An unusual meeting in Duskvol

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Gang leader
Those two words were far more sobering than any ice bath or cup of black coffee could have been. Those were not the sort of people you messed around with. They interrupted business, they oftentimes hurt people for reasons that could not be understood, and regardless of your actual involvement with a scene they were a part of--if you were present you were liable to have the blue coats come down on you for information. In some of the more outrageous scenes, you would have the misfortune of dealing with the spirit wardens.

That knowledge, and the fact that such a man was apparently Cyrene's ex, was throwing every self-preservation instinct Laudius had into overdrive. He wanted to leave, get home as fast as possible, and hunker down there for at least a few days until he was certain he could go back to his uneventful life. But one look down at the quivering, fearful form of a woman that had been so confident and brash not five minutes ago stopped him. She was scared, just as he was. And of all things she was clinging to him to safety.
"All right, I won't move."
Laudius squeezed his arms a little tighter around Cyrene, though his eyes were slowly going around the room. Starting at the two electroplasmic lights within, and then traveling along the walls. He was hypothesizing.
 
"He'll leave soon. He likes to bar hop." Cyrene stilled herself at that thought. "Besides, I want you to have a good night. So, let's get another game and play for a bit till he leaves. Then, maybe we can go and dance out there. Might even treat you with one of my platform dances." She smiled up at him with a wink.
 
Laudius could only hope that Cyrene was right about the man. He would rather not meet him one-on-one.
"Well--I can certainly do that if you like. But I have the sneaking suspicion you would be upset if I tried to move. Unless I am mistaken?"
Laudius had now turned his gaze back to the window, trying to keep an eye on the man in question. With Cyrene's head still buried in his chest, and one leg laid over him, he would have had some difficulty moving anyway.
 
"...I can release you." Cyrene moved up slightly and landed a kiss on his cheek. "But only because I want a little bit more wine." With a chuckle, she got up and walked over to the cupboard, long legs bare to the world as she poured another glass. She was not trying to be attractive at the moment; it just happened to work out that way.
"You coming?" Her emerald eyes peered back at him curiously.
 
Laudius pulled himself up into a sitting position, blinking his eyes as he tried to focus back on the room and not the woman. One hand went up to his cheek, where he had been kissed, as if he didn't quite believe what had happened. There was a lingering warmth there, and he could feel it flooding from there out through his body.
"Are you certain you wish to continue as you are?"
Laudius spoke as he headed back to the cabinet and looked at the game. Perhaps a simple game of cards would be suitable next. He had played those on breaks.
 
"I would be a nudist if I could." Cyrene laughed at his question. "As it is, I choose to wear clothing that the masses deem inappropriate. Though some things die hard." She looked pointedly down at the corset. "You have no idea how uncomfortable these things can be."
Cards were something that she was well versed in and she intended to show him that she was a hard competitor. "Well, which card game would you like to play? There's several to choose from."
 
"I doubt many would complain if you chose to become one."
The words had left Laudius's mouth before he really had a chance to think over the statement. Yup, he had definitely partaken of too much wine. And he was going to need more after that statement. The man sat beside the card table and simply placed one of the decks upon it.
"I chose the last game, so why don't you pick?"
 
"Sounds like you'd be one of them." Cyrene laughed, blushing slightly. "Poker would be fun. But poker is, well, boring without something to bet...." She had a very mischievous look on her face. "Any ideas on what we could bet? Money isn't going to happen..."
 
"I will remain silent on the matter."
Laudius didn't really need to speak to the attractiveness of Cyrene. Both of them knew she was beautiful, and to bring it up in passing conversation seemed unnecessary.
"I've never found poker to be particularly engaging with only two people at the table... Perhaps a hand of gin?"
The man took another drink of wine from his glass. He was probably going to be paying for this night tomorrow.
 
"Spoil sport." Cyrene pouted slightly. "Fine. Deal 'em then." Cyrene sat down, pushing her hair back. He had beaten her in chess; she had to prove that she was a competitor and that she refused to lose easily. She poured more win and downed it. Tonight, she was fearless; screw Baz. She was going to enjoy the night with someone who valued her company in the completest sense.
 
Laudius played cards in mostly silence, trying to win his hands as best he could. Unfortunately for him, chess and gin were two very different games. When he was playing chess with Cyrene, she had a very clear pattern with her pieces, that let him put together a strategy and take advantage of her aggressive nature. With gin though? There were the cards she was picking up for sure, but her face was unreadable. He might as well have been playing against a brick wall, that's how good her poker face was. After about five hands, with her winning the majority, Laudius put his hands down on the table.
"It's a very good thing we didn't play poker. I can't read your face at all."
 
"Cards are something that can gain information, so I got good at it." Cyrene laughed, pouring another glass of wine for herself. "I had to prove to you that I am very competitive and I don't take losing very easily." She sent him a wink and began sipping. The bar outside had grown quite a bit quieter with the presence of Baz seeming to disappear.
 
"Well, you've definitely made your point."
Laudius finished his wine off, and looked at the glass for a minute. He could not remember just how much he had consumed this night, and he was certain that was probably enough. He had already done many things he was fairly certain he never would have were he sober.
"Would you care to switch games?"
 
"I think it's clear out there now." Cyrene looked around the window. "Would you care to go dance?" She stood up, carefully putting the cards up in the cupboard. He was drunk enough to not notice the paraphernalia in the bottom of that cupboard. "I think both of us are sauced enough to have a good time."
 
"I think..."
Laudius stood up, slightly shaky on his feet. Oh yes, he was definitely sauced enough for just about anything at this point.
"I think I could do that. Do you not think you should dress back up somewhat before we head out though?"
 
"...probably a good idea." Cyrene slipped the black dress back on. "Don't want everyone trying to put their hands on me. You're the only one allowed to do that tonight." Cyrene winked, chuckled, and retrieved her shoes. Her hair was not redeemable, so she shook it out and left it down. "So, you ready?"
 
Laudius coughed awkwardly at Cyrene's statement that he was the only one allowed to put a hand on her that evening. It was not an idea he was used to, though he was certain he would be more opposed to it were he not drunk on wine.
"Yes--I believe so."
The man took Cyrene's hand, quite unsteady on his feet. The mess of hair in front of him was calming and alluring. He wanted to run a hand through it. And as his mind debated, his hand had already moved to do so.
 
Her head leaned back into the feeling of his hand going through her hair for a moment before turning with a smile. "Stop playing with my hair and come on!" Cyrene took his hand and pulled him out of the room. The music was some crazy jazz at the moment. The bar keep saw her and immediately moved over to talk to her.
"Baz said that he was going to check all the other bars in the city for you." There was a look of sympathy on the man's face.
"Well, thank you all for covering for me." Cyrene smiled. "You guys are wonderful to me."
"Not a problem." He bowed his head, then returned to his customers at the bar.
"...so, I'll see about getting an easier dance song on." Cyrene disappeared over to the band to ask them that favor.
 
Laudius let out a breath that he didn't know he had been holding when they left the room, and sat down at one of the bar stools. The thought of a gang leader made his blood go cold. The time without Cyrene would allow him to think. Mull over everything that had happened this evening. Maybe weigh the good and the bad...
Fuck.
He would have been able to think if he had a clear head. As it stood he did not. Might as well dance the night away and then fall into bed exhausted.
 
Cyrene returned. "I told them to play a good dance number in a few songs since you look like you're not very capable of standing right now." She sat down next to him on a bar stool. "...hey bar man! My friend here needs to sober up a bit if he's going to enjoy a dance with me."
"Coming right up." The man chuckled. "Looks like a light weight."
"Seems to be, yes." Cyrene nodded emphatically.
The man behind the bar had some weird mixture in a bottle which he poured into a glass to hand over to Cyrene. "That should do it."
"Thank you, doll." She winked at him and held out the glass to Laudius. It looked like black tar mixed with green ooze and smelled like a sewer. "It doesn't look great; but, it will get you back on your feet."
 
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