Cabaret Conundrums [ Sienna - Maxwell ]

Peering over her drink at the cheeky man Sienna regarded him cautiously but hardly with the same fear she had previously. He seemed to be enjoying her plight more than she wanted him to be but it was hard to stop that sort of thing. So instead she sipped her drink again. Because it was delicious. He returned to leaning on the bar again causing her to shy away a bit but less than she'd been doing since sitting down there. she pouted slightly at him knowing he was going to tease her. Obviously he'd not been raised properly. Or he was some sort of delinquent.

However what he said was not what she'd expected at all. It caught her by surprise so much she sputtered "K-K-K-KISS?!" Chocking on her drink she tipped the glass forward after trying to right it. It went everywhere but most of it splashed onto the bartender and the counter. Oh no a mess. A mess in enemy territory oh gosh how had it come to this?! She was usually so much more put together and messes, Sienna did not make messes she unmade them. This was so maddening she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. And so she chose the third option. She feebly grabbed at some napkins and began to frantically clean the poor man's soaked shirt in vain. Cleaning was good. It was what made sense. Not this place, tasty potentially dangerous drinks and strange men leaving her so flustered she spilled things. Ah the drink. She glanced to the mostly empty cup and to the liquid currently dripping to the floor and finally rested on the bartender's shoulder. "I um... s-sorry." Her hands shook in fear as she tried to clean the mess. The last time she'd spilled a drink on someone the man had tried to kill her. She kept her gaze down though not wanting to see that look of murderous intent on the man who'd been waiting on her.

Such a mess, that delicious drink was everywhere now and unsalvageable. Even the nearby bar attendees had moved making her feel worse. Oh dear, she should've just stayed home. She could just see that evil man finding out she'd spilled a drink on his staff and guests. It wouldn't be pretty. She'd never go anywhere alone ever again. Up to that point she'd still not looked up at the poor man she was still trying to dry off in vain. It was silly to keep trying but she had to do something. She'd have gotten lashes for this when she was alive. Wasted drinks and soggy clothes. Would it be possible to pay for this guys dry cleaning? Would he even allow it? Could she leave it in a tip? Her mind continued to reel with how she could possibly make up for this fiasco when someone laughing stopped her for a moment.

Laughing? Where was the angry retort? She expected to have hands slapped away. But laughter? Well it wasn't too surprising except it was coming from the bartender. That laugh... there was something... familiar in there. Her head slowly tipped up to stare at the amused worker looking surprised, dumbfounded and just totally out of her element. That puzzle over his eyes was still interesting but she averted her gaze from it immediately to back up. Her own dress was now soaked from the juice in her haste to clean it up she'd gotten dirty herself. So smart. Her mind though was focusing on the amused response her actions had gotten. Thankfully nothing was in her hands this time as he continued to tease her, leaving her poor cheeks an endearing shade of red as he cleaned up her mess. Her mess. A mess made by her. Had her hands not been so stick she'd have facepalmed. But he wasn't mad so her earlier fears were lessened to some degree allowing her to loosen her tense shoulders. Her grip on the glass was still tight from nerves and shock so when he reached out to take it she had to mentally will her fingers to release it into his care.

Another comment about kisses and being pretty ah she couldn't handle this type of thing very well. She simply couldn't get any redder at this point and opted to try and internalize her flailing. Which was hard as he pointedly finished her drink after that comment causing her to squirm a bit in response in her seat. Her small and now sticky hands dropped to her lap to keep from ruining anything further. She was embarrassed and flustered but her fear from earlier had almost dissipated. Not entirely but enough that she wasn't yet aware how distracted she was. All she was feeling now was guilt. Poor guy was wasting his time over here with her she was honestly shocked he was still talking to her. And now he was offering her another drink? "Er um... " She stuttered in a sad attempt to gather her senses. She totally wanted another drink. so much. But she was a menace to this bar. A hand reached up to idly brush hair out of her face that had come loose in her flailing. How did one ask for what they didn't deserve. "Um... you're um d-d-dry cleaning? Can I um... p-pay for it?" As usual the guilt won out of her own desires. Typical

What was s confusing about dry cleaning? Possibly he wasn't even bothered by her ruining his clothes. It was an odd outfit really. Not too crazy but certainly a style all its own. It matched the hair's eccentric look. Not that colored hair was strange anymore. A number of people had dyed hair in the place. So then why did this hair seem so... familiar. She didn't get out much and she was hardly one to carry on conversation with strangers. So then why did this guy keep giving her that vibe? Maybe she was just flattered someone she'd never met was giving her so much attention. It wasn't normal she was used to being ignored and overlooked. Yes maybe that was it. It made some sense, much more than her knowing this, flirting bartender.

Gold eyes studied him closely as he laughed at her and assured her the mess was fine. Didn't make her want to clean it any less but she refrained so as to not be rude. A private cleaner? Seemed like a strange profession and an unnecessary expenditure. Perhaps this was a side job or the enemy had a lot of funds to sling around. Smell like a flamingo.... they smelled like birds and salt water. What a silly notion and yet.... her eyes squinted in thought but was distracted when she was called the messy type. She wasn't messy! An odd spark flashed in her eyes. A small sliver of defiance. She was no kind of messy. The nerve but then..... How odd, where had this rage come from? Any chance to figure it out was lost though as her anger died down, returning to her cautious complacency. He could call her whatever he wanted she'd just spilled a drink all over him. Instead of swatting his hand as she'd wanted to do mere moments before she instead accepted the towel and tried to clean the drink off of her person somewhat. Wasn't very useful but it was the thought that counted. "Ah I um.. I'm not the m-messy type um u-usually." She admitted feeling guilty for thinking ill of the man earlier. Ugh, what was her mind even doing?

"Being mousy is um... n-normal for m-me." She added still wanting more of the drink but now no longer had any of it. Maybe it couldn't hurt... to ask. Or could it? She was a mess, she didn't deserve it but she wanted it. She was conflicted and she was tired of this newer more forward part of herself fighting the one she knew best and just got exasperated with all of her emotions and slammed her small hands on the counter. It wasn't very loud but after her palms connected she froze. Having an internal battle where no one could see and then reacting to it physically. She probably looked insane. Instantly self conscious she stuttered. Trying to say something, anything that came to mind to not make her look as crazy as she felt. "A-ANOTHER!" she cried, a little loudly but not much. But for those who knew her well it was hardly normal and no where near anything the normally polite maid would do. So rude. but at the last possible moment she tacked on a small "P-p-please."

The silence that followed her outburst was a small eternity for the housemaid. All those eyes on her. She never did well knowing there was an attentive audience. Even the bartender was fixing her with a look of stunned surprise. Oh mercy, she wanted to just crawl behind the counter and curl up under the glass wear and pretend she didn't exist. Too bad everyone was watching her or she might have attempted it. Instead she ducked her head down slowly to retreat back into her seat in the hopes that if no one could see her face then they wouldn't see her. Childish, simple and completely ludicrous.

The only thing that kept her from completing her mental and sort of physical seclusion into her metaphorical shell was the loud affirmative response to her order. Wait, he was going to make her another one? Really? Her crouching halted and she leaned out enough to watch him with wide, hopeful eyes. More of the drink yes. Not long ago she had refused to sip anything and now she was having another drink made for her because she'd rudely demanded it. Oh dear. such a strange turn of events.

Once more her gaze settled on the bartender as he hummed a familiar tune before he spoke. She had no idea what a giggle juice bindger was but it sounded ridiculous. The rest of his comment was met with a soft nod of her head. "Ah well I d-don't think you're b-bad." She admitted shyly,as she tucked a bit of her hair behind her ear. He'd been nice to her so far, even if he was potentially an enemy and this was all a trap. But she was hoping that wasn't the case and that this was just a nice chance meeting. Her earlier blip of anguish had been quickly and neatly replaced and she again found herself wondering what had caused the strange influx of emotions that usually only Maxwell was able to drag out of her when he was around but he was no where to be seen.... wait. No. No. Not a chance. But unbidden her gold eyes flicked over to him once more, scrutinizing the bartender for more clues even as she mentally assured herself there was nothing there to find. That song though... she knew that song. Somewhere over the Rainbow... it had to be a coincidence. It HAD to. 

Still in denial Sienna studied the bartender like she was seeing the man for the first time. She was still refusing to accept what she was slowly realizing. It made no sense. Maxwell was insane and weird and annoying. Not this, this other un-Maxwellish person. While she continued to mentally refute this idea she watched him wipe a fake tear from his eyes as he proceeded to respond to her previous comment about him not being so bad. She still didn't think he seemed bad of course but well...

Her mind that she'd honed into the puzzle solving machine it was today was bypassing her emotional pleas to stop. It just trucked along, gathering bits of what had happened since she'd walked over as if slowly going back to process what she'd been too rattled to understand. And then any hope of fighting it was shot down when he shoved that sugar cube in his mouth. Unable to respond in any capacity she just pulled her drink close and sipped on it. What else could she say? Her own teammate had just tricked her and he'd done it well. Granted had she been in her right mind it probably would've played out differently, but it hadn't.

There was one good point to this, infinitesimal in the grand scheme but still one thing she forced herself to focus on. He was indeed smarter than he seemed. And also apparently capable of going undercover into the enemy camp, holding a conversation in a normal fashion, very good at mixing drinks and seemed strangely enough capable of flirting. Ugh just thinking about that made her turn red and she finally looked his way and stared him dead in the eye. She knew who he was now. And she was torn. She wanted to just vanish she was so embarrassed. She'd never live this down. He wouldn't let her. All that flirting and that... other thing and ugh! She wanted to just reach over the counter and wring his little neck! But she was also relieved because she wasn't totally alone in this sea of enemies. Impressed too because well... he'd tricked her. Which was annoying. But underneath all that she just found she was curious. She'd gotten a lot of puzzle pieces today but none of them looked like what she had already. How much more was there to this little freak? What else was he capable of? Despite being annoyed enough to murder him or run and hide away for all eternity a small, smile graced her lips as she finally said something.

"So,,, is it possible I could drink this another time?" She asked looking genuinely interested and also a bit coy as a mischievous gleam lit her eyes. She did honestly love the drink of course and if she could get him to make it from time to time well she might be less inclined to murder him the next time he went rifling through her underwear. But also, he was so not about to get away with playing her like a freaking harp.

The confused stare Sienna received in turn was a surprise. She couldn't say she'd ever seen the little freak speechless before. It was certainly one for the books. As her fingers toyed with her straw though she wondered,,, did he not realize she recognized him? Was that possible? Eventually he snapped out of it and resumed playing his earlier persona. He agreed though which was what she'd wanted sure but that had been when she'd thought he had to know she'd figured it out. Well then... she was suddenly left with a decision. Did she tell him she knew? Or not tell him at all. Choices.

"Oh good." She replied after he gave his affirmation. Not the flamingo inspired drink was hardly a surprise now. It felt quite silly that she'd not figured it out sooner really. But now it was her turn to play this weird game of theirs. “Ah so…” She started, looking his way once more and then around to the slowing stream of customers as she placed her chin on her hand smiled with that same unfamiliar smirk. “If you’re not too busy… would you... um mind a dance or two?” She blinked cutely a few times for added measure, doing her best to imitate the women she’d seen off and on for years.

Internally she was flailing a bit though. She’d never done anything remotely like this, ever. Not alive or dead. But darn it she just wanted some revenge and if it took him a moment to figure out she knew then she’d consider it a small victory. Externally though her emotional turmoil was well concealed. It was much easier to focus when she wasn’t gripped with terror.

It was hard to keep from grinning in a silent victory as he hesitated to respond. Although, what an odd thing to stop him in his tracks? Who'd have though he'd get flustered so easily? It was an odd look on him, but kind of endearing in a really strange way. Cute even. If that word could even be used on him. Unfortunately he sobered up quickly enough at the mention of dancing to which she smiled and sipped her drink. It was crazy but she'd have been more than happy to sit here and drink these the rest of the evening but she had just asked for a dance.

Keeping up her flirtatious act she leaned forward and nodded once or twice as he agreed to it. But he asked for something fast paced which she didn't mind really but why let him off the hook so easy? "Hm well, as fun as that would be trying to keep up with you, wouldn't it be a nice change of pace to slow down a bit. I mean you have been working so very hard and all serving everyone. I'd hate to wear you out~" Her smile was teasing but borderline villainous as she twirled some of her hair playfully and slowly winked at him. This was... admittedly, kind of fun. Why had she never tried it before?