ORIGIN

"Oh yes, drab indeed," she plays along with him. "Can't forget that." Tourmaline could sit here all day bantering.

East's attempt to get another snack from the empty air does make her chuckle some more, and it prompts her to look at the tray she had herself - also almost cleaned off, with only two pieces of meat left. She'd pick one of them, before offering the other to East. "Seems to be the case for both of us, actually. Something something food's better with company?"

She'd take the opportunity to glance over at the buffet table. It's significantly less mobbed than before, if either of them wanted to get another round of food. "I don't think we'll be going hungry while we're here anytime soon, though."

"Well, boring ol' me, I prefer my food plain." Saying this with a wink, East took the offered piece of meat and wiggled it between pinched fingers. "Can't say I find the chatter unpleasant as a topping though."

He leaned his head back and threw the final part of his share of the tray's food down the hatch. Then, just as Tourmaline had, he chanced a look over at the buffet table as well. From a distance, the aftermath of the famished horde that had positively attacked it could be plainly seen; most of the carnivorous options were picked over, though it seemed a select few had possessed a particular hankering for fruit slices and various sweet things. As he watched, some of the near vacant platters were cleared away and replaced by new ones.

"Seems so," East agreed with the assessment of the feast's large scale. A suspicious squint was leveled at the replenished display. "Wonder how much they actually have in storage for us. Looks like they prepared to feed an army more than a party."

"The loner type, of course," she pokes back, lighthearted. "Though I'm glad you find my conversation at least somewhat entertaining. Clearly, if you stayed this long, you don't mind it much at all."

She sets the empty plate down on the table next to her chair. Maybe Tourmaline would get another round herself later - but she'd wait until East went his own way. She laughs a little at his observation. "Considering some of the residents of this cave... But perhaps they were expecting more people to arrive - They did send out invitations, but it's likely not everyone accepted them.

East caressed his chin between a forefinger and thumb.

"True," he drawled. "Perfect attendance always tends to be more wishful thinking than reality. Of course, there’s also the chance they intended to wow us either way. No better place to start than at our stomachs, wouldn’t you say? Easier to find someone with an empty one than none."

While at most he’d eaten an appetizer and no main course, a basic need had been somewhat satisfied over the duration of their conversation. Giving into a natural urge, he stretched his arms overhead and felt a series of pops as joints loosened up. They fell back to his sides afterward, one hand drifting over to his belly to idly rub it. Then, smoothing wrinkles from his suit, he rose from the chair.

His head cocked to catch the latest transition the orchestra made to another song in their repertoire, a lead into a dignified minuet. Pretty but a bit of a bore compared to other selections that were proper toe-tappers. As he did so, a lopsided smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Thanks for letting me swipe a couple of bites. I think it’s best I go ahead and walk some feeling back into my legs now. Maybe work up my nerve for the dance floor?"

The last he said mainly as a self-directed jest; caves knew he hadn’t a lively bone in his body nor did he ever have the opportunity to practice fancy footwork by himself, let alone with a willing partner.

"Of course, of course. What sings a more siren song that a fresh hot meal?" As much as this was clearly an event to impress, Tourmaline couldn't help but feel the frivolity of it all - not completely useless, but somewhat disconnected from the rest of the caves. The glamours, for one, the palace all bedecked, another.

She smiles graciously as East gets up, grateful for his company. Her gaze follows his to to musicians. "Well, don't let me keep you all cycle long. It's a big party, and I'm just one Gembound," she chuckles, standing up as well. A hand would straighten her scarf, making sure everything was in order."I'm not sure how well I'd do on the dance floor myself, if I'm being honest!"

Never the type to pass up the opportunity to quip, an easy remark leaped to his tongue. He turned a thumb inward and jabbed it at his chest. "Tone-deaf and a rat magnet? I’d be giving you a raw deal if I let you hold onto that sort of fella."

Good-natured misgivings about dancing ability received a noncommittal shrug, himself no better a judge of either of their potential aptitudes for such merriment. If he wished to be a flatterer, he would’ve hazarded suggesting that his conversation partner could’ve taken to rhythmic movement with similar flexibility to how she navigated words; it always was a welcome surprise to encounter someone able to keep pace with the rapid back and forth of a banter session. In fact, a fit of daring almost sneaked the sentiment past the tight security manning his mind, its presence flickering briefly in yellow eyes.

Instead, catching that errant emotion, hands crammed into coat pockets. A liability, he’d try to bury it alive before it could cause him trouble in the long run.

"Oh, you certainly wouldn’t be alone there. Most of us probably had legs to start with, but how many feet? And the number of toes?" East winked. "Odds are a little stumble will look expert, though, compared to whatever lone soul caught all the bad luck and used to belly crawl or swim."

Purely motivated by curiosity, he then poised himself on the balls of his own feet. After a few seconds of standing stock-still and untrembling, this personal experiment progressed to tentative steps back, forth, and sideways. Each direction failed to knock him to the ballroom floor, none difficult to execute. Building confidence convinced him into a smooth pivot turn, following which he dropped onto his heels, a disbelieving chuckle escaping at the discovery that bird locomotion translated well despite having new forward-facing toes—one extra at that.

"Would you look at that. Suppose I'll be the envy of the room unless someone's got me beat."

A bit intent on proving to himself the move wasn't a fluke, the pivot was repeated twice more. Upon the last which spun his back to Tourmaline, he directed a cheeky grin over his shoulder at her, touched the brim of his hat, and began striding away.

She laughs good and loud at that one, tilting her head back with it. "Of course! It'd be the steal of the cycle!" Perhaps that was a bit loud, since a few heads glance up, but they quickly turn back to their own conversations.

Still, that did make Tourmaline a little sheepish, and she chuckles as she steps away. "Forgive me, I got carried away." She pulls her head down into her scarf some to hide the slight blush.

But East's already moving on, joking about others who might be even less elegant dancers. And he gives a shot - and he's not half bad either. She'd clap some, as he bounced back and forth, far more elegant than she could hope to do on two feet. "Well, you wouldn't have known if you hadn't tried. Go use those skills for good, alright," she laughs after him, waving him off.

Hopefully she'd see him again sometime. Though she'd have to recognize him by voice- but that shouldn't be too hard. He had a distinctive voice. She nod to him, meeting his grin, before turning herself as well.