You know that I could use somebody [Aeric]

She was starting to wonder why she was here. No, that was a lie, she'd been wondering that all evening - as she'd left Damon with Cezary for the night, her words to her husband detached and clipped - as she'd gotten dressed, her 'costume' just a dressier version of her normal gothic appearance - as she'd apparated to the large decorated ballroom in the manor where this party was being held - as she'd lied to Mortimer about Cezary being unwell...

She hadn't told anyone yet. She wasn't ready to. Her head was a mess from it all. She kept going over the conversation they'd had, replaying it again and again in her head. Cezary was in love with another. Cezary was in love with a man. She wasn't sure if that made the pill easier or harder to swallow. On the one hand this was going to be a horrible scandal, she'd be the gossip of London. On the other... at least it wasn't a problem with her. She hadn't done anything wrong, anything to push him away... he was simply a homosexual, that's all. She was angry with him, and upset, of course she was... but not because he loved someone else. Because he'd lied.

She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts, dark stone and skull drop earrings jangling softly as she did. She was practically pinned to the wall, a large glass of dark red wine clutched in one hand while the other obsessively smoothed out her dress. Mortimer had suggested the party to Cezary and herself a couple of months ago. They hadn't planned on coming, what with the date clash... but now that things were as they were, there was no point in celebrating their wedding anniversary. Three years. Three years down the drain. Pointless.

No, not pointless. She had Damon.

She sipped quietly on her wine, avoiding the gaze of anyone walking past. She ought to be mingling. Socialising. That's why she was here after all - to keep herself busy, keep her mind off of the date. Otherwise she'd just be sitting at home crying to herself silently so that Damon didn't hear. But it was so difficult to get started when she just wanted to curl up and hide. Parties had never been her thing. Even her own wedding reception had been...

She sighed, once again trying to push her thoughts aside. Perhaps she should go and find her brother and ask him to introduce her to someone. At least then she wouldn't have to be brave and do this herself. Staring down at the swirling surface of her glass, she tried to summon the will to move.

@Aeric al-Busuri Regan

Green eyes washed over the crowded room as he leaned casually against the frame of the entrance. This was the last place he wanted to be today and yet there he was clad in all black, running a hand through the thick curly locks of his hair before sinking a man bun, sloppy but effective. The silver of the ring her worse shone bright against the deep red vest he wore that matched his shoes, the only spec of color in his entire ensemble. His chest rose as he gave a nod and a smile just for kicks as someone brushed passed him. He had to attend these things as the head of the family, he had to. Dom was away at school living the good life of a man on the right side of the law and Etain he was sure was busy chasing the boys around the house, neither face of the family was free, so Aeric stood in his spot dreading the hours he would have to force himself to spend in the presence of these unknown faces.

Long legs carried him into the room and right over to get him a drink, “Scotch, neat.” His body turned to allow him a better view of the room when he saw her. Emerald eyes drifted across the space around her, she was alone. Even in the crowded room her pale skin stuck out, even more against the dark color of her clothing. “Thanks.” He said as he moved towards her, drawn like a moth to a flame. Once more his hand ran down the length of his best, legs stopping just a bit of space between them before he looked around again. It had been a long time since he’d put himself out there or at least made an attempt to flirt. Ivana had taken more than the engagement ring on her finger when she’d vanished. A piece of Aeric was broken and unsure now but he was appreciative. He knew to cherish the things that mattered and never to take even the smallest thing for granted. His hand rose to run over his hair before he moved to lean against the wall near her. His gaze drifted towards the dark haired woman and he found himself tracing the lines of her face, that he could see, as if putting them to memory was a must.

“I can’t say whether you being over here by yourself is good or bad.” His eyes were out on the party as he spoke. “I told myself before I left home there would be nothing here worth staying for…” his lips pursed, “..clearly I spoke too early." It was then that his gaze drifted to her and his lips curved at the edges in a smile that dimpled one of his cheeks softly. “if you don’t want company I figure I could hate this party from here and we can stand in awkward silence.” His attempt at a joke, gosh, he was bad at this. Well it had been years since a woman had caught him up short.  Women weren’t made like those of his mother’s generation. Half of them barely made good wives and the other half were only good for one night. Aeric had done the one night stands and the weekend rendezvous here and there and still he wanted more. He wanted a wife and the storybook ended. He wanted someone who could stand next to him and not feel small or unimportant. He wanted a woman of a high caliber but those were long since extinct he was sure.

“Aeric. Aeric Regan.” He introduced himself as he heard his name called and once more he gave a nod and a smile though his posture said he was disinterested in actually talking to the man. “Have you ever been somewhere that everyone knows your name but you have no idea who these people are?” He had, often. Far too often for his own liking.

She saw him heading towards her, although at first she thought that she must be mistaken and he must be walking towards someone else. She dropped her gaze as he approached anyway, avoiding eye-contact in the demure way that her father had insisted was good manners. But as he began to speak, she looked up, greeting him with the faintest ghost of a smile and a soft inclination of her head that once again sent her earrings jangling like little bells. "I'm not opposed to company," she replied in a quiet voice. In fact on this rare occasion, she was glad of it. Now she wouldn't have to go relying on her brother again. She had someone to talk with. Someone to distract her from her thoughts. And the fact that the man was tall, dark and handsome didn't escape her either. She found herself habitually reminding herself not to pay attention to that... but then, why not? Why shouldn't she admire? She was married still, yes, but as far as she was concerned, things with Cezary were as good as over. There was no coming back from where they were. No marriage counselling or forced date nights would change the facts - he didn't love her, he loved a man.

The name rang a bell. Verity had seen it an important part of her daughter's education to know the who's who of the wizarding elite. And this man was a part of that world. Verity would be so proud that Moira had attracted his attention. "Pleased to make your acquaintance Mr. Regan," she said warmly, her fingers twisting around the stalk of her wine glass. Mother had always said that it was bad manners to use a man's first name unless he expressly told her to do so. "I'm Moira..." there was the slightest pause while she struggled to decide whether to add her surname - her husband's name. She didn't want to. She wasn't wearing her rings, she didn't want to be associated with him right now. But it would be wrong to say Capp... Would she go back to her maiden name? Or would it be best to keep the same name as her son? "Just Moira." she said, a clipped edge to her tone that would hopefully discourage questions. "And I'm not sure that I'm used to everyone knowing my name... but I can certainly empathise with the notion of being surrounded by strangers. Or in a room full of people who don't know the slightest thing about you..."

She blinked; long, dark lashes obscuring her sea-grey eyes momentarily. She wasn't sure why she'd said that. It was the truth. It was exactly how she felt. Why had she felt the need to share that with a complete stranger? Perhaps it was the wine.

"Honestly, I am glad of your company, I... parties aren't my normal area of comfort. I've never been particularly good at these sorts of social events."

He rested back against the wall, pleased that she was okay with his company. The warm brown liquid swisher around the edges of his cup as Aeric lifted his hand to take a sip. His bright green gaze washed over her face for a moment. She was beautiful, stunning really. The Regan had met many beautiful women in his 25 years of life but only a few of them had been stunning. Only a few had drawn his eye and made it near impossible to look elsewhere. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Moira. Please, call me Aeric. Mr.Regan makes me feel old.” It was a name only reserved for Dom, Aeric never liked to be addressed so formally, he wasn’t a big traditionalist but he understood that good manners and appropriate behavior was the staple of the society he had been raised within.

He couldn’t lie and say he didn’t want to ask why she was just Moira. He couldn’t deny that it sparked his curiosity but he didn’t, he wouldn’t unless the woman next to him cared to share what had been left out. “Maybe everyone is an exaggeration.” He gave a chuckle, “More like several.” His full lips pursed once more before he gave a nod, “I can be in a room of friends and still feel as if no one really knows me. People like to think that space doesn’t affect relationships, but, sometimes it’s the defining point.” Whoa, he had suddenly spoken a few deep words and it caused him to clear his throat as he realized this. Maybe he missed the company of someone who he could actually talk to. As many words as Sky used Aeric needed adult conversation, the small talks with his son were always so animated and mostly about his favorite set of toys, so this was nice.

The length of her lashes fell just right  over her eyes that Aeric had to remind himself that he didn’t really know her, not that he knew very many people, at least not the way he wished to. “I enjoyed parties more as a hormonal teenager. These…” his glass holding hand moved so that he could sweep the area, “I could live without. Showing my face just so people could say my family was in attendance. I would much rather tuck myself off away from the noise and the false affections of people who presume to know me but truly don't.” He took another sip of his glass as his brow knitted with his frown. This was a far easier conversation than he thought it would be. Most women liked to play mind games, they liked to draw a man in and leave him hanging there confused in the hopes that it would establish a good game of cat and mouse. There were far better ways than tricks and ploys for affection, intelligent ways.

Aeric loved a woman with a mind that was her own, a woman capable of having her own opinions and not the type to depend on others for guidance and worth. “Honestly, I never attend these types of functions. There is always another face from my family mingling with then people on these crowds. My sister, she is far better at such things.” He turned his gaze back to the woman next to him, Moira. “Though, tonight I am glad she had other matters to attend to.” His free hand rose to run the length of his vest, “I’m even more surprised to find someone so stunning at such a thing alone, but, I should be thankful that I can enjoy your company.”

He seemed to say exactly what she felt - that feeling of isolation in a crowded room, of people - family and friends - being nothing more than strangers. Cezary had been one of the only people that she really thought she knew... but it turned out that he was just as much a stranger to her as anyone else. His infidelity had also had the effect of making her realise the secrets she kept from him. Nothing quite so scandalous of course, but the thoughts, dreams, desires, that she never voiced. She'd been a good wife, exactly as her parents had wanted her to be: demure, obedient, an empty shell for him to project whatever he needed onto. But apparently she could never be what he needed.

She pulled her attention from her husband to her current companion, smiling at his words. "Oh I'm not alone, I'm here with my brother. He's far better at these events, tends to know everyone and craves the attention..." she stopped, realising that she was speaking ill of him. "I'd much rather be curled up at home with a book to be honest," she laughed softly. "My mother always said I read far too much than what's befitting of a lady." Oh great, now she was talking about her mother of all things. What was she going to think of all this? She could imagine her mother's voice already. "You had one task, Moira - just one task, to keep that simpleton of a man happy, and you failed even at that!" She was useless in Verity's eyes. Verity didn't care about Moira's educational success, nor her blossoming career. She'd just wanted Moira to play the role of a dutiful wife... to firm up the relationship between the two families. And now everything was ruined. Everything.

A tear slipped from Moira's eye and she hurriedly wiped it away, a flood of shame rushing over her as she looked at Aeric. "Oh, I'm so sorry, it's not... I'm having a terrible day... a terrible.. period of my life... sorry, this really isn't, I shouldn't."

But for some reason she didn't feel judged by Aeric. She didn't feel that he'd be regretting coming over here. And he'd been so easy to talk to. Maybe she just needed some company - not the party, but someone to talk to. "I know you're supposed to be representing your family name, but... would you like to... escape somewhere?" It was an unusually forward suggestion for the usually timid Ravenclaw, but the party wasn't proving the distraction she'd hoped for at all and she felt on the verge of a complete breakdown. Merlin, there was no way that this man, no matter how gentlemanly he seemed, was going to want to accompany an emotional wreck anywhere. She was making a fool of herself. "Sorry, you probably don't want... it's alright, I'll.. I think I'll just go..." she continued, wiping her eyes with an almost violent determination to try and bring herself to her senses.