☠ 01 : Something to Take the Edge Off

[_devil_inside]

Who: _devil_inside and somarium
Where: Random bar in the Residential District
Style: Prose preferred
Status: Open like a whore's boudoir.

Comments

[lastyears_model]

For someone who'd been in the city for as long as she had been now, the blond still hadn't really ventured around it much, save for swimming across alleyways and climbing over rooftops when those weird creatures with purple jewels were lollygagging about. As it were, she barely had any information on what had just come to pass through the city this time around, being asleep throughout the whole of it left her with questions, however for as high as her curiosity was about most things, the girl wasn't terribly fond of getting the details of the passing situation

[_devil_inside]

He wasn't here to socialize. He was here to attempt to drown the recollections of the previous days in a booze induced fog, silencing those ghosts in an alcoholic stupor. But never let it be said that Dante Sparda would ignore conversation from a pretty woman, no matter his own level of angst. However, he also wasn't one to just traipse out his issues for the entire world to criticize; no, the Man in Red kept most of humanity far out at arm's length, deflecting any serious queries with an easy charming smile and purposefully witty misdirection

[lastyears_model]

There was no surprise from her when he didn't just suddenly turn to her and word vomit all his feelings and emotions to her. When it came to men, Elena knew and spent most of her time with the only kind that didn't even know how to open up in the first place and besides, she didn't know him and he didn't know here, there was no reason for him to give her insight to his problems. She hadn't expected that he would, the blond was simply being a bit of a friendly stranger letting him know that even people whom weren't close to him cared enough to let him know that there was some concern involving whatever it was on his mind

[_devil_inside]

The devil hunter shrugged again and took a healthy sip of his own brew, potent whiskey that did little to set fire in his belly anymore. Of course, one could probably pave roads with the flesh of his esophagus, so. Tony Redgrave hadn't really believed in health food, juice or snacks, so the only sustenance a ten year old half-devil kid had been able to scrounge was hard liquor, greasy cheeseburgers and the occasional steak-and-potatoes meal. And old habits died very, very hard

[lastyears_model]

Almost protesting the refill of her drink, Elena shifted gently on her seat as she watched the liquid collect in the glass until it was filled to the brim again. Well, just drink it slow, she told herself as she nodded in thanks to the bartender, then once more to Dante for the refill. Politeness was something she was not lacking, as it were

[_devil_inside]

"Better than some," Dante replied with a smile. "God knows it's better than roamin' around lost, 'specially with the...'local color' lurking about the place lately."

Yeah, Dante'd seen his share of shit down in the Industrial District. Although nothing new to the devil hunter -he had decades of experience with monsters and monstrous humans alike- it still twisted something inside him to see humanity reduced to little more than slavering beasts with no conscious minds. All because of some "otherworldly" influence. This world or the old one, seemed nothing ever changed.

Indeed, it was recollections of such he'd come here to drink away, or at least attempt to forget. And he figured he might as well get a move on and do just that. No time like the present, anyway. So, downing his whiskey on the rocks, Dante put the glass down in exactly the same place from which he'd lifted it and grinned at his companion.

"Care to dance, Miss Elena?"

He slipped off the stool before she could answer and selected another song, returning

[lastyears_model]

"Seems a nice place to me, sure." She nodded, agreeing. At least this place was much nicer than others she'd had the misfortune of having to meet clients and whatnot at for her show

[_devil_inside]

Dante's eyebrows went up as he brought them both to the middle of the main room, absently pushing aside a few chairs and a table with one booted foot. "Really? Huh." He smoothly twirled her against him, long arm slipping around her waist while the other kept hold of her hand, adopting the traditional "old school" waltz stance as the bluesy guitar introduction began. "Long overdue, I'd have to say."

As the song played, he began to slowly shuffle them around the dusty floor, steps easy, light and sure. Leather gently swished with the movements and Dante hummed along with parts of the music, skillfully guiding her in a few spins and turns before accepting her close again. Blue twinkled down at her, the devil hunter chuckling softly. When he spoke, his voice was a rough rumble, almost the purr of some satisfied jungle cat.

"Well, I still have all my toes, Miss Elena. I'm kinda disappointed."

[lastyears_model]

Raising brows at the strength he must have to kick that whole dining set out of the way, she shook her head gently. At least that cleared a big enough spot for dancing, had to admit that.

Elena was reverting back to some sort of school girl. It had been quite some time since she was anywhere near enough to a man to be pressed against him and that had been Nate under less than desirable circumstances, having to do with nearly dying. This was a much preferred setting to be close to someone within. Following his lead for the stance, she placed a palm to his shoulder while keeping the other linked with his own.

"Nice song choice."

It may have been quite the gap between now and the last time she'd danced, however it seemed she hadn't quite lost the ability to do so. Matching his footing, she stepped with the music and his lead along the 'dance floor' with the man. The blond couldn't deny the fun she was having, at least. Letting a soft gasp pass her lips as her body was spun only to be pulled in against the man once again, she blushed.

[_devil_inside]

"I thought so

[lastyears_model]

The lady's own music choice was typically something more soft, but that could have been because most of the time she subjected herself to music, she was either trying to sleep or trying to bring herself up from a mood from having to deal with something unpleasant. "Hard" selections weren't really her thing, although there would never really be a complaint from her for any musical choice. She was an adaptive girl, after all.

In Somarium, she longed for her old music player. Sleep barely came and when it did, she startled awake from nightmares. It would have been nice to have the soft tunes as a sleep aid, but there wasn't all that much she could do, so it goes, as they say. For the moment though, she found comfort in the arms of a stranger in the form of a dance she'd never gotten to be a part of in so many years passed. It was an interesting feeling to relax with someone that she didn't even know.

"You? Tough?" She couldn't help the playful smirk that tugged her lips. The joke was more than obvious. "Certainly don't look it at all."

[_devil_inside]

The old man behind the bar surreptitiously shuffled out from behind the counter and reset the same song on the ancient jukebox, the guitar starting up again. Dante never paused in his movements, not quite ready to relinquish the gentle comfort of another's company just yet.

He grinned back to her remark, shrugging the shoulder upon which her hand rested. "Appearances can be deceiving, though, Miss Elena," he playfully warned, directing her into a slow turn before once again threading his arm around her waist. "Can't always trust what your senses tell ya."

[lastyears_model]

"Maybe so," she nodded. Elena had to agree, certain things definitely hadn't turned out to be what she thought they were based on her senses before, but still. She smiled to him somewhat playfully herself. "But you can't just ignore them, either. Better to trust your senses than go off of nothing at all

[_devil_inside]

True mirth escaped; Dante laughed softly. "Not a problem at all, Miss Elena. I do aim to please, after all." And there might have been an extra little glint in blue eyes at the latter statement, just a little more teasing lilt to his easy, charming smile. No stranger to women, no, not at all, but not a ravening lecher, either.

Dante respected the female race for what it was; chock-full of lovely, intelligent ladies who more or less kept the world running. His own mother had been known to hunt her share of demons, after all. And her son had nothing but respect for the fairer sex of the species. A shame the rest of the population couldn't say the same.

"I gotta say, though," he remarked after a bit, "I wasn't expectin' such pleasant company tonight." A flicked gaze to the bottle still sitting on the bar. "Just me, a bottle and bad memories." He smiled and tipped his head down a bit, touching his forehead to hers for a brief moment. "Nice to be pleasantly surprised, for a change."

[lastyears_model]

"You seem to be doing well enough on that front for the time being, I'm enjoying myself, at least." She couldn't help but smile in gratitude, even if it had been a facade which she was certain it wasn't, it would have been best for the silver haired man to just continue pretending with her anyway. Being deceived by a charming man for a night of dancing in a run down bar wasn't going to kill her, as it were. Despite it being strange, pressed against and dancing with someone she barely knew, a good time was being had and for the reporter, that's all she cared about in the moment

[_devil_inside]

Yeah, Dante totally lived for that. Secure in the knowledge he'd just about blown her mind, the devil hunter carefully kept his smirk hidden, letting the stroke to his rather large ego just inflate that oftentimes downtrodden thing to somewhere resembling pride. He was good, he knew that and yes, he'd used his skill with the ladies to his advantage when it was necessary, he'd never deny that. But despite all of his experience, and contrary to rumor, the man was hardly a lecher