"I Would Be Less Disappointed If She Got Anything." Serra Grimaced, A Pitying Expression On Her Face

She didn't hide her disappointment at his answer, letting it rest on her face for a moment before she pasted a friendly smile onto her lips once more, ever the picture of amicability. "I hope that you do understand." Serra wasn't used to the concept of compromising, thinking that if she said what she wanted everything around her would shift to accomodate her wishes. This was the first time that didn't happen and honestly? She didn't think this was actually happening.

"I was always thinking I would one day like to move to Paris. It is my favorite city in the world." Serra mused, pausing as she looked over at him. Discussing this felt surreal, but it was good that they discussed it now, agreed on a story so there wouldn't be discrepancies. Damage control. "Perhaps we can say that I want to move and you don't. That way neither of us is painted in a bad light."

"No one would dare to break up with me." Serra confirmed his assumption with a small nod. It was always easier being the one leaving rather than the one who was left.

Serra looked over at him with a sigh, biting her lip. So this was the end. He wasn't begging for a second chance and somehow that made her respect him more. "I enjoyed our time together. I would say that I hope you find someone better, but as there's no such thing, I will say that I hope you find someone better suited for you."

“I won’t debate what’s owed at this level of courtship, perhaps it is best our journey ends while we can still part amicably.  I’m sure you’ll find someone to your standards and willing to devote themselves to you so wholly, desperately, and chastely.”  He let go of her shoulders, he could have lied to her told her they would be engaged, but though Serra was many things she was not one to suffer such a slight quietly.  It made him curious where she would go, who she might end up with on the way  there. “What is it you would like to tell people?  I’ll stick with how you would like to spin things as long as it’s reasonable and doesn’t paint either of us in too bad of a light.  A mutual disagreement or you have outgrown me, but I won’t drag myself through the mud.  A professional distance at events.  Don’t let this make you doubt yourself, it's not that you’re not enough, I just want more of you than you’re willing to give right now, knowing that is a kind of growth.” He tried to keep his smile warm, but there was a bit of bite in it.  His words were as always chosen carefully to garner a specific reaction. He waited smiling at her as if daring her to be something less than happy.  If he thought about it he was unsure what he was feeling exactly. “Have you had a relationship end on anyone’s terms but your own I wonder? Is that why you feel more comfortable saying the words I wonder?” He got closer to her than he meant to, perhaps it was affecting him more than he would admit,  “It’s a shame but I think our differences are irreconcilable.  Perhaps they were from the start, but it was fun to figure out I think, it was a delight to be seen with you, there is no one who can fill a moment the way you can or at least an event.”

"Thank you. I thought you would like it, everyone has so far." She smiled, pleased, although she had not doubted it for a second. Mira was a woman with good taste, she would've been surprised if it her cousin didn't appreciate it. "I do wish more people would have thought like you. I've seen some terribly boring outfits." Serra sighed, dramatically. "They have. I am their only child after all, it only makes sense."

Mira took an obligatory drink, not wanting to offend the birthday girl. She nodded as she swallowed, offering her a smile. "It's delicious, a good choice." She commended her. Already she was exhausted from the social niceties, hoping she would not have to stay much longer and that she could slip away. "Oh thank you. I had to make sure I chose something that was Serra approved for your birthday party." She mused. "It's quite the party, your parents went all out this year, didn't they.."

location: malfoy wedding status: for @alaraselwyn

"I guess congratulations are in order. For you that is. I'll be sure to personally give Evan my condolences for being stuck with you." Her smile was saccharine as she looked over at her cousin, her eyes blatently trying to figure out how many carats the engagement ring on Alara's finger had.

While they were still surrounded by people she did her best to stay quiet and calm, smiling when people clapped in congratulations. Stealing one last look at her parents she noticed them both beaming with pride. She couldn't remember them ever looking this happy. They were both more on the reserved side, but clearly they were happy about this. Would they have done the same thing if they had a son instead of her? One capable or even willing to take over the shop? She let out a huff of frustration. This whole party had not been to celebrate her it seemed, but a ruse to gather as many of their peers as possible and announce an engagement she herself was clueless about. Clearly she was the only one surprised. Engaged. Merlin, what a birthday present. She was engaged. Engaged to the one guy she had fallen for, the one that broke her heart all those years ago. It was a cruel idea of a joke. Although, Malcolm's eyes didn't mirror the shock and surprise hers held- even if only for a second. Without the prying eyes of others she had no reason to school her features into a mask of indifference. It took her a few moments to process, for things to settle in. For his words to register. "You knew about this?" He knew and yet he didn't deem it important enough to inform her? "Were you expecting me to just go along with this?" Her eyes were blazing with anger, when she got stuck on his last word. "Again? What do you mean again?"

Much to his expectations, Malcolm didn't have time to reach Serra or her parents once he got through the party. There were so many people and he caught her eye a few times, but it seemed she was putting as much effort into avoiding him as he was trying to find her. But all he got were stolen conversations with people he didn't want to be stuck talking to; they were all boring small talk, some shop talk, and Malcolm couldn't think about anything else other than talking to Serra. It was one of the few times he panicked and could feel every stroke of a clock in tandem with his heart. Like everyone else, he gathered along with the crowd when someone was about to give a toast. And like everyone else, his eyes followed Serra's parents to the makeshift stage. Fuck, his mind seemed to say like a broken record. He officially ran out of time, but he could catch them after the toast. Malcolm clapped with everyone else, holding his champagne flute and his arm went slack when he heard his name. His heart instantly took a cold plunge to his stomach. In that moment, the walls felt like they were caving around him. Malcolm shrugged off the congratulations around him and the eyes that swiveled towards him. This was the worst way to find out and he needed to talk to Serra. "Serra-" he said, breaking through the crowd to reach her once she started to make an exit. There had been a speech planned in his head and it would've gone so much better than now. "Serra-" he called again once he was closer, not even realizing they were outside as he reached for her arm. Malcolm's face softened when he turned to face him. For once in his life, he wished that Serra could look at him like he didn't betray her trust every single time. A million things were hanging from his lips, but nothing came out. Malcolm's shoulders relaxed away from his ears and he sighed out. "It's true, I found out a few days ago. Listen, I tried, okay-I contacted lawyers…i-it cannot be annulled. Again."

"Hey! Like everything about me, my vision is perfect. I do not have a single physical flaw."

Serra's parents always told her so from the moment she was born, so that stuck with her. They didn't want her to run the shop, which was a good thing because she didn't want to run it either. It was better off left to the employees, they could get their hands dirty. Working was not for her. Even the idea of it seemed exhausting. She liked having her free time to do whatever she pleased. Like shopping and relaxing.

Regulus had truthfully never been a fan of events like this, especially weddings. He had never seen much of a point at all in them and he wasn't disillusioned to the fact that they were only an excuse to make people pay attention to you. He was also just becoming so tired of the extravagance. He felt like weddings were the only things his family talked about now. Bellas, Narcissa', his, it was just so exhausting. He'll just be glad when its all finally over and done with. He's stealthy in the way he grabs a glass of wine off a waiters tray, not that it would have been an issue, but, its one less person to talk to if he wasn't seen, all to turn and see Serra of all people ready to greet him. Really though, Serra wasn't bad company, at least compared to most of the people on the guest list she wasn't "Hey," He greeted with a smile. "Well, I've not been hiding, maybe you need your eyes checked." He teased lightly.

Serra couldn't believe the words she was hearing right now. He had the nerve to ask her what she was talking about. How dare he? When he looked at her did he think her a fool? That she will still the same fifteen year old girl hopelessly in love with him? She sighed, letting him lead her outside before she continued to talk. "I understand some marriages are accepting of infidelity, but I do not plan on ours being one of them." "And in such a public way. It is degrading. You could have picked someone beautiful, so that it is at least understandable how you could be swayed. But her? Again? It makes me look like a fool." What did Charity have that she didn't? Loose morals? "Evan told me. I do not see any reason for him to lie. He is my cousin's best friend and he is your business partner, is he not?"

Malcolm glanced around as she did one of her best fake smiles. They were in public and Malcolm didn't wish to be a spectacle with whatever Serra was considering saying. He was desperately trying to follow along with her, only becoming more confused when she dismissed Nick. "What are we talking about then?" he said, his eyes gazing down at her, also trying to mold his features to something that didn't resemble stress. There were people who were unemployed here and only lived off generational wealth, the same people who loved events like this so they had something to talk about until the next one. Malcolm didn't wish to be a topic of conversation or cause a scene. "Charity?" he echoed, keeping his voice as close to a whisper as he could. "Serra, that's not-you know? You know what? I'm not-I'm not with Charity. It wasn't-Who told you that?" Malcolm gave a look around the room, finding that there wasn't anyone watching them still. "Should we talk about this outside?"

"Well she doesn't look like one." Serra sneered, looking down at the ferret. "Normal would be a cat. Or an owl."

“Of course she’s a pet.” He said, offended. Better a ferret than a frog, for fucks sake. What could a frog even do? Ferrets could do loads. “How am I the odd one here? I’m being very normal.”

"I got about seven new wedding appropriate formal dresses, I figured I wanted to be as well prepared for wedding season as I can. Then I got a couple more evening dresses for various occasions that lean less formal than weddings, five sundresses and three day dresses. Which should be enough, but I have a standby monthly appointment at Madame Malkins in case I need an emergency dress made."

He smiled squeezing her hand and linking arms nudging her shoulder like an old friend. "Of course I do, now tell me more about these dresses, are they all formal or are there some sundresses mixed in, do they all look as good as this one, and who is your designer and tailor, if you don't have anyone specific I can recommend a good one, not that you need it you would look good in a burlap sack, though I imagine it would be harder to dance in."

status: for @fcrox (Leta) location: Madame Malkins

When she left London she'd been bored, a tad embarrassed but mostly bored. Things with Antonin ended amicably, with neither of their reputations catching strays. She felt lucky that this wasn't like the last time her relationship imploded. Definitely less humiliating. As the season was changing she wanted to commission a new dress at Madame Malkins, plus she wanted to go and see Leta as the other woman had played a role in the internship Serra had. While working at a shop didn't seem appealing to her, designing dresses and coming up with concepts was fun and she had enjoyed it more than she thought she would've. "Leta. I wanted to inquire about your workload in the coming weeks. Is there any way you could make the dress I am working on?"