veilbreak | (no subject)

❤

After hours-- nay, days!-- of waiting, at last it's salsa night. La noche del ritmo (that’s “night of rhythm” for those who tragically refuse to brush up on their Spanish). Down on solid ground, it’s marked with wobbly turns, missed cues, and bold declarations of “I totally meant to do that.” But up in our little corner of the community hall on the Mnemosyne, it’s all warm lights, borrowed partners, and a playlist that refuses to let you stand still.

The humble chaos has been carefully unleashed by our fearless instructor EVA because she was clearly feeling optimistic! Come try a step (or three), spin someone new, and maybe leave with smoother moves than you came in with. Or at least a good story.

Salsa!

At its core, salsa is a conversation disguised as a dance: a gentle lead, a daring spin, a dramatic pause that says, “Yes, I absolutely meant to do that.” It’s rhythm with personality, flair with a wink, and just enough drama to keep things interesting.

How to Play: Grab a partner and get ready to roll some dice to see how well you take to the floor! For the sake of ease, we're going to say that there's four 'rounds' making up a song, but if you want to keep it going, go right ahead. Each dancer will roll 6d6 and match pairs with their partner.

🕺0 matches: This is a disaster. Someone got an elbow to a body part. Tears might be shed.
💃1 - 2 matches: A little stumble, a wee fumble. Maybe a little embarrassing, but you can brush it off.
🕺3-4 matches: You're finding the groove and looking good. Having a great time on the dance floor!
💃5-6 matches: Flawless chemistry. It's unbelievable. Your coworkers might think you're gettin nasty behind closed doors.

Bachata!

For those brave enough to learn two dances in one night, or who just want something slower, Eva's going to do a Bachata crash course. Slower than its flashier cousins, but no less dramatic, it trades whirlwind spins for close steps and a hip movement that politely insists on being noticed.

There’s a step-together-step, a tap with just a hint of flair, and a rhythm that feels suspiciously like a love song written at 2 a.m. Bachata isn’t about showing off—it’s about leaning in, finding the groove, and letting the music do most of the talking while you pretend you’re not completely swept up in it.

How to Play:Each dancer will roll 3d6, and count the amount of 3's and 6's rolled between the pair. 3 and 6 are the only ones that matter. Again, four ‘rounds’ make up a song.

💃 0 matches: Catastrophic! This is not going well. Maybe you need a new partner
🕺1-2 matches: Not too shabby! Not the smoothest it could be, but you're both feeling confident.
💃3-4 matches: Stunning. You have the room feeling flushed.
🕺5-6 matches: Is it hot in here? It's hot in here. We're all sweating just watching that spark catch.

For the Wallflowers!

Not everyone is meant to take to the floor, but that doesn't mean they have to be bored! Eva's brought a frankly alarming amount of playing cards for people to play the card game of their choice. She has instructions for Blackjack, War, and Trash on various tables. Bets are welcome, but please no strip anything, thank you.

And for those who prefer their thrills less competitive and more snack-shaped, there’s a spread of treats and drinks to keep spirits high. Something fizzy, something sweet, something questionably healthy but undeniably delicious—it’s all fair game. Refuel, refresh, and return to the action (or the spectating) as you see fit.

How to Play Blackjack (or 21):

The goal is to get the closest to 21 without going over.
- Roll 2d12 to simulate real cards (a 12 functions as an ace, so it can be a 1 or an 11 depending on the best outcome for your hand.
- Either 'stay' by ceasing rolling, or continue rolling 1d12 as many times as you like until you're at 21 or as close as possible.
- If you 'bust' or go over 21, you loose.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"No, I think that totally counts."

Maryle looks at her Nishad's hand and makes the smallest face, which is probably not all that encouraging for him. It only has the smallest amount to do with him, though — touching anyone right now (Dom excluded) is decidedly unappealing.

She forces herself to take his hand with a roll of her eyes, though.

"Maryle." It comes out too softly. There's a light squeeze of her hand before he drops it. "We can get a drink instead."

"Oh my god, it's fine. Like, I do want a drink, but come on. Take your—" don't say pity, it's not really that and it's maybe too mean "—spin before I change my mind."

Maryle shoves her hand out toward Nishad, managing to not fully scowl. She knows she's being difficult, as always, but suddenly it feels worse than usual.

Edited (sorry constantly, eternally) 2026-02-22 01:39 (UTC)

Nishad lowers his voice to minimize the possibility of being overheard. "Do you want me to?" A beat. "If you don't, it's okay. I know I was giving you a hard time, but it's—" He looks at her for a beat. "I don't want to touch you if you don't want me to."

Maryle does, finally, fully scowl, her hand still held outward.

"I don't need to be babied. So come on, before I hit you instead of let you spin me."

"I'm not—" But he drops it mid-sentence, taking her hand. It feels worse to not with how long she's been holding it out to him, despite how little he thinks she actually wants him to take it. He pulls her slightly in the direction of the dance 'floor' before spinning her.

Despite her (constant) attitude, Maryle spins easily and doesn't immediately retract her hand. She can turn this around. This is fine. It's not as uncomfortable as she was expecting, probably because she's so annoyed at the both of them.

"Alright, one of two, because I didn't barf."

Edited (isn't this so fun Nish) 2026-02-22 02:08 (UTC)

"I'm not planning on spinning you sick," he says, as lightly as possible given the atrocious vibes, a light squeeze of her hand that he's not even sure he should give before he spins her again.

Edited (best night of his life....) 2026-02-22 02:24 (UTC)

Maryle convinces herself that she's handling this all just fine! She spins a second time, handles the squeeze of her hand with poise (no expression change), and afterwards doesn't even yank her hand away!

She's actually feeling a little dizzy.

"The agreed spin count was two if I didn't barf, so." Slowly, she retracts her hand, considering saying more. "I don't... I feel weird today. Sorry."

"Weird?" He repeats, uncertain and hesitant.

"Yeah."

Maryle waves her hand dismissively.

"It's nothing. Alright, well. Spins achieved. I'll see you around."

"Maryle."

"I have more horrible messages to decrypt." She does not.

Maryle goes to quickly make her exit.

"Maryle." (Uselessly, yes.)

(no subject)

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.

Nishad & Maryle.