open } { and buddha found nirvana along the lotus way

[enjoythe_ride]

[Bela Talbot is thirty years-old today.

(For those playing at home, it took three years in Chicago, one in Teleios, and two years of nebulous world hopping to get her here, but regardless - the woman is thirty. That's rather impressive for a woman who was only supposed to live to twenty-four.)

Personally, she doesn't want to acknowledge it at all. Despite the fact that unlike most women of her generation, once she knew she could actually get there, she ran towards thirty with outstretched arms, now that she's actually sitting here, it feels a bit ... uneventful. She lived to see thirty. Some would not really understand that accomplishment when they know absolutely nothing about her, but perhaps she can fake it if she tries.

Not that she's actually trying, she's mostly drinking.

This post is somewhat useless, unless you're interested in getting drunk with a British, world-hopping occult dealer who happens to have found herself on the boat on her birthday that she's not telling anyone about, save for a few select people who either a) already know or b) manage to run into her when she's drunk enough. She's actually a rather amiable drunk once you get her going. This post could very well be a good time.

Maybe the ghosts will even bring you cake.]

Comments

[comhar]

[ Nope.

The ghosts won't be the ones bringing her cake. There is, however, a guardian she might find familiar. A guardian who, up until this moment, had never once found himself on the boat before. There's a calendar up on the wall all the same, and John never forgets a birthday when it's someone that matters, and Bela matters. He took one glance at it, and he understood immediately why he is here; why he is meant to be here.

He knows his ward very well, a fact that likely pisses her off on a good day, and John is perfectly aware she would not want to make a big deal out of it - not her birthday, and not the fact this is a mini-reunion that's been a long time in the making. Well, tough.

Despite the fact he has a lot of Feelings at the sight of her, he'll start by playing it cool, moving toward the bar to replace the ghost that's been serving Bela thus far - he's much more handsome than the ghost, anyway. He always has allowed her to set their parameters; he's curious to what today will bring. ]

You weren't going to start celebrate without me, were you?

[enjoythe_ride]

[Bela knows he's never been on the boat before. She checked.

She always checks and waits no matter where she goes, even if she'll never admit it. There's always a part of her that misses him, misses the first real friend she ever had, and when she first sees him, she's almost convinced it's some kind of trick.

(Damon told her he saw Josef once. She wouldn't put it past the boat to do the same with John.)

But at the same time, he seems all too real, and she isn't entirely sure how to react. She's a few glasses in at this point, so all of her shields aren't as strong as they should be, and her brain-to-mouth filter is even worse for the wear. The words just tumble out, faster than she can stop them.]

You're late.

[comhar]

[ Silence follows Bela's response.

Something utterly guts him, and it's amazing how two words alone are capable of it. He feels irrationally guilty for something he can't control, but it feels like he should. It feels like he should have the power to move through time and space to get to the one person he is meant to protect above and beyond anything and anyone else.

He's failed her, and all he can do is smile bittersweetly in acknowledgement of it. ]

I know.

[ He does, and it hurts. ]

Better late than never, is what my ma used to say. [ It means something. Doesn't it? ]

[enjoythe_ride]

[She catches the regret on his face and immediately has some herself because she didn't mean to hurt him. She didn't mean to make things weird. It's just the first thing that came to mind and she couldn't help it.

But a split second after that she's surging forward, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling him closer, because she's missed him, more than words could ever really say.]

[comhar]

[ Oh, Bela. It wasn't you who hurt him. It's the rifts. It's time.

He doesn't hesitate to wrap her up in his arms, lifting her up off the floor until she's caught securely in his embrace. He smiles into her hair, and even lets out a wondrous little laugh. ] You don't know how damn good it is to see you.

[ Or maybe she does, but it's hard to put to words. He's searched for her through worlds. ]

[enjoythe_ride]

[Oh, she does. She really does and that statement only causes him to hug him tighter. She's never really been big on physical affection, but in this case she needs it, if for no other reason than to confirm that he's there and he's real.]

I think I have an idea.

[comhar]

[ he's very real, and if john has anything to say about it, he isn't going anywhere until she does. he holds her tightly to him, and he won't step back until she starts to. he's going to hug her for as long as she needs, and maybe he needs it, too. he smiles softly, eyes stinging ever so slightly. ]

I'll make it up to you. [ that's a promise. ]

[slutbomb]

[ drinking seems to be one of the few things to do on this ship that doesn't result in faith actively damaging some piece of it. and she's not prone to inserting herself into the business of others, so at first she just sits and drinks. and drinks.

eventually she gets enough down into her gut that she finally starts to feel a little less sullen and annoyed and a little more chatty. ]

Looks like you're having about as good a time as I am.

[ and she'll even raise her little shot glass before knocking it back. ]

[enjoythe_ride]

[Personally, Bela doesn't mind the property damage so much. You get used to it in Chicago. Every so often something will fall through the rift that will tear a hole in the nearest building. She wonders, idly, what the insurance premiums were like on the storefronts right on the edge of Grant Park.

Not that it really matters. They're gone now.

She glances over at the voice, squinting at her for a moment. She's a few drinks in at this point, so she is feeling the booze.]

I am having a spectacular time. The alcohol here is fantastic.

[slutbomb]

You English types. Make it tough to figure out what's sarcasm.

[ she smirks, a wry (or stupid?) attempt to break ice and make the conversation about more than booze. as much as faith is a people person, sometimes small talk is torture. ]

Boat's considerate on this front, at least...

[enjoythe_ride]

[She laughs, all the willing to mock the dry nature of the British.]

In my experience, sweetie, everything is sarcasm. Some is just delivered more fondly than others.

[It is the British way after all.]

It is. For which, I am grateful. My last kidnapping universe wasn't nearly as considerate with the free alcohol.

[ohstarryeyed]

Now this is a familiar scene.

[Ah, Bela Talbot. The woman who attempted murder on her pet rat and then, as the world was about to end, got drunk with her on wine in The Crowbar.

Cassie didn't even realise Bela was here. She's been time-hopping a lot since she first got here. It's annoying. Maybe one day she'll find a place that'll keep her for good and not allow her to travel extensively across the universes. Maybe.

It is good to see Bela again, despite them not getting off to the best of starts in Chicago. Anyone who made it out alive from Chicago is pretty bloody lucky, all things considered. Especially when there's still so many missing, including her own Guardian.]

Made it out alive, hmm?

[enjoythe_ride]

[Bela turns at the familiar voice, her eyebrows climbing over the rim of her glass. She never really had anything against Cassie - mostly her rat, but it was a rat, which she still considers an unfortunate and inappropriate pet choice - and she's a good person to get piss drunk with which is what Bela is intending to do at the moment.]

Apparently it takes much more than the end of the world to kill me.

[she turns and reaches behind the bar to grab one of the glasses sitting there.]

Drink?

[ohstarryeyed]

[Saul, sadly, never made it with Cassie to the ship. She's still upset about that. She was lucky enough to arrive with a few precious belongings and her guitar - but not lucky enough. She supposes he'll turn up soon enough, maybe with Aaron.

She's trying not to be upset about it. She didn't have Saul for long, but he was still important to her. But surely he's okay, and Aaron might have some sense to look after him for her. Maybe.]

I suppose that goes for me too, huh?

[She smiles and shrugs, taking a seat beside her.]

Sure. Nothing better to do.

[enjoythe_ride]

[She reaches for the bottle she's nursing and pours Cassie a glass before sliding it down the bar to her. She then takes a sip of her own, before trying to gauge how much time has passed since they last saw each other.]

How long has it been, since Chicago?

[ohstarryeyed]

[Cassie's silent for a few moments, her brow furrowing in thought. How long? Good question. She's not even sure any more. She's done some time-hopping since she first arrived. She sighs after a short pause and shakes her head.]

Honestly? No idea. I think this place has some sort of weird time-stuff with it that makes you jump through time, like Chicago.

[She could have worded that better.]

I first arrived, it was almost like it was the same day as Chicago going to hell. I'm sure it was. Since then... I don't even know any more.

You?

[enjoythe_ride]

[She nods slowly for a moment.]

About the same. A year here, two years there. Hard to really tell anymore. But I think today is my birthday.

[She gestures to the bottle as though to say "hence the drinking."]

[ohstarryeyed]

Looks like the time-travelling didn't stop in Chicago.

[Cassie tilts her head at that. To be honest, she thinks that anyone who's spent enough time in Chicago doesn't really need an explanation to drink. But a birthday?]

Ohh, well then.

[She raises her glass in toast.]

Happy Birthday, despite the uncertainty.

/latest ._/

[consumes]

[Damon is drinking already. He's been sent back though it wasn't for long, and now he has returned again.

He's running into her when she is rather drunk. Damon has no idea what the date is on the ship, but if he knew it was Bela's birthday, he'd insist on celebrating it with her properly. It will likely involve sex eventually, but for now, he's got a glass in his hand, and he is lifting an eyebrow at her as she is starting down the drunk-lane.]

Hi, Bela. [Tiny, flirty smirk.]

Want something in particular?

he does like to make an entrance

[enjoythe_ride]

[Bela would not say no to birthday sex. In fact, birthday sex would be a fantastic cap to her night as far as she's concerned. It also doesn't help matters that she's already intoxicated, and her brain to mouth filter is almost non-existent. She will match that flirt with some of her own as she smirks back at him.]

A few things, actually. But for now, I'd just like a refill.

[And she will hold up her empty glass as proof.]

he's good like that ;)

[consumes]

[Damon's smirk widens at her response, grabbing the glass from her, letting his fingertips slide over her hand very purposefully in the process, and refilling the glass. He knows her well enough to know what her favorite is by now.]

A few things?

[He holds the glass back out to her.]

Do I get to know these things?

[enjoythe_ride]

Maybe.

[The smirk is teasing, as though to indicate that a few of those things are definitely in his favor, but for now she's going to keep them to herself.]

It is my birthday, though. I think the tradition is there's supposed to be gifts?

[consumes]

Maybe. I'll take that maybe.

[Damon tilts his head and winks at her as he catches sight of that gorgeous smirk on her face, and he leans further against the bar.]

It's your birthday? I had no idea. Didn't know this hunk of mysterious metal had dates. Happy Birthday. I think the tradition is you can have anything you want. [Anything.]

[enjoythe_ride]

It's a vague estimation.

[Don't ask her what the math is because at this stage of intoxication, she probably couldn't tell you. It's for the best. Her eyebrows do go up at that offer though.]

Anything? That's quite generous.

[consumes]

[Damon smirks in amusement. Drunk!Bela is adorable in his opinion. He lifts up the glass to his mouth.]

...I can be quite generous with very specific people. You just so happen to be one of those lucky few.

[Granted, Damon's generosity can also be entirely overwhelming too but details...]