Gardsorm

Sorry, I know you had plans to try to stop them, but I was worried leaving too much of a window of opportunity to keep them locked there might have caused things to hang up longer, so needed to make that little push. ^^ Also, drat, I should have @'d Chiyako in the other thread too. >.<

[OoC: Continued from here] === It was a night and day difference to Dalton... Probably to Evi too. Once the pair ascended the stairs and navigated the halls, the thumping music almost felt like a distant afterthought. Having just come from one bar, he didn't think of trying to bring her to the larger one, even if that one would have given food... The fact that girls were actively dancing over there probably would have been distracting enough for him, and he didn't come up here just to think dirty thoughts about whatever business Evi had with him. The smaller bar was fine for now, especially because it was less populated due to lacking any offered food, and only offered a small noise decrease. He cast his eyes around, looking for a spot that looked reasonably empty, bringing her toward a seat before he sat down beside her. "Phew... I forget how much it makes a difference being up here versus down there. Much easier to hear myself think, and you whisper." He moved a hand to rub the back of his head, inadvertently inviting a more awkward atmosphere once he realized it was just then again... But no, now wasn't the time to focus on that! He relaxed his arms and rest them on his knees as he leaned forward to look Evi in her eyes. "So, you okay there? You can still focus, right? What was it you were trying to tell me outside before we got into the club?"

The drunk girl was stzrtinf to get boisterous, it seemed, and even started intruding on his and Evi's conversation. Dalton quirked his brow and looked past Evi toward Ryoko, shaking his head. "Getting a little deep in your cups there, I think, I was kind of talking to my companion for the evening here..." He trailed off, feeling just a hint of awkwardness in the moment as she seemed to be... Accusing him of recruiting? He wished he could make good money doing something like that, but as it was, law enforcement wasn't a super-lucrative occupation. It still allowed him to occasionally treat himself, like tonight, but it wasn't something he could perpetually live a decadent life off of. He looked from Ryoko to Dai and Maray, hoping one of them could try to make sure Ryoko didn't overextend herself too much and intrude too heavily into his and Evi's business... Actually, now he was starting to feel like maybe he was too skeevy, trying to hold a private conversation. 'I'm not really the bad guy here, am I? I'm definitely not the sort to take advantage of a drunk girl...' He looked back to Evi now, announcing her distaste for the pool, to which he had to admit, she was right. Maybe some of it was her catlike qualities talking, but more than that, no one wanted other people's essence on them unless it was requested. Having it float and attach to them, or God forbid their hair, was a pretty horrid feeling. Mercifully, the commotion with Ryoko also allowed him to avoid seeing how awkward Evi got in regards to certain things they had discussed, but when she made it clear what she wanted to discuss was best done somewhere not as private, he felt a wind of relief that may be she didn't need to try to walk with this drunk lass hanging off of them. Taking her hand, he felt a heartbeat skip as she squeezed his hand, his eyes closing. 'Maybe nice guys don't always finish last after all...?' "Say no more! I'll take you to the upstairs bar... Should be a good deal quieter up there, and with everyone down here, the only people we'll need to worry about are those up there enjoying a meal, and those just hanging around... You three take care now, alright?" The blue-haired male nodded to Dai, Ryoko, and Maray before he moved to guide Evi upstairs. === [OoC: @Chiyako Gimme a little bit while I transition us to the Upper Floor and Bars : ) ]

Aight, bet. : p But yeah, don't want to let me working the week keep making Chiyako wait for a reply, so gonna have to give their moment a bit of a jumpstart to get them moving again.

Hm, still nothing from Lero? Alrighty... I'll get rolling on a reply soonish, probably shift Dalton and Evi to the upstairs portion of the Club.

Seconding Chiyako on this, I've been playing Dalton as going with the flow and simply enjoying his evening as time off from work. Rarely do I plan things out from the onset because I've found plans often go awry, and I find more fun acting in the moment. That being said, for Dalton nope. I wasn't pushing him towards big group thing for his first time in the club. He's a bit boring in that regard, but he is more legitimately curious about Evi's business proposal than getting her to get wild with him and a few other strangers, and while he doesn't know what to expect/his mind imagines it's a sexy sort of proposal, there is the small chance there's something serious to discuss, and as someone who has ties to law enforcement, he feels obligated to lend his ear and see what's up. Tl;Dr: He's gotta know people for a bit before he jumps in group fun, he's more liable to stick to singular encounters to start and grow into other things later, sorry. ^^;

Nothing wrong with that then. xD Have fun and game on!

No rush. : ) Besides, that's a recipe to get jinxed if I ever saw one. : p Got my weekend friend-and-family gaming obligations still underway for now as it is, so I'm a little indisposed for now except for a few short responses here and there.

Part of me wanted to ask earlier if it was just a mistake, but the silly side of me was like 'No, wait, roll with it!' and that's what I did. xD For what it's worth, from Dalton's PoV, he just assumed it was something pertaining to why Evi was there. : p No need to make a new char for it though! Given he's buzzed, he may not even remember it with time.

What are you talking about, Evi is totally helping! Helping make things funnier for everyone else watching things~ <.< Her internal thoughts are always a treasure to read too, it's fun to see how different Mental Evi is from Normal Evi! :3

Oh geez, the filters really are off. xD With Dalton being awkward and Evi being embarrassed, Ryoko and Maray are just pouring gasoline on the fire, and Dai is just there ready to watch the world burnnfor his amusement. : p

For some reason when I saw Maray mention a Dylan unprompted, my mind decided 'surprise threesome' was the way to go. >.>

Okay, so maybe Dalton was beginning to understand the kind of comparisons Maray had made about him and Evi earlier. He had never managed to carry on a conversation this long before his attention was pulled away to the goong-ons of the Night Club. Perhaps this was what having good company really meant: Being able to focus more on them than the overall club environment. Maybe it also highlighted he didn't have the energy capacity others did, like Maray, or Dai when it came to trying to reel in Ryoko, but... It was refreshing. Plus watching Evi blush furiously was definitely its own reward... Although he couldn't tell if it was the drink, his words, or a combination of such that painted that funny picture before him. This evening was certainly well on its way to being one of his most memorable. For how little she truly spoke, her responses all brought him great joy and interest when she spoke! "Enough charm, haha! You know what, I'll take that small victory. Enough charm really is better than none at all!" We're he someone of less self-confidence, this would have probably been the greatest boost he could have asked for. Thankfully, he already felt great, and instead this served to embolden him to new heights, especially as he regarded his drinking buddy and conversation companion up close, to the point he could drink in her facial details much closer. Was she happy with what she heard? Could she use any of it? Dalton did not know, but to him the information was merely guidelines. What she did with it was entirely up to her. "Does this look like a disappointed face to you?" He grinned at the cat girl, before he shook his head. "Few people are when they just start out, you know... But I'm not going to push it. I think I've done enough poking and prodding right now, and I can safely say I'm content. I've never spoken this much at the Garden of Hedonism before, but I can probably blame that in very good company." He cast his eyes toward Maray, Dai, Ryoko, and most importantly Evi, all in order. Good drinks, good company... All that was needed was good food and good vibes, and the best evenings could be made. The latter was especially present, but the former needed to be found elsewhere... Still! Even if Evi declined her ability to dance, Dalton felt her feline grace would definitely contribute to her ability to bust a few moves... Especially in a slower capacity. That would have been it, but Evi's follow-up caught him off,guard, nearly slipping toward her as he heard the cackling voice of his in-house companion laughing in his head. He could sense how Evi's words played Dalton's curiosities like a fiddle. "*Ahem!* Whoa, I was... Not expecting that kind of response, but, uh... Color me very interested and curious to help you practice then~" So taken in the moment by the surprise admittance, and maybe a bit of the drink pulling back on his sensibilities a bit, he inadvertently blurted something that he was maybe better off not-admitting. He paused in his gaze at her for a moment before the words set in, and he realized he had said a little too much, awkwardly turning away and hanging his head to take a quiet, deep breath. "That one got away from me there... But I'm all ears for a proposal." Among other things. They weren't the only ones at the bar, and listening to the other conversations was most definitely relevant information for his evening. Between knowing Ryoko was potentially willing to do things after a few drinks, to knowing Dai worked in a business dealing with... Dancing girls? To Maray advising to be wary of the pool... He imagined the pool was cleaned often, but that still meant he needed to make sure when he did, said pool wasn't tainted. 'He raised a brow as Maray seemed to name-drop someone while speaking to Evi? Was this related to the proposal? He looked from Evi to Maray, tilting his head. "I don't know a Dylan either... You trying to get me in on a threesome? This is only our first meeting girl, and I'm only a little buzzed, slow down a little!" He remarked with wide eyes a bit, before he played it off with a quick laugh... The idea seemed fun, sure, but he needed to know someone first, let alone a GROUP of people before he started doing something like that! "Fwoo, okay, think I'm getting a little ahead of myself... Okay, business first, then pleasure." Possibly both at once, as far as Evi's proposal was concerned, he did not know. His eyes returned to Evi, gesturing with his hand. "The ball is in your court. Where do you feel comfortable discussing your business?"

All good. : ) I had my own busy work week as it is, and now I can finally breathe and relax on the weekend. Gonna use it to catch up on what I've missed since then. ^^

She's fun-sized, maybe there's some issues with alcohol-processing at that height. We just gotta get more in her and maybe she'll adjust to it. : p Maybe her time at that facility did something... Clearly this is a mystery to be unraveled in the game later! Also, take your time, Lero, there's no rush. ^^ Soon it'll be time for me to retire for the night anyways, and I wanted to give a chance for you and Satai to post before I got ahead of myself and started making too much to react to in a short frame of time.

Evi saying 'Feck'. Now I can't not imagine her with a heavily Irish accent, and sonehow this doesn't detract at all. : p

"Yeah, that's fair. I'll be sure to ask next time I want to touch you." Dalton nodded his head in defeat, understanding that Evi was being quite gracious in simply letting him off with a warning. However, his momentary lapse of judgement in providing a response for her led to him inadvertently saying something more awkward, which lingered in the air for a moment before his eyes widened and he hit his face. "Your tail! I meant your tail... Well, I'll ask for permission to touch you in general, too, but I specifically meant... Damn it." He wished he suddenly had a bigger glass of drink that he could shove his face into, so he didn't need to imagine the faces of the others around him in the moment. Deep down, Graf was cackling harder than the Wicked Witch of the West listening to Dalton step on various proverbial landmines. The drink may not have made him as prone to silliness as others, but it certainly weakened his focus enough to blunder into situations he could have potentially avoided... The eel remark to Maray earlier notwithstanding. Casting a look past Evi toward Ryoko and Dai, and Maray attempting to reel in Ryoko's need to drink, he exhaled quietly and shook his head. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one making missteps here. Far be it from be to be curious about how she'd be with more drink in her, I... Huh?" A brow raised as Evi mentioned she might have started giggling with another drink. It was hard to picture... She looked so serious, he couldn't imagine what she might look like giggling at all! "Well, if that's the case, then maybe another something smaller than this wouldn't be so bad for you. A fit of giggles from you is bound to mae an interesting memory for the evening." He grin ed, only slightly considering it... But it was more responsible for him to ensure he didn't cram more drink into the smaller woman, especially when they had other things to get to. Casting a look toward Maray as she seemed to compare them to dogs, he tilted his head and shrugged. "Heh, sometimes not saying as much helps hide who and what you really are, but it also makes one seem more interesting and gets me more invested... Still, I wish I had even half of the charm and personality of a golden retriever... Eh? I'll have you know the business we had planned is..." He stopped for a moment as he didn't really consider what sort of business Evi wanted to discuss with him earlier. He rubbed his face awkwardly, not wanting to put Evi harder on the spot more than Maray's remarks probably already had her feeling... And he was going to blunder right into it. "It's probably not the kind of business you might be thinking about." He quickly added, inadvertently missing the fact that adding 'probably' automatically did not preclude less serious business from occuring, merely made it seem as if anything could happen. 'Man, this is better than those telenovelas I like to download. Will they or won't they, find out next time on- Hey, don't tune me out!' The situation here was getting heated, but while it wasn't in a bad way, it was most definitely awkward! Between the comments from Maray, Evi's cute and drunken demeanor, and Dai admitting Ryoko might have done some wild things if this kept up, he was starting to understand why he didn't usually join bigger groups for conversation and gatherings. Even his co-workers could get rambunctious if they were allowed to. Keeping his focus on Evi was the safest bet for him, but even her comments were beginning to give him interesting signals that he wasn't sure if he should act on or not. She seemed to be in the verge of admitting something, but she seemed to avoid it... He didn't know her well enough to push, even if the curiosity was burning... But that was what return visits could help him with! Just knowing no one else had brushed her tail yet gave him hope that he could try it on her some day... With permission, of course! "Inquiring about me now, are you? I guess that's fair, I've been peppering you with questions... Hm. It's definitely not my first time, although definitely my first time visiting the Bar like this. Normally I'll be upstairs eating or over by the dance floor watching others... Pursuing? Heh, you almost make me sound like some sort of predator... Or bounty hunter." He smiled as he raised the glass to his lips, tipping back the last vestiges of the Cobalt Velvet before he hummed in content. "A lot of the time I go looking for special kinds of trouble, mostly. The kinds who do things in places and ways most others can't see. It certainly makes for very interesting evenings, even if I usually get home tired from it." Little would she know he was describing his work life, and not so much his party life. Maybe it wasn't fair to word it like that to her... Tilting his head back, he drummed his fingertips on the bar before humming. "Maybe you're hoping for something more concrete though, less... Vague, so how about this: I like audacious sorts. The ones who won't mind getting close, either for curiosity's sake or a given purpose, whether they have permission or not. They need grace in their movements, and the confidence to know said movements are eye-catching..." He trailed off, before leaning close to whisper: "Someone who wouldn't mind dancing in my lap as much as they wouldn't mind dancing on a stage, who wouldn't mind a curious hand and an even more adventurous inclination." With a wink, he pulled away and chuckled softly. "I'm not picky though... What I look for is far from easy to find, so I content myself with what I can get, if anything. Like I said earlier... I do enjoy watching others dance. Something about the way their bodies move excites the neurons. From curvy to slim, tall to small, everyone's got something good to show... Especially when they're extraordinary."

Fun post, Lero, and glad you're on the mend. :3 Just got home to see it, but will probably catch a quick nap first before I'm able to do anything else. Looking forward to seeing what silliness Ryoko winds up doing, Satai, or if Dai manages to keep her from causing any trouble. xD

Ah hell. >.< Stay strong, Lero, and hope you feel better soon!

Sorry, I felt like I needed to put a couple up after it felt like I was falling off a bit on my online presence this week. >.> But I can wait Incase Lero needs time to get a reply up, I saw the wall post that she wasn't feeling well. x.x

Okay, that was most certainly NOT a normal sound Dalton expected to hear, especially from Evi, a woman he otherwise believed wasn't capable of making noises like that with how controlled she was... Either the drink was causing more drastic changes than he would have guessed, or Evi was fully capable of making cute noises when and especially IF she wanted to. However, this came at a price too as he realized the only reason she made such a noise was his input... And the glare he recieved for it reminded him of a cat silently judging his very soul as it stared at him. So enraptured by the gaze was he that as he retrieved his hand, he narrowly missed catching her tail swing out at him. "I... Have no excuse for that one, I'm sorry Evi. You were just close to hitting someone else with your tail and I didn't have enough time to warn you." He gestured with a finger toward one of the other patrons who was several paces away. "Still, I'm sorry." 'Holy crap that sounded way more sensual than it needed to be. I-I'm actually a little turned on now... Play it cool, Dalton.' So she didn't drink as much as he would have guessed for someone who wasn't unused to visiting Night Clubs. It was all starting to sound like he had put her in a tough spot and inadvertently pressured her into trying to keep up. "Well... I will say, you're doing a good job of keeping up for someone who doesn't drink much. Especially a drink like this? I kind of expect a real lightweight would have been leaning on the counter giggling by now. Consider me impressed by your dedication." He raised his glass to toast his companions' efforts to maintain proper working order, even if he could see a few slip-ups. No one was perfect, but he felt it better to praise what he could see in her efforts. He leaned toward her just a bit to hear her better, curious to hear how she cared for her fur... But it seemed pretty normal? He half expected she needed to buy many different bottles of fur care products to wash her ears and tail witt, or maybe had a special shampoo designed exclusively for her tail. Maybe she just didn't trust him with the details. "That's it? Aw, I thought there was a really good story in there... But thanks for the heads-up about it being sensitive, I'll definitely avoid sudden hand gestures around your tail without warning. Okay, how about this then... Have you ever let someone else wash or brush your tail?" He tilted his head slightly, letting the bangs of his hair fall away so he could observe her with both eyes easier. He honestly wouldn't have blamed her if he felt the question was too personal for her to answer though... They were still strangers, after all.

Dalton's brow quirked as Evi seemed to do the exact opposite of what he offered. On the one hand, he was amazed at her drive to push on and try to drink down the Cobalt Velvet all on her own without any intervention on his part. On the other, nhowever, he had to worry if maybe she had a complex toward being underestimated. If that was the case, he might have done more harm than good trying to be understanding. 'Ugh, maybe you should have worded that differently, Dalton... Now you're probably going to force her to drink it all down, and then you'll be lucky to get a proper conversation out of her after all this... Hopefully she's got a shockingly high tolerance for alcohol and she'll get over it before long... And then we can talk about the business she needed help with.' He was hopeful, but as Evi set the glass down a second time, he could see the telltale signs that she was... Slightly less focused than she was when she first entered. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her, mixes of respect and concern writ on his features as he could see the fekine female was becoming a bit more relaxed... Her tail was beginning to sway, occasionally even bumping into him. He spared glances behind her every so often to make sure no one didn't try to reach out for her tail intentionally. Another woman had come close to almost being bumped into by it, only for Dalton to reach over and move his hand out to press his hand against the fluffy appendage to guide it out of her path. "Close call there... Ah! Sorry, I should have asked..." He winced, pulling his hand back before he set it upon the counter. "Hey, Evi, it's not that I don't have faith in your ability to finish it, but... Are you sure you're okay? You're looking a little... Uh... Off." He didn't know how to word it at all, but what he did know was that he was probably going to need to help her find her way back home if it got especially bad. He didn't trust her alone in her current state, especially after what she'd revealed already... And given his occupation, he was going to get put through the wringer by his boss AND co-workers if he allowed a civilian to wander into dangerous situations under the influence when he made said civilian reach that state. He needed to worry less... And half a glass of Cobalt Velvet remained before him to try to help him do just that. Reaching for his glass, he gave an awkward smile and took another sip, the contents slowly dwindling down as he felt his good mood slowly returning to overshadow his worries. "I'm gonna admit something... Your fur felt really nice. How do you manage that?"

Take your time, Lero. ^^ This week has been trying me IRL and online as it is, but with the weekend coming up, at least I'll finally have a little breathing room.

Dalton is definitely never suggesting something that heavy again for a first time drink for anyone. >.> But on the plus side, Evi will come out of it with slightly higher alcohol tolerance! Maybe!

This was going to be interesting to see... Dalton couldn't tell if it was because of her size or her catlike grace, but she hoisted herself up on it, pretending that he couldn't see her through the bangs hanging over his eye. However, the strands of hair were pasted enough to give him a fair sidelong view, hoping to steal a few surreptitious glanced without making her feel the embarrassment of his observing. On the one hand, he missed a chance to be a gentleman and help her up in the stool. On the other, he might have avoided offending her for believing she couldn't handle it herself. She was an adult, effectively... Maybe if they knew one another better, he could afford to make helpful gestures easier. Setting his glass down, he turned his head to her properly to watch as she took her first drink... Slight panic came to his face as he thought maybe she would react worse to the drink, but thankfully she controlled it. He breathed a quick sigh of relief, before he looked to Maray. "I'll endeavor to hold my tongue better when it comes to saying something that might get me in trouble with someone unfamiliar then." Lost a job? It sounded like there was a story in there, but... Perhaps now was not a good time to ask about it. He'd already hurt his first impression with the bartender, and he was currently entertaining another guest for the evening... Who seemed to have a bit of tinge to her cheeks. So much so that the bartender almost seemed to be teasing him over it. "I may have been a bit too hasty in suggesting something like that for her first time..." He pinched his brow. He was going to need to watch her closer to make sure nothing bad happened with Evi... Especially after the other girl near them, Ryoko? Seemed to be hit pretty hard by her drink... Which was just under four times less than what he ordered for both him and Evi. Hearing Ryoko's words already get slurred a bit, he moved a hand to rest on Evi's shoulder. "Well, you've already managed to have your first drink, so maybe next time we can go with something less... Overpowering. Don't feel bad if you can't down it all, I'll help finish it if you wish." Tipping his glass to his lips once more, his head leaned back and he sighed happily. The burning sensation didn't bother him overmuch, at least since he'd become used to it. Too many could still knock him in his ass, but right now it was more a comfort after a long day. But he needed to maintain his cognitive focus to continue the talk he and Evi had earlier. "I guess it's a good idea we're both plus ones to our respective company tonight, huh friend?" He remarked, casting a look at Dai, who seemed to be making sure his friend Ryoko didn't go too far... Although with probably not as much wariness and concern as he has for Evi at the moment... Maybe thT was the difference between knowing his companion, and being total strangers like he and Evi were. "Worst case scenario, I'll bring her upstairs to relax and try to get her to eat something light... But I think it's okay to have a bit of faith that she can handle it. I didn't get my tolerance for the drink by getting babied through it." He gave a firm nod.