Christmas “Celebration”

[Hayden]

Hayden didn't actually wait for permission before he flipped on the hot water. He been having any number of kids in the bar since meeting Nox so he started catering a little to them as they wandered his space. That would have to change once the bar opened, but they seemed to understand the boundaries even with the club. They were never around making things awkward when the paying customers were there. Just off ours.

"That's just his go to song. He does others. But I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to show off his skills with what he's been working lately." Hayden knew Ashton was working with Nox on some choreography and the kids audition for the club. Hayden actually wanted to see it in person, but he wasn't exactly sure how that'd work. He'd have to talk to Nox -- when they were talking again of course.

Hayden prepared three glasses of Hot Chocolate in a mug dropping a shot of Vodak, Baileys and Irish Creme into two of them. And one he just topped off with whipped cream. We didn't want to have a drunk Siren.

Hayden pushed the drink across the bar. "To warm up." He didn't really acknowledge her previous question. He picked up his cup and sipped at the warmth. "Tell me, what brings you out to our little corner of the Red Light District?"

The song Ashton was singing ended and he moved on a more recent song from last year. But the undertone of the Siren's song remained the same. He projected peace and calm and trust. Hayden aught to consider hiring him, not as Karaoke but as just a regular entertainer. Though Nox might have something to say about poaching his prize.

[Tatyana]

Tatyana didn’t really notice that he started making it. She wasn’t really paying attention. She would generally do so - to make sure they weren’t putting anything untoward in her drink. This time of year she never really cared. If he wanted to drug her drink - well it was what it was. For the first time today, she was finding herself calm. That should have felt weird but it didn’t.

The drink was placed in front of her. It looked super fancy. She never drank anything that looked like this. Steam rose from a mug of hot chocolate. She let go of her rum and picked up the mug with both hands. It was hot, but not enough to burn.

”My feet,” she said in answer to Hayden’s question. It wasn’t meant to be funny or sarcastic. It was just the truth. She hadn’t really intended to come here. She hadn’t intended to go anywhere. She had just walked.

She took a drink of Hayden’s concoction. Her reaction was one of surprise. She pulled the mug away and swallowed the liquid she had consumed. For a moment she stared at the mug and then set it on the counter, continuing to stare.

Something was wrong with it. It wasn’t that it tasted bad. It was the complete opposite. It had tasted good. Alcohol wasn’t supposed to taste good. At least it wasn’t why she drank it. She always drank because she wanted to drown her emotions. This was odd to her. She continued to look at it, any words said by either party unheard. Slowly she gripped the mug again and took another sip. There was alcohol in it. She could taste it, but there was also flavor.

”Just started walking. No real place in mind. I ended up here.” she said, explaining her previous answer. Her eyes turned to the man singing. His song was pretty. She wondered if she could ask him to sing a song. But deep down she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it. Deep down she knew that song would hurt. She turned away. She didn’t want to hurt.

[Hayden]

Hayden nodded. "He takes requests."

He watched her as she examined the cup. He wondered about her thoughts. And could only guess she hasn't had anything like it. "I can make you something else after you warm up."

"A friend of mine walks a lot. But never aimlessly. He runs when he's got things on his mind. Me personally, I like to sit and think with a good drink." He smiled and nodded for Ashton to come get his drink before it got cold.

The song ended and he came and sat next to Tanya. [color#4abb17]"Do you sing? Or do anything creative?""[/color]

[Tatyana]

He finished his song and moved to have his drink. Tatyana took another drink of hers. She shook her head when Hayden mentioned requests. She wasn’t going to ask. Not now - probably not ever. Topics were shifting. They were asking about her a little more directly, trying to find things out. She didn’t know why and wasn’t sure she wanted to talk about herself. It got a little too close to trying to forget.

She finished her drink as Hayden sat next to her. She laid her head on the bar. She wasn’t feeling sick or tired, but the room sometimes would spin and it made her feel a little dizzy. Hayden was telling her what a friend of his did and what he did when things were on his mind. She didn’t want to talk about what was on hers.

”Not really. I’m not really interesting,” she said, the side of her head resting on the bar. Maybe if she could convince them she wasn’t, they wouldn’t ask more. She felt strange though - not from the alcohol. Something that made her say more. ”Used to dance. Don’t do that anymore. Do some martial arts.” the dancing had really only been to work on balance, but she had been good and had enjoyed it somewhat. But there was a question she had for them. ”Why do you care?” she said. There was no venom in her words. Just a simple question. Most would have passed her by on the street. Any respectable bartender would have thrown her to the corner.

[Ashton]

Ashton was grateful for the hot chocolate. He wasn't that cold but it was always nice that Hayden thought of everyone too. And he didn't automatically liquor everyone up. He knew his patrons well. He paid attention.

She didn't seem to want to answer too much but the kindness and the siren song helped open her up some. It might not last long, but it would set the foundation if they didn't do anything to spook her.

"I'm paying it forward." He said simply. "Someone helped me, even after I really hurt him. He saved me. Gave me a roof over my head, three squares a day. He supports everything I want to do. He cares. And he doesn't have to. I can't repay him. But I can help others. Why not start with you?" Ashton grinned.

[Hayden]

Hayden grinned at Ashton's words. Nox was the reason. Of course he was. But then those kids had a shit life. Nox felt for them. He felt for everyone -- a bleeding heart. Something that was going to get him dead one day.

Hayden nodded. "I'll be honest, I don't so much as care. Ashton asked for my help so I'm helping him. And you look like you need a good night's rest, in a bed, under a roof and to be shown kindness. And the same friend who helped Ashton would want me to help you, even if it's only for one night. He can't save everyone but he'd try." Hayden leaned back against the bar behind him. "And the questions I'm asking are to guage whether or not I trust you to stay in my safe house."

[Tatyana]

Tatyana sat up, bringing her head up at the singer’s words. That was strange. All of it. ”That doesn’t make sense. People don’t do that. Not anymore.” Tatyana grabbed her bottle and took a drink. Grimacing. It’s wasn’t good rum. It was cheap - what she could afford. But the deliciousness of Hayden’s drink reinforced the poor flavor.

She looked back at the singer. ”You take requests he said? Do you know any Elton John?” she asked. It wasn’t even close to what she was thinking earlier. But she liked his singing.

She didn’t respond to Hayden right away. It wasn’t that he hurt her feelings by saying he didn’t care. She actually appreciated the honesty. At least he told her he didn’t really give a shit. She understood transactional relationships. He was doing this because he owed someone else or someone else owed him. It was the basis of her relationship with Zeke. A bed sounded nice. She couldn’t even remember the last time she slept in one. Not that it mattered. She probably wouldn’t be sleeping in one tonight either.

”So this other guy is the paragon of virtue then? she put her head back down. ”What do you want to know?” she didn’t know if she’d actually answer his questions or not.

[Ashton]

Ashton laughed."Nox does. He's not a Paragon of virtue. He's a fucking mess. But he has a savior complex. He wants to save everyone." that was one of the first things most people notice about their sanity. He doesn't care who you are he wants to save you. And if you are family there is nothing he won't do got you.

"I can sing any song you like. It's karaoke. Can't stay it'll be great but I can do whatever." He knew a few some but it was easy to sing when sing was your natural state.

[Hayden]

Hayden chuckled at Ashton's assessment of Nox. He was 100% correct. Nox had a savior complex. It's what fueled nearly every action. The other fuel to the fire was being better than his father. But she didn't need to know that bit.

She asked what he wanted to know. He didn't have a list or anything. "I don't have a list. I just want to talk and you aren't being very forth coming so it's the stupid questions that act like small talk."

Aston laughed. "The more you talk the more he knows about you. It's his gift. "

Hayden rolled his eyes. It wasn't a gift. "More like a plague. " Though Hayden had no issues with his abilities they were all he really knew and he used them and other people used him for them.

"Before your get carried you here and you purchased your treasure what eyes you doing?"

[Tatyana]

Tatyana cringed a bit as he laughed. Felt like he was making fun of her. She didn’t believe him. People didn’t do that. They never did. Not for nothing. Beyond that, Tatyana felt a little bad. She hadn’t been forthcoming, but that was normal. They had been kind and so far had asked for nothing in return. ”Doesn’t make sense,” she said quietly.

Tatyana didn’t lift her head to speak. ”Could you sing Rocketman, please? she didn’t know why she picked that one. Maybe it just resonated with her mood this time of year. She hated Christmas time.

”Sorry,” she about not being forthcoming, surprisingly sincere. ”Dont talk to people much.” it was true, but it hadn’t always been that way. She used to be a lot more open. ”Not treasure. Medicine. So I don’t feel. And before that I had some food at the church.” she said, thinking back to what she could remember. ”Tried to figure out my magic too, but that didn’t work.” it never worked when she was sober. She didn’t know why. She was still holding it and could feel its power within her. She hadn’t used it yet, but she knew she could.