Midnight Endeavors [open]

[`Duckie]

Electric blue hair, perfectly pinned in areas and puffed in others, matched an equally shocking shade of pale creme. The pale creme face held deep sea blue eyes that seemed to captivate as well as bewilder; much like the female's hair. Her eyes were lined black and heavy with a bit of a wispy tip upward at each corner of her eyes; lashes long, lush, supple and dark curled to deceiving perfection. She wore a plush light maple tan turtle neck, the label unknown as she had made it herself; it was paired with a dark almost midnight blue faded pair of jeans that were slightly ripped around her thighs, knees, and shins. She pulled the outfit together with black pointed boots that gave her four more inches to her already five foot four height.

She was accompanied by feminine laughter, Human feminine laughter, and even though Romey vowed to herself she'd become Vegan; the temptation was just too rough for someone whose other half is Vampire and all the thrumming sounds of warm blood pulsing in her ears . . . Well that's like waving a juicy steak to a homeless person who hadn't eaten for more than three days. The other two females that occupied the seats, one next to her and the other across from her in their corner window table, was her co-workers. Jalisa and Caroline; Jalisa the front desk slash make-up artist, and Caroline a fellow hairstylist. They had spent the last ten hours together and Romey was slowly becoming drained of their presence, it was hard already not trying to sink her fangs into their lovely necks . . . But damn.

"So Romey, where is the lucky man?" Jalisa spoke in her sultry almost fake Latin voice as she pursed her lips in a puckering almost sucking mock motion, while fluttering her faux eyelashes, a dash of blue glitter across her lids as well as black liquid eyeliner. Romey just raised a brow to her question and then motioned her right arm up so that her elbow rested on the table top and she leaned her right cheek into her clasped palm. She dumbly looked into the slightly looking older woman and just sighed.

Caroline seemed to understand the gesture and a smile formed. "Jalisa I think she's had enough of your prying." This only seemed to fuel Jalisa's curiosity and she was even more stubborn as she looked back from Caroline to Romey. Her shaved and penciled eyebrows barely moving but Romey could tell she was a mix of determination and anger.

Jalisa's mouth opened into an "O" shape but her words never came to surface, instead she was cut off by a slightly appealing young man who seemed quite interested in Caroline. He wore the regular cafe employee attire and pulled out a "waitress" book with a pen to match. "Excuse me ladies, what can I interest you in?" He seemed ready to flee at any chance and was a little anxious, well that's only Romey's observation. To the other two girls they were just probably drooling over his chiseled good looks that seemed more appetizing than any scone or for Romey's case----blood.

Romey simply glanced up at the tall lad and voiced her need for a white chocolate mocha and a strawberry cream cheese scone. Her counterparts seemed a little stunned with open mouths, so Romey went ahead and ordered them the same but non-fat for them only because anyone in the whole salon business knows that most of the women are always body conscious. The waiter gave a slight wink as if Romey hadn't seen it, to Caroline and she almost could feel the vial of puke crawling up her esophagus. Jalisa and Caroline clucked like hens after the young boy left, talking about his youthful buttocks and other things that Romey herself did not wish to recall. If only she could have normal friends who didn't gawk at everything that was slightly good-looking and had a youthful body . . . Then maybe she would be able to keep whatever sanity was left.

[Axl Ross]

Axl walked into the small cafe, yawning slightly as he carried a small bag in his hand. He brushes his long onyx hair back and sighed, inhaling the pungent scent of coffee. It wasn't that he didn't like the bitter beverage, he just liked it drenched with chocolate, caramel, and other fancy sweets. He was dressed in his usual attire of punk rock shirts, black boots, and the usual gothic or 'emo' looking style. His shirt had the band name 'Foxy Shazam" with yellow, black, and red stripes. Axl also had on tight blue skinny jeans and a pair of steel toed combat boots. He dressed like one of the undead or poser 'scene' high school kids everyday except he happened to pull it off.

Axl looked good in it. He knew it.

Strutting up to the counter with his plastic bag, he eyed the male clerk who was behind the register. He was tall and chiseled, with the usual model looks that girls would drool after. Axl simply scoffed and smirked, quickly ordering a double shot chocolate and caramel dessert drink. It was disgusting and laden with calories but he really didn't give a shit. Patting the package of cigarettes in his pocket, he fancied the idea of having a smoke break after he finished his drink.

"That'll be a moment, sir. 4.52 is your total," the cashier spoke as if he was bored and Axl quickly shelled out the money from his wallet. Nodding at him, the machine clicked open and swallowed his dollar bills. Turning around, the first thing the punk man noticed was three rather gorgeous girls sitting at a table. They hadn't received their food or drink yet, assuming that was what they were there for.

The one that happened to catch his eye had bright blue hair and deep sea eyes. She was alternative looking and he happened to like the energy she was radiating. The other girls were attractive but they didn't catch his attention as much. He gave them each a once over before returning to the girl he had started on. He stared at her for a second and stomped on any dirty thoughts he had. Axl was a bartender and he happened to be surrounded by the female species almost every second of everyday. He was hit on quite a lot and going home lonely wasn't a common occurrence. However, there were more important things on his mind at that moment. One of them happened to be getting his deadline for his new comic done. There was a competition for a magazine that was looking for new authors and artists. He was hoping to win the money and get one of his ideas published.

Catching a seat by the window, he began to walk over but cursed when his plastic bag ripped open and splattered onto the tile floors. Snake food cascaded in waves onto the floor and he sighed, beginning to pick up the pieces. He felt as if everyone's eyes were on him and felt a small tinge of pink blush his cheeks. He hoped the hot blue haired girl wasn't laughing at him.

[`Duckie]

Customers coming and going, even though her eyes roamed and hadn't lingered for long, it seemed that one particular customer that marched in with a look Romey had seen amongst teens caught her eye. It wasn't his fashion style, it was the way he carried himself and the strut of confidence he seemed to convey. 'He would make a good model with that kind of walk.' Romey thought as she looked his body over and then whatever amount of face he decided to show from her position. He was fairly featured, rough, but handsome in a "I'll-give-you-one-crazy-night." type of handsome. Her eyes drifted as soon as he decided to look over at the table where her friends and herself occupied.

He was probably assessing them as well and didn't mind the slight onslaught of attention. Romey's friends were still gawking at the employee that they hadn't noticed and she didn't bother feeding their egos by announcing that a man was eyeballing them. Instead she turned her head back to the door and watched as customers came and went. However, that hadn't lasted long until a noticeable ripping sound and plop of an object came ringing loud in her ears. Romey glanced over and noted it was the eyeballing guy and also noticed the multiple pieces scattered across the floor and him bending to pick all of them up.

Without a second thought she moved from her seat and took the few steps was needed to start helping the guy out. She hadn't known what to say at first for speaking to strangers was not her forte, even when it came to hunting she seemed to wait until someone came to her. But in this case he was probably feeling a bit embarrassed that his plastic bag just made a fool out of him, so she couldn't help but offer him a hand in picking up the pieces quickly so he wouldn't suffer any longer.

"That sucks." Romey murmured and had a large sum of food in her left hand while the other continued to pick up pieces. She looked to him and slightly smirked, she didn't want to laugh but the slight blush to his cheeks made him look pretty adorable in her eyes; even if it was devastating for him.

[Axl Ross]

Axl looked up and frowned as the attractive girl from the side of the café approached him. Although he was a bit mortified, he was grateful that she was helping him with the mess he had just made. The snake food was made of pellets and was simply a dietary supplement for his little corn snake. His pet didn’t happen to like the dried food very much but he couldn’t simply live off of frozen mice. That was hardly a balanced diet.

Swallowing thickly, Axl quickly murmured a thank you and then frowned to himself. He was normally quite smooth but he felt out of his element in the homey coffee shop getting a drink that probably had too many syllables for its own good.

“I mean thanks. You didn’t have to get up and help. It’s uh, my fault I dropped my crap everywhere.” He let out a nervous chuckle and quickly scooped the remaining remnants into his little bag. It was ripped of course but he would have to deal until he got home. Luckily, the walk wasn’t too far and he could make it to his quaint apartment before he lost his seven dollars worth of pet food.

The clerk behind the register was eyeballing him with distaste and Axl felt himself grow irritated under the preppy boy’s gaze. Once he had had enough of the cashier staring at him he stood up and struck a flamboyant pose.

“I know I’m attractive but seriously. I can give you an autograph if you want.” Axl gave the man a smirk and a wink before turning back to the girl who had decided to help him. Dealing with guys wasn’t much of a threat as he had down his fair share of removing drunken patrons from the bar where he worked. Glancing at the watch by the restrooms, he figured he had a couple hours left before having to head in for his shift. He had enough time to fit in some other work he needed to do as well.

“Axl’s drink. Come get it.” A young girl behind the counter smiled happily as she placed the sugar laden delicacy on the wooden counter. Axl snuck a glance at the aqua haired girl beside him before grabbing his plastic container of slushy liquid syrup.