Participants:
| Scene Title | Gimme Gimme Gimme A Man After Midnight |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Booze, babes, karaoke and living your last two weeks to the fullest. |
| Date | January 20,2009 |
Top Tunes Karaoke
The place is clean, cream and light blue walls, low ceilings and most definately not a dive. A series of flat screens that flash the current song and lyrics being sung by whomever is choosing to sing at the moment. Black shirted bartenders work at the bar that runs the whole length of the far wall, working to serve drinks to carolers. The place is lits on while with soft red lights or more normal ones when not near the bar with low back stools running parallell and offering the guests a chance to sit and look over the menu and order beverages.
There's a hallway that snakes off the back, an offering of private karaoke, but in the bar area is a stage, two screens close to the edge, all ready to provide lyrics for the singers, a disco ball and other lights focused onto the altar of crooning. Speakers dot the walls to make sure that none miss the action. It's usually busy and has more than it's fair share of terrible singers, but also has it's share of good ones as well.
There's someone warbling a terrible rendition of Kung Fu Fighting over a microphone that's at the bar. Yes, they have cordless mics here. The warblers is someone from where Abby works, the members of Old Lucy's having been invited as well as others that Abby knows. She'd not given a reason for the event other than it was her treat and felt the need to just have some fun. Fun meant everyone at some point getting up and embarrassing themselves in front of the New York Populace.
no private room for this group, just a tally of those who came and left, so that they could be paid for (the cover fee) and drinks were being handled by the individual. Those who weren't odl enough were warned to go get a fake ID to get in, Abby wasn't providing those. She's already been up and sung, a Mariah Carey song, when you believe, and is lounging on a stool, smiling and acting normal. Tonight is a night to forget that the end of the world is right around the corner.
Ben sits nearby, cradling a beer in his hands and looking either vaguely horrified or vaguely ill. He's staring with fascination at the mutilation of Carl Douglas' hit. When he came in, he walked out again to make sure he had the right place. But he stayed, and he is here, suffering. Suffering so much.
Helena is a bit late, but it's well worth it - she too is going to play make-believe and have a normal night. She's actually in a dress. And there's makeup involved, and an updo. Nothing too fancy, but she's gone totally I Enjoy Being A Girl. After paying her cover fee and showing her (fake) ID, she comes in and calls out, "Abby!" She has a wrapped present in one hand, and cannot resist an approach with open arms.
Ben's kicked, gently, by Abby, and a verbal reminder that it's his turn next before she scoots down from her seat to wrap her arms around Helena, making the concession to person space for the woman. Everyone's been told they officially have to get up and sing at least once. 'you came. Good, you need this as much as the rest of us do. Bens here, some girls from work, some for Nite Owl and Magnes. You need to meet Magnes" girl pow wow, for a moment. "He uhh.. we.. you know.. kissed" and then jsut like that Abby's dragging the other woman with her towards the horrified medic.
Ben hunches over in his seat. He nods toward Helena, clutching his beer more tightly as he looks upon the stage with dread writ on his features. Singing. In public. "I'm not nearly drunk enough for this."
There's someone dressed in strangely nice clothing, a white button up dress shirt, a black casual suit jacket worn open, and black dress pants with a plain black belt. Who could this person be, with his hair gel'd back and awkward brown eyes looking over the crowd? Magnes J. Varlane, straightening his jacket and heading straight for Abby.
His shoes are black and shiny… wait, shoes?
"Really?" Helena seems delighted on Abigail's behalf, and offers up the rectangular, flat package. "Happy birthday, Abby-girl." And with that, she heads for the bar and orders herself a kahlua and cream, giving Ben a wave and outright laughing at his apparent dread.
The kung fu fighting ends, thankfully, and the microphone is passed around for whomever is adventurous enough. "Just a kiss" Abby answers, taking up a seat beside Ben and Helena, in some red and purple weird patterned wrap around dress, gold cross dangling as always. The present tucked safely to the side with her purse, black heels hooking around the bars of the stool. "Thank you oh he's here! and… dressed up" That's a shocker. "Magnes!" She waves to the would be superhero. "Ben, you should sing"
Ben is not at all dressed up. Nobody told him to do any dressing up, so he looks like the odd man out in his jeans and old sweater that might have a small hole at the left side seam. "Not drunk enough," he calls back to Abby. Magnes is given a polite nod before poor Ben slugs back more beer.
Helena grins at Abby fiendishly, and then hops off her bar stool, drink in hand, to go peruse the song list. It only takes her a moment or two to make her selection before she returns, and checks out Magnes from top to toe in suitable galpal scrutiny.
Magnes rubs the back of his head, laughing nervously. "Hey, Abby! Hello, um, Abby's friend. I'm Magnes." He holds a nervous hand out for Helena, then nods to the others who appear to be with Abby. "Sorry, all my clothes are dirty, so I had to wear my Smallville Lex Luthor costume, but I didn't shave my head bald, so I think it's fine…"
If abby had a drink, she'd be choking on it, right about now. "Magnes. Oh lord, Magnes, you didn't have to I mean, jeans and a shirt would have been fine" There's a gesture to Ben in his slouchy casual glory. 'Magnes, Helena, ben, Ben, Helena, this is Magnes. He's a good friend. just a friend" in case they got the wrong idea. Somewhere, someone half decent has started singing beautiful stranger by Madonna and there's people cheering.
Ben snickers a little. Not just a friend, just a friend? "Hey," he greets Magnes. "Lex Luthor with hair works. Just be glad I didn't wear my Superman t-shirt."
Yeah, he's totally just a friend. Just a friend that Abby KISSED. Helena beams a smile in Magnes' direction, lifting her Kahlua in salute. "Nice to meet you!" she greets, adding brightly, "Oh hey, nice shoes!"
Entering the place wearing a black plaid mini skirt, a red tank top that shows a fair bit of midriff and her knee high boots. Isabelle damn sure makes an entrance, a few men gape as she walks by them but she isn't paying attention to them. She is looking for and spots Abby, along with other people she knows. Her hair is down and has the tousled look to it. When she spots Magnes, "Well look at that. Looking good Mags." Izzy rubs his shoulder and winks before giving Abby a quick hug and backing away to nod at Ben and wink at Helena. "So, let's party."
"Hello, Ben! And I really don't think they'd see a guy like me and think 'Hey, that's Abby's boyfriend'." Magnes adds with another awkward laugh, then looks down at his shoes. "Oh yeah, these are knockoffs of the exact shoes worn in a promotional picture for Smallville."
He shivers slightly when Isabelle rubs his shoulder, and when that passes he moves to find a seat. "So um, what do we do at a party? Dance?"
"No, actually we don't dance, we sing, there's other people here, and there's terminals you can look up a song. You can get a drink, there's food coming, and we just.. have a good time and forget the world outside the front door" Abby informs Magnes, her cheeks going red a little but enter Isabelle. 'Isabelle! You left the bar?! It'll burn down without you!" but she can't give a hug to Helena and not to Isabelle so it's quick before she pulls back. The Madonna song ends and the microphone makes it's way around again as another gaggle of people enter, and filter to one of the back rooms for their private escapades in the world of karaoke.
Ben looks at Isabelle's skirt, tilts his head slightly to the left, blinks, ratchets his attention back to her face, and says, "Hi." Pause. "I'm gonna need more beer." He slides off his stool and makes for some booze-gettin'.
Helena murmurs, "It might burn down with her, too." She then says with a grin, "Hello. Did you ever replace your tv?" Because Izzy totally FIREBALL'd it. She's sitting at the bar and seems at ease.
"Haha, funny." Izzy grins at Abby. "Roselyn and Brenda are taking charge.. I just hope Bren doesn't like.. ya know leave the bar to fuck some guy. That would mean she is in trouble." Isabelle notices how Ben acts and raises an eyebrow, the bartender goes to sit on a stool and grin at Helena, "Why yes I did. A flat screen, we won't be destroying that now." Iz runs a hand through her hair.
ORDER: Magnes Abby Ben Helena Isabelle
"I um, since I heard we're singing, even though I hate standing in front of people, I sorta, you know…" Magnes sits at the table and stares down at his twiddling fingers. "Practiced one."
Doesn't surprise Abby that Helena knows about Isabelle and her… heat. But it does make Abby grin to see Ben diving for more booze. "I have very… Eclectic friends and I haven't decided whether that's a good thing yet or not" A grimace at Isabelle's words. "I'm gonna go get Ben a beer. Magnes, go see if they have it then but, really, this is supposed to be fun! Helena, pick a song for us" Abigail slips over, take up a spot with Ben, an order for a rum and coke for herself. "You doing okay Ben?"
"Huh? Yeah," Ben tells Abby, waiting for the bartender to put another beer down in front of him. "I haven't been in a place like this in a long while is all." He downs a gulp of beer. "You having a good time?"
"I'm curious to hear Ben sing. I suspect either complete horribleness, or bringing the awesome." Helena umms, "For who, all of us? Or you and Magnes?" She's already put in a slip, and is just waiting for her name to be called.
"I'm more of the dancer type but I'm sure I can give singing a go." She says and looks over to Abby and Ben. Then to Magnes and Helena. Isabelle smiles and goes to enter her name as well. She walks back soon after and says to Helena, "So I gather you are feeling better?"
Magnes nods to Abby and stands to go find the song and enter his name, though he basically chokes on his own spit when Helena says 'Or you and Magnes'. He sighs, cheeks red as he sits down again, then he appears to remember something with wide eyes and reaches into his jacket. Out comes white gift wrapping with little golden crosses on it, a tiny box about the size of a DS game, then holds it out to Abby. "Here's your present, I almost forgot. It's not much, but I thought it was something you might like."
'You and me, Magnes has something apparently already. Or I can do another one by myself, it doesn't matter" The southerner turns her attention to Ben. "It's different. Different than the bar and it's not.. bad really. Is it? I thought it would be fun, help people… enjoy themselves" Her glass is put in front of her and she waits for Ben's beer to be uncapped and put in front of him, paying for both their drinks. "beats wheel of fortune and the cat on my knee and a glass of coke. Thanks for showing up though, regardless…" Magnes, with a present. Abby's cheeks are still red, but that's because of the present. "Thank you Magnes, i'll open it later?" She smiles down at the wrapping paper, holding up her right hand and the ring around her middle finger there. "Still have it, but thank you. Want something to drink?" The gift taken, tucked under an arm to appreciate later.
Ben offers Abby a smile. "Wheel of Fortune is fun," he says with a hopeless little shrug. He glances from Magnes' box to the gift Helena had with her earlier, notes the dressing up, and looks back at Abby with a raised eyebrow. Lucy. You got some 'splainin' to do.
When Isabelle addresses her and Helena recalls just what had her feeling bad, her face kind of freezes a moment, and then her smile comes back with force. "I'm fine, thanks for asking." She takes a long swig of her drink, and then reaches out a fluttering hand to get Abby's attention. "You have to come into the bathroom with me at some point so I can show you something, okay?"
"Good." Izzy says noting the pause. "So what are we singing here?" The pyro looks to Ben and grins. "Care to do a duet?" She crosses her legs and winks.
"Um, a drink, I'll take something without alcohol, I'm a bit afraid to get drunk." Magnes answers as he stares over at Ben, then Isabelle, and finally Helena. He appears to be in deep thought about something, then he just blurts out, "No one at this table is dating, right?"
"Birthday. Two days ago" She offers up a smile to Ben. "late party. Can I get a coke please?" Abby asks the bartender, coughing up the money for it, blinking at Magnes "no, I don't think anyone here is…." Helena wanted to do the girl train to the bathroom, okay. "Sure, we can go when you need to" Coke fetched, paid for, passed to Magnes.
Ben pinches the bridge of his nose. "No, that's alright. I'm not nearly drunk enough. Trust me, you'll have more fun without me," he tells Isabelle, offering an awkward smile. He shakes his head at Magnes. "I'm not going steady with anyone, no."
Helena puts a hand out. "Why are you paying for drinks at your birthday party? You're not allowed to pay for drinks at your birthday party. It's a rule." She makes a wavey motion with her hand and fishes out a few crumpled twenties, setting up a tab. She can't help herself, she gives Magnes a grin. "Ben's high maintenance and the lady isn't my type." And that's when her name is called, so she does a little bounce off her bar stool and heads for the stage.
"Knock em dead Elen!" Isabelle has now dubbed Helena, Elen.. cool. She turns to look to Ben, "Aw come on. It'll be fun." Then a brow lifted. "Mags, what do you consider dating?"
"Have fun!" Magnes encourages Helena, then stares at his hands when Isabelle asks her question. "Well um, see, I mean. When a male protagonist and a female protagonist like each other, they go out to the movies and stuff…"
"Magnes, not all the world is a comic book" Abby cautions, a grateful smile to helena for the whole paying for drinks. She knows the other woman doesn't exactly have a paying job. She shifts, to take her seat, motioning for the others to join her so they can watch Helena and her turn at the mic.
Ben blinks at Magnes, then smiles suddenly. "Nobody's dating," he tells the younger man, reclaiming his first seat. To Isabelle, he says, "You should do one with the birthday girl."
ABBA. Of course it's ABBA. The combined strings and guitar combo opening, for those in the know, indicate the chosen song is Gimme Gimme Gimme A After Midnight. She smiles a little nervously in Abby's direction, and begins to sing, her voice in the lower register of soprano. The first few phrases come out a bit stilted, but by the time she gets to the first chorus, she's starting to have fun with it, and actually plays the crowd a little bit.
Yes, Teo is late. But he said he would be. No, he hadn't. But it's implied, when you say you'll stop in for five minutes at a birthday party. He stumps in through the door with snow dropping out of the grooves in his boot soles. There's a long, flat box under his arm, a garment parcel in plain black cardboard, apparently impervious to the perpetual threat of snowfall.
His hands are gloved, his hood spilled out over the back of his jacket collar, an expression of characteristic disgruntlement likely to fade once the warmth of the bar has set in. It takes him one sweep of the room to find his friends: the familiar conglomerate of blondes and their brunette boy arm-candy. "Buona sera," he calls out, casting up a salutationary arm that probably would have decapitated the flannel-clad man at the bar if he hadn't gone face down into his beer point-two seconds ago.
"Knock em dead Elen!" Isabelle has now dubbed Helena, Elen.. cool. She turns to look to Ben, "Aw come on. It'll be funn." Then a brow lifted. "Mags, what do you consider dating?" When Teo enters, "Ah hello there, hotness from Italy." Isabelle winks and watches for Helena.
"I don't think I can get drunk enough to do it without passing out first," Ben tells Isabelle pleasantly, glancing away from the stage and Helena. And there's Teo, so Ben tips his chin toward him. "Teo. He's a singer. He likes to sing. You can just tell right from looking at him."
"I know it's not a comic book, it's just the easiest way to explain things." Magnes points out as he begins to sip his coke, turning to watch Helena. "So, all those people watch when we sing…"
Abigail doesn't pipe up, just waves Teo in, gesturing to a seat because Helena is singing and she's intent on appreciating hearing the phoenix leader singing. It gladdens her heart to see her not in the midst of turmoil and in fact, relaxing.
"Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away? Gimme gimme gimme a man after midnight, take me through the darkness to the break of the day…" By the time the song is finished, Helena's a bit flushed, and drops a curtsy to those that applaud her before abandoning the stage. She does appear quite happy, much more so than in recent days. "Teo!" she beams when she spots him, and flings herself forward him in demand of a hug.
A variable burble of agreement and disagreement characterizes Teo's response to the greetings he's given. He doesn't sing! He shouts football chants sometimes, but that's different. And he doesn't feel entirely comfortable having a pyrokinetic remarking on his temperature, although that makes him laugh more than anything, a sharp-cornered show of teeth, though he shuts up in time to hear Helena sing. And now she sings. He adds to her applause by hitting something with his fist, his other hand occupied by the task of holding Abby's gift. Of course, when his co-leader comes barrelling for a hug, he has to hold the box out to the healer with a quick caption— "For you, signorina," before he catches the weather witch up and squeezes hard enough to make a lesser woman squeak.
Isabelle claps along with everyone else for Helena and grins at Teo and Ben before shaking her head. "I really do scare guys away.. at least the goody ones." Iz looks to Abby. "So what are we singing on this fine night Abs?"
Ben puts his beer down to applaud for Helena, throwing a 'woo!' in there because he does indeed have beer in him. He grins a little at Isabelle. "I'm just not a singing guy."
Magnes claps as well, nodding to Teo when he notices him, then nervously looks back to Helena again. He seems to get quieter as everyone speaks, not saying a word, just listening and appearing to try his best to be invisible.
"We're singing?" Abby looks to Isabelle, rescuing present from Teo and placing it with the two others with a mouthed 'thank you' as Helena launches herself. "Umm.. oh! Fire with Fire? Helena, you sing beautifully! Magnes, are you up yet?" A burbling pile of blonde, trying to keep an eye on everyone. She's probably be serving drinks as well if she was allowed.
Helena flushes at the compliment from Abby, even though she's already a bit pinkish from being on stage and her drink. "Thanks, Abby." She gives Teo a squeeze and says, "You and I are going to sing, though Abby and me will go first. So get yourself as inebriated as you need to be, okay?" To Ben, "Could we talk you into one? Please?" No coquettry, no lash fluttering, just a simple request. Magnes looking at her so nervously does get her attention, and she gives him an easy smile. See? All fun here.
Teo waves at Magnes when he spots him, guided by the line of Helena's sight, one hand lifted from the far side of the blonde girl's shoulders. "I'm Teo. Heard a lot about you, bambino. Nice to finally meet you in the flesh." Talk of booze and karaoke warrants a slightly quizzical expression from the Sicilian man, but he cedes half a smile after a moment. Fine. "Whatever he's having." He points the next server to Ben, and allows his expression to go exaggeratedly blank at the category that Isabelle lumps the medic and himself into.
"How ironic Abby, you guys are jut full of flame based jokes tonight huh?" Izzy raises and eyebrow and smiles at Teo and Ben. "I'm sorry did I offend you?" she asks in a teasing manner. "It's just what I see, or what I've seen so far."
Ben has beer. He's had more than one beer! He squints at Isabelle, looking over at Teo with a vaguely lost expression. "We're what?" And he squints one eye at Helena, sighs, and notes, "I don't know any of the songs." ANY of them. ANY.
Magnes is called, and he suddenly jumps as if it were his turn to enter the gas chamber. There's a deep swallow as he walks to the stage, waiting for the mic. "Ah um, it's my turn, so…" he coughs, speaking quietly, then looks over the club.
"No no, not meant to be a joke. I just like the song, but I have a song with Helena.. before? After? One of them" Abby finishes off her Rum and coke, likely her third of the night, thereby fulfilling partially some of what Conrad might have dictated. "Magnes, Teo, Teo, Magnes. You'll want to speak with each other" and then Magnes's turn at the mic and Abby lets out an uncharacteristic Whoop of support.
Helena oh's! And disengages from Teo only to run and submit a song for herself and Abigail before running back and requesting another drink from the bartender. She eyes Ben while she waits. "Everybody knows some songs." she protests. "We Are The Champions. New York, New York. Time Of Your Life. Ummm…Rock Around The Clock!"
"I'm a nice guy," Teo agrees, agreeably, from around his beer. "Where nice guys finish last, and generally warn you before we d… right." This is Abigail's birthday, and he's— right. Right. "I know like one song out of that fucking list," he observes, making a face. Sometimes he really does play the part of a foreigner.
"Nice guys are cute.. sometimes." Isabelle winks at Teo and sighs, "I just have to find a song that I /like/." The bartender cheers loudly for Mags and stands up. "Wooohoo!" She throws her hair back and grins. Isabelle takes a moment to tuck down her skirt so that not /too/ much is showing.
Ben holds up two fingers. "Two songs," he confirms. He just doesn't look at the skirt because, "I'm a very nice guy." He winces at the stage. "Hope the kid doesn't get embarrassed. He seems nice and harmless."
"We Are The Champions." she suggests, to both Teo and Ben. "Or We Will Rock You. Go up together. I'll go with you, and you can both hide behind me." Because Helena is so huge like that.
The door opens just long enough for Brian to slip in. He's dressed.. nice. A light blue collared shirt, a black suit jacket over it, pinstripe pants and even a tie. He even shaved and probably brushed his teeth! Closing the door behind him the young man's eyes snake around the room trying to locate someone familiar. There is a small box wrapped in red in the crook of his arm.
Magnes takes the mic and clears his throat, cheeks red, completely nervous about the whole situation, but he tries his best to smile. "I um, I learned this song because it reminded me of Abby, and since this is her birthday, I thought it would be nice to face one of my fears for her…"
The music starts, the 'N Sync song, God Must Have Spent A Little More Time on You. "Can this be true, tell me can this be real? How can I pu~u~u~t into words how I feel? My life was complete, I thought I was whole, why do I fe~e~e~l like I'm lo~o~o~sing control? I never though that love could fe~e~e~l like this~s~s, and you've changed my world with J~u~u~ust one ki~i~i~iss. How can it b~e~e~e that r~i~i~ight here with m~e~e~e, there's an angel? It's a miracle…"
He appears to sound vaguely nervous as he sings, though not exactly bad, since he's been practicing the song over and over. He does some boy band moves, rocking from side to side, bringing a fist to his chest at appropriate times. "Your love is like a rive~e~e~r, peaceful and d~e~e~p. Your soul is like a secret that I never could k~e~e~p. When I look into your eyes I know that it's tru~u~u~e. God must have spent, a little more time, on yo~u~u~u…"
He's a nice guy, and yet he swears. Which means that Teo gets an elbow to his ribs for the F word. But now Brian's coming in and it looks like they're on neutral instead of fighting ground because Abby's waving Brian over to their group. "Brian. Brian you know Hel, and Teo and Ben. Isabelle this is Brian. And the nervous guy up on the stage dressed like Lex Luthor is Magnes, my…" Friend dies on her lips at his song, and if she's gone pink in the cheeks before, Abby was red with mortification and getting redder as the song goes on, frozen in spot on the stool.
Helena watches with wide eyes, and is unable to keep from crooning, "Oh my god Abby, he's so adorable! Like a puppy! A little lost puppy, and you should totally take him home!"
Teo's jaw goes a little loose around his next mouthful of beer. He has to rescue himself from an embarrassing mess by clamping a hand across his mouth, shutting it with the force of a push of his own thumb. "Ciao, Brian," he mumbles, raising his pint glass in greeting for lack of a spare hand to wave with. The self-replicator is subject to a momentary look, the weight of simple sincerity clear in his features, before he inevitably swivels his tousled head to stare at Magnes some more. At least he hasn't started singing with his eyes closed yet.
"Elen.. I've been /trying/ to tell her that. But noooo!" Izzy grins at Magnes' singing. "He is such a cutie, and a sweetheart too." Isabelle looks the new guy up and down and crosses her legs at the knee, she smiles as she turns to look back at Magnes and spread her fingers out on her miniskirt. "Hmm I think we need to have another kiss auditioned off at Old Lucy's."
Ben hides a huge grin behind his hand, half-turning away. "Oh, man. That is so sweet. There you go, Isabelle. There's the goodest boy ever."
"My God. What have I come to?" Brian asks mostly of himself as his eyes meet on Magnes' adorable kafuffle. Though he's quickly looking to Abby giving a little nod in greeting. "Happy Birthday Abby." He announces, going to place the present on the table. A smile climbs up on his lips as he looks to the gathered. One hand goes to clap Helena's shoulder, which is given a little squeeze, before he moves on. His hand reaching out to Ben, and once taken, he would proceed to give it to Teo. "Ben, Teodorororo." Brian adds a little something special to the roll of his rrr until he finally looks to Isabelle. "Hi. Isabelle. Nice to meet you." Though.. she only looked at him for a moment and turned. He figures that is greeting enough. Finally he turns his eyes to the front. "Magnet." He says, his eyes going a bit wide.
There is indeed eye closing as the song goes on, he starts to get into it, even doing a few twirls. By the time he's at the end of the song, he opens his eyes, staring directly at Abby, then he sings a slow, "On yo~u~u~u… O~o~o~h…" as he points directly at her… You know, in case the identity of 'you' wasn't obvious yet.
Helena bursts into applause, whooping and whistling her encouragement of the performance. She's already imagining the multitude of fat, happy babies the pair are going to have.
Helena might be making that bathroom trip alot sooner. There's already crooners and the such who join in with Magnes and cheer, and Abby's quickly slipping from her seat, hand clamped over her mouth, beelineing to the back hall for the Bathrooms.
But then Teo wouldn't be able to sell the healer to Flint Deckard. Shaking Brian's hand and then toasting to both men, he turns in time to see Abigail bolting. Visibly, he resists the urge to follow. Winds up seesawing precariously back and forth on his feet just once, before he gives Helena and Isabelle appropriately significant looks.
Isabelle blinks and looks at Abby as she runs away. "Wait! Abs!" Isabelle walks after her, her heels clinking softly and her hips switching a bit as she walks towards the healer. She gestures for Helena to come with, if she wasn't already.
Ben leans over to shake Brian's hand. "Hey," he greets. And now there are girls fleeing to the washroom, and Ben sighs. "Now he's just gonna be embarrassed. This is why nice guys get complexes, right here."
A low whistle is emitted as there is a mass exodus of females to the bathroom. "Hey bro." He answers to Ben, looking critically at Teo for a moment. "Teo. How'sit goin' bro?" He asks, watching Abby and company flee. "Party ruined." He says the last word in a falsetto, looking up front. "Poor Magnet."
Magnes is done, he puts the mic back on its stand. When Abby appears to be retreating at the end, he bashfully scratches the back of his head and nods to everyone, then walks back to his seat. "Well, I think I can fight Sylar now…"
"Party's not ruined." Helena says as she hops off her stool. "It's just a girl-break." With that, she rushes off to meet the other two. "Abby," she says breathlessly once they're in the ladies room, "Don't overreact. You're going to make him think you're in here puking or something!"
Abby looks like she just might do that, cloistered in the bathroom, horror on written across her face as the two other females enter. "What is it with men. I tell them no, they say they won't, and then.. and then they're.. buying me rings, and they're.. they're singing songs for me about about my love, and my heart and rivers! inviting me out to movies!"
"They didn't check my ID," Teo observes, glancing to and fro between bar employers, before he returns his attention to Brian and Ben. It is serious business to consult about here. "The boy's a little more blatantly underage than — well, anyone I've ever met in my fucking life, but we could probably get beer into him. What do you think? He's— hey." The invocation of the Midtown man isn't taken lightly by one who only recently met him, and nearly crapped his shorts doing it. Straightening, the Sicilian flags an arm out at Magnes, to get his attention. "C'mere. Meet these." He jabs a finger at Ben and Brian's respective faces.
"Yeah Abs, it wasn't that bad.. was it?" Isabelle puts her hands on her hips and looks to Helena and refocuses on Abby. "Don't freak." Coming from the lady that throws fireballs at TVs. "Abs, you can't think of it that way. You are a knockout girl, and also have a personality that can outshine anyone esles's."
Ben raises his beer in a sort of toast. "Well done. Never mind the running. Girls just aren't good at dealing with feelings, so they close up and run and hide. In their caves. On Venus."
Brian grins. "Magnet. Dude. How the hell you been?" He asks as the younger guy approaches. "I think you did awesome man. She loved it. You are definitely getting some—" A pause. "Hugs later." He encourages. "She's just probably like trying to get her bra on straight or something to impress you." With that the replicator goes to swoop up Teo's drink. It was his idea. And offers it to Magnes. "Here drink all of this like as fast as you can. Like a game!" He says cheerily as if talking to a ten year old.
"Abby." Helena tries to calm down a bit, "It's not that bad, I mean - you don't know, I'd kill for - " she cuts off, like it's the wrong-tactic. "Do you like him? I mean, if you only had two weeks to live and could afford to actually love someone in that time," she gives Abby a pointed look, "Would he be someone you'd want to spend that time with? You can either go for it or not, but if not, be graceful about it. Seriously, he probably just thought you came in here to yakk at his singing and I bet he feels awful."
Magnes stands and takes a seat closer to the other guys, sighing and hunching over the table with his face resting on his hand, elbow on the table as well. "Can't drink alcohol, don't wanna float away or something. And I don't know, not like I was like, declaring something, I just thought the song reminded me of her, ya know? Damnit, I should have paid attention to the lyrics that weren't about God…"
Apparently there's still hope for Teo making a profit off the healer's dowry, then, or some facetious bullshit like that. His hand is still up in the air around a pint glass shape when he realizes, with a blink of surprise, that he was deprived of his glass. Although this merits a momentary scowl at Brian, he does realize it was his idea so he doesn't throw a tantrum or anything. There's more beer. Abby's birthday gift didn't eat up that much of his funds. It remains to be seen who on which side of the gender division does better with the coping process. "Don't worry about it," he says, clapping Magnes on the shoulder. "You explain that to her when you get the chance, she'll understand.
"Probably be relieved. I know it's fucking weird to think about, but I figure whenever she's ready to start dating or whatever, she's going to be the one to ask. Drink a little bit: we'll stop you before the ceiling does."
"You'd kill for someone to pay attention to you like Magnes does to me" Abby finishes for Helena, looking between the two women. "I promised Teo we'd keep living like there was more than two weeks left Helena. What am I supposed to do, go out there, bend him over backwards and say thank you for that, and kiss him on the lips?" Huruma's not there this time to conveniently remove some inhibition. "Heavens I'm a dork. he's sweet and he.. tried to bring me into his world and take an interest in mine but Helena, he's got Pokemon bedsheets. His room is all… comic books and … Oh heavens, I don't want to, just.. you know.. when I have on two.. and then.. I mean… "
Ben rubs the bridge of his nose, shaking his head a little. "I managed to miss all this shit when I was in high school. Why can't I avoid it now?"
"Take a breath." Isabelle scratches her head. "Um yeah, I've been trying to help him with that." Izzy smiles softly at Abby, "The best way to live like you have only two weeks left is to stop talking about what you should do.. and just do it."
Brian is still persistent with the half full glass, pressing it close to Magnes. "Yeah dude. We'll tie you to my wrist like a cute widdle balloon." Brian says happily. Setting the glass down on the table in front of him. "Don't worry about it little Magnet. Just drink up, everything will be fine."
"Not quite what I was going to say." Helena can't help but smiling, "As far as a guy paying attention to me. But regarding the kissing? If it's what you want to do, yes. And if you don't, that's okay, but you need to be gracious about it. We're keeping the guys waiting, yeah?" Though Hel did have a reason to drag Abby into the bathroom anyway, though it seems to have slipped her mind.
"Well, alright, just one, I don't wanna be drunk and do something stupid…" Magnes takes the alcohol, then just downs it and sticks his tongue out, quickly grabbing his soda and taking a long chug. "Oh god, there are people addicted to this stuff? No way."
"keeping them waiting and this was supposed to be fun" Abby pushes up from the counter, tucks a stray blonde hair behind her ear and with a deep breathe, makes a motion for the door. "Female herd, back to the party"
Perhaps unfortunately, Teo has only a very tenuous grasp on the bell curve of alcohol tolerance. He will have to hope that Brian and Ben know what to do about Magnes. "It's an acquired taste, but you get there eventually," he assures the younger man, brightly. Behind the back of Magnes' head, he then proceeds to direct the server back toward them to take the next round of orders. Belatedly, also, he acknowledges the ex-Mormon's question with a chuck of his head. "I've been okay. Busy with club stuff. You? Are you going to be there Friday?"
"One's probably best," Ben says with a roll of his eyes and a swig of his beer. Always so impressed with life.
Brian grins mischievously. "I know, right? Disgusting." He crooks a finger in ordering another drink for the young man. "You put that down pretty fast man. I bet you couldn't do it again." Then he looks to Teo. "Yeah. Of course I will." The young man says, a teeny bit defensively. He slaps the table once with a grin, motioning Teo to come closer so that Brian could tell him something in confidence.
"On ward march." Isabelle says and follows after the two, she grins at Helena and says quietly, "Mags' performance was soo cute."
Helena grins back. "It was." she says, and out they go. She'll remember about the tatt later, and it'll be Girl Trip 2. She waves her fingers to the guys in greeting, and resumes hold of her drink, taking a sip and elbowing Teo and Brian respectively.
The girls emerge, Abby behind Isabelle and Helena. Smoothing her skirt down, dismissing invisible wrinkles. There's a smile and a decidedly more normal looking look on her face. "I'm so going to hell" Abby murmurs behind the two other woman. Look, conveniently, Magnes and Bri Bri are adjacent to each other which makes it much easier. "You" A gesture to Magnes. "Stay put. You" A look to Brian, hesitation and then she's grabbing his shoulder and going up on toes to kiss the doppelganger maker.
Magnes just stares, not touching the alcohol, he just stares, and stares and… his heart drops, and if one ever wondered how much the figurative heart weighs, well, it's enough to break a chair. Suddenly he becomes extremely heavy, the chair bending and cracking until he falls down on his back, arms spread, clothing flat against him as if heavy went were blowing down on his body. "Can't move…"
Before Teo can get his head in range for secrets, Abby is making a very public spectacle of Brian's mouth. The Sicilian ends up teetered away from the table, his eyes huge, eyebrows ejected nearly through the hemisphere of his hairline. What. What. Whoa. Apparently, he isn't the only one taking an uninventive and slightly self-contradictory interpretation of their oath to live as if they expect to survive rather than prepare to die. What. His jaw drops, before spasming around the beginning of an incredulous laugh.
"Holy shit," he mumbles. "I think I got Jewed. What the f—" the sound of splitting wood swerves him to find Magnes on the floor and his expression goes instantly wary, remembering why he has his own distinct preference toward secrecy. His eyes flick between Abby and Magnes as if attempting, haplessly, to transmit a telepathic message.
Ben pauses with his mug halfway to his lips, blinking at Abby and Brian. He turns his head to observe Magnes. He looks back at Abby, sucks in a breath, and then exhales, shoulders slumping. And he shakes his head.
Helena stands there, her mouth forming a little 'o' as she stares at all of this. Teo's laughter spurs her to repress her own onset of giggles, until Teo makes the Jew remark, at which she balls up a fist and gives him a punch in the arm. Still, she's not entirely certain Abby is finished with her efforts, and waits to see what comes next. Ben's sigh actually prompts a sigh of her own, only she is sighing at him, like he's the one acting like he's in high school.
Leaning in to talk to Teo, lis lips part to speak to the older man before Abby places herself squarely in front of him. Brian straightens, arching a brow at the girl before she's captured his soldiers and is advancing on his mouth. He doesn't break it immediately. In fact for just a moment it seems like he just might wrap his arms around her. But after that split second his hands are shooting to her shoulders to push her back down and slightly away, his eyes now wider than they ever should be. No words come at first, he is left sputtering.
Then Magnes falls down. Brian's brows go even higher as he releases his hold on Abby's shoulders. "You killed him!" He exclaims worriedly. Then his glance goes to Helena and Isabelle, he looks to be in disbelief still. "What the—" A glance back down to Abby. "What the eff did you tell her?!"
Abby pulls back, her arm coming up to wipe at her lips with her sleeve before she looks to Magnes, chair and all. "Oh no, you don't get to do that either. I didn't kill him" Even as others in the place start to look over. 'I got two weeks left and some parts of my life i'm gonna live like it's just that, and others, I won't so Magnes Varlane.." Down Abby goes to her knees and rinse and repeat. A kiss for Magnes, only unlike brian, he gets just a little bit more and a hand curled around the back on his neck, a repetition of New Years Eve.
"We didn't say to do that?!?" Isabelle gets ready to go to Magnes when wow, "What have we done?" to Helena.
Magnes sighs into her kiss, raising a hand to caress her cheek… hey, he can move! Then, suddenly, he pulls back and sits up, though rubs his back in pain with a slight groan. "Alright, everyone calm down!" he exclaims, since everyone seems to be freaking out. "The song, you're misunderstanding, completely! I didn't realize it was a love song, it just reminded me of Abby!"
"Ow," Teo says, rubbing his arm, before instantly schooling his features into an expression of contrition for Helena. It doesn't last, of course: in another two seconds, he is joining everybody else in staring at Abigail. "I don't understand anything about this country. Are they about to get upset?" he rotates his eyes toward Helena and Ben, gesturing with an unsubtle wag of his head between the little Southern belle's erstwhile receivers.
Ben holds his hands up briefly. "I don't even know," he tells Teo, standing up and digging into his pocket for his wallet. "I'm gonna turn in, though. Happy birthday, Abby. Belated." He smiles a faint smile and starts to pull his coat on.
"Definitely God's work." Helena says under her breath with a grin and a touch of irony. She is clearly feeling terribly pleased with herself now, and shrugs to Teo, not really knowing for certain. Still amused, she calls out, "'Night, Ben."
Brian gives his head a little shake. Looking over the table at the young man yelling about the song. He brings up a finger to his lips, giving a little "Shhh-utup dude. You're gonna kill the moment." He may be confused as shit, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't help little Magnet. Giving another shake of his head, as if shaking off the tingling in his lips he looks to Ben and Teo. Giving a shrug. "Seeya Ben."
Standing in between Teo and Helena, looking down on the make-outers, he raises a hand to put on both Hel and Teo's respective shoulders. Giving a tilt of his head, he says softly with a little smile. "I don't know what the ffu-eff is going on, but I love our dysfunctional family."
"Good night ben!" Abby calls, moving away from Magnes, parking her ass in a chair and looking between the two and trying to ignore the catcalls. "I think i've had too much to drink" She announces to the pair. "And… singing's not going to help"
"See ya Benny Boy." Isabelle calls out and shakes her head at Magnes and Abby, then looking towards the other three. "It would seem that family is pretty crazy to me." Izzy teases and places a hand on her hip.
"I'm confused, I don't understand if I should happy, jealous, or what. I just don't understand what's going on…" Magnes tiredly waves at Ben, then stands and grabs a fresh chair, figuring he'll have to pay for the broken one. "So, you liked the song? I just don't really know how I'm supposed to react or think right now, I'm really really confused…"
Helena looks sidelong at Teo. "Maybe we should get her home. Before she uhh…does something she regrets?"
"Ciao, Ben," Teo calls out as the medic retreats, before he curls down slightly to listen to the Mr. Doppelganger's secret, or assessment, whatever the term may be. And whatever the term may be, he unequivocally agrees. Five long fingers clamp down on top of Brian's head, making a mess of the younger man's curls while Teo grins wide enough to show almost all of his teeth to the molars. Bar the presence of anybody with ultrasonic perception, the first five syllables of his reply fall too quiet for anyone else to hear; the next, he raises his head, his voice, nods at his co-leader. "All right. I'll go grab the gift boxes and shit. Abby— before we head out," his voice slows when he realizes she hasn't technically agreed to head out, and he tilts his head to press the point home anyway: "you should share invitations for the dinner, whenever. Si?"
Ben zips his coat up and tosses a wave without really looking behind himself. "Ciao!" And he's off, fleeing the dysfunctional family.
"The song was nice. Thank you for it Magnes. I appreciate it. I really do. And you deserve that kiss and more." Abby swivels her head to Brian. 'And you. You infuriate me and make me want to beat your brain in, but you deserve that too. For putting up with me, and much more and for buying me a ring" Abby's face turns to Teo and Hel on either side of Brian. "And yes. Umm, dinner, sometimes, you know, after Friday. The apartment. Lots of food, strangers not strangers. I'll let everyone know the time when i'm not… you know" there's a circular motion made with her finger up in the air before she's making for her coat.
Brian gives a little eye roll at Abby's threat against his brains. Leaning into Teo he finally passes on secrets, gesticulating a little bit as he does so. Once he's finished he leans away from the older man, giving a little grin to him. Finally he looks back to Abby, Helena, and Isabelle. "Yeah I'll help you get all the crap, Teo." Brian says. Looking to Isabelle, "Isabelle, right? It was nice to meet you. Though you look kinda familiar."
"I'm the owner of the bar Old Lucy's if that what you me- You're the preacher guy from the park!" Isabelle grins, and shakes her head. "Nice seeing you again, but I should be going as well."
"Oh, then um, you're welcome…" Magnes hunches down on the table and watches everyone try to get Abby to leave, assessing the situation. "Alright, I get it, I should be happy and jealous." He just sighs at that, though he doesn't seem sad or angry, he just appears exhausted, it's been a long night. "I think I'm gonna go sit on an airplane before I go to bed tonight, my head hurts and I think I have a splinter in my back."
A lifted eyebrow articulates Teo's surprise to hear that the gravitationally-gifted pizza boy is already experiencing a headache. He suspects that probably has more to do with lip-locks than alcohol-induced dehydration but, failing to understand either, he merely accepts this with the other cultural absurdities that ever besiege his residence in America. Brian's secret— whatever it is, elicits an arch of his other brow, a sound congratulations. Teo slings an arm around the ex-Mormon's neck and starts to lope off that most of them might help with boxes. "Buona notte, Isabelle. Please give my regards to Claire, if you see her," he angles back over his shoulder.
Just a very few bags and boxes, most didn't know it was in regards to a birthday and with her jacket on, scarf wrapping around her neck Abby's heading for the door, money down on top of what Helena put up to tip and pay for the chair. "I'm going hooome now" Called out to the rest of them. "Magnes. I'll call you"
Magnes hears his name, then looks over at Brian, and for whatever reason, he has a briefly huge smile, which he quickly hides. "Ah, sure! Happy birthday Abby, I hope you like your present." he calls back, suddenly in a far better mood.
Gathering what bags and boxes he can, Brian allows himself to be drawn in tow by the older man. A little grin on his lips. Giving a little inclination of his head to Isabelle. "Well that was a long time ago. But.. yeah good to see you again. Old Lucy's. I'll be sure to say hi, next time I'm there. Seeya Magnet!" He calls out. Before finally looking back to Teo. "Thanks."
"Sure will." Izzy says back and looks to Magnes, "Be good Mags." Izzy then walks off, her hips switching as she leaves the place without a backward glance.
 January 20th: Crumpets And Tea |
 January 20th: Inquiring Minds |
