inexplicably high, inexplicably low

[brightred]

⌛ Who: Grell and OPEN!
⌛ What: sometimes your fiancé shows up and doesn't recognize you because the crau hasn't kicked in so you decide it's time to just get over him
⌛ When: april 5th/6th, and a couple more nights
⌛ Where: Yoshiwara bars to start...
⌛ Warnings: alcohol+sexual content


[She didn't learn her lesson. She should have, should have learned it a long time ago, should have learned it with Ann, should have learned it with every single day of work she's put in. But she hadn't. She'd let herself care, a few weeks of close contact with strangers and life and death situations, and she'd let herself get attached.

Stupid of her, to care about a foolish, mortal man with sad eyes and an earnest heart, who took her by the hand and said things like I love you at all the wrong times.

It's the time loops, she knows that. It isn't his fault someone erased his Cinematic Record, or maybe that that part of it was never recorded in the first place. That doesn't mean she isn't going to blame him for it, because if he really loved her he wouldn't have forgotten her, would have moved heaven and earth and time itself to be here with her.

She finishes her drink, she's lost track of how many she's had but it doesn't matter, she doesn't want to think about counting drinks, or anything else right now. She's exactly where she wants to be.

At the start of the night it's fine, she's not in a good mood but she's an actress, she can smile and flirt and strike up conversations with pretty people at the various bars she's visiting. She's dressed up, a hint of makeup, loose pleated trousers and a ruffled shirt, a bright red haori. She's charming, attentive, flirtatious with a flutter of eyelashes and a flash of sharp teeth in a laugh.

Later, she can't be bothered. She'll watch, make a decision, gesture at a stranger to get them to come over. If they aren't expecting to be forcefully kissed by a slightly disheveled stranger with smudged lipstick, maybe they should learn to read the room better.

Later still, or early the next morning (it doesn't matter, those hours after midnight aren't important) she's slumped on the counter of a bar, toying with a cup of something-or-other. Her red hair is pulled loose from what must have been a careful updo at some point earlier, her blouse isn't quite buttoned correctly, and she's frowning at her drink.]

Comments

[protectorofsmiles]

[Wee hours of the morning indeed, and Genbu seems to be drunk and pleased as punch about it. His slow, blissful giggles echo across the empty bar as he seems to be enjoying his ale.

He wasn't much for traditional clothes, and so he wore his usual black singlet and purple half-pants, revealing his large, scarred form.]

Hahaaaa~!! We sold a lot of sakura candies today huuuh...[He says to no one in particular, before looking around in boredom. The young woman next to him catches his eye. Not her red hair, nor her teeth, or bright red attire, but rather her state of emotion.]

Heeeey what's with the frowny face, huh? I can lend a horn if ya need it. I hate seeing people so down.

[brightred]

Then fuck off. [Grell says, mumbling a bit.]

'm wallowing in my misery. [she's being dramatic on purpose thank you very much.]

[protectorofsmiles]

Yeah, I can see that.

I'm askin' what for. Come oooooon, talkin' about it will help!

[brightred]

I want to be miserable! It's a... despair indulgence. [Though, she considers, it's probably a better one with him here annoying her.]

and all the while it seems that i'm living in my dreams

[harpbeat]

Yo.

[Eater carries himself entirely differently from the last time Grell saw them. He slides into the stool next to her and orders a beer.]

What's good, Grell?

not in the now, no, not in the now

[brightred]

[It's early, but not early enough that she's entirely sober. There's something different than the girl she met before, but it doesn't register as the difference between two people (especially not now, after suddenly regaining memories of two months of absolute murdergame nonsense and new mental effects twice a week at least).]

It's been a while, hasn't it? [Did she forget Eater's name? Yes. She was distracted when she learned it okay.]

How are you?

[harpbeat]

Eh, can't complain. What about you, having fun?

[Sometimes drinking is fun! He prefers it to be, at least.]

[brightred]

Not enough, yet~ [Drinking is fun, but...]

I'm sure I'll have quite a bit more before the night's done~

[mobileforces]

[As much as Higuchi was enjoying the full house she came home to every night, sometimes she enjoyed some time away to wallow a little. Which is what she's doing out so late, sitting at the bar not far from Grell, letting the melting ice left in her glass swirl around as she holds the glass between her hands. While she hasn't been here the whole time, she's caught a bit of Grell's antics during the night, and... well.]

[She leaves her glass behind as she stands, shuffling over and taking a seat next to Grell.]

You look like you've had a rough night.

[brightred]

Not rough enough, I can still walk. [Or, she can right now. She might not be able to quite so comfortably once the alcohol wears off.

But she's mostly moved on to just being sulky.]

1/2

[mobileforces]

[...]

[Also a valid sort of rough night.]

[mobileforces]

W-Well, I don't think I can help you there...

[If Grell challenges this, she's going to be hit with the "But we're both girls" argument smh.]

But if you wanted to end tonight on a high note-- I know a pretty fun way too get some easy stress relief this time of night.

[brightred]

[Yeah, this woman is not going to be able to top the thoughts out of Grell's head, she's dropped off the list of possible encounters tonight.

Except... Grell glances over, less glaring and more curious.]

... what?

[doommate]

[Ares finds himself mingling more as he familiarizes himself with the city and the people within. Peaceful times were boring for a god of slaughter, but he could often find a little entertainment in the individuals he came across.

He arrives with a (mostly) mortal appearance, trading his laurel crown and golden armor for a crimson suit and cloak. Maybe it was Grell's charms or simply the tumultuous conflict within that attracted him to her in particular. Either way, he finds it easy enough to converse, and eventually recount to her whatever dramatic war tales that seemed to tickle her fancy.]

It was then that these fierce Tegean women leapt from their hiding places and slaughtered every invading Spartan to the last warrior.

[His eyes briefly gleam red with the pleasant memory of the event, wine glass steady in hand.]

Their mortal passions drove them to such a battle frenzy that it soaked the earth with blood. An act befitting of a god's favor, I think. You can imagine the fervor of the victory feast that followed.

[brightred]

[Oh, she's listening, caught up in the spell of this handsome stranger's words. Who doesn't love a good story, with violence and drama and battle frenzy? Grell more than most, she's all flashing acid-green eyes and bright sharp teeth and bloodlust.

And she's not a mortal human herself (not anymore), but it's not something that anyone would notice if they didn't know the physical signs to look for, the ringed green of her irises, the spectacles she wears.]

Oh, I can!

[doommate]

[Ares suspected she wasn't mortal from her lovely teeth, once he saw them. Regardless, he was pleased with how interested she was in the more gruesome side of his stories. She certainly had better taste than many of his Olympian kin.]

And what of you, my dear? What tales do your lands hold of mortals and their struggle with death? I am curious to know.

[He steals another sip from his glass.]

[brightred]

Hm... [Shakespeare is of course her first instinct, the drama of Birnam Wood coming to Dunsinane. But no, that sort of thing isn't suited for this man, is it? Not the drama of political intrigue, but something else...]

Do you know of Boudica, the Queen of the Iceni?

the drunkest option

[holeful]

[He is trying to respect Grell's choices, but he's also??? He can't help but be curious. The more he thinks about it, the more he thinks they must have met. There's a nagging familiarity, a strange one. He doesn't forget things. He wishes some he could.

But she called him her boyfriend. That had been him, right? That was who she was talking about? It doesn't seem right, but like??? He doesn't hate the idea. And... she's looking kind of rough.]

Miss Grell? Are you alright?

[brightred]

[It's him. It's him and she aches, she wants the man she's gotten to know in bits and pieces over the past few weeks, she wants to wake up to him next to her, asking if she slept all right so she can kiss him until this turns in to just a dream.

He's being so polite, like she's a stranger. She throws a glass, half empty, at his head.]

[holeful]

[It hits him square in the face, and he stumbles backwards. He sniffs, and a trickle of blood starts to leak out of his nose. Either he doesn't notice or doesn't care.

He opens his mouth to say something, then closes it? What more is he supposed to say? She didn't answer his question. He'll wait.]

[brightred]

What the hell do you want? [He's bleeding. She hates that. Why does he have to look so much like-- like himself.]

the smooch option

[chichichi]

[ Well, a forceful kiss is certainly one way to say, "Hello," and Setsura had intended to say that much, see how Grell was doing, perhaps offer her some company or an ear because her situation is one that Setsura herself dreads and sympathizes with. There's more than one way to convey -- well, a number of things, really, and Setsura opts to go up on her tiptoes and push into that kiss, reaching to thread her fingers in the taller woman's collar and drag her into her. ]

[brightred]

[Grell's teeth are sharp, but she knows how to use them, and when not to use them. So when she kisses Setsura, leaning in to meet the shorter woman on her own level, she holds back. Just a little, just enough not to chase Setsura off.]

[chichichi]

[ Chase her off? Oh, Setsura isn't going anywhere, not even after she does pull back breathlessly for air. ]

Hello to you, too, Sutcliff-san. Is that your idea of a proper drink recommendation?

[brightred]

Oh, it's a bit more than that~ [She says, one hand going up to toy with Setsura's hair.]

But why don't you order something? I'll pay tonight~