F01-OP Blackbook, Grand Opening

[Vitalis 1]

 “You should just talk to her.”

"Fuck!"

And just like that, Vitalis jumped out of his skin. His words came out in a hiss. With the music shifting and the host currently taking party-crashers to task, he didn't want to invoke the man's ire. How the fuck was he even moving like that? No small wonder Ascalon didn't have the juice to take him on. It did, however, give Vitalis no small amount of satisfaction to see his milkshake assassins tossed out the door like a basketball. Dude's three-point game was fan-fucking-tastic.

It was a good thing that the bartender had not yet replaced his drink. Because that one would have hit the ground too. Somehow he felt like a third replacement in just as many minutes would be pushing the boundaries of good taste and setting himself up as a klutz of legendary pedigree. The brief surge of panic left him, replaced with curiosity at the woman who'd just sidled up to his right.

"Hey," he said, gesturing up and down in her direction. "Same color scheme. Nice."

Anything to avoid the elephant in the room for as long as possible. Talk to her? Nah. No thanks. He'd admire from afar. Can't get shot down if he don't take off. Plus, she was just so fucking intimidating. Too elegant for Vitalis to feel like he could even approach.

"Nah, she's got a partner," Vitalis said. Good excuse. "I don't wanna be rude." 

It was at that point that he heard the sliding of a glass over the bar behind him. His eyes lit up at the replacement milkshake. With a gleeful expression, he took the drink between both of his hands and took a long sip. Simply divine. Then, he held it out to his new companion.

"Wanna try? It's so good."

@Arsine

talkin' shit tag: @Plum

[Arsine 0]

Arsine tilted her head, cascades of green spilling over her bare shoulders like her hair was a sheet of fine silk. She couldn't help but laugh, seeing him jump like that. "Did I scare you? I apologize." He had been so focused on the other woman, on the fighters - and the way the host had quite literally threw himself off the balcony. Arsine got as much of the milkshake as she could off of her leg, although there would still be a slightly sticky residue there. Not much she could do without leaving the party early and taking a shower. The woman carefully placed the napkins on the counter, thanking the bartender as he whisked them away. "Spasibo, my friend." She'd say in Russian.

Arsine turned Verdant eyes of green back to the man. "Same to you." She pointed at him with a finger, from the top of his head down to his feet. "Suits you well." Arsine straightened her back, rolling her shoulders to stretch her limbs.  "I chose because I like poisons. Not poisoning people. But Chemicals. Job is...antivenoms, thought I could do the same in here." She'd place a single hand to her chest to introduce herself. "Arsine. Is pleasure." 

Arsine watched as the mans eyes lingered back to the brilliant woman that had taken seemingly his attentions, affections, and all senses of balance and dexterity. "Partner? Just dancing, no?" Arsine asked curiously. "Cannot know if you do not ask." Arsine didn't see the point in holding oneself back on what ifs. He should take that moment, that chance, the worst she could possibly do is deny him his fleeting affections. She leaned an elbow on the bar and offered him a coy grin.

"If you are rejected, I am here." Just to prove a point, she threw out her own shot toward him. Easy on the eyes, a little skittish, but held himself in a way that intrigued her. If he denied her. Arsine would not lament over it. For he was nothing more than a stranger.

The man picked up a replacement milkshake, took a long sip then offered Arsine his glass. "Of course." She'd try anything once. Never one to back down nor shy away. Arsine reached out, her fingers lightly touching his as she carefully pried it away from his grasp and into his own. She placed his straw in her mouth and suckled gently till a cold wave hit. Chocolate, and....Rum? Arsine coughed as she placed the glass on the counter between them. "Very sweet. Interesting choice."

[Vitalis 1]

"Don't worry about it," Vitalis said simply. "This isn't my normal scene. I'm a little on-edge."

Yeah, the scene. Not the pining from across the room. Was it even pining? He didn't know. Couldn't exactly place it. But he was grateful for the company. It was a nice distraction. Even if he couldn't stop stealing glances in the mystery girl's direction. It was totally unlike him to be so enamored. Generally, he remained focused on his work.

"Serendipitous, Arsine," he said. "I chose green because I'm a healer. Doctor, back in the real world." Similar professions. Though Vitalis didn't share her same fixation with toxins. 

"Partner? Just dancing, no?" 

"And therein lies the problem-" He took his drink back from the back from where Arsine had left it on the bar. "She's so... that-" Graceful, poised, elegant, mysterious. "And I'm so bad I can't even say I have two left feet. Dunno if they'd even qualify as nubs."

He took another long sip of his milkshake. Deliberately avoiding the acknowledgement of her offer. It was sweet. And if he was on his A-Game, probably. But now? He was one shattered milkshake in and the night had only just started. "Absolutely terrifying."

[Arsine 0]

"Not your normal scene..." Arsine would repeat, an amused tone to her voice. "Forgive me for being blunt, but it shows. In an endearing way." She'd add. Arsine could not say the same, she enjoyed scenes like this. Where the people were wrapped up in their own partners, their own dalliances of gluttony and lust. Hedonism at its best. Wanton and uncontrolled. There was just something so...human about it all. They weren't players trapped in a game, or pixels on a screen. There weren't stats and monsters - only each other. And there was a beauty in that Arsine admired.

"Doctor..." Arsine repeated. "Similar fields. Is good to meet someone else well read." That only caught her interest more, oh the lament of a man pining for another- a man of science of word. To have that wrapped around her, as she divulged in him body and mind. But... it was not meant to be.

Arsine watched in interest as the man, yet to reveal his name to her - gestured toward the other woman. He was right. She was elegant. Tall. Even from here, Arsine could tell how soft her facial features were, the delicate length of her eyelashes. How soft her lips were. "Mmm... I understand the appeal." Arsine agreed.

"But - this is a game, no?" She turned her attention back to Vitalis. "Where each action accrues points into a skillset." Arsine reached out to Vitalis, and took his milkshake from him, placing it on the counter as she pushed herself off her chair. "Chance an attempt with me? A dance. We can..." Arsine tapped her lips, trying to find the English equivalent to the words. "Natalkivat sya...is to....bump into her. Make it, Serendipitous meeting."

[Alinta 0]

"O-Oh..."

Alinta blushed, feeling a little ...awkward seeing Oscar like that, fighting his way through the roughians that had interrupted the party... then how he shifted up to the banister...his arms around another woman. Alinta's gaze stayed fast to him till he started kissing her, it wasn't like the gentle and cautious ones she had shared with Scar earlier. These were rough, primal, hungry. Alinta had to look away. Equal parts embarrassed, flustered... and feeling like an utter idiot. That's why he wasn't replying...

It felt like so long ago, watching him fight the sand shark...him flirting with her in his own restaurant. How he had promised to keep her safe, and when Alinta had tried to advance to something more, a kiss, a second date...anything - he had pulled away.  The first time Alinta reached out to him, was a genuine mistake. A typo. Then...the beach event. Alinta couldn't lie - there was a certain way the man held himself - that had drawn her in again. But, he was far too busy playing host. Still...Alinta had tried to reach out to Oscar, but he was always busy, always doing something, preparing something. She wanted to see him again, and then..She did…

The woman came to this event originally hoping to bump into Oscar, but hadn't seen him till now...

Scar....

Scar was supposed to be a distraction till she managed to find the elusive host but now...

Alinta could feel angry tears burn the corner of her eyes as she shifted her gaze away from Oscar. A sort of Jealousy burned at her core as she even watched him interact with his so-called friend. The orange haired killer. Alinta pressed her forehead into Scars chest. That was fine. She didn't need Oscar. It's not like she even liked him in the first place. Totally not. And it's not like she was even on his radar either. She guessed she never really made an impression on him. Even after their last encounter...

"Sorry..." Alinta mumbled into Scars chest. "I'm sorry. I have a...confession."

Her shoulders rose and fell as her fingers curled their way into Scars shirt, a step in and toward him caused him to stumble, his back hitting the wall. They weren't on the dance floor, no longer under the flashing lights. Just two souls in a dark corner of a fancy nightclub. “I came here to see him. We- I mean…” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter now.”

Alinta would glance up at him, peering at Scar through wine coloured bangs. She felt like she had found something better. Her cheeks had expanded, pouting with puffy eyes staring intently at his own. Her hands would snake up his chest and land on his scar. Then, she’d reach up and remove her mask. “Let the Saintess shed her holy garb…” Alinta grumbled.

"I-" 

No more words. Alinta held a hand to cover his lips. “Leaving a  Scar on my heart indeed.” She whispered, leaning in to kiss him again.

[Vitalis 1]

"But - this is a game, no? Where each action accrues points into a skillset."

Vitalis merely sipped at his drink, emerald eyes finally pulled away from the woman who commanded his attention, to the one to his right. The level of the liquid in the glass began to lower, with increasing pace as Arsine spoke. He could guess where she was going with this.

"Chance an attempt with me? A dance."

Vitalis wasn't even tasting the milkshake at this point. A shame, that. But the saccharine solution bypassed his taste buds. Driven by the desire for it not to go to waste than anything else.

"We can... Natalkivat sya...is to....bump into her. Make it, Serendipitous meeting."

A loud slurping sound filled the air as Vitalis reached the end of his drink. Truly, he didn't even notice the brain freeze. The straw dropped from his mouth and he placed the drink back onto the bar. He reached into the glass with two fingers, plucking the cherry from the bottom. Popping it into his mouth, he wiped his lips with the back of his hand. Nothing to lose, really. Either things worked out or he had a lovely evening with Arsine. Calculus said there were no downsides. He swallowed the cherry and offered Arsine a smile - and his hand.

Fuck it.

"That's very kind of you. I'll need to find a way to say thanks."

[Arsine 0]

Patient, with a warm and inviting smile Arsine waited. Nudging him out of his comfort zone, but not pushing. Part of enjoying everything life has to offer was knowing which comforts to tug on, and which to let be. With his drink drained Arsine weighed his options, and they shifted in Arsine's favour. The woman couldn't help but even find the slurp of the remnants of the mans drink endearing. "Next time, allow me to eat the cherry. That will be your thanks." Arsine said with a soft laugh as she pulled him onto the dance floor. There was a certain level of delight, dragging someone around like this. The entirety of them in her capable hands. Well, for the man - perhaps not his entirety. For his attention and affections were focused behind her.

That didn't bother Arsine.

The two emerald figures shifted to the heat of the dancefloor, close enough to @Plum for the man to keep his eyes on her. Arsine, even kind enough to ensure her back was to the endearing and mysterious woman of the hour, so the man could keep the object of his affections in his sight. "Here." She'd place his right arm around her waist. His left, she held up in her own, offering it a reassuring squeeze.  "Normally, the man leads. Dancing...is an extension of yourself, letting yourself flow through to the other." Arsine stepped closer to him. Barely a bible width apart (No room for Jesus here)  through action, through touch...through breath..."  A step backwards, and she pulled him forward with her own hand, which had snaked around his waist. 

"Feel that?" She asked softly. "The push and pull, ebb and flow, allow your partner to feel where you move. Now. You try. Verdant man."