14645/A Lonely Christmas

A Lonely Christmas
Date of Scene:	25 December 2022
Location:	The Bronze, Sunnydale
Synopsis:	Another lonely Christmas or maybe not?
Cast of Characters:	Faith Lehane, Thomas Raith

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Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>While most families were gathered together for a warm and cozy Christmas Eve night, or are at least rushing home to their loved ones..Not everyone has a real home to run to, or friends or family. The Bronze is usually pretty cheerful and filled with people, but on Christmas Eve night, even this place is pretty dead. There are only maybe three or four people in the entire club.\<br\>\<br\>Upstairs, shrouded almost entirely in darkness, a lone candle burns by the window where a lone occupant sits, sipping on her sixth beer for the night, staring out the window rather forlornly. She had neither friends nor family, not even a sweetheart to go home to. Just some dumpy rat infested little motel where the heating was currently broken on this frosty blizzardy Christmas Eve.Maybe she can hide under a table or something, stay here the night.\<br\>\<br\>"Merry Christmas to me.." she mutters, holding up her can to thin air. Well, maybe she'll get drunk and pass out.

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>"Merry Christmas indeed," Comes the voice from several feet behind her. A familier one to be certain. Thomas isn't in white tonight, or a suit for that matter having traded it in for blue jeans and a black t-shirt that likely still cost as much as a week at that motel she was lamenting. "I come bearing gifts," He says with a casual ease he usually displays. And indeed he is holding two items. The first is obviously a bottle of booze, wrapped in white and red paper with a drunken reindeer on it. The second box isn't wrapped. It is Tiffany blue, hinged. Way too big to be a ring or bracelet though. Perhaps a necklace? though with Thomas it's impossible to tell. "Mind if i join you?"

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane arches a surprised brow as she hears that voice, smirking a bit at the sight of the achingly handsome man. "Thomas, what the hell you doing here? Don't need your pity party, I'll do just fine on my own. Heck, I'm having a hell of a time.." she waves a hand at all the empty beer cans, grabbing another and popping it open.\<br\>\<br\>"Sure, why not? It's a free world, I suppose..What you got there?" she arches a curious brow at the box.

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Thomas Raith chuckles taking the seat and placing the gifts on the table in front of her. "Well the Lady is shut down till New Years eve, my brother is in Tolsa for reasons I can not fathom, and I got bored." He shakes his head slightly, "This place...always give me Deja vu. I come here sometimes to try to figure out why but," He shrugs. "Well are you going to open them?

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane arches a surprised brow at him, trying to appear casual, even though a small smile tugs at her blood red tinged lips..Perhaps she is secretly happy to see him, though she'd never admit it. "Really? I figured the Blue Lady would be putting on some extravagant Christmas Party, or at the very least you were at your apartment, tending to a group of gorgeous girls for a private Christmas Eve banquet or some such shit." \<br\>\<br\>She shrugs again, taking another long sip of her beer, Unlike Buffy, she has a higher tolerance for alcohol it seems. Upon prompting, Faith shrugs and nonchalantly tears open the one that is obviously some kind of wine bottle and laughs, "Well gee thanks, just what I needed, to get more drunk.." It's hard to tell if she's being serious or joking, Afterall, Faith really does enjoy her liquor and she takes a moment to inspect the bottle, still hesitant to open the second one.\<br\>\<br\>"Seriously, you didn't need to go to the trouble. I didn't even get you anything.."

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Not wine actually, but whiskey. Or at least burbon, specifically a large bottle of Johnny Walker Blue label. A $200 bottle of booze. "I asked the staff if they wanted a party or just the night off. They chose the night off. Axe especially wanted to get home to his kid, and I think Smash has a new boyfriend." He shrugs a bit, "And I didn't expect you to get me anything, it's a present not a quid pro quo."

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane arches a brow, inspecting the booze, "Wow, this stuff is expensive."she grins and begins to unscrew it, pouring them both a glass, "Well gee, I'm flattered that you chose me over a gaggle of sexy girls..Or maybe you know where to find the really good stuff, hmm?" she wriggles her brows playfully at him as she raises her glass to chink against his.\<br\>\<br\>"Well then..How about a toast..To..Us..?" she deliberately leaves it open ended, not entirely sure what 'they' even are. But what the hell he's clearly playing some significant role in her life lately.

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Thomas Raith chuckles a bit at that, raising his glass to her in salute and answering her pseudo question with his own toast. "Here is to...quality over quantity, hmm?" He says with a grin and sips the drink. "Empty night that is smooth." He says a moment later with a chuckle. "Well go ahead and open the other one, I saw them and immediately thought of you. I would have given them to you on your birthday, but I have no clue when that is." He adds with a smirk.

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane takes a moment to sip her new, more expensive drink, letting the smooth liquid roll down her throat, warming her a bit. It's pretty cold out there with a blizzard rolling in and all. "Quality over quantity, hmm?"she laughs, "Is that why you're here, over extended yourself and needed a quick pick me up? As if I'd just let you feed on me with nothing in return.."\<br\>\<br\>She rolls her eyes, snatching the second gift, unwrapping it slowly, "December 14..It was last week. But I don't really celebrate my birthday..I mean, it's not really important I guess." she laughs, shrugging again, "Not a big deal really.."

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Imagine a set of brass knuckles, only instead of a ridge across the top it is a cesent shaped hatchet blade. There are two of the wicked looking weapons in the small box. "It's a moden take on an ancient Roman weapon called a cestus." He says amused. "The Romans were really good ath making things to hack, slash and disembowl. I thought you'd like them."

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane's eyes widen in surprise at the beautiful weapons, slipping them over her hands, flexing her fingers and she gets a feel for them. "Oh...my gosh..Thomas..This is fucking awesome..!" she laughs and leans over to give him a tight quick hug, "No one has ever given me any sort of gift, let alone something like this..Where the hell did you even get this..?"

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Thomas Raith grins a bit, returning the hug gently and chuckling, "Svartelves." he says with a shrug, "Master craftsmen, and due to an incident that involved a bomb, a trio of girls, and a man-fish-frog thing, they owed me a few favors. I decided to cash one of them in." He nods his approval at seeing the weapon on her hand. "So you do like them?" I was worried.

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane quirks a puzzled brow, "Smart elves? What the hell, some of Santa's elves owed you a favor? That's the craziest assed story I've ever heard.." she shakes her head in disbelief, having pulled off the gloves and she slips them in her bag for safe keeping. "Are you kidding me? I love them! And..I'm still kinda surprised you got me such an awesome gift and not some lame thing like a necklace or something." she smirks.\<br\>\<br\>"Of course, I still have nothing to give you in return..I mean..Not like I'm in the habit of giving gifts but.." her smirk slips just a bit, peering thoughtfully at him. "You know..Christmas and all..Kinda makes me look bad.."

Thomas Raith has posed:\<br\>Thomas Raith chuckles a little bit, "Honestly Faith, it's okay. Don't worry about it." He gives her shoulder a firm squeeze. "Svartelves. With a V. They are Norse I think." He shrugs a bit and tilts his head. "So, if you haven't got any place better, you could crash at my place tonight if you like. I promise no drunken bachlorette parties will be there tonight."

Faith Lehane has posed:\<br\>Faith Lehane laughs and shakes her head, "No sweat, I wasn't worried. Besides I'm sure you have something else in mind when I crash at your pad tonight, hmm?" she wriggles her brows playfully at him, downing the rest of the drink with a grin before slipping the bottle in her bag as well. Looks like that's a yes then. "Hope you brought one of your fancy cars, looks like a pretty bad storm, unless you planned to wait it out with me here..Alone in the darkness.." she grins wickedly.