♪ 'Tis What We Women Do ♪ (Closed)

[Skylar]

I like men - don't get me wrong - but I've recently learned to enjoy the company of women too. And no. Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter. I mean I have a sister. And actual flesh and blood, baby sister but I can't stand the girl. Most of the girls I knew growing up were bitches. So for me, learning that there are women out there that I actually enjoy sending time with on a social level is new. No surprise really that one of the few turned out to be Ric's sister. I wouldn't be surprised if I took a liking to his brother too, if I ever get to meet the guy. So, yeah. Valentine's is fast approaching but for tonight I have no plans. I'm not great with plans. Ric's better in that aspect than me. Yes. I can show up where I'm needed at a specific time and date but it has to mean something to me for me to store that kind of information in my memory banks. Generally - and preferably - I do what I want, when I want and tonight I kinda feel like visiting the girls upstairs. I wouldn't say we're all besties yet, but I drop in when I can. I'm generally raiding Dhara's cupboards or returning what I raided last time I was there but it's my system and it work for me. Tonight though, I'm not going there on the pretext of needing to borrow or return something, I'm just gonna knock and see if they're busy. If they are, it's no biggie. If they're not, I'm thinking a girls night in might not be so bad and since I tend to suck at those, I could definitely use the practice.
I grab a couple of snacks out of the cupboard, a bottle of whiskey from under the bed - where it lives in my duffle as Ric doesn't like me drinking - and I head for the door. Before I leave though I pause, because, ****, I need to leave a note for Ricky. I probably don't, he probably won't care but I should tell him I'm gonna be out for a while. I head back over to the counter, grab a piece of paper from out of the drawer and scribble out my message.
Ricky,
Going upstairs for some girl time. Don't expect to see me for a few hours. If I'm not back by dawn, best summon me cos it probably means I got so drunk I couldn't find my way back from Aliyah's place.
Don't go missing me now.
Love ya,
Skylar xx
I put the note on his desk, cos knowing him that's where he'll go and sit when he gets in. I could have emailed him but I didn't see the point, it’s not like me going out is something he needs to know about right this second and if he gets back and needs me for whatever reason, he'll know where I am. Hell, if he really needed me he could summon my arse home - after he texts me of course to tell me that, that's what he's doing - he's done it before and I'm sure he'll do it again. If dawn comes and I'm not back he best summon me whether I reply or not, because me getting so drunk that I get lost trying to go down one flight of stairs isn't outside the realm of possibilities. Who knows why I end up where I end up some times; I'm a mystery unto myself. I could definitely see myself curling up under tree or passing out on a lawn. Not the best idea in this part of town what with the critters that roam the streets but then drunk people don't really think about these things now do they.
I read the note through one last time and on a whim, pick it up and kiss the page twice. Lip prints never look like they do in the movies and if I had time to fix it, I would, but I don't. Okay, so I do have the time but I can't be bothered. Instead. I place the paper back down and head out of the door.
Two minutes later I'm standing outside of Aliyah and Dhara's place. Or Ellie's place maybe. I shrug to myself as it doesn't really matter and knock on the door. I must be picking up bad habits from Ric too cos I swear I used to knock on people's door with three knocks in quick succession, and now I seem to do four. Having knocked, I wait.

[Dhara]

The knock on the door came as a surprise. She hadn't been home long and was in the middle of making coffee for herself and Ali. Glancing at the door, she tilted her head and stared at the wooden portal. She wasn't sure where the habit had come from, but every time there was a sound at the door, she stared at it as if the wood would talk. Tell her who was there, what they wanted. Maybe even if they were human or not. She supposed that paranoia simply came from where she lived and who she lived with. She was always worried about hers and Ali's safety. Realizing she'd spent to long staring at the door, she dumped the spoon of coffee in the basket and shut the door on the microwave, calling out as she moved.

"I've got it Ali! Coffee is in the microwave for you!" She swept across the living room and towards the door. The apartment was still sparsely furnished but there were hints of the two Aussies that lived there growing in the living room. Curtains the color of the ocean off Australia. Bit of sea shells and driftwood. Landscape paintings of the beach, posters of surfers. The apartment had gone from a place where the women passed the days away sleeping to an actual lived in sanctuary.

Reaching the door, she flipped the locks and pulled the door open. She was too short to use the peephole and so she never looked. She figured if she screamed Ali would come running, and she always felt safer knowing her best friend was home. Her mind wandered down another track, reminding herself there was something she wanted to talk to Ali about, but in the mean time, she swung the door open and looked up at the woman standing there.

Skylar. Dhara had met her a time or too, and was never bothered by how Skylar came and raided her cabinets. The woman always made sure to replace the things she'd taken and the few encounters Dhara had had with her had always been pleasant. She stepped back and smiled warmly. "Come on in Skylar. Ali's in her room. Have a seat." She motioned to the couch as she headed for the kitchen, knowing Ali could hear every word that was said. "Can I get you something to drink?"

[Aliyah]

Aliyah hummed softly as she went about folding her clothing and tucking it away in her dresser. Laundry was a pretty awful experience, and she hated doing it every single time the need arose. If it were possible for clothes to clean themselves, or simply just set on fire and magically replaced, she would have been set. Doing laundry would have never been more fun. But, as it were, if she hadn't done it tonight, it would have never gotten done. And she was getting low on underwear. That was always the famous clue she needed to get her arse in gear.

She froze at the knock on the door, listening for any clues as to who might be on the other side. Dhara called out that she had the situation under control, but she moved slowly in case she should need to rush out to the living room. A few times they had talked about the risk they posed to each other thanks to their living arrangement, but neither one was willing to move out. They had established a close friendship, and it kept them in constant danger. Since then, every knock was reason for concern.

Her clothes were forgotten as an afterthought and she wandered out of her room and down the hallway toward the kitchen. She could smell the blood from the microwave, and it made her mouth water just thinking about it. It was also closer to the living room and should Dhara yell, she would be able to get to her that much sooner. But a moment later she could hear her flatmate welcoming Skylar into the apartment and she instantly relaxed. She reached into the microwave for her blood and took a tentative sip.

Satisfied that it was safe to relax, she peered around the doorway and smiled brightly at Skylar. "Hey, Sky! What brings you up here?" she asked, canting her head in wonder. Most nights the woman was content to spend her time with Ric, the annoying brother that he was. When she did come up to visit, it was usually to raid to their kitchen. She had to wonder if that was Sky's reason for coming up, now.

"Dhara was just making coffee, if you want some of that? Or, there is blood. I imagine you don't wnat that, though?" she asked, smirking over at the fellow blonde.

[Skylar]

Dhara opens the door and I flash her a pearly smile. I knew it would be her, cos I could hear her calling out to Ali that she’d get it. I don’t much like eavesdropping but on occasion it happens whether I want it or not.
“Hey doll.”
I wrap my arms around her and hug her as I enter; snacks and bottle still in hand. I’m a hugger and by now I’m pretty sure both girls know it. Even Ric - prickly as he is - got used to my hugs. Though I guess I had an ulterior motive in continuing to hug him even though I knew he’d rather I didn’t.
“How are you? You look good.”
I consider kissing her cheek but I’m not sure we’re there yet. I mean I do it with some people, I’m not being species-ist or whatever. My best friends are pretty much all human. It wasn’t like I was giving up the guys for the sake of this new life I’d found myself in. I could feel that both girls were on edge but that feeling soon dissipates, which is good. I’d think I was unwelcome otherwise and I wasn’t nearly drunk enough to successfully ignore that kind of energy. I knew why they were on edge too but I couldn’t give a crap about the whole vampire/human divide. As far as I could see it was all bollocks, but I played along in some aspects, mainly to keep a certain someone from reading me the riot act.
I walk into the front room and put my offerings – even if I’d probably eat and drink most of them myself – on the table. I barely have a chance to sit down before Ali appears and both girls seem to want to play hostess. I laugh and get back up on my feet. I bounce over to Ali – my hands now free – and wrap them around her, giving her a tight hug. I do kiss this one on the cheek and having done that I step back and watch to see if she’ll wipe it off like Ric used to. I don’t mean to play these kinds of games, okay, so maybe sometimes I do, but it’s fun. I mean just how alike can two siblings that weren’t raised together be.
“Thanks ladies but I kinda brought my own libations. I wouldn’t say no to a glass though. Grab yourself one too if you want Dhara, I don’t mind sharing.”
And I don’t either. I’m happy to share whatever I have with those around me. It’s possibly one of those habits you get growing up with siblings or it comes from me just being me and being the sociable sort. I don’t think it matters all that much what the reason is. Sharing is caring and all that.
“And you imagine correctly Aliyah. I down that stuff when I wake up, generally.”
Or after Ric’s fed on me, but I’m not offering that titbit up, his feeding habits aren’t something I talk about. I’d kinda love to talk to someone about being fed on but it’s not a conversation I can have without betraying his confidence. I couldn’t do that to Ricky.
“I was wondering if you gals wanted to spend some time doing girly things. Unless you have plans or something. I was thinking, chick flicks, booze and boy talk. Or chick flicks, blood and boy talk for those of us who can’t handle the hard stuff.”
I wink at Ali as I say that last part. For all I know the blonde could have drunk me under the table before her turning. I leave out a certain part of my story too; the fact that I’m heading off tomorrow to go hunting. It’s probably not something they’d want to hear about and I’m not sure – at this stage in the night – that I want to explain why. I mean Ric and I aren’t the most conventional of couples and he said not to make a big deal out of it.

[Dhara]

The hug always caught her off guard. It wasn't that she had any thing against Skylar, maybe it was that they were so alike. Bubbly and happy and huggy. She and Ali hugged on occasion and they were as close as sisters. Regardless, she returned it warmly before making her way to the kitchen. "One glass, coming up." She said brightly, comfortable enough with the second blonde to turn her back on the room. She poured herself a coffee and returned with the glass in one hand and her coffee in the other. She listened Skylar and smiled cautiously, placing the glass on the table.

"A girls night?" She echoed curiously, it wasn't something she had ever done. Maybe Elliot was right and she was settling down. The thought made her blood run cold and she felt her heart lurch. Her hands trembled slightly so she wrapped them both around her mug. She fought the internal battle with herself. The urge to run versus the urge to relax and hang out. She blinked at the women and tried to focus on the conversation. Her head was swimming and it felt like the walls were closing in on her and she couldn't breath. "Excuse me..." She said faintly and fled from the room.

She tried not to slam her door, closing it a little harder than she had intended. She felt bad for running out on the women, but all she could hear were those dreaded words playing over and over in her mind. Settle down. Was she? Was that what was happening? Was she settling down? And if she was, then why was it so terrifying to her? Was her life here so bad? Swallowing hard, she slid her window open and poked her head out, drawing in deep breaths of the frigged night air. She counted to ten in three different languages and then pulled her head back in and closed the window. Blowing out a slow breath, she opened her door and wandered back in to the living room. She wouldn't bother trying to lie to the two women. She simply appeared in the living room and sipped her coffee.

"I have never done a girls night thing. But it sounds like fun. I just hope you won't be offended if I stick with coffee. I don't drink." She smiled warmly at both women, then curled up in her spot on the couch.

[Aliyah]

Aliyah immediately grinned at the mention of a girl's night, as it had been a long time since she allowed herself to be pampered and pamper others. However, the smile quickly faded as Dhara seemed to disappear from the room with vampiric speed that she shouldn't possess. For a moment, she considered going after her best friend to make sure everything was okay, but figured that Dhara would tell her if there was something truly wrong. Rather than go and bother her, she looked at Skylar and shrugged, moving to settle into her recliner with mug in hand. The smell of the blood drifted up under her nose, making her fangs throb.

With one hand she gestured to the couch and smiled to Skylar, "Make yourself comfortable. A girl's night sounds great to me. I could it." And she could. Her nail polish had long since chipped away, and she wouldn't mind talking about boys. Even if there wasn't a guy in her own life to talk about. She supposed she could talk about Forsyth, but she hadn't seen him since his turning, nor had he tried to contact her. In whatever case, she could also chime in with a good gag when Sky gushed about Ric, and when Dhara got all starry eyed over Calen. They were such girls.

Soon after her comment, Dhara appeared again, and she looked calm enough. It wasn't hard to see the struggle and panic in her eyes, but that came from knowledge of the woman. Skylar would likely hardly tell the difference. She made a mental note to talk to Dhara once Skylar had left, and make sure that everything was okay. The two women didn't keep secrets, and she doubted it would start now. She only hoped that it was nothing serious.

"If you have never had a girl's night, then we will make the first memorable, for sure," she promised her friend with a bright smile. Dhara was the type of woman that enjoyed her private and quiet life, and she was a modest woman, too. Rarely, if ever, had she walked out of the apartment without makeup and she often wore her long skirts and tunic shirts. The woman was naturally beautiful, but Ali had to wonder what a little makeup could do to bring out those eyes of hers.

She shifted in her seat and winked at Skylar. "So, I think makeovers have to be included in the agenda, then. What girl's night doesn't include makeup and hair?"

[Skylar]

I crack the cap of the whiskey open and pour out half a glass. I'm drinking alone which is a bit odd, even for me but what the hell. If it weren't a girl’s night I might text Dillon and tell him to get his arse over and join us. Still could do that. I could order him to act like a girl for the night, though that might not be entirely necessary. Hmm... my bitchiness may have kicked in early tonight. Watch out world, I haven't even had a drop of liqueur yet.
I raise an eyebrow as Dhara legs it for god knows where. The girl's weird. But good weird, not bad weird. She'll likely be back. Maybe she just really need to pee? I doubt it though Fear's coming off her in waves. That's probably one of those things we're supposed to be able to smell or something, one of those predatory senses but with me it’s that weird emotion reading superpower of mine. The problem with that, much like anything, is human error. I swear I must be broken some days and trying to figure Ric out with it, well... that just ain't happening; the guy is like an emotional vortex. Maybe one day I’ll get a beat on him but first Pinocchio probably needs to be a real boy. I should probably work on finding that blue fairy. Which reminds me, I should probably ask Elliot if fairies are real. Every other ******* creature seems to be, so I don't see why not.
I look into my glass as I debate as to whether or not I should send Ali after Dhara but decide to bite my tongue; for now. I mean my power is pretty intrusive; people need to say what they think more and ****. I take a sip from my glass and glass and then smile at Aliyah. If Dhara isn't out in ten minutes I'll make sure she checks on her.
Ali tells me to make myself comfortable but I'm way ahead of her as I sprawl out on the couch, my glass resting on my thigh, my legs crossed at the ankle and outstretched on the floor.
"Remind me later to tell you what I'm doing tomorrow. But not until I've had a few drinks."
I'm not so much ashamed of what I'm doing, as I am needing to prepare myself for talking about Ric when Ali doesn't want to hear it. If I have a few drinks in me I probably won't even care if she's listening or not.
Dhara slinks back out and I offer her a warm and friendly smile. I'm glad she came back out but I almost choke on my next mouthful of whiskey when she says she's never had a girl's night. I mean, I've not done many of them myself given the fact that I'm a bit of tomboy but I'm pretty sure they're like a rite of passage or something. Didn't the girl go to sleepovers in her early teens?
"We'll go easy on you Dhara and if you feel the walls closing in you just go ahead and call a time out. 'Kay? No need to worry. We won't bite."
I wasn't making a vampire joke but I realise how that sounds once the words leave my lips and start to giggle.
"Well I won't. I'm a piss poor vampire with no fangs, which lucky me means any ******** I bite not only feels it like a mother f... But also remembers it the next day. I drink those god awful blood bags most days, and Dillon the rest... since he's a... yeah... he's a freak."
I'm looking in my glass by the time I've finished talking. I swear I sound half cut already and I've only had a few mouthfuls. That's not good. Means I'm pretty excited for this trip that I'm not supposed to be making a big deal out of. Damn it. No damn him. **** Ric. It's my weekend too.
I take a big gulp of whiskey and wipe my lips with the back of my hand. Yeah, I know. No manners. What can I say? I'm comfortable with who I am.
"So what order we doing this in? I'm no expert myself but the boy talk thing seems to happen on, over, and around the other activities. And in the interest of full disclosure, you'll probably know way more about my sex life by the end of tonight than you'd ever care to know. Especially if I'm forced to drink this..."
I gesture at the newly opened bottle of drink.
"Alone. I'm pretty sure Aliyah there already knows more than she wants to admit from the night we first met. From before I knew she was related to Ric."
I go quiet. Mainly cos I'm working on another mouthful of my favourite beverage. Hmm... Probably should have brought a bottle of coke with me to water this down with. Oh well. Too late now.

[Dhara]

"All I will say about my sex life is that Calen is a gentleman." She said, blushing so much her freckles stood out. She had no idea what to think. Sure, she and Ali talked about Calen. About how in love Dhara was and how lucky she was. But never about their sex life. As far as Dhara was concerned it was no ones business but hers and Calens. With that thought in mind, she sipped her coffee and tucked her hair back behind her ear.

And it was that small motion that sent Ali's words crashing to the forefront of her mind. Hair. Makeup. Make-overs! She blinked and her fingers twisted in to the snow white locks of her hair as she stared at Ali. She didn't own makeup. The extent of her "beauty routine" was chap stick and hair dye. She swallowed her coffee audibly and stared between the two women.

"I have never worn makeup." She said quietly, certain Skylar was going to give her another look. Like she was from another planet. She kept the sigh in and blew a lock of hair from her eyes. "I don't own any and I wouldn't know how to apply it." She gave a sheepish smile as she tucked her legs beneath her, hiding her bare toes beneath the hem of her long black skirt.

[Aliyah]

A delicate blonde eyebrow rose up in question at Skylar's comment regarding his activities tomorrow, leaving too much to the imagination. No doubt, it involved Ric is some shape or form. In that case, Aliyah wasn't sure that she wanted to know. Before they knew about their relations to each other, Skylar had been far too willing to share the intimate details of her relationship, often leading to uncomfortable situations that would need to be brushed off. And with Dhara being new the girl's night theme, it might prove harder to do. Ali could already see the blush that would grace the woman's face at the mention of the slightest sexual act, her image of purity in all its glory. Even if she did know better when it came to her best friend. Pure, she was not.

Dhara no sooner said the words about her sex life, and Ali almost spit out her blood all over the carpet. The last thing she would have expected was for her roommate to mention that she ever had a sex life, let alone tell them that she refused to provide any details. And just with Skylar, that only left room for the imagination to fill in the gaps. Every situation that passed through her head was all too dirty to imagine her best friend as a part of, but it was always possible Dhara had another side to her. One that her friends were no privy too. A slow smirk formed on her lips, her eyebrow raising up at the woman, as if to say 'you sly *****.'

"You wouldn't be drinking alone if I could stomach the stuff, I promise you that," she assured Skylar, watching the liquid in the bottle with an envious glare. She missed the harsh taste of alcohol on tongue and in the back of her throat. It had been a means to relax and escape the stresses of life, and now she couldn't even have that. It was awful, truly. "Try not to make me jealous, hm?" she teased, shooting Sky a playful glare.

She leaned back into her chair with a satisfied smile, taking a small sip of the blood a moment later. Dhara confessed to her lack of makeup knowledge, and Ali found she wasn't surprised. She had never even seen the woman wear it, even once. "We can take care of that, I'm sure. I have plenty. Though...most of mine are for a much...paler complexion," she noted, looking up her friend's skin. As a vampire, she was ghostly pale, and the trip she had taken to the cosmetics store soon after her turning had been fiasco enough. The woman could not get over how pale she was, and how no matter what she did, no foundation seemed to match. "What about you, Sky?"

Her blue gaze shifted over Skylar and she was once again, envious. The woman still seemed to have that healthy bit of sun glow to her skin that so many other vampires seemed to lose with time. It was a lucky thing to have, and made blending in with the rest of the community so much easier. "And then, after makeup...we can do horror movies, sexy pillow fights...all while discussing the boys that you two have, and I do not," she continued, kicking out her legs in a stretch. It felt good, and it would be a good night if things went well. Two vampires and a human. What could possibly go wrong?

[Skylar]

Gentleman. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at that one. Men weren't gentlemen, even when they were; least none of the ones I know. Men were only well behaved if they wanted to get something from you. It was rare to find a guy that had actually been brought up well and truly believed in treating women with respect. Wasn't really their fault, society just sucked. Though... I stare into my drink as I recall that even Ric has his moments. He does little things like paying for stuff and ****, even before he realised we were dating.
Aliyah says I shouldn't make her jealous, so I grin and raise my glass to her. I can drink for the both of us. It's not really a problem, at least not for me. They might have to take me home at the end of the night or plug their ears up when what little control I have over my words fails, because believe it or not, I do have a filter even if it doesn't get used all that often.
"Never?"
I choke out that word. Thankfully I managed to swallow before spitting whiskey all over the place. I can't help but stare at Dhara like she's an alien now. Even I wear make-up. Well, kinda. I wore more before. Most of what I wear now is semi-permanent so I don't have to do it myself. Looking in the mirror is just not a good idea for someone like me.
"Oh babe we can teach you how to put it on. Not that I'm saying you aren't pretty as a picture without it, cos you are. I don't think women have to wear make-up or anything. But you should know how to put it on... you know... so you have the choice."
Ali asks me about my make-up. I don't have much, never did before my turning and I have even less of the stuff now. Since tattoos on me don't fade and since I don't want to face my reflection - not with the way I see myself now - it seemed only logical to get the semi-permanent stuff done. I could have gone with permanent but even that will need to be touched up eventually.
"All I have is a mascara and lip gloss."
I shrug, but I'm not really sure why I do that.
"I'd need a mirror to put anything else on, so my lip colour and eyeliner were done by beauticians. And before you ask, no. I don’t go daily and get my make-up done or anything. I mean at the start I did my own, then the reflection in the mirror started to get a bit gross, so then Dillon would do it for me. Just seemed easier at that point to get the semi-permanent stuff done. So I pretty much wake-up like this on a daily basis. Didn't hurt any that my natural colouring seemed to come back. I didn't even realise that myself, as that happened a few weeks after I stopped looking at the creature in the mirror. Dillon told me. So yeah. I threw out my lipsticks and eyeliners. The semi-perm stuff is way better if you ask me."
I let the comment about sexy pillow fights go, as I'm pretty sure she's joking about that one. I'm not sure I can pull of sexy. In fact I'm almost positive I can't. I tried sexy on Ric and it didn't work, though Ric isn't exactly normal, so maybe he isn't the best test subject when it comes to what is and isn't sexy. I mean the guy likes me in scrubs and they don't do anything to flatter the female form.