The strip club isn't exactly the wealthiest or most, uh, holiday-ish place around, but it's clear that they have at least tried to make it more presentable this evening. Pink balloons and streamers and confetti are everywhere, and the three dancers on stage at the moment, professionals, are dressed (if that little attire can still be referred to as 'dressed') in a variety of pinks, reds and whites, with glitters to match.
There is a great deal of heart-shaped booty swiveling, glitter used to help point out the heart in cases where it isn't as obvious. Not everyone is blessed with the bootay.
It sounds like the song is heading toward its climax, so they may not be dancing very much longer.
Haruki's dressed up all fancy, particularly for this sort of strip club. He's in a top-hat and tails, all black and white, with a domino-mask on his face ala Tuxedo Mask, which really isn't doing that much to conceal his identity. There's only so many short Japanese guys around after all. He steps into the club and looks around to see if there's anyone he recognises.
Count wears his sunglasses at night, so he can so he can watch you weave and breathe and... be a perv apparently, because it's Valentines day and he is at a strip club. The Beast has made a long and arduous trek from... across the street from where he lives. Covered in Stripper Glitter? Come to Dirty laundry, we have a wash machine especially set aside for this kind of problem.
Count looks... tired, or perhaps hung over, or maybe that's just because it's winter and he doesn't like to do a lot of physical activity... like leaving the house. Whatever the reason tho, he /is/ here, dressed in black like the 90's goth he is, jeans and a Bauhaus teeshirt, leather jacket and motorcycle boots, and yes, those cheap cheap plastic shades.
It's rough, it's grimy, it's for some reason pirate themed -- and how could Franklyn stay away from this gaudy festival of bizarre delights? The Mortal girl's entrance is low-key - a puff of cold air from the outside, and of /course/ Franklyn is let in by the bouncers -- so what if she's maybe a /little bit drunk/ already? She's obviously got the cash -- just look at her!
Franklyn wears a lux looking fur coat -- is that ocelot? -- covering whatever top she wears underneath the winter armour, cuffs of dark trousers covering some pointed chelsea boots with a stacked heel. Why is she here?! The Mortal girl flicks her hair out of her eyes, glittery gems of some absurdly ostentatious cocktail ring glinting as she looks around - wow. Just... Wow. Kitsch sensuality to the max, at every turn. There has to be a story here... But that doesn't exactly look like what Frank's looking for. She heads to the bar, hardly missing a beat.
Ardis strides in, dressed in a too-big, beat-up black leather flight jacket with about half the seams so heavily reinforced with safety pins that they could almost pass for ammunition belts worn open over a thick, woollen sweater in charcoal gray. Black cigarette trousers and loafers with a flash of mustard yellow sock complete her outfit. She's wearing stark white eyeliner, one tarnished-looking silver earring in the shape of a railroad spike, and a curious smile as she looks around the room.
Look who's already here -- it's C.B. Alexander! Sitting at one of the tables near the stage, hunched over a tumbler of something amber and a pint of beer, staring more down at the table than he is up at the dancers, who probably -hate- him just about now. Occasionally, he tosses a half-hearted bill their way and makes a face whenever any of them get too close for him.
Wait, why is he here again?
Lolly, who despite her name is NOT dressed like a stripper, has given in just far enough to allow 'the girls' to bedeck her hair with glitter and to pin her twin buns into vaguely heart-like shapes. Vaguely. They've been up for a while, and they look more like someone held a marshmallow heart over a fire for a while until it got all slumped and melty.
The very young twenty-something is perched on a stool at the bar, where other guests are getting very, very drunk. The liquor is uniformly terrible. Bottom shelf, or lower than bottom shelf, or the dregs of multiple bottom-shelf liquors mixed together to fill a bottle once they are mostly empty. The 'cocktails' are the saddest cocktails known to bartending, made by Sam, the bartender, a grizzled, surly man with a genuine glass eye and a peg leg, missing, rotting brown teeth, a perpetual grumpy squint and lank greasy salt-and-pepper hair.
As uncommon as short Japanese guys are extremely tall African American guys. Entering the club right after Haruki is Damion, the towering rival club owner glancing around the place after he steps in and raising his brows at the sight of it. "Well.. This is... something." His bass musing is low, but probably still carries. He absently pats Haruki on the shoulder.
Oh look! It's CB! Haruki smiles delighted on seeing the man and calls out. "CB! Are you here to dance? It's amateur night!" So much for being incognito, that's definitely Haruki, and he's neither sexy nor mysterious despite the tux. He doesn't ask any of the others if they're here to perform. And then. "Why're you here on Valentine's day when you've a beautiful girlfriend? Or is it because it is Valentine's day, which is like force us all to spend money or suffer the consequences?" He smiles at Damion. "Isn't it? It's amazing here! The bartender's a real pirate too! It's so authentic! Only don't ask for grog."
With the battered fedora on his head and the old brown bomber jacket over one of his usual plaid shirts, C.B. looks like he stepped right out of some 1940s movie. He squints at the sound of his name and turns around, rolling his eyes and kind of waving but not really answering Haruki in return because, yeah. He's not stripping. While he's looking behind him, though, he spots aforementioned 'beautiful girlfriend' and almost smiles. Then notices Count and squints a touch more. Who knows what he's thinking?
Count's nostrils flare as he makes his way deeper into the club, and for a moment his expression scrunches up, and then resets again. He's apparently taking his time with the place, stalking ever deeper before he makes his way to the DJ Booth. It is amateur night after all right? You gotta sign up somewhere.
From there, he starts towards the bar, where he spots Franklyn sitting down, and with a crack of a smile, makes his way to the ocelot wearing mortal. "You know Frankenista, if i ewver catch you wearing a lion skin, we might have to have words." this is spoken as he belly's up to the bar beside her and then gets a look at the bar man. "Any chance you got some coronas back there?" already taking out some cash, and then glancing around the place, spotting both Haruki and C.B. among the others, people he recognizes.
The pounding base of the booty-swivel heart strip tease finally comes to a close, and with a laugh, the three women dip down to retrieve their discarded costumes, blow kisses to the audience, and mince over toward the centre of the 'ship' (i.e. the rear wall of the club) from either side and, in the case of a particularly buxom blonde, back up the 'plank' which extends out into the audience to divide the seating area.
Lolly squirms down from her stool and scoots around as the ladies leave the stage, retrieving a mic and clambering up the side to wave at all the guests. "Thank you all for coming! Are you ready to test your skills on stage?" She puts a hand to her ear as if listening, and a few half-hearted cheers come from some particularly drunk-looking patrons down in the 'water'.
The pale-green skinned young Japanese woman gestures toward the jukebox on one side of the room, instructing, "Pick the song you want to dance to from the list by the jukebox and come over here beside the stage so we can get you sorted. If you want a special costume, the girls would be happy to get you allll dressed up so you can take it off again."
Franklyn is a the bar - she is ordering a drink - she is probably horrified on some level by Sam-the-bartender, but also, isn't this just so /real/?! What a -riot-. Even the terrible cocktail that she gets served -- honestly what /is/ that, it's not one glass but a /pitcher/ of bright blue-to-purple and has some kind of terrible neon cherry/depressing orange slices abomination speared into the side. Astonishing! The pitcher and glasses are quickly followed by a few shots - how many? Enough that Franky needs to get herself a little tray -- no, no, don't worry about it Stripper Waitresses, Franky can handle things...
Even if she's looking around the joint, semi-blinded by club lights bouncin' off of glittery butts and all the swaying movements of patrons and--- "HEY!" The hand which isn't holding a tray of disgusting booze raises as she spots Ardis, of all people -- but the Mortal girl is distracted almost immediately. Is that C.B. dressed like James Cagney, alongside Haruki? While it -looks- like she's gonna head in that direction, she gets Distracted by Count's arrival.
"It's vintage! No need to get all ALF on me..." Franklyn insists to Count, then waves a hand dismissively -- get those bottles of beer quick, Count; Frank's trying to get the Beast to... Go sit by the stripper plank, pointing to the table with Ceebs -- for a second. Because she's looking toward Ardis again; trying to flag her down. "Violet, lovely, come sit with us!" Booze tray. It's raised in offering.
Haruki's got to sign up too, which he dashes off to do, and CB's given something of a 'hurt' look as he doesn't answer, or even speak to the magician. Nevermind! And he spots Count and blurts out, "are you going to sing too?" Before he can help himself. He remembers singing? There was singing, right? "THat'd be like Britney Spears difficult." And then to Damion, he's being a bit scattered. "I should have worn a pirate outfit instead but I couldn't think of any pirate songs. Are you going to dance too?"
The corners of Damion's mouth turn up at the words from Haruki. "A real pirate huh? That's cool." He nods over to CB when he sees him as well, the only other person here he really recognizes so far. Even if not somebody he knows well. Then he cocks his head when Lolly talks over the speakers. "Hmm. Guess that's where you're going, huh Haruki?" He gives the boy an encouraging rub on one shoulder. Assuming he does head that way, he'll follow him as a sort of moral support. He shakes his head at the magician, "I'm thinking not."
Ardis has already picked up a drink-- Well, two drinks... One drink per hand, let's say!-- and started to make tracks toward C.B., Damion, and Haruki when Franklyn calls out to her. The scientist pauses for a quick look over at Frank and Count, at whom she smiles, teeth very white in the changing colors of the bouncing overhead lights. "Of course!" she answers, in her deep, smokey voice. She swings by the green-eyed actress and her leather-coated companion on her way to the table and nods towards the others. "This way, right?"
Haruki clearly missed CB's wave. He's being easily distractable at the moment though. "You'd be so hot!" he says to Damion, "you'd set the room on fire. Maybe I should have picked... DO you know how difficult it is to dance in six inch heels, and to hold yourself upside down on a pole, and to smile and look sexy while doing it? And if they get too handsy you stomp on their instep with your heel, and oops accident. Well not you, and not me, because towering heels are trickier than stilts."
C.B. drinks and squints at Lolly, the skepticism plain on his face. His red-cheeked, probably-already-somewhat-inebriated-face. Frank is coming this way, and Ardis? He rolls his eyes at bit at the latter, but he won't move fromt his spot, no doubt. Brief nod and a grunt at Damion, too. Seems like he's a bit in his own little bubble.
It's Quinn! She comes in and looks around, unbuttoning her coat as she takes in the room. She has never been in this place before, so it takes a moent to get her bearings, figure out where everything is, and start to make her way toward the bar. She spots few familiar faces, only one in fact, but if CB happens to look her way she gives a little wave with a wiggle of fingers. Otherwise, just to the bar!
Lolly waits for a few guests to filter toward the music and sign up for their songs, then reads off the list, squinting into the stage lights. "Looks like... The Masked Magician is our first guest stripper! Magic, come on up!"
Damion laughs a little. "Uh-huh. I'm not really a dancer though, hon. I mean, I know it's amateur night. But I'd just look silly trying to perform up there." He tilts his head, considering the question from Haruki. "Hmm, I can't say that I did. Never tried to dance in heels." Does that mean he's worn heels at some point? He watches the boy head on up to be the first performer apparently, glancing over at the announcer curiously.
No coronas? Ugh, Well after some conversation Count ends up with some godawful cocktail and a couple bottles of Coors that get stuck into his jacket pockets. "Girl, I don't care if ya skinned it yesterday, I'm just sayin'..." The beast says as he turns to bump his hip against Franks and joins her on her trek towards C.B. and others.
On the way he reaches into the inside of his jacket pocket and pulls out a little red box, offering it over to frank. It's got a bow, and someone stuck black rose petals on it. The box itself looks like it came from the local liquor store. Because it did. The $6 price sticker is still on it.
"This is my sappiness quota fer the month dollface." he says a little deadpan before sipping whatever it is he got from the bartender and makes a face.
Sure, C.B. notices Quinn, while he's turning back towards the stage. He gives her a nod and a compressed sort of smile but he's not a very smiley guy. Besides, he whirls around when he hears the bit about the Masked Magician, eyebrows climbing up towards the fedora on his head. Is Haruki seriously about to strip?
Quinn sidles up to the bar looks at the options, and then orders a Coke. Not a rum and coke or anything, either. Just a Coke. Then she looks around again, taking in the crowd of people around the only familiar face, and the rather frightening looking faces that surround him, and decides that for the moment she'll park herself over at a safe distance and keep an eye on things.
The Masked Magician is dressed in a tux that was tailor-made for him, a top hat and domino mask, and a cape. All in black. He leaps onto the stage and then the music begins to play. Boomp boomp boomp boomp. Goes the beat of the song. And Sam Sparro's Black and Gold begins to play on the jukebox.
Haruki taps his foot. nods along, tapping his foot, his cane as he does so. "If the fish swam out of the ocean, and grew legs and they started walking." He swirls his cape and his trousers seem to have shifted to gold-scales.
Haruki sashays and dances, moving along with the beat of the song, not particularly sexy, mouthing along with the words. He loves dancing! It's such a joy! And okay he's wearing far more clothes than any stripper should be. "And the stars fell out of the sky!" He waves a hand at that lyric, and suddenly there's gold stars raining down upon him as he continues to dance, "and the tears rolled into the ocean," another spin and now his cape is blue. He whips it off, tosses it into the air and over to Damion. It looks like a globe of the earth. "You even set my world into motion."
"'Cause if you're not really here, Then the stars don't even matter, Now I'm filled to the top with fear, That it's all just a bunch of matter," Haruki continues to mouth along to the song, and dance. As he speaks the word 'top' he removes the top hat showing that it's empty, and then he spins, and golden star-glitter streams out of it, and in the cloud of glitter his shirt is now gold and not black.
"'Cause if you're not really here, I don't want to be either, I wanna be next to you," Haruki leans down towards where CB is, pausing a moment, and then he's back up onto the stage. He snaps his own top hat and it transforms gold, snaps it again, black, and he spins again, and shrugs off his his jacket onto the ground. His costume's now all all gold, an inverse of before, "Black and gold, black and gold, black and gold." He performs tricks at various words of the song. At Golden Beacons, there's a flash of flame from his hands, and the gold shirt opens to reveal a tight black t-shirt underneath! He whips the gold trousers off and he's got tight black trousers under those, and he's enthusiastic if nothing else. And he does know how to dance, and move his body along to the music, even if he's cheating, and for everything he strips off, he's still more dressed than the rest of the strippers in the room.
Damion glances around briefly as the song starts, scanning the crowd. Yeah. Not a lot of people he recognizes. He spots Quinn, raising a hand her way in a brief wave before turning back to the Maskd Magician. His thick arms cross over his chest, one foot absently tapping to the beat as he follows the movements of the dancer. He raises a hand, catching the cape when it's thrown by Haruki, and folds it up before draping it over his arm and watching the rest of the dance.
Franklyn gives Ardis this -smile- in return -- watching the scientist and her very perfect teeth with open curiosity that borders on downright /weird/. Why so curious?! "What's been keeping you busy, Violet? You're like a rare bird..." Chatter is cut short, as Franky waves a hand from Ardis to Count, flouncing en-route to the table as she goes on and on. "Count? This is... Ardis! Have you two met before? She's elusive, you'll get on like a house on fire. Oh!"
Hand is waved more. Skinning a lion? Fur being unethical or whatever? Franky doesn't care! Pfft! But then... Oh fuck no. Franklyn looks - for a second? /Alarmed/ when Count brings out chocolates. What in the--- she starts to grin - to /laugh/ - stopping short of the table where C.B. and the others are - a hand covering her mouth, rings glintin' gaudily as she tries to figure out wha to say to Count and...
...and then Franky sees Haruki, over there, up on stage. Her mouth drops open. She is not drunk enough to deal with any. of. this. -- she just stands there, slackjawed and baffled and quite possibly about to burst into hysterical (nervous?) laughter. Give her a moment.
Quinn raises a hand to wave back to Damion, though after that she seems happy to remain where she is, drinking her Coke and watching the performances.
Count turns to look towards Ardis and then back to Frank and then back to Ardis "How //you/ doin'?" he fake slurs in her direction, offering a hand in the introductee's direction. "As she says I'm Count." his smile however, is growing wide and almost predatory... no, wicked and mischievous as he watches Frank react to the chocolates.
Frank may be frozen, but Count is not, and after he says hi to Ardis, he steps a few feet away towards CB and... drops /another/ box of chocolate liquors in front of him. This one lacking the bow and rose petals. Clearly count has less affection for the man in the fedora.
Anything else can wait, because Haruki is up on stange and... hey count likes this song! The beast is reaching into his pocket, and taking a handful of singles and throwing them at the stage.
Make it Rain!
Lolly watches the dance in progress, eyebrows rising in pleasant surprise when it seems her fellow Japanese can actually dance.
Just what skill level was she expecting..?
Still, she claps and cheers as the dance goes on, encouraging him to keep going and shedding glitter any time she moves her head. For some strange reason, one might almost suspect she has seen a lot of strippers.
Is C.B. surrounded by scary people? Maybe. Are they any scarier than anything else in here? Debatable. Is Haruki scary? Actually, Haruki is a delight. A delight that startles and surprises C.B. about as much as it seems to Frank. He flushes a touch red when Haruki leans in for that one line, but otherwise? He's actually kind of smiling, if in a somewhat horrified sort of way. For those who can see it, the lightning he tends to carry is crackling around him in strange, erratic ways. The Wizened hastily finishes his drink, only to find a box of chocolate liquors on the table in front of him. He looks up in something like alarm. "What the shit is this?" Is Haruki done? No money from the Author, but he does snap his fingers like some damn beatnik.
Damion doesn't look particularly surprised that Haruki has yet to actually show any amount of skin, his lips curved up in amusement as he follows his dance steps on stage. Maybe he has some sort of prior knowlege of how it's going to go. He's standing somewhat near the stage, a cloak draped over his arm as he watches Haruki up on it dancing around to Black and Gold.
Haruki is fit, well toned, athletic, for all that he's still small and slender. Of course it being winter all that's usually covered up, and in that black t-shirt, and trousers much can be seen. And when those come off, which they do, he's left in something tight shimmery gold and clingy underneath, which is still covering everything! He's not trying to be sexy, and he's clearly doing this stripping wrong, if such a thing is possible, because surely he should not still be wearing this amount of clothes. But nobody wants to see him nearly naked anyway, do they? Not when there's so many sexy girls around instead! When the song finishes, he's there in his glitzy gold number, and his mask - when did it turn gold too? He takes a bow, ignores the money, laughing and then shimmies off the stage, laughing.
Ardis seems to enjoy the Masked Magician's dance, if the big, white smile on her face is any sign of how she's feeling. She doesn't applaud, but then, with a drink in either hand, that's not so easy... Her gaze roves the bar a little, grazing over the latest arrivals, before returning to Franklyn and Count. "School started!" she informs Franklyn. To Count: "We've met. You're a taxidermist, aren't you?" She doesn't appear to be put out by the fact that he's forgotten her, however. Still smiling just as broadly as ever before, with the blue-green 'ocean' light shining off her black hair. The scientist takes a thoughtful look at his outstretched hand, then puts a jack and coke into it. "But I'm charmed and enchanted indeed to make your acquaintance again!" When Count gives C.B. a box of chocolates, she laughs, sliding into a seat at the same table and giving the cantankerous-looking blast from the past a little wave before her eyes go back to the stage. Wow!
Lolly applauds the shimmery dance and its conclusion, starting to get up on stage again.
Meanwhile, an employee meanders around to pick up the discarded dollar bills. One of them surreptitiously finds its way into her cleavage, and once Haruki settles down, she joins him, handing him the cash (or dropping it on his table, if need be), and, batting falsies at him, saucily points out, "You missed one!" while bending over to present, yes, the bill in her cleavage for his retrieval.
On stage, Lolly says into her mic, "That was The Masked Magician, everybody! Give him a round of applause!" Once suitable applause has been given, she checks the list. "Count, you're next!"
Damion shakes his head with a little smile as Haruki finishes the dance as covered as he started. He moves to meet the boy as he shimmies off the stage, bending down to kiss him briefly. "Well, that was quite the performance. I think you have some fans." He guides the boy to a table and settles down at it. And that's about when they're joined by the saucy stripper, and he grins a little at her actions.
"School? Of course!" Franklyn chimes, suddenly remembering how to move. The tray of drinks -- and fancy box of the finest $6 chocolate liquors -- are placed down on the table -- and...
...and Franklyn can't respond for a second, because she's watching the final act of Haruki's amazing Masked Magician routine. Why does the Mortal girl look low-key pained? How judgemental! She kneads at the side of her head, as if she's got a headache.
Then another box of chocolates goes THWACK down on the table near C.B., and Franky looks from Count to C.B. and back again, before laughing and kneading at her face and moving to hop up and put her butt on the table and pick up a HORRIBLE looking pitcher of cocktail and pour into three glasses -- while pushing a shot of something brown and nasty C.B.'s direction, leaning in to murmur something to him.
That done? Franklyn starts handing out drinks to Ardis and Count, whistlin' and hollerin' as Haruki makes it off the stage.
"It's Valentines day Ceebeebs!" Count says with a grin, and then looks back over his shoulder to Ardis, giving her a nod and opens his mouth to say something... only they call his name.
"That's my Cue!" He says and makes for the stage just as the first notes of a song start to play. What song you ask? Well, a Song only a winter might strip to.
https://youtu.be/x5GuBa4Bbnw
Haruki shakes his head at the stripper and offers all the money over to her with a smile. He smiles at Damion. "Mmm maybe? It's not really the place for that."
The smaller Nakamura finally makes his way to Damion's table, flopping down as he sets a precariously balanced and horribly sugary, vividly colored drink down. Itsuki beaming to Aniki as he returns, "Seems really popular! Sorry I only caught the tail... end..." Distracted and flustered by the provocative return of that dropped dollar.
Damion raises a brow at the mortal Nakamura. "Not the place for what?" He winks at the stripper after Haruki gives the money to her, "Thanks hon." Then he turns back to him. "Not really the place for pretty people to dance on stage? I think it kind of is." He smiles at Itsuki when he sits next to them with his, because of where they are, extremely cheap and probably horrible drink. "Hey to you." He bends over and kisses him atop the head.
"What the fuck is /this/?" C.B. asks next, indicating the horrible glass. The brown and nasty shot looks more manageable, so he picks that up first. Then groans as Count gets up there. Oh god. He rubs his face and, perhaps against all odds, opens the box of chocolates and starts unwrapping one of the little liquor bottles. Wait, is this something C.B. actually likes? Hold the phone. He holds up the brown shot to Frank and says, "Here's looking at you, kid," although he nearly spits out his drink at whatever she just mutters. "Why would you /ask/ me that?"
"'ppreciated, love." Rings make a dull clink as they fold 'round the glass that is set before Hawke at the bar, which is the first place his attention went upon sauntering through that door. He's slouched against the bar, casual as a cat, becoming almost as much a part of the bar as the plank it was carved from. And lo! amateur hour! Serendipitous. He recognizes none, but it scarcely matters in ye olde Den O' Sin.
"Well that was fun," Haruki says. "But Damion's not going to dance and CB's not going to dance and I think it's going to be girls from here on out." As the music starts playing he looks confused. "I want to do more dancing! I wish Club Carnivale hadn't burned. It was good for dancing. There's nowhere else nearby." He's a bit restless.
Another lone person at the bar! Quinn eyes Hawke out of the corner of her eye briefly, and by 'eye' in this case what's meant is 'stare at his arms', but then she finally turns toward him and says, "meeting someone? Or are you hoping to find out how entertaining amateur night can be, like I am?" She gives the stranger with the bizzare arms a smile, which is fairly dazzling but also a little nervous.
Sam, the bartender, grunts something vaguely malicious in Hawke's direction, then slouches over to help another guest.
The busty pirate wench seems disappointed that Haruki won't accept the moolah, but shrugs, lifting an eyebrow at Itsuki. "You want to take the plunge?" She gives Itsuki a playful wink and pats a jiggly breast. Jiggle jiggle.
"Sex always makes C.B. sputter," Ardis informs Franklyn and everyone else at their table after the author's blurt. Quite calmly, as if she'd just measured the temperature in here and was giving an option of Celsius, Fahrenheit, or Kelvin. Then she glances over to where Haruki, Itsuki, and Damion are clustered, and then to Lolly... Then strangers Quinn and Hawke, still at the bar. These last, she raises her glass to, offering them a big, scarlet-lipped smile before nodding to the empty places at the table she's sitting at, shrugging, and looking back at the stage where Count is getting ready to perform.
Itsuki looks like a rabbit in the headlights, as it were, the smaller twin staring at the busty wench's cleavage with more of a sense of trepidation than anything else. But well, he doesn't want to be rude! So the Japanese boy gingerly tries to grab just the tip, tugging it out with an embarrassed and thoroughly awkward half-bow. "Um. Yes. Thank you." He hands Haruki the dollar, nodding, and giving Damion a disappointed look. "Aw, you're not dancing?"
The busty wench pouts prettily, fluttering fake lashes at Itsuki, then grins and quite deliberately assaults the bunny's hand with her bosom.
Gently.
Those bounteous boobies smoosh nice and warmly against Itsuki's hand before the 'pirate' straightens up and tosses a wink over her shoulder. "Come back any time, sugar." She saunters off, hips swaying, to take another customer's order.
Franklyn only laughs as C.B. asks her what that horrible blue-ish cocktail is -- turning instead to look with a weird grin as the surly chap goes to open those chocolates. Aww. She's so amused -- she even winks at him, and nearly gets an eyeful of sputtered booze as he gets Overwhelmed by whatever she whispered.
Cue more laughter, a murmur, then Franklyn turning to look at Ardis, offering her a Horrible Cocktail. "Right? Here, I bet there's a story in when you found /that/ out, Ardis -- who cares about school? Spin me a yarn, I promise not to steal the plotline - although I retain the right to cherrypick good phrases."
Did Franky just wink?! Yes she did -- but she's turning, and catching sight of Count going up on stage and... Franklyn laughs - practically cackles - and kicks her feet. Shot on the table? Take up and thrown back and it only -totally- makes her wince and stick her tongue out and go Ugh!, before one of the horrible cocktail is pushed in C.B.'s direction again, and she picks up her own. "It's a Ordinary Seaman, Ceebs -- I'm sure you'll love it." Beam! Such a smile!
Count steps onto the stage... no, Count /prowls/ onto the stage, heavy boots and leather jacket, sunglasses and torn jeans and he moves straight to the stripper pole, leaning his back into it as the music begins it's melancholy rise.
Raising a hand to his shades, pulling them down his nose as he lipsyncs to the first words 'It doesn't hurt me....' Then his hand moves to the zipper to his jackey '...do you wanna feel how it feels.' ZIIIIIIIIIIIIP and it's open, revealing his tee, and he starts to, with exaggerated motions, to peel the leather jacket off, his hips moving to the beat of the song in subtle rolling thrusts.
Yeah Count is getting into it.
The jacket falls to the floor of the stage, and a moment later count is kicking it towards Frank and C.B. as he reaches up to grab onto the pole and takes a little spin, slow, languid, deliberate, and cheesy, so very exaggerated and yet... well there's something there, better than his cover of prince at least.
Then he';s facing the front again, and he's pulling up his shirt, exposing his lower belly, all lean muscle and tattoo's and... scars. Bullet wounds, and.. is that a brand? The shirt is removed and he's tossing it off the stage.
'You don't want to hurt me,
But see how deep the bullet lies.
Unaware I'm tearing you asunder.
Ooh, there is thunder in our hearts.... baby'
With those words his hands are running over his bare chest, fondling old wounds as he sinks down to lay on the floor, only to kicks off his boots, and on the way back up, sliding his pants down... Fuck Count is going how far now?!
He wears Boxer-Briefs, in case anyone was curious, this pair is black, with little cartoon skulls all over.
'"C'mon, baby, c'mon darling,
Let me steal this moment from you now.
C'mon, angel, c'mon, c'mon, darling,
Let's exchange the experience, oh'
Now he's actually using the pole, and here' he's rotating his backside, threatening to pull down his pants... but the song drifts slowly to the end, and everyone is spared full nudity as count sinks down to one knee, all dramatic and throws a handfull of glitter into the air as a final flourish.
And if I only could,
I'd make a deal with God,
And I'd get him to swap our places,
Be running up that road,
Be running up that hill,
With no problems.
Did he bring his own glitter? How prepared for this was he?!
Damion leans over and whispers to Itsuki, "I think you could get lucky if you wanted." Nodding after the serving wench.
Haruki shakes his head at Itsuki reaches out to take the note. "No, nono," he refuses to take the dollar from him. He laughs at the overheard Ardis' comment. Yes, he's totally eavesdropping. And distracted. And then suddenly there's a rose flying through the air towards Count because. Well because he is Tuxedo Masked Magician! Although the tux is no longer being worn.
If he notices eyes upon him before he's spoken to, Hawke doesn't make a show of it; humor dances bright and sharp in his eyes, gaze lingering upon the stage. But then! He's spoken to! And those dancing, amused eyes turn toward Quinn. "Meeting someone? I seem t'be meeting you, now don't I?" A wink is thrown her way - not so much flirtacious as much as some keen satisfaction of all that is life at the moment. He's not from 'around here', most certainly; Irish, maybe? The accent's a mix of European things. "Amateur night is all that's right with the world." And then, a blink, a brow-furrow, and a general expression of 'not bad, not bad'.
C.B. gives Ardis a dark look for her comment. "Who the hell asked you, Ardis?" He quickly downs the contents of the little chocolate alcohol bottle. Then he looks between Frank and Ardis with a frown. "Yes, yes, we were lovers, Frank, didn't you know that already?" He's turning red again, and ignoring the Ordinary Seaman in favor of his beer, muttering to himself.
Aaaaaand staring up at Count. Squinting at him like he's watching a particularly interesting nature documentary. Is he staring at Count's boxer briefs? "Damn, Count is saucier than I would have expected, even from his last performance," he murmurs under his breath. Then he looks at Frank and says straight-up, "Not recently and no one you know."
Quinn's eyes are half on on the stage as she and Hawke begin a conversation, but they're also on him. Not just on his arms now, but also meeting his eyes at times. "I suppose that you are," she says, shifting her drink to her left hand so that she can extend her right. She goes part way through the motion, hesitates as she realizes the oddity it will be putting her into a position to be shaking hands with if he reaches out with his, and then she follows through anyway. "Quinn," she introduces. "And I'm not sure I'd say /all/ that's right with the world, but it's certainly entertaining."
Itsuki still looks like he's in shock from being boobsaulted, flushing and smacking Damion's shoulder at something whispered. Looking up to the stage for some relief from the uncomfortable foray into unfamiliar territory and frowning in disappointment at the teased but unrealized pulling down of boxers.
Damion gives a clap after Count finishes his set. "Not bad." He smirks when Itsuki smacks him. He reaches out to the chairs of the two Nakamuras, drawing them closer to his so he can slip his arms around the twins in a comfortably familiar sort of way. "I should definetly hold something like this over at the Vault. I'm kind of surprised it's only been guys so far, though."
Dark look? What dark look? Ardis just looks right back at C.B., blinks once, and then turns to Franklyn again. "Sex is the only topic that makes him spit his drink out that way," she says. She seems completely in earnest about this, almost like she's formed the hypothesis and tested it extensively against various different topics of conversation. But that would be crazy, right? No. Who would do that? "But he's right," she says. It almost seems to bum the dark-haired, dark-eyed woman out to say so, but: "I do know from firsthand experience as well." For a moment, Ardis' smile disappears, and she says, leaning in toward Franklyn with her pale face as straight as a gravestone, "Nothing ruins an experience like getting involved in it yourself, don't you find?"
But then-- She bursts into laughter, like all that was just some sort of joke... Shine back in those black eyes. Smile on! And then Count's performance draws her attention away. Ardis seems quite fascinated by the spectacle, idly stirring her drink with the straw as she takes it all in.
Haruki searches through his pile of clothes and hands Itsuki some antibacterial hand wipes, almost absently. He pulls on the cloak over his own shoulders. "Oh. You wanted to see the naked girls." He says to Damion, a little sadly. "Of course. They're the most fun and jiggliest."
Damion raises a brow, looking down at Haruki. "Hmm? I came cause you were going to be performing, hon. I don't know as I would have bothered otherwise. I mean... I do kind of have my own place, you know?" He bends down, brushing lips with the magician. Then he glances around, quirking a brow. "Huh... I don't see anybody else going up. Guess not a lot of people were interested. Quality over quantiy, maybe?"
"No darling, I didn't know - but I can't say I'm surprised." Really? That's what Franky is going to respond to C.B. vis-a-vis Ardis? Apparently so -- turning and smiling, genuinely, at the other Mortal woman; nodding as she listens, sippin' that /atrocious/ Ordinary Seaman, before a super-curious look flashes across her face. "Why do you think it is, anyway? What's your hypothesis on the whole sputtering thing? You'd think with all the firsthand experience, he'd like, you know..."
What's that mean, Frank? Franky might not know -- because her attention has been entirely side-tracked by Count on stage, kickin' his clothes in the direction of her and C.B. and Ardis. Oh. Oh -my-.
Franklyn starts to laugh, but her reply to C.B. is belated, "...I'm surprised he's holding back." Wait. What? Then a not-glance to C.B. as she drinks more, takes some money out of her pocket, doesn't even look at how many dollars are there, and tosses it at the stage as Count finishes up the act. She remains, however, chattering to C.B.: "That's a shame -- do you want to change that?" BEAM! Big smile, and Franky is looking back at C.B. and Ardis.
The music goes back to regular club music while folks gather their courage, and Lolly, for one, applauds Count's performance.
C.B. is tight-lipped and red-faced as Ardis keeps talking. But not quipping back? Apparently not. Scowling at Frank as she joins in. "NO!" he yells at her, swallowing more beer. Well, then. Tell us how you really feel.
Itsuki nods thankfully at the handwipe,, leaning a bit on Damion's other side but at an amiable, just-friends distance. Totes. "Hmmm. You could go up." He pokes the much taller man. "Wouldn't break the trend, but you could break the trend of no one actually showing off their butt."
Unlike Haruki, Count does not ignore the free money, and will spend a moment gathering up the cash, including the stuff the previous dancer ignored. Except then he catches from the corner of his eye, a flying rose and he snaps his hand up to catch it from the air. He tosses a grin to Tuxedo and then puts the rose in his teeth before grabbing his clothes and hopping down from the stage and heads towards frank and C.B. and folks. Hopping closer as he puts his pants back on, now stuffed with crumpled bills, he finds a seat and sinks down, shirt less and b-glittered.
"Anyone seen my shirt?" he asks, reaching for one of his warming beers and looking between the people conversing at his stageside seats. "ooh this seems juicy, what did I miss?"
"-Isn't- it though?" The words come with an amused satisfaction, some consideration setting in behind those dark brows - and then her hand is offered, and he rolls his weight off his counter-top lean to take hers, easily; worry not, O Ye Of Great Dubiety, for despite the Telluric's oddities, his hand is as firm as any other. "Hawke," says he with a quirked half-grin; that look as he looks to her acknowledges those subtle differences in her own visage, but makes little of it. Upon turning loose, he eyes the stage again, looking mildly disappointed as no one else makes a showing. A second ticks by, and then that grin is back - quick as a cat, sharp as a knife, flashing there and gone. "Pardon," says he, with a touch of genuine apology, and then off he goes.
Haruki smiles at Damion, softly, and blushes a bit. "Oh. Oh. Of course. Um. You want to head out? I was thinking of. And maybe next time I'm gonna make people watch me put clothes on. I wonder if there's a magic trick in that." He does laugh at Itsuki. "You could break the trend too. What's that song? Bootylicious? Or shake your booty? Or I like big butts? Only do the Jonathan Coulton version."
After C.B. turns into an exploding tomato, Ardis just passes over her jack and coke. "Cocktail, please," she says to Frank. She holds out both hands for one, quite politely. Still the same bright, even-toothed smile as before. "And of course, I have ma petite théorie... Or, well! Quelques petites théories." The scientist winks, and it seems like she's going to go right ahead and start explaining to the whole club, hand gestures and all, why it is that she thinks C.B. gets so loudly embarrassed when sex comes up in conversation... When Count arrives back at the table. Looking up at him, she blinks again, then says, "Eight out of ten." Very dry, very serious, that deep, dark voice.
Lolly seems quite pleased when another patron comes up to the stage to volunteer. After a brief conversation with Hawke, she points at the curtain at the rear of the stage, laughs with a hand over her mouth, and lifts the mic to tell everyone, "We have a new dancer! He's going to do a bit of a costume change, but don't you worry. The girls will take good care of him."
Belatedly: For those changelings. Count has a stupid little goat tail. Like a Faun. He usually hides it well.
Hawke allows himself to be guided, and he has absolutely no shame: he actually turns as she gets on the mic, finger-guns, and half-stumbles over the doorway he found himself too close to with a muffled curse. Yep, slick.
Damion shrugs at Haruki and says, "Maybe soon. I have some things I need to take care of tonight." He looks up as Hawke heads into the back and chuckles. "Okay, so that's a third one. Still doesn't seem like many." He gives the twin Nakamuras a squeeze. "I'm sure you'd be very popular if you danced, Itsy. If nothing else that waitress would throw you a few bills."
Look at that scowl! Franklyn turns and looks at C.B., eyebrows raised and a hand pressed to her chest. "Are you -suuuure-?..." Slurp, slurp - Franky shakes the Ordinary Seaman in the Author's direction and... Jesus, Frank. Why so persistent and teasing? Is it nice or mean? It feels... Well, like Franky is having a good time at any rate. Look at the way she beams at C.B.
Until Frank's attention is caught up by Ardis, and she slides over a cocktail to the other woman. Oooh, a théorie. Franklyn's bright, albeit a touch, uhm, /manic/ expression is focused in on the scientist, and she nods slowly, eagerly -- yes, yes, share the information, let Frank---
Aw. Interrupted. Franklyn turns to look over her shoulder at Count - straight up ignoring his request for his lost shirt, and instead offering up a bright blue and horrendous cocktail. "Congratulations - eight of of ten? A performance like that deserves a treat -- here, have some Ordinary Seaman! You earned it, Count. Try not to sputter and get any in your eyes - it'll sting."
"Oh," Haruki says to Damion. "It's uh... okay." He removes a seocnd rose from thin air, wherever he has them hidden, and hands it to Damion. "Happy Valentines day."
Damion takes the rose, bending down to kiss Haruki. "Thank you, hon. Happy Valentines Day."
Saved by the bell, right, Ceebs? The Author shoves himself further down in his seat, muttering under his breath and switching back and forth between emptying tiny chocolate liquor bottles and draining his pint of beer. His eyes flit up to Count and he gives him a little snap of his fingers. Cool, daddy-o.
"I'll take your seamen any day, Frankinatrix, just watch the hair." and so Count, still missing his shirt, but now at least with his pants, and boots on, takes up te cocktail and has a careless drink...
"GFfrrrk"
Great now he's shaking on it, but he manages not to sputter and yes, he swallows, but makes a face. "This... this drink is a warcrime." He says with absolute certainty, and then lifts it in Ardis's direction, giving her a wink. "Woulda been better if i had more time..." No, No it would not have, this was a fluke, it will always be worse.
At a certain point, Damion gathers up the two Nakamuras, the three of them quietly slipping for the exit and then out into the night. He gives a wave to Lolly on his way out.
After an arm beckons her toward the back of the stage, Lolly hops up and goes to lean halfway through the curtain, listening to something. She nods to whomever is there and steps back out to centre stage again, announcing, "Pirates and gentlewenches, I present to you... The Scandalous Swashbuckler!" She applauds, and cues the music for whichever song Hawke chose.
Ardis seems pleased by that wink, but then, she seems pleased in general, sitting quite comfortably in her chair as she considers the Ordinary Seaman that Franklyn handed to her. To drink, or not to drink? Well - she ==did== ask for it, after all. "Promises, promises," she tells Count. She takes a cautious sip of the volatile cocktail herself and somehow manages not to react in the slightest to the taste, color, or kick. Or at least: Not on the outside. When Lolly announces the next talent, she takes another quick look around the room, still smiling, and then sits back to drink - no trouble at all, this Ordinary Seaman, it seems! - and watch the center of the stage.
Is this a no-touching establishment? Not that Franky works here -- but she is moving; slidin' her butt of the probably kinda gross table, so she can... Sit on C.B's lap? Apparently so -- assuming he doesn't push her off, and Frank ends up sprawled on the /definitely/ gross floor. "What was that, Alexander? Look if you want something from me or Ardis, don't mumble - you'll never get it. Voice your desires to the universe, and it will answer..." She grins. Is she serious? Prooobably not. Franklyn is -definitely- drunk, tho'. Look at that flush, listen to that gently slurred and not-so-quiet voice!
Also: Franklyn takes a mouthful of that horrible blue icy cocktail, and just straight up spits it at Count and his bare chest. SPLURT.
This one ain't shy, whoever he is. He saunters across the stage, having cobbled together a motley of costume; a dark jacket buckles tight across his chest, and he's repurposed some likely fancy red sash to tie in a sort of bandana. He's kept his own dark pants, and he's acquired some plastic sword from lord knows where.
And O, does he saunter across that stage, a cat-with-the-canary grin upon his face. Lord, is he wearing guyliner? He is! He is! "Avast me hearties, yo ho." A cheesy salute of the sword to his brow follows, and then the music starts.
I see your dirty face
High behind your collar
What is done in vain
Truth is hard to swallow
So you pray to God
To justify the way you live a lie...
The music's probably more suited to a dance club than a song to strip to - but hey, he owns it. He strolls out onto the stage, hitting every few beats with the downfalls of his heels. The collar of his jacket is popped, arms splayed, and clamps the fake sword between his teeth.
Because when I arrive
I, I'll bring the fire
Make you come alive
I can take you higher--
The jacket's discarded with a flourish. For those changelings in the crowd, O, that galaxy running through his veins is creeping far, far over his chest. But that is no matter; upon the refrain, the sword's twirled, the sash is unbound, twirled, tossed.
Is he a /good/ dancer? Sort've, sort've not. He's cheesing it pretty hard, and shamelessly so.
Eventually, the song comes to a close, and down to boxers, he stops there, snapping the waistband with a cheeky grin; and, panting, he sweeps a bow, winks, and lets the sword fall over his shoulder as he saunters off stage.
<OOC> Hawke says, "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERm7mmNC64M for those interested."
Oof. C.B. has a Frank in his lap now. He winces, but no, he doesn't drop her. He /does/ reach for Ardis' previously-offered Jack and Coke and down it all back in one long swallow. "I have nothing to say. No desires to voice. I -- " Then he guffaws out loud when she spits at Count's chest. Maybe he's drunk, too. His glazed, electric eyes take in the show up on the stage, and he even puts his fingers in his mouth and does a particularly loud whistle. Who even knew he could do that? And why didn't he do that for Haruki or Count??
Lolly, watching the show from the side of the stage, laughs at the cheesy pirate act, applauding any particularly decent maneuvers. When it comes to a close, she calls out, "Any more contestants?"
She waits a little longer, long enough that it's plain she's really HOPING there will be other contestants, as are the drunks who call out, "Where're the chicks?!"
Ardis watches the stage for a second or two even after Hawke disappears. Then, turning back to her table, she says, "Nine out of ten." Big smile. What's going on with Frank and C.B. over there? Why does Count have blue cocktail all over his chest? She doesn't seem to know or care, just going right back to slowly putting that insane drink out of its misery as she looks around the rest of the club. No reaction to the call for more performances, either.
Because C.B. is afraid of his feelings for Count. That's why.
Count might have more to say to Ardis, but suddenly Franklyn is spewing blue cocktail all over his chest and he freezes in shock, and then stares at her wide eyes for a moment before he starts snorting laughter "Oh Frank, you got your Seamen all over my tits..." Will this terrible word play ever get old?
No.
He's looking down at his chest and then at Frank and then looks between Ardis and C.B. stage whispering. "See how she treats me? Like some sort of cheap whore? After all that I give her... I feel so used... so filthy."
And it's not that he's ignoring Hawke's performance, but I mean, he did just get /accosted!/
When no one answers the call, Lolly announces, "Then The Masked Magician, Count and our swashbuckling hero are the evening's entertainment! Now, let's put in our votes. Wenches, the paper!"
Those who are paying attention may note the slight pinkening of her creamy green befreckled cheeks when she actually has to call people wenches.
Yes. Franklyn is perched on C.B's lap like a very pretty/petty princess -- wrapping an arm around his shoulder, and only totally getting some horrendous bright blue concoction on her shirt, post spitting-at-Count. Really?! Really. Doesn't stop her from leaning in to murmur something to C.B. - mutter whisper secret - before her attention gets torn again, over at the stage.
Pirates. Pirate strippers, as far as the eye can see. Franklyn, to her credit (and presumably she has good credit), takes a few bills from her pocket and tosses them Hawke's way, only totally wincing-and-laughing as C.B. whistles /SO LOUD/ near her ear.
"Has he always been like this?" Franky asks Ardis, hand lifted to rub at her ear as she chatters on, "And did the two of you have plans for later, or?..." So casual. Just causal conversation. Franklyn is pawing around for a drink - hers, a stranger's, one of those shots, a bit of discarded stripper lotion someone's accidentally left near by, /whatever's/ to hand - but before she can grill Ardis, Count is... Being Count.
Frank clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, "Shut up, you fucking love it - but lick it up if it offends you so much." Whaaa--- and then Franky is laughing and twisting a gold band around her finger and... Oh look; votes! Franky can vote - she's got the right!
Lolly has the wenches go through the votes, and then go through the votes again. After the third time, and some frustrated, "Well, it IS!" from the buxom wench whose bosoms Itsuki was earlier bamboobzled by, Lolly goes back to the stage again to announce, "Looks like we have ourselves a three-way tie! Congratulations to, um, all of our participants! You are all winners at taking your clothes off in public. Have a free round of drinks, on us!" She waves to the room at large. "Thank you all for coming! It has been a, um, swash-unbuckling evening!"
"What are you even talking about?" It seems whenever Frank whispers something in his ear, C.B. just answers her. Loudly. But that's what being inebriated will do for a guy. Then he looks at Ardis and announces, "Yes, I have always been devastatingly handsome and intelligent and charming, yes, yes." That's one way of not answering Franky's notion of he and Ardis doing something later. Is there more on the table to drink? He paws around for it, trying to reach around the mortal girl on his lap. If it's the Overactive Seaman or whatever, then sure. Booze is booze.
"Now Frank, you know that's not how it works, the person with seamen on their chest doesn't lick it off, unless they have big enough tits, which I am, alas... lacking." Frank may have gone to Julliard, but Count apparently got his education elsewhere, some online university perhaps.
He may even say something else when he hears his name, and glances over towards Lolly and perks up. "Well, I'm a winner /and/ was part of a three way, would ya look at that!" Smug, that's right, Count is smug. Count is also finding his leather jacket and pulling it on, giving up on his search for the now lost shirt. "The prize on the other hand..." he shudders and looks towards the bar.
Hawke saunters out of the staging area, whistling and looking all too satisfied with his lot in life; he's twirling the plastic sword that was rescued from the stage 'round a finger. He's walking to the bar when winners are announced, and oh lordy, if anything could make an already swollen ego worse -- he tips the toy sword in a salute. "You're all lovely," says he, with a grin -- and a thumbs-up towards Count and Haruki, too, and he promptly orders more booze. -He- will take the free booze, thanks.
Sigrun is late to the party, but she's here. She's even dressed the part. Somewhat. The skirt is short, but she's wearing leggings anyway. Her blouse is low cut, but the tank top worn beneath has a more modest neck line. Her hair is worn up, though! So enjoy that long neck, there, folks. She looks the crowd over, such as it is, and makes her way towards the bar.
The announcement gives Ardis distinct 'Did you know?' face. Of course, she almost always has a bit of 'Did you know?' face... But on this occasion, she says, glancing around at literally everyone like they must be absolutely ==dying== to hear this: "'Buckle' isn't the verb component in that word." She ==almost== continues, but manages to hold it in, even putting down the Ordinary Seaman long enough to applaud the three winners! She looks around for them, but Hawke's still off getting dressed again, it seems, so there's no one nearby to smile at except Count. "Superb," says Ardis, with a rather long look at him. Then, to Frank: "For as long as I've known him, yes. I don't make plans like that, no. Also, I don't think C.B. ever wants to see me again." She says this last just as brightly as the rest, with no differentiation at all between the etymology of 'swashbuckle' and her interpretation of C.B.'s feelings in the affect of her face or voice.
C.B. looks right at Frank and says, loudly again, "Yeah, okay. That's probably long overdue." But then he squints at Ardis and her proclamations and says, "Assume nothing, Ardis. You still look pretty good to me. If you and me and Frank and maybe even some of those knuckleheads over there wanted to all go home together..." But he drunkenly trails off. Probably for the best. He's trying to stand, and trying to get Frank to stand while he's at it.
Franklyn laughs, and leans in to murmur something to C.B. -- oblivious or uncaring that he's a total blabbermouth who'll just answer her all Loud and Clear. She scoots to the side though, so she can go and have the dregs of that Offensive Seaman - she's found one of the shots that hasn't fallen over, and manages to only spill some of it en-route to her mouth.
Huh.
"Did you transfer from Sarah Lawrence recently, or? Please - please tell me, Ardis..." Oh no. "What happened, that made him want you to be erased?"
Before Franky can continue down that slippery slope, she veers off onto another - snapping her fingers after two tries and pointing at Count, "UNTRUE - unt--- wait?" Franky gasps, and looks towards the announcement of The Winners. Whatever drinks are near her? Tossed over. "Threeway?!"
Oh look, and now C.B. is standing and Franklyn is jostling up and bouncing around to wobble her way upright and, -yeah-. Somebody's white girl wasted, and needs to... Go away.
"And /that/ is my cue." Says Count, at aboutt he time C.B. starts talking about dragging multiple people home and Frank starts really wobbling. The beast, who hasn't drank much save for a shot of the Seamen and a little bit of beer, unfolds from his seat and rises with a long stretch.
Then he looks over to Ardis, perhaps returning the long look she gave him and then flashes her a smile "Nice t' see you again, might wanna call these two a cab, or find a designated driver."
But Ardis is shaking her head. "Too many knuckleheads for me!" she announces, with the same big, white grin that shows maybe just a few too many teeth. With that, she finishes off the Extraordinary Seaman, pushes her chair back, and stands. And... Picks up another drink for the road. Wow. To Franklyn, she says, "Oh, you know." Is that true? Does Frank know? But she's already turning away, smiling back at Count as she zips her jacket up in preparation to head back out into the cold. "I think the children are old enough now to look after themselves, don't you? Or they should be."
"Should." Count agrees with Ardis. "/Should/" And instead he's pulling out his phone and pressing the Uber app. Then with a few ggoodbyes, Count heads back home, he even waits for the light to cross the street.
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