Girls Night

[The Cedar Witch]

Jerry needed to warm up more than anything, and by the time they were through with the first song, he was back to sounding like himself.  Which was good, since Mal directed them straight into the next.  He intended to play for about forty-five minutes before the first brief break, sticking to covers injected with a healthy dose of their own style.  By the time they were through the first half, it seemed like everyone had fallen into that familiar groove that they had with one another and for a moment Mal was feeling optimistic.  Perhaps a bit nostalgic.  And it would seem that he had forgotten any conflicts he had with Jerry, falling into the rhythm of performance and the persona he had built for himself on stage. 

But, that all pretty much dissolved as soon as they came to the fifteen-minute intermission when Jerry said something about going back to flirting with the hot chicks at the bar.

“Don’t--” Malakai subtly (okay, maybe not so subtly) pulled him by the back of his jacket toward the back of the stage area.  “Do you have to make yourself out to be a jackass to them of all people?”  He hissed quietly, glaring as Jerry regained his footing.

“What the fuck is your problem tonight?”  Jeremiah shot an angry look back. 

What was his problem?  Lots of fucking things.  Making a fool of himself--of them by proxy--in front of Wild Hunt was one thing.  Quinn was another.  Quinn was mostly on his mind--Jerry had been a particular dick to that human he had been fucking around with.  Mal was just beginning to enjoy having the human around when they all hung out but Jerry had gone and ruined that spectacularly, in perfect Jerry fashion.  Quinn deserved so much better, and Mal had bit his tongue too many times about that.  It really wasn’t his business, but he was beginning to think of Quinn as a friend.  Well, he hung around with all of them often enough.  Before it went to shit, anyway.

“Wild Hunt isn’t just some garageband--have you seriously not heard of them?” 

“Yeah, yeah, whatever I get it.”  Jerry waved him off dismissively.  Mal scowled, and was about to shoot off another comment before Zach got between them.  The brothers were silent together for a moment.  Mal assumed they were talking, but he could never tell with the two of them.  After a quick moment, Zach turned away and leaving Jerry with a more serious expression.

“Sorry.”  He muttered, refusing to meet Mal’s eye.

“Yeah, whatever.  Just stay around here until we’re back on.”  Malakai checked his phone.  “Thirteen minutes.”  He sighed and made his way over to Lisa-Joe and Wild Hunt.  He slid around to the edge of the group when there was a gap in their conversation.

“Hey Lisa-Joe, can I trouble you for a quick drink?”  He really fucking needed it.  Mal smiled apologetically, then turned to address the rest of the group.  “Morgaine, Vivianne, and Ami--right?”  He made eye contact with each as he said their names.  "I'm Malakai.

“Sorry about Jerry bothering you earlier, he’s a bit like an untrained dog and I’ve yet to figure out how to teach him manners.”  Mal grinned humorously, but he still felt a healthy bit of anger beneath. 

[Harlequin]

Ami watched the drama play out between the band members with keen interest while Morgaine and Vivianne chatted behind her. A smirk touched the corner of her mouth as Mal approached. Bands were little families, no matter how you sliced it.

And it seemed introductions were unnecessary. Maybe fame, even their little slice of it was worth something. Ami nodded, and Morgaine and Vivianne surfaced from their scheming, holding out hands to be shaken.

"Nice to meet you, Malakai," said Vivianne, "You sounded great up there."

Morgaine waved away the comment about Jerry, "Please, at least he didn't piss on my leg."

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe gave Mal a quick hug and whispered, "you sounded great my little song bird."

With that she rose, saying "excuse me" to Wild Hunt, and went back to the bar to make his requested drink. She decided to take her time, and hoped to catch Jerry's eye. They needed to speak. She had one of the bar backs bring Mal a Bloody Mary, and grabbed a rag. As she waited for Jerry she wiped down the bar and watched the other table. Her expression was a mix of curiosity and something colder.

[The Cedar Witch]

After giving Lisa-Joe a quick squeeze and a thanks, he turned his attention to the others.  He shook everyone's hand that offered and thanked Vivianne with a smile.  Morgaine's comment made him snort.

"Well, he's at least got enough sense to resist doing that"  He sighed and shook his head.  "So what brings ya'll to the White Rabbit this evening?"  Mal asked conversationally, giving the barback who brought his drink a nod before going in for a sip.


Meanwhile, keeping close to the stage was a sullen Jeremiah.  He didn't look up too often, but when he did finally catch Lisa-Joe's eye he brightened and blew her a kiss.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe caught the kiss, and then with a crooked finger summoned Jerry to her side. Her face was an inviting smile. Behind her eyes was something more like steel, but she figured Jerry would be too Jerry to notice it.

[The Cedar Witch]

Jeremiah cast a glance at Mal, who seemed to be shooting the shit with the chicks.  Maybe if he only talked to Lisa-Joe that would be fine.  He returned her smile and nodded, setting off at a quick little jog to see what she wanted.  There was a little less than ten minutes till they continued with the other half of their set.  He didn't have any intention of being late--god knows Mal would have something to say about it.  Jerry really didn't know why he was being such an asshole lately.  It's not like he did anything to the older vampire.  Jesus.

He came up to the bar where Lisa-Joe was making drinks and whatever else she did that he didn't really pay much attention to. 

"'Sup, Ma?"  There was a grin on his face, as per usual.  He leaned on the bar casually and glanced at Mal again to make sure he wasn't ruffling his feathers too much by being here.  Mal was either intentionally ignoring him or wrapt in conversation.  Didn't really make much of a difference to Jerry.  He was used to being ignored.

"Miss me so much you didn't want to wait till after the show to talk?"  He gave her a playful wink.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe noticed the tension between Mal and Jerry, and while it was always there to an extent, it seemed especially hot today. She was cleaning glasses as Jerry smiled and talked with her, making sure to nod so that he knew she was interested. She had a soft spot that had grown over the years, like a rash. She giggled internally at the thought. However, in reality she just wanted Jerry and his band mates to get along. It would be good for business. She donned her Harpy wings and leaned in like she was whispering a secret.

"Well I can't leave one my favorites all by himself Sughah," she teased, assuming the flattery would be good for her friend's mood. She handed Jerry a fresh glass of hot, crimson. "So Jerry dear, I'm afraid I'm going to have to be terribly un-Southern and be direct. What's up with you and Mal tonight? You break his car windows or something? He seems especially annoyed with you."

She shot a glance over to the table where Mal and Wild Hunt looked deep in conversation. He seemed to be blending in with the trio. That was good. Jerry wasn't the blend in type, but that wasn't his fault. Some people just cast large shadows. She thought briefly of Jake. Her red pigtails looked almost strawberry blond with the lights of the bar flashing down on them.

[The Cedar Witch]

At first, he smiled and took the drink, sipping it slower this time than the first one he had this evening.  For the briefest of moments, it appeared as if Jerry had a hint of self-reflection behind his faltering smile.  But he was never one for a serious conversation, and the deeper expression was quickly hidden behind a tough front.

"I dunno," his voice was low, as if to avoid detection (not that it would do any good if Mal was trying to listen to him), "He's always got a stick up his ass.  You know him."  Jerry took another sip and glanced up at Lisa-Joe.  She probably wanted something more than that answer but he wasn't feeling very smart at the moment.

"He's probably just got his nuts in a bunch because we haven't practiced in a while."  He shrugged, a stupid grin creeping back onto his face.  "I think we sound fine, personally.  So I don't know what his issue is."  Somewhere under all the Jerry he did know, but it was easier to play dumb.  Besides, it wasn't really any of Lisa-Joe's business.  Not like it affected anything at the White Rabbit--not in his personal opinion anyway.

"Why don't you ask him?"  He tilted his head in Mal's direction.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe's eyes seemed to blaze considering how polite the conversation was. Jerry would remember those eyes, or he would if he looked past the present moment. The rest of her face was surprisingly neat, relaxed and ever the gracious hostess. She finished with one glass, and grabbed another, rag rotating on the inside in little semi circles. Mal was the sweeter of the two, but Jerry was right that Mal did have a stick up his ass, and a bit of a white night complex. She remembered when she'd first met To Ashes. Jerry had of course hit on her, and she remembered Mal being super embarrassed by it. She'd never seen Mal with anyone really. Was he jealous of Jerry's... urges?

"You do sound fine," the Harpy hexed, the back handed compliment implying she thought a little practice was do. She was their employer at least here, and while they were friends, Ma was a serious business woman. If this Battle of the Bands with Wild Hunt was to be good, both bands needed to be on their very best game.

"He looks busy making sure my guests are having a nice time," she replied, outstretching a hand to hold the musician's. "Besides, I haven't had all to myself in a little while. She gave him a little pout.

[The Cedar Witch]

"Aww, why didn't you just say so?"  Jerry took her hand with a smile, threading their fingers affectionately together.  He took another swig of blood with his free hand, giving hers a gentle squeeze.

"I've only got a couple minutes for now before we start up again,"  he said with a faux-frown.  Which changed very quickly into a grin.  "Now, I can think of a thing or two that I could do with a few minutes--but I doubt it's anything you have in mind."

[Saiketsu]

He was having a good night. The club was busy upstairs and tips were coming in by the handful. With the liquor flowing so abundantly upstairs, Quinn was given the job to get more liquor and beer from the storage room. To do so meant tracking down Lisa-Joe, who was supposed to be running bar downstairs in the Rabbit proper. Usually, Quinn would have jumped at the opportunity, seeing as To Ashes, Jerry's band, was playing a set. Usually, Quinn tried to never miss a gig, especially since he had started sleeping with the guitarist on and off. But after Jerry's last little stunt last week, he had been trying to boycott the band to maintain his pissing contest with Jerry - one that Quinn assumed only he himself was aware of.

When he was assigned the task of getting more booze, his chest heaved a wave of dread and discomfort. What if he ran into Jerry? Would he cave in and be nice to the vampire as was his habit? Would he tell Jerry to fuck off if he approached? Would he ignore him altogether? Ugh. There were too many scenarios that played themselves through in his head that he almost missed a step on his descent. Catching himself steadily, he looked to see if anyone had seen him, thankful that no one seemed to really notice.

Tommy had decided that Quinn needed to sling drinks with painted glitter suspenders for some reason. He was donning a tight set of sky blue spandex shorts that gave him that perfect look for the Rabbit's upstairs rave. His legs and chest were bare (except for the glitter suspenders, of course) and for a hot minute he felt out of place descending from the gay party upstairs into the bear-and-leather-daddy bar downstairs. But bears and leather daddies would have been more comfortable - at least bears and daddies were friendly. These guys looked gruff and ready for a fight to break out. A few heads turned to see who had just come down and Quinn could feel several pairs of eyes both admiring and judging him as he walked through the back of the back.

Worry made him whip around to see if the band was on stage setting up. He could see Thor's profile drinking a beer backstage, the equipment and gear set up on the stage with no one else in sight.

Fuck. Where was Jerry? Maybe he was back there with the band?

He turned his attention back down the bar and found his favorite redhead turned around, facing away from him talking to someone.

Talking to Jerry. Fuck.

They made eye contact and Quinn felt every single emotion he had ever experienced flood him all at once. Anger and defensiveness over Lisa-Joe colored him red, but he tried to keep face nonetheless. There was a part of Quinn that missed the vampire - mostly parts of the vampire - and wanted the entire stupidity to be over with. But there was an even bigger, pettier part of him that wanted to keep this shit up until Jerry got the fucking clue.

He approached Lisa-Joe and spotted Malakai out of the corner of his eye, looking gorgeous as usual. Mal didn't looked up from his conversation with a few women, and Quinn felt a weird tinge about it. Mal was good people and he loved being around him. Next to Zach, Mal was the only one who could put Jerry in his place - a skill that Quinn was glad he had. But club business was more important. Maybe he would say bye to the vampire, or good luck to him on his way back upstairs.

"Hey LJ," Quinn said, trying to sound casual and coming off strained with the attempt to ignore the fact that Jerry was sitting there too with his eyes on him. "Could I get your keys? Manuel needs more tequila and pineapple juice." He almost joked that the patrons were sucking the bar dry upstairs, but didn't want to give Jeremiah Peterson any kind of ammunition.

[Black Philip]

Lisa-Joe shot Jerry a look that was all too familiar between them. Her eyes dipped down, and her mouth formed a grimace. While she didn't verbalize it, even Jerry would know it meant, watch it. She wasn't mad at him, but especially with her recent male exploits she didn't want Jerry getting ideas. Seb was romance personified and Pierre was... special. He'd really stuck with her since their game, and she briefly wondered if she should feel bad about thinking so much about him. She was about to ask Jerry another questions when her shot-boy Quinn came up. He'd been hired to replace Bryant once he'd disappeared. She liked him. He was popular upstairs, did his side work, and unlike a lot of the dancers and other shot peoples, made his priority making money for the bar.

"Evening Q," she greeted with a friendly face. She reached beneath the bar and found a ring of keys, fiddling until she found the one for the storage room. "Here we go," she said. "Can you grab me two bottles of whiskey, low shelf only. We don't got a lot of prissy customers tonight. How's upstairs going, sugah?"

She didn't notice the tension between Quinn and Jerry. She wasn't looking for it.

[The Cedar Witch]

Jerry tried to give her a look to indicate that he was only joking, and was about to follow up with a quip before he caught Quinn's eye when he came downstairs.  The vampire brightened noticeably and kept his eyes on him as he approached.  He caught Mal look up just as Quinn passed him, and absorbed a rather steely glare from the older vampire before he resumed his conversation with Wild Hunt.  Annoying.  It wasn't like he was going to do anything or cause a scene.  Jesus.  He was a little crestfallen when it seemed like Quinn was ignoring him, but was polite and silent while he spoke to Lisa-Joe. 

See?  Behaving.

"Hey Quinn," Jerry offered the human a warm smile as he turned his body toward him.  He missed seeing Quinn around and couldn't shake the feeling that he was still deliberately avoiding him.  "Haven't seen you in awhile--you gonna stay and catch a bit of the show?"  Hopefully he sounded cute--he really did try.

[Saiketsu]

"Hey Jerry," the human gave his obligatory greeting that slipped out before he could think better of it. Stupid, he berated himself, his cheeks flushing with anger for giving up his game so willingly. Now Jerry would never get the point.

He took the keys from Lisa-Joe and nodded at her request. "Slammed," Quinn said quickly, wanting to not stay any longer than he absolutely had to. It wasn't like him to cut his answers short, to be terse with Lisa-Joe - usually he knew better. For now he wasn't paying attention to being himself, but getting the fuck out of there. He threw eyes quickly at Malakai and then into the cooler of citrus juices and the drains when he made no connection there. Mal was too busy chatting and laughing at with some rocker chicks, schmoozing. Quinn was left floating on his isle of stubborness all by himself now, failing at giving Jerry the cold shoulder.

When Jerry addressed him again, trying to make conversation, Quinn felt his ears go hot with anger. Was he fucking serious? Did he really not remember the entire situation that prevented Quinn from slipping into his bed every night? It was like him. Perhaps he had been too hasty in thinking that he could keep up this ruse with with one emotionally unavailable vampire and make Jerry considerate of the feelings of others for once. He wanted to pull his own hair out. Instead, he smirked tightly, very purposefully with an air of drama causing. "No, I have to work tonight, Jerry. I only came down for these." Quinn made a gesture with the keys to illustrate.

"Thanks LJ," he said, turning his attention back to Lisa-Joe for a quick out. He headed towards the store room with a stiffness in his stride that was supposed to be very obvious to the man who had watched his body move too many times.

[Harlequin]

If Jerry missed the way the young human (she assumed) stalked away from him, Vivianne certainly didn't. Her cohorts were deep in conversation with Mal about something that she didn't care much for, and she'd tuned them out. Her brows knit as she watched Quinn. Was that how she'd looked, the last time she'd walked away from her vampire?

With a touch on Morgaine's elbow, she got up and headed back to the bar. After a deep, steadying breath, she slid her willowy frame in beside Jerry, glancing after the boy. "I, uh, I hope I'm not intruding." She said, ducking her head slightly. Despite the bold look of her new undercut, it seemed like a strong gust would blow her away without the other women to bolster her.

From their table, Ami watched her bandmate like a hawk.