party post } { drinks are on me

[bravebartender]

So the thing about wishing for home and accidentally winding up with your place of employment is that that employment can now transfer to Teleios. Cami's had Rousseau's for about six months now, and she's managed to change it into the place that Sophie and Jane Anne loved to something that's a little more something of Teleios, even if she kept a lot of the New Orleans flair. It's something she couldn't bring herself to take away, that memory of home, even if she's far, far away.

The upper floors have been modified into a small loft for her and Hope, something simple and comfortable that's currently loaded with baby toys because when you're being spoiled by your Aunt Cami, you can never have too many. She still doesn't know why Hope came with her when she was brought into Teleios, but she is going to do everything in her power to keep her safe until Klaus our Hayley get here. It's not much power, given the measly human of it all, but that's why she hires attractive, strapping supernatural gentlemen to do her dirty work for her.

Currently she's behind the bar, with Hope in her playpen that she worked in there, just so she can keep an eye on her. She's more than willing to pour you a drink, listen to your troubles and woes and make sure that you leave her bar with your mind feeling a little lighter. After all, there's nothing more dangerous than a bartender who also happens to be a psychologist. She'll get what you're worried about out of you sooner or later.

Comments

[sasspot]

Noah has heard every variation of sighing from the people around him. It's Sarah's sighs which reach him most deeply and powerfully, and it's why he finally shifts. There's no anger or cockiness or smirks on his face just now. There's just something bare as he meets her gaze.

"Yeah, I know," he says, but he still doesn't regret it. Maybe that's half his problem, he just can't regret the things he should, because the make her worry, make Rafe worry. He still doesn't regret. He holds on to his smirks, his cockiness, and he doesn't regret what he should except when she looks at him like this, there's almost that twinge of the feeling deep in his chest.

He would be very, very angry if she pushes herself to do that. These bruises were his choice. They're his to bare. His arm winds around her waist as he breathes her in, leaning into her touch.

His voice is soft, and his hand wraps around her wrist to hold on to her. His thumb slides along the inside of her wrist. "Not too much, okay?" But it feels really nice. It's amazing what she can do.

[revenant]

"Okay," she whispers, her voice just as soft.

Sarah's made a promise and she doesn't make them lightly, nor would she break them lightly. Her kind of magic often comes at a price, and she is still learning what it means to carry Spirit inside of her - good and bad. Her arms wrap around his neck, bringing him closer once she's eased enough pain; he should not be feeling most of it anymore. "Just promise me you'll stay in one piece? I like you best when you're in one piece."

Her nose bumps with his affectionately.

She loves Noah and that means she loves him not only on days where everything is easy and simple. She loves him even when he's angry, and he's lashing out at the world, or the things inside of himself that he can't change. She knows a thing or two about doing that herself.

[sasspot]

Noah breathes in deeply at the whisper, nodding as he hears the seriousness of the promise. He doesn't want her using it on him and hurting herself in the process. It's not worth it. It's not worth it if it hurts her. It's what it comes down to for him. His hand slides over the side of her face, and he meets her gaze slowly before he nods.

"I promise to do my best," he says. If she can make this promise to him, he'll make her the same promise even as he smirks equally affectionately once her nose bumps his. His fingers drift back into her hair, and he lets out the breath against her, leaning into kiss her again, chasing after her mouth with his own.

He loves her too and that means he tries to make compromises when he wouldn't for anyone else. It means he tries, and he loves her and knows she understands what it is like to be angry, what it is like to lash out because it's impossible to lash inward (to alter the parts of yourself that have already been set). It's the understanding that he's always felt with her, and it makes it so easy for him to open up even when it's raw and painful.

[revenant]

The tightness that had remained in her chest eases.

Noah's a lot of things, but he isn't a liar. If he's promising, she knows he's really going to try, and it's all she wants. Her smile widens into a grin, brilliant and reassured. It only fades the more they kiss, Sarah lifting herself up into it with feeling. Her nails scrape against his scalp, the pads of her fingertips curling into his hair. She sighs into him, a completely different sigh ftr, and loses herself in it for a while.

Before their make-outs can get too heated, however, Sarah pulls away - a little reluctantly, we'll admit - lifting an eyebrow at him. The result is an expression that's both amused and only vaguely chastising. "We're among impressionable babies," she reminds him.

Okay, so it's just the one, but it still counts.

[sasspot]

No, Noah isn't a liar. He is intensely direct in a way that sometimes takes people off guard. He doesn't nice-up his words. He doesn't sidestep things. Noah says what he means, and it's always going to be that way. He will try, and he knows why she worries and it's the least he can do really is to try to stay in one piece so she won't worry, so she won't feel the need to heal him from trouble he gets into.

His gaze lingers on the sight of her grin before he leans in, capturing her mouth with his own. His fingertips grip hold of her tightly, and he devours that sigh into his mouth as he presses her up against the bar, letting out a soft noise against her mouth.

He pulls back when she does, tilting his head to the side with a tiny smirk. "You really think this is gonna affect her?"

There is only the one baby, okay? Noah glances over at her where she is at, playing with her toys and staring at them like :D.

[revenant]

He really should not be allowed to kiss the way he does. Sarah genuinely believes it should be criminal.

Hnnngh.

Her back digs into the bar, and Sarah can't quite help the flush that travels to her cheeks. "Probably not, but I'm not as good of a performer when I know I have an audience, especially when that audience is an adorable baby named Hope."

[sasspot]

Noah pulls back with a slow smirk as he meets her gaze with a smile on his face.

There is nothing in the world like kissing her, and he wants to kiss her again especially with that flush on her cheeks. Noah bites down on his lip before he releases a breath, stepping back a tiny bit.

"Speaking of adorable, you're really good with her."

The baby, that is. His smile widens, and he laughs (one of those rare, genuine things). It's kind of adorable for him to watch.

[revenant]

Noah steps back, and it allows Sarah to move away from where she'd been boxed in. Note, she didn't say they needed to stop kissing for good. She only pointed out the location was not ideal. Satisfied that Cami is nearby to watch Hope for herself, Sarah's fingers lock with Noah as she tugs him over to the jukebox. She's in the mood to dance, and the corner with the jukebox is more secluded.

"It's not hard. She's a good baby."

Sarah would be horrified to know who her father is, tbqh.

"I never thought I'd be good with kids, or that I'd even like them, but - there you go."

[sasspot]

Noah smiles at her as she locks her fingers with his own, and he follows where she leads to the jukebox. She's a very good dancer, and well, he loves watching her dance is the thing so he's walking over, looking all pleased, as they head to a more secluded area of the bar where they can dance (and kiss) to their hearts' content.

"So you want a little Sarah some day?"

The thought makes him smile. It's a genuine smile. Nothing cocky about it. Nothing smirky about it.

It's just a smile, thinking both of her wanting a little Sarah and of their being a little Sarah.

[revenant]

♪ Sarah tugs him further to her, until her arms are winding around his neck again and her forehead tips to his. There's a small pause at his question. It's nothing they've ever talked about, and it almost feels silly to say it, but his genuine smile is encouragement.

"Maybe. Not anytime soon, but in the future. A kid or two."

To have her own family, and make sure it's different to the one she had. To be a mother, the way her own mother didn't get a chance to be.

[sasspot]

Noah's smile widens further at her answer as he tugs her in by the waist. His hands settle at the low of her back. They haven't talked about it before, but he likes the thought that she wants a kid or two, a tiny Sarah or two running around. He wants that to be real.

"It'd be beautiful two little Sarahs, running around. You'd make a good mother."

She'd take care of them well.

[revenant]

Sarah is quiet following his answer, simply swaying to the music.

Only a year ago she'd have sidestepped that response, given him an answer that isn't really an answer. She's never been as direct as he is, after all, but maybe she should be - even if she could only be inviting heartache in the process.

"What about you?" she asks with feigned casualty. "How do you feel about kids, the future, all of that stuff."

[sasspot]

Noah pulls her in more tightly to him, and he doesn't miss out on how rare and beautiful her honesty is. She used to never be as direct, but she's become that way with him, and he doesn't take an honest answer for granted.

He does lift his eyebrow at her feigned casualty, because he knows better, knows her better than that.

"Never thought about it much before, but..." Now that he has. "I kind of really love the idea of little Sarahs running around. I think I'd really love it all."

More than he ever would have guessed of himself either. He didn't even interact much with Hope at first and then he saw Sarah with her and it was adorable, and Sarah would hand her over to him and Noah learned. There's this little ache in his heart that he'd never felt before but comes with holding a tiny, taking care of one.

A good kind of ache.

[revenant]

The environment she grew up in wasn't conducive to the kind of honesty she's afforded herself with Noah.

There was always some power play going on. There were always hidden and double meanings. Being honest about your feelings was dangerous. It made you vulnerable. It gave people ammunition. She's worn her own desires like armor, so that they are never used against her, but this isn't a war, and Noah isn't playing a game. He keeps her honest, and she's really needed that.

Her eyes fill, holding her breath at that pause, and it isn't until he answers that she releases it.

"You're assuming they'd both be little Sarahs. Maybe I want a little Noah, too."

One of each, with the very best of them.

[sasspot]

♪ Noah understands her indirectness came from a need to survive before. It is different with him, and he's seen the walls come burning down around her from within when she's near him. There's a fire inside of her which is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen in his life.

He watches the way her eyes fill, and his fingertips dig into her back, sliding up the length of her spine as he breathes her in.

Noah laughs at what she says. "You sure you want a little Noah? I'm pretty sure he'd be a little shit."

There's a smirk though because-- "They'd be perfect."

Because they came from her.

[revenant]

"I'm sure."

It's said softly, and not without that grin of hers that only comes around when he does. It's true that no one makes her angrier than Noah does; it's also true that no one makes her happier. She rises on her very tippy toes, her mouth resting over his as they sway.

"I love you, you know. Little shit and all."

And she'd never loved anybody. So she is very sure that's what she'd want.

[sasspot]

Noah smirks though it quickly shifts into a helpless smile at the sight of that grin of hers, which he knows is only for him. It only comes around when he does so he lingers at the sight of it, staring at her for a very long time before he finds any words.

It means so much to him when she says it because he loves her to, because he knows she sees him both the bad (which is plenty) and the good.

"I love you too. Every single part."

He tugs her in further, turning them to the music as he smiles against the top of her head. It's a sweet gesture, a rare sweet gesture which he only ever gives with her.

"They'd also be really damn good at dancing." Like they are. Shh.

[revenant]

Sarah's smile deepens against his shoulder, her eyes closing against him as she breathes him in.

That scent of his that is very distinctly Noah's.

For the first time in a long time, when she closes her eyes and thinks of the future, she can see it integrating right before her eyes. And it's a future she really wants with him. If that means she has to play by the Two's rules, then it's what she's going to do.

"Hmm." She purses her lips, pretending to give it ample consideration. She's lightly baiting him, but it isn't the kind of baiting they'd do when they first met each other, and their fights really were fights. "I don't know. I'd have to see a few more of these moves before I can agree with you."

[sasspot]

Noah wraps his arms further around her, feeling her smile against his shoulder as he smiles against the top of her hair.

She smells distinctly of Sarah too, and he tries to imagine smelling that smell for years and years to come, of waking up beside her, of a future that they can really want together. It's nothing he would have imagined when he showed up in this place but he wants it. He wants it with an intensity that would once be scary to him.

To want something that isn't guaranteed.

Noah lifts his eyebrows at her even with that sexy smirk on his face, and he knows she is lightly baiting him, teasingly baiting him, which is why he is smirking at her in amusement. "Well, if you insist," he says, dancing with her in a little sexy move which involves a twist and then tugging her right back into his side again. "How'd that one work for ya?"

[revenant]

If she's learned anything, it's that very little is guaranteed.

They can make as many promises as they want to each other, and have every intention of keeping them, but they never know what tomorrow is going to bring. She'll leave tomorrow to tomorrow, and keep tonight for herself, and tonight, she can see her future with Noah with startling clarity.

It's an open clearing.

She lets out a delighted squeal, spinning in place as he twists them, moving back into his chest breathlessly.

"Not bad," she answers, falling back into step with him. "You can give them lessons. They can stand on your feet."

[sasspot]

There are no guarantees so they can take what they have while they have it, hold on to it so tightly their hands become shaking, bloody fists. It's what he'll do, and tonight they have this.

Tonight they have each other, and he smiles at the thought of the future he believes now they'll have.

He grins at the delighted squeal of hers, and he tugs her back in tight to his strong chest. Noah smiles down at her with a laugh at what she says, a strong, genuine laugh.

"They wouldn't even come up to my waist, but they'd love it, huh?" Kids love that kind of stuff. "They should always have music in their lives." One way or another, he has always been passionate about music, and he would want to share that with them through dance, through instruments.

Something like that.

[revenant]

The visual is adorable.

It makes her smile in earnest. It's a distant dream right now - she knows they both need to get their shit together before they can even truly consider making it a tangible reality - but that's okay. Dreaming of it, for now, is more than enough.

She can let herself do that now that she knows he might be open to the idea of it, too. (She wouldn't have wanted it with anyone else.)

"Funny you should mention that." She bites her lip to keep from smiling to wide and giving herself away. "I have something for you. I wasn't going to give it to you anymore, not tonight, but I can't help myself."

He shouldn't get rewards for getting into fights!! But this is not in reference to that.

[sasspot]

It's a beautiful, distant dream, and Noah doesn't ever really remember having dreams before so it's something he wants to hold on to. The dream of it, the belief that it will become real, and he does believe it will.

Noah tilts his head to the side as he looks at her with a curious, tiny smile.

"You do?" He isn't expecting it. He didn't know that she'd gotten him anything or was even considering getting him anything, but it reaches him even as he smirks lightly when she says she wasn't going to give it to him tonight anymore. His hands find her own, wrapping around them, locking his fingers with hers. "I promised, okay?" Then the smirk widens into a rare smile, excited. "I wanna see."

He'll do his best to not get into anymore fights.

[revenant]

Sarah makes a show of scrutinizing his face, to determine whether he means it or not.

She's really just adding to the suspense because she's not entirely unfamiliar with being a little shit herself. Finally caving, she squeezes his fingers with hers, leading him to a nearby booth. She doesn't sit next to him, she just drops onto his lap, procuring a small, simple black pouch from the pocket of her jean jacket. After she's handed it to him, she rests her chin on his shoulder, waiting for him to open it.

Inside the pouch, there's a guitar pick.

The back of the pick, the side that will be pressing to his chest, is engraved. "It's charmed," she tells him. To protect him. "So... even if you go looking for trouble, you'll have the advantage."

[sasspot]

Noah's expression remains as serious as ever. He does mean it, and their whole talk of the future has reminded him of exactly why he wants to stay out of getting into too much trouble.

He follows her over to the booth, sinking down into it and immediately wrapping an arm around her waist once she's sitting there on his lap. Noah smirks, leaning in until his smirk rests against her shoulder as he watches her pull the black pouch from her pocket. Noah holds it in his hands with a tiny smile, opening it slowly, pulling the pick out.

The sight of it makes him grin wide, and it fills him with emotion she'd think to get this for him, to charm it for him.

He looks at her with that grin and with the emotion in his face as he presses the pick within his palm, swallowing through that emotion, as his smile brightens further. "Thank you. I'll always wear it."

That's another promise.

"Even without it being charmed, it'd... remind me of tonight."

Remind him of what he wants and how he doesn't want to get in his own way and the promise he made to her.