[Social] Chelmsford - The Raven and the Bat

[Will Stanton]

The floaty bits of Miriam's dress brushed against the hemline of Sam's dress as the two sidled up to the bar.

[Miriam Bell]

"Not really. But I still like the taste and the... ritual of it." she says as the barkeep places a plain cocktail glass with clear brown liquor in it in front of Miriam.

[Samantha McManus]

"Should I have a few in solidarity, or are you getting enough of a buzz off the crowd?"

[Miriam Bell]

"You do you. I'm doing fine with just the crowd and the dress. Besides, that's not the kind of drinking I truly crave." she says and the way she briefly closes her eyes while 'looking' down at the bar top in front of her, she may not have meant to say that last part out loud.

[Samantha McManus]

"Afraid the owner here has had a bit too much experience with that."

[Miriam Bell]

"What, did you go on a drunken bender and smash up the place?"

[Samantha McManus]

"She was tangled up in that business with Wanda, I more meant."

[Miriam Bell]

"Fantastic. She's not one of them... us.. whatever, is she?"

[Samantha McManus]

"No, but she's lived a long time, so you can imagine the sort of company she's had to keep."

[Will Stanton]

Yeah, us old folks keep strange bedfellows

[Miriam Bell]

"So far the immortals that turned out nice are in the minority and even they are a little off." she says, flicking her dangling sleeve. "Having been involved in 'that whole Wanda thing'" she says, the words bitter on her tongue "I doubt this one is particularly pleasant."

[Samantha McManus]

"She's very transactional, but she can be trusted."

[Miriam Bell]

"Of course you made a deal with some ancient lady." Miriam barks out a laugh.

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm at least one of the reasons she's ancient. She's made a deal with me in every lifetime not to take her."

"She's... ah... also apparently my ex."

[Miriam Bell]

"Yeah, that's not messy at all. And here I thought I was terrible at relationships." she laughs. "What'd you get out of the deal?"

[Samantha McManus]

"I got a girlfriend hidden from the prying eyes of a faerie court. Not a bad deal."

[Miriam Bell]

"Damnit, I can't mock that. It's too sweet."

[Samantha McManus]

"They can't all be dark and ominous," she smirks.

[Miriam Bell]

"No but you made a deal with someone much more aware of their age and experience. If I did that, well, you know my track-record."

[Samantha McManus]

"I'm not saying it's all been pleasant. Plenty of shite from past lives that's come back to bite me, sometimes literally."

[Will Stanton]

Whether that's a bad thing or not depends on your perspective.

[Miriam Bell]

"And here I thought you'd welcome that kind of attention, considering the company you keep." Miriam smirks.

[Samantha McManus]

"More of a second date thing," she deadpans.

[Miriam Bell]

"Truly a pinnacle of restraint." Miriam laughs.

[Samantha McManus]

"Not as if you're a stranger to biting," she smirks back.

[Will Stanton]

She's not. I can vouch for that.

[Miriam Bell]

"Ah, but I need to to survive." she says, raising her index finger. "I suppose you simply enjoy it." she adds with a smirk.

[Samantha McManus]

"We're allowed to enjoy food, or else we'd all be eating flavorless nutrient slurries."

[Miriam Bell]

"Sure, it's that simple." she laughs. "I could have all the food I want, swim in it if I so chose and make them thank me for it. I probably wouldn't even have to make Will at all. How long, you reckon, until I'd end up like the me from Will's world?"

[Samantha McManus]

"There's humane ways to get it, and you're using them. I don't think she'd have bothered."

[Miriam Bell]

"Yes and it tastes like flavorless nutrient slurries that way."

[Samantha McManus]

"So there's an actual difference beyond temperature?"

[Miriam Bell]

"Everyone's a little different, notes and bouquets I suppose. Will is earthy and full. Smooth. Wanda was..." she starts, voice hitching a tad though she tries to play it off. "Lighter, complex but fresh. The stuff from the bags is stale, flat except for these notes of cloying... rot's the wrong word, but have you ever taken a swig from a bottle of juice that has just started to go bad?"

[Samantha McManus]

"You don't... have to talk about it, if it's hard."

[Miriam Bell]

"Oh god, save your thoughtfulness for another day." Miriam says and knocks back the rest of her cocktail in one go. "Come on, enough talking." she says and grabs Sam by the feathered collar to pull her with her back towards the dance floor. She points one finger at the DJ in the back and with a mental push he fades out whatever is playing to segue into the next song.

[Samantha McManus]

"Now this is just pandering," Sam grins as she's dragged out onto the floor.

[Miriam Bell]

"Why yes, yes it is." Miriam leans in and whispers in Sam's ear, pulling back with a devious smirk as she starts dancing.

[Samantha McManus]

"You look suspiciously close to enjoying yourself," Sam says, getting into the beat.

[Miriam Bell]

"Sam." she says with mock seriousness. "Enjoying myself to avoid unpleasant thoughts is what I do."

[Will Stanton]

Both Wills had mostly been injecting a little flirtatious snark into the conversation, such as it was. That pretty much stopped as soon as Miriam and Sam were back on the dance floor, losing themselves in the beat and the movement of the bodies around them, falling deeper and deeper into the zone.