As they got to a part of the city more inhabited by mundanes, there was the signature smell of cigarettes in the air... And some piss.
"At this rate, you probably won't have to worry about marrying someone you're related to..." He mused, taking a moment to look around and get his bearings. "Since the war, so many Shadowhunters died... We're getting more mundanes with the Sight than ever. Pick one of them," he suggested. He then began walking in the right direction.
--
"Élodie never met my mother... Though I suppose simply knowing we're related may please her. I don't think there are many Verlacs left anymore." @HeavensBlade
Ches had to laugh. He looked towards her. "We're about to go partying and you want to talk about the war? Pass. I think someone needs to teach you how to have fun."
He looked ahead and stopped walking. There was a line out the door of a building up ahead, the loud music could be heard from where they stood.
"... Technically... It would be cheating to use glamours to get in unnoticed..." He looked towards her and grinned. That was exactly what he was going to do.
--
@HeavensBlade
--
He withdrew his stele and pushed up his jacket sleeve before beginning to draw the rune on his arm.
"Now before you give me the good girl speech, think about how cold you are, and how long you want to spend outside in a queue." @HeavensBlade
Ches turned towards her and held her arm where the coat still covered her to steady her.
"Didn't you think to apply a warming rune?... I suppose you didn't. Too late now." He carefully applied the rune, trying not to mess it up thanks to her shivering.
Once he was finished, he released her arm and slid his stele back into his pocket.
"Right." He started towards the club, the music growing louder as they neared the building. He slipped right by the bouncer, -- @HeavensBlade
-- unnoticed, then made his way inside.
The music inside was loud enough to feel in your chest, and the lights were down fairly low, most of which was blue. There was a crowd of people inside, probably around their ages, all dancing or drinking.
Ches looked back and waited for @HeavensBlade to keep up. It'd be easy to lose track of one another in this place.
@MasterOfSai “Will you shut up and draw the rune? Yes I forgot.” She snapped, shivering once more and exhaling as he finally drew the glamor on her caramel skin. She quickly replaced her jacket, trying to loosen up. She would need more than half a glass of wine at dinner.
Melea walked forward, easily sliding past the bouncer—
@MasterOfSai As she made her way inside. The club was dark except for the light on the dance floor. She could feel the base from the music in her chest. She was a singer, though no one had to know. Being musically inclined meant that she enjoyed almost all music. Even the loud base of club music.
She made her way—
While waiting for his drink, Ches lifted up his arm and pushed up the sleeve of his jacket, then slashed through the glamour rune. Now that he was inside, he wanted to be seen.
After getting his drink, he followed @HeavensBlade to the edge of the dance floor, sipping his cocktail. The song changed to "La Musique" by Riot In Belgium, and Ches spoke loudly to Melea could hear him over it.
"I'm going to dance. Come get me if you need anything." He raised his glass, downing the rest of--
@MasterOfSai “I’m going to dance too!” Melea spoke, though she realized she was practically screaming over the music.
She quieted down, her social awkwardness apparent. Melea sipped her drink, noticing him disappearing into the crowd of people.
—
Ches got into dancing himself, moving his body to the music. He looked very natural in his element, despite having expressed never doing this before.
He found a dancing partner before long; a shorter man, dancing closely enough to make it apparent that neither were heterosexual.
Still, despite the fact that he was busy, he would occasionally glance over at @HeavensBlade to check on her. She could handle herself, he had no doubt, but he still had a protective instinct.
Seeing the faerie, Ches got naturally concerned, and checked on her more frequently. But once again, @HeavensBlade seemed to be handling herself alright.
Though, Ches got /very/ distracted when the mundane he was dancing with decided he wanted to make out. Ches was very interested in this. He appeared to know exactly what he was doing. And somehow, even with his eyes closed and his tongue in someone's mouth, he still could tell when someone was trying to pick his pocket, and caught --
@MasterOfSai as he was alone again, Melea took this time. She wanted to say sometning smart to him. Maybe if was the alcohol kicking in….
Tucking back her curls from her face, they kept springing back creating a beautiful halo around her —
"He had to go," Ches said with a nonchalant shrug. He furrowed his brows a little at her spitting her lime back into her drink, but did not comment.
"You feeling alright? Didn't drink anything from that faerie, did you? Or perhaps you just don't drink very often."
He had a feeling @HeavensBlade was a little off balance. Didn't matter to him, so long as she didn't overdo it and he'd have to take care of her.
Oh yes, he could definitely tell @HeavensBlade did not drink much. And she seemed already drunk.
"Sure," he said. He didn't scare the other man away, but he didn't feel the need to make excuses. It was just a little bit of kissing. He didn't even know the chap's name.
He watched her go on dancing for a moment before he ordered himself another drink.
Her calling him 'dad', due to his mildly protective nature, reminded him of someone. Ah, he thought. So that's why he cared.
She could handle herself. She was a Shadowhunter, he reminded himself. If anyone tried anything, she could easily snap their bones.
Ches took a seat at the bar, making conversation with someone sitting on the adjacent stool while he nursed his own drink. @HeavensBlade
@MasterOfSai Whenever she decided she needed another drink, she made her way to the bar and wedged besides Ches.
She grabbed her vodka soda and moved to lean back closer to Ches. “Are you ready to go? We should go.” She spoke, moving to reach her hand over to brush his forearm as if staking —
Ches eyed @HeavensBlade. It was probably a good idea to leave. She seemed pretty drunk.
"Might as well." He looked towards the woman he'd been speaking to, and told her in French that it had been nice to meet her, and good luck on her traveling. Apparently that was what they'd spoken about.
"Come on," he said to Melea, placing his hand between her shoulder blades to guide her out so she didn't sway.
Ches slid his hands into his pockets and followed @HeavensBlade, taking his time at his own pace. They were in no rush.
"I'm very charming, what can I say?" He chuckled. "Though I think your experiences have more to do with misogyny than charm. Still, that faerie should have known better than to try to fuck with a Shadowhunter.
He inhaled the night air, which smelled mostly okay, but there was a bit of city stink mixed into it.
Paris was a strange mix of the ancient history and the modern innovations. Cobblestone roads side-by-side with blacktop. Old Stone buildings that were almost as old as the Shadowhunter race with crass graffiti on them. There was a unique sort of charm to it.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. They were knew, since he wasn't a smoker. "Want to see what all the fuss is about?" He asked @HeavensBlade as he took one out of the pack.
Oh, he'd noticed. And surely he'd tease her about it later.
"No, you don't bite it," he teased @HeavensBlade, though he knew what she meant. He took out his lighter, pausing in his stride so the little flame wouldn't go out. "I don't smoke frequently. Only on occasion. I figured I should get some French ones here, see if they're any different."
He lit his own after he was finished with her's, taking a drag, then blowing out a neat line of smoke into the cold night air.
@MasterOfSai “I know that, idiot:” Melea rolled her eyes , which she seemed to do a lot in his presence. Leaning forward, she let him light the cigarette, wondering if she would hate it.
Melea pressed the cigarette back to her lips, taking a slow drag. The smoke filled her mouth and lungs, the bitter taste making her cringe. “Still tastes and smells like cancer.” Melea explained, though she took another drag, shaking off ash with her fingers flicking.
A lot of people rolled their eyes in his presence. It made him grin.
He held his own cigarette between his fingers and flicked the ash. "Most Shadowhunters don't live long enough to experience those consequences." He took another drag, looking thoughtful. "I do like this brand better," he decided. @HeavensBlade
@MasterOfSai “What’s that saying? Only the good die young.” Melea spoke, knowing it was part of being a Shadowhunter…. Growing up way too young…. Dying way too young. Melea knew she’d be lucky to live to 40 or even 30.
“It’s still… not worth it. Is it? You like it I guess.” Melea continue to smoke her cigarette, feeling the edge sliding off regardless of her view on it. “Everything is better here…. It’s easy to run away to Paris.” She mused, leaning back near a wall.
"I do like it. It's in my blood," he said, exhaling another puff of smoke. "I would watch what you lean on. Sometimes people just piss on things.
As for running away, it never solves anything. All your problems are still waiting for you, and will catch you eventually. Best thing to do is figure out how to live with them, or defeat them." @HeavensBlade
"Funny, I didn't take you for a coward." He looked at the passing traffic on the street, horns blaring. People were still busy at night here.
"And I never said I ran away from anything. Not my style." @HeavensBlade
He wasn't care free. Not at all. He simply acted that way.
"You wouldn't be offended if you didn't think it was true on some level." He finished his own cigarette, dropping his in an idle puddle just off the curb. It was already filthy, one more cigarette wouldn't change that. @HeavensBlade
He walked after @HeavensBlade as she stormed off, sliding his hands into his pockets and not bothering to try to keep up with her pace. He'd rather a leisurely walk.
"I wasn't even being mean that time. Just honest." He shrugged.
@MasterOfSai “Did you ever think that sometimes you’re brutally honest to a point , asshole?” Melea asked him, slowing down . His Non chalant nature was infuriating .
Melea stopped in front of him. “Do you give a shit about anyone!?”
He blinked slowly as she screamed in his face, reaching up to wipe off a little spit she'd accidentally spewed on his cheek.
"You're resorting to personal attacks because I struck a nerve, but you're having a difficult time with it because you don't know me, so you're taking stabs in the dark... You can keep going if you want, but it won't change anything." He was calm, not really phased by @HeavensBlade 's drunken screaming. He'd seen worse.
Ches Hightower
Melea Skycrest