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The air was heavy, thick with a haze. Smooth jazz slowly drifted through the air with each breath, each heartbeat. A singer singing a low slur of lyrics dripping with honey and vice, drifting around the patrons that dotted the tables and dance floors, low murmurs of plans and suggestions and the slow steady beat of shoes against the dark ocre wood of the floor as they danced with partners, couples swaying slowly to the siren song and through the haze.
The redhead sighed softly, smoke following the motion as she leaned against the bar, nursing her drink. There was a pleasant buzz mingling with the humdrum in the back of her mind, taking another sip of the smooth liquor as she kept people watching. She didn’t come alone, no, that siren was a friend of hers, suggesting she came to the bar she was singing at that night, just to get away from the mountains of work she had to do, even if just one night.
“...This ain’t helping, Kronii…” Bae mumbled, eying the woman currently entranced with the song spilling out from her and over everything it touched, voice smooth and silky. She had asked the redhead if she wanted to join in with her, but she had declined. She’d rather not disrupt this carefully cultivated atmosphere with her own voice, off-tempo to the slow, living, breathing thing that lingered in the air of this place.
She eyed the couples on the dance floor, swaying together through a slowly, leisurely drifting sea without a care in any world but the one they had made for themselves on the dance floor. She envied that, in a way. She may have come with a friend, but she was essentially a lone rowboat sitting silently, left drifting in the waves caused by the ships trailing past her, loud with revelry and alight with brilliant colors and sounds.
And then, just her. Her in the darkness of the night, smog hiding the stars and moon, only given the faintest illumination around the edges by the fireworks of the barges around her.
Yeah, that’s her.
A bell. A ringing that pierced the smokescreen, piqued her interest as she turned her eyes to the door.
…In walked one of the most beautiful women she had ever seen. Beautiful magenta hair falling over her shoulders, framing exquisite makeup and mis-matched eyes of blue and pink, a dazzling black dress hugging the woman’s frame in all the right ways, matching heels tying the simple, but alluring look together.
‘Dressed to turn heads, and turning heads she was.
…Not that she’d do anything about it, she mused, turning back to the people on the dance floor, fiddling with the collar of the dress shirt she was wearing. It was too hot in here… She could take off the dark suit jacket she wore, but she had put her wallet in the inner breast pocket and she didn’t feel like setting it down somewhere and never getting it back. Whatever, no one here isn’t overheating, except the siren of course, because she just has to always look perfect so she looks like something stuck to the bottom of her shoe when she stands next to her.
Doesn’t matter, she just wants to drink and forget about the dullness of life for a few moments, then trudge back home to her empty apartment, to a cold bed for one, to another night ending with a hangover the next morning and a return to a lonely existence. Yes, that was her fate, always would be. She’d come to terms with that. …Mostly.
Didn’t stop her eyes from drifting up to try and spot the beauty that had caught her attention. When she found naught but empty space near the door, she just sighed. Typical. Whatever, it wouldn’t have gone anywhere anyways, she was nothing special, nothing that could compliment someone like that, someone who sent a shudder through the creaking gears of her perpetually rusted heart. A cruise liner would have no reason to notice a sun-bleached old rowboat after all.
“Is this seat taken?”
Bae glanced up, ready to tell whoever it was to get lost and let her brood in peace, only for her tongue to tangle itself into knots when blue eyes met mis-matched ones, a pleasant smile bearing sharp canines and immaculately applied lipstick that drew attention in a silent beckon.
…Well then.
“N-No, my friend’s performin’ right now and won’t be coming back for a hot minute, feel free.” Bae gestured to the seat next to her, trying to keep her eyes from wandering anywhere they weren’t meant to, no matter how much the mystery woman’s entire ensemble begged for it.
“Thank you, I get the feeling the bar will get busy again when the band takes a break.” The woman smiled a charming smile that reached behind her ribcage and gripped her heart in a vice, setting off warning sirens. Damn thing can’t just shut up, can it?
“It usually does, yeah. ‘Came at the right time for a drink.” Bae tried to offer casually, nodding towards the bartender, one she knew very well. Pinkish-red eyes glanced in her direction, taking surprised note of her having company. She just meant to get her attention in case the mystery girl wanted to order something, but considering the sly look creeping into her expression, she had a sinking feeling she was about to get more than she bargained for.
“Evenin’ miss IRyS, what can I do you for?” She asked with a pleasant smile, but she knew her well enough to know that there was something cooking in that head of hers, something she definitely didn’t sign up for- Wait, she KNOWS her?!
“Oh, can I get… Hm, I don’t know, surprise me Calli.” The mystery woman, apparently IRyS and apparently familiar with her half-sister, asked with a bright smile.
“Coming right up. You want a refill Bae?” Calli turned to look at her with a more overtly mischievous smile. There’s no right answer here, is there?
“I’m… I’m good for now… Maybe something lighter and on the rocks?” Bae asked, tilting her head slightly. Can’t make her do anything stupid if she asks for something that has less liquid courage in it, check and mate.
“On it, two drinks for the lovely couple.” Calli nodded seriously before turning and walking off before Bae could sputter indignant protests.
“Bae, huh? ‘That your name?” IRyS turned to glance down at the redhead who was in the middle of trying not to slam her head down on the bar and scream.
“Y-Yeah, kinda. My name’s Baelz, Baelzs Hakos, but my friends call me Bae. S-Sorry about her by the way…” Bae stammered in a desperate bid to salvage any semblance of dignity. IRyS just giggled at that with a shake of her head.
“It’s alright, I’m flattered she thinks you’re in my league at all.” IRyS giggled like she hadn’t just set the rowboat on fire alongside her full immersion into the general vibe of the place. No more calmly waxing poetics about the atmosphere of this place, just blind panic.
“...I uh, c-could definitely say the same back backwards. You’re t-the one dressed to the nines.” Bae shrugged, trying to avoid making too much of a fool of herself.
“Oh, this old thing? I just wanted to have a nice night on the town, I know the drinks here are great and the entertainment is nice. Didn’t expect to meet a handsome stranger tonight, though.” IRyS grinned, leaning the slightest bit closer. Bae swallowed nervously, absentmindedly running a hand through her hair, still firmly in the low ponytail she had thrown it in after Kronii insisted she at least try to clean up a little, hence the dark suit over a maroon dress shirt. Kronii had nearly bullied her into wearing a tie too, but she had refused, she was just going out to drink, that’s it, this wasn’t part of the plan. Granted, now the first few buttons of it were undone in the heat of the smoky bar, leaving her neck and collarbones on full display and probably conveying a silent message she hadn’t intended. She wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing…
There were a few moments where neither said anything, light declaration of intent hanging in the already thick air. Then the clinking of glasses interrupted the staring contest however, Calli setting their drinks down with a smile.
“Alright, here you go, I decided to get you two the same thing since I was already making one and had the stuff for it out. Have fun you two!” Calli smiled slyly with a wink before she went back to attending to the rest of the bar filled with patrons hoping to disappear under amber waves of liquor and be someone they weren’t, someone bolder, someone…
…Someone she really wishes she was right now.
“...I… Y-You’re really pretty too...” Bae stammered, avoiding eye contact and glancing over at the band. Kronii seemed to catch an eye on what was going on, shooting her a smirk before continuing the song she was in the midst of singing, the slow roll of the instruments complimenting her voice perfectly. She’s gonna end up with the entire bar staff coming over to bully her at this rate…
“O-Oh, um, thank you.” IRyS gave a slightly nervous smile, like she didn’t walk into the bar looking like some mix between an angel and a devil of temptation. Bae chuckled a little at that, glad to be picking up the upper hand a little.
“Just telling the truth, IRyS.” Bae smiled wider, raising her drink in a half-toast before taking another sip of it, smiling at the taste, a nice refresher compared to the heavier stuff she’d been drinking. …Granted, there was a tinge of that undertone… Was this one of the stronger brews, just hidden under a ton of sweet syrups and fruit slices?
…What the hell, she needed the liquid courage anyways. She took another long sip of it as IRyS did much the same, welcoming the tingle of warmth starting to buzz through her, a familiar one. The song changed as they simply stared into each other’s eyes, taking occasional sips of their drinks in a vain attempt to quell a thirst silently breathed between them, though the liquor only seemed to feed the flames, flames Bae was familiar with on nights like this, nights that usually ended with a stranger in her bed after falling over the cliff edge, a night of dreaming she could share her lonely apartment with another, only to wake up to a cold empty bed in the morning.
…If Calli knew her, and liked her enough to try and push them together… Maybe it would be different. Maybe this time, someone would catch her when she fell over that cliff edge.
So fall she did.
“...You wanna go dance?” Bae asked softly, the soft fever pulsing through her being making the words easy to say, comfortable on her tongue.
“Sure, if… If you’d like to.” IRyS gave her own smile, one that led the redhead to believe that maybe, just maybe, similar thoughts were going through the mystery woman’s mind.
“I did just invite you to dance, love.” Bae chuckled, offering IRyS her hand as she stood, taking a step towards the dance floor itself as the music picked up.
“Ah, you’re- You’re right, that was a dumb question.” IRyS gave a helpless smile and took her hand, letting the shorter woman lead her to the dance floor. The music felt familiar, a small comfort of the old mixed in with the simmering nervousness of the new.
“City of stars, Are you shining just for me?”
The haze of the dance floor was alight with that same orange glow, the air even warmer here with the addition of other lost ships finding on another in the sea of dancers, of the soft murmurs of softer words mixing together into a soft mumble.
“City of stars, there's so much that I can't see~”
A hand on a waist. Another on a shoulder, and a pair gently held together, body heat mingling into one as their dance began, a quiet, slowly stewing tango. Bae moved leisurely, purposefully slow as the tingle of the alcohol ran down her spine, numbing the insecurities and doubts plaguing her mind, leaving her movements confident with a smile on her face to match.
“...You’re a really good dancer.” IRyS commented, voice soft, breathless as they swayed, the world around them melting into nothing, nothing but the sounds of the music and their heartbeats.
“Thanks, love. You’re not too bad yourself~” Bae giggled quietly, like any louder would disturb the air that had gathered around them, would cause the fog to roll away and leave this moment fading into nothing but a fond memory tinged with regret.
“Really now?” IRyS breathed, daring a glance down from her eyes, a glance that was as obvious as it was filled with intent that left her mouth dry.
“Really… I bet you’re good at plenty of other things too…” Bae whispered, tone dropping lower and taking pride in the visible shudder that went through her partner.
“City of stars, are you shining just for me?”
“...What were you thinking about there, IRyS?” Bae chuckled lowly, fingers pressed to her waist slowly trailing further inwards, tracing her spine and drawing a soft exhale, a billow of the dangerous smoke uninhibiting the already intoxicated pair further.
“...I think you know.” IRyS mumbled, glancing at her lips again, slower, so obvious it could only be a tease, a silent question to taste them.
“Hm… I think you might need to spell it out for me.” Bae’s voice was low, teasing as their slow dance brought them closer, sluggish, unhurried in spite of the fire crackling just below the skin in a dance all its own.
“City of stars…”
“...Well, how about I show you instead?” IRyS giggled softly, nerves tinting the edges of the sound as they swayed slowly, in the center of their own sea, drifting towards something new, something exciting tinged with the silent threat of going overboard and drowning in heartbreak.
…Bae took a deep breath, nodded, and dove overboard.
Soft lips, a gentle, shy touch. Caution thrown to the winds between two kindred spirits, passing the silent fear of this being a foolish decision drowned out by the alcohol tipping their decks at a dangerous angle, one caught between the thrill of adrenaline and terror of falling into the dark void of the sea.
When they pulled back, slow, it was to the taste of each other’s lips, the sight of low lights illuminating each other’s eyes, the feeling of their heartbeats going haywire and becoming one…
“You’ve never shined so brightly…”
…And the sound of the song ending.
“...Let’s go somewhere… W-With less eyes.” Bae stammered slightly, struggling to stay afloat when she felt so light on her feet.
It was just a taste, but she wanted more. Badly.
Bae could feel the eyes on them when they left. Could feel the hand in hers above all else, keeping that from getting to her at all. Had no idea how she managed to drive to her apartment with the fire under her skin, somehow only roaring louder in the absence of the warm, muggy atmosphere it had been kindled in.
She didn’t even finish locking the door behind them before the hunger set in. Before her back was against the door and the taste her heart craved for returned full force, hands entangling in her hair, drawing a satisfied groan at the wait being over.
Didn’t wait another second before her own hands were on the taller girl’s hips, backing them up hurriedly towards her room, nearly clipping her shoulder on the door from how frantic it was, how the kiss grew more heated with each second.
IRyS yelped when the back of her knees met the edge of the bed and the redhead followed her in her fall, just barely managing to catch herself on her elbows and blinking with a slightly flustered expression at not realizing she backed her up a little too much.
“...S-Sorry, you uh, you okay?” Bae asked, smiling sheepishly and raising a hand to brush maroon bangs from her face, tucking silky strands behind her ear, hand sliding down to cup her cheek.
“Y-Yeah, it’s… It’s okay… You c-can keep going…” IRyS murmured, leaning into the hand on her face, pressing a soft kiss to her wrist and leaving a soft lipstick stain in its wake. One of many more to come…
“...Alright then, miss IRyS, if you’re on board for this…” Bae regained her confidence at that thought, leaning back down again and pressing another kiss to her lips, daring a soft bite to her bottom lip and delighting in the shiver and whine that came with it, trailing the kisses down, down…
“...How about you show me some more?” Bae purred against the skin of her neck, voice deep and sounding how caramel tastes.
…She was physically incapable of saying no to that.
Two ships drifting slowly away from the harbor, away from the lights and fireworks, out into the open sea, lit up only by the stars, each other…
And the fire left smoldering between them.
Bae woke up to a warm bed for the first time in years. Woke up to arms around her waist, to soft kisses being pressed against her hair, soft contented humming…
“Mornin’...” She rumbled, turning to nuzzle her face into the crook of IRyS’s neck, finding a great deal of comfort in her body heat.
“Good morning, Bae.” Irys whispered, tone filled with fondness she wasn’t used to hearing her name carrying.
…
Maybe this was a good decision after all.