C'est La Vie

A smoke break retreat from an overstuffed Christmas party turns into a meet cute.

     Yanvis was surrounded by people, but still felt alone. Some things never change.

     He sighs as he scans the crowd from behind the bar, he knew his feelings weren’t fair. He had people who cared about him here. His eyes pass over Eris, his newest friend, but undoubtedly one of his closest, her blonde hair shining under the lights as she talks to Saelqarin, his ex. Despite a song about him hitting the billboard top 100, she still cares about him, he glances at her longingly, the white haired performer easily exuding presence even when she isn’t trying.

     He tears his eyes away, knowing that getting lost in the past won’t end well for him, especially since it was entirely his fault things went south. He scans the large crowd for anyone else, and finds his sister, her reserved demeanor making her hard to find, if it wasn’t for her girlfriend, and the reason his bar is as full as it is. His eyes slightly narrow as he spots the platinum blonde, her short hair bobbing with her energetic movements. He’s known her for years, loves her like a sister, but he had a pit in his stomach the moment she mentioned inviting people to the christmas party, well a christmas party on the 27th anyway, since everyone was busy with family on the actual holiday.

     As he glances over the crowd again everything around him starts to feel suffocating, even the air being stale, and he quickly but as calmly as he can, gets out from behind the bar and moves towards the nearest exit, weaving between some of the other guests. He’s not sure if he was totally inconspicuous, but he didn’t seem to worry anyone as he slips out the front door.

     Yanvis steps outside, the warm but suffocating air of the packed bar quickly being replaced with the cold but stale air of the city. His signature red coat is enough to shield him from most of it, but his face and hands can feel the difference immediately.  He breathes out, and it's not quite cold enough to see his breath.

     He takes a look out at the grey city around him, almost feeling as small and claustrophobic as the bar he just left, and at least that was more colorful. The few lights that are on at this hour only do enough to show the drab nature of the place, illuminating nothing but concrete.

     He turns away from the city as a whole and plants his eyes on his own bar. He can't say that he's not contributing to the overabundance of grey and boring, looking at the outside of it. He spent so much money on the inside that he only had enough to put the name on the outside of the bar. Though, considering the surprising amount of celebrities he knows, the exterior not matching the interior has become a good way for them to duck paparazzi while still having a classy bar experience. 

     He sighs as he rips his eyes away and looks a few feet to the right of the front door, a generic bench he bought for himself, a place to sit when the inside got too overwhelming. It sometimes doubled as a place for any lucky homeless people to sleep, under the roof of the place. The city is replacing all the public benches with ones that make it harder for them to do that, so even if it wasn't his intention he never minded if he saw someone sleeping there, though as he leans back and pulls out a cigarette and his lighter he's glad no one decided to use it tonight.

      God, the world's going to hell and here he is trying to pat himself on the back for people deciding to use something he bought for himself. But what else can he do...

      C'est La Vie.

      He doesn't actually do it that often, so it takes him a bit to get the lighter to cooperate, his thumb slipping off the spark wheel a few times. Cursing to himself until it finally lights up, and he quickly lights up the cigarette before he finds another way to mess it up. He lets the lighter tumble back into his coat pocket as he takes his first puff. Accidentally inhaling too much and coughing, swearing under his breath.

      This is only something he does on rare occasions, it being something that can make his nerves fade away for a few minutes, but knowing that most of his friends and family, with the exception of Katarina, wouldn't approve if they found out.

For a few minutes, Yanvis is left alone with the silence of a mostly empty city, most people finding friends and family to hang out with for the holiday weekend, avoiding wandering the streets and being lonely. Well, not that you need to be alone to feel lonely. He takes another drag of the cigarette, though his eyes wander to the first person he's seen since he came outside.

     A light tan that makes short brunette hair pop, a  dark brown shoulderless long sleeve shirt, and jeans and sneakers. Yanvis wouldn't deny that he was drawn in by the woman's seemingly effortless beauty, clearly she was out for a good time, but knew she didn't need to do much to draw attention, or maybe she just didn't care, he liked watching her walk by either way.

     He perks an eyebrow when she stops and looks in his direction, or at least, the direction of the bar, her soft lips curling into a small smile as she approaches. He lets her wander up closer to the entrance, making sure that she had plans on entering before he pulls the cigarette out of his mouth and speaks up.

     "Sorry, we're closed. I know it looks open but..." his words wander off.

     "Hmmm, that's too bad, I wanted to live all my medieval fantasies at the..." she takes another glance at the name to make sure she got it right before finishing her joke. "...Timeless Tavern."

     Yanvis cringes a bit at her saying the name out loud, names have never been his strong suit and he had insisted on tavern being part of it, his sister Nimue laughed at the name the first time she saw it, and even Elmyra couldn't hide her confusion. His friend Aeon has sometimes talked about reincarnation and previous lives, Yanvis outwardly scoffed whenever he tried to bring it up, but he couldn't deny it was an enticing idea, that there was maybe another life for him where he made the right decisions. It would also explain his insistence on the name, since he's never been a fantasy fan. Her voice drags him out of his silly thoughts.

     "'We're' closed huh? So, this is yours?" the woman says, fingers fumbling to knock some stray hairs out of her face and failing, the first imperfection he notices on her, the pink hue to her cheeks also giving away that she's at least tipsy.

     "That's what the debt collectors claim when it comes time to pay for the mortgage. Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!" Yanvis answers with a wave of his hand towards the building for dramatic effect.

     There's a small laugh from the woman as she approaches the bench.

     "King Ozymandias? Who are you trying to impress?" she says, with a small smirk and a subtle glint in her eyes.

     "Don't all men get biblical when they see a beautiful woman?" Yanvis shoots back, willing to play this game for as long as she's willing to talk to him.

     "Ha! Nice try slick, and I appreciate it, but biblical? You're off by a couple hundred years there."

     There's a newfound warmth in the cold air as she sits next to him. The smell of lavender hits his nose, and it's more intoxicating than anything he's ever served his patrons. He's so caught up in it that he almost doesn't notice when she starts speaking again.

     "Anyway, compliments are nice, but cigarettes are better. So, you gonna offer me one?"

     Yanvis obliges without a word, pulling  out his pack and lighter, he realizes it's the last one in the pack, but offers it for her to pluck between slender fingers anyway. He watches as she slips it between soft brown lips before leaning over slightly, brushing, successfully this time, the brown locks of hair that fall down like a landslide out of the way.

     He brings the lighter up and lets the small fire light up the small white tube, thankful that it only takes him one time to get the lighter to work this time. She leans back takes a drag and blows warm wispy smoke into the cold air, a stark contrast to his own attempts.

     There's a moment of silence between them, before Yanvis decides to speak up again, the silence suddenly becoming the enemy, despite longing for it a few minutes ago.

     "Yanvis Norlana. My name, that is." he says, a bit of nervousness creeping into his voice, unsure of if she even wants to continue the conversation.

     More smoke fills the air as she exhales before answering.

     "Alyndra Reyleth, but please just call me Allie." she says, the look she shoots him being something between pleading and threatening as he gives a small chuckle.

     "No wonder you wanted the fantasy experience."

     "Oh I'm sorry for being too fantasy for you, Mr. Yanvis Norlana!" the words come out accusingly, but the smile on her face shows her true feelings. The two share a laugh before her face goes into thought.

     "Wait, where have I heard that before?"

     "Heard what?"

     "Your name! It's right on the tip of my tongue. Norlana, Norlana, Norlana." the name rolls off her tongue the same way it's undoubtedly rolling around in her head, part of Yanvis hopes she drops the subject, but he knows she won't, so he prepares for the innevitable.

     "OH!" she exclaims, snapping her fingers as well. "Are you related to the girl I always see having gossip articles written about her, Nimue Norlana?"

     "Unfortunately." Yanvis says with a sigh, taking another drag of his cigarette, hoping the fact that he doesn't want this conversation to continue is being made clear.

     "Oh my god, that must be EXHAUSTING! I do have one question though. The rumor come out: Does Nimue Norlana is gay?" Allie says with a smile, clearly proud of herself for that one, referencing an article from years ago.

     It starts with a chuckle, then a laugh, then two, and then he lost control of himself. Yanvis is amazed that she found a way to make him laugh while talking about one of his least favorite subjects. He talks in between giggle fits.

     "How do you even REMEMBER that? You better be careful, she's here, if she heard you I don't think I can protect you."

     "I've taken a self defense class or two, I think I can handle myself." she punctuates her point by lightly punching him in the arm. Yanvis laughs it off but admits to himself that it did kinda hurt. She continues talking.

     "Seriously though, your family is there? I'm not keeping you from anything am I?"

     "No, no, it's fine. Family and friend get together, but they're all having a good time, not going to matter if I'm there or not." he answers, his voice getting more serious despite trying to sound casual.

     "Well, I don't believe you, but I'm jealous either way. I've never been the best at keeping in touch with people, and I'm new in town. No friends here." her tone changing to match his. There's a small chuckle from Yanvis as he thinks about his situation.

     "I'm not good at it either, it's more they keep in touch with me."

     "Sounds like they might notice your absence more than you think." comes the reply, and then another exhale of smoke to fill the air.

     "And it seems like you suddenly have a friend in this city." he says with a smile.

     As if the weather had a sense of dramatic timing, at that moment a breeze blew through, which leaves Allie shivering, hugging herself, the long sleeve shirt not doing much to help since the shoulders are exposed.

     "We could continue this inside, if you want?" he knows how the offer sounds, but he really did just want to get her out of the cold.

     "Dude, you just said all your family and friends are in there, you think I want to meet all of them on the first date?" she says, an accusatory expression on her face but a mischievous glint dancing in her dark brown eyes.

     "So this is a date now?" he says, feeling an upward tug at his lips, but forcing himself to keep from smiling, to not look too eager.

     "Well, maybe I'll tell people it was one."

     "If only I'd be so lucky. But if you're not gonna come inside then at least take this..." he says, while taking his jacket off. He leans over to her and gently wraps it around her shoulders, the deep red of the jacket pairing well with the deepening pink hue of her cheeks at his sudden closeness. Her surprise also makes him realize how close he is, and in his panic to lean away his cigarette tumbles out of his mouth, bouncing off his pant leg and landing on the floor. He quickly stomps it out, cursing under his breath as he does so.

     "Here, it was yours anyway." Allie's voice rings out above his small freakout, and cigarette was shoved in his face, she practically slipped it between his lips herself with how close it is. He can see the marks from her brown lipstick staining it, and he gently grabs it from between her fingers. Once he does so she stands up.

     "I should get going, I don't wanna keep you any longer, and what little buzz I had when I sat down is practically gone, I gotta find another open bar." she says as she begins to fully put the jacket on and walk away.

     Yanvis is almost too stunned to speak, the speed at which she got up to leave surprising him.

     "You should come back some time, when we're open."

     She stops and glances back at him, a loud "hmmmm" escapes her as she intentionally makes a show of thinking it over.

     "I guess I should give you your jacket back once it's warmer out, so you'll see me again." she says, a smile creeping up on her face.

     "And here I thought you weren't good at reaching back out to people, how do I know you didn't just con me out of a jacket?" he says, holding back a laugh.

     "It IS a nice jacket, but guess you'll just have to trust me." she says as she turns back around again, shoving her hands in the coat pockets as she walks away.

     Yanvis leans back, thinking on what just happened. She got a new jacket and all he has is half smoked lipstick stained cigarette, a shaky promise of seeing her again, and the fact that he's gonna have to explain what happened to his stuff.

     He sighs but there's still a smile on his lips as he takes a drag of the cigarette.

     Ah well, C'est La Vie.