Oh my God Please help me (May Catch-All)

[bychoice]

1. Election protests [backdated]

There wasn't much Dorian hated more than elections. They were boring at the best of times because people were above being publicly demonic or they were terrifying because nobody cared about anything but winning. Either way, he wasn't fond of them and here he was in London at the height of the Night Council's own circus.

If you can't beat them, join them - right?

Well, maybe Dorian decided to go about 'joining' a little differently. He'd grown up with black and white magic mingled together seamlessly. Milan didn't have the same stark lines as London did for some reason - something he missed about home. So instead of joining Daybreak and being sanctioned to use his magic, Dorian put his name in with the rest of the Midnight witches - though he decided to be louder than some about it.

During the last few days of the campaign Dorian attended all the protests he could manage. School had only just started, there wasn't much to do besides plan out the rest of his term. He kept odd hours because of the protests to Sylvia and the Night Council.

Eventually, the elections came. There wasn't anything illegal about standing outside polling centers and urging people to reconsider their votes for anti-Midnight candidates.

"This is going well." He sighed, looking up at the sky for a moment after another rousing lecture from a Daybreak supporter.


2. Daybreak Beltane sucks

Dorian didn't know what he was expecting from Beltane this year. Maybe to feel a little less like he'd stepped out of the frying pan that was home and into the fire? But all he could think of was how much trouble he was going to get into here and the thought was enough to send him back to the booze this little bonfire party was supplying time and again.

He'd gotten a few stink eyes from those who'd seen him in protests and from those who saw him drinking his weight in alcohol. Let them stare, he thought bitterly, at least they have something pretty to look at.

In an idiotic and tipsy attempt to strike up a conversation with someone that wouldn't spit on him, Dorian spoke to the person who only just arrived at the table for the refreshments after him.

Though, naturally, saying hello was for amateurs. For those truly adept at not making any friends, a fed up grimace and:

"Good God, I don't think I've been this bored since my grandmother forced me to learn flower arranging."

was enough to be considered a token effort.

His mother would probably be rolling her grave. If she were dead.

Was he so drunk he couldn't come up with a proper idiom?


3. Going Home with a Vampire
If you asked him the name of the bar, Dorian wouldn't be able to tell you. He didn't even bother looking before going inside and making a beeline for the bartender. Who he decided to spend the night and early morning flirting with viciously. He was making up for lost time here. It had taken him a good week or so to realize that he didn't have to hide who he was or who he found attractive. It was sort of liberating.

Liberation often led to poor decisions.

Either Dorian hadn't been looking, or hadn't cared that the bartender in question had slipped something into his drink. More than likely he'd been too distracted by how handsome the man was to notice. Also, distracted by the fact that the man was a vampire who was very obviously propositioning him.

Dorian downed the dosed drink with a private little smile and a nod to the man's offer.

He didn't seem to notice he was listing to the side far too much for someone who'd only had three drinks tonight as the bartender escorted him outside and down the block. Dorian could tell that something was wrong but...he couldn't seem to figure out what as the vampire led him easily away from the well lit portion of the street...


4. Wildcard
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[freelife]

Evie had been drinking on her own. It was easy to miss her, sitting in the corner, keeping more to the shadows. But she didn't miss much of anything. Particularly the way the bartender dropped something into a man's drink. Evie took note, and watched him serve it carefully. Then she watched as the man drank the spiked drink. She was going to find an opportune moment, him passing her on the way to the restroom to tell him that his drink was spiked- there was no need to cause a scene. But that moment never came, and the man, and his now off-shift bartender, were making their way out of the bar.

She knew where this was going.

And she wasn't going to sit by and let it happen.

Rising to her feet, Evie silently snuck from the bar, following the two men down the street, her hidden stake at the ready. But she wasn't going to resort to violence. Not just yet, anyway.

"Excuse me!" She called to them, stepping out of the shadows and into what little light there was. "I think you left your wallet at the bar," she said, focusing on the man. "I saw someone riffling through it, or I'd have brought it to you." Come on, let's go inside, away from this creep. Then she could take care of the bartender- no one should get away with drugging someone. And for how subtle he had been, she had a dreadful feeling that this man wasn't going to be his first victim.

Hopefully he would be the last.

[bychoice]

Dorian turned around when he heard a voice directed at him and the whole street swam with the motion. Why was he so dizzy? It didn't make any sense...

The bartender was a little quicker on his feet and, through a look that said 'back off' he smiled back at the woman. Unfortunately he didn't recognize her.

"No, sweetheart you must be mistaken." And then, as an aside to Dorian, "I saw you pocket it, love. No worries."

Dorian's brow furrowed as he tried to remember before nodding and blinking as if trying to get rid of the fuzziness at the corner of his gaze, a bit sloppily. "I know..."

But he didn't really...

This wasn't right. Something wasn't right.

Dorian, feeling a little less comfortable, made to shrug off his company's hands that rested around his shoulders. "Let me go," was mumbled quietly, but not loud enough to cause much alarm.

[freelife]

Sweetheart. Oh, boy. He was the worst type of man. Evie's eyes narrowed. "I would caution you against calling anyone that," she tells the bartender. "I'm hardly sweet." She was armed through her teeth. Evie holds her ground.

When Dorian speaks to leave, she can hear it. Part of the bonuses that came with being a vampire. "You heard the man," she says to the bartender, taking a step towards him to help with the drugged man. "Let him go. I'll even call him a cab."

[bychoice]

The bartender in question takes Dorian's arm in his hand and squeezes - by the wince on Dorian's face, it isn't gentle. He isn't pleased that his meal is being taken away from him - or of the trouble that Evie is causing him personally.

"Look. Normally I'd be all for sharing but --" it's at that moment that Dorian really starts fighting it.

He pulls at the vampire's hand like it's clothing to just slough off his shoulder and fire sparks amongst his fingers on his opposite hand as his emotions start to flare.

"I said let go!"

[freelife]

Evie was going to take that as her invitation to launch into attack mode. Without waiting for any further permission, she moved in between Dorian and the bartender, placing her hand on the bartender's shoulder.

"You heard the man, let him go." She squeezed, indicating her superhuman strength. If she wanted, she could stake him through with no problem, her hidden blade loaded with a stake. "He's not the first you've drugged, is it?" Answer no, that he wasn't, and you're going to get staked through the heart, Mr. Bartender.

[bychoice]

"Think I need to tell you shit?"

The nameless vampire snarls at Evie and jerked his shoulder out of her grip, his own strength pulling against her own and leaving him at an impass.

Dorian, on the other side of Evie, glowers in the least intimidating fashion he could manage and begins to bite out a curse - or maybe a spell? - when the bartender uses his hand to smack Evie's off his shoulder and book it down the alley.

hope it's okay to gloss over her taking down the guy?

[freelife]

Well.

That settled this.

Vaguely aware something's going on with Dorian, Evie turns to him. "Stay here," she tells him. "I'll get you back to your place safe." Without waiting for an answer, she takes off down the alley.

Lucky for Evie, she's older, and far better trained then the bartender, and it doesn't take her long to overtake him. The altercation is short and sweet, and in a few minutes, Evie is returning to Dorian without even breaking a sweat.

"You should be safe, now." she tells him. "Are you alright?"

2.

[constantprisoner]

He probably shouldn't be here, but that had never really stopped Sirius before. At school he'd practically made a career of being places he shouldn't so why stop now? Beltane was a Witch's holiday and as a shapeshifter, he'd never really had much of an opinion, as from the fact that sometimes it led to the odd party invite.

"You to? I thought I was the only one!"

[bychoice]

Dorian smirks into his glass before speaking - thank god he'd chosen someone to complain about things with wisely or he'd just be going deeper into his cups.

"Oh, I'm sure there's more than just the two of us. This is the kind of group that just screams 'kill me now'."

[constantprisoner]

"Definitely not the most exciting, to be sure. Makes me wish I'd brought a firecracker or two to liven things up."

Or some other equipment to play a quick prank. Salt in a punch bowl could happen, but that just ruined a night usually.

[bychoice]

Dorian snorts delightedly at the idea of starting a ruckus like that but frankly he hasn't ever been the type to start something at a party like this. He was much more inclined to get into fights with other children.

"Now that would be fantastic. If I were any further into my cups I might take you up on that."

He could certainly function as a firecracker if needs be...

[constantprisoner]

"I aim to please."

After all, what's the point of a party if you can't have any fun at it. Then it just becomes a dull meeting, and Sirius has had his fair share of those.

"Well, let me know when you are. I can't really see the excitement ramping up any time soon."

2;

[iustitiae]

Connor wasn't drinking, for once, even though this truly was the kind of party that called for it. But sobriety was a surprisingly easy way to find things out (maybe more information than he actually wants to know), and he's trying it. In general. It fits like a bad hat.

So his mind is wandering and he's been passively staring at this man who is actively staring back at him but not in the "wow you're pretty way," but in the "i dare you to say something way," so he eventually just bites the bullet and goes to get a glass of water and accidentally on purpose run into Dorian.

At least he laughs at Dorian's comment. "Flower arranging, huh? You sure that wasn't more entertaining?"

[bychoice]

Dorian beams behind the rim of his glass at Connor's laughter and allows himself a small momentary indulgence in victory at managing to get the attention of someone he could at least admire while speaking to him.

"I wish I could say so but frankly roses aren't good conversationalists. But I'm sure you can do better."

Was that flirting? Yeah, maybe.

[iustitiae]

It definitely sounds like flirting to Connor, but that's a hat he wears well regardless of whether he's tipsy or not.

"There are a lot of things roses aren't good at," suggestive? suggestive. "Conversation definitely being one of them."

But please, do go on admiring.

[bychoice]

"Yes well, this would normally be the point at which one introduces themself so if you're feeling shy - Dorian Pavus."

He doesn't offer a hand like he should, instead he just smiles as invitingly as he knows how. If he's going to be here he might as well try to get laid, or at least pretend like he's going to.