Closed Dance the Worries Away (Azira, Marrin)

[Azira]

   

The teen smiled at the glassworker's compliment. She wasn't exactly going to say that Azira looked terrible now, was she? The compliment sounded genuine though; the Avora was actually complimenting her appearance and not just saying what was expected of her. The huntress didn't really think of herself as particularly attractive; there were other prettier girls than herself. It was always a nice surprise for someone to comment positively on her appearance.

The girl laughed softly at the comment that Syveris made about the jewellery. The woman had been all for buying the necklace whereas Azira had been resistant to the idea. This was her way of saying that she had been right and the girl couldn't help but be amused.

They walked side by side in silence for a few moments before Suveris asked the Avora what she intended to do in the club. To be perfectly honest, she had no idea. She didn't dance, didn't want to and couldn't imagine herself ever doing so. Drinking was out too. The one time she had drank, she'd greatly disliked the taste and probably couldn't handle alcohol anyway. There wasn't a lot else that you could do in the club was hookup with someone and she most definitely was not going to do that.

"I don't really drink and I don't dance at all so I don't know really," she replied, feeling stupid. There was absolutely no point in her going at all but yet here she was letting Syveris drag her along. She wanted to spend more time with the girl and that was probably the only reason that she was going.

When they reached the club entrance, Syveris hung back a bit. For a tick, she thought that the woman was reluctant to answer but then she realised that she was just letting Azira decide to proceed at her own pace. The huntress didn't want to dally outside, convincing herself why she shouldn't go in so she grabbed her companion's arm and half-dragged, half-led her into the Inclement Weather.

The club was already fairly packed so they had to push their way to the bar. Azira didn't know what to do. She didn't really want to drink and water was out. She didn't trust herself not to be poisoned. The girl also wanted to mind her pinions so that didn't help much.

"Hey, Syveris! Why don't you buy me a drink for my birthday? I'm a bit short on funds," she told her friend, twisting her head around to look back at the girl over her shoulder as they pushed their way up to the bar. The red head squeezed into a space at the bar as she turned back around, not noticing the blonde until she was practically beside him. There weren't that many people around Wind Reach and this particular person she'd been running into far too often for her liking. Well that wasn't strictly true. She would have liked to run into him more often if she could manage not to rip his head off.

The Avora's cheeks began to warm and she tried to tell herself that it was only the heat of the place, the closeness of the people but she knew the real reason was the hunter, who to her shame, she'd become attracted to. She could only hope that Syveris didn't notice her reaction, that would be difficult to explain.

"For petch sake!" the girl hissed. She could only hope that he hadn't heard her conversation with Syveris. She didn't want him asking her questions about it or she might just fly off the handle and she certainly didn't want that. Why did he have to be here on one of the very few occasions that she came here? It just wasn't fair.

x

[Syveris]

Azira took a while to answer the question, and, when she did, it wasn't really helpful. However, Syveris found herself smiling at it. She was happy that the huntress was making an effort to spend time with her, since it was obvious that the Inclement Weather wasn't a place that the other woman would go frequently. The Avora tried to think about what they could do, besides dancing and drinking. Nothing popped to her mind, but she didn't mind. They could always think of something right on the spot, and there was always the possibility that, maybe, the huntress would change her mind.

Although she tried to give Azira time to enter when they reached the Inclement, the other didn't seem like she wanted to linger outside. Syveris chuckled, amused by the way the huntress dragged her inside the full place, but she let the woman guide her to whatever place she wanted. Looking around, it seemed like the place was even fuller than the last time she was there, and she had to squeeze herself between the people to be able to keep up with the other woman. The music had the same cheerfulness and it was just as loud as she remembered, and it made her smile. Syveris liked how it had the power of making her happier just by listening to the beat. She already felt like dancing, but said nothing as she followed Azira. Maybe she could suggest it later, but not right now.

As they walked between the crowd of people, Syveris noticed they were heading for the bar, and she tried not to flinch. The bar was really the last place she wanted to be inside the Inclement Weather, but maybe they would just chat and the Avora didn't exactly needed to drink anything, even if she was at the bar and even if Azira did. She hoped so, at least. It wasn't like she had come enough times to actually know the rules of the place. When Azira asked her for a drink, Syveris smiled at the girl.

"Sure, why not? Order whatever you want." she didn't want to spend too much on drinks, but they were celebrating the huntress' birthday, and Syveris wouldn't deny a request from her. Specially since the girl had already forced herself to come. Besides, she had promised a birthday present. The Avora wasn't sure buying her drinks qualified as such, but she didn't need to think too much into it. Syveris squeezed herself between Azira and a male Inarta, who was talking to a woman in a language that made her blush. She returned her attention to the huntress, trying to block off the other conversation. "So, what do you want?"

The other, however, didn't answer. She was focused on the person besides her, a blond man with light eyes, although Syveris couldn't see the exact color in the dim light. Definitely not a full Inarta, though. The Avora looked back at Azira, opening her mouth to ask if she knew him, but the huntress was blushing, and she looked uncomfortable.

"Azira..." she began to talk, although she was already sure of the answer. When the girl hissed, Syveris stopped talking, and bit her lower lip. The huntress was clearly annoyed at something, and this something was probably the boy. "Azira, who is he?" she asked, with her voice as low as she could, but still loud enough to be heard above the music. "Are you alright or do you want to leave? Or change places?" it would be a pity to leave so soon, but she wouldn't make Azira stand there if she didn't want to.

x Poppy

[Azira]

   

She could just ignore him. There was nothing stopping her from ignoring him. If she left him alone then maybe he'd do the same for her. At least she hoped so. She purposely angled her body away from him so that she was pretty much facing Syveris. The girl had obviously noticed her reaction to Marrin's presence because she began to question her on it.

When the glassworker suggested that they leave, the huntress shook her head vigorously, determined not to run away just because the hunter was here. She also shook her head at Syveris's suggestion that they switch places. He was not going to influence her like that. Just because he was there didn't mean anything.

"It's fine, Syveris. I'm staying where I am but thanks. Let's just get something to drink, okay?" she replied, keeping her voice as low as possible as well though she leaned in close so that the girl could hear her. "Honestly I'm fine, I just have problems with certain people." The teen nodded her head subtly in Marrin's direction, mouthing the word "Bastard" so that Syveris would get some insight into her feelings. It wasn't her full feelings though. She was still annoyed with herself for liking him and was annoyed at him too for causing it.

"I think I need something to drink now. Any suggestions? I don't really know what you can drink here. When I was here last I had wine," she told her friend, speaking a bit louder now.

x

[Syveris]

Azira refused to leave or to change places, so Syveris just let the subject drop. If the huntress wanted to leave, she would say so. Azira said something more, and the Avora thought she had just called the blond a 'bastard'. She had to chuckle a little. It was obvious that the man bothered Azira in a quite special way. If he was truly someone the huntress hated, then Syveris was sure she wouldn't have stayed there. Maybe there was something more to those 'problems' she was having. The Avora chuckled again, knowing she was just imagining things. She didn't know the huntress that well, after all. But the thought was a amusing one to muse over, and the blush at the huntress' face when she had saw the other just made it even funnier.

She stayed quiet, though. Syveris didn't have a dead wish, and she wasn't looking forward to argue with Azira tonight, which would probably happen if she blurted out what she was thinking. The Avora focused on the music, watching the dancing floor while she thought about the the others question. She had only drunk once, so she wasn't even sure about what they had.

"To tell you the truth, I've had only one type of drink before. It was the Eagle Cocktail." she blushed a little at the obvious choice. True, she had chosen it only by its name, but it turned out to be delicious. Which was exactly the problem. "It's amazing, but I only recommend if you have a lot of self-control." the blush deepened, and Syveris shook her head, annoyed at herself. "I'm not sure about the others, though. The man I was with ordered Feather Bed, I think, and he seemed to enjoy it." Syveris tried to remember the name of other drinks, but she couldn't. "Maybe we can ask the barman?" Syveris wasn't sure if that was weird or not, but the worse it could happen would be the barman looking at them like they were idiots.

x Poppy

[Marrin]

As the second Fire was set in front of him, he overheard the conversation of two nearby girls who sat beside him. One of their voices was familiar, though he couldn’t pick out where it was from. He glanced over, only getting an eyeful of long, red hair. As soon as he heard the word birthday, though, his plan was set. As they continued to talk, he motioned the bartender over, gesturing to the two girls with his head. ”Surprise them with two of my Ivak’s, I’ll pay for ‘em. We have a birthday girl here.” The bartender caught his mischievous grin and smiled in turn, getting the ingredients together once more. Marrin didn’t normally buy drinks for people, but the first drink had him feeling warm and content. As he downed the second one and slid the mug across the counter he could feel himself smiling a bit more. He was simply pleased, pleased with all the world. These people around him were his friends, whether he knew them or not, and he was buying drinks for the mysterious birthday girl. He shook his head, knowing he was a little bit tipsy. He wanted to stay conscious long enough to meet the girls he was buying drinks for. As the blue flames were lit on the other side of the bar, the two girls finished their conversation as one girl suggested Eagle Cocktails. That was the drink he’d stolen when he first arrived, and he shook his head. It was far too sweet for his tastes, but he’d been drinking since being apprenticed. Both he and his master had bonded over a mutual love of alcohol, and the habit hadn’t left him. Luckily, he was a happy drunk. ”S’cuse me, ladies, but I couldn’t help but overhear it’s the anniversary of one of you surviving another full year of life.” He smiled as they turned in his direction, surprised at the one he ended up recognizing. ”Azira? Is it your birthday? Doesn’t matter, I’m buying you both drinks. Ever had an Ivak’s Fire? It’s not nearly as sweet as your friend’s Eagle Cocktail, but I say it’s all the better. Let the magic of fire be what makes a good drink rather than juices and syrups.” Just then the bartender poured the drinks, causing two enormous gouts of blue flame to shoot from the large glass mugs. He set the two in front of the girls, and Marrin couldn’t help but chuckle at their surprise. ”Best get a start on those. Gotta drink it fast before it gets all mixed up and warm. The thrill is in the mix of temperatures, therein.” If there was any bad blood remaining between himself and Azira, he’d forgotten it as soon as his lips had touched the cup. As far as he was concerned, they were friends. Just like everyone here tonight was his friend.

[Azira]

   

Azira listened closely to the glassworker's suggestion. Judging by the blush, the drink she'd had caused her to do something embarrassing but she didn't get the comment about self-control. Did it mean that it was difficult to stop drinking them or was it just difficult to control yourself when you started drinking them? She didn't know and wasn't sure if she wanted to test it out either. The huntress wouldn't probe into the past so she let the girl blush without comment as she considered what to do.

She was about to suggest that Syveris ask, so that she could be the embarrassed one, not the birthday girl but his voice came from behind her. She turned enough to see his face and regretted it. He was just smiling away, that stupid grin plastered on his face. It made her sick, well at least when she was in possession of her senses anyway which apparently wasn't now. The Avora felt nervous all of a sudden now that she was actually looking at him. She tried to concentrate.

The hunter seemed surprised to see her but only vaguely so as if seeing her there was no big deal. He was talking about buying them drinks and she found herself shaking her head. The name of the drink didn't help matters either. It sounded like liquid fire or something and Azira didn't like the idea one bit. When it did arrive though, she gawked at it as it spat flames, shocked by what she was seeing. Not only was he being serious but it seemed as if he'd bought them something that was going to be very alcoholic. She'd realised that he'd been drinking the same thing and look at him! He wasn't in his full senses all ready!

"It was my birthday a few days ago, so what? And I'm not drinking that, especially of you've bought it. You must be drunk of you think I'll go along with this," she replied coolly, eyeing the drink suspiciously. Her gaze darted back up to his for a moment but she couldn't hold it anymore thanks to her little revelation. Gods, how drunk is he if he thinks I'll go along with this camaraderie? the girl wondered as she eyed the drink again. Her nose wrinkled slightly at the smell of alcohol and she wondered if she should just drink it. He was paying for it after all. The teen had no idea what to do. She glanced at Syveris as if looking for help.

x

[Syveris]

Before Azira could answer her question, a voice interrupted them. The huntress turned, almost immediately, and Syveris looked over the others head, straight to the man that was offering them drinks. She saw the grin on his face, and looked back to her friend, not sure what she would do. She had said that there had been problems with the man, but Syveris didn't think that he was caring too much about it. Of course, it could always be because of the drinks.

The Avora was thinking of something to say, not really sure she should engage in conversation with someone Azira was uncomfortable with. The man seemed alright, though. However, she suddenly forgot everything when the drinks arrived, looking with amazement at the blue flames. The name of the stuff was incredible accurate. It was actually pretty, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to drink. It seemed too strong for her.

Azira refused the drink, although Syveris thought it was more because of her pride and whatever had happened between them than because she truly didn't want to drink it. The huntress looked at her, as if she was unsure of what to do. Syveris watched the drinks. Well, they were free, something new and she doubted they would make her drunk with just one shot. Besides, the man had said they shouldn't take too long to drink it. She smiled at him, and nodded a quick thanks.

"I think we should just enjoy it." the Avora said, grabbing one mug and putting the other closer to Azira. "If something happens, we can always blame it on him, can't we?" she was just kidding, of course, but maybe if she said that the huntress would drink the thing, and maybe she would relax. "Just... Just don't let me drink anything else for a while, alright?" the request was directed at the two of them. She had some resistance to alcoohol, but she had little when it came to the amount of drinks she could have.

Shruggind, Syveris drank the Ivak's Fire, wincing at the strange feeling on her throat, that soon expanded to her whole body. It was warm and cold at the same time, and although the taste of the drink was terrible, she actually enjoyed the sensation when the surprise of feeling the strange mix was gone. The Avore felt her mind becoming a little clouded. Well, she could always hope she still had enough self-control to not make something too stupid. The Avora glanced at the dancing floor, and smiled to herself. Maybe something just a little stupid would be alright.

"Hey, let's dance!" she grabbed both Azira's and the man's wrist and pulled them towards the people dancing. Somewhere on the back of her mind, she was wondering if Azira would be bothered by her behaviour. But it was a small part, the one that the drink hadn't reached yet. If the huntress got angry, she could always appologize. "What's your name, anyway?" Syveris asked, sending a quick glance at the blond man.

x Poppy

[Marrin]

Marrin’s smile widened as soon as she mentioned that is was indeed close to her birthday. Anything after that went in one ear and out the other. He had celebrating to attend to. ”Happy birthday! Drink up! We can’t have you wasting your special night.” He reached over and slid the mug in front of her. ”Best hurry. It’s only good for a minute or two before it mixes up and goes to shyke.” She was advised by her friend to drink it, following suit and chugging the drink down. He could tell she’d discovered that you didn’t drink Ivak’s Fire for the flavor but the sensation. The drink itself was bitter and nutty in flavor, strongly alcoholic. But combined with the spinning temperatures that came with the poured drink, it was truly an experience to behold. He ordered one final one for himself before paying the man his Pinion, the blast of blue flame far more amusing after two had already made their way into his belly. As it was served to him he grabbed the handle and clinked it against Azira’s glass, whether she was drinking from it or not. ”To the birthday girl and her everlasting health and all that shyke.” He was downing it before anyone else could protest. Just as he set it back on the bar, he was grabbed by the wrist by Azira’s friend, dragging the two of them to the dance floor. He could feel the beat of the drums running through him, the pulse like the heartbeat of the underground. He’d never really thought of the dance floor as the place for him, he’d never danced before, but now with all his friends around him having a good time he couldn’t help but let the music flow through him. He wasn’t sure what he was doing, but his hands were above his head, fingers interlocked, and his hips were swaying to and fro. It felt good to let go like this, to just let all his troubles float away. It was like being carried away on a river of sound, warm and calming yet exciting. A voice shattered his alcoholic dream, causing to blink a few times at the speaker, but his grin quickly returned to his face upon seeing who it was. “I’m Marrin. You are?”

[Azira]

   

Ugh. How had she even landed herself in this situation? That idiot was getting drunk and probably wasn't even listening to most of what Azira was saying. Syveris wasn't helping matters, encouraging to drink the Ivak's fire that he'd bought for them. The girl had drank her own and then the huntress had been at a loss of what to do. Marrin clinking his glass against hers along with his words made her look at him strangely but reluctantly she raised the drink to her lips and knocked it back.

The teen almost choked at the sudden, bitter taste of the alcohol in her mouth. The mixture of hot and cold liquid chased down her throat, searing it as it went down. She didn't even get a chance to complain about it because Syveris suddenly grabbed herself and Marrin and began to drag them away from the bar and towards the dance floor.

"No way! What did I say about dancing? I don't dance and I won't dance and this isn't fair," she whined. It certainly sounded like a whine to her ears, a childish sound but she didn't care. The teen was not going to dance and that was final. 

As they moved into the crowd of dancing people, Azira pulled herself free and stopped where she stood, a mistake because she was immediately jostled around. Syveris seemed fairly oblivious to her protests, the drink clearly having gone to her head. Marrin was drunk as well, happily dancing away until the glassworker asked his name.

"Syveris! I'm not dancing, all right?" she tried again, shouting to be heard over the music. "I wouldn't talk to him if I was you but never mind I'm going to go and find somewhere to sit!" The girl turned and began to push her way through the crowd, something that was extremely hard to do for some reason. That drink didn't seem to be agreeing with her either, it seemed to churn in her stomach and the people around her were starting to blur at the edges.

The majority of the citizens were out on the dance floor or up at the bar so very few of the little alcoves were occupied. She moved past ones with couples in them and found an empty one for her to slip into. Relieved, the huntress sat down and placed her head in her hands. Her brain wasn't quite as sharp as normal, something she blamed on the alcohol taking effect, but she was still able to decipher her confusing emotions.

Leaving Syveris alone with Marrin wasn't something that she was at all comfortable with. Well, she hadn't liked the glassworker talking to her fellow hunter either. Definite pangs of jealousy there so it was better that she was away, eapecially as the drink didn't seem to be helping. Perhaps she could sit here until the alcohol had run its course or at least the effects had been diminished. She hoped that Syveris wouldn't come to find her and drag her back.

x

[Syveris]

Syveris couldn't help but chuckle at the man's attempt at a toast. The words hadn't been exactly what you say to someone having a birthday, but she exclaimed a 'happy birthday' to Azira all the same. The Avora could tell that Azira hadn't liked the taste of it either, but at least she had drunk it. They could always drink a different one later to take the taste off. There was something about this thought that worried her, but right now she only wanted to have fun.

As they made their way to the dancing floor, or rather, as she dragged them there, Syveris could hear the protests coming from Azira, but the drink had settled fully now, and in her mind the huntress would like it if she tried, so she just kept going to the dancing space, the music already filling her with expectation.

Finally, she released their wrists, and laughed when the male Inarta began to dance happily, seeming to be enjoying the music. Following his lead, Syveris raised her hands and shook her hips, on a slower motion than the other, but following the beat all the same. The relaxing feeling washed over her once again, as if there wasn't a single care in the world anymore, only the music around them, entering her being and moving her. Maybe the drink was helping to create the almost ethereal sensation she was feeling, or maybe it was because now, she was among friends. The Avora didn't care which one was true.

"Syveris." she offered her name, only stopping the dance when she heard Azira say that she was going to find somewhere to sit, and walked away. She was sure that the other had been dancing with them too. Syveris frowned, wondering why the huntress wasn't even going to try. It was so fun! The Avora also couldn't understand why she was so angry around this Marrin, when it was obvious she didn't hate him. Maybe she didn't like him either, but definitely not hate. "Do we go after her?" the alcohol was pushing her to the beat of the song, telling her to dance and forget about everything else, and it was hard enough to disobey, but a little corner of her mind was also telling her to go after Azira. She couldn't really make her mind, though.

x Poppy