Evening came quickly and regardless of class or status, Insomnia was abuzz with life. The prince's gala seeming to rile up the town in many different ways. Some citizens perfectly happy to celebrate the high prince's birthday at their local bars and pubs, others feeling it was a good time to demonstrate their lack of approval of the young prince. Regardless, all of the aristocrats and high politicians were to meet at Calium resorts. The entire hotel shut down to the public in order to host the event. Blockades sat around nearly every block of the building, fully equipped with it's own combination of Crownsguard and Kingsglaive all unfortunate enough to have to work the event. Slowly but surely Vitae and Iris made their way to the hotel, driven by Ignis. The trio all dressed to the nines for the evening.
"Wow! There's so many people here this year!" Iris exclaimed as she looked out the window. The young woman dressed in a knee length black dress adorned with with the occasional stud and heavy, tomboyish belt. Even if the youngest Amicitia had to be present, she would go comfortably for her. During her outing with Vitae, she would have none of the formalities that Vitae suggested. Even if the gala was of importance, Iris' youth took greater importance to the young woman.
Ignis nodded as the trio slowly pulled up to the valet, "Indeed. It would appear that way." Without much warning, the car had several valets opening the doors, helping the women out of the vehicle before bowing courteously to Ignis. The Adviser straightening his dress coat out and dusting it off despite knowing it had no such flaws on it. The man less than partial to such exposure was still able to maintain so much dignity, that it would seem he didn't care. He seemed to whisper something to one of the valets before almost reluctantly handing the keys over.
Vitae looked around as Ignis hooked his arm and she grabbed hold. Flashing lights shined brightly as the local paparazzi attempted to swarm the event, not daring to cross the velvet rope that separated them from those of higher importance. In this type of setting, there was next to no way to escape any cameras or lights and she knew it. At least walking up with Ignis would harbor no possible ill will or strange tabloids. The red dress she wore plunging dangerously low in the front, covered with skin tight, swirling lace flowers that traveled down one of her arms. The other arm left nude. Had it not been for the flesh toned areas in between each design, one would think the woman was hardly dressed at all. The back of the dress left nothing to the imagination as it bore no fabric. The bottom of her dress sat loosely, flowing happily with each step she took and depending on how she moved would occasionally reveal a split up one leg. The Scientia pair seeming to stand and walk almost proudly as they neared the hotel. Iris on the other hand, was happily waving and posing for anyone that would call out to her, loving the popularity. As they neared the entrance of the hotel, the sight of a newly modeled supercar sat glistening proudly, posing in its own ways. The gold, silver, and black ribbon being the only part that was completely out of place on the car.
"Good heavens. Is that Prince Noctis' gift?" Vitae said, admiring the vehicle for a moment. Fine Lucian details covering the car in a modest, yet eye catching way.
Ignis sighed, "Yes...it would appear so...yet another discrete vehicle for him." he said as he adjusted his glasses for a moment.
"I seriously cannot wait until dad buys me a car." Iris said, envious of her friend's newest vehicle.
Vitae laughed quietly, "Perhaps something with less oomf than this one is more in order Iris."
"Iris cryin about cars again?" a quiet yet booming voice said behind Vitae.
"Gladdy!" Iris said happily as she grabbed hold of her brother. The sounds of camera shutters sounding off in greater numbers "Get dad to buy me a car."
Gladiolus huffed out air as he laughed at his sibling's expense, "Go ask him yourself." he said as he pointed her towards the inside of the hotel. The sight of Clarus speaking to some aristocrat was seen as Iris waved off and quickly headed to her father.
"I assume you and Noct had some sort of meeting as to what he should get for his birthday Gladio." Ignis stated as he removed his arm from Vitae's grasp subtly and handing her over to the Shield. The larger man readily accepting and placing a light kiss between her knuckles as the shutters in the background fired off rapidly.
Gladiolus smirked, "Nah. That was all him." the Shield's response making Ignis shake his head and smirk before walking into the hotel. Gladiolus looked down at Vitae and gestured towards the inside of the building with a simple head tilt. Vitae smiled almost nervously as the sounds of a few members of the paparazzi shouted. Both Gladiolus and Vitae able to easily ignore the noise as they walked in.
"Hey Vitae..." a man said somewhat loudly, catching her attention.
When Vitae turned around, she looked into the crowd of paparazzi to see who it was that may have called her name. Her eyes suddenly finding exactly who it was. The man's gray eyes cocked as his almost white hair sat perfectly done on top of his head. He snapped another photo and smirked at her. Feeling that Vitae had paused in her steps, Gladiolus looked down to figure out why she might have stopped. The woman looking back up at him and smiling as they walked into the hotel.
The top of the hotel was crowded. The thickest of the crowd being around King Regis and Prince Noctis. The men both dressed incredibly formally for the birthday gala. Vitae smiled at the sight of Prince Noctis seeming so uncomfortable with such a large crowd surrounding him as he tried to present himself formally. The Prince clearly more of a man of the people, rather than a man of royalty. Mid conversation, she would observe him pull out his phone and begin happily tapping away. A sure fire distraction for him and to those he spoke with. Vitae was able to see many local celebrities mingling with the local politicians and aristocrats. All of it seeming so natural to all of them. She was greeted by several people of high stature, including her own parents. The conversations all being short and sweet and requiring no real train of thought on her part: the beauty of small talk.
She turned her attention to the massive aquarium that seemed to harbor the local marine creatures. All swimming around the large pillar slowly and completely relaxed. She watched them for several minutes alone before being disturbed by Prompto.
"Sup Vitae." he said almost nervously. The young man clearly dressed up in a way that was unfamiliar to him.
"Good evening Prompto." she responded with a smile as the man almost reclused in on himself, appearing almost too nervous to speak to women.
"Oh. Haha. You know. Plebbing hard here." he said as a joke. The statement being completely true.
Vitae laughed as she turned to face the aquarium, "That's not such a bad thing you know." Prompto let out a chuckle as his phone sounded off and he quickly checked it, excusing himself as he headed back out towards the large crowd. His attempts at standing tall being dismissed slightly by how tight he kept his shoulders. As she watched the large groupers swim round the tank, she felt a hand gently play on the scarring she had on her back, almost making her cringe. Even if she loved the dress she'd bought, hiding old scars was something it did not do.
"Glad to see you didn't take it easy on my wallet with the dress." Gladiolus said as she turned around.
Vitae smiled up at him as he handed her a glass of champagne, "Your wallet should consider itself blessed to have some sort of fashionable attire bought with it."
Gladiolus smiled at the statement, "Ouch. Can I ask you something though?"
Taking a sip of her beverage Vitae responded "sure" thinking nothing of the situation.
Carefully, he brought both of her arms to rest comfortably around his shoulders, pressing hr slightly into the railing near the aquarium. His free hand carefully moving the bottom half of her dress away as he searched for the slit in the dress. Finding the area, his hand traveled upward slowly as a smirk proudly sat on his face.
"Okay Gladio this is really NOT the time for this." Vitae said, unable to move downwards to stop the man's advances, only to feel his hand find the object he must've spotted at some point.
"No weapons allowed in the event Vitae." Gladiolus said as he gently kissed her forehead and removed the weapon from her garter holster and sneakily placed it in his coat pocket "You're in the safest building in Insomnia right now. Relax a little."
"What an ass..." Vitae responded, placing a soft kiss on his lips "...how did you know I was carrying."
"I didn't" he responded as the sound of a more formal dance started from the small live orchestra "Let's go be important." he then said, the most informal way he could think to ask her to dance.
After the formal gala had ended, nearly all of the attendees had settled down to their respective hotel rooms. Gladiolus and Vitae were no exception to this rule as they changed outfits once more before waiting an hour or so for their signal. Right on que, a steady knock on the door sounded. Ignis waiting for the pair alongside Noctis and Prompto. The three of them all wearing completely different outfits as they carried the masks in their hands. Both Vitae and Gladiolus held their respective masks and cocktail attire. Vitae's dress being a simple, skin tight little black dress. Despite being a bit more modest as far as plunge lines go, it left nothing to the imagination, with only the lace ties behind her neck keeping the dress from coming off entirely.
"You sure you know what your up to at this club?" Gladiolus asked Prompto. His large arm sitting heavily across Vitae's shoulders.
Prompto turned around quickly and raised his arms enthusiastically, "Uh, yeah. It's me. Unlike you high and mighty guys, I got basic connections."
"And you're certain Noct won't be recognized?" Ignis asked as the five of them rode down the elevator towards the valet.
"I mean, if they can pick out Noct from behind a mask, maybe they deserve to know it's him."
Ignis adjusted his glasses, "Prompto, you are aware that you're taking his new car there..."
"Anyone can drive a car Iggy." Noctis said with a sleepy smile.
Prompto shrugged, "That doesn't mean they'll know who we are when we go in." he stated as the valets drove the vehicles towards the waiting party.
"Indeed. It's merely going to be the Prince's new vehicle arriving at some club. But surely it couldn't be driven by the prince himself. That would just be outrageous." Ignis said with a smile as he entered the driver's side of his own car.
"Try and keep up at least Ignis. The prince could never be a reckless driver" Noctis shouted towards his adviser as he entered his new supercar.
Gladiolus opened the door to the back seat for Vitae before seating himself into the passenger side of Ignis' car. The trio in the car waited for Noctis and Prompto to get adjusted in the car ahead of them before setting off to what ever place Prompto had in mind. The two cars drove very modestly before turning onto the main highway that ran through Insomnia. Without even a second of hesitation, Noctis floored it. The supercar screaming happily as it jolted forward leaving Ignis and the remaining pair behind. Both Ignis and Gladiolus laughed at the high Prince. Noctis would continue to slow down rapidly and drive at Ignis' speeds before again taking off, doing his best to egg his adviser into a clearly losing race for the man. Vitae couldn't help but laugh at how sensibly Ignis continued to drive, almost ignoring Noctis entirely as they made their way down the highway. At one point, Noctis slowed to Ignis' speeds, rolling down his window and making a crying gesture. He and Prompto both pretending to both be upset that Ignis wouldn't play their game.
"May as well humor them Iggy. They'll bitch about it until you do." Gladiolus said.
"Engage in their vehicular stupidity...seems brilliant." Ignis said with a smile on his face.
"Oh come now Iggy. You've done worse in cars." Vitae said teasingly. Despite her not being around for the past few years. the woman clearly remembered when Ignis had first been allowed to drive alone in his teenage years. The man could drive as chaotically as the rest of them, and often times happily.
"The old girl will lose..." Ignis said as he changed a few setting in the car "...but it shant be for not." Without warning, Ignis floored it. His car not leaping forward nearly as happily as Noctis', but still giving enough of a kick to throw the trio in it back into their seats. they were nearly a quarter mile away from Noctis before the prince and comrade nearly flew past them at record speeds with next to no effort. All five of them ready for a less than formal event as they eventually slowed down and made their way to the almost warehouse looking building. The building to be their party destination for the next several hours.
In the early morning hours, the party of five eventually stumbled back into the hotel. All of the reeking heavily of alcohol and none of them sober in even the slightest as they fumbled in the elevator. Prompto seeming to cling to Noctis in an attempt to prevent gravity from winning his losing battle. Noctis' mask sat crooked on his face. The feathers that once adorned it all seeming bent and broken as he also leaned heavily into Prompto. Their collective effort at standing hardly preventing them from both falling forward. Even in his drunken state, Ignis did his best to keep the two men from falling. Each time they would fall forward, he would push them both back to hopefully regain their balance. Ignis' normally composed look being just the opposite now. An untucked shirt, deshelved hair, and stained collar making his events during the party completely obvious. Gladiolus leaned heavily into the corner of the elevator as Vitae leaned heavily into him.
All five of them obnoxiously laughed at nothing in particular as they stopped on the floor that Noctis, Prompto, and Ignis were on. The sensation of the elevator stopping nearly making all of them fall forward. The trio made a pained effort to get back to their rooms, fumbling several times and slamming into several walls. "GOODNIGHT!" Prompto shouted as the elevator door closed. The sight of him falling being the last thing Gladiolus and Vitae would see of that trio making the pair laugh. The floor above was their's and as coordinated as possible, the two of them made their way to their hotel room. Gladiolus nearly breaking the door down as he attempted to open it before the keycard had registered.
"Shh! You're too loud!" Vitae whispered behind a laugh as the door swung open and slammed against the wall. Had it not been for the door stop, there would have likely been a massive hole in the wall. She carefully removed her heels. Her drunken state having negated how much pain her feet were in from the night of drinking and dancing.
"It wouldn't open right!" Gladiolus said as he fumbled drunkenly into the hotel room. He attempted to hang his dark grey jacket up properly for a minute before tossing it to the side carelessly, letting it fall to the floor "That hanger doesn't work either." he said as he slowly made his way to the bed. Giving a massive effort, he tried to lay on the bed, only to miss the foot of it and slam hard into the floor, bringing him into a loud laugh as he rolled to his back. Drunken spins exaggerating how funny the event actually was.
Vitae took advantage of the situation and stood overt the fallen man, looking down at him as she felt like she was going to fall. The woman having not been spared any alcoholic mercy as the floor below her twisted. Gladiolus tried his best to straighten his vision as well. Unable to focus he simply shut his eyes and rested his hands on her ankles. They felt small and fragile in his grip and his mind couldn't seem to grasp that.
"Look how much taller I am than you now!" Vitae said proudly, as the grip on her ankles made her feel as though she were going to trip and fall "How does it feel now shorty." she laughed out.
"Got some decent views, so pretty good I'd say." he exclaimed as he moved his arms up and tried to move Vitae's dress out of the way. Vitae nearly feel over at the feeling as she started to laugh. She stood up on her toes to try and stop the man's reach, only to find that it didn't help at all and inevitably caused her to fall down. Her knees clashing into Gladiolus' chest as he let out a loud "oof" followed by laughter.
"I'm so sorry..." she said as she smiled down at him "...but you did deserve it."
Gladiolus nodded as he moved her knees off his chest letting them fall to either side of him carefully. The cocktail dress Vitae had been wearing slipping up naturally at the movement, "I dunno. I don't think so." he said as he sat up and leaned against his hands, trying his best to stop the room from spinning and pay more attention to her. Vitae sat upright, feeling more than relaxed at this point as she followed the scaring down Gladiolus's face several times, taking long pauses when her eyes caught his. The lacing that kept her dress tied to her so carefully now feeling restrictive as she fumbled her arms behind her. Her attempts to try and pull the lace apart leading to her nearly falling backwards several times. "Having trouble?" Gladiolus said as he was easily able to pull the laces once, undoing them immediately.
Her dress fell and rested on her hips comfortably as she lavished in the feeling of freedom from the restrictive dress. Her actions completely shameless. Rather than avert his gaze, Gladiolus kept them focused on her as she rested her arms on his shoulders. The telling smirk on his face piquing her interests, she unbuttoned his shirt carefully at first, pausing for a moment she she noticed his lack of breathing, "...bad idea?..." she said in and almost disappointed tone.
"Not at all." he responded. Placing her arms back on his shoulders, he lifted her as best as he could. It was awkward and unorthodox with neither person being able to move quite as well as they would have hoped. Even with the bed a few inches away, the floor was just more comfortable for the pair as quick subtle kisses turned very quickly to a deep hunger for each other. As Gladiolus worked frantically to undo the bottom buttons of his shirt, Vitae desperately yanked at the belt holding his pants up. Eventually getting it undone, she ungracefully used a foot to pull the fabric down further. The pair laughing at how awkwardly things were progressing. Gladiolus kicked the offending trousers off of himself as he tossed his shirt casually to the side, separating he and Vitae's lips for only a brief moment as he pulled the dress that once sat on Vitae's hips off of her entirely.
Taking in the image of the happily smiling woman for a moment, he began a slow assault on her skin. The bumps and bruises that covered certain areas on her getting the gentle attention they deserved as he readily took her breast into his mouth, letting his hands begin their slow decent to any bits of flesh he found worthy of the attention. In his slow decent, he finally hit her core and delicate nerves that surrounded it making her jump slightly at the sensation. He placed his forehead against her's as she laughed unintentionally. In her drunken state, what was often a feeling a pure pleasure, made her shy and almost nervous.
"Not really the reaction I was expecting." Gladiolus said as he gently teased the area. His fingers taking in ever bit of warmth that surrounded them as he worked the delicate bundle of nerves softly.
"Would it be fair to say I suddenly feel shy?" she whimpered out, enjoying the sensations she felt as her heart pounded in her ears.
Gladiolus smiled widely as he kissed Vitae heavily again, "We'll fix that." and in a quick motion he was suddenly lower and had taken all of her into his mouth, carefully teasing the delicate nerves that sat on her body making her squirm as she almost seemed to both push and pull his head away from her at the same time.
"You really don't have to do that Gladio." she said as she gasped and twitched lightly.
"Pay me back later." he said for only a second before returning to her core, his hands and mouth focused solely on bringing her to a little death before he would dare bring himself to the same. After a few moments of her resisting, he felt her suddenly relax into his efforts and as she enjoyed herself, holding him in place as she squirmed. He felt her suddenly tense around him. Her quiet moans joined by quivering shakes being more than enough for him to stop the assault with his hands and mouth. Rising back up from his place down low, he kissed her gently as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The woman seeming more than satisfied in her drunken, hazy state. Keeping his mouth focused on hers and he continued the kiss, he carefully pushed his way into her core. Vitae tightened head to toe at the sensation as her back arched hard against the flooring below her moaning into his mouth as Gladiolus worked his way into a slow rhythm until able to find a steady pace. The man wishing he hadn't drank as much as he had as he found his world spinning a lot more than he cared for as it exhausted him. Vitae was in more than fair condition. Her drunken spinning adding to her now heightened sensations. The two relished in the feelings they were now bathed in. Gladiolus finding pace that made Vitae dig her fingers into his shoulders hard. Too much tension for too long soon rearing it's head as Vitae found herself climaxing again before being joined by the Shield who seemed to dig his hips into her's hard as he peaked. Both of them letting out a quiet chuckle before solidifying the night with a drunken kiss.