Tonight I’m breaking free

TAG: OPEN | OUTFIT

No, no, no, no.

This couldn't be happening.

There was no way that this could be happening.

Thea pulled her hair back as she looked down over the other side of the bar, her eyes darting around the floor as she tried to spot the locket. Her locket. The same locket that she and all of her sisters had. It was a badge of honor, an accessory that meant a great deal to her…and it was currently missing.

It had been there a few moments prior, she knew. She remembered putting it under her shirt before she…

The keg stand.

She knew it was childish, but that was what she got for partying with the Weird Sisters II after their practice. She and Tib had talked it out for a few hours before he had suggested they meet the rest of the band for late night drinks at the club. Of course, being that she was the biggest WS2 super fan in all of England, she couldn’t say no. They partied hard, they partied long, and they made Thea regret it in the morning. But somehow, she always ended up here. It was like being the ultimate groupie. Her mother would disapprove, she knew, if she came to work looking hungover…but that was what glamours were for, weren’t they? They were for parties on Tuesday nights and no regrets.

Thea nearly stood on the barstool she was on, leaning over the bar completely. ”Oye! Moutbatten! What do you fink you’re-”

“Necklace,” she said narrowing her slightly drunken eyes at a small glint on the floor. It was just a lost sickle. Looking up, she realized the bartender was still staring at her and she gave him a stern look. “I lost my freaking necklace, okay? And I’d rather like to have it back so if you could just…” she shooed him away with a few waves of her hands and continued looking down from her vantage point…hoping and praying that the necklace would suddenly appear.

outfit

He didn't have many nights off and he really enjoyed the ones he did. Tried to have fun, because he was working a lot lately. Between the snatching and all the new people wanting stuff smuggled and then that school- the academic year ended mean that people were afraid the kids would try to get out. If they didn't graduate then they didn't get out. A lot of people had a lot of opinions on the matter. Personally, he didn't see why the kids weren't allowed to leave, but he was doing his job. The kids weren't getting hurt on his watch and he was getting paid. Clear conscience, done. He wasn't going to think about it any further and he was just going to go out for the night. Was he technically too old to be out clubbing? Sure, but he wanted a good drink and a good dance and many a night out with someone. Wasn't in the mood for much conversation, either. His scar was throbbing and he knew that he had to drown that with good gin.

Unfortunately, by his fourth glass of gin, he had quite lost the bar. Okay, the place was really crowded and dark and everyone was rubbing on each other. It was fun, sure, but he was getting parched so he disentangled himself from whoever he was dancing with and pranced off to find himself another glass. There were young people all over the place, some of which were interested in him, but he was trying to find himself another drink. Maybe, the more crowded area. What was better to young people than rutting against each other? Booze, that's what. Yeah, that way. So he wandered somewhere due east until he reached the loud crowd and- oh, a keg. Kegs were fun too, though beer most likely wouldn't mix well with the gin in his stomach. He should probably actually try to find the bar.

Turning to the side- oh, the bar. Good. There was a girl standing up high to show him the way. Okay, she was probably not there for that, but it was helpful. So he made his way over. The closer he got, though, the more distressed her face seemed. That was a pity, she was a pretty girl. Short and tiny and pretty young, but pretty. Maybe he could forget about the gin for a little while and help her out. Was she saying something? Oh, a necklace- must be an important necklace, to just not give it up as lost forever. Stuff like that on floors so crowded.

"Can I help?" He leaned closer, to be heard.

She was drunk. Thea could tell by the way the floor seemed to look like waves every time she looked down. Maybe that was the reason the necklace was so hard to spot. Every time she focused on one shiny object, it seemed to move a couple inches across the floor. The constant shuffle of dancing feet and thirsty bar-goers going in and out of the area didn’t help, either.

The bartender had taken up residence as far away from Thea as possible, trying not to get in her way as she leaned over the counter and stared into the darkness below. It was a family heirloom. The necklace was something that every Mountbatten daughter had. It was a right of passage, in Thea’s mind. How could she have been so careless? That being said, how was she supposed to know that a simple keg stand would cause her to lose it? How did that even happen? She made a mental note to magically adhere it to her neck as soon as she got it back.

Well, if she got it back. Matka was going to kill her.

Maybe, if she wasn’t able to find it, she could always just get a duplicate made. But someone would know. Knowing her family, someone would be the first to point it out during a family dinner. And then there would be even bigger hell to pay.

Pulling her wand, she pitched forward a little bit more, “Lumos,” the tip of her wand lit up with bright light that illuminated the ground. It wasn’t behind the bar, that much she was now certain of.

Someone got closer and spoke into her ear, which immediately, Thea turned around, half-expecting to see one of the Weird Sisters coming to her rescue. But, it appeared her rescuer was…someone else entirely. Tall, dark, and handsome, if she was putting labels on him. But she wasn’t. Now wasn’t the time to get lost in some stranger’s eyes (even if he was coming to her rescue). “Hey...hi...Sorry, Nox,” the tip of her wand dimmed and she pocketed it once again, hoping that she hadn’t blinded her apparent knight in shining armor. “I lost my necklace,” she explained and, upon thinking that it sounded a little lame, she bit down on her lip. “It’s a family thing, big crest in the middle, heart shaped. You haven’t see it have you?” She had to raise her voice to be heard over the pulsing music in the Nightclub.

The young lady was looking more than a little alarmed, only making him understand further that it wasn't some little trinket she got from a carnival eggs. Well, it could have been, some of those things were pretty and sentimental value went a long way. Still, she seemed far too worried for it to be such a simple, silly thing. The expression didn't sit well on her face, and he wasn't too drunk to see it. He was sort of drunk, but that didn't matter, because his wand was working just fine. Hah. No. His actual wand. Helping pretty ladies had nothing to do with their appearance. It didn't matter that he wasn't usually a helpful person. He was the happy sort of drunk at the moment, so he thought making use of that was the best way to go. He was having a good night. Spread the holiday cheer or whatever. It wasn't Christmas but it was still a holiday. Summer holiday. Really, those were better than Christmas holidays. Who the hell wanted to be snowed in with their family? That was homicide waiting to happen, really.

He digressed.

"Hey, it's okay-" Blinking, he managed to get the sudden light out of his eyes and refocussed on the girl. Yeah, she did look like she was panicking. It was fine, it would be fine. Besides, he had practice recovering from things. A bit of light was the least worst thing he'd gotten in his eyes in his life. "So I heard. I'm afraid I haven't, sorry. How big is it?" He didn't ask what crest it was, it didn't really matter. Not to him, at least. Heart, with a crest, necklace, that was enough to go by. Didn't mean it would be easy to find. Everyone was milling about and making noise and trampling all over each other like animals. Hah, they were at a club after all. That was the idea. It wouldn't do to be trampled, however, so he reached out a hand and helped her out of the way of the crowd. Looking at the bitten lip for a second, he decided that all these young women around were far too pretty for him to have a moment's peace.

"I can help you look, though. I'm Søren." He offered her a half smirk. Far taller than her, and also not as likely to be bowled over by passing people. Two pairs of eyes were better than one, or whatever. Good samaritan act of the week, wasn't it? He always had a thing for helping out women. Did he swing both ways? Yes, sure he did. Did he do this because he wanted to get laid? ... he was about seventy percent sure that he wasn't. It didn't matter, because he'd be perfectly all right if it didn't happen. She just looked upset and he couldn't really handle pretty people looking upset. He was like that. He blamed it on Celine conditioning him to always please her when she pouted. It still worked, but for other people. Wasn't that messed up?

Yes, it was. Back to business. With a wink, he lit up his own wand and started searching too.

When all is dark
+ there's no light
Lost in the deepest
star of night

❧

Thea wished she wasn’t so drunk.

At this precise moment, Thea was cursing the last of the keg stand that she had done a few minutes ago. If she could just get this damn haze out of her eyes. It was like…like trying to take a picture when her lens was fogged. No more drinking for the next few days, she demanded of herself before she pulled her shoulders back and stood up tall. Focus, just focus for a few minutes.

She allowed herself to rest her hand in his, suddenly feeling…reassurance? Maybe it was an illusion caused by the alcohol, but Thea wondered if he was actually going to be able and pull off the impossible. If Søren — as he introduced himself — was really as helpful and enchanting as he seemed, Thea was thankful that he had come to her rescue tonight. “It’s about…” Thea used her forefinger and thumb to make a small circle on her chest, about where the necklace once sat. It wasn’t just any necklace to Thea. It represented so much more than that. It was about her family name, her heritage, but most importantly, it was about her Matka. Thea’s mum meant the world to her and she knew if she told her what had happened tonight she would not only be disappointed in her for her actions, but also for her recklessness. Sure, Matka was always proud of her firecracker of a daughter, but that didn’t mean that the woman didn’t worry. If anything, Matka probably worried after Thea more than her other daughters. She was the one most likely to get into trouble with her…antics. All because you want to wear mud instead of pearls, Dcera, she could hear her Mother’s voice in her head.

“Thea,” she said, though her voice was largely swallowed up by the sound of people raging to either side of them. Thea stood on her tip toes, getting a bit closer to his ear (he was a good deal taller than her) and spoke her name again. “Thea Mountbatten. Thank you, by the way. I really…really appreciate you,” she managed before she returned to flat feet.

The song that had been playing died off and before they were able to switch on a new track, Thea took advantage of the quiet to explain the situation. “I had it a few minutes over there,” she gestured to where the empty keg now stood, looking like a lonely dancer lost amongst a crowd of couples. “At least, that’s the last place I remember it.” She grabbed Søren’s hand and led him that way, keeping her eyes on the ground as she searched out the necklace, willing it to appear before her.

@soren

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"I’m going crazy  
in this hazy fantasy"

    Søren had decided that this young woman was far too lovely to be so distressed tonight. Or any night, really, but he could only help on this particular night. She'd lost her necklace and from the size she made it was rather small, easy to fall off and to be kicked around without anyone noticing. Especially in a crowded, dark club where everyone was piss drunk already. Keg stands did that. As fun as they might be to watch and to participate in, they were the culprits of many item-losing incidents. Keys that fell out of pockets, earrings that fell off, and now a necklace. It was a pity and if she cared enough to try to find it, then he would help her with that. It was the least he could do for a lady as pretty as this. A lady who- was actually a lady. Thea Mountbatten. Huh. Well, ladies who could do keg stands had a special place in his heart, he'd never met one. This was turning out to be a great night. So he grinned, placing a hand under her elbow to help with her balance. "Please, appreciate me after we find the necklace, otherwise it's just my pretty face fooling you. I'm Søren."
    She led him away by the hand and he went along easily, using his height and his free arm to make people part away so they could move more quickly. She was so short, if she hadn't held on to him, he would've lost her. Admittedly, his vision was not swimming just yet, but when the last few shots hit it would be anyone's guess. Still, for now, he was stable, so when they got to the keg he sunk down to his haunches to look around more easily. Discreetly, he drew his wand and cast a soft lumos, to look around the keg itself. If it fell down there, it must have landed on the ground, and if there were people around they must have kicked it... Frowning, he looked towards the small crowd. There was a corner close by... oh, there was a little glimmer, far off against the wall. "Could that be it?" Pointing over, he dimmed his wand and stood again.
    After reaching out to take Thea's hand again, he led her through the thin crowd once more to the wall. Not once did he think about the fact that he was leading a much younger, rather inebriated girl to an isolated corner in a dark nightclub. He was a bit too focussed on the task at hand for that, and even if he hadn't been, that sort of idea never popped into Søren's head. Unpleasant thoughts and acts, those were, and he never entertained them. He sunk down once more, moving the discarded plastic cups around, looking for what could have been shining and reflecting. It had seemed small. "Cast a light, please, Thea?"

@ thea - # # # - Outfit

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