☠ 062

[molotov]

Who: Molotov and you, maybe
What: Fireside sitting in the lobby, thinking, talking, drinking
When: The middle of the damn night!
Where: Lobby
Rating: Ehhh probably like PG-13 at most

The lobby never really got silent, not with the noctural residents and everyone who seemed to come and go at all hours, but it did get quiet if you waited up late enough, and Molotov needed a little bit of quiet.

Sure, she could have stayed up in her room, could have sat in bed next to Brock as he slept, even though she couldn't sleep herself. But something about it made her want to leave, want to just be in front of the beautiful, if slightly "majestic generic", fireplace down in the lobby.

So she'd put on some pajamas and wandered downstairs, taking a seat on the sofa closest the fire. The castle provided a blanket to cover her legs with, and a mug of red wine hot chocolate that never seemed to need refilling, and Molotov couldn't help but think it was the nicest thing the castle had done in a while.

And there she sat, alone and silent, gazing into the flames as the lobby traffic died out more and more.

Until you came along.

Comments

[molotov]

He should be envious, Molotov feels pretty excellent right now. Red wine hot chocolate is maybe the best, and she doesn't know why she didn't think to ever drink it before.

Molotov is quiet for a moment, then starts to laugh, her eye closing tightly again. When she recovers, she just smiles at him, hair falling across her face. "You are so stupid," she says, with something close to affection.

[gottaknockhard]

He'd have an easier time not faking that smile back if he had his taste for alcohol again, but he takes a swig from his mug just in case. Just because he can't, doesn't mean he shouldn't see it as an opportunity though. What are odds that he'll catch her in this good of a mood again?

"Makes you wonder why you're asking me."

[molotov]

Molotov shrugs, keeping hold of her mug with one hand as she uses the other to prop her head up, her elbow on the back of the couch. His chances of finding her this happy again are very low, considering.

"You are the only one here, aren't you?"

[gottaknockhard]

She has a point. He is the only option, even when she's dressed like that. That could explain why she's willing to substitute anyone in place of being alone.

"Surprisingly." Not even throwing in a mocking tone. If she wants to talk, they can talk. "I'm sure everyone else would put a more positive spin on it."

[molotov]

Probably everyone is used to Molotov Cocktease being practically naked all the time at this point. So it's not really saying anything to point out her state of dress. In fact, this is conservative for her.

"Everyone else is even more stupid," she tells him, matter-of-factly. "I do not think the castle is the big evil that most people do, but I do not think there is much of a 'positive spin' for it, either."

[gottaknockhard]

It's a sad world when a woman gets overlooked for wearing another boring skimpy outfit. Not that Spike has ever been one to stare, but he's man enough to admit to her redeeming qualities. At least when she's cutting him a break.

His smile turns more genuine at her reply. "I'll take that as a compliment."

[molotov]

I mean, she could start wearing a nun's habit? Surely she'd turn some heads that way! No, it's also just that everyone also already knows she's bitchy, so why bother? No matter how hot a woman is, someone somewhere is tired of her horrible shit.

There's another chuckle and a smile, and she takes a drink from her mug. "You weren't always so bad," she says. "We used to like each other."

[gottaknockhard]

Some people do have a thing for nuns. Let Brock deal with the questions.

Now he's apparently winning her over, because that definitely sounded like a compliment. He'd bring up how it wasn't his fault that she had to get friendly with someone who wants him dead, but why spoil the moment?

"Did we?" For the first week or two? It's hard to remember that far back.

[molotov]

Spike's personal drama is not any of Molotov's business! He should never have held that against her, she still strongly contends that. And it's not like she hangs out with Vicious anymore anyway -- she hasn't since his original stay in Paradisa.

"Ages ago. Before Brock built the cabin."

[gottaknockhard]

That certainly helps her cause; he figures he would have found out by now if they were still getting together. He's too possessive of his friends.

"The cabin might have done it then." Spike can remember a few things that happened in it that he'd rather not, so it's possible.

[molotov]

Vicious was different when he came back, not the man she'd liked so much as a sparring partner. He couldn't hold her interest any more, and that left Spike with nothing to even consider.

Molotov snorts -- it's not like she'd enjoyed any of that herself, you know. In fact, it was probably even worse for her than it had been for Spike. "You and I both know that wasn't it," she says, closing her eye and settling into the sofa, though her body still faces him. "We were already broken apart before that."

She might be a little drunk to have a proper grip on terminology. Molotov, sweetie, you mean 'grown apart'.

[gottaknockhard]

Spike has noticed that he hasn't tried to frame him for murdering his associates since he got back. It's enough to make a guy feel neglected; but that's another issue to deal with.

"I was stealing a lot of your husband's time." Joking. Like that was the source of the whole thing. "I should have let you know that there was nothing going on."

[molotov]

"It was hard to tell, what with you "sleeping in his cabin" and all that," she smirks, glancing at him. "You just don't know what he is like at home. Living with all men, spending all his time with men, his best friend a big poncey queen. It can be enough to make a girl wonder sometimes."

With a small laugh, Molotov leans over to poke his leg. "And who am I to know what you like? Maybe you like all blondes."

[gottaknockhard]

Spike hasn't met a lot of Brock's other friends, and none from home that he can remember, so he had no idea if he was adding to a rumor. He's just sure enough in himself that he thinks he could put on a dress and not be confused for the other team.

All that he can laugh at, but even an innocent comment about blondes can change everything. Why do people keep saying that? "Yeah. It's a shame that couldn't work out."

[molotov]

Oh, come on, Spike. She was clearly not being vicious with that one, and besides, you make out with a redhead (who is hotter than your blonde anyway) on a semi-regular basis.

"Just wait until something happens to me." She gives a snort and smiles lazily. "He will be in your arms in no time."

[gottaknockhard]

"If only I'd known he felt the same way." His tone is so flat, but he's attempting to cover up the stupid way he tenses up whenever someone makes him think of Julia.

"Besides, I don't like to take bets on who's going first."

[molotov]

"Who said anything about a bet?" Molotov sighs, then moves down the sofa to abruptly use Spike as a pillow, leaning her head against his shoulder. Oh, hi, Mr. Spiegel. Did you not know that contented drunk Molotov is actually super affectionate and touchy? Well now you do.

She just seems tired more than anything else though, and closes her eye again. "Do you even want to go home? I do not think I do."

[gottaknockhard]

This is an unexpected development in their relationship. Being nice to him is one thing; showing vulnerability and snuggling up next to him on the couch sets off alarms. -- But there's no mistletoe drying up around them, even as he double checks to make sure. She's really just drunk.

"It's probably worse than getting a divorce, huh?" Subtly reminding her of that might be the best way to go, although he doesn't move away. Or answer her question. He does that.

[molotov]

Haha, yeah, no, that's not going to work. Molotov spends a considerable amount of time snuggled up to men who aren't her husband, actually -- Brock's sort of adopted a "don't touch and it's fine" approach to it. Just ask Ezio! But yeah, she is really just drunk.

"We cannot get divorced here anyway," she says, waving one hand vaguely. "Everyone was so sure to keep driving that point home, like we would want to get divorced. If we have not killed each other after twenty years of actively trying, why would we want a divorce? It would be like lighting up a sparkler after buying a hundred pounds of C-4."

She is also not moving, seemingly very content against Spike's stupid bony shoulder.

[gottaknockhard]

No problem. It would be a welcome change from his usual interactions with her if he can get over himself for a minute. As long as she doesn't fall asleep on him.

"You couldn't kill him, so you married him?" He's not one to ask, but sometimes curiosity wins him over when it seems better to keep her talking.

[molotov]

She might! No, she probably won't, if only because he's got no meat on his bones, but still. There's a possibility -- she's had a lot of this boozy cocoa.

"Well, he could not kill me either," she reasons. "And he killed my father, pulled out my eye... Even if I love him, he deserves to die. But I cannot do it. Every time I tried, either something lucky would happen to him and he would live, or... well, usually that was it."

[gottaknockhard]

If she'd given him more of a heads up, he would have worn shoulder pads. Or dragged her husband downstairs, one or the other.

"...I guess I can understand how you'd fall in love after that." Wow. It's no wonder Brock got to be such pals with him. Makes his story seem a lot more normal.

[molotov]

Brock will probably show up sooner or later, once he realizes that Molotov is missing. Like she's not a grown woman who's allowed to wander around the freaky castle they live in while her husband sleeps. Pfft.

"Oh no, we were already in love." She sighs happily, like this is a super romantic story and not at all filled with murder attempts. "Love at first sight, in Paris, although I think Brock remembers the timelines differently. Paris was before the Goodwill Games, he never remembers that."

[gottaknockhard]

It's sweet that she likes to tell it. Somehow he never got into the subject with Brock. That whole marriage thing was one of the few flaws he had against him, which Brock was well aware of, but there's always another side.

Suddenly it makes more sense that she would have found common ground with Vicious.

"Women usually have a better memory for those things." Look at him, being pleasant and not at all judgmental. Too bad he has nobody to brag about this to.

[molotov]

Another side, like how being in love with someone for half your life trumps your mancrush on a barely functioning adult-sized child with access to guns.

Okay, so maybe it's not that different. It's just lengths of time, really. Sorry you got there second, Spike.

She smiles, and nods a little. "Men cannot remember the details. But women do. Brock was still in training during Paris, he was with his handler. But the Goodwill Games, that was an assignment for him. I killed his partner."