

Shin tilted his head.

Who was Venus?

Venus?

He looked. And.

**** ***** on a **** sandwich. It was Abyss.

Protectively, Shin put an arm around Kealey, as if ready to take her anywhere but there.

He couldn't really remember all the details about Abyss and his brothers. But this looked like Abyss and... he didn't much want to get pummeled for returning the bike. After stealing it. And also. The last time he'd seen any of the brothers, they'd been helping him beat the **** out of Sam. Which meant they could, which meant trouble. He guessed.

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.

It was Venus! Kealey could tell the moment he actually laid eyes on her. Nobody else in the world had feelings like that, or projected them so strongly. Apparently she really had done a nice job with the dress.

Shin slipped an arm around her, and Kealey leaned into it as the large red man approached. She knew Shin had experience with the brothers...having been one of them for a while in a head-spinning turn of events that she still struggle to wrap her brain around. Maybe he was apprehensive? Or maybe he just knew Venus and therefore the thoughts that were surely running through his head.

”We’re old friends.” she whispered into Shin’s hear before planting a kiss on his cheek.

Venus drew near and his salutation made Kealey giggle in completely sincere modesty at the compliments. Apparently she wasn’t the only one who thought Shin looked good in a tuxedo.

Disentangling herself from her boyfriend, Kealey almost bounced forward to give Venus a tight but quick hug before stepping back to Shin’s side.

”Venus, this is my boyfriend Shin.” she said by way of introduction. ”Shin, this is Venus. He helped me out of a really tight spot one night before we met.”

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?"

Hmmm yes he did recognize this one indeed, but then did that mean the lovely Kealey was running with the X-men now? that would be an unfortunate turn of events. He thought Shin was the one who returned the motorcycle and the same young man that Abyss had spent time as.

He wrapped the little woman in a quick hug, ensuring that his hands didn't explore those lovely exposed shoulders. He would behave appropriately, It wouldn't do to tempt fate with one of his few platonic female friends.

"Ah, Kealey. You give me too much credit, it was a pleasure to be of service." The big man bowed slightly.

"Sam, being the frozen maniac? Yes, that whole ordeal was a mess though, let me assure that isn't my idea of a good time at all. though neither is stealing motorcycles...or getting tattoo's of anime girl's on my bottom. Abyss, by the way says no hard feelings, between what he did to you and what he said you did to his things well, it was no harm no foul, at least in his book." It was true if there was anyone in the order that thought there were better ways to solve the worlds problems it was Venus.

Venus shook boyfriend Shin's hand, he wasn't nearly as careful to display affection to him, allowing his thumb to brush the back of the man's hand lightly.

"So, how did you two meet?" The crimson fellow inquired.

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...”

So, he was one of those guys. ... And he knew about the motorcycle. And his booty tattoo. Among other things.

Venus knew too much. Which was saying things. Because Shin might not have known about the fact the tattoo was an anime girl before he'd stated it. He wasn't sure. They hadn't talked about his ass in a while. It wasn't a popular subject.

Nor were most of the things Venus had mentioned. Shin decided to let them all just die. Venus did, too. And might have been a bit too friendly.

Gah...?

Shin retrieved his hand. And smiled at Kealey as she spoke of how they'd met.

He chimed in. "I saved her life at some point." Where appropriate. And added. "Eventually, I realized I couldn't live without her."

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.”

Kealey shook her head and grinned when Venus asked about love at first sight. "No. Not at first. I had an incredible shiner the first time we met. It really was just a few days after I met you. Roland had really worked me over...Shin was working, and helped me find some good science fiction."

She smiled at the memory, it had been a while since she'd thought about it, "And we talked in palindromes."

"It was a nice distraction. One that I really needed. I started hanging out there, because If you've never been there Venus...the Full Circle is amazing."

A woman appeared, and Kealey nearly burst out laughing. Of course. this was Venus' date. The large red man made the unnecessary introduction as the voluptuous brunette approached and Kealey grinned.

"I know her well from my time working here." Kealey admitted, then turned to Shin. "She's the one I was telling you about from the romance section."

>>"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.

“ I still think that you should have told us more so we could of tracked down the man and devoured his soul., erhmmm, or you know taught him a lesson.” A pleasant smile replaced the momentary ferocity that simmered for a fleeting moment.

“ I will have to look into it sometime.” He noticed Shin’s smile fade a bit at the mention of the shop. There was something to that, but something he wouldn’t pry into.
“Very good then, Romance section indeed. Shall we mingle? I have something planned before the ball drops, if you two would like to join us. I may have managed to come by a helicopter ride around the city.”
~~”And you as well Shin, is that a nick name? I knew a Shinamaru once. He went by Shin for simplicities sake.” Nickoletta inquired as she swatted at Venus’s hand playfully for his accurate insinuation.

Venus ‘s tail casually flirted with Nikoletta’s ankles. Venus momentarily seemed to have eyes only for the woman on the other end of his tail.