Mae looked pleasantly surprised at the spread, picking up a plate for Larine and one for herself and started to pick over the options, filling her plate partway. "A nice selection it seems, and nothing too heavy."

Guardok only realises Quentillius is there when he hears his name, he is quite focussed on the refreshments until then.

He turns to see Mei's wide-eyed glance, and gives her a smile with a little shrug. "Sharp suit, Q", he says, deciding his friend was distracted enough to not protest at the shortening of his name into a nickname. "I knew you would have something fancy on hand", he adds, letting some inspiration into his words for Quentillius.

He then turns back to the buffet, and starts to help himself to some of the skewers.

"Hey Cadoras, can you pass me a couple of meat and pepper skewers, I can't quite reach", he asks, offering out his plate for Cadoras to put one on. "Do you want one too, Rubina?", he asks her.

(OOC: Bardic Inspiration 1d6 for Quentillius to use in the next 10 minutes. Of course, Mei still has hers too)

The purple-skinned tiefling has just started to sample some finger food on a plate for him to share with Aurora as he hears that voice. He looks up with a brief glare trying to understand why the foppish pretender was here at all instead of being fawned upon by his entourage of imbeciles, clenching his sharp teeth with a brief growl. He would better treat the dreamer well or he would regret coming here today. "Yes, sharp suit Q." Malvyn echoes with a strained smile. His fiery red eyes the goes to Cadoras, hoping the green-haired elf was ready for the challenge and wasn't too lost in his plate of food. "I heard the show went well Q." He adds after a moment, wondering if that would also apply to the performance of the red-haired narcissist.

Quentillius first responds to Mei's questions. "More or less directly from the performance. I had to stop by my room to change and to get the flowers. I don't suppose I am in any rush to go though."  He seems not to notice as Guardok calls him 'Q'. "Well of course, I have a variety of formal attire and semi-formal as the situation might require."  When Malvyn repeats the 'Sharp suit, Q' phrase the tiefling gets a slight glare back from the actor but no responses. Instead, he turns back to Mei again. "I could use a bite to eat. Are you all getting something?"  

Cadoras for his part watches and listens to the exchanges with the recently arrived Quentillius.  He momentary catches Mei's gaze as he looks at him.  But then just as quickly is distracted as Guardok asks him to reach the meat and pepper skewers. "Oh, of course sir! How many would you like?"  The elf grabs a lot, perhaps a dozen or so, and offers them to the genasi. His own plate already has a number of items on it, though he had been slowed down listening to the conversation. 

Rubina jumps in when Quentillius doesn't quite answer Malvyn's question. "Quentillius did a great job in the performances. Quite well."  She nods to Guardok, putting out her plate for one of the skewers from Cadoras as well. "Just one for me. I just need a small bite and want to try some of the rest."  

Aurora gives Malvyn a nudge, "Perhaps we should just grab some food and find somewhere to eat."  She seems to have noticed his annoyance with the actor's presence.

Larine had moved along the assortment of foods after Mae had handed her a plate. She quickly adds a small assortment of a wide variety of items as she stuck close to Mae. The two seemed to have just continued on despite the appearance of the actor. "It does all look very good. I can't wait to try the fruit." 

Mae looked over at Larine's plate and smiled at her. "It does look delicious. Oh look, Quentillius is here. Huh." Being largely oblivious to the current status of everyone else's interpersonal relationships, Mae held her plate and took a small bite of one of the meat skewers, still standing next to Larine, and watched the social repartee.

"Thank you, then," Mei smiles, gently touching Quentillius' arm to distract from the glare-off, "both for coming after such a long day and the flowers." 

She offers the actor a plate, responding to Rubina, "Oh, I'm sorry to have missed it, then! I'd go to every performance if I could, it was so exciting watching you all just... become different people. I don't know how you do it! Is it a matter of persuading the audience to suspend their disbelief? Or is it a sort of... mutual deception?" Perhaps nervous and too focused on the situation, Mei pays little attention to what she puts on her plate, grabbing an assortment of meat despite her vegetarianism. "I should take lessons from you all for my Disguise spell. It's not very convincing if I can't also act like someone else," she laughs.

Guardok looks across at Mal a little surprised. He knows that the tiefling has no love for Quentillius, but to be so unwelcoming after a nice deed like bringing flowers to Mei seemed harsh. He was glad that Quentillius didn't react, the gala was about Mei, and celebrating her work.

He turns to answer Cadoras. "I'll take a couple, perhaps two couple. Thank you, good sir. Most kind", he says placing them on his plate, and then looks to add an assortment of other food as well.

"The whole cast and crew did a wonderful job. I think tomorrow's performance will be the best of the lot, now we are all in the groove", he adds to Rubina's words.

"Now, now, Mei. The gala is about art, not acting. I am sure we all want to hear more about that. For instance, what else do you like to paint? Your piece for here was quite unique, but do you paint landscapes and portraits and bowls of fruit as well?", he says as he finishes collecting food.

Mei gives Guardok a sheepish little smile, caught deflecting the spotlight. "Well now I have to paint a bowl of fruit," she laughs. "But mostly I'm learning portraiture and anatomy in the Society. Oh, and Cadoras is teaching me to sculpt too! Though I tend to do more sketching than anything. Collecting little moments of time." They've all, at one time or another, seen her sketching away. "The Dreaming can cause a, um, a pretty severe loss of memory and awareness if it goes awry, so I try to capture everything I can. Just in case I get lost one day." There's no sadness in her voice as she explains--it's a possibility she's long since had to come to terms with. 

Suddenly, she turns to look at everyone, oblivious to the grapes slung from her plate. "Oh! Maybe one of you could sit for me sometime? I'm hoping to submit a life drawing for review next. It involves some, er... strategic draping of fabric--or placement of fruit--" she giggles with a look at Guardok, "--but it's all very tasteful." 

The purple-skinned tiefling lets on a small amused smile as Rubina feels the need to point out that Q did a great job at the performance. As Aurora suggests they leave he shrugs and comes with her to wherever she decides they should go, bringing the plate he prepared for them. "Perhaps you could help me out here, me being a novice with relationships and all, but isn't it awkward to have someone like Q coming to court Mei with flowers while Cadoras is right there?" He asks quietly as they are out of sight of the others.

"Yea, Quentillius. Did he give her flowers? I thought Mei and Cadoras were... umm, had come here together," Larine says softly to Mae.  She too nibbles on the items on her plate as she stands close to her. 

"You are quite welcome Mei," Quentillius says. "It's the least I could do to come and see the presentation of your artwork. I'd hoped to invite you as my guest to the play, but I figured you would be there to see Guardok with all your friends." He nods his head at the group gathered here. His gaze lingers on Cadoras, "I hadn't realized the silly green elf would be here though." 

As Mei asks about becoming different people, Rubina almost starts to respond, but Quentillius eagerly jumps in. "Ah, well there are many opinions on how best to pull off a role. To me, it is all about authenticity.  You must be true to the character, know what he might wear, what sorts of things he would react, and the sorts of things they might say.  Many say you have to convince yourself about the character. However, a true actor like me fully understands the character but doesn't lose himself. You execute the part and convince the audience. But it's very intentional." 

While Quentillius speaks, Cadoras delivers 4 of the skewers to Guardok. "There you are my good man!" he says with a grin. The rest he puts on his own plate.  When Guardok starts asking the purple-haired girl questions about her art, he turns his attention back to her. "You're improving by leaps and bounds too with the sculpting," Cadoras tells her. "Ooo! I could be your model! You say tasteful - I'd be happy to pose with the fruit - and then I'd have a snack all set for after!" He laughs for a moment at his joke. 

Having taken the plate Mei offered, Quentillius still hasn't filled it. He shakes his head at Cadoras' joke. "I'm not sure he understands what 'tasteful' means," he says quite seriously. 

Having pulled Malvyn over to a little table where they can stand set their plates, Aurora gives him a broad smile. "You are very insightful there Mal. Yea, it could be awkward with the two of them here. But that is for Mei to work out.  I'm not sure what exactly is going on with all of them, so perhaps they can all co-exist peacefully together.  Or not. We'll see I guess." 

Guardok looks entirely uncomfortable at the prospect of posing tastefully with fruit for Mei.

"I am happy to pose for you Mei, well try. I mean, you have to stay still for ages, right? That might be difficult. But I think it would be a little too weird to pose for you like that, just with fruit", he says shaking his head.

He is not surprised that Cadoras volunteers, he had to admit that the elf's give anything a try attitude was ingratiating. Even if Quentillius was outspoken about his disapproval, calling Cadoras a silly green elf earlier and now saying he doesn't know the meaning of tasteful. The pair could not be more different in truth. He wondered how Mei would handle being the focus of both their attentions. If she would enjoy it, hate it, or not even clock it. But after she sounded disappointed at the thought Quentillius had lost interest in her before, he is glad at least that she knows it isn't true. Whatever happens from here.

"I think he knows what tasteful is, I just worry he won't be able to resist having a taste-ful of fruit before Mei is done", he adds with a chuckle, trying to soften Q's remark a touch by making a little joke out of it. And trying to make Mei blush, of course. That was fun.

Mei's lips part in a perfect "O" when Quentillius mentions inviting her to the play. She's about to comment (and subtly inquire about who they all saw he did invite) when he focuses in on Cadoras. "The silly green elf," she starts, the nickname much more affectionate coming from her as she's sure Cadoras would actually find it funny, "is actually one of the Society's star artists exhibiting tonight. Wait until you see his sculpture! It's absolutely mesmerizing."

At the talk of life modeling, Guardok has no trouble making her blush. Her gaze flits to Cadoras, then to anywhere but. "O-Oh! Ha! Well, that would be--the fruit is for covering, um--if you ate it it wouldn't--" there's a tiny little whine before she clears her throat. "B-But, yes! It can be taxing to hold a single pose. It's definitely important to find a position you both enjoy." Realizing how that sounds, she quickly corrects, flushing even further, "I-I mean, a position you're comfortable holding and that the a-artist can do!"
Roots below, swallow me hole, she groans inwardly.

Seeing Quentillius' empty plate, she grasps at the opportunity to change the subject lest she turn into one of the skewered tomatoes. "Speaking of, um, fruit, would you like any? We could find a table for us all to eat at? Though I know there's a lot of--" she looks around, relieved to spot Mae and Larine though realizing Malvyn and Aurora are gone, "--us."

(I know there are a TON of NPCs for you to juggle right now, DM, so say the word and we can jump around to different parts of the night if need be lol!! Happy to summarize them all just chatting and eating then heading back to the gallery if that's easier!)

"Hah, the only way Q will be able to peacefully co-exist with anyone is if they let him walk all over them, back and forth with his infinite arrogance. I just feel sorry for Cadoras, and Mei of course, I had hoped Q would have somehow found the good sense to stay away from them. Still, I guess I should not meddle in things I don't understand." The purple-skinned tiefling finishes with a shrug. "You were right in taking me away from there, thanks dear." He says, leaning in to give her a peck on her cheek. "Now, what would you prefer, just stay here enjoying the food and drink or should we take our own tour of the exhibition?" He asks, ready to go along with whatever Aurora would prefer.

Maeleve gave Larine a quiet nod, and as Mei and the others continued their banter, she gently nudged Larine away to start wandering around the exhibits as they became available. "I suppose I don't entirely know Quentillius's motivations, but in my experience it is not unusual for an artist to receive gifts from multiple people. But it is also how trouble starts." She suddenly got a pained look on her face before forcing a smile. "We'll keep an eye on them or check on them in a bit. Let's see what else is here first. Sound good?"

Cadoras seems to contemplate what Guardok said about the fruit with a grin. He finally nods. "I can only imagine after the grueling task of posing, a taste full of fruit would become irresistible at some point!"  He shrugs. "I'm sure it will all work out in the end though." He again starts to chuckle softly at his joke.  Then following along from the genasi's comment about his artwork, he responds, "Oh yes, I would love to show all of you my piece.  But after we have a moment to eat."  He turns to Mei. "Did you get what you wanted? I suppose I have enough on my plate to start eating a bit."  He sees Larine and Mae at one table and Malvyn and Aurora at another. He points them all out to Mei. "We can find a spot over by everyone else I think." 

Rubina already looks ready to go find a table. And Qunetillius quickly puts a few things on his plate and is also ready to follow the others in short time. 

Having finished most of their food, Malvyn can see that the rest of the group seems to be heading over in the general direction of where he's sitting with Aurora. "It doesn't matter to me. We ought to wait and have Cadoras show his sculpture for us.  But perhaps we can take a bit of a look around while they're finishing up their food."  

Larine catches the look on Mae's face and seems concerned. "Is something bothering you Mae. Should we leave?"  She slowly starts to stand. "Or do you just want to take a bit of a look around?"  She steps over closer, putting a hand on her upper arm. 

Once at a table, Mei sets her plate down and squints at it, confused. Why did she grab meat? And now the meat has touched everything else. With a sigh she slides her plate towards Guardok and Cadoras, hopeful they'd scavenge from it.

Realizing what they're missing, Mei announces, "I'll just go grab us some drinks!" She hurries off to fetch said drinks for the table (and some liquid courage) and summons both her Mage Hand and Unseen Helper for assistance, giving a wave to the others at their separate tables as she goes. 

"Yes, a look around sounds good..." The purple-skinned tiefling says quickly as he sees the obnoxious pretender come their way. "...come, let's go." He adds, standing up and grabbing their glasses in one hand, offering his other hand to Aurora to lead her away from this soon to be contaminated area. "You know, if I hear from the others that he has truly changed I promise I will re-evaluate my opinion on him." He says quietly as they leave the scene. "Oh, look over there, how interesting..." He says, looking at some random artwork a bit away, leading the raven-haired performer in that direction.

Guardok heads over to wherever they find to sit down, and munches on the skewers and other goodies he managed pilfer from the buffet. It is good to be out and about in a social situation after all the hard work rehearsing and performing.

When Mei pushes her plate towards him and Cadoras, he treats it like an extension of his own, dipping in from time to time.

"So, is there a winner?", he asks Mei and Cadoras suddenly, once Mei has returned with drinks of course. "Like best in show or something?".

Mae covered Larine's hand with her own and blinked slowly. "I'll be okay. I was just hit with some bad memories." She gave the hand a light squeeze. "We don't need to leave, but I think going around and seeing the exhibits is a lovely idea." She put her food down and stood up next to Larine, moving her hand down her arm to join together. "All right, ready if you are. I do hope Cadoras's creation is as interesting as it sounds."