Participants:
| Scene Title | Just A Little Drunk |
|---|---|
| Synopsis | Melissa comes homes from drinking, and Ling doesn't approve. Discussion ensues. |
| Date | September 19, 2010 |
The sun is just starting to set when a cab pulls up in front of the house and Melissa slips out of it. She's snickering softly to herself as she heads up to the front door, none too steady on her feet. In fact, she's lucky, very lucky, that she doesn't fall flat on her face. Or that she doesn't kill all plantlife within 5 yards with the stench of alcohol on her. She's gotten drunk before, yes, but it seems this time she's very drunk.
She does make it into the house though, shutting the door and half collapsing back against it as she listens for a moment, then calls out, "Honey, I'm hoooooooome!" Another snicker, then she's eyeing the couch and debating her chances of making it that far without tripping.
Clattering dishes and running water from the kitchen indicates //someone’s // presence on the ground floor of the little green house, largely unreactive to the sound of someone shuffling in the front door to the building, barely even audible at all. The uncharacteristic callout, however, brings a quick cease to the running sink water, Ling looking out from the kitchen, a frown on her face and soap on her hands. As she sees Melissa wobble on her feet, the frown turns to a glare as Ling disappears back into the kitchen.
“Melissa, where in the world have you been?” the Chinese woman inquires as she steps back out, dressed very uncharacteristically in shorts and a black t-shirt, something Melissa has only seen her in when she’s cleaning. She sounds a bit like a mother in tone and word choice, eyeing her roommate like a hawk.
Rather than heading to the couch, Melissa looks over to Ling and gives her a big grin. "Ling-Ling! I went out with Edgar to find a card for this chick he's seeing, ran into Nick, then went to the bar with this other guy and Edgar left. But I'm back now! Seeeeee?" she says, spreading her arms wide.
She pushes away from the door to start weaving her way over to her roomie. "Yanno…Nick's not such a bad guy. He doesn't want me dead. Isn't that nice?" she asks brightly. "I don't even want to kick his ass anymore! Well, not much."
“I don’t believe I’ve met Nick,” Ling grumbles, rolling her eyes at Melissa. Ling-Ling? Is she now on apr with a panda bear to Melissa? “I don’t think you should be running out drinking at the moment, Melissa,” Ling replies with a bit of a chastising tone as she moves back into the kitchen so that she can retrieve a hand towel and finish drying off.
“Dinking is a wonderful way to loosen lips. It would be rather unfortunate if what we’re doing were to… leak out.” Wonderfully vague, for those listening she wishes to keep in the dark. “I don’t suppose you found time to speak with Edgar, did you?”
Unfortunately Melissa doesn't look the least bit chastised, and instead grins. "I didn't say anything bad, promise. And no, didn't get the chance to talk to Edgar. I did talk to the dream person though. She's convinced that she can help recall suppressed memories. Isn't that great!"
She makes it into the kitchen without knocking over anything, and moves to the counter to lean up against it. "Ling? The impossible also happened. I'm absolutely shocked at it, even though it's totally fake. But I'm assured that it still totally counts. I'm still not sure about it, but he seemed so sure, so what the hell?"
That also warrants a stern glare from Ling – the last they need is Rebel reporting that they are looking into suppressed memories. “That’s good news, I suppose,” she replies with a wave of her hands, tying the hand towel around her hand and across her arms over her chest. “You’ll have to tell me more about it when you’re sober.”
She eyes Melissa for a moment, before she steps back to the sink – the entire room looks clean than it did when Melissa left, if only marginally so in some places, and the sink is nearly emptied of dishes. “I still do no think it wise, Melissa. I would recommend you trust someone who has used the tactic herself on this.” The water is turned back on, and Ling resumes her task. “What is this impossible event you speak of?”
That does have Melissa's face falling a little, head lowering a bit. "You're no fun. And the impossible event is that someone actually asked me out on a date. But guess it doesn't really matter," she mumbles, scuffing her foot lightly on the floor, her gaze on said foot.
“I am merely practical,” Ling replies with a bit of a sigh and a shake of her head. “There is nothing wrong with an evening out. Let’s do avoid weakening our minds too much, though.” Ling - Ling, of all people – actually has a joke in mind to follow that up, but holds on to it rather than ruin the tone of her end of the conversation. Maybe Peter was right about the world ending.
Melissa’s impossible even elicits a mixed reaction from Ling, who herself has not had a date in years, largely finding such things rather insufferable. Still, she turns back to Melissa ad gives the woman on a nod. No smile, but the tone in her voice as she speaks relays that she’s happy for Melissa in its place. “That’s good to hear. I assume you speak of this Nick?”
"Nick? Nah. He still doesn't want to have anything to do with me. For my own good," Melissa says, rolling her eyes. "The boy can kiss though, lemme tell ya. No, it was the other guy. The one I went to the bar with. His name's Brad. He's cute too. Sorta hung up on his dead fiance though. Which just means it's a good thing it's not a really real date."
“Quite the thing to be hung up on,” Ling states rather matter-of-factly, fidgeting a bit as she dries one of the last plates in the wash. Relationship talk is something she’s never been terribly comfortable with, because she knows so little of it. “And how are you so sure it’s not… real?”
"Simple. One, he's hung up on his dead fiance. Two, he doesn't date. Three, he thinks that I deserve a date and is taking me on one. Not because he has a thing for me or anything," Melissa says, shrugging. "I might argue, but damn if I don't think it's pathetic to be twenty-six and never gone on a date."
Ling gives a slow nod in response, setting the plate on the large dishware drying rack on the counter – did Melissa have that before? “Your reasoning is sound, particularly if he said so himself,” Ling opines, shaking her head. “I’m afraid I have little advice for you in such… fields, Melissa. I have little desire for dating myself.” The last plate is taken in hand, Ling cleaning it rather vigorously, an outlet for how uncomfortable she is. “My mother, however, used to tell me that I would find someone who would change my mind. If she was so sure there is someone for me, Melissa, then I’m sure you’ll find someone proper.”
Though Melissa smiles, her tone isn't certain. "I'm not so sure about that. But I'm content with just getting a single date, even if it goes no where." She shrugs. "Oh, and I should warn you. Edgar is…building something. Out of tampons. I'm kind of afraid."
Ling sighs, shaking her head as she cleans the plate. “I have had little chance to speak to him directly, I’m afraid. Peter and I had meant to at the party, but he made off before the opportunity arose. He seems a little… off.” She looks back at Melissa with a furrowed brow. “Particularly if he is engaging in things such as that. Still, I will be trying to corner him before much longer, if he is capable of standing still for a short bit.”
Melissa grins and shrugs. "He's odd, yeah, but damn amusing. I, for one, am happy to have him living here. Besides, he's a good guy. I can't promise anything on him standing still. Speedsters seem to need to run. Daphne's the same way, yanno? Speaking of, I need to get a hold of her for vacation time soon."
“A vacation,” Ling repeats as she finishes with the last plate, giving it once over with the dryer towel and placing it on the rack, “is a wonderful idea. I believe we’ve all earned a bit of a reprieve.” Another shallow nod is given, the sink turned off and the plate set on the drying rack. “I imagine if I could move as fast as I have seen both of them, I wouldn’t want to stand still either. Still, can’t be running everywhere. I will try and find him resting in his room, sometime.”
"I've got his cell number too, if you want it." Melissa smiles then. "Yeah, I agree. Which is why I'm totally going for the vacation after the ball. Too much to do to go before that. Though I've got an awesome costume ordered that I'm actually pretty excited about." The smile fades a little. "Kendall would've loved it. It's apparently some video game character."
“A video game character?” Ling repeats, sounding incredulous as she dries her hands and moves back out into the den. “I am certain he would appreciate that, yes. Hardly anyone I would know, if it’s fitting of your ball, I imagine. I am familiar with Donkey Kong, and that is about it.” Again, Ling speaks very matter of factly, though there is a pause at the end. “And Pac-Man.”
The Chinesewoman shrugs, turning back to look at Melissa. “In that case, wear it in memory of him. A final dedication, if you think he’s appreciate it. As for Edgar’s number, it would be most appreciated. Perhaps I get him to meet me somewhere tomorrow if I do not find him tonight.”
A sad smile appears and Melissa nods. "Yeah, I didn't know it was a game character either. But it has the right look, and with that…yeah, I'll wear it in memory of him." She digs in her pockets until she finds her phone and pulls it out. "Got something to get the number with?" she asks as she finds Edgar's number.
“I can remember it,” Ling replies with a bit of a sigh ad a shake of her head. “I do not know if I will be attending your ball. Please don’t be offended if I don’t, I don’t believe I would be… comfortable at such an event. If you need any help with planning or getting the word out, however, I am more than willing.”
The number is given slowly, then Melissa smiles. "It's all good, Ling. I know it's not your thing. But I totally wouldn't mind help, like I said the other day. Business manager-y stuff and all that."
“Mm,” Ling responds with a nod as she mentally memorises the numbers, closing her eyes as she repeats then. When they open again, she grins at Melissa. “I spent several years working in marketing, even after the bomb, I found ways to do such. Perhaps I can work up a flyer for a newspaper ad. Do you know anyone who can do anything distinctive that might fit the event?”
"Right now all I've got is Edgar doing his sharp pointy thing juggling. Still working on the rest of the entertainment," Melissa admits, sobering up bit by bit. Serious conversation and time will do that to a girl. No matter how little she might want it.
That hadn’t been Ling’s intention – now that Mel was at home, if she wanted to be drunk that was fine by Ling. But so it goes, now she’s taking full advantage of the renewed soberness, slipping quickly into a planning state of mind. “Alright,” she says with a nod, beginning to pace a bit. “Are you comfortable with more Evolved entertainment? I am more than sure there are other things to be found, however, it can lead to… unfortunate press and attention.”
"I'm perfectly fine with evolved entertainment. It can be a hell of a lot more impressive than non-evolved entertainment anyway," Melissa says with a shrug, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and opening it to take several deep swallows, finishing nearly half the bottle. "My DJ has a thing for lights, so maybe she can be persuaded."
“Lights…” Ling’s eyes narrow a bit, tapping on her chin. “Unless she is exceptional at such things, or can be paired with something to make it exceptional, I believe a simple light show might be rather ineffective.” Tapping turns to steepled fingers, Ling finding a chair and pulling it out, sitting down slowly. “I believe once I saw something about a pyrokinetic acrobat on the news. Perhaps that sort of thing can be arranged. With a proper set up, that could make for excellent entertainment.
"Mmm. True, but I'm not sure the club's insurance company would be too thrilled with a pyrokinetic. Hell, they'll probably bitch about Edgar." Melissa drinks more water as she considers. "One of my bartenders is a hydrokinetic. Actually recommended her for Messiah," she says, frowning a bit.
“Water can be just as damaging to a structure as fire, I believe,” Ling notes with a bit of a frown, crossing her legs as she settles into her seat. “However, a water show would be something very unusual, and likely unexpected.” Fingers tap together as Ling thinks, and after a moment she gives a slow nod.
“There are fountains, I’m sure you’ve seen in places like Las Vegas, and some of the fancier hotels around town, that are lit up rather impressively with coloured lights. Perhaps you can talk you DJ into accompanying your hydrokinetic on stage. I believe that would be a rather impressive show.” Though after a moment, her expression dips a bit. “If you’ve recommended her for Messiah, however, perhaps putting her on stage in from of numerous witnesses might not be the wisest idea.”
"Oh, yeah. I saw the fountain when I went with Abby to Vegas," Melissa says, nodding. "Not sure the hydrokinetic would go up there anyway. She's really paranoid about being outed because of the way the evolved are treated where she's from. But I'll mention it to them."
The “where she’s from” comment gets a raised eyebrow from Ling, and a slow nod. “It might give the stage a unique touch. Actually advertising an Evolved-friendly and entertained event is a double edged sword however. Openly advertising it is likely to draw some… less savoury attention. But it also prevents any anti-evolved party goers from starting because they didn’t know an evolved show was occurring.”
The businesswoman quirks her lips, looking thoughtful. A high speed juggling act, and a water an light show. I would recommend finding nonevolved acts as well, to prevent any accusations one way or the other. Musical acts, a magician… something that can be fun, if expected.”
"You don't think the juggling will do it? I mean, yeah, Edgar's evolved, but juggling isn't an evolved skill," Melissa says with a frown. "I have been trying to find magicians and musicans and that sorta thing though. That's actually how I got Edgar. An ad in the paper. But if you come across anyone, please, let me know."
“I suppose it will depend on he does his act,” Ling will admit, nodding. “If he does tricks that take advantage of his speed…” Ling gives a short shrug. “I will keep thinking of acts and ideas, then. If I come up with anything particularly good, I will be sure to share it with you.”
Melissa nods, then gives a grin. "Awesome. And now, I think I'm gonna go take a shower and fall into bed, and pray that I don't wake up with one hell of a hangover tomorrow. Which I probably will anyway."
What comes next is a rare, if hesitant, somewhat warm smile, forming on Ling’s face as she looks back at Melissa. “Drink water, and have a bottle in the morning. A hangover is largely dehydration. I managed to avoid them after galas and business parties that way.”
Melissa grins and holds up the bottle of water in her hand. "Already on it. It doesn't always work, but it sure as hell help!" Another bottle is grabbed from the fridge. "Thanks for letting me ramble, Ling. I'll see ya tomorrow," she says, wiggling fingers at the woman before heading towards the stairs.