Seeing Both Sides

Participants:

adelaide_icon.gif alexander_icon.gif lucille_icon.gif odessa_icon.gif

Featuring:

brenda_icon.gif

Scene Title Seeing Both Sides
Synopsis At a party to celebrate Lucille making the cover of a fashion magazine, Odessa and Alexander discuss the state of things, commiserating over whiskey.
Date March 31, 2010

Old Lucy's

Old Lucy's has a vibrant and lively feel to it, from the dark wooden floors to the black and cream risqué wallpapered walls lit up by neon lights and many times, the flashing of cameras from the oft-crowded floor. The mirror behind the bar reflects prices of various drinks, bottles lined up, as well as the entire saloon as seen from the bartenders; bolted-down stools line the other side, and there are loose tables and chairs placed all around, though many times they find themselves pushed back for more space within the center of the saloon. A few speakers are placed at strategic places and around a raised stage to the far corner from the bar.

Above the counter, an obviously well-used bar is hung; it is this that the girls working will use should there be dancing, which is one reason many patrons choose to come aside from the drinks. Across the bar and near the back, there is a door that leads to the back room and owner's office and a stairwell that leads teh residence above the floor above the bar.


The girls are acting crazy tonight, they are celebrating. It's a good night indeed, on the far side of the bar is a blown up photo of the front cover of some high fashion magazine. The bartender of the night, whose face is on the cover happens to be Lucille's. Who's currently giggling at Brenda and the other girls trying to pose like she did.

"Now, ladies and gents. Tonight, we are celebrating one of our ladies. Lucille! Look at her hot self on that cover." Brenda says loudly and the rest of the bar patrons cheer and clap. It's a good night indeed.

The crowd, the rush the feeling, Adelaide's enjoying herself now that she's been surrounded by people, she joins in the clapping.

It's cold out. And Alex is tired. He comes wandering in, in heavy army parka and watchcap, which he pulls off to expose that bright copper stubble. He blinks around at the hubbug, expression a little bewildered. So much for a -quiet- drink.

Is it beer:30 yet? It must be by now. That or tequilo'clock. Odessa's somewhat surprised by the overly boisterous crowd tonight, but it doesn't take her long to put two and two together as she descends the stairs from the apartment. She's quick to spot Alexander when he comes in the door, approaching him with a somewhat hesitant smile. "Hey, roomie. Buy you a drink?"

A loud sigh. "Gosh it's noisy." she mutters the crowd and the jostling, Adelaide's body is moved and motioned through the crowd till she fingers herself to the bar. "No." she snaps at some poor guy who just makes a comment to her that perhaps was a little to risqué. Adjusting her glasses she finds herself up to trying to manoeuvre to the bar without too many cat-calls.

"If you like," says Alex, calmly. Not that he and Abby've been up above, of late. Still lying low elsewhere. His tone isn't particularly warm, but at least he's not shoving Odessa away.

Odessa tries to smile again, but it doesn't last very long. Alexander's demeanour is not lost on her. She lifts a hand, waving it over her head to get Brenda's attention, then points to Al. "Whatever he wants, it's on me!" She tips her blonde head toward the back room. "Want me to stash your coat?"

Adelaide turns at the sound of people conversing, but she doesn't recognize any of the people and continues to simply watch them, not in a creepy way just sort of observe.

"No, thanks," he says, as he makes his way up to the bar, slinging the parka over his shoulder. He takes a seat at the end of the bar, away from the celebration, shoves out a stool for Odessa.

Odessa pulls herself up onto the stool next to Al. "Been a little while." What with them laying low elsewhere on her account and all. "How are you? How's Abby?" She doesn't inquire after the other boys, unsure how whether or not that's a can of worms she wants to open.

"Business is pretty awful, considering the weather. The plague isn't helping," he adds, as he flicks a hand impatiently to summon the bartender. "Whiskey," he says, "Neat."

"Whiskey sour," Odessa adds to the order, turning to frown thoughtfully at Alexander. "I can imagine. You aren't feeling sick, are you?" The blonde resists the urge to reach out and feel the man's forehead or take his pulse.

"I'm fine," he assures her, quietly. "For some reason, it doesn't seem to get to me. And you?" And while he looks weary, he doesn't in fact, look ill.

"Fine, physically." Odessa shrugs as their drinks are set in front of them. She takes a sip from hers. "A bit lonely, all things considered, but at least I don't have the five-ten."

Alexander cocks his head at her. "That's right. You haven't caught it either, have you?" he says, thoughtfully

Odessa shakes her head. "No, I haven't. I feel fit as a fiddle, I'm afraid." Not that that's a lamentable state, but it does feel like something she should apologise for while others are in such a sorry state.

"And what have you been up to?" he wonders, lifting a red brow. There's genuine interest in his voice - apparently he's not just making smalltalk.

"Oh, you know. A little espionage, spinning tales. The usual." Odessa finds some humour in that, smirking faintly. "A whole lot of nothing, really. I spend the evenings down here, drinking until I want to stumble up to bed. Which is actually kind of nice, now that I think about it…"

Alexander persists, quietly, "And what have you learned, then?" he asks. Still nursing that one whiskey to the bitter end.

Odessa considers that for a moment, her eyes turning skyward as though the answers may tumble from the rafters and down upon her head. "I feel a bit like a scientist who has plenty of data, but nothing to apply it to," she reasons. "I admit I've been rather half-hearted in my efforts. I'm doing just enough to make it seem as though I'm still doing what's been asked of me. If I was really trying, I suspect I wouldn't spend my days down here and drinking myself dizzy." She'd be trying to secure passage to Staten Island in some sort of inconspicuous fashion.

"And what are your plans, then?" Alex says, swirling the liquor in the glass, lazily. "How do you think this is gonna pan out?"

Odessa's lips purse faintly and she watches the amber swirling in Al's glass, for lack of something else to watch. "I'm honestly not sure how it's going to pan out," she admits. "I hope it ends with you guys and your loved ones safe." There's a helpless sort of shrug at that. "I'm caught in the middle, I guess. I can see both sides, which only makes this more sad."

"See both sides how?" he asks, pale eyes widening, a little.

"Well, he lost someone he loved, and he's angry. I can sympathise." There's no apology in the way Odessa explains herself.

"I can sympathize with anger. Using it to justify what he did, no. I may feel bad for him, but I'll kill him nonetheless, if I see him," Alexander says, flatly.

"Not saying he doesn't deserve it," Odessa responds with a wry smile. "I did say I could see both sides."


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