World: Neon Waes
Scene: January 1999, a nightclub known as The Reaver's. This is what happens when you transplant your high-fantasy characters to a decidedly down-and-dirty modern setting. Poor Kerrigan metamorphosed into an ex-gang-brat from Boston by way of New York City. How sad is that?
Players: Kerrigan = Abby; Leila = Leila; Jaden = SJ
All lithe grace and cynicism, is Kerrigan, tall and lithely built, with a shock of fair hair to his shoulders. Sea-blue eyes glint with occasional wry humor. A cool smile heightens the sharpness of his features, hints at mockery. Marring one sunbrowned cheek is a faint semicircular scar. He is clad in slim-fitting blue jeans, a soft ivory flannel shirt, and a battered brown leather jacket which he wears as though it's the physical manifestation of his attitude. A silver chain bracelet graces one thin wrist. He is probably about thirty.
Tumbling pitch curls, inky brows, and sooty lashes are at odds with the near translucent hue of her skin and dark, but nonetheless grey of her eyes. Her nose is not quite delicate and her full lips are further accentuated with the only make-up she bothers with -- tinted chapstick -- and thrown crooked just a bit from her off-kilter jaw. She stands a little more than five feet but is overbalanced by a buxom, hippy figure. She wears an oxford blue shirtwaist, opened to reveal a pearly grey silk camisole. The shirtwaist is tailored with full sleeves and long, tight French cuffs and an equally stylish collar somewhat wider than most traditional spread-collar blouses, complete with wide-legged charcoal grey trousers. A plain silver buckled belt matches her cufflinks in metal and her ebon, polished calf-skin loafers in both hue and leather. Hanging just below a scar tracing her throat is a glinting-silver Star of David.
With eyes of tranquil amethyst sparkling with warmth and happiness, Jaden is a pretty young man by all accounts, soft and fair of feature. Those startling eyes are framed in a pale oval of a face with a slim little nose and thin but sensuous lips, their thick lashes furthering the air of femininity about him. His eyes spend much of the day concealed behind a wave of lustrous raven hair, his bangs being significantly longer than the rest of his close-cropped mane. A thin hoop of gold set with a small, dangling amethyst adorns his left ear. His accent is soft and melodious, indicating he belongs to the British upper class. His apple green sweater slips down around both shoulders, and the baggy sleeves are pushed up to his elbows. The bottom of the sweater finishes around the bottom of his rib cage, showing off plenty of skin around his slender stomach, not to mention the silver ring in his navel. About an inch under his belly button, Jade's red Versace jeans appear amidst a collection of black leather belts with silver studs. Only one belt is actually attached to the waist-line of the jeans, while the others hang around his belly, or brush the top of his thighs. The bright red jeans are frayed at the cuffs, brushing the top of black leather Prada boots.
Kerrigan is settled at the bar in a picturesque slouch, occupying himself with glowering half-heartedly at Bing.
Leila sweeps into the nightclub like a prosecutor might a court room and settles at the bar as though it were her living room couch. "The usual," to Bing without a glance at anything but her pocketbook of sorts.
Jonathan Bing brings Leila her coffee.
Kerrigan glances at the woman, making a point of not looking impressed.
Leila shoves over a mottled collection of coins and sips her coffee without adding any condiments. Once, she shoves her tangling hair back and glances back at the man with an equal expression.
Kerrigan permits himself a small, grating grin before looking away again.
Leila leans over towards the man and says in a sugary voice, "If you add a bit of salt or sugar to the rim of your drink, you won't look like that so much."
Kerrigan inquires as pleasantly, "Who asked you, lady?"
Leila flutters her lashes with equal amiability. "I wouldn't want to see a pretty face like yours freeze like that."
The grin deepens slightly. "Well, thanks ever so much."
Leila winks far too flamboyantly to be serious and takes another swallow of her coffee.
Jaden enters from the main street.
The CD player whirrs and the song 'My Only Love' from the Sailormoon soundtrack begins to play.
Kerrigan shakes his head and looks away, only to give the CD player a dirty look and glance toward the door.
Leila cringes visibly and says to no one in particular but her coffee, "What is that crap?"
Jaden strolls inside, one hand tucked into a pocket, the other rubbing at his eyes. He looks as though he just woke up.
Kerrigan, realizing who's just come in, glances ceilingward and quickly turns away to flag Bing.
Jaden grins sweetly to Bing, then spots Kerrigan, and grins even sweeter, lifting one hand to waggle his fingers at him. "Hullo, luv," he calls.
Leila looks to the kid then back to the blonde-haired fellow nearby. She ever-so-studiously leans over and asks in a voice to be heard over the horrible Japanese wailing, "He a, uh, friend of yours?" With a suggestive sound.
Kerrigan adroitly ignores this entire byplay, electing instead to get into a minor argument with the longsuffering Jonathan.
Jaden crosses the room to drape himself against the bar, eyes wandering over Leila briefly. "Jon," he calls in a wheedling tone. "I want a drink."
Leila makes to rub the back of her neck. "Oh," she coos, as though she cared, "A lovers' spat?"
Kerrigan sighs as Bing's attention is diverted. And then snaps, vexed, "The hell."
Jaden laughs at Leila's words, a bright, tinkling sound. "Jonny, Sprite, with two lemon slices. Real lemons."
Leila merely shrugs her brows at Bing and sips her coffee. "Fellow must have just come out of the closet, huh Jonny?"
Kerrigan mutters something blasphemous, leaning his forehead in one hand. Then, in a hard voice, "Lady, shut it, why don't you?"
Jaden looks thoroughly amused as Bing brings his drink, watching the pair. "He's just not the friendly sort, luv," he confides to Leila.
Leila smiles her positive sweetest. "I don't know about that, kid. I think he'd be real friendly if I wasn't around, if you catch my meaning and I'm sure you do."
Kerrigan scowls at Jaden. "Like you'd know. --Oh, the hell, lady. Why don't you mind your business, how about?"
Jaden laughs again and sips his pop.
Leila peers into her sluggish coffee. "Well, I could, sweetie, but there's nothing on TV tonight and nothing playing at the movies and what else is there to do?"
Kerrigan shoots back, "Than insult perfect strangers? I can think of things."
Leila sets down her coffee and pushes back a curl. "So can I, but you don't seem to go my way."
Jaden grins into his pop. "Point to the lady."
Kerrigan begins to retort, then glares at Jaden again. "And nobody asked you, either. Goddamn interfering [insert-insulting-adjective] kid."
Leila grins to the raven-haired brat. "He's all wound up, huh? You guys musta been real tight."
Jaden winks at Leila impishly, then wrinkles his nose cutely at Kerrigan. "Aww, Kerrigan, luv. Don' be like that."
Kerrigan growls, "I'm not your 'luv'. Friggin' crazy Brits."
Leila aims a poorly coordinated swat at Kerrigan. "Friggin' crazy Brits saved our ass as much as we have them. Manners, sweetie."
Kerrigan shoots back, "I'm not your sweetie, either. God, I should quit coming to this place, it's a nuthouse."
Jaden trills a laugh again. "Where else y'gonna go, luv? That free drink offer still stands, if y'come to Bottom's Up."
Tinted chapstick and a pout. Not exactly Marilyn Monroe, but it serves its purpose. "You could be."
Kerrigan shoots Jaden a deadly look. Then snorts at the woman, regaining somewhat his maddening grin. "You wish."
Leila inhales through her teeth and shakes her head. "Nuh-uh. Your looks and his accent, maybe then I'll say from your mouth to G-d's ears."
Jaden tilts his chin up. "What's wrong with my looks, with my accent, luv?" He calls to Leila, winking at her again.
Kerrigan is quiet. Maybe with luck they'll take to baiting each other instead.
Leila rakes her eyes over the kid, then looks back to the blonde. "Gentlewomen prefer blondes, eh --Kerrigan?"
Something in that cutting tone penetrates the haze of irritation and background noise. Kerrigan looks back at her with a different sort of frown.
Leila's mouth curls up in a customary smirk. "You'd think I went to Switzerland for plastic surgery."
Jaden glances between the two, and smirks, then comments, "Switzerland is passe. L.A. is better."
Kerrigan braces one arm on the bar, regarding her, mouth quirking up at the corner slowly. "Is that Leila?"
Leila leans her chin into her palm which is turn is propped up by her elbow on the bar, all in a slinky sort of manner. "You always did have a thing for my name."
Kerrigan remarks, in not an unfriendly tone now, "You sneaky bitch."
Jaden pouts as he's now ignored, and settles for annoying Bing by winking at him.
Leila does a purposely bad job of seeming offended. "Me! You're the bastard who didn't recognize me and don't tell me you did; I'll know you're lying."
Kerrigan gives her a far too rakish grin. "Cos you've grown up to be such a knockout, is why."
Even Leila self-conciously fingers her pendant for all of a second. "I always was a knockout." A significant pause, then: "In more ways than one, huh?"
Jaden's gaze wanders back to the pair, and he grins. It's always sweet to see old folks romancing.
Kerrigan snorts, leaning back against the bar. "Right." Then: "What's s'damn funny, kiddo?"
Leila reaches out to capture Kerrigan's chin. "I see I didn't leave a scar. Have to remember to wear a couple-a rings next time I punch you."
Kerrigan jerks away. "Don't put yourself out, beautiful."
Jaden laughs at Leila's words, casting Kerrigan an innocent look. "Nuthin', luv."
Leila snaps the fingers of her empty hand. "Charming as ever, Kerrigan. I don't suppose you've been here long."
Kerrigan narrows his eyes briefly at Jaden, then looks back to Leila. "Not very," he concedes.
Jaden sticks his tongue out at Kerrigan, then pouts into his pop.
Leila runs a hand midway through her hair before giving it a shake. "Yeah, figured. Sad little hellhole, ain't it? -- Careful where you point that thing, kid."
Kerrigan agrees, "Not your scenic vacation spot."
Jaden grins at Leila, then comments idly, "It's not London, but it ain't so bad."
Leila tilts her head back towards Jaden. "Lissen to the kid. You ain't been around much, have you? London, L.A., fine cities, I'm sure, but think of where the center of the world is."
Jaden answers promptly, "London." He grins impishly.
Kerrigan levels a finger at Leila. "What'd I tell you? Snobby little Brit."
Leila shakes her head, pushing her hand through her hair again. "Snobby and little, but he ain't learned. The Brits lost us in a war they won't even talk about. Boy can't admit New York is the center of the world. Damn hot fellows, though, those Brits."
Jaden snorts in amusement, then preens at the last comment, fussing with his hair.
Leila adds, with a glance at Jaden, "Well, most've'em."
Kerrigan laughs outright at this. "You'll turn the kid's head, Leila Fey."
Leila pushes her cooled coffee away. "I have enough fellows strung up -- along," not without an amused laugh, "I don't need a kid. -- G-d, are you still gonna call me that, bastard?"
Kerrigan grins, unrepentant. "Damn right. How the hell are you, my God, it's been what? eight years?"
Jaden pouts faintly. "I'm not a kid."
Leila tilts her head back and forth before leaning sideways against the bar. "Yeah, somethin' like that. A while, at any rate. -- Better than you, I imagine. 'least from the looks of it. You been sleepin' in a car?"
Kerrigan says quellingly to Jaden, "Yes, you are." And to Leila, "On occasion."
Leila seems to find this amusing. "Still got that rusted out old Hornet?"
Kerrigan looks blank for a moment; then laughs again. "God, no, are you kidding? Long gone."
Leila hooks the heel of her loafer on one of the rings of a nearby stool. "Yeah? I liked that car. Oh, but I guess you've got yourself a jeep now, huh? Somethin' so women think you're real manly."
Kerrigan smiles his annoying smile, and refuses the bait.
Leila tries to imitate his smile to no avail. "Or a beat up Camaro? Old, so you can afford it, and plus it's beat up so the chicks think you're real hot stuff and go racing."
Kerrigan explains to Jaden, "She thinks she's funny."
Leila bursts into snickers. "Not as funny as that coat looks on you, though, Kerrigan sweetie."
Kerrigan declines to be insulted. He casts her another patronizing smile. "Least I don't go around with my shirt open, Leila Fey, darling."
Leila merely bats her lashes twice. "'least you noticed."