[ORP] Happy Halloween Deus at the Bull!

[kuropeco]

Nash ground his teeth together, but kept his head lifted, eyes darkening with irritation the more that Lawrence and Rodney spoke. It was like having a pair of needling insects trying to burrow beneath the skin; he couldn't figure out what on earth was going through either of their minds.

Well, mostly Lawrence's. He had no idea about Rodney, other than the fact that he was starting to creep Nash out.

A lot.

Actually, they both were.

Melvin at least wasn't letting himself be dragged away with the current, which Nash appreciated. He folded his arms across his chest, leaning against Melvin as Melvin's hand moved, eyebrows raising in an expression of mocking sweetness.

"I don't think I care to learn your definition of wild side," he said. "And I definitely don't think I'm missing anything at all, but Melvin's the expert in such matters, so I trust him when he says that I'm not missing out, either."

Nash fluttered his lashes deliberately at the pair. "Not interested, sweetheart. Either sweetheart."  

[Baneful]

Lawrence appreciated how laid back Rodney was being, amicable and charming in a way that he couldn't really hope to emulate. Still, the hunt was fun and they seemed to be making some degree of headway in coaxing the two to relax.

That was up until Melvin opened his damn mouth.

It was one thing to have the other man give him defiance, but it was another to have him directly insult Rodney and then to go on to attack something that Lawrence had been certain was off limits, something that no matter how petty everyone got that no one would use on anyone else.

It was a comment you couldn't factually refute to the person it was being told to, it was a humiliation that drove at the very root of his pride and composure. He was someone who had been naturally very handsome as a young man and who couldn't cope in the least with the natural progression of age. More and more he clung to the fact that at least he had the experience he'd garnered, that at the very least there remained some unassailable bastions, facts that couldn't be taken away from him.

And yet Melvin had just taken it, just snatched it right out of his hand as if it was nothing and humiliated him in front of Nash. He'd shown where his loyalties lay once again and this time too it hurt, hurt his pride in a way that stung worse than anything else really could sting Lawrence.

And this time there wasn't the medication to temper it.

Without warning or preface, he leapt straight for Melvin, going for his throat with his only good hand.

Mercifully though, the weapons wards did their job and Butch was not at all forthcoming.

 

[Toshihiko Two]

"So filthy," Rodney said, but seemed pleased by the revelation, and moving for Nash in the same moment that Lawrence launched himself at Melvin. "Assuming we were after something like sex. Come on, Melvin. Even I know you've always been bored of that."

Rodney made a strangled, snarling noise as he was caught by the draperies,
and Lawrence found himself in a similar situation, scruffed by his angelic robes.

The man who was holding onto both of them wasn't impressive in terms of height, but more in sheer intimidation factor. His face and neck were piled with scars.

He was also wearing a glittery pink dress, and managing a pair of heels and a definitely cheap tiara without too much trouble. He scowled at both of them.

"Now, I know in my heart of hearts, you weren't planning on doing anything to cause trouble. Because I also know in my wallets of wallets that neither of you can ******** afford it."

Baneful

MoonKitsune

kuropeco

 

[Huni Pi]

Terry nodded, adopting a somewhat sullen air which perfectly complimented season one emo loner Sasuke's attitude. Not that his outfit wasn't a clear indication with the blue shirt and the white pants. Admittedly getting his hair spikes right had been the worst part of the cosplay but sacrifices for accuracy had to be made.

"But what if I wanted to demonstrate some jutsu?" he grumbled wrinkling his nose at the flick but dutifully stuck close to her as they made their way in. He spotted familiar faces in the group, barely stopped himself from arching a brow at the unconscious hunter with post-its.

"Maybe we can just ask for water," he whispered to Kim, wishing they were more alone so he could sneak in a kiss to her cheek the way Agata was rooting him to do. The sudden commotion from Melvin's group had him suddenly freezing like a deer in headlights.

xSteal

 

[MoonKitsune]

He hadn't expected Lawr to lung, but the lunge said something. It said he hit. It said he hit somewhere the made Lawr murderous, because when he lunged out, it was a snapping tension that raced through his body that went from the view of a family man trying to present the best of himself, to that of one who confirmed gossip that hurt his reputation. It had not been his intention to cause that, but it had been his intention to strike back.

To hove back for the pain that Lawr was inflicting in being here with Rodney. To come beside him, arm in arm, after a flirting display of a happy marriage built on the ashes of years together with him, and then approach them. To approach him to toy with the shattered pieces of their time together and to let Rodney take part when his invasion had been the cause of it all. Arm in arm he went from rushing down to Atlantis for him to now standing here and passing the hot iron poker to stab him over and over, taunting him and smiling for their own thrills and amusement.

Rodney knew Melvin had wanted Lawr, had thrown him out of the hosue for the temptaiton he had respresented, and in all that humilation and ripping shreds of emotions he had gone through, they were joking about offering themselves like a little swingers joke to him. Even worse, Lawr had somehow had chattered with Rodney to pull in the one person Melvin had decided to start moving on with, to get some normalcy with, to destroy that too. They went after Nash and made fun with the idea of having a fling with him.

Like all that talk and all those rules and all that bullshit that Rodney preached were only there for whenever he felt they were needed but he could switch whenever he wanted. And Lawr just ate it up and did NOTHING about it. Instead, he danced alongside his husband to approach them to twist the knives as far as they could go.

So he twisted back, feeling a coiling anger always on a low boil rise up.

And Lawr lunged, going for his throat, and for a moment he forgot he was at a bar, and stepped back, waiting to see if Lawr would go that far. If he would really take it all then.

But a flurry of pink came and Harrison was there, holding both Rodney and Lawr like feral cats.

Taking a deep breath, he looked at them both and suddenly felt the simmer start to drain to just cold hurt, his eyes staring at them both, before dropping and moving to Nash. "You okay?"  

[kuropeco]

Something snapped.

Nash knew it the moment it happened, Lawrence's expression shifting, the tension in the air strung as tight as a rubber band that had been pulled too far. He had only a second's warning before Lawrence surged forward, Rodney on his heels, and Nash took an instinctive step backwards, grabbing ahold of Melvin's arm in an attempt to -

- well, he wasn't sure. Either try and drag both of them out of the line of fire, or maybe just duck. Whatever it was, he was moving on pure adrenaline, his heart catching in his throat, Nash letting out a snarl of real anger now, rearing back -

And then they were caught.

Nash stared.

The man wasn't familiar, but it was clear he held power over maybe the bar or maybe Lawrence, or something, because he was radiating all sorts of intensity that Nash really didn't want to question, in spite of the dress. Which was, admittedly, a very nice dress.

Nash blew out a breath and felt Melvin's presence beside him, gaze moving towards him. "All good on the western front," he said, which was only partially true; his heart was still hammering, expression mutinous, but he didn't try to go after Lawrence or Rodney. "You?"

His gaze flickered to the man in pink.

"Thanks."



Across the room, beside Seren and Rhys, October was still poised, body, for once, alert and tense, stretched in a pose that indicated he was mid-lunge, ready to leap across the room at any second. He seemed to have forgotten the candy issue, eyes narrowed behind the mask, lips pressed together in a thin line.

After a moment, he eased, though his gaze was still on the action he could see on the other side of the bar, November's dark head of hair, and a flash of pink and wavy blond hair that he knew was Melvin.

"Chat Noir is from a television show," October informed Seren and Rhys, without turning around. He could still feel the adrenaline, a frisson of energy that wouldn't last long, but would have been enough. "He's a cat. He's really cool, and he dresses cool."

He reached for the candy and came up with a lollipop, October unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth to speak around it.

"I like doctors and nurses, but I'd never wanna be one. Are you guys in life?"

_p a o cx

Aria Starstone

 

[prolixity]

"You too," Jordan said to Rep, giving him a slow once-over and returning the wink. "Keeping tabs on the ghosts and ghouls in here." He wasn't drinking, at least not yet; having volunteered to help out with the party, he didn't want to be tipsy right now. "Any notes you want to add?"

To Joy he said, "I've got a few formulas that could get a zombie revived. At least it works for me in the early mornings." Cee's collapse got no more than a raised eyebrow from him, and a mental note; if nobody else rescued her, he'd make his way over in a little while. "It's one of the possible effects," he told Joy wryly. "I'd avoid that one unless you've got a Prince or Princess Charming to wake you up, though. Maybe the milkshake, if you like pumpkin."

The sudden swirl of activity over by Melvin made him tense up, but the almost-fight was over before it began, and Jordan relaxed again, seeing that Harrison had things well under control. It was just as well that his help wasn't needed, probably.

Baneful

Huni Pi

 

[Aria Starstone]

Seren went tense the moment there was actual violence beginning to occur, her eyes narrowing. She did not like what was going on, and she looked ready to move. The sudden presence of a man in a pink dress who seemed to be have done something to prevent the potential fight had her brows raising up, and she relaxed minutely. She was still ready to move, because she was concerned about both Nash and Melvin, but she was ready to return to their conversation. She turned her head so that she could still watch the action, but also see her companions.

"Chat Noir sounds French I think? Is he a French cat, then?" She took him literally at the words that the character was a cat, thinking it might be a cartoon or something of that nature. "It suits you, though. Good fit for you."

She watched him snag the candy, an amused expression on her face, as she steals another bite of something from Rhys' plate, not paying enough attention to be sure what it was. "Life? No, I am in Sun. I do not think I would be a good nurse, or doctor. I think I would get nauseated at some of the stuff they have to do. Well... not a medical doctor. Doctorate of something else was a goal, but life happens."

She refocused on Rhys, amused and leaned her head to murmur "Glad you like them. I mostly wore this because I thought you might like it." Her tone was honest, and loving.

kuropeco

_ p a o cx

 

[Baneful]

"Nothing too major." he said, giving Jordan a wink. "I trust your tastes and s**t. We can all have a look over it before we announce it."

Rep raised a brow at the scuffle but wasn't too upset. It was a drink side effect and none of them were strong enough without weapons to do much damage to each other. Harrison stepping in was fine with him though, his moustached princess liked to keep his bar furniture and cups safe and that was fine.

"If you give them another drink." he said. "They'll cut it out."

--

Lawrence twisted like a furious cat in Harrison's grasp, reaching for Melvin a few more desperate times before turning on the one holding him captive, finding himself surprisingly helpless behind the wards and actually feeling the limitation of his missing hand as he couldn't even begin to get a proper grip on the hand holding him to pry it off.

"Put me DOWN." he snapped angrily, indignant about losing his temper, about Melvin insulting him and about this new insult to injury, making him look fragile and weak on top of everything else, and insulting his earning power.

And because he was Lawrence, everything was always someone else's fault and he snapped irritably, raising his voice in a rare show of anger. "He started it! That was completely uncalled for!"

 

[Huni Pi]

"The milkshake sounds like something I'd like," Joy said before Gabby came over. Laughing in good cheer, she gave her friend a hug in return. "Nah, I'm not that into Halloween. I mean, the parties back home were dehins ka bongga as this. Plus, John Cena's stuff is pretty easy to make gaya." It was the truth, Joy saw no reason not to admit it.

Prolixity

_ p a o cx

 

[Huni Pi]

While kemonomimi was a thing Terry would admit to liking (although he was equally interested in full anthropomorphic characters), he wasn't sure about his feelings when it came to minipets. Yes they were cute but he didn't want to have to be responsible for one.

He was responsible for himself and Kim, even if she insisted she could handle it, two people were enough for him. He gave a quick glance at the bar, noted Melvin and felt a massive stab of guilt at the sight of the blond man. He nodded, "Sure, minipets it is."

His fingers entwined with Kim's as they headed to the pen. "Did you ever have any pets as a kid?" he asked.

Steal

 

[iloveyouDIE]

Cee would be upset she missed the de-escalated not-quite-scuffle but she was unfortunately still out cold and marked with a post it note.

Thankfully these things had a time limit.

Unfortunately her time was not quite up.

She may be mildly offended that no one had kissed her yet.