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Idris Khalid|| Σήθ (Set/Seth/Sutekh) ([info]counterbalance) wrote in [info]paxletalelogs,
@ 2011-07-31 23:43:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:nephthys, set

Who: Idris and Vanessa
What: Staying in at night is getting to be far too boring, so Idris decides to check out a local pub...
Where: Muldoon's, downtown Newport Beach
When: 10:17 P.M., July 29th, 2011.
Warnings: Slight foul language, but otherwise nothing else as of yet.
Notes: None as of yet.



Work had been a pain in the ass this past week, to say the least. Idris was more than happy to leave Friday afternoon after he'd gone through a stack of new invoices for what seemed to be the fifth time. It wasn't that he was a slacker--well, all right, he could be, but hadn't he managed his own dealership for how many years? It was only that simply getting out and about was definitely foremost in his frame of mind the entire drive home. Other than taking care of menial activities such as grocery shopping and finally, finally! finishing unpacking, he hadn't had much time for himself since moving to California. Well, that was about to change tonight, even if the only thing that happened was a nice glass of whatever available ASAP in his hand. The sooner, the better.

Idris, in a bad mood? No, certainly not. But you couldn't blame a man for wanting to get out of the confines of the daily grind at least once in awhile.

While Idris wasn't big into surfing the internet (unless he was really, REALLY bored, and then he mostly played Farmville--hey, in his defense, his sheep always stayed fed and the crops...ah, well, they might suffer a little, but he was still proud of his level 30 accomplishment), he'd come across an interesting forum note made by yet another new tenant to the Pax building. The new arrivals seemed to be popping up like daisies in the middle of a particularly warm Spring, but Idris didn't mind. The more people that were around, the more chances he had of finding someone that'd definitely be into moving and shaking it on the weeknights and preferably the weekends as well. Everyone needed a break from their every day lives, it was only a matter of finding the right person. Or people, as it were. Yeah, people sounded a lot better. The more the merrier!

And so he quickly googled the location of the pub the new tenant spoke of, writing down the directions on a handy post-it note. He'd get the hang of this city soon enough, but for now there was no sense in getting lost. Maybe he'd even hail a cab--in fact, that sounded great and 100% more safe than driving home, no matter what his eventual state of intoxication would be.

Having made the necessary ride accommodations (the post-it note now forgotten), Idris quickly dressed for the evening: dark slacks and a simple tan dress shirt. Basics were essential when scoping out a new place, but it didn't hurt to look put together overall. Adjusting his hair and checking for any slight signs of looking definitely not put together in the bathroom mirror, Idris finally deemed himself ready. Checking his watch, he grinned when he saw that he still had ten minutes before his cab would arrive. He left the bathroom and grabbed his billfold from the kitchen counter and slipped it into his back pocket. Making sure he had his keys, Idris gave the main room of his apartment a once-over before nodding to himself and locking the front door behind him. He jingled said keys good-naturedly along his walk to the elevator, making it out of the building with three minutes to spare.

The ride to Muldoon's was quick and painless; Idris cheerfully paid the cab driver and headed inside the establishment, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from turning upwards in a somewhat self-satisfied smile. Nice. For a Friday night, the pub was decently packed, filled with people from all sorts of backgrounds mingling together and sharing drinks, stories, and even spit at the side right corner table. Again, nice. He headed to the bar, taking a seat on one of the bright red stools after casually glancing around the room at what sort of pickings there'd probably be as the evening continued. For a Friday night crowd, the assorted patrons seemed primarily jovial, but in situations such as these there was always the chance for a fight to break out, unsettling the pleasant evening activities. To be perfectly honest with himself, Idris wasn't entirely opposed to such a thing happening, not as long as he had a drink in his hand first and could watch from a safe vantage point.

Tapping his fingers on the bar counter for a moment, Idris then sat forward to take out his billfold, removing one of his credit cards. He motioned to one of the bartenders that seemed to be less busy than the others--she was pretty, with tousled, dark curls pulled half upon her head, the rest of them falling free. A particularly bright green bow adorned her hair, and Idris had to smile, for surely she must be playing along with the Irish theme of the place. And, it was amusing to note, it seemed there was no shortage of curly-haired women in this city, something that Idris had to admit he didn't mind in the least.

"Say, you got a minute?"


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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-01 05:08 am UTC (link)
It was the first weekend shift she was working at Muldoons, and so far it was actually a lot easier than she expected. She had bartended here and there in New York City, where people had about half of the patience as they seemed to have in Newport Beach. Every so often she had to refresh her memory by checking a little drink cheat sheet she kept in her pocket, but for the most part, it was like riding a bicycle.
For her uniform, Vanessa was supposed to wear non slip shoes, a black shirt, and either black shorts or pants. No matter how hard she tried, she hadn’t been able to convince the manager to let her wear black skirts, so Vanessa was forced to accessorize to feel like herself. She wore a pair of black shorts, a fitted v-neck black tee-shirt, and a bright green bow held her hair up. When in an Irish themed pub, you might as well look the part. You couldn’t really see below her waist, but she wore a pair of tall non-slip doc marten boots with green and white stripped socks peeping over the edge.

When Vanessa heard someone try to get her attention, she immediately set down the sugar free red bull she had been drinking, and went over to him. Well, he certainly was good looking wasn’t he? If this was the type of clientele that came into Muldoons on Fridays, she was going to work every Friday. “For you, I have five minutes. What can I get you?”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-01 06:04 am UTC (link)
"Seeing how this is Muldoon's, I wouldn't mind a Guinness," Idris said in response, meaning to say more but then he paused (partially for effect, partially because something in the woman's eyes struck a chord within him for a split second. He couldn't place exactly what the feeling was, but regardless, it'd almost been like a moment of déjà vu. That was highly unlikely however, for Idris couldn't remember seeing this woman before anywhere outside of the pub. Well, it was entirely possible that the work week, coupled with his recent move, had taken its toll on him. Good thing he'd come to the right spot.).

"Unless," he continued with a playful smile, reigning his stray thoughts in, "there's a house special you'd recommend." Idris shrugged and held out his card for her to take, if that was how they played things here. "Not sure if you want to hold onto that or not, but it can't hurt any." The initial strange shock of seeing this woman face to face had worn off, at least for now, and Idris mentally made a note that he'd probably need more than one beer to get through this night.

Or maybe three. Four was the limit, he reminded himself, even if he'd be calling a cab just to be on the safe side. Possibly he would find an excuse to stay at the bar longer than necessary, if only to see what sort of conversation he could stir up--it was common knowledge that the more liquor a person drank, the looser their tongue became. And Muldoon's was already starting to slowly become packed with all sorts of interesting looking individuals, each with their own story to tell.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-01 06:23 am UTC (link)
Vanessa was glad for the slight pause, because she found herself looking at him, beyond the initial ‘this man is good looking’. It was almost as if she already knew him, and had known him for quite some time. She wondered if he traveled and she had seen him in a different city. She hated Guinness and she was still mastering the art of pouring it out of the draft properly, but it would be an excuse to continue to talk to him. “We have local beers that are okay, Lusty Wheat is my favorite of the two, but to be honest I prefer whiskey, a good glass of Jameson.”

She took his card and was just about to throw it into the fishbowl where they kept the credit cards, when she stopped to look at his name. “Idris from Pex Letale, you can keep your credit card, I do know where you live.” Vanessa grinned and handed him back his credit card, starting to pour the Guinness for him. “I’m glad to see that you came out.” She glanced around the bar for a second or two, and decided that it was slow enough that she could pull off talking to him for a little while. While the Guinness settled, she turned to him, a stray curl falling in her face. “So Idris, tell me something about yourself while I wait to top off your head.”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-01 07:18 am UTC (link)
Idris arched an eyebrow, smile turning into an amused half-smirk. "Lusty wheat? I might try that next. Especially if you say it's good; I can't fault a woman that likes her whiskey." He started to slide his billfold back into his pocket but stopped, his eyes widening slightly in mock surprise.

All right, maybe it was a bit of real surprise. Just a bit. He hadn't necessarily thought the woman he'd spoken to online earlier in the evening would be working tonight, but that didn't mean he hadn't briefly thought it wouldn't be such a bad deal if by chance she was. There appeared to be a certain lack of specifics when it came to online communication--that was his excuse as a master of Farmville and he'd stick by it. But hey, getting to know his neighbors one way or another was still on Idris' personal list of things to do, though work had been taking precedence as of late. He figured he might as well take this opportunity, especially when the other party involved, yet another pretty woman, didn't seem to mind.

Accepting his credit card from her, Idris returned it to safe keeping. After his billfold was safely once more within his back pocket, he made himself more comfortable upon the stool and answered the bartender. No, correction: his neighbor. "Hey, I couldn't miss a chance like this. Nice atmosphere, friendly staff--what more could a guy want?"

She didn't miss a beat as she prepared his drink and kept up the casual conversation, gently prying but no more than was necessary. There wasn't a possible way that she was particularly new at this, no air of naivety surrounded her in the least. It was something to be admired, assuredly.

"Every day I find I'm liking California more," he said, no sarcasm tainting his friendly tone. "And if I remember correctly, you're new to this area, too." His gaze shifted to the drink he had ordered, then returned to her face. "You seem like a natural at this. ...Vanessa, right?" Idris was pretty sure that's what she'd said her name was, and he happened to be fairly good at remembering details--though they tended to be far easier to remember when dealing with someone in person than over a wireless connection.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-01 07:35 am UTC (link)
“Yes, Lusty Wheat. I don’t make up the names, I just pour them.” The worst named drink was the lucky life martini. Every time someone ordered that, she couldn’t help but laugh just a little bit. Themes were sometimes taken a bit too far, especially when it came to drink names.

Vanessa finished pouring the beer and set it down in front of Idris, casually looking at the clock to see how close it was before she got off of work. She was off the clock in an hour; maybe she would have the time to join him in a drink herself. For now, she would have to settle for casual conversation while helping a guest or two, or at least trying to. Something told Vanessa that she would wind up slacking and talking only to Idris instead.

“Yeah, I’m new to the area too. I just moved here from New York, but I grew up an hour away from Miami, so this feels much more like home.” It was good that she was already meeting neighbors, but it definitely amused Vanessa that the first neighbor she talked to was an extremely good looking man, that definitely knew exactly how good looking he was. There was an air of confidence to him that she already loved and seemed to be feeding off of. “Yeah, I’ve done this once or twice; cutting hair pays the bills, but barely. What do you do for a living?”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-02 03:54 am UTC (link)
Idris listened as she spoke, waiting until she was finished before curving a hand around the beer stein, the drink within it looking particularly enjoyable.

"East Coast city girl moves to the West Coast, huh?" He smiled, no malice meant by his remark. Raising the stein to his lips, Idris took a swig of the frothy liquor, enjoying the taste and feel of it as it went agreeably down the right hatch. He was a man that could hold his drink well enough, although there were a few exceptions running along the lines of straight tequila and extra strong Norwegian vodkas; he avoided those unless he was genuinely having a rough time. A really, really rough time, though of course this depended on the various connotations of the word.

"Then I'll know who to go to the next time I need a trim, as long as you're as good at that as you are at this." Congenially he winked at Vanessa and with a shrug of one shoulder he answered her question. "I'm in the sales business--cars, primarily. It's sort of something I inherited from my father." The noise in the pub had raised a notch as a group entered, joining their friends at a corner table. Idris glanced at them for a moment before looking back to Vanessa. "I suppose if you're ever in need of a ride, I could definitely hook you up with one. My warranty quotes are pretty good."

Was he flirting with her? Oh, of course, but why not? A little harmless banter never hurt anyone, in his most humble opinion. And he was careful to keep it casual, not wanting to be too forward--after all, things could get awkward fast in situations such as this. There was a certainty that he'd see Vanessa outside of her job here considering their living locations, and Idris didn't want to be on bad terms with her.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-02 04:23 am UTC (link)
“To be honest, I don’t know how I wound up on the west coast. I tell people that I came here as a little girl and I never quite forgot it, but that’s a total lie. California just seemed right somehow, so I came here and went on interviews at various expensive hair salons in a few different cities in California. The salon here was the first to hire me, so here I am.” Vanessa laughed as he winked, what a smooth piece of work he was. He certainly knew how to charm, of course she would have been lying if she had said it didn’t work.

She actually really could use a car and she had no idea how her manual mazda rx-7 even made it to California to begin with. However, she wanted to wait until it was absolutely necessary to replace it. Of course she didn’t want to tell Idris this, because she had a feeling that no matter what she said, she’d find herself in his showroom the next day, behind the wheel of an amazingly expensive car. “Something tells me that your warranty quotes aren’t the only good thing about you.” Someone flagged Vanessa down, and while she didn’t want to leave the conversation, she didn’t want to seem too eager, so she nodded to Idris and headed over to the man a few stools down from Idris. It was an older gentleman, a regular that she already knew. She started to make his old fashioned without him even ordering it. Muddling an orange and a cherry in a glass wasn’t exactly the most interesting thing in the world. In went a packet of sugar, ice and some bourbon.

Vanessa stole a cherry from the fruit tray on the bar and popped it into her mouth, heading back over to Idris casually. “What brought you to California?”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-02 05:59 am UTC (link)
Hands down, Idris loved listening to other people talk about themselves. Everyone had their own tale to tell, their own set of ambitions, dreams, and woes. It was almost always a fascinating experience and he had heard so many stories in his time, not all of them collected merely from his various clientele. It was always good to take note of what other people told him, in the chance that the information might come in handy later on--truly, he felt, a person never quite knew when they might need a bargaining chip in the future.

And so he listened attentively as Vanessa spoke, making sure she knew that he was in no way bored with what she was telling him, nor would he rudely interrupt. Her laugh was cheerful and for the second time that night Idris decided it wasn't a bad thing in the least that she happened to be working while he was here. Good company indeed, and only a floor away outside of this environment? Well, well. Best to not get ahead of himself.

"California seems to feel right for a lot of people. Have to say, I'm in that club, too. I'm a proud Arizona native but there's something about this place."

Idris didn't stifle a chuckle at her flirtatious comment. "You'd be right about that," he replied, half-jokingly. If he allowed himself a small act of basic ego, Idris had to agree with what she'd said. Business duty called and Vanessa went to tend to it, leaving Idris with his Guinness. Taking another drink of it, he decided he would have to make another trip here sometime again in the future, if this was the kind of service that was given.

Before too long, Vanessa made her way back over to him, and Idris watched as she approached, smiling in greeting.

"Back so soon?" He rested an arm on the bar counter, shifting his beer stein with his hand a little before he spoke. "Work, to be honest, but I always enjoy a change of scenery." Pointedly he met her eyes as he said this last bit. All right, perhaps that was a bit too direct, but he certainly wasn't being lewd. Lewdness never had gotten him very far in life and he wasn't about to lower himself to that level now, not when he had such pleasant company. Again, that strange feeling of familiarity washed over him, but he ignored it a second time. Perhaps the brew at Muldoon's was stronger than what he had drank in the past.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-02 06:24 am UTC (link)
To say that Vanessa had a past of dating the wrong guy was the understatement of the century, but usually the men she was drawn to seemed to be perfect, or at least until you started to dig a little deeper. Idris was clearly an exception, in that it was fairly obvious to her immediately that he wasn’t exactly the kind of man that she would be bringing home to meet her mother. There was something about him that made her brain shout ‘don’t, just ignore him and don’t ever talk to him again, do yourself a favor Vanessa’. Naturally, she pushed the warnings right out of her mind and smiled as she pulled the cherry stem out of her mouth and threw it away. Something about Idris just screamed right and wrong at the same time.

“Back so soon, it’s busy, but I am the extra bartender tonight, so luckily you can have most of my attention.” She grabbed an empty glass and filled it with diet coke from the soda gun, squeezing and dropping in a lemon. She grabbed a little bar straw to drink with, only because her purple lipstick was miraculously still on and she didn’t want to have to reapply it. Vanessa wasn’t one to shy away from anyone being direct, in fact this was unusual for her, for once someone else was being direct before she was, and for once, she didn’t know exactly what to say. “It seems that I’ve hit the jackpot in the scenery department as well.”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-02 07:47 am UTC (link)
"Seems it's a pretty lucky night for me all around," Idris said with a smirk accompanied by a mischievous spark to his eyes--lewdness, wasn't it, that he'd just warned himself against? Banish any such thought as that for a few seconds.

Sure, it was highly likely that the only reason Vanessa was paying him any attention at all was due to her job's requirement to make conversation with the customers (in their various states of intoxication or otherwise). But Idris thought he might as well give himself a little credit. True to her word, this woman wasn't overly busy despite the growing crowd--however, she did keep coming back to talk to him and him alone. Was that a bit of favoritism, then? The idea in itself was amusing; Idris was definitely enjoying himself and it showed upon his countenance.

Unfortunately, before he could say anything further, there was the screech of several chairs being pushed back far too harshly upon the floor, and then an immediate chorus of angry voices made themselves heard over the rest of the patrons. Turning from Vanessa, Idris spotted the source of the confusion. Two rather tall men were yelling at one another--something to do with the preservation of trees in contrast to deficit bill spending, and a third, possibly a friend of both, was trying in vain to get them to stop. Idris' eyebrows raised in amusement and then he grinned, laughing at the trouble and shaking his head slightly. He turned back to Vanessa to see her take on the situation.

"This sort of thing happen a lot around here?"

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-05 04:42 am UTC (link)
The bar she had worked at in New York had been a complete dive, the kind of bar that serious alcoholics go to, not the touristy kind of bar she worked at now. She had done her fair share of calming down patrons, breaking up fights, and kicking people out. It surprised her, because it wasn’t exactly the type of thing she expected to have to deal with here, the people around here seemed so much more laid back. “Not around here, no.”

Vanessa briefly looked at Idris, who seemed to be very much enjoying the whole scuffle, and really there was something amusing about it. She paused and listened for a second as they continued to yell and argue. There was something hilarious about the preservation of trees leading to such a heated debate in any way. Her eyes moved from the fight back to Idris again. Someone who grinned and laughed over a fight was definitely trouble, but also someone very interesting.
The fight grew even louder, and it suddenly became obvious that at any second, a fight was going to break out between the three people. Vanessa didn’t exactly want to intervene considering she had only worked at Muldoons for a little while, but they were getting louder and louder, and people were definitely getting annoyed. She excused herself from Idris and stepped out from behind the counter, slowly approaching the trio of men. “Gentleman is this really something worth getting you cut off for? If you continue to argue I have to refuse to serve you any more drinks, and furthermore, word travels fast from bar to bar downtown, and you probably will have a hard time getting served anywhere else. You seem like rational men, so please, do us all a favor and save the conversation about trees for when you’re sober okay?”

The men, completely humiliated nodded to Vanessa and quieted down, for the most part. Vanessa on the other hand went back behind the bar and grabbed her big black lace purse, shoving her apron inside of it. After she clocked out at the cash register, she sat down at the bar stool next to Idris, ordering a double Jameson.

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-05 06:06 am UTC (link)
He couldn't say he minded the way Vanessa decided to take charge and handle the situation, things being as they were. Idris would probably have been content to kick back while she did some form of extreme Jiu Jitsu; it certainly would make things incredibly interesting. Besides, anyone that chose to yell about the Arbor Day Foundation in the middle of a place like this (on a Friday night nonetheless) definitely had chosen the wrong weekend form of entertainment.

Well, either that or whatever they were drinking was extremely strong. Idris vaguely wondered if he should ask what exactly it was those men had ordered, just out of simple curiosity. He had no interest in getting shit-faced, especially not when he was currently entertaining a rather interesting battle of flirtatious comments with the new bartender, but the information could be useful one day.

Deciding against this course of action, he instead took another drink of his beer while Vanessa was handling things, though he did glance back at the other bartenders. Neither of them were overly-stressed about the matter so it might not have been that big of a deal--couldn't have been, really, could it? Idris decided to not waste any more time wondering about the whats and whys, instead focusing on the woman that had chosen to come back and continue their conversation, settling her self down right next to him. He gave her an appreciative smile which only broadened when she ordered her personal choice of poison.

"That was very assertive of you." Grinning completely by now, Idris decided for the third time tonight that this was a wonderful decision on his part. "I hope I haven't given you any reason to want to escort me out like that. Not sure if I'd be able to handle the pressure." He was lightly teasing, simply to see if she'd continue to be as congenial as she was on the serving side of the bar.

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-05 06:21 am UTC (link)
Vanessa smiled as one of her favorite Flogging Molly songs started to play over the entertainment system. There was something about a good upbeat song while she was drinking that just made her want to tap her toes or get up and dance. She thanked Connor, the bartender that served her the Jameson and took a long drink from the glass.

She turned on the red stool to face Idris, stirring her drink with a tiny black straw. Vanessa couldn’t help but laugh at his comment, inwardly completing adoring his smile, it seemed to light up the room. To think that she hadn’t intervened at least partially to impress Idris would’ve been a lie. However, it was also who she was, she certainly wasn’t a quiet wallflower, and better that he know that sooner rather than later. “Oh that’s me, I have quite the temper, you better watch out, never know what I may do.” Part of her wanted to just chug her drink right down, but she didn’t want to appear to be an alcoholic, especially since he was still on his first beer, so she took another sip. “Oh I don’t know, something tells me you handle pressure very well.”

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-05 07:05 am UTC (link)
Idris turned in his seat as well to face his companion, resting an arm upon the bar counter. From the equally light tone that Vanessa used, Idris decided that it was perfectly safe to keep up with the banter. He laughed at her remark about her temper, feigning a look of horror.

"Remind me to never find a cause to anger you, then. I prefer my floors to stay silent, and something tells me you're pretty good with a broom." He finished his beer and waved at the bartender for another, informing the man on duty of what he'd had. Another would be wonderful, though he hardly had to stay intoxicated--even the slightest--in order to enjoy himself.

His stein refilled, Idris chuckled at Vanessa's remark, unable to keep the amusement from his face. Feigning indifference, he shrugged, though there was a serious look to his eyes.

"Oh, I don't know. Depends on the type of pressure, I suppose. But don't you think that makes things a little more fun?"

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-05 07:19 am UTC (link)
“Oh I’m very good with a broom, it has an extra long handle for proper ceiling reach-age and everything.” When Idris ordered his second beer, Vanessa took that as an okay to completely finish her drink. To slow it down a bit, this time she ordered a jack and ginger-ale, which somehow, someway tasted exactly like cream soda. Mixes were very interesting to her, and she often wondered how it was possible that a drink that held no cream soda tasted just like it, or how a long island iced tea, which was almost straight alcohol, tasted like an non-alcoholic iced tea.

At Idris’s last comment, Vanessa couldn’t help it, she started to laugh beyond a typical flirty laugh. Their flirting had gotten so ridiculous that she just couldn’t take it anymore and broke out into laughter. “You are absolutely horrible, you know that right?” She shook her head and rested a hand on Idris’ leg, taking the flirting to a completely different level, but casually, not aggressively so. "I have a feeling that I am never going to be bored with you in the same apartment building, am I?"

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-05 07:49 am UTC (link)
"And yet you don't seem to mind in the least." With an almost wry smile, Idris turned his attention to his refilled drink, taking a hearty swig. Vanessa's laughter was pleasant and Idris remained pleased that his new neighbor, and dare he say acquaintance, was clearly enjoying herself. With time, it was possible she might officially become something akin to a friend, which Idris wouldn't mind in the least. With only a floor separating the two of them there was no doubt they'd run into one another outside of Muldoon's.

And more importantly, though he wasn't going to waste much time thinking of it right now, Idris couldn't deny the perplexing feeling of ease he felt around this woman. It was normal for him to feel self-assured, to not be overly self-conscious when pursuing someone, even if it was only for a short period of time. Suffice to say that for Idris, such a part of life was a form of ease within itself, though he never could settle down for long enough to satisfy any serious commitment wanting partners. Perhaps then it was simply the action of roving, of playing the field, that allowed him to feel peaceful.

As peaceful as someone like Idris could ever feel, that is. And this odd ease he felt when speaking with this woman was different in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on; it was merely enhanced by her hand upon his leg, a forward action, just another way of her asserting her presence. He made no outward motion of noticing what she had done save for a direct look at her, his smile smaller now but still clearly, though faintly, amused.

"Well, I'd hope that's true. I don't think I could stand living at a place with nothing but one boring tenant after another. And you," he said, "don't fit that description, if tonight is anything to go by." He glanced downwards, noting the striped socks she wore that showed just barely from within her boots. "I'd say it's going to be plenty of fun living near you."

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-05 08:05 am UTC (link)
“Oh, I definitely don’t mind. I like a guy that can hold his own in a conversation, that isn’t afraid to have a little fun,” and that grin, every time Idris grinned that sly cocky grin, Vanessa somehow felt more at ease with Idris. Normally she detested men that had too much confidence, and usually she would’ve run the other way a long time ago from someone likehim. She went for doctors, lawyers, the kind of men that you see as the marrying type, but there was just something about Idris that made her feel comfortable, yet alive at the same time.

Vanessa ran her hand over his leg slowly, but just for a few seconds before she removed it to pull up her socks a little bit, they tended to fall throughout the night. “Not to toot my own horn, but I am certainly anything but dull, especially if you judge me by my wardrobe.” She winked at Idris and suddenly wondered if she was being a little too direct. Sure she tended to be extremely direct when it came to men, but this was a little quick even for her. It felt as if she had been on at least a date or two with Idris, not only just meeting him.

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-07 08:37 am UTC (link)
Having a little fun, was it? A 'little' fun and especially the having of it was always of interest to Idris; might as well do what a person could to enjoy themselves during their time on the Earth, after all. Idris kept himself from shifting upon his stool when Vanessa's hand moved daringly upon his leg. Instead he took another drink of his beer, strictly out of thinly-veiled self-satisfaction. His eyes then trailed down again in order to watch Vanessa adjusting her choice of statement demanding footwear.

"By all means, toot your own horn. I could never deny someone the need to do so, especially when it's well deserved." Idris chuckled appreciatively at the wink he received, admiring his new acquaintance's boldness that was on display. By far it was proving to be more fascinating than the heated debate at a nearby table involving the local sports teams (bits and pieces of it kept finding their way to Idris' ears).

"I have to say I haven't been let down yet." Idris let the hint of a smirk play across his lips before continuing. "And your wardrobe has nothing to do with it." He motioned to the bartender, indicating that he was ready to pay the bill. Again the credit card saw the light of Muldoon's and before the transaction was quickly made, Idris was sure to say that he'd pay for both his and Vanessa's drinks.

"Hope you don't mind," he stated cheerfully. "Seems only fair." He slid the card back into his wallet and stood up, gesturing openly with one hand. "Listen, I'm heading back to Pax--calling a cab, of course. If you're interested in heading back there, I'd be happy to ride with you. The offer's on the table."

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[info]obscurityfalls
2011-08-07 08:46 am UTC (link)
Vanessa smiled when he offered and paid for both of their drinks, that was kind of him. “Thanks for the drinks, I appreciate it.” With a nod, she slid off of the red bar stool, dusting off her pants a bit, they did tend to get a little dirty throughout the night at Muldoons. At the hair salon there was an employee lot, so she always drove there, but at Muldoons, parking was fend for yourself. Since she tended to run late and despised parallel parking, she always took the bus to the bar. “Actually I am interested in heading back, and a cab sounds much better than the long bus ride I was going to take.” Normally this was the part of the night where they exchanged information and she glared at her cell phone every time she checked it, finding no voicemails, but Idris lived right upstairs, making this a bit different of a situation

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[info]counterbalance
2011-08-07 11:49 pm UTC (link)
And then the night was over before he knew it, though it'd certainly been an agreeable outing. Idris phoned a cab that was fortunately nearby and then he and Vanessa left Muldoon's. They made small talk on the way there, laughing about the ludicrous bar fight that had nearly happened and making vague plans to one another that neither should be a stranger and possibly they should go out again some time, wouldn't that be entertaining? Before long they were back at Pax Letale and within the elevator, both heading to their respective apartments.

They said their goodbyes as the elevator dinged an announcement that they'd reached the second floor. Vanessa went to hit the sack, or whatever it was that she did at this late hour. Idris watched her leave, the ghost of a smile playing across his features for what must have been the 100th time that night, and then the doors shut behind his new neighbor and he was soon on the third floor. Heading inside his apartment, Idris glanced at his watch and decided he might as well get some shuteye.

He took it as a good sign that he seemed to be getting along fairly well with the few inhabitants of the building he'd met, particularly the hairdresser with a talent for bartending on the side. Before he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts went again to how natural it had felt to banter with Vanessa in such an unashamedly flirtatious manner. There was a nagging, almost nostalgic feel to the entire night Idris couldn't shake. Deciding it was something to think on later and not now, he pushed the thoughts away and went to sleep, hoping for good dreams.

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