the light catches the eye but shadows have (moretosay) wrote in summerview, @ 2018-11-26 04:15:00 |
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Entry tags: | parker woodward |
If you paint your nails while you cut your loss
Nov 6th
Characters. Maeve Naga & Parker Woodward
time. 1AM | location. The Long Way Down
rating. PG-13 | status. Completed
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The bar was in full swing when Maeve returned from her unexpected trip. Which was a comfort to her. Sure, in the five years she had been in town she had gone away before, bit by the travelling bug or called away for a job. She only did certain types of jobs near Summerview, had always been careful and almost paranoid about it. When you’re illegal from birth you learn to treat everything as a risk to home and health, even when it wouldn’t to most. But it was always a comfort to know her (current) main source of income, and a thing she had begun to take real pride in, was alive and well. That’s why she took good care of her staff. People tended to work for Maeve long term, worked hard, and looked after one another. It was still just a pub, but it was still something they took pride in — it was theirs. So when the boss gets called away before she even got a chance to get some shut eye after the Masquerade, they came together and smoothed out the schedule so shit still ran right. This was the first place she came to, shoving open the door and felt tension from the flight drain out of her at the familiar smells and sounds of her territory. Her duffel was adjusted on her shoulder over her long sleeve Modest Mouse shirt, that matched her current hairstyle well, a thing that was already turning heads. Maeve had told her people that a friend needed help who had gotten in a bad way, and that was true. You know. Depending on your point of view, and that was how a lot of her lies worked. The truth was that she has an Undine friend that took her in when she had been in a bad way once or twice, and someone was trying to take her home. So Maeve had flown to upstate New York without hesitating, and part of the job ended up going undercover to get information, along with some documents from one of the asshole business man’s club... A place with more drugs and human playthings than she had seen in a hot minute. The hair had been to blend in, along with some tattoos she had shed the moment she left and a few other modifications too. The hair was fun though. So why not? At least for a week or so. Who knows? As she headed towards the bar proper a few regulars reached out to pat her arm or grab her hand briefly, making jokes about her hair and her running away. Man, some of these people were here more than she was. But she laughed and ruffled their hair as she made sure her bag didn’t hit anyone in the head, her second, Anushka shooting her a grateful look as she kissed her cheek and took her bag. No one questioned that she would want to work right away, or that she was okay with being welcomed with touch. Maeve enjoyed that sort of thing. Briar didn’t, but they didn’t know that, and if she couldn’t leave her neurosis behind when someone else then what good was she? Maeve slid behind the bar and pressed her cheek to it with a giddy look before standing up carefully on the step ladder they kept for the uncommon booze on the top, “Who missed me?” There were a few whistles, along with a down in front because her people were assholex, and that’s why they were here instead of anywhere else, “Next round is on me!” there we go, all cheers on that one, of course. With Lincoln out on his excursion of sorts with some old army friends of his, Parker had been left to her own devices. So of course, what that meant, was she was enjoying her time alone and with her pack, and out at The Long Way Down probably a little more than she should have been. It was looking like her schedule before Lincoln had come into her life. And while she hadn't been gone often enough to still not be considered a regular at the bar, her visits had dwindled. Tonight, however, she was present and comfortable among old friends and new faces that she was just getting to know. As it were, tonight seemed to be a good night for things, because the brunette was a little surprised to see the owner, Maeve, strut through the doors with that familiar grin plastered across her face. And sporting some interesting blue hair to boot. Giving the other woman a wink as she passed by, Parker kept her hands to herself this time. As far as she saw it, Maeve was being touched enough for the both of them, even if she did enjoy it. Of course, things were never just normal around a place like Summerview, so she didn't see why this bar had to be either. And, apparently, Maeve thought so too... because she was suddenly up on a ladder and digging for where Parker knew they kept "the good stuff"... and when she followed that with a round on the house, Parker knew tonight was going to be a damn good night. Parker's cheers joined the rest of the bars' as she gave a little pound on the bartop, grinning like mad. She had always enjoyed this place. Tonight was no exception. But things were always more interesting when Maeve was present. And always a lot more fun. Maeve cracked her knuckles as she poured glasses of beer, wine, and liquor on the nicer end of the spectrum for everyone. She was a bit more careful to keep an eye on who was drinking what now than she might have been before that incident with Julius’s little witch cook, she had even pulled some information from one of the medical databases to be sure. Most things that people ordered were generic, or what they had always gotten. You know, standard stuff. But the one time someone decides to get bold, oh it’s all her fault isn’t it? Well. Either way. Didn’t hurt to be careful. Having customers get sick and take three days to recover wasn’t good for business. At least it gave her something to think about regarding the balance of her blood, which, if she was being honest — and she rarely was one hundred percent — wasn’t something she enjoyed doing. She swanned through the crowd, maneuvering with the sure footedness of someone who had been weaving through crowded marketplaces for over a hundred years, pausing over a table once her tray was nearly empty. Parker her memory supplied. Semi-regular. Florist, but had not always been a florist. Not with the way her shoulders moved and the way her eyes took in the room. A glass was set in front of her before Maeve quickly snatched it up, “Nope, wait, you don’t want scales,” Maeve kicked back the shot on her own, curious about what this particular sea-brew would do to her and set some very old Kentucky bourbon in front of her instead. “How’s it hanging Gorgeous? Low, slow and a little to the left?” The Irish accent was still there even if Briar had returned to her birth place for a spell, she was no amateur you know. Watching Maeve work the bar was almost like being privy to watching herself work a case. Fluid. Smooth. Effortless. It was definitely something that the semi-regular enjoyed watching. She imagined it was kind of what Lincoln saw when he watched her work her cases or blend in during one of the socialite balls she attended on occasion for a case. When a glass was set in front of her, she'd have to say she was surprised when it was almost immediately pulled away again and tipped back by the bartender herself. Something about Scales. Though, to be honest, Parker was always up for trying anything once. If she liked it, it was something to add to her life. If not, no harm no foul. "I don't know," she started, grinning as the bourbon was poured, "for all you know, I could have very much enjoyed that." The amusement was prevalent in her tone, even as she grabbed the glass and through it back, settling it back down on the bar to be refilled. Running a hand through her hair, the werewolf settled into her seat a little more as her glass was refilled. She couldn't help the feeling she had in this place. Enjoyment, amusement, a sense of belonging. It was almost as clear as it was being a part of the pack. Almost. The pack was her home, it was where she actually belonged. This place was definitely a close second, though. "Eh, you know how it goes," Parker started, her own English accent hidden behind the American one she'd picked up in an effort to hide where she was really from, "he's not low, he's not slow, and it definitely curves just right." Of course, she was talking about Lincoln, but it did seem to be an appropriate answer to the other woman's question. Maeve laughed at that, the boisterous sound of the comfortable and unashamed of her mirth. The shot glass spun on the top of her hand , across her knuckles, and with the tilting of her right hand, it flowed to the other, a little careful rotation and tipping from one side to the other it rolled down dangerously fast just for her to hook a finger in it. Another laugh as she spun it on her fingertip, clearly in a good mood by the grin and the amount of showing off of her tricks today, a thing that only happened when she was especially happy or especially angry, weirdly enough. Granted, a lot of them weren’t so much bartender’s tricks, so much as a mix of circus show routines or the flashy kind of displays that one did when they were trying to distract a crowd from a partner who was picking up wallets. Maeve didn’t do those sorts of things in Summerview, and especially not in her own damn pub, but it was fun to repurpose old tricks wasn’t it? “You know, I would, just for shits and giggles, but I just got a lecture from a friend about feeding my customers the wrong booze.” The shot glass was spun one more time in the air so she could snatch it out and neatly place it on a passing tray without pause, “I guess not everyone has the constitution I have. You reduce one witch to nothing but Gaelic for three days and everyone gets up in arms.” Maeve winked at Parker, like they were old friends commiserating over a common tale. That was one of the things that made her good at this, making everyone feel like they went way back, even though Maeve had only existed for about six years. “Aren’t you a romantic!” But she snickered at the joke anyway, stowing it away for later even as she reached out for a spare chair and spun it around so she could sit on it backwards to face her. She was out in the open so if anyone needed her for something going wrong she was available, and none of her customers who were used to talking to her would put up a fuss if she got pulled away. Name of the game and all that. “So I’ve been gone since the Masquerade, catch me up on the gossip before someone breaks something only I can fix somehow.” It felt good to be back home, even if it was sometimes uncomfortable to use that word, to have these kinds of conversations, have someone look at her with the font kind of grin Parker was now. Plus, the Florist really did have a unique vantage point on the town pulse. "Ah, come now, Maeve, you know I don't participate in idle gossip." She laughed and shook her head as she took a sip of the whiskey this time instead of throwing it all back at once. To be honest, Parker really didn't participate in idle gossip. She kept detailed files on everyone she could but gossip had never really been her thing. That had always been something Petra was more accustomed to... and anything that she could shed of herself that was similar to Petra was welcome to drift off into the winds as far away from her as possible. The only exceptions were their father and her nephew, Kaspar. "Anything else I can help you with, however, just let me know. I'm a jack of... well, maybe not all trades, but a damn good lot of them," she chuckled. Still, there were times her curiosity got the better of her... this was one of those times. "I am curious, though, what is that nifty little drink that put the witch on her ass? And what exactly were you about to give me that you so rudely took away. Maybe I'd like to try both." Parker was a pro at holding her liquor, so anything she could find that could actually drop her on her ass was welcome, seeing as how the regular shite couldn't quite hit the mark unless it was a ridiculous amount. Like the amount it took to give the typical frat boy alcohol poisoning. “I know, but I keep hoping.” Her eyes skimmed along the crowd, a habit that Briar had that was able to carry to Maeve easily, at least when she was in the bar. Thankfully, because her unpredictable paranoid streak needed to be placated somehow, “We always want what we can’t have, and you’re clever, I bet you’d have the best stories.” The wink was unnecessary but fun, depending on her mood, Parker indulged in some harmless flirting, and Maeve was usually careful not to touch her more than she would any regular. Not like, say, Zander, who she sometimes sprawled against when she didn’t feel like cleaning. Weres could be picky about scent, you know. The last thing she needed was another lecture from Julius, the prat. But she did consider it, briefly. Partially out of spite, and a bit out of curiosity. “That drink, maybe. But with shifter’s blood it can be a bit too…” A hand waved in the air as her face contorted, looking for the words, “Encouraging? For the blood? Make it change how it shouldn’t. It’s sea made though, maybe. In a controlled scenario. Not this.” A grin spread across her features, “Maybe for your birthday, for when it’s just you and your boo.” Although she wasn’t entirely sure how old Parker was, she had one of those faces, and eyes that were older than the rest of her. The latter was common for people who ended up here though. “But the one that put the Witch on his ass was from the Fae, and it doesn’t matter how stubborn your mind is. They’re vicious creatures, you know. Be careful.” Unwillingly, her expression changed into a serious one for a moment, contrasting so starkly with the flush to her cheeks and the blue of her hair. But it was gone a beat later, “I’ll keep that in mind though, if I ever need a bouquet, eh?” Mischief in her smile and the spark in her eyes as she flagged down the nearest waitress, telling her to grab a bottle of that sea-made booze that hadn’t been opened for Parker to take home when it slowed down. Truthfully, she was a bit curious. If it did go badly, then it could be useful. "Keep hoping," she chuckled, running a hand through her hair and finishing off her bourbon. She'd already opened up a tab when she walked in, so anything after the round that Maeve bought would go there, no matter what... and she definitely had the funds to cover it (and probably several other pretty hefty tabs as well). And the bartender was going to be left one hell of a tip. Why? Because Maeve was someone who did her job and made the patrons love it. A woman who could do her job and do it well, above what was expected, always deserved a good tip... Plus, she liked Maeve, so even if there was an off day when she was there, Parker made sure she left her a good tip at the end of the night. "I like to try new things. I might just have to buy a bottle of all your nifty little concoctions and share them with my mate at home. You know, in a controlled environment," she chuckled. "I'm always looking for something new to get my blood pumping for awhile. But you know good and damn well that it wouldn't be a party without you, Maeve." If there was someone outside of the pack that she didn't mind a good party with, it was this one. Plus, if Maeve was anything like her (which, in the time Parker had been here, she could see the similarities) she'd be quite the party member. She'd be someone that Parker could have fun with, even if they hadn't partied together at all. Still, there was always that feeling. "I'll give you your first one free for that bottle you just got for me," she chuckled. And Parker was always true to her word. She'd make sure it was a nicely creative one too. "I promise it'll look awesome." “Ah, I miss the days when bartering was the accepted law of the land. But you might be too young for that.” Wolves aged slower than the average human undoubtedly, but not like a great many of them. Not that she didn’t take them seriously because of it, in her experience they tended to pack a lot in their years, carrying them on sturdy shoulders with a head held high. She could admire that, undoubtedly, and it showed in her grin as she leaned just a smidge closer as if examining her face, “You have the radiance of youth about you.” Sweet and low but the illusion of actually trying to seduce the younger woman was shattered with her laugh, “You have a deal, beautiful, I’ll stop by the shop some time, one for one, eh? But I think I’ll leave you two to your fun, three’s a crowd unless you’re into that sort of thing, and I somehow doubt you are.” Maeve raised a curious eyebrow, a bit curious, but also clearly daring for her to say that she was wrong. “But you will have to tell me how it is, then I know if I can sell it to others like you. See, you’re practically doing a public service.” As it stood though she could only take a few drinks of the stuff before her hair and height start fluctuating on it’s own, and that was just awkward. She might be -- Parker couldn't help the grin that crossed her lips. The amusement was evident on her face. Maeve was definitely a charmer, someone she wouldn't mind having on Ivaylo's team one day. Maybe. "Trust me, dove, this radiantly youthful face has seen and experienced plenty," she chuckled, running a hand through her dark hair. Words, of course, weren't needed when it came to Maeve's next question. To be fair, it was something that would always have to be run by Lincoln first, but she'd be lying if she said she'd never been involved in a threesome before. Her and Tristan actually enjoyed a couple with some of the other pack members. Sometimes more than just one other. Their pack was close like that. Always something done out of love and the giving nature of their bonds. And nothing was ever held against anyone for ending it or for just being about fun. Fun was a necessity for the Faoladh pack, after all. A look was all it took for Parker to confirm that, yes, she was about that lifestyle at times. "Well then, I suppose I'll just have to volunteer to be your guinea pig more often. Give you the goods on what your nifty little sparkly kinds of shit does to those of my kind." It was all in good fun, but there were some things that could be beneficial from this and Parker wasn't blind enough to not see it. That she could believe, she had a good nose for these sorts of things. Good instincts for a lot of things really, it helped in her line of work, and especially considering that she had come into adulthood when proper education for women — especially with her skintone — wasn’t really an option. Back then good intuition was all she had. Parker set off a couple of her internal radar pings, including the one that said danger, but since when was that enough to make her back off? “Hmm, maybe one day I’ll join you guys and you can avail me of some yeah? After we all have a bit more liquid courage?” Admittedly, the response surprised her, and it showed on her face, that much was genuine. The rest of it? The widening eyes, the quiet gasp, the slow grin that turned gleeful, and the slight blush that stained her cheeks? That was all a mix, but just because it was fake didn’t mean the delight was any less real. “Keep me apprised on how that story unfolds, aye?” Voice low and pleased as her heel bounced to the beat of the surrounding music. The barking laugh at that was entirely genuine though, “You better be careful what you volunteer for hun, and are you going to tell your other half that this could be risky before he tosses it back or just let him be surprised?” Not that she would advised against either thing, but she wasn’t known to have the best common sense or self-preservation instincts. Danger was probably one of the best words to describe Parker, if only for the fact that she was damn good at what she really did for a living -- and that wasn't floral arrangements. Because of her own trust issues with her family, it was hard for the woman to really let other people in. The pack notwithstanding, the number was ridiculously small. While there wasn't complete trust, yet, Parker figured this woman was much like her in a lot of was. "Trust me, you'll never look at Lincoln and I the same again," she chuckled, running a hand through her hair and pushing her glass towards the other woman for a refill. The surprise on the other woman's face told Parker that the response she got wasn't necessarily one that others would get. It also told her that the other woman hadn't really planned on giving her that response either. It was amusing and Parker welcomed it. She wouldn't say as much, but it might have also given her ego a boost. "You'll be the first to know. Promise." For a moment, the English lilt to her voice came to the forefront, not on purpose, but as a result of her own amusement, really. "Even for the immortals, life is far too short to not enjoy it. And how better to enjoy it than to experience new things. So, yes, consider me willing to volunteer," she chuckled, "and trust me, I can talk Lincoln into anything." Oh yes... yes she could. All it took was the right motivation. “Hmm.” What an interesting, possibly messy proposal. Wolves were often extremely territorial, it all just varied on who they consider part of their territory. That was a risk she wasn't eager to take, especially in Summerview. Maybe if she was able to bolt to another city overnight, but she had a business here. Had people she gave a shit about. When she left town it was going to be on her own terms, she had spent too long building things up here. Then again, maybe she was being paranoid and it could be fun. It had been a hot minute since she had that sort of fun, reckless but not rot in prison reckless. Hmm. It was a possibility, and she told her that, “We’ll see what way the wind takes us when the time comes.” Maeve leaned into Parker when she said it though, a promise, a tease, and a way of confirming for Parker than she was, indeed, drawn in. Wouldn’t want to hurt her ego or burn any bridges, any possibilities after all. She refilled Parker’s glass with the small bottle of safe booze she had in hand, but didn’t drink anymore herself. One of her girl’s returned with the box containing the liquor for Parker, raising a curious eyebrow but not questioning it. Maeve had done a number strange things, this was not even in the top ten. But most of her ideas worked out well for her people so they went with it, “Here you go darlin’” Grinning, Parker plucked the bottle from the waitress' hands and looked it over. This could lead to an incredibly fun and interesting night or it could be a disaster, but either way she and Lincoln were definitely going to try something new. Something that was going to shake things up. Sometimes life needed a little shaking up. "Yes, when the time comes," the wolf agreed, taking in the other woman with a grin and downing the new glass of whiskey in one go. Pulling her wallet from her back pocket (because a purse was far too troublesome when all she needed was her essentials) she paid her tab and then left a good bit extra for Maeve and her hospitality. Truth be told, she did like the other woman. And outside of her pack, there wasn't a whole lot of people she did like. Holding up the bottle, Parker gave Maeve a final wink and then moved from the seat. “Aye.” Thank goodness neither of them were the schedule your fun types, because she only scheduled employees and time sensitive jobs as a rule, and the latter wasn’t even Maeve’s deal. When Parker finished off her glass she stood herself, putting her chair back neatly and out of the way, snatching the glasses in her hands with a smooth, practiced motion. The cash was grabbed to, along with a nod of appreciation and a pleased smile before she pocketed it. Truthfully she would probably stuff it in the tip jar to get divided out between everyone at the end of the night instead of taking much for herself, that was her normal process. Maeve went out of he way to emphasize family with her employees, taking care of one another. Even had a reputation for selflessness. “Be safe, some things that go bump in the night might actually have bigger teeth than you do, beautiful.” Maeve patted her hand once with a nod before spinning her way back into the crowd, the hustle and bustle of a Tuesday that was even more bustley than normal. |