Amy had cleaned herself up a bit by the time she and Sprout reached Allie and Gales room. She was still considerably drunk, but any of the bitter, forlorn look that had been written all over her after Pixie's departure was now firmly trapped on the inside. Her hair was back to its usual shine, cascading down over her shoulders, and she wore a loose, tie-dye blue and white top that hung off one shoulder, along with a pair of slim navy jeans. She hadn't gone overboard with any make-up (this wasn't some kind of high-society gathering). Just the basics, applied sparingly, along with three small flecks of turquoise that angled upwards from the corners of her eyes, with her perfume now (mostly) masking the smell of alcohol.
She was still leading Sprout by the hand when they came to the room.
"Oh, well, this is cosy." she giggled, looking at everyone already scrunched up together. Crossing the threshold, she tiptoed, with unexpected balance, over several pairs of legs, before finding a spot on the other side of Jesse to Lilith, pulling Sprout down to sit on the other side of her.
Sprout absentmindedly allowed Amy to lead him into the room while his eyes found themselves fixated on Jesse. There he was, acting smooth and confident... and sitting next to Lilith! LILITH!
The daggers he stared into the boy as he sat down were razor sharp.
The nerve of this fucker!
He couldn't help it. He had to say something. Relaxing his jaw and his unclenching his fists, Sprout forced a grin, "What do ya' think yer doin' sittin' next ta' my girl, Jesse? I reckon she's too much woman fer a lil' queer like you."
Ruffles, who had been in the middle of knocking back some of Whiskey's whiskey, choked from laughing. With the help of Whiskey pounding him on the back, he said, "subtle, Sprout. Maria better spray some salve on that burn."
Maria muttered in reply, "Nah, let it scar him."
Ignoring the others, Astor played it cool, smirk ever present. It was good to see that his efforts were bearing fruit. The boy leaned forward towards the other and slightly frowned as if Sprout had committed a major faux pas.
"Your girl? My, my, a woman belongs to no one but herself." Astor replied while wagging his finger. Then, with the same hand, he brushed his hair back, "I simply happened to find a spare seat here, my apologies. It is quite a shame that there's no room to move."
"That's where yer wrong new blood. You ain't been around long enough ta' know, but me an' Lily? We're two sides'a the same counterfeit coin. She's mine," He smiled and looked to Lilith. "An' I'm hers. You fuck with one of us, you fuck with both of us so don' you get none of yer funny ideas!" He scoffed. "Not like she'd be interested in a pansy like you, anyway."
"What ideas? I am just sitting here." Astor grinned oh-so-innocently.
"How about the two of you both agree to keep your eyes on the game?" Amy interjected, putting her arms round both the both of them. "If you don't, you might both be losing your pants tonight, and getting nothing in return."
They were pressed closely together, Amy's thighs squeezed in between Axel and Jesse's. When Axel had looked away, Amy moved her right leg, ever so slightly, so that it brushed against Jesse's. Getting his attention, she met his eyes only for a second, and tried to convey a lot in her look.
'You've got to play it smarter that that. Follow my lead.'
Sprout laughed, "Yeah, well, I reckon I'd be willin' ta' lose more'n my pants if I get to see a few pairs of titties!" He grinned, shamelessly before a look of bewilderment suddenly shone on his face. "Wait, does that mean we're playin' strip poker?! Please God, say yes!"
His dreams were finally coming true. The Iron Maiden had never had enough women before for Sprout to desire such a thing. But now?
All 'dem titties...
"Maybe we start with just the regular kinda poker for a little?" Gale let out with a sigh, her eyes glancing back and forth between the two drama fiends having it out in front of her. "For the sake of us nervous newbloods."
'And the kiddie in our midst.'
Some intimacy and an ally? Was there an alignment of the planets tonight or something. 'Jesse' gave Amy his special smirk and a peck on the cheek, "Thank you madame, you are quite right."
Afterwards, he pulled himself away - as saddening as that was - and wrapped an arm around Amy. With a snap his fingers Astor exclaimed, "Yes! Though, is it allowed to bet my shirt? Unfortunately, I seem to be without carbon tonight."
Maria turned to Ruffles, "Care to pass that stuff 'round to me?"
Twice the horndogs, twice the cringing.
"Depends if Whiskey'll fill me up," Ruffles replied.
"Yeah, sure," said Whiskey, refilling Ruffles' tin cup. "Just call me your wingwoman."
"Gee, setting up us already, Miss Wingwoman?" Maria chuckled.
"Ah, y'know," said Whiskey with a wink. "I'm always up for getting a hot girl drunk."
"There's kids around, y'know." Maria mock-hissed.
"Ahem." Amy exaggerated, holding out her own cup.
Whiskey shrugged as she splashed a measure of scotch into Amy's cup. "I'm sure they'll get drunk too."
As the two boys measured dicks, Lilith crossed her arms over her chest as she sunk into the bed of pillows. It was all quite cosy, despite the ruckus.
"Pour me one while you're at it." Lilith muttered, gently nudging Whiskey with her knee.
She'd need to be liquored up to survive the night, she reckoned.
Allie slumped down next to Gale. "Fookin' 'ell'" She whispered to her friend. "Talk aboot two dogs takin' a bite outta each other." She nodded at Jesse and Sprout.
"One for everyone!" Astor shouted as he held out his own cup.
"Yeah, hopefully, they'll get drunk enough to fall asleep." Maria replied.
"Jesus, everyone's taking a bit outta me," said Whiskey, finding another cup and filling it for Lilith, and ignoring Jesse. "Still, I can't blame ya for avoiding the cantankerous for as long as ya can."
"These guys don't do build up huh?" Gale whispered back, taking a sip of her bottle - o - crunk and casually waving it at her by way of an offer. "Good thing I didn't use my good cards."
Astor pouted for a moment and lent back, bringing Amy down with him and turning to Lilith.
"I wonder when we're actually going to start..." He muttered, "It is quite rude to keep the ladies waiting, hmm?"
Amy knocked back her drink. it seared even worse than the rum, but she endured it with dignity, her lips not so much as pursing. In a seemingly absent-minded gesture, she wound some of Jesse's hair around her finger.
"So, what'll it be?" She announced. "Poker... Blackjack... Spin the bottle?"
She giggled.
As the two kids next to her started fondling each other, an unamused frown pouted the woman's lips. Tossing the whiskey back, Lilith didn't even savour it before swallowing. "More." She muttered, holding out her cup. "I don't care what." Hey eyes meeting Sprout's, she rolled her eyes as she subtly nodded at Jesse.
'Dis *****.'
Sprout watched the two next to him, utterly perplexed. Then he noticed Lilith. He didn't really respond to her disgust. He just looked... drained. Looking towards the others, he nodded, "Yeah, give me whatever Lily's havin'."
Looking down at his feet, he couldn't help but watch them in his periphery. He clenched his jaw.
Isn't she still with Ma'?
"Whatever you waaaaant." Astor chuckled as he ran his hand through Amy's hair. Fuck the others, this was too good!
Maria tapped the floor, "So, are we playing some games or are we watching kiddies bump uglies?"
After a sentence like that, she had to knock one back.
"Geez. somebody needs to loosen their straps." Amy teased. Nevertheless, she sat back up and gently shrugged away from Jesse. He'd had a small taste, no need to make it too easy. Sitting back up split the line of sight between Sprout and Lilith, and she smiled confidently at the boy on her other side, rubbing shoulders with him slightly.
Sprout forced a smile at Amy and turned away from her to retrieve his drink. He knocked it back without missing a beat and poured another. Looking at no one in particular, he cleared his throat, "So we playin' spomethin' or what?" There was a notable absence of enthusiasm in his tone.
"Fuck it," said Ruffles. "Hands up for poker." Drinking from his cup, he thrust it in the air.
"Sure." Sprout said simply.
"Works for me." Amy chirped.
Maria's hand went up as well.
Astor sat back up with a wave of his hands shouted, "Of course!"
"Guess that's most everyone, then," said Ruffles. He waved a hand at Gale. "I hear you're the crazy cards lady. You deal."
As the others sorted out getting the game started, Amy leaned closer to Sprout, a concerned look on her face.
"What's up?" she whispered, only loud enough for the two of them to hear, even in the confined space. "Did you not want to come down here?"
Sprout forced himself to look at her after taking another shot. He smirked, lazily, "No, yeah I wanted ta' come down here. I-I'm fine." He looked away from her. "Peachy."
"Poker it is then!" Gale kinda cheered, setting about dealing the cards with a veteran's ease. Was it usual for the maiden guys to kick off this easy? Not that she was one to begrudge somebody a good time but she liked to have a bit of forewarning when she was wandering into an orgy.
Whatever, she guessed, laying the last of the cards out and checking out her hand. It was... meh.
Maria frowned, "Hey, you're not messing with are cards are ya?"
Her hand was a big pile of nothing.
Amy stared at him briefly for a moment. The smile wouldn't have fooled anyone, let alone her. Was it working, or was Sprout bummed out about something else?
"Oh, okay." she said, turning away. However, she take his hand where nobody else could see, and give it a comforting little squeeze, before gathering her two cards and peeking under the corners.
"How dare you, madam. When I mess with your cards it'll be way flashier." Gale gasped in mock offence.
Astor, oblivious to everything that didn't involve himself, looked at his hand and tried to suppress a grin.
"Can't trust you types." Maria replied, narrowing her eyes. Though, she couldn't keep up the act for long and laughed.
Ruffles checked his hand. Absolutely nothing. He did, however, let a shit eating grin flit briefly across his face.
Whiskey looked at hers. She kept her face stone blank.
Allie furrowed her brow as she looked at her hand. Shifting her eyes, her tongue touched the corner of her mouth. "Eh, this would probably be a great time to say I've never played poker before."
Lilith downed another drink, grunting slightly as she looked at her cards. Well at least something was back to normal.
Sprout ignored Amy's gesture and attended to his cards. He grunted in amusement and spoke to the group at large, "Not sayin' this 'as anythin' ta' do with what I was dealt, but here's a lil' trivia question fer y'all." He looked to Lilith and grinned. "Lily ain't allowed ta' answer though. Anyway, here it is: what's the difference between the King of Hearts an' all the other kings?"
"Erm... all the others have, beards?" Amy guessed.
"Uh, the King just has to guard his chest?" Ruffles suggested.
He put down a couple of chips as the blind. Whiskey matched him.
Maria was stumped, "He only has one sword?"
'Jesse' had an idea but it was probably the wrong one, knowing Sprout's poor pedigree. Instead, he just shrugged and said, "Endless guessing bores me, tell us your little piece of trivia already."
Both called Whiskey's bet.
Amy raised.
"I hate riddles" Allie muttered, showing Gale her cards. "Anythin' good?"
Lilith smiled at the boy, as she matched the bet.
Sprout sighed and met matched the current bet, "Y'all disappoint me. It's the fuckin' mustache! He's the only one without a mouth mirken!" He chuckled.
Ruffles matched Amy's bet, as did Whiskey.
Amy raised her hand in mock triumph.
"I was closest. What do I win?"
Maria blinked, "Huh, Sprout, you're right for once."
"Probably 'the best night of your life'." Astor dryly remarked, turning his head towards Amy.
"Eeh... workable." Gale muttered leaning over Allie's shoulder from her perch on the bed. "I fold she said. "May as well take the chance and get you some learning in."
Amy raised her eyebrow, slowly turning her head in Jesse's direction.
"That... is a subject you haven't even started lessons for!" she said, indignant. Nevertheless, she stole a wink at him.
Sprout laughed at Maria's clear disregard for card confidentiality before turning his attention towards Amy and Jesse, "Get a room you two." He muttered, bitterly. Looking down at his cards, he shrugged. "Fuck it, I fold." A simple pair was not going to win this one.
"I'm a quick learner." Astor replied, ignoring Sprout. Then, ever so calmy, he added, "I raise."
Maria slammed her cards down in mock-defeat, "I fold."
Ruffles folded. Whiskey matched.
Allie shrugged her shoulders. "I dinnae ken what I 'ave, so I'll just fold." She placed her cards down. Grinning, she nudge Gale with her shoulder. "This is excitin'." She giggled quietly. She had never been to a party before.
Lilith glanced over at Maria, a small smile curling her lips. "Guess it's Liz, then." Pushing her chips, she went all in.
Maria sighed, "Now I really miss her and her anti-Lilith properties."
Going up against 'Casino'? Why the hell not? The worst that could happen was losing but Astor would be more than happy to be a graceful loser, especially since some of the hard-to-crack ladies seemed to like that sort of thing.
"I've always wanted to do this at least once." The boy said as he matched Lilith's raise.
Ruffles gave a mock sigh. "God dammit, Maria. I thought you were useful for a second there!"
"I am!" The doctor mock-pouted, throwing her hands in the air, "I'unno, knowing medicine stuff is pretty useful maybe?"
Lilith placed her cards face down on the table, smiling weakly as she put her hands behind her head as she lay back on the pillows. "Flip 'em whenever you're ready to lose, pretty boy."
"Nothing wrong with losing to a lovely lady like yourself, Miss Valentine." Astor remarked while he revealed his three of a kind, which was somewhat weak against Lilith's flush. He then gave a clap.
"First round to Lil, then," said Whiskey, putting down her cards and pushing her chips forward.
"Gonna be sayin' that a lot, I reckon," Sprout chuckled. "Probably should'a played a drinkin' game instead."
"I vote we do that." Lilith chuckled.
"Las' one standing?" Allie looked around suspiciously as she drank from a bottle of soda. "I'mma stay soberer than all of you for no particular reason."
"If you wish it, my lady, but first..." Astor said, whipping off his shirt in the most dramatic fashion possible, expertly folding it and handing it to Lilith, "I believe this is yours. You have won it fair and square."
"Yeah sure. Better get your livers ready!" Maria chuckled, hopefully there wouldn't be too many drunken shenanigans...
Lilith grimaced as she held the shirt out in front of her. "We weren't even playing strip poker."
"Think of it as a bonus." 'Jesse' winked.
