briar bellchant

"You say that as though you have a list," Ambrose smirked to himself as she pointed out that there were plenty of other reasons for karma to strike him. "Have you perhaps been keeping special tabs on me?"

"You have a habit of making yourself the centre of attention. I don't need to keep tabs when you are so dramatic." Briar spoke on an even tone. "Therefore I doubt it would waste much effort or thought on my part."

"Not everyone has the same picture of you as you have of yourself," Pepper pointed out to her best friend simply. She laughed however at the next remark, "And I love you to death. You'll always be on my shortlist when it comes to people I want to spend my time with."

"Mhm... well short of holding a ballot, I suppose we will never really have a full blown answer to that." Though she was fairly certain that she was correct in that assumption. Briar could cast her mind to a number of people who would confirm it without a second to pause. "I'm very happy to know that though."

"Flattery and drinks will get you far, especially with me," Eva laughed when the blonde produced a cocktail in front of her. "How are you, Briar? You come here with anyone or were you originally flying solo tonight like myself?"

"Well I should hope by now I had learned that much about you. Though I say nothing that isn't entirely deserved." Briar added with an amused smile playing across her lips. "Oh you know me, I am eternally independent. I am sure me arriving at one of these events with someone would probably be quite the event in itself." She joked.

"Yeah it seems so," she agreed with a shrug. Not that Pepper had ever really been the type to go to these sorts of things to actually meet people. When she partied more in her teen years, it was never her goal to find her soulmate at a party like the one they'd left inside. "Crazy? Why would anyone be thinking that, Bri?" Pepper asked with a quirk of her brow.

"Why wouldn't someone think that?" Briar pointed out with a soft laugh. She could be, on occasion, a little difficult to get to know. She wasn't ashamed of that fact but she knew it to be true, too focused on her work life rather than her social life. "Besides, we all know I prefer your company over anyone elses."

"I was planning to simply have a look around." She'd had a little spare time to kill and this appeared as good an way as any to spend it before she met up with her friend. "If you're busy you don't need to worry about me. I'll call you if I need anything."

"And I won't blame you for that. You seem like the type to go off and do your own thing in the end anyways," Piper shrugged back with a smile. "Do you? Given how particular you seem, I will be taking that as a compliment," she laughed.

"I think being particular, whilst means that it makes things harder, it means I also only ever allow myself the best in all situations." She liked to think that was why she was still painfully single.

"You give me tough love on occasion but to be fair, it's often when I deserve it," Pepper considered with a soft snort. "You should know by now I'll always commend hard work. I'm also often married to my job," she acknowledged. "But I'm sure if someone's meant to fit into your life on a more permanent level, it'll happen the way it's meant to. Who knows? Maybe you'll even meet them at work or something?"

"I would go so far as to say it's the only type of love I give anyone." Briar spoke with a little laugh, knowing she was perhaps being a little harsh on herself but she was able to reflect on her own shortcomings and her brashness with people was one of them. "Perhaps. I'm not actively seeking that however. Though I doubt I'll meet anyone at work of all places."

"I'm plenty considerate," he insisted with a little huff, although it didn't seem he was even remotely offended by such a claim. "I just pick and choose who I want to be considerate towards. I don't think that's necessarily the grounds to wish karma to strike upon me for."

"To whom exactly? Yourself perhaps." She responded giving a soft sigh. "To pick and choose is to suggest a certain unfairness to your actions." Though could she say she was different in that respect? "Oh I am sure there are plenty of other reasons to wish karma to strike you. Why simply limit myself to just one?"

"Let's hope my gut instincts don't spoil my chances then," Andie smiled back after the blonde's teasing remark. "Moment of truth," she then said when the bartender came back around with their drinks, sliding one of them over to Briar.

The drinks didn't take all that long to materialise and Briar smiled as she saw what the woman had ordered for her. "Well I think that will do just nicely actually. Thank you. The next one will obviously be on me."

"Most of our generation is going to have premature hearing problems if you ask me," she commented, the bass having left a phantom drumming in her ears even after leaving. It would take a while for her blood pressure to settle. "Honestly? Me neither. It was... pretty freeing," Pepper admitted with a smile. "Thanks for convincing me to join you for that one, Bri. I need to do more things out of my comfort zone like that."

"I think that goes for a lot of clubs and dances these days. They're not made for getting to know one another any more." Which in many ways was a crying shame. It felt more of a hunting ground now rather than somewhere you could have a laugh and just let loose with friends. "Of course, you know I'm going to steal you away as often as I can. And I needed someone to help me look less crazy."

"That's incredibly kind, especially coming from a knockout like yourself. I can't say I pay those offers much attention if they're as plentiful as you claim," Andie shrugged. She got the attention of others, of course. But it wasn't something she cared much for. Andromeda was often happy doing her own thing, not really out there seeking any recognition in particular. "No pressure for me to select the right thing then, right?" she snorted softly.

"Of course there is no pressure. I'm not too picky at all." Briar responded with a grin. "But I mean if you get it too wrong it could severely damage your chances with a knockout like me." Briar teased, inhibitions lowered by her alcohol intake but she'd also known Andie for long enough now that she felt much more at ease in her presence. Enough to be able to be playful with the woman.

"Countless offers? Sounds to me like you know something that I don't," Andie couldn't help but snort lightly. "And you know this, I'm very selective with my company as is. And I know you're the same. So I'd say the flattery goes both ways." Upon Briar's instruction, she called the bartender over and ordered them each a drink. "Let's hope you like it."

"Only that you're beautiful and someone who is as attractive as you could never be short on offers." Briar answered genuinely though her compliment in return caused the woman's smile to widen. "I have my preferences drinks wise but when it comes down to it, i don't tend to be too fussy."

🍾 - our muses share a glass/bottle of champagne

"I don't think you would ever be left to drink on your own." Briar responded with a little smile as she turned to face Andie. "But I'm flattered that you're asking for my company out of the countless offers you probably have. So yes, of course I'll have a drink with you." She agreed amiably, moving over to stand beside the woman. "Surprise me."