Lorne's Appletini

Lorne Harlequin looks up and through the selection of liquors, still for some while, up one row and down the other. Seeming to decide, with a nod of His head, He raises a hand to the martini glasses, sliding an index finger down the stem of one, and slipping it between His ring and middle finger. Reaching up, He grasps a bottle of gin in the same hand as the glass, and the other hand He wrapps firmly around a bottle of vermuth's neck. turning to the counter. Setting the items down, He opens and reaches slowly within the cold. He brings out ice, and lifts a finger to look for the appropriately sized mixing shaker

Ethan Seelowe is still focused too much on Brit to notice anything else in the surrounding are and never loses Brit from his sight, his eyes still searching for hers whenever the movement demands them to lose track of each other, as he notices little shiny beads of sweat appearing on her body an impish grin appears on his face and he keeps increasing the rythm gradually whenever he notices Brit is not looking down at his feet for guidance during the dance anymore

Larissa Starostin walks to the bar, eyebrow raised and sits by the bar, she leans at the bar with the elbows, and supports her chin with her hand, watching him prepare drinks.

Bridgette Plunkett stumbles once not remembering to move in front of him once. Her hands grab his arms to keep from falling. Once steady, she seems to fall into the pattern of the dance. Slowly following Ethan's lead as she becomes more fluid in her movement and confident in her steps. Her eyes peek up at him as she giggles slightly once she has the motion memorized. Then, she starts following a bit faster. Her heart pumps faster to allow her body to keep up with the dance that goes on and on. Brit follows not realizing how much energy dancing can absorb. Her hair swings over his arm and across her back. She continues to turn and follow. Her body brushing past his time and time again.

Lorne Harlequin smiles, turning His eyes up to Larissa and Ethan and Brit, then back to the preparations. Having placed ice into the mixing vessel, tranfering vermuth in, and then out again, lightly flavoring the ice, He moves on to include the gin in the mixer, and closes it tight, lifting it to shake vigorously for a time. Smiling to Larissa, He continues along the line of His labor, eventually slowing to cesation. He shakes it once again, shortly, then once shorter, as though precision where necessary near this delicate end time, then lowers the vessel to open it with a pop. Producing the strainer from the set, He drains the nearly done martini into it's accompanying glass. Pausing a moment on Larissa's eyes, He looks for a moment at the dancers, and reaches beneath the counter, coming up with a tapped bottle of flavoring. He looks down as He adds the syrup, and a strong scent of apples wafts delicately, across the dance floor.

Larissa draws circles and spirals and all sorts of symbols on the bar with her finger without attention to them, and watches Lorne's movements with a smile in the corner of her mouth, inspecting the bottles and their contents, as well as his hands, holding the bottles and preparing the drink. She swallows.

Ethan slows down the rythm a little bit after noticing everything he wants to notice and presses Brit much tighter to him their bodies pressed against each other as the moves are fluid by now and the intruiging flirty way of dancing is affecting his way of holding her, dancing around her slower and slower, their thighs rubbing against each other as one passes the other's side, foreheads almost touching, fingers entwined not letting go at any moment and most importantly, his eyes constantly seeking out hers, looking deep into hers as if tryint to probe her very 'soul' in the process as he whispers in her ear

Ethan moves a bit back after whispering and grins before continuing

Bridgette peeks up at Ethan and giggles slightly giving him a nod. She hugs him tightly as she slowly circles. Her hair hangs down her back as she slows the dance. Watching him, she notices her heartbeat starting to slow.

Larissa swallows, but she is not looking at the drinks, but Lorne's lips. Her lips part slightly, and her eyes brighten as the aroma of apple reaches her and she blushes, turning away, as if cought on a thought. As she turns away, she watches the dancers, and smiles, She straightens her back, composing herself on the chair in a proper, ladylike posture.

Lorne Harlequin slides His fingers along the counter, pressing the appletini to the extreme corner, needing almost to lean over it to reach. Coming back to His heels, He smiles with a strange sort of cool curl to His lips, seeing to the dishes He's dirtied. His tongue, it seems, peaks out from beneath His incisors, the slit's of His pupils widenning at her for a lingering moment echoing most softly with the sound of breath of the back of His throat, and then He turns, bearing the mixing apparatus to the sink. "Is there something /you/ would enjoy Larissa?" He looks over His shoulder at her, turning the water on, eyes flicking attentive, almost predatory about her person "Hm?" His eyes flick to follow her gaze, pupils narrowing, and He returns to mundane chores.

Larissa turns back to Lorne. "Hmmm?" She opens her lips to answer and looks him in the eye for the first time this evening, and spends there some time, taken by the swirls of colours. She tilts her head, blowing up the hair from her face "I do enjoy watching you attending /Mundane chores/ like mixing drinks and such... It gives me a grand illusion."

Bridgette sings softly, "As the world falls down...falling...falling.." She nuzzles Ethan and swings around again slowly.

Lorne Harlequin's slowly parting smiles is hidden behind His shoulder. His hands find their way over the rag and detergent, sliding the sopping rag up the curve of the mixing vessel, slowly up and down, then the other side. His head inclines slightly, leaving a hint of His smile to show through the gap under His arm, the lightest glisten of teeth seen there. His hands slow near to stillness, even while His eyes flick faster from feature to feature about her face. His voice, low as a growl, but smooth as the undisturbed mirror pool of a caldera, reflecting the summer moon and clouds "It isn't Mine, or My activities' to grant you illusions, Larissa, grand or otherwise...It's simply what life is--what afterward will be...but do spread a clutch of details and lay exposed to Me a description of all that's on your mind by mentioning it so..." His hand quests and inserts the sopping rag inside the mixer, lifts the slutch from the counter, and turns it over and over under his eyes, one brow raised

Bridgette seems to realize that she and Ethan have just been standing in the dancefloor...barely dancing...swaying slightly and caught up in a quiet exchange of glances. Looking over her shoulder, she sadly sees the sky lighten. Turning back to him, she rocks up on her toes and brushes her lips over his lingering longer than allowed for the kiss to be called simply sweet.

Bridgette Plunkett: "i smell apples...."

Larissa softly breathes, following his movements, and smiles, answering barely audibly, the blush slowly returning to her face. "You torture me to admit to my fondness of your corporeal appearance"

Bridgette Plunkett watches Ethan leave and knows he will return. She sways to the music slightly as she wonders ABOUT something smells of apples.

Lorne's pupil's narow to slits, eyes showing still a moment, the flick to Brit. He slowly turns, with a breath as steadily drawn out. His head is inclined, and eyes carefully appraise her as she dances. His pupils widen slightly as she asks, and He breathes "The glass at the end of the counter is where the smell is coming from" He lifts a hand, presenting the martini glass

Larissa averts her gaze, to look rather behind Lorne than to him, watch Brit dance in the reflection of the bottles.

Bridgette walks down to the bar and picks up the glass sniffing it. The familiar scent of apples permeates her nose and she smiles. Dipping a finger into the liquid, she tastes it. "It's like liquid apples...only different from juice.

Bridgette takes a bullet, silver-colored, out of her stocking and gazes at it for a very long time. She turns it in the low light blinking slightly before tucking it away more properly.

Lorne Harlequin turns to Larissa again, His voice continues along the low sultry pitch it has been "Is it agony to admit? Is it a bitter taste in the back of your throat...?" He inhales deep as He leans across the counter toward her "Is the taste as sour in the back of your throat as it is sweet on your lips?" His lips hesitate within an inch from her's, and part, releasing a breath "Delicious..." He whispers, and straightens up again "Have a drink, Brit. I made it for you..."

Bridgette starts to drink. "Thanks!" The rim is placed on her lips and she stops, "Not magic, right?"

Lorne grins with a grand display of cruel amusement, carefully tucked away into the corners of His mouth and eyes. Still watching Larissa, He shakes His head slowly, and says with ominous overtones carefully given voice, and aimed at Larissa with His eyes, even while He answer's Brit "No, Brit. Not one drop or even intent to use magic..."

Larissa closes her eyes, feeling his breath on her face. She leans closer to him in the moment he straightens, as if magnetized, and opens her eyes, glancing sideways to check Brit and her glass of "applejuice", than back to Lorne, smile curling up. "It is a sweet agony indeed, with all the proper dosage of pain and pleasure"

Bridgette Plunkett peeks down at the appletini and looks from Lorne to Larissa. She sips it and almost immediately feels the alcohol warm her cheeks.

Lorne Harlequin's eyes narrow slightly, and flit to Brit. His voice carries inquisitively out to her "Is it good, Brit?"

Bridgette remembers hearing something like this from him once before. With the pie. She seems to quiet a bit. "Yah." She brushes back her hair and sips more remembering a dream where the same question was asked. Her dreams have been quieter with her new necklace though.

Larissa Starostin watches Brit drink, and nods, thinking one glass could not her her. Hopefully. She follows Lorne's moves, her smile turning to serious.

Bridgette has never had alcohol. She sips it a bit more rather continuously. Thirsty from dancing all night, she drains her glass. "It tastes like apples." Giggling, she says, "It's pretty yummy...but doesn't taste like the apples in the garden...because those apples...crunch." It makes sense to her.

Lorne Harlequin furrows His brow as the cap of the martini mixer pops off the counter and clatters to the floor. He walks to the front of the counter to retrieve it, looking idly at Larissa as He straightens. He smiles to Brit, and returns behind the counter "There's many forms of apple..." He looks around, seeing the martini mixer still 2/3rds full, He lifts it, suggesting a refill

Larissa drinks hers quickly and shakes her head a bit. She offers softly: "Brit, if you are too thirsty, you might rather wish to drink water as well."

Bridgette: "Yah...i'm way thirsty." she looks longingly at her glass.

Lorne Harlequin's eyes flick to Larissa as He sets the lid before her on the counter. The lid twitches slightly. Lorne's eye flick to it and back to Larissa's, a curiously mysterious smile parting His lips. Turning back to Brit "Bring Me your glass, Brit."

Bridgette places her glass on the counter and, at Larissa's suggestion, she says, "Water?"

Larissa watches.

Lorne Harlequin smiles, pouring another glass full, turning the appleflavoring bottle into the glass. Finished, He pushes the glass again to Brit "After this one, perhaps." His eyes flick to the lid before Larissa as it twitches once more

Bridgette starts to ask for water again, but is so very thirsty. She hears him and lisps, "Okay." Pulling back the glass, she drinks again more than a sip. Somewhere between how a linebacker sucks down gatorade and a healthy gulp.

Larissa frowns, seeing Lorne talk to her like that, and watches him intently. She shifts in her chair uneasily, but smiles to see Brit drink wholeheartedly, and shrugs. Well, Brit gets a little drunk, big deal. She looks back at Lorne though, and senses He has some sort of plan as always, so she follows His moves.

Bridgette feels heat in her tummy as she slides her glass on the bar. Her nose tickles and she hiccups slightly once. Covering her mouth, she giggles with a shrug and slides back against the barstool feeling a little bit different. She holds the seat with both hands leaning against it and feels her senses slowly impair.

Larissa gets up, and moves closer to Brit in case it is too much for her, watching.

Bridgette breathes in and out slowly. The alcohol within quickly moving into her blood stream. She blinks processing and finds that her head feels quite dizzy. She seems to feel her muscles become languid. The music in the room seems to be distant. Seeing Larissa grow near, she looks and giggles playfully.

Lorne Harlequin takes a breath as He watches her drink. He turns to walk out from behind the bar, pushing the mixer lid, the one that's been twitching closer to Larissa as He comes out from behind. He stops to fill a glass with water using the soda spray gun, and approaches. His eyes drift over Larissa, then linger over Brit as He passes, and turns to set the glass of water on the corner of the counter. Crossing His arms over His chest, He smiles warmly "It /is/ good then. I'm glad. Would you like to dance?"

Larissa flashes a glance at Lorne, and leans back.

Bridgette blinks slowly and turns not 100% confidently. "Um. Larissa has not danced tonight." She looks between the two of them...

Larissa nods to her to go on happily, indicating she is not in the mood to dance right now, anyway. She turns, not waiting to see what happens next. She reaches for a glass.

Lorne turns to Larissa's glance, and back to Brit, speaking softer "I asked you..." He offers His hand after a moment.

Larissa definitely pours the rest of the drink for herself.

Bridgette blushes but hushes not knowing what to say to that. Wordlessly, she takes the offered hand.

Larissa glances to the dancefloor, and drinks it up, almost breaking the glass, when she puts it down.

Bridgette dances clumsely at first unable to follow the steps without struggling. Her mind feels almost unable to focus at all. It's a new dance to her and she stumbles.

Lorne Harlequin leads her out to the dance floor, keeping His eyes on her's. Music begins drifting down around them in an upbeat tempo, and He steps with her, to her, and coaxes her against Him. She stumbles, it seems, into His waiting hands, and He pulls her a'rights. Behind Larissa, the lid twiches again, emiting a curious sound something like it had been struck by a BB.

Bridgette practically falls when dipped back. Her head spins and the room seems to spin slightly. She feels thirsty and watches over toward Larissa.

Bridgette watches the bright shiny colors. Wonders why he did not ask to dance with Lar and tries to follow along.

Lorne pulls Brit up to Him again, lifting His hand to slide up her back and bring her eyes and front to His. He holds her there for a time.

Bridgette stares at his eyes. Blinking slowly, she has an odd memory to something she recently dreamt. She slows...pulling away. "I..." She frowns slightly and lisps, "Y..you should dance with your beloved, Lorne...Larissa....likes to dance." Thinking of Ethan, she says, "I...I should go." She turns to go in the wrong direction and has to close her eyes three times to focus.

Larissa Starostin turns, her hands on her hips, face burning a bit, and watches Lorne, dance with Brit, like a puppeteer. As she knows he can hear her say anything, she does not raise her voice too loud, but stands in a perfectly gathered position, and demanding voice. "Will you leave that child alone, and finish that foolish game of yours, Lorne Harlequin?"

Lorne reaches a hand to grasp her's, holding her fast a moment. His voice opines softly "I poured a glass of water for you. Don't want to leave you thirsty."

Bridgette Plunkett blinks processing. The room moves slightly in a circle and she has trouble orienting herself. "Oh..." She feels his hand on her hand. Looking from Larissa to Lorne, she whispers, "Thanks..." She is so thirsty. She can't hear exactly what Larissa said, but she understood the tone in the whisper. If Lar would be mad, then Ethan would be livid. And Brit pulls back harder looking confused.

Larissa grabs the glass of water, Lorne placed on the bar, and closes up on them, restraining the urge, to throw it in Lorne's face. She gives it to Brit, and eyes Lorne while she drinks.

Bridgette takes the water pulling her hand away to take it. She turns to Larissa and clasps the water. Remembering their talk long ago in the diner, she blinks. "Sorry...so sorry," she whispers.

Lorne Harlequin sighs, looking over to Larissa. His voice drifts softly her way, whispering only for her "Perhaps you would like her to wonder out into the streets? Reassure her..."

Larissa smiles at her. "There is no need to apologize for anything. At least, not for you."

Bridgette takes the water and walks over to the column a few steps away. Leaning against it, she sips the water and closes her eyes for a moment.

Lorne Harlequin holds His hand out to Larissa's shoulder, His voice sneaking hushed again to her ear "No caveats. Smiles...My apprentice" As He turns a smile to Brit, He find Larissa soul in His Abyss and closes His fingers around it's heart. Not hard, but enough that the fingers are known

Larissa Starostin looks at him and winces. Her lips curl to a smile, but her eyes flash at him with lightnings like never before.

Larissa walks to Brit, and offers her hand. "Come, we walk."

Lorne Harlequin smiles, stepping closer still, His voice continuing in her mind "Stop". As they nearly leave, He tightens His grip around Larissa's heart

Bridgette Plunkett looks entirely confused. She holds the untouched water. Peeking at Lorne and back to Larissa, and holds Larissa's hand. She stops when Lorne says to stop and turns curiously. Her mind jumbles. Dances are dances. It makes no sense to her. All of it. Tis all so confusing.

Bridgette drinks the water quickly and hiccups again.

Larissa Starostin stops, and looks back at Lorne, fighting to be strong enough to evaporate her tears before they touch her face.

Bridgette blinks slowly watching the glass and then the fans turning slowly. "I....I...Ethan is waiting." It was true and she takes a deep breath still turning the glass.

Lorne Harlequin steps closer to Larissa, reaching a hand to her back. His voice speaks just for her ears "I offer you eternity, Larissa...Forever. And how long have I existed? Will you throw it all away, or will you trust your teacher?...Tell her the dance was alright...no reservations...smile for her..." He produces a small bottle of restorative from a pocket, holding it out to Larissa

Bridgette Plunkett 's lower lip trembles slightly. She feels near tears. Feels she has done something wrong. Her eyes blink slowly trying to sort it all. Her fingers tighten on Larissa's and she says again in barely a whisper, "E..Ethan waits for me." There are no guns. No dangers. And Brit suddenly feels afraid.

Larissa takes it with a firm gesture, and nods just very briefly, turning to Brit. "As I said, nothing wrong, Brit, calm down. The drink you just drank has a strange effect of confusing the mind." She leans closer to her, so that their foreheads meet, and strokes her face. She looks Brit in the eye openly. "Don't worry."

Bridgette watches Larissa furrowing her brow slightly. She doesn't say anything but tries to sort out the meanings and feelings she has. Her eyelashes star slightly and she blinks slowly just afraid...and not understanding at all. Her breathing is a bit labored as if she is very close to tears.

Lorne Harlequin steps to Larissa, drifting His lips near to her ear, and whispering within her "We have forever...if only you remember...I have vowed to protect her, and she has only this one life...I will not take her...Show me how you convince innocense that the sky is not falling."

Bridgette starts to visibly tremble. Her mind swims in thoughts. A dream. Ethan waiting. The time he tore up a wall with his talons for what? A massage with magic that only touched her shoulders. She ambles closer to the bar.

Larissa glances at Lorne, staring into the swirls for a minute, the dislike for playing with drunk Brit reflected in her expression, but she tries to control that before turning to her. She offers the restorative to Brit, and speaks to her softly. "You are way too confused. Drink this. And remember that drinking can confuse you, anytime someone offers you to drink" She acts as if it was an intentional lesson, all set up.

Larissa Starostin adds. "But this is a medicine for that."

Bridgette turns to Larissa and looks at the bottle. She looks at Lar to Lorne and back again. "I...my beloved....he is waiting." Wetness clings to her lashes and causes them to star but drops do not drip onto her cheeks.

Larissa stares and if her eyes could kill, Lorne was ashes already. Very soft, dustlike ashes

She offers her arm. "Come with me Brit, as I said, we should walk. You need fresh air." Lar glances back at Lorne, checking to see if he is satisfied what he has done, and shakes her head slightly. She decides not to offer false smile to Brit at this time, whatever the price.

Bridgette reaches a shaking hand to Larissa and says simply, "Ethan is gonna be way so mad at me." She still thinks she is the cause of the last time. This time, tears splatter on her cheeks.

Lorne Harlequin sighs to Larissa's glare, and approaches, "You've never drunken alcohol before, have you Brit?"

Bridgette doesn't answer but simply feels one tear drop after another slowly collect in great big drips before splattering her cheeks.

Larissa tries to console her, but cannot hide her discomfort. "Ethan will not be mad at you Brit. And you should not worry about Lorne." Interestingly she seems quite honest about that.

Bridgette staggers to a stool and holds it for stability. She sits and feels the weight of the sky fall on her shoulders and just quietly feels each silent tear splatter on her face.

Lorne Harlequin looks up to the new arrival, nodding, then turns back to Brit "It's alright, Brit. We know you meant no harm. If Ethan will be mad, he would be mad for nothing...why not just...not tell him. It was just a dance. Dances are just dances, right?"

Daigan Juran moves slowly towards the small group, "May i ask, what it is you are doing here..."

Bridgette Plunkett nods and sits on the stool none too steadily. "Yah," she whispers. She looks back to the person surprised he is here.

Bridgette Plunkett says to Daigan, whom she does not know, "Vlad says I can come here when I want. And my beloved Ethan brings me here all of the time." Wiping her eyes on her sleeves, she obviously seems at home here.

Daigan Juran nods softly, "If lord Vladimere has offered you sanctuary here, Then I welcome you to our home."

Bridgette Plunkett wipes her eyes and says, "Yah....Vlad is w...way nice....." She sways obviously loaded. "H...he says I am his one good deed....and...Vlad colors with me." Brit is obviously fully grown, but may or may not be all there. "I'm Brit," she lisps.

Larissa Starostin glances to Lorne again, as he offers the lie, and looks back at Brit, feeling the clouds of a big black storm collecting as he suggests that to Brit, and Brit considers it. She looks up at the ceiling, then at the stranger, almost relieved for his presence.