Night's Omen

And Paris had on her party best with her grey leopard print mini-dress and hair that looked like she'd been genetically mixed with a raccoon. Atop her head sat a sparkly crown, too, one she'd found at the mall in Claire's and instantly gravitated towards. The Lounge had been completely done in Paris' theme - glitter, glitter, glitter - and why not, considering she was Papa Aristide's Tee-Tee. She was spoiled, she knew it, she didn't care.

She stood at the bar with a party favour in her mouth, blowing into it, making the most annoying noise she possibly could directly into the ear of Belinda Arianos. She wasn't drunk yet, more like giddy from excitement. Christmas Eve, partying, and then double presents the next day!

"Hay Bulindah, this gettin' annoyin' yet?" she cheered. She was waiting for the girl to broadside her, but it hadn't happened yet.

Belinda rolled her eyes at Paris, but not in real annoyance. It was her birthday, for one, and for another the psychic could no doubt see Belinda's thoughts, which were currently of turning into a boa for the sole purpose of hissing in Paris's ear. Snake tongues tickled. Which wasn't even a Boa's normal bit, but it was fun to think about anyway. More fun because she knew that Paris could see it, especially as she was broadcasting the image.

Belinda was, as Paris was, dressed in party gear tonight. Bangles jangled on her arms, her favorite ring (a silver snake with emerald eyes that twisted around the pointer finger of her right hand) was joined by several others - enough to stand out, not to look distasteful - green and silver threads were wrapped in her long black hair, she had a collar with a green stone of some kind resting at the hollow of her neck; a matching bracelet on her left wrist. She was wearing a silver top and black leather miniskirt and cropped jacket - but Belinda wore a lot of black leather. Her legs were covered by fishnet stockings and then black leather boots. Emerald colored eyeshadow glittered on her eyelids as she glanced back around. Yes, she'd gone for the glitter today, partially in honor of Paris, for whom glitter was almost a way of life.

"I have to say, Papa pulled out the stops for you. Don't let it go to your head." And then she laughed, her too-green eyes sparkling, to show she wasn't serious. But then when was she ever serious?

"Hey, that's like that snake Hiss from that Disney Robin Hood movie!" she exclaimed, shoving Belinda a little. Paris certainly appreciated all of the glitter and green Belinda had donned for her - not that it had been particularly FOR her. Belinda had the same sort of rock star style that Paris did, only Belinda preferred the leather variety and Paris the sparkly kind.

"So are y'all gonna sing happy birthday to me?" she asked, throwing a handful of confetti at one of Belinda's bandmates as they passed by. She was pretty sure that was Alex, but she couldn't be positive on this many drinks. She wasn't trying to be annoying now, just her usual charming self. "I'd tell you all drinks were on the house, but I know none of you will want to drink the good stuff," she jeered, making a face.

After she'd slipped Darren the rufie of the shifter alcohol world, he hadn't come near her bar for any form of liquid. She didn't blame him. It was different for humans. She suddenly thought of Darren and looked back at Belinda. "Hey, did I even tell you about him yet? Darren, I mean. I mean, I think I did. I think... I think I need to have some soda and lay off the rum for now," she said with a loud laugh.

Belinda threw back her head and laughed. "Oo-da-lolly," she said. "Sss. And if you want us all drunk when we try singing the birthday song that we remixed for you...." Belinda grinned and played with the paper umbrella that her drink had come with, sticking it in the half of her hair that had been piled up and posing for Paris. "Besides which," she almost purred (funny, for a snake), "if I stick with this stuff then I can drink half the people here under the table."

Besides, Belinda didn't need to be drunk to act outrageous.

The serpiente watched as Paris glanced across the room and tried to follow her gaze, craning her neck a little. "Tell me about who? Your kitty-cat? Yea, but you haven't let me meet him yet. Shame."

~*~*~

BELINDA HAS A PB!!! *dances* lol, and I think that her and Paris would look very good together - no wonder they're friends. *laughs*

"He better be here soon, or I'mma stick my foot up his ass," she said, ducking as something was thrown at her head by one of the other tenders. She shook a finger at Belinda and her statement of drinking everyone else under the table. "We got stuff here that'll shake you up jus' as good as me, missy," she informed her, though she was sure Belinda already knew. "Though I dunno how well y'all will sing hammered," she added.

She looked around absently, narrowing her eyes through the small crowd to try and find other people she knew. Well, more people she wanted to talk to rather than knew - Paris knew everyone that came through those doors. She just knew them too well right away. "Hey, I think I see Mr Whiskers by the door. Lemme go nab him, I'll be right back!" she shouted suddenly. Paris bounded across the room and vanished into the group.

Well, Paris was obviously a very popular individual, if he was to judge based upon the number of people showing up for her birthday.  He actually felt almost claustrophobic in the press of bodies, used to being behind a bar in a situation like this, but he started pushing through the mass regardless.  Obviously, he WASN'T claustrophobic, so it didn't matter that much.  There were just a LOT of people here.

When he saw her, he smiled and offered up a wave, though it seemed pretty obvious that she was headed his way by then.  Just in case, though....

No, definitely headed his way.

"Hey, Happy Birthday!" he told her as soon as she was in range, wanting to get touchy right off the bat (which was how he'd have reacted with any girlfriend on her birthday), but he and Paris weren't quite 'official', so he held off.  He didn't know what else she had going on with anyone here, and didn't want to ass that up for her.  Just in case.

"Hay hay!" she cheered, giving him a big kiss on the lips, smearing glitter all over his face when she did it. She grabbed him and instantly began dragging him to Belinda. "I got a girlfriend I want you to meet," she said. She shoved him at Belinda, which was hard to do since he was a leopard and she was merely human - she was lucky Darren let her push him around.

"This is Mr Mittens," she said, poking her glitter-streaked face and mop of raccoon hair around the side of Darren's shoulder. "Darren, this is Belinda. She's my very good friend," she said with a wide grin. Paris was good and drunk, but she could still hold her head for the moment. "She's in a band, she plays guitar. Ain't she pretty?" she sang, moving from Darren to Belinda to nuzzle against her, depositing more glitter than a third grade art project onto her clothing, which no doubt was already attention-catching enough.

"Why hello there, Kitty-boy," Belinda almost purred, grinning somewhat wickedly. A wicked look that Darren would probably like, of course - it had that sort of suggestion behind it. The way that she moved forward when he was already partially squished against her really wouldn't help the impression.

Oh well; Paris knew here well enough that she shouldn't feel, um, jealous. Nor think that Belinda was trying to steal her latest fling on her birthday. Because... well, it was Belinda. Belinda acted this way around everyone, Paris included. It was a really good thing that she wasn't bad with the touchy-feely; Belinda would have had problems.

The serpiente threw back her head and laughed, her black curls and the bright green and silver woven into her hair spilling far down her back, as Paris came around to nuzzle her, depositing glitter in a sparkling shower everywhere. Of course, that was almost expected - this was Paris. When one was around Paris, glitter was expected. It was sort of like water being wet; Paris without glitter simply did not happen. Not being one to be outdone, Belinda nuzzled Paris back, getting more glitter all over herself - under the spotlights, she'd probably look like some kind of human-shaped disco ball.

She peered at Darren. "Seems stand-offish for a kitty," she laughed. "What's wrong - caught your own tongue this time?"

It was absolutely amazing the number of nicknames Paris could come up with for him -- most of them somehow related to house cats and usually pretty demeaning, if he'd been the sort to take it that way -- and that marvel actually passed across his surface thoughts with a fair share of amusement.  'Mr. Whiskers' and 'Mr. Mittens' were among her favorites, it seemed.  Hey, as long as she was going to rush up and kiss him like that, he wasn't complaining, even if he ended up covered in glitter in the process.  Here, that seemed like a mark of being part of the 'In Crowd'.  If you weren't covered in glitter, then Paris didn't like you enough to get you all sparkly.

It was definitely a choice on his part to let Paris push him around, though he couldn't say he minded it.  Working with Andrew was definitely making him more aggressive with people on a general basis, but he rather liked that Paris pushed him around.  She was hot, and he liked it when she was aggressive.  Of course, being shoved at another female wasn't quite what he'd had in mind, and he blinked glitter at her for a few seconds with big green eyes, then smirked when she invaded his space even more. 

"Just enjoying being a Darren sandwich, actually," he teased her right back, quite aware of Paris against his back and over his shoulder, and Belinda in front of him.  It was good that he wasn't claustrophobic.  It gave him the opportunity to fully enjoy being crammed between the two of them.  "Nice to meet you, by the way."

It looked like Belinda shared Paris' love of nicknames.  Oh, goody.

"Mm, sandwich, yum," Paris cackled. And with that, she bit him on the shoulder - not hard, but she made a Homer Simpson eating noise when she did it, and then followed by a 'NOM NOM NOM' before she released him, leaving little drool-marks on his shirt.

"This is the girl in the MySpace picture, heh. I don't think I ever explained that, but it's a long story. Anyways, Darren, how was work? I almost didn't think you were gonna get off - I called, but Dave said you'd already left. He even told me happy birthday," she said, beaming as she slid around from behind him and back to Belinda's side.

She remembered suddenly that she had one of those annoying party favours still, and held it tightly in one of her hands, waiting for the opportunity to blast Darren in the face with it. Shapeshifters were so funny to bother with that little contraption.

"Feel like sharing, Paris?" Belinda had asked with a cocked eyebrow when the other woman had started nibbling on Darren's shoulder. "He does look tasty." She laughed when she'd launched into an explanation of sorts, of how Belinda was the one on her MySpace page ("Paris, there's nothing to explain! You don't need to be ashamed! Nothing shall ever separate the two of us! Never again!" - her voice was so melodramatic that it was hilarious) and then smiled when she'd come around and Belinda had seen the party favor.

Belinda knew Paris well enough to guess her plans, and knew that she'd know that Belinda knew her well enough to guess her plans - it was interesting, sometimes, being friends with a psychic.

"You know," she remarked, "I think that it's nearly time for me to go and sing for all you people."