005 ✽ We be all night

[giglio_madonna]

Who: The willing from Pride and Virgo
What: Want to know what party sucked? The solstice party. Want to know what party won't suck? Luci and Luce's.
When: Jan 8th
Where: The basement of the club Blue Heist
Warnings: None planned besides possible/probably intoxication




A little while after the disaster at Naomi's, those who had attended might find themselves approached- by Luce on Virgo's side, by Luci on Pride's, or perhaps by someone who had heard about it from either of them. The subject of conversation?

Another party. One that involves another mingle of both labels, without being used for any ulterior motives.

Those who seem up to it are given a time and place. Blue Heist is one of the clubs around town that has what could be called a "basement level", for private renting and parties available to anyone who has the cash to spend on it. It's a pretty simple set up, nothing extravagant like the party at Naomi's... Which is absolutely on purpose, let no one tell you otherwise. There's a reason any mics or karaoke equipment has been pointedly removed. All the music is on the system already.

Nope, tonight it's just dancing and drinking, with a couple of rooms to the side that have cheesy movies playing in case you're tired out. No closed doors, no poison at the bar, no murder.

And if you want to take a moment to maybe have a talk to someone on the opposite label to discuss or apologize for the events of the prior night... That's fine too.

Just be careful. Both labels are still under watch, it seems, with a few bodyguards from both sides around the perimeter here and there.

Comments

[tigermillionaire]

It would be a lot healthier if Tiger was in a better mental state for all this. Right now, though, he is pushing himself to be aggressive and angry for lack of better options, and he manages to get carried away enough that when Greg gets in his space enough to elbow him, he reflexively and intentionally shoves him back with what force he can must.

Which, isn't all that much, but there's something feeling behind it, at least. It's not until he's already done it that he pays enough attention to realize who it is.

"Don't touch me!" he snaps, just a moment too late to hold it back.

[panspermia]

Even if this whole thing is supposed to be a neutral ground, there's a lot of unspoken tension in the air. Even if he's trying to force himself to feel like he's in a better space than he is, Greg sure isn't about to blame anyone else for being testy.

The shove snaps him into reality after his disconnect into rocking and rolling, and it takes him a second to reorient himself. "Ahh, sorry, I didn't--"

A second later it sinks in who he's talking to, and Greg's posture changes, both tense and relieved. "You're here."

[tigermillionaire]

Tiger pulls back, bringing back his hands to curl in front of his chest. His instinct is to apologize for being rough, for maybe hurting him, but he doesn't. His expression softens for a moment, and then hardens. He drops his hands, still balled into fists.

"Yeah," he says, a few moments later. He looks away.

[panspermia]

Greg's faint smile fades again with Tiger's reaction. This never gets easier.

"I'm gonna get a soda, do you want one?"

[tigermillionaire]

Sorry that every encounter is a terrible new adventure, Greg. Tiger shuffles awkwardly like he doesn't really know what to do, and then relents.

"I'll just come with you," he says, speaking just loud enough to be heard over the music. He crosses his arms over his chest, and starts following Greg's lead.

[panspermia]

So long as he's coming along, that's all that matters. They get out of the way of everyone else trying to dance safely, an uncertain quiet between them. Greg orders his Roy Rodgers before finally looking down at Tiger again.

"It's been a while." He'd ask how he's holding up, but it would be pretty redundant by now.

[tigermillionaire]

Tiger used to do a lot more fronting than he's been doing recently, but it doesn't mean he's ever been very good at it. For anyone capable of reading people, it's pretty clear that he's putting on a show.

So much, in fact, that it fails to actually order a drink, and just leans against the counter. He's dawned sunglasses at some point.

"Yeah, I guess so," he says gruffly.

[panspermia]

You really are thirteen, Tiger. Greg watches him with a raised brow, and sips on his drink for children. All right, he can take a hint.

"I'm a little surprised I haven't been hearing much about you in the tabloids. Laying low for the holidays?"

[tigermillionaire]

His face falls from his purposeful look of indifference to something a little bit hurt. Even though being hurt over that is kind of ridiculous, he is just an easy target when it comes down to it. His shoulders sink.

"Well, it's not like...I haven't really felt like making trouble recently, is all. You know why." His arms are still crossed, but it's more like holding himself than actually showing aggression. This isn't really working at all.

[panspermia]

It's so hard not to reach out to him. Greg really hates doing this. It's not fair. It doesn't make any sense, that once every month or so, they have to limit themselves to this.

"Sure. No one can keep it up all the time." This is a lot closer to Tiger's original attitude than Greg's seen in a long time, even if it is a pretty poor front.

[tigermillionaire]

He sighs, staring at his shoes. He shakes his head, looking frustrated.

"Yeah...I just don't get...what you're supposed to do when you can't anymore," he says, most softly.

[panspermia]

"Yeah." Greg swirls his cherry in his drink, watching Tiger from the corner of his eye.

"That's a tough one, 'cause no one's got the same answer. I'm still trying to figure it out, even."

[tigermillionaire]

At least wearing sunglasses makes it harder for everyone to see him looking publicly sad, in the way he's so sick of doing. Though it shows in his voice all the same.

"Do you...feel like that now, too?"

[panspermia]

He pauses, slightly anxious, before admitting it. "A little. I've been trying not to, but the stuff that used to make me feel better isn't working like usual." 'Spending time with friends and family' doesn't play out so well when friends are all scared and hopeless as you are, and family is... well.

[tigermillionaire]

"Oh," he says, and hesitates for a few moments before speaking. "...You never sound like you do. You always just...act nice and helpful anyway. It's weird."

That's the wrong word for it. Really, he just acts like the person that people seem to think that Tiger is inside.

[panspermia]

"Yeah?" Is it weird? A lot of people seem to think so. "I guess... making people happy makes me feel better. So I try to keep that up."

Greg frowns, scratching at his hair. It makes it sound a little selfish, when he says it like that.

[tigermillionaire]

Only to you, Greg. Only to you. To Tiger it still sounds pretty great. HE stares at the ground and kicks at it with one of his feet.

"Don't you ever get...angry? Like...angry enough that you do something bad?"

Greg never does anything bad, it seems like.

[panspermia]

Greg gives Steven a sidelong look, and nods--just the slightest incline of the head.

"Sure, sometimes." His brow furrows. "For me, getting angry is just... really wanting to do something about what makes me sad. And that can be a good thing. But it can make it hard to figure out what to do, and that makes me feel worse." More often than not, he can't figure out anything at all, and it burns out uselessly. "So... I try not to get mad too much."

[tigermillionaire]

"That's...that's different," Tiger says, like he's searching for the words. His face flushes a little with subtle embarrassment. "That's not really bad. You're not hurting anyone who doesn't deserve it."

[panspermia]

"I get scared I will. That's why I try not to do it." The fear comes in long before he can actually hurt anyone, but the chance is there all the same.

[tigermillionaire]

So he doesn't do it, really. Tiger isn't really surprised. It's hard to imagine a situation where Greg would do something like that. The angriest he's ever seen him was when he got punched out by Jin and he'd only ever pushed her because she...hit Tiger, he guesses.

"I do that all the time," he says, after a moment.

[panspermia]

Not these days. Not for a long time, at least.

"I know." He's been around Tiger long enough to see it.

[tigermillionaire]

His shades hide the finer details of his emotion, but so much of it still comes through in his voice. There is an edge of clear desperation.

"Why do I do that, when people keep telling me I should be more like you?"

[panspermia]

Why didn't they find a private room to talk? Instead of by a loud bar with blasting music, where bodyguards are watching, and waiting for them to make a mistake. Greg's throat is sore as he swallows.

"I can't answer that for you. You're still figuring it out." He rubs at his face. "It... it doesn't make you a bad person, Tiger. Not knowing how you want to be, and making mistakes, and hurting people. It's just something that happens, even with really good people."

[tigermillionaire]

Tiger takes off his sunglasses, looking down at them silently for a few moments. Then he looks up at Greg. His expression isn't tearful or angry, just searching, if a bit melancholy.

"...I'm glad you game to the party," he says, a few moments later, looking down again. "I didn't know if you would but I was hoping..."

He thinks he can admit that without being embarrassed now. That's something.