[center][img]https://txt.1001fonts.net/img/txt/dHRmLjExNi5lNzA4ZjMuUlhabGJIbHViaUJCYm00Z1UyVnlaVzVsYkdsbmFIUSwuMA,,/georganodemo.regular.webp[/img][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/YkGhDeq.png[/img][/center] [center][h1][color=fa912b]Bianca Manalo[/color][img]https://i.imgur.com/M9y8V0W.png[/img][/h1] [/center] [right][code] A night to remember..[/code][/right] [hr] [hr] Lynn returned from the possible future, eyes returning to normal, and shifted her head just enough to watch Sabrina pull the fire alarm. This was how this meeting would end. This is how this chaos would end. In a chaotic flourish this coven would leave this building and depart. No closer to finding their killer, no closer to finding Kari, and no closer to convincing the coven that her futures were useful. As she feared, but also as she had grown to expect. The only people who took her visions seriously were her close friends and even they did not stand up and voice their support for her. This day sucked. And as the alarm blared Lynn knew that she would need a God tier distraction, a distraction such as copious amounts of alcohol with a friend. Lynn ran through a short list of people she’d want to drink with and eventually she pulled out her phone and sent a single text to one friend in particular, Bianca. [code]“heyyyy. Meeting turned out to be a shit show per the usual. I need to get my mind off it. Want to grab a couple drinks tonight?”[/code] Why do you do this to yourself, Lynn? Lynn put her phone in her pocket before she looked around, making sure no one was watching, before she pulled out her trusty flask and downed a full flask worth of whisky. The taste was bitter and rough but she knew that a single drink this early into the night was not a problem. She did not have a problem. This alcohol was the solution to her problem and that was this crazy group of adult size children and the petty nature they carried. Hell, she could probably quit tomorrow if she wanted to if she was no longer around these corruptive fuckers and their stress. She grabbed a pack of gum from her pocket and started chewing on a piece. The wintergreen gum fought hard to fight off the lingering flavor of the whiskey, a battle that would last until Lynn got tired of chewing and spit it out into the trash. She pulled up another number on her phone and shot a text to the waiter from the day before. [code]“Heyyyyyyy. This is the girl from the restaurant you gave your number to. What’s your name and what are you up to tonight?”[/code] Lynn turned around and found her people and remained on the edge of the group. Not because her breath probably still smelled like whisky, no not at all. She stayed on the edge of the group because tensions were high and she wanted to make sure she respected personal space. Totally. [i]Totally [/i] And she didn’t feel the urge to drink some more. The warm burning sensation that lingered at the back of her throat and down to her stomach was the closest thing she could experience in her search for the warmth that love brought. She didn’t even consider pulling out the second flask that she always brought with her. Not even a thought crossed her mind as her hand reached into her bag and felt the cold metal that promised relief. Totally. [i]Totally [/i] Lynn was totally in control. [i]Totally. [/i]Now, and forever more. A response came from Bianca after a short while. [code]From Bianca: That bad? It’s your lucky day, I’m actually off work - just text me a bar and I’ll meet you there![/code] [code]Sick. Let’s meet at The Bar first and see where the night takes us. I’ll get an Uber and be there in 20.[/code] Lynn looked at the group and threw on a fake smile. [color=F08080]“Well that was a meeting. I’m going to catch up with Bianca, I’ll be home later,”[/color] Lynn paused as she flashed a more genuine smile at Jasper and Luca. [color=F08080]“Don’t go too crazy without me tonight,”[/color] Lynn paused as she pulled up the Uber app and ordered a ride. Thankfully it was not long before the car arrived and Lynn hopped in and headed towards the night. Sadly, however, the driver was once again the same one from her first night. “Oh hey, it’s you again! How are you Evelynn? Back in town again already,” the man asked which caused Lynn to grab the second flask and down it as well. [hr] Lynn arrived and hurried inside. She had forgotten a winter jacket and it was already feeling cold outside. She was greeted at the door by a host who asked how many were in her party. She still hadn’t gotten a text back from the guy so she simply held up two fingers and was led to a small table close to the large windows at the front of the building. She sat down and looked at the menu and waited for her friend to show up. [color=fa912b]”[i]Heyyyyy[/i], fancy seeing you here,”[/color] Bianca appeared pretty quickly, only a few minutes after Lynn got seated. She was dressed pretty casually, with an orange checked shirt open over a black bandeau top with wide legged jeans. She patted Lynn on the shoulder in a friendly manner and winked before sliding into the seat opposite her. [color=fa912b]”I’m so fucking glad you asked me out - I was stuck helping at my parents shop, as if I get regular days off and just laze around with them. A drink is exactly what I need.”[/color] [color=F08080]“It seems we both had fun days today,”[/color] Lynn chuckled as she passed Bianca a drink menu, [color=F08080]“tell me more about what sucked about your day and I’ll tell you what sucked about mine,”[/color] Lynn smirked as she scanned the menu and saw that they had a St. Porter on draft and Lynn quickly made up her mind on what she was going to get. [color=F08080]“You hungry at all?”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Deal,”[/color] Bianca laughed as she took her own menu, quickly looking through it and trying to decide whether to start on the beer or go right to the liquor… [color=fa912b]”Fuck yes, definitely need some food. I’m no lightweight, but I want to make the most of my night off.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Don’t order any fish if you’re squeamish, because fish guts are a big part of why my day sucked,”[/color] she grinned, before waving over a server. [color=fa912b]”I’ll have a Starry Flounder, and my friend will have…”[/color] [color=F08080]“A St. Porter draft please,”[/color] Lynn said with a smirk as she pulled out a food menu and passed one to Bianca as well. “All right, I’ll let y’all look over that there food menu and I’ll be back right in a jiffy,” the water said with a smile. [color=F08080]“Only day off and your family kept you busy, eh?”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Yup, as is the way,”[/color] Bianca rolled her eyes, leaning her chin on her hand. [color=fa912b]”Fishing just doesn’t stop, and while my dad’s out the rest of the family’s selling it. The amount of fish I had to gut to sell today… you wouldn’t believe it. We buy ‘em from other fishermen, make them all nice to sell, then run a stall at the market. Pretty sure it’s ‘cause they’re still resentful I’m not taking over, like I don’t pay their rent. Hell, dad could retire and just do the selling part.”[/color] She shook her head. [color=fa912b]”Shit’s rough, and I’ve seen far too many dead fish eyes staring at me today… I’ll be having dreams of it for days. Makes me almost miss some of my more annoyin’ coworkers.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Not the pervert I hope,”[/color] Lynn grinned as she looked towards the bar and saw the bartender prepping their drinks, [color=F08080]“what’s his deal anyway? He doesn’t read as ‘agent material’ like the rest of you. ”[/color] [color=fa912b]”That’s the one!”[/color] Bianca laughed. [color=fa912b]”Trevor- he’s a fucking three time trainee agent or something insane like that, but he’s an honest to god tech genius. Shame he’s incompetent in nearly every other way. He’s just weird- but you know what? He totally thinks he’s dating Anya or some shit like that.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Honestly I think that works perfectly,”[/color] Lynn paused as she smiled, [color=F08080]“Please tell Trevor I’m so happy for him and that the future told me marriage is on the way.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Oh I will, they’re perfect for each other,”[/color] Bianca cackled. [color=fa912b]”So, your turn. How bad was the meeting?”[/color] [color=F08080]“Where did it start,”[/color] Lynn paused as the waiter returned with their drinks, [color=F08080]“So it was crazy. First, it was just a complete shit show with the way everyone was talking to each other. There’s so much fucking bad blood and it’s really coming to a head as things keep getting worse. We were just attacked by 8th not long ago and we were rattled. I get that but, I mean, it was too crazy even for that. Then the ghost of Alize showed up and tried to kill a few of us and resulted in a small fight. Then the ghost was apparently claimed by Leon and the temple and they’re going to adjoin the ghost to a fucking kid, well she’s an adult, but she looks and sounds like a kid. All the while Greenwood is pissed, Lila is ready to flip out, Luca got hurt, and then it just abruptly ended. Chaos. From start to finish.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”That really doesn’t surprise me.”[/color] Bianca took a sip of her drink. The whole coven ‘reunion’ was always going to be a shitshow. [color=fa912b]”There’s a reason it dissolved before… And I was there till near the end, I saw it all. But fuck, Alizee’s ghost, really? I sure hope she’s not as reckless as Alizee herself… I saw her get shot. It was shit.”[/color] Bianca shook her head. [color=fa912b]”Is Luca alright, at least? I always liked the little guy, real shit ghost he got stuck with.”[/color] you [color=F08080]“He’s good! He’s got a few ghost friends with him, and he has,”[/color] Lynn paused as she leaned in, [color=F08080]“Jasper.”[/color] Lynn [color=fa912b]”[i]Oh[/i]?”[/color] Bianca leaned in too, lips pulling up into a playful smile. [color=fa912b]”Is love in the air in the coven again? Honestly, I see it, they’d be so cute together… almost makes me wish I could be around just to witness it. I need some cuteness in my life.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Perhaps.”[/color] Lynn smirked as she took a drink, [color=F08080]“honestly yeah, they’re one of the cuter pairings right now. Though there’s not too many as far as I can tell, but they’re really cute even If they haven’t actually gone on a date or confessed their feelings.”[/color] Lynn rolled her eyes while chuckling. [color=F08080]“The cuteness can still be witnessed without coming around the chaos. I’ll have to invite you out next time we all do something.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Please do,”[/color] Bianca smiled. [color=fa912b]”I don’t miss the chaos, but I miss some of the people- honestly, even with the chaos I’d come back, but work, y’know? I’m not allowed to. Conflict of interest. I’m doing my best to do what I can but… yeah. Please invite me, I need to bath in the cuteness and cleanse my daily suffering with it!”[/color] [color=F08080]“Oh for sure! We have Lila, Jasper, Luca and myself and we hang out every day with the threat of that father wolf, so there will be plenty of chances for you to be invited into,”[/color] Lynn paused as she leaned forward, [color=F08080]“If Lila has her wings out promise me you won’t stare. Did you know Lila has wings now? Oh my god Lila has wings now!”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Shit, seriously? I saw the… claws at the Halloween Festival, but not the wings. Don’t worry,”[/color] Bianca held up her hands. [color=fa912b]”I’ve seen much weirder in my line of work. One of our agents- a lovely girl, honestly- is more mantis looking than she is human. Wings are nothing… But how the fuck did that happen?”[/color] [color=F08080]“Mantis girl right,”[/color] Lynn paused as a memory entered her mind, [color=F08080]“we were all so worried that Jasper had the hots for a fed at the time. Oh how things change,”[/color] Lynn took a deeper drink than before to prep her answer to the final question. [color=F08080]“Well….. Lila invited Britney over to discuss this Maiden who started to talk to her. We had a few, [i]a few[/i], drinks and during the sealing……from what Lila told me…. Britney sealed the apparition in her body. We didn’t know at the time so we continued to drink, and maybe summoned a demon. You know, typical girl slumber party things.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Hey, what’s wrong with having hots for a fed? Some of us are smokin’!”[/color] Bianca laughed, taking a large gulp of her drink before continuing, shaking her head. [color=fa912b]”Oh yeah, I remember doing those all the time as a teen- but seriously, what the fuck? I know who I’ll be reporting next time we deal with a demon on the loose! Fuck, poor Lila. If I come across anything to help her I’ll let you know soon as.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Some of you, yes,”[/color] Lynn playfully winked at Bianca. [color=F08080]“I can’t even remember which one it was. It was some giant skeleton that giggled. That’s about all I can remember,”[/color] Lynn paused as she sighed, taking another big swig of her drink, [color=F08080]“the future is a complicated place for Lila. There are many good, many bad, paths that Sage could go down. It’s too soon to tell but I’m keeping an eye on her,”[/color] Lynn paused with a smile, [color=F08080]“she’d appreciate the sentiment half the time and wish for the cure the other half. Some days I feel like she likes the maiden, and others she hates the idea of sharing a body.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Right, giggling skeleton, I'll keep an eye out,”[/color] Bianca laughed, pulling out her phone to note it down. [color=fa912b]”That seems to be the case with a lot of adjoined… less the future, I can't see that, but at least the mixed feelings about sharing a body. Some love it, some hate it, but most are a bit in between. Sometimes the help that's needed is more control. At least she's not alone, and there are other Adjoined in the coven…”[/color] Bianca smiled, finishing off her drink and holding it up. [color=fa912b]”Another? Should we order food too?”[/color] [color=F08080]“She’s been having it rough because The Maiden is like sealed in her body. Not just forcibly adjoined,”[/color] Lynn paused as she sighed as she finished off her first drink and smirked, [color=F08080]“I don’t plan on getting too drunk tonight so yeah, let’s eat,”[/color] Lynn said as she flagged down the waitress. [color=fa912b]”Ah, that's worse. Difficult to fix,”[/color] Bianca said cryptically to avoid talking about magic around the waitress that came over. [color=fa912b]”I’ll have a Cracker pale ale and a double hamburger with fries, thanks.”[/color] She grinned at Lynn. [color=fa912b]”I also don't plan to get too drunk, I sadly have work tomorrow.”[/color] “And what about you, love?” The waitress turned to Lynn with an overly bright smile. [color=F08080]“How about a Twilight Sparkling Ale? And I’ll take a double cheeseburger with fries as well, light on the sauce,”[/color] Lynn said with a smirk. She turned her attention back to Bianca. [color=F08080]“What is your day to day like,”[/color] Lynn asked inquisitively. [color=fa912b]”Filled with a lot of paperwork,”[/color] Bianca laughed, rolling her shoulders. [color=fa912b]”It’s like a menial office job a lot of the time, except the case files are about the paranormal… till shit hits the fan and we have to go out in the field. There's constant training too, as a team and individually… but that's much better than the paperwork, which is the bane of my existence.”[/color] [color=F08080]“I mean that sounds nice. The training, not the paperwork,”[/color] Lynn said as she leaned back in her chair, [color=F08080]“I would be the worst agent though. I would never get my paperwork done. Before I left my job I had like a hundred cases I was working on and instead of just working through it I quit a week ago. Fuck doing that much paperwork,”[/color] Lynn chuckled as she leaned back. [color=fa912b]”Oh yeah, the paperwork's the fucking worst,”[/color] Bianca shook her head, pausing as the waitress came over with their second drinks. She smiled and raised her new glass. [color=fa912b]”Well here's to less paperwork for the both of us. Normally I try to push mine off to Trevor, anyway.”[/color] She laughed, and took a long drink. [color=fa912b]”How are you doing with the… future telling? Anymore control than before?”[/color] Lynn raised her drink and took a sip of the twilight inspired drink. It wasn’t good but it for sure had a charm to it. [color=F08080]“I still suffer from the same issues as before. I’m much better at navigating the uncertainty but at the same time it’s hard to pin down events further away with any accuracy. Present events I’m really good at, however, as there’s less that can influence the outcome and a lot less steps to try and get a reasonable sample size,”[/color] Lynn said with a chuckle, [color=F08080]“I do wish I could be whomever or whatever cursed my family. Maybe I could get a better deal.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Undoubtedly,”[/color] Bianca chuckled. [color=fa912b]”I don't envy you with magic like that… Hell, really makes me feel lucky to be born an adept, even if specialising in boosting makes me an easy target alone… well, that's what guns are for! But hey, I'm glad you're getting there… if you ever need any help with that shit, give me a call. I'm a lot more knowledgeable than I was ten years ago.”[/color] [color=F08080]“I never envied your power but I gave envied adepts. I think life would have been much easier if I could control plants or something,”[/color] Lynn chuckled, [color=F08080]“I will take you up on that, the more help the better,”[/color] Lynn chuckled. [color=fa912b]”We have a lot of flexibility… even if it has to match our personality a bit. I could never be like Leon, using my Orange Lux to punch apparitions,”[/color] Bianca shrugged with a rueful grin. [color=fa912b]”Good, I'm always happy to help… but enough with this serious talk! We’re here to relax after our shit days! You said about Luca and Jasper making cute eyes at each other… but what other romances are bubbling away at the coven? Or entertaining tensions, I'll take any gossip.”[/color] [color=F08080]“I can do that. Linqian and Aryin fucked Leon, Linqian, Greyson, and Britney are a throuple I think, Lila’s long dormant crush on a man has returned but I won’t say who due to a pinky promise, and a shy, timid, bit surprisingly cute waiter gave me his number”[/color] Lynn chuckled as she looked at Bianca. She was unsure if the Linqian mention would be bad but fuck Linqian she deserves any flak she gets. [color=fa912b]”Fucking hell-”[/color] Bianca nearly spit out her drink as Lynn listed off a lot of sexual escapades focusing around her ex. Bianca had no problem with it, since she'd long gotten over Linqian… but wow. [color=fa912b]”I knew Linqian had some stamina, but fucking hell- Britney and Edict? Well y'know, I can see it… but tell me more about this waiter. Is it like a crush or just a hopeful hook-up?”[/color] Bianca grinned. [color=F08080]“Well he’s like very shy, but cute. Maybe a one night thing, I don’t know yet. I did text him earlier ,”[/color] Lynn chuckled. [color=F08080]“He practically stumbled trying to get the number to me, and Sloane grabbed it from him thinking it was the bill. I told her beforehand that the waiter would either give me or her his number based on the futures I saw,”[/color] Lynn smirked. [color=F08080]“I don’t know how I’ll play this but I am open,”[/color] Lynn stuck out her tounge as she took another drink. [color=fa912b]”Being open is good, just see where it takes you… so long as it ain't a bad place!”[/color] Bianca grinned. [color=fa912b]”I wish I had anything like that… the one curse of being a lesbian, only ever straight dudes giving me their number. And the last time I tried to go to a strip club it turned into a gun fight! But hey, glad you're getting cute waiter’s numbers… even if it's after suffering Sloane's company .”[/color] [color=F08080]“I am bi so I get it. Sloane was not actually the worst. She had a very fair prediction on my futures for Kari. It’s what brought us together the other day,”[/color] Lynn paused, [color=F08080]“If I see any hot lesbians I’ll send them your way tonight,”[/color] Lynn winked as she took another drink. [color=e77fbf]"Huh, I guess some of the others have matured,"[/color] Bianca mused, talking a long drink. Hopefully the food would get here soon so she didn't have to watch herself… not that two beers was much at all. [color=e77fbf]"Please do, you have no idea how fucking hard it is! Especially with my job, and then living with my family… literal nightmare, my parents are still tryna set me up with fishermen's sons. I need the stress relief…"[/color] [color=F08080]“We could,”[/color] Lynn leaned in, [color=F08080]“go to that lesbian bar after here.”[/color] Bianca smirked. [color=fa912b]”That sounds perfect. I can pick someone up and if that cute waiter doesn't work out, you'll have other options. I ain't been in… fuck, years. No time since I came back here.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Who are you picking up,”[/color] Lynn smirked as she downed her drink, [color=F08080]“anyone I know,”[/color] Lynn leaned back as she awaited the answer. [color=fa912b]”I wish [I]I[/I] knew,”[/color] Bianca laughed, also finishing her drink. Thankfully the waitress seemed to be on the way over with their food. [color=fa912b]”Any fellow lonely lesbians at the lesbian bar! Do you really think I'd jump back into the coven pit for hookups or dating?”[/color] The waitress silently put down their meals with a smile. [color=fa912b]”Thanks, double rum and coke,"[/color] Bianca said as she did, deciding after two drinks it was time to move past the beer… the food was here to soak it up anyway. [color=F08080]“Fuck no I don’t blame you,”[/color] Lynn chuckled. [color=F08080]“Make that two double rum and coke ,”[/color] Lynn said as she followed the vibe. [color=F08080]“We’re going to have so much fun tonight.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Oh yeah we are,”[/color] Bianca grinned as she dug into her food. [color=fa912b]”I don't normally get to drink with people who can keep up with me.”[/color] [color=F08080]“I’ll put your liver to the test,”[/color] Lynn smirked as she took a fry and bit into it with ravenous intent. [color=fa912b]”I’ll hold you to that,”[/color] Bianca grinned, grabbing and holding up her third drink when it arrived. [color=fa912b]”To a fucking wild night.”[/color] [hr] Another double rum later, and the two moved on to their next location. The famed lesbian bar of St Portwell, in the arts District. Pink Pykes. It was still earlier enough they didn't have to queue in, but late enough it was starting to get busy - busy enough there weren't any free tables, but plenty of standing room. [color=fa912b]”Bar first?”[/color] Bianca asked Lynn, already feeling much more comfortable surrounded by women. [color=F08080]“Oh this is much better. Yes, yes let’s start testing that liver.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”So, shots then?”[/color] Bianca grinned as she made her way over to the bar. She leaned against it, waiting for the bartender to come over. She looked around the bar, taking in all of the people. [color=F08080]“Tequila?”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Hell yeah- it's one me,”[/color] Bianca grinned as a bartender got to them. [color=fa912b]”Six tequila shots, two double rum cokes.”[/color] As she waited for them to be made up, she continued looking around. It was mostly groups of people tonight, no obviously alone women… but that didn't mean that everyone was taken or nobody was looking for a good time. Nobody she recognised either, which was probably a good thing tonight. [color=fa912b]”Maybe if we just stand here and look hot someone will come over,”[/color] She joked as their shots arrived. She picked up one of the tequila shots and grinned. [color=fa912b]”Let's destroy our livers first.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Bound to happen, you’re literally the hottest person in here,”[/color] Lynn said as she picked up one as well. [color=F08080]“To our health?”[/color] [color=fa912b]”To our health,”[/color] Bianca laughed, downing the shot and picking up the next. She quickly went through all three, assuming Lynn would keep up. Then she leaned her back against the bar, looking around. [color=fa912b]”Or maybe I should just shoot my shot with someone… Bein' this fucking hot, y'know? Get us some more drinking company too.”[/color] Lynn followed suit and downed three shots of tequila without even thinking of using the salt or lemon provided. [color=F08080]“Take a look into the crowd, does anyone catch your fancy?”[/color] Lynn paused as she placed a hand on Bianca’s shoulder. [color=F08080]“These girls are ready for you, Bianca,”[/color] Lynn said as she grabbed her rum and coke and took a sip. [color=fa912b]”Let’s see…”[/color] Bianca tilted her head towards Lynn, gaze trailing across the various women around the room. She didn't exactly have a ‘type’. Feisty, maybe. No, that wasn't quite true. Then she froze. [color=fa912]”Lynn… There's a man in our woman's paradise. A [I]man[/i].”[/color] She pointed over to the group of five. Then her finger moved to a shorter, tattoo covered woman. [color=fa912b]”She’s fucking fit. Maybe I can forgive them for bringing the guy.”[/color] [color=F08080]“She’s hot as fuck,”[/color] Lynn said as leaned back on the bar. She squinted at her face. She’d met this girl before, somewhere in this city but the alcohol had started to dull that pesky long term memory aspect of her brain. [color=F08080]“You have great taste, Bianca,”[/color] Lynn said as she patted Bianca on the shoulder, [color=F08080]“how do you think you’ll approach her? That man is very tall.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Just watch,”[/color] Bianca grinned, bumping her shoulder against Lynn's. [color=fa912b]”Well follow me over. Watch by my side.”[/color] With the confidence that came from three shoots, being hot as fuck, and regularly dealing with much worse situations, Bianca made her way over to the group. Namely, Trevor. Nothing could phase her. As she walked pulled her hair back into a ponytail to stop it from falling across her face, and slid her shirt down her arms to give it more of a cool off the shoulder look. [color=fa912b]”I couldn't help but notice your tattoos from over there… they're beautiful. As are you,”[/color] Bianca began with a playful smile towards the woman in question. [color=fa912b]”... really, it was you I noticed first.”[/color] Then she looked at the wider group. [color=fa912b]”Can I get you all drinks? Funny looking person you've brought in with you,”[/color] she joked, pointing to the man. [color=fa912b]”But I guess we don't discriminate round here.”[/color] The woman looked Bianca up and down, before she took a step forward and looked her up and down again. She was dressed in some very short shorts that truly showed off her body, a tube top, and a sleeveless jean jacket. The rest of the group had turned their heads to each other before a silent cheer erupted. Hands were thrown in the air, hugs were given, and this group of artists was ready to take Bianca up on her offer. “You are too kind. How about we take your drinks back to my table so you can see them more closely,” Octavia paused as she looked at Lynn, “Sycamore, good to see you again. I heard you had quite the meeting today,” Octavia paused as she returned her gaze towards Bianca, looking her up and down one final time for good measure. “I’m Octavia, beautiful,” she paused as she used her hand to guide Bianca towards a nearby empty booth that they had reserved, she would let Bianca take the lead if she so wished. “Octavia Wilde.” [color=fa912b]”Bianca Manalo… it's so nice to meet you, Octavia. Suddenly all the shit of a working day seems worth it,”[/color] Bianca smiled, completely unperturbed by Octavia's looking, even tilting her head invitingly at one point. After telling the bartender to keep a tab for her with their round of drinks, so they could just order whatever they want, she was quite happy to grab her drink and move towards the booth. She gestured for Lynn to come along with a smile because she was… curious… [color=fa912b]”You know each other?”[/color] Bianca asked as she sat down, sliding across the booth, looking between Lynn and the artists. Of course, her gaze went to Octavia the most, and she didn't hide her open looking. Though in the better light… ah, 317, if she remembered correctly. Not noted as a threat, thank fuck. [color=fa912b]”Those meetings sure are famous, huh?”[/color] Lynn’s mouth dropped at the name and it remained somewhat askew as she followed Bianca’s lead and sat down at the booth, sitting next to a shy looking artist who wore glasses. She looked over to Bianca, over to Octavia, and then back to Bianca before she smirked [color=F08080]“Oh we’ve met.”[/color]. Lynn looked towards Octavia and raised an eyebrow and Octavia simply looked at Lynn in a way that suggested ‘if you tell her before I do I we’ll kill your and use your skin as art’ and Lynn complied, [color=F08080]“I met Octavia briefly back at the 317 before Halloween. She introduced us to an intimidating woman who made our powerpuff costumes.”[/color] “Sycamore meetings have been very famous on the grapevine lately,” Octavia chuckled as she turned her attention towards Bianca, “they’re always so much fun to hear about on the grapevine. Which tattoo caught your attention first?” “I’m Alex,” Alex said as they waved at Bianca, “you’re a goddess for the drinks.” “Jordan,” he said as he adjusted his glasses. “Zeri, hi! I’ve heard so much about Sycamore,” Zeri leaned in, “and his friends who saved the world.” ”Sypha,” they said with an amused glance towards Octavia. “Summer. Pleasure to meet you, Bianca,” Summer said with a quick wave. [color=fa912b]”Nice to meet you all,”[/color] Bianca grinned, holding up her drink towards them all. She turned to Lynn with a mock accusatory look. [color=fa912b]”Why didn't you tell me you knew someone so hot- wait. Wilde… oh shit.”[/color] “You know my younger brother as well I take it,” Octavia chuckled as she gave Bianca a long, long stare, “you’re not sycamore now, how did you meet him?” Lynn leaned over to Bianca and smirked. [color=F08080]“She scared me when I was a kid. She still scares me today. In that protective kind of way. It’s cute how much she cares for Jasper.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Ohhh, well some of us like intimidating,”[/color] Bianca said, with a grin and a wink. She then held up her hands, smiling at Octavia. [color=fa912b]”Former Sycamore, so I knew Jasper ten years ago. I didn't go back cause of… conflict of interest. But y’know once Sycamore, always Sycamore. The knife fucker certainly doesn't discriminate.”[/color] “I’ve been told,” Octavia cleared her throat, “while I wish there was more I could do to help, we have a former Sycamore of our own and I don't want to lose my brother, we at least try to offer our help where we can. If you ever find out who is killing you, have Jasper give me a call. We’re more than winning to help. But enough talk about that,” Octavia said as she leaned in towards Bianca, “we’re at the start of a legendary pub crawl, how about you two join us. I’m sure we can learn so much about each other.” [color=fa912b]”Hopefully I'll be able to call you myself,”[/color] Bianca smirked, leaning towards Octavia too. She pushed the work part of her brain to the side, where she'd dissuade anyone here from trying to help. She couldn't just tell people to leave it to the professionals when she knew they had far too much on their plate as it was. [color=fa912b]”We’ll definitely join. Lynn and I were just going to bounce bar to bar drinking, so a legendary pub crawl sounds great. Assuming you're good with that, Lynn?”[/color] Bianca shot Lynn a look that was very much a ‘please do this for me.’ Then she looked back at Octavia. [color=fa912b]”Getting to know each other… You said you have a Sycamore as one of your own. You're part of one of the group's round town, then? Lemme guess… the cool artsy one.”[/color] [color=F08080]“You had a night out recently with Lila. She talks very fondly of that night,”[/color] Lynn looked at Bianca and nodded her head, [color=F08080]“ I’m in.”[/color] “Ah yes, the night my brother came out to me,” Octavia smiled, “I will expect great, great, things,” Octavia paused as she looked at Bianca, then Bianca’s mouth, then back to Bianca, “out of you….two.” [color=fa912b]”Oh, I'll make sure to deliver,”[/color] Bianca's lips curved up into a smile, and she leaned further towards Octavia, lowering her voice. [color=fa912b]”I never leave anyone unsatisfied.”[/color] She leaned back again, turning her body more to involve everyone. Especially when she was here with Lynn, it was rude to forget that in her pursuit of a really hot woman. [color=fa912b]”We’ll drink you all under the table… but Jasper just came out to you? I always thought he was a little, y'know…”[/color] “Oh I knew since he was a kid that he had a limp wrist. He was always way too well dressed to be entirely straight. Bi energy and all,” Octavia sighed as she grabbed a hold of her drink and finished the entire cocktail in one go, “well, we’ll see about that gorgeous.” [color=fa912b]”Oh yeah, especially as a teen, all the other guys- aside from our favourite mobster- wore fucking sweats, when they bothered getting dressed at all,”[/color] Bianca laughed, before matching Octavia and downing her entire rum and coke. She shrugged off the slight burning sensation like it was nothing. [color=fa912b]”You know who he's into then? Lynn was telling me about it earlier… they'll be super cute, honestly, Luca was one of the best of us.”[/color] As she spoke she reached over for a menu, beginning to look through the cocktails. “Some boy named Luca, right? I don’t really know him well, do you have a photo?” [color=fa912b]”Let me see…”[/color] Bianca pulled out her phone, going to her photo album and going to one labeled ‘Sycamore’. She slipped through and pulled up a photo of a smaller group. It was a picture taken of a photograph from a disposable camera, if Bianca remembered right it was snapped in the last week before they beat the Snake. For memories, she'd insisted, using the disposable camera she'd snatched from a destroyed shop. She was there with Linqian, arms wrapped around each other with wide grins. Aryin was next to Linqian, punching her shoulder. Moving along… Saskia looking like she wanted to be anywhere but there, Ella with a smile brighter than anyone's, then a small gap with Olivia beside her. Then a larger one and there was Luca. Younger, healthier, with a bright smile. [color=fa912b]”There he is,”[/color] Bianca pointed to Luca. [color=fa912b]”Well, at fifteen. I took a lotta pictures like this back then, this was a group of us before we went out for the night. Front liners, you could say. Oh, look at this!”[/color] She swiped to another photo, that she wasn't in. It was of members of the traditionally ‘quieter’, nerdier group. Kari, Lynn, Aaron, Ella, Saskia, Lisa, Olivia, Luca… then in the background painting, Jasper too. Luca seemed to be looking at him, mouth half open to say something. Bianca had taken it while they were all sitting watching some anime Ella had forced on them all, the glow of the television lighting them all of She showed it to Octavia, then Lynn. Her smile was warm, though there was a hint of sadness in her eyes that Lynn would understand. [color=fa912b]”Cute, right? I don't have any recent ones. Lynn might?”[/color] “Oh it’s so cute, thank you for sharing that,” Octavia smile matched Bianca’s, “you all carried the burden of saving the world back then. I never fought that monster directly but I did what I could to save as many as I could.” Octavia looked over to Lynn who was pulling up some photos on her phone. [color=F08080]“Here we are at the Halloween festival,”[/color] Lynn said as she passed Octavia her phone. [color=F08080]“Lila and I were the powerpuff girls, and they were the manly versions of us.”[/color] Octavia looked through her album, pausing on one in particular. It was the one where Luca was practically on Jasper’s lap, head resting on Jasper’s broad shoulders. She looked to Lynn, then to the photo, then back to Lynn and laughed. “So they’re not dating already in this photo?” Lynn shook her head no. “And Jasper still doesn’t know if Luca likes him back?” Lynn shook her head yes. “My brother is an idiot,” Octavia chuckled as she shared the photo with the rest of the table. Holding up the photo to her artists first, then to Bianca. “Oh yeah,” Alex said as they were in the process of cleaning their glasses, their eyes squinting as much as they possibly could, “even I can see that.” “When you have an unforgettable gay night sitting that close to you,” Octavia said as she arched her back ever so, eyes drifting back to Bianca, “you have to take it.” “Don’t be too hard on Jasper,” Jordan said as he took a drink of his St. Porter, “I mean we all know what happened after that fight. You’ve told us that much Octavia. I think he’ll get there in time.” “Indeed,” Sypha responded with a smile, “he’s a good man.” Lynn took her phone back up and pulled up another album. This one said ‘parties at Lucas’ and it was a daily snap shot into their lives together. She passed the phone to Octavia and Octavia raised an eyebrow at what she saw. “My brother is an idiot. Is this Lila? She looks…different”. The photo in question was one where Lila’s mwings were out and her eyes black. [color=fa912b]”She’s dealing with a nasty Apparition, I think… I was shocked too,”[/color] Bianca said, leaning in against Octavia to look at the photos Lynn had taken. They were cute, and she was glad to see that little group happy… or as happy as they could be. [color=fa912b]”They’re all right, some are slower than others, not everyone knows what they want… even if it's that fucking obvious, holy shit.”[/color] As Bianca said this she stretched her arm on the seat behind Octavia. She turned her towards Lynn. [color=fa912b]”Does Luca have… better control over the rot, then? If they're that close.”[/color] [color=F08080]“Lila is,”[/color] Lynn paused as she contemplated her words. She knew that very little was as murky as what would befall Lila in the future. [color=F08080]“Lila is still getting used to being an agent. And no, the rot is still very much present. Octavia and Sypha both saw that,”[/color] Lynn smirked at the memory, [color=F08080]“ There was a bee and Luca jumped into Jasper’s arms and Jasper got the rot pressed to him.”[/color] Lynn paused as she raised a finger, [color=F08080]“as long as their party tonight goes as expected he will learn Abjuration spells from Stormy. I imagine he’ll try and help Luca even if it’s not much.”[/color] “How do you know,” Octavia asked as she scooted towards Bianca, a sly smirk filling her face as she leaned in closer to have a more private conversation. [color=F08080]“I checked the future.”[/color] “You can see the future? How many fingers am I holding up,” Alex asked as they held up two fingers in full view of Lynn. Lynn looked at the two fingers, back to Alex, back to the fingers, and back to Alex. Lynn sighed as her eyes flashed green and a projection emanated forth showing Alex revealing that they had two fingers. “Woah.” [color=fa912b]”Pretty cool, right?”[/color] Bianca laughed, hand moving forward to curl over Octavia's shoulder. She shook her head. [color=fa912b]”If a bee's all it takes for Luca to jump into Jasper’s arms, he's fucking head over heels. And if Jasper's learning spells for him…”[/color] Bianca whistled. [color=fa912b]”Well, enough about them… tell me, Octavia, what do you [I]do[/I]. Magic wise, that is.”[/color] “Oh I can do a lot,” Octavia responded as she placed a hand on Bianca’s shoulder, “I can’t show you in here but I can show you once we are on our way to our next spot. Spray Paint Spell Slinging is the name I’ve given to it. I create glyphs and they do cool things, the bigger the better.” [color=fa912b]”That sounds incredibly cool, like proper artistic shit? Was never much of an artist myself, but I always love seeing it… and magic like that? Fucking awesome,”[/color] Bianca grinned, genuinely interested in that kind of thing. Magic… the variety of it, what Adepts decided to learn. She had to understand it to boost it, and she loved understanding it. [color=fa912b]”I definitely have to see that… Where's the next planned spot, anyway?”[/color] “The Salty Sailor,” Jordan said with a smirk, “not quite as fun as Le Tournesol was, which was our usual second stop, but it does not have an open mic night. After that last time at Le Tournesol we’re waiting a bit to go back. Still, Salty Sailor is another queer space and the drinks are cheap and the liquor strong.” [color=fa912b]”What happened last time? It ain't changed hands or anything, has it? I never got to drink but I swear, the food there ten years ago was the best….place has been there a fucking age,”[/color] Bianca shook her head with a smile. Her and Linqian would just chill there all the time, especially in the few months they stayed together after beating the Stygian Snake. [color=fa912b]”Salty Sailor's fucking good too, though. Cheap enough to lure in some of the younger fishermen- and women- without em running away at the queerness.”[/color] Bianca grinned, tilting her head towards Octavia. [color=fa912b]”Plenty of us from those families are queer anyway.”[/color] “I’d be more surprised if they weren’t,” Sypha chuckled as they sipped at their wine. “There was a comedian there. He was bad,” Octavia said dully, “it’s usually so much better but we could only stay for a minute. I still have nightmares.” A fake frown fell across her face, a moment before she looked at Bianca with the sides of her eyes. “How about we get some more drinks, and then I show you my magic if you show me yours?” [color=fa912b]”I’ll have to make sure you don't have any nightmares tonight, then,”[/color] Bianca smiled, hand dropping from Octavia's shoulder to wrap around her waist. [color=fa912b]”Deal… we can do it at the same time. I need someone else's magic to even show mine. Booster, yknow?”[/color] She then let go and when to stand up. [color=fa912b]”Ill go get another round… what're the orders?”[/color] “St. Porter,” Jordan said as he downed his beer. “A nice red,” Sypha chimed in. “Aby IPA,” Summer said with a smile. “Anything sweet,” Zeri and Alex said together. “Maybe some sex on a beach,” Octavia grinned. [color=F08080]“Double rum and coke.”[/color] [color=fa912b]”Oh I'll get you some sex on a beach,”[/color] Bianca grinned, with a wink. Then she nudged Lynn. [color=fa912b]”I'll need some help carrying all of that, c’mon, friend.”[/color] Bianca headed over to the bar with a slight bounce in her step, flicking her dark hair over her shoulder as she did. She put in all the orders, plus a Naked & Famous cocktail for herself. [color=fa912b]”I think this is going pretty well,”[/color] Bianca leaned against the bar, smirking at Lynn. [color=fa912b]”Any news from your waiter?”[/color] [color=F08080]“It is. She’s fucking ready to jump your bones,”[/color] Lila playfully tapped Bianca on the arm. Lynn held up her phone showing a picture of the waiter that had just been sent to her. It was clear that the man was either into photography, or just had a photo shoot done, as he looked very good. [color=F08080]“He’s asking where we’re going next.”[/color] Lynn held up her phone showing a text ready to send that said ‘Salty Sailor meet us there’ and Lynn smirked. [color=fa912b]”I’m ready for her to do it,”[/color] Bianca grinned, nudging Lynn back. She leaned in to look at the picture, whistling. [color=fa912b]”I don't swing that way, but damnnn, he's fine. Good fucking photo. We’re both gonna have a good night.”[/color] The drink orders arrived, and Bianca managed to grab and balance just about half. [color=fa912b]”Shall we? Let's get these drinks down then we can go meet your man of the night.”[/color] [color=F08080]“And get you back to the woman of yours,”[/color] Lynn said as she hit send and grabbed the drinks alongside Bianca. Tonight was going to be magic. [hr] “Alright beautiful,” Octavia said with a wink, “you gonna give me a boost?” Octavia had led the group back to the 317 grounds. It was at an in-between spot between the two bars. Octavia had two spray paint cans, one in each hand, and she used them to paint the first sigil on a wall. It was a large circle, with a few hundred small dots inside. [color=fa912b]”Sure thing, babe,”[/color] Bianca grinned. [color=fa912b]”What do you want? Just the basic strength boosting?”[/color] As she asked she flicked out a hand, nautical rope bracelet lighting up a soft orange. She concentrated on boosting Octavia's abstraction to be much stronger - it was a potent, and refined boost, even after everything she'd drunk. Being tipsy was a much better situation than most that she cast in! Octavia grinned as she held up her ring, activated the spell, and watched as the sigil seemingly grew in size with the added power. A second later a massive volley of ice spears began to shoot out at an even more impressive speed. They aimed for a section of her building that was also reinforced by a sigil of protection. A second later Octavia activated that sigil, and the side of the building began to glow a dull yellow glow. As soon as it was up the spears impacted the shield, breaking and splintering, and scattering ice chunks in every direction. Jordan had his jaw down at the increased power displayed here. He looked at Bianca. “Can you do art, and do you want to join a collective?” “I want her and I’m not even an adept,” Alex said in a dry tone. “What else can you boost,” Octavia asked with a smirk, “your power is incredible.” [color=fa912b]”Sorry, there ain't an artistic bone in my body, and I can't join anyway,”[/color] Bianca replied, leaving the last bit cryptic. She really wasn't supposed to talk about her job, even if so many people in the magical world knew about them. [color=fa912b]”But I can boost any abstraction - you don't need to be an Adept. I can specialise it a bit more- duration, range, ability to penetrate emotional fields, increased emotional fields, boosting multiple people at once… I'm a specialist, really. Anything that can be boosted I can do it. Support type, if I was in a game. But thanks, it's been a pain in the ass to hone.”[/color] “And I thought your beauty would be the most impressive thing about you. Well, it still is, but this is the second best thing this night has given me,” Octavia paused as she wrapped her hands around Bianca’s waist. “I am curious though, I wonder how strong Jordan would be with that power.” [color=fa912b]”Aw, nobody's ever gone for me for my magic,”[/color] Bianca joked, hands coming to rest on Octavia's hips. She smiled at her, before tilting her head towards Jordan. [color=fa912b]”I can boost him too, if he wants to try it out… anyone that wants it. One night offer only, take it or leave it.”[/color] Jordan looked at Sypha, Sypha looked at Jordan, and the duo looked at Summer. “Where’s your brother?” “DND night do not disturb on the phone,” Summer said as she laughed. “Do we have any way to test Jordan’s strength,” Alex asked, “he’s already freakishly strong. How much stronger would he be?” “Enhance me,” Sypha said as she cut open her palm and pulled out several blood tendrils. “This will be good,” Octavia joked as she squeezed Bianca’s side. [color=fa912b]”Oh, I'm excited,”[/color] Bianca grinned, leaning against Octavia as her bracelet glowed again. She boosted both Jordan and Sypha, layering emotional field boosting on top of the normal strength enhancement. [color=fa912b]”I’ve boosted your emotional fields too, so you shouldn't knock each other out.”[/color] Jordan, and Sypha both took in a deep breath as the spell effect took hold. They both closed their eyes and exhaled as they did, “Sypha, I haven’t felt this strong since we fought the Sunken King.” “I was about to say the same thing,” Sypha said as their tendrils began to grow in size. The tips hardened into sharp and durable points. The tendrils began to wrap around each other and turned into a long crimson blade. Jordan, meanwhile focused his power on his strength, his durability, and his speed. A decorative tumbleweed broke free of its place and was carried by the wind between the two fighters. A moment later Sypha raised the crimson blade high into the air and brought it crashing down on Jordan, who instantly rushed forth away from the attack. The blade impacted the ground and splattered onto a giant pool of blood. Jordan moved at an incredible speed, but Sypha was not content with letting him have free access to them. The blood tendrils pulled back before they shot back out, easily counting in the hundreds, all aimed for Jordan. To avoid this Jordan jumped over them, fist cocked, and descended towards Sypha. In response. Sypha’s other hand opened up and an equal amount of tendrils shot out and impacted all across Jordan’s body, and forced him to a complete stop. One tendril slowly moved and hit his nose, “boop” escaped Syphas lips and a soft “oww” Jordan before Sypha and Jordan started laughing as the tendrils pulled back, Jordan fell to the ground, and Sypha said “my tendrils infected you, you’re delirious for an hour. I win.” The rest of the 317 laughed alongside them. Alex , meanwhile, had a dour expression on their face. They wanted bloodshed. Lynn looked at the massive pool of blood and watched as a tendril shot out from Sypha, hit the pool, pulled it all back together before any and all debris was removed before it pulled back. [color=F08080]“You remind me of someone,”[/color] Lynn said with a fond smile as she remembered a former coven member. [color=fa912b]”Me too,”[/color] Bianca said softly, looking over at Lynn for a moment, eyes sad. It only lasted a moment. “I felt so strong. If George was here I might’ve been strong enough to beat him in a fight,” Jordan said with a smirk. [color=fa912b]”Well if you ever need to beat his ass, gimme a call, if I'm free I'll come over and boost you,”[/color] Bianca laughed, pushing through the somber feeling. [color=fa912b]”So long as I get to watch the fight… well, no choice there, I gotta actively boost the whole time.”[/color] “Well I’d need your number, you know, to call you when we’re in trouble,” Octavia smirked as she walked up to Bianca as she wrapped her arms around Bianca’s shoulders. [color=fa912b]”Well, that ones easy,”[/color] Bianca grinned, one hand coming to rest on Octavia's waist while the other pulled out her phone. She unlocked it and held it up. [color=fa912b]”Put yours in and I'll text you straight away. Call me anytime you want, babe.”[/color] “I think we’ll get along well” Octavia paused as she typed in her number, “so you’ll be hearing from me. Ready for the next bar?” [color=fa912b]”Mm, I think we’ll get along very well,”[/color] Bianca hummed, before nodding. [color=fa912b]”Let’s go!”[/color] [hr] The Salty Sailor. Just like its name suggested it was closer to the port than the arts district, filled with younger fishers and sailors after a working day. But they were mixed with people more like their group, and adult children of the fishing community. It was loud, it was rustic, it was friendly, and most importantly, it was cheap. Bianca really loved it here. As one of those fishing family queers, it was a place she’d frequented whenever she came home from college… and it hadn’t really changed. Still the same good vibes, and less pretentious from some of the other queer locations of the city. [color=fa912b]”So, your man of the night here yet?”[/color] Bianca managed to take a moment away from intensively flirting with Octavia to lean over to Lynn with the question as they went into the bar and headed to the bar. [color=F08080]“He should be here,”[/color] Lynn said with a smile, [color=F08080]“he said he was at the-”[/color] Lynn paused as she looked across the bar she was now resting on and locked eyes with him. He had a warm, inviting smile that looked much different than the fake one he wore at work. His button up shirt was only buttoned up so far, and the last three buttons were left unbuttoned. His hair was actually styled, and he had that messy but natural look that worked well for his face shape. He had a simple hair of denim jeans, and black Doc Martens that were laced up all the way. He leaned forward and waved towards Lynn. [color=F08080]“As good as the photo,”[/color] Lynn said to Bianca with a smirk. [color=fa912b]”Fuck yeah, even I can appreciate that,”[/color] Bianca replied, with a laugh. Aesthetically, he was pretty damn good looking, even if Bianca would never swing that way. She patted Lynn on the shoulder. [color=fa912b]”Good fucking going… go on, bring him over. I gotta suss him out before I let my friend go home with him.”[/color] Lynn smirked as she walked over to the man. Bianca would watch as Lynn and the man gave each other a hug before she engaged in small talk for a second. A moment later Lila led the man towards Bianca. As he approached it was clear the man exuded golden retriever energy and fully let Lynn take the lead back towards her friend. [color=F08080]“Bianca this is Theo, Theo my good friend Bianca,”[/color] Lynn introduced with a smile. Theo held out a hand towards Bianca and smiled wide. [color=fa912b]”Nice to meet you, Theo,”[/color] Bianca smiled back, reaching out to shake his hand firmly and with a bit of extra, unnecessary strength. Making sure that he knew, even if she appeared small, she could absolutely kick his ass if necessary. [color=fa912b]”I hope you’re alright with joining quite a big, but fun, group for the evening! We’ve already had a fair few too.”[/color] She jerked a thumb towards the 317 lot. “Pleasure,” Theo said as he looked at Bianca’s hand and made a mental note to remain on her good side, “Lynn told me she was out with friends, I always like a crowd. Totally not overwhelmed by them or anything.” [color=fa912b]”You’ll get used to them,”[/color] Bianca laughed, as if she hadn’t only known them for a couple of hours. [color=fa912b]”Look, we’ll do gradual introductions…”[/color] She waved at Octavia. [color=fa912b]”Hey, Gorgeous, come meet Lynn’s… [i]friend[/i].”[/color] She smirked. [color=fa912b]”Also, what’re we drinking?”[/color] “Oh my,” Octavia walked over to Bianca and threw her arms around Bianca, “Lynn found herself a stray. I’m Octavia. I’m drinking anything you want me to tonight, beautiful.” “I’m a beer kinda guy,” Theo joked as he held up a St. Porter. [color=F08080]“You’re lucky I’m a beer kinda gal,”[/color] “Ugh you’re cuteness is boring,” Octavia joked as she hugged Bianca tighter, “I’m Octavia by the way.” [color=fa912b]”Well [i]we've[/i] moved onto stronger stuff,”[/color] Bianca laughed, wrapping her arm around Octavia's waist. [color=fa912b]”Let’s go for this place’s special cocktail…”[/color] She reached out with her free hand and tapped the bar, before holding it up. [color=fa912b]”Oy, Ben, two Strong n' Salties. But hold the gin, put more rum in instead.”[/color] “Y'think you run the fuckin' place, Bea? 'M chargin' extra for that.” The bartender she'd called over, a tall, muscular and rather rough looking man, leaned over the bar and hit her with a hard stare. [color=fa912b]”Guess you like your fish pricey n’ less fresh then? Maybe a couple've bones left in 'em?”[/color] Bianca shot back, raising an eyebrow. “Yeah, yeah, don' set your ma on me, I'll hold the fuckin' gin.” He pulled out various liquors. As he poured, he looked at the rest of the group. “How ‘bout the rest've ya?” Theo looked at Lynn and smirked, and Lynn returned the smile. [color=F08080]“Aye Aye, Captain.”[/color] “Was that mean?” Ben looked at Bianca in confusion. [color=fa912b]”You making fun of us fisher kids?”[/color] Bianca asked, reaching out to prod Lynn's shoulder while laughing. [color=fa912b]”Whaddya- What do you want to drink? If you wanna go hard, get Strong n' Salties too… beer? Get the home brew if you want strong, cheap and tasting a bit like fish.”[/color] [color=F08080]“It was a SpongeBob reference you dork,””[/color] Lila said with a weak tap on the shoulder. “Oy, it ain' that fishy,” Ben laughed too, pushing forward the two finished cocktails. Vodka, rum, scotch, whiskey all mixed in and topped with a stout beer. Sea salt was lightly sprinkled over the top. Bianca gestured to one of the glasses, looking at Octavia with a smile. [color=fa912b]”It’s good, I swear, but it's gotta kick. You think you can handle it?”[/color] [color=F08080]“Strong n' Salties it is.”[/color] Lynn waited for the drinks and, once arrived, grabbed them and brought them over to Theo. “You might as well be drinking water,” Octavia said as she stuck her tongue out at Lynn, she paused as she looked towards Bianca, “I can handle anything you throw my way.” Octavia winked as she grabbed Bianca’s waist and pulled her close. The rest of the 317 were down the bar around Jordan who was drinking a full pitcher of beer. They were chanting “chug, chug, chug, chug,” as he drank. He finished it in remarkable time add put the pitcher down on the bar and beat on his chest like a drum. [color=fa912b]”Good, cause I'll be throwing plenty,”[/color] Bianca smirked, leaning against Octavia as she looked along the bar at the chaos the rest of 317 were participating in. [color=fa912b]”Fuck, that was pretty good.”[/color] She laughed, and knocked back about half of her cocktail in one. It was a pleasant buzz as the alcohol really started to kick in now. [color=fa912b]”Sooo, Theo, what d’you think of Lynn?”[/color] she really didn't beat around the bush with it. “She intimidated me at first,” Theo chuckled as he took a big drink, “she was pulling this weird power move on someone else, she ordered ahead and told me exactly what to bring out and when. Very particular with the details. She’s also very pretty. Pretty and intimidating, and I think that’s a good mix.” [color=F08080]“Sloane,”[/color] Lynn said to Bianca with a smirk, [color=F08080]“and it wasn’t a power move, guys like you are just blind to what we were doing.”[/color]. Lynn tossed out a quick warning to the rest of the group. As far as she could tell Theo was blind to the magical world that enveloped him. [color=fa912b]”Fuck, if it was Sloane, you should’ve pulled out the weird power moves,”[/color] Bianca laughed - though she knew what Lynn had been doing really. Future reading and all the fun that came with that. She’d assumed the guy wasn’t magic, as she did with most - job instincts - but the confirmation meant she shouldn't have to cover up anyone else talking about it… something she was also used to. [color=fa912b]”So long as you keep thinking she’s pretty but don’t forget she’s intimidating, we’re good,”[/color] Bianca said, leaning in towards the two of them. [color=fa912b]”But! You seem pretty solid, so let’s keep drinking!”[/color] She’d already finished her first cocktail, waving at the bar for another. [color=fa912b]”We gotta long night ahead of us.”[/color] [hr] Lynn and Theo were on a mission together and the odds couldn’t be more stacked against them. They had to carry an unbelievable burden alone, a burden that would normally break any who tried to carry it, a burden that was so heavy a single misstep could break they’re precious cargo. Their destination could be seen, far across a treacherous passageway filled with moving obstacles that could send them crashing down to death and ruin. [color=F08080]“You ready,”[/color] Lynn turned towards Theo, her eyes bright and seemingly had a twinkle to them. The rest of Lynn’s face showed all too well the burden she bore. “I don’t know if I can do this,” Theo said as he looked down at Lynn, his eyes also alight. [color=F08080]“Yes you can, deep breath before we enter and hold it until we’re on the other.. other side,”[/color] Lynn joked as she took a step closer, [color=F08080]“follow my lead,”[/color] Lynn smiled a happy smile, [color=F08080]“and we’ll get through this, together,”[/color] Lynn took another step forward, the two nearly pressing into each other. [color=F08080]“Okay?”[/color] “Okay” With the confirmation Lynn began to navigate the shifting terrain ahead of them. She would take a step left, forward, right, back, to the left, and back forward. Every other step Lynn’s head shot back to ensure Theo was navigating the labyrinth okay and each time she’d see his smiling face following her. Eventually the two passed through the challenges they faced and emerged victorious into the cheering arms of their group. Lynn held up the drinks in her hand, and Theo followed her lead and did the same. Whatever bar they were in was packed tonight, and the two had just navigated their way from the bar back to the group. Octavia was the first to emerge to claim her bounty. She grabbed two drinks before she backed herself into Bianca and began to dance on her while handing her a drink. The next was Jordan. His sweater was no longer on his chest. Instead he had a random button up that no one remembered how he acquired, or when, but it did strangely smell of fish. He grabbed two drinks, bringing one to Alex who had acquired the missing sweater and was actually having fun and dancing with the group. Lynn was now out of drinks to pass out, and she took a big drink from her cup.. Zeri and Summer walked up together and grabbed their drinks from Theo, giggling as they did. Their faces are red, but happy. Theo took a drink of his own and laughed. “Are all nights out like this with your friends,” Theo asked as he took a step towards Lynn. [color=F08080]“If you want to find out I’ll just have to keep texting you to invite you to the next one,”[/color] Lynn smirked back as she twisted herself playfully. She looked over to Bianca and Octavia and shouted, [color=F08080]“Bianca, treat her well. I want to be invited out again,”[/color] Lynn blew a kiss her way. [color=fa912b]”You think I'd fumble someone so amazing?”[/color] Bianca laughed, words slurred from all the alcohol, winking back at Lynn. She had her drink in one hand, practically downing it, and the other wrapped around Octavia's waist as she danced along with her. [color=fa912b]”C’mon, Lynn, have some faith! I ain't ever treated anyone badly. And anyway…”[/color] Bianca grinned, face leaning in close to Octavia's. [color=fa912b]”I want invited out again too.”[/color] [center][youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-KQ1tp_qOQ&pp=ygUeaGVyZSBpbiB5b3VyIGFybXMgaGVsbG9nb29kYnll[/youtube][/center] The music suddenly changed, and an absolute banger began to play. It was an emo night party at whatever bar they were at, and it had drawn a crowd. The crowd swelled with excitement and everyone began to dance. Lynn smiled up towards Theo, [color=F08080]“can I have this dance?”[/color] “I thought you’d never ask,” Theo giggled as Lynn pulled him into the center of the dancing mass. “They are painfully cute,” Octavia faked a throw up sound before, “how about we give them their space and take off soon? I could show you my place.” [color=fa912b]”Disgustingly cute,”[/color] Bianca laughed, watching Lynn and Theo disappear… She was confident her friend would be fine. She moved in closer to Octavia, body pressed close and lips moving towards her ear. [color=fa912b]”Sounds good to me… I'd offer mine but you'd have to meet the whole family, we'll save that for next time. I can't wait to see yours- especially your bedroom.”[/color] Octavia looked over to Jordan, and saw that Alex was being carried on Jordan’s back, arms wrapped lazily around the front, and Summer leaning on his side, and was too wobbly to walk herself Jordan caught Octavia’s eyes and he simply mouthed a ‘I’ll get them home’ and Octavia nodded in response. “Well then, let’s get to the tour of my place. There’s a lot I want to show you there.” With that Octavia led Bianca out of the bar, Jordan led Summer and Zeri out of the bar to get them home, Sypha emerged from the crowd with a random woman and the two headed for the door. This left Lynn and Theo as the last two of the group left at this crazy night out. The two danced, talked, drank, and talked some more over the next few hours. The more Lynn learned about Theo the more she realized she liked the man. Not just on a physical level, he was truly nice, sweet, and genuinely made Lynn laugh. And the more she learned about Theo the more she wanted to play this a lot slower. She did not need to rush in as fast as she was used to. Lynn could get to know the man more, and more, and truly see if she could find love. If she rushed in tonight Lynn felt like this would end up like the plethora of men and women she liked. Nothing more than a bright fire of passion that burns out quickly. Lynn was determined to not make that mistake. This time it would be different, this time she would take her time with a guy, this time she would be happy. “Want to take the party back to my place,” Theo said with a smile that was so inviting. Lynn simply nodded her head yes, and the two were off.