2021-12-08 - Drinking and Fire, but Hopefully Not Drinking On Fire

"I don't understand how it rains this much and the entire town doesn't dump into the ocean." Houston perches on a chair huddled close to the fire. She wears dark jeans, heeled ankle boots, and an oversize, wrapped knit cowl. Her streaked hair is braided in pigtails, coiled up up a voluminous scarf. In one hand, fingerless knit gloves are curled around a large ceramic mug of steamy hot buttered rum. If she could get any closer to the fire, she'd probably start to smolder. "We might have to buy a house and set up a shop inside of it. The only other thing I saw today was a strip mall." A strip mall. She shivers.

"All you do is complain." Iris points out, stretched out on her chair like a cat. Her drink is in hand, and she's dressed for the weather. Her jeans are acid washed, the band t-shirt is so faded you almost can't make out that it's AC/DC, and the flannel over that is washed out too, blues, grays and what was once white all blending together. She's got a leather jacket on over that, and she looks quite toasty. Her shoes are just basic black trainers with rainbow laces. Her long hair is long, unfettered with a nice curl to it.

"Buy a house?" She mulls that over, thinking of their finances. "I mean, it could work, but we're gonna end up getting a reputation when they see what kind of decorating you do. It's a mix of haunted house and candles on every surface." She wrinkles her nose at the mention of a strip mall. "If we need anything fancy, we can always drive to Seattle. Chill."

Jens pops the doors to Two If by Sea with one hand. Stylin' a pair of faded, ripped jeans; some white canvas sneakers too-loosely laced; and a black t-shirt with Taylor Swift's face silhouetted in grays and white. His hair is tied back in a loose ponytail and he's already swinging his bookbag off his shoulder as he spies around for a seat, waving to at least one of the waitresses. Definitely local. Way too comfortable with his musical choices.

"You sound like my mother," Houston mutters. All you do is complain. A huff of a sigh and a slurpy sip of buttered rum follows. "Everybody likes plants and crystals. It's goddamn refreshing. Are you casting aspersions on my collection of articulated skeletons?" She holds up a hand to stall the answer. "When a virtual shop full of memento mori goes out of business, you jump on that eBay sale. I already resold most of the Victorian hair jewelry. I'll never understand people who pay $500 for someone else's shedding." This from someone who has over 30 skeletons of various organisms. She tucks her feet up on the ledge of the fire, kicking her ankles crossed.

She and Iris are outside, on the lower level deck, drinking by the fire.

"Don't put that evil on me, bitch." Iris immediately fires back, gasping as she stares at Houston. She doesn't take a drink, she gestures with the hand the drink is in though. "Not everybody does. It's fine that we're witches, but do we have to dress like it, or decorate like it? Can't we have a pretty crystal lamp and tapestries with flowers that don't have some deep goddamn meaning behind it? Maybe a cat?"

She huffs and mutters something about the skeletons, but it isn't loud because the last time that discussion happened, it ended with a fist fight.

"Because they don't have one. We pay ridiculous amounts of money for things we don't have." She rolls her eyes and finally takes a drink, allowing herself to sink deeper into her chair, kicking the leg draped over one arm. "Why do we always fight? I know it's partially because you're always hormonal, but can't we get along until we set up shop?" She bats her eyelashes toward Houston.

Eventually, after getting a beer and furrowing his nose a few times, Jens decides he'll take his drinking-and-drawing outside, instead. He makes his way down to the lower deck, once again looking for a place to sit where he can maybe curl up and draw a little. Or something. He doesn't like to plan ahead; it never works out. He stops next to the firepit Houston and Iris are at while he looks around, smiling at them. "Hi," casually.

There's a snort of laughter at the mention of evil. "If the striped stockings and ruby fucking slippers fit." Houston takes a gulp of her rapidly cooling drink.

"What do you want. I grew up on a ranch that my lifegiver decorated like a new age retreat full of antlers. This is a direct and happy result of that catastrophe. I don't even give a shit, I'm still telling you those whores stole the set designs for Sabrina the Teenage Witch from my Insta." She sighs. "Fine, I won't language of flowers or garden magic your tapestries. Just nothing with a unicorn on it. I can't." She stares at Iris when she asks about being nice, after dropping that hormonal comment. Her eyes narrow slightly. Luckily, Jens shows up right then. She glances over. "Hi." Her gaze drops to his TSwift tshirt.

Iris just sniffs, and turns her head, pretending to ignore her half-sister. That's how she spots Jens. "Hi!" She chirps, gesturing toward a chair near the pair of them. "Please, come and sit, ignore the hag in the other chair, she's on the rag."

She realizes that said hag is speaking again and she turns a look back on Houston. "Unicorns are pretty, but I can skip the Unicorns if my whole fucking house isn't a double meaning that gives me a headache. We can compromise."

She turns back to Jens, pointing at his shirt. "Love that."

"Hi!" He blinks a little bit at the hag on the rag comment and then tilts his head a little bit. "Oh, thanks," he says, looking down at his t-shirt. "It came out nice, right? Took me a while to get the shading." He doesn't really hesitate when he's invited to sit, he just steps over and plops down, putting his beer down on the deck next to his chair. "I'm Jens."

"There's about to the whore on the floor." Houston grunts.

Technically a whore on the decking, but that shit doesn't rhyme. For all her bluster, she doesn't get up or make a move to commit violence. She's reasonably warm, her feet are up, and there's a drink in her hand. All bets are off when that cup runneth dry. "God bless Texas," she says, as if it's a reflex upon seeing Taylor. "You made that?" Pause, one, two, three. "Would you consider selling them? Wholesale prices." She waves a hand in the air. "Go."

"Houston," she says belatedly. "That's Iris."

"Bring it." Iris comments, knowing that Houston is too cold to get up and actually have to move. She's safe for now.

Iris takes a drink from her glass, watching Houston go into merchandise mode, her eyes on the fire as the older sibling does the work. That's how it's supposed to go , right? Younger sib gets to jerk off and drink while responsibility is firmly on the witchy shoulders drinking rum.

"Nice to meet you Jens, is this place always .. like this?" She doesn't really need to explain that phrase, she's sure.

Jens smiles at Houston. "www.norseinwash.com/tshirts -- but if you have a design you want, or want something custom, I got a tab for that, too," he informs her, opening his bookbag up and pulling out a sketchbook and a pencil. He pulls up one foot on the edge of the chair. "Houston and Iris. Huh. How crazy would be if it was like, Houston and Dallas?"

He blinks at Iris. "Like what? Wet? Beachy? White trying to desperately be Hollywood ghetto? Weird?" Boy oh boy.

Aaaand out comes the phone. She balances it on her knee and makes a note to herself to check out this website. She drinks, gaze turned toward the screen, tapping with one finger in the slowest browser pointing ever. "We'll be calling you, ponytail." She sounds sure of that, finger tapping away as she adds what is probably some notes to the entry. "As soon as we find a space, our brick and mortar shop is gonna need merch. We only have so much on hand." Including local artisans is always good for business.

"If she was my full sister, I'm sure that'd be her name. Anything but Lubbock. That was my dog when I was eight." She finishes her hot buttered rum, leaning forward to put the empty mug on the ring of the fire. "He was dumber than a dead cow."

Iris shudders. "Thank god I'm not her full sister. I have heard horror stories about her mother, and our father." She shakes her head, sticking out her tongue out.

She rolls her eyes when Houston mentions that they will be calling Jens. "Don't mind her, it's business first, and everything else after.. unless we're at the hotel, then it's corpse feet." She waves away that conversation, murmurs. "Lubbock." She sighs and glances at her glass, shifting so she can get to her feet. "Refill." She announces, making her way back toward the bar. "Be nice while I'm gone!" A few moments pass and then she adds, "Don't scare him away. Remember what I said last night!"

Jens smiles. His website is nicely designed; most of it is art. He seems to do most types of it, including murals and paintings and digital art, on top of designs for clothing and mugs and whatnot. Really, there's a tab for almost anything. He smiles when iris stands up and goes to get a refill, picking up his own beer and taking a long drink, looking back at Houston. "What'd she say last night?"

“Daddy’s a creature unto himself.” And she’s still not taking his calls. “Mama can’t help but be evil — it’s all the foxglove in her greenhouse.” The blonder of the two women turns her chair a little so half her body is faced to the fire.

“You couldn’t smell the smell by the time you got back because I spritzed everything in rose water and tangerine.” Houston falls silent for a while like she’s trying to remember which thing from last night Iris could be referring to. “She expects the guy to bring the condoms.” Barely a beat missed. “These murals are nice too. Maybe we can do one in the meditation room.”

"What kind of person doesn't bring their own condoms? Everyone should bring their own condoms. I don't know if someone I'm gonna be with is like, allergic to latex. That's just poor planning. Not bringing your own condoms is like relying on the pull-out system," Jens says, "sure, you hope the other person is going to remember, but if you don't do your part, tragedy might strike."

"Sure. I'm not expensive."

"That isn't what I said at all." Iris returns, her lips quirking into a grin as she rolls her eyes. She skips down the steps, making her way back to her chair where she drapes herself again, getting comfortable. "Also, it's good that a man brings his own condoms, but I have some of my own too. I wasn't a girl scout, but it's always good to be prepared."

She kicks a leg over an arm and lets it dangle. "You're not expensive hmm? Was she making t-shirt deals while I was getting a refill or was she trying to buy sex? I think the corpse motel has really affected her, up here." The last two words are whispered as her fingers waggle gently near her temple.

"Then why did I have to buy a dozen lemons?" She asks Houston, eyebrows up. "If you had handled it already?"

Houston doesn't say anything for a while, her eyes on her phone. She's silent, scrolling here, clicking there. She doesn't say much as Jens gives a mini condom TedTalk. Finally, when he mentions not being expensive, she looks over. Her dark eyes stay on him for a couple of silent beats before she says, "I appreciate a good value."

"It's true. It's on her Tinder profile," she agrees, when Iris returns. Though she spares a glance to her half-sister when she makes the buy sex comment, but doesn't dignify it with a reply. "Lemons purify and they last longer." She shakes her head like this question again.

"I'm sure if it's on her Tinder profile, I'll run into it eventually," Jens says, laughing. By now, he's got the sketchbook on his lap and one legs up, so they can't see what he's drawing. "And she was talking about maybe a mural for a ... meditation room?" He tells Iris. He looks at them both, first one and then the other, and shrugs. "But hey, times are tough." Heh.

"A mural, that would be nice. We need to find a house first, or a store front." Iris shrugs, seeming unbothered that her Tinder profile is being discussed. "Hopefully. If someone doesn't swipe right soon, I'm going to get a complex." She takes a drink from her glass, her eyes on the fire.

"Times are tough, but they don't have to be. This is supposed to be a new beginning. Getting away from .." She gestures vaguely in the southerly direction, making a face. "See anything you're going to buy me, Houston?" She's still on her fucking phone.

"I'm leaning toward a house," Houston says. "I don't think I can handle being in a strip mall, no matter how well-groomed the landscaping." She might change her mind if there's a coffee shop close enough. She tucks her hands into her sweater pockets, snuggling down into it. She nods at the question from Iris. "Yeah, it'll be here in two days. Assuming the local axe murderer doesn't steal it off our stoop." Assuming the motel doesn't hold packages at the front desk. The guy at the front desk might be the axe murderer.

"Just let me know," Jens says with a smile. He's still drawing, and taking long drinks of his beer. He glances up when buying something comes up and he looks over at Iris, then at Houston. "What'd you buy her?" Look, they've already discussed condoms, maybe he just feels like this isn't that nosy.

"Yes, what did you buy me?" Iris repeats, beaming toward Houston, she sets down her glass and claps her hands animatedly. "We should go house hunting tomorrow then, see what we can find." She picks up her own phone for the first time since Jens has arrived and taps the screen opening up the notes.

She makes a few notes, and then checks their accounts and stocks. "Hopefully we can find something that won't break the bank." She eyes Jens , her gaze moving from the sketch pad to his face. "What is the ghetto neighborhood in this town?" She wants to know the places to avoid.

There's amusement in her eyes with Houston says, "A snuggie." It's a giant unicorn, but that's a reveal for a couple of days from now if and when Iris opens the box. "We'll let you know," she says of the mural. "I refuse to live in a mid-century box." Of course now that she's said this, they'll probably see nothing but 50s bricks. Her eyes turn to Jens waiting for his answer. Yes, ask a local!

"Uhm," Jens considers for a long moment, and then says, "Maybe the trailer park? But honestly, the whole town's kind of weird. Don't go into the woods alone," he says, still sketching. He doesn't say it like in a creepy, low-tone, trying to scare the new girls tone. More of a matter-of-fact, genuine one.

"Trailer park?" Iris wrinkles her nose at that, shaking her head back and forth. She glances toward Houston, she already knows that her half-sister is going to nix a trailer park, and that's fine by her. "Don't go into the woods alone. Whole town is weird." She points a finger toward Houston. "This is on you." She notes quietly, rolling her eyes. She leans back in her chair again, contemplating. The spooky tone doesn't scare her, she just grins in his direction. "Okay, where are the nice houses?"

"We're in no danger of setting up shop in a trailer park," Houston says, dropping her boots to the deck to stand. She pulls the wrap of her dark gray cowled shawl tighter and makes her way toward the entry. She needs a refill. A glance is snuck at the sketch in progress, but not overtly. If it's tipped away enough, she won't be able to see what's on it, and she doesn't crane to try. "Refill." She says, thumping up the steps to head into the bar.

She snorts. "Don't go into the woods alone." That sounds exactly like she's going to go into the woods alone. "Your. Fucking. Tarot. Deck." She disappears inside.

Jens watches Houston stomp off and then looks at Iris, sliding his pencil over the sketchbook a little and then raising a brow. "So what made you guys want to move to Gray Harbor?" He tilts his head. "Tarot deck? Did you guys like, fortune tell your way over here?"

Just because it's cold and often raining, doesn't mean you can't wear tights and a mini-skirt. It might not be sensible, but sense has never stopped Park before. Ug boots, bright pink tights, white miniskirt, t-shirt, huge (fake) fur-lined jacket which hasn't been done up and gives her upper body the appearance of the Michelin Man, and upon her blue hued hair, ear-muffs in the shape of Pikachus over each ear. She bounces out to the fireplace, just missing Houston, cradling a large glass with a pink drink inside, a straw, and more umbrellas than on a London street.

"Hey, everyone!" she greets with a big grin and an attempted wave while still hanging onto the glass with both hands. "Oh my gosh, how cool is this fire. Well, not cool because it's all hot and toasty. I guess I could call say it was hot, but that would sound like I was attracted to it, and I'm not getting those burns again. I'm Park Mee. So you can call me Park or Mee, I don't mind. Mee is my name and Park is my surname but sine my surname comes first, people think it is my name. Isn't it a lovely night?"

"It was equal parts 'The PNW is amazing, we should find our way up there!' and equal parts 'the Wheel of Fortune card'. " Iris admits, shrugging a shoulder. She doesn't care if someone thinks she's a weirdo for reading tarot decks. "We also wanted to get as far from Texas as we could manage. This will do without leaving the country." Her head tilts as Park bounces in, watching her for a few moments before she pinches the bridge of her nose, sighing.

"It isn't sucking too bad." She offers a brief smile. "Nice to meet you Park."

Houston dodges the puffy, bouncy one, like a shadow slipping into the bar. She's gone for a few minutes, probably making the rounds in there. She may have braved the ladies room. There's a good chance she's cleansing it first.

"Hey, Park," Jens greets the bouncing girl. "This is Iris. She and her sister a new in town." He glances back at Iris and then says, "That's cool. I mean, I guess Texas is ... you know, Texas, so I can see why you'd want to flee."

"New to town!" Park carefully puts her drink down before trying to give Iris a hug. "Welcome to Gray Harbor! I hope you enjoy your stay." She finds her way back to her seat and drink. "Does anyone want to share a margarita? I don't have cooties. Promise. Hey, Jens." A fingerwave for the young man before paying attention to the conversation. "Texas? Cool. Gosh, you're probably freezing" she giggles. "Flee? Are you in trouble? This is a great place to hide. I don't think anyone even knows the town exists, never mind the people in it. Just stay away from the woods until you know your way around a bit more."

When Park leans in to hug her, Iris swats at her fitfully, swearing out loud. "Personal space!" She calls out, twitching as she moves back to her seat. She glances toward Jens, eyebrows arched. "I just got a new drink, but thanks."

"We're not in trouble, nor are we hiding, we're just not answering the phone." Which is not too different. "Why does everyone say not to go in the woods? Are you people hiding something in there? Is this a fucking cult town?" She sits up straighter. "HOUSTON." She yells toward the bar. "Get your ass back out here!"

Not long later, Houston returns to the fire pit, a fresh mug of hot buttered rum in hand. She's crunching the last of a handful of bar pretzels. "Fuck. WHAT?" She squints up as a light drizzle begins, and drags one of the umbrellas with her to perch close to the fire. But first the weighted umbrella makes a loud draaaaaaaaaaaagging sound. Disruptive.

She's got her phone in hand before she even sits again. Drink one one hand, phone in the other. She kicks her feet up on to the ledge of the fire pit, mug of hot buttered rum steaming in her hand. She thumb scrolls. "What?" That's at a much more manageable level.

"And go easy on the vodka this time - I'm serious. I almost didn't come back after you let that noodley girl...." Cassidy is one foot out the door to the deck and one foot inside, shouting at the bar. "...No not you. You don't make my drink...You do it." She is pointing at the staff with clarifying gestures as she gives out the instructions.

Once that task is completed, the woman steps out fully and slides the door closed. In an instant she's for her menthols and lights one. It's only after the first drag that she notices there are other people here too. So she steps about 2 cm further to the side, away, so as not to bother them with her cigarette smoke.

Jens seems to consider the question of this being a 'cult town' seriously for a moment, even as he gives Iris the 'yeah, she does that' look, regarding Park. he glances over when Cassidy shows up. he only really knows Park and Cass from karaoke, but still, he waves a bit. "It's not a cult town so much as you could probably run into a cult in town," he tells Iris.

"Oh gosh. So sorry, Iris" Park apologises about the hugging incident. "The woods can be very dangerous, especially in winter. They get all snowy and muddy and it's easy to get lost up there." Her expressions suggests deep contemplation for a moment before she shakes her head. "I don't think we're a cult town. I'm not in a cult and nobody has invited me to one. I am in a band though!" Enthusiasm is back. "And I DJ too!"

With Houston's return, there is a grinning wave of greeting. "Hi! I'm Park. Are you Iris's sister?" Brow furrowed, she looks over to Iris. "She's answering her phone" is whispered with some concern, just in case the Texas Rangers are closing in. A suck on her straw to get some alcoholic goodness before there is more waving for Cassidy.

Iris doesn't respond to Park's apology, she just squints in her direction. Her lips are pressed together, so she's probably biting back a comment or two.

She glances to the side, first at Houston and then at Jens. The look clearly saying ' is she for real?' Because she is so.. everything. Then Houston is back and once again she's on her phone. "Cult town, Houston. I'm not sure we shouldn't move again." She mutters, resisting the urge to reach out and snatch the phone away.

Then Cassidy arrives and she watches her for a few moments, sipping from her drink. No comment. Yet.

The blonde Texan glances up only briefly when she gets the faintest whiff of cigarette smoke. Houston squints at Cassidy, then goes back to scrolling. "Cult. Town." Ah, so she is paying attention. "How is you could run into a cult town any better than a cult town." There's a good chance she's missing the subtle differences here. She looks to Park at the enthusiastic greeting. "Houston." She nods. "Half."

She waves her phone at Park in a vague figure-eight. "You have a lot of energy." Her phone pings several times and she glances at the lit screen. "Nothing wrong with a little danger." She's new in town. Very, very new in town.

"My theory is that it's a LARPing town." Cassidy inputs between drags on her cigarette. "A lot of the town's main figures seem to be participating in some long-form LARP game." She shrugs and frowns. Hasn't quite nailed it herself. "They'll whisper about goblins and nonsense but shut up real quick when you show up."

Jens shrugs. "You'll be fine. Just don't go into the woods alone," he tells Iris and Houston again. Then, having finished his beer, he folds his sketch in half, then again, and drops it in Iris's hand, putting the sketch book away and grabbing his empty beer glass. "I gotta jet. Nice meeting you. Later, ladies." He and then he starts his way down to the beach, hopping around to take his sneakers off on the way.

"Oh gosh, you come from Texas and your name is Houston. What are the chances?" Park seems genuinely excited by this amazing coincidence. "Thank you" she adds about having lots of energy. "Are all cults bad? I guess Satanic Cults would be bad but the Cult of Chocolate Sandwiches would be pretty cool. Have you ever tried chocolate bars on a sandwich? Tasty. Don't toast them though. Definitely don't toast the chocolate bars that have the different flavors in each block of chocolate."

More sipping on her wonderfully delicious margarita. "People are LARPing without me?" A pout in Cassidy's direction. "Damn. I'm really out of the loop. Oh, I do cosplay too" she explains to the new arrivals. "If you ever need any costumes, let me know. Do you know where the LARPers meet, Miss Bennett." Park may have seen Cassidy at karaoke too but she's also seen her on television being important - best keep to a formal name.

More enthusiastic waving for Jens as he heads off. "Take care of yourself. If you run into a cult or some LARPers, let me know." She smiles to the others. "He's such a nice guy. We went to school together though he was year behind. I think. I don't know. I didn't talk to many people in school. Too shy."

Iris unfolds the sketch that was dropped into her lap, turning it to gaze down at it. She makes a noise, glances in the direction that Jens went, and folds up the paper. She tucks it in her jacket and looks from one woman to another. The look ends up with Houston after a few moments. "This is fascinating."

"Howeverrrr..." She pushes to her feet again, draining her glass with a gulp. "I need to head back to the hotel." She salutes Cassidy, and at the risk of having Park get up and hug her, she just gives the woman a wave.

"Call me when you're on your way Houston, so I can watch out for your bony ass." That's her farewell to her half-sister, family is the best, isn't it?

Houston's lip twitches briefly at the mention of LARPing. "LARPers could be profitable," the woman muses. She sips her warm drink thoughtfully. LARP is better than batshit insane. LARP is better than fundamentalist. She looks over to Jens when he repeats the thing about staying away from the woods. "Yeah-huh, sure." She's definitely going into the woods alone. "Travel safely, ponytail." Iris is next to get up to leave, and her half-sister barely holds in a smirk. "Don't leave your wet towel on my bed."

To Park, she says, "My mother has no imagination and conceived me in Houston, so the chances are pretty high. Cults are fine until they decide subjugating people sexually to the will of anyone or anything is a good business model." She passes the Cult of Chocolate Sandwiches thing right on by. Park says she was shy in school. "What happened?"

"Yeah when I find some I'll let you know." Cassidy brushes off Park. She takes another drag of her menthol and then leans forward and tosses it in the fire pit. "Where's my fucking drink?" she mutters.

She's to the sliding door, all business, when the waiter is right there and hands her a lemon drop. "Oh! Thaank youuu Raul!"

Placated, she sets the glass down only long enough to light another cigarette.

"Bye, Iris. Nice to meet you. I hope to see you again" Park smiles, not making the same mistake twice. Not the hugging one at least.

"Lucky you weren't conceived in Loco" she giggles to Houston. "I don't think we have any sex cults in Gray Harbor. Not that I would know about such things. Oh, I finished school and didn't need to study anymore." That last would be about the lack of shyness. "When you have to study hard, you don't really get to develop social skills, so it was best for everyone if I stuck to myself." A beat. "Some would say it would still be a good idea" she giggles once more. "Gosh this margarita is so yummy. If you stay in town for a while Houston, and you ever need a dentist..." Park rummages around in her huge jacket to find a business card to offer over. "It's my DJ Dental business card for the DJing, but it has my number if you need me for dentistry. Iris too of course."

Houston glances between Park and Cassidy, tugging the wrap of her knit cowl tighter. The way she's huddled into her clothes suggests it'll be a while before the acclimates to the PNW. Humid chill is like a goddamn knife. She adjusts her chair so she's slightly closer to the fire, warming the opposite side of her body from before. "Are you punishing yourself for something?" A question for Cassidy. Flick, flick, flick goes her thumb over the screen of her smartphone.

Because the card is being offered in her direction, Houston glances down at it. Her rum is in one hand, the phone in the other. She stares at the card for several seconds. Finally, well after it becomes rude to have waited, she puts her phone away and reaches for the card. "I'm going to need you to clarify. You're a DJ. And a dentist. You're a doctor." She turns the card over to look at both sides, then glances up at Park.

Cassidy closes her eyes and takes that first delicious sip of lemony, sugary goodness. Chased down by a drag of her menthol. She doesn't look like she feels punished. Her eyelids lift and her blue eyes are pointed at Houston. The question floats into her consciousness. "What are you talking about?" she snaps with a frown.

"Yep, I'm a dentist. Just graduated. Family business though what I really want to be is a musician. Which includes DJ. I play bass and keyboards in the band I'm in. Augmented Reality. Looks us up on the internet." Another sip of her drink before a sudden realisation. "Oh, shoot! I need to be somewhere. Oh, I am... I mean I need to be somewhere else." Park bounces to her feet. "So nice to meet you all and I hope we catch up soon. Bye!" And then she is dashing off.

Houston is watching Park bounce away, somewhat mystified by the combination of... all the things that make up that women. She leans forward to tuck the card into her back pocket. She'll have to hand it to Iris later, no commentary, just to see her face.

The Texan glances over to Cassidy. "Menthols. Punishment." Situating her legs on the ledge of the fire, she studies the other blonde with dark eyes.

"I disagree," the only slightly taller blonde says before making a point to blow a straight stream of smoke into the night air. There is a quiet appraisal of the other woman. All the crystals. Noted.

Crystals, rings, lots of silver. Black and dark gray clothes. No visible tattoos, but it doesn't take a beauty blogger to figure out she cares about a certain brand of fashion, makeup, jewelry, and might be a little bit evil, though that last part could just be the accent. "Everybody has their kink."

Cassidy's frown deepens into a look of disgust. "What the fuck?" she flicks her cigarette out into the fire pit. She takes her drink and leaves for the inside dining area.

“Goodnight, darlin’!” Houston watches the blonde go, raising her mug to take a sip of the cooling rum. “Weird little town.” Strange, strange little town.

“I sincerely hope the pizza delivery guy isn’t a cultist.” She raises her phone again, and sends a pizza to her motel room ahead of her with notes to bang hard on the door upon arrival. That should give Iris a thrill.