How Green Becomes Wood

"Ah. Curiosity is a dangerous thing," Ciara agreed. "You need not meet anyone you do not wish to."

Just then, a larger man with a glass of wine and an expensively terrible suit came breezing over. "Ciara! Great party, eh? You must be the famous Mr. Dark. How do you do? Will Teeger."
 
Giving her a look, Dark chose to avoid mentioning he had already met people he'd otherwise prefer not to meet, considering he had already met even one stranger. Then he turned to meet another new stranger, "Famous? I was unaware I had garnered anything of the sort."
 
Ciara gave him a subtle nod, pleased with his answer.

"That's fair," Will Teeger said with a nod. "A wise angle to take. So! How long have you done dance? Is it a professional thing?"
 
"That's an excellent hobby to do together," he approved. "I was never particularly good at sharing hobbies, but maybe that's why I've been married three time!" He laughed boisterously.
 
"I am on my first and only," Dark replied, "We had our ten-year anniversary this past November, and all I can say is this evening is making me wish she were here with me. I would sooner dance with her than anyone."
 
Teeger stayed and chatted a little longer before excusing himself and wandering off to talk to someone else. As soon as he was gone, a couple more women tentatively walked up to ask Dark to dance. Ciara politely declined to dance with anyone, and she made certain to keep Dark supplied with small offerings of snacks.

As the night started to deepen, the older attendees started to filter out. Ciara waited until it felt like the perfectly appropriate moment. Then she started telling those who needed to know goodbye, and then she went to collect Dark. Another woman - who was clearly tipsy - tried to protest Ciara stealing Dark "early" before she got her chance. Ciara gave her a look worthy of Dark himself and raised a single brow. Even tipsy, the woman backed down meekly.
 
Dark obliged the women in dances, and in between drank maybe one extra glass of champagne than he usually would, but this still was not enough to make him anywhere near inebriated. When finally Ciara came to receive him, he did his best to hide his relief and made a comment about how he had a baby at home before taking Ciara's arm so they could leave.
 
Ciara waited to speak until they made it outside and the valet brought the car around. She slipped into the car, adjusted her dress, and only then said to Dark, "Well. It is finally over. Thank you for enduring all of that."
 
Ciara glanced at him at his statement, but she did not say anything. What was family for? In truth... she had no comparison point. She did not think too ill of her parents - though she now acknowledge that they were highly strict - but she could not confidently say they would show up for her like how Dark had. Her sister? She honestly could not say. It was more likely than her parents. Not to mention, Dark had called himself family. He was the guardian of her nephews. Did that really make them family? Technically, no, but she was beginning to wonder about things beyond technicality. If Dark had asked her to do something similar, she would have. That, she was certain of. Was that family? Friendship? Something else?

"No? What were you anticipating?" Ciara asked.
 
"People more like you," Dark replied easily enough, "Very stalwart, serious, formal, reliable, refined..." He trailed off, "Not many women willing to run off the dance with a stranger.
 
"I am rather flattered," Ciara replied. "I am afraid that all of my coworkers who are... 'like me,' I suppose, would be the ones quietly hiding in the corners and along the edges, hoping desperately that no one will notice that they did not dance. Such as Doug Driggs and Verona Myles. Although I do not think you met Verona. She came to bid me hello while you were dancing."
 
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