[open] Welcome to the home of tradition and progress!

[theearth]

Who: EVERYONE! including Mrs Kaufmann and Rose Bonbright
When: October 11th, starting 6 p.m.
Where: The museum that is attached to the town-hall of Füssen, specifically the Kaisersaal.
What: Mingle and happy welcome!

Through the usual channels, the mayor of Füssen has invited any and all numbered - no matter if they are only visiting for the evening/weekend and actually reside in Locke or Vegas or if they are staying for longer - to attend a little reception at the Kaisersaal in the town museum which is attached to the townhall.

Aka this snazzy room just with the chairs grouped around tables and no stage, though four musicians play quartets on a low podium at the side of the room. It's a very distinguished affair don't screw it up, you can do it, numbered! No, we don't know who believes that, either.

Mingle and eat and have fun!

And a note: Drinks are free! But the youngsters will get carded, and alcohol like beer will only be served to 16+ people, while spirits and other higher percentage booze will only be served to 18+ people.

Comments

[icy_heavens]

No, he doesn't disguise it well when things annoy him. Of course, he often doesn't attempt to disguise it in the first place. As for acting more one's age . . . well, he'd already confused the Bonbright woman by acting too serious. No sense in doing something silly like raiding the dessert table to try and act his age.

Yes, his plate is conspicuously absent of sweets. Just like he'd absolutely not touched any of them at Winter's birthday party last year. (At least not when he'd thought anyone could see him.)

"I can get here if there's trouble, obviously, but yeah."

[peacefulwinter]

Shaking her head, Winter waves a hand dismissively. "I know. And I'm counting on that, if there's trouble. But I'm glad to have someone that's sticking by to make sure things are okay back in Locke, too." After a moment, she adds, "I'm not saying you need to pretend to be the kid you look like, either, before you ask. But some of us are too responsible for our own good. Just keep it in mind, okay?"

...This is probably not the wisest thing she could have said to him, but she has a feeling it'll be okay. Probably. Maybe.

[icy_heavens]

He'd mention that the mob retaliation is starting, but she knew that already from what had happened to that Raye girl. He's still edgy about it all. Whether they have knowledge of him or not, he still doesn't know; it can go either way. He's not quite paranoid enough to start sleeping with his sword in the bed with him, but he's getting there.

He does frown at that statement, though. "If I had a reason to relax, maybe I would."

No, he wouldn't. Relaxing is weird.

[peacefulwinter]

"Point taken," she concedes easily. "But you could at least smile a little more? People are going to think you're a grumpy old man. Even if we know better."

She's not going to get him to act his age. But maybe she can get him to be just a little bit more pleasant, she ventures, putting a hand on his shoulder and bending down just a little to look at him.

"Nothing's going to try and attack us here. Not this early. Try to save your suspicion for later, when we'll need it, and enjoy this new place for just a little bit. While we still can."

[icy_heavens]

"If I try to smile, it'll look weird; I can't pull that off." Yes, he's being completely serious, here. He does not know how to convincingly fake-smile. People would be able to tell it's not quite right. He's quite sure of that, whether it reflects reality or not.

He'll allow the contact, but only because it's her. "Suspicion is a renewable resource."

Dear god, that almost sounds like a joke.

[peacefulwinter]

"I guess that's fair," she concedes. Perpetual grumpy-butt Toushirou, that's him. Eh, nothing for it. "At least glower less, if you can?"

She pauses after a moment, before sighing. "Suspicion is renewable. Trust isn't. If people think you're too cautious, they'll wonder if you're hiding something. Can you afford that?"

[icy_heavens]

A shame, that perpetual grumpy-butt status. He could be terribly adorable if only he could shake it every now and then.

What she says does make sense. But here is an honest-to-goodness blink. "I thought I was."

Ace job there, Toushirou.

[peacefulwinter]

Shaking her head, she manages a brief glare at him. "You are, brat," she hisses quietly. "The world doesn't know you're an ice-throwing swordsman yet, right? And if they don't, do you really want to draw suspicion by continuing to look like you're going to cut something if it gets on your nerves?"

[icy_heavens]

It's hard for him to tell sometimes whether his face is in scowling mode or neutral mode; they both come so naturally to him. He'd really thought he'd smoothed it out to neutral pretty well. Clearly, he hadn't.

Winter is one of the few people in the world that can get away with calling him a brat. Anybody else, and he'd probably have snapped back at them. It still pricks at him, but he manages to tone down his expression. Without huffing, even. "I'll try."

Harder than he has been, evidently. Since it's been brought to light he's been failing.

[peacefulwinter]

That's enough. Winter smiles, nodding. "That's all I'm asking. And I'm sorry if I'm being overbearing. I just... want this to go well. Twice was enough. If there's anything we can do to stop a third cycle, I want to stop it. We all do, right?"