[O] Margaritas

Jason sighed and perched his chin on his hand.

Tonight was as exciting as he expected it to be.

The bar was almost empty. Only a few locals were having a drink and chatting away. An nobody seemed very... interesting. He at least hoped someone would catch his eye, even for a bit of banter.

His new dress and new haircut was wasted. Wasted!

Letting out another sigh he took a sip from his margarita, heavily made up eyes on there door.

The current week for James had been... Rough to say the least. He had only been at the coven less than a month when the news struck him that a lover from another life was living there as well.

Dead. That was where he thought this ghost had been, that's what he had almost hoped for, but apparently this ghost was far from it, this ghost from dreams and nightmares.

And now one of the few things that he could do, being a serious lightweight, was knocking back a few stiff drinks and praying for a blackout. He would deal with the consequences of it later.

In a stiff-striding haste, James breezed into the nearest establishment and perched himself atop a barstool, maybe two away from Jason, waving his hand nearly frantically at the bartender.

"Sir, please get me the strongest drink you have," his gestures were vaguely feminine his posture was proper and poised, and his face was slightly disheveled and frantic.

Okay, this man that walked in looked interesting - and cute! Glasses were always a bonus in her book.

Jason sat back and studied this new guy, like a lioness studying their pray.

He was a well to do man, you could spot that a mile off. Did he have money? It would be fun to leech off him all night. Though, there could also be the chance that he could be broke, and just turned a blind eye to it, like most of the aristocracy was these days. Either way, free drinks.

He didn't look too well either. An argument with a lover maybe? Or maybe it was back with the money problems?

She guessed she will just have to find out.

Jason slid a few stalls over to the to the dark haired man. long logs crossed over each other, hitching the dress up to expose her thigh. She had to make a good impression.

"Fare quei due, per favore!"

She turned towards the stranger.

"Rough night then?"

She gave a small, sympathetic smile.

-----

"Make those two, please!"

With a graceful sweeping motion of his hand Jim combed it back through his ruffled raven-colored hair to slick it back out of his eyes, bringing his fingertips forward to pinch the bridge of his nose.

The youthful-looking vampire continued rubbing himself there until the coo of Jason's voice rang through his ears, signifying that the individual had been talking to Jim.

It took him a moment to process what had been said, but when he understood he looked over at the attractive, feminine person and gave them a somber nod in agreement.

"Rough may be an understatement..." he spoke, trailing off a little at the end, his mind still ablaze with painful memories, "It is definitely a night to forget."

When the bartender brought over their drinks Jim took his gratefully, paused to give it a pained look and then drank it down in big, quick swallows, his eyes watering heavily even after he placed the empty glass down.

"Another," he spoke to the bartender in a breathy voice, "...Please."

"Want to talk about it, or are you hoping to drink your problems away?"

She took a sip from her own drink and wrinkled her nose. God knows what the bartender concocted up, but it was disgusting. Defiantly a drink to get you flat on your face.

"Here, you can just have mine."

She slide the drink over to the young man.

"I think I will just have another Margarita, please."

The bartender gave her a glare as she battered her lashes.

"I... I'd rather not talk about it..." the vampire spoke quietly, resting his poised fingers atop the glass that rested before Jason and ushering it toward himself. He gazed somberly down at the drink and pinched his nostrils together with his index finger and thumb, downing the drink as quickly as one possibly could.

The very second he had pulled the glass away from his lips he choked out a cough and lifted up a napkin to dab away small tear droplets from his eyes.

"A love once lost has returned and I detest him. I truly can't stand him. Yet I yearn to know where he's been all these years! I cannot bare feeling this way!" he proclaimed, slapping his hand down against the bar so an audible 'POP' sounded throughout the space. There was already a glimmer of a drunken stupor in his dreamy blue eyes as he turned to face Jason, a sudden sorrow plaguing his expression.

"I really don't want to feel anything at all right now," he told her, fishing around in his pocket without breaking eye contact and slipping 270 euro in cash onto the bar, "Keep them coming."

She offered some tissues she kept in her handbag.

"Ah, love."

So she was half right! It was something to do with a lover.

"It sounds very complicated. If you want my advice, I suggest ditching love. It is not worth it."

Jason raised a well groomed eyebrow at the money. He was most defiantly well off to just hand over cash like that.

"You are going the right way about it then, though you won't last long. "

He waved a slow, despondent hand dismissively at Jason and started to slouch on his stool, half full glass held loosely by his fingertips in his other hand.

"I wish it were that easy to abandon love... It's truly my vice though... My addiction as cliche as it is to say aloud," the vampire was truly being dramatic in his speech, but the more alcohol he consumed the more theatrical he felt, even if this particular show was a tragedy.

James looked over sadly at Jason, his round eyes like that of a dog that's just been struck, and asked in a voice that was starting to slur, "Any more advice for a troubled soul my wise bar philosopher?"

"Wise philosopher?" she laughed, covering he mouth with pedicured hands. "That is the first time someone has ever called me that!"

This vampire was amusing, in a pitiful way. She had made a good choice in company.

"My first advice is slow down on the drink. You will be waking up hungover in no time, with whatever you are trying to forget to boot. The success to drinking away your problems is to go slow at a point."

Not that anybody ever did.

"Secondly, cut whoever is hurting you off! Do you really have time for them.

Thirdly, have some fun. There is no fun in wallowing in self-pity."

James had just begun to touch his next drink to his needy lips when Jason's first piece of advice hit his ears. He lowered it cautiously and looked over at his present company with meek interest, his pink lips moist with the remnants of his previous drinks.

The vampire opened his mouth to rebuttal a moment after Jason had mentioned the second word of advice, but he saw the individual open their mouth again and he shut his, knowing quite clearly the rules of conversational etiquette even if he was sauced out of his goddamn mind.

"I... I can see the logic in your advice... But I don't have many fun..." he rolled his hand in the air and closed his eyes a moment while he thought of the words he wanted to speak, "...Acquaintances to call upon. I barely know anyone in this godforsaken place..."

The multibillionaire hung his head in an anguished, drunken self-pity party and rested his glass against the bar so he could rub his temples and let the pity sink in.

"You don't need acquaintances to have fun.

She gently rested her hand on his back, testing the waters. He will hopefully find it a soothing gesture.

"But, if you need one, I can be yours for tonight. Hey, I can even introduce you to a few others I know around town."

James tensed for just a moment when Jason's hand rested against his back, but he was quick to relax against her touch, the alcohol easing his nerves into nonexistence. At the kind sound of her voice he looked over at her hopefully and offered her a warm smile.

"I... I would appreciate that... Truly... Miss...?" he inquired, his body language tipsy and questioning.

She could feel him tense under his fingertips. As he relaxed she gently slid her hand down his back to his waist.

"Jason." She purred. It was a wonder how he would react to that - he seemed like a proper gentleman. They tend to be the type to curse her or be too drunk to care. Either way, she didn't mind! As long as he entertained her.

"And yours?"