Disclaimers: All characters belong to rightful owners.
Story concieved by Lee.


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"Yea, well, you're welcome, anyway." Muneca chuckled softly and, shaking his head, he actually found himself smiling in a manner more sincere than his usual. "Just don't get yourself in trouble with this guy, either; you're cute, but a man can only take so much abuse, even for the very beautiful."

"Still, thanks for the offer, but I really don't know how Barano'd take it if I showed up with some of Ausar's lapdogs driving me." He laughed faintly. Yea. That would look good. Not only coming home a few hours early from his set appointment, but also showing up being driven by men from his chief rival's establishment; Barano'd blow a fuse at the least. "Besides, I think I could use the exercise.."

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"Hmmm..." Para tilted her head on side and, rolling her hazel eyes skyward, she seemed to actually take her time considering this. Of course, it was completely unnecessary, but, hey, she's a Delvidrio-- that means she has to torture pretty much anyone who shows interest. _Anyway_, after a few moments, she returned her eyes to Dar and, grinning sugar sweet, she shrugged teasingly--see what I mean? "Well, I don't know.....maybe...."

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Lukas spun around at the warning, his deep blue eyes crackling with anger, ready to lash out blindly at whoever had been stupid enough to try to hinder his progress up the street.

Well... maybe not.

As his cobalt gaze fell upon a rather solemn-faced little girl, the almost blinding rage within him began to grudgingly diminish. 'I might be a lot of things...' Lukas thought to himself, 'but I ain't never been enough of an asshole to kick a little kid's ass just 'cause I'm feelin' a might ornery...'

His gaze darting around the street, as if searching for some hidden danger that might have inspired the girl's warning, Lukas turned back to her, a wan parody of his usual charming grin that felt forced and fake, plastered across his face.

"What's the matter, Chicken Little?" he drawled, somewhat shakily, "Is the sky fallin'?"

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Darran gaped in feigned hurt as Para strung him along, "Geeze! What's a guy got to do to sweeten the deal?" *Aw, man. That was _so_ wrong. Can't this girl do anything _not_ appealing?* If he wasn't careful, she'd spoil him for any club bait that came along tonight...

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"You mean Robertson?" Tesu asked, a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips, "He actually likes it when I sass him a little - he thinks it's...cute..." he added, rolling his eyes.

At the rejection of his offer to have the watchdogs take the other boy home, he frowned slightly, "You sure? That asshole kicked you pretty hard... you sure you feel up to walking? Finn and...what's his name... could always let you out a block or so from where you live, if you're afraid of anyone seeing you..."

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Sophia felt the very beginnings of a flush creep up into her cheeks as she stared the man down. At least his eyes, so furious at first, had softened a little. But even so, having to tell him that she'd just made a simple, stupid mistake... well, it was awkward.

Besides which, the smile he assumed under her gaze simply disconcerted her. So fake, it was almost as macabre as a skull's grin, and about as welcome. *I suppose that's the face he wears for every child he meets,* she thought with a slight frown. Some adults did that, assumed a mask with which to speak to those supposedly 'below' them, and it never ceased to bother her.

"There was a car coming, and I thought you were trying to walk out into the street," she replied in her soft voice, meeting his eyes squarely despite her embarrassment. "Pardon me."

Then, the small frown came back as she took a closer look at him. That was strange... his face looked familiar, in a way. If she could only place it...

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"Hm. Sweeten the deal?" Again, Para smiled sweetly to this and, dropping another flirty wink--she's a flirt, in case that hammering into your skull wasn't effective enough ^.^;; --she lifted a hand so as to poke a single, slender finger against one of Dar's cheeks. "Well, I can think of only one thing...."

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"Well, actually, he may have a point.." Muneca grinned slightly and, tipping his head on side, he studied Tesu's features for a moment. "Well, now that you mention it, it _is_ rather cute when you do it."

"Well, yea, they could do that." He shrugged a bit and, wondering if he should just get off his stupid male ego for a moment, he actually considered the option of letting someone help him. "What about you, thoough? Shouldn't your watchdogs stay here with you?"

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As the girl explained her warning to him, Lukas felt the last of his anger melting away, amusement quickly replacing it. A low, baritone chuckle rumbled deep in his chest, his smile becoming easier, more natural.

"Prob'ly a good thing you said somethin' petite," he replied, "The mood I was in, I *could've* walked out in front of it..." His grin broadening, he gave the girl a conspiratorial wink, "An' god help the poor car if that happen, eh?"

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Darran sighed deeply, shifting Cordero a little and trying, honest to God, not to let _too_ much infatuation show in his smile. "Okay, okay, spill. What's the secret weapon?"

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There. He _did_ have a better smile, in fact a very engaging one. And now that he had shown it, she could match up his face to the numerous stickers that decorated one of her classmates' notebooks. "Oh, of course... you're part of Wingless." My. What Dana wouldn't give to be in her shoes right now, that was for sure...

"The car, not to mention all your fans," she continued, mouth set as much as ever but eyes warming to his new friendliness. "I've a couple classmates who would never get over it."

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"The secret weapon!" Para huffed--cutely, of course--as she tried to look as offended at this as possible. Of course, this hardly came across, thanks to the amusement in her eyes, but, hey, a flirt's gotta try. "You make it sound downright sinister!"

"Still..." Shaking her head, she offered Darran a bright smile as she crossed one arm over herself, the other reaching up to take one of Codry's hands as he reached for the shiny-shiny bracelet of some random passing stranger. "The only way you could _possibly_ sweeten the deal is to promise to take me to Stardust tonight, after all the festivities. They have some of the _best_ music there and it's always a good time.."

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Blushing a bit at the compliment, Tesu shook his head, "It's not cute..." he said quietly, "It's just part of the job..."

Shrugging, Tesu glanced over across the room where Finn and... what *was* his name, anyway?... stood, talking quietly with a couple of other chauffeur/body guard/second-in-command types. "Nobody here's gonna hurt me," he explained, "They're just here to drive me to and from the party." After a moment, he shrugged again, adding, "If it'll make you feel better, one can stay here while the other takes you home..."

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If Darran were at all religious-- okay, and not holding a kid in his arms-- he would've been on his knees in the gutter by now, thanking God for sending him a chick like this. Hot, cute, funny, _and_ a clubber-- how much more perfect could life get?

But, a little voice in the back of his mind whispered, was that such a good idea? After all, there were a couple regulars at Stardust who would recognize Tiger Claw on sight...

So, of course, he ignored it. "Para, hon, you've said the magic words. If you wanna go there, that's where we'll go."

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"Yea, I guess it is just part of the job." Mune nodded slowly, then shrugged. "Still, it probably just follows that you can't do anything but cute..."

"Yea, okay." He nodded, again, to Tesu's suggestion of one of the watchdogs come along with him, the other staying. Hell, his side _was_ hurting and, besides, it wouldn't kill him to take one small act of kindness. "That sounds alright."

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"Perfect!" Para giggled happily to Darran's acceptance of her terms and, if he hadn't been holding onto her brother at the moment, she likely would have glomped him right there, in the middle of the street. As is, she did sling a companionable arm about the other's waist.

"It'll have to be after the tree lighting and all, though.." She smiled and, tilting her head, she reached so as to lightly poke at Cordy's nose, causing the boy to giggle softly in that sweet voice of his. "I already have a date for the day and I'd really really hate to break his little heart..."

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Lukas blinked in surprise when the girl recognized him as part of Wingless. Of course, he was used to the kids at his high school knowing who he was... but he hadn't realized that anyone so...young would have ever heard of Wingless. After all, they were just a local band - a popular local band... but just local, nevertheless. Male ego being what it is, however, he quickly overcomes his surprise, his smile broadening slightly.

"Guilty as charged," he replied, smiling, "I'm Lukas, the bass- player - and therefore expendable. Sammy an' Kiso are the ones I'm sure your friends'd be more upset to lose to an altercation with a Buick."

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Another, deeper blush stole across his cheeks at the second compliment. "...Whatever.." he mumbled, offering the other boy his hand to help him up. "Let's go over to Fric and Frac and see about getting you home, okay?"

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"Hm." Unable to help himself, Mune smirked a bit at the deeper blush infused the smooth cream of the other boy's features and, taking the offered hand, he quickly pulled himself up. Still, obviously in the mood to be a jackass, he used the captive hand to, for just a brief moment, pull the other in closer to himself. Dipping in close enough to feel the subtle heat of the other's skin, he murmured, lips to lobe. "You know. That shade is very fetching on you..."

Still, releasing any hold he had on Tesu's hand, he stepped back and, smiling softly, he nodded. "Yea. I'd better get home before I turn into a pumpkin..."

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Grey eyes widening with surprise, Tesu hitched in a small, quick breath when the other boy pulled him closer, an even deeper blush blossoming in his cheeks at the whispered words. "...Um..." he opened his mouth to speak, but had absolutely no idea what he wanted to say.

Finding himself suddenly released, Tesu blinked again, tentatively returning the other boy's smile. "Yeah..." he said, turning to head off in the direction of the two watchdogs, only to pause a moment later, gazing up into the hazel depths of the other's eyes, "What's your name, anyway?"

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