Backdated to 22 November

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha's never much been the sort to celebrate her birthdays. Wasn't even when she was alive and aging. Call it the result of not having anyone to celebrate with. Family had all died when she was young, and growing up in thin times, in and out of orphanages and boarding schools, there weren't many people interested in splurging to buy her presents or take her out to dinner. She could count the number of birthday parties she's had in her whole like—seventy-eight years today—on one hand and still have fingers leftover.

She's not sure why she's thinking of it at all this year. Maybe just because there's been so many changes. New city. New allegiances. New friends, maybe. New life, maybe.

Maybe she just didn't actually expect to live to see this one after she fled Russia.

Whatever it is, Natasha goes out drinking tonight with purpose, making the rounds and her regular bars and drinking a toast at each of them. Sometimes she drinks them to herself. Sometimes she drinks them to the people who didn't make it this far. If, along the way, she runs into anyone she knows? In the event that happens, they might find themselves with a bottle of beer or a glass of whiskey being set in front of them, a silent invitation to join her for this round.

If she doesn't, then she has her drink alone and moves on.

Comments

[outstandingbalance]

"Careful what you offer. I might just take you up on it." Her smile is more honest than normal, though. "Let's take it one drink at a time, see how it goes."

[freelife]

"Likewise," she finds herself saying, and finishes the drink. "Alright, but I suppose I'll have to catch up." She orders a round of three shots for herself. "I'm feeling a little left-out"

[outstandingbalance]

"I suppose I can slow down for a couple of rounds. As long as you're working to catch up." She smiles, her lashes dropping coyly. "I'm only gonna wait so long."

[freelife]

"Oh, in that case, just watch." It's a reckless move, but Evie downs one shot right after the other, then signals the bartender for another round. Her throat hurts, a little more than she'll let on, even for a vampire. But she remains on both feet, if not for a small cough.

"It's been some time since I've done that."

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha laughs, surprised and in some way flattered by Evie's display. Somehow, she hadn't expected her friend to be quite so up to her challenge. "When was the last time?"

She takes another drink herself.

"Maybe it's been too long."

[freelife]

"Hell if I know-" she takes a look at the next three shots lined up. She can do it.

"Probably the last time I saw Jacob." She looks at Natasha. "Shall I?"

[outstandingbalance]

"Oh, be my guest." She leans on the bar, amusement written in the narrowing of her eyes. "I'd say that should make us about even."

[freelife]

"Done." She grins, and takes the next three shots in quick succession. This time, they hurt less, and when she's swallowed the last, Evie taps the bar and turns to Natasha. There's a lightness in the back of her head, a blurring at the edges of her vision. That's seven drinks, six of them in the last three minutes. Even for a vampire, that's tough.

"Yes- yes I think that does."

[outstandingbalance]

"Glad to have you here." Meaning with her in the somewhat inebriated space. No one likes drinking alone on their birthday.

"I'll be sure to make it up to you when your birthday rolls around."

[freelife]

Evie shakes her head a little. "Glad t'be here." Whenever she was drunk, her accent got a little less... proper, her class easily revealed.

"So, next October, then? We missed it this year. 170." They'd been planning more important things: like a coup.

[outstandingbalance]

"You don't look a day over a hundred and twenty," Teasing, though she keeps her voice low enough not to carry. No reason to advertise that they're not just a couple of girls out for an evening.

"You look good for it."

[freelife]

Evie inclines her head. "Well, thank you." She looked older for her physical age, she knew. Perhaps not the worst thing.

"What's the plan for the rest of the night?" She turns from the bar, to face Natasha. She leans back on her elbows, looking up at her.

[outstandingbalance]

"No real plans. Just figured I'd see where the night took me. I wasn't sure if I'd have company." Her voice rises at the end, not quite a question but with a certain lightness that emphasizes the fact she hadn't been sure.

"I'm open to suggestions."

[freelife]

She nods. "Well, now you've got company. And as the birthday girl, you should probably pick."

But.

"But we could go dancing again, wander around the city and I can tell you random facts, head to your flat. Possibilities are endless."

[outstandingbalance]

Leaning in, Natasha's gaze fixes on Evie's with a glossy intensity. A smile settles on her mouth, mysterious and inviting. "How about we start with a dance and see where it goes from there?"

[freelife]

That's extremely close. But Evie's eyes flash to Natasha's lips, that wonderful smile, and she's all for the idea of another dance.

"Lead the way." They can start here. Why not. She certainly was drunk enough. Marching over to the modern jukebox, she puts in a few coins and after a few moments, walks away from the machine, a new song playing far better for dancing.

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha stands herself, raising her face as she listens to the beginning of the song, then nods in approval. She can work with this. Then she's moving to join Evie, reaching for her friend's shoulders as she pulls her closer.

Dancing is going to happen. Oh, for Natasha's birthday, she will have dancing.

[freelife]

Natasha's holding her close. Perfect. Evie's hands loop around her waist, starting to move to the music. She hopes she doesn't mind the closeness, but considering Natasha started it, she's going to finish it.

[outstandingbalance]

There doesn't seem to be any protest on Natasha's part. She moves with the music easily, graceful despite the fact that the dance isn't much better than tipsy swaying. She lifts her chin, meeting the other woman's eyes.

"Good start."

[freelife]

Tipsy swaying with your good friend is the best kind of swaying.

"I thought the night started when I did six shots in three minutes?" She raises an eyebrow, but still smiling. Just looking at Natasha had her smiling.

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha laughs, arching her back slightly as she angles an amused look up at Evie. "Well, that was certainly the start of something."

She tilts her head as she continues, "Let's say we focus on where it's going from there?"

[freelife]

Natasha's moves are mirrored. Evie cants her head to the side the same way Natasha does.

"It's a little hard to focus, when the world's getting blurry."

[outstandingbalance]

"It's not so bad. You just have have to find one thing and block the rest out." She almost purrs. Natasha's not unaware that she's flirting, and while she can't call it intentional, she also can't find it in her to stop.

[freelife]

"I think I found my one thing." Eve grins at her, though her flirting is somewhat more accidental. She's never been good at this sort of thing, and any earnest attempt tends to be little more than a joke.

But this is different.

[outstandingbalance]

"Is that so?" Natasha isn't even sure if this is just play or something more, but she doesn't find she minds all that much either way. "And how's that working out for you?"