Ask Favors and Flames

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

Why the Rattataki had brewed such a horrific concoction was beyond his imagination. He could only imagine it being downed in this context-- or when someone wanted to get very drunk, very quickly. For that purpose it was quite effective-- it usually took hours for his vision to get this fuzzy and his balance to get so out of whack, but it had only been ten, maybe fifteen minutes, and only two shots.

Ideas about what he would do the next morning or any other consequences were far from him now. His headspace was occupied with images of the woman next to him. Her allegiances and earlier bloodlust were gone, replaced with thoughts of how she'd smiled, of the wink she'd tossed his way after he'd thrown a grin. The more he drank, the more his thoughts lingered-- but before the night could continue, he had a contest to win.

"Always so slow with the shots, tender!" He complained humorously, before letting out a belch, and letting out a laugh. "C'mon, 'aven't Ai proven Ai can 'andle it? Throw th'at bottle down so I can throw th'at glass back!" He went on heckling, as the bartender rolled his eyes and poured Laeo his third shot. It was difficult keeping up that more comprehensible tone when he was this drunk, but he couldn't care less about what people thought he sounded like right now... everyone except the woman in the dress, ofcourse.

"There it is!" He called, grabbing the glass, holding it up for all to see, pressing it close to his eye for inspection, prompting laughs and jeers from the crowd. Finally, he leaned back on the stool, and threw the shot back down his throat. The burning sensation didn't get easier, and he actually coughed a little this time-- but it went down all the same. He turned to his opponent with a grin, seeming to bask in the glow of his triumph.

"Lightweight Amaiiiiiii..." he began--

--and than he tumbled off the stool.

For a moment the people were surprised-- and than they began to laugh. His gloating coming right before the collapse was a humorous sight.

The foreigner had certainly impressed them-- handling two shots like a champion was a great feat, but alas, he was nothing special compar--

"...am Ai?"

The words were heavily slurred, and not many people noticed, until a hand white as alabaster shot up and gripped the edge of the stool. Pulling himself up to his knees, everyone close by would gasp in surprise. Against all odds, the Brentaalan was still conscious-- conscious, and apparently, ready to continue the challenge!

But both his opponent and the bartender seemed wary to let him continue.

"Come on son, you've had enough! Three's plenty-- you've got a belly of lead, no question!" He declared, prompting some murmurs of agreement.

"And the last time I served more than four shots to a man, his brothers made a point of keeping me from the funeral!" The bartender complained. A few others murmured-- this drink was deadly. Many a young Rattataki boy or girl trying to prove themselves strong would down to much and die as a result. As entertaining as the competition was and as bloodthirsty as many of their kind were, not many were in the mood to watch the man die.

"Do Ai look laike th'at man?" The Brentaalan asked as he sat down, leaning on the counter with a swagger that didn't betray how utterly inebriated he was. "...well, yeah, actually. He was about yay tall, dark hair. His eyes weren't weird though."

"Mae eyes ain't weird!" The Brentaalan suddenly snapped, silencing the bartender. "They're as pretty as tha rest of me, ain't they?" He asked the crowd, prompting a bout of laughter as well as whistles and compliments from women and men alike. "Seems they agree." He said, glancing over at Celeste and finally returning the wink she'd given him.

"Tell ya what, old man, if yer so scared of continuin' past four we can call it at four," he chimed, cocking his head playfully at the older guard. The challenge would've been dismissed by the older, wiser man were it not for his own drunkenness and the charge of cowardice.

"Fine, if you wanna tease death that's fine-- we'll go five for five!" He declared, and the crowd roared it's approval. "There's a good man!" Laeonas exclaimed, and both would turn to the bartender.

"ANOTHER!"

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Now -regardless of what she had decided a few moments ago- she was briefly engaged in a conversation while speaking Rattataki, but funnily enough, she couldn't even get a sentence straight and so her slured answer turned into laughter and the man beside her just joined in.

He, too, was apparently amused by seeing her drunk, but Celeste hadn't taken her eyes off the Ex-Jedi yet anyway. She still watched with amusement, but every time he shot her a glance, she smirked slightly mischievously even. Laeonas gave an impressive performance and it wasn't clear who would win, so she still watched excitedly while she kept sipping and sipping and sipping - something she'd surely regret either later or tomorrow. But how knew what else would still happen tonight?

Quite unusual for Celeste, she wanted to get hammered tonight, even if she couldn't fully tell why, but so far, the night was definitely fun and who knew what was still about to come? "Woooo" she cheered after their next shot, but this was when Laeo suddenly tumbled down the seat and her smirk immediately turner into a shocked expression.

"Out of the way!" she shouted as she sprang to her feet, without anyone being in her field of sight but still waving the invisible people away, however she didn't stay on her feet for long...she immediately tumbled backwards and if it weren't for the man sitting next to her, she would have landed on the ground too.

She was caught my strong arms and pulled back to her feet, never getting much closer to the ground, but her head now spun mercilessly. She still grinned after the initial shock, especially because she saw that Laeo had made it back to the chair too. With his confidence still unbent, he demanded another one and so she joined the cheering again, however as the guard reached for another glass, he was suddenly the one crashing to the ground without any warning.

It seemed like he was falling in slow motion, but in reality, he probably fell like Laeo had just did it, but while the Brentaalan was back to his feet, the guard didn't stir at all. In her head, she started counting. Did that mean he had already won? A hint of wit washed over her and she took a staggering step forward, before she tried to get down on her knees, but in reality she rather half-fell again.

Still, she reached her destination - regardless of the upcoming bruises on her knees - and reached out to feel the man's pulse, as this liquor coukd actually kill. "He's...okay!" she tipsily declared with a trace of relief. "Tonrek...take him to the med bay" she directly adressed one of the familiar faces, pulling together her last mental clarity. "The foreigner won!!!" she added cheerfully though, the worry replaced with joy as she flashed Laeo a grin. "This calls for more drinks!!!".

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

The seconds passed and turned to minutes, and the Brentaalan felt the alcohol burning through his body worse than it ever had. How many times had he been this drunk in his life? Often, he had to admit-- but he'd shatter his limits once the third shot slaked down his throat. Tonight was full of new experiences, and it was still quite young. He'd have to wait awhile before he could walk straight again, but the second he could he'd offer the grinning girl in the dress a dance.

It would probably be more funny than sexy, with them wobbling around drunk on the floor, but it would give them something to laugh about at least.

His attention was pulled away from his thoughts of dancing and back to drinking, as the bartender poured out glasses for Laeo and his opponent. A grin flashed across his face as he held his glass in the air, and he allowed the guard to throw back his shot, which Laeo followed in quick order--

--and it went wrong.

The burning in his throat was especially intense, and his body refused the drink. Like a seagull about to vomit something, Laeo's head jerked as his throat bulged-- but people were far more interested in the fact that his opponent had hit the ground. The Brentaalan barely registered it, fighting to keep his drink down. He felt the contents of his stomach rising, his body violently protesting as he tried to get the drink down.

But against all odds... he succeeded. The vile, violently burning liquid slaked down his throat. He coughed violently, and he felt his stomach churn, but he held himself together as he wobbled in his chair. Against all odds, he had won. He had won against a larger, older, more experienced native opponent.

He looked down at Celeste, helping the old guard as he lay there. He couldn't help but smile, reaching down to offer a hand.

He was looking straight at her when he felt his stomach churn again. It was nothing at first, but as his fingers clasped around hers, it grew violent. Aquamarines widened as the people cheered, hands patting him on the back. His vision was blurry, and he seemed to be spinning around. It was all he could do to turn his head away from Celeste and down at the guard's face as he violently vomited. It felt as if his stomach was turning itself inside out, acid burning his already raw throat.

When it was done, he was coughing, and the people closest to him were chattering in Rattataki, obviously concerned. "Ai'malright!" He called hoarsely, addressing noone in particular. His grip was still around Celeste's hand, and as he leaned a bit, that was where he was pulled-- down onto the raw floor next to her and his opponent, consciousness leaving him before he even hit the ground.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Well...it soon turned out that Celeste had been too optimistic too early, but her drunk brain wasn't good at interpreting signs anyway at that state, so she wasn't actually surpised. However what did surpise her then, was that next to Laeo's first fall, a second followed, but that was at least after the guard had been knocked out...

The happy smile on her lips widened as she reached for Laeonas' hand, who was offering it to pull her up like a real, drunk gentleman. However, the pull never actually came. She was still on one knee and their fingers interlaced as the Brentaalan just stared at her wide eyed.

Now, it wasn't difficult to read the signs anymore. She had seen this look before and she could already see it all coming back up. He managed to turn away, but his whole stomach emptied itself right over the guard with Laeonas heavily coughing afterwards. With fingers still clasped around another, she had to blink a few times until her delayed thinking processed all the imaged presented.

The smell of bitter, acidic vomit filled the air while her companion still mumbled something slured. Her smile immediately turned into a worried expression, her lips halfway parted as she stared at the slightly disturbing scene. It was then when Laeonas suddenly tumbled forwards to, and this time her reaction was fortunately fast enough as she instinctively leaned forward to catch his head and prevent him from slamming against the hard floor.

"Ohh..." she gasped, speechless for a moment. It seemed like the triggered adrenaline partly made her sober, or at least sober enough to utter what was needed. "Fetch...the medics. And some lukewarm clean water...and someone to clean this mess!" she ordered into the pin drop silence that had followed after the second k.o. The Rattataki chatting had actually died down the moment the two contestants had both fainted and now she knew they quickly had to deal with that mess.

The bar was crowded and most people quite drunk, so Celeste knew she had to hurry. Usually, pure chaos erupted after such incidents and so she intended to bring in some order before it all escalated further. She gestured for the bartender to switch on some music while a few words were changed. A few people started running and so she knew they were actually following her orders, which was a definite relief.

She let out a sigh while she was still on the ground herself, slightly shaking her head while the people began chatting again. She was not in the right state to perform first aid, but she was advising a bystander to bring the guard into a stable position while she did the same to Laeo.

"Well...that night ended early" she silently muttered, sarcasm mixed with slight amusement, but she was hoping that the two would soon recover. It didn't take long and someone began to clean while the medics tended to the two unconscious drunkards. If Laeo woke back up, he would find himself laying on a bench not far from the bar, as the medic had mentioned he wasn't needing more medical attention right away and that both should just be supervised for now, and so Celeste was just waiting for him to enter the realm of consciousness to offer him some water.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

The Brentaalan's transition into unconsciousness was total and absolute. His body had violently rejected (most of) the poison he'd fed it in the form of that vile liquor, and he needed awhile to recuperate.

Fortunately, Laeonas' liver was used to this kind of abuse, and the Brentaalan's constitution was strong on it's own. That the force subconsciously worked to purge his body of toxins only sped things up-- and so he woke, an hour and a half later, groggy eyed and quite inebriated.

He tried standing, but that ended up about as well as one might expect, and he fell on his rear with a yelp. He was more deliberate on his second attempt, gripping the sides of the bench and slowly standing as his legs wobbled beneath him. As he took his first few steps forward, his eyes would dart around. In spite of having walked through this very hall two hours prior, Laeo couldn't recognize it. Only the chatter from the bar alerted him to where he was.

He would've gone and rejoined them, had his survey not caused aquamarines to remain fixed on a blonde woman in a tight fitting leather dress, with cheekbones almost as sharp as his. "...hi." He said, and despite how obviously drunk he was, the greeting came out low and smooth. It might've actually been charming were he not awkwardly standing to balance himself like a toddler.

It was only after a few more seconds of awkwardly looking at her that Laeo recognized Celeste, and his expression grew markedly more positive as he lurched forward to sit down, stumbling a little. "What uh-- hey! Are you uh... what're ya doin' here?" He'd ask, his voice a mixed slur between his traditional accent and the more modulated tone he applied to his speech.

"Did I uh... did I win that drinkin' contest?" He asked, before letting out a sudden belch. Usually the man would've had no shame in doing so, but Celeste's presence caused his already flushed face to burn redder. "'Scuse me, Ai'm a little... drunk." He declared, looking at her for a few seconds-- and than laughing at the absurdity of his statement.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

With the help of the medic she had relocated him to a place slightly more quiet and away from the hustle and bustle from inside the bar. A few other Rattataki had joined her and Celeste had been engaged in a few interesting conversations while Laeonas was peacefully asleep.

To speed up the process of sobering up, she had switched to water for now as well, and after having drunk more than a litre, she almost felt sober again. When Laeo started stirring, the others had automatically started to leave and so her whole focus laid on him as he pushed himself to his unstable feet.

She immediately reached out to stabilize him, but before she even reached him he managed to catch himself and actually stay on both feet. She softly smiled up at him as she was glad that he was doing again and that the intoxication was apparently not strong enough to knock him out for the whole night.

"Welcome back to the realm of the conscious people" she welcomed him amusedly, but fully glad instead of mocking. The way he had almost absently stared at her at first, told her that it took a while until he remembered everything that had been, but she already had to laugh as he was - wait was he hitting on her, because she thought she was a good looking stranger? But well, it seemed like it then finally dawned him.

Well, apparently not everything. She started to chuckle amusedly when he asked for the competition, demonstrating that this was still bothering him. "Yes my friend...you have fought bravely and you have won, even if you fainted afterwards" she encouragingly patted his arm, her expressions amused, but there was still a visible hint of worry in her mimic. Even though he was awake, he could be haunted by the aftereffects, so she would keep watching him closely.

She joined the laughter as he pointed out that he was still drunk, but as the laughter died down, she slightly tilted her head to the side. "Yes, you are. How are you feeling though?" she softly asked him, still concerned about his wellbeing, which was slightly ironic after their rough start. Well, this night had been a rollercoaster one way or another. She offered him the water she had saved for his 'return' and hoped that his stomach would be soothed by it for now.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

As drunk and confused about who the pretty girl in the pretty dress was, her humor managed to break past any barriers of comprehension, and a laugh would escape his lips. "If it weren't for the company I'd check out," he declared with a grin, "Way less comfy out here, see?" he declared, groaning as he stretched where he stood, bones cracking into place as he did so.

When he finally recognized her, he listened quietly as she explained how he had, somehow, won. "I don't even wanna know how the other guy's feelin' if I'm the winner." He said, utterly baffled by his own success, before he casually sat right back where he had been. The harder he tried to think, the more things came back to him-- the surprise of his opponent, the indignation of the bartender, the cheers of the crowd, their whistles after he'd teased them about his own good looks, Celeste, smiling, winking, yelling about a medic when he hit the ground.

She'd been there the entire time, and it dawned on him that she'd been sitting here as well. Laeo had only chaperoned a few times in his life, and usually only for people he'd trust with his life. Celeste had had him unconscious for Deus knew how long, and she hadn't laid a finger on him.

If there were any doubts about whether or not he could trust her, they were buried next to his sobriety.

When she asked how he was feeling, he let out a laugh. "Like shit." He quickly answered, before letting out a belch. He didn't react for a few seconds until he glanced at her again, and he uttered a quick, "'scuse me," before turning away in embarrassment. He really was drunk: somehow, Laeonas Tannaras had learned how to feel shame.

"Honestly though... not the worst I've ever felt." He declared after awhile. "There was the time I had to get my stomach pumped after downing an entire bottle of vodka." He began, "Or when me and my friends played that kissing game where you had to take a shot whenever someone went for you. I think that was when I realized I actually looked good." He said with a laugh, rubbing his temples before his eyes flicked over the Celeste again, grinning.

"I'm not in the mood to spend the rest of the night on this bench talking about random bullshit," he declared, before standing again, his legs firm, not even a hint of a wobble in them-- until he lurched forward and had to catch himself. It didn't seem to phase him, and the Brentaalan looked back at her, calling, "Been ages since I had a proper dance, and I clearly can't stand up straight-- mind keeping me from stumbling?" Drunk as he was, Laeo seemed to be handling himself better than most-- and he clearly wasn't going to let his current state end the night early.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

It was really good for her to see that he was relatively stable. At least it didn't seem like he would land in the med bay and that he had to get his stomach pumped empty before landing on an IV all night. Or at least not yet.

Well one way or another, she would ensure that he wouldn't end up on the bottle again, especially now after she felt quite sober herself again. There was still a chance they would both end up drinking again, but for as long as her mind was still clear, she had decided to keep an eye on it."Oh...what a nice thing to say" she replied with a warm smileas she watched him sit down again.

She positioned herself in front of him, the smirk never leaving her lips. "Oh, I'm sorry you don't remember, but that was...intense. He's okay too, but you have definitely impressed everyone!" she happily told him with a playful nudge before realizing that despite the time that had passed, she wasn't fully sober yet.

When he answered, she chukled, but the worry wasn't fully wiped from her face. "I'll keep an eye on you, that's for sure" she informed him with another wink thanks to the ambiguity of her sentence, once again realizing that she was still in a silly mood.

The smirk became more mischievous after what he said next, after she had chuckled amusedly over his story. "Oh boy...I remember wild truth or dare nights or spin the bottle...That always escalated" she recalled, however not regretful at all. "It's been fun times for sure".

Was he being cocky? Or arrogant perhaps? Well no, the way be put it, it rather sounded confident and charming and so she was nothing but amused...perhaps she even admired his unabashed bluntness. "Well, yeah I can't deny that" she finally added, even more flirtatious then intended but the level of still existing drunkenness took over.

Her amusement continued as he asked for a dance in the same manner and so she reached out with her hand to take his, not only to support him while walking, but to also lead him towards the dancefloor. "Let's change your dancing problem. I'm always game, so let's go" she declared before she had already guided him back in, the music getting louder and louder with each and every step they took. Her hips were already swaying while they still made their way to the crowd, but her gaze repeatedly shifted between their destination and drunk Laeo. She was ensuring he wasn't stumbling, but she wasn't quite sure whether he was still able to dance after all. She was about to find out anyway, as it was already too late, but the beat was almost intoxicating.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

A twinge of relief hit the man as he was informed of his opponents condition. "That's a relief-- last thing I want is an overconfident geezer's death on my shoulders." He declared with a grim chuckle, reclining as he sat down. "Gods, here I was thinking there wasn't a spirit or liquor I couldn't handle-- and than I get a sip of that shit? Talk about the biggest fish in the pond." The man said. It was an obscure reference to a song he'd heard once about the biggest fish in a pond swimming into the ocean and getting swallowed by a whale. He'd... never seen a whale, or any living fish for that matter, but he couldn't think of any better wordplay in his drunken state.

Her declaration that she'd keep an eye on him brought a grin to his lips, and he bellowed out a chuckle. "You're to kind." He thanked her. She'd already seen how loose his inhibitions could get when he was drunk, and even though his own mind was a bit foggy at the moment, he appreciated the fact that she, even in her own drunkenness, was looking out for him. Ofcourse, he was silently glad that she wanted to keep him company for the rest of the evening-- even if it was just to make sure he didn't black out again.

Her own quip about dares and drinking games brought out a light chuckle on his part. "I think escalation's the point," he teased, adding a quick, "Not that anyone complains." Though he'd long outgrown teenage drinking games, he could always look back fondly on the nights he'd spend with his friends or gangs, singing bawdy songs, joking and laughing and kissing and occasionally shagging if he'd crawled far enough out of his own shell. They were some of the few fond memories he had of his homeworld.

Her acknowledgement of his looks brought a moment pause as the Brentaalan seemed to freeze in place, blinking once before he resumed like nothing had even happened. "It'd be hard to argue," He replied with a grin, flushed cheeks not hiding his blush as he added, "Though I guess it takes one to know one." There was still a playful edge to his words, but he'd dropped the humor so there wasn't a hint of ambiguity left.

As he finally stood up, he accept Celeste's hand as it was offered. "That makes two of us," Laeo answered her comment with a grin, as he slowly and deliberately walked forward, a hint of a wobble in his steps. Though he was actively trying not to stumble, he was clearly struggling, both from his long nap and his drunkenness. Still, as he continued to walk, his footing grew more stable. He didn't dare abandon Celeste's support however, and through it all he would walk close, hand still clasped with hers.

When they finally reached the dancefloor, he didn't move much-- his hips swayed side to side, his legs shuffled and his upper body swayed a little, but he mostly stayed in place. That he was being so cautious was wholly uncharacteristic of him-- but if there was one risk he would avoid more than anything else, it would be the risk of falling flat on his ass in front of the woman he was trying to charm.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She was positively suprised over his reaction, because it told her that he was even more caring than she had assumed, and this even after what had been between the two of them not long ago in the fighting pit. Her smile widened and her eyes sparkled excitedly because of the upcoming dance anyway.

"Yeah...the Rattataki are tough. Alcohol positioning doesn't knock them out for long...but the same apparently applies to you" again, she flashed him a grin before they were already on their way. She still wondered whether dancing was a good idea, but she was definitely in the mood.

"Yup...you've never had actual alcohol unless you tried that shit. I feel like my esophagus and stomach immediately start dissolving themselves every damn time". Even though she laughed, this wasn't even a joke. People had died from the intake and this stuff was definitely deadly...why again had theg stated a competition after all?!

Even when they made their way to the dancefloor, he kept making her laugh. In general, the night had been rather amusing, but she was curious to see how much he could still manage to do on the dancefloor. She could feel that his grip around her hand was tight and he was obviously lacking stability, but she admired his continous courage.

Once on the floor, she let the music take control of her body. The swaying intensified and she enjoyed the rather slow, passionate beats. She spun and was facing Laeo again, a grin on her face, but since his movements still seemed rather hesitant, she decided that he was in need of another means of support.

She moved closer with each and every sway, her amused gaze not leaving his aquamarine eyes. Without hesitation, she reached for his hands and placed them on her hips while she raised her own arms again. This way, he could not only enjoy the dance more, but profit from the support given by her dancing silhouette.

The alcohol was still obviously lowering each and every inhibition, however as confident as the blonde was, she usually had little reserve or fear of contact when it came to such things. She was hoping her smile was infectious, same as her rather lively movements. She knew exactly how to swing her hips to draw quite some attention from the bystanders, yet her eyes rested only on the Ex-Jedi with whom she had sparred with not long ago.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

He couldn't help but grin when Celeste teased him about his alcohol tolerance, proud of himself even if he was one wrong step away from faceplanting into the stone floor. "I hope so-- I didn't spend the past14 years drowning my liver to wind up a lightweight." The man declared, glancing at her with a smirk. "Still wish I'd had what your drink-- probably tasted better."

Her declaration about how awful the drink was had him nodding groggily-- there was nothing to do but agree. "I'm glad I hit the deck when I did-- dunno if I'd be alive if I hadn't." he said, shaking his head a little to correct his balance. Laeonas had shattered his limits during the competition, and he'd pushed as close to the line as he could without falling over into the abyss.

As the dance began, Laeo kept his eyes low-- first on his own feet, making sure he didn't trip over them, or his partners. Once he was sure that wouldn't happen, he allowed his eyes to slowly trail up from his ankles, to hers, up and up her figure until his eyes met hers. She was grinning, and so did he, and soon she was close to him, and his hands had been moved from her knuckles to her hips. The Brentaalan found that this left him much steadier, her support, proximity, and infectious confidence suddenly making him forget all about his imbalance.

And with that, he remembered how to move.

He was used to fast, energetic pace, but slowness wasn't a stranger either. As Celeste's hips swayed, so did he, his own hips swayed with her, and with it his lower back, and his legs seeming to have a mind of their own as they shimmied, twisted and bucked forward or back. His shoulders rolled, upper body drawing in closer while his lower moved back, and vice versa, the distance between faces and figures alternating. He never broke eye contact, shutting them only when the music hit a crescendo.

Here he was, drunk at a bar late in the evening with a girl he'd tried butchering just hours ago. Celeste was a Sith, a diplomat, a drinking buddy, and a dance partner. Days before these would've been contradictory ideas to Laeonas, but hours of dialogue and shared fun had allowed him to set his hatred aside and see the woman in front of him as she was. When the song hit a high note, he pulled her closer, leaning into her ear. "Am I the first man who's tried killing you that you wound up dancing with?" He whispered teasingly, pulling his head back as he cocked an eyebrow.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Their lighthearted conversation about alcohol and tolerance had carried on for a bit, and it amused her how he admitted that he had wanted something from her drink. "Yeah, if you stay here for a while, you get prepared. I know how that stuff heres tastes, so I rather bring my own additions too" she amusedly replied, throwing him a grin. But well, he had learnt that by now, too, anyway.

As for their dance: It was funny how - despite their drunkness - they finally managed to do quite a good job after a while. Laeo seemed more stable as well, especially because they were both stabilizing one another with their close dancing. Her mood was still great, regardless of the break they had to take after he had fainted, but the party within the bar was in full swing anyway.

They synchronized perfectly and after a while he even seemed to regain control over his formerly stiffened body back and so her smile only widened while her light blue gaze was still meeting his. The question he posed next was interesting on many levels, especially because the delivery was rather teasing.

She raised an eyebrow and the tension for a moment by not giving him his reply just yet, but instead she spun around, her movement still perfectly synchronized with the music and as elegant as she still could. Only then she got back to him, leaner closer and towards he ear before she teasingly answered, "Nope, I do that with all of my opponents".

While pulling back with a mischievous smirk, be hopefully noticed that she was joking and that this had obviously never happened before. In fact, she even doubted this regularly happened anywhere else, because she herself hadn't even expected the night to go this way. Still, she had been happy to clear put some misunderstandings and was enjoying that fun night so far. "And how about you? Does your aggressive 'sparring' always turns into a fun night out?".

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

Minutes ago, Laeonas hadn't been sure if he could stand. Now, he was dancing with a woman who became less and less of a stranger as the night had gone on. He was discovering how much he missed this-- going out, meeting people, drinking and dancing, exchanging looks and cracking jokes. He'd spent his time in exile living like a hermit, and the one who'd brought him out of his shell and got his feet moving was proving to be really fun company.

His movements only became more confident and fluid as the dance went on, until it seemed there wasn't a part of his body that wasn't moving. Shoulders rolled as his neck swayed, hips twisted as thighs shimmied, while legs and ankles and feet moved like light shadowcast through a window. His hands never dared give up the support his partner's hips provided-- they were the only thing keeping one wrong leg wobble from causing him to fall on his ass.

When he leaned in and asked his question, his mock curious expression remained fixed. They slowed down, and for a moment, the air started thickening with tension-- until she pulled back and spun on her heels. Laeo would stumble backwards as he lost his grip, stopping his movements so he could rebalance himself. He nearly keeled over, but for a light force push that would send him staggering forward-- right back towards Celeste.

He saw his life flash before his eyes before the near collision, and it was only with a twist of his hips that he didn't careen into the woman and knock the both of them down. The man would instead hit a nearbye table, which two patrons were drinking at.

One of them angrily barked at him in Rattataki, but the other, a shorter fellow, snapped back, pointing at Laeo and then pointing at the bar. The angry one's face lost color, and he looked at the offworlder, incredulous, but he would let out a heavily accented, "Sorry," and turn back.

Laeo, for his part, didn't get hung up on the scene, and he turned and found his way back to his partner, who quickly closed the distance. He tried his best to pretend the near miss hadn't happened, hands resting on his partner's hips as he tried getting back into the rhythm. When she finally made her joke, he couldn't help but grin, stifling a laugh, shaking his head a little. "You must have had plenty of practice if you're this good." He quipped back, his words laced with half a dozen layers of irony.

Naturally, it was her turn to ask a question, and he pondered his answer for a moment. While she had spun and pulled away before answering, Laeo would slow down and move closer, seemingly deep in thought before he shrugged. "If anyone I've fought could dance by the time we finished, I'd be dead." He answered calmly, not acknowledging the implicit statement that all of them were dead.

"I guess you're my first in that regard," he idly said, before pausing. "I mean, the first person I've tried killing that I wound up dancing with... and the first person I bothered to learn the name of before taking them out on the floor." He said, smirking as he cocked his head back, aquamarines locked with hers--before a passing server carrying tankards of ale caught his attention. Without even a hint of hesitation, he took one hand off her hip, outstretched it, and the tankard would fly into his own, before he threw it back and downed it's contents.

"I guess what I'm saying," he said as he let the tankard float back to a nearbye table, spinning his head along his neck, shaking his face a little and sobering himself even as he danced slowly, "Is that you're not a stranger than most, Celeste."

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

While the dance continued, drunk Laeonas finally seemed to get back into the groove and to not only loosen his muscles, but to finally regain some balance without having to rely on her support. "I'm glad you're doing much be-" Well that was exactly when he suddenly started falling...

With her own reactions slowed and her senses dulled due to the still existing level of alcohol in her blood, she wasn't fast enough to reach out and try to grab him, but fortunately the dark haired man managed to catch himself before that. She let out a relieved sigh as she faced him with a smirk again. "Maybe you should lay down sooner or later..." she said to him, a hint of worry in her voice even though she was mostly grinning.

It was in fact getting late and she definitely had plenty of work ahead tomorrow, but she was also still having fun, so there was no need to end the night just yet. She wasn't feeling any tired anyway and so she stayed on the dancefloor for now, continuing the conversation with her dancing partner. "Oh I'm absolutely flattered" she then sarcastically replied as an reaction to his ironic comment, before his next remark amused her even more.

"Well...same" she now truthfully admitted, "and honestly: When you attacked me, I was not expecting we'd end up here, but the night has been fun" she watched him pull the tankard close and down it, her gaze changing to sceptical for a moment as she wasn't sure whether this was a good idea, but well, he was old enough to decide that on his own. "It was definitely a surpise, but a pleasant one" she finally added with a wink, still not stopping to dance, but the current song was indeed coming to an end.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

Laeonas couldn't help but chuckle when he saw Celeste grinning at his return, knowing she'd seen the entire display. Her genuine concern was met with another an even louder laugh. "Why'd I want to go and do that? The night's still young," he said coyly, even though he'd lost track of time hours ago. Their dancing and teasing went on until Celeste shifted to an... oddly sincere tone. Laeo couldn't help but be surprised by her sudden shift in tone, and he actually stopped as he tried thinking of a response.

"I mean... it's given me a lot to think about." He confessed, his dancing falling into a simple sway. "Whenever I... off someone, I have to think they're not worth keeping around," He explained. It was a rather simple, straight forward process for him in the past, but now... "But I mean, if I could think that about you... how many other people did I wind up putting in the ground that were worth dancing with?"

He let that thought linger in the air for awhile. Her quip and added wink took him out of the momentary melancholy, and he smiled back at her. "Those are the best kind of surprises." He quipped back, glancing around as the song began to fade. There was a part of him that wanted to continue, to dance through the night and see where they'd wind up-- but the specter of their earlier conflict loomed in his mind.

It had been easier to forget earlier-- between the drinking contests, their mutually persistent teasing, and what had felt like an eternity of dancing, Laeo had been given more to regard Celeste as. Dancing partner, drinking buddy, flirt-- all applied, and they mattered more to him now than labels like Sith.

"And yet, she is."

It was a whisper, but he could hear it. He blinked once, twice, and he looked down. Nothing had changed, but he felt a chill go up his spine.

"...fun dance." He said, glancing down. "While I'd prefer to continue, I think you had a point about me lying down-- I oughta find my way back to my room." He said, stepping back. "Thanks for treating me to such a fun night." He added flatly, and turned. He could still find his way back to his room... at least, he thought he could.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

She half expected him to argue, and obviously he started laughing once again, but even if he was amused at first, he soon started to understand that she was actually a bit worried about his state, especially if he started swallowing even more alcohol after having been alcohol poisoned already.

After he took some more time to consider what she had just outlined, he finally seemed to come to some senses when he admitted that she had an actual point. Her lips curled up into a smirk once again as she nodded, her hips however still swaying to the sound of the music. "That was all a suprise indeed" she agreed once again, before she nodded.

When he announced his tactical retreat, she couldn't help but to chuckle about his statement and she immediately moved to follow him. "Just to make sure, I'll accompany you to your room. I'm passing through the halls anyway" she thus replied, making it quite obvious that she would not let him argue.

It was indeed late and she never slept in, so in order to catch some more hours of sleep, she wanted to head back to her own quarters as well anyway. She waved goodbye to the crowd and especially those she knew well, before he led him outside. "I'm not sure about what Kat once you to do tomorrow, but you rather don't show up with a hangover" she teased with a mischievous smirk as they made their way out of the bar.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

He expected a wave and a quick goodbye, so Laeo was naturally surprised when Celeste offered to take him back to his room. She had certainly seemed concerned for him, but certainly not so concerned as to chaperone him all the way back to his room. "Uh, thanks." He replied, not sure how else he ought to have reacted. "Suspicious," that small, paranoid piece of him called, but he silenced it. "Ai was out cold an 'our ago-- why tha 'ell didn't she just kill me than?" He reassured himself. Even the most irrational and aggressive parts of him couldn't argue with that, so they fell silent.

She made a joke about his current state and what he'd have to do tomorrow, to which he simply grinned. "Well, I already vomited... what, twice? Besides, look how well I'm walking!" He boasted, raising his arms and walking down the hall on his own for a few meters, swaying from side to side like a palm tree in the wind.

"...hokay, bad example, but I think I'll be fine! I mean, a couple zed's and I'll be doing great in the morning!" He asserted, turning back to her. "Though, I appreciate the armed escort-- making me feel like a senator or whatever." The man teased, flashing her a grin. "Ain't it fun how the world works? One minute we're at each other's throats, the next we're drinking like fiends, than dancing like maniacs, and now you're acting like my bodyguard."

He'd reiterated the sentiment a couple of times already but for good reason. Everything about how the night had gone had completely gone against any of his expectations. Drunk as he was, he had a lot of thinking to do.

When they finally arrived at his room, the man let out a sigh, lingering at the threshold of the door and turning. "I should thank you for tonight," He said, flashing her a grin. "I can't tell what you're better at-- chaperoning my dumb ass, or dancing while I did... what ever it was that I was trying on the floor." He went on, chuckling before he looked up again.

"If you ever need to cash in a favor or two, you know where to find me." He declared, and that was true. She was already familiar with the arena and had just found the way back to his room, and now that he knew where the booze and bar was, she'd know where he'd spend much of his time from now on.

He had a feeling that this wouldn't be the last they'd be seeing of each other.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

Laeonas obviously seemed surprised by her offer and she wasn't quite sure why he was so uncomfortable, but he accepted her suggestion anyway. The doubts were blown away as he started joking again though, and she amusedly snickered at his proud way of assessing his own walk. While he seemed confident about how he perceived his walk, truth was, that he was still zigzaging, which made it even funnier. He definitely seemed better, but still not well and so she was trying to assure he would actually end up in bed and not busy with some kinds of shenanigans.

"Bodyguard?" she amusedly repeated while the 'armed escort' part had already made her laugh. "I feel more like a babysitter" she admitted while still chuckling, nudging him with her elbow. It was indeed quite ironic and hilarious though, but that was why you should never judge a book from its covers.

She led him though the corridors and tunnels, but it seemed like he remembered where his room was located at least and so the two soon found themselves at the threshold of his quarters. "Thanks" she softly chuckling, leaning against the door frame, "You're stomach impressed me and the others and I had a fun time. Good night, and I might get back to that" she added with a cheeky wink before she went her way. It had gotten quite late and she could feel the tiredness flaring up deep inside her. She still couldn't shake the feeling that now that she had gotten to know him, their paths might cross again.

@Tom

 

[Laeonas Tannaras]

​

Of all the ways Celeste could've replied, Laeo hadn't anticipated this. "Babysitter?!" The Brentaalan sputtered, blinking as he stared at her in shock. "I'm prolly OLDER than you!" The man exclaimed, even though he could reasonably be mistaken for a man in his mid twenties. "What kinda baby you ever met that can dance like mae da'arse, eh?!" The man went on, doing some quick footwork that almost made him fall flat on his ass.

He nearly burst out laughing at that-- even slightly annoyed he still found what she'd said hilarious. "God, first baby sitter Ai 'ad ai was laike, a month old. Some grandma with nothin' ta do takin care of me while ma was at work-- nearly died when she saw me levitatin' some bowl of oatmeal or somethin'." He went on, recounting the story with levity, even if it had been an utterly terrifying experience for the old lady.

He didn't linger on the story though, and by the time they got back he was actually talking normally. "Just my stomach? I kicked ass on the dancefloor to." He boasted, and he had, for a man who could barely stand. "Give my liver some credit to, I'm still alive!" He joked, before waving goodbye. His eyes lingered on her as she winked and turned, smirking as she sauntered off. The force had a tendency to have him meet up with new, interesting people, and that she certainly was.

He lingered for a little while longer, before he fell into his bed.

--------

He had a dreamless sleep last night-- a much needed reprieve from the nightmares that usually plagued him. His body and mind took the opportunity, and he got up late. The sun was hanging high over the cauldron as his eyes fluttered open, darting around his room before he slowly sat up in his bed, groaning. Starts twinkled across his eyes and he sat back down, rubbing his tempal. He knew there would be a hangover-- probably not as bad as it could've been-- but still very unpleasant.

He yanked off his jacket and tossed his shirt off as well, but he wound up slipping into his jacket again as he tried to make it back to his ship. It was a long walk, and he only got halfway there before he was vomiting his guts out in one of the caverns.

He'd let someone else clean it up.

He would eventually hobble back to his ship, strip out of his dirty clothes and take a much needed cold shower. Once finished he made his way through the corridors, prepared an especially hearty breakfast. He made his way to the on-ship gym and got to work-- he wasn't about to let his routine break thanks to a hangover.

The hours passed, and by the time he was done he felt refreshed. It was already the late afternoon, but he was sure there'd be some work for him to do.

@LadyRen

 

[Celeste Stythani]

"Older, maybe, hard to tell. More mature? Debatable. You could have died from alcohol poisoning tonight so that I had to chaperone you...I'd say babysitting is an appropriate description, too" she argued back, obviously teasing while she still chuckled.

"Well...the drunk dancing steps slightly reminded me off a toddler" she added, the comparison just making it more hilarious. Since he did seem slightly offended he stopped teasing though, but their laughter kept fillings the halls for a bit.

His childhood story was adorable and she coukd vividly imagine how this must have looked. "Levitating stuff at that age? Impressive. I bet you actually gave the old lady a heart attack though" she amusedly replied, before the topic changed. "Yes. Admittedly, your liver did do well, too. Maybe you've got some Rattataki blood running in your veins" she amusedly mused, before it was really time to say good night.

"I'll see you around! Go sleep through that hangover" she finally suggested before she actually moved away with a waving hand. Celeste immediately headed to her quarters, washed her face, freshened up, changed clothes and fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Her body had alcohol to filter out of the system as well.

-----

When she woke up the next morning, the sun had already risen, however it was still rather early and she had to get to work quickly, as there was never time to sleep in. She swallowed a bit of caffeine and took a cold shower before she headed out already. There was much organizational stuff to do, before she was called away from her desk after receiving an urgent message. There was trouble in the east again.

Odocrus, a rebellious tribal leader had apparently openly declared that he would not bend his knee at all, and obviously Celeste knew she had to do something against it before either rumors would fully spread or others would join his little uprising. She had to act quick and fly over with a small, assorted platoon, but she had another idea."Stetti...Could you fetch me Laeonas? I might have work for him..." she told her aide as she got up from her desk, immediately heading for her quarters to get her belongings. If Laeo was still here anyway, she was convinced he wouldn't say no to helping Kat and her...

@Tom