THE BRAVE BARTENDER

[thebravebartenders]

" i hear you are the one responsible for such a spectacle , i must say , i'm impressed. " she called out , a smile reaching her lips as she walked slowly towards him on the terrace. sporting a glowing gown , hair curled over her shoulder, she felt like a small fish , in a big pond . she was doing her best to fit in , speaking with locals , making a name for herself, but in truth , she felt out of her depth. she had chosen to vacate for fresh air , getting somewhat lost in the mass of the mikaelson home. she had never seen a home so big , it was all a little disorientating. "when were you going to tell me you live in a mansion ? rich man enters poor persons bar , seems oddly suspicious if you ask me. " she teased, tilting her head as she leaned against the balcony , exhaling as the cool air hit her skin. // @hybr1ds

[originalblondebxtch]

''Now Camille, you know better than anyone of our financial state.'' Rebekah spoke as she moved close to the other blonde, though the way she spoke seemed as if she didn't know who her family actually were. ''This is quite mild for us if I do say so myself.''

[thebravebartenders]

" sorry , do i know you ? i'm terrible with faces , and names , which isn't exactly the best quality. " she chuckled softly , slightly flustered and embarrassed by not knowing her. she nodded, gazing around the room in awe of the spectacle. " if this is mild , i dare not see what your idea of going all out is. "

[lightfilled-a]

"trust me, they have more money than the queen of england, and the accents to match." caroline commented, gracing her newfound friend with a small smile. the moment she realised camille was in attendance she knew she'd have to check on her, eyes flickering over her neck to check for injuries before looking down at the woman's outfit. "your dress is amazing by the way."

[thebravebartenders]

she chuckled at the other , shaking her head as she gaze around the bustle of the festivities. it was in full swing , and music consumed the hall , dancing and merriment were noted. "it seems so , are they notorious for these sorts of events then? " she asked with a tilt of her head. she smiled , gazing down at her dress. " thank you , you look absolutely stunning, as always. " she smiled back , smiling widely, hand reaching out for hers to squeeze lightly. " are you here with anyone ? "

[hybrids-a]

" let's just say i don't trust you to make wise decisions for your own safety. " that much is bound to offend her, especially coming from who she believes to be a stranger, but he's too lost in his own grief to care. this entire situation, the nearness yet simultaneous loss of her at once, does nothing but build and build and build his frustration. " i speak of myself so callously because i don't deserve someone who cares. " meets her eyes, jaw clenched. " because some naive women who end up caring for me, against their own better judgment, end up dead to show for it. "

but that's no matter, is it ? she won't come to care for him again. she can live her life on her own, after this little meeting; he will leave her alone, and she will be all the safer for it this time around. " allow me to analyze you for a change, hm ? i think you'd be better off focusing on yourself. your own desires, your own doubts, your own future. stop sympathizing with the woes of strangers. " / @thebravebartenders !

[thebravebartenders]

his comment took her off guard , her eyes following his , lips parted to defend herself but no words surfaced. his comment was unwarranted , and spurred confusion in her already fatigued mind. " what exactly do you mean? " she asked, tilting her head , elbows propped on the counter top. she was accustomed to looking after herself. since sean died , she was wrecked by grief , but she did not let it stop her. she did not allow it to prevent her from succeeding , from surviving herself. she was guarded now , such a comment caused her to stiffen, not as freely speaking as before , she is guarded.

" and when do you plan on releasing this sob story ? it must be quite a read. " she mocked, rising the glass to her lips , sighing deeply. she did not like to hear him speak illy of himself , even if she did not know him. a deeper connection was held , one she did not quite understand or know how to interpret. " you have to believe more in yourself , everyone is deserving of love , no matter how you convince yourself otherwise. " she added , sighing deeply after she spoke.

she is finding herself growing more irritable , mostly because she feels out of control , to a man she barely knows. " and how exactly do you plan i do that? in a town where i barely know where the shop is , everything in my life is uncertain , i have no family , no friends , i just have this bar , and you came into it and admitted your life woes , and now you tell me not to care about them ? " she knew she had a lot to be thankful for , and she did not mean to admit her troubles , but naturally, she feels safe and able to open up , but immediately after , she wished she didn't. "sorry , i'll uh -- get us another drink. " she naturally did just that, standing up to prepare them , distancing her mind for a moment.

[ofbrokenhearted]

❝ this family always love to go over the top , my little butterfly . something they do just because they can ❞ Aurora had gotten close to cami once she discovered the little blonde had lost her memory . doing everything she can to HELP her and the likes . being her friend , if not the best one she will ever have .

[thebravebartenders]

she had to admit , the female before her appeared to hit the nail on the head. unbeknownst to her, the man she had met at the bar was hosting , so in this moment , camille was unfamiliar with the mikaelson family and their wrongdoings. to her, this was merely a festivity in which she had chosen to engage with. " it seems that they hold wealth that we can only imagine. " was she envious ? not exactly , she knew what burden came with wealth , it did not bring happiness as one would predict. "are you enjoying the festivities? "

[hybrids-a]

closes his eyes for a moment, quietly acknowledging the truth behind that. life growing around the grief to help him cope. has it helped him cope with the loss of her, or have the thorns around his heart overgrown, thickened, sharpened ? " i don't have many friends. certainly few i can trust with my innermost thoughts or feelings. the one i lost ... she knew me better than most. she listened. " and at what cost, in the end ?

another drink down, quickly, after she refills his glass. it doesn't do enough to mask the way his chest constricts when her hand falls upon his shoulder, touches him. " — i'm not sure you'd be wise to make that offer. " offers a thin smile. " consider me a man with far more than my fair share of burdens. of grief. and if i were a kind man, i'd do well to step out of this bar and never see you again rather than trouble you with any of it. "

[thebravebartenders]

she felt as if she knew him , her mind searches , for any familiarity for the man in front of her. how can a stranger hold such a presence in her life? she feels uncertain , yet calm , an unfamiliar feeling that causes a puzzled expression to cross her face. his comment distracts her , leading to her forgetting about his familiarity for a moment. " you choose your friends wisely , perhaps those around you are not as selective , it's not a bad thing to be guarded. " she knew too much about that. his comment makes her smile weakly. she know such a loss , and it doesn't get easier.

his evasiveness , he is avoidant of compassion , but why ? she is lead to believe it is experiences , they shape us , often in good and bad moments. " let me make such a decision myself , you speak of yourself in such a callous way , but why ? why do you feel you don't deserve someone who cares ? " she asks with a tilt of her head. " my guess is you don't let people in , and complain of the little connection that truly inspires you - let in that sort of companionship and i think you'd be a hell less lonely. "

[thebravebartenders]

status: open to all location: the winter ball room.

" is this family loaded? this is all very prestige. " it was unlike anything she was used to. the high ceilings , chandeliers , she could not begin to imagine the cost of such a soiree. they were setting to impress , but in truth , camille was intrigued on why one would go to such length. her assumption was to set a standard.

[thebravebartenders]

[thebravebartenders]

♣ — [sender] and [receiver] make mulled cider @lightfilled

" you know , i can honestly say this is the happiest i have felt in ages , y'know? like , really content with things. " perhaps after one or two mulled ciders, she was beginning to feel merry, but in truth, the company alone was more than she needed to feel fully at home in such a forsaken town. she had been consumed by thoughts, regrets, of moving to somewhere out of the norm. however, with caroline, she finally felt she belonged somewhere. "i mean, the mulled cider is certainly a reason to celebrate -- plus , i need your help putting up my tree."

[lightfilled-a]

"you know what, today feels like a pinot grigio kind of day....want one too? i can buy, obviously. as a thanks." she added, shooting the other blonde a smile. she didn't know very many adults in town yet, and she longed for a bit of adult company - instead of dancing around playing unicorns and princesses (as fun as it was).

[thebravebartenders]

"i think every day is one of those days." she chuckled, moving to pour them both a glass. she shook her head at her mention of paying, sighing deeply. she needed it, perhaps more than she had first realised. the amnesia removed her memories but the feelings of anxiety and uncertainty were still there. "what is on your mind? it seems you have the weight of the world on your shoulders to be out at such an hour in search of a drink."

[hybrids-a]

" i'm sorry for your loss, as well. " a soft murmur, genuine. wishes he could bottle up her grief, now more than and ever, and hold it someplace safe, where she doesn't need to feel it. understands all too well the burden of it; more than ever, right now. " you're right. it never heals. it infects you, it leaves its mark, and you carry it with you until you no longer remember who you were without it. "

considers her words, her attempt at reassurance, as he takes another drink. wrestles with the possibility of telling her the truth ... or leaving her in the dark. neglecting to bring her back into the clutches of his far too dangerous world. " and if even the memory stings ? if i can't bear it ? what is your advice then ? "

[thebravebartenders]

despite everything, his comfort remained comforting to her. in this moment, her fears and woes dissipated, replaced with a warm and content feeling. she could not recall why, perhaps her own comfort was unnerving to her, something she would begin to second guess later. "thank you , it is some time ago, but as they say, your grief does not become smaller, your life just grows around the grief to help you cope with it." she had looked into grief theories, and it gave her some comfort, any form of literature or explanation tended to do so.

his question posed her to stop, remaining quiet for a moment before speaking out. "then i suggest you speak to someone about it? a friend , or even a counsellor." it was ironic, that in the past he had compelled her to do just that. "i am a non judgemental ear , if you wish?" she naturally poured his glass again, a hand moving to his shoulder. she was unsure why she was opening up to a stranger , teeth sinking into her bottom lip in contemplation at her own candour. "as they say, grief can be a burden, but also an anchor, it's what you choose to do with it that counts."

[divimia]

       the blonde's words are filled with warmth,  and davina feels the tense hold in her muscles let go,  shoulders loosening  -  and her rare soft smile crossing her features,  and she'll lean on her hand,  nod in agreement.   "yeah, i haven't painted in awhile. kinda bums me out that i haven't touched a canvas and brush in a few years."   of course,  she'd been trapped in an attic the last time she painted  ...  but,  it gave her the free time to paint.  still,  it's not great.   "or maybe we always know what demons are lurking. and choose to blend them so easily, because there's some you can never get rid of."  it's about power and control in their world,  anyway.   "hi, cami. missed you."  // @thebravebartenders.

[thebravebartenders]

for a moment , camille stopped , acknowledging the voice of the other with unreserved curiosity. she was intrigued, partially aware that the other held significance to her, but she could not put her finger on why. after her return, anyone associated with the mikaelson's had been wiped from her mind, and this included davina. despite this, her presence was somewhat comforting, and she continues to feel such comfort in her presence. "then what is stopping you? art is good for the soul, and god knows we all need that" she inquired, a smile remaining on her lips as she came to shuffle to the end of the bar, using the stool she had discretely hidden to sit, perched beside the other. "demons? i think the most we have to fear are the rowdy locals, but i'm beginning to get used to that." the moment she heard her name, her brows furrowed together , tilting her head. "where do i know you from? i'm sorry , i am terrible with faces, and names."

[reputalie]

         "only if the liquor is over 5k a bottle. otherwise, still not interested."  call her picky,  call her pretentious  -  rosalie's certainly both,  and she'll own up to it.   "you're attempt is sweet, though. cute, really. reminds me of this kitten i saw by a dumpster a few winters ago."  // @thebravebartenders.

[thebravebartenders]

" right ? do you make such comments to appear better than everyone else ? because if i'm honest , i have no time for arrogance." she folded her arms across her chest, clearly unamused by the others clear discontent, and disapproval of something she had worked exceedingly hard for. she felt judged, perhaps a little small , all because someone did not remain happy. she did her best, to make the bar hospitable, but in truth, the other made her blood boil. "there are many other bars , don't let me stop you." she signalled her to the door, before beginning to clean the bar.

[lightfilled-a]

"yeah this....isn't really the party town." caroline admitted, a faint smile on her lips. not that it was essential to her own lifestyle, but it had always been frustrating back in mystic falls. "are you sure? you're a lifesaver. it's rare i get a chance to slip away like this."

[thebravebartenders]

"no kidding , i've seen more life at funerals." she joked, shaking her head. she signals for the other to come in, standing behind the bar, tossing the cloth over her shoulder. "what can i get you?" she asked, tilting her head. she liked to spend time with locals, to get to know then. it was certainly task in a new town , but one she was beginning to embrace.

[hybrids-a]

the way she effortlessly pours him bourbon without even thinking about it only adds further insult to injury, salt to the wound. can only manage the faintest trace of a smile as he accepts the glass, because at least this is just a touch of before. " it's my favorite, actually. thank you. " at least this is a moment worth savoring, a relic of the past, back when camille was his. could she remember more ? how much of her remains buried inside of herself ?

considers the rest of her words for a moment before adding, " you're right. it's ... painful. i don't know what to make of it — where to go from here. she was ... a light in my life, and i find myself struggling to hold onto the memory of that light. "

[thebravebartenders]

something about the interaction was comforting , familiar , for a moment camille's racing heart settles , she is calm. she forgets her worries for a moment , of which there are a lot of them, and she is taken by the conversation. she doesn't know this man, but feels at home , and contemplates why. the feeling is unnerving, causing camille to fidget behind the bar, looking for something, anything , to take her mind off the feeling.

"i am sorry for your loss , i -- lost my brother some time ago and that wound never heals." she questions , why did she tell a stranger this? this is a large part of her life, one that consumes her daily. pieces of the jigsaw about this remain missing, all due to the compulsion. "as much as we miss those who have left us, i like to think what they continue to bring us , even if its memories we can reflect positively on." she smiled, hoping such would sooth the other.

[reputalie]

           all rosalie does is shrug.   "i have standards when it comes to what i put in my body."   and cheap pity alcohol from the local bartender ?  it's not her thing.   "sorry."   she's not.  and it shows.

[thebravebartenders]

" right. " she did not sound convinced, pursing her lips as she gazed around the bar. "how about a sours? to match your sour mood? " she spoke with raised brows , unable to withhold her temper.

[dvlishkol]

kol blinked slowly, the blonde's words falling stiff in the air. lips pressed together to form a thin line, a dramatic yawn then leaving his lips. "are you done? i came here for a drink, not to be bored to death. you're a bar tender, right? perhaps you should try less talking more tending?" he mused with a roll of his eyes. he did not understand what niklaus had seen in the woman. to him, she seemed awfully vanilla. perhaps they'd bonded over their mutual liking of pretty pictures. "i'll take a scotch. neat."

[thebravebartenders]

his tone was somewhat demeaning, causing camille's smile to fade. a once optimistic persona, diminish by the judgement of a man she did not know. she knew better than to allow it to burden her thoughts, but for a moment, she did let it consume her. swallowing hard, camille moved the painting to below the bar, acknowledging his demand and harshly, slamming the drink on the bar. "that's twelve dollars, for nice locals it's six, but since you are determined to be a jackass, it's twelve. before you say a word, anything further you say will double the price again." she snared, arms folding across her chest.