Villain Party!

[sailorgenerous]

The Villain Party Meme

Guess what? The Villains' Annual Convention is in town. It's a time for villains of all walks of life to meet, compare evil schemes, steal take notes on one another's inventions, and generally be dastardly together. The panel schedule's done for the day, so it's time to head to the local eatery for food, drinks, discussion, and maybe a bit of mayhem.

Fortunately, there's a restaurant very close to the convention center: the White Top.

If You're A Villain:

Come in, sit down, converse! Find a table, head to the bar, talk about today's panels or your latest foolproof scheme to conquer the world, whatever suits your fancy. This is your convention, after all. A word of warning, though: the manager of this restaurant has hired some additional security. Get too rowdy and you might find yourself in a fight.

If You're A Hero, A Neutral, Or Just Not Villainous:

You can still play too! I suggest you dabble a bit on the AU side and work in the restaurant - a busy night will always need servers, bartenders, hosts, and cooks. There's also added security, if that's more your speed. Otherwise, if you were ballsy enough to get a table in this end of town during the Villains' Con...good luck? Just take the fighting outside.

Blank comments will be deleted.

Now, get in there and have fun!

Comments

[anatomist]

Oh!

[--she gasps, blushing intentionally at expected attentions, having seen him from right across the room, as conscious by now of his actions as she is of her own limbs.

Her voice is breathy as she replies, mock-nervous.]

We could. I'd win, though. Look at you, you're being so forward.

[madeyoufall]

[He more or less slithers onto the stool next to hers, propping his head on his elbow to look up at her, and grin.]

You're right. I can't help it, just look at you. All- quiet and gaudy. [He waves a hand in her general direction, in part at her jewelry. He's seen her like this a thousand times, but each performance is unique, and this audience seems to make her shine.] I can't contain myself.

[Another joke that's just for them.]

Are we meeting people? Having fun? There's a How Evil Are You test booth set up back near the DJ. Aren't they clever.

[anatomist]

Gosh. You flirt.

I've done some meeting people, but networking just isn't my thing. Having fun, though- lots.

[She all but swings her feet, with another smile that should be shy and semi-cheeky but borders on wicked close up.]

I'm not interested in having my own sins repeated back at me- they'd probably miss a few, anyway- but it's an interesting experiment in people watching, isn't it? All this.

[madeyoufall]

You're lucky I'm such a people person. I've met scads.

[Jim sighs, contented, though he has a sudden urge for a drink that comes with a straw; he waves down one of the pony- atrocity- things, and looks over the room with her, eyes flicking from strange to stranger.]

Each one more bizarre than the next. I'm not bored yet. That's saying quite a lot, I think. [His crazy-strawed drink is placed in front of him; it's frozen and pink, and matches one of her bracelets perfectly.] I ducked into How to Take Over The World in Twelve Easy Steps. I've never seen so many costumes. We're really quite dull in comparison, hmm?

[He matches her, smile for smile, sipping his drink.] But you're being just as people-watched, my dear. I think that clown over there is making eyes at you. The actual clown. Though he's not the only one.

[anatomist]

I'm shy as a mouse. Squeak, etcetera.

He's been trying to make eyes for the past ten minutes, actually. Which means he's either reading me wrong or he's got horrible taste in women.

[She crosses her legs as she opines, fussy and prim- but flashes the barest hint of another of those smiles.]

[madeyoufall]

[Jim has the grace to close his eyes before he rolls them.]

Now, now. Don't rule out the possibility that he just wants to use and abuse you. Or were you mimicking prey out of habit? You do it beautifully, regardless... they can hardly be blamed.

[anatomist]

Aggressive mimicry, that's what they call that. Mimicking prey in the hopes of attracting it. Some snakes do it with their tails, imitating worms so they can lure in small vertebrates, generally, and then...snap. Lunch.

...I always get so sciencey on red wine.

Tell me more about how good I am at it.

[madeyoufall]

Spectacular enough that I'll give in to your naked begging for praise. Not that I can resist your naked begging at the best of times... you're very good at that, too.

[Jim has two, maybe three sips of whatever he's drinking before he uses it as a prop for the rest of the conversation. All the better to appreciate Molly and red wine.]

You're brilliant. You know you are. I couldn't do it, and how often do I say that? Oh Sherlock, you're so pretty and autistic... and look there, now. [He nods at a pair of men in dark suits who appear to be identical, or are perhaps the same person; it's hard to tell in a place like this.] They look like they want to devour you whole. Am I cramping your style, darling?

[anatomist]

[At the mention of her naked begging, Molly all but flutters her eyelashes, mock-flattered and highly amused. Well, so what? She is good at it, and more besides.

She glances over to the men Jim points out, and promptly turns pink once more- the ability to make herself blush helps.]

Not at all. You get to play my protector- that's nice, a lot of women have fantasies about that. A lot of men, too, now I think about it. A lot of people, that's better. People do terrifying things to feel safe, I think, it's interesting. Anyway- [deadpan, wide eyes, mock-earnest] -I ate at the hotel.

I do think he's pretty, though. It helps.

[madeyoufall]

It is nice, isn't it. Plenty of people like to imagine themselves protecting, too. Here I sit, a lone warden between you and this den of wolves... [Jim sighs, gazing at her, pretending to lose himself in some reverie.]

You see? [Jim leans forward, plucking the cherry speared in his drink and offering it to her on its little plastic sword.] That's how good you are. It even works on me.

[anatomist]

It makes you feel powerful. Now slay a dragon for me.

[And she leans forward and bites the cherry like a snake striking.]

[madeyoufall]

[He doesn't close his eyes this time, only rolls them, smirking.]

I said you were good, not a miracle. Besides, why would I deprive myself of seeing you slay one yourself? Far, far better...

[anatomist]

Because you might never even know it was me?

I am a mouse, after all.

We could work together on it. Shared client. Pool our resources, do some teamwork, have strategy meetings on my sofa.

[madeyoufall]

I'd know.

[He brushes her cheek with the plastic sword. She's determinedly irresistible this evening.]

That does sound good for business. I concede. You are that good. Did you have a client in mind?

[anatomist]

[She closes her eyes like he's caressing her cheek, like it's romantic, biting down on her lower lip for a second as she smiles.]

The Carlisle case. [She sounds a little more businesslike now.] One of mine, run of the mill financial sleight of hand on an international scale that slipped into murder because the client is an idiot, I'm sure you remember how grumpy I was last week- it needs an ending. A faked death to escape any ongoing investigation- I'd kill him to protect us, but this way we get paid and avoid any reputation for making clients drop like flies. We can leak the fact that it was faked to a people who don't natter with the protectors of the peace. It's just a matter of how, and naturally, the window of opportunity is small.

[She seems perfectly calm about it, which suggests she has a few plans- Molly is unnervingly methodical and well-organised when it comes to work matters.]

Of course, if you want something with non-simulated bloodshed, I'd predict that we're going to get a few new clients out of this publicity stunt, don't you think?

[madeyoufall]

They're all idiots, darling. That's why they need us.

[Jim is absolutely giving her his full attention, or as much of it as anyone ever gets - Molly gets more than most - but he's also sweeping the room, subtly, still watching the woman in front of him, taking in and noting thoroughly every eye that's trained on her. And one or two on him, but that's less interesting at the moment.]

Financial is easy enough. They're leaping out of tall buildings at an astonishing rate. Eurocrisis. [Jim snorts. It's been a lucrative sort of crisis for the two of them.] We can kill him anytime we like, but your plan suits first. Auto-erotic asphyxiation? There haven't been many of them lately. He's the sort to see the appeal in going like a pop star. Once he understands the advantages [Molly does. A suicide is one thing; a humiliating accident is not the kind of thing anyone questions.] I'm at your disposal if he needs help convincing. Or did you already have a cunning plan?

[What others find unnerving, Jim delights in. Molly especially, but as a general rule.]

You know me too well I think, sometimes. [Jim's smile is a threat, but she's more than used to that by now; It's different with her. Like affection.] Maybe it's being around all these rough-and-tumble types. They're so menacing. Yes... I think you're right. More than a few, and even something new, if that's possible...

[There are any number of men in what Jim considers cheap suits that would be far improved by blood splatter, but he hasn't bothered to recognize any of them, and Molly is being enticing.] I don't think our reputation would suffer any from finding one tonight just for fun.

[anatomist]

Auto-erotic asphyxiation- Jim, that's so sleazy.

[A compliment, delivered in tones of awed horror, a contradictory smile on her face; she likes that idea. Her foot nudges his ankle fondly- she's nearly done with her wine, pleasantly warm but nowhere near unfocused. That doesn't happen to her. Just like him, she's aware of everything going on in the room, a steady background supply of information which doesn't change the fact that she's intent upon him.

And speaking of which:]

I think some fun's in order. It would be good for business, if we pick the right plaything.

[madeyoufall]

[Jim's already sifting through their options, sipping the last of his pink concoction. Someone who's being a bother; nice for the brochure, but so obvious. Anyone already fancying their chances with either of them stands in good stead. But someone hard, not necessarily all snarls and shadowy corners, but flanked or rigid or just plain arrogant enough to believe themselves immune- that could be fun and profit.]

See anything you like? [Jim's foot slides over her ankle now, opting for slow appreciation over tap of affection.] Aside from the obvious.

[He watches her with as much extra caution as she does him; he's still admiring the camouflage, he can't stop, all that clacking jewelry and the expectant little perk of her perfectly innocent lips. It's art.]

We're spoiled for choice and I'm feeling impatient.