ataraxionlogs | ( can you feeeeeel the loooove tonight )

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( can you feeeeeel the loooove tonight )

CHARACTERS: Octavia Blake and the dating crew
LOCATION: A BAR ON A...FLOOR idk
WARNINGS: probably a hell of a lot of grumpiness lbr there's only like one volunteer
SUMMARY: Speed dating, basically, with more duplicity
NOTES: Mingle log kids, go nuts. Use the headers or create your own or do what you like

[ so octavia has totally repurposed the bar for a round of speed dating, or at least as close as she can manage given that she a) did this last minute and b) doesn't know what speed dating is. still, it's not a hard concept, and there's name badges on a table and a hell of a lot of booze already up on the bartop.

there's some music playing in the background, but given that she's hardly an expert it's just as likely to be really out of place as it is romantic. feel free to use that as a talking point. there's coffee too because she doesn't really know how to cook, and a bunch of ready to eat stuff scavenged from the kitchen nearest the bar. all in all, it's...pretty budget-- BUT SHE TRIED

People volunteering their friends will obviously be told the truth about the nature of the evening, but anyone not friends with Octavia can opt to have received an anon message stating something like " MEET + GREET ON THE xTH FLOOR BAR, PLEASE BRING YOURSELF AND ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR APPROPRIATE ATMOSPHERE. THANKS "

although if you'd prefer their volunteer tricks them into arriving, that is of course also an option. ]

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[ there is a hint of a challenge to his tone, and while anderson's training is one of at least attempting de-escalation instead of giving in to challenges immediately, this isn't exactly the kind of situation in which her training applies, is it?

so she raises her head at the same time as he ducks his, chin up, and smiles a little. ] Guns and hand to hand.

Guns and hand-to-hand.

[--He repeats right away, with a slow and knowing nod, like ohhh.]

I should've guessed. Are you a decent teacher?

[ this is far more familiar territory than what had come before, than standing here with a drink in hand and socialising with the intent of dating, than flirting. that familiarity shows in her posture, shoulders just a little more relaxed, back a little straighter. ]

I think so.

[ she's been teaching for almost as long as she's been here, and so far there haven't been complaints. ]

[Yes, see, look how easy this is. Conversation is nothing like flirting, at all. Sirius grins, and takes another quick drink before he sets his glass down and shoves back away from the bar.]

Great. Teach me.

Here?

[ even with her mutation, she hadn't seen that one coming. still - after a moment's hesitation, she copies him in taking another sip of her drink before setting it aside and then settling in a loosely defensive position. ] Try to hit me.

[ 'try' being the operative word. ]

[Here, obviously, yes. Even with the bar between them. Sirius squints, briefly, as if sizing her up.]

Hang on. But you'll know when I'm going to go for you, right? 'Cos you'll be able to pick it out of my head.

[ he catches on quickly, and anderson's nod is pleased, acknowledging that. ]

Yes. It's an advantage. [ one she's made use of more than once; one that's saved her life before. ]

So then it's never going to be a fair fight, is it.

[He doesn't necessarily sound upset by that. More thoughtful, like maybe he's trying to work out some way around it--and there's a shade or two of appreciation in his tone as well. Ver-ry interesting.]

You can't ever turn it off? Just in the name of good sportsmanship.

I'm not sure I could shut it off completely. [ she could try not to listen, try to blend it out, focus on something else-- would not only would it take her advantage away, it would give her a disadvantage at the same time.

that, and she just wouldn't because if you have a natural advantage, you use it. her mutation is part of her and it's saved her life before. necessity trumps sportsmanship. ] But I wouldn't.

[It's a fair answer. It'd be like someone saying let's have a fight! and then very quickly following it up with, but no fair using magic! More like, no fair expecting him to carry on without magic. Not when it's what he's used to, so unconscious an instinct it'd be like asking him not to breathe.]

All right.

[He agrees, agreeably. But--caveat! He holds up a finger.]

But. That means you owe me something else.

[ it's partly that, and partly that even if it didn't put her at a disadvantage, she's learned that the world is not kind and fair and you have to use everything that you've got.

her mutation saved her life from people who should have helped her and instead meant to kill her for money; it's the kind of thing that isn't out of the norm in mega city one, but it's enough to make anyone suspicious.

there isn't much suspicion in her voice now, though. ] What? [ that, mind you, is not agreement just yet. ]

[Without missing a beat, he answers:]

A date.

[And, to clarify:] A proper date. Not just chatting you up in a space pub with forty other people around. I mean, if you can't teach me to fight--the opposite of fight is date. Or something like that.

[Sound logic. Any perusal of his upper thoughts will corroborate: he is totally Sirius about this proposal. And serious.]

Who says I can't teach you to fight? [ the flush is back, heat rising high in her cheeks, but her tone at least remains unaffected.

but even with those words as her immediate response, anderson isn't actually opposed. it's not that she's ever had much time to date nor a great many people lining up to ask her out on them, especially not after they'd found out she's a mutant. it remains true that she's more experienced at fighting than anything to do with its opposite.

still: ] Okay. [ her expression shifts into a little smile again, not really deliberately. ]

[Sirius returns her smile--just a little muted, brilliant but quiet enough to come off as encouraging rather than overwhelming. He's still leaned on the bar, inclined toward her--intimate, but friendly, in a way that closes the conversation to just the two of them, and doesn't invite interruption.

Not that he would really care if they were interrupted, as she's just agreed to a date. (Well. He'd still care.)]

How about both, then. A date, and then you can work on me. That wouldn't be too much time spent in my company, would it?

Both. [ with a nod, and she almost sticks her hand out for him to shake on it because agreement has been reached, a deal has been struck — but she's inexperienced, not wholly socially inept, so she doesn't.

(if her own body language mirrors his, if she's leaning towards him and looking up at him with her expression more open than usual, that isn't deliberate.) ]

I think I'll be able to stand it. [ is obviously a joke, even if she doesn't quite manage the casual air needed to pull it off properly, ducking her head at the end of it to hide her smile. ]

Great.

[And he really is pleased. It wouldn't take reading his mind to be able to work that one out. He stands on his toes a little, a bigger lean across the bar, inclining himself toward her with another grin, like he's trying to keep hers in sight even when she ducks her head.]

Then I'll look forward to it. Oh, hang on--

[He shifts back to grab up his glass, and raises it toward her.]

We have to toast. For luck.

Luck for what? [ she is already raising her glass again, admittedly, but the question still slips out.

anderson isn't tall or broad-shouldered and in any other context, the way he leans closer could be considered looming and she might mind it. she finds that she doesn't, now. there's nothing threatening about any of his behaviour. ] The date?

The date, and in general. For us.

[Us, inclusive. Sort of couple-y, even if that's not necessarily what he's proposing--it's more a shorthand. She's not likely to give any argument, but as a preventative measure, Sirius clinks his glass against hers before anything else can be side.]

Cheers.

[And he takes a drink. Deal sealed.]

[ it does sound a little couple-y, but anderson is still reading his mind and the intent on it and he doesn't quite mean that.

so no, there will be no argument from her. he clinks their glasses together and drinks, and anderson follows suite a moment later. ]

Cheers.

[He drinks deeply--for luck--and then sets the glass down heavily on the bartop, with a pleased sigh.]

And that's settled. Until our date, of course.

[ for u ]

[ anderson doesn't set her glass down before he does, though she doesn't drink quite as deeply or as much. her head is already swimming from what she has drunk.

maybe she wouldn't smile quite so openly otherwise, or maybe she still would. ] I'm looking forward to it. [ is an admission. ]

Hey, what a coincidence: me too.

[Which is unnecessary to say, because 1) he's smiling, and 2) she can read it out of his head. But that means that she can also read just how genuine he is as he says that. He really does mean it. Dates are dates; he's had a thousand. That doesn't make them any less fun.]

Meet me back here for it. And only sweet drinks. I promise.

I'll be there.

[ he didn't need to say it out loud, but it's still good to hear it, or to hear and read it in his thoughts, his emotions. he's had a lot more experience with dates than she did, but he's still pleased.

that's good. ]

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( can you feeeeeel the loooove tonight )

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do u want to do a log with their date sometime tho

yes absolutely yes

good

:>

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