Just Go With It [Open]

[dorian]

Dorian waltzed into the busy nightclub, dressed to fine cut perfection in a suit of dark burgundy cashmere and obsidian shoes that found a way to shine even in the dim light. His eyes were alive with enthusiasm, scanning the people present, tapping the long boot of a dancer and winking at her with a smile as he made his way to the bar in search of poison to enjoy. The selection in the best nightclub in the city was nothing less than exceptional. He almost felt like experimenting with a mix you wouldn’t normally go for, because of its potential to wipe your memory of the night from sticking until morning.

When the bartender asked for his order he chose something simple but flashed the other two raised digits. “Bring the second one when I finish the first one,” he told the man, a grin spreading on his face. “Be precise about it and you may get a surprise.” The other man considered the actor before him, his face uncertain about the feeling of possible recognition he was getting before he pulled up a glass and created Dorian’s drink. When it was passed to him, Dorian swept it up, gave the man a nod and turned back to the bar at large.

A quick glance to a booth on the side told him his friends weren’t in tonight. With a soft but tragic sight, he started walking, his eyes lazy and browsing, ready to approach any person that stood out the slightest bit. The music was loud and rhythmic and smoke was thick in the air, gathering heat and passing it around. Dorian had to peer to get a better glimpse of the people he passed, sometimes coming so close in someone’s face they drew back in as a natural reaction to someone suddenly staring at them so nonchalantly.

There was no reason to stop yet, so he moved on, leaving not one but two people staring after him, mouth too late opened to ask “What?” While looking in the opposite direction, he turned slowly around a table and someone bumped into him with some impact, the drink sloshing in his hand and sprinkling both of them with some dry martini. Before turning around he smiled, eager to see what fate had decided to cast in his way.

[Shinji Vulpes]

The boy is leaning against the wall, his face dark and obscure. His gaze was cold and calculating. He had decided to take a time out from his practice and research, although this was a different kind of research. Most of the people here, well, they were the enemy. The corrupt, greedy, cruel. The ones who could afford to live this high life, a life of excess until when the morning sun rises and the headaches begin. Poisoning their bodies through liquids of various varieties, powders and tar. In my world this will all be gone, in favour of the propagation of knowledge and belief.

A fifteen year old is not a common site in a nightclub, although hardly rare either - but this one is a rarer site. He does not seem to be enjoying himself at all, not ogling any attractive women nor in pursuit of booze. He notices both, but suppresses his childish desires. He was righteous, above this muck. He would be the ruler of the new world order, and all would bow to his might. He could have time for some of this, after his work was done - and truly, he had yet to start.

He was dressed in his usual scruffy clothes, a creased shirt and dark trousers. He hadn't changed clothes in a few days; he'd have to steal some more. Living off the land, he had gained some skills in the last couple of years - for instance, how to get into a night club undetected. He was too intelligent to let a little thing like lack of currency stop him from getting what he needed for his holy mission.

Maybe tonight was the night he could announce himself to the world, the latest incarnation of God - but, of course, it wouldn't work. These people were too off-their-face to listen, or even care at his display of power. And he wasn't going to kill them for just being selfish. He had to give them a chance to redeem themselves first.

He can feel the rhythm of the music, and a small smile crossed his face. Despite his other allegations towards such a place as this nightclub, he would always enjoy the music. He liked the rhythmic thumping, almost tribal - it reminded him of the beat of God's will, a tug on the red string of destiny that linked every sapient life on the planet Earth. That bass... heh. This was one of the good things this sort of high society produced, he would see if it could be kept in accordance with his vision.

His eyes still wandered among the crowd; a man in a fine suit and radiant shoes stood out, his clothes a cut above even the next best. In contrast, Shinji's own were appalling. He raised an eyebrow. This was his enemy, the man in the fine suit with the explosive cocktail and a perfect life. Did he even know about those on the street, those without anything to eat or drink, those who lived and died with cuts and grazes on their hands, so guys like him could live happily?

Probably not.

He sighs, turning away from the crowds. He did not see the man known as Dorian bump into someone, although he heard a quick exchange. Instead he moves to a vacant table and slides down, licking his lips in the humid environment.

[dorian]

The path to hell was paved with good intentions, or so they said. The bar was brimful with people who sought power over others – cheated lovers, abandoned spouses and betrayed friends. Oh. And those who had nothing. There was something grandly fascinating about the latter. Having nothing also meant having something no one else had – everything to gain and nothing to lose. That could make someone incredibly dangerous. Dorian had been one such person in the past. He had killed and stolen and thought himself into a category beyond normal humans, after all, who lived like that? It wasn’t life, it was just survival and the thirsty pursuit of purpose.

The less you had the more you wanted. Also something Dorian knew was flowing through his blood right now. No matter how many admirers he gathered and how many warm smiles bloomed for the love of his eyes, it would never be enough. There was a deep dark hole of lack in his past and he could fill it with nothing, not even aware it motivated his passionate thirst for anyone and everything who seemed to display something he had lacked.

The person who had bumped into him was a young waitress, returning from a table with some empty glasses in her hands. Her eyes were big, blue and worried as she excused herself. “I-I’m so sorry, Sir. I didn’t mean to-“ Dorian cut her off by placing a finger to her lips. “Shhh. No harm done fair maiden of neon lights.” He withdrew his hand and poked her on the nose. “There are many things to fear in this word, but the charming stranger in fine garb isn’t one of them.” Well, that wasn’t exactly being honest, but at least he had no actual intentions of hurting her. That sort of thing just happened.

She smiled timidly and pulled back a bit. “I… should go. My boss won’t thank me for the delay.” Alas, she was right. Dorian sighed heavily and invited her to pass with a gallant gesture of his hands. “Then off you go, little nymph.” He smiled to her. “But maybe pass by my table again tonight.” He winked. She gave him another shaky smile and left, hurrying off to perform her duties. Sigh. Dorian turned around, leaving the event behind. He had yet to find any company to entertain himself with.

His eyes were passing over the people seated at tables when he came across a peculiar enough sight to linger on, in comparison with everything else - a teenager rather on the young side, alone and sober sitting down. What he wore was unimpressive, far under the dress code of the excess club he existed in and Dorian’s gaze wasn’t the only curious one he attracted through his queer presence. There were predators in the club, with darker thoughts than most people could imagine and Dorian was aware of one of them. It wasn’t even himself!

There were few things Dorian didn’t dabble in and the dark haired man with his eyes set on Shinji was one of those people who surpassed him. He was liking his lips as he stared at the back of Shinji’s head. Dorian sighed on the inside. It was none of his business. However, as he decided to leave the matter unfold by itself he started walking in contradiction to that thought – towards the teenager. When he reached the other’s table he sat down opposite him without reservation, acutely aware of the glare he was getting from the man that had had his eyes on Shinji, but pretending not to notice. Not that he could fool the other. It would be trouble for him later.

But Dorian smiled in the face of trouble and so he did too as he looked upon the young man before him, his hands coming together behind his head. “Greetings fellow club dweller. I do hope you’re enjoying yourself?” He looked right and left, then leant forward, one of his hands coming to stroke his chin as he studied the other’s face. “I must applaud you for your daring…” He lacked a name. “This is the spirit! Nonchalantly breaking through barriers, invading territories you are constantly led to believe you aren’t supposed to cross!”

Trust Dorian to be encouraging of a teenager’s decision of sneaking into an expensive club. He had a great, approving grin across his face. “I have a special place in my heart for brave sorts like yourself. Should I be able to do anything to enrich your experience here, do let me know with all haste…” His gaze took note of another waitress that breezed past. When it returned on Shinji he was smiling brightly again. “Could I offer you a drink?”

[Shinji Vulpes]

Shinji glances around. He himself was acutely aware of the other man that was looking at him, a dark-haired beast of a human with an evil smirk to fit the look. This was even closer to Shinji's incarnation of an enemy, the hateful noble archetype. The one who could afford the luxury of such a place, and used his position to prey on the weak. Yes. The last of the Vulpes blood would have fun tonight. He twists away, faced with the man he had seen before. A small smile appears once again on his lips as he listens to the man's flattery. Inside he is seething at the prospect of being led by this man, but he continues to smile silently for a moment, before sitting up more forthright.

"Thanks for the offer, sir, but I detest to drink. Especially in the likes of this place." He glances around. The monster of a man was now glaring directly at the two mutants, a mix of various spirits and soft drinks twinkling a cool brown in the dim light of the club. Shinji twitches his right hand, and in an instant the glass explodes. The noise was hidden in the musical din, but Shinji could see the man's back arch in pain, shards of glass sticking out of his hands. Despite his noble intentions, the boy cannot help but smile. This is what that kind deserved, pain.

That could have repercussions, if the man opposite linked the two events together. Shinji doubted he would, but just maybe...

[dorian]

Dorian glanced about, all fabulous and charming smiles as he tried to catch sight of a potential waitress the moment he had uttered his offer to buy the other a drink. His search was cut off by refusal and he stared a little at nothing in particular for a moment, effectively oblivious to the little war Shinji started with Oberen, the meanest, wickedest presence in the club today. If he had known how the little man before him had challenged the cruel spirit of the underground, he would have been running right about now. It was one thing to inconvenience him from the object of his interest and quite another to become unintentional accomplice to what was now a target that needed to be turned into something unrecognizable.

“No drink? And you’re not here to enjoy the atmosphere either?” Dorian tilted his head to the side as his gaze finally returned to Shinji, genuinely surprised. “Then what is it that brings you to the Ebony Pearl (the club) this fine evening?” Swirling what was left of the martini in his own glass, Dorian dared a brief glance towards Oberen and met a gaze that was no longer just glared daggers, but pure demonic malevolence. It made a even man like Dorian, who had a deep dark side in his own heart, shudder a little on the inside. Oberen turned around and disappeared into the crowd. Dorian would have to get out of the club wearing someone else’s face if he wanted to get home in one piece. That’s what that gaze inspired in him.

Returning his gaze to Shinji as if he had merely been lost in thought, Dorian gave him a friendly smile. “Make sure you keep an eye on the shadows when you go home. The neighborhood isn’t especially safe these days,” he shared, already seeing Shinji as a corpse by the side of the road. Or was that just his potential fate? Yeah, the kid was probably safe, but there was no harm in being careful. Although Dorian was reckless, he had managed to keep himself alive so far. There were situations even he took seriously. “The name’s Dorian. Whom do I have the fortuitous chance of talking to?”

[Shinji Vulpes]

The teen chuckles at Dorian's questions, a dark smile crossing his lips. "You could call it scouting out," he murmurs, his voice slightly absent. The one known as Oberon stands, and glares at his future prey. Shinji had perhaps made a bigger enemy than he realised, but the more the merrier, right? Have fun pulling the shards out of your hand, he muses to himself. If only he had figured out if he could project his thoughts, then he could have fucked with his head even further. "Thou shalt mess with the enemy," he whispers, almost inaudibly, staring past Dorian's shoulder.

He turns his gaze back to Dorian, a real smile playing on his lips now. "I'm sure I'll be fine. I got in here alright, am I right?" He says, enjoying what he believed to be a light banter. "Oh, and I'm Shinji. Shinji Vulpes." He then relaxes back in his chair, sighing. Scouting out was dreadfully boring, and he knew that several people in the room were out to get him already, so he couldn't just relax his guard. Despite his intentions, he was half-tempted to accept Dorian's offer of a drink.

The child smiles. "So why sit here and talk to me, Dorian? Do you not have anyone more interesting to talk to, dance with, flirt with?" he says, his voice in jest and lips curled into a playful smile, but his eyes cold and hard. Shinji was uncertain as to why he had attracted the attention of this well-clad man; he knew he stood out, but no-one else had approached him for the evening. He had got several looks from aggressive-looking people, like that Oberen, but no-one pleasant until now. Perhaps this Dorian was one of the predators he was truly looking to smite, but a good actor. No matter, the teen considers; He'll die the same if he tries anything

He glances about the Ebony Pearl again. The waitresses were all dressed to catch the eye of the drunken patronage, and indeed Shinji could appreciate their attractiveness. Perhaps he would witness someone too drunk becoming aggressive with these women... it would be a prime opportunity to step in and be the hero.

[dorian]

There was something definitely not innocent about the teenager before him, of that much Dorian could be aware. He seemed angry somehow. Looking like that and not even thinking to drown it in alcohol, Dorian would have been also. “What are you scouting for?” He asked, appearing chipper as he raised the martini to his lips and enjoyed another sip of the cold beverage. Dorian didn’t even try to exert his mind by imagining what could possibly be meant by that by a young teen. It was both hard and unnecessary, since he could just nonchalantly ask about it instead!

Shinji muttered something quiet and Dorian leant forward a little, one of his eyebrows raised a fraction. “I’m sorry, what?” Drawing back, he continued swirling the ever lessening liquid in his glass, briefly looking over his shoulder as if expecting to find some ghost hovering behind his back. There was nothing special there so he turned back to his strange young companion. “Good point,” he agreed with the teen. Oberen would be too busy trying to murder HIM to remember his brief fascination with some random boy. At least, that’s how Dorian saw the situation from what he knew. Powerful people were scary.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Shinji. I don’t often get to chat with the new generations. Perhaps I should do it more often. You could probably teach me a little something about sneaking into pretentious places.” Dorian laughed lightly, one of his hands coming to support the side of his jaw, one of its fingers pressed up on his temple. The redhead had a masters in sneaking around where he shouldn’t but that was just because he was so great at assuming other people’s identities. He didn’t know much about doing it the old fashioned way. Then again, who said the teen before him didn’t have some trick or two up his sleeve?

Dorian considered Shinji’s question, head canting a little to the side in his hand and gaze drawing far to check the people in the booth where his friends usually gathered. “I’m a random person. My club buddies haven’t arrived yet. And besides, the night is young, not even started even,” he returned his smiling green eyes to Shinji, “how could I pass on the opportunity of offering a drink to a clever young man?” He leant in a little again, one of his hands coming up to his cheek as if to impart a secret. “You need to tell me how you got past the guards, that must have been a feat!” With a lazy smile he retreated.

“Does it bother you? Want me to leave? Are you sure you don’t want anything, not even some orange juice?” Dorian finished his drink and planted it on the table with a little thud. As if on cue, the man from the bar who was curious about the “surprise” Dorian had promised him should he deliver the second drink on time, sent a waitress to take it to Dorian. “Are you in school? What’s your favorite subject?” Dorian was as sensitive as a brick to the dark vibes Shinji was oozing.

[Shinji Vulpes]

"There's a simple trick to getting past the guards," the boy murmurs, his eyes twinkling. "You make them turn the other way," he finishes, with a dark chuckle. He relaxes back in his seat. "I guess I could use an orange juice!" he says, with false joviality, a smile playing at his lips. "You could say I'm not in school any more. I was put in accelerated learning, and have hence graduated," he says, and this was only a half-lie - he was in accelerated learning classes, before he had abruptly disappeared following the deaths of two well-known bullying types. Suspicious, eh?

He smiles at Dorian, eyes shining. "I do hope you aren't just talking to me because you're truly bored out of your mind."

[dorian]

“I see.” Dorian nodded with a half-smile. He supposed being short had its advantages in this case. There was little hope for someone as tall and perfumed as him to walk by the guards without soliciting notice. His cologne alone would attract attention. It was a sharp scent with just that little bit of sweetness in it. Shinji’s sudden cheer brightened Dorian’s own disposition and he immediately directed his attention to the nearest waitress. She planted a drink in his hand – the one he had ordered earlier. So the bartender had remembered! Dorian smiled broadly to her, catching her arm before she would slip off.

“Just a moment darling. Could you bring my young friend here some orange juice? “ He motioned a finger towards Shinji. The waitress cast her gaze on the boy and then nodded. “Sure thing. I’ll be back shortly.” She tapped Dorian on the shoulder and smiled and he let her arm go although he watched her progression through the bar crowd quite pointedly before he turned back to Shinji, in time to hear about his education situation. He would be lying if he said the waitress’s unsolicited touch and apparently confident attitude hadn’t distracted his intentions for the evening. Dorian already envisioned himself staying until closing time and joining her down the street as she went home from work. His eyes were sparkling.

Leaning back into the seat, his attention snapped back to Shinji. “That sounds like you’re one of the sharper tools in the shed,” Dorian said with lazy eyes somewhat warm of friendliness. He raised the new glass to his lips, taking a quick sip of the new martini. When Dorian had been in school he had been held back a year due to his uncomfortable living conditions not once, but twice. “What about college? What career are you heading for?” It was sort of strange to inquire about others’ education. He hadn’t even graduated from highschool.

Shinji’s last words made Dorian shrug, now twirling the liquid in his glass again. His eyes were cast on nothing specific somewhere to his left and the edge of his chin was supported in his palm. “Not out of my mind, but out of boredom, yes.” Without changing his position, his eyes slowly shifted in Shinji’s direction. “Isn’t that why anyone talks or does things with others? Because they’re too bored with their own company alone?”