2020-03-16 - The Raising of the Green

Isolde had mixed feelings tonight about a few things but her plan was to drown all the feelings with lots of alcohol! Plus -it was her birthday! So, what better way to celebrate than with a St. Patrick's Day themed event at the bar where she got in to that bar fight that one time? She had debated on reaching out to some people but in the end decided to just go it alone. If people showed up that she knew, awesome! If not, well, she was going to get plastered either way so it didn't matter!

She was wearing a dark green shirt that she may or may not have specifically bought for today and all other future birthdays. It was paired with a pair of black jeans, beat up sneakers and a black winter coat which was shed almost immediately after she got inside. Her fiery red hair was pulled back into a ponytail to stay out of the way once the drinking competition got underway.

First things first though - she makes her way up to the bar and looks at the fancy event menu before ordering an Irish Carbomb. Might as well start the night off right yeah?

There is a young woman set up in an appropriate portion of the bar, one long leg folded 'round the front of the tall stool to keep herself anchored. As folks, eager for a good time, file into the Pourhouse Ainslie O'Connor's golden-brown gaze studies each and every face. If anyone glances her way she will smile in greeting. This is a woman who is unafraid of performing.

Of course Ainslie is wearing green, but she has turned herself out nicely (moreso than usual) for the festivities: a green off-the-shoulder tunic with a form-fitting black camisole beneath; black tights and calf-high boots. Dark hair is pulled up and back with a green ribbon into a messy ponytail... it'll only get messier once she gets going. Tucked away closeby is the case for the fiddle that Ainslie is getting set-to-rights for her performance. Beside her upon a small collapsible cricket table: her own pitcher of green beer and tall glass that will not see emptiness on this night. She is ready to go, a playful (puckish!) light in her dark eyes.

As people begin to settle, Ainslie will ease her way into making her fiddle sing for the room. She plays in the manner of one who loves her instrument, what she can make it do, and with an ease and comfort of having done this many times before. Her endurance will carry her with ease, needing only the odd break to have a drink. Her sets are all manner of Irish fiddle tunes:

Morrison's Jig, Swallow Tail Jig, Drunken Sailor, Tam Lin (The Glasgow Reel).. to name but a few. As she plays, sometimes Ainslie will sweep off into various nuances depending upon who passes her by, who looks at her or smiles... it's almost as if she is saying 'hello' through the fiddle music! Then, without missing a beat, the woman will carry on with her tune.

(OOC: Sorry! WALL O'TEXT!! This pose will have to carry me in the background for awhile as I cook IRLY. I will poke in when I can to pose here-and-there but please assume Ainslie is fiddling it up hardcore in the BG and having a merry time. I will have her mingle ASAP. 🙂 )

Mariah's here, plus another bartender she had brought in for the event since one quit over the last broken window incident and Zach had vanished into thin air. She's perched at the back table where she usually is with paperwork that is behind. She's dressed in faded jeans, beige work boots and a hunter green cable knit sweater. Her hair is pulled up into a ponytail with a comically oversized green plaid and white bow.

Hank is leaning against her table and talking to her, "Aww, come on sweetheart, he's gotta work. Give the guy a break and give Hank a hug." he states happily as he teases Mariah.

The flurry of preparation photos Easton texts to Bennie throughout the afternoon are a clear indication of just how seriously he may be taking this most holiest of days. There is gatorade in the fridge at the apartment, pre-ordered drunken tacos to be delivered at an appropriate time and big ol' bottle of ibuprofen by the bed. It is most clearly on.

Entering the bar, Easton tosses his jacket on a hook and calls out to Mariah is behind the bar, "Mariah! It's your favorite customer! Here to drink you out of beer and bar." His voice is ridiculously loud, as if he has a bullhorn, but sadly no, that's just him. He didn't quite pull out a costume for this event, seeing as it's not at his bar, but he at least has a green quarter zip shirt on so that's something for him. He looks around for Bennie in case she beat him here, but in the end takes a seat by Isolde and grins at her. "Itzel comin' out tonight? Or are you drinkin with me and Benz?" No, they aren't close per say but they fought a demon once so they're basically bff.

St. Patrick's Day, a drinking contest, and a charity? Of course Alisha is going to be there. Having someone to look out for as well that's just a added benefit. Dressed in her normal style, along with her black leather jacket and for the occasion one of those cheap, green, sparkle St Paddy's top hat. Coming in ahead of her friend, her first step is head to sign up for the contest and give a modest donation. Next stop start to the bar to get a Guinness, because nothing says confidence before the drinking contest like starting early.

Settling into a bar stool and for now people watching while others file in. If she can get Ainslie's attention giving her a nod.

The Pourhouse was a place she has not spent too much time in but she does visit when she needs a drink sometimes. Katherine isn't too much of a bar person but she has been seen on occasion at the Pourhouse over the least four months or so. She's feeling a little anxious at the possibility of being seen by Easton and the girl he mentioned during his drunk texts but it mostly fades to the background as she focuses on staying in the moment with her date, her boyfriend (god it's still so new with him that she is still getting used to it!) Wayne. But the whirlwind of the last couple of days carries her through and as they walk, Katherine is telling Wayne, "So yeah, my birthday's tomorrow. We should totally make plans, babe." Her voice is loud, as the bar is full of activity and noise. "I mean after the hangover of tonight fades, of course."

The door opens to admit Roxy, who is wearing green in deference to the holiday, though it's not something really celebrated in Finland. She has been trying to make proper donations to charitable causes, because it gets her dance studio recognized. She's wearing a vintage 1950s green sweater tucked into a high waisted black pencil skirt that falls below the knee , and black heels with bows on the back. She hangs her coat up, and approaches the bar with an envelope in hand, bearing the mark of Dance Evolution.

She scans the place to look for people in charge, and moves towards Leon. "Happy Saint Patrick's Day," she greets in accented English. "Who do I present a donation to for the charity?"

Definitely basically BFFs. Isolde grins to Easton in return, though that grin falters a little when he asks about Itzhak. She just shakes her head, "Drinking with you and Benz I guess!" Whom she assumes is Bennie, whom she knows as the pretty lady she ate cherries with out of the jar once! Her tone is cheerful nonetheless. "Are you gonna do the drinking contest?" She asks in between thanking the bartender for her Irish Carbomb. "It's gonna be fun!"

Wayne had finished up that thing he called work early, Wayne drove to Katherine's job to pick her up for tonight's party fundraiser thing. He decided to dress up a little, rocking a navy sport with a green tie over a white dress shirt. He finished the look with tan khakis and brown shoes. His goal was to aim to get there early, in case they did not.
"Yes Hon we should, lets see how hammered we are come morning." He looked around as they entered, not sure who to expect. He did not hear Dee was going.

"Are you though?" Mariah calls to Easton with a grin. There's someone behind the bar to get his drink order though. There's a bit of a look to Hank and she chuckles, "Oh I know. I can still mope though." she tells him. Then she's back to doing the numbers and making sure Hank stays halfway sober this evening and not on a table dancing.

Leon greets Roxy back, grinning, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day to you as well!" He points to a person collecting for the charity, "We've got flat donation taking there, if you want, or you can buy tickets for betting, buy a tshirt, order off the menu. However you wanna do it!" He eyes the envelope, recognizing the logo, breaking into a smile, "Oh, or I can take it and make sure your business is credited for generosity as well."

Roxy smiles brightly at Leon and hands the envelope to him. "Thank you, that would be wonderful. I just took over the dance studio and a little free advertising goes a long way." Inside is a check for $100.00. Not much, but a lot for a business trying to get off the ground. "I will take a look at the menu as well. Thank you again."

Maggi is enjoying her time behind the bar for the time being. Wearing a fitted kelly green event tee with a pair of forest green suspenders and a pair of short black shorts. Due to expected volume of alcohol consumption, plain black (non-slip) sneakers have been chosen for the evening with knee high socks. Her golden hair is in fishtail pigtails and a minute shamrock is glittering on one side of her cheek bone. Noting the car bombs seem to be going over okay, she makes a note to throw it in Leon's face later. Ainslie's fiddle music fills the air with a sweetness only her usual playlist of classic rock could rival, though tonight that was missing. Live Irish fiddle was just better in this case. She had checked in with Mariah earlier. A wave is given to Easton. "Long time no see!"

Wearing a little black dress with a lime green shrug, black knee high stilettos, her purse in one hand and her jacket in the other, Katherine smiles at Wayne as he surveys the room, pulling out the check book from her purse where she'd previously written a check. "So where do you want to start, babe?" she asks playfully as she scans the room for someone to hand over the money. "Do you see the guy from the antique shop anywhere?"

Justin heard there was a charity thing going on, and he's a sucker for charity things, and has been told he needs to get out of the house more often, and so Justin shows up for the Raising of the Green, pausing first to make an independent donation to the charity, dropping off a check with whoever is in charge of taking the donations, and then surveying the contestants for the beer chugging contest to place his bet before he goes to acquire a beer of his own.

When Mariah asks to confirm that Easton's her favorite he just nods earnestly, "Yup!" It's a running joke, but he probably gets more of a kick out of it than Mariah does. He catches the look from Isolde, but doesn't press, yet. Give him a couple beers and then he'll start probing into her relationship with complete abandon. "I'll start with a .." He glances down the taps and orders a local lager, "to warm up." As much as he would like to start with three fingers of Makers Mark. "Because I'm winning the drinking contest." He says with a laugh.
%Flagging down Leon he hands him an envelope marked with 'Two if by Sea' because he would love nothing more than to have his bar be the top sponsor for Mariah's bar's fundraiser. It's not petty per say, more friendly rivalry. His face brightens when he sees Maggi, "Hey hey! Cuss out any churches lately?"

"Let's start by checking in with Leon and you can handle your gift. I want to get us shirts early, just in case." He chuckles and makes his way over toward Leon, his arm linked in Kate's. "You look lovely tonight babe." Once close enough he waves. "Hey Leon!"

"So says you." Isolde smirked a bit as she downs the shooter and follows it up with a swig of the half-pint. Give her a few good drinks and she'll start telling her whole life story. So, it'll be an interesting night to say the least. Hopefully with less bar brawls. She looks over at Maggi with wide eyes as Easton calls out a greeting to her. "Why'd you cuss out a church?" More fascinated than put off at the very least.

"No, as a vet myself, thank you." Leon says sincerely, noding knowingly, and waving, turning back to see if anyone else needed questions answered. He snags Easton's donation is well with another sincerely appreciative nod, taking a pen out and making some notes on a little pad he had tucked into his back pocket. He drops both the business's donations off at the station just in time to notice Justin drop a bet in, his voice booming across the bar, "We got out first bet dropped in, folks!" He winks at Justin, an apology for calling him out, just trying to get more attention paid.

Roxy gives Leon a small nod then moves to the bar and waits her turn to be served. "I would like to try the Stout Brie, and a Feeling Lucky please," she requests of Maggi. She claims a stool, because she is certainly not in the drinking contest. Not after the Bar-Lympics at TiBS. The day after that was hell. She'll nurse a charitable drink tonight.

What would St. Patrick's Day be without Gray Harbor's own resident leprechaun, James? In he steps, unfashionably late and even less fashionably stoned. No sign of his usual plus-one tonight so far, but the night is young, and so are most of the people here. He's in his usual getup of jeans, hoodie, and oversized wool coat enchanted by a murderous spirit cat, because Gray freakin' Harbor. In deference to the holiday, he's wearing green- specifically, his hoodie, which is an obnoxious bright green and has the dude from the Lucky Charms box on it, giving the viewer the middle finger. So, y'know, probably not a licensed product. Probably.

"Barkeep, your greenest beer!", James declares as he shuffles over in the general direction of the bar.

Justin chuckles when Leon calls him out for placing a bet for the beer drinking contest, not seeming to mind, and then he sidles up to the bar to order himself some of the brie and fish and chips, as well as a car bomb to go along with it. Apparently he is going for the full experience tonight.

Mariah just laughs and shakes her head at Easton, "Good to see you." she tells him before she's picking up her soda to drink. She was not a drinker, even if she did own a bar. She settles back to look over things, not really into the day as much as others. She gives a smile to Hank, "Go have your beer." she shoos him.

Bennie is late, per her usual. She arrives in a flurry of tulle through the front door, wearing a green tutu with striped knee high socks and a baby doll t-shirt that declares 'Kiss Me! I'm (Not) Irish!'. To complete her festive look, she has a headband with two shamrocks on springs like alien antenna that boing merrily around as she hop, skips and jumps into the Pourhouse. It's not hard to find Easton, when he comes with his own bioware loud speaker. "Babe! Babe! Babe! Babe...hi."

Faith comes in a tad bit late, but she is here! And she's here for the contest. Cruising up to the bar, she hurries and tells someone there she's here for the contest. "Hi," she greets with a smile. "Can I still enter?"

As Katherine and Wayne are walking towards Leon, the brunette is discussing shirt sizes and food. "So I want one of those form fitted shirts. And I definitely want to have the shepherd's pie. You wanna try an Irish Car Bomb with me?" she asks playfully then when they reach Leon, she hands over her check and says, "For the men and women in uniform. Past and present."

"Bennie!" Isolde, who is sitting next to Easton, cheerfully greets the blonde. She takes another longer sip to finish off her half-pint. "Are you gonna drinking contest too??"

Alisha is still just watching and listening to various conversations that are close. Until someone comes up to the bar she thinks she recognizes. Taking a sip from her beer she gets up and heads over to Faith with a smile on her face. "Grace so good to see you! How did things go the other night?" winking at her.

Leon raises a hand and salutes Katherine as she passes him the check, "Yes, ma'am." He grins, then gives her a grateful nod. He looks to Wayne and grins, "Thanks again for the prize donation."

Maggi laughs genuinely at Easton's easy going remark. "Just one..." Hearing Isolde's fascination she looks at her dead seriously. "...It was talking some mad shit." This if followed by some thuggish nodding and a conspiratorial brow raise. She did not elaborate on which church, not that it mattered, Hell had her place saved. Sarcastic smile is then raised to Roxy, not because it's Roxy, Maggi's face just looks like that. "Absolutely!" She says, ringing in the ticket under 'Dark and Stunning'. The drink is handed over after a few short flourishes. They had maximized production for the evening.

She enjoys watching the temp look at James in confusion, as though there was another option for greener beer somewhere about the place, the plebeian reaches for the only hose that has green beer tapped and Maggi nods slowly. Seeing Easton's lovely arrive the judgmental stare at the temp is cut short. A hand is placed to the side of her mouth, to block mouthed words from Bennie, to Easton. 'Bennie?' she questions soundlessly. If she is given a form of yes the other mouth response is 'Hot'.

"Okay we eat and drink a like. So two tees, fitted for you because... yeah. Then two Shepherd's pie and two Car Bombs. Sounds like a plan." He laughs "We all do what we can, thank you for both your service and sacrifice. We are gonna grab a spot to eat and observe the drinking from a safe distance." He smiles and offers a handshake.

"Coop that better be on me!" Easton calls out to Justin when he hears that he's placed a bet already. He asks Leon the customary, "You served?" Before indicating himself, "Marines, three eight." He glances back at Isolde and half-explains, "I might have done the shit talking, but she started it!" His beer arrives and wastes no time in getting after it. Yes, the contest hasn't gotten start yet and not 'getting warmed up' isn't a thing but that doesn't appear to stop him.

It's not exactly hard to spot Bennie as she comes through the door in that getup. Easton bursts out laughing, this time he's not quite matching her bar event costume enthusiasm. He sets his beer down to throw an arm around Bennie and kiss her on the cheek. His lips stop mid kiss and he's pretty sure there's a record scratch in there somewhere as he catches sight of Katherine during that greeting. He pulls back with a look of semi-confusion on his face, but manages to at least nod to Maggi and confirm Bennie's identity.

Faith hadn't really had time to dress up for the holiday, she's wearing her black jeans and black shirt from the Firehouse where she's a cook. The shirt says Firehouse across it and beneath that says We Smoke the Good Stuff . Which is prooobably backed up by the delicious smell of the pit smoked barbecue they serve lingering on her clothing. Hearing her twins name she turns to Alisha and grins, debating on telling her or not, that she's really Faith. She does though, "Faith," she grins back at her. "What did my sister do the other night?" A waggle of her brows follows the question.

Carter holds the door open for Claire to head into the Pourhouse ahead of him, following in after. He's got on a dark green sweater in honor of the holiday, and appears to be off duty this evening. Grinning over at her he asks, "Are you going to make me drink green beer?"

Roxy accepts the drink, and she sets a tip on the bar along with payment. The dark-haired dancer sips the Feeling Lucky and looks pleased at the sweet concoction. "Oh very nice! Thank you!" She turns on her stool, legs crossed at the ankle in a ladylike posture, to watch the festivities. The woman soaks in the atmosphere of the unfamiliar holiday which is apparently about booze booze and more booze.

James grins at the temp barkeep as his oh so green beer is delivered. "Good lad.", he says, then slaps one of the laminated menus onto the bar. "One of each, please.", he says, because the munchies just hit.

Leon nods to Easton, calling across, "Army," and some unit number that was important to the narrative, but his player is a little flustered at the time. It's legit. Leon was also deep in the prep for the event. Tables were being set out, glasses were being filled. It might start soon, people better get any more food they were going to.

Alisha coughs a bit as Faith corrects her. Lucky for Ali she decided to say who she was. "Oh your Faith. Sorry, never seen you before just your sister." she says recovering quickly getting a grin of her own. "Stefhan was looking forward to seeing you here. Glad you could make it." then the question "She kept me company when I was drinking and dancing the other night. Had to go home to her girlfriend though. Really a shame." she extends her hand to her fellow blonde "I'm Alisha."

A green skirt that reaches partway down her thighs, a green tee shirt of an entirely different hue, green keds that only match because they're another version of green. Claire dances through the door as her brother holds it open for her, doing a little spin, then doffing her cheap, green felt fedora at him with a sparkling smile. "I'm gonna drink you under the table, officer," she tells Carter. "And you're gonna like it, too." She resettles her hat atop her auburn hair and flickers a curious glance around the bar. So much to see.

Bennie gives a little laugh as she melds against Easton's side, tucked under one of his arms. "Isolde! Of course I entered." She flashes eyes to Easton's, her grin turning a little wry. "Nothing like a little friendly competition. And Easton and I can hold each other's hair later as we puke green like the kid from the Exorcist. Couple's bonding. How have you been?" But her attention right now is like a gnat, drawn away as she starts waving exuberantly to Justin in greeting.

On the way towards finding a table for the two of them, Katherine spots Bennie, who is greeting Easton after he'd looked away from spotting her, and it doesn't take long for the astute lawyer to make the connection. As usual, she is calm and collected, her lawyer poker face kicking in. Her gaze fleeting, she moves on, and hangs off of Wayne's arm. "I have a confession, I've never done an Irish Car Bomb before. I assume it's a lot of drinking and drinking quick." Her tone remains playful towards him, she can't wait to start drinking and start forgetting.

"Shit talking deserves smack back." Isolde said with an emphatic nod, deadly serious in response to Maggi before grinning again. She laughs at Easton's comment too but focuses on answering Bennie. "Been better, but been a lot worse." She turns to show Bennie her shirt. "Oh! It's my birthday!" And the shirt does indeed say Buy me a beer, it's my birthday. "May the best drinker win!"

Speaking of drunken sailors, there's one now. Well, not drunken yet. Joe's in his pea coat and jeans, but the former is open to display a green t-shirt. It shows a bar's worth of human figures in the kind of boneless sprawl you can only get with real, deep drunkenness, and bears the legend 'Irish Yoga'. Apparently here on his lonesome. He buys himself a fistful of raffle tickets and distributes them, before insinuating himself into the line at the bar.

"I shall see you confession and raise you one of my own. Neither have I. I picked the pie because its heavy and will help with the alcohol to food ratio. Beside we are both off tomorrow and I have enough money for a cab." He smiles and leans in to say before stealing a kiss when they set down the food on the table. "Anything else you want?"

"You probably will drink me under the table," Carter says to Claire with a little smirk and a shake of his head, stealing her fedora and putting it on top of his own head as they make their way toward the bar. He gives her a flash of a grin, and then asks "We eating or just drinking? Want me to order us some food? And are you going to do the drinking contest, or should we place our bets on someone?"

"Holy shit, happy birthday!" Easton raises his beer and toasts to Isolde. "That's really convenient you can cram all your serious drinking in one night." The look on his face is still somewhat contorted into a slightly confused or concerned look. He manages to put on a smile though and lean in to whisper something to Bennie, before pulling back to say, "I'm pretty sure, there's only one best drinker here." He tries to steer that talk away from couple activities for some reason.

Mariah doesn't seem like she's going to take part in the contests or the betting. But the blonde gives a look after Hank as the man moves off to go get a drink. She watches him for a moment before she looks back over the crowd from her spot in the back of the bar. She could play observer with little interference.

Finally, a face she knows more than passingly. Roxy, sitting at the bar, raises a hand to wave to Joseph. She has a specialty drink in front of her and her brie gets delivered as well. She's definitely not here to compete.

Claire opens her mouth to protest when her perky hat is stolen, but then she admits, "Fine. It looks cuter on you." She adds in a playfully-grumpy murmur, "Show-off." And the siblings reach the bar. "Food, too. I won't win if it's just alcohol. So lots of greasy pub fare, if you please." She slides up against the bar and turns to observe the room at large, leaning back on her elbows. "The Harbor is actually a little bit interesting tonight." All the people. Claire surveys the room, the clusters of animated people and their conversations.

There is a smack to Easton's shoulder as Bennie disentangles herself from him and goes to give Isolde a warm hug and a smooch on the cheek. Entirely missing the gist of his whisper. "Easton! Buy this woman some booze for me." It'll be from Bennie, but bankrolled by Marshall, that counts, right? "Oh Em Gee, Happy Birthday!" More peppered kisses follow, as if adding one for every assumed year to Isolde's cheek. "Oh hey look, my new friend Kate is here!" And off the blonde bobble head goes, bulldozing her way through the crowd. Right to Katherine's table. "New friend Kate! You look almost festive. Here! You need these!" And she's taking off her headband in effort to transfer it over to the brunette's head.

Maggi gives Easton a 'right on' look, but the drop in his mood is very visible. Couldn't be Bennie, she was bubbly and defo hot. Noticing Isolde's shirt, a green apple shooter is whipped up and placed in front of Isolde with a wink. Trying to stay current, she has to try not to double over in laughter as she hears James order the menu. Man did he crack her up. Looking up for a moment she mentally checks off that Dark and Stunning has her brie, side eyes the temp struggling at the computer, and then catches Joe. "Hey Cosmonaut!" She greets.

IT's warm enough in here that Joe's already shrugging out of his pea coat - there's the tattoo that's earned him that nickname, bright on his left arm. Not to mention what can only be a bitemark on his neck, a purple crescent of bruising. "Hey there," he says to Maggi, affably, Southern drawl lazy as ever as he makes it to the bar. "How's it goin'?" Then there's Roxy, and he favors the dancer with a grin. "Roxy," he greets her, clearly quite prepared to prop himself against the bar at her side.

Carter grins broadly at Claire as she concedes the loss of her hat to his head. "It does look pretty good on me," he says, and keeps it there for a little bit before he relents and drops it back on top of her head. "I'm thinking about getting the beer battered onion rings and fish and chips. You want some of that too?" He chuckles as she declares Gray Harbor sufficiently interesting for the evening. "It was interesting yesterday. I met a ghost hunter from Russia." When Leon hops up on the stage he turns his attention there after placing their order. He gives a loud whistle as the drinking contestants head up to the table.

James drinks his green beer contentedly, leaning on the bar as the poor temp puts in his ridiculous order (and yes he pays for it he just got some cash from selling some junk from his house). He spots Maggi's reaction to his order, and grins at her, in a surprisingly good mood tonight, before Leon's starting up the show. He didn't enter the drinking contest- between the fact that he's a tiny slip of a dude and already pretty high, he knows he'd drop out pretty quick. Best to just do a number on his colon with the everything on the damn menu he just ordered.

"Hey, this is my boyfriend, Wayne." Katherine is mildly startled when Bennie all of a sudden approaches the table, and offers her headband but makes the quick introduction before the drinking contest starts. "Enjoy the drinking contest!" she calls out when the contestants are being called up.

Isolde was stunned for a moment and then dissolved in giggles, returning the hugs, as Bennie peppers her with kisses. She returns the hug and lets Bennie wander off. "Thanks." She laughed a bit again, towards Easton and Maggi as Maggi sets down the green drink. "So pretty!" And then she downs it as the beer competition is announced. "Good luck!" She calls out to, well, more or less all the contestants as she starts making her way over to the contestant area.

"Happy Saint Patrick's Day, Joseph! Although I am still not quite sure what this holiday is supposed to be about. I was not aware of many Saints of getting drunk on green beverages," she notes in a cheery tone. She eyes the bite mark on his neck, blushing faintly, and clears her throat. "Ah, meeting someone here tonight?" she asks the man affably, smoothing her pencil skirt with a hand before sipping her 'Feeling Lucky'. "I ordered the brie, would you like to try some?" She gestures at the baked brie with baguette.

"Nice to meet you, now go win!" Wayne laughs and waves to Bennie. "The headband really does make the look." He grins before digging into his pie.

Easton catches sight of Joseph coming in and he calls out "Now that is a man I would fear in a drinking contest!" His voice echoes just fine without the mike. He duly calls over a bartender to indicate Isolde's tab is on his card tonight. But then Bennie is bounding off after 'her new friend Kate' and the look of pure horror that crosses his face is unmistakable. He looks like she just announced she's off to eat some babies as he stands there beer in hand. He blinks and looks around, waiting for the scenery to shift and giant koalas to start throwing them into flaming dumpsters or something. This is obviously some bizarre altered reality. But nothing happens and he slowly has to just watch as Bennie and Katherine interact. Granted nothing explodes, but still. Thankfully he is distracted by drinking (name of his autobiography) and he gets ready to get right into that... by finishing his other beer first.

Word spreads around quickly and the idea of a part being in this small town would always be an important event. Strange enough, Stefhan isn't dressed in his normal business suit for it. He wears a heavy jacket as he comes in and in his hands is a large box. When he puts it down it's apparent that he's wearing gasp a T-shirt?! Anyone who knows him knows that this is far from his normal attire. What's even funnier is the fact it's not a green shirt and he has the lettering 'Designated Driver' on it https://gray-harbor.com/file/stefhan/stefdd.jpg Seems like the drinking is about to begin though and he stays to the side, clapping for familiar names and, especially when Ainslie's name is called out, he cheers more and more.

Alisha raises an eyebrow, Faith is one of her competitors. She smirks at the woman again. "Good luck." she adds to her previous comments. She does head over to the tables that are set up, maybe hearing any response Faith has along the way. Taking her assigned seat. Ready to drink anyone under the table. Tonight's her night she can just feel it.

"Nice to meet you !" Faith tells Alisha and nods thoughtfully about her sister. "Oh is he here?" She takes a look around, blushing a little, but certainly eager to see if he had made it. Then they are being called up to the table and she hooks an arm through Alisha's, "Let's do this thing."

The fiddler is keeping up and keeping on, her energy inexhaustible. Making music of this nature is hard work: Ainslie is bouncing and weaving and swaying around up there on her stool, her arms moving in a flash, the music keeping at a steady, merry clip. She finishes one ditty and reaches over with one hand to heft up not her empty glass but the damned glass pitcher, drinking the beer straight from the spout. Ainslie's color is high; her bare throat pulses with huge gulps of brew. Exhaling sharply and with exhilaration, the slender brunette hefts up the fiddle and starts another rip-roaring tune. Her eyes are dark and fierce with amusement as she plays.

(OOC: Still AFK-ish, still playing in the BG. Etc etc.)

Mariah gives a look to the crowd and then gathers up her paperwork. She checks her watch after that's finished and she decides it's time to head out since no one looked like they were going to get too rowdy. She heads for the back after offering quiet departing words to the other bartenders. Which is basically DON'T FUCK IT UP!

"It looks better on you, Cee," Claire replies. But she doesn't protest when the hat is returned. "Onion rings and battered fish sound like a fantastic choice. Order lots." She makes this demand while scanning the place. Isolde. Bennie. Joseph. James. Katherine. Easton. Maggie. "Some people are having an actual contest. Holy green vomit, batman," she drawls mildly up at her brother, elbowing his bicep.

Easton calling him out only makes Joe bow a little, theatrically. "It is well known that I am not a man with whom to fuck, when it comes to drinking," he retorts, grinning. "But no, I'm not competin' tonight. Twenty five years of Navy service would give me an unfair advantage, so I'll rest on my laurels. My money's on you, though, Marine. Make me proud. "

Then he's turning back to Roxy. "'s the feast day of Patrick of Ireland, who legendarily drove the snakes from the island. Metaphor for the old gods, if I remember right. And the Irish love any excuse for a drunken celebration, so...." His expression is guileless. "I surely would like to try it, looks good. An' no, here by myself. I an' I, as one of my buddies from Jamaica used to put it." Entirely unconscious of that mark, apparently.

"Nice to meet you, boyfriend Wayne! That's my One True over at the bar, Easton." Bennie beams them both a wide smile but then hears her name called, "That's me!" She declares, arms thrust over her head. "Remember, always bet on Blonde!" She tells them both before she bounds away to the table like a boxer gearing up for the fight, fake jabs and all. She'll shoulder in next to Easton's station, even if that means she has to playfully shove other competitors out of the way to do so. "You're going DOWN, Easy." No, no Bennie is not a heavy drinker. Yes, yes she will lose. Unless the luck of the Irish is on her side tonight.

Carter orders up some of the brie and some onion rings, and two orders of fish and chips for the pair of them, as well as a couple of car bombs to go along with them. He passes the drink over to Claire after she elbows him so it doesn't spill. "Yep, I just placed a bet on the blonde," he tells her with a grin, nodding in Bennie's direction. "You going to place a bet?"

When Bennie mentions Easton by name, Katherine blinks, receiving a confirmation she isn't necessarily looking for. Looking in the direction of the bar, she gives Easton a quick look before she turns back to Wayne as their food and drinks arrive. She decides to attack the shepherd's pie and smile through her thoughts. "Small world," she comments casually at Wayne.

Roxy pushes the appetizer plate in between her and Joseph to share. She takes a baguette slice and slathers it with some of the brie and its accoutrements. She leans in to say quietly to him, "You are sporting a love bite on your neck, Joseph. I thought you might be meeting whomever left it." She grins at the salty sailor, wrinkling her nose. "Glad to see one of us is doing all right in the dating department."

Easton tries not to watch the interaction, like a weird creeper, but he can't help it. He also does the full on sizing up of Wayne, because he can't help himself. He meets Katherine's glance and gives an awkward nod of yea, this is happening. But then Bennie's coming back and he gets back into it, "Oh is that what that was? You buddying up to my ex to throw me off my game? It's dirty Oakes, but I can appreciate the gamesmanship and you're gonna need every damn trick in your giant hobo bag." Easton manages to recover somewhat from the shock of it and get into his beer.

"Well you did mention having your past effecting your present, I know it's not New Year but it's still the right time to say out with the old." He lifts his drink. "To new beginnings." Unlikely the other man, Wayne does not seem frazzled, fazed, or flustered. Either he had a pro level game face or he seriously was not bothered one bit. Either way his eyes do not stray from his date... At least not yet.

Isolde was in it. She wasn't normally competitive but, hey, she liked a challenge as much as the next person. She picks up the slightly oversized beer mug and starts chugging! Beer...does not all go in to her mouth. Some definitely escapes and trickles down her face and on to the birthday shirt. When time is called she nearly slams the mug down, trying to catch her breath a bith. 2/3 of the beer was gone! Her eyes are bright as she looks to see how the others did.

Claire half turns toward the bar to address the serious business of her drink being passed over. She takes an (un)healthy drink of that car bomb and then flickers a look from Carter over to Bennie while setting down her glass. "The really hot blonde? Yeah. Not surprised." She scans the competitors. "I'll bet on that loud guy." The brie gets some serious attention. After she has a few bites, she shoves a cheesy piece of bread up in Carter's face with a winsome smile. "Eat some French cheese to celebrate this Irish excuse to drink day."

"Cozying up to you who now?" Bennie bah-links at Easton, way too slow at drawing a connection between Kate and Katherine, and she looks back in that direction, mildly bewildered so she's a little delayed from realizing that Leon is saying 'Go!' She squeaks and nearly dives for her beer, bobbling to keep it from just dumping over. So as far as smack talk goes? Easton most assuredly wins that round. With eyes as wide as saucers, she lifts her beer and starts chugging, or trying to, but she can't help put keep looking between Easton and Katherine with a helpless look in her wide eyes, her other hand flailing like a wounded bird as she only manages to get 1/3 of her drink down before she needs to come up for air.

There's only the faintest blush on his cheeks, at that. But Joe orders a Jack and coke, before taking a bite of the brie. Chews deliberately, before answering. "It wasn't exactly a date," he says, a little dryly. "More a.....very welcome reunion with someone I knew a long time ago. But no, he's not gonna be here tonight, so far's I know."

Alisha does her best to chug the green liquid. There is still some left in her glass. She looks around to see if others are keeping up or worse betting her. Still she drinks as fast as she can. At time she sets her mug down. It's about equal with at least Isolode. Damn she'll have to do better next round. With a burp she looks over to Faith "Good luck." and ready for more.

Guzzle guzzle. Faith grins at Alisha and lifts her glass to her, "Good luck!" Tipping it back, she drinks down two-thirds of it and manages to do it with some decorum. A smile is flashed as she continues holding the glass in hand but takes a breather between. "Thanks," she tells her neighbor.

Roxy's mouth purses in an 'O' of surprise at Joseph's explanation. "I see. Ah, well congratulations on a, ah, successful reunion? Unless that was to get away from someone trying to hurt you?" Her eyes are a little wide as she nibbles at her appetizer.

"Yeah, well, I'm here for a fresh start. I never knew there was a connection between them." Katherine sees an exchange between Bennie and Easton and decides she's just going to drink. She lifts up her own drink and smiles at Wayne, trying to appear unaffected. "Here we go!" And she chugs down her Irish Car Bomb.

Easton grabs his beer and gives Bennie, meaningful looks that communicate 'seriously? have you not put this together' and then 'yup, there you go' as realization dawns on her. It's a lot of meaningful eye work while he downs two thirds of his first beer before setting it down, eyeing his competitions' beers. He wipes his mouth and says, "Not bad." Then there's another round and he spares one more glance over his shoulder at Kate and Wayne before pounding more.

"Hey more power to them. Fresh starts can be a good thing after all." He grins and chugs his drink to match pace with Kate.

Between sets, Ainslie once again chugs from her pitcher and roars her approval to the contestants' efforts. She even gives a little flourish of the fiddle; the sound may as well be a cheer in itself!

There is a whimper from Bennie as tries to finish her first beer, going back to gulping as fast as her little heart can which isn't much seeming how she's now mentally flailing as much as she is physically. She's also put further behind when she has to pause and give the most unladylike burp ever into her fist, followed by a little meek, "S'cuse me!" Before she goes back to drinking, not quite finishing still.

Isolde finishes off her first beer with a, "Woo!" And then it would be on to the second one when time came! She was totally focused on this. For reals.

With a giggle, Katherine watches as Wayne finishes his drink, and right behind him, she finishes hers. "That's kind of gross," she says with a chuckle, looking down at her half-eaten shepherd's pie, before she plants a playful kiss on Wayne's lips.

Alisha thoughts go elsewhere as she goes back to chug more. Thoughts she doesn't want to have and yet they are still there. She really cares about someone else, other than her sister. Time just passes until others have passed her and she really hasn't even taken the smallest of drinks. She shakes her head to clear thoughts of a certain Korean. Even if she loses it all went to a great cause right?

"What? Am I being predictable?" Carter asks Claire with a raised brow and a grin. He's about to say something else but then Claire is shoving gooey cheese in his face so he eats it without protest or complaint. There are worse things. When he's done chewing he says, "Cheese is appropriate for every celebration, regardless of its nationality." That's his story and he's sticking to it.

James gives a cheer as the contestants start their drinking, and he takes a big swig of his own beer- just in time for his food to start arriving. So. Much. Food. He grins from ear to ear as he settles in to do some serious damage. Step one: let's put some brie on those onion rings, like a muthafreakin' champion.

Maggi notices Joe getting cozy with Ms. Stunning and gives a, "Great!" and then some space. She is on standby whenever he is ready for a drink, but till then, James banquet has come out. The redhaired man has his own serving tray set before him, the scene looking a little 'Beauty and the Beast'. Her attention is drawn for a moment to Lon playing ringleader and the announcement of a three way tie.

"That's not gross, I think we were just too sober to start with." He laughs. "Seriously way too sober for that drink." He grins and enjoys the kiss before going back to eating.

The sailor takes a hearty slug of his drink, once it's been set down before him. "What? No. No. Rough but fun," Joe says, lazily. He looks positively sly, for a moment....but apparently not disposed to disclose who, precisely, he's talking about. It'll come out eventually.

Roxy takes a deeper swig of her drink, trying not to look embarrassed. "I did not mean to pry," she murmurs to Joseph. "I was just surprised after our last talk." She watches the competitors and winces for them. "I do not begrudge them their hangovers tomorrow. I did not even make it all the way through the Bar-lympics at Two if By Sea and I wanted to die the next morning."

Claire grabs her drink and lifts it high and agrees vociferously with her brother. "Cheese! The Ben Kingsley of foods." A gulp of alcohol. Maybe the competition across the bar is inspiring. It's about time to crawl up onto a bar stool. "I think my guy's winning," she observes. More brie!

One more look over his shoulder and Easton grabs Bennie's beer and finishes that off. He gives her a half shrug and says, "Just helpin' you out babe." Which is one hundred percent not why he's grabbing her beer, but it sounds better.

One beer down. Whew! Faith is holding it though and she grins lopsidedly at Alisha and encourages her too, "You can do it." She's enjoying herself at least. The beer is good, a bet is made, since she's held on this far. She glances around at the others in the competition and reaches for the next beer when it is delivered.

"It does in fact seem like your guy might be winning," Carter laughs and grabs some more of the brie, but not in any particular hurry. He can always order some more if she finishes it all. He grabs an onion ring instead as he watches the contest go on.

Katherine is about as calm as she can be in her situation as Easton gives one last glance over his shoulder before drinking another beer. A part of her is always going to genuinely care, but she's mostly interested in watching his reactions, the part that is interested in getting under his skin taking over in a sense. It's a fleeting thought, though, as she continues to eat.

"Yeah, you notice I am not up there with them. At my age, a hangover's like signin' up for a bout of the flu. Noooo, thank you," he says, letting his gaze drift to the competitors. Slowing down on his drink, at least at the thought. Then he glances back at her, as if only now noticing her embarrassment. "Kinna a sudden thing. I mean, I knew he was in town, but....I thought he had other commitments that'd preclude us hooking up again," he says, drawing an idle circle or two or condensation on the bartop, with a fingertip. "All's well's ends well, like they say. We'll see how it goes."

"You know I am keeping count right?" He lifts his final fork full to his mouth and washed it down with a beer. His eyes go to Katherine with a grin on his face.

"Would you like to go to the bar and get us more drinks to get drunk off of then so I have something better to stare at?" Katherine quips playfully squeezing Wayne's forearm.

Roxy blinks at the hooking up comment. She shakes her head a little. "Is hooking up how things are these days? Is that why I am having no luck in the dating game?" she asks Joseph with a small frown. She digs into more of the brie because it's delicious cheese and she is no longer a ballerina on a strict diet regimen. She is enjoying ALL THE FOODS.

Here's the thing. Isolde gets excited easily. She was so ready to take on that second pint! So ready...that she was a little too ready. She starts chugging and then falters and half of it comes bubbling right back out of her mouth and partially into the cup, partially on the table. "Oh. Shit."She laughed, lifting the bottom of her shirt to wipe her mouth a bit. Briefly exposing her torso before the shirt is dropped again. Shake it off, try again!

The smoochy display between Wayne and Katherine is obviously distracting Easton as he only manages half his next beer. He grins as Bennie passes on that round, "That's probably wise, but if you're planning to pace yourself just know I'm not slowing down." He sees Wayne approaching the bar and gives him the tightest of polite smiles before reaching back to scratch the back of his head facing Katherine with his middle finger. It's not that he think she's putting on this display for his benefit so much as ... no he totally does. He gets distracted though when Isolde sprays beer and he laughs and grabs some napkins, "That is one strategy. It's bold and daring. I like it."

There is a sudden startled seal like bark of laughter from Bennie as Easton finishes her first drink for her, giving him a, "Suuuure." That doesn't sound like she believes him in the slightest. Then it's time to take on the second beer and the blonde just hesitates, as if having to gear herself up to adding that much more liquid to what's already sloshing around in her stomach. "Okay, you can do this Benz. You can do this!" Yes, she's talking to herself. No she does not care. Then she gets distracted by another thought and a devilish look is flashed aside to Easton. Time for a little intervention of the tutu'd butt kind! As the drinking continues, she picks up her own beer to set into it and innocently turns and starts backing up into Easton with the assumed 'beeeeep beeeep' of a truck in reverse as she's attempting to shove him with her rump and disrupt his drinking.

Alisha pushes through. Her stomach will cause her problems later on, but that is a problem for future Alisha. She needs to try to catch up. Trying her best to focus on getting further into the rounds. Even when her starts to put it down. She fights down the urge to head to the bathroom. She is going to win this damn thing!

Under strong advisement Wayne rose and shook his head. "Sure and If you lose sight of me it might be because I left." He stuck his tongue out at her before heading to the bar for another round of beer. He looks up to the contest and gave a cheer. "You said blond wins, you can do it!" Since no one had a chance to give him Bennie's name. He does offer a nod to Easton though and turns around just in time to miss the suggestion that Katherine is number one.

One beer made her woozy headed and Faith leans down to rest her forehead on the edge of the bar for several moments. She's not making progress, but she still believes in herself! One hand is wrapped around the glass and she seems in no immediate hurry to continue.. or maybe she's spitting out beer beneath the bar! (not really) Finally, she lifts her head and gives another lopsided smile to Alisha. "You can do it, you can win." A glance to her competitors and the other patrons in the bar, she murmurs. "I wish there was some glow in the dark shots, that'd be fun. Except the oily spots."

"Sometimes," Joe says, before looking back at Roxy. "Honestly, I feel outta the loop. I haven't, like....dated at random in years. This was someone I knew from when I was a much younger man." A little furrow in his brow, before he adds, "'s a few years younger than me. He's a police officer here, but he used to be a Marine."

So, it turns out that brie on onion rings? FUCKING LEGIT. James bounces his incandescently stoned and increasingly drunk ass on his seat as he basically slathers the cheese over his onion rings, popping mustard-dipped corned beef bites in his mouth as he does because when it comes to appetizers this man knows how to multitask.

How is he not single?

Roxy blinks at Joseph a few times. She's spoken to the other party just recently about the two of them knowing each other. She puts two and two together. "Oh. OH!" Now she's beet red. "I thought, does he not have a... isn't he with someone...? I, I do not understand how all of this works. Some days I think they let me out of that place too soon."

Easton is a strong independent woman, er man. He's not some weak willed man who's going to lose his concentration just because there's a beautiful blond woman in a green tutu rubbing up against him suggestively. But he is absolutely is one to lose it when she starts making beeping noises. The beer sprays out his nose and mouth in a choke of laughter. He sets it down, and looks to Bennie shaking his head, "Well played Oakes.." But he's not without his own weapons. He waits for Bennie to start drinking next round and suddenly develops an itch on his stomach that causes him to lift his shirt and scratch it flashing his abs at her while drinking his own beer.

Isolde was ready to try again! But she is totally blanking Easton and Bennie for getting distracted by their antics so she's lagging behind again! So instead of a proper gulp...the would be sip splashes on to that shirt again! Poor shirt indeed.

Stefhan still figures that now is not a good time to drink, and, fortunately, he doesn't seem to be loosing his mind amidst all the carousing. Maybe he might not be the best driver, but he's certainly a worse drunk. Concern flashes over his face a moment when he peers over at Alisha and Faith. He attempts to ask, "Are you two ladies ok?" Though with all of the partiers and everything going on, his comment may be overlooked. Hopefully he manages to get his donation of a computer in a box into the right hands before that is overlooked.

Oakes is completely INNOCENT. INNOCENT I TELL YOU. At least that's the smile that gets flashed around the rim of her beer glass to Easton. She starts twerking in a flap flap of tulle but the white girl does not have the moves to be able to pull it off. Unlike Easton, who is pulling out the Kryptonite! "Not fair! Not FAIR! DISQUALIFIED." Of course she has no authority, and she's still trying to catch up, even if this has turned into dirty play by BEASTON. Sorry, those that bet. At least it's for charity?

Her guy's winning? "I dunno. Looks like the ladies are catching up. Unless I'm counting wrong," Claire murmurs to Carter, finishing her own drink and snapping the glass down on the bar. "What's that? Number fourteen?" One. One down. Onion rings. The ginger grabs an onion ring and 'toasts' it against Carter's.

The competition is heating up....and Joe's very much diverted by it. But he glances back at Roxy again, offering a guileless little smile. "Yeah. He's got another boyfriend, Itzhak. I'm kinna the silver medal in the competition, but hell, I'm still standin' on the podium, so I got no complaints. It's all right. It's all with consent - he's not cheatin' on Itz. I wouldn't want that, I like Rosencrantz, he's a good guy. Nor would Javier." He gives her a pitying look. "It's complex, and not the way folks usually do things, no," he concedes. "But I think we can make it work."

When the taste buds are dulled by alcohol, the alcohol suddenly tastes pretty amazing. Faith just really needed that breather and it seemed to help her a lot. She almost downs the second drink completely, but stops to take in a breath before finishing off the rest of it. Another grin to Alisha as she seems to be making progress, until she hears a familiar voice. Turning, she beams a smile towards Stefhan, "Hi. I'm playing a game. Want to place a bet on me? I'm going to win. Or Alisha is." The smile turns a little lopsided and she winks at him. "I'm glad to see you." And yeahh she's feeling good.

Nodding over to the temp bar staff, Maggi walks over to Stefhan, whom Leon had mentioned was making a generous donation. She hands his a cold O'Douls in trade. "Feel free to place bets if you like, I don't think anyone is in on the Brunette but she is crushing it!" She places the computer next to the pot of gold coins and steps on the stage Ainslie has departed from.

Roxy just boggles at Joseph a few moment. She looks disappointed, amusingly enough. Did someone have a small crush? Maybe. "Oh," she murmurs. She pushes the plate of brie towards him. "You can finish this off. I think I am going to head home. It is so loud in here and it makes my head ache. I hope things work out for you, Joseph. Good luck." She offers, a little hurriedly, as she slides off her stool.

Katherine watches as Wayne goes to the bar, hopefully to retrieve more alcohol, because she is too sober for this party. She polishes up her shepherd's pie and waits in anticipation to see what Wayne's going to return with. She smirks at Easton's middle finger and doesn't feel at all slighted or affected by the reaction. Her smile brightens towards Wayne.

James has to take a moment. Just a moment, as he reaches his last brie-smothered onion ring (my million-dollar idea no one steal it copyright James Hecker 2020 (the candidate you never knew you wanted until now)). This moment is meaningful, though. Two new friends, who've discovered so much in one another in such a short time, and yet, it's already time to part. "Time's a cruel bitch of a mistress, Fred." He's named it Fred. Fuck, who can eat something after they've named it?

This stone-cold heartbreaker can, ladies. Say bye to Fred. Newfriendicide completed, James turns his burning gaze (mostly 'cause of the weed, natch) onto the entrees.

Wayne sets down two pints of a local draft before dropping back into his seat. "There, you have your drink. Anything further for the lady?" He grins.

Which, of course, Joe misreads. Maybe it's finding out that he's queer. That it might be a crush? Not a clue. He's old enough to be her father, after all. "Thanks," he says, voice low. "Yeah, it's kinna a lot." Not that it looks like he intends to finish the brie - watching her go with that little frown. "You have a good night."

Stefhan looks over to where Ainslie leaves, perhaps wondering if she is safe and well. Things can go crazy in situations like this. It's even hard for him to stay focused on everything. When Maggi goes over to greet him he bows his head politely and takes the 'lighter' type of beer. "Thank you very much." Yeah, the whole 'designated driver' shirt makes him stand out like a sore thumb. He smiles at the mention though, not expecting it given the circumstances. Then noticing Faith he says, "I missed you." The pretty lady might not even recognize or remember the remark, but hopefully he doesn't regret making it. Should he bet on her, or not? Then he winces as, yup, he makes a bet on Faith. Oh the stories he may have on this, he mutters, "I hope I don't feel guilty later." Sometimes alcohol could be fun, but he knows the other side of it.

Carter toasts Claire's onion ring with one of his own while he watches the competition continue on, "Yep, looks like it," he agrees when the ladies seem to be catching up. He can't help but chuckle at the antics on stage and says, "Dinner and a show." He takes his own drink and puts it back, following it up with another bite from their pile of appetizers. Then their fish and chips arrives and the pile of food in front of them grows. He laughs, "I'm going to be feeling this tomorrow." The fried food, not the alcohol.

"You too, Joseph. Good night," Roxy says quietly, eyes lowered, before she moves off to reclaim her coat and head out into the chill night.

Isolde refuses to believes she's a light weight. Maybe she just gets really distracted because she overhears snippets of Joseph's conversation. Maybe she's just feeling that buzz and giggling over Beaston's antics (because if that's not a thing yet - it is now). Either way, more beer is ending up on her shirt than her mouth. "Alright! I'm out!" At least she knows when to quit. Tapping the table a bit and laughing again. "My money's on Bennie!" She starts fishing out a couple bills to get tickets to place that bet before going over to the bar to get a glass of something stronger.

"Just thinking about taking the afterparty to your place tonight," Katherine quips playfully, as they start on their second beers. "It's been a nice time tonight."

"Really now, maybe I should skip the second beer then." He grins and takes a sip. "It really has been. Are you and your past done tossing stones with your eyes yet?" He asks curiously.

So, beer two was easy, from there, it's hitting her even more. Faith blinks a few times and laughs at herself as she steadies herself on the edge of the table and looks at Stefhan. Her eyes drop to his shirt and she gives him a thumbs up with a grin. "Are you going to give me a ride?" Tilting her head, she continues. "Missed you too. I'm going to try and win this. Maybe I should order food," she says thoughtfully, then doesn't. The competitors are given another glance, noticing one opting out. "Getting closer." She calls out to Isolde though, "Good job!" Cheering her accomplishment thus far.

Claire smiles a playful smile at Carter, only to look delighted as more fried food arrives. "Time for the fish course." She grabs a piece and takes a thoughtful bite. "Yep. That's fish as god intended it." Fried and eaten in a rowdy pub. She swings around to face her brother and props her keds-clad feet on the bar of his stool. Her attention slides to Isolde as she withdraws from the contest. On to Katherine. Over to where Joseph sits. A glance at Faith and Stefhan and back to Carter. More quietly, "It's a little like old times. At least as much as I've seen it here."

"Not today, SATAN." Bennie declares as Easton's six-pack-ab-distraction isn't having it's desired effect on the Blonde, or rather it just prompts further retribution as she sips her beer and then suddenly bends, hoisting up his shirt further to deliver a rather brutal raspberry zerbert against his skin. And then quickly goes back to drinking, all nonchalant.

He thought he was here to drink and donate to the cause, but apparently he's here to provide a little emotional chaos to unsuspecting young women....and not in any kind of fun way. Joe looks openly chagrined at Roxy's departure, but still has no idea at all why she might have any kind of dog in that fight. Back to his drink, but he still doesn't seem disposed to do much more than nurse it.

James nods to himself, deliberations complete. He turns to his drinks (he did say everything on the menu), and drops the Irish Car Bomb into all the appropriate spots. He glances up at the competition, giving a whoop at Beaston's escalating tactics, and then it's back to the food- to which he does nothing more than eat it reverently, because you don't fuck with fish and chips and shepherd's pie, they're God's own perfect foods and James ain't about that whole 'getting damned by God for all eternity' for forsaking the True Foods vibe, no he is not.

Easton yelps in surprise, a very unmanly sound if there ever was one when Bennie unceremoniously attacks his exposed stomach. He does his best not to spill the beer or shoot more of it out his nose. He laughs and continues coughing, missing the entire round. "Okay. I see how it is." Easton looks at Bennie, narrows his eyes and strips off his shirt. We're apparently at that part of the evening. Flicking a nipple at her, he's totally un-phased by this turn of events. "Okay, round three.. four?, let's do this." Shirts just get in the way of drinking anyway, everyone knows this. Without the shirt, his scars and a collection of tattoos, including a weird Zombie Bear tattoo on his shoulder, are now visible.

Katherine considers Wayne's question about tossing stones. She sighs as she openly admits, "We have to sit down and sort our issues. There's a lot of unresolved crap there. We haven't talked in almost two years, except for him texting me drunk nonsense recently."

Isolde drops down into her seat and knocks back the shot of Jameson, and then follows it up with a regular serving of bourbon. "Whose gonna win?" She asks Joe and James since they're closest to her. "Definitely not me." Is added with a laugh. Her skin is flushed from the alcohol and all the heat from the large gathering.

"Oh I am sure, but are you done tossing stones tonight or did you want to spend more time seeing him?" He looked up to the stage and laughed. "Guess he wanted to save the shirt."

"Completely deep fried and only barely recognizable as fish?" Carter jokes when Claire declares the fish to be in its one true form. He liberally salts his fries and grabs one, popping it into his mouth as he continues to watch the competition between bites. He tilts his head a little to listen to her when she leans in to speak to him. It's only then that he glances around at all the people and he smiles a little, "You mean like at the neighborhood bar back home? A little bit, yeah."

Maggi has walked back to the bar and is making rounds, hoping Leon doesn't actually drop the mic. After all, those things are expensive. She checks in on Katherine and Wayne at their seats, noting the face of the donor and wishing them well. Back at the bar she congratulates Isolde. "You could be a car commercial right now." To James whom she makes a note of putting on her team any time she ever has to eat something for sport she offers. "You're a writer right? New computer up for grabs if you bet right."

Stefhan exhales as he's apparently nervous. That much money was either a good thing or a bad thing. Well, it's good to give things up for charity at least, right? This /is/ why all these people are drinking? Hopefully all the promos go well for his business though. A good cause is a good cause. When the beautiful Faith mentions food though, he goes off to order her something substantial. Sandwiches, it should be easy enough to get a sandwich. It might take a bit but, assuming that's easy food to secure, he makes his way back over toward her direction, meat and bread on a plate! Not being too hungry himself, someone needs to snag it!

"I'm ready for a different kind of party," Katherine points out, and all of a sudden, she drinks like she's in a hurry to find the bottom of her beer mug.

Claire nods and then nods some more. First to the fish-in-its-true-form conversation. Then in reference to the neighborhood bar back home. "Yeah. With a couple fewer drag queens. But I like the vibe." Even lacking in drag queens. She finishes her piece of fish and then slides off her stool and up to whisper something near her brother's ear. Then James' table-o-plenty draws her attention for a few moments. She grins as she retakes her perch on her stool and waves at a 'tender. "Just a beer, please. Something local."

"My money's on Easton, because the only guys I've ever met who were better drinkers than Marines were actual Spetsnaz," Joe explains to Isolde, more cheerfully. "And so far's I know, he's the only one in the competition. You did all right, though," he consoles her. "Hell," A glance at her shots, "Looks like you still are."

Wayne pushes his beer away and said Hi to Maggi as she passed. "In that case I am skipping mine. Breakfast in bed for you in the morning Love." He grins and rises.

"Oh, is that how this is gonna go? That's how we're gonna play?!" Okay, so Bennie might be feeling that alcohol now, just a tinsy bit, because now she's literally fronting to the shirtless easy like they're about to FITE. In a playful way. "Okay, Easy." It's funny how it turns to Oakes and Easy when they're in competition with one another.

Off goes Bennie's shirt, in a far less sexy strip of cloth than Easton's, her Kiss Me! I'm (Not) Irish tee getting stuck up around her head for a moment and she has to flail out of it. She's wearing a, yes, green sports bra - because sometimes you have to strap those puppies in - so it's not like she's really breaking some indecency law. But she does sort of forget to drink this round? But it's all fun and games until the Blonde suddenly winces, reeling backwards with a hand pressing into her temple.

James looks up from his epic meal, fish doused liberally with malt vinegar halfway to his mouth. "Aye, I've been known to commit the occasional sin of prose.", he replies, then chuckles as Maggi suggest him betting. "I know my luck. S'easier and less heartbreaking for me if I just make a donation." And then the hair on the back of his neck stands up, and he squints at the competitors- Alisha in particular. "Oh, and my money's on the one cheating.", he asides to Isolde, before grumpily taking a bite of his fish.

She gives Maggi a winning smile. "Good, it's been a lifetime ago since I've gotten breakfast in bed on my birthday," she tells Wayne. And she stands to leave with him, ignoring whatever's going on around them, especially Easton and Bennie's drunken shenanigans. And she's keeping the headband, because, she's like that.

Easton is distracted by Bennie pulling off her shirt, sure. But then he can hear Katherine and Wayne chatting about breakfast in bed and pounds his beer, like a champ before calling after the new couple as they are leaving, "Have fun fucking!" Complete with double thumbs up. Because he, is all class.

"May the best better win!" Isolde lifted her cup to Joe with a grin. "Yeah, well. This shirt isn't. But..." She looks over, distracted briefly by Easton's outburst and failed to stifle another giggle. "But yeah, I can totally do more. A few more drinks! Just not in the competing. Mood I guess." Isolde shrugged and took a sip. "Someone's cheating?" She peers at James before looking at the left over competitors as if trying to suss out who it could possibly be. But doesn't seem to garner any clues so she just focuses back on her drink and the nearby people. "Izzy." She offers to Joe, extending a hand.

Bennie makes a sweeping hand gesture at her throat, cutting herself off. "I'm out, I'm out." Because her head is now pounding as someone tried to break into her brain meats unbidden, giving her an instant headache. At least that means she's too distracted to note Easton's rather brusque fare-the-well to Katherine and Wayne..wait..nope, there's a punch to his ribs in a not-so-subtle jab of silent bid to 'play nice'. She makes a grab for Easton's discarded shirt, pulling it on as she goes to slump in a nearby chair. Leaving him with the teeny tiny one of hers.

There's a snort of laughter from Joe, at Easton's farewell. "Fair enough. It's a lot more fun when you can pace yourself as you choose, I agree," A flicker of a look over. "Well, no one said no magic allowed, so is it cheating?" he wonders, with a shrug. Then he's taking Izzy's hand and shaking it firmly. "Pleased to meetcha, Izzy. I'm Joe."

He was so close to leaving too. He looked to Katherine and gave a shrug with a grin before calling back. "Way to focus on your present asshole, at least try to pretend you once had a mother that raised you right. This way you do not fuck it up with your present." He turns to leave. "Oh right, go fuck yourself."

Alisha has to drag up a dark memory as she focuses on those against her. And so sorry to other PC's, her rep is on the line. Trying to make them think they have drunk more than they did. Ignoring the ever increasing protests of her stomach she downs her drink. Going into the third. One is ahead of her and she focuses her abilities on Easton.

Faith is aware Alisha is using her glimmer, but she's not aware it's on her. Probably Stefhan distracted her and she watches him go get the food and return, thinking her drink is all gone now. "I need another beer!" Since it's empty and she wants to keep on stride with the others. "Aww, thank you," she tells him as he returns. "I'm going to try and make you not regret putting money on me." A smile to him then Alisha. "You're doing great," she grins.

"Shhhhhh, it's not worth it for you to get angry or even respond," Katherine points out as they walk out, "He's just playing a game he'll lose at. He can't get under my skin the way I get under his and he's mad about it." And she allows herself to be ushered out by Wayne to leave the bar, after putting their coats on.

"True enough," Carter says with a little bit of a laugh as he orders himself a glass of water to go with the rest of the food. He digs into his fish, though pauses when Claire leans in to murmur something in his ear. He smiles a little at it and chuckles, murmuring something back to her before his attention shifts over from Easton to Wayne and Katherine and the shouting going back and forth. He begins to hum the themesong to a popular soap opera under his breath before reaching for his glass of water.

James says, "Nah. S'cheating.", James mutters in between bites at Joe's comment. Someone, apparently, is not a fan of Glimmer. His mood slightly soured, he focuses back on his food, losing interest in the competition for the moment. Mmm, that's good shepherd's pie."

Stefhan gulps as he looks around to see if there are any paramedics standing by. Some can handle their drinks better than others and while he's expecting that he may have to give someone a ride, he isn't expecting to act as a potential medic for someone with alcohol poisoning. He's seen Alisha in her finest moment and he knows she can easily put down a gallon of beer and come back for more, but the others? He's not so sure. "Don't, stress yourself" he tells Faith, "You don't have to prove anything to be, just, trying to do the right thing for charity." Yeah right, a blind man can tell he's rather sweet on the young woman but he also watches Alisha out of the corner of his eye, making sure she can still maintain her own. What are friends for?

Claire exchanges amusing memories with her brother. He murmurs to her and she smirks at him, then lifts up her new beer and chugs it all down. Easton, then Wayne abruptly. Then Katherine. "Wow," she murmurs under her breath. "Another beer please," she requests of the bartender. A side-glance to Carter. "You're drinking water? That very un-Irish of you."

"Whose angry dear, its like charades, when you act like a dick, you get called one." Wayne just grins and shrugs as they head out.

"If it wasn't stated in the rules. Not cheating." Isolde agrees. Because, you know, rules are meant to bent and broken anyway. The handshake to Joe was quick and more or less confident. "Your accent is cool!" Despite definitely being well over the legal drinking age and having her wits about her - buzz aside - there was a bit of a childlike quality to the way she spoke. That easy excitement and wonder and fascination about things. "Long way aways from here though." An idle musing as she took another sip of her drink.

Leon had sort of just been staring at the two on stage, stripping, putting on a real show. He looked a loss for words. His eyes flick to Maggi behind the bar as he stands open-mouthed, like The fuck do we do about this? Then Easton's all shouty, and Wayne's all shouty back and it looks like it might get out of hand, but... well it's the fucking Pourhouse.

Easton looks at Bennie, "What? I was being nice!" Well not really, but it at least sound like plausibly a good thing, even if wildly inappropriate but well such is Easton. He grins and says, "Aw, that was me trying to be nice." in return to Wayne. A better version of him would like to not get goaded into saying more at this point. He turns to look at Bennie and manages to keep his mouth shut and just give Katherine and Wayne a hearty wave instead. "Also, less hot goth blond.." He addresses Alisha, "I'd highly recommend not tempting things to drag you into fuckin' living nightmares for ..." he makes a circular motion around the bar "this." We've apparently reached the part of the evening where Easton starts just saying things. Welcome.

Maggi, who had noticed nothing out of the ordinary squints at James a little confused. "Someone's cheating?" She asks curiously as she scoops ice into a few cups. Originally she was going to try to clean more as she went, but given she had seen a few people close to hurling at a couple points, that was a later problem. A cup of water out to where Bennie was sitting, noticing her level of done with the green liquid. Deciding she in fact did not in fact desire to clean up green vomit, Maggi takes it upon herself to give the remaining competitors a sprinkling of Irish luck. She had practiced this morally or immorally on Leon in Vegas, something she didn't know she could do for a bit. Snapping her fingers a little bit of blue fire may be visible for just an instant, a Will'O the wisp as it were.

Well, a bar fight is pretty much expected, really. Joe's got this look in his eye like he sorts of hopes one might start up. But cooler heads prevail, and he looks back to Isolde. "Thank you," he says. "An' you're right, I am a long way from home. Savannah, Georgia - sailed here from there. Around Florida and the Gulf, through the canal, and up the coast. Got here a li'l before Christmas."

James is about to reply to Maggi, when again he gets that feeling like millipedes doing a dance all up and down his spine, this time coming from her, and he grits his teeth. "Yeah nevermind lost my appetite.", he mutters. Not that it matters much since there was barely a bite left of his formerly giant pile of food. And with that, he stands up, leaving a pretty substantial tip because he's not a goddamn asshole, and starts shrugging on his ill-fitting magic coat to head on out.

Bennie gives a smile up to Maggi as a glass of water automagically is set down at her table, it's not her full high beams smile, but it's appreciative. "You're an absolute Peach." She declares, taking a hearty drink from it before she decides to get back to the party. Dragging her water glass with her, she leaves the competitor's area to let that pan out and return to where Isolde has resettled. "Happy Birthday toooo yoooooou."

Isolde is a bit on edge for a moment when things continue. Hey, she won't shy away from another Pourhouse brawl. But then it's over as Joe is answering her question. "Cool! Do you still have your boat?" Might seem like a stupid question to ask but, you never know! Maybe he got shipwrecked! Because why anyone would want to specifically come to this gray place is beyond her. "I've been all over. Never in a boat though. Only on land. One time by air! But-" Isolde falters a moment, almost grimacing before shaking it off. "But mostly on land." And then she finishes off her drink. There's a soft thud of the glass against the bar and a motion towards the bartender so she can get a refill and another Jameson shot.

Stefhan blinks and just goes to shaking his head when people take to the stage to do more 'attention seeking' things besides drinking. "Well, some soldiers might really stand up for attention now." But, the party has gone from entertaining, to wild. He still wonders if someone may be in need of a ride just yet, the shirt making more of a statement than it needs. Right now, people seem to be having fun fun and more fun. No inhibitions here!

Once Wayne and Katherine are out of the way, Easton can actually look back at Bennie and realize something is up. He turns to put his hand on her back but then there's another beer in front of him. And that beer is conquered. And now that she's out of the competition he doesn't need to be shirtless, but sadly his shirt is now occupied. So ... he wiggles into the tiny shirt that Bennie left. It barely contains his frame and doesn't cover most of his stomach. The chest and ab hair is a really nice touch with it. He cups one of his pecs with a free hand and blows a kiss at Bennie across the bar, obviously enjoying himself.

Joe, for his part, has only just finished his jack and coke. And once Iz has her refill, orders another of his own. "I surely do. She's moored at the dock right now. The Surprise. Well, the smaller of the two, with a single hull. There's a bigger boat there called Surprise, as well. She's fine. I just decided to stay a while. Me, too. All over the world and around it. You from here?"

Bennie gives a little laugh at Easton. And that shirt. No, she has no qualms about being comfortably nestled in his while he struts around in hers like it's some tube top. In the question of who wore it better? The floor will totally win, later. "Whatever the birthday girl is having, set me up too!" Bennie orders the same as Isolde, uncaring that it's a shot and a beer or whatever. This headache isn't going to spoil her mood, dammit.

Maybe Stefhan is right to be concerned. The third glass she lifts to her lips. Trying to drink it down and then she slams it against the table. Rushing to the bathroom with her hands over her mouth. She can't bet her body even with cheats. She'll be in there for a long while.

"The Surprise?" Isolde can't help but giggle at that. There might be a lot of jokes she could make but most of them are escaping her and she's still giggling so it's hard to vocalize. But she manages to get herself under control. More or less. "Surprise! It's The Surprise!" ...Oh lord. There she goes again. But this time she reins it in a little quicker since Easton is announced as winner. "GO EASTON!" She cheers even though she was betting on Bennie. Then gets around to answering Joe, "Portland." Is where she's from. "Oregon. Go get your prizes!!" She wiggled in her seat a bit. Prizes were important!

"And that's why you never quit! And you.. drink a lot?" Easton gets really fuzzy on the life lessons to draw from drinking that much green beer. He stands for that little 'speech' as it were before heading over to Bennie. He makes a motion like he's either kissing his finger or cutting off his lips? She probably understands the drunken sign for going for a smoke at this point though.

"I'm also the one who is going to drive us home, so drink up Drunky O'Leary," Carter says to Claire with a little sidelong grin and then he cheers on Easton as he wins the competition. He toasts with his water, to the winner, and says, "Looks like your guy won after all."

MC'ing duties finally done, Leon gets the fuck out of view and comes over, dropping one of those jaunty Irish top hats with the buckle on Easton's head crowning him the winner. "And for your prize sir, you get an all-expense paid rest of your night at the Pourhouse. We're covering your tab." Which he didn't know also covered Isolde's and Bennie's, but fuck it, it was a charity event. He flops into a seat against the bar, looking tired.

She's drunk. But at least she's an adorable drunk. And now Joe's the winner, to his bemusement. A computer, a book, and a pot of chocolate coins. The latter he reserves a handful of, but then hands back to be distributed by the bartenders. Let everyone enjoy those, he doesn't need that much chocolate. "Hey, thanks," he says to Easton. "Man, these are really yours, you won 'em for me."

Computer and book he sets aside for later examination. "Yeah, she's named after a ship in a book that I like. Well, whole series of books. Haven't yet made it to Portland." He lifts his glass in salute to Leon, grinning.

James shuffles off quietly, drawing his magic coat tighter around himself for the warmth it provides. Best to flee before shit gets extra weird, which has been his experience with Glimmer use so far. Flee, little leprechaun, flee!

Faith manages to lose, but she sure gave it a valiant effort! She does okay, but damn the luck, she falls short of victory. There's a smile to Stefhan, she's not going to lose it, but she does manage some of the sandwich before she gives a thumbs up to Easton and a smile to Alisha and Bennie and Isolde. "That was fun, but I think.. maybe I should get out of here before I make an idiot out of myself." Walking over, she slides a hundred dollars to Maggi, "A donation for the charity." She turns back to Stefhan. "Walk me home?" She walked, all responsibly instead of driving. "Maybe some fresh air will do me wonders." Hopefully!

Claire picks up her fresh beer and takes a more easy drink from it. "Well, that was rude of me. Turning you into Mr. Sober. I suppose I should get really drunk to fully enjoy the fruits of your self-discipline." She glances over her shoulder. Yep. She called it. The loud guy won. "What can I say? I drink and I know things."

"Hurry back so we can victory make out!!" Bennie calls over to Easton before she bellies back up to the bar as her shot of Jameson is delivered. YUCK, but whatever. It's Irish and it's St. Paddy's! She downs it with a full body shiver that has her tu-tu a-shakin'. "PHEW. Man. I love you guys, like really." She says as an arm rings around Isolde's shoulder, and the proclamation gets said to those nearest the birthday girl, even if she has NO IDEA who Joseph is.

Stefhan watches things unfold, and likewise resolve itself. "I'd love to walk you home." He tells Faith, "But, Alisha, is she going to be ok? Who is going to make sure she's ok?" If she took a dive for the worse well, he moves closer to the gorgeous firehouse cook, but at the same time he isn't going to abandon a friend. Decisions...decisions....

Isolde orders some of those onion rings while Joe is collecting prize stuff and so is working on eating one when Joe comes back. "What's the books?" The series that is. Is asked while there was more onion and less ring in her hand after the first attempt. Aka - she got a lot of breading in that first bite and not a lot of onion! "Portland is terrible." Isolde says confidently and then paused a bit. "...Well. Not TERRIBLE terrible but. It's gray. Like here. I don't like it. Was a bad thing for a long time for me." She is startled again when Bennie comes and drapes her arms around her to hug her again Along with the happy birthday and the Jameson shot. She laughed, leaning back against the woman and reaching up to pat her head. "Love you too Bennie. Thank you for helping make this a good birthday!"

A friendly smile for Bennie, though there's no recognition there. "Hey, I'm Joe," he says, looking up from the comic book he just won. Then he's listening to Isolde, expression commiserating, "A comic book. Don't know it," he says, turning it so she can see. "I'll have to look it up. And....that's too bad. Yeah, this winter has been a hell of a learning curve....and I lived three winters in Russia."

"No no. The books with the Surprises!" Isolde clarified. Though she does peer over at the comic book a bit. "Russia? That's a REALLY far away place! I haven't been out. Of the country before. Is it really cold there in the winter?" She either misses or chooses to gloss over the brief condolence for portal being a terrible place.

Coming back in to the bar Easton leans against Bennie and puts his head on her shoulder (seriously she's really tall and he is not) and looks down at her shot glass. He smiles dopily and says, "I actually don't want that right now." Can he actually tell from the empty shot that it was whiskey? Maybe. He leans his head around and says, "Yay, happy birthday!" He pulls back and checks his watch dramatically. "Okay, we have drunk tacos incoming eta oh one hundred." Bennie is likely used to drunk mission Easton by now. This is hardly new. "So we should wish the rest of these nice people happy fucking and grab an uber soon babe." See? It's just something he wishes people. All people. Okay, fine, especially exes when he's feeling a little petty.

Maggi busies herself with side work for the rest of the evening, trying to make the close easy as she can after taking a much needed break. Dishes and sticky drinks were not going to clean themselves! Plus she wanted to snag a kiss from Leon for luck, having given some of hers away. All in all she was happy, Easton and the others had rocked drinking to a level she could not even dream of. She would make a point to text him in congratulations soon.

Bennie squeeeeeeezes Isolde's shoulder, giving her another kiss to the temple. "You gave me my Easton. I will celebrate you for the rest of ever." Because pulling him from a totaled Jeep is something the blonde will never forget. As Joe introduces himself, Bennie leans over to tick a finger off his nose a little sloppily. At least she doesn't poke him in the eye? "Yes, yes you are." Joe. He is definitely a Joe. "And handsome too! SOMEONE MAKE OUT WITH THIS MAN, he's too handsome not to have someone slipping him tongue right now!" And then there's Easton! Oh! Hi! When did he get back. She's spinning into his arms and flopping against him. "Tacos. Sound. Ah-mazing."

Stefhan tries to inform one of the event staffers that the 'box' was not a bomb but a computer donated for the event. There's a cash value discussed and then he goes back over to Faith, "Need to make sure Alisha gets home safe too, one way or another but, lets go on ahead and get going before people get more wild. I've seen a lot of parties take a turn for the worse, but I don't want to be a party pooper either." Hopefully able to lace his fingers with Faith's, he takes her hand to lead her out the door. "Let's go, I'll make sure you are safe."

"Oh," The sailor's voice is a little sheepish. "Uh, the first book in the series is called Master and Commander, by Patrick O'Brian. They're about the age when ships were still sail-powered. Really good. And yeah, Russia's really damned cold."

Then there's Bennie, and he recoils a little at the flick of his nose. "Ah, hard pass on that one," he says. "But thanks." Like maybe she was volunteering Isolde.

Jewellia has meant to come to the party earlier, but she had gotten caught up in own artwork and lost track of time, when she did walk in she was dressed in a long sleeves green tunic dress, with black leggings and knee-high black boots, As she had told Isolde she would she had green streaks in her massively curly brown hair. She had her Cameras with her, as well as a carefully wrapped gift box. As she entered she looked around for Isolde since she told the other woman she would be coming. She looked at Suri who had come with her. "I need to give someone this [ackage and then we can find something to drink?" Spotting the woman she was looking for she headed in her direction.

Leon, likewise, does what he can to continue to help the hosting of the event and eventual close of the bar... Well as much as he can, since from this point of the night on, he was on a steady diet of fried food and whiskey until he was actually convinced he could jump and click his heels. He didn't, thankfully. But Maggi could drive home. Or they could walk, he was far past caring.

Suri showed up fuzzy green leggings and an orange and white sweater with her practical boots. SShe came in and shed her coat, looking around. "Looks like there's still plenty of green beer going around," she told her friend cheerily. She nodded and followed Jewerllia to find the other woman.

Isolde is feeling a lot of things tonight. The alcohol has done a good job about squishing most of them but also because of lowered inhibitations it makes you do stupid and not-well-thought-out things! So. Because Bennie has so many good ideas, and despite Joe saying 'nah it's fine, really' to the blonde...Isolde definitely takes the advice. A rather tipsy Isolde steals a decidedly heated, but probably sloppy kiss from the man that is Joseph. And then falls back into her seat with a laugh. "Happy birthday to me." She's most definitely going to feel like a terrible person in the morning light for randomly kissing a stranger. "Enjoy your tacos!" She says cheerfully to Easton and Bennie.

Jewellia can easily see Isolde sitting at the bar now that the crowd had thinned some. She's obviously drunk but in a more or less good mood, and wearing a green 'Buy me a beer, it's my birthday' shirt.

"Isolde!" she called out the woman's name as she bounced happily over to her. "Happy Birthday, you look like you are having a good time." Having seen the kiss. "I brought you a gift, but I am not sure if I should buy you any more beers." she laughed in a friendly way and held out the brightly wrapped gift.

An excited, "Woo!" Is exclaimed as Isolde takes matters into her own hands and plants one on Joseph, Bennie grinning back to Easton. "At least someone takes our advice." As ill-advised as taking any advice from Beaston may be. User discretion is advised. "Alright, Marine. Take me drunk, I'm home." The blonde isn't that far off that she didn't mean to mix up the words, but she still finds it funny. She pats his chest, one. Twice. Gives his pec a squeeze in that ridiculously ill-fitted shirt and then he's dragging her off to catch their Uber because, "TACOS!"

Suri followed Jewellia over and echoed the sentiment, "Happy birthday. I'm Suri." Then she looked to Jewellia as the woman went on about the gift and beers or no beers.

"Jewels!" Isolde says happily as she spots the woman and also her friend. "Suri! Such pretty names." She gives a wistful sigh and a giggle. "Nice to meet." Nodding again and then accepting the brightly colored packaging. "So pretty! Thank you!" As she starts to open it up.

That's apparently enough. Joe doesn't manage to dodge the kiss in time....and he certainly doesn't put up a hand to fend her off. That would likely only make things a lot worse. But it's clearly a sign he needs to beat a retreat before there's a real disaster, for he's taking care of tab and tip with haste, snagging his coat and his prizes, and slipping out while Isolde is distracted.

When Isolde opens the box she will find a picture of a pair of just blooming flowers in bright sunlight, the picture was clearly taken somewhere around Grey Harbor. It was both framed and matted. "Last time we talked you mentioned about the place being well Grey, so I thought maybe you could use a bit more color in your life. I hope you like it." She smiled. "Suri is an artist too, and has been one of my friends since I moved here a few months ago, she is the one who has shown me around. " As Isolde looked at the photograph, Jewellia took the opportunity to order her and Suri a couple of drinks.

Suri smiled, "Nice to meet you too," she leaned in a bit to see what was in the box, but without crowding Isolde. As the beers were served up, she took her with a thanks to Jewellia, and the bartender. Whatever it had been was green now. She took a sip to see if she liked it, decided she did, and had another drink.

Isolde looked over the picture a moment and gave a crooked grin. She hadn't even noticed Joe was gone yet! Probably a good thing. "So pretty!" She actually hugged the framed picture a moment. "I do need more color." It's said more to herself than anything though. "It is okay around here sometimes. Better in the spring and summer. We're almost there." She carefully sets the frame back in the box and sets it on the counter, fumbling a moment before getting out her wallet to lay down some bills. KNowing she should get going soon too. "Things are going good though? Here for you both so far?"

"We just got here, unfortunately, but it looks like there is plenty of beer left at least. She grinned. "it looks like you are ready to leave yourself. I am glad I caught you to wish you a happy birthday and give you that. I am glad you had a Happy Birthday."

Suri raised an eyebrow. "Off to a decent start, though we should have got here sooner, it seems." She sipped her bear, "I can't wait for it to warm up." She added a little belatedly.

"Enjoy it!" Isolde agreed. "Yes...too much. But friend lives close so. Going to walk that way." She shifted, carefully starting to stand up. She gives Jewellia a hug, she smells heavily of beer. Primarily because her shirt got soaked during the drinking contest for reasons. "Good to see you! See you again soon. Both of you." Isolde flashed a bright smile. "Warm weather brings good things. I am waiting for warm too." She agrees with Suri. "Have a good night!"