[For Will - Modern AU] What Secrets do Masks Hide?

[tyrelltempest]

It was strange, to find herself here. Margaery Tyrell came from a noble house, the Tyrell family in England. Her father was a wealthy tycoon in his own right, but in truth the main fortune of the family was earned from generations before.

They were well-known from the reality show Tailing the Tyrells. Recently Margaery had fled England after a scandal broke out about her brother Loras and the nobleman Renly Baratheon. The man Margaery had been arranged to marry. Of course Margaery had abandoned that possibility, and came to the States for a new, fresh start. As part of her adjustment, she had started seeing Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and he had helped a great deal.

But there was something lingering and dark about him that made her nervous...

Hannibal had invited Margaery to the masquerade costume party he was hosting. Margaery had been apprehensive, but after some convincing, she relented. So there she stood, in Hannibal's dining room as hors d'oeuvres were served. Margaery wore a mask of black velvet and green lace accents to compliment her green dress with black lace sleeves. Her hair fell in loose waves down her back, secured in sections with bright green ribbons that kept her mane tamed and lovely. Across her cream-colored neck were dark jewels in silver setting.

She didn't know anyone here, even after Dr. Lecter had pressed her to talk to some of the other guests. Margaery didn't want anyone recognizing her from the show and asking her questions about her family, her brother especially.

So Margaery busied herself with sipping white wine from a glass and looking over the artwork that decorated Dr. Lecter's walls.

Comments

[feelslikeimspilling]

Will was clean and tidy enough, he bathed and wore fresh clothes, it was just that he kept getting the same bottle of aftershave for Christmas every year, he was used to it, pretty sure it was the same one his father used to use. Home comfort over attracting a mate. Pretty much Will's take on it anyway. So long as Margaery's cute little nose wasn't offended by it. "I'm just being polite really, I'm freezing but I'm used to it." He smiled and rubbed his hands together, blowing on them. Standing closer to Margaery's side, sharing some of the little body heat that was coming off of her.

As for the topic of being manipulated, Will wouldn't admit it fully because that's what Hannibal wanted. Hannibal had already conditioned Will into thinking the way he was now, it was all so amusing and entertaining to the good Doctor. If only Will truly knew how under the thumb he was, he'd have been ashamed.

"I see you know your stuff. I prefer the more native beliefs of the moon. That it's lover stayed on the earth too long, got trapped in the body of a wolf... He howls his pained love and detachment from his lover every night until she returns to the sea in the morning..." He was rambling on and could ramble forever when it came to wolves or dogs. So he stopped himself and smiled slightly.

Seeing her laugh at his antics was nice, it warmed Will despite the cold night air. He laughed along with her and made some more small silly little motion with his antlers, getting a little be too close to her face than he'd realized. Pausing for a moment before pulling away, awkward that he'd invaded her space. Just then, the door opened and a few guests came out in a loud rabble, disturbing their peace.

[tyrelltempest]

As brutal as his aftershave was, it wasn't terrible in Margaery's opinion. She was used to Loras and his floral cologne, or Willas and his more wood-based colognes. Both her brothers though were guilty of overuse of the product. Margaery herself tried not to use too much perfume when she wore it, restricting it to just a dab or two on her pulse points and sometimes a careful spritz into her hairbrush to incorporate the perfume into her hair.

Margaery laughed softly when Will was so honest - really, she found it refreshing, his honesty. She liked it. Margaery reached to lift the jacket slightly from her shoulders. "Really, I'm not that cold, if you need it, don't stand on ceremony, there's no sense in us both freezing to death out here."

She found her gaze drifted back to the moon when Will told his story. A small smile crept across her soft lips the more he spoke. "I've heard that story too, yes. There is no comparison to the ancient tales of love and the beauty of nature." She didn't mind his rambling, rather she enjoyed it.

When Will continued to make his playful motions, Margaery laughed again, and when he did indeed get too close, she eased her face back and covered her smile with a delicate hand. After a moment her hand retracted, revealing her wide smile and showing that she in no way felt awkward or uncomfortable. But when the door opened, Margaery glanced over her shoulder and looked slightly disappointed when she saw the other guests join them on the balcony.

"Mm...so much for our privacy," she whispered, rolling her eyes a little. But she was used to being surrounded by people.

[feelslikeimspilling]

Despite her not wearing much of it, Will was rather fond of her perfume, especially when the wind brushed over her pretty locks, drifting the scent straight into Will's face. In fact, he'd lean in from time to time as they swayed lightly on their feet from standing still. He wondered what the rest of her smells like? If she had a sweet tinge to her skin normally or if she was warm smelling like freshly cooked peach buns?

When she went to remove his jacket, Will set his hands upon hers and kept it in place. "Honestly... Besides, you'd emasculate me in front of all the other men here that wish for your company!" laughing as he eased his hands away from her shoulders slowly.

Watching the lines her face pulled in when she smiled and laughed, only made Will smile more himself. She was addictive, had an effect on him that made him feel so carefree and silly. It had been years since he'd acted this way with someone he'd just met. Knowing she was fond of the old fables of nature and love only confirmed it more so to Will, that he had to keep her company for the rest of the evening.

As the rabble arrived, Will too sighed. Shaking his head as their noise was far too loud for his and Margaery's conversation. "I know, how about you grace me with a dance?" Going to take her hand as his other held the door open when the last of the intruders came outside.

[tyrelltempest]

When Will's hands fell upon hers as she attempted to remove the jacket, Margaery blushed at the contact. His hands were a little rough, but she didn't feel threatened. His grip was strong, but tender enough. She smiled at his quip and gave a dismissive wave. "There are plenty of women for the other men here to ogle and woo. They have no need of pursuing me." And she would prefer it that way.

Not just because she preferred her privacy. But also because she was enjoying her present company and didn't want the encounter to be spoiled.

Margaery gave a soft sigh again as more people took their idea and walked out onto the balcony. Such a pity, the setting had been so intimate for them. But when Will made his suggestion, Margaery blushed a bit. She hadn't expected the invitation to dance; after talking with him, it seemed like the last thing he would be interested in was dancing. But she wasn't about to refuse.

"I'd love to," she replied with a smile. She glanced to his jacket again that rested over her shoulders. "If we're going inside, you should likely take this back then. I shall be quite overheated with it, I think." Plus, she wanted to be the envy of the room - part of her celebrity ego.

A fair lady with dark hair dancing with the dapper Dearheart? Surely such scenes existed only in novels.