Closed First and Final Yule

[Todd Cobbler]

Todd had never been more excited for a Yule Ball. It wasn’t just that it was his last one, but because it was his first where he had a girlfriend to accompany, and that was exciting. He didn't quite realise it yet, but everything he'd done today was because of her. That morning, he’d taken the time to pick wildflowers from the lawn. Nothing fancy, just simple, pretty flowers tied together with string as a gift for Penny.

Getting ready had taken most of the rest of the day. His smart blue suit had been pressed to perfection, and he’d doused himself in just the right amount of cologne, which was perhaps a little too much in hindsight, but he'd wanted to make an effort for Penny. And he'd brushed his teeth for an obscenely long time. He’d more or less destroyed his toothbrush in the process, all the while making a mental note to avoid garlic for the rest of the day. After all he was hoping for a kiss tonight. Maybe several, if he was lucky.

Now, standing near the entrance to the Great Hall, flowers in hand, Todd waited for Penny to arrive so they could enter the hall together.

@Penelope Marshall

 

[Penelope Marshall]

Penelope was excited but also nervous for tonight, there was a slight melancholy undertone to it too. She couldn’t believe this was really going to be her final Yule Ball ever, but at least she would get to go with her wonderful boyfriend. She and Marnie had taken a lot of time to get ready today, and it had been fun to spend that time with her best friend. Now it was time to meet up with Todd, and Penny was grinning in anticipation as she headed to the Great Hall.

Her grin widened when she saw him, and she rushed over as fast as her shoes would allow. He looked wonderful, and she practically leapt at him as she came near, throwing her arms around his neck. “You look amazing!”

 

[Todd Cobbler]

Todd's face lit up when he saw Penny rushing toward him, her excitement contagious. As she threw her arms around his neck, he hugged her back, holding her tight for a moment. "You look... wow. I mean, you always look amazing." He trailed off, feeling a little overwhelmed by how happy he was just to be here with his girlfriend for their last yule. He pulled back slightly, grinning as he held up the wildflowers he'd picked. "These are for you. They made me think of you, beautiful and no nonsense." He chuckled, holding them out for her.

 

[Penelope Marshall]

Another day, Penelope might have been a bit embarrassed at her own enthusiasm, but with Todd she just felt at ease. She smiled at his compliment, then took the flowers from him and gave them a sniff. "You picked these for me?" She asked happily. "And you think I'm no-nonsense?" She knew the beautiful part was probably more of a compliment, but she did like how it sounded. She reached for his hand. "Thank you so much. Let's go inside, I want to dance with you." She said happily.

 

[Todd Cobbler]

Todd gave a lopsided grin and answered, "Yes, handpicked just for you." He glanced down at her hand as she reached for his, his heart doing somersaults, "And yeah, in the best way," he said, feeling so happy to be with Penny right now, looking into her eyes and smiling. "I did mean it as a compliment, by the way." He let her lead him inside, "Oh good, I love dancing!" he said excitedly, feeling ridiculously happy right now and itching to show Penny some of his dance moves.

 

[Penelope Marshall]

Penelope laughed gently as Todd said he had meant it as a compliment, wondering if there was any other way to take it. She liked it, being called no-nonsense. It wasn't something she would think of herself. "No, I know." She said with a smile. "I appreciate it, and the flowers." She leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. Then she lead him into the great hall, her smile widening more when she saw the decorations and the giant Christmas tree, as well as the beautiful dance floor. She held Todd's hand until she had made her way to the dance floor, then turned to him and wrapped her arms around his neck as she started to sway to the music. The flowers were still clutched in her hand, she wasn't going to let them go tonight. "Thanks for all this... you're so nice." She said softly.