chicago ♔ love only knows if we'll give into fear and choose life undercover

[romanticidal]

♬ Love Only Knows - Josh Groban

WHO || Rafael, Buffy, Myri, Des, Jade [closed]
WHAT || Buffy & Myri break orders and take Rafael to Chicago to reunite him with lost love Jade. Des comes too.
WHERE || Nightscape; Chicago
WHEN || July 7th, night.
HOW || Actionspam

Standing across the street from the nondescript looking building, Rafael frowns across at the line of people entering into the fruit stand canopy.

"You are certain this is the place?" he asks uncertainly, without looking at Buffy and Myri beside him.

Comments

[witchwoman]

Looks can be deceiving.

[Myri says, a bit nervous about how all of this will go down. It seems straight forward, but... doesn't it always?]

[slay]

We're positive. So not our first ride on this wacky dream carousel.

[romanticidal]

"Dream carousel"? [ the phrase seems to pique his attention enough to finally prompt him to tear his eyes off the building. ]

[witchwoman]

[Don't worry, Rafael, Myri doesn't understand all the stuff Buffy says either.

Myri's mostly trying to decide if walking in the front door is too straight forward. Because it's never that easy, and since it's just the three of them, she wants to try to have a back up plan.]

[slay]

Uh, yeah, might wanna save touching reunions for after we leave Nightscape. At least if you wanna remember it next month. [ she checks out the door, then pulls out her phone to check the time because lmao watchless. ] Last time we had to borrow security uniforms to get inside, but since Des is supposed to meet us, he may have a better plan.

[romanticidal]

I thought you had spoken with her before. Can you not simply ask to be let up?

[witchwoman]

[Myri shakes her head.] If we returned to Venice and asked to come see you in private at one of your shows, do you believe it would be so easy to just ask?

Unfortunately, it's likely to still be a little complicated.

[slay]

A lotta complicated. Hence the escort. [ a beat, she tucks her phone away. ] Besides, between you and me, I think she likes Des better than the Knights, anyway. [ ... buffy will take things not to say in front of jade's boyfriend for 500, alex. ]

[romanticidal]

[ good call. ] Who is Des?

[witchwoman]

A man we met while on our mission. He... assisted us the last time we were here in Chicago.

[That's a loose way of putting it, but Myri doesn't royally screw up dancing lightly around that description (Bluff 18)]

[slay]

He's a P.I. who's been helping us out on our assignment. [ none of this is technically a lie! it simples things up a lot, though, leaving out the icky hoffman stuff. ]

[romanticidal]

I see. [ that is not a happy 'I see' voice. he impatiently looks back across the street ] Do you suspect we will have to break in?

[witchwoman]

No!

[A beat before she looks over at Buffy warily.]

...I don't think?

[slay]

It's like a 50-50. [ honesty is the best policy ok. she shrugs. ] Won't be too tough if we have to, anyway. Just as long as we don't -- [ she shifts as she mentally retraces the path she'd taken with spike. they'd talked about it enough afterward for her to remember that it stuck, but worse, she can remember the bad parts and not the useful parts. the feeling of the blood room. the way she'd attacked him. she swallows. ] Get turned around and wind up in the back rooms.

[romanticidal]

What is in the back rooms?

[witchwoman]

[Myri will have to sit on her hands figuratively and let Buffy go for it since she was with Mark and not in the club during that leg of the mission. But she's a little curious about those back rooms, herself.]

[slay]

[ she tugs herself out of her recollection and she glances over at them uncertainly. it's a beat before she musters up a hasty response. ]

Uh. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, et cetera. It's ... icky.

[romanticidal]

... That is what kind of place this is? [ he sounds s-so scandalized ]

[witchwoman]

I believe they call it a 'nightclub'

[S-so helpful]

Any word from our friend? [She directs to Buffy, meaning Des.]

[nothingsodivine]

[Which is precisely when Des saunters up, appearing behind Buffy.]

Yeah. I hear, it's "bird."

[Jokes that Myri won't get for $600, Alex.]

[slay]

[ buffy rolls her eyes at his joke, but smiles as she turns to look at him. ]

I was starting to think you'd never get here. Don't tell me that old car of yours finally called it quits.

[romanticidal]

[ don't mind the italian guy

he'll just be over here

sizing you up ]

[witchwoman]

[No wait. Myri is still hung up on that joke she didn't get.]

What bird? Should there be a bird?

[nothingsodivine]

There's no bird. [Des gives Myri a sympathetic "oh poor baby" look and then shoots Rafael a LOOK, before devoting his attention to Blondie.]

It's fine. I was stuck in traffic. Plus the flight back from New Orleans was a pain in the ass. [He jerks his thumb at PRETTY BOY.] What? Were you missing out on some eye candy since I borrowed your boy band wannabe?

[romanticidal]

[ he thrusts out a hand, expression still rather hard. ] Rafael.

They say you have a way to get inside.