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The Christmas lights outside have been fixed and appropriately declare Merry Christmas, half-assed festivity at its twinkling finest. Inside, a space has been cleared of tables near the back, and hung with more twinkling lights, and there's a mic-stand and a karaoke machine (bought second-hand); Ethan must have had help, because it's working perfectly and even synched to the normal TV over the bar.
There are way more people in here tonight than normal - tourists, townies, not so many drunks - so Ethan has to squeeze back in after throwing out a Hefty sack of garbage. He passes by a fat member of the regulars club, clapping the guy apologetically on the shoulder for ruining his beer-drinking-in-peace, and weaves through all them people to the microphone. Which he taps twice, then looks as shocked as anyone when it actually works as intended. "All right, folks. Thank you all for coming. Find a seat if you're fast enough or mean enough to claim one, make sure your drinks are full, because you're about to be hit with all the entertainment you can handle." He might be overselling this, but drunk college tourists love it and cheer profoundly. In a minute, when he figures out how to make the thing make songs and not just play cool effects on it.
"Do you think I can convince Ethan to duet with me?" Luke probably couldn't be heard over the din of the crowd to anyone except Abby, his hand on her back as they wedge themselves through the door and into the crowd. "I mean, it wouldn't be anywhere near as epic as our Grease rendition. But maybe I can get him to do 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer' or something," he grins, moving lighting-fast with her over to the bar so that they could claim a couple of seats in a prime position - which would be where all the drinks are being served, of course.
Find a seat? Angela is just mean enough to claim one, but since she's already claimed a seat at the bar she doesn't have to stare down any poor regular for a space. She's got her back leaning against the bar, and a bottle of beer in hand, which is probably just some sort of effort she's making to blend in with the crowd. Right along with her jeans and t-shirt, and shoes. Non-Gucci shoes, for that matter. It's like Pod Angela has shown up for the evenings festivities.
"I'm pretty confidence that you wouldn't have to try real hard to convince him," Abby replies to Luke, raising her voice loud enough to be heard over the din of the crowd. Luke is big enough and tall enough that she ducks behind him, following in his wake and avoiding having to get into too much bodily contact with strangers. When claims their seats, she hops up onto one and wiggles her figners at the bartender in greeting. "I think he should have hired someone to operate the machine. Hey Angela!"
Edgar leans against the bar, and he's got a beer. Despite being on his own, he seems to be in pretty good spirits as he people-watches. Familiar faces get a smile from him, namely Luke and Angela. He still dresses like the 90s are alive and well in Seattle, but hey, it's comfortable.
Ethan should have hired someone to work the thing. That's absolutely true. He frowns at the remote for a solid ten seconds, pushing buttons, staring at it and not the cursor that goes hopping around the screen until one of the college kids (girl, if we're being specific; he's very pretty, after all) takes pity on him with the explanation that they have this same set-up in their sorority house. There's some back-and-forth, but everything gets set-up, and - like a good host setting the tone - he goes first.
And absolutely commits. "I'd like to dedicate this song to some very special people in the crowd tonight." He can't sing and actually can't rap either but: "Yo, I'll tell you want I want what I really really want." He sings all the lines for all the Spice Girls by himself, Sporty and Baby and the one that's married to David Beckham. The important part, which he really puts his soul into: "If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends!"
<OOC> Ethan says, "And in case anyone in the room is some kind of freak who doesn't know this song - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ"
"Abby. Luke." Angela greets the pair as they arrive at the bar, glancing over towards them both with a smile, lifting her beer towards them before her attention turns towards Ethan and his choice of first song. Her brows lift upwards a fraction before she observes quietly, "You'd think he was already drunk, wouldn't you?"
"Angela's here? Where?" Luke looks around himself, because Angela surely can't be the girl in the non-Gucci shoes. And yet - he stares, gasping dramatically, putting his hand to his heart. "Angela! You look like a normal person, are you feeling okay??" he seems overly concerned, but he also can't keep a straight face, and is soon laughing to himself as he leans over the bar to order himself and Abby a couple of beers. They come just in time, too, plunked down in front just as Ethan gets up to the microphone and — "WOO!" he cups his hands around his mouth to holler. "Yeah you tell us what you want, you sexy beast!"
<OOC> Ethan says, "Also, pose-order is for dumb people so please don't wait on anyone~ But you're getting called to sing alphabetically."
<OOC> Abby says, "excuse me what's the change name command on this game"
<OOC> Angela pushes Abby in front of her.
<OOC> Zabby says, "Who's that?"
<OOC> Angela says, "That's just coooooooooold."
"She's right there, Luke. She's saying hello to us," Abby pretty much points at Angela. There's an occasional glance over to Ethan as he fights with the karaoke machine. When the beers get plunked down, she picks hers up and takes a long drink. "So do you still think you're going to need to convince him to sing songs with you? Because he's already up there singing Spice Girls covers," she points out, laughing when he gets to the final line. To Angela, "You must be so proud of him."
"Thank you, lover, I couldn't do it without you," Ethan calls back to Luke, pointing the microphone at him for a second but absolutely back to his schtick in time to tell everyone, "Slam your body down and wind it all around." Many, many beers are consumed by the time he gets to, "Slam your body down and zigazig ah. If you wanna be my lover." With a bow and everything, careful to keep the microphone out of the grasp of grabby-handed drunk college kids. "I know that was a tough act to follow," 'cause he even did some dance moves, guys, "but Doctor Thatcher! Why don't you come up here and show us how it's done." He waves [Z]Abby stage-wards.
Vyv strolls in late. At least, late if he actually intended to show up for karaoke. If he was just looking for a beer and a hamburger, he's right on time. The place gets a critical look as he steps inside, no portion more critical than the bit levelled on Beardy Spice up at the microphone. Doesn't turn around and head back out, though, one corner of his mouth twitching upward barely perceptibly, and as the microphone changes hands, he makes his way toward the bar, seeking an empty space.
Making her way into the bar, Kyrie pauses to secure the door firmly behind her. Judging by the oversized scarf, giant mittens, and fuzzy stocking cap, the California emigrant is apparently not enjoying her first Calaveras winter. As she begins the arduous process of peeling out of her layers, one might wonder why she would dare to face the burgeoning arctic weather but if the smile stretching across her face is any indicator as her eyes light upon the karaoke machine, it might be the siren's song of frivolity and drunken crooning that has drawn the former songbird from her nest.
"Hellllooo." Angela greets Luke, waving at him, "I'm feeling fantastic. I do own jeans." She points out, but fails to back this statement up with adding t-shirts into that. So maybe she went and bought one of those special, just for this entire thing. The beer she'd been hanging onto is tucked between her knees before she starts to applaud Ethan's effort to be the next Spice Girl. Then she lifts two fingers to her mouth to let loose a shrill whistle of approval for both the singing, and the choice of who goes up next.
Luke blows an exaggerated kiss in Ethan's direction before he positively just cracks up, bending into Abby to laugh heavily into her shoulder. Really, guys, he's over here crying because this is so perfect. He manages to calm himself just long enough for Ethan to finish up, and then he's putting his hands together in heavy applause - after setting his beer down first, of course. "Perfection! Amazing! Ten out of ten!" he shouts out, flashing a dimpled grin to Abby when she's called to go next. "Go on, Abby. Knock everybody's socks off!"
ZAbby is mid-beer when Ethan calls her to the stage, she shakes her head. "No, thank you! I haven't had enough beers yet to get up there. This is just my first! Maybe later!" She claps for him though! Very well done Spice Girls impersonation. And rather than allowing herself to become the victim of any peer pressure, she leans past where Ethan can hopefully see her. Oh look, someone she knows! "Hey Kyrie! Long time, no see!"
Edgar watches with nothing short of amazement. There's a spot beside him at the bar, and when Vyv approaches, ne raises his beer to him. "Hey," he says. "We met at the B&B. How's it going?" He takes another drink from his glass and shakes his head slowly. "This is awesome. I think after another beer, I'm going to get up there."
<FS3> Ethan rolls Leadership: Great Success. (8 3 8 8 8 6 5 4)
Ethan to the crowd, "Guys, I think the good doctor needs some encouragement."
Cue the chanting: "Do it. Do it. Do it."
Ethan: "Probably you should do it."
Luke looks torn between joining in with the crowd and backing up his girlfriend. So what does he do? He pats the rhythm of the chant against his thigh while saying aside to Abby, "I totally think you should do it but only if you're absolutely willing, no pressure!" Do it do it do it.
"Fabulous Abby-lous!" Kyrie calls from the doorway as she tosses her pile of winter gear on the nearest, hopefully unpopulated table, "How have you been? I've been trying to hid from old man winter. I think he's mother nature's creepy uncle," she says with a wrinkle of her nose. She saunters over to the bar and sees that Abby is being called to perform, "Oh, it's your turn! Go knock them dead. If all else fails, show a little skin. They'll totally forget about how your voice sounds," she offers helpfully as she takes a spot and greets Luke, "Hey Doolittle. Does the Singing Vet have something special planned tonight?"
"Come on, Abby." Angela doesn't have the same quandry that Luke does, she joins right in with those calling for Abby to get up there and sing. She tilts her head towards the little stage area, "You got this!" So helpful! Do it! Go Abby go!
Perfect! Vyv claims that spot beside Edgar, tugging off his leather gloves and tucking them into a pocket as he goes. "We did," he agrees, with a tiny fleeting smile, "You're the author. Ed, when you're off the covers, yes?" He settles onto the stool, and is distracted a moment by the chant rising up in the room, watching it pass through the crowd before he looks back to Edgar, arching a brow. "Are you? How many have you had so far?" At least it sounds amused. He does in fact order himself a beer and hamburger, as it happens.
"Noooooooo!" Abby calls to Ethan from across the bar. Which is very mature and not at all spectacle making. When her escape from public embarassment is encouraging her to go up too, she gives Kyrie a pitiful look before heading up to the stage. Where she definitely doesn't accidentally step on Ethan's foot, because that would be really rude and not a ladylike thing to do. Which is to say, she definitely does it.
Edgar takes a drink, and he nods to Vyv. "That's me." He gestures with his almost empty glass and says, "This is my first. It doesn't take me much to get on stage. You're Vyv, right? I seem to remember you were going to be baking something. I couldn't stay, though. If I'm late with Maudie's dinner, I catch hell."
Ethan ows very manfully, stuffing the microphone into Abby's hand with a stern reminder: "Friendship. Never. Ends." He hobbles out of the way to get his beer and enjoy the fact that Abby doesn't seem to want to do this. :D
The college girl is less keen to make the karaoke machine work for Abby, but still, there were free beers in it for her; "Tell me what to play, 'kay? Or else there's a random button?"
Stepping a bit late to the party but deciding to come and relax some is Stan. Listening and looking towards the stage as he wanders along into the establishment. Running a hand through his hair before slowly drifting to find a seat somewhere. Ending up near the bar to order a beer. Letting his gaze sweep over the area.
Luke might've been gentleman enough to not join in on the peer pressuring, but he certainly gets /very/ enthusastic when Abby finally gets up to go on stage. "WOO! Yeeaah! Show us what you got, baby!" he shouts and whistles, playing up the encouragement, as Abby starts to figure out what song she decides to pick. And with wildly bright eyes, he grins over to Kyrie, waving happily at her. "Hey-hey, LA! I feel like I haven't seen you in /months/, jeeze. Want a beer?" he was already flagging down the bartender, chuckling a little. "I'm gonna do something. Maybe I'll totally have Ethan pick a song for me."
"I don't like you very much," Abby mutters to Ethan as he hobbles away, though there's a grim satisfaction in giving him an ouchie for the night. She sighs at the college girl and then murmurs something to her, but soon the sound of a very familiar song comes through the air. Da da da da… "Where it began, I can't begin to know…" Yes, it's Sweet Caroline. That super popular song that drunk people like to randomly sing in bars and thunk on the counters for. And no, Abby can't hold a note. But she can definitely belt out that famous line, "SWEEEEEET CAROOOOLINE DUN DUN DUN!" Will other people badly sing along? Hope so. Then it's over and she drops the mic on the floor. Literally, it goes thunking down and rolling away. "Where did my beer go? Now it's time for shots."
"Very well done." Angela informs Ethan when he's gotten close enough that she doesn't have to scream across the bar at him, giving him a thumbs up that is perhaps the cheesiest gesture she has ever made in her life. Then she's turning her attention to Abby's performance, joining in with the cheering because that is the polite thing to do.
Vyv nods a confirmation of his name, as the beer portion of his order arrives. "Fairly safe bet at any given time," he says, "I think it was the new apple tart. Or will be, once I figure out what still wrong with it." A small pause, watching the many loud interactions going on, and he takes a fairly sizable drink of his beer before returning his gaze to Edgar. "I take it it's the cat's place, you just board there?"
"Something like that," Edgar says with a lazy smile. "Except we're mildly displaced at the moment, so she's being a little more insistent than usual." He finishes off his beer and sets down the glass. "So you bake? I kind of live on ramen and Kate's kindness."
"I'd love a beer, Doolittle," Kyrie admits, "But… alas, I'm still in mandatory good girl mode, so I'm going to have to settle for something a little softer." Her lips purse and push to one side and her brow dents as she seems to run some calculation in her head. Fortunately, Abby's singing proves a nice distraction from her own thoughts and she throws her hands up and waves back and forth in rhythm to the song, "That's the spirit, Doc! You go girl!" She intermittently claps and waves to encourage the performance. Settling back against the bar as the song ends, she spots Stan and offers him a friendly wave.
"Oh, I know," Ethan answers Angela without missing a beat, downing a solid half of his beer. Which he almost spits all over his friends when almost the entire bar picks up the song along with Abby, sparing her (some of) the embarrassment of karaoke night. "Go rescue that mic and sing something before those kids get to it, and don't make me go all the way back over there and announce you," with a light shove to Angela's shoulder; the alphabet did this, not him. He'll keep her seat warm and add, "Kyrie! Long time no see, stranger, you gonna show us what-for tonight?"
"Oh, shit. Right," Luke bangs the heel of his hand against his forehead as though he were the dumbest person ever. "I'll get you a soda.. er, in one sec," he holds up a finger to Kyrie, because Abby was in show time mode, and the rhythm of the song was one that Luke knows well. "SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET CAROLINEEEEEEEE!" Thump-thump-thump on the bar goes Luke, because of course he sings along, and not in his best Singing Vet voice but in his most shrill, obnoxious drunk guy voice. Even though he's not even halfway through his first beer. And when it's all over, he manages to snag Abby by the waist to kiss her on the cheek. "You were great. But I agree, shots are in order! You in, Ang?" he looks to Angela, before he leans over the bar to snag the bartender's attention, getting enough shots for himself, Abby, Ethan and Angela .. and soda for Kyrie, of course.
Stan does cheer and sing along as Abby sings. Not loudly though. The faces he is familiar with get nods, and anyone else looking his way as well really. Hearing about having to be a good girl has him looking over to spot Kyrie, a grin but not interupting her conversation. Turning his attention to the scene as he sips from his beer.
"Me?" Angela slides off the stool, giving Ethan a glare, "You are going to owe me a lot for this, just so you know." She sets her beer down on the bar, leaving her seat to Ethan's tender mercies. Then she swans up towards the machine and the mic, snatching it right out of one of the college girl's hands. Which just means that she also bodily crowds the girl out of the way, leaning in to tell the girl manning the machine just what song she wants.
The bartender only serves Abby in red plastic cups. Even tonight. It's a weird way to do shots, but he's committed. Everyone else gets normal grown-up shot-glasses. And Kyrie gets a coke and a weird look from the dude.
"Can we do tequila shots? This seems like a tequila shot night," Abby decides, squeaking when Luke pulls her in by the waist. She laughs and reaches on her toes to give him a kiss on the cheek in return. Then she settles down besides him, occasionally glancing over her shoulder to see what's going to happen next on stage. There's a snort of amusement when sees Angela bully around the college girls on stage. "Ugh, not that red cups again!"
Vyv claps lightly when Abby finishes, though since he's still holding his beer in one of his hands, it's more form than function. "I'm a patissier," he replies to Edgar, "So, yes, I bake. And make chocolates, if that's more your thing. Although currently there's less baking and more trying to get contractors to properly fulfil their contracts." Another good-sized drink of the beer, this one clearly annoyed, though he shakes that off with a brief upward flick of the eyes. "Why are you and Miss Maudie displaced?"
Kyrie rolls her eyes at Luke's reaction and says, "I'm the idiot in rehab who likes to hang out in bars, Doolittle. Nothing you should worry about," she advises the vet before turning to Ethan, "Heya, Nic. I'm willing to give it a go, but I don't think I have a prayer of being able to compete with the show you had going on when I came in. I hear Posh is skipping the reunion, so all we have to do is get you to learn a few dance moves and you'll be a shoe in." She watches Angela take the stage and asks, "Who's the talent? I don't think I've bumped into her before."
Everything in order, and only after making sure that no little co-ed is going to try and steal her spotlight, does Angela start to sing. Well, after the music actually starts does she sing. It's serious business, too. Sadly, she's not that great of a singer, but what she lacks in skill she makes up in enthusiasm, "I always say what I'm feeeeeling, I was born without a zip on my mouth. Sometimes I don't even mean it." And then it just goes from there.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSOpiZo1BAA)
Ethan watches Angela be mean to some girl with stars in his eyes, clapping and adding a 'woooo~!' to the mix of noises. "What? Oh, fuuuuuck, tequila shots?" He hisses in a breath, eyes what's left in his beer bottle, and claps his hands on the bar. "What's the worst that could happen." Since he owns the place, he reaches over to add limes and a salt shaker to the mix. "Not everyone can be a natural star like me, Kyrie, but you'll do awesome. And that," he swings back around, "is Angela Bell."
Edgar sits at the bar with Vyv on one side. He orders another beer when the bartender gets around to him. Then he claps for Abby. "You are?" he says to Vyv. "Holy crap, you're doing God's work." He upnods to the bartender when his beer is put before him. "Just camping out in my boyfriend's loft for awhile. They're doing some work on my place. It's not a big deal. If I have my laptop and my cat, I'm home."
Owen comes wandering in and makes his way over toward where Edgar is near Abby and Vyv. He comes up and rests his hand on Edgar's shoulder and leans over to press a kiss to his cheek. "We're roughing it a little bit," he chuckles. "My cousin is staying with me, too. So it's been a little bit of an adventure." He then says, "Hi, I'm Owen."
"Tequila shots? Are you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of me later, Doctor Thatcher?" Luke feigns shock, and yet he orders doubles for himself and Abby, which means Abby gets /two/ plastic Solo cups instead of just one. He manages to let out one "WOO! GO ANG!" before he knocks back the shot, hissing and wincing as it burns and he scrambles for a lime to pop into his mouth. "Angela," he says once he's finished liming himself, "Is Ethan's new girlfriend," he adds as an aside to Kyrie, flashing her a wry grin. "And I guess she's okay, especially now. YOU'RE SO AWESOME, ANGELA!!!" he shouts that last part, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.
As soon as the song is done Angela sweeps a bow to the room, very theatrically. Then she takes that precious mic and actually drops it to her feet before she exits, stage bar. Shots! Someone said shots before she was sent up to the stage to ruin some poor co-ed's dreams of ever getting to be bar-famous, "You owe me your soul now, Ethan. Your soul."
Abby claps loudly for Angela when it's her turn to go up, solidarity. When the lime and salt shows up, thanks Ethan, she helps by passing it around to whoever is going to be doing these tequila shows with them. She leans over and says something to Luke quietly while before doing her first shot out of the solo cup. She barely makes it through because she's also laughing at Luke as he winces and fights his way through the tequila.
As soon as the mic is free, one of the drunk college girls grabs the mic and subjects everyone to a SUPER-drunk rendition of a Shania Twain song, then essentially falls off stage and shoves the microphone in Edgar's face. "YOU GO!" she says, drunk-loud, pulling on his arm to bring him stage-wards. The girl working the machine rolls her eyes and presses the random button, so over taking requests.
Kyrie cheers for Angela, "Yeah! That's the spirit. Work it!" Her smile is bright and easy, the music and the singing seems to have done their job and help her unwind and get comfortable. "Congrats Nic," Kyrie says to Ethan in response to the news delivered by Luke, "Maybe she'll make an honest man out of you someday," she teases. As the shots are passed around, she lets them pass freely by, championship willpower is on duty tonight. She watches the mic get handed to Edgar and inclines her head, "Oh, this should be interesting. Wonder what he's going to pick."
"So few people properly appreciate my selfless beneficience," Vyv replies solemnly, and it's only a sip of the beer this time, as his burger finally arrives. And then, there's company! He watches that greeting interaction, and inclines his head to Owen. "Vyv," he replies, "I hope it's a large loft, or— mn. No. I was going to say 'that you're all very friendly', but I don't know you nearly well enough yet to imply you're that close to your cousin." Absent clapping against the glass again when Angela and the co-ed finish, though after the latter there's also a definite lean away when the girl tries to drag Edgar off. She seems pretty drunk. And he's wearing nice shoes.
Ethan hands Angela his shot of tequila with a beam, holding the lime-wedge for her. "Next best thing. Salt, lime, suck." He starts to get up and deal with the situation between the college girls, but they sort of resolve it themselves when Shania runs into the bathroom. Sympatico: he and the bartender make a cut-off gesture, slicing fingers at their necks, at the same time, they're a work-couple now. "We can always hope," he answers Kyrie, toasting her coke with the mouth of his beer-bottle. "You gotta go after this guy."
Edgar leans into the cheek kiss and smiles at Owen. "Hey, gorgeous," he says. Then there's a mic in his face. He blinks a few times, grabs the mic, takes a long drink of beer, then sets down the cup and says, "Sorry, babe, my people need me." He steps up and flashes everyone a big, dimpled smile. At least he's still sober. He points the mic at Owen, to let him know this one's for him, before finding out even what 'it' is. Then the opening strains of Spin Me Right Round fire up, and he perks up. "If I—" he belts out, "if I could know your name. Well, if I, I could trace your private number, baby…" Guys, he knows every word by heart, because of course he does. And he eats that scenery up there. And? The dude can sing. More importantly, though, he's all in.
"Thank you." Angela takes the tequila, salt and lime, doing in the proper order like a pro before she drops the lime wedge into the shot glass, setting it back down on the bar. She glances towards the stage, watching the co-ed, then towards poor Edgar who has gotten called out as the next, but manners, she glances towards Kyrie, offering the woman a hand, "Angela Bell, I don't think that we've met before."
"Touche," Luke says aloud to Abby at whatever it is she whispered to him, eyes bright and cheeks .. a little flushed. Little known fact: Luke is a cheap date, especially when the shots come out. He leans to murmur something back to Abby, before he pecks her on the cheek again, nudging the second tequila shot closer to her before he snickers over to Kyrie. "I dunno about making an /honest/ man outta him. But she'll do something, I think," he says. "What're you gonna sing, LA? I vote 'Tubthumping'."
Owen smiles to Vyv and says, "Nice to meet you." Then both brows go up and he says, "Yeah.. no.. let's not go there." There's a shake of his head and then Edgar is getting called away and he says, "Knock'm dead!" chuckling as Edgar indicates the song is for him. He orders himself a drink and settles in to watch Edgar's performance.
Abby has her head tipped to Luke expectantly, waiting for his response. When she gets it, she groans and pushes him away at the chest. "Ugh." She has a second solo cup of tequila to knock back, which she goes to consume now. She allows her attention to veer towards the stage, clapping her hands whenever Edgar gets to the end of his set. Very well done! Better than some of them out in the crowd.
Stan do applaud, chuckling softly. Grinning as he watches Edgar take stage. Cheering before moving to greet the others present. "Hey folks." Is offered to those at the bar. Recognizing some of the faces. Ending up near Luke and the others.
Vyv inclines his head to Owen in what seems like agreement on where to, or rather not to, go, and watches Edgar head up and take the mic. The author gets through a couple lines before he looks to Owen again and notes, "Your boyfriend's not half bad." Might be an understatement, since he watches the performance more than the others. Or it could just be it's someone he actually knows. Gives a moment to start in on the burger, and replace that first beer.
Luke's pushed back and he flails exaggeratedly, laughing over to Abby as he snatches up his second tequila shot. "I'm cute and you know it," he replies to her with a dimpled grin, tipping his drink to her in mock salute before he knocks it back and immediately goes scrambling for lime. "Ugh," he sticks out his tongue after. "Blech."
Edgar doesn't just serenade Owen. Everyone gets a piece. He's a star, baby, he's here to shine! When it's over, and the song fades out, he's just grinning stupidly, and he looks for someone to pass the mic to as he heads back over to his beer. "Why are we not doing this every night?" he asks Owen. Someone loves his karaoke.
Kyrie lifts a brow as Edgar belts out the dead or Alive, "Duuude," she says to those around her, "That guy can sing. You hire a ringer, Nic?" She cheers and whistles for the man's performance. She takes Angela's hand and offers a playful half-curtsey, "Kyrie Morgan. It's nice to meet you. You did a great job up there. It's all about the confidence, right?" As Stan approaches she announces, "Dr. Stan! You going to show us how the therapist rocks the Rockies?" She offers a smile at Luke's suggested song but offers no affirmation or denial. If it's her turn, she's not showing any urgency to get to the stage.
Ethan agrees with Kyrie, a second later, "He can actually sing. Thank god." Then laughs when they both have the same realization, snatching the mic out of the hands of a frat boy and stuffing it in Kyrie's hands instead. "Go do the thing, radio star. And quit making faces like all my booze is nasty." That's to Luke. He hops up, patting the seat for Angela, and crowd-navigates to liberate a wine cooler from behind the bar and set it down in front of Luke. "I don't know how you take him places, Abby."
"I find that the right application of confidence usually allows you to brazen your way through most situations in life." Angela agrees, with a smile at Kyrie, then she's retaking her seat when Ethan gets up. "Thank you, Ethan. You've kept it nice and warm, like my heart." She lifts a hand up, resting it over her heart before she adds in her own agreement, "If there was a prize to this, I'd have to say he won, Ethan. Abby did fantastic, as well, but I have to say he's been the best."
Stan chuckles to Kyrie's words, "Can't say I'm much of a singer." He admits, "Glad to see you doing quite well." Is added before applauding Edgar some more. "Good luck." As the mic is handed to Kyrie. Grinning as he look to Ethan. "You're gonna make sure that everyone sings, aren't you?" He half jokes. Attention shifting to Edgar. "Impressive." A tip of his beer to him before looking to those near. "Indeed, everyone has been quite skilled so far."
"He's very friendly and people love him," Abby states fondly, reaching over to pat Luke on the cheek as he makes some more disgusted faces while drinking. "Good luck, Kyrie! Show them all that you have more then just radio voice!" Which definitely does have a great radio voice.
"I'm also very handsome and I make her laugh," Luke adds to what Abby is saying, happily nuzzling into the pat to his cheek as he flashes a dimpled grin over to Ethan. The wine cooler is just /stared/ at, before he pointedly goes back to drinking his beer now that the shots are all gone :( As Kyrie gets up on stage, he lets out a whistle. "YEAH! Go LA! Sing your heart out!"
Ditching her jacket, Kyrie shakes out her hair to add some volume to the curls. Whispering her choice to the karaoke machine operator, she stands on the edge of the edge of the stage, back to the crowd, putting on her best rock star pose. She remains motionless as an ear-work guitar riff washes over the bar. Hair metal it is. When it's time, she turns around for dramatic impact and croons out a breathy, "You know I never, I never seen you look so good, you never act the way you should, but I like it . . " With each verse her voice builds until she hits a crescendo at the chorus, "Cause baby we'll be, At the drive-in or in the old man's Ford, behind the bushes, 'till I'm screaming for more, down the basement, lock the cellar door, and baby …," she pauses and sings the famous line in full voice with the crowd, "TALK DIRTY TO ME!" She sways with each beat of the drum and throws herself wildly into the whoops and call outs as the song winds to its big rock ending close.
"Confidence or just super-expensive boots?" Ethan leans his elbow on the bar and looks dreamily at Angela, like he's hanging from her every schmoozy word. He flutters his hand against his heart a couple times, giving Luke a pass on the wine-cooler situation since he tunes in to Kyrie's turn on the mic. "I dunno now, she's giving that other guy a run for his money."
At least five drunk college guys make a joke about doing more than talk dirty to Kyrie, woooooooo~, and high-five each other.
Owen applauds Edgar when he finishes his song, laughing a bit and lifting his hands to clap loudly. When Edgar returns, he lifts his newly acquired drink in salute and says, "Because we haven't become members of the local karaoke bar yet? I don't know." He then watches as Kyrie gets up and starts singing, leaning back against the bar. "She's definitely got enthusiasm."
"Both, confidence and super-expensive boots. You can touch the boots later." Angela replies, leaning over to wink at Ethan, holding up a foot, wiggling it as she goes a little Vana White with showing them off. But then her attention is turned back towards the stage and Kyrie's performance, "So what we're saying here is that we need to have a sing-off for first place now." There's a question shot towards Luke and Abby, as an after-thought, "I've an idea for movie night next, if you two are interested in it."
Edgar settles in his place at the bar and takes up his beer again. The frat boys get the blandest of bland looks. "They all shared the brain cell coming up with that one," he remarks to no one in particular. Then he drinks a few steady gulps. Being awesome is thirsty work. He grins at Owen. "This is my home now," he tells him. He whistles and sets down his beer to clap at the end of Kyrie's song.
"Getting ahead of themselves, when they haven't quite mastered 'talk' yet," Vyv murmurs in agreement to Edgar, taking a moment to look the frat boys in question over. Fairly impassive look, and he looks back to Edgar. "Nice performance," he says, presumably meaning the writer's, though Kyrie's is getting a reasonable amount of attention as well, and he claps properly for her, as he did for Ed. To be fair, he wasn't holding the glass at the time anyway, but still. "Aren't people supposed to be getting worse as we go? I'm not sure they're drunk enough, that's rather unfair."
Abby claps loudly at the end of Kyrie's song and then leans her elbow into the bar, "Yes, he's very handsome and makes me laught too. Nice to animals too. I suppose he has some good points." Luke gets a little tickle of her index finger up her side. "Is going to be a nine hour long movie marathon again? Because I might have work that night if that's the case.
Catching sight of the rowdy collegiate boys, Kyrie blows them a kiss before waving and saying, "Keep dreaming boys." As she saunters off stage she tosses the mic to Ethan so he can find his next victim to entertain the crowd while she posts back up at the bar. "Man, I can't believe how much I miss just getting up there and letting it all fly." She casts a quick glance at the selection of liquors behind the counter and bites her lip as that willpower really is getting a work out. Drawing her attention to something else, she says to Luke, "Sorry it wasn't Chumbawumba, but I think that should hold up as most inappropriate song of the night. Goal acheived."
Ethan doesn't even bobble the mic first, just catches it cleanly out of the air. Those two dots in baseball finally pay off. :D He stops looking at Angela's boots to do this, making an 'ooohhhhh' about something that just clicked, and then he shoves the microphone in Luke's general direction. "You're the only person I know that might be capable of following that act, baby. And that was awesome, Kyrie." Not least because all the woooooo-ing college guys pound beers in the aftermath, like getting more drunk will improve their chances.
"Is it the Hobbit trilogy?!" Luke says excitedly at Angela, after he's finished whooping and wooing at Kyrie and applauding enthusiastically. "I'm down for whatever. But oh! Look! It's my turn!" He hops off the stool, turning to his group. "I'm going to need your help," he says seriously to one person in particular, eyes doe-wide and bright.
Ethan.
Oh yes, Luke is extending his hand to his best heterosexual life mate, pulling him off his own stool and swings his arm wildly as he tugs Ethan away from both of their girlfriends to hop onto the stage. Whisper-talking happens to the college girl handling all of that and then as Luke takes the microphone? Nothing less than magic happens. There's the famililar twirling whir of a horn (?) and then: "ALL THE SINGLE LADIES!" mic pointed at Ethan to chime in with the next lyrics (all the single ladies) then back to Luke: "All the single ladies!" back to Ethan, and this goes on again and again until - "NOW PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" Now, Luke can't dance. It's a little known fact that he's got two left feet. But what he lacks in skill, he certainly doesn't lack in enthusiasm. So at the 'put your hands up', he does his best impersonation of Justin Timberlake & the Lonely Island Boys' impersonation of Beyonce. There's a lot of stumbling, and enough hair flipping to give somebody (himself) whiplash, and a rather whole lot of flipping his hand back and forth as he shakes his hips vigorously.
And hopefully Ethan joins in. Else this is going to be pretty awkward. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAZO5cx_ErY)
Stan laughs and cheers as they sing along ti single ladies. Finishing his drink. "Nicely done, Kyrie." He says with a chuckle. Turning to the others that are still about. "Apologies, I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Stan." Offering to all of them. Taking up his phone as he seemingly got some texts.
Aren't there three super-hot chicks in this video and not two white dudes that can't dance? Whatever, Ethan slaps that ass, best terrible back-up dancer ever, chiming into the mic appropriately for the 'oh-oh' parts. He does manage to drop it like it's hot a few times, but he's not really holding his hand on his hip so much as the muscle in the small of his back that hurts real bad now. THIS IS HOW MUCH HE LOVES YOU, LUKE.
"Uh. No. I was thinking The Godfather." Angela points out to Luke before he has a chance to run away to the stage. The she picks up her beer from earlier, taking a sip on it that is rather promptly spit right back out as soon as Luke starts to sing. Whatever poor person was in front of her is probably going to be very, very unhappy when they realize that she just sprayed them with beer.
Abby is innocently sipping on her beer when Luke takes the stage. Does she sense that anything crazy is going to happen? Apparently not, because she looks on calmly until the music starts. Then her eyes widen and she watches the hilariously bad dancing with a sensation that mostly says 'oh my god'." After swallowing, she turns back to the bartender "We're going to need some more tequila." The tequila solo cup gets slapped down in front of him. She glances over and spots Ethan slapping asses and ahhhhhh, "Two more shots. Three."
Oh my. That was …unexpected. Kyrie holds on for as long as she can but the moment catches her and, rather than cheering, she ends up laughing - loudly and enthusiastically barely managing to not snort. Barely. She holds on to the bar to stop from falling down as she tries to regain her composure. "Oh god. I may have died." She says as she tries to catch her breath, "If I don't make it Dr. Stan, make up some better way that I went out. I can't be taken down by counterfeit Queen Bey."
"Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-OW!" Luke hip-thrusts a little too vigorously (at Ethan, of COURSE!) and there's a clear look of pain. But he manages to make it through the rest of the song, even if he too is now holding the small of his back with one hand. He uses the other to continue to do 'put a ring on it' hands with. Alas, all good songs must come to an end though, and he stumbles off the stage with a light groan, helping Ethan down too. "I think I almost threw out my back," he groans to Abby as he passes off the microphone to whoever is next - though, really, that's a hard act to follow. "Hold me!" he says dramatically, feign-collapsing into Abby's arms.
Vyv watches Luke and Ethan's performance too, though the expression's rather closer to horrified than before, until it turns into a mostly-suppressed smile half-hidden behind the beer. "There," he says, "That's /much/ more like it." They get a proper clap as well; maybe he's getting into the spirit of things. This theory may or may not be supported by the fact that he promptly orders a whiskey, as well.
Edgar gapes at the stage. He slings an arm around Owen and says, "I'm not going to cheat on you, but if I was, it would be with those guys." He wolf-whistles, then cheers when the song is over. "Encore!" He gulps down the rest of his beer, then wolf-whistles again.
Ethan passes the microphone off willy-nilly, and it goes to Owen (thanks, alphabet!), who he gives a solid clap on the shoulder to. "I used to be really jealous of Jay-Z," he reports, stretching his back awkwardly on his way back to the bar, freezing a second when that does more harm than good to his old-man-hips. "I will never joke about putting a ring on it again, lover, I promise."
Stan laughs as it goes on. Turning to give a thumbs-up to Kyrie as well. "Will do." He says and chuckles. "I should get going though." He says and bows his head. "See you next week." He offers to Kyrie. Scooting out.
"Oh my god." Angela raises a hand up to her face, actually wiping a few tears that might have sprung up. Maybe. It's just allergies, really. She then twists around to echo Abby, "I'll take a double-whiskey, neat, and four shots of jager, because only good things can happen."
Abby looks over at Luke and Ethan singing and (attempting) to dance, she splays her fingers over her eyes and watches between them. When the new shots arrive she takes them and groans the rest of the way through the performance, wincing when the men nearly throw out their backs. She claps her hands and then pats Luke on the back when he stumbles his way over. "Are you sure that you didn't throw out your back? That was a heavy act."
Ethan assumes one of those shots of Jaeger is for him, and - if it's not - it is now. He knocks that bad boy back, announces hoarsely, "God, that tastes like a black-out in the making." He manfully refuses to make a yucky face. "Alcohol's a muscle relaxer," is the logic.
Luke manages to feel well enough to take one of those jaeger shots, managing to NOT grimmace at the taste. And then it's right back into snuggling on Abby. "I don't know," he croaks. "What I /do/ know is that it's a good thing I'm dating a doctor! I think I need a very thorough exam." Really, it's the only way to make sure he isn't dying. Or something. He offers Abby a pitiful batting of his lashes before he clasps her hand. "We better go home! But movie night is definitely happening."
Sure, one of the shots was totally for Ethan. "That's okay, I'll make sure that you make it to bed safe and sound." She assures him, reaching for one of the jager shots to down the contents of it with a good grimace of pain for the taste. "Fuck I hate this shit." But it does do it's job of getting people very trashed, and doing dumb things. When Luke announces that it is time to go she offers him and Abby a nod, "Godfather…next weekend or something."
"That's not how alcohol works. Ethan, I feel like maybe…" Abby just ends up shaking her head and closing her eyes. He's saved from her launching into some kind of lengthy explanation by Luke announcing that it's time to go home. "Yeah, we should take you home. Before you get yourself into anymore trouble tonight. And okay, sure, "Godfather? I can do that." And off they go?
Ethan is doing shots, Abby, now's not the time! He takes a breath, ready to tell her how alcohol works, but then - "Fine, fine. Pour Beyonce into bed. Thanks for coming." The last is genuine, and then he's stealing their stool, easing onto it and already practicing his Godfather impressions. So he's ready for movie night.
"Yes, yes. You're very right. You should take me home," Luke nods enthusiastically to Abby, whole-heartedly agreeing! No more trouble for Luke, no siree bob! He flashes Angela and Ethan a broad grin, before off they go!
Owen looks over Ethan and Luke, and then glances back to Edgar and says, "I couldn't fault you for that." But then the mic is being passed to him and he says, "Oh.. hm.. okay. Damn, I'm not even going to try to top that." He laughs and makes his way up on stage. He's actually a trained singer, and sober. He grins at Edgar and points the mic to him. Apparently he's returning the favor from earlier. His voice is smooth and low, and he pulls the song off without a hitch, "When you move, I'm put to mind of all that I want to be, when you move, I could never define all that you are to me.." https://youtu.be/OSye8OO5TkM
"Tch. Back to talented," Vyv murmurs, with a small shake of his head, and polishes off the last of his burger and beer, settling back to nurse the whiskey while Owen sings. Can't be that genuine a complaint, since he's watching the performance.
Kyrie regards the stage with a warm smile. Another talented singer. It looks like Calaveras has a lot more hidden talent than it lets on. She adds appropriately timed hand-claps and sways her shoulders as Owen smoothly works through the song. It's only when he ends that she cheers, "Nice! You've got some pipes on you!" she offers in praise.
Ethan's not completely in his cups, but he's warm-and-fuzzy enough to be all, "Awww, this guy is doing a good job." Again, right after Kyrie has basically the same reaction, and he makes a face at her. "Quit using my brains, radio star. I need them. For stuff." (Not serving drinks, apparently, since the bartender has that well in hand now.)
Edgar whistles at Owen when he takes the stage. Then Owen starts singing, and Edgar's antics taper off. Oh, man. He has it bad for the guy. It's kind of sad to watch how he clasps his hands to his chest, and he sighs. It's a wonder cartoon hearts aren't fluttering around his head. Give him a moment. He's in his happy place.
Angela applauds Owen's performance, "I'm starting to think I spent too much time learning practical things…and not enough time learning to sing." She starts lean towards Ethan to invade his personal space for a kiss, "I'm going upstairs to not pass out." She glances at Kyrie then, "It was nice to meet you."
"If I'm stealing your thoughts they must not be very deep, Nic. You might want to either drink a little less or maybe a little more to push through. Whatever works," Kyrie replies lightly to Ethan before turning to Angela, "It's never too late to learn the impractical things. Adulting is highly overrated." She grins and flashes a small wave, "Good to meet you, Angela. Hopefully we'll bump into each other again soon."
"I'll be up after last call." Ethan returns the kiss, mumbling something at her about boots. As for deep thoughts… He stops watching Angela leave the room to snicker at Kyrie. "Did you just insult us both at the same time? Color me impressed, kiddo."
Vyv gets distracted from Owen's performance by Edgar's reaction, glancing sidelong at the guy. Possibly waiting to see if those cartoon hearts do manage to make an appearance. The ghost of a smile, and another sip of his drink as he looks back toward the stage.
"I do my best," Kyrie says to Ethan as she brushes back some renegade curls from her face and comments, "And… this is where I have to point out you totally stole this karaoke idea from me. O.k., technically, you won it in that stupid darts bet, but either way…" she motions to the crowd of college kids whose state of intoxication clearly indicates they spent some money," … looks like this is a hit. I'll expect a commemorative plaque."
How did the mic go from Owen to Vyv? We can all thank the girl that's been running the karaoke machine all night because Ethan is too incompetent to push the buttons. She foists it off on him, very likely because she's been eyeing him all night. "Show us what you've got, gorgeous."
From somewhere behind the bar, Ethan locates a napkin and a Sharpie, puts the latter to use on the former, and writes 'Kyrie is the smartest ever' on it. "I'll tape it behind the bar just as soon as we're done here," he vows solemnly. "To remind me that I owe you for this completely original idea that no one has ever had before in the history of time." With a quick wink.
Vyv holds the microphone as if it were a dead vole, and eyes it as if it were a dead vole that's still somehow likely to bite him. One can almost hear the fifty different versions of 'no' just falling over each other in their eagerness to get expressed. And then his gaze flicks toward the ceiling, and he shrugs, picking up the whiskey in his free hand and draining what remains of it in one go. The glass clinks down against the bar top, and he strides up toward destiny, or at least the girl who's wisely moved out of 'easily handing the mic back' range and back to the karaoke machine. Who might be Destiny; she didn't say.
No random button here: he asks her for 'Poor Unfortunate Souls', and moves out to the middle of the stage as the first notes of the intro begin. "My dear, /sweet/ child," he purrs to a random person sitting up near the front, "it's what I do! It's what I /live/ for…"
He's…
Well, let's just say no one's about to rush in and sign him up for Broadway. He's not tone-deaf, but it probably doesn't hurt anything that he chose a song that lends itself well to a certain amount of talk-singing. He does, however, commit. And emote! Somewhat better as an actor than a singer, maybe, at least if you're in the mood for honeyed ham. He slinks and stalks across the stage, picking various people in the room to 'confide' in at appropriate moments, the gestures emphatic and unrestrained, and he's not afraid to lashbat and cajole and sneer and growl as he finds fitting. The accent lends something to it, and he does at least have good rhythm and know the song. Really well. Whether this is a fact he should be advertising or not. There are some parts that really do have to be properly sung, the last couple lines in particular, which he just flat-out belts. But they're decently in tune!
For a fleeting moment after the last note, as he turns to stroll back off the stage, there's actually a grin, if a faintly feral-looking one. Only lasts a heartbeat of his walk toward and past maybe-Destiny, handing off the mic to her as he goes.
Having been kept from the mic almost all night, the college kids finally get their chances! That they have to follow Vyv's actually good act doesn't faze them; alcohol has killed any inhibitions they might've had. The Boardroom is open till two, so drink up, keep singing, pay!
Positively beaming, Kyrie slices through the sarcasm and choose to pretend that was really a compliment, "Perfect! I'll be sure to tell people to ask to see the plaque when the come in. You'll get to tell everyone about my wonderful ideas over and over again," she offers before the unexpected song choice and vocal stylings of Vyv draw her attention. "Oh, wow, was that the first musical theater of the night?" She raps her nails on the surface of the bar as she remarks, "The town Christmas pageant is going to be off the hook with all the talent around here." As the crowd is starting to thin and the most interesting acts are passed, she starts to collect the dozens of layers she has dispersed about the bar.
Owen returns to Edgar once the song is over and grins at him, leaning in to take a spot at the bar next to him and slip his arm around the author. His attention then shifts to the stage to cheer on the next performances. He seems content to take a sip from his drink from time to time, and to comment on the others. He applauds Vyv when he gets up on the stage to take his turn.
Edgar slips his arms around Owen and tells him, "You are so getting some." He kisses him on the cheek, then watches Vyv's performance. He applauds for him as well. "Go Ursula!" Of course he applauds the bad guys in Disney films. After clapping, he settles his arms around Owen again. "We need to, uh, pick up some stuff from my place. Just you and me, for about an hour."
"Next time," Vyv says as he reaches Owen and Edgar again, apparently assuming there's going to be one, "you ought to consider a duet." Strangely, it turns out the glass he emptied before heading up is, in fact, now not only empty but gone. A mystery for the ages. He has a few fries left, though, and settles in to do something about that. "Go, flee, mildly discomfit your cat," he says, waving them slightly toward the door with one of the fries, "Nice seeing someone I know. Have fun."
The ritual of bundling against the cold complete, Kyrie starts making her way through the thinning crowd towards the door but stops by where Edgar, Owen, and Vyv have made their outpost. "Hey guys, I just wanted to say that was pretty spectacular. I haven't seen a karaoke night with this much talent since I left L.A. and that's not really fair because every waiter and bartender there is just waiting to be found so any open mic is like an audition," she says in a rambling montage of words before catching herself, "Anyway, I had a lot of fun watching you guys and hopefully I'll see you around. Stay warm out there."
Owen smiles over at Kyrie and lifts a hand to wave to her. "Nice performance," he calls out to her as well. Then he says to Vyv, "Maybe we will," with a grin over toward Edgar, chuckling about the errand that they need to do at his apartment. "I think we can make a stop by on the way home." Then he says, "Nice to see you, Vyv. We'll have to stop by your shop soon."
Edgar grins at Kyrie and says, "You were awesome, by the way. Take care, okay?" He gives Owen a quick squeeze and tells him, "Good." He's just so perky about whatever this errand is. He claps Vyv on the shoulder and tells him, "I will definitely come to your shop. You had me at baked goods." He gathers up his coat and shrugs into it, then tugs on his gloves. Time to brave the cold again.