drinking myself into excess

[Marcus Wraysford]

Struggling with the bottle opener for a sec (in his defence he’d already consumed one too many shots of Sambuca) Marcus finally pulled out the wine bottle’s cork and raised both arms over his head in celebration, “Woo!” before quickly filling Lacey’s outstretched glass without needing to be asked. The wine sloshing quickly into the glass he filled it practically to the brim before flopping back down on the sofa and reaching for his own empty to fill up. “Ooookay, plan for tonight devised by yours truly. Ready for this one because it’s complex… we drink here, we find a gay bar, we dance, we drink some more, you drink more, you do stupidly slutty things and make me proud, I keep it in my pants because I really probably should before my sister actually enrols me on a course in valuing your own self-worth. Huzzah, everyone’s a winner!” he enthused, nodding quickly and repeatedly in the hope of her blindly agreeing to his obviously extremely thought-out plan.

Taking a large sip of his wine, “Any flaws?” he enquired innocently, patently expecting no arguments to this or criticism. He just wanted Lacey to be happy, okay, and he reckoned at least giving ‘making out with a hot stranger’ a go would be beneficial to her. He struggled clumsily for a second to try to sit cross-legged (skinny jeans were something he should really just ditch asap) before giving it up as a bad job and re-situating himself so his legs were hanging over the arm of the sofa, swinging absent-mindedly, whilst he ran a hand through his hair. "Also, do me a favour, Holloway? Take custody of my phone so I don't text any exes, 'kay?"

[Lacey Holloway]

Lacey perched on the arm of their sofa, sipping delicately from her practically overflowing wine glass. She was slightly less tipsy than Marcus, but still inhabited that stage of drinking where all of her thoughts and feelings felt pleasantly fuzzy and ultimately unimportant. She had stopped obsessing over what she would actually do if she got a girl's number, or -- and was this even a possibility? -- received an invite back to her place. Instead, Lacey could focus on the exciting prospect of lips and curves and soft un-stubbled faces, of kissing someone because she wanted to, and not as part of some bizarre performance piece that might as well be titled, 'Hey Everybody! Look how heterosexual I am today!' Not one to project enthusiasm, however, she just gave a blasé head tilt. "This better be good, babe. I could be watching the last episode of Orange is the New Black."

Lacey took Marcus' request as an invitation to pick up his phone, and flicked absently through his contacts. "Ew, why do you still have The Dickhead in here?" she asked before helpfully changing her poor friend's most recent shitty ex's name to 'Dickhead'. "Much better."

She put her wine glass down, took a look down at her little black dress and five-inch heels and groaned before stomping into her bedroom while dramatically flinging the dress over her head. It was a display Marcus had already seen countless times -- she was notoriously indecisive when it came to her outfits, and trying to attract women had thrown a whole new wrench into the operation. She'd gone to gay bars with her flatmate before, but had never bothered to approach anyone, and figured that all the lesbians assumed she was his 'straight best friend' who 'just wants to dance to Lady Gaga without being hit on!!!' Lacey marched back into the sofa area, hair pulled back and now wearing jeans, pristine Converse that had obviously never been worn, a pinstriped waistcoat and a jaunty little hat, everything newly purchased and carefully matched to produce almost an exact replica of something she'd seen Ellen Page wear once. It was all very silly and try-hard, and surely normal lipsticked Lacey was someone's type, but she was feeling nervous and ridiculous and desperate to feel like she belonged.

[Marcus Wraysford]

Marcus was used enough to Lacey to know that blasé meant she was actually secretly almost a little bit verging on enthusiasm. “I organised it, of course it’s going to be good. Besides, you’re not allowed to watch that until I catch up to where you are with it,” he warned her, serious finger-point her way and everything, regarding Orange is the New Black. He’d been working quite a lot of shifts lately and his ‘to watch’ queue on Netflix was getting alarmingly long for a young man who once upon a time could procrastinate with the best of them. That was before he’d started to work out a lot more with Kyle (and Kyle’s cousin) and that really cut into his free time. The sacrifices he made to subtly check out Aaron’s abs at the end of their run was astounding, frankly, he deserved a medal at the very least. He was momentarily distracted by this predicament of his, so much so that he didn’t manage to swipe his iPhone from Lacey before she could pick it up. “Laaaaace,” he protested feebly, his arm swinging in her direction to snatch it back but there wasn’t exactly much energy behind it.

“Which Dickhead?” he asked innocently, taking a large sip of wine. It was a legitimate question, to be fair, he had dated (and not so much dated as much as went-home-with) quite a few individuals who could easily stake a claim to that title. He also didn’t delete them from his contacts. Call him ‘sentimental’… or ‘wont to drunk text’ – both were, sadly, accurate. “Where are you- Lacey- you-” he sighed heavily and left off his protests as he caught sight of the LBD being flung off over his flatmate’s head. He’d witnessed this way too many times. Frankly, he was surprised she’d even lasted this long in that particular outfit choice. Marcus left her to it, however, and just readjusted his position on the sofa so he could drink the wine without spilling it all over his shirt. He may have had a little too much to drink. His gaze followed her impassively as she re-entered the room and out of respect for how difficult he knew she still found this, he waited a whole minute before opening his mouth. For Marcus, this was a struggle and a sacrifice. But he did like Lacey and wanted to see her happy.

He shuffled forward to rest his wineglass on the floor. Putting down his alcoholic beverage? A sure sign he meant business and had something ~important~ to say. “Okay I love you, you know that so, I’m saying this because I love you… just remember that. What’s with the… Ellen Page look? Don’t get me wrong, you know, excellently styled but… where’s the Lace we all know and love? The one that owns the heels that induce my vertigo just by looking at them? And who does not let that little black dress wear her but wears the shit out of that LBD? And that has the bright lipstick that draws attention to her lips? Which fyi are awesome so you should definitely work that angle,” he held his hands up, half in apology and half in defence in case she decided to take offence to his well-meaning words which, yes, could have probably been a tad more sensitive but they were pretty comfortable expressing opinions of each other to their face by now.

[Lacey Holloway]

The edges of Lacey's mouth twitched slightly. Normally she'd snap at anyone who dared question her wardrobe choices, but she'd grown comfortable with Marcus: he was one of the very few people on this Earth who made her feel like she could let her guard down. Furthermore, she actually believed him when he said nice things to her. "Ugh, fine. Compromise? Jeans and high-heeled boots. And I'll get my tits out," Lacey muttered while holding a low-cut top up to her torso.

"It's just... no one knows I'm gay, you know?" she sighed. It was the first time she'd ever called herself gay to Marcus -- out loud, anyway -- but decided to breeze past the moment rather than make a big deal out of it. "Like, besides you. And my family. And like, Lil and Justin and all their friends... and Netflix, I'm pretty sure." Judging by her recommended films, anyway: in addition to "Quirky Black Comedies" and "Dramas Featuring a Strong Female Lead", the streaming site had apparently caught on to her vested interest in the Sapphic arts. And, okay, so maybe a good amount of people knew she was gay, and things like, well... making out with girls would make it abundantly clear soon enough. She was nervous, is all.

Trying to change the subject, Lacey stole Marcus' phone again and held it up in the air, hoping he was too tipsy to snatch it back. "Sooo you wanted me to text Aaron and Justin and ask them if they're down for a three-way, right?" she teased him, pretending to type.

[Marcus Wraysford]

Marcus let out a soft, amused snort, “Hey, look I’m not the man to ask whether tits-out works or not, but I believe conventional wisdom says it does,” he offered with an easy shrug and a friendly smile. So, no physical harm for daring to suggest she might be overthinking her wardrobe choices just a tad, that was a result. And the ‘advice’ of sorts did come from a place of love, so he just wanted to see his lovely and awesome flatmate get laid (not literally), was that a crime?

Leaning forward to retrieve his wine glass, “Honey, you’re gay, I’m gay, we’re all gay,” he piped up, a carelessly waving hand meant to somehow illustrate this point though what precise illustration would serve to enhance his words was a mystery. He took a sip of wine. He was accepting and encouraging, in his own little way. “Well if Netflix knows, it’s time for the world to know. And nothing says gay like getting off with a member of the same sex. Just saying.” Marcus waited a beat before asking, purposely making his voice as casual as one possibly could given the words he was saying, "Sooo is that all cool now, the family thing I mean?"

“Heeeey,” he protested, swiping a hand in her general direction but, all things considered, not really that bothered about her taking possession of his phone. Because what damage could she really do with it that he couldn’t inflict himself after another glass of wine had been consumed? “Heh. Yeah, ‘bout that. I might’ve accidentally done that once already, hence why you’re taking my phone away from me when I’m drinking. Okay maybe not those exact people but… Kyle was involved. Awkward.” He scrunched up his nose, “The Aaron thing might be a touch awkward on, oh you know, account of him being straighter than a ruler, as game for it as I’m sure Justin would be,” he lapsed into sarcasm on the last bit, luxuriously rolling his eyes to complete the gesture. “Is this your way of distracting me from your plight? Because it’s working.”

[Lacey Holloway]

"Come on, I thought everyone liked tits," Lacey laughed before quickly changing her top and raising her eyebrows as she awaited on his opinion (on her outfit choice, not tits). She flopped down on the sofa, tugging at the pair of high-heeled boots that she'd kicked underneath the furniture after coming home from their last night out. She then gave a nonchalant shrug at Marcus' question about her family. "Ugh, I guess. My dad doesn't care. And like, whatever, my mum will come around. Why does she even care if I'm getting dick, you know? Gross. And like, apparently my sisters are pretty lax with the whole birth control thing, so it's not like she's going to have any shortage of grandchildren..."

"Wait, what? You had a three-way with Kyle?" Lacey asked in confusion (she may have been slightly drunker than she thought). "He might be game, you don't know that..." she mumbled, blowing straight past his accusation that she was trying to shift attention away from herself. "Wait, okay. Fuck/Marry/Kill out of Aaron, Justin and Kyle. Assuming like, fluid sexuality or whatever."

[Marcus Wraysford]

Marcus just shrugged, “Sorry Lace. I tried, Merlin knows I tried,” he pretended to despair at not finding tits just so appealing. Then he leaned against the back cushion of the sofa and gave her an enthusiastic thumbs-up, “Perfect!” he enthused with a warm smile as she searched for her boots underneath the sofa.

He looked sideways at her, taking a sip of wine and nodding along as she explained about the family situation. Because he knew she didn’t want to make a big deal out of it all… but he just wanted to make sure relations were okay, the Holloway kids might be ridiculously loyal to each other and ready to jump down Mrs Holloway’s throat for all her criticisms but it was one thing to have uber supportive siblings and then have the support of your parents. Something he’d never received nor expected now from his remaining relations in the form of his grandparents. He was sure they were still hoping to brainwash him into being straight, if pointed requests for him to ‘bring a nice girl home to meet them’ proved anything. “I hope she does, for what it’s worth,” he mumbled, before letting out a half-hearted laugh, “Yeah… I always find it a bit weird that, when you examine it, it’s your parents being worried about you not knowing the joy of dick. Which are boundless… but yeah…” his grin became more amused then.

“Yeah, totally... in my dreams!” Marcus snorted with laughter at her misunderstanding. “Mmm well I don’t know all of Biermann’s hopes and dreams and innermost thoughts but something tells me he would not be game for that. Call it a hunch if you will.” He dramatically widened his eyes then at her FMK suggestion, “Are you serious? It’s like Sophie’s Choice…” he broke off wistfully, staring into the middle-distance as if this was the most excruciating decision he’d ever have to make. Which it kind of was. “If we’re assuming fluid sexuality then… I’d have to marry Aaron, he cooks and cleans and shit. Plus he can put on one-man Broadway shows for me when I’m bored. And that face? Yeah I want those genetics in my kids,” he explained seriously, blowing past all the ridiculous bits of every statement he was making. Well, it was hypothetical! “I’d probably fuck Justin. What, I’m curious what he's like in the sack, okay? And I’d have to kill Kyle because… sigh. Even if that boy turned out to be gay he would not hook up with me. I’ve been firmly relegated to the benches on that one, Lace, assuming fluid sexuality or not.”

He paused and then dropped his head into hands, “Ohmygod I can’t believe I’ve just hypothetically killed one of my best friends, I’m a terrible person.” Melodramatic as ever. “See now I'd ask you a Fuck Marry Kill back but I have zero clue on who is your type. Do you now see the problem with you not making out with girls in front of me?!?” Marcus joked.

[Elena Biermann]

Elena found the hide-a-key and let herself into Marcus’ place. She had been invited by Lacey who had called her earlier. It had taken Elena longer to clean up from all the goo and slim, not to mention the dirt. She had taken about three showers and still felt like there were leaves in her hair smudges of dirt on her face. Her training session with Owen Mason as her mentor had not gone as planned today. I mean technically she did capture the beast she was supposed to without harming it….but she had fallen down while running away from it, and gotten slimed by it. Her version of ‘capturing it’ definitely did not have the stealth involved that they had wanted whoever ‘they’ were.

Elena was wearing her usual knit hat. She could hear voices, and set down her bag near the door. Following the voices she found Marcus and Lacey drinking on the sofa. Marcus was playing FMK and she smiled to hear her brother was on the list….and wasn’t being killed at least. “So you’d fuck my brother hmmmm?” she teased Marcus eyebrows raised. Elena made a beeline for the glasses and the wine. She poured herself a glass and took a thoughtful sip. The tenseness seemed to relax from her shoulders a bit. “Okay I want to play,” she flopped down beside Marcus. “Lacey who would you want to Fuck/Marry/Kill?” she tapped her wine glass clearly trying to think very hard on this. “Me,” she laughed, “No I’m joking….okay who would you want to Fuck/Marry/Kill between Natasha, Grace, or Sam,” she asked taking another sip of her wine. Elena was really trying to see what Lacey’s type was more than anything. She had some idea having been friends with Lacey for a long time, they had both confided in one another on certain crushes. Hers had been Kevin, which was still completely absurd to her, and confusing. Her mind drifted away from the plucky Hit wizard and back to the game as she looked between Marcus and Lacey.

((ooc: Hope that was okay, let me know if I need to change anything.))

[Lacey Holloway]

Lacey waved at Elena, sliding over on the sofa so there was room for the three of them to comfortably drink and dish. "Justin would probably want to roleplay as, like, Winston Churchill and FDR," she mused while swishing her wine around, before shooting a belated 'oh, sorry' glance at Elena for loudly speculating about her older brother's sexual proclivities.

She regarded Elena over the top of her glass, feeling a quick shot of panic as the girl suggested her own name -- though she quickly relaxed as her real choices were revealed. She'd grown comfortable with Elena; she and Marcus were two of the only people she felt she could discuss these things with. "Hmmm, fuck Grace," she spoke confidently, as she'd been nursing a crush on the girl for months. "Marry Nat, obviously, because she has an amazing shoe collection and we wear the same size. Duh." And, well, Natasha was also the first person she'd ever felt true attraction for, when she suddenly realized that she'd rather kiss the pretty blonde girl than get drunkenly slobbered on by Nat's brother. "Kill Sam, because two fiery redheads put together? We'd clearly murder each other within the year. That's why Marcus and I would never work out, right babe?" she joked, ignoring the two very obvious reasons why she and Marcus would not, and could not, ever get together.

"Your turn," Lacey said, pointing her glass in Elena's direction. "Kevin," she said, her tone barely masking her disapproval of this choice, "Mason, or Owen?"

[Marcus Wraysford]

Marcus looked up as Elena appeared, “Hey hey Biermann in the house!” he enthused tipsily, colouring only slightly as she caught him in the act of fucking her brother, only hypothetically speaking of course. The fact he didn’t go bright red was a testament to how comfortable he felt around Elena plus the fact he was past the feeling any shame barrier thanks to the second glass of wine he was now diligently working on.

“Yeah I’d shag him. I’m just a curious, curious soul, okay?” he claimed, the epitome of innocence, before snorting loudly in amusement at his flatmate’s suggestion, “I could work with the FDR-Churchill thing. I’ve probably done weirder so…” he shrugged it off. Then his brain started wondering how exactly political roleplay would go. Which was why he was off in his own little imaginary world until Lacey gave her answers to Elena’s FMK challenge. He nodded supportively at her choices, all highly logical clearly, and then looked to her wistfully. “Babe. Why must you say these hurtful things?” touching a hand to chest in a gesture of hurt, “We could’ve had it aaaaaaaaall-” he sang out, drawing out the last note to make Adele proud, before nodding sagely, “She’s right though. I mean, imagine the children.”

He took another large gulp of his wine and then grinned around his glass as his fellow redhead made some excellent suggestions. Balancing his glass on the arm of the sofa to clap excitedly he turned his gaze on Elena expectantly, “Oh how I love this game,” he chuckled.

[Elena Biermann]

“Ewww gross, I do not want to hear about my brother’s exploits,” Elena feigned dramatically looking at Marcus. She really didn’t. She just wanted her brother to get some and not hear about it. She had been hoping that maybe Marcus and Justin would see sense and go at it like rabbits but that day had yet to come. I mean her brother and one of her best friends, what could go wrong?

Elena smiled at Lacey’s choices knowing they were the truth. A part of her really wanted to somehow get Grace and Lacey together. Yes, sometimes Elena could be a bit of a matchmaker. Of course there was the adorable Sam and Elena knew that Grace was in love with her, really, really in love with her, even if that broody bartender didn’t say it enough. “You and Nat together would be dangerous. I mean just think, the two of you brilliant minds, we should all just fear for our lives,” she teased. Natasha could sometimes act ‘blonde’ but she was certainly far from stupid.

She took another sip of her wine and looked between Marcus and Lacey. "Yeah Lace, look what you're giving up." She gestured to Marcus's face, "I mean look at that face!" she teased dramatically and then began to laugh after Marcus sang Adele.

Her amusement was quickly stifled by Lacey's suggestions. Panic rose inside her at the fist name. Kevin. ‘Marry Kevin,’ it was the first thought to pop into her head which she immediately chided herself for. It was the most idiotic ridiculous idea ever! She couldn’t handle being serious about this FMK challenge and so instead she decided to be playful. “Fuck Owen, although I’m sure that crosses some sort of disciplinarian line sleeping with your teacher,” she joked, “Marry Mason, because I’d get free drinks for eternity,” she added light heartedly, “And kill Kevin, because, well, I’ve tried the first, and the second could never work.” There was at least some truth to that.

[Lillian Turner]

Apparating outside of Lacey Holloways house, Lillian stared at the door and wondered what on earth she was doing here? She raised her hand several times to knock before dropping it in what could only be described as fear.
Lillian Turner was scared to knock on a door. Lillian Turner who surfed down staircases, drank unlabelled potions for a bet, took an overdose of narcotics because someone said she wouldnt, was scared to knock on a door. Lillian Turner who jumped from a 3rd floor window, ran across a railway track when a train was approaching & who told her gay best friend she was in love with him was scared to knock on a girls door.

She felt pathetic for a second before shaking her head, taking a deep breath and knocking hard upon the door with three sharp knocks. "Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit" she muttered, looking around to see if she could run off quickly & be unnoticed when she heard someone approaching, her heart beat faster as she smoothed her hair down, ready to greet whoever answered, secretly hoping Lacey wasnt home so she wouldnt have to embarrass herself any further.

(ooc, I thought it'd be interesting if Lil decided to act on her 'maybe feelings' for Lacey?!)

[Lacey Holloway]

"I assumed Walsh was terrible in the sack, but bad enough to make murder preferable? Damn, girl," Lacey said while getting up to pour herself another glass of wine, barely able to contain her approving smirk at Elena's wise choices. She set her glass down and, hearing a loud knocking sound, sprinted off to answer the door. "Marcussss, your threesome is hereeeee!" she shouted in a sing-song.

Lacey pulled the door open and stumbled backward with a slight drunken giggle. She stared at Lillian for a second before unconsciously checking herself -- was her hair a mess? Lipstick smudged? Bra showing? Oh God, she probably had red wine teeth. "Did Marcus...?" she trailed off, waving her hand in the vague direction of her flatmate. Of course he had invited her, he must have. He'd heard about Lacey's little bonding session with Lillian and was about to watch her make an ass out of herself in front of some probably-straight girl. Ugh. Suddenly realizing how rude she was being, Lacey quickly waved the other girl in.

"Okay, come on, in you get. White or red?" she asked, holding up two wine bottles. "We're playing Fuck Marry Kill. I thiiiiink someone should ask Marcus another, yes?" Lacey smiled innocently at her poor put-upon friend. "For what it's worth, we already know that he'd fuck Justin as part of some twisted World War Two strategy themed roleplay."

[Lillian Turner]

Taking a deep breath as the door opened, Lillian held it for a second a she registered who had opened it, exhaling deeply as she realised it was Lacey, her eyes following the wave of her hand before she shook her head, she couldnt remember who Marcus was & let her mouth fall open, trying to find something to say before closing it swiftly, following Lacey in to the house.

"I...I was just home alone so I thought...we had a....we're mates now so I thought I'd force my company upon you, make you feel like my other mates" Lillian rambled on, eyes darting towards Marcus & Elena before she smiled at them, her eyes narrowing at Marcus slightly, "Boris?" she asked, sure he'd been present when she'd told Justin all about Lacey & her meeting.

"I'll drink anything. Literally...anything. If you dare me to drink anything, I'll drink it. Im kinda...stupid that way. Im not supposed to drink though, not since the accident with the Speed. But what Mum doesnt know...right?" she smiled, wondering if they could tell she had a big ladyboner for Lacey.