Sharp, Charged and in the Club

[Quick]

It's dark out. Later in the evening than most people care to be out. Unless, of course, clubbing is your thing. And this club has a decent crowd. Decent drinks. Decent music.

Just decent.

It isn't exactly the hottest club on the scene. You wouldn't know it unless you troll the internet for local spots or just happen to live in the area. Or, you know, you walk around a lot. The last bit applies to James. Who is way hotter than this club deserves. Which is OK. Being surrounded by mediocre is a good way to boost your confidence. Everyone needs a little boost every now and then.

And Jame's boost is coming in loud and hard. But it's not the music. The electric, rhythmic pulsing has the crowd grinding and dancing and having a damn good time. Sure. But his boost is this second third rum-and-diet. The music? It reminds him too much of a strange time in a strange place. He might have to dance soon, though. Because just sitting here is eating at him. He needs to move. To feel grounded. Heck of a contradiction.

He leans his back against the bar and watches the dance floor. His faux-denim jacket and jeans are on point. His hair is on point (as best he can tell). And his normal, pretty James face is on. No matter how many times he's forced to drop the Mask and let others see him, he's always going to want to look this way. Judging by the looks he's getting - mostly from girls, which sucks - it's a good look to have. He whips out his cell phone and takes a self. For posterity.

[Quick]

Book-keeping.

[Coco]

Amidst the backdrop of the club, as pedestrian as it may have been, it was easy for Quick to pick out a pair of black and yellow antennae bobbing above the heads of the people on the dance floor. It was even easier to pick them out, too, when they were rocked with the force of a slap and a moment later when an angry women stormed out of the club, shortly followed by the rather dazed looking owner of the antennae stumbling towards the bar, a red hand print clearly evident on her right cheek.

"Well well, I guess I still haven't had enough to drink. I definitely still felt that," the Wasp-y woman loudly commented to herself before breaking into a fit of giggles and leaning heavily against the bar. Her faceted eyes gleamed like kaleidoscopes in the lights of the club, her clubbing outfit showing off her inhumanly tapered waist and trimmed stomach.

[Quick]

Now there's a sight to set the Levinquick blinking. Normally a girl - one who doesn't look like a threat - would probably just fade into the background. But this girl is different. Like one of the Freehold. And Quick has never seen her before. Or, you know, smelled her. Some perfumes might smell a little flowery, but there's something fresh about her scent. Something very, very Spring. A waspy Spring. Shouldn't she be prettier? Like... Spring pretty? Definitely not a threat. Not even after the same things, if that angry woman was slapping for that kind of reason.

"Not your night?" he asks, smiling and baiting the Wasp to chat. "It happens." Just not to him. "Haven't even started drinking. So if you need another... always into helping a friend." His hand traces up his own forehead and unceremoniously taps right where her antennae sprout from her forehead.

[Coco]

The Wasp turned towards the manwhore trying to hit on her, a surge of annoyance punching through her delicate mood...

Only to realize that, perhaps, she'd misread the situation entirely.

"Oh?" Coco returned, her brows rising in challenge. "And just what, if I might ask, makes you think we might be friends? Are you rolling deep with one of the HBICs? Which one? You look a little too muted to be Flower Power, though I guess you could be one of those Iron Throne dweebs. Well, screw it! Buy me a drink pretty bow! Just don't any ideas. I only bat for one team, even if they're usually calling foul."

The liquor already inside the Wasp's veins bubbled to the surface and she couldn't help but laugh at her own sub-par word play. It was much easier to buy into her own brilliance when her blood was already so buoyant.

[Quick]

He laughs, in spite of the seriousness of the Wasp girl. "I'm good friends with some of those 'dweebs'. I'm, uh... more the silent type. Enjoying the season before it fades." But if he's muted, what does that make her? Not important. Make friends. The necessary kind of friendship. "Guessing I don't have to ask if you're trouble? For these friends of mine?" Quick doesn't usually make threats. Not his thing. But the seriousness in what isn't spoken comes pretty close.

He flags down the bartender and orders two shots of tequila. Each. New girl has an edge, and it needs to be blunted. Leaning on his elbows at the bartender pours, his head swivels towards the Wasp. "No offense, sweetie, but I don't get ideas. Not with women." He slides two of the shots her way. Grins wickedly. "Here's to never having to compete." In quick no-nonsense succession, the Levinquick drains his two shots. Winces a little as he sets the glasses back down. "Call me James. Or Quick. Got something I should call you?"

[Coco]

"No offense to you, Sweetie, but I was stopping trouble in this city before you even found your way out of the park," Coco shot back, a fierce grin flashing across her face, the Wasp's opalescent teeth gaining a sinister shine in the light of the club.

"But very well, Quick, I can appreciate your concern, especially after what you've seen of me so far," she admitted, turning her head to emphasize blossoming handprint across her face.

"Don't worry, I've had worse," she added helpfully, picking up one of the thoughtfully offered shots of tequila and tossing it back. "Mmm. In the past I usually went with whiskey or vodka, but Tequila does have a nice spice to it. Which, is only fitting for people like us, don't you think? We're the seasoning that every party needs. Shall we toast to that? I tend to enjoy competition, personally, but it's always nice to meet interesting people. You can call me Coco, by the way."

[Quick]

This city. This one? The Levinquick grins right back. But his doesn't have the same edge. Someone's come back after the Dragon left died? He wonders if he should ask Sasha about her.

Quick's eyes widen a bit at the color blooming on the Wasp's face. That wasn't exactly what he was worried about. But maybe he should be. A little. But as his thoughts twist into finding some witty quip about spice, she drops a bomb. Coco drops a bomb. More blinks. He wishes he hadn't downed both shots at once.

"You're Coco? I've, uh... heard of you. Friend of mine mentioned you a while back." So this is the edgy girl named after a cereal-box character that 'no one liked'? Challenge accepted. "Did you mean what you said, though? About stopping trouble? Kinda my thing too... just haven't gotten around to doing anything important." Quick shifts a little in his seat. The music isn't the only thing eating him now. Who the hell is he compared to some veteran who's probably done something useful for the Freehold.

He orders another shot, silently cursing the hangover he's going to have tomorrow. "Alright, Coco. To spice."

[Coco]

"To intoxicating, extraordinary, and stimulating spice!" Coco cried, raising her shot high into the air before tossing it back with the abandon of one who has absolutely nothing to lose. The liquor washed over her tongue, igniting a trail of tingling sparks as it rushed down her throat and settled with a warm glow deep in her belly.

"Ah!" Coco gasped, flipping the empty glass in the air, snatching it free, and then setting it back atop the bar. She was about to wave the bartender down for another, hopefully still on Quick's credit card, but was caught by a sudden realization as she thought back to what her companion had said.

"Wait! You've actually heard of me before?" Coco questioned, the surprise on her face almost as comical as the way the club lights seemed to make the handprint on her face blaze as brightly as her hair.

"What did they say? Who was it? Was it good?" the Wasp demanded in rapid fire succession, the speed of her questions only surpassed by the strange mix of desperation and worry in her voice.

[Quick]

Quick lets out a short laugh, then kills his new shot. Kinda nice to hang with someone who can handle their drinks. Or have them at all, really. Not that he doesn't love Sera to pieces...

His eyes watch Coco's little stunt and he offers a couple claps and a grin on its completion. Even more so when she flips out over being semi-famous. He opens his mouth to answer, but the questions come hard and fast. That's... whoa. Dirty. Drinks are kicking in. Quick can't stop himself from laughing at the innuendo in his head. But he tries to. His hand floats in front of his mouth until he composes himself. Should he tell her?

Nah.

  2 successes

Date		Action		Roll		Result
2018-03-13 20:05:41		Quick rolls 6 to Manip + Subterfuge to little white lie (10 Again)		5, 8, 7, 8, 1, 2		2 successes

"Um... mostly nice things. From Mhairi. She says you were friends."