10968/Don't Blame It on the Whiskey

Don't Blame It on the Whiskey
Date of Scene:	03 February 2020
Location:	Club Lux, Melville
Synopsis:	Happy sammiches!
Cast of Characters:	Black Widow (Belova), Piper Halliwell, Beast

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Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Lux is one of those upscale joints that manages, somehow, to breathe decadence without actually tipping the scales. Could be the mix of leather and vaguely Middle Eastern decor that puts someone in mind of far off locales. The top-shelf drinks and impressive liquor menu certainly ought to count. Dimmed lighting invites intimate confessions and softer conversations under the murmur of music, which is a far cry from the dive bars on the Lower East Side or almost violent assault on the senses from some of the area's dance clubs. Not that dancing is absent here. Really, look for any kind of sin and it's here.

But sinners must have their angels. Yelena clearly fits that bill with copper hair pulled back in a harsh ponytail. Her face is warm and animated while she prowls the length of the bar, collecting a few stray glasses. Wine, mostly, or the mixed sort in a tulip glass. A smile beckons as she sashays round the end of the bar, placing the glassware into a dishwasher to be cleaned, steamed, and sanitized. She looks like what she is: a bohemian spirit somehow employed at a place like this.

Piper Halliwell has posed:
Piper Halliwell, P3 owner, is here too. P3 is open but Piper's not there. Instead, she's scouting bands. Or rather, more accurately, taking a brak from it. Wearing her usual gear of elegance and practicality, she's got her hair untied and looks over the club with brown eyes. Eyes that alight on the Bohemian spirit for a moment. Piper has magic in her veins, and looks around the club, then shakes her hair out.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy doesn't often come all the way out to Jersey. But there was a Bushwick kid he helped get a job here, and that kid needed help getting home. So he's here. Before heading back, he walks into a club, with the intent of getting food. The wide, barefoot, blue man squeezes in, hands on his hips, deciding if this is someplace he can achieve that.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Jersey's pretty far for a girl living in New York. But the pay is good and that counts for something when dealing with godawful NYC rent. Yelena dips down behind the bar for a moment to pull out a fluffy white cloth. Folded in half, it plops soft as a cloud onto the polished bar. She stands back up a moment later, fussing over a spot that hasn't even had the thought to think about drying, forming anything watery. A poem of a smile greets anyone coming close to the serpentine arc of space with its accompanying stools. "Welcome," she calls out, clearly not a native to round here. Not with that accent, that announces itself to probably be somewhere around Ukrainian. Russian? Could just be either without a talented ear to tell them apart. She rocks on her toes, giving a warmer smile at Piper. "Would you like a menu? Or do you know what already you would like?" Those little grammatical imperfections are going to be a fact of life. She glances up for a moment. Henry's hard to miss, being sizeable. But no one on security or staff seems to be too worried so neither is she.

Piper Halliwell has posed:
Piper smiles. "Hey, yeah a menu please" she offers with a grin. "I'm off work tonight so I came here to see how good it is" she says. Oh that's mostly true. She's just not saying she's here to scout bands. Shee raises an eyebrow to the Russian woman with a nod. "Are drinks in the menu?" she asks gently. Piper's saving her snark for later. Much. MUCH later though.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy is somewhat recognizable. Hearing Yelena, he'll step up as well. "Excuse me, I'd like to see a menu if I may?" he asks. "One of those nights, just looking to eat a bit."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
The menu's in two parts, one for the array of food. Yelena slides along the horseshoe to claim one of the drink menus set aside by previous patrons, deftly palming a tip left behind. "Here you are," she replies to Piper. Both are set down in front of her. Another pair pulled out from a concealed shelf receive a quick inspection. They're spotless, no creases or scratches anywhere. These she offers to Hank. "Page one has the entrees and appetizers. Behind, the desserts. The drink menu is here." And it's extensive, probably more than the food. "Anything you do not see, ask me for? I can figure it out." Her bright smile carries that bubbly vivacity that practically fizzes all the way to her fingertips. "Anything special for today?"

Piper Halliwell has posed:
Piper nods, looking thankful then looks to and through the drink menu studying it.

"Coffee please, two sugars, no milk" she says with a smile. Watching them all Piper waves to Hank as if she knows him.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy does stand at the bar. Being here on a whim, he has no idea of the SEATS at the bar could actually hold him undamaged. Standing fortunately is fine for him. He takes a moment to consider the menu. Nodding to Yelena, turning toward her a bit, he hums. "Thank you. I'll have uh, 8 sliders, 2 baskets of fries, 2 filet, three fried twinkies, and a coke. Thank you." Handing the menu back, he looks around to those near him, nodding to Piper with a faint smile.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
"I am not sure we have Twinkies, but I can ask. Amazing what chefs can find." With a delighted grin, the bartender takes the menus and swivels with an unconscious ease. Her black apron tied around her waist forms an intricate bow, hanging with a single old-fashioned skeleton key. Yelena doesn't actually write any of that down. "Only a moment, if you will? I am Elena, if you need anything." It doesn't rhyme perfectly with Helena, longer on the middle syllable. The swish of her key and her ponytail mark her blithe, easy movements out from behind the bar to signal one of the waitresses at large. The horseshoe is freestanding; she has no way to the kitchen other than leave people. That won't happen. A minute or two later, she's back, snuggling up to the coffee machine to pour a devilish dark roast and adulterated it with nothing but affection. Cream comes on the side, properly in a chilled glass pourer instead of metal. A few cubes of sugar are set to the side, this brought back for Piper. Coke is much easier. She needs only to pick up the sinuous bottle, flipping the cap off with perfunctory grace. It spins and bounces into a dish full of a few. One glass with ice procured, she slides those over to Hank with her gaze full of mirth. "For sir and ma'am. The fries will be out soon."

Piper Halliwell has posed:
Once the coffee's set down, Piper places sugar cubes in and waits. She's waiting on the sugar to dissolve, and adds a dash or two of cream, settling back and stirring the coffee quietly. Ordering a sandwich, she smiles. Ham, cheese and tomatoes eally. Piper's easy to please, but she's a cook herself and knows what she's doing.

She sips the coffee, looking pleased and nods.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy grins to Yelena. "Find me those Twinkies and it's tips all around, miss." Then settling in. Lifting the coke, he sips. "Thanks much." Then to Piper "Good evening."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena laughs softly on her round across the opposite arm of the bar from where Piper sits and Henry stands. The check-in on her other patrons doesn't take very long, and neither is she the kind to linger over them. A waitress flitting up requires attention that she readily gives, taking a bottle of vodka out from the ground-level cooler and pouring out two fingers' worth over ice in a chilled glass. That gets shuttled on its way while she meanders her way back. "Not too long now. The carved sandwiches are worth the wait." Confidence-building, her smooth motions convey that bouncy ease.

Piper Halliwell has posed:
Piper nods listening to the talk of sandwiches. Yes please. She looks pleased at the idea of sandwiches and relaxes and looks to Hank, then the bar as she smiles, shaking her head. "So what's the deal with this club anyhow? It's peaceful in here" she says gently looking pleased and relieved, coffee in her hand, she sips it watching everyone over the rim of her coffee cup.

Looking over the coffee after setting it back down, Piper adds another dash of creamer and stirs it.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy leans over the bar and gets to eating. "Thanks again." to Yelena. "If you find them, you have my eternal gratitude. Pass it on." Then back to Piper. "I can't say I know myself. This just happened to be in the neighborhood of where I was dropping off a kid for a night job."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
"Careful, eternity is a long time," Yelena cautions, but it's all in good fun. Swiping a lock off her brow that managed to sneak free from the ponytail, she tops off Piper's coffee and Hank's Coke. "Lux is meant to be a haven, somewhere upscale without having pretension? I think it is rooted more in the Old World. Like the cafes where you would have people reading, talking, drinking. Maybe they would dance. Excellent music, good food. Vienna and Istanbul are full of them, and so much of Italy. It feels special, doesn't it?"