Beautiful Disaster (Soul &+& Vita

[ShatteredSoul]

”Remember me?” A dark, soulless voice echoed, distinctively male. I’m sure you do. After all, I’d hate it if you forgot... But it’s alright now. I’m here to make sure that you never do, that my face will be one you see everywhere.” In the darkness, it was clear that a malicious smirk had pulled across the male’s shadowed features, and without any further warning, he lunged…

The hour had just turned past midnight as the DJ turned up the music to pump out a new dance beat. For a Friday night, Gold wing, an up-scale night club’s, dance floor was oddly lacking in participants and customers alike. The clear glass bar was relatively populated though, with only a few seats left open for new customers to take up, and that was good enough.

“Jai? Jai. Hey!”

A young man dressed in a simple white oxford shirt and black slacks had approached a woman leaning upon one elbow against the back half of the bar-counter. Long golden blonde hair, streaked with bouts of soft brown highlights had created a curtain over her face, shielding her ocean-blue, almond shaped eyes. A black, airy halter-top adorned the upper half of her body, draping down just below the hips of dark, slim fitting jeans. She had dozed off during a lull, and the sudden voice that had hit her ears caused her to physically lurch, a soft gasp escaping her lips as she was immediately ripped awake, and she whipped around to face the man who had approached her, black pumps clicking softly against the tiled floor.

“Don’t!” She squeaked reflexively, though when her eyes landed on the man, she blinked, her cheeks instantly flushing as she tried to regain her composure. “Oh, Pratt. H-Hi. What’s up?” Her words left her mouth quickly, with only a slight stammer of nerves.

His eyebrows furrowed gently as he cocked his head curiously, searching her eyes with slight concern. “Uh… Hey… You uh… You alright Jam?” Jam: a pet-name that people who were familiar with her had picked up due to her initials.

“Yup.” She didn’t miss a beat, responding quickly and flatly. “What’s up? What do you need? Everything okay? ”

Pratt didn’t seem very convinced, but he let it go for the time being, instead relaxing in his stance as he glanced around the bar and then back at her. “I’m taking off. Mel cut me so that I could go home and be more… productive.” The smug little smirk that spread across his face made it all too obvious.
She nodded in response, fighting the urge to roll her eyes as she straightened and looked at him., her eyes shifting in the direction he’d pointed for a split second before returning to him. “Yeah, sure, no problem.”

“My side of the bar’s all set; all customers ordered, refilled, and tabbed out. And Mel’s gonna send someone up from the cage to cover me.” He quickly added, clearly cutting her off from something she’d been about to say. ‘The cage’ was what upstairs employees typically referred to as the basement level floor of the club, where league approved MMA fighting ring was set up. On weekends, they held their most promising fights starting at midnight, and when that time came around, the upstairs was usually all but barren for customers and cliental.

“Ok, ok, go.” Jai spoke with a slight smile. “Drive safe, ok? And try not to have too much fun. You’ve gotta work tomorrow night too and I expect you to be on your game.”

“Yeah, like you are? Miss dozing off over here?”

Her eyes diverted from his gaze, and she remained quiet for a split second of hesitation. “Just get your ass outta here before I get a bouncer to throw you out.” She teased with a slight grin.
Pratt grinned, offering her a wink and playful salute as he leaned to grab a jacket from below the counter, then turned and dashed out from behind the bar without another word.
She watched him leave, waiting until he disappeared out the club’s front doors before she heaved a long, heavy sigh. The night will be over before you know it, she told herself as her gaze swept over her side bar counter, making a note of the customers that had already been served and which ones were going to need to be tended to for refills, and then she tilted her head as she watched someone new take up a seat at the far corner. The club was relatively popular, yes, but even on Fridays, Jai knew just about every person that sat at her side of the bar, even if only by their faces, and this guy… This guy was new, and he sure as hell didn’t look like he quite belonged there.

He sat down slowly, lazily, and folded his arms across the surface of the counter, keeping his head down. Only his mussed black hair, about an inch or two in length, she guessed, was visible, aside from the black, hooded sweatshirt that he wore. She couldn’t quite place her finger on it, but something about the way he had carried himself, the way he sat so lazily, or perhaps tiredly, the way he looked… it screamed of familiarity. And worse than that, what made her tuck her lower lip between her teeth, was the fact that something about this man, this new customer, sent icy chills crawling up Jai’s spine.

She shook her head to try to dismiss her thoughts, her right hand lifting to tuck her hair back from the side of her face and over the back of her shoulder as she straightened and started for the end of the bar, black, strappy pumps clicking softly against the tile floor. She stopped short when another young man, a regular by the name of Henry, held up his hand and offered her a warm, tipsy, toothy smile, and she couldn’t help but to smirk back at him.

“Jaime! Jai!” He called out over the music, using the hand he’d flagged her attention with to hold up an emptied rock glass, ice chinking against the walls of it. “I need a refill!” He slurred as he grinned happily.

Jai shook her head and laughed softly under her breath before she nodded and held up one finger, using her free hand to reach behind herself and grab a new bottle of bourbon from the display counter, having memorized the location of every bottle set up there. “Alright Henry,” she replied. “Just gimme one second okay?”

She didn’t wait before she returned her attention to the new guy and approached him, leaning over just slightly against the inner edge of the counter. “Hey there,” her voice spoke out just loud enough over the music for the man to hear. “Welcome to Gold-Wing, my name’s Jaime. What can I get to start you off for the night?” Straight and to the point. Any other day she may have been more animated with her approach, but she was exhausted and far from in a mood to try and be flirtatiously cute.

The man’s head lifted slowly, eyes about as dark as granite lifting slowly over her body to meet her eyes, and Jai felt the air hitch in her lungs, her heart nearly stopping. “Yeah actually,” his voice was low, deep, gruff, and a slight smirk pulled across his lips. “You can start me off… with a rum and coke, add lime.” He’d paused just long enough to let the slight, far from smooth comment sink in, his eyes bearing deep into Jai’s.

She just stood there, frozen in her place, unaware of the fact that she had pressed her palm down atop the bar-counter to keep herself balanced. Her eyes were glued to his, unable to look away no matter how desperately she needed to, and it was as if everything in her world had suddenly slammed on the breaks and shattered out of existence. It’s not… It can’t be… There’s no way… Breathe…

“S-sure.” Her voice betrayed her composure, stuttering over the first consonant of her acknowledgement to his order. “One moment…” With a grinding effort, she turned her back to him and strode back over to where Henry sat, all life seemingly having escaped her, leaving her body in a pale, trembling state. With trembling hands, she fought to unscrew the cork from the bottle of bourbon in her hands, feeling eyes on her back and ice in her veins, and she bit down on her bottom lip to try to maintain some semblance of composure. Thoughts were raging through her mind, making it near impossible for her to consciously focus on the bottle she was working so anxiously to open, and just as she was sure she’d gotten a good enough grip on the cork to jerk her hand back in an attempt to tug it off, her fingers felt nothing but air, cold air. The bottle slid from her shaking hands as if in slow motion, and conveniently, or rather, inconveniently, the song that had been playing on the speakers ended just as the bottle connected with the tile below and shattered against the floor.

All eyes were on her, she could feel it, and it unnerved her even further than she already had been. Her emotions doubled, overwhelming every ounce of her senses to a point where she was on the brink of either complete mental shut-down, or tears, and her gaze fell blankly to the floor beneath her feet as her hands moved to grasp the edge of the counter, desperately clinging onto it to keep herself standing upright. Never, never once, had she ever had trouble here at the club, her sanctuary, and never once had she broken a single thing here, not a glass nor bottle of beer or plate of food, nothing. She’d also never been so tired and anxious during a shift. Of all the days for a hundred firsts to pile up, today was just… well, no. There was no day that she ever would have welcomed a hundred first experiences, especially if the vast majority of them were negative and mentally unnerving.

Fuck…

 

[VitaObscura]

The Gold wing had been a blessing in disguise, Nathaniel had recently moved into the city a little under a month ago. A transplant out of state with nothing really holding him down outside of the constant urge to sate his own unending curiosity. His custom Shovelhead idled outside of the bar as he backed up it's matte black body into the parking spots that sat out front for motorcycles, the usual head bobs and mouthed Hellos escaped him as people he's befriended over the past month walked past or hung outside to catch an idle smoke.

He removed his full face helmet, it's matte black facade had a few scratches here and there, mostly because he was rather callous in its treatment, a large gash had been covered up in a rather comedic sticker of a band aid, most people didn't get it, but he found it amusing. The idle click of the cooling engine brought a momentary smile to his lips as he slipped the keys into his pocket, a thick black leather riding jacket that had faded shoulders and elbow pads, a testament to its age and his riding prowess. His knee high boots were polished to a high shine, the majority hidden beneath the new pair of blue jeans he wore, that annoying tightness of a new pair pestering him and he hoped that it'd be gone in due time.

The doorman waved him past, there was no point in showing his ID as everyone had started to get used to him, mostly because of his taste in motorcycles, alcohol and a quick wit when it came to bar politics which ranged from the local game, weather, favorite alcohol and sexual position. The clientele was consistent like that, though he did like the fact that they kept his favorite whiskey on hand at a decent price per finger.

Nathaniel definitely needed a drink as he slipped his fingers through his hair, cresting it back into a fairly decent style that belayed his helmet usage, though as it stands he was just here for a drink. Something to break his mind away from the fact that he still hadn't unpacked the majority of his belongings. Thus far the only things he's squared away were his tools, bed and kitchen, which was quite honestly just the utensils, plates, a single mug he used for everything and the microwave.

Through the doors he unzipped his jacket, fingers reaching for the inner pocket where his wallet sat, it's insides a chaotic mess of coupons, receipts and bills haphazardly crammed inside. He slipped a twenty out just as the music ended, a shattering bottle filling the momentary silence. He looked up in time to see that it was Jai who had dropped the bottle, a worried brow arched and fell as he saddled up to the side bar where she worked tonight, "Hey, what's going on butter fingers?" He slipped the twenty forward, "I'll take a Jameson with a Coke on the side." He couldn't help but lean over the bar to take a gander at the mess that had happened, "Man, so glad I'm not going to have to clean that up." He teased with a reassuring smile.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Chaos was swirling round and round inside of Jai's mind, deluding her thoughts and sense of stability and reason, confusing reality with nightmares, and she was doing all she could to keep herself afloat of the flood of disarray. Her eyes stung with salty, unbidden, un-shed tears, and her hands were grasping the edge of the counter so tightly that her fingers and knuckles had paled of all pigment and color. She was shaking like a leaf and she could feel herself slipping far beyond reasonable reaches of reality; and just as she was about to let go, something slipped in and eased her back just enough to cause her to lift her head a bit, hazed, watery eyes meeting with clear cerulean ones- familiar cerulean ones.

"Nate..." Her lips trembled, forming the first letter of his name with a clear stammer and hesitation. He was familiar to her, a regular in fact- someone who seemingly always turned up when she was working and who usually ordered the same thing. He talked a little bit too, and was friendly enough, respectful without question. And, he wasn't very bad to look at either, very easy on the eyes in fact. At that moment in time, he was perhaps the easiest thing on the eyes in the whole world too.

"First round's on the house if you don't mind coming outside with me for a few minutes?" Her voice was wavering, unsteady, not unlike the way the rest of her body felt.

"Jaime?!"

A worried, loud, perky woman's voice peaked from a few feet to her opposite side, causing the girl to jump and give a soft sound of surprise, and she immediately glanced over her shoulder to find her best friend, and the owner of the club, Mel striding hurriedly behind the bar.

Melanie Tuterra, Mel as most called her for short. She was just a year or two older than Jai, an inch taller too, with flowing auburn hair that reached all the way to her mid-back and had an almost professional bounce to it, striking green eyes, clear, smooth, olive tanned skin, and a body to make any human being stop and stare. She and Jai went all the way back to kindergarten, and together they had shared too many memories and life events, both big and small, to even consider each other anything but family. And now, here she was, hurrying to figure out what the trouble behind the bar was. Anyone else might have assumed that she was only checking to see the commotion because she wanted her club to run smoothly and without any troubles. Jai, however, knew that Mel was running over so quickly because it was Jai working, and a mistake on her behalf meant trouble.

"Jesus H Jai, babe you look like you've seen a ghost!" Mel stopped short about a foot in front of Jai, lifting her hands to grasp the girl's shoulders gently. "Are you okay? Jai you're shaking- bad. What's wrong? Come on, someone's on the way up from the cage to check on the bar; let's go have a seat alright?"

Jai swallowed hard, bringing her eyes to meet Mel's reluctantly as she gently shrugged out of her friend's grasp. "I just need a little air for a minute, okay? Nate here," she turned to glance over her shoulder at the man seated behind her, lifting one shaky hand to point him out, "was going to come with me to keep me company. I'll come see you in the office in a few okay? Promise."

Mel looked floored, completely flabbergasted, and Jai didn't wait for a response, not from Mel or from Nate. Instead, she gathered her bearings and hurried out from behind the bar, circling around it to the stool that Nathaniel had taken up a seat on. She touched his shoulder lightly, biting the edge of her lip as she met his eyes, and then she kept walking towards a back exit. The whole while, she could feel the dark figure's eyes haunting her, crushing her lungs slowly and tortuously. By the time she reached the door she was all but ready to start running, and she pushed them open frantically, immediately gulping in the fresh, cold, night air as she dropped her head and slid her hands over her face, ready at any moment to sink down to her knees and give up.

 

[VitaObscura]

Nathaniel nodded, gathering his helmet and gloves, "The gentleman obliges." He watched Jai as she spoke to Melanie, a woman he only knew in passing. As it stands they were on friendly terms and that was just fine. "I can't pass up a free drink."

He didn't know what had shaken her, but she had definitely grown pale, losing that vivacious if sometimes forced appeal that allowed most bartenders to live well above their means. In time he would stand to his full height, nodding a few hellos on his way out of the Gold wing.

It didn't take him long to find Jai, she had secluded herself in a quiet part, her breathes were easily audible to his keen ears as his knee high boots clicked sharply upon the cement, "Hey, what's going on?" Nathaniel questioned her with worried eyes, wondering what was up, "Having a bad day? Did someone say something mean? Do I need to beat someone up?" His offerings for violence were said in jest, a smile etching its way upon his lips.

He looked around, stretching a bit as his back snapped, a sigh of blissful pain escaped him as he settled down besides Jai, "At least we're getting some decent weather."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Jai managed a slight, humorless scoff of a laugh, using the pads of her thumbs to gently rub the moisture from the corners of her eyes as she straightened little bit, just enough to be able to look at the man beside her more clearly. "No, no one said anything mean, promise. In terms of a bad day though... well that's the understatement of the year right now. See... years ago, when I was a kid... my dad was beat to hell and killed right in front of me by a group of guys, and a few years later, one of the guys, the ring-leader, who was never caught... well... he came after me. Ask me how I lived and I couldn't tell you, no one could, not even the doctors and surgeons and paramedics that saved my life. But I'm here, and hunt as everyone did, the cops never caught him. And lately, especially last night, I've been having these awful flashback nightmares and then back there, in the bar... This guy came in that I'd never seen before and.... his voice... the way he looked at me... it was like... I swear it was..."

She fell silent for a moment, biting the edge of her lip to chew on it anxiously as her gaze dropped from his, and after a pause she shook her head lightly. "Crazy. That's it; I'm going crazy. I must be. It's the only thing that makes sense. After all, people who live alone go crazy all the time, or so I've heard anyway. So... that must be it then. I'm losing my mind and that guy, whoever he was, was just that, some guy. It couldn't have been... but...." Joy. She was all but ready to break down into tears, and in front of a customer no less, who definitely did not ask for this and she was certain he definitely didn't want or need to be hearing any of this at all.

 

[VitaObscura]

Nathaniel was a bit taken back by what was revealed to him, he had expected to hear something jovial, perhaps involving an asshole customer or a few bad parking tickets that had arisen out of nowhere. As it is, he wasn't exactly sure how to react to this cathartic out pouring, "Hey, we all have bad days." He placed a reassuring hand upon the center of her back, rubbing in gentle circles, "Just take it slow, breathe deeply and come back inside when you're good and ready."

He offers Jai a smile and wonders if it'll work, in many ways she was the reason he continued to come to this bar. It was a bit out of his way, the ride was tedious at times with all the traffic lights and there was a dive bar a block and a half away from his current studio. Though she was an interesting one to get to know, especially since he was still relatively new to the entire area, "I'm sure it's nothing, just a trippy flash back that knocked you off your feet and as for the whole going insane bit. I think we're all a bit crazy dear, nothing to fear as you're in good company."

Nathaniel looks around, noticing that no one really paid attention to them, if anything they just seemed like part of the crowd that hung out front. He didn't want to think about how Jai would feel if her supposed stalker just appeared nearby, out in the open, it was bad enough she had to go back inside and be stuck in the same room as the man that triggered these latent memories, "If you want, I can stick around tonight and give you a lift home."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

The hand on her back was comforting, reassuring, and it was a bit odd for her considering that even when Mel had approached her and grasped her shoulders so lightly, she had flinched, jumped. Maybe it was just that she'd calmed down a bit what the breath of fresh air and the cool tingle that had settled over her skin. Or maybe it was just that something about this Nathaniel guy was just... nice. He spoke like a guy that knew his way around both sides of the street, good and bad, and he was knew to the area too, which meant he knew even more than just both sides of the street, he knew other places. Jai'd never been much of a traveler herself, but the prospect was interesting enough if she just had the time and the people to take a trip with. Hell, even to just keep it a small distance and only head up to the northern part of the city to spend a weekend in the mountains. But this guy, Nate, he seemed like someone she wouldn't mind getting to know, befriending, maybe even taking a trip with. Especially when he smiled at her.

"Yeah... you're right on that, we're all definitely a little bit crazy, and some way more than others. Just a matter of finding things to keep you grounded, keep you sane. I guess if I were to really be honest with myself I've just been so closed off lately, work and go home to an empty apartment... Maybe it's getting the best of me. Or maybe I'm just over-paranoid or something. It's been years and I mean, it's crazy to think he'd be back right? I mean, why now right? You make a good point... just a trippy past few days is all."

She fell quiet a moment, looking to him as she considered heavily the offer that he had made, a pang of guilt forming within her, both because she felt terrible that she had made him feel compelled to make sure an offer, and worse because she was really tempted to accept it. More than tempted actually. "If it's not to much trouble actually, I... wouldn't mind that at all. In fact it'd really be helping me out... And I'll give you free drinks the rest of my shift and pay you back for gas money too, promise."

 

[VitaObscura]

"Free drinks and gas money? Hell, I'm so there." Nathaniel grinned, not that he'd abuse the privilege, he'd probably have a few stiff shots in the beginning then settle down into something more robust like a few mugs of coffee to keep his wits about him. He didn't need to become road pizza on the way home after all.

"See, you just need to surround yourself with some like minded people, sit back and relax." His smile never falters, knowing full well the dangers of living in your mind can be, "You have to get out of your shell, live a little, even if it's a walk down the street. To much time in here. . ." His voice trails as he taps his head, "And it can get all sorts of crazy." For him time had a funny way of slowing down to a crawl whenever he delved within, sure he was able to figure out a lot of things, but when it came down to it, it just wasn't a great way to live. He needed some social interactions, "So yeah, I'll keep you company tonight, maybe I'll grab something to eat, can I get an order sent here? I'm kind of in the mood for pizza."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Jai laughed softly a genuine, quiet, quirky sound, and she shook her head just the slightest bit as she sat back on her heels. "Well, I suppose I can say that I am definitely a bit out of my shell right now, being as I'm out here with you instead of my best friend, and I'm accepting a ride ride home from you too. We may as well be perfect strangers if it weren't for the fact that I see you around almost every night that I work. You're good company too, I should add. And I like your stories and jokes too, hell, I think the whole bar does. Gotta say, it's kind of something I look forward to, strange and odd and even creepy as that may sound." She smiled slightly, laughing awkwardly at herself as she shook her head and smoothed her palms over the denim covering her knees. "And as for ordering pizza; you don't need to order out for that, we've got a kitchen in there too, amazingly enough. I'll grab you a menu when we head back in and you can order whatever you like, on me. I owe you that much for being such a tolerant shoulder to lean on. Hell, it's not even like you're supposed to or anything. After all, typically it's the customers who drown the bartenders in everything pitiful in their lives- though personally I don't see it that way of course."

She fell quiet for a moment, thoughtful, and then she left out a slow and deep sigh, pushing off of her knees to straighten back up. "Think I'm ready to head on back inside now. I gotta run and talk to my boss really quick and then I'll be right back behind the bar counter, you just tell whoever's there that I authorized your tab and to give you a menu." She flashed him a small smile, waiting just a moment longer before she turned and pulled the door open, waiting for him to head on inside first.

 

[VitaObscura]

"I've never ordered food from a bar." Nathaniel thought out loud, "I thought it'd be just as sketchy as going to a strip joint for the buffet." Admittedly he's done that a few times and it was just as bad as he would have imagined, "Though yeah, we seem to get along alright. I mean you haven't eighty sixed my ass out of here, yet." He said teasingly.

He listened and followed, glancing around once more out of habit before entering the Gold wing. He was lucky enough to find another spot at the side bar where Jai worked, he explained the situation about the open tab and that he needed a menu, all of which was provided for in quick order.

The menu had a wide variety of things, most of which seemed to compliment an assortment of beers and spirits. His stomach gurgled, a subtle reminder that he hadn't eaten in quite sometime and as he concentrated upon the last time he ate he honestly couldn't remember. Experience told him he needed to eat something before he could even remotely abuse the open tab.

"I would like the spicy dry rub wings with fries and Jalapeno Poppers." He ordered, "Oh and extra ranch on the side, please." The waitress nodded and left with the menu in hand.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

"Alright. Spill."

Melanie was seated behind an oak desk across from Jai in her private office, staring the blonde down with a hard, concerned, "I'm not going to take any bullshit answers" expression. Her tone was crisp and firm, demanding, and yet light enough that anyone could tell the two were close.

Jai sighed heavily, knitting her fingers together over her lap as she looked first up towards the ceiling and then to the floor before finally allowing her gaze to settle on her friend and boss. "There was a man at the bar-"

"There are lots of men at the bar, babe..."

"Let me finish."

"Sorry." Mel offered up an innocent smile, clearly trying to lighten the mood, but the pleasantry wasn't returned.

"It was him, Mel. I swear it was him. His voice.... and the way he looked at me... the way he talked..."

"He who, Jai?" She looked honestly confused.

"Desmond Croft."

Melanie blinked, perching a bit in her seat as she leaned across the desk towards Jai. "Honey... It's been years... I know how... words can't even begin to describe, okay? I was there; I found you. But there's nothing to worry about anymore and you know that."

Jai sighed heavily, shaking her head a bit. "Mel, I'm telling you. It was him. It's not easy for someone to conveniently remind me of him because he is one in the whole world and no one could ever just compare without being him or being related to him by blood. Please. Trust me on this okay?"

Her friend didn't seem completely convinced, but Mel nodded as she slowly pushed herself up from her chair. "Alright then. Point him out to me. I'll have a talk with the guy and we'll go from there okay?"

"What are you going to do, Mel? Walk up and simply ask him if he's Desmond Croft?" Jai was incredulous, but she was getting to her own feet no less, taking no time at all in exiting the office to lead Mel back along to the bar.

"No, I'm simply going to strike up casual bar conversation and if it strikes me we'll flag security. Deal?"

It wasn't exactly the most convincing offer, but Jai nodded her assent regardless, taking in a slow deep breath as the two rounded the back wall of the bar. "That one right there at the stool on the cor....ner...." Her voice cut off and trailed halfway through the last word as she lifted a hand to discreetly point, but her mouth dangled partially open as she stared across at an empty seat. There was an empty beer bottle at the spot, placed atop a stack of bills, but aside from that there was no other sign of the man whatsoever.

"Jai?" Melanie looked at her friend with a raised brow, the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice all but screaming that she had told her so. "You gonna be alright babe? I can call someone to--"

"I got this. Just... I..."

"Hey. It's alright. Shit happens. Now go get back to kicking ass and taking names. It's not like you to be so jumpy."

* * *

She'd been making her way back around the bar just as her fill-in was setting Nathaniel's order down in front of him at the counter, and she regarded the young girl with a polite smile and a nod of dismissal before she turned her attention to the man on the other side of the counter, even going so far as to prop one elbow on the edge of the bar counter and lean over it to peer at him quizzically. "When you said you wanted pizza, I was thinking more along the lines of uh... something circular in shape and usually made with crust and cheese..." She paused a moment, offering him a playful, rueful little smile. "Looks to me like you had a change of mind though, hm? And it also looks like you could do with a drink to wash that down with. Yeah?"

 

[VitaObscura]

"I couldn't decide on what I wanted, so I decided to go with bar staples." Nathaniel gestures to the food that sat before him with a partially eaten wing in one hand while a light remnant of Ranch dressing lingers upon the corner of his lip that's quickly removed with a quick flick of his tongue. "By all means dig in." He pushes the platters forward, "I mean I could eat it all by myself, hunger willing I probably wouldn't stop and I'd even offer to eat that guys plate." He gestured to a long platter which held a partially eaten Hoagie Sandwich with Curly Fries.

Sometimes having a bottomless stomach can be a pain in the ass.

"Though since I'm in your company, I shall refrain from such things or at least I'll wait until you're no longer looking." He flashed her an endearing smile mixed with a healthy amount of humor.

"I would love a drink. I'll just go with a double finger of Jameson and side of Coke. I'll do my best to behave." A long time ago his friends had often joked that he could have easily eaten any place into financial ruin if given the means. It only got that bad if he had forgotten to eat, which happens from time to time as he'll eventually lose himself in whatever endeavor that's caught his interest.

The hours rolled by an a Pizza was eventually delivered, "Ok, seriously, you need to eat more or I'm going to look like a huge fucking fat ass." He swore with a smile upon his face, if anything it was nice to share food with Jai, the friendly conversations that they shared while she sauntered off to help a few meandering customers allowed him a pleasant view as she walked away and as she came back, though he did his best to keep his eyes at a respectable level.

The hour had come and gone, the bartenders, waiters and waitresses were all doing their parts to clean up the main rooms, steadying chairs and stools upon their respective spots. Nathaniel did his best to stay out of the way, a few people watching him and whispering amongst themselves, mostly out of curiosity as it was rare for anyone else to be allowed to stay within the Gold wing while this particular regiment was underway.

Nathaniel stepped away once the registers were closed and documented, making sure to keep his back to the area as he found sudden interest in some corner far from them. He'd seen the business that they garnered throughout the evenings he's spent here and he didn't need to telegraph such knowledge, let alone give credence to anyone's wild accusations that he'd try to steal from them.

He was in the middle of buffing out a spot on his helmet when Jai reappeared by his side, "Ready?" Nathaniel questioned her with a pleasant smile that never seemed to falter, the subtle hint of spicy Jameson lingered upon his breathe.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

The hours melted away relatively quickly the rest of the evening, something that Jai attested primarily to the fact that she was in good company and good security. Nathaniel was friendly, funny, and sociable, definitely a comforting person to have seated at her end of the bar for the duration of the night, and somehow with him being there she just felt safer, comforted even. He seemed to care and yet he hardly even knew her, and on top of that he was going to take her back to her apartment to save her the stress of walking. There wasn't really much more she could ever have asked for, and yet he was offering and pleasant about it all in the same breath. She could easily point out that the two of them were going to become good friends some day, at least, it was possible anyway.

The thought of Desmond had yet to recross her mind as well, something for which she was thoroughly, subconsciously, grateful. Of course, the anxiety was still there, always there, and luck just so happened to have it that the moment she started to unwind, the ugly thought of her past horrors came right back around when Mel asked her if he'd shown back up at the club while she was counting out her tips. The answer was no, but the reminder that he had been there, right within touching distance, was enough to set a chill in her bloodstream. So, when she eventually strode up to take stance at Nate's side, she was all too eager to just get back to her place, hunker down for the night, and attempt to sleep it all off. That was, until she saw that simple little smile that spread across his lips.

"Yeah," she replied with a soft sigh, running her fingers through her hair to tuck it back behind her ear. "I think so. Just um... Well, it's been a while since I've been open to taking a ride from a stranger, and I've never taken a ride from someone I don't fully know on a motorcycle, so just forgive the bit of nervousness and get me home alive and I promise I'll make it up to you somehow." She offered him a tiny smile, even going so far as to laugh quietly, pacific blue hues glinting slightly as they met his.

 

[VitaObscura]

The two of them mounted his motorcycle, making sure that his spare passenger helmet had been properly fitted to Jai's head, "I wouldn't want you to get hurt anyway, I mean who'd listen to my stories and slip me a free drink here and there?" They shared a laugh that was eventually drowned out by the rumbling engine between their legs that roared to life, "Hang on!"

He followed her directions without any mishaps, staying well within the means of posted speed limits and resisted the urge to split between cars. Nathaniel knew Jai well enough that she probably wouldn't have appreciated such antics, especially after her emotionally draining shift. The Shovelhead would eventually idle in front of her apartment, it's telltale clicking engine would rattle off as the heated machine cooled in the early morning air.

"Told you I'd get you home." Nathaniel smiled, "I guess this means you owe me something." He shrugged at that, his mind remaining ever gentlemanly in regards to such a reward, "I shall let the lady decide what the reward should be."

Nathaniel couldn't help but nod his head, "I wouldn't mind having you as a passenger, always nice to ride with someone who doesn't try to strangle me when I pick up a little speed."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Riding on the back of a motorcycle: invigorating, thrilling, different, and yet slightly terrifying. Okay, maybe not terrifying persay, but Jai did make sure to keep her arms locked as firmly around him as possible, and any time she felt herself slide even a quarter inch along the back of the bike, she made sure to scoot up and press herself against his back. Overall, the ride wasn't so bad though, and he wasn't a bad driver in the slightest- nor was he an uncomfortable person to be close to, something that definitely made it one hell of a lot easier for her to be able to handle. She couldn't deny how eternally grateful she was for solid ground once the ride was over though, despite the fact that her legs felt a bit like jelly when she first climbed off of the back of his bike, and standing was made even more of a trial considering the fact that she was wearing high-heeled shoes.

"Yeah, you did say you'd get me home alright," she lamented in reply with a gentle smile. "And unscathed to boot! I've gotta hand it to you- you are definitely a good driver. I really can't thank you enough." She paused a moment then, considering his next set of words with gentle thought as she produced her keys from her front jeans pocket, and she laughed softly when he commented on how tolerable of a passenger she had been. "I'm glad you think so! Honestly, the ride really wasn't so bad; a little nerve-wracking at some points but kind of fun overall. And, in terms of that reward I owe you... how about you come inside and unwind a little? I've got coffee and I've got alcohol, and the most comfortable couch on the planet." The offer was followed up with an inviting, yet gentle smile, and she didn't wait for a reply before she went ahead and started for the front door of the apartment complex.

It was nearing the end of August, and thus the end of the summer season in the run-down city of Flora in which they resided, so the nights were starting to get cooler while the days were as warm and humid as ever, but the maintenance guys that managed the central air systems hadn't changed the settings of the building yet, so the moment that they walked through the front door, they were met with icy cold air. Any other night Jai would have been fine with it, indifferent, but she'd felt as if the warmth and life in her body had completely vanished from existence the moment she had seen that guy's eyes and heard his voice. The memory caused her to shudder, and subconsciously she quickened her pace as they started up the stairs and towards the third floor where her apartment was.

It wasn't overly fancy or expensive, but it was tasteful and comfortable. The color scheme consisted of soft browns and baby blues, those being two of her favorite colors. The living room furniture was leather and anything with wood grain was cherry-wood. In her bedroom, she had a full sized oak dresser with matching vanity and bed-frame, and the bed itself was queen sized with a tempurpedic memory foam mattress, extra soft. The kitchen had been something she'd had no control over the design of or time to redesign, but the granite counter-tops and beech-wood cabinets with stainless steel appliances was nice enough that she couldn't complain, especially not with the island bar counter roomy enough to seat up to five people on stools.

The light fragrance of honey and vanilla that floated into her nose when Ash let her inside caused her nerves to all but turn to jell-o with the amount of calm it brought out in her. Oh to be home, where she knew that she was safe and no one could get to her that wasn't expressly invited. Home, the one place she knew she could be entirely herself, with no fronts and no barriers and no walls, and not a single person to ruin that for her. Home... where she was often alone, and incredibly lonely, secretly longing for the company of a single person that had some mystical way of making a bad day turn around with nothing more than a simple smile.

Leaning down in the darkness, Jaime unfastened the straps of her pumps and slid them off, allowing her bare feet to sink into the soft white carpet on the floor beneath her. Normally she wouldn't have bothered flicking on the lights, as she knew the layout of her apartment like the lines of her palms and there was just enough light entering through the window of the sliding glass door in the back of the room, that led to a small balcony overlooking the city, for her to make out the interior of the living room. But given the fact she had a guest over that had never been there before, she turned on the lights anyway.

Any other time, she'd have shrugged out of her work clothes and been clad in none but her underwear and bra by the time she got to the couch, but with the company of Nathaniel there she knew better; that, and given the night and day she'd had, having clothes on or off wasn't really going to affect her ability to relax. So instead, she heaved a soft sigh of relief and turned to look up at him, waiting for him to step inside before she closed the front door, taking the time to fasten a set of eight different locks. "So," she asked softly, "what'll it be? Coffee or booze?"

 

[VitaObscura]

Nathaniel followed and looked around, enjoying the simple decor that made this place feel like a comfortable home. He did notice the tell tale thud of eight different locks engaging behind him, "How about Coffee laced with Whiskey? A compromise between the two." He said while eying Jai's security, "Man, I just have one flimsy lock on my door. . ." He also usually has enough sharp and blunt instruments within reach to deal with any situation if it were to arise in most instances as well.

"Nice place." He said while taking off his boots to not trail any bits of recently acquired road debris across her carpet, though the well meaning gesture soon revealed a set of mismatched socks, one was solid white, the other had a black heel, "I was in a hurry." A childish grin escaped him then as he padded across her apartment, "This place is far more inviting than mine, seriously think I sometimes live in an over grown garage." Admittedly his loft lift did allow him to take his motorcycle indoors, his rolling tool boxes did hold clothes, eating utensils and tools stored away in different compartments.

Nathaniel made his way to the balcony doors, not stepping outside but still able to enjoy the view, "Real nice view, the only view I have with my place is the grime infested brick facing of the nearby warehouse, if I angle myself right I can maybe see a sliver of sky above."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

With a nod and a slight smile, Jai started towards the kitchen, pausing briefly to look back at him and laugh nervously. "Yeah... I uh... I just like to be sure that no one's coming in here that isn't welcome." Without hesitation then, she ducked quickly into the kitchen to start on the drinks. Unlike stereotypes and cliche movie scenes, she was actually quite quiet in the kitchen, and efficient too. She didn't waste time or effort or energy, and that went for just about every aspect of her life.

"Thanks for the compliments," she noted loud enough that he would hear her. "I'm not usually around here as much as I'd like to be what with work and all, but when I am here I like to be comfortable, y'know? I like to walk in and make sure that I feel like I'm walking into a sanctuary rather than just the place I crash for the night when it's all over." She was quiet for the next few minutes until the coffee was finished brewing. Then, she set about pouring a cup with a 75/25 mix of coffee to whiskey, topping it off with a light amount of cream and sugar for Nate, and a cup with a 25/75 mix of coffee to whiskey for herself, again adding light cream and sugar.

When all was said and done, she turned off the coffee pot and cleaned up the little mess she had made, making sure to turn the kitchen lights back off as she stepped out and quietly padded over to stand next to Nathan, her eyes glancing out the door before she looked up at him with a gentle gaze, offering him the cup she'd made. "Three quarters coffee to one quarter whiskey for you," she commented with a small smile, "and three quarters whiskey to one quarter coffee for me- I need to catch up with you after all, you've had all night to drink and I haven't had a single one yet."

 

[VitaObscura]

"If we're in a competition to see who gets sloshed first, you're going to be in a spot of trouble." Nathaniel easily outweighed her by fifty pounds, probably more. He was smart enough to never ask a woman about her weight, they tend to be a tad sensitive about that for some reason. "I will say though, I did start ahead of you, by a lot."

He settled down upon the couch, nestling into a comfortable corner as he gulped down a portion of the Coffee laced whiskey, enjoying the tangy warmth that came from the Coffee and the sting that soon followed due to the whiskey, "So, why'd you let someone like me into your home? Like you said this is your sanctuary and most people don't like it when some stranger comes on in to ruin the ambiance."

Nathaniel gestured to his surroundings, "Sure beats my place, you'd probably think it was to cold or a glorified man cave. . ." His voice would trail in thought, "You'd be right though, it isn't exactly a comfortable place for guests."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Jai laughed quietly, rolling her eyes even, as she looked up at him, initiating her response by first taking a long sip of her own drink and following it up with a dramatized sigh of pleasure. "I don't know about a competition, but you are right- you did start way ahead of me and I definitely am trying to catch up at least a little bit. It's ok though, I'll just make your next coffee a non-alcoholic one and make mine without the coffee." She smiled playfully then, her gaze shifting to look back out at the skyline through the balcony door as he moved ahead to take up a seat on her couch.

Waiting until she heard the leather groan softly with the weight of him seating himself down upon it, Jai turned and took her sweet time in approaching the couch, hearing his question and mulling it over carefully and slowly in her mind until she took up the spot next to him, leaving just enough space between the two that it wouldn't be awkward or uncomfortable. "Well," she sighed quietly as she paused to take another long sip from her mug, pulling her legs up next to her and tucking her knees in toward her stomach. "You're right; home is sanctuary and you are kind of a stranger. But, at the same time you're not really a total stranger, considering how many times we've hung out at the bar and especially considering everything you did to help me out tonight. Again, can't thank you enough. I guess I let you in because, strangely, I trust you. That, and, well after everything that went on tonight and the way I've been feeling and stuff lately... I guess if I'm being honest I just don't want to be alone just yet. So some free, good company in exchange for booze? No questions asked."

 

[VitaObscura]

"Nothing wrong with honesty." Nathaniel smiled, though the gesture was quickly hidden as he took another sip, enjoying the aroma and comfort that it gave him. "Though you're right, while I am in many ways a stranger. I do see you often enough that we're more than acquaintances." They've shared stories and past exploits, flirting amongst themselves in a friendly fashion as was accustomed to those who hung out at bars.

"You bartenders tend to go with the good stuff." He had to admit Jai's knowledge of alcohol was far better than his, though he had a tendency to stick to things he knew well. For a man who liked to ride a motorcycle quickly and do other things just as haphazardly, he wasn't exactly one to take on new choices when it came to alcoholic beverages.

Jai's forced a few drinks down his throat, mostly because beggars can't be choosers and for all that transpired, her suggestions had always been excellent. "I'm glad that you trust me, it's a rare thing to do that with people these days." Nathaniel shrugged, "Though I could just be a paranoid bastard who thinks everyone is out to screw him at a moments hesitation." Being burned way to often had a way of skewing your world view, in some ways he was aware of this phenomenon that he perpetuated, but sometimes it was just hard to kick.

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Her eyes idly stared into the lightened liquid inside of her mug as she sat beside him, the words he spoke soaking in with light affliction. At the same time though, she couldn't prevent the idle contemplation from entering her mind as to why on earth, after a handful of years, Desmond had decided to make an appearance at Gold Wing earlier that night. What did he want? Why? And how and why did he manage to get in and out of the bar without setting off anyone's attention or internal alarms? It didn't make any sense... and that was the scariest part. When things made sense it wasn't as scary because careful planing and prevention and protection could be implemented; but when it didn't make sense, well, there was no real way to know just what would be safe or unsafe.

Her gaze lifted to look up towards his when the last bit of his speech absorbed, and her expression sank just a tiny bit as she nodded slowly. "Yeah," she said softly, "yeah I know what you mean- truly. People I'm close with think I'm being over paranoid and stuff all the time. It's..." She trailed off, heaving a soft groan of discomfort. "You haven't given me a reason not to trust you- not yet anyway." She added after a moment. "And, like I said, you're good company. I like you. So, I suppose you're just going to have to deal with that."

With a light smile, she looked back down at her mug, lifting it to her lips and efficiently emptying the contents before she slowly pushed herself back up to her feet. "I think it'll be easier if I just bring the coffee pot and the booze in here," she commented idly. "That way we don't have to get up- or, at least, I don't have to get up." With that, she laughed softly and slipped from the room back into the kitchen, returning moments later with a tray holding a pot of coffee, two bottles of whiskey, a jar of sugar, a spoon, and a small container of half and half. She took the time to lean over and set it on the coffee table before the couch, lifting up her already refilled coffee mug to take a long slow sip as she back-stepped and retook her seat on the couch beside him, tucking her legs up once more.

"There. Much better. Now that we're all situated, how's about some light conversation hmm? I'm no longer the bartender and you're no longer the customer. We're just two friends hanging out, drinking, and relaxing. So, for kicks, how about your most embarrassing memory or moment of your entire life?"

 

[VitaObscura]

An exasperated sigh escaped him then, "Why do women always ask that question?" Nathaniel helped himself to another mug of coffee that was laced with Sugar, Half and Half and a large amount of Whiskey. In the end it was a candy bar given liquid form. "Is it encoded in your genes?" He was clearly teasing her now as he settled back to think of the most embarrassing thing he's ever done.

"This is going to take awhile. . ." Nathaniel liked to live life with very few regrets, often to the point of being exceedingly blunt. Though most people were aware enough to know where he was coming from, it was the people listening into their conversations that were the ones who often got 'butthurt'.

He took another long sip from his mug, "Hm, I'd have to say walking in on my Ex while she was having sex with my former best friend. That was really embarrassing." Especially when he threw him out the window, it was a second story apartment. "I'm a pretty good judge of character, which was really embarrassing for me. Hell, I almost married her."

Nathaniel took a long draw from the mug, "So how about yourself? I'm sure you've had your fair share."

 

[ShatteredSoul]

Jai was laughing softly, shaking her head a little bit to his teasing antics. "Well I was tempted to ask something else but I figured I should be a little more tame for starters before getting into the nitty gritty." She responded with a sly little smile before she rolled her eyes and took a long sip from her mug. "But by all means, take all the time you need; we have all night after all and I'm pretty patient- bartender for a profession, remember?"

When he did finally admit his story though, her smile faded, and she looked up at him with a slight frown as she leaned forward from her seat to refill her mug, this time ignoring the coffee completely and going straight for the booze and the booze only. "Yeah... I know what that's like, being a good judge of character and having it unexpectedly backfiring on you. It sucks, a lot more than most people realize. It's like, you build up all this trust and everything and out of no where the carpet gets ripped out from under you, and you suddenly realize that this whole time you've been standing over this gaping hundred foot hole in the floor, and yet you never had a clue."

She sat back slowly, shifting just a bit in her position to lean just a little more comfortably to one side, and with a soft sigh she emptied half of her mug before she was ready to answer his question. "Tonight was by far the most embarrassing thing for me." She admittedly quietly. "I'm professional when it comes to that job, all business and no messing around or goofing off or anything else. I walk through that door and personal life goes on hold until I walk back out at the end of my shift. I've never made a mistake before, or dropped anything, broken anything, none of that. And then all of a sudden that guy just... and of course it had to happen right as the music got cut and the whole damn club was looking at me, and to top it all off I came so close to just passing out. God, that was... mortifying."

She trailed off, using her free hand to idly trace the tip of her index finger around the rim of her mug as she heaved a soft sigh, thinking. "Alright. Gloves off. How many people have you slept with, and no I don't want the 'take your age and divide it by two' answer. I want the straight up truth. And, hell, longest relationship, shortest relationship, all of that fun stuff. I'm curious, really I am. Guy like you's gotta have a track record. After all, you're a total catch."

 

[VitaObscura]

Nathaniel settles back, enjoying the warmth that the mug provides his hands and the stinging bite that the Whiskey laced coffee gives him. He can't help but wonder where things will lead as he continues to drink and enjoy Jai's relatively carefree attitude. "Yeah, gauging someones trustworthiness can be tricky especially once you're burned, the hard part is continuing to trust people afterwards." Hardening up after such betrayals just seemed like a natural reaction and over time where sat such trust, nothing else remains.

People had a way of getting underneath his skin, but Nathaniel had a tendency to let things slide, though he never forgot a face and sometimes that spelled trouble.

"Tonight didn't seem that bad." He said pleasantly, "Don't get me wrong, I'm not invalidating your experience, we all have our off days and sometimes things from our pasts have a tendency to smack us around as a rude reminder that it's still there." Nathaniel smiles, "You'll get through it in one piece, promise."

Life is nothing without hope. . .

"Really?" An exasperated sigh escapes him then, "You're going to ask that question? Holy shit we're going to be here for awhile. . ." His voice trails for just a moment, "Do you want names and favorite positions as well?" He teases. Though his mind does filter back to the past, of the names and places. "I've been with twenty two women, the longest relationship being four years, that's the one that cheated on me by the way. The shortest was a week, tops. That one was to get over the woman who cheated on me. . ." His voice trails once more, "Though I tend to stay fairly steady with one gal, it's far to complicated to juggle women around. I seriously don't understand how people can do that, it's damn tiring and a headache, plus I'm horrible at names."

He catches his breath and continues to think about the question at hand, she did ask for all the gritty details. Though there is a point as to how far he should go into detailing ever event, "It's not hard for me to start a relationship, there's the whole chemistry thing and all." Which was easy enough to admit, "From there, who knows where it'll go." He shrugged at that, "I won't bore you with all the positions and weird sex stuff."

Nathaniel refills his mug, this time an even mixture of Whiskey and Coffee. "I look forward to hearing your misadventures."