Wolf Like Me

[wolfmarked]

Say, say, my playmate
The Jolly Roger, day or night - open

The pub's become like a second home for Skip. She buzzes between the bar, small kitchen, and tables. For the most part, she's usually pretty sociable. She moves to whatever music there is, an easy turn from one table to another with the beat and the like.

Of course, pity the poor fool who tries to cause trouble on her shift. Or anyone caught up in it who might be assumed to be guilty. There, something rather like the 'wrath of God' might descend upon them.

Part of her duties involve the backroom and its supernatural inhabitants. Not that they get away with anything more than the patrons in the proper pub. There's some leeway, yes. Vampires feed on willing victims, for one. But anyone who starts a fight? She'll shout them down the same as she would anyone else.

Lack of fear? Lack of self-preservation? Both?

But she tries to be attentive, eyes peeled for new faces, empty plates, or waiting glasses.


Mirror my melody
London streets, day - open

"Oi! Fuck you! Fucker!"

The completely useless cursing is done to the back of a bus, complete with her flipping it off. He can't hear her, no, but it makes her feel better to do it. Even if she's promptly honked at for standing in the street.

"Fuck you, too!"

The driver doesn't reply. He just keeps driving once she moves. Then, she throws herself onto the bench to wait for the next bus.

"Stupid fuckin' transportation. Fuck 'em all."

She really needs to think about getting a license and even a shitty little car before school starts. It wasn't bad when she lived a campus or had her father or brothers to drop her off. But living with an aunt working full-time? This is going to get old, fast.


Got a curse I cannot lift
London streets, night - open

Bravado. That's Skip's main battle plan. Bravado and keys. They're all car keys, collected from neighbours, friends, and family over the years. And some just found. But they protude from her closed right hand, between each finger.

She may or may not also have slightly-illegal-grade pepper spray in the messenger bag worn over her shoulder. Sure, no one ever bothered her in Waterford, but she can't be sure about London. She hasn't been in ages, and, even then, she doesn't know the neighbourhood too well.

Besides, streets at night are dangerous, even when you're just walking to your bus stop. And have to wait there. People and the supernatural have to be considered. She doesn't care about politics, but she also knows she reads as human. Which, to some, might mean 'meal.'


When the moon is round and full
The Jolly Roger - Aug 29th

The song always plays. Whenever Skip is on duty at the pub, that song will come on the jukebox. Only after it's sat unused for a bit. She never makes anyone wait for their music to indulge her. But tonight, well. Tonight it might seem more than particularly apt.

'Oh, don't go 'round tonight
For it's bound to take your life.
There's a bad moon on the rise.'

She even sings along as she weaves between the tables and checks on her pool-playing regulars. She has their bottles of beer right as they took their last drinks. They almost didn't know what to do when she moved in, took their bottles with her right hand and put a new bottle in its place with her left.

Then, she turns her attention elsewhere.

Comments

got a curse i cannot lift

[takemeinyourdream]

Ariadne's hurrying a little as she heads to the bus stop. It's not that she's scared or anything - just... it's different being out late at night in a new city. For some reason, it feels like she's being watched. She's almost relieved when she sees there's someone else waiting for the bus at the stop.

At first, she stands next to the other woman quietly, jamming her hands in the pockets of her coat and casting her gaze around idly. Then she catches sight of the array of keys sticking out from her fist and can't help smiling. "Nice accessories," she says, gesturing to them.

[wolfmarked]

Skip shrugs a bit, flashing a bit of a smile.

"It's what Da always taught me," she replies, actually chuckling a little. "An' t' go for the eyes. Not anythin' fatal."

'No killing, even in self defence.' Which was a stupid fucking rule. She got it, but, damn. If someone threatened her, she was going to go at them with everything she had, damn it.

[takemeinyourdream]

"Yeah, my dad definitely didn't teach me any of that," Ariadne says cheerily enough. "The disadvantages of living in a small town your whole life. The idea of self-defense probably never even occurred to him."

[wolfmarked]

"Fuck. Small towns are even worse. 'Cause then? Coppers know everyone, an' if you aren' one of the people they give a damn about? No justice. Not 'less someone else steps in."

Which Da had always taught her was his role. His and her brothers'. They took care of the people who had no one else to go to. Who the police couldn't help. Whether or not it was true...

Well, she hadn't been in that part of the family dealings.

"Better learn real fast. I suggest pepper spray. No' much can keep goin' with that in their eyes."

[takemeinyourdream]

"Small towns are the fucking worst. No argument there." Even though she'd never gotten in trouble with the police back there, there were a host of other reasons that she'd jumped to leave as soon as she could. "I've got pepper spray, don't worry. Six years of being a college student didn't teach me nothing about keeping safe. But the keys are a nice touch."

[wolfmarked]

"Keys tend t' make a pretty good point." Then, she smiles just a little, almost laughing. "Good t' know you've got the spray. Helps a lot, I think."

[takemeinyourdream]

"Here's hoping." That number of keys, though, makes her think further and ask, "London's not that dangerous of a city, though, is it? I mean... relatively?"

[wolfmarked]

For a moment, Skip just stares at her. Because, well. As far as she's concerned? That's a very stupid question.

"It's a big city. That? Means it's not safe. Still, better than some places, I guess."

[takemeinyourdream]

"I'm not an idiot. I know big cities are always dangerous to a certain degree. I'm just checking that London's not worse than the status quo." She shrugs, looking out into the street from the stop.

say say my playmate

[stauncherhearted]

It was easier to work with the supernatural right now, with this curse. Even with it hanging over her head, Nancy had to get out, she had to make money. So why not guzzle blood replenishers like they were going out of style and open up a vein or two?

Entering The Jolly Roger, she made her way immediately towards the back, walking with purpose into the back room. No bouncers looked twice at her, nothing. Helped, being friends with Killian Jones himself.

She had her hair tied up, exposing her pale neck, the blue and red veins hidden just beneath it. It shouldn't be too long before someone came to offer her something in exchange for a bite. Or, even, until she approached them.

Taking a spot near the bar, she looks out over the crowd before turning back to the bar.

[wolfmarked]

Bouncers' reaction meant the girl was a regular, even if Skip hadn't seen her before. With her hair up, it looked like an invitation for the vamps. However, Skip had a policy. And she saw it strictly enforced. No matter how someone dressed, until she knew what they allowed, she would threaten to stab anyone who came near them. The girl could slice her palm open. If she said she wasn't a meal, then Skip would take a chunk out of anyone who came near her.

Which was why she approached her and smiled, her pad at the ready. "Anything to eat or drink? An' do you want replenish or toxin?"

The bar kept the first on hand. The second would have to come from her own bag, but she never minded offering it up to anyone. Only seemed fair. Supernaturals weren't allowed to fight, so anyone human ought to be offered protection if they wanted it.

[stauncherhearted]

At the voice, Nancy glanced up to smile at the fellow ginger. She hadn't seen her before, either, but chalked it up to a new hire, or her simply not going out recently. That, and for supernatural clients she did tend to hit up The Three Cripples' more often. People knew her there, knew her father.

"Just a whisky," she said, holding up a finger, "I'm good on the other two; I've got my own." She appreciated the offer greatly, however. She still had her charm on, keeping her safe from compulsion.

[wolfmarked]

Skip manages not to roll her eyes. It's not as bad as guys ordering it to flirt with the Irish girl, but. Well. There are just so many little details about ordering whisky that leave her irritated when people don't include them. Still, they get what they ask for, in that case.

"Got it. An' if anyone of these give you trouble? You just flag me down, and I'll give 'em Hell."

She sounds like she means it, too. Like she has no fear of the patrons here.

"Be right back."

[stauncherhearted]

She could get specific if you really wanted. But she wasn't too particular. She just wanted something to drink and quickly. Well was perfectly fine for now. If she wanted something top shelf, she'd ask someone to buy it for her.

"Of course, thank you." She nods appreciatively. "I'm not worried but I appreciate the offer."

[wolfmarked]

Before long, Skip brings back exactly what she gives to every customer who doesn't specify with their whiskey. Well on the rocks. Crappy, yes. Will get watered down, of course. But that's what they get, or so says the proud Irish girl in her.

"Whiskey," she says with a smile, settling it down on a coaster. "I'll be back in a bit t' check on you."

[stauncherhearted]

She'll take it. Anything that does the job will do well enough, thank you.

"Thank you. And- what's your name? I haven't been in for a few weeks because I've been cursed, and I've never seen you before." Damned curse.

[wolfmarked]

"Oh!" She grinned and offered her hand after wiping it on her apron, just in case there was still condensation there. "I'm Skip. Only been here for about a month."

Say, say, my playmate

[emotioneater]

Cooper should know better than to start a fight here. Killian will probably kill him stone-cold dead if he ends up wrecking the bar. So usually, he's on his best behavior. Not tonight. After drinking more than just a few beers, he'd gotten a good buzz going. A drunk nearby had turned mean and ugly. He was busy cursing out anyone in the general vicinity. When he called Cooper a pot-licker, the old vampire managed to shrug it off.

But when the man started bringing politics into the ring, all bets were off. Cooper was staring up at his opponent, who was a good five inches taller than him. "Go on! Throw the first punch!" He was daring him, all riled up good and proper now. Unless someone intervened, there was going to be a full-blown bar brawl occurring in about ten seconds.

[wolfmarked]

"Oi!" The sharp sound of a young woman's rose rose above the din, and Skip didn't think twice about stepping damn close to coming between them. "You two want t' beat each other's brains out? Fine. Don' matter a fucking bit t' me."

Her eyes narrowed, then, looking from one to the other.

"But you go out to the fuckin' street! You don' fuckin' fight in here!"

[emotioneater]

The fury rising up inside Cooper found a new source as Skip stepped in. Rather than defusing the situation, it only made things worse. "Do not get in my way, girl, unless you wanna take his place!"

Cooper wouldn't actually take a swing at the little spitfire no matter how hammered he was. He did have some standards, after all. There was a big difference between a trained hunter like Ringer coming after him and a waitress who had more temper than common sense.

[wolfmarked]

Skip, it seemed, only responded with more fury, putting herself all the more squarely between them.

"Look--" the other man said.

"You shut up, Robbie. You've had fuckin' enough. Go sit down an' shut up." Her eyes flicked back to Cooper. "An' you. Listen. You wanna throw a punch? You go right ahead, fucker. But guess what? You ain' settin' foot in this place again. So better think real hard 'bout that."

[emotioneater]

Between the two of them with their Irish up, Robbie saw a retreat as being the better part of valor. He meekly sat back down when faced with the tempest that was Skip. That left Cooper, who was barely getting started.

"Ohohoho! Lookit the little girl go!" He said in a sarcastic, biting manner. His hands were on his hips now as he continued to yell at full volume. "Try t' toss me outta here an' see what happens. I could snap you in two with my pinkie finger, Red. Don't think that I won't!"

[wolfmarked]

Skip raises her hand as quickly as she can -- though it's only mortal quickness -- to try and slap Cooper across the face. Which absolutely no one intervenes with. After all, they don't come between her and a fight, especially not when she gets called that.

...If anything, a few regulars might have picked up their bottles or pints and moved a couple seats away.

[emotioneater]

Cooper moves with lightning speed, grabbing a hold of Skip's wrist before her hand ever makes contact with his face. He's holding her in an iron grip and pulls her in close. His eyes are flashing with anger. "Don't do that again. Or I'm gonna do somethin' we'll both end up regretting."

The mantra of "Don't lose control" looms like a dark omen inside of his mind. He remembers what happened the last time he snapped.

[wolfmarked]

"Then back the fuck off. You cause trouble here, I'll take it up with the boss. You won't ever set foot in this place again."

Because if he is what she thinks he is, the permission to enter can be revoked in an instant. Not by her. She doesn't own the place. But if she doesn't feel safe... Well. She can work with that.

"Only two fuckin' rules in this place: pay your fuckin' bill an' don' get in fuckin' fights."