Post by Alex Vipond on Apr 13, 2015 19:03:28 GMT -8
so toss it back: Monday night in the bar scene tended to be a little quieter than any other night during the week. She blamed the zombies that Monday turned people into, tired and a little cranky that the work week had begun again. The rustic bar was set on the outskirts of town, set back from the highway with a white gravel drive that opened into a parking lot. The lodge-style cabin that was the bar was set back against the treeline, a large porch providing outdoor seating when the weather was cooperating. Currently the double doors of the front entrance were propped open to let in the cool, moist air of the rainy afternoon. There were a couple of regulars seated here and there through the dining and bar areas, and the brunette owner was standing behind the bar, going through a general inventory of the bottles lining the shelves.
lick of shadows: Monday, Monday...so good to me. For most people, this day meant the starting of a new work week. For Dante? Well...he owned a club and Mondays are and will always be the slowest of days. There was no need to be at the club. Why? It was only open during the weekends! He needed to have different scenery, meet fresh faces, and get out and that's how he found this place. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R slowed down once it reached the parking lot, pulling up to the closet opened spot, and the kickstand was pushed out with the heel of his boot to lean the bike against it. Soon the engine was turned off and Dante lifted himself off of the bike. No helmet. Did that mean he was a badass? No. He just loved how the wind messed up his hair. Glowing blue eyes looking to the doors that were opened, approaching them with heavy boots lightly slapping against the wet pavement. Hands shoved into the Affliction jacket he had on as he stepped on through the opening. A coy smile coming across his lips when seeing a few patrons in there. Once the bar was spotted, that was where his legs carried him.
Alex Vipond: Alex didn't have that Monday morning, or day, or night for that matter, blues issue. One of the perks of working on your own schedule, at your own pace. The downside? Months on end on the road, living out of a few suitcases, and having half your damned equipment end up in the wrong city because someone at the ticket counter or a baggage handler fucked up... but that's another story, for a later time. Alex had decided to take a drive and see what new watering holes he could find, because face it, he'd not spent enough on booze yet, despite trying his best to do so. He almost missed the sign, and only made the turn because he slung the ass of the car around as he cranked the wheel. No it wasn't pretty, but it was at least controlled as he made the turn by the skin of his teeth and headed up the drive to the parking lot at a far more sedate pace than he'd been traveling down the black top. As the dust settled around the white convertible, Alex popped the door open and slid out, taking the time to swap out the gum he'd been chewing. He'd wait until he was inside to find out if smoking was allowed and if not he'd be spending some time here and there in the parking lot, polishing the fender of his Jag with his black denim clad ass. He wasn't far behind the biker, and he crossed the lot into the bar, taking a moment to get the lay of the place before heading for the bar proper.
so toss it back: Honed ears picked up the sound of both vehicles long before they came turning into the lot, even the sound of the convertible driver's quick handiwork to maneuver into the lot. One set of footsteps was followed by the next, so that by the time the biker was arriving at the counter, she had placed her clipboard and pen aside and turned to greet the biker with a smile. "Evenin' .. what can I get for you this evening?" A small nod was offered to the second male who'd stepped in to make sure he knew she'd seen him and would be with him in a moment.
lick of shadows: Blinking a couple of times to get some of the water to cover those dry, glowing eyes and then he finally reached the bar. Arms sliding across the surface, leaning into it and canting his head to the side. This caused the wild, raven strands to fall over one side of his face as he flashed the woman a smile. "Ya got any full ashtrays around?" Asking with a raised eyebrow. It was an odd request, wasn't it? No matter how many drinks he has, nothing could quench his his thirst like fresh ashes. "Oh..." Holding up an index finger at her. "Can I smoke in here or do I gotta go out there?" Motioning his head to the opened doors.
Alex Vipond: Alex gave her a nod up, even as he was looking around for any sign of an ashtray that had been put to its intended use any time in the last decade or three since smoking had become teh ebil. Settling at the bar, Alex slipped his shades off, tucked the bow into the neckline of the black t-shirt he wore and he was pulling his pack of Camels out of his pocket as the biker posed that rather odd query. The roll of the gum within his mouth slowed as it went from one side to the other. When the man clarified, Alex's gum chewing picked back up to normal speed and his smokes and lighter were laid to the bar. As soon as the woman was done with his compatriot, he'd order a double.
so toss it back: His request was certainly not one she'd been expecting, her brow arching up a bit when he asked. "Well, I'm not sure. We try to keep things cleaned up around here, but you're welcome to root around the tables and see what you find. "Inside is fine. We're pretty back woods out here." A small wink was offered and for a moment would step down the bar to get the second man's order. A double of whatever he ordered was poured up and set on a small cocktail napkin in front of him.
lick of shadows: Head turned slightly to notice another coming in close behind him and then joining him a couple seats down at the bar. Hands lightly tapping the table as he rose up to straighten his back, looking around at the bar for a moment and spotting a lot of clean ashtrays. None at the bar. Boyish smile. "Thanks." Clicking his tongue and winking at her before he turned to venture off to find a full ashtray. It didn't take him long. He found a table with a couple ofempty glasses and an ashtray with a half-smoked cigarette. He plucked the cancer stick from it and took the ashtray within his hand. After that, he went back to the bar and placed it down between him and the other guy. "Found one." Taking a drag of the cigarette.
Alex Vipond: "Glenmorangie, neat. Make it a double." Alex smiled, spotted an ashtray and pulled it over. His gum was rolled up in the wrapper it had come in, and then he was lighting up. A smile was given the woman and Alex pulled his wallet, slipped his Amex free and dropped to the counter. "Can you run a tab?" Alex looked back at the guy as he went wandering for a full ashtray, and then he took up the glass the tender set before him. He gave her a nod of thanks and then looked back at his compatriot. "How's it going?"
lick of shadows: Nostrils flaring at the sudden scent of a cigarette being lit. The first hit was always the best. Dante could taste that the cigarette he found was a menthol and he hated those. Pinching the burning coffin nail between his fingers, flicking the ashes into the ashtray. Turning his head slightly to glance over to the patron and then smiling at him. "Not too fuckin' bad, man. No complaints here." Squinting those eyes through the ribbon of smoke when he took another drag. "Other than this..." Holding out the cigarette he was smoking. "Fuckin' menthols, man. Shit is gross." That was the moment he decided to put it out. "How's shit goin' with you?"
Alex Vipond: "Can't complain." He shook a Camel loose from his pack and offered it out to the man. "I don't do menthol." Alex shook his head and then took another drag from his own.
lick of shadows: Eyes following the movement of the man's hand and then grinning when seeing the cigarette being offered. "Right on." Taking it from his grasp and placing it between his lips, lighter found from his pocket, and soon the tip of the cigarette was lit by the flame produced from the lighter. "MMmm." Satisfied groan of delight rumbling in his throat from the first hit. "Thanks...Needed that." Exhaling through his nose. "Oh...hey..." Leaning in close to the man to talk softly to him. "Don't let her dump your ashes out...Save'em for me, alright?"
so toss it back: After delivering the drink to Alex, she had taken the card he offered with a nod of her head. "Definitely can. I'll be right back." She stepped over to the register and ran the card, keeping the tab open before returning the card to him. A glance was given between the two men as they seemed to be focused on their cigarettes for the moment. With a glance to the biker, she waited until he was done with the lowered conversational tone about ashes before speaking. "Did you want a drink or to see the food menu?"
Alex Vipond: Alex dropped the pack back to the bar and then lifted his glass once more, taking a sip. As the man mentioned saving the ash... well that got a slow nod in that 'yes, let's humor this one, as he could go postal at any moment' way. When the tender ran his card, Alex couldn't help but watch her as she moved. He was having deja vu, big time.
lick of shadows: Movement always caught his attention. When the bartender took the card, Dante's eyes followed her. After he spoke to the man, he sat normally in the chair and that was when the woman asked him a question. Head tilting at an angle, squinting his eyes at her, and his lips parted for a moment. "Uh...Well...I'll have a White Russian." Reaching into his pocket to pull out a wallet, thumbing through a couple of plastic cards, and then he pulled one out to hand it to her. "Start a tab for me too."
so toss it back: Belle felt their gazes following her, but that wasn't really all that unusual considering she was the bartender. Lots of folks focused on the one making their drinks. Just how it rolled. With the order placed and the card offered she nodded and reached out to take the card. "Sure thing." Heading down the bar, she first made his drink and delivered it before setting up the tab with his card and returning it to him. "There ya are."
Alex Vipond: Didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes. Alex turned at the bar, giving the place another once over to get the lay of it, taking note of where the restrooms were and any such things as a juke, or a pool table if present. Maybe a cigarette machine in case he ran out and he thought he might just at that.
lick of shadows: It just happened to be one of the reasons he was looking at her, but she was quite the attractive bartender. Watching how she mixed in the ingredient to form the concoction and then smiling when she returned with the card and drink. "Damn...That was fast." Card was retrieved and placed back into his wallet before it went back into the pocket of his jeans. "Thanks." Lifting the drink with his free hand and taking a slow sip out of it. It tasted great. "Well done on this." Pointing at the drink in front of him. "I never seen this place before...Is it new?" Having a look around after asking her that. †
so toss it back: "Been slingin' drinks for a while now." Offered to his comment about her speed, but thankfully the drink was also good. "I'm glad you like it." She'd been about to reach for the clipboard and pen again when he asked about the place. "No, it was closed for a few years, though. My uncle owned it for a little over twenty years, but then once he passed, it was vacant for a while. Decided I'd try my hand at it."
Alex Vipond: Alex had never been either but then again he was outside his usual stomping grounds. He usually kept to the city, not making many forays out to the surrounding areas just for the hell of it, as he'd done today. It was amazing the things you started doing once more when you found yourself single again. Lifting his glass, he let the amber roll, watching it for a moment before he took a good drink of it and set the glass back down. "Taking up a family tradition." Alex nodded. "Nothing wrong with that." Unless you were that family in Texas that liked to kill and eat travelers, then that was just fucked. She didn't look like a cannibal though. Alex gave a light chuckle at the thought.
lick of shadows: "I been slammin' drinks for a while too and this...is very fuckin' good." Licking his lips to gather some of the fluid that didn't flow into his mouth. Then he heard her response to his question and he was quite impressed. "Fuckin' nice..." Nodding his head. "If ya need any pointers or help, I own a club and deal with just about everything you can think of." The glass returned to his lips, taking in a large swallow this time around to let it flow into his system quicker.
so toss it back: Hazel gaze shifted toward the second man, offering a smile with his comment. "Yeah, always nice to continue on family things. Well, usually anyway." A small, humble shrug was given before her gaze shifted toward the biker. "Thank you. I appreciate you saying so. And I will definitely keep that in mind. I'm sure there'll be some challenges come along. Nothing good ever comes easy, hm?"
Alex Vipond: Looking from the tender, to his fellow drinker, Alex regarded him a moment, then offered his hand out to each in turn. "Alex. I don't own a club, but I'm pretty good at the drinking booze portion of the business." His lips twitched in amusement, before he took a final drag from his smoke and crushed it out.
lick of shadows: Eyebrows raising when the man offered his hand and spoke his name. "Dante." Reaching out his own for a firm shake before releasing it to go back to the glass that was getting closer to being emptied. "Hell ya, man. That's what helps out. People like you who buy the drinks to keep us in business." Nodding his head at that and finally finishing off his drink. Glass lifting and waving it about to signal he wanted another one. "Hold on! I wanna guess her name.. Is it..." Squinting his eyes at her, trying to get a good read. Flashing a smile at her. "What's that girl's name from Beauty and the Beast? Ummm..." Snapping his fingers, trying to pop it into his brain. †\
so toss it back: She grinned with Alex's addition to the conversation. "Wouldn't be here without you booze drinkin' folks." She had reached out to take his hand, but just as she was about to give her name, Dante was speaking up about wanting to guess. The handshake ended without an immediate introduction, looking toward Dante curiously while swiping up his empty glass to make him another drink. A glance was given over his shoulder with his question, but she wasn't giving him any help along the way.
Alex Vipond: Alex watched her, a chuckle given and when Dante mentioned Beauty and the Beast, Alex lifted a brow and looked back at their tender. The name would fit certainly, but he wasn't about to help the man out, either. He lifted his glass and drained it, then slid it back toward her side of the bar. "I'll take another."
lick of shadows: The lack of response from the two was just downright rude! Releasing a chuckle when no one bothered to help. "Oh, come on!" Closing his eyes, trying to find the name of the character without looking it up with his phone. "Belle." Saying softly before his eyes opened to look directly at her and that's when he smiled. "I mean...She's the hottest Disney character and exchanges her life to save her Dad's...This Belle, sacrifices her life to keep the family business running....Not to mention...this Belle is also hot." Yes. Let them believe that and not that he just read her mind.
so toss it back: Once the white Russian was made and set in front of Dante, she took up Alex's glass to get him another drink as well. When he finally spoke the name he was guessing finally, she grinned a bit. "Nope. Mildred." Teasing words, though she was listening to the nice story he was laying out. "I'm not sure I'm sacrificing anything to keep the business going. Just trying to avoid living on the streets. But yes, Belle is my name. And either you have an unfair advantage or I'm going to have to assume you're a stalker."
Alex Vipond: Alex cracked up at that, one hand reaching into his jacket pocket to pull his gum. He folded a fresh piece between his teeth, and no, Doublemint likely didn't go with whiskey, but it was what it was. "One could hardly blame him if he was a stalker, so long as he didn't get you know... weird about it." Hell, Alex had stalked his ex when he met her, just so he could make up for the fact that he'd forgotten to give her his number. Once he knew where she lived, he'd gone to Walgreens and gotten some sidewalk chalk and left her a message on the walk out in front of her house. A little over two years later, one marriage and a divorce pending, it didn't pan out quite the way he'd hoped. But the sidewalk chalk she'd found charming.
lick of shadows: Once the glass met the table, his hand darted out to curl his fingers around it and slide it closer to him. "Mildred?" Repeating with a laugh and shaking his head. "Your parents must've hated you." Taking a couple decent sized swallows and then lowering the cup down from his lips. "You sacrificed yourself...Your money...Your time...Don't tell me it wasn't a sacrifice when all evidence points to the contrary." Stopped talking for another drink and to let Alex come into the conversation. "Stalker? Nah. Just a gift I have." Giving a shrug of his shoulders and hopefully that was enough to let it slide. "It does fit you quite well..." Looking her over. "Your jeans, that is." Winking at her over the mug.
so toss it back: A light smirk curved over her lips with Alex's words, shaking her head a bit as she set down his second drink. The sidewalk chalk was definitely pretty original and a good way to get a girl's attention. "I don't know. I still don't consider it a sacrifice to do something I enjoy. I just happened to have a helping hand to get it going by the work done by my uncle." She smirked a bit with his admission of having a gift and nodded her head. "Handy gift to have."
Alex Vipond: "Any endeavor worthwhile is worth effort." When Dante went on to talk about her jeans.... Alex gave him a double take, then chuckled and looked back at Belle. "It helps to have precedent set, an idea as to who, what, where and how." He took up his glass and took a sip, then looked between them again. "That would come in handy in Vegas, actually...." He paused. "Not that I'm going back to Vegas any time soon..."
lick of shadows: The double take was quickly noted and Dante just simply smiled at Alex after he said those words. Once he was finished with the drink, he set it off to the side and didn't ask for another. Soon his hand took a hold of the full ashtray he found earlier, the other hand coming to put his fingers into the ashes, scooping them up, and bringing them to his lips to begin eating the ashes. He did this in a very nonchalant way and didn't even care if people saw him or not.
Alex Vipond: Okay, that was just.... Alex started to say something, then just snapped his mouth shut, his glass taken up and sipped from. He rolled that gum in his mouth from one side to the other, and then finally looked back at Dante. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask if he had some sort of mineral deficiency in his diet, but then he really wasn't certain he wanted to know. He shook his head instead and then looked back at Belle.
lick of shadows: After reaching a certain point of feeling the nourishment, he lowered his head and closed his eyes. Ashtray was placed onto the table, but it has yet to be released from his grip. "You don't wanna know..." Speaking softly without even opening his eyes. No doubt people were looking at him, but he didn't care. Dante was thirsty and ashes was the only thing that could quench his thirst.
Alex Vipond: "Yeah.... I'm pretty certain you're right." Alex nodded, and light up another Camel after pulling his gum out and folding it into the wrapper. He started to drop it into the ashtray but then set it aside.