Selen was home to many a club, pub and bar. Not that many bothered to tell the difference and frequented them all equally. They varied from the high-end, sleek and brightly lit locales of the citadel, all the way down to the gritty bustling commons of the outer rings. The Loofa was somewhere in the middle. It was far from refined, the floor stick with a variety of unknowns and the bar staffed with gruff persons who could handle a gruff crowd. But the drinks were good, the seats comfortable and the music up to date. All in all, a decent spot for pretty much anyone within the city of Estle.
Including those passing by, thought Kerissa. The Kessurian-Ryn was recently landed, and recently recruited to the clan that resided there. She didn’t know what much of that meant, except her own security which gave her the comfort to check out the night life. She dressed in a blue low cut top, black skirt and some black leggings that were torn over the knees. The skirt covered low enough that she could wind her tail around her thigh and secure it there. Wasn’t comfortable, but it stopped people from tugging on it. The shirt didn’t hide the layer of fur that bore up the back of her neck and across her shoulders, but.. well. Who gave a kriff at this point. Gold earrings hung from both her ear lobes and tips.
She walked into the club, the music was loud, almost painful even this far from the speakers so she noted to use her ear plugs or just stay far from there. There were many at the club, and it was easy to slip in among the myriad of people to the bar and order some house spirit. Kerissa didn’t really pay much heed to the names, blurting out whatever name while still observing all of those around.
One in particular caught her eye. A black shistavanen. A hulking man, eye gone, an ear too. He didn’t look all too friendly, but he did look damned interesting.
So, drink in hand, she sauntered over to him and leant on the bar.
Doon’s eye was held by… something, across the bar infront of him. Following his gaze, it was if he was staring at one of the various bottles racked and ready to be used. He held a blank expression, watching this particular bottle as if he was expecting it to grown legs, arms, and pull out of knife.
His hands weren’t still. They rotated between lifting a glass of Reserve to his lips and fitting a thick cigar between them. He was cloaked in smoke. Some of his own creating, some from the not too distant dance floor. The beat of the music was the only thing he seemed to register, the thrum in his bones as it kicked through the bar, twitching his left ear.
It took him a few moments to notice the new presence next to him. His size, face, and demeanor caused most to give him a wide berth. Including the bar owner who might not have been too keen on the rolling smoke from the wolf man’s cigar.
“…sooo, is that bottle something you got a grudge against?” Kerissa sipped her drink, gesturing toward where he had been staring once he finally broke eye contact with the booze.
The smoke was something she was more than used to. Wasn’t her favourite habit, but an easy one to indulge now and then.
His ear twitched, and he took one more long pull from the cigar before he set it on the bar, propped up by the edge of a data pad. He huffed, exhaling a long stream of smoke through his nose. “Yes. They charge twice the price here for it than normal.” His dry tone carried sarcasm well, yet he showed little humor in his face as he took a drink, finishing his cup.
She chuffed in amusement, shaking her head and continuing the sarcasm, “Well, you’re paying for all the strobe light rentals.”
Kerissa lightly swirled her glass, watching the fruity mixture spin round. The lack of friendliness was now more identifiable as.. something else. She wasn’t sure exactly what, but it didn’t undo the intrigue.
“Speaking of strobe lights, odd to just be sitting at the bar smoking rather than in the midst of it.”
He turned, looking towards the dance floor and the occupants making use of it. He huffed, shaking his head a bit. “Dancing.. Haven’t ever been much of a dancer. Besides, I’d probably take up too much space down there” he gestures with metalic claws at himself.
“And yourself, odd to approach a Stanger in a place like this. Certainly one that looks like me at least. Didn’t come here with friends?”
“Noooo, I’ve been on many dance floors. Size doesn’t matter.” She grinned, before shrugging at his returning question.
“Who says I didn’t?” Kerissa absolutely hadn’t, “And it isn’t so odd. A looming mysterious stranger, sat alone and brooding. It’s a pull on the intrigue if nothing else.”
He lightly scoffs, sliding his cup forward and tapping it for a refill. “On the contrary, I’ve heard many times that size, in fact, does matter. You’d be hard pressed to find larger than I.” The dryness of his tone hid what he meant Exactly. But he cast a glance at her, seeing her for the first time. He gave her an appraising look.
“You.. do not look uninteresting yourself.” He states simply. A compliment? Or perhaps it was genuine as he had spotted the fluff by her shoulders.
“Its about how you use it. On the dance floor, of course.” Kerissa shifted to lean with both her arms on the bar. A more ‘im here to stay’ stance rather than the flightful lean in prior.
The fluff was white against purple, she was used to people noticing it. Being interested in it. The kessurian mix sipped her drink, side eyeing him playfully. “I’m glad to see we’re on the same page.”
He made another low rumble sound from his chest as he lifted his newly refreshed drink to take another sip. He turned on his stool towards her, body language showing he’s opening to more conversation instead of stonewalling her with his shoulder. “Perhaps we are.” He pondered for a moment, then lifts his cigar again between two claws. “Have you met a Shistavanen before?” His eye couldn’t help but drift to the fluff. He was curious what it meant, what species she was and how he’d be able to work that info out of her.
“Once or twice. One alone, others were a pack. Caught a ride with them through the outer rim at some point or another.” She finished her drink, but held onto the glass, glancing over him and looking amused. “Have you ever met someone like me before?”
It was a trick question really, unless someone had met one of her siblings it was very unlikely for there to be many, if any at all, like herself out there.
Doon rumbled a simple Hmm At her mention of meeting a pack before. “Any idea what they were called?”
He laps gently from his glass, then sets it down to take another slow drag of his cigar as he eyes her. “Can’t say I recognize your type just yet.” Smoke curls from his sharp teeth as he speaks
She shook her head at the question, “I think they said it once, when we met. But I was just hitching a ride, it wasn’t an official relationship enough to share last names more than once.”
Kerissa chuckled softly, deciding to let the joke go mostly, “You wouldn’t. I’m a mix, you see. I’ll give you a hint if you like, or I can just tell you?”
“I don’t mind a game, but i am less than gifted at Xenostudies.” He takes one more puff from his cigar then, after a moment, offers the sweet scented stick to her, Curious if she’d try it.
“It’s nothing rare.” Kerissa reassured, smiling and placing her drink out for a refill. While that occured, under a watchful gaze, she reached out and took the cigar. It smelled better than most smokes she had previously toyed with at least. She tried it, inhaling slowly and letting her shoulders relax slightly. It was a annoying addiction, but it was one that felt damned good to indulge in. Once done, she held it back out to him with a grateful nod, drawing her drink back into her hand.
“Okay, the first clue. There’s only two species involved. One is a lot more prominent than the other.”
His head tilts, accepting the cigar back and popping it between his teeth. “Zabrak are horny, But I wouldn’t call them quite the same as what you have. Might be part of the mix, though. Mmm.. not Zabrak. Still horny.” he exudes a puff of smoke then shakes his head. “And what’s the fluff about? Don’t think i spotted fangs in your maw, And.. I’m not sure I’ve met a mixed Shistavanen.” He takes another sip from his drink and rumbles a half drunk chuckle to himself. “Nearly made a few though.”
“Not a Zabrak no.” Kerissa confirmed, chuckling. “I’m not Shista either. Though the fluff is part of the second one. It it helps, I do have a tail. Not as fluffy as yours. It’s why I’m purple as well, the second part, well people of it tend to be grey or blue.”
His head tilts the other way as he leans back, looking down at her rear. Surely it’s just checking for her tail, right? Either way, he rumbles a playful growl out as he meets her gaze again. “I think.. you have me stumped. Shame, you should have bet something on me figuring it out.”
She snorted, “I would have won something wouldn’t I?”
Kerissa figured he was looking for her tail, “To explain the lack of it, people tend to grab things when they’re drunk. It’s being kept out of the way.”
She sipped her drink again, not wanting to drag the game out when he’d essentially given up, “Kessurian and Ryn. It is a odd mix.”
He Hmpf’d and nodded, eyes slipping back down to her rear for a moment. “Good idea. Don’t want that getting tugged. Luckily mines a bit… large for people to want to screw with it.” He took another breath from his cigar. “Kessurian and Ryn.. can’t say I’ve met too many of either. And, I might not be mixed, people still consider me Odd.” He offers a bit of solidarity
“You’re certainly a big guy. And you do have the teeth to match. It’s probably more the teeth that puts them off than the size though, let’s be honest.” Kerissa pointed out, leaning her hand toward him with a chuckle, shaking her head. Her skirt covered her well enough that even knowing it was there, you couldn’t see it.
“Seems we’re a pair of oddities then. Can’t say I’ve exactly met many Shistavanens either.”
He chuckles, flashing his maw of sharp teeth at the Mixed woman next to him, in no short way showing them off with a flick of his tongue. “Think so?” he rumbles, chuckling still as he downs the rest of his drink. it seems the Wolf man is a bit in the bag by the way he sways and slides his drink forward for another.
“Then it seems we’re on even footing then?”
“You’ve got an impressive set of chompers.” Kerissa said with a laugh, before nodding at the following question. There was a minute of quiet, well. As quiet as a club like the Loofa could get.
He was swaying, clearly drunk already. Or at least well on the way. Which did beg the question of how long he’d been here drinking alone before she decided to disturb his night. He’d clearly been in a mood. Now he was less likely to snap out, she decided to query it.
“Soo.. what brought you here?”
“Escape.” He answered calmly, swirling his newly poured drink. He eyed it for a few seconds, considering if he even wanted to drink it. “It was rough there for a while. But.. think I found it.” He glanced at her, one appraising eye shinning as he offered a small nod.
Well, it found you.
Kerissa didn’t say it aloud, but an amused smile crossed her face for a moment. He was honest at least, though far from specific.
“Glad that I’m so effective goldy. Myself, I’m here for a good time. Ryn gathering has been certainly offering interesting ones as well as good ones. I think I’ve just found more of that.”
The wolf chuffed and lifted his drink, offering it to her in a small toast. “To.. More than usual”
Kerissa raised her own, clinking the glass and knocking the drink back.
She pulled a face as the aftertaste hit her. It was somethign that despite the years she’d been drinking for now, she hadn’t gotten used to yet.
Still, she gave a small smile after.
Doon drank his down, not too bothered by it at this point. Still he made a deep rumbling noise, eye shutting for a second as he rolled his neck.
“So.. any other plans tonight other than a good time as you said?” He gently placed his glass back on the bar, starting to turn it in place, spinning it.
“No, just the good time part. I uh.. I didn’t make any specifics ideas. The nights are long, it’s hard to know where things will go.” Kerissa shrugged, still holding her own glass and staring down into it for a few long moments before glancing up towards the Shistavanen.
“You dance?”
He doesn’t answer for a few seconds, seemingly peering into his own glass. Eventually he shakes his head a bit, raising his eye to meet her “Not much. Too large. Never really learned how anyway.”
“Well, seems like a time to learn then? Nothing like an escape into a completely new experience that gets you moving to distarct you from how she-akking kark the world is.”
Kerissa smiled, standing from stool and placing her hands on her hips. She then blinked, and placed her glass kn the bar for a refill with a slight sheepish grin.
Doon watched her, seemingly weighing his options. He let out a soft sigh, and against his better judgement, stood as well. He left his glass where it was, he was already quite light headed. If he was to dance, he’d need every ounce of control he could muster.
“Then.. lady’s first.” He gestured towards the floor.
Kerissa was quite of the opposite mind set, waiting until the glass refilled before downing it. She shuddered visibly, laughing at herself for it before placing the glass back on the bar upside down. Admittedly, she hadn’t been sure he was going to accept the offer, but it made her smile to see him on his feet. Even if she had to look up to ensure he saw it. Damn this guy is tall.
“It’s a good job I’m mostly a lady then isn’t it, sir.”
The Kessurian mix stepped backwards away from the bar stools, glancing over her shoulder with a grin before heading ahead of him to the dance floor, letting her hips sway as she walked. They hadn’t even shared names yet, but she supposed such things were far from necessary in a place like this.
A chuff came from the wolf as he spoke and sauntered off. He watched, slowly following her to the dance floor. Most gave him a berth, allowing him to accompany the Ryn / Kessurian mix.
Despite his size, he remained agile. Likely due to his constant physical training. He was however, a bit of a stranger to Dancing in it’s whole, so he elected to follow her lead, and take cues from others around him.
Sadly, nothing could save the pair from themselves.
They were both agile enough to avoid any major mishaps, but Kerissa clearly had as little idea as to what she was doing to the songs that came up as Doon did. It made her laugh, at least.
Both of them were being given a decent amount of space by the end, flailing arms given the berth needed to not end up smacking someone by accident. Thankfully though, the copious amount of alcohol left people amused at the antics more so than anything else.
Thankfully for those also on the dance floor, it only took a few songs before the tall ones were tired out enough to retreat back towards seating. Doon was led towards the booths. They weren’t exactly private, but the private booths were usually a reserved deal for parties. It was still a booth however, and far comfier to rest on than a bar stool.
Kerissa sat heavily into it with a laugh, running the back of her hand across her forehead.
Doon sat across from her, huffing slightly from the exertion in addition to a tad bit of frustration at his utter inability. Still though, the partner he had at least made it somewhat fun. The large wolf was slightly cramped on his side, but his legs slipped across under the table, knees taking up the room on either side of hers. Digitigrade legs were not meant for normal sitting.
The table was tall enough at least to accomdate his knees.
Kerissa noticed the lack of leg space and put her feet up onto the seat, shuffling so her back was to the wall and stretching out.
“That could have gone better. Though we didn’t knock anyone over, so it could have gone worse too.” She mused, before laughing with a shake of her head. It was a silly situation, but a good one.
He rumbled, arms resting on the table. He looked out over the dance floor, considering If he’d ever do it again.
“Certainly… didn’t spill much blood. It went.. fine.” He hesitated with his conclusion but nodded, as if agreeing with himself. His metal claw tip tap the table in a calm rhythm. After a moment, his eye slid back over to the Mix. He wasn’t sure what she wanted exactly, and the alcohol from earlier didn’t mix well with physical effort. His thoughts were loose, and he found it momentarily hard to come up with something to say. There was a lurking pressure under the numb sea of drunkenness that he was warily about. Focusing too hard, sobering up, he would avoid it best as he could.
Spilling.. blood? The specific words caught her attention. Whatever it was he was avoiding tongiht was.. rough. She’d been tempted to ask, but as this moment stretched on into an uncomfortable silence, Kerissa couldn’t find a question to ask that wouldn’t pry so deep she had to take care of someone absolutely miserable.
Distractions were minimal. He clearly wasn’t a keen dancer, and considering they were both tired it wasn’t an idea. Drinking games.. may work? The other routes were getting him to bed or just leaving to find someone else but the latter was too harsh. The former was.. not something she wanted to do just to make him happy. He had to put at least a little effort into it for that. Well, they’d work it out. He was interesting enough.
The Kessurian mix shuffled back across the seat, “I’m gonna grab us a cocktail jug, save us making trips. I am guessing you aren’t done either?”
She flashed a grin at him, pausing on the edge of the seat. Kerissa had to twist slightly to face him.
He nodded, gently gesturing with a paw “Go ahead, I can handle a bit more.” He then relaxed back, settling into his seat. He drew his cigar from a pocket and held it on the table infront of him, eyeing it as if he was contemplating lighting up again.
A few minutes later, Kerissa arrived back at the table with one hand bearing a large jug full of a neon blue cocktail and the other clasping two fresh glasses.
She placed the jug down in the middle of the table, and handed Doon his glass before shuffling backwards across her seat to once again have her back to the wall and feet up. Her knee rested against the edge of the table once she’d poured a drink and properly settled into the position.
“So, I’m going to assume that it if you are here, and being mysterious, that you are probably local? I’m new to town. Or.. planet.”
Doon had set the cigar down, leaving it on the table next to him as she returned. He accepted the glass and eyed the drink. It wasn’t the reserve he was used to, but he’d never say no to a drink. Certainly not now.
He considered her question as he poured himself a glass. “I wouldn’t call myself a local. I don’t know the names of streets, or bars. Couldn’t answer most questions you might ask about the area. But I visit regularly. Usually I’m on a ship, or working. Decided I needed a break.” He didn’t quite mention that it was a decision made for him while punishment was pending. He raised his glass, sniffing at it while waiting for her to get a drink of her own.
“So a regular.” Kerissa hummed, most people who worked and were often on a ship worked on the ship but.. the seperation was odd. The Kessurian mix tilted her head slightly, “So you work on the ship?”
She sipped her drink, before reaching forward to grab one of the four straws sticking out of the cocktail jug and putting it into her glass. That was better, less chance of spillage once it started kicking in more. The warm buzz from her previous drinks were already making themselves known, glad she hadn’t brought a jacket. It would have been way too hot in here.
“Sort of.” He pauses for a long moment, not sure how much he wanted to say. He doesn’t want to lie, but he doesn’t want to delve too deep on what it is he does. Instead, he settled on a middle ground.
“Mercenary type work. Typically need a ship to get around.” He lapped more of his drink, slowly swaying in his side of the booth. He would take these slow, he already felt Quite well buzzed.
“Ahh.” That made sense, Kerissa thought to herself. More sense than it had before anyway. He was dancing around the topic. It was probably illegal, would make sense too. Most mercenaries in it for the long haul got pretty kriffed up, and this Shistavanen had clearly had been through the works. The less lega jobs were…
“I’m just a traveller. I don’t have my own ship, but most will let you ride with them if you offer to help cook or do maintanence.” She laughed a little suddenly, “Not that I’m all too great at either of those. Sadly, knowing things isn’t a well appreciated currency.”
“Knowing things? Well. A drifter who knows things could always prove a valuable contact.” He takes another hearty drink of his glass, then tops it off.
“What sort of things is it you know?” He eyes her, now quite curious.
“Magical things.” Kerissa waved her fingers, but refrained from actually using the Force. It was to really hard tell in a busy place like this for her, but not worth the risk of upsetting any Force Users in the area so deep in the city like this. “Anatomy, history, some culture stuff. The locales of the outer rims too, though that’s more from expereince than anything else. I was a tour guide for some noble family once, they wanted to experience things that their life style didn’t.. Well. They wanted to look at the poor people. They tipped really well or I’d have left them there I think.”
“Huh…” he sat back slightly, watching her fingers wiggle. A few thoughts crossed his drunken mind, but most of them were yet caught by his internal censor. Instead he focused on the words that followed.
“That.. sounds familiar. One of the first solo jobs I took, back when I was… 17? 18? It was for some local noble. Some.. wannabe big shot who thought he was a crime lord. I followed him around as bodyguard, but he refused to treat me as security. More like a pet that was following him for his entertainment.” He took another long gulp of his drink, but as he set it down, a slight smile tugged at the corner of his lip.
“So when he promptly got mugged that night, I was just following orders to Stay as he was beat in the alley a few yards away. I would have come if he gave the order… probably.”
Kerissa laughed slightly, “Karma is a schutta. To the right people sometimes at least. At least mine were.. just stupid. Like a group of porgs of that didn’t know better.”
She waved a hand, finishing off her drink and filling it again. Her vision was blurring slightly but dammit, she was here to get pissed.
“You probably stopped him getting killed later. Fake crime lords don’t last long, but best he got scared off and didn’t get people hurt than get killed along with a bunch of poor sods at his hip.” She shook her head.
“Yeah, you’re probably right… if I was half as smart as that, I could have made a decent argument when I was punished for that one. No more solo jobs for two years.” He swirled his glass, gazing into it. The blue liquid was going down easier, he could feel how he occasionally listed to one side now. Still, he could take a bit more from his experience.
“Lot of booze… how’re you planning on getting home tonight?”
“I’ve got a hotel just around the block, barely two minutes out.” She tapped the side of her head with a wide grin. “It’s the knowing things.”
She laughed slightly, “I never had a job that wasn’t solo work at least mostly. Obviously with cleaning jobs they were communual but.. I couldn’t imagine having someone on my tail the whole time I was trying to do stuff.” She sipped the newly poured drink.
He nodded, and let out a single chuff at the knowing things line. To the rest he shrugged, still toying with his glass. “It… can be hard to adjust to if you’re not ready for it. But having someone you trust at your back, with no room for doubt, is a great boon. It helps if you get along with them well, bonus points if you… well..” he starts gulping his drink down instead of finishing his drunk lingering thought
“That a good well, or a.. I should keep talking about other things well?” Kerissa asked, crossing one of her legs over the other. Anyone walking by would.. probably be able to see her ass but the Kessurian mix either was beyond caring or too drunk to notice the fact she was in fact still wearing a skirt.
“A good well. Let’s just say, I’d recommend finding a partner you trust in all manners. Both in combat, and with intimate matters.” He fills his glass again, his golden eye shinning into hers.
Kerissa grinned, raising her glass to him for a moment before sipping from the straw once again.
Then she responded, “Intimate matters hm? I didn’t know fighting and fucking went so hand in hand with mercenary types.”
He rumbled, a pleasant chuckle as he drank. “Perhaps more hand in hand than you might think. One moment you’re training, working out, sparring with them. Then you’ve got them pinned down and between the adrenaline and thrill of it all… winner claims their victory, right?” His grin was now a bit more wolfish, sly, handsome. His head tilted slightly as he focused on her and drowned out the rest of the club.
Kerissa glanced him over. Okay. This was going somewhere.
“It sounds very fanciful. I can’t say I’ve experienced it before, not really one for.. hand to hand combat. I have noodle arms.” She raised an arm and wiggled it slightly, her grin becoming somewhat sheepish.
He shrugged, and topped his glass off once more. “You’d be surprised. I’ve seen people with your build throw some decent weight around. Sparred a few of them as well. Right into the mat.” He dry tone Carried a hint of amusement as he makes a slight joke. Kerissa was intriguing, and not a small amount of attractive to the wolf.
“Maybe you’d like some training some day?”
“Training?” Kerissa swirled her glass slightly, letting the ice cubes clink in the pause.
Then she looked up at met his gaze again, grey meeting gold, “Is this you wanting to.. claim a victory? It won’t be a grand one during the fight but… If that’s what you want I’m sure the claiming is far more your interest than not.”
She sipped the drink again, thankfully finding the straw immediately considering she maintained eye contact with the Shista as she did.
He swirled his own glass, the smile creeping back to his face as she spoke. “I enjoy many aspects. The fight, the victory, the claiming. Training has its own merits, of course. But I’m more curious to hear what you’d be most interested in” he held her gaze, body language leaning in over the table slightly as his voice grew deeper and more velvety
She remained where she was, just ever so slightly out of reach without being far more obvious than Kerissa thought he would be. Though it was a club.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She grinned, “Though I believe you know the way to find out don’t you?”
“Interesting theory. Care to find out?“ The words carried a faint growl. Not of anger, but of excitement. His tail swishes behind him once In The booth.
“Well. I am about knowing things. I’d be remiss to miss out on such a learning experience.”
Kerissa chuckled to herself, her glass about half empty. “After this?”
“After this.” He raised his glass and slammed the rest of it back, mischief sparking in his eye.
Kerissa raised an eyebrow and sipped hers with a lot less vigor.
“I gotta savour it.” She spoke with.. almost total innocence. A glint in her eye said otherwise as she finally sat up, shifting to kneel on the seat of the booth. “Do you think if we pay them that they’ll let us take the cocktail jug with us? We’ve still got half of it left.”
“Savor it, I’ll remember that” his eye burned bright as he chuckled. He eyed the jug then, appraising it. “I should be able to convince them… should I meet you outside?”
“Sure.” Kerissa nodded, sipping the drink again. “I won’t be long, don’t worry.”
The Kessurian mix watched him go. Well. He was certainly interesting. Not a bad choice at all, if something of a tough nut to crack. She did as she said though, finishing the drink before all too long had passed and heading out of the club and into the rest of the night.