Barflies

[pinkroses]

As they began to approach Ichabod slipped down from his stool, putting his now empty glass on the bar behind him, regretting any of the internal bad thoughts he’d been having towards the movie star. Of course he wouldn’t have just abandoned him like that, he seemed to be taking this whole role pretty seriously.

He fiddled with straightening his shirt, shuffling his feet, running a hand through his hair and eventually rubbing the bridge of his nose out of nervous habit before managing to drop his hand away from his face, giving what he hoped was a charming smile as he hooked him thumb into his jeans pocket. He wished he’d been able to hear what had been said between them, but she’d been stood too far away and the music was too loud for that to have been possible. Still, did it really matter?

[Existentially Odd]

She giggled inanely at the notion that this vampire could be a hundred and she wouldn\'t know - it was something she\'d thought a great deal about since she was here at Risk last, and it always left her head spinning.  Much like thinking about looking up at the sky and thinking about witnessing dead stars and history long ago did.

Obediently, she followed along, uttering an enthusiastic, "Okay," and only slowing the vampire\'s progress marginally because she decided it would be a good idea to skull the remaining amount of cocktail in her glass on the way.  Her footing wasn\'t as steady as it should have been but she didn\'t spill any.  When they arrived at the bar, she took a step to the side and placed the empty glass to one side of the guy standing before her.

Emboldened by his smile, she gave one of her own and used her free hand to wave with (not letting go of the vampire she currently held).  "Hello!  I\'m Melissa!" she enthused.

[Malkavian Riddler]

He was glad she was eager.  Ichabod needed her kind of eagerness to give him that first little burst of confidence.  Ash didn\'t understand guys who couldn\'t pick up chicks - especially good looking guys.  The ordinary woman on the street would be harder work, they wouldn\'t forgive cheesy lines like he\'d used on Melissa (he caught her name as she blasted it out at Ichabod, as Ash leant against the bar with one elbow, not taking his stool again because she had a hold of him), but most women were easy enough to figure out, he thought.  He hadn\'t found one yet that denied him by the second date.  He didn\'t think less of women for this, however - he just thought he\'d figured them out and didn\'t get how other men hadn\'t.  They weren\'t so complicated.

[pinkroses]

Oh wow, when she was closer Ichabod had no trouble smelling the vodka on her, even if it hadn’t been obvious she’d been drinking from the way she walked and finished her drink. No one finished a glass of plain juice that enthusiastically. Ichabod generally tried not to drink from those who’d been drinking, but maybe this would help things along a little.

“Melissa, hi. My name’s Ichabod,” he replied giving a little wave of his own. Fuck, who the Hell ever thought that this whole going to clubs and picking people up was a good idea? Drinking from someone was one thing, but he could feel Ash watching him and knew he had to do better than that. And Kerr wanted him to get out there. Sow those damn wild oats.

“So, you, uh, you looked pretty lonely over there. You all by yourself tonight?” he asked, leaning a little closer to the girl so that he didn’t have to shout to be heard, unaware that his conversation starter was so close to Ash’s. She’d just finished her drink, should he offer her another? She didn’t look like she needed another and Ichabod definitely didn’t want to be completely pissed after drinking from her, so he decided to hold off on that, for now at least.

[Existentially Odd]

"Ichabod?  Seriously?" she giggled, her eyes wide with disbelief, like she thought the vampire might be having a joke with her.  Still, he seemed serious enough as he confirmed she\'d heard his name correctly then went on to ask if she was alone.  "Oh!  Nah, my friend\'s here too, but she already went off with another guy," she answered brightly, then looked at Ichabod with large, hopeful eyes, a coy smile curling her lips gently upward.  "Do you want to drink from me?"

[pinkroses]

Ichabod, used to people finding his name weird gave a small shrug at her disbelief and assured her that was right. Maybe he should just start giving a fake name. That was what all the slick guys in the movies did right? And he’d probably never seen her again, but it was too late now.

At her next question Ichabod gave a shy chuckle, his gaze flickering down for a moment before returning to her face, not intentionally looking her over but he couldn’t exactly help it. He was acutely aware of Ash stood right next to them, obviously listening in.

“Uh, yeah, definitely,”

If you want to
Don’t change your mind
You’re completely drunk
Pretty
Hungry
I’m being an idiot
Really hungry
Just say yes

“Maybe… maybe a little more, if we go somewhere more private?” Ichabod suggested as he lifted his hand to brush against her warm arm, wondering if he sounded cheesey or just like an idiot. Maybe he was being too forward, should he have just waited to see? Shit, he didn’t even want to fuck anyone really, but everyone else thought he should.

And thinking about everyone else...

Ichabod glanced towards Ash and gave him a small smile which he hoped implied he would be alright now. He had no idea if he would be, but having Ash there was making him uncomfortable and he didn\'t like being watched whilst he tried to do this. He\'d always hated it when Ben watched him so intently, looking out for any tiny mistake or something he could butt in with.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash began working his fingers out of hers as soon as the invitation to drink was broached to Ichabod.  He really didn\'t need to be here anymore, not when Ichabod was asking them to go somewhere else.
 
Even though he was stepping away from them now, he was likely to hear her answer before he got too far, but he doubted she\'d refuse.  If she did reply in the negative, he would still skulk off but would be on the lookout for a couple of girls or guys or whatever, that were open to a duo.  He didn\'t want Ichabod to strike out twice.  Fuck, even he wouldn\'t have suggested to Melissa that more would likely happen until after he got her somewhere private.  Maybe that was Ichabod\'s problem.  He was too keen.

[Existentially Odd]

The mortal blonde had only eyes for Ichabod and didn\'t even glance to the side when the other vampire pulled out of her grasp.  In fact, she transferred her fingers to Ichabod\'s, seeing as his arm was touching hers and it felt perfectly natural to do so.

She blushed and giggled coyly, shrugging as if she didn\'t know, when the handsome vampire suggested something more, but her body\'s release of pheromones and accelerated heart-rate gave her away.  She may have played the coquette well, but lust and arousal were easily detected by a supernatural and she was very obviously open to exploring \'more than a drink of blood\' with Ichabod.

"You mean up to one of the rooms?" she queried shyly, but didn\'t wait for him to answer.  "Okay," she agreed immediately and waited for him to lead her where he wanted to go.  If she hadn\'t been left alone by her friend and had the alcohol, she certainly wouldn\'t have been as forward, but that time against the wall had cemented her desire for something exciting to happen to her as well as her friend.  Now it had and she was sweetly enthusiastic about it all, eager and pliant in Ichabod\'s hands.  She wouldn\'t initiate anything once she was alone with him... but she definitely wouldn\'t say no to anything, either.

[pinkroses]

Ichabod looked a little startled as she asked where and then responded straight away positively. She was too drunk to care, which would most definitely help along tonight’s assignment, but was not as good for the fledgling’s conscience.

He forced a smile onto his face though and after casting a glance in Ash’s direction he lead Melissa upstairs and let her choose a room, not really paying much attention himself where they ended up.

He drank a little first and as hoped the alcohol in her system, combined with her ever so eager hands, lead to more, although there was no real passion there. She could have been anyone. She was just anyone, although he made himself remember her name and ensured she had a brilliant couple of hours, without really focusing on giving them both the best time he could. He felt hollow - like he was using her, which he guessed he was. He didn’t really care if she had a good time, but felt like he should care and so was attentive and adoring to the petite blonde and she seemed oblivious to the fact it was all an act.  

Before they parted, Ichabod drank again, more deeply this time, more than he meant to, leaving her pale and shaky, but as he took her to the rest area downstairs he tried using a little mental nudge to leave only positive feelings, which would hopefully cover any of the negatives she might remember from the last ten minutes. Thankfully she was still giggling as he gave her a final kiss and left her, his hand trailing along the wall to keep his balance as the booze made his head spin. He knew it would wear off in a couple of minutes.

After texting Ash to let him know where he was waiting Ichabod slid into a booth to wait for the older vampire and to sober up, which he’d done superbly before Ash appeared. Ichabod stood up at once, wondering if he still smelt of sex despite trying to wash himself off in the little bathroom.

“That was great, thanks for your help,” he said in a bright voice with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as he slipped his thumbs into his jeans pockets. “I’m going to head off now, home, but uh, if you’re busy, y’know, I’ll just get a taxi,” Ichabod said with a shrug, kind of hoping Ash would agree and just stay at the club. He didn’t want questions right now or comments about why he wasn’t taking home the girl, or another girl, he just wanted to go home.

[Malkavian Riddler]

While Ichabod was upstairs entertaining Melissa, Ash had been discovered by one of the guys in his little black (red) book.  Trent had thought himself a good friend of Ash\'s, apparently, enough to sidle over to him and start speaking as though it hadn\'t been six months since they last saw each other.  It had taken Ash a little bit of time to catch up on what Trent was waffling on about, but he\'d worked out that Trent had been offered a position at a telecommunications shop and was making a boatload of money, and had been in a relationship with some guy named Maurice until just a couple of weeks ago.  Ash listened for a short while (which was how he got all that information), then he pretended to listen for a while, then he stopped pretending altogether.  The only highlight of bumping into Trent came when they found a booth in a corner to seat themselves and Ash got to drink from him, and then received a blowjob from him under the table.  He remembered finally how Trent had got into his little black (red) book.

At some point during that, Ichabod had gone downstairs with Melissa to the refreshment area, but Ash lost track of time.  When Trent started talking again, Ash received Ichabod\'s text and used that to excuse himself and went downstairs after Ichabod.

Ichabod charged into his short speech of thanks and excuse making, obviously wanting to get away in a hurry.  His smile was genuine but what he was saying conflicted so greatly that Ash went to the trouble of scanning his aura.  There was conflict there, and disappointment, and also the desire to be secretive.  Ash found this interesting, glad that his sire had taken the trouble of teaching him how to read auras and recognise what the colours meant as they steamed off other beings.  He wanted to know what had happened; if Melissa had been as under par as that fuckwit Trent who was only interesting when his mouth was open as long as there was a dick stuffed in it.

"No, I\'m good to go," he said pleasantly.  He was hoping on the drive home that Ichabod would blurt out what was bothering him.  The kid seemed the type.  With enough time, maybe Ash would find out without needing to push.  He wouldn\'t, however, ask Ichabod about it.  If he wanted to keep it to himself, then so be it.  The drive home might be quiet, or it might lead to more conversation, and they might just say their goodbyes once Ichabod lef the lift to his apartment and Ash continued up.  Whatever happened at this point was entirely up to Ichabod - but damnit, Ash would be there.

[pinkroses]

If Ichabod had known Ash better and felt more comfortable around him, or wanted to go home with him tonight instead of going to his own place, he probably would have blurted out everything he was feeling during the car ride, but instead he stayed silent, staring blankly out the window, barely reacting to the white-knuckle ride unlike on the way there when he’d loved it.

It wasn’t until they were in the lift that he spoke, glancing sideways at his wingman.

“Sorry, I’ve been a bit… off. I really am glad we went out, and I want to do it again sometime,” Ichabod said honestly as the elevator ding‘d it‘s arrival at his floor. Maybe next time would be better. He would have seen Kerr again, maybe got his head straight about a few things. “I’ll come bang on your door sometime,” he added with a small smile as he stepped out of the lift and unless Ash said anything to keep him there he would move away to head inside the safety of his

Kerr’s

apartment to try and get some work done to help distract himself from other thoughts.

[Malkavian Riddler]

Ash had only looked over at Ichabod twice during the drive home, and not for very long.  It would be dangerous to do so otherwise.  He was glad that Ichabod spoke in the lift, though it was right at the point of leaving.

He didn\'t say anything to the short explanation Ichabod gave first, studying Kerr\'s fledge and unable to figure him out.  When Ichabod said he would bang on Ash\'s door, the movie star nodded lightly, and levelled a finger at Ichabod\'s face.

"You better," he said amiably, but left it at that.  Ichabod didn\'t want to talk, but he hadn\'t wanted to leave their outing on terms that might alienate Ash.  That meant he gave a shit about what Ash thought of him.  That was a good thing.  "See you later," he said, once Ichabod was out of the left, and dropped his pointing finger in order to prod the button for his floor.  Just before the door slid closed, he showed Ichabod his waggling tongue, and then the elevator was moving him up and away.