Match of the Millennium

Description: Rafferty runs into Echo Lacroix in Southtown's Chinatown district. Braving the bat lady's charms, Rafferty decides to hit a club with her...

[ECHO]
The temperature had been rising around the city, as it was more or less summer weather now--getting up to around 30C in the hottest times of the day, before dropping to high 20s at night. For those like Echo, the heat could be innervating, in a way. After such a long period of raw, miserable weather, at that. Right now however, the night had left her a bit...

Hungry.

The sun had gone down here a while ago, Chinatown was now a hotbed of nightlife and other sorts of activity, legal or not--though it existed as a sort of dream-like underworld, where most things had a price, if you had the right connections. If one is leaving a bar or just getting off a subway, they will be greeted to a neon wonderland, though getting off the beaten path can be a hazard...

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty Lawrence Stewart has just had dinner. The meeting over some rather delicious noodles, with a potential new employer and his agent, Masako in a Chinatown restaurant was a resounding success and he's now contracted to be the face of the Autumn/Winter campaign, for a new menswear label, aimed at the youth end of the market. He's dressed tonight in a smart, yet summery fashion. A lightweight beige linen blazer is worn over a short sleeved cream silk shirt and a pair of brown cotton chinos. Beige canvas Converse high tops, prevent the outfit from appearing overly dressy.

With a full stomach and a spring in his step, the blond boy decides to take a stroll, opting for the long way back to his school dormitory. As he takes in the sights and sounds of Southtown, a smile plays on his lips. He's loving living here. He feared that he would miss California too much, when he signed on the dotted line, with the Japanese modeling agency, but he's started to feel really at home here, in the six months since he made the move.

As he walks, he takes time to glance in the windows of the various shops, admiring the quirky and unique goods displayed. His own tastes may be more high end, but he admires the creativity and beauty on show.

Other things catch his attention too, as they are designed to do so. The flashing neon quickens his heart, as he wonders what's behind those closed doors of the city.

[ECHO]
Overhead, the poor model man seems to have been perceived by a strange figure--Echo, to be precise, suspended upside down somehow as holds a military grade monocular scope to one eye, brows raising as she spots Rafferty coming and quickly pulls herself up to get into position.

What looked like foggy white mist erupts from a stormdrain just ahead of him--and as it begins to clear he can see a very... interesting shape.

The first thing that lopes out of it is what looks like a very long and slender leg--clad in a dark nylon stocking, the garter taut from where the suspender belt is pulling on it from beneath that red dress that's slit around it--the foot ending in a very shiny looking blood red stiletto heel.

Of course, the rest of the figure is what might begin to get his hairs raised--as it's not exactly humanoid. There's what looks like a set of large conical ears sticking up from the sides of the head, and a pair of bat-like wings from the back as the silhouette begins to lighten, a pair of red lips and orange eyes emerging from the smoke next.

"What's your destination... stranger?" the lips move, and more of the bat-like humanoid face bleeds into view, smiling at him with bedroomy eyes and a throaty cooing voice.

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty strolls on regardless, oblivious to being observed from above, until he sees that mist. He waves a smooth, well manicured hand, trying to clear it, but this proves reduntant, as it appears to be dispersing itself. What is revealed to him when it does so, causes him to swallow hard.

The shapely, feminine limb, adorned in such a sultry style, leads him to believe that its owner may have come from one of the clandestine clubs he was coveting entry to. It's only when his blue eyes venture upwards, that he sees an altogether different sight than he'd expected. He becomes rooted to the spot, his mouth dropping open in surprise, as he stares hard at the creature. There's the quickening heart again, but this time for a very different reason.

Eventually, he finds his voice and his words slip out, with only the slightest tremble.

"I'm not sure that would be the smartest thing for me to tell you."

He pauses for a beat, before adding in hushed tones.

"Are you a darkstalker?"

He's become more familiar with such creatures in recent times, after previously disbelieving their existence.

[ECHO]
With the young man rooted to the spot like a mongoose before a cobra, Echo seems to pulls herself free of the mist, finally buffeting it away with one of her wings--it's definitely not Lyraelle, though it might have seemed like her at first from the silhouette.

"That's right," Echo wasn't using any kind of illusion or disguise right now. As easy as it might be to get close to people with a human visage, she disliked using it for those purposes. For a number of reasons.

She was wearing a long form-fitting red cocktail dress, it appeared--with the shoulders bare and the dress clinging to the chest--a belt strung with various things hung around her waist--consisting of a pouch, a few strips of leather, a small animal skull, etc.

"Looks like I'm not the only one you've seen before, is that right?" she smiled, stepping right up to him.

[RAFFERTY]
"You're not my first" the young model admits, still staring intently.

His piercing blue gaze eventually shifts to take in the belt adorned with artifacts.

"Is that real?" he wonders of the animal skull, though perhaps it would be safer not to ask.

On the surface he seems relatively calm, but there's definitely fear evident there, for those who can detect such things. He's somewhat like a graceful swan, gliding across a pond serenely, whilst it paddles furiously beneath the surface.

"I'm no threat to you, by the way" he adds, as though this were not perfectly obvious.

[ECHO]
"Ooh, not your first? scandalous," Echo reaches over to take the man's hand, if she'd let him--and slide it over her hip, where it might brush against the skull hanging from her belt.

"This? it's real," she purred, nodding lightly to him. "A small demon world creature, I forget exactly--gremlin or some kind of tree glider," she tilted her head, sniffing a little--she might have detected something... familiar. Though this only seemed to steel her resolve, in some way.

"Did you think I'm a threat?" she looked up at him, eyes locking now, where she had been peering down at her trinkets, then back up to him. Obviously this was perhaps too close to comfort, an individual might have been justified in pushing back or her away--but...

"I'm Echo Lacroix, by the way--what's your name?" she grinned, leaning back and giving the man just a bit more space.

[RAFFERTY]
The teen doesn't resist his hand being grabbed, though his expression is one of bemusement, as it's placed upon the creature's curves. He does recoil slightly, when his fingertips come into contact with the demonic remains.

"A gremlin like in that old movie?" he wonders, withdrawing his hand back to his own side, at the first opportunity to do so.

His scent is an intoxicating combination of neroli and lemon, which fades to cinnamon and jasmine, before finishing off with sandalwood and amber. Perhaps it is something else that Echo senses however.

"I suppose you could be a threat, yes. The thought has certainly crossed my mind" he admits freely.

"As for my name, I don't suppose it would be too hard for you to find out, giving my relative fame. I'm Rafferty Lawrence Stewart, full time student and part time model" he states, with more than a little pride.

[ECHO]
"Hmm?" Echo blinked a little bit, still keeping her smile, and not apparently taking offense that he jerks back a little. It looked like she didn't understand what he meant at first, before she grinned, showing off ivory fangs over her red lipsticked lips. "Well, we /are/ In Chinatown, don't forget," she laughed. Echo herself vaguely smelled of strawberry shampoo, (She did sport long black hair, after all) with an underlying hint of the cosmetics she was wearing, and something else that was hard to pin down... If he'd ever been around a large dog before it might sort of remind him of fur dander.

"Male model? Not surprising there, with how you look, studly," she laughed a little again, briefly taking a compact out of her pouch and checking over her makeup--pouting her lips as she narrowed her eyes to peer into it.

"So, what--what did you think I was going to do, kill you, and drink your blood?" she stared into the compact for a few beats, before her orange luminescent eyes flicked over to him.

[RAFFERTY]
The platinum locked poser visibly preens, as Echo compliments him. He watches as she checks out her reflection, curiously, sending out some praise of his own.

"Your make up is immaculate."

There's a smile on his handsome face, but still a hint of wariness in his eyes.

"It did cross my mind, albeit briefly" he admits, following his words with a laugh, in an attempt to keep the mood light.

"There is something of the vampire, or maybe just vamp about you."

He runs a hand through his hair, standing his ground, but not getting any closer to the female.

"Since your fangs aren't in my neck right now, what exactly is it you want with me? I should probably be getting back, because I have class tomorrow."

[ECHO]
"Aw, I wasn't fishing for that but thank you," Echo sounds legitimately delighted at that, raising her brows and snapping the makeup compact closed, before tossing it back into the pouch. "I'm not undead if you're curious," she she casts a glance back at him. "Though my business is in the occult, which is also likely not surprising, since you've met some of us before."

"Hmm? you want to go already? I guess that's up to you hon, though I did see you eyeing all those nightclub signs, I thought perhaps you'd like to go someplace fun with me," she grins a little. She might be half-serious and teasing here, or it might be a legitimate suggestion. Perhaps she thinks since he didn't bolt first thing that he really /has/ been around Dark ones before, so he might be up for the idea.

[RAFFERTY]
"You're welcome" Rafferty shrugs casually. "I'm simply telling the truth."

"So you're very much alive then" he muses. "I suppose that's some comfort. What kind of occult business is it?"

His eyes stray over to the draw of the neon nightlife, lingering there longingly, before shifting back to his companion.

"I suppose one drink wouldn't hurt" he decides. "As long as it's somewhere public. I'll pay for them, if you order them. I'm not exactly the right age" he confesses.

"Do you have a favourite place you'd like to suggest?"

[ECHO]
"Public, huh? Don't want to be alone with little old me? Well come on then, sirrah," that last bit if a little odd--who the hell says 'sirrah' anymore? She must have a funny habit of slipping into an archaic speech pattern, at times. As she turns and moves back toward one of the signs labeled 'The 2020' she hooks her left arm around the teenager's--using her right to perform an odd gesture in the air--in which her whole hand is briefly wreathed in what looks like a dull blue St. Elmo's fire. From now on, everyone will see her as normal, except of course, for her young 'date'.

Closer to the door of the cyberpunk themed club, the bouncer briefly will try to stop them, before a cold stare from Echo and a flicker of blue flame in her eye cause the man to back off, and let them pass. She had just directed an invisible ray of crippling fear at the man, which would explain his cowering, trembling state.

"There we are," she continues to walk, leading the man into the very cyberpunk themed establishment. There are neon lights, a bar, tons of tables--as well as thrumming electronic music being pumped in. She'd then find a small table or booth for them.

[RAFFERTY]
"I figure it's best to be safe" Rafferty readily agrees, with the darkstalker diva's assessment.

He allows himself to be led towards the forbidden delights of the club, watching in wonder as Echo performs her party trick.

"I'll have to hang out with you more often" he grins, as they sail smoothly past the beefy bouncer. He'd been readying his smooth tongue, to try and charm his way in, but apparently there's no need for such tactics, whilst in this company.

As the dazzling duo step into the inner sanctum of the nightspot, his eyes are everywhere, checking out the elaborately dressed staff. There's a voluptous violet haired waitress, poured into a futuristic leather ensemble, a pair of male twins, with mohawks and contrasting monochrome outfits and a fierce looking fashionista in a metallic leotard and buckled boots, with hair not dissimilar to his own. The music is hard and heavy, not something he'd usually listen to, but in here it seems to fit perfectly.

He slips his delectable derriere into the booth and drums his long fingers on the table, in time to the relentless beat.

"I'll have a glass of Cristal" he requests casually, reaching in to his wallet and handing several crisp notes to Echo.

"Get yourself whatever you like."

[ECHO]
"No doubt about that," she murmurs to him as they step in, though loud enough for her to be heard over the throb of the music and the other patrons inside. She tugs the teenaged model closer to her hip as she walk along with him, though she clearly seems impressed by the waitress, who is sporting a rather... eccentric outfit, but who is she to talk, after all?

"Vodka and tonic, please," she nods to the waitress, before looking back at Rafferty.

"Mmm?" she raised a brow at the notes, nodding. It /was/ customary for the man to pay, after all.

"Quite an outfit on her, isn't it," she slid closer to him on her elbows as she leaned across the table, the back of her hands supporting her chin.

"How do you think it'd look on me?" she grins a little, clearly having a good time already.

[RAFFERTY]
"Well it's not the kind of outfit you'd usually see on someone walking down the street" he ponders. "It seems to fit what they've got going on here though" he decides, gesturing with his hand.

"I'm sure it would look lovely on you too. Perhaps she'll let you borrow it" he laughs, as the woman in question delivers their drinks.

"My friend was admiring your outfit" he tells her. "She wants to know where you got it, so she can get one of her own."

He throws a wink in Echo's direction, then turns back to the violet tressed vixen, as she responds.

"I made it myself" she says proudly, running her hands over the fabric.

"I like to wear things I can't buy in a store."

Placing the drinks down on the table, she looks at them expectantly, probably hopeful of a tip for the table service.

[ECHO]
"Not sure that one would fit me," her eyes cast a bit concerned back towards the very buxom waitress, then her eyes widen a little bit as she returns, and Raff begins to tease her right there in front of the waitress. Ohohoho, she seems to have underestimated this one perhaps, just a bit. There is more to him than just a pretty face.

"Thank you," she responds to the waitress, getting her vodka & tonic and carefully sipping it to taste. Unlike what one might expect, Echo did need to drink water, and a little alcohol wouldn't bother her too much... as long as it was in moderation. So the cocktail was safe.

"Never thought of that myself," she looks back toward the waitress and Raff, as the former leaves earshot.

"I'm not a seamstress, though now I wonder what that'd be like. I'm a sorceress, you see, if you hadn't already guessed," she sipped the drink slowly, making a face at the sharp taste of the vodka therein, before getting more used to it.

"My school of magic concerns the dead," she finally confesses, perhaps feeling less awkward or concerned about scaring the boy now, after he'd shown such wit.

[RAFFERTY]
The mischevious male model sips at his own drink, savouring the superb quality of the champagne.

"I prefer wearing clothes to making them" he reveals.

"I'll stick to what I'm good at. There's no point me being all amateur hour, when there's so many gifted geniuses out there."

Another sip, then his eyes seek out Echo's, as he nods his head slowly.

"I suspected. What with the little light show out there. I don't know much about such things though. I've never knowingly met someone who could do anything like that. Most of the people I hang out with like to punch their way out of situations."

As she speaks of the dead, he pales slightly, though it won't be apparent in this lighting.

"You mean like a necromancer or something?"

[ECHO]
"Me and you both," Echo casually asides to his comment about clothes. She sucked a deep breath in and leaned back, crossing her legs under the table, more at ease now, it seemed, than she had been. She was more charged with energy before.

"I thought I was pressing my luck in explaining that, my profession has a bit of an... ugly connotation to it," Echo stared back into the boy's eyes, who she was finding had a disarming charm about him, along with his wit.

"I conjure spirits and animate dead things to my aid, and can inspire fear, as I did with the bouncer," she tipped her drink back now, noting the somewhat horrified reaction he had to her confessing that. The boy seemed to know how to make her feel vulnerable, but she didn't seem affronted by it.

"You see, it makes dating a bit hard," she grins a bit sheepishly.

[RAFFERTY]
The beautiful blond boy listens intently, as Echo admits the dangerous and dark line of work she is in. When she's done explaining, deflecting her revelations with humour, he remains silent for a few seconds. Perhaps he's startled or shocked. At least he's made no attempt to run. Eventually he pipes up, leaning back against the leatherette backrest of the booth, as he speaks.

"Well, that's different from I work in an office" he remarks, his mouth curling up at the corners.

"Seriously though, that's pretty out there. How did you even get into that stuff?" he marvels.

"I can definitely see the appeal of it, with what I witnessed earlier, but bringing the dead back to life?"

He purses his pretty lips together into a pout and then lets out a low whistle.

"I guess it's not one to put on the internet dating profile. I like long walks on the beach, candelit dinners and conjuring sprits."

[ECHO]
"I'd likely shrivel up and die, 'were I had to perform such a mundane and boring task," she grinned, the ice being cut through again by the boy's spirit. At his next question, she looks up a little, having nearly half-drained her glass, and realizing it as the fuzzening of the alcohol begins to creep up.

"Mmm.. I'm not from this plane, or world, to start--and my family was an assortment of sorcerers and assassins for a noble house," she explains, something she hasn't really told anyone else, so far--not even probably Tairyu. Perhaps Rafferty just has a way of loosening tongues.

"I had thought I might see what this place had to offer in terms of the mystical arts, though I was surprised practitioners were so few and far between," she shrugged. Looking back up, she raised a brow and lightly smiled at that. "I suspect you get a lot of attention on the beach, the sun and hot snad though--" she shivered a bit. "Perhaps on a lovely cool moonlit night."

[RAFFERTY]
"Me too" he sighs. "I can't think of anything worse. My dad is an accountant, stuck in a stuffy office all day." He seems to shudder at the very thought of this life for himself.

He gets back to work on lubricating his own vocal chords, treating them to a celebration of bubbles, as the sparkling liquid slips down his throat.

"Now you're trying to make me look dull" he pretends to huff, as Echo explains her background to him. "An accountant father, a mother who's a nurse and me coming from plain old earthly California" he teases.

"Seriously though, it's kind of mind blowing. It's like you grew up in a fantasy movie or something. You should write a screenplay about it and make sure there's a good part for me" he half jests.

"I suppose the advantage of there being so few in your line of work here, means you'll be in greater demand. That means you can charge plenty."

His blue eyes sparkle at the talk of money and only liven up further, as the conversation turns to his own assets.

"It has been known" he smiles, with mock modesty. It's pretty obvious that he's very aware of all of his charms.

"The beach is wonderful at night. Very romantic. My school is right by it, so I get to hang out there a lot."

[ECHO]
"A nurse is a fine profession, what about it?" her brow raised, not seeming to find anything wrong about that. "I had found it odd that so few of the women here were versed in more... technical areas, at least most of them, such a skill is a fine background," she sipped more lightly of her drink, as she continued.

"Money is indeed a very important commodity to you humans, it's not so much different on the other side, of course, some of the oil-bearing royalty in the middle east rival the haughtiness of some of the nobles in my former land," she grinned, enjoying the conversation with him, less the neon lights and loud music.

"And you go there at night? Very brave one you are--no wonder you didn't run when you saw me," she leaned a little closer. "Or perhaps I'm just that bewitching, hmm?~" she is teasing, as evident by her smirk.

[RAFFERTY]
"Oh, I'm not dissing my mom" Rafferty quickly explains. "Far from it. I'm really proud of her. She's helped so many people and is really hardworking and caring."

There's a soft smile on his face, as he talks of her and his expression is almost wistful.

"I just meant that my family seem pretty conventional when compared to yours."

He drains his drink and then gestures to the waitress, to bring them another round, handing more money over to Echo for the payment. From the bulge in his wallet, it seems he's not short of it.

"I do go there at night. I'm a very brave boy. I also have a terminator girlfriend."

He starts to laugh, at the ridiculous sounding nature of this statement, when it's spoken aloud.

"As for you being bewitching, you're pretty good company, I'll give you that. I'm really enjoying myself."

Violet is soon back with them, setting the refreshments down with a sexy shimmy of her hips.

[ECHO]
"I'm proud of my heritage, however I wanted to move out at some point, don't all girls here, too?" Echo raised a brow, though she kept a bit of a smile. "The people here have a silly aversion to death and the occult, but I think it can be quite lovely despite that," she grinned, looking a bit serene in her expression, even as she looked down at the money being passed over, for a moment not realizing why he was trying to hand her bills--then the entrance of the salaciouslly dressed waitress reminded her. Oh right, she wasn't supposed to pay.

"Girlfriend? Ohh," Echo looked a little mock scandalized at that, though it was unclear if she was taking the piss a bit due to the alcohol.

"A terminator as well? Sounds like a fine lady, the kind you'd introduce to mother--thank you, dear," Echo gave a nod to 'Violet' as she freshened their drinks.

"I figured you had a lot of attention from girls, just not of that particular variety, I'm impressed."

[RAFFERTY]
Violet earns herself a dazzling smile from the striking schoolboy, as she completes their order without question. He sips his fresh drink, whilst nodding in agreement with his new drinking buddy.

"I'm proud of mine too, but there's a big old world to see. I had a wonderful childhood, you know? I always had tasty food, clean clothes and I lucked out with my parents. Even my kid sister is a doll. We get on really well. I miss her like crazy some days. I mean, I say kid, we're only actually a year apart" he grins. "I never let her forget that I'm older by a year though."

"Death doesn't scare me really, though dying before I've left the impact I want to on the world does. As for the occult, my only knowledge is the stuff of fiction. I didn't even realise people like you were real until recently. I hope that's not offensive, by the way. I know all darkstalkers aren't the same."

His honeyed voice has lowered slightly, as the talk turns to more delicate matters, though it's very unlikely he can be heard over the pounding music.

The amused expression returns, as his romantic relations are discussed. "Yeah, I get a lot of attention, but none quite like Nena. People won't believe me, but I had no clue she was a robot at first. I just saw a cute and quirky girl, who called me out on things, instead of fawning over my every word. She was like a breath of fresh air, though it turns out, she doesn't need to breathe. I don't think I'm in any rush to introduce her to my parents though. It kinda makes things easier that they're back in California."

[ECHO]
"You do seem like a child that comes from money, if you don't mind me saying so--or at least one from a highborn family," Echo nodded, she tilted her head listening. As she listened, the red polished tops of one of her nails toyed with the edge of her glass, and Raff might be able to see that it was conical where it met the finger and nailbed. Those weren't just nails, they were indeed claws.

"Well in all fairness we /don't/ exist here, at least not normally, for hundreds of years we were mostly separate," she sipped at her drink again, starting to feel a bit tipsy, which was probably a good sign dinner at some point might be in order.

Her brows raised a little and she seemed surprised at what he told her next. It was probably a lot to take in.

"So you were serious--robot, like one of Violet System's Combots?" she seemed to know a bit about what the various larger groups were up to, at least.

[RAFFERTY]
Rafferty is laughing again, the sound almost melodic, which is more than can be said for the track that's currently sounding out from the club's speakers.

"I don't come from money at all. We were comfortable, but there were no designer clothes, flashy cars or foreign holidays" he reveals. "I knew if I wanted those things, I'd have to get them for myself."

He's removed his linen blazer now and his fingers caress the fabric of his silk shirt, as he continues to sip his Cristal. "I make good money in my work, so I deserve good things. I like quality and beauty in my life."

His steely gaze does fix on Echo's crimson claws and the sight of them causes him to bite on his full lower lip thoughtfully, though not hard enough to draw blood.

"I bet you can do some damage with those" he murmurs, before swiftly switching subjects.

"I am serious, yeah. I'm surprised you didn't hear about the scandal online. People were horrified that I was supposedly fucking a robot."

The talk of Violet's System Combots earns Echo a blank stare. "I've no clue what those are, but I'm pretty sure Nena isn't one. She is good in combat though, hence the terminator quip. She got to the final of the Ristar Contest" he beams proudly. "Though someone called Hayley beat her to the prize."

[ECHO]
"And you're a bit of a self-taught and self-made type, I like that," she had no coat to remove, to be fair--she'd be sweating in just that dress if it were any warmer, like it had been during the day, so it really wasn't needed. There were much draftier climes to be in, to be sure--the weather around Scotland was very rainy and very chill, for example--but to be fair, it just wasn't as exciting as Japan or America's East Coast could be at times.

"Hmm? these?" she looked down at her fingertips, before back to him, smiling a little sheepishly. "Do you think I'm going to hurt you still?" she didn't let her grin betray the fact that thought might have been hurtful, even, on some level.

"If she speaks then she isn't one," Echo said simply to the combot bit. "They are not as forthcoming as their more intelligent kin, alas--I have seen a few mechanical creatures before, or rather--beings made from live tissue grafted to metal bodies."

[RAFFERTY]
The boy basks in the praise sent his way, almost like he feeds off it. He smiles warmly at Echo, leaning forward on the table, as he continues to speak to her.

"No, I don't think you'd hurt me, unless I asked nicely" he jokes, throwing in a wink for good measure. His eyes drift to the claws and then back to her almost feline eyes.

"She definitely speaks and she also feels like a human to touch. It's not like I was fooled easily" he says, with perhaps a slight hint of defensiveness. He's aware enough to realise he's under no attack here, but he's had plenty of taunts thrown his way, over the nature of his relationship with the robot girl.

As the twosome talk, he lets his gaze wander to the daringly dressed patrons of the nightclub. A few let out an enthusiastic cheer, as the music changes to a song they recognise and they dash to the dancefloor, throwing their bodies around with abandon.

"Do you like to dance?" he asks Echo, more out of interest than invitation.

[ECHO]
"Metal grafted to flesh isn't quite as naturally elegant as necromancy can be, but I can see the drive and passion behind it," Echo nodded, grinning at her own attempt at humor there. "Does she now? Well then I suspect she wouldn't be too delighted with us going out to dance, would she?" she seemed amused at the idea, though she wasn't sure if the boy was serious, either.

"I don't want you to trouble you and your lady love, after all," she thought about it a moment. Hmm.. back in my country, I can't say I've done a lot of it however, though the thought of it is amusing, I think," she nodded. "There is definitely something ritual about it, which I can understand."

[RAFFERTY]
"You know, I have no idea if she'd be jealous or not" he admits, as he mulls Echo's words over.

"I'm pretty sure she registers when people find me attractive and vice versa, but I don't know if she gets emotional enough for it to bother her. Sometimes I get the sense that she is aware that as I am her boyfriend, that means logically other people shouldn't step over particular lines with me, but you'd really have to ask her. She's kind of a mystery at times and then wonderfully transparent at others."

From the tone of voice in which he speaks of the android, it's obvious he has a great deal of affection for her.

"I'm not much of a dancer myself, although I've not really tried. I'm too scared of making a fool of myself" he grins. "I'll stick to watching other people do that, or just enjoy them losing themselves in the music. I admire people who can do that. My sister, Phoebe is an incredible dancer. She's been taking classes since she was three years old. It's what she wants to do as a career."

[ECHO]
"Perhaps it's best not to tempt it, then--hell hath no fury, and all that," Echo winks at him. She reaches up to brush her hair back, leaning over the table to better hear him, as well--though it was perhaps a bit easier for her to hear him, perhaps than the other way around, due to the huge bat-like ears, and whatnot.

"Maybe you should take dancing lessons then, if you think you'd be afraid of doing it--I'm not sure if I should dance in a crowd with /these/ anyhow," she gestures with a hand roving down her leg, of course to mean the stiletto pumps.

"Not that I'm afraid of getting hurt, but they were somewhat expensive, not like, Italian," she laughed a little.

[RAFFERTY]
"I suppose I could do that. It could help with my film career, if they needed someone who could dance in a part." He beams brightly at Echo. "Thanks for the inspiration."

Looking down at her stiletto heeled shoes, he nods in understanding. "Yeah, don't damage the goods. That's what I always say. It's why I always run or hide from a fight" he explains, passing a hand over the flawless skin on his face.

The rest of his champagne is gone now and he takes a glance at his Pacific Blue iPhone, noting the lateness of the hour. "This has been totally wonderful. Both the place and the company. I should probably make a move now though, as it's math class first thing. That's tough enough already, without throwing in a lack of sleep and a hangover from too much booze."

[ECHO]
"Indeed, a few more of these and I shall be... how do you say it over here? Pissed?" Echo took another sip from her drink, just for the road, but also would leave about half of the vodka and tonic behind. She seriously needed to get some other kind of liquid over those fangs, or she really would be too drunk to fly.

"Well, I have to say it's been a wonderful evening," she grinned, leaning in and letting her cheek brush past his--if he doesn't pull back, giving him a small peck on the cheek, before drawing back.

"Do look me up sometime, I have an occult shop a bit further away from here, if you're ever in need of such," she bowed her head a little, now fully risen from the table.

"Good evening," she smiled, before turning to move towards the door--past the throng of people, which had likely thinned a bit by this point, due to how late it was.

[RAFFERTY]
"Ryan would say pissed" Rafferty replies, referring to the British boy he shares a bedroom with at the school.

He makes no attempt to pull away, as Echo delivers the affectionate peck, simply smiling up at her, before rising to his feet too. Managing to make the act of putting on his blazer look like a work of art in motion, he then offers a wave to their sexy server, sliding another note into her hand, on his way out the door.

"I'll bear that in mind" he tells the bat babe, as he moves up beside her. "Should my life take a somewhat darker turn."

With that he's on his merry way, walking the streets of Southtown, with his body full of noodles and champagne and his mind full of dreams.

Log created on 15:52:23 06/08/2021 by Echo, and last modified on 17:06:18 06/09/2021.