With his throat dry from screaming so much during Younri's performance, Mine went to cool off at the bar. After all, he wasn't made of iron. A drink to liven up the night would be fine since he would only have an exclusive service with the event's sponsor later to - finally - say goodbye to the ball and leave with his payment. He didn't want to do this exclusive service, but the host said he was willing to pay extra... Mine ended up accepting.
I need the money, but… Mine fiddled with the empty glass on the balcony. I’m not in the mood. I’ll just talk to him and dismiss the services, yeah…
The bar wing was very classic and didn't have as many refinements as the rest of the mansion, precisely to avoid taking away from the expensive drinks that were on display in the central bar.
The lighting was soft, and a stage with some dancers – hired from another pub – gave a little more life to the already crowded place. The tables, covered with exquisite linen tablecloths, were impeccably clean despite the occasional drink spilling onto them.
The melancholic atmosphere was also present, and Mine had already started to sigh, thinking about the next steps after the event.
“Ah…” Mine sighed, placing the empty glass of champagne away.
“Sighing may blow your luck away,” a husky voice said beside Mine, whose eyes laid on the person.
Mine quickly fixed the outfit's mask, covering his eyes once again. He wore a second mask once the previous performance's mask was way too much to deal with - and suffocating!
The person at his side was a young man with black hair as dark as the leather gloves he wore on his hands that seemed to be soft and warm beneath the fabric. The young man, with a serene face and refined features, wore a mask that Mine hadn't seen anyone else wear. It was unique and had distinct patterns. While the average pattern of the guests' and prostitutes' masks was flowers, the young man's was full of complex and thin arabesques, matching his air of elegance.
He also wore a formal dressing shirt with a reddish vest over it, just like the other guests, and what intrigued Mine most was this young man's perfume, which had notes of musk with...
Floral... Mine pondered, looking at the young man. Ylang Ylang… he identified the scent, and the image of a certain someone's perfume appeared in his mind- and Mine quickly shook the image away! That certain someone couldn't be remembered now!
"Hm? What's up?" the young man chuckled, resting his hands on the balcony and taking the menu.
Holy sh- this chuckle was… Mine blinked twice before fixing his pose. "I-It's nothing!" he quickly replied before the man said more.
“Ok then- ah! Could you give me some ideas for drinks? I'm terrible at choosing the drinks… I always end up drunk,” the young man chuckled, looking at the menu. “I mean, I like alcohol, but I like to stay sober and… do you perhaps know good drinks with low alcohol?”
Mine straightened his posture and approached the man, trying to catch a glimpse of the menu. His eyes quickly surveyed the best options and the worst ones – which he’d try at Younri’s pub someday.
Options chosen. Mine called the barman's attention.
"Give this guy this, and this one is for me," Mine asked the elegant bartender, who nodded back.
“Surprise drink then?” the young man arched an eyebrow, his voice with bits of cheerfulness.
"All you do is chuckle, but yes, it's a surprise drink, and you'll enjoy it," Mine crossed arms, sliding the latex gloves on his bare skin. "And… who are you, mysterious gentleman?" he grinned, resting a hand on his cheek.
"I'm just a humble guest," the gentleman bowed. "I came with a friend. He's a VIP, so… I lost him among the crowd… well, I saw him with a girl, and then, he’s gone.”
"Ah, it's a classic one," Mine laughed, taking the glass the bartender gave him.
His drink was colorful and there was a funny straw in a thick layer of foam. If you saw it from afar, you'd think it was a beverage that could make anyone blackout, but it was the opposite! It had bits of watermelon, sparkling water, ice, and some other stuff. Refreshing and non-alcoholic, perfect for the night and Mine’s early tiresome.
The gentleman’s drink was vivid blue, with ice and coconut milk Mine was sure he felt the smell among the other ingredients. Yes, it was alcoholic, but way less poisoning than the one Mine saw with a girl earlier, who made an ugly face when she took the first sip of it.
“And you? Found someone to spend the night with?” Mine casually asked, sipping the drink.
“Nah, I'm not into that stuff,” the gentleman spoke, sipping the drink as well.
"How so? You're handsome, and you deserve a good night with the girls," Mine waved his hands in disbelief. "Or boys, there are male workers around as well," he remembered, looking at a fellow worker near them with a guy.
“It's a good offer," the gentleman also looked at the duo, "but I already have someone dear to me at home," he placed the drink on the balcony, removing the small umbrella decoration.
“Hoho~ so you have a girlfriend?" Mine's curiosity started creeping on his skin, and his feet curled inside the shoes.
“Not yet," the gentleman chuckled, resting his eyes on Mine's latex gloves. "Actually, it would be a boyfriend,” he smiled.
Mine couldn't help but feebly chuckle. Whoever would be the person… then, he was very lucky because that man was loyal and very handsome! Young? Yes, but he’d grow older like an expensive bottle of the finest wine.
“Really? Tell me more about him,” Mine asked, taking another sip of his drink and emptying it.
"So… it means we're spending the night together, right?" the gentleman crossed his arms, and his voice tone was a bit teasing.
“Of course, Mr. Loyalty,” Mine bowed. “This humble dancer won't join the others in exclusive services, so… I'm free to hear your lovey-dovey speaking. Also, I like romance stories," he grinned, but the grin had bits of teasing on his ruby-red lips.
The gentleman snorted, letting a sincere laugh travel from his lungs to his lips.
Dimples. There were faint dimples in that handsome smile, and Mine couldn't help but remember a certain someone's smile.
No! I must be crazy!
But his mind wandered away and high. Somehow, he could picture how Addai would be dressed in those outfits and how handsome he would be that night… and Mine wouldn’t somehow feel lonely in the bar.
“It seems I’m not the only one who’s having lovey-dovey thoughts,” the gentleman teased, and Mine crashed on the ground from his absurd travel. "Well, once we're sharing drinks and feeble talks… I'll tell about him if you tell me about you and your lovey-dovey journey,” he fixed his gloves and the ruby-red tie.
Well, once we're strangers sharing a drink before going drunk…
No harm, right?
“Fine,” Mine snorted, crossing his arms and fixing the dress’s crumpled details.
The gentleman fixed his mask and looked at Mine. "My dear person is adorable. He's kind-hearted, and… he's always carefree. I love the way he sees life and how it can be beautiful through his eyes," he started, and Mine's lips formed a small smile. "He… is facing some issues, but I want to make it clear that he can rely on me. I love his strength, but he also needs someone to stay there, and I'm willing to do that,” as he spoke, Mine saw how his eyes glowed behind the mask, even though it was hard to see.
Also, the gentleman’s whole manners were different.
His once confident posture turned a bit shy, and… it was oddly familiar.
His shoulders were slightly curved, and his fingers were touching the glass and his own fingers, as well as if he didn't know where to touch first.
Mine looked at the gentleman. He saw the slight twitch his lips made when he looked at the glass, noticing how his mouth formed a shy smile and how the gentleman's cheeks were slightly blushed.
"He… he's very lucky, isn't he?" and Mine looked at his half-empty glass of now alcoholic drink.
“I also am,” the gentleman replied, regaining the confidence. "And you, tell me about you before we get drunk," he chuckled, and again, the dimples showed.
“I… I’m just a feeble human, working and performing…” Mine said vaguely, but it was enough for that stranger. “If you're wondering… I don't know if I have a special someone- I mean…” and he felt the first take of alcohol numbing his mind. "It's complicated…"
"People are complicated," the gentleman nodded, taking the drink away from Mine. "No more alcohol. You're a good person and deserve to enjoy the party, so…" and he gave Mine the sparkling water the bartender had just brought.
Mine looked at the glass, then looked at the sparkling water bottle, then looked at that mysterious and incredibly gentle gentleman. The lights around them were hazy, and Mine had lost count of how many drinks he had until now.
"You act like him," Mine said, chuckling at the odd situation he was in. "He… he is dear to me, but I'm afraid to feel it," and he covered his shoulders with the fuzzy, long, pink pashmina scarf he got earlier from Lydia.
"Afraid of what?”
“From falling in love again,” Mine sighed. Well, they were two half-drunk guys, so… all secrets would fade in forgetfulness the next morning. "He’s… so sweet that I’m afraid to hurt him.”
“Hm… loving someone is risky…” the gentleman gave Mine a napkin, “… but isn’t he worth it?”
Mine turned pensive. Who could guess a bar talk would make him ponder about that?
“… he... he is worth it…” Mine whispered and used the napkin to wipe the lipstick stains from his lips. “He is so silly too…” he chuckled, “and grumpy, stubborn, and very demanding, but… he's also very caring and lovely.”
“That’s a great man for sure,” the gentleman handed Mine another napkin.
"And there you are, paying attention to my makeup," Mine laughed, taking the napkin. "Thank you for the night, Mr. Loyalty-Good-Advice, Sir."
“I should thank you as well. The drinks were awesome, as well as our talking,” the gentleman laughed.
"That makes me happy to hear that," Mine smiled widely, and the gentleman smiled back. "If you want to spend the night in peace, go to the backyard! It's fancy and- AH!"
Mine almost fell to the floor due to a distracted person who bumped into his own foot and tripped over the foot of the stool, making it unstable for a few seconds, but nothing that a good grip on the counter could solve. The person who tripped was already on the ground, and a man was standing there looking at the poor man who was practically passed out from all the alcohol he had in his body.
The mysterious gentleman looked at the tall man, and the corner of his mouth seemed slightly tense, and with one hand on Mine's stool, he helped him balance and stabilize himself.
Mine was really curious about the man who had just passed by without even helping the poor drunk, who was helped by the house staff. The man was... intriguing, to say the least.
“Don’t pay attention to him,” the gentleman said, his gaze fixed on the man who had just left. “It’s just a VIP troublemaker,” his eyes viciously glowed behind the mask.
-- CHARACTER SHEET --
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