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Tweak says, "I can see through you."

Kate Pryde (settostun) wrote in xns_ic,
@ 2014-11-02 17:17:00

Entry tags:

11.25.2015, dazzler, shadowcat, wisdom

Slightly Better Than Karaoke
Who: Ali, Kate, and Wisdom
What: Open mic night!
When: Wednesday, November 25, 2015 - evening
Where: Some bar, New York City
Warning: Language, at least.

Kate thanked the bartender and arranged the glasses carefully in her hands before turning to head back to her booth. The guy who was up on the stage just then wasn't completely awful, but he wasn't exactly someone she would ever seek out to listen to on her own. In fact, there was a great chance that she'd turn and walk away if she happened by him and his music on the street. Some people seemed to be enjoying it, and she tried not to visibly judge them as she walked by. Reaching the booth, she sat the glasses down and pushed two of them toward their respective owners - a gin for Pete, and a liquid cocaine for Ali.

"I had to explain to him what it was," she informed Ali, sliding into the booth next to Wisdom and reaching for her own drink, a Long Island iced tea. "I think he thought I wanted actual cocaine. It was a little awkward."

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hardlight
2014-11-13 04:48 am UTC (link)

"Or he's delusional or tone deaf enough to think that he really sounds as good as he thinks he does." Ali shrugged. "He's not the worst singer I've ever heard. A few pointers could help, but," she took a long drink, "I will not be giving him any."

The song seemed to be winding down as Wisdom announced his intention to go smoke. "Oh, we won't let you miss my grand performance. Not tonight anyway." Assuming that she didn't decide to "go for a smoke" herself and disappear before they called her name. "Just watch yourself. There's probably some hipster somewhere just looking for a friend like you."

She was just turning her attention back to Kitty when the guy on stage started thanking everyone for listening to him. "Golf clap time apparently." Which should put her up after one or two more people. Ali wasn't sure if she wanted them to be more or less polished than her. Double edged sword.

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settostun
2014-11-16 04:37 am UTC (link)

"Maybe just steer clear of hipsters lurking in alleys," Kate added, nodding up at Wisdom. Thankfully, he wasn't the kind of social butterfly who was likely to allow himself to be roped into a lengthy, smoke-covered discussion about how The Decemberists have sold out.

Kate laughed at Ali's comment, downing the last of her drink to hide it in case the guy happened to look their way again... and using the drink as a great excuse to not have to clap. Hands were busy, it wasn't personal. It worked. He was getting more than enough applause from the rest of the crowd, anyway.

"So what song are you going with?" Kate reached for Wisdom's empty glass and slid it, along with her own, toward the edge of the table. The one waitress the place had seemed to be incredibly preoccupied with a table on the other side of the room, but just in case she decided to start doing her job, Kate preferred she not have to reach over them. "Are you rethinking your choice and considering Abba now?"

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hardlight
2014-11-16 03:26 pm UTC (link)

Ali couldn't help but giving her friend a look at the mention of having switched her selection to Abba. "Remember. It's not karaoke. If I want to sing Abba, I can just turn on the Mamma Mia! program you made me." Which she enjoyed the shit out of. There was nothing like immersing yourself in Abba music for about an hour to make even the worst day more tolerable.

"No, I'm doing an original. You remember that one song I wrote about my grandmother?" Kate had heard most of Ali's songs. Mostly because she was always showing up at her friend's door to make her listen to them and give her tips. "That's what I was planning on. Unless you think it'll be too melancholy for the crowd."

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settostun
2014-11-16 08:04 pm UTC (link)

"And you don't have your roller skates, so it probably wouldn't even be worth it." She was pretty sure that doing an Abba cover, even if it was a really well executed one, would elevate Ali's performance into the same range as the last guy's. She watched as the next person took the stage - a small woman with a beanie and a beat up guitar.

"That's a good one," Kate nodded. "I don't think it's too melancholy, either. The crowd seems like they're in the right kind of mood." Maybe it had something to do with the last performer. She glanced quickly around the room. "Lots of dates, it looks like."

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hardlight
2014-11-17 02:06 am UTC (link)

"Please. That stage is way too small for roller skates. I'd just look like a dweeb. Plus I have the wrong outfit and the wrong make-up for Abba." Abba required everything to be perfect in every little detail and, even then, you were likely to get laughed out of the room. Because people didn't realize when they were in the presence of greatness apparently.

Ali frowned at the new woman gracing the stage as she looked even more hipster than the guy who had preceded her. "Kitty," she automatically slipped back to using her friend's old nickname, "I'm getting the sinking feeling that I've picked the wrong open mic." She definitely fell more into preppy trendy than most of these people.

"Yeah," she agreed, taking another drink. "It's a good date song." It was definitely what Ali would describe as a rock ballad. "Although I'm starting to think of picking something more upbeat. Give them something to remember me by." Lots of people were doing things that fell into the ballad sort of feel, after all.

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settostun
2014-11-17 04:10 am UTC (link)

Of course, not being appropriately attired was the biggest problem with just busting out the Abba at a bar. Kate laughed, shaking her head. Abba was serious, and she really should have known better than to suggest otherwise. She turned, glancing up at the stage and then trying to locate the waitress so she didn't have to get up to go to the bar again.

At the sound of her name, she turned her attention back to Ali, raising an eyebrow. She laughed at her friend's observation, reaching to help herself to a quick sip of Ali's drink before sliding it back to her as she inclined her head toward Wisdom's seat and pointed out, "At least you didn't show up to a hipster party wearing a necktie."

"They'll remember you either way," she nodded. "You're very memorable." The girl onstage started in on her song, another ballad, and Kate frowned. "Maybe something more upbeat."

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hardlight
2014-11-17 03:58 pm UTC (link)

The waitress, who seemed completely overwhelmed by the number of people in the bar, finally wandered over to their table to collect the empty glasses and gesture if they needed another round. Ali waved her off but did a thumbs up for the other two. It was like she'd said earlier, she had no intention of being drunk for this performance. A soft alcohol buzz would be more than enough.

"Now, see, I think I could make the necktie work. You just have to pair it with the right outfit for this crowd." But she couldn't suppress the giggle. Wisdom did sort of stick out like a sore thumb. He looked a bit like someone's dad who had come to watch them and gotten in for more than he bargained for.

Kate's comment made her grin and stir her drink again. "Now you have to say that because you're my friend." And then she was uber tired of talking about herself.

"How long is dark and somewhat handsome sticking around this time? We know yet?" Wisdom had a habit of flitting here, there and everywhere. And not just on the more temporary missions that the rest of them did.

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settostun
2014-11-18 04:34 am UTC (link)

"Well, it's the only reason I am your friend in the first place, so I think it's worth repeating as often as possible." She flashed Ali a grin, straightening up in her seat slightly and then shrugging at her friend's question.

"He hasn't said that he's staying, but it doesn't seem like there's anything huge that requires his attention, so he might stick around longer." That, of course, didn't mean that there wasn't. He didn't tell her everything, and she didn't expect him to. Even though she had relatively high clearance with a few organizations, Wisdom was well above her. There were things that she just flat out couldn't know, and that was fine.

"But who knows," she added, smiling in thanks as the waitress brought their drinks around. She reached for her phone to text Wisdom a picture of his brand new glass of gin. "I'm pretty sure he'll at least wait until after your song, though."

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_needs_doing
2014-12-01 09:03 am UTC (link)

Unfortunately, a couple of the hipster lads did try to engage him in conversation as he smoked his cigarette. Wisdom returned their attempts with a dour look. They didn't want to discuss music, politics, or anything else with him. Because they'd get the truth and it would shatter their disenfranchised wee self-absorbed outlooks. Even if he could confirm some of their pet conspiracy theories. But they wouldn't like the fact he hated their rubbish whingy music, ridiculous plastic spectacles, and their bloody stupid tendency to wear beanie caps everywhere. Maybe they needed them to block their ears from the bollocks their mates were spewing.

His cellular buzzed and he dug it out, looking at the picture Kitty had texted him. Vixen. Luring me back with your feminine wiles. Dropping the mostly spent fag on the ground, Wisdom crushed it out with the sole of his wingtip and headed back into the club.

"Did I miss anything?" he asked as he took Kitty's seat, since she'd moved into his. "Looks just as dull in here as before I left." He picked up his glass and knocked back a goodly bit. "I want to say 'Yes, the world's a shite place. Pissing and moaning about it to boring wretched music doesn't make it any better."

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hardlight
2014-12-01 06:44 pm UTC (link)

Ali made a noise of agreement about Kate's answer to her question in regards to Wisdom. Never knew. That was exactly the way that man was. As long as he wasn't hurting Kate's feelings with it, she didn't need to laser anything off him. "It's the least he could do. Really."

And then speak of the devil. "Actually while you were gone, we worked out how to solve all the world's problems and then decided fuck it. No one will listen anyway." She grinned at him.

"But, really, no. Other than a new musical act," she said, lifting her straw out of her drink to point at the girl on stage who was shaky and weak on her high notes. "She could also do with a few pointers, but she's better than the last one. I'm shocked you didn't bring any new friends in with you from the outside." Wisdom was fun to play with precisely because he was Kate's whatever they were and he also in no way resembled one of the many father figures she tried desperately to please.

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settostun
2014-12-02 06:42 am UTC (link)

Kate opened her mouth to let Ali know that if he didn't stick around for her song, she had Kate's full permission to hunt him down, but before she had the chance, Pete was back, slipping into the seat beside her. She smiled at Ali's summary of the events that had unfolded in his absence and nodded. "Not even worth the hassle."

"She seems a little nervous," Kate observed, nodding toward the girl onstage. "Definitely a huge step up, though."

She chuckled at Ali's question about Wisdom's new friends, letting her leg rest up against his again. "I'm sure calling their music boring and wretched endeared at least a few of them to you." She took another sip of her drink and offered, "We could always leave after Ali crushes them, if you want."

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_needs_doing
2014-12-02 07:32 am UTC (link)

Pete snorted at Alison's quip about no one listening. That'd be more humorous if it wasn't absolutely fucking true. He took another drink of his gin.

"She can carry a tune at least," he admitted after a moment. "She'd be cracking if she'd get rid of the beanie. We're indoors, no one needs a bloody beanie hat in the middle of a bar with central heating." He scoffed again. "Well, it wouldn't do to lie to them. Then I'd not be a proper friend." He looked over at Ali. "Please tell me you plan on something with a bit of a beat to it at least? After all of this rubbish, I'd even settle for Abba just for a change of pace."

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