there is always another au

[cagedinflesh]

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[cagedinflesh]

The bar the boss has dragged Paloma along to next is definitely the scummiest, and the loudest thanks to the live performance of a sort of grindcore punk group. The stage is doused in red light, with the singer shirtless and plainly sweating buckets from how long and hard they've been playing. And oh look, isn't that a familiar face.

[gehennawind]

Veronica likes a good party. After the private, quiet celebration the night before, gone were the slinky dresses and champagne. Hello torn leather and weathered belts, some she encouraged the poor intern to try on.

Two and a half pubs later: Paloma's only had one pint of English beer, her boss is hammered, and she's in a daze from the grunge band and human funk rising from the crowd. Someone's grabbed her ass on two separate occasions and she wiggles and flops around people, a fish in a lacy halter top and very much out of water. She dodges a flung elbow, consequently getting a good look at the howling animal on stage.

"Oh my God!" No one can hear her squeal.

[cagedinflesh]

As a song comes to an end, he takes a swig from a beer offered by the drummer, who's surprisingly small and cute... "How in the fuck are you people still here?" He laughs, going on insulting the audience and the band both. And yet they seem to like it.

Until he pushes the hair out of his eyes and looks down to see Paloma practically front and centre and points her out. "Hey- hey, hey! Nobody give the American ladies here a hard time, yeah? They're friends of mine, let the bar know I'm buying their drinks, we got a few more songs and then I'm coming down, don't go way now."

It's a good way to get Veronica interested in staying, right? He sure hopes so anyway, so he can wait out his set time before finally coming out to find Paloma. He sidles up to her wherever she may be...

[gehennawind]

This is absurd. And Veronica won't like being called an American, she thinks bug-eyed up at the sweaty twin, as if that's the worst thing about getting singled out. Her stare zeroes in on his glistening abdominals as they move and tighten on-stage. Yeah, Veronica is proud of being a Mexican national.

Exit. Gotta find the exit.

She finally bumps into the curator, begs her to go outside, and is laughed at and drunkenly bumped aside. That's the boss! Loves a banger. Alright. A pint isn't near enough courage. She's got to hide--

Or be sidled up to when just one small group stand between her and the dingy bathroom door. Her head swims. The lace itches. She squirms like a pinned insect. "Edward! Hi! I was just ladies! Ladies room!"

[cagedinflesh]

"That one's gonna be filthy, and looks like there's a line, come to the greenroom, we've got a private one." He doesn't really give her the chance to say no before taking her by the wrist to lead her there. There's a sink in the corner of the room with a small kitchenette, and after pointing out the washroom, he goes to run the tap over his head and clean himself up a bit.

[gehennawind]

She gets a reprieve while he splashes around in the kitchenette sink. Out of breath, she notices the mess, the damp band on her skin where he touched her; the lean muscle of his back, highly reflective; how like a hog at a watering hole he is.

How very bad it is to be alone with the dude who almost got his hand up her skirt.

"Thankyougoodbye!" she wheezes, bolting into the lop and locking the door. Or she would have, if the lock wasn't jammed.

[cagedinflesh]

He doesn't see any reason she'd try to lock herself in! So he goes about getting cleaned up before floping down on a couch with a leg thrown over the arm, smoking.

He doesn't mind speaking to her through the door, either. "Fuck I'm tired. What're you guys doing out here?"

[gehennawind]

She plops on the toilet seat, wishing she'd pretended to have gotten champagne-sick and therefore unable to party.

"Uhh."

Unevenful day. Bored boss. No text or call from Henry. He lost the nerve or realized she's a freak.

"My boss lady wanted to check out London's scene. This is our third pub." From her voice, she's hoping it's the last.

[cagedinflesh]

"Yeah? They're all gonna be closing up soon anyway, you're safe."

A minute passes before he asks the real question. "So how did it go?" Surely she can hear the grin in his voice.

[gehennawind]

It? The pub crawl? Can't he guess?

Clueless, she snorts, bringing her feet onto the toilet and burrowing into her knees. Harder than it sounds in tight jeans. "Looong. I don't drink much, I don't go out like this or really at all unless it's someone else's idea..."

[cagedinflesh]

"That's not what I meant. Last night." Although come to think of it if she doesn't drink much, two nights in a row can't be helping. At least he feels a little bad for her.

[gehennawind]

It really, really isn't.

Dead silence from the bathroom. Her eyelids press against the fabric of her jeans. "He didn't fuck me, if that's what you're really asking!"

[cagedinflesh]

He barks out a laugh, though it isn't cruel. "Of course not, I'd have noticed that, there's no way he'd be so uptight this morning if he got fucked! Besides, no sex before marriage, y'know."

[gehennawind]

None? Skepticism brings up her head. People don't ask out near-strangers because of their sparkling personalities.

She calls out, "He has my number, alright? No big deal?" Very big deal.

[cagedinflesh]

"Doesn't sound like no big deal! Are you still waiting?" Eventually he's going to find this long time in the washroom and willingness to chat during it suspicious... "You two were kinda cute, I'm jealous." Yes he sure was watching.

[gehennawind]

Waiting? Yes. She's had the jitters nonstop and not having the faintest about how long it takes to get in touch, on average, isn't helping!

That part's not his business and he provides an escape topic. She will absolutely remain in this here closet until she can't anymore. "You were--? Oh."

Paloma chews on that.

"Kind of creepy."

[cagedinflesh]

"You were in public." He shrugs. "Can't I want to look out for my brother, make sure he doesn't fuck up? You can probably tell that's usually how it goes."

[gehennawind]

Semi-public. Out of sight. In the shadows of the balcony. His excuse is pretty lame, considering, and she's not sure she buys the brotherly concern after what he tried!!

"I don't know how it usually goes," Paloma admits quietly. He'll barely be able to hear. "This is new to me."

[cagedinflesh]

"Are you done yet?" Starting to get impatient out here. He grumbles, discarding his cigarette butt as he goes for a stretch. Like a sleepy lion, basically.

[gehennawind]

She bristles. Excuse her for opening up a little bit to someone who hasn't earned her trust!!

"I was never doing!" Flatly telling the truth, and but for a creak of the toilet seat, not budging. "-- Do you have to go?"

[cagedinflesh]

"No, just wanted to talk face to face, not through a toilet door." Especially if she's going to open up like that, geez!! He's not all bad! "Are you hiding from me?"

[gehennawind]

He sounds awfully rational when putting it that way. But her gut seizes before her feet even touch the dirty floor, and he'd grabbed at her, that had absolutely happened...

"Yes," she decides to go with, putting steel into the admission.

[cagedinflesh]

"You're scared?" He sounds a little put out by that, maybe he wanted to get to know her too, she shouldn't judge him based on rumours! ...And advances...

[gehennawind]

Rumors are rumors, and murder accusations are murder accusations, although that thread needs followup...

Pretty rich that HE seems miffed. Mister fingers on the hem of her skirt, mister brother wants to...!! She sucks in air and exhales. A mistake.

"Remember what happened last time?"

[cagedinflesh]

"Nothing happened, you both jumped down my throat." People can't take a joke apparently!! G o d

"Come out here, I'm too damn tired and high to fuck with you if I wanted to." Well, and his friends would be pissed at him if he tried taking advantage of her. At least this Hyde has some decency are reason to care.