9406/Drinking in Public

Drinking in Public
Date of Scene:	02 January 2022
Location:	The Public House - Hellfire Club
Synopsis:	Paris and Victor go drinking, running into Roberto and Karla in the process. Posturing and one up'ing all around.
Cast of Characters:	Victor Creed, Karla Sofen, Roberto da Costa, Paris Bennet

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Victor Creed has posed:
Victor 'Sabertooth' Creed is has polished himself up for the evening which by most people's standards is still quite rough around the edges. He's wearing a long brown coat over a pair of a black muscle shirt and pristine jeans from the big and tall. A pair of leather gloves and combat boots cover his lethal mitts.

Pushing back a long strand of unruly blonde hair, Victor raises a stein to the bartender and then tilts his head back to assault his gullet with dark ales. The brew pools at the corner of his mouth, Victor taking just a moment to apply a napkin to the task after he sets the stein down solidly on the mahogany bar top.

Guitarist on stage plays something mellow and acoustic adding some light ambiance to the otherwise quiet bar. Its a place for conversations. A place of peace which makes Victor appear just slightly out of place. Stabbing a fork into a portion of boneless rib, Creed polishes off the last bits of a meal.

Karla Sofen has posed:
In the HEllfire Club for the companionship and more importantly the booze, Karla Soften is wearing a golden clasped dress that's a bit too gaudy to fully fit in here. But it's what the borderline psychiatrist feels like wearing for whatever reason. A bottle of alcohol is in front of her; a bit stronger than the normal and no doubt good wine primarily served. She's bobbling her head around to some sort of unheard music. Casually whistling in tune to it; a bit too hard to be made out exactly unless one was paying close attention to her motions.

If so, they coudl make out 'I Hope That Something Better Comes Along'.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa makes his presence felt at the club now and again and has desperately needed to check in since returning to the States a few weeks ago. A legacy member and one of the up and comers of the Club, he's wearing a colorful suit with a red jacket and red tie over black pants and shirt. His eyes are momentarily hidden by a pair of very expensive sunglasses.

He's been making small talk with a few of the lovely ladies near the bar, sipping from a martini. He plucks the olive with his teeth and makes his excuses as he does the social rounds, the dark-skinned young man always the life of the party.

Paris Bennet has posed:
The man known of late as Paris Bennet accompanied Creed on this outing as a conveniently available teleporter. The frenchman is similarly dressed to the nines, though in much more snappy style in an italian tailored three piece suit. Even his long hair is braided in an elegant albeit complex fashion.

Paris is seated at the bar, being mostly interested in the alcoholic fare rather than edible. He's known for not eating much. The golden eyed man is surveying the new to him location as a first time visitor.

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor turns in his chair and eyes Roberto for a moment. Staring at the youth over his stein as he drinks, he tilts his head then nods his approval. "Nice suit, kid. I should get me one of those. It'll cover up the blood stains nicely."

Rising from his stool, he stretches his long arms overhead and lets out a boorish yawn before scanning the rest of the bar.

His eyes settle momentarily on Karla, a smirk tugging at his lips. He side-eyes Paris. "Come on frenchie, let's get more acquainted with the locals."

Bringing his stein with him, he roams over toward Miss Sofen. "That dress is a real eye-catcher."

He sniffs and eyes the bottle of alcohol in front of her. "And that smells real nice, you in a sharin' mood?"

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would glance at the others present, making out a few bfeore settling her eyes on Paris with a 'who let the riff-raff in'. A look that would pass over on her face. That was the man that had made a mess of the medieval museum. As utterly amusing as that had been. But still.. He might prove useful if only for some entertainment down the line or for her to play along. Men were useful that way.
    And then she's interrupted by Creed, whom is -definitely- riff-raff. But the type of riff-raff she can get behind. Karla would eye Victor up and down and do an appreciative lick of her lips, "Why hello. Thank you. I find it doesn'tq uite have enough kick to it to be truly enjoyable.. But, they tend not to offer that here over the counter."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa raises an eyebrow at Creed, familiar with the man very much by reputation, as most anyone within the mutant world would be. "Oh, yeah, that's totally why I wear it, too," he says with a roguish grin.

Karla, of course, is a pretty striking woman and draws attention easily enough. Roberto takes a sip of his martini, "Don't mind him, I think sniffing is sort of his form of a friendly handshake. Maybe a wee bit uncivilized, but this is a club that does appreciate the savage in all of us, no?"

Paris Bennet has posed:
The tall frenchman arches an ebon brow as he regards Victor at his invitation. He then levels his gold within gold eyes on the others. Especially Karla, to whom he offers a half smirk.

Paris offers Victor,"Oui, yon mademoiselle I met previously at the museum. Tell me, did they approve of my...renovation?"

He spares a glance in the meantime to Roberto, nodding curtly in recognition before glancing back to Karla. He asides to Victor in a rumble then,"Locals indeed."

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor's grin gets a little wider one he receives the 'up and down' from the blonde at the bar. The lick of the lip draws a low chuckle. He leans onto the bar and inspect the bottle. "Ah, you just have to know how to ask, doll. You want something that kicks?"

He turns a slit-pupil gaze toward the bartender and barks an order, "Two glasses and a bottle of ever-clear." He wraps the bar top with a fist to emphasize urgency.

Looking over his shoulder to Roberto, "Eh, what people call civilized, I call borin'. People should be a little more fuckin' honest and play off their instincts."

Raising an eyebrow, he looks between Paris and Karla with amusement. "Oh, so you know her frenchie? And what of renovations are we talkin'? I hope the fun kind with a lot of boom."

His ordered bottle appears in short order, and he starts pouring.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Paris would get a look up and down from Karla Sofen, "Acceptable. LIttle gauche but there's something to be said for the traditional ways when one is wanting to make the point known. A little gaudy but it got the message across. I mgiht suggest something a little more.. Colorful.. But for a first try itwas excellent. I'm sure you can do better with practice." Her tone just -barely- avoiding being openly sadistic.
    Smiling at Roberto, "Why, isn't that why we're here? To appreciate the superiority of ourselves and those that help us maintain it? Nothing against having a lovely little freak like him here." 'Freak' said in the fondest way of Creed as Karla Sofen would just smile. Hand going around to squeeze at Victor's muscle if allowed.
    "Why -thank- you. I couldn't appreciate you more. That's a lovely thing and perfect one." Her granting him a smooch on the cheek if allowed to do so in return for the bottle.

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa considers and nods to Creed, "You may be right about that. We are too often held back by fear of who we're supposed to be, not allowing us to be ourselves. Of course, I've never had that problem, but I try to encourage other people to blossom as I have," he winks.

"Strength might be one of the few advantages I have on you, big guy. Not that I'm itching to test it out. I pick my fights carefully and you're one tough hombre,' he says. He meets Paris' eyes and nods to the man for a moment, not directly familiar but having seen the man in Magneto's company.

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris knits his brow at Karla, not quite disapproving of the response he got. He indicates this verbally,"One should not slander the glorious dead. Nothing good will come of it."

He then downs his drink, setting it down with a think meaningfully. To the tender he announces,"Ale, stronger than the previous, good sir."

With that, he turns in time to catch Roberto's gaze. He'll keep it with a growing smile as if deciding whether this is a challenge as he asides to Victor in explanation,"L'mort d' Philippe has been corrected. In the museum, that is. There were indeed...booms as you put it."

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor takes a moment to process the word freak. In some ways, he's momentarily stunned. For a split second, he finds himself chained up in a basement, a woman's pleading cries competing with the sound of a fist hitting flesh... his flesh.

He snaps out of it and downs his glass of grain alcohol. Inhaling deeply, he gives Karla a look over. "Pick a different nickname. If you weren't a hot blonde, I'd be thinking about eating those pretty blue eyes. Fortunately for you, I think it'd be a waste."

Turning his head, he grins at Roberto with those 'teeth'. "Sure, kid. But you know there is an art to killing, especially those more powerful then you. Don't pick that fight. I'm not sayin' I'd win, just sayin'.. you wouldn't be unscathed. Besides, that'd make a lot of important people frown, and there's better people to kill."

Nodding to Paris, he chuckles. "Well shit, sorry I missed it. That stuff normal for museums? Might bother visitin' them more if it was."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would keep her eyes trained over on Paris, "I'm not slandering them. I'm just saying that if you're looking to make something dedicated to them it could be a bit better. But for a first try, it was fairly nice." She would smile, "You did ask for my opinion after all. I thought you wanted an honest take." Rather than something ego stroking.
    Karla's arm would go to rest over on her lap, "Well, if you -insist-." Over to Creed, casually taking the offered alcohol. Then in one smooth throw back, going to gulp it all the way down with casuality. Not even coughing or hiccuping from it. Just downing it without so much as a gag reflex. "I suppose it's acceptable."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa doesn't back down from Victor, oh no, he would never do that. He has too much pride, too much machismo, to easily admit anyone might be the better man. But he nods in agreement with cooler heads, "I have no doubt, my friend. I generally don't have much desire to kill anyone - I tend to keep my conquests alive so that they may better feel the sting of their defeat. A little humiliation can be better than a gallon of blood."

"But you're right. I am a very important person and hurting me would make a lot of beautiful women very sad."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Paris Bennet tries to be polite in most instances. This extends to his telepathy. Lacking formal instruction, it is often difficult for him not to pick up on certain things. A resurfacing memory like Creed's, for example, would practically scream for his attention and therefore take effort for him NOT to acknowledge it...

which he does with a slight turn of his head coinciding with that memory. He doesn't dig or pry however, now isn't the time for such.

Roberto's attention on the bigger man frees him to turn to Karla now, to whom he replies coolly,"I did, and I thank you for it."

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor makes a low whistle when Karla downs the grain alcohol with one smooth throwback. "Well holy shit. The woman can drink."

The look he gives Karla is one of appreciation and just a touch of suspicion. "So then... I'm Mister Creed. What's your name? Guessin' there is something to you, cause no one with that figure drinks like that... and doesn't end up retching from blood poisonin'."

Creed barks a laugh at Roberto, the same toothy grin plastered on his stubble covered cheeks. "God, you are such a prick. I love it, and I agree with ya. Death can be way too quick. Gotta savor it sometimes."

Assuming he's not shoved away or stopped in the process, he pulls a stool closer to Karla and drapes an arm over her shoulders. With his other hand, he pours a couple more glasses, then clinks rims. "Bartenders make some killer cocktails if you want something that actually tastes good instead of just obliteratin' brain cells. I gotta drink 'em too fast to get a decent buzz, but might work for you."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would just smile over at Creed, "I'm Doctor Karla Soften. Lovely to meet you. And I find it's rather lovely but just tickles. It's nice to get something that has a little feel to it, even if doesn't have much of a kick." She makes no move over to push Creed away and in fact would let him do it. "Then you just need tom ake sure you get a lot of it in your system at once so you can't hold back. Just get a couple of kegs and show how long you don't have to breathe wtih it. I'm sure that would at leastmake you stagger for awhile. Not very long, big, strong thing like you.."

Roberto da Costa has posed:
Roberto da Costa normally might compete for the attention of a beautiful woman (and be fairly assured of victory), but Victor presents a challenge far beyond the ordinary pretty boy. Also, they have fairly different appeals - Roberto is all flagrant wealth and lavish style, Creed all feral charm and masculine musk. Well, Roberto had a musk, too, but it came in a bottle and was imported from Italy.

"If you two get too in your cups and decide to wreck the place, give due warning, I have a few valuables in the Club safe."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Sensing a challenge brewing, the frenchman asks generally to noone in particular,"Tell me, have any of you sampled Greek? In my day, there was a drink called Ouzo. Surely an establishment such as this carries it. It was popular in Cyprus, and known in Constantinople. Such a unique concoction cannot have faded."

With that, he nudges aside the frothing glass presented him to ask this of the tender specifically...and adds to the others,"It could be quite potent, I promise you. The backstabbing Greeks were rightly proud of it."

Victor Creed has posed:
"You'd think so, but downing a keg like that just makes me have to piss like a horse. And no kick? Shit. This is one hundred and ninety proof. Only thing on the planet with more kick is Polish vodka." He hums and looks to the bartender, "You got a bottle of Spirytus back there somewhere? Or maybe a chemist?"

Victor shakes his head, "Big and strong? You haven't even looked under the hood yet."

Roberto gets the side-eye, "Eh... Even I'm not going to wreck a bar in the Hellfire Club, kid. I wouldn't be able to find good work for at least a decade. I'm sure the bosses on Asteroid M would chew on my ass too."

Yep, even Victor Creed acknowledges some leashes.

"Ouzo? Yea, I've had it. Not a big fan of licorice. Had a couple of bottles while I was touring around the Med. Didn't really do it for me, but worse things to drink." He replies to Paris. "You might be able to find it here as Anisette. Kinda the same thing."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would take her hand over along Creed and wink, "GIrl's got to have her secrets. And I like it big, strong.. And it's not the same if it's not going in through one end and making you feel like your lungs are melting, you have acid in your veins, and you're turning to poison right in front of yourself and heaving and hurling and.." A shiver would go through her body as she would play up her role and grin sadistically.

"But, like you said, this place isn't the appropriate venue for something that's not made of sterner stuff.."

Paris Bennet has posed:
Bennet nods curtly at Creed, a bit of a grin as he tells the tender to see if he can find a bottle of that brand. Annisette. He'll then take up the glass he nudged aside and down a quaff as he contemplates seeing how it measures up to his memories...

The man peers over to Karla and Victor again, now ignoring Roberto as he lost interest in the man. He notes,"You have indeed travelled, Victor. We should compare notes some time. Not now, though. Obviously."

He smirks a bit at that, falling quiet in his thoughts.

Victor Creed has posed:
Victor deadpans at Karla. "Shit. You might be batshit insane."

He considers this for a moment, gaze traveling up to the ceiling. His brow knits as he ponders the wisdom of associating with such a woman.

Any reasonable consideration is quickly washed away with the next gulp of grain alcohol. "Yea, not a place to get truly shitfaced. This is... a good place to make friends, and a bad place to make enemies."

The large feral man lets the woman's hand roam. A combination of lacking reasonable fear and combined with other instinctive drivers leaves him more then happy cuddling with the stranger.

"So you are a Doctor, huh? Must have brain cells to spare. Doctor of what?" He tilts his head then eyes Paris.

"Yea, I've been around. Can't name a country I haven't killed someone in. Nature of the work. Can't promise I remember everything though." He taps his temple. "Bit of spaghetti up here."

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would smile at Victor, "Good. We're here to enjoy one another's company. Not really to make a mess. But you do find such charmers about here. And a lovely thing like you. All big and muscly and with those claws.. A girl could occasionally use something like that." Karla would be more than happy to rub her fingers down Creed's massive muscles.
    Flashing a wink over at Bennet, "And just start planning a little more with your displays. They should be more extravagant.."
    Hand going back to stroke at Creed's body. "Psychiatry darling. Psychiatry." She would whisper "I decided I had to talk some of my patients into dying from misery to make up for the ones I was helping. Balance the books. They never pinned it on me."

Paris Bennet has posed:
The big man chortles as he finishes off his ale at the reception of the ouzo. He shakes his head at the mannerisms of Karla, Bennet being no more sure about her than Vic apparently as he requests a fresh glass for the savoring.

Bennet replies at Karla,"I don't plan such things. I do them as they need doing. That is the difference between soldiers and assassins. A soldier kills the enemy where he finds them. An assassin...well, he plans, he stalks, he traps. I never claimed to be an artist."

Victor Creed has posed:
"Big and muscly, I'm used to people appreciatin'... Claws? Well, you must have unique tastes, Doc." Victor shakes his head, low rumble in his chest as the woman rubs his torso.

"Psychiatry? Well shit, maybe I need to lay down on your couch, because I'm all sorts of fucked up." He taps his temple again and wraps his hand around the bottle of everclear's neck. He tilts his head back until the bottle his empty then sets it back on the bar.

"You'd have to try and actually fix me. Use to misery, and too hard to kill. You might make a lot of friends if you tighten a few of my screws." He winks.

"Frenchie... Frenchie... Frenchie... You can be both! I certainly am. Got me a switch. One that I usually set to 'artist' cause bein' a soldier can get borin'... Though sometimes its needed." He gives Paris a playful salute with his free arm.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would just smile at Victor, "I'm sure I could get to the root of the issues. I'm also looking to start up with some of my practice again. I could do with a few feeder patients to get the feel of things again." She would casually use her hand to squeeze over on Victor's wrist, a lazy sort of compress to it and showing merely normal strength.

"You know what they say about misery, it loves company. Going nito therapy means you want to change things and you don't like how you are. So before you jump into things.. Do you want to be different from the magnificant rage beast that you are?" She would mm over at Bennet.

"Then no reason to not add another thing to your resume. Be a Reinaisance man. Never too late to pick up new skills." She would muse to Exodus.

Paris Bennet has posed:
Bennet shakes his head with a chuckle as he pours his first glass. Swirling around the fluid, he gazes contemplatively at it, considering their advice. He then shakes his head more firmly.

Taking a sip from the drink. He adopts a look of reminiscence, his memory sent back in time. The room might even chill with the empathic resonance of it.

Bennet finally replies,"No, I don't think so. I much prefer the life of meeting mine adversary mono a mono, as it goes. I can't picture myself otherwise in any manner that pleases me."

He then shakes his head more firmly after a second draft,"This is not what I remember."

Disappointment rings.

Victor Creed has posed:
"Hmmm... Do I want to be different? That's a good question. Answer changes a lot." Victor rubs under his chin pensively then gazes down at Karla though rather he's trying to meet her eyes or check other assets is anyone's guess.

"Guess the other drawback is I can't bone ya if you become my doc. That's how things work don't it? Some oath or conflict of interest." Victor speaks about the prospect of sex as if it were a sure thing. A better man would call him out on it. Unfortunately, Sabertooth has killed his share of 'better' men.

Shrugging at Paris, he comments, "Guess it ain't for everyone." Was he speaking about being an assassin or the drink?

"Well, maybe you and I need to pay a little trip to Greece and find you what you are lookin' for. Bet some old couple specializes in makin' authentic ouzo. No reason to pout about it." He muses.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would smile at Creed, "And while I do enjoy a lovely hunk of man beast like you.. I'm not sure I'd want a pretty boy for more than one or two things. They can get boring and repetitive after that. But maybe if I do get in your head some.. Well.. No fuss." She wouldn't seem to have any sort of issues. And she would grin. "I don't tend to care about morals or ethics. Just results."

She would glance at Paris, "Now that you coul dprobably find someone here to help with. They have quite a few who deal with.. Exotics."

Paris Bennet has posed:
IF one glanced into a reflective surface at the right moment, even their drink, they might catch a visual glimpse of men clad in chain with swords and spears flashing, saber wielding men in turbans gored upon their weapons by the score. Paris rises at that point, a card slid from his pocket to the tender to pay his tab. He picks up the bottle to inspect it with some curiosity, then tells the man to add it to the account he's starting.

Paris replies to Victor,"That sounds promising. I should be taking my leave, however. I shan't be far if you require transport when you...finish."

Taking back the card when it's returned, the tender jaded enough not to ask any questions, he heads to the exit with bottle in tow.

Victor Creed has posed:
"Repetition is the worse. Sounds like we've got a like mind on the subject. Wouldn't mind usin' you for one or two things then goin' separate ways, darlin'." Despite the naughty talk, Victor seems to keep the heavy petting relatively plain like maybe he's actually worried about making too big of a scene.

"Ah, results." He nods, "I like results. All kinds of results."

When Victor sees Paris starting to leave, he rises up from his perch with Karla. "Let's talk results sometime, Doc. Somewhere where we can break the furniture and not start a world war."

He follows after Paris, "Hold up. I said I go drinkin' with you. You ain't done with me yet, Frenchie. Learnin' about your taste in booze, you gotta let me in on your taste in people now."

A big arm is thrown over the shoulder of the 'Knight' as they head to the exit.

Karla Sofen has posed:
Karla Sofen would smile over at Victor, and give a leer to him, "Pleasure to meet you. I'm sure I'll need something for a set of big, strong, rending claws sometime. I'll find you when I want you, man beast." Her blwing him a kiss while getting up and over, leaving her table.. Bu putting down some money to cover her drink.

Because the Hellfie Club had standards after all. And even she didn't want to cross them.