undergrounds | MABON } 22nd September

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MABON } 22nd September


The times, they are a'changing. But in this case, it's the same way they change every year. The 22nd of September is the Autumn Equinox, and aside from it being a great time for witches to get up to all sorts of shady shit with fae, it's time for the seasonal change in power between the two Courts. And in typical Fae fashion, this event is to be marked with a hugely ostentatious party. They've taken over Crystal Palace Park for a party that'll be going near on 24 hours. The trees are lit with twinkling lights, and many fae have chosen to forgo their glamours — some are indescribably beautiful, others monstrous, and quite a few... Well, they look more or less human, but obviously it doesn't bother them and it shouldn't bother you either! There is dancing, flirting, and laughter. And the drinks and food are free flowing. Slipping between realms is also extremely easy, but there's been strict instruction not to steal any mortals tonight or there'll be hell to pay. This also marks the first official appearance of Eames as the Lord of Autumn, (it's not something he could readily get out of, you see,) so expect plenty of gossip about how odd it is he seems to shy away from his title, his obsession with mortals, and how very un-Fae it is of him to cancel the hunt.
	The RULES are as follows: All vampires must have a fae chaperone. The open invite does extend to vampires, but we can't just have them walking around doing whatever they like, can we? In addition, drinking blood is strictly forbidden. Consensual or not, any vampire found drinking blood within a half mile radius of the park will be killed. It's just not good manners. Violence is also forbidden. It's just not fun for everyone. If you really need to have it out with someone, challenge them to a duel. The children's playground has been made into a duelling area with guards to make sure it all goes smoothly. There are weapons available and they're all very medieval.
That's about it, they aren't a very rule-heavy bunch and honestly just want to have a fun night.

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She had- look at that, Nancy was a regular badass.

"I've always been stubborn," she tells him, thankful that he remained seated. He was over a foot taller than her, his physical presence extremely intimidating. He couldn't hurt her here. But that didn't stop her from worrying.

"I'd tell you I'm not working, but you wouldn't hire me if I begged, would you?" She knows the answer and doesn't need to hear it.

Cesare regrets his actions the other night, but in truth he's too stubborn to go back on them so quickly. Cesare has always believed that he should stick to his word. It just so happens that his words were drunken and foolish. His opinion has changed, but his statement hasn't.

He quirks an eyebrow.

"Are you that short on cash?"

Nancy grits her teeth, her jaw set. She hasn't gotten the keys from Eames yet, but she's got a place to work now in Canary Wharf, but she's still got to inform some of her clients and set up shop.

"I'm fine." Business had been booming, Cesare, can't you tell by how amused she looks? "Lucky for both of us- I've got a new spot to work out of, so you'll never have to worry I'll show up again." So they never had to speak again after this conversation. Just show him how great she was doing.

And of course, not tell him where she was working, either. He didn't get to know that, he'd lost that privilege.

If Nancy is deliberately denying him the privilege to know where she's working, Cesare hasn't quite noticed. Since when has he allowed the boundaries set out by others to restrict him? Cesare is far more of an all-access man. So when she doesn't say where she works, he just flat out asks her.

"Where?" he says, not thinking that she might have deliberately held that information for him. He's too curious to think of anything else just yet.

Nancy raises an eyebrow and crosses her arms. Where? He was asking her where she was working after he'd released her and barred her from ever setting foot in the Anglo. Yeah, sure, she was going to go right ahead and tell him.

"It's literally none of your business," she responds with instead.

Cesare drops his gaze to his drink, smirking before taking a sip. So that's how she's going to play it. Fine. Fair is fair.

"And there I was, thinking you were off-duty." For a girl who's not working, she seems pretty clear about what Cesare has paid for and what he hasn't.

"I am. You've simply made it quite clear that you no longer require my services." She swallows. A risky move, perhaps, but it's true.

"Unless you don't remember our last meeting. In which case, I'd be happy to explain to you what took place." Not really, but he was drunk enough that it was possible he had forgotten.

Did Cesare ever really require Nancy's services? Does anyone ever really require that? It's not as if Cesare doesn't have a selection of alternative women anyway, but he had been fond of Nancy. She's making it a tad trickier for him to do so, though, when she takes jabs at the fact that he had been so drunk.

He shakes his head.

"I don't know. Do I? You tell me. You know your way around intoxication. Was I drunk enough not to remember?"
"

Nancy purses her lips. He had no right to bring up her drinking. She needed it, doing what she did, living the way she had. But she wasn't going to tell him that. Instead, she keeps her head high.

"Yes. You were extremely drunk."

Cesare laughs hard at that. It's blunt and brazen, but he nonetheless appreciates the candor.

"Perhaps I was."

He still doesn't entirely get the gravity of what he did during their last meeting, how much it had affected her. In his eyes, this was a tussle, not him wiping out a whole part of her business one night.

"But weren't you?"

"If I was or wasn't, it has no bearing on either conversation." She had conducted herself in a professional manner that night. Cesare had grabbed her and hurt her. He'd been awful.

"And you were far more drunk than I was."

"Makes a change..." Cesare scoffs under his breath, not really intending for Nancy to hear him.

"I'm allowed a night out with my friends if I want it," he responds.

Since when did this become a conversation where his choices were questioned? He's not used to being judged so fiercely and he doesn't like it.

"That's not the problem. I'm sure they're all lovely." Maybe not Victor, he'd been impatient. "in fact, you vouched for all five of them." And would have paid for them all to fuck her and likely kill her, too, as a result. Nancy didn't want to die.

"You really don't remember what you did, do you?"

Cesare bristles a bit, frowning.

"I remember fine."

Or at least, he mostly gathers what had happened. He can tell from the fact that she wasn't visiting The Angelo anymore, that he'd stopped her from doing so. He also has some memory of feeling brushed off and rejected. That's about all he needs, he thinks.

Nancy raises an eyebrow.

"Do you? Care to elaborate on the evening then?" or apologize, that would be amazing. Invite her back, maybe. "Specifically the part where you destroyed a good chunk of my business? Or where you tried to hire me to a deadly gang bang?" She crosses her arms again, feeling more confident that he can't hurt her right now.

Oh. Hmmm. So that's exactly what happened. Cesare's eyes narrow for a second.

"You think I would kill you? You think I'd let you die?" That has never been Cesare's intention. In fact, he's been incredibly careful to avoid it, while he's sober, at least. It surprises him that Nancy so easily thinks him capable of that.

Nancy holds her chin high.

"I'm not sure anymore, Cesare. I'm certainly not sure about your friends. I was within my right to tell you no." and he had sulked like a child. she had expected it from the boys, not a centuries old vampire.

"Especially not when you were in that state."

Cesare takes exception to Nancy's phrasing. There's judgement in it that he doesn't appreciate.

"I was fine."

Yes, he had been a bit drunk, but people get drunk. It's called a party. That's what happens. He still doesn't believe that, had Nancy agreed to his request, it would have been lethal. Cesare is too proud for that.

"You didn't do anything to prove to me that you were." Carefully, she shrugs off her jacket, and shows him the still-purple bruise from where he'd grabbed her. It stands out in sick contrast against her pale skin.

"Tell me again you wouldn't have killed me."

Cesare looks at the bruise for a moment. It's concerning, definitely, but he's too stubborn to accept that right now. Not verbally anyway. He sticks his tongue into his cheek as he thinks about it.

"I've bruised you before." After all, it comes with the territory, does it not? It's what happens when a vampire interacts with someone so fragile and mortal, particularly a vampire Cesare's age.

"Yes, you have. But that's under different circumstances." She hadn't realized just how mad she was about all of this, but the sadness had passed.

"you gave me this because I wouldn't go with you."

"I gave you that because I'm a vampire and you aren't," Cesare retorts defensively. He never intended to hurt her. He had just gripped her too hard by accident. It's difficult to control that sort of thing when you're drunk.

"If you were in my position, the same thing would have happened."

Why is he suddenly act as if he needs to defend himself? Why does her opinion matter to him so suddenly?

Nancy puts her jacket back on

"No it wouldn't. I would have let me be on my way after the first no." Nancy quirks an eyebrow somewhat triumphantly. The bruise wasn't what upset her anyway, just another point as to why the conversation had been so terrible.

why were they even still talking?

Cesare says nothing and just rolls his eyes and shakes his head. He doesn't agree with anything Nancy is saying. For one thing, Cesare doesn't really think she said no. For another, he doesn't believe that she would act any differently either.

When he finally speaks, it's with the intent to move on from that conversation.

"So if you have your own turf, you don't even need mine anymore then. Well done."

Nancy is not amused.

"No, but it was nice to have a spot right in the middle of Islington with maids who know how to get blood stains out." She'd just have to do it herself with magic. Like usual. "And not many of my usual clients will be feeling up to the journey but what should that matter? I'm already struggling so what's one more?"

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