2019-12-14 - Park's Birthday Party! The Public Bits

It's Park's birthday! And she wasn't going to let that go unnoticed by all her friends. Not because she wanted lots of presents, she's not that kind of girl, but more to share the joy of a happy day. Open invitations sent out to everyone she knows, and a few she didn't, to come to Two If By Sea when they could. Park, dressed in sneakers, white tights, short denim skirt, and Pickachu t-shirt, is already giggling and dancing to the music. She sings her own song - 'Twenty-two today, twenty-two today, I have the keys to the door, never been twenty-two before'. There is an alcohol tab on the bar and snacks on the tables.

He'd gotten the text this morning that Park's party was gonna be at Two If By Sea, so after getting home and changing after work, he'd stopped by Safeway and then headed for the bar. Rolling in through the door, he peeks around for a minute, searching for any signs of a birthday party. Thankfully, there aren't that many Asians running around in outfits like Park's, so it doesn't take him long to find her and start heading in her direction.

Mae got the text whilst she was bumming around her place in sweats with wild hair. So after a shower and changing into something more suitable for celebratory dancing, she's arrived. She is wearing heels and her little black dress, her hair pulled up into a messy bun. She wiggles her fingers toward the bartender as she makes her way over to Park, a present in hand. "Happy Birthday babe!" She gives the woman a half hug, setting the present on the bar. "Hey." She greets Tyrone, flashing him a brief smile as she moves to settle on a stool. She's not quite ready for dancing yet. "So how are you, Park? Seventeen?"

Park squeals with excitement at every arrival. Hugs incoming! "You look so awesome, Mae" she sighs in playful envy of her beautiful friend, who gets a full hug in return. "You didn't have to get me a present but that was so nice of you." Is Park getting teary? Yes, yes she is. But she quickly wipes away the moisture and her grin is back. "I want everyone to celebrate today. Tyrone! You came!! Do you know each other? Tyrone. Mae. Mae. Tyrone. You should be able to figure out who is who." A roll of her eyes at her prospective age. "Don't be silly. I couldn't work at the Cabaret if I was sixteen. I'm twenty-two!! Yay!"

Looking up at the woman in the little black dress, Tyrone appears a little surprised by the ink. Not mortified-surprised, just the usual "holy crap, is it everywhere?" look Zoiya is probably used to be getting. He's wearing the camoflauge military jacket and utility cover he almost always wears, over another USMC t-shirt and fatigue pants. "Sup?" he offers to Zoiya, upnodding. And then he gives Park her welcome hug and pulls a card out of his jacket. "Happy Birthday," he tells her, offering her the card.

"Oh my god girl, don't you dare cry, it's just some make up so we can get that practice in." Mae gestures for a drink, murmuring out an order for a gin and tonic. She turns her attention to Tyrone and she returns the upnod with a wink. "Hey." She isn't surprised by the look, taking in stride as she picks up a nibble to push between her lips. "Twenty two?" She purses her lips and settles a gaze on Park. "Lie about your age. You can get away with it." She brushes an escaped lock of hair behind her ears which are dangling bright golden chandelier earrings. "So we're here to dance and get a little drunk tonight?"

"You got me a card? Oh my gosh, that's awesome." Park clutches it to her chest as if it was sacred before placing it next to Mae's present. "Make-up? Oh, gosh, thank you. I can't wait to practice with you. Oh...why should I pretend to be younger? Is that to do with that schoolgirl thing those men keep asking me about?" She shrugs it off and the broad smile is back. "Dance! Drunk! Party! I hope others can come. I invited, like, everyone!! Hey, should I get a birthday tattoo?"

Drunk? Dancing? He smiles a little and shrugs. "I'm down." And then Park is talking about lying about her age and he facepalms and shakes his head. He chuckles and offers, "Y'all Asians look like you're twelce til you're forty, anyway. Nobody's ever gonna guess."

Mae chuckles at Park's enthusiasm, reaching out to brush some of her hair back. "Probably about the schoolgirl thing. Yes about the tattoo. Half of these are birthday tattoos." She picks up her drink and takes two healthy swallows, setting it down as she sucks in a breath and shudders. "Been a while since I've had gin." She picks up her phone and gazes down at it. "You invited everyone?" She sets her phone down and slips down from her stool. "Let's dance then. Get them to play something with some beat and bass." She chortles at Tyrone's words, nodding her agreement. "He's absolutely not wrong about that."

"Half of those are birthday tattoos?" Park stares incredulous at Zoiya's body covering. "Uh-uh" she says, shaking her head, "No way are you that old." A giggle at Tyrone. "I hope I never get to forty then." A nod about the music and she skips, literally skips, over to the DJ to request something to dance too. And loud! "Don't you like gin anymore?" she asks while taking Mae's hands to lead her to the dancefloor. "If Love was here, she could makes us some amazing birthday drinks. Probably even with candles. What tattoo should I get?"

Well, everybody's already getting ready to go to the dance floor, so Tyrone quickly puts an order in for a beer and is handed a bottle rather swiftly. He rolls after the two ladies onto the dance floor, though he makes sure to park slightly out of the way in case more people decide to join them. He's a very definite trip hazzard for inebriated individuals. And he's certainly not lubricated enough to dance, himself, yet.

Mae grins at Park, nodding. "There are a lot of tiny ones babe. Look at my fingers." She splays them out, they're inked on most available surfaces. She lets Park take her hand, walking out onto the dance floor. "Gin is fine, just been a while. Longer than I thought, actually." She tilts her head, waiting for the music to start, and when it does she moves her body with it. There is a reason Mae is a dancer, she loves to move. She holds Park's arm up, so she can twirl and grins at Tyrone. "Maybe we should have brought Park a tiara. I think she looks like she could do well as a Princess."

"Did you stop drinking?" Park asks Mae, feeling a little guilty that she may be starting her friend on the dark road once more. No, it's a one day only happy road! "You are totally not older than me" she giggles as she dances. Nowhere near as sexy as Mae, but not too bad. Park loves her music too. Twirling, dipping, shaking what little her mama gave her. A blush at talk of being a princess. "Don't be silly, you are the queen, and the one who needs a crown. Dance with us, Ty!"

Holding his beer up, Tyrone shakes his head at Park. "I'm good. Maybe in a bit," he responds, though he is tapping his other hand along with the rhythm. If anyone knew him better, they would probably be able to tell that he seems a liiiittle uncomfortable at the moment. But, that's why he's taking another long drink from his beer. Definitely a great way to ease anxiety! "And yeah, she could be like a little pikachu princess," he agrees with Zoiya.

Mae turns her back to Park, arms raised over her head as she closes her eyes and sways to the music. "I swear to god." She says conversationally, her voice pitched to be heard above the music. "This girl is obsessed with Pikachu." She turns her head and smirks at the birthday girl. "No, I didn't stop drinking, I need alcohol to keep me from murdering people, are you insane?" She is back to communing with the music, not paying attention to the people around her so much as she starts to really move.

Somewhere well after the party's started, Love walks into TIBS with a little silver-wrapped package in her hand, the sparkly silver wrapping paper finished with a spiral-laden ribbon tied into a bow. The tattooed painter wanders through the crowd, her gaze skimming the bar first, then the dance floor. She spots Mae first, lifts a hand to wave, and it's as she's moving out there to join them that she notes Park and Tyrone. "Aloha." She grins and dances her way the last few yards to the grouping. "Happy birthday!"

Viktor's nothing if not a connoisseur of arriving fashionably late. That is, if he ever arrives at all. Judging by the fact he enters TIBS from the rear stairwell leading down to the beach, still clad in a warm windbreaking coat with a small kit bag strapped over one shoulder? He damn near didn't arrive at all. This, most likely, would be a detour brought on by a last-minute text message.

He's got two extra things that he definitely didn't have the last time most of the gathered group (Or rest of TIBS) saw him. One would be the small canvas bag that hangs by two straps from his fingers, and the other would be a couple week's worth of winter-face-fuzz. He does not join the dancing. He instead joins the bar, waving to the gathered bunch with a wide, teeth-baring smile and a clenched mutter of "Yay. Dancing."

Park, though still dancing, will give Mae a little space to really show off her moves; and take notes. "Pikachu is awesome" she protests with a giggle. Still no drinking from the birthday girl since inhaling the aroma of beer can get her wasted, and there's a whole day to enjoy. "Love!!" Park squeals above the music before giving the woman a tight hug. "Thank you for coming! I'm going to get a birthday tattoo!" There is a little sniffle at the possibility of another present. People are soooo kind. "Tab on the bar if you want something to drink. Not a can of Tab, but one of those things where you don't have to pay for anything. At least until the tab is used up and then the barmen said they'd let me know by glaring at me." Speaking of glares. "Viktor! Oh my gosh." Park rushes over to give hugs!

As more people come and wish Park a happy birthday, Tyrone smiles. She's a lucky girl, having so many people close. And her band. Tyrone is quietly happy for Park, while he drinks his beer and watches the ladies dancing from a 'safe' spot near the speakers. He bobs his head to the music and pops a wheelie in his chair, rocking back and forth to the music a little. Apparently, the music and the beer is starting to get to him. And, as another person joins them on the dance floor, it's clear he's contemplating joining them. Just nooooooooot yet ....

Mae notes the arrival of Love and Viktor, the first getting a blown kiss and the second getting a vaguely narrow-eyed look. She bounces along with the music, not paying attention to anyone around them once she's made her nebulous greetings. She occasionally tugs down the skirt of her little black dress, keeping things modest, but only just. When the song ends she walks back to the bar, plucks up her drink and downs the rest of it. "Tequila, shot please." She says to the bartender with a chummy grin. She leans against the bar, catching her breath.

"Hey, Par-OhJesus*No*!" That would be about as far as Viktor gets before the meteor-strike of a Park hug connects, forcing the air out of his jacket, if not also his lungs. And bloodstream. Don't question it, Park could manage a hug that did that, he's certain of it. Returning the hug with the soft and repeated pat of a swinging bag hitting her back, Vik peels himself away to offer it out to her. "It was short notice on my part, and while I'd love to say I spent hours thinking about a gift, I stopped in at a craft store on the way in."

He'd look more apologetic if he actually put any effort in. But there's better things to throw energy towards, like asking "Did you say you opened a tab?" and whispering "Why is Mae looking like she'd be throwing knives? Does she have knives? Park did you see knives on her?"

Another present? It's like it is her birthday or something. Park takes the bag from Viktor, grinning so brightly with her dental student teeth that she is in danger of causing snow blindness. "Thank you!" At least he avoids another hug...but gets a kiss on the cheek instead. She peers into the bag and gasps. "Oh my gosh! We were just talking about this." Park pulls out the tiara and waves it at Mae and Tyrone. "Look! Princess tiara!!" With tongue stuck firmly between lips as she concentrates, she balances it upon her head before doing a twirl for Viktor. "How does it look? Yes, tab on the bar. Help yourself." A glance over at Mae. "I dunno. I don't think she has knives. Not in that dress. Come say 'hello' to everyone!

Park bounces back to the bar to show off the rest of the contents of the bag - beads. "So pretty." And there is Love's present too. "Are you mad at Viktor, Mae?" A little pout to follow. "No mad on my birthday" she giggles. "I loved the wheelie, Ty! Get on out there and dance!"

Love returns the Parklove, squeezing back, her arms wrapped around the shorter woman in a boob smooshing, genuine hug. It's the kind of hug that left long enough will start to release oxytocin if held long enough. When it comes to hugging, Love doesn't fudge around. "Birthday tattoo? Are you? Did you decide what yet?" She grins, clearly all for this idea, as if it wasn't obvious from the full body ink job she has going. "This is nothing major, but I thought of you." She hands over the wrapped box. It's quite lightweight. "Yes, sweetpea." Love's smile widens. "I know tabs." Of course she does, as it's bartendery knowledge and drinky knowledge and she has both. "I'm going in soon for some new ink myself." She watches Park missile take off to impart a hug to Vik. Her grin widens just a hair more. She blows a kiss to Mae, then shimmies her way to the bar to join the group. Drinks before more dancing.

Still holding the wheelie, Tyrone blinks over at Park when she says she loves what he's doing. Just like before, he lifts his beer to Park and calls over to her, "I'm good!" And then he takes another drink from it. Except ... wait ... what's this? Empty? /Empty?! Well THAT just won't do! Dropping the wheelie and rolling back across the dancefloor, Tyrone makes his way back to the bar. "Hey, is it time for shots, yet? ... you /are/ doing birthday shots, right?" he asks, looking between Park, Love and Viktor.

Park is right, there is no room in that little black dress for daggers, knives or anything else. There is barely room for Mae. She downs her shot of tequila and aims a two fingered, casual salute toward Viktor. "I tried to win that shooting thing, but since I wasn't quite so lucky I think I'm gonna pester you for a lesson anyway." She walks over to Love and body bumps her before she gives a brief one-armed hug. "Hey girl." She shakes her head toward Park. "I'm never mad at anyone, it's unproductive." She considers the possibility of getting another drink, but feels lubricated enough to dance again. She leans in to take a look at Park's present and makes a tiny adjustment to the tiara. "All right Princess, is there a cake here somewhere or should I sneakily have one delivered?"

Viktor scrunches his face up in the most faux of disgusts, rubbing a quick hand against his just-kissed cheek before throwing Park a satisfied little nod at the twirl. "Perfect. Park the Party Princess!" Whooo then bounces off to the bar. That's as good a time as any for Vik to take up a seat, dropping the bag from his shoulder and wrapping the strap with a little lazy loop of his ankle. It's a bar, it never hurts to make sure your kit isn't about to wander off on its own. "Shots seem like a terrible idea."

That would be Viktor speech for 'At least half of the people here will be up for it, and it's nice to meet you.' The last part proven by an offered-out hand to Tyrone as he makes his way over and a quick, if non-commital "Vik. Don't think we've met?"

He's still in the process of that when his eyes dart up to Mae, offering a slight apology via smile. "I didn't think it'd raise that much! You come over any time, Mae."

"I haven't decided on a tattoo yet" Park shrugs to Love at the bar. "It definitely won't be a Pikachu though!" She adds that for Mae's benefit. Opening up Love's present, there is another of those gasps of hers. "I love it!! Thank you. So cute!!" She rummages around inside the Pusheen tote, pulling out some cute little animals and then...a knife? Looks like someone is armed now...and pleasantly confused.

"We're all doing birthday shots!" Park grins to Tyrone. "But I need to wait a bit long or I will fall over." A smile as her crown is adjusted before looking horrified. "Oh no! I forgot the cake!" She is seriously horrified if not full on distraught. Her phone whipped out to try and find a bakery still open. "Everyone okay with rainbow cake with lashings of chocolate?" A smile for Vik to intrude on her panic. "The best ideas are terrible ideas. Wait...that doesn't sound right. Everyone go dance while I get cake." On a Saturday...shouldn't be a problem.

"Birthday shots are always a thing," Love replies to Tyrone. When Mae comes in for a body bump, Love's arms reflexively wrap around the dancer, and she gives her a boob-squishing squeeze as well. She thwarts the one-armed hug. She has long arms, ok. She also smells like cookies. She lets her go when dancing is mentioned again, murmurs, "I need a couple of shots, and then I might come join you." She doesn't dance at the club very often, though sometimes somebody might catch her dancing in place to certain songs played by Park between numbers. When the DJ pulls out her gift's surprise knife, she makes nooo comments.

At the appearance of the tiara, Love thumbs up to Vik, then leans in to take a standing spot at the bar. Just after he says shots seem like a terrible idea, she mhms and orders four Hot Damns, a combo of whiskey, vodka, orange juice, and rum. "Anytime after noonish," she adds to Viks invite to Mae. "Unless you wanna cuddle up in bed and nap." She's rarely in bed before the sun in winter, and sometimes not until noon in peak surf season. When surf season rolls around, she's gonna have to have a talk with Antonio about her hours.

Yes. Shots. Perfect. Tyrone sets his empty bottle on the bar and then gleefully rubs his hands together when Love orders what she orders. Being a former marine, he's definitely not concerned about the amount of alcohol contained in said shots. In fact, the more, the better. But he should definitely be properly lubed to dance after this.

Looking up to Viktor, Tyrone reaches out and takes the proffered hand, nodding to the man. "Tyrone. Nice to meet you," he replies. He then upnods at Love, too, since she's also new, and repeats, "Tyrone." Just in case she cared to meet him. "Good call on those shots," he adds. Then, he turns to Park and smirks. "It's your birfday. You s'posed to be lean't. That's what /we/ here for. Keep you upright long enough for the next shot." At least, that's the way the do it in the corps! ... or something.

"Don't you dare invite me over, mention cuddles and nap and the pull that shit back when I show up for it." Mae warns, waggling a manicured and inked finger at Love. She moves toward the bar, leaning near Tyrone. She rolls her eyes as she watches Park trying to find cake. "If you can't find cake woman, I'm sure Love knows a drink that tastes like it."

She aims a brief smile at Viktor. "I'm gonna make good on that offer. You best believe." She plucks her phone out of her purse, taps out a quick text and then deposits it back in. "What are those shots called again?"

Alison pushes her way in through the door, her red hair trailing behind her as she hurries. She'd been busy at work, not able to show up to the little shindig until now, so she's not dressed up at all, but has some basic makeup and lipstick on, at least.

The redhead grins widely when she spots Park in addition to the few other faces that she recognizes in the group, attacking Park with a hug and a kiss on the cheek before the Korean-American woman can strike first. She then sets a giftwrapped box on the table, bearing a ribbon and a nametag reading Mee.

"Hey, hold on, we can live without cake! Shots are just as good." When otherwise not occupied, she orders herself a pina colada, which is decidedly not shots. Big one!

Vik gives the other guy a quick nod, twisting sideways on his seat to rest his ribs up against the bar. It's just in time to catch the sight of knife. His eyes glance towards Love, then back towards PARK AND A KNIFE. Then to Love. There's no shock on his expression. At all. It's more a slow, dawning realization. "That explains some things." Oh good. Drinks. Keep those good old combinations going!

He takes up his own glass just in time to hear Mae's warning. And it gets a laugh. An honest-to-god burst of laughter. "Mae, you time it right, there is no alternative to nap. Hell knows I won't be getting up."

Park looks between Mae and Love as they banter, smiling happily. "I love how such good friends you are" she sighs. "Like, totally platonic soulmates and stuff. It's so wonderful." Uh-oh, more tears to wipe away before nodding sadly to Mae. "Yeah, I don't think I'm going to be able to find a cake. Love! Mae got me some make-up and she's going to show me how to use it so I don't look twelve anymore" she grins before a tilt of her head at Tyrone. "At least I don't weigh much I guess..."

"Alison!" Damn, she was beaten to the hugging, but it is returned! "So glad you could come. There's a tab on the bar and dancing on the floor. Later, we'll do tab on the floor and dancing on the bar." She takes the present with excitement. "Thank you. Viktor got me this tiara." Park points at it atop her head. "And Love got me some cute animals and...knives. And Tyrone gave me a sweet card. Gosh, best birthday ever. And I'm going to get a birthday tattoo! Everyone party!!"

Love turns her silver eyes on Mae and asks, "Have I ever lied to you?" She turns her back to the bar, her arm brushing Viks' shoulder, and leans back against it while she waits for her order. It takes a couple of minutes to pull together four of those. "I can, in fact, make you a drink that tastes like it. A birthday cake martini." She leans back on the bar, "Barkeep! One birthday cake martini!" Does TIBS do those kinds of drinks? They'll shortly find out. She glances over at Vik, finally. "What." Like she doesn't know what he's referring to.

"Yeah, he's lazy AF in the morning. How do you think I ended up with a key?" She happens to glance over as a very pretty redhead enters the bar. You can tell by the intensity of her pale gaze that she's already thinking about asking her to sit for a painting. Or maybe you can't. Love doesn't talk a lot about art lately. Actually, it might get a little uncomfortable if Alison notices her staring.

"Aw, Mee. You're sweeter than cotton candy. You make me smile every time we meet. I don't think you look twelve now, sweetpea." Though her choice of nicknames may suggest the opposite, she says it with fondness, and calls everyone she likes the same. "I think you'd look hot with silver and black stacked eyeliner, and Mae knows what she's doing with eyes. And all the rest, while we're on the subject." This is Love, and Love hasn't even had a drink yet. Just then, the shots arrive, and she begins passing them out. One for Mee, one for Mae, one for Tyrone, and one for herself. Vik tends to favor spicy hot shots, and this isn't that. At least not to the level he prefers. "Babe, did you get a fireball?"

Cassidy's entrance into the bar is big and obvious. In her defense, it does seem like she didn't intend that and is attempting something at low key, but her presence is simply a big one. She can't help flinging the door open so widely or the noise of each firmly planted step on the hardwood or walking like she owns the place. That's just how she is. Aside from /that/, she's dressed casually and modestly. Her hair is pulled out of her face and her make-up is minimal. She's clearly not really here to get a lot of attention.

The blonde's eyes are cast down at the screen of her phone. How she navigates the room to the bar counter while looking down at that screen is anyone's best guess. But she's there now.

"Hey Mae. Hey..." she looks up, now, but only for what it takes to scan around for a short moment, "...other people..." and eyes back to her phone. "I'll have a lemon drop" - that is, ostensibly, meant for the bartender or perhaps any within earshot who want to buy her one.

About 15 seconds later she snaps her fingers near her ear like she just remembered something and points a wagging finger upward, "...Tyrone...Yes. I know you." but she's still looking at her phone.

"Yeah, I dunno where you'd get a cake at this hour," Tyrone offers, since it was brought up. But then he's being passed a shot and he grins, holding it up to look at the pretty colors before smelling it. "Alriiiight," he approves, nodding. "To the birthday girl! Four down, eighteen to go!" he toasts. And then he'll wait for everyone else to be ready, and will clink any proffered clinkages, before downing his drink. And then, because of course he would, he'll whoop and toss his head a little before setting the shot glass back up on the bar.

The new people get upnods, except for Cassidy, who instead gets a very puzzled, eyebrow raised look. "... you do? I don't know you ...," he responds, staring fairly obviously as he tries to recognize her in the lower light. When he fails to do so, he shrugs and shakes his head again. She's gonna ignore everybody and be on her phone, anyway? Oh well. "Okay. /Now/ we can dance," he announces, starting to take off the military-style jacekt he's been wearing this whole time. The utility cover remains on his head, though.

Mae looks amused by Love, kissing her on the cheek before she says something quietly to her. She then pulls her phone from her purse, and whatever is in text makes her blink slowly, a frown forming on her lips. She moves over to Park next, and anyone nearby might hear the words : emergency, shovel, worried. Shortly after she tenders brief farewells to a few other people. She pulls on her coat, pulls it close to her body, and is out the door shortly after.

Alison subsequently unclings from Park after the hug. "Awesome!" She looks around through the cloud, giving Mae a little wave and a grin, and then another wave as she suddenly has to take off. Her eyes glance from person to person in the group, landing on Love eventually, meeting her gaze. "Oh, you DJ with Mee, right? Hi! I'm Alison." She offers Love a little wave as well, before continuing to glance around, a smile on her face, paired nicely with her soft voice. Friends, the promise of alcohol, and birthday cheer, are enough to lift her usual resting bitch face from her expression.

Her pina colada arrives, and she takes a big long sip from the glass. Yeah, that's the stuff. Cassidy entering the bar gets her a wave too. She recognizes her from the Grizzly at least once? And then she remembers that time that she tried that thing on her with mixed results. Hm.

The fireball was at the bar damn near as soon as Viktor was. Because sometimes, that's just how TIBS do. "Just the one. You know, for comparison's sake." He flashes Love a little smile. What's the point in knowing multiple bartenders if you can't pit them against one another, anyway?

His testing sip comes soon after, raising up the glass once he's deemed the light red mixture palatable. "Mee, never not be a bundle of whatever the hell it is you are." That's a compliment, honest. "And God have mercy on this town if we ever find out there's two of you."

It's only then that he appears to notice other people in the bar, the departure of Mae, and the fact there's someone asking about Love and DJ'ing. "Hoboy. Now it's a party."

"Yeah. At the gym." Cassidy says to Tyrone...whilst looking at her phone. She takes a deep breath and lets out a harsh sigh as she looks up to the bartender and cancels her order. "Duty calls," she says to no one and tosses her phone into her purse. "See you later Tyrone."

With that, Cassidy hops off her stool and leaves.

Park takes the cocktail and sniffs at it. "This tastes like birthday cake? What kind?" Inquiring minds want to now. "Silver and black" she nods, thinking on this kind of eye make-up. "Whatever Mae thinks is best." And it looks like she is leaving. There is an emergency shovel thing that has to be dealt with. "Thanks for coming." Another hug before the exotic dancer heads off. "See you at work!" One person leaves, one arrives. Handing her drink to Alison for a moment, Park gives the complete stranger known as Cassidy a hug - phone be damned. "Welcome to my birthday! I'm Park. Or Mee. I don't mind which. You know Tyrone? Isn't he cool? Not cool like in cold, though I think it's pretty cold out there, but cool in like he's awesome. There's a tab on the bar and dancing on the floor." Except she leaves pretty much straight after. "Was it something I said?"

Park rescues her drink from Alison before it is sipped at but looks confused that Tyrone doesn't know the pretty blonde lady in return. "Yes! Now we dance! After the drink. Oh, no, Alison. Love is the barkeep at the Cabaret. Lyric is the other DJ. I hope she gets here soon too. Bottoms up!" A giggle at Viktor. "There's not two of me, silly."

Love gaze sweeps over Cassidy briefly, like she's trying to place her. Maybe she's seen her coming out of Espresso Yourself. Which, for some reason, reminds her she needs to text Blake about the security cameras. Her eyes go unfocused for a moment, and she's thinking about the body parts in the dumpster again. Just when you think you've got it beat. Flashbacks.

She glances over as Mae makes her escape, her gaze lingering on that frown, then the murmur, "Sure, babe." Someone's getting a text later. Her gaze flicks back to Alison. "Bartend, as Mee said, but close." She nods to the barkeep across the bar. "Another fireball for blue eyes over here. Four — make it six more shots. Wheels looks like he's gonna be thirsty after a boogie and I need at least two more, plus new arrivals." Someone will drink these Hot Damns. With that, she drains her first shot, and passes over a few bills as a tip for the bartender.

With his coat taken off and hung from the back of a nearby chair, Tyrone is graciously out of earshot when Love calls him 'wheels.' He's already headed back onto the dance floor, where the speakers bumping bass in his face make it much harder for him to hear. But, not harder to dance, which is what he's starting to do now. And his version of dancing involves leaving the chair parked and moving his upper body, occasionally rocking a little with the rhythm of the music, the chair mostlyh staying put while he gets in the groove all by his lonesome.

Lyric comes in carrying a giftbag that has Pokeballs all over it. The red white and black ones, not the ultra or great ones. Straight to the bar where Park is and she hugs her then offers over the gift bag with a grin. "Happy Birthday, Park." She steps back so she doesn't interrupt more and waves to the others, "Hi Guys," generalizing everyone with guys. Somehow she doesn't seem surprised to see Tyrone there and she gives a wave to him over on the dance floor, bobbing her head to the beat. To the bartender, she orders one of those gummy fish things they have that are super weird, but fun. "We need a gummy bear drink at the Cabaret, but I bet the glasses would be hard to wash."

Alison shoots a finger at Love. "Right! My bad. I knew it was something at the Cabaret, though." Her eyes hover back on the tall woman (especially in those heels!), her grey colored hair, and the tattoos. So many tattoos! But then it's her stare that's rude, so she breaks off her brief little oggle fest, conveniently just as she's handed Park's drink.

The redhead stares at Mee's drink, pondering something. She's just about to go in to snag a drink from it, when Park snatches it back out of her hand, post-hug. Huff. So she takes a sip from her own drink in her other hand. "Dancing, huh? Sounds good to me." She drags a hairband out of the back pocket of her jeans, pulling her flowing red hair into a neat ponytail with one hand, pina colada gripped in the other. Alison's has a little bit of practice at this, working her wrist in a deft little motion to usher the hairband over the gripped locks. "Oh, Lyric's the other DJ, right! Hi Lyric." She'd wave, but her hands are otherwise occupied.

Viktor's fine sipping his fireball, thank you. That and giving Love the lightest little jab dead center of her left buttcheek when she starts to go all PTSD Zoneout. And then she's ordering another drink for him when he's only halfway about a quarter through the first. Which only means it's time to double down.

Park gets a grin, which conveniently distracts from Alison's brief little ogglefest of the woman next to him. "I know there isn't two of you. I'm just saying, if there were? We'd all either live our best lives, or be doomed. DOOMED, MEE." There is no middle ground on that.

He's halfway through another sip when he blinks. "Wait, was there another blonde here a second ago? Did I blink? LOVE ARE PEOPLE VANISHING AGAIN?"

Park downs her cocktail and immediately her legs start wobbling and she has to grab someone to stay upright. "Oh gosh, they do taste like birthday cake." Another giggle - is it more giggly than she was before the drink? Who can tell? "Tyrone can dance so good" she sighs. "It's like Riverdance but with the top half. "Lyric!" Park squees, returning hugs before taking the bag. "Everyone has given me such wonderful presents" she sighs before peeking inside. "Oh, wow, a Pokeball dress! Can I wear this on stage? Oh! I'm going to get a party tattoo!!" She stiffens in shock for a moment. "Did everyone else see the bar revolve? And there's a tab on the bar. Does everyone know Lyric? Wait, does everyone know everyone?" Park quickly points at and names everyone. She even gets them right! The birthday girl pushes away from the bar and heads for the dance floor.

Round two! Fight! Love, if she notices the lingering look from Alison, says nothing of it. She's draining a second burning sweet shot, head tipped back, throat tattoos on display. Butterflies, roses, jewels, draping drop pearls, and flora. She reaches back with her other hand, and pulls out a half size business card, handing it over to Alison. "I paint portraits. I think you'd be a fantastic sitter." Does she get a poke to the butt in the middle of all this? Yes, she does. "Viktor Kovacs. That is not how you grabass. Drink more."

"We'd live our best lives. Someone else drink a shot!" She reaches for number three and puts it into the hand of the nearest person without a drink. Lyric! "Lyric, drink!" It takes a while to make the gummi thing. (Not that long, but drink anyway!) "I'm all for it if I don't have to wash the bowls." She can't help but smile when Mee goes a bit wobbles. She got here late, so Love has no idea how much the smaller woman has had to drink. "Babe, let me taste this thing you're drinking and see if it's as good as mine." She's not gonna like his drink. She leans in to reach for one of the two glasses anyway.

Love's a drinker by trade, and though the shots haven't hit her, she put them down fast and they're all gonna hit her at once, and soonish. She's not large, but she is tall, and that's over six feet of woman when she's wearing heels. Kinda challenges the center of gravity.

Having warmed up, Tyrone is doing his dang thang on the dance floor. He's got a serious, determined look on his face as he dances, what is normally referred to as "gettin' it." When Lyric comes in, he stops and waves at the woman, watching for a moment, before going back to dancing.

Lyric has a shot given towards her and she grins before chugging it. Or more like pouring it down. Shoulders lift at the burn and she squinches up her face a moment before putting the glass back down with a shiver. "Hot." Yes, burn hot not sexy hot! "Thank you," she tells Love with a grin, "The best bartender. Ever." No offense whoever is behind the bar here. Parks introductions only bring one new person to light, Viktor, but she waves to him and Alison too then looks back out at Tyrone dancing. "Gotta save me a dance!" Then watches as Park goes out there. She has a seat, swinging her legs as she waits for her gummy bear drink thing.

The redhead can't help but steal another glance of Love's tats as her head goes back, the ones on her neck in particular sticking out then. Jesus. If she wasn't such a wuss when it came to pain, she'd have a few of her own. The whole thing with redheads and pain holds true, at least with her, it does.

Alison blinks a bit as she takes the card from Love, "Uh.. thanks, I guess?" She looks a little confused, unsure as to if it's more of a compliment or a statement of fact. But aside from that, she hardly has any idea what a 'sitter' would do, other than.. possibly sit there? The redhead tucks the card in her back pocket, making a mental note to do some research on her phone.

She works on her pina colada for a bit longer, getting down to the dregs of the fruity rum cocktail, setting it down on the counter, eyeing the shots, snagging one with a cheeky wink in Love's direction, and downing it before she or anyone else can object.

Ali follows Park out to the dance floor, getting a bit stumbly herself. She's pretty small as well, and all that rum hitting her system on an empty stomach doesn't take long to make her feel a bit tipsy. Finding herself a little spot on the floor, she starts doing her dancey thing, managing to not make too big of a fool of herself. Up until she finds herself grinding on various people, those with the group and not, because that's just how she doooooooo, especially when tipsy.

Viktor's eyes glance up to the woman who just stole the drink she bought for him. Well, it was tabbed, but the thought counts.

He then looks back to his own half finished double, which, yes, for Love that totally counts as a 'shot.' He sloooowly pushes it away from himself, across the bar. Guess we know which of the two is driving home. A fact that's only affirmed when he casually raises a hand, elbow on the bar, to order a soda. An order that's followed by an almost sing-song call of "Hiiiiiiii Lyric!" At Park's introduction/insistence. "Hiiiiiiii Alison!" follows when Park then does, indeed, get both of their names right.

Oh, and he absolutely gives Love a proper bout of grabass, just to prove that he can. "Go and 'get down' with your bad self. Or whatever it is people do. I'll be a gentlemen and guard the bar from attack." Also he's got a bag wrapped around his ankle. Honestly guys, those are the only reasons he's not dancing. Manning the fort and entangled with a bag. Yes. Don't read in to it!

Park dances like the world isn't watching. Which is a shame, since the world is watching. No erotic dancing here. It could be exotic, but not in the way that Mae works it. More exotic in the sense that no one dances like that on purpose. There are traces of narrative dancing, interpretive dancing, broadway musicals, anime musicals, and Bollywood, all combining to send the skinny, boney, birthday girl into spasming fits that actually hang together well. She will dance with Alison. Tyrone. Lyric. Love. Viktor. The guy trying to get to the bathroom. The tourist asking for directions. No matter if they're sitting, standing, or flailing hands at her to keep her away. It's all about the fun!! Eventually, skin flushed with exhaustion, big grin on her face, she staggers back to the bar. "I didn't lose my tiara" she states proudly.

You know when you know a drink isn't a drink you're gonna like, but you take a swig anyway, because you may as well commit? This is a lot like that but it burns. And she doesn't want to swallow it. Love's face doesn't change so much as she pauses when the burn begins. Though it's not technically a shot (glass is far too big and it's much better sipped), the tattooed woman has enough in her mouth to fill a shot glass. And now she has to swallow it. She taps her nails twice against the half-full glass, and reaches back to put it down in front of Viktor.

Mmmm. Why. She swallows without a flinch. That's a poker face right there. She thumbs up to Lyric. Can't speak until the burning stops. Why did she drink the bright red, spicy drink. Some bars only put in a splash of tabasco. Not this one. She doesn't either, though, so that's fair.

(An instagram account is linked on the card, and under that instagram are images of paintings, lots of paintings. Lately, it's images of the water, Washington landscape, some local forest shots early in the morning and in the golden hour, when the light warms before it fades in the evening. The portraiture in question is mostly in oils, some watercolors, vibrant and skilled. It also tags Love as a lecturer in art at Emily Carr in Vancouver.)

Funny you should say Hiiiiiiii, Vik. Those tippy i's are soon to be the ladies downing shots when all that liquor catches up to them. This is why last time they were all here, it was catered with mucho carbs. Love punctuates the point by leaning in to give the blue-eyed soda-drinker a kiss on the mouth. She shoves off after a quiet word, and goes to join the ladies on the dance floor...

... aaaaand trips over someone bustin' a move which means Love says from the floor. "Fuck. Mee. I love you, babe, but I think it's bedtime." And then calls, "Babyyyy!" Yeah, she just yelled that across the bar. That's not embarrassing. At all.

With the fact that Park is dancing with everyone, but isn't slurring her words or sufficiently wobbling yet, plus the fact that some people have only had one or two shots yet, Tyrone grins and waves everybody back to the bar. "Park, there's still like 12 shots to go before you're done. If Love is leaving, we'd better get at least one more round in before we have to finish them all ourselves," he warns. Was anybody keeping tack of how many shots they'd had so far? Obviously he wasn't. He rolls up next to Lyric and signals to the bartender. "Can you get us something lighter? These featherweights are already starting to float," he calls, holding his index finger in the air and making a circle in the universal gesture for 'another round.'

Lyric may have probably definitely drank some before coming, but she gets the good drink before ordering three tequila shots. The frou frou one can be the chaser. As soon as they are delivered, she braces herself. One tequila, two tequila. Wait for it.. Eyes closed tightly.. trying to suck in some air. Finally, she reaches for the third and tanks it. "Ack," she shudders. "I think I don't like any of them." Tequila or red hot or cinnamon or whatever the first thing was. Now to enjoy drinking with the fun stuff. She tips back the taste good one and takes a drink then looks at Tyrone as he comes up beside her. "Hi," she grins in a lopsided manner. "Got a song for me?" Hey, it's a game they play!

Alison twists and turns some more after Park leaves the dance floor, and then takes the hint as Tyrone gestures for them to head back to the bar. She's still wiggling a bit as she walks back, her copper ponytail bouncing behind her head.

The redhead gawks a little as Love takes a header over someone's exuberant moves. "Jesus, are you alright?"

Where there is alcohol, there is a Kai. As if following a siren's call, she ends up at Two If By Sea. As is her custom, she cuts a beeline to the bar first without even taking anything in, including the other patrons. The short woman tries to flag down the bartender for a whiskey sour. She's still got her leather jacket on from being outside, her hair damp from the earlier drizzle. "Start a tab would you please?" she asks as she slides her card across the bar.

Viktor, for his part in all of this, throws a shrug the bartender's way just after Love's given him one hell of a smooch to depart for the dancefloor. With his elbow still on the bar, he holds up a hand to silently count down on his fingers from 3.
2...
1.

When Love falls, he's actually a little slow. She went on roughly one-and-a-half. The 'Babyyy'? That comes bang on time.

"Well, this was fun, folks." He calls out from beneath the music, unraveling the strap from around his leg to slip free of the seat and haul the bag back up atop his shoulder, shifting the weight a couple of times until it's comfortable and leaving him hands-free to head on over and help Love up, holding in a little laugh as Alison both gawks and offers a moment of sincere concern. "If she wasn't, the yell would have been louder. Or there wouldn't be one at all. Up you get!" And yes, he goes as far as to slip her arm over his shoulder just to make sure the walk right outta here is something resembling a straight line. It doesn't come easily, though, at one point a soft mutter of "These heels make you fucking giant, you know that?" being brushed against her ear.

Which really, he's just wasting time. Love's still got plenty more alcohol waiting to hit her system, and the longer they wait, the more difficult the drive home'll be. "Park! Happy birthday, darlin'! Don't do anything I wouldn't demand payment for in advance, 'K?"

That's upbeat, cheery, and absolutely bellowed, just in case nobody else in the bar or the parking lot or the rear decks of the place knew it was her birthday. Hey Kai, It's Park's birthday. You know this now. Even if you know it before, you know it now, too. The "Okay, babe. Where's your car?" muttered to Love is positively a whisper in comparison as the two of them make, yes, a relatively straight line for the door and out.

"That's not Jesus, Alison, that's Love" Park giggles before she has an epiphany. "Oh gosh! Jesus is Love, so Love is Jesus." She knows Jesus! The birthday girl leans over to help Love up and keeps leaning...and leaning...until her forehead is now pressed against the floor and her rear up in the air. "Thank you for coming, Love. I love the presents. Even the knives." Still not sure why she was given knives, but they are pretty. "Elvira!! Why are you upside down?" To the bartender she adds, "She is with us so she is on my birthday tab. it's my birthday, Elvira!" Did someone just say that? Her eyes narrow. "Why is this wall sticky?" She is referring to the floor her forehead is pressed against. "Thank you for the present, Viktor. Take care of Love for me. She is totally awesome."

Love sits up from a sprawl that no doubt protected her from hurting herself. She might be a little barroom floor sticky, but no worse for wear. "Yeah, thanks, sweetpea." She smiles at that, rubbing her hands down over her jeans as of to check. "Fallen a lot longer with way more alcohol in my system. One time off a cliff into the ocean, but I don't talk about that too much. It makes people queasy." She probably should have worn flats. Funny how she never falls on her butt in her own bar. Rather, the bar she works behind off the Lonely Highway. She gives a double thumbs up. "This one time, I took out an orderly completely sober." Orderly suggests hospital, so sobriety there is a plus.

The tall, grey-eyed woman has no problem spinning tales from her ass on the dance floor. Until Vik saunters over like he was expecting this. She's helped up by the man. "Don't call a lady a giant," she chastises him softly, brushing her hands over the ass of her jeans. Her reply isn't so soft that it's not overhearable, though. "Happy Birthday, my sweet Mee!" She said this already right? She says it again! Yep, Jesus is love. She nods. "Every girl who works a club in the middle of nowhere should be armed!" That's chirped back to Mee before the inebriated, tattooed woman is escorted out by Vik. "Dude, my car's in the lot," she's saying to him as they step outside. Vik may be going in a straight line, but Love bumps against him now and then. "Remind me not to order Hot Damns here. Fudgesicles." She catches sight of Kai and murmurs, "I think the vampire's at the bar," then waves as she's assisted out to the lot. Loudly, "Where's my car keys... — oh, boobs. Cool." When Love's sobriety goes under, it goes under fast.

Kai seems like she's still in her laid back state of the evening. "Someone gave you a shot didn't they," she grins after watching Park go through her whole line of logic calmly as she sips her whiskey sour. And then she spots Love, distracting her for a moment on her way out. She walks straight over to Park and leans to turn her head upside down. "Is that better? What presents have you got so far?" Then she sets down her glass and tries to help her, first by getting down on her level. "I think this is the floor Mee." She grins. "I'll help you get upright..err, get the wall unsticky." She tries to put an arm under Park's to start getting her upright.

As everyone is leaving before more shots can be taken, Tyrone looks a little dismayed. But, there goes Park, splat onto her face, and Tyrone laughs and claps. "Help me get her up?" he asks Lyric from the bar as he turns and rolls towards the Asian woman. But then Kai is helping, so he smirks and turns back to Lyric. "Nevermind."

Once he's reached Park's side, he leans down a little so he can talk to her. "Park? You're officially drunk. Welcome to twenty-two!" Because it wasn't official until she was sideways? And as Kai tries to help her up, he tries as well, reaching one of his strong hands underneath Park's shoulder to help get her up. Plus, she could use his wheelchair to help her climb back to verticality, if she wanted/needed.

Lyric wavers a little when Tyrone asks her to assist him in getting Park, but then they are there helping so she watches Park with concern as she meanders over. She grins at Park after a moment. "Don't lick the walls. And don't stroke the furry walls too." Something, something from a movie. But Lyric is feeling no pain, she giggles and "Do you wanna go home Park? We can take the party there if you wanna?" She peers at the others. "You all wanna come over with us?"

Alison keeps staring at Love as what started as a minor conflagration quickly became something approaching a full on dumpster fire as Viktor helps her out of the bar. "Uh, g'night!" That sure happened quick.

And then it's Park's turn to get better acquainted with the floor. "Guys, c'mon, there's no way it's clean down there. Use your big girl feet and stand up!" She'd be inclined to offer help to Park, but there's already a small crowd offering to do so, so she just stands by the bar. And really, that's for the best. Because if she had tried to help, she'd probably just end up face down, ass up as well.

"The floor? Why is the floor on the wall?" Park asks of Kai with a confused look on her face. But then she is being helped up, almost like floating, ending up sitting on Tyrone's lap while she gets reorientated. "You're upright again" she smiles to Kai before glancing behind her to see her seat has a face. "Tyrone! Am I sitting in your seat? Oh, I got lots of awesome stuff, Elvira. See my tiara?" Alas, due to her recent position, it is no longer on her head but on the dancefloor. A giggle at Tyrone's words. "I'm drunk." She nods rapidly to Lyric. "Okay! Everyone come back to the band house and we can party there! I need to get my presents." She tries to stand, wobbles, and sits back down again. "Any second now."

"Thanks," Kai offers to Tyrone at his prompt help with Park on the other side. The extra strength certainly doesn't hurt matters. Honestly, in Tyrone's lap seems as easy a spot to let Park go as any, so she tilts her head and spots the tiara. With that glance, the tiara zips up to her hand as she dips down slightly. Oh look what she just happened to pick up right at her feet. Right. She leans down to give Park a little peck on the cheek as she plants the tiara on the birthday girl's head.

Tyrone just laughs when Park winds up in his lap and then asks if she's sitting in his seat. "No, Park, you're sitting in my /lap/," he clarifies. And maybe he's being a liiiittle louder than he needs to, but he /did/ down a couple shots already, on top of his beer. When Lyric makes her way over, Tyrone turns the chair so Park can see Lyric, too, though when she tries to get up again, Tyrone just wraps an arm around her. "I think the birthday girl should just ride out to the car. That way, you won't need to rest on any walls ... or floors ... on the way," Tyrone offers. He then grins at Lyric's suggestion and looks at the other ladies. "I'm down. You laides coming? Red? ... uh ... ma'am?" he offers, first to Alison, and then to Kai- whom it's clear he's not sure if she's actually a lady or not. But, Park was calling her Elvira, so ... he goes with that.

Lyric giggles as Park finds her ride, "Do you wanna go everyone? We got more drinks there and I got everyone in the house a Christmas present we can try out whoever wants to." She tries to look all mysterious but can't help but giggle again and give it away. "Its all hooked up in the back and working. I was gonna surprise em as soon as I saw em all, but I don't see them much. We got a hot tub. I saved and saaaaved."

Alison smirks at the whole situation with Tyrone becoming a unwilling (probably?) seat, but then gives a soft shrug to match her (usually) soft voice, somewhat more hoarse now with the drink in her. "Sure, why not!" And before Kai has a chance to say otherwise, the redhead looks over and makes very pointed eye contact with the woman who she only seems to have very fleeting encounters with towards the ends of evenings out. It's the kind of eye contact that says 'you should come along'. That kind of eye contact! You know the one. She pulls her phone out of her crossover bag and calls an uber. One of the big ones, since there's a bunch of them.

"A hot tub!!!!" Park screams with excitement louder than the music. "That's so awesome, Lyric!! Oh my gosh. We should write songs in there." Definitely a reason for her to walk straight...for a few minutes at least. "Skinny dipping hot tub, y'all!!! It's my birthday!" And she's off! To wait outside for the Uber.