Welcome to Gaia! ::

Ceath eyed Aneira carefully as she walked up to them. He couldn’t help but think that she was too pretty for the job—way too pretty. She should’ve been doing model work or something more worthy of her precious time, not waitressing in a bar that wasn’t anything like what the ginger prince wanted it to be. It would be one day, he kept promising himself. That was all he could manage, a few promises and an eager smile that would either help him or hurt him drastically.

Right now, he decided it would help and so he smiled, as he did regardless of conscious thought. “Well Julian, looks like you should get going.” He gave the dark skinned man a friendly slap on the back and then a hearty laugh when he mentioned the tap. “Well if it isn’t a school night maybe I won’t remind you.” Ceath had to rein himself back a lot with Julian now that Amelia had calmed down about the situation because the curly haired woman would’ve hated Ceath even more if he had gotten Julian shitfaced so early on in their relationship.

The ghost of pain throbbed through his chin then as he thought about his long time best friend. She hadn’t said barely two words to him or Julian since the night he had moved in. The only one who had received any kind of response was Kindle and it had been negative as well. Not only had she kept silent, but also she had refused to sleep in their room. Instead, she retreated to the couch. He had caught her looking at the empty space of the lamp and more guilt bubbled in him—it didn’t matter how annoying he was about it, she wasn’t getting over it anytime soon.

This was confirmed by the fact that she hadn’t shown up to any of her shifts for the bar and Amelia was never late to anything. He couldn’t exactly fire her, not that he ever would, but he wasn’t quite sure what to do about it either. Looking at the positives he thought about how it had given him more time to be around Aneira, as he had volunteered to take all of his roommate’s shifts until she simmered down. Feeling hopeful, he figured she might be calmed down by the time the Christmas crowd came around.

Snapping out of his train of thought he looked noticed the calendar behind Julian. It was September 14th and Ceath suddenly felt sick. He pointedly looked at Julian with an unfamiliar expression that could only be described as uncomfortable, “Hey, do me a favor will you?” Before the other man could answer Ceath had walked away and returned with a bottle of Jack Daniels and placed it in Julian’s fumbling hands. “Go take this up to our apartment okay, don’t say anything just place it on the coffee table.” It was the only thing Ceatherine could think of in the time he was allowed. If he had been a smarter man he would’ve told Julian to avoid the apartment like the plague, but the ginger man hadn’t thought that far ahead.

Skye couldn’t believe his luck! He had just slipped from his room (freshly dressed) and happened to run into the attractive boy next door. It seemed like fate, like a dream and Skye’s broad grin only further confirmed it. He glanced down at himself his flared mini skirt was a bubble gum pink that matches his thin lips. The skirt was covered in a beautiful array of lollipops, much like the one that Skye was toying with. He had a simple black crop top on, revealing golden skin freely.

With his free hand he twisted a finger in the end curls of his right pigtail (perfectly symmetrical pigtails mind you—with rather large child like bows affectionately holding them up). The Korean man wondered for a moment if he, perhaps, looked too seductive to receive any comment from the other man who seemed to be tongue-tied by the mere sight of him. Julian had almost fell, which was clearly symbolic for him being close to falling in love with the blonde.

“Are you alright?” Skye purred.

His skin glowed with the warmth that came from unexpected confidence. Of course it hadn’t been exactly a surprise to see Julian, Skye had memorized his work schedule so that he would have a chance alone with him (for apartment b was a war zone and Skye was on the dragon lady’s hit list).

Perhaps if he got Julian out of the hallway and into a more intimate setting they would finally get the chance to know each other. To really know each other. He put the lollipop into cheek and latched onto Julian’s hand without warning. “Come watch a movie with me Julian. I promise, it’ll be worth it.” His heels clacked loudly as he started towards the apartment, hand clinging tightly to the dark skinned man.

Skye looked back at the dark skinned man with his chocolate eyes and searched for some kind of hint that what he was saying was true. After a moment Skye decided that it must have been because he was mentioning silly people like Ceatherine, people who really had nothing to do with their lives. With more force then needed he pulled Julian into him and smiled up at the awkward grad student.

“Well if you need a break…” Skye’s fingers skimmed Julian’s back as the Korean man rolled the lollipop over in his mouth, hoping that he had broken any thought Julian had about homework.

But the protest of being with him was not ready to die on Julian’s begging lips and for once, Skye was quite satisfied with this. If Julian wanted to play hard to get, Skye would give it his all—and he would get everything he wanted soon enough. With a firm squeeze of the other man’s a** he released Julian, but not before giving him a flirtatious wink and turning away to saunter dramatically back into his room. Hoping to leave Julian breathless.

Ceatherine’s fingers tapped against the chocolate colored wood in time with the rhythm of whatever top new wave song was trembling in the veins of the bar. His attention was focused on Aneira—he didn’t want to have to explain to Julian why he was to take the bottle. After a few minutes turned his head over his shoulder, copper eyes searching for any sign that Julian had yet to leave. When it was plainly obvious that Julian had left the bar and allowed him and Aneira space, whatever spell of anxiety that had overcame him faded rapidly.

He was sure it would spike later in the night, but for now he would do whatever he possibly could to keep it at bay. Instead he turned towards the large mirror on the back wall of the bar, looking between glass bottles to see his reflection and make sure that working a double shift hadn’t taken a toll on his beautiful complexion. It hadn’t.

The ginger prince’s hair was a bit messier then normal (but attractive nonetheless) and he ran his long fingers through it out of nervous habit. It was getting long and he was still at the long-term debate of whether to cut it or let it grow out just enough to have a short ponytail at the base of his neck.

His copper skin was hugged tightly by the simple black v-neck he had decided was the best option a bar tender could possibly have. The sleeves were short enough that the red dragon that draped his arm could be seen, if only by the tail, along with a few other small tattoos that adorned his skin.

Ceath gave a battered sigh and shrugged his shoulders. “It hasn’t been our best night, by far, but it’s okay.” He gave her a bright smile; “We’re going to make lots of money now that you’re here.”

“You’re ten times prettier then Julian.” He reminded her with a flirtatious wink.

When she made a comment about getting out early he pressed his lips together, after less then a moment of thought he said, “I hope not, we really need to make more money.” He eyed the lack of attendance that Wednesday night’s brought to his tables and groaned, laying his head on the bar with his arm acting as protection. It was going to be a long night.

Aneira bit her lip and placed a hand on Ceath’s shoulder, but after a moment her fingers crept up to play with the ends of his ginger hair. She liked it long, though she’d probably never tell him. A small smile curved her lips. “I’m sure it’ll pick up,” she tried to reassure him. Regret tugged at her chest. Why had she even brought up leaving early? She laid her cheek on his arm, the warmth from his lovely copper skin sinking into her pale cheek. He didn’t look tired, not even a little, but Aneira knew that the work and the stress of running the bar were starting to wear on him. She closed her eyes and hoped that business picked up soon. Preferably that night. For money purposes, and also because without people to wait on and drinks to make, the night would be a very long and boring one.

She swallowed a small sigh and planted a small kiss on his arm where her cheek had been. Then she straightened and ran a hand over her hair as she walked out from behind the bar. Her apron was already on in a manner that emphasized her waist as best it could. Unconsciously, she straightened her shirt, pulling it just a little lower (in the hopes that maybe it would encourage someone to order something just to get on her good side) as she began to approach tables, asking if they needed anything with a cheerful smile on her face. There weren’t many people though, and most of them appeared to have full drinks or didn’t want anymore. No matter how much she flirted, people just didn’t seem to be in the mood tonight. It seemed like it wasn’t just business that was slow, but the patrons as well. Everyone just seemed…tired. She only got two refills on beers out of the round, which, she thought, considering the lack of attendance (and lack of enthusiasm toward her) probably wasn’t as bad as she felt it was. With a small disappointed sigh, she headed back to the bar with her notepad in hand.

Julian had almost shut the door behind him before he realized how dark it was inside. There was a candle on the coffee table, but that was it. And in the dim flickers he could vaguely make out Amelia, sitting on the couch and holding herself as if mortally wounded. He left the main door open a crack and took a few more steps inside, even as she leaned forward suddenly and blew out the light. He caught a glimpse of the tear-stains on her face, heard the way her voice broke when she tried to order him out. Or at least, that was what he assumed it was.

Whatever had happened on September the fourteenth, he both wanted desperately to know… and never wanted to. It took him an inordinately long time to reach the table, feeling out each step as he went and with every movement fighting the urge to break and run to his room. He hesitated for another long moment once near enough to reach it. Giving her a bottle full of whiskey might not be the best idea right now. Ceath's ideas had to be taken with a (large) grain of salt.

But he thought about some of Selena's birthdays, and he put the bottle where it could be seen in the sliver of light from the front door. "Ceath said to leave this here." He whispered, though he had second (and third) thoughts about leaving it. In the end, he left and rearranged the lighting so that the front door was closed, and the sliver was coming from his room instead. Once he'd ensconced himself within, he left Amelia to her dark, wishing he could do more but knowing she'd never talk to him, of all people.

With so much emotion roiling about the building, he gave up on the pretense of homework and attempted just to get to a state mildly resembling calm.

Julian had barely settled into his chair, it seemed, before the crash came from the living room. He waited for a second before going to see what the noise was. She'd probably yell at him. There was a pretty good chance of it, in fact. But he didn't want her walking in anymore broken glass, and if he stopped her from bleeding all over the floor it would be worth a few yells.

He flipped on the light in the hallway, eyes immediately scanning for broken objects and/or people. But everything looked alright, except for an almost-shirtless Amelia on the floor. "Are you okay?" He asked, because he might as well now he was out here.