"You bought me a VIP ticket to a love cruise?" The overwhelming exasperation in his voice proclaimed exactly how he felt. Gage stood in the kitchen that he shared with his older brother, Peter, staring down at a ticket in his hand. He could already feel his heart pounding in his chest, blood pumping up to his ears, almost drowning out the noise coming from Peter's mouth. It was hard to listen to him talk about how good this experience would be for him. About how Gage needed to get himself back out there, find a man, be happy again. "But I am happy."

"No you're not," Peter rolled his eyes, arms sassily crossing over his chest. "You're miserable, Gage. You never go out unless it's for work. People will try to talk to you all of the time when you're playing on the street, and you just clam up. You need to learn how to talk to people, and how to open up, and be friendly!" Gage's mouth set in a thin line as his older brother rambled on, his gaze slowly raising from the ticket to the man. Slowly, Peter unwound his arms from his chest, and moved to Gage. Wrapping his arms around him, he let out a sigh. "Look. You're my little brother. I love you, I want you to be happy, so please. It's just a week. You can relax, try to meet some people, try to have fun. For me?"

There were no more words spoken after that. Peter was tenacious, and once he had his mind set on something, it was hard to get him to drop it. Even if he didn't go on this cruise, Gage knew that there would be other plans in the working. He couldn't get away. Begrudgingly, he agreed to board that ship, agreed to go on the cruise. If only to make Peter happy.

The day arrived sooner than he thought it would.

It took him an hour to figure out what to wear, with Peter's hand guiding his wardrobe almost the whole time. Eventually Gage settled on a black long sleeved shirt, thin enough to not make him overheat on the warm winter's day. A white hand was displayed on it, with a cube floating directly under it. Pairing it up with black skinny jeans, and a pair of black sneakers, Peter just stared at him as he left his room. "Really?"

Gage's response was the flip him the bird.

Letting it go, there was no more talk of clothing from his brother. The two stepped out of the hotel room they shared, making their way to the rental car Peter drove. Guitar between his legs, Gage stared out the window the whole drive, Gage bit his lip, fidgeted his legs, flexed his fingers. The anxiety was bubbling in his chest, and it wasn't until Peter placed a hand on his shoulder that he finally looked over, realizing they had arrived.

"Go get them, cowboy!" Peter had the biggest grin. Stepping from the car, Gage walked around it, and stared at the stairs as Peter slowly began to creep off. "Bye! Bye, I love you, bye! Have fun! Don't get too drunk! Be safe! I'll see you in a week bye!" Gage dragged a hand down his face as his brother finally drove off, and with one last deep breath, began to walk up the walkway and onto the ship. Surprised that the staff came and took his things, he stared after them as they carefully toted his guitar away, before taking another deep breath. The room he was lead to almost took his breath away, and he had never expected to be able to have such a luxury before in his life. How Peter managed to snag this ticket, he could only guess.

Gage's hands were hidden as he made his way to a seat, rather far from the two women that were already in the room. Listening to the spiel given, Gage graciously took the champagne offered, and desperately tried to not down the glass in one gulp. Holding it gingerly in his now free hands, he glanced over at the women as noise was made, before nodding.

"...Is that a free pass to get tipsy, then?" As if on queue, he took a drink. "I'll take it if it is."

Somehow it hadn’t occurred to Alexander until now that his bags were packed and he was ready to leave, that it was almost the end of the year. It was December 19th; the day he would travel to Orlando and stay there the night. The next day he would get on a boat and forget about life for a while. Then, after he was back, he owed Rosie all his time until new year’s. Alexander would do no more work this year. A realisation that he was only coming to terms with now. It felt like a weight dropping from his shoulders.

However, his teachers did say that a writer never truly stopped working. He reckoned that even in his holiday his mind would wander to fantastical places. To realms beyond the stars where the impossible happened both technologically and magically. Realms where humanity had surpassed all their limits for better or worse. That was the exciting work that came with good dreams. But there was so much other work that he had done this year that he only now acknowledged. He released his first book in what would be a 10-book epic. He was halfway through two other books. And finally, the Frontier 31 movie was going to be released early next year. That had taken a lot of his time this year. But he knew the end result would blow the fans away.

Yes, it had been a good year. And this vacation now was well-deserved, even if he didn’t always fully acknowledge how much it was also simply necessary. It had been a long year.

His train of thought suddenly reached a stop when he heard a bundle of soft footsteps and felt a soft tug on his coat. As he cast his glance downwards, he saw Rosie looking at him with eyes as striking as Camilla’s had been. God, if she didn’t have his hair and nose she would’ve been a carbon copy of her. He swore that she looked more like her every year. Although where Camilla had been bolsterous and energetic, Rosie was more muted and shy. He wondered if that would change with time as well? She was already wearing her coat and carried a small bag of clothes and toiletries.

”Are you ready?” He asked her.

She nodded. ”yes.” She answered simply. Though her expression was uncertain. She would miss him. Still, Alex knew that her grandparents would spoil her so that this would not be much of an issue. He knew that next week she would be dreading to leave them too! And he would just spoil her just as much the week after. Certainly that would restore the balance. He had already promised her as much.

Alex smiled and ruffled her hair. ”Did you remember to pack the presents for your grandparents?” He asked for all certainty, and was answered by another nod. And that affirmation meant they were ready to leave their apartment unoccupied for an entire week.

He drove them to his parents then. He came inside for tea and some small talk for an hour, then it was time for him and Rosie to say their goodbyes with a large hug. Alex made her promise to be nice and take good care of her grandparents, which she said she would. Then he kissed her cheek and tickled the same spot slightly with his beard afterwards. That always made her giggle.

What followed was a ride to the airport, a flight to the sunny south, a text to Rosie that he arrived safely, a text back that she loved him, another text back that he loved her too and finally a rather sleepless night in a hotel. How could Florida be so hot in winter! It was like a cool New York summer day here, and he was sweating bullets because of it. But as he slowly acclimatized to it, he did manage to snore a few hours away.

The distance from the Hotel to the cruise’s terminal was relatively short, and the arrangement he had booked from the hotel even included the ride there. As he arrived, his mind could only barely comprehend the size of the cruise ship. It could fit an entire galactic fleet inside; he was certain. How many people were going on this god damn boat that they needed this much space.

Judging by the line, it was a whole damn lot. But Alex didn’t have to worry about lines. VIP life baby! As he walked by, he noticed a number of faces that seemed to recognize him despite the vacation outfit and oversized sunglasses. Some of these guys probably had a book of his that they’d be reading poolside. He just hoped they didn’t expect him to sign it. Because he wouldn’t. It was his own damn vacation too.

After boarding he was quickly lead to the exclusive upper deck, where he was gathered with the other sixteen VIPs that had booked for this year’s trip. He reckoned this deck could easily fit double the amount of people present, and that included staff. But he had to admit that this place was nice. The view was great, the couches were cosy and the temperature was simply sublime. He wasn’t sure if that made the champagne taste extra good, or if it was simply something so expensive that his uncultured brain couldn’t comprehend it. Despite Alex’s ample wealth, he didn’t usually indulge in such expensive commodities.

Then the hosts introduced themselves, and dropped unto them the many assurances of an amazing vacation. Though the latter half of the talk still made him hesitant. Was this truly a good idea? In a way it felt like he was betraying her memory to even be here. He had wanted to give himself this chance, the possibility to find someone new. But this still felt like jumping into the deep end of things. Like, why hadn’t he tried to take one step at a time? You know, take things slowly.

Of course, the reason was that he’d chicken out otherwise. He was stuck on board here for a week and would do all these activities. He was stuck on a boat with no way out. That was the only way he knew to give love a chance again. Sometimes you needed to blow up your escape route in order to move on. People had loved that scene in Frontier 31.

Perhaps it were the nerves that made the champagne so palpable, then? Yes, that made sense, God damn it. Speed dating, what the fuck. What part of him had thought this was a good idea.

Peering cautiously over his shades he peeked at the others. A varied bunch, surely. A number of females they’d try to match him with; and then a number of males that might prove friend and competition in equal capacity. And then one in particular immediately drew attention to themselves with a small accident. Poor woman. Alexander would likely not fare much better. He rose his second glass at her in sympathy. Thankfully he wasn’t the only one in need of some liquid courage.

”A free pass? I didn’t think we needed one.” He answered the man in black. Odd choice of attire, that. ”And judging by their trays, neither do they.” He looked at the servers, whose trays still held enough glasses for everyone and then some.

"Are you glad that I will be gone for a while?" There was a big grin on his face and a hint of mischief in his voice. It was actually happening. Tobias was alone in a car with his brother-in-law on his way to a love cruise. Few months ago he wouldn't have believed in nonsense like that. First Tobias previously wasn't able to take care of himself, so how could he have loved and cared for another person? Second of all he tried to avoid being alone with his brother-in-law. They were such different personality types and Toby couldn’t help himself: always when there was an opportunity he tried to provoke Seth. He was so serious and bland normally, that it was fun to see him show some emotion. But Tobias couldn’t do that. After all he had promised his sister to be on good terms with her husband.

"It’s not like you’re moving away. It's just a week, it doesn't change anything", the older man answered with a blank face. Tobias had been living with Tabitha's family for a couple months by now and it was getting on Seth's nerve. Tabitha had a habit of babying her little brother, which Seth didn't agree with. His opinion was that Tobias should just get a new job and move to his own place. Tobias knew he shouldn't be as dependent on his sister as he was. He really needed to move out and getting a new job wasn't a bad idea either. But he was scared. Scared he would get lost in dark thoughts, get devastated from not being able to play violin. At least he was nowadays so occupied that he didn't have time to think about such things.

"I will move when time is right." Tobias really didn’t want to have this conversation right now. After all he was going to a VIP love cruise to relax and have some fun. “Time is never right. You said you would be staying with us for a couple months, but it’s been at least five.” The older man kept a small pause. ”You should get over your hand injury already. You are not the only one in this world who faces misfortunes. You are at the age where people normally start to build families. But not you, you’re too immature for that. I really hope you find someone from that cruise.” Seth sounded pissed, but his voice got more apologizing during the end of sentence.

It was true but not something Tobias wanted, or needed to hear. He murmured in annoyance and faced the window, trying his best to not talk back. Or at least he reassured for himself that he was doing that. He was not going to complain or provoke anyone. However it didn’t take long from Tobias to start provoking his brother-in-law. “Well I might be immature, but not taking care of birth control or getting your kids taken to custody doesn’t sound very mature either, does it?” At that moment Tobias could see steam coming out of Seth’s ears. He was full of anger. Tobias knew he touched a sore point and started to regret his words. Seth had become a father at a young age when he was only eighteen. His girlfriend of that time had a drug addiction and he was the one left to do the childcare all alone. He had to drop out of school. He had a low paying job and he didn’t get any help from his family. In the end his first born daughter ended up in custody.

Seth had all the right reasons to be angry. “Im so sorry. You know I didn’t mean that..” Tobias started but it was too late: Seth wasn’t listening anymore. He drove to the next bus stop and came out of the car. He opened the back truck and started to throw Tobias’ stuff to the ground. Tobias came out of the car as well and couldn’t do anything, he just kept watching how his suitcase opened and his stuff started to flood on the ground. He frightened a little when he saw his expensive violin to drop, but he knew he had no rights to say anything. This was purely caused by him and his words, he just needed to take in all what was coming. Tobias only opened his mouth when he saw Seth going back to the car. “You’re not actually leaving me there!” It didn’t help, he was ignored. Seth started to ride away and Tobias ran behind the car. When he noticed his brother-in-law wouldn’t come back, he stopped running and went back to his luggage.

Firstly Tobias opened his violin case. There were a couple scratches on the violin, but it was mostly in good shape. Then Tobias started to re-pack his suitcase. Almost all the clothes were now dirty, but it was the smallest of his problems. What the hell was he now going to do? He had asked all his friends to drive him to the cruise terminal, but Seth was the only one he could get to give him a ride. His phone’s battery was dead and all taxes just kept driving past him. This was just his typical luck. Should he just try to hitchhike? At least he had some what fancy clothes. If he had his regular old band tee and ripped jeans maybe he would be mistaken for a homeless person. But did he really want to try hitchhiking? No, not really. At least for now he would try to walk to the terminal. There wasn’t too much time left but maybe he would be able to make it.

G A B R I E L H E R N A N D E Z
G A B R I E L H E R N A N D E Z

P O R T C A N A V E R A L , F L O R I D A
P O R T C A N A V E R A L , F L O R I D A

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________

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The familiar tune of Astronomia sounded suddenly in the silence of Rachel Kim's bedroom, causing her to groan as she was so rudely awakened by the ringing of her phone so early in the morning. There was no need for her to check her phone to find the identity of the caller. She had so aptly chosen the music not long after the meme of the coffin dancers became a viral sensation, given that her parents visit was never something that came without any fuss, especially if her mother was involved. Groping around for her phone on her bedside table, she briefly answered it to the sound of her mother's voice. "We'll be there in 15 minutes."

Without saying another word, she hung up, leaving her daughter to fumble for herself as she pulled herself awake. A brief thought of annoyance of could possibly be the visit about this time was promptly brushed aside as realization dawned onto her. Today was the day of the cruise. The Speed Dating cruise holiday aboard the SS Astarte. Her parents had made plans to ensure that she didn't forget to go to the cruise, her mother even going so far as to come to her apartment to prepare a home-cooked breakfast before they departed together for the cruise. Not long after she finished washing up and getting dressed, her parents arrived, right on the dot of the fifteen minutes announced her mother. As soon as she opened the door, her mother brushed through her and made a beeline for the kitchen, carrying bags of cooking ingredients on the counter as she began to whip up a storm. Her father soon followed with the calm and leisurely pace he so known for, greeting his daughter with a smile. The father and daughter pair sat themselves down in the sofa in the living area while they waited for her breakfast to be ready. "I hope you find someone good on the cruise. Someone you like that appeals to you. Just be yourself."

Rachel didn't exactly knew how to respond to that. She managed with a "We'll see." "You've got to make an effort to put yourself out there if you don't want to end up all alone in your old age. Give it a good honest try. Who knows, this might actually work out when there's no where to go, and no where to hide when you're stranded with other like minded folks on a ship out at sea." "I'll give it a shot. No promises though." Her words came with a sense of caution in case her parents read too much into this and were already starting to count their chickens before they were hatched. "Your mother and I just want you to take this trip optimistically and put in a good effort to make this work. If it doesn't work, then at least we've tried." There came her father's pet phrase again. She'd grown up listening to him saying that over and over again, and Rachel knew that he was fully serious and committed whenever he used those words. Their conversation was interrupted by the announcement that her breakfast was ready and Rachel found herself treated to a Korean home-cooked breakfast spread. Her mother's special Korean Street Toast and Jeon Vegetable Pancake which consisted of Squash and Zucchini fried a lovely golden brown was present like always.

The staple was in the form of a Korean Kimchi Rice bowl filled with freshly cooked bacon strips and a fried egg. The breakfast was a heavy one, but being a hearty eater, Rachel had no problems finishing all of it. After consuming her hearty breakfast, Rachel went to get dressed, and emerged in a simple black top and faded denim shorts along with a light flannel dark green and red oversized shirt and black boots. Pulling her luggage along with her, the trio left her apartment and began the trip to the cruise terminal. Anxiety began to build up and bubble within her as the cruise came into sight as they arrived the terminal. Hugging her parents and waving them farewell, Rachel began to make her way to the VIP line, bypassing many of the others who stood in the regular queue. Despite her popularity, her fame was no where compared to the more famous actresses and models. She was an athlete and athletes don't really get associated with the same these big entertainers get unless they were really big and world-famous. As she boarded the cruise, the staff promptly assisted with her luggage and led her to the exclusive upper deck where a small crowd of the other dating participants for United at Heart were already present.

Rachel could feel eyes on her as she approached the group, and she wondered to herself if there was any other athletes in the group. She didn't seem to recognize any, and there was certainly no other snowboarder present, or any other winter athlete present that she could see. She was totally out of her element here, let alone her comfort zone and she began to feel self consciously under dressed as she glanced the others present beside her. A small consolation was that there were a couple of others that weren't so formally dressed.

Declining the offer for a champagne as she was offered one, she opted for an apple cider instead, opting to keep her head free of any alcoholic intoxication. She needed her wits about her if she was going to make something good come out of this.

Sophie sat cross-legged on one of the barstools on the far end of the bar. She was quietly sipping on her Long Island, not necessarily paying any mind to the other patrons around her. Her attention was instead directed at the TV right above one of the bartenders. On it, they had a hockey game which coincidentally enough was showing a match between the Lightning and the Rangers, the latter being her home team. Sophie was currently a season ticket owner, going to most of the games with her friends and enjoying herself having a good time. There was much to do at the games: drink, eat, witness a fight or two, win a free t-shirt, yell at the referees, etc. It was an experience that extended past watching the actual match.

“You seem to be into the game.”

She smiled at the bartender in return, gazing over at him. “I enjoy the sport.”

“Not so common around here.”

“Well, I’m not from around here.”

“I figured, given the accent and all.”

“Well, I live in New York actually.”

His face dropped, the gesture an exaggerated one. “Oh no, you’re a Rangers fan.”

“Yep!” she replied smugly, sipping on her drink. “Tampa doesn’t stand a chance tonight, how sad…”

“It’s still early in the game, don’t count them out just yet,” he added matter-of-factly as he simultaneously began to wipe the counter adjacent to her. “They can make a comeback unlike the guys down south.”

“Oh, I know they're good, they’re just unlikely to take the lead against us.”

Their back and forth banter went on for roughly another minute or so before he had to get back to work. The bar was busy that evening, but that was the case with the rest of the resort. She was currently in CityWalk, in a bar just outside Universal Studios. They had a lot to do there…bars, restaurants, a movie theatre, and even a karaoke place with a big stage and a live band playing behind whichever unfortunate soul had signed up to get on and sing. Sophie had stopped by the karaoke place for a minute before heading to the bar, but she wasn’t feeling it, not without her friends there to push her into making a fool out of herself. She ended up in the resort because she figured she might as well enjoy her evening before boarding the cruise instead of spending it in her hotel room watching a movie. Besides, she’d never visited Orlando, and after a 5-minute Google search she found out they had a pretty good nightlife in the resort.

She took another sip of her drink in time to watch the opposing team score, and she shook her head. They were still down by one, so she wasn’t sweating it. Sophie continued to enjoy the game, making casual conversation with someone who just happened to sit right next to her. A man named Erick was nice enough to buy her a drink, and she ordered something a little less strong as she was very well on her way to being drunk. They socialized, for a bit, but not too long. Eventually, the game ended and it was only a little while before Erick left as well. Sophie was surprised, though in a good way. She could say from experience that it was almost always the case for a free drink to come with certain expectations. However, sometimes, like it was the case here, a stranger did something kind for another stranger just for the sake of it.

The time in the clock on the wall read 11:09 pm. Sophie reached into her purse for some cash to leave as a tip. It wasn't too late, but she was ready to go lie down and after closing her tap, she made her way outside. The cool evening breeze felt nice, though had she been back home in New York, she wouldn’t be able to wear the dress she currently had on. Sophie followed a small group who appeared to be heading in the general direction of the exit. She was scrolling through her phone, unaware of her surroundings when she felt someone walking extremely close to her.

“Hey.”

It was the bartender from earlier. According to him, he had covered for his friend a couple of hours before his own shift started and therefore he had gotten off early. The two started talking as they walked, first about sports, then switching back and forth between random topics. It didn’t take long for them to reach a nearly empty garage. The space was massive, and she could only imagine the insane amount of cars populating it during the day.

“Well, it was nice meeting you.” Sophie smiled, saying her goodbyes. By then, she was more than ready to get to bed, so she didn't carry on with a conversation nor did she give him the chance to ask any questions.

The following morning, Sophie was feeling less than stellar. Not so much from a hangover but a headache that appeared out of the blue. She took her time getting ready and packing up the few belongings she had out of her bag. Hope you enjoy your week! That was the message her grandfather had just sent her. He was the one who had surprised her with the cruise, and she made a mental note to get him a thank you gift some time after she returned home. After reading over a couple of other messages, Sophie scanned her room one last time before gathering her bags and walking out. It'd be roughly an hour before she arrived down at the port, but she could just sit back and listen to music on the way. Downstairs, Sophie caught one of cabs waiting just outside the lobby. The driver went ahead and placed her bags in the trunk while she made herself comfortable, slipping on her sunglasses.

"To Port Canaveral, please"

The ride there was uneventful. She had been looking out the window then, her head leaning against it when she noticed they passed some guy walking by on the side of the road, and he appeared to be heading in the same general direction as her. Sophie sat up straight, wondering who in their right mind would walk such distance. "Stop the car!" The driver looked at her through the rearview mirror as if she were crazy, but he nonetheless did as she asked. Once the vehicle had come to a complete stop, Sophie opened the door and stepped halfway out. "Hey, do you need a ride to the port?"

The day was here.

And so much sooner than he would ever be ready for. It was such an odd thing, this feeling he had been cultivating in himself, and he found it to be an interesting new kind of obstacle to deal with. He has always been that kind of idiot; the one that rushes head first into everything.

Especially if it was a new experience.

Something was so very different about what he was about to be apart of for the next week AND there wasn't any hope of turning back once he started. Elaine, Miss Dawn as the rest of the folk around the office knew her, had truly meant well in signing him up for this. She had never, EVER, lead him astray even in her most far fetched of ideas. This one, though, seemed one of her most abstract and he would be the only one to suffer should it be the one to finally fail. She had been so adamant, though, that he needed to take this "trip" and try to find someone for himself. She went on and on about how he was spiraling and she didn't know what to do to help him. So, her solution was acquiring the tickets... on the company card, HIS company card, and shipping him on the proverbial love boat for a week.

He sat up in bed still in disbelief of what was about to happen. The room he had been in the past twelve or so hours had already been altered to fit the needs of several Zoom meetings with his coworkers. There was at least one extremely important meeting he had already missed in his travels, Elaine went as a proxy, and he would miss AT LEAST one other before he could make it back. Now was not a particularly good time for him to be missing meetings, either. There had been an attempted take over in the last year by another one of the countries top hardware producers and it had nearly been successful. The truth was that it had shaken some of the foundations of UltraLite and the future of the company was as uncertain as it had been since it's inception. All of this was one of the largest problems he had with taking the trip at all but Emily was one of his closest friends so he agreed to humor her as long as she would continue to act as his proxy.

He grumbled past the momentary grogginess he felt, he had always been something of a morning person, and started to get ready. He was so grateful for Elaine. The only way anything... of this nature would ever work for him would be if someone was behind him lining up all of the logistics. He had his friends had been able to get away for many, many weekends but he would just cram some shit in a bag and walk out the front door. It didn't take thought to have fun, especially in the right company. He wouldn't dare show up in his ratty weekend wear, as Elaina so lovingly put it, and she had made sure he never had the chance to do so even should he feel so inclined. She actually threated to burn his clothing and send him nude should he even try...

It took him a comically long time to decide which might be worse.

His second day in transit, after burning one day for good measure, he had checked through what she had packed him and her judgment had been more than sound. She had gone against some of what she had said she would do and packed him some slightly dressier wear but allot of what he saw among the luggage was casual to the t.

to the tee*

He lined up his luggage and called down to have someone take it to his taxi as it would be arriving soon. He would have gladly taken it himself, he was all about stimulating the economy but he hated being waited on, but he had to squeeze one more meeting in before the taxi came. A quick "call to arms" for some of his immediate partners. Now was a time the company was going to need to band together if they wanted to protect their current way of life. Most of them were at the top in their world and they were going to have to show just how badly they wanted it.

The meeting devolved into stores of "better times" a distinct sign he had bene in the industry too long and he was rescued by the phone in his room ringing. The taxi had arrived and his effects had been loaded. Oliver bid his comrades a hasty farewell then grabbed what few personal possessions he had left and hurried down to his last land bound ride of the week. The taxi driver was a kindly older man and was obviously paid well because he didn't utter a solitary syllable to Oliver on the ride to the dock. It was a dear silence leading up to this event that was having such an unpredicted effect on him. He would have never guessed that doing this would fill him with so much... anxiety. He wasn't even used to identifying that within himself; it had been quite some time.

He was able to send out a few "vital" emails and message Elaina before arrival.

OLIVER - Almost on the boat... thanks allot...

ELAINA - You'll thank me once it's all over. Please just try it, Ollie?

OLIVER - You know the only reason I'd ever do this is for you, yeah? My guts are in my throat right now...!

ELAINA - Aw! That's so sweet! Getting butterflies in your stomach on the first day? I should screenshot this for later.

OLIVER - So kind and caring you are... I'll message you once I get settled in. At least I can get some sleep.

ELAINA - Be safe~!

He thrust his phone in his pocket and shook his head a few times in mock severity.

"...I'm not sure if I'm paying her too much or too little... little shit..."

He grinned and stepped out of the car. That grin was immediately wiped away as he was the boat and the line of people trying to board it. He knew he had a VIP pass and could simply walk aboard but he hadn't quite understood the scope of what Elaine had gotten him in to until now.

This wasn't a weekend out with the boys... not even close.

His bags were immediately taken up to the ship and he walked wide eyed up the VIP path. He could hear a large variety of murmurs in the line leading to the ship and what the passengers talked about ran the gambit. What he could make out pertained to some of the VIPs being actually celebrities and that made his guts turn ever so slightly. Just because he had money didn't mean he had ever... EVER rubbed elbows with celebrities. Where would he have found the time to even try? Now all he could think about was who had already arrived ahead of him. Would he know any of them? He spent basically zero time following what most would consider main stream celebrities and he doubted any of the ones he DID follow would be present. His mind began teeming with the possibilities and he walked, largely unnoticed, to the breath taking meeting area.

He was almost too preoccupied to see what was around him, almost. He grinned widely despite his nerves and took in the view a moment. Not long after he, and the other VIP members he had yet to identify, were addressed by some staff members he assumed were their hosts. As they spoke a waiter made his way swiftly up to Oliver and offered him something fluted and bubbly. He put up an absentminded hand and shook his head quickly.

"No... Thank you. May I have a water...?"

His voice was hoarse and it betrayed his composure. He didn't much get a chance to try and hide his slip up when one of the ladies present seemed to have taken a fall. Her retort was classic and he couldn't help but chuckle. It put him at ease, if only a very small bit, to see some kind of humor from the guests around him. He had been so relieved, and somewhat entertained, to see the spectacle that he had totally forgotten to properly freak the hell out about speed dating...

SPEED DATING...!!!!

And instead opted to take a thorough look around at the other hopefuls that had decided to take the leap. His current company ran quite the spectrum and none too many of them were recognizable to hi,. thankfully, and then he saw Alex.

Alexander Fucking Vandenberg...

Oliver had read everything the guy had written and followed every bread crumb he or his publishing house would drop to his fans. As it stood right now, Oliver would stab a stranger in the face to see Frontier 31. He had already planned to so some serious monetary flexing when the premier came close so he could see it as early as humanly possible. The dude was a legend in Oliver's world and he turned promptly away from everyone to hide the growing look of excitement on his face.

What was he here for again? It certainly wasn't to meet one of his all time favorite authors!

His water was brought to him promptly and he gulped it down a bit too fast.

Following the announcement of the break was silence primarily. A few people made commentary on the small accident that happened in the back of the room with Diana and one of the servers. But when the most notable interaction was between a lady and a server, a host knew they had to step in. This was nothing out of the ordinary. Every year had the same kind of people: Rich and eager, but completely clueless what to do when the moment was actually there. Others were just so socially awkward they needed a lot of help, or drink, to actually get going. Also, the words “speed dating” often did send them into a panic. The knowledge that you suddenly had to impress one-on-one to a potentially romantic mate did something with one’s mind. Regardless of how many millions you had on your bank. Especially when most of these people only had social interactions with their secretary,

Two minutes of silence were not a worry for them. They’d come around. Jack and Maggie were not concerned about that in the least. But perhaps they needed one additional ice breaker. After all, it was difficult to talk when you didn’t have any idea what to talk about. Everyone just needed that conversation starter in order to start making friends. Something like-

Something like Kimmy Tran, gambler extraordinaire, apparently. Although, it would’ve been nice if she had at least remembered their names.

Luckily for the duo, this wasn’t their first rodeo. Far from it. Though even amongst the things they had heard and seen in the bizz, this one did rank pretty highly. Enough to make Maggie’s eyes pop slightly as she stifled her laughter. But it was Jack that answered first. “Oh Kimmy. The only list we are on is UaH’s payroll. But I don’t think we would be for long if we engaged in such... antics... with our customers.” He answered humorously.

Maggie, in tandem, looked at one of the servers. “You heard the woman. Get her her cocktails.” And the server elegantly glided through the exit and into the bar where they prepared these drinks. That would take maybe a minute or two.

“And we’re not an item. Though, neither of our spouses have sea legs, if you catch my meaning.” Jack told her. And that was as much of a peek she’d get into either of their private lives for now. That said, Kimmy didn’t seem the type that was interested in sharing family pictures.

To the rest of the passengers, they had another message. "We understand that some of you may have reservations talking to one another, but I can say with certainty that you are all here for the same reasons. To find that special someone you're looking for, you need to put yourself out there!" If they didn’t, it would just be one expensive holiday.

Alexander Vandenberg knew he would be here many weeks in advance. Yet now, in the moment, he was caught up in a simple question: what the flying fuck do I do now? Sure, he was surrounded by a bunch of single ladies and gentlemen and was given free license to mingle to his heart’s content until the actual event started. Yes, it was a good way to make a few friends before jumping into the thick of things. But where should he even start? He knew diddly about these people… but that was kind of the point of this entire exercise, wasn’t it? To get to know the other people caught up in this maritime endeavour.

However, when he looked around he realised that there were a few people he recognized. It was not unexpected. This cruise served many rich and potentially famous people. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise him if somebody recognized him here. But he certainly wasn’t the greatest attractor of the common folk’s limelight. In fact, one of them had even made headlines this morning, Although Alexander had little interest in the daily tabloid gossip, it was difficult to not at least notice the imagery. And that knowledge told him enough to know that he had to be cautious in the presence of a type like Lilianna Reigan. Even association might drag his name through the mud if he wasn’t careful.

Alexander was not the type to believe that that was no such thing like bad publicity.

The other person he recognized was Aries. Alexander didn’t really know his name, as he didn’t really follow the band he sung in actively, but he had heard his music before. Alex listened to many different types of music, as a way to set the mood when he sat down for those long writing sessions. The band Fourdust did appear in his playlists a few times. He wondered if their next album was coming out anytime soon.

But then Alexander got his icebreaker. And the ice wasn’t simply broken, it was subatomically obliterated. It certainly was good to see that someone did have the courage to speak up, though the subject matter was perhaps not really what Alex deemed interesting. Though she did have a good sense of humour. It was a joke… right? The longer she went on, the more uncertain he became. At the very least it caused him to have a good, if a little loud, laugh.

For some reason she reminded him of good ol’ Captain Dundley from Chandler’s cosmic hike (his reasonably well-received attempt at a mix between hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, star wars and alice in wonderland). An old spacefaring captain whose one purpose in life is to find the moon made out of cheese; and believes all other moons are simply, in his words, phony impostors. Yet despite his eratic nature, Dundley somehow gets all the men and ladies.

Alexander wasn’t sure if that was the character from his books he’d have elected to have come to life in some way. But here he was, and that was what he’d have to contend with for a week. At least it might provide interesting research for the yet untitled sequel that he had planned.

After he caught his breath, he stood up and walked to get a new drink from a server. Water. He could’ve waved him over, but this gave him a good excuse to get off his arse and actually move around a little. And it meant he could move closer to someone else to have a talk with. After all, it was probably a good idea to at least get to know some names. Plus, he could at least try to humour their hosts.

Not wanting to engage with someone either too famous or too crazy, he elected to approach someone a little more normal-looking. He didn’t know his name. But later he’d undoubtedly learn that he was called Oliver.

”That… wasn’t quite what I was expecting from a luxury cruise.” He said with chuckle as his head motioned towards where the conversation with the hosts had taken place, on the other side of the room. Perhaps not the smoothest way to start a conversation. But he couldn’t really think of something better in the moment. ”I’m Alexander. What’s your name?”

Gage was having a hard time sitting still. The anxiety was bubbling up in his gut, spilling over into his hands, fingers twitching as they screamed for something to do. Shifting in his seat, he held onto the flute for dear life, even though it was empty. Moving it to one hand, his other moved up and into his hair, before it dropped to the hem of his shirt to tug at one lone strand of shirt. His mind was racing, going through all of the impossible scenario's he could be subjected to at this moment and the ones to come. It wasn't until a waiter came over that he was snapped out of it, jumping as he was spoken to.

"What?" He cleared his throat as his voice cracked. Trying to compose himself, he started again. "Can you repeat that?" Trying to keep his voice much softer than before, he took a deep breath. He wasn't going to make it a week, was he?

"Would you like another glass?" The waiter's smile was kind, as if he had seen someone as anxious as Gage before. Gage figured it was a more common occurrence than he wanted to admit, surely. After all, it wasn't every day that someone was booked onto a cruise that would, potentially, change their life forever. Assuming they found that 'special' someone.

Holding up his hand, Gage shook his head to the question. "No. No thank you, I'm fine," anymore, and he'd be liable for actually slipping over his own threshold and making it that much worse for his mental state of mind in the week to come. The waitor took his empty flute and left, on to check the rest of the party. As he left, Gage's eyes followed him, finally taking in the faces of the men and women he would be spending a week with.

Most he vaguely knew, at best. There was that one woman, the one who owned her own clothing line. Gage was almost positive that she was the one adored by his brother, Peter ranting and raving about how her clothes were life changing. Another man Gage faintly recognized, but there was no way he could put name to face, or even remember where he had seen him before (he would most likely later find out that it was on the back of a book).

Gage froze as his eyes wandered to a pair, speaking amongst themselves. Was that...? No. No it couldn't be. It definitely couldn't be Aries, lead singer of Fourdust. No, certainly not...But the more that Gage stared, the more that the man was convinced that it was. While Gage couldn't admit to them being his favorite band, they were definitely in the top ten. Just the sheer power behind their rhythms, and the fact that they had a bit of a softer side to them too, had Gage listening to their every single and album.

It felt like minutes when the man realized he had been staring at Gabriel for a bit too long. Ripping his eyes away, Gage wished for two things at once. First was that he didn't turn down another glass of champagne, and second, that he could disappear into a cloud of smoke and end up back home. He took to sinking down in his chair instead, face lighting up a light shade of pink at his own embarrassment, while his hand dragged down it.

"This week is going to be so bad..." He sighed to himself, feeling a shake starting to set into his bones.