Tonight, let's be lovers.

“Of course.” Jacque agreed with a small nod and coy smile. This town had a number of beautiful people. It truly did put her sexuality to a test when she was admiring customers for more than just a hair style or blouse. In her home town, she never thought about dating women. NYC, of course, opened that door. However, she learned there that for as beautiful a woman was, they were or had the potential at being that level of crazy. Even if Piper was as crazy as beautiful in appearance and charm, the high was worth it. She was a perfect distraction from expanding her business ideas and music styles. Jacs bit the corner of her lip to scrape a bit of sugar from her lip gloss then smiled a bit wider than before. “I would really enjoy that. I’ll give some attempt to keep from getting distracted.” Her eyes fell and followed Piper’s curves as she half apologized for foreseeing her future behavior. “Where would you like to meet up? I have my own studio if that suits you. Could invest in some props too. If necessary.”

Piper had always known she was pansexual- she'd never not appreciated beauty in any form. Even as a young girl, when her interests were far more innocent she'd talk a girl she was crushing on as much as she'd speak about a boy she was crushing on. She was out of the ordinary of course, but she wasn't discouraged at home, nor by any other authority. And classmates who may have tried to tease her were soon left wanting when she didn't react in the slightest. They certainly couldn't find the fun of a reaction consisting of a shrug and a "So?"... especially when it left them floundering for a reply. And as things turned from innocent to significantly less so, she was the girl other girls experimented with. She was the girl that other girls wanted to be. She was the one who so many had been with- yet, would take again the moment she batted her eye lashes at them. She wasn't the girl that anyone teased unless it was out of pure envy.

Bett was curious as to what she did that made people give her compliments and tip her for her looks. “Are you a waitress?” Bett had never waited in her life, but she imagined that was where someone would get tips for being pretty. Probably by pervy old men. Her mind didn’t go to anything more adult in nature. “And that’s really nice of you.” Dropping her head, her smile dropped with it as she thought for a moment before picking up her head. “Bethania, but Bett’s fine.” She averted her eyes from Piper and reached to grab the back of her neck. The name had always been a good nickname from her friends, but now it had just seemed to be a whole other person entirely. “Nice to meet you, Piper.”

Piper had worked as a a grocery store clerk before, but she'd never been a waitress. The only reason she'd taken any other job was because she was under the age of eighteen- and thus, couldn't work as a dancer. However, she'd saved money and bought some extremely nice outfits to practice in as well as start out working in for her singular acts. "I'm actually a burlesque dancer at Crescendo... The town's <b>hottest</b> burlesque club." Smirking she watched Bett. The girl looked nervous, shy. It was cute honestly. "Bethania is a gorgeous name... but I like Bett too. It suits you." She nodded. "Oh, the pleasure is all mine." Well, unless Bett would go home with Piper- then the pleasure would be all Bett's. At least, the first round.  But, Piper doubted that could happen- she could dream though. Until she got to the club later that night- then she'd find another pretty face. "You should come see me some time... we have gorgeous dancers - and just as many men as we have women." She hadn't yet figured out exactly what Bett was into.

“Just means there’s more for us that do appreciate. One should never be taken for granted.” She couldn’t imagine Piper being with anyone that didn’t appreciate her gifts. Doesn’t mean however that it hasn’t happened. The same has been said to Jacs about herself. At which she laughed and offered to by the stranger their next drink. She really enjoyed Piper’s company. “Well, beautiful, you timed it perfectly.” Jacque sipped more of her drink, realizing she was numb now to what was once hard to swallow of the tequila. Now rather it tasted like a juice box. Having the other dancer’s company sweetened the night entirely though. She couldn’t forget that. “I have in the past. But, sadly,” she sighed softly, looking at her glass and running the pad of her index finger around the rim to collect some of the sugar. “I haven’t met someone to teach me any moves.” Looking up to Piper, she rose her finger to her lips and slowly licked her finger clean

"Oh, That's perfectly marvelous." Piper chuckled. "Quite true though, I certainly don't mind... appreciating those that'll allow me too." Visually, or otherwise, Piper wasn't one to let appreciation go unknown unless it was bound to make someone else uncomfortable. Then she withheld her compliments... usually. She smirked, she had an eye on the stage, mostly to keep track of when she needed to go back to get ready- but there was plenty of time to enjoy her companion's company before she got to go and give her another show. She sipped at her drink, made weak intentionally so she could still preform well enough while sharing a drink or two in between. Often times if she had a drink, her companion would have a drink and well- money brought into the club was job security for her. Plus- if they weren't too drunk and she convinced them to come home with her? Well that was job security all around. Piper shamlessly watched Jacs as she licked the sugar off her finger. "Well, Sugar. I would be happy too- if you truly want to learn."

Her laugh was unrestrained and mirthful and her smile turned to a grin, but she kept her eyes down. While her words weren’t especially hilarious, it was amusing for her to assume that and maybe Bett needed a laugh, if only to dispel the nervous energy that had been bundling up inside her. “Maybe you are saying it just so you can hear me return the compliment, mm?” Brown eyes picked up and settled on the other woman’s features. Obviously she was very beautiful as well, but encouraging this kind of banter to continue might look bad and that was the last thing she needed. Still, it was a rare moment to meet someone so friendly and with the holiday season came holiday blues, so the company of a friendly face was far more needed than she would realize. “What’s your name?” She asked, feeling she should at least know the name of the woman she was talking to. It was the polite thing to do after all and Bett always wanted to be polite.

Piper actually found she enjoyed the other woman's laugh quite a bit. It just seemed freeing, even if she couldn't place why it seemed so. Quirking a brow at her conversational companion's remark, it was Piper's turn to laugh. "Oh! Well, sugar, if I was fishing for compliments I would just go to work. I get plenty there, freely given." She chuckled. "Actually some of them tip me..." She winked. Knowing that would leave it open to interpretation easily. "I just enjoy seeing a beautiful woman smile that's all." She admitted- which was true. In fact, Piper just enjoyed making others smile and sharing a little bit of the confidence she had. "Piper Rivers. And yourself?"

Bett let out a short exhale through her nose, glancing down, a smile still on her face. “Yes, I got that.” After a beat, “thank you.” The polite thing would be to give a compliment back, but still recovering from getting in trouble with her publicist, Bett reigned in any comments. They could be twisted, misconstrued and she wasn’t ready for that yet. She pushed her hair behind her ear, letting her hand linger at her neck, absentmindedly rubbing her fingertips against it. Her discomfort was not because of the stranger, she seemed nice, however being in public tended to make her ill at ease. “You are sure you are not, um,” what was the phrase? Now was not the time to forget English. “Sorry,” she shook her head, going for a phrase she knew how to say. “Are you just messing with me?”

Piper chuckled, she earned a smile- that was good enough for her to be content in her compliment working. Many women would just look at her disgusted... but then she’d have some snarky remark... so it didn’t really bother her too much. It was their loss after all. Piper just couldn’t choose- she loved men and women far too much to choose one or the other. And why choose when she could have them all? Piper slid from her seat and joined the woman at her table. She was waiting on dessert and was certain the waiter could find her a table over. “I’m not, I wouldn’t do such a thing. You are beautiful. If I didn’t know better I’d think you just like hearing me say it.” She winked. It was just light banter for now- and she couldn’t quite read the girl. Was she interested but shy? Uninterested but enjoying the attention? She couldn’t quite tell- but Piper wasn’t overly bothered, she didn’t need an ulterior motive to compliment someone.

The company wasn’t expected, Bett was more focused on gaining inspiration to write than the environment of the restaurant. Nonetheless she smiled warmly at the other woman’s words, but making sure she did nothing to continue it. “You’re sweet,” she answered safely. “Is there something you wanted?” She added, her brown eyes turning soft, expecting something to be asked of her.

Piper usually cooked for herself, or caught dinner at The Cresendo if she had time enough to do so... if it wasn't one of the two options she rarely went into the actual restaurants as she was usually catching a meal very late at night and on the go. This time was different though. It was daylight and everything. "I just wanted to tell you that you're absolutely stunning if you don't mind me saying..." She smiled sweetly, it was honestly far more innocent than how she would usually talk at work. But her advances towards the woman had been appreciated, it hadn’t been reciprocated, so... she wouldn't push the matter too far... yet.

“Why thank you,” she almost purred, allowing her southern “honey” charm to sweeten the thanks. Her nickname suited her life better, but it didn’t mean she hated her name entirely. If a beautiful woman was going to remark on it, that was only going to boost her own confidence. She waved off the mention of the Emcee. “He is rather attractive– but not the star of the show.” She took a slow sip of her drink then licked her lip. “You two attract a large enticing crowd. How sweet of you to single me out and have a drink with little me.” She leaned her chin to rest on her hand and smirked a little as she looked to Piper. “I am,” she rose a brow. She sat up again and gently tossed her hair over her shoulder and away from her neck. “I’m very invested in hip hop. I’ve considered ribbon dancing. It’s beautiful. I took two classes in New York but didn’t get passed that stage.” She shrugged a little. “Lyrical is high on the list too.”

Piper certainly liked the manner in which the words rolled off the other woman's tongue. It was... enchanting almost. Then again, Piper wasn't from the south or anywhere near it... however she did find it had a certain bit of charm when it was the right person... some admittedly, over did it. Jacque however- she knew how to be coy and charming about it, of that much she was certain.

Two-Three-Kick-Turn!

Piper watched the other dancers, she knew the routine, hell, she’d helped create the routine. So for now she was standing aside, trying to figure out what they had to work with. Listening to Alex she smirked slightly, personally a bit smug due to the fact that she was quick to learn routines, even when she had no say in them. She was self taught before she was able to start working so it made it easier for her to pick up on the little things that were needed.

The evening had left Alexander the Great feeling more like Alexander the Blah: the show had gone so-so, the tech had run so-so, the audience that night was so-so, and the only person who seemed to notice was Alex. Did that mean he was being too picky, or that everyone else was being too lax? The answer could be either or, with the way his week had been running.

Piper put on her best pout and sighed a long, draw out sigh of disappointment. “Unfortunately, no... the man I had my eyes on went home with someone else, and the lady turned out to be there with her husband.... fruitless night for me, sadly... I suppose even I have an off night sometimes...” She could have found someone- if she’d been extremely set on it, it wasn’t as if a burlesque club was short on desperate souls looking for a partner to keep their bed warm.

Jacque had no shame in her sexuality. At all. She couldn’t completely understand how people could be completely straight. Even the straightest of lines have a kink to them, a curve of some kind. She smiled coyly as the stage dancer stretched and made her curves more notable. Hell, if she was blessed with fuller curves, Jacque would do the same thing. Her confidence though was most appealing. 

Piper had always been interested in ... well everyone. Ever since she could remember, she just didn’t really have a label for it until she was old enough to realize it was a thing. Her parents never discouraged it though, they were actually quite supportive. They didn’t understand but neither did the hinder her in her dreams. They still did their best to check in on her, even if they would likely never understand her desire to dance or to sleep around. As long as she was safe... they were okay with it.

( whackijacki )

whackijacki: