Meeting the Smokin' Hot Owner of Babylon

who: Eris and Journey
where: Babylon
when: late!

It was too late for him to be out of the house, sometime after eleven, but Journey had felt the restless itch in his veins. He had to move. Get out, wander. Sleeping was not an option. Aimless meandering? Was. It was kind of disappointing the Happy Medium had been burned down. Gramps had given him alcohol, after all, and it was the sort of place he wanted to go to now... But instead? He was wandering through town, ducking into shadowed alleys as cars passed by.

The teen paused after one such occurance, eyes narrowing at the building across the street. Babylon. Yeah, that had'nt been there before... Had it? Maybe he was just paranoid. Maybe it had been there for awhile, and he'd just been too caught up in his own crap to notice it. After another wary glance around the street, Journey jogged over before slipping inside, trying to look as casual as he could.

Because, yeah, anybody in their right mind would stop a sixteen year old from going in a bar(?) at eleven at night. It was just common sense. Damn his baby-face!

Journey headed inside, surprised to find... a club? Great. Wonderful. Yeah, it really was, and he knew he'd be happy about it later; Marquette sorely needed a place like this, after all. But it was oddly disappointing, when he'd been looking for a place he wasn't really supposed to be. A little mischief. Instead, he got a dance club, which was apparently teen friendly. What a bust.

...well, he was already here. Might as well make the most of it, right? He slid his way through the throng of people, heading for the bar. Wonder how hard it'll be to get a drink...

Eris happened to be behind said bar, looking over her cute little youngin crowd. When she saw one making a b-line for her, she smiled. "Evening, sweetheart, what can I get you?" she asked smoothly, leaning on the bar and looking him over.

He did a fast double-take over the lady behind the bar, 'cause damn! No, he wasn't gaping openly, but he was now grinning widely. Okay, night suddenly better! Older women rocked, especially because they weren't interested in him in the slightest. Yeah, twisted logic, but he had a girlfriend to consider...

Except Belle really wasn't being considered right now, nope, not at all, 'cause whoa. Journey leaned against the bar himself, flashing a cheeky smile. "Don't suppose any alcohol's on the kid's menu?" he joked.

"Sorry, sunshine, that's just for the adults." she said, already liking this kid. She sipped her own wine, but then Eris always had wine in the near vicinity. She could afford the best so she damn well had it. "I could always get you a shirley temple, though." she added, with a light, suggestive sort of smirk that said she knew that wasn't going to be good enough.

He made a face at her, though his eyes were filled with good humor. "Great, I come for a beer and you offer me a pink soda with a cherry in it," Journey complained, crossing his arms atop the counter. His eyes slid from her own drink, and slowly back up to her face. Damn she was curvy. "Now that's just cruel," he noted with a grin.

Eris noted that he was checking her out, and didn't in the least bit stop him. She was used to it, and she had to smirk at the pair on him for doing it openly. "Why's that? What's wrong with pink sodas? I enjoy cherry anything, really." She said, and in fact, she spiked a cherry beneath the bar and got one for him too, holding it out for him to take.

Journey plucked it from her fingers, toying with the stem. "Cherry rocks," he agreed with an easy smile, biting down on the fruit. Mm, tasty. "But I guess I'm still stuck in that macho age where I don't wanna be caught dead drinking something pink in a club in front of a pretty woman. Think I'll grow out of it?"

Eris chuckled, and shook her head, then leaned forward to speak into his ear. "Honey, men never grow out of that." When she leaned back again, she popped the cherry into her mouth and took another sip of her wine. She didn't reach out to muss his hair, but had the urge to.

Ooh, tingly. He shot her a wide grin and let out a bubble of laughter. "Yeah, I didn't really think so." His eyes darted down to her drink again before returning to her face. "So no alcohol, huh?" Journey gave an exaggerated sigh. "You're just gonna tease me the whole time I'm here with your glass of wine and offer me shirley temples as compensation?"

"I have certain appearances to keep up." Eris said. "It's not that I'm terribly against drinking. And in some countries you'd be perfectly within your rights to order whatever you wanted. However, we happen to be in the states. So, I'm afraid that you're just going to have to take 'no' for an answer." She looked amused, however. "Though just so you know, I'm always up for a good debate."

He laughed at that. Yeah, because he was clever enough to keep up a good back-and-forth? Uh, no. He was nowhere near the brain of any outfit. He was the lovable goof. "You know, it's kinda weird. If I could legally drink? I don't think I would as much," Journey admitted. "Just give me a cherry coke, I guess. Keep with the theme of our conversation, you know?"

"Of course. Do you want cherry coke from the fountain, or do you want me to make it with the actual cherry mix?" she asked, stepping back to get a glass out and put ice in, eyes ticking up to his awaiting his answer. She for one never went for the factory mixed cherry bullshit. But then that was her.

"The actual stuff tastes better, doesn't it?" Journey questioned, toying with the cherry stem he still had in his possession. "Gimme that, if it's not a hassle."

"Do I look like I'm hassled?" Eris asked, then made him up a cherry coke, liberal on the cherry. Setting it down in front of her, she went back to leaning on the bar, not bothering to quote a price for him quite yet. "So. Did you come in just to see if you could score alcohol, or were you looking for trouble?"

Journey took a drink, considering her question. Hell, he didn't have a reason to lie, did he? What was she gonna do, call his uncle? Pfft. "Both," he answered with an easy smile. "But it was more the trouble thing, really. I only stayed 'cause I thought I might score a drink."

"Well, now that you know you can't, are you planning to go back to looking for trouble? And out of curiosity, what kind of trouble were you looking for?" she inquired, sipping at her wine again. She finished off her glass, and poured herself another, eyes on Journey. She was focusing, her attention unwavering. But then Eris knew people liked it when you had their undivided.

"Nah, I doubt it. Don't wanna get busted for breaking curfew. It'd give my unc a heart attack if the cops brought me home, so no more trouble seeking for me tonight," Journey replied, genuinely regretful. "I'm not really sure what kinda trouble I wanted, I just couldn't sleep." And he knew why. Damn restless-protector-itch. It'd been bugging him since yesterday, after talking with Josh and Lullaby. "Something to clear my head, I guess."

"You know, alcohol doesn't usually clear one's head, it makes everything cloudier." she pointed out. "Trouble might be the same way, but it depends what kind of trouble you stirred up. Sorry to disappoint on providing either for you." she said, taking another drink of wine and smiling at him. "Not that you seem terribly disappointed."

Journey took on the expression of one properly chastised little boy, and offered her a small smile. "Yeah, I know about the alcohol. And really, I wasn't looking to get in a fight or anything," he stated evasively. Considering he couldn't properly fight back without suffering two-times-backlash. Damnit, why did he keep thinking about his protector stuff tonight? "I'm not, disappointed that is." Not thinking about his 'duty' or whatever it was! Nope! Change of subject. Halfway flirting would be good. "Good company's worlds better than alcohol or trouble," he explained with a cheeky little grin.

She smirked at him. "Flattery will get you everywhere." she said. "What's your name?" she asked. She glanced over as other people came up to the bar and she got them their sodas before turning her attention back on Journey.

He waited patiently for her to finish with the other customers, drinking his soda in the mean time and eyeing the people dancing. Huh. Eclectic bunch... His grey eyes slid back over to her when she was through, and he smiled easily. "Journey. Journey Winters. Do I get a name for you, too, or will you forever be 'the smokin' hot bartender at Babylon'?"

"That would be 'Smokin hot owner of Babylon' to you, sweetiepie." Eris said. "Or just 'Eris' will do. I'm not that picky." she assured him, finishing her second glass of wine, which she set under the bartop for now, not getting another. "Pleased to meet you, Journey."

Ooh, the owner. Even hotter. Strong older women rocked. Sucked he was sixteen and far away from anything approaching legal. Oh, and he had a girlfriend... whoops. Right. He had a girlfriend now, didn't he? Journey made a face, unhappy with himself that he'd forgotten about Belle and flirted (harmless though it was) with another woman. Oh well, it was harmless, wasn't it? Yeah, smokin' hot owners of clubs? Didn't fool around with teenage patrons. His expression quickly relaxed back to something more natural with that thought. When he flirted with a girl with actual intentions to get anywhere? Then he'd feel guilty about it. "Pleased to meet you, too, Eris," he stated, flashing a winning smile and lifting his glass towards her. "Nice place you've got here."

A slow smile spread over her lips at that. "Why thank you." she said, looking around. "I like it. It's still getting up and running. I haven't been here terribly long yet, so I'm still building up a patron base. But you seemed to find it alright. Think you'll come back? Bring your friends?" she asked. "From what I understand, there's an abysmal lack of interesting things to do in this town in the first place."

"Hell yeah," Journey agreed, nodding empathetically. There wasn't shit to do in Marquette, so a place like this? That actually allowed teens? He'd definitely be spreading the word. "Maybe it's not the trouble I was looking for tonight, but it'll be the entertainment I'm looking for this weekend for sure," he said with a grin. "And you're just lucky enough that I know nearly every teen in town. Definite increase to your business."

She laughed. "Then I suppose I should count myself lucky that you found your way in. Should I try to remain in your good graces?" she asked, arching an eyebrow at him as she lounged back on the bartop again, eyes locked onto his.

He shot her a charming grin, inwardly pleased. "I don't think I have bad graces, to be honest, so no worries for you there. I'm pretty easy going," Journey said easily. Besides, he couldn't really picture himself getting close enough to Eris for her to upset him, or vice versa. What would a smokin' hot club owner want to do with a sixteen year old kid, except for playful banter on a Monday night? Nothin'.

"Really?" Eris asked. "That's refreshing. Most people are pissed off and bitter, especially teenagers. You can see the angst coming off of them in waves. But you don't have that? Interesting. What contributed to your sunny disposition?" she asked. "Or are you just keen on being different from the status quo?"

"I have my moments, sure, but I don't blame other people for my shit," Journey explained, eyes flickering briefly from light and blue to dark and grey. He took a long swallow of coke, considering the question. "S'pose my uncle, and the best friend. They're stable. Always there, always been there. I know I've always got them to rely on if I need them. I dunno if I'd keep the sunny disposition without them," he admitted. "I don't really care about the status quo. Being in it, being different, who cares?" he shrugged. "Not me." And it was as casual as it sounded for him. He just didn't care about the way the herd was moving, either way. Sometimes he went with their flow, and sometimes he went sideways. It was how he'd always been.

"You'd be one of the rare ones who didn't." Eris pointed out. "Most people are occupied with society and it's ups and downs. Most people get sucked in and consumed by it. They rearrange their lives to fit in, have a place. Which of course is why you get so many men having breakdowns when they're forty. They suddenly wake up and wonder what the living fuck they've been doing for twenty years."

Twenty years? Journey knit his brows together, and his eyes darkened again. This time, they stayed dark, and his smile twisted to something considerably more bitter. Damn if a beer wouldn't be good right now, instead of cherry coke. "Who's to say I'm going to have that kind of time?" he questioned, knocking back the rest of the coke. "I'm not going to waste my life with a bunch of bullshit 'what ifs' and 'might have beens'. I'm not going to live my life with any possibility for regret. Fuck that noise. My life is my life." Even if it really wasn't, and it belonged to some unknown douchebag.

It was interesting, watching his eyes shift colors. They'd done so several times during the course of the conversation. She also noticed the sort of switch from light conversation to something much more adamant. "Who are you convincing, me or you?" she asked. "And how long you have is up to you. Everything can be manipulated if you know what you're doing. Including lifespan."

He toyed with the empty glass, stormy gaze locked on the bartop. "Me. 'cause my life isn't mine, and it never will be. And this? I don't think it can be manipulated." Unless he switched sides and went for guys, who were nowhere near as soft and pleasant to hold, he was guessing. But yeah, eventually? He was going to fall hard for a girl, and eventually? They'd get physical. Eventually, she'd get pregnant. And that meant that eventually? He would die. Journey briefly considered mentioning the 'curse' word, but decided against it. Throwing that out into random conversations never seemed to go over well, and he'd like to come back here, eventually.

Eris started to fix him a second drink, and dropped a shot of jack into it when he wasn't looking. That along with the liberal amount of cherry. Setting it down in front of him, she regarded him for a long moment. "Here's the bitter." she saw. "What do you mean your life isn't yours?" she asked. "That's fairly specific."

He shot her a tight, apologetic smile. "Sorry, it comes out sometimes," he muttered, dropping his gaze back down to the bar. Gratefully, he took a drink of the soda, not even realizing it was spiked. "You ever heard of protectors?" he questioned, fully expecting a 'no'.

"I've heard of a lot of things." Eris said. She glanced over behind her, then nodded to the other girl behind the bar before she got herself another glass of wine, then nodded for him to follow her. She headed over towards the back corner, where there were a few booths to sit at. It was quieter, and she wouldn't be interrupted. "In case you were wondering, that was a yes." she added as she sat down.

Journey followed after her, sliding into the seat across from her. Now this felt weird, being alone in a booth with an older woman. Weirder, 'cause usually being alone with them, even just like this, never entered into the equation. Okay, it had officially gone to batshit insane, because she knew what the hell a protector was. To say he was thrown would be an understatement, so he took a drink of his coke while he considered what to say. "...well, I am one. Obviously, or else I wouldn't have brought it up," he muttered. Duh. Wasn't he intelligent this evening?

She nodded. "Have you chosen anyone yet?" she asked. She knew some protectors didn't actually get a choice in the matter, it just happened. Though recently she'd done quite a lot of research on protectors, so she knew what she was talking about. And if the bead she had on another protector in town fell through, she could always consider Journey for her little project.

"Not yet, but I came hella close yesterday," he muttered, taking another, smaller drink. And that bugged him, too. Josh was a nice guy, but... he didn't want to be tied to him for life! They'd just met, damnit all! He had only just started dating Lu, and he wasn't so naive to think they'd magically get a happily ever after. She was sixteen, he was eighteen, and he wasn't even from Marquette. Who was to say Josh wouldn't pack up in a year and move back to Ireland? Then what would he do, tag along!? Ugh.

...well, at least the Irish liked drinking, right? It was something to consider, anyways.

"Ahhh. So you're getting to that point where you know you'll probably have to choose someone soon, hmm? And the unfairness of it all is kicking your ass?" she deduced. "Who was it that you almost picked?"

Journey shook his head a little, sighing. "No, it's not really that. I mean, that bugs me a little, it's just who I almost picked that's bugging me. My best friend's boyfriend, for Christ's sakes, and they just started dating. We're teenagers. Crashing and burning in relationships? It's what we do. If I picked him, and then they had a nasty break up, I'd be stuck with her asshole of an ex and I wouldn't even be able to kick his ass!"

"That does sound like a poor choice to make lightly." Eris said sympathetically. "Though you know there are people who are highschool sweethearts that last forever, too." she pointed out. "Give it some time, see what kind of a person he is, and if he'll wind up hurting your friend. You said it's your best friend, those can be hard to come by."

"Yeah, well, two weeks is a little too early to say anything like they're gonna be together forever, or at least until I bite it," Journey sighed, bitterness seeping out of him. It was hard to stay angry for long over the protector stuff, really. "And yeah, they are. We've been best friends practically since we were in diapers, so... She trumps everything. 'specially some boy she just started dating."

Eris watched him, seeing how the anger dissipated as quickly as it had swept up. Interesting. Teenagers were fun at times. "Agreed. You should definitely take your time. And aww, sweetie, don't talk about biting it with such casualty. That's just not good. You could live for quite a long time if you played your cards right." she added soothingly.

He snorted. Yeah, except that he was male and easily attracted to anything soft and curvy. Eris herself, for instance, and ohhh not going there! "You know about the family curses?" Journey questioned, steering his brain away from those thoughts.

She nodded, a single incline of her head. "Goes along with the territory of being a protector, from my understanding." she replied. Her tone suggested he go on, and she of course had her full attention given entirely to him. It was something to do, at any rate.

It was nice, having someone to talk to about this stuff who seemed to know more about it than he did. Really nice, actually. "My family has two. One, I can deal with. No physical harm done to another person except in defense of my chosen, blah blah, two times backlash." Journey waved his hand dismissively, before downing the last of his coke. "I've dealt with that since I was little without any trouble, so yeah. Fine. I can handle that. It's the other one that fucks with me. Us. We have a kid? We die after its' born. Always, without fail or exception." And they were all born male, too, or so it seemed to him, anyways. And being male wasn't exactly conductive to not thinking about sex.

"Two curses is unusual." Eris said, frowning in concern. "And hm. Seems terribly unfair." she added. "Not getting to see your children grow up, and if my information's correct, your lot are rather...fertile." she said, choosing her words carefully. Or that's what it looked like. She knew her shit, but no one liked a know it all.

"Yeeep," Journey agreed with a wry smile and a nod. "My mom? Supposed to be infertile, but Dad still managed to get her pregnant. My grandpa? Vasectomy. So yeah, me and Dad were both 'miracle' babies."

"Oh dear." Eris said with a sigh, looking at him sympathetically. "You poor thing. It sounds like you really did get the shit end of the stick, didn't you, honey?" she asked. "I suppose you've already begun thinking of ways around that second curse?"

He shrugged at that. It felt weird, all the sympathy. It had a tiny little something niggling in the back of his head... But he was ignoring it, for the most part. "Not really. If infertility couldn't beat it, what possibly could?" he questioned. "Lu is, though, the best friend. She wants me to switch teams," Journey said, rolling his eyes. "No thanks. Girls are much more interesting!"

Eris laughed lightly at that. "They're more complicated." she said. "Some people equate that with interesting. I suppose you could always be celibate, but that's a fairly tall order for anyone. Not looking to become a priest, I suppose?" she asked with a light hint of a smile.

Journey shot her a look that clearly stated she was insane for making the suggestion. "What sixteen year old boy in his right mind wants to become a priest?" He figured decisions like that were made later. And probably after said boy had already lost his virgnity somehow.

"Boys who have fallen in love with God?" Eris suggested, amused. "Or raised very religious. You don't quite look the type, however. You could always go for becoming a monk. Travel to Tibet or something, find you way in there. There are places that could take you in."

Tibet? Where the hell was Tibet? Journey's expression changed to one more considering. "Travel might be nice. I never really thought about it before," he admitted sheepishly. He'd never really considered life out of Marquette, or life without his uncle or Lullaby. That would just be weird...

"Travel is always an educational experience." Eris offered wisely. "Not to mention it would probably afford you more time to get everything together in your life. You should consider it. With Tibet, you'd really only need enough to get yourself there. Things would fall into place on their own once you arrived." she added.

"It's something to think about for when I'm older, anyways. No way my uncle'll let me leave until I'm eighteen," Journey said with an amused smile. Not that he really wanted to leave right now, anyways. And leaving Lulu? Noooo way. That was bad!

Eris arched an eyebrow. "Hmm. You came in deliberately looking for trouble, but you'd fall in line to wait until you were eighteen to do something that might extend your lifespan?" she asked. "Curious little thing, aren't you?"

Journey laughed, flashing her a grin. "Yeah, I don't make a lot of sense, do I? I don't wanna ditch my uncle," he admitted with a sheepish smile. "Or Lulu. She'd kick my ass if I packed up and went to Tibet without her. She wants to find a way to break the curses, but I dunno if that'll work."

"Sadly, I doubt they'd be breakable." Eris said. "Just one of those things. Protectors have chosens and curses. Like vampires have fangs and bad taste in clothing." She winked at him.

Vampires!? He gaped at her, just a little, before he could stop himself. Okay, if angels and ghosts were real? Vampires made sense, too. Except... whoa! Vampires, what the fuck! "Vampires are real," he stated calmly, though his voice was a little strangled. "Huh."

Eris laughed. "Did I blow your mind, sweetie?" she asked. "Yes, vampires exist. They're a rather boorish lot. They can be absolutely fascinating, but usually only in an abstract sort of way. Like fish can be interesting to watch, but after a while you just get bored. Watch out for them though, they can be a handful."

"That's been happening a lot lately," he laughed weakly. "Angels and ghosts and vampires. I guess I should stop being surprised, 'cause if those three things are real, then... what the hell isn't?" Journey sighed then, and ran a hand through his hair. "Thanks for the warning, though. Guess I'll keep an eye out for fangs."

"Just don't wander around after dark." she said. "Not alone, anyhow. Though around here there shouldn't be too large a vampire concentration. Too small for them to operate stealthily enough." Eris reached across the table to light her fingertips on the cross around his neck. "This'll protect you from some of them. But not all of them."

Normally, Journey would have been giddy. Sure, Eris wasn't touching him, but she was touching something close to him, and that sort of counted, right? Except, well, he was far more distracted and interested in their conversation. "So is it like in the movies?" he questioned. "A stake in the heart kills 'em?" Not that he was gonna go hunting or anything, but it was good to know! "What about holy water, would that work?"

Eris had to smile at him. "Honey, a stake through the heart kills most things." she pointed out. "But that, decapitation is the surefire way. Holy water doesn't work on some of them. Sunlight works too." she added.

He grinned, ducking his head with embarrassment. Yeah, that hadn't been the smartest thing he'd ever said, but he was used to situations like this (open mouth, insert foot!), so it didn't really phase him much. Making a fool of himself in front of a pretty woman? This wouldn't be the first time, and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last. "Yeah, except I can't really harness the power of sunlight if a vampire comes to bite me at midnight," Journey pointed out. But holy water... hm. That had more possibilities, didn't it? "What does holy water work on?" he questioned.

"Demons. Some vampires. Not a whole lot, really." Eris replied. "There isn't a whole lot that works across the board. I suggest carrying something that can take off the head of whatever might be after you, but you get arrested for things like that. Unless of course you look into magic, and masking things. Or start wearing a trench coat and hiding a kitana down your back all highlander style."

Being a teenage boy, Journey liked that idea. Possibly a little too much. He sighed wistfully. "Yeah, but where am I gonna get a katana?" he asked, sighing. And then suddenly he winced, reminded of his family curse. "Oh, man. I wonder what kind of backlash I'd get from beheading somebody." Okay, wielding a sword? Out. He'd have to think of something else.

"That, sweetheart, would very likely be death. Awful, instant death. So you should leave all of your killing to someone else. Find yourself a badass friend to watch your back for you. I'm sure you could find someone. You're cute, charismatic, and I'm sure you can pull off puppy eyes like no one's business." Eris had to smile at him. "So yes, you could find someone."

"What kind of protector needs to be protected, anyways?" Journey complained, propping his chin in his hands. He rolled his eyes, trying to stay in a light hearted mood. But it bugged him, it really did. He couldn't even keep his friends safe in any sort of 'worst case scenario' without killing himself! Ugh.

"Your kind, kiddo." Eris said. "Don't take it so hard. It's just the way your stuff worked out. I'm sure you'll find other ways to do things. There's always precautionary routes. White magic, wardings, all of that's well within the realm of possibility, and anyone can learn it, too." she pointed out.

He nodded slowly. "I can do that." Maybe. Hopefully. Hell, magic being real was still a foreign concept to him. Hopefully his borderline ADD wouldn't ruin the effort. Ugh. Well, it was worth a shot! He wasn't about to give up on it until he'd made an attempt.

Eris reached out to muss his hair. "I'm sure you'll figure something out. You'd be surprised how resourceful people can get when they have something to protect, or someone. That and themselves. Can't forget that if you aren't around, you can't very well look after someone else, now can you?"

Journey flashed her a boyish, charming grin. Oh, thank God he wasn't blushing. Nope, so wasn't blushing. It was just playful hair mussing, like she'd probably do to a puppy or a little brother. Nothing to get worked up about! "Yeah, even I occasionally have my clever moments when it comes to stuff like protecting people I care about," he agreed. "Thanks, Eris."

"You're welcome." she said. "You should probably run along home though, honey if you want to be in before you're missed." she pointed out. Just looking out for his best interests, now wasn't she? Certainly.

"Yeah, I gotta sneak back in without waking up my uncle," he grinned. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him, right?" And that was the honest truth. His uncle seemed worried enough lately. Best Lee never find out about his night time wanderings. Journey had kept him in the dark for the better part of four years now, sooo... no reason to break the system now! "How much I owe ya?"

"We'll call it even for you entertaining me for a while." Eris told him with a wink. "Run along, Journey. Have a nice night." she added, giving him a slow, unreadable sort of smile.

He shot her another grin, and this time he was faintly blushing. The teen hopped nimbly out of the booth. "Don't miss me too much, Eris," Journey told her cheekily. "See you around!" He headed for the exit then, threading his way through the dance floor. Well, it sure as hell hadn't been what he'd expecting, but at least he'd learned quite a bit this evening. Restless protector itch? Gone. For now.