Bloody Mary (Claudius casual)

[JANE EYRE]

Unlike Monte Cristo who managed to celebrate her birthday with a quiet decorum, which Jane enjoyed more than she thought she would, Claudius was a whole other kettle of fish. When he got wind of her turning twenty one (how she didn't know) he had called her up and demanded to take her out. Jane, of course, tried to say no. She wasn't one to go out and party but Claudius insisted on buying her her very first drink.

And when Claudius insisted, it was almost impossible to say no.

Jane eventually gave in. Of course, she laid out rules that she was sure Claudius would ignore. One being that if she started to get drunk, he wouldn't let her get drunk completely and another being that he didn't buy all the drinks, that she split the bill.

Jane somehow had a feeling that both rules would be completely disregarded.

But, she would humor him since he was a good friend. Even if she was skeptical since he just sobered up.

Jane wasn't exactly sure what one would wear to their first evening to a bar so she didn't bother herself about it, pulling on the first dress she found. She spent her time researching beverages though, finding the ones that she thought she would be able to handle the easiest. Lord knows she would not be able to take too much alcohol and she wasn't one for strong flavors.

She already downstairs waiting when he pulled up and let herself into his car. Any formalities were abandoned long ago between them and honestly Jane enjoyed it.

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

It had been a well-established fact for some time that Claudius Chandler was not an altogether good person. And here he was, further cementing that theory with his insistence on taking Jane out for her first drink. The first reason this was a bad idea was that it was Jane, of all people, whom he was taking out – she had never been to a bar before and he was a seasoned connoisseur of such places. The second reason was that, in all technicality, he was supposed to be sobering up.

He had tried, he really had. But what Hector hadn’t seemed to realize when he brought Claudius’ happily self-destructive life crashing down about his ears was that his alcoholism wasn’t just a sickness – it was his method of coping with the guilt. Because he was feeling guilty for Hamlet’s death – he couldn’t deny it now. He had managed it for a bit and then…something seemed to snap. Cue the heavy drinking. He’d been known for the booze before but never like this. Hector had put up with it, Hector had helped him, and now, even after Hector had effectively saved Claudius’ life… It was as though Claudius acted specifically to aggravate and rebel against Hector. Not that Hector was going to find out about this.

It was just going to be a friendly get together; a couple of drinks and that would be the end of that.

It was quite exciting, Claudius found, to be going out on the town once again. The last time he’d had alcohol had been that bottle of beer- beer- at the New Year’s Eve party, the events of which he thought he had managed to erase from his memory. And this time he wouldn’t have Hector with him, warning him off. He could do what he wanted. He was Claudius Chandler, CEO - he wasn’t a child. If he wanted to get drunk, he would. But he wouldn't.

He’d just have one drink. Maybe two. Of course, he should have taken into account the fact that, having not had alcohol for so long, one or two drinks would affect him a lot more than they used to – but Claudius didn’t care for the science of the whole business.

All that mattered here was that he was being a great friend, taking Jane for her first drink.

Well, initially she had refused. But Claudius had insisted. And when Claudius insisted you couldn’t say no.

He pulled up outside Jane’s apartment only a couple of minutes late – a record for him. As Jane let herself into the car, Claudius gave her an approving look.

“Looking good, Jane,” he said, with a flash of his signature grin. He was almost more excited about this than she was. “You looking forward to this?”

[JANE EYRE]

When Claudius finally arrived (last, as was in his character), Jane let out a breath. Partly of relief that he had showed up and didn't just leave her and partly of horror of what was to come. She got settled in her seat, buckling up quietly.

“Looking good, Jane."

Jane smiled and ducked her head, straightening her hem. "Thank you, Claudius. You look dashing, as usual." Even if Claudius wasn't always well behaved, he usually was well dressed and well groomed. It was part of his charm, Jane supposed, being the good looking, flippant millionaire. Not unlike Tony Stark, she thought with a small grin. If only that were completely true.

“You looking forward to this?”

Jane shrugged. "I told you I wasn't particularly interested in drinking. But of course I'm looking forward to spending time with a friend." Again, she smiled at him and reached over to pat his knee in a friendly manner. "Really, thank you for taking time for this. It isn't any important but you making this gesture means so much."

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

Claudius was well used to Jane's being unused to compliments by now, and yet the way in which she responded to them - that small smile, that shy ducking of her head - it was endearing.

"Thank you, Claudius. You look dashing, as usual."

Claudius laughed. Dashing. What a word to use. He supposed he did have that sort of confident charm about him - heck, he knew he did. Though it was nice Jane had noticed. Not that he didn't always make an effort - because he did - but this was a special occasion.

"Well, if I'm taking you out for your first drink I have to look dashing, don't I?" he replied, smile still in place.

Jane's initial reply to his query about whether or not she was looking forward to the outing was what Claudius had expected her to say -ridiculous as it sounded to him, he was well aware he and Jane were two very, very different people. But then that gesture she made - it was friendly, certainly, and the previous formalities between the pair of them had dissapeared surprisingly swiftly - yet he couldn't help but think-

No, he was being ridiculous. Jane had said friend. Friend. That was what he was and he wasn't just a friend. He was a great friend.

"Really, thank you for taking time for this. It isn't any important but you making this gesture means so much."

"Jane," Claudius replied, in a surprisingly sincere manner, taking her hand in his. "This isn't just important. This is very important. A rite of passage, if you will, and I'm glad to be able to share it with you."

Then, letting go of her hand and in a much more light-hearted and jovial tone,

"And trust me, you'll be interested in drinking after tonight."

Having imparted this apparent piece of wisdom, Claudius started the car and pulled away from the pavement, beginning the journey to the bar he had decided as best to inaugurate Jane into the wonderful world of drink.

[JANE EYRE]

"Well, if I'm taking you out for your first drink I have to look dashing, don't I?"

"It's just a drink, Claudius. It's not an engagement," Jane laughed lightly. Claudius always had a grandiose air to him, everything was a much bigger deal with him around. Jane would have been just as happy celebrating her first drink with a glass of wine in her apartment but with Claudius it had to be a grand affair.

She had been put off by it when she first met him but she had adjusted easily to it. Jane was nothing but adaptable. Now their friendship was nice and easy; the staunch barriers and walls that had been up in the beginning were down and now they could just be themselves.

"Jane. This isn't just important. This is very important. A rite of passage, if you will, and I'm glad to be able to share it with you."

"My birthday isn't very important." Jane relaxed against the rather luxurious seat of Claudius's car. The rite of passage angle Jane had heard before but never understood. Then again, she was raised in a community where drinking was not something to do on a regular basis or even talk about. Lowood had kept a very strict teaching about alcohol and Jane supposed that now, even years later, she still kept that in mind.

"And trust me, you'll be interested in drinking after tonight."

Jane rolled her eyes a little, smiling. "If you say so, Claudius."

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"It's just a drink, Claudius. It's not an engagement,"

It was true, Claudius did have a very flamboyant and often over the top way of doing things - particularly when it came to parties. But the reason he was so serious on this point was simply that alcohol had been a determining factor in his life for the past twenty years. It had turned from a bad habit into a coping method and then into a sickness. For Claudius, despite the frivolity the drink often provided, it was a serious topic. It was all the more so now Hector had pointed out to him just what his habit had done not only to Claudius himself but to their friendship.

But it wasn't as though he was going to ruin his time in rehab - or his friendship with Hector - with one or two drinks. If anything, these few drinks would improve his friendship with Jane. It would be worth it. Even if Hector found out. Which he wouldn't.

Claudius laughed as Jane did before refocussing his attention on the road - the traffic wasn't too bad for this time in the evening, surprisingly, and the journey wouldn't take as long as he had expected. Trivial, but it meant the sooner they got to the bar, the sooner he would get some alcohol in his system. God, did he need it.

"My birthday isn't very important."

"For God's sake!" Claudius said in an exasperated yet still jovial tone, with another laugh. "Of course it is! First of all, its your birthday. Secondly, you're now twenty one! This is a big deal, and I'm not going to let you say otherwise."

"If you say so, Claudius."

Claudius turned his attention from the road to Jane long enough to see her roll her eyes. He gave her his best wounded expression, though from his tone it was clear he was still in a joking mood.

"You mean to say you don't trust my judgement? I'm hurt, Jane, really."

[JANE EYRE]

"For God's sake! Of course it is! First of all, its your birthday. Secondly, you're now twenty one! This is a big deal, and I'm not going to let you say otherwise."

Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes again, still in very good humor. "All a birthday is is a reminder that you managed to go a whole year without getting yourself killed. And twenty one is just another year." Jane didn't know why she was explaining her thoughts, Claudius had made up his mind. When Claudius made up his mind, nothing would change it at all.

So, Jane would let it go and try to have fun. She always did around Claudius, after all. He was so lighthearted and jovial that it brightened the room.

"You mean to say you don't trust my judgement? I'm hurt, Jane, really."

"Please, Claudius." Jane tsked and wagged a finger at him. "Don't try those puppy dog eyes on me. I am immune to them." She was still smiling so brightly, she hadn't stopped since she got in the car. Even though it wasn't her cup of tea as far as celebrations went, Jane had a feeling she would enjoy the evening quite a bit.

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"All a birthday is is a reminder that you managed to go a whole year without getting yourself killed. And twenty one is just another year."

Why did Jane have to say 'without getting yourself killed'? Not only did Claudius not want to be reminded of how recently Hector had told him if he kept up the drinking he would die of liver failure, but he didn't want to be reminded of the reason for the excessive drinking either... Granted, Hamlet hadn't exactly gotten himself killed, he'd been murdered...and that just made it worse.

He felt his stomach tighten uncomfortably even at the mention of death, and although Jane wnet on to say that twenty one was just another year, her previous words stayed in Claudius' head for longer as he refocussed his attention on the road.

"If you say so, Jane," he quipped back.

There was little evidence of his internal discomfort at Jane's words in his posture but his voice was slightly quieter than he had been before. Hopefully Jane would attribute that to the fact he was concentrating on the road once more - that and he hadn't argued back, most unlike hm. For when Claudius Chandler made his up mind about something it was very difficult to sway him - unless the method of persuasion was based on alcohol or money. Not that Jane would be aware of that.

"Please, Claudius." Jane tsked and wagged a finger at him. "Don't try those puppy dog eyes on me. I am immune to them."

Claudius laughed. No one was really immune to Claudius Chandler's charms, even in his sillier, 'puppy dog eyes' moments. He turned to face Jane again, one eyebrow raised.

"I guess I'll just have to try another tactic with you, won't I?" he asked. He paused before laughing again and returning his attention to driving, expression changing from charming to properly cheerful once more.

"I'm kidding, Jane," he said, anticipating her reaction even though he wasn't looking at her. Not that she wasn't pretty, of course, but really, he should know better than turn on his usual brand of slick suavity when he was with her. But then he realized, in doing so, he'd managed to distract himself from his earlier thoughts of death - not excatly the sort of thoughts one wants to have at a birthday celebration - and the uncomfortable knot in the pit of his stomach had all but vanished.

[JANE EYRE]

Jane noticed Claudius's change in posture and tone, even if it didn't last long. She didn't pay much mind to it though; Claudius was a mercurial man at his best and Jane enjoyed the spontaneity. It was a nice contrast to the steady sort of personalities she was typically attracted to.

"I guess I'll just have to try another tactic with you, won't I?"

Jane met Claudius's look, arching her own brow in response, trying (and failing) to keep a straight face. She knew all about his usual habits of being overtly flirtatious and charming and appreciated that he didn't try that with her. Jane wasn't susceptible to charming, really.

She gave all credit to her upbringing for that.

"I'm kidding, Jane,"

"Good." She gave him a playful version of her stern teacher look and burst into giggles.

"Even if this isn't something I'm interested in, I look forward to the evening." Drinking or no, Jane enjoyed spending time with friends, especially friends like Claudius. It was interesting, light hearted, and always an adventure.

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

As Jane matched Claudius' look withone of her own before dissolving into laughter, Claudius couldn't help but laugh himself. That sort of look didn't suit Jane, he thought. He was surprised to find the stern teacher look did though, even if she couldn't keep it up in the face of his behaviour - he gleaned from that that she must be good at what she did if she was able to deal with him.

"Good. Even if this isn't something I'm interested in, I look forward to the evening."

"I'm glad to hear it," Claudius replied, still smiling although his previous laughter had subsided. "It'll be fun, believe me. I found this great bar - not that all the bars I know aren't great."

A lie, of course, but what Jane didn't know couldn't hurt her.


ooc: Sorry for the short reply -revision is doing my head in. D:

[JANE EYRE]

"I'm glad to hear it. It'll be fun, believe me. I found this great bar - not that all the bars I know aren't great."


"It could be debated than any bar is great but we'll leave that to another time." Jane teased lightly, fiddling with her seat belt. She pulled it away from her body before letting it snap back. Jane always got a little bored traveling unless she had some countryside to look at along the way.

"Really, I think the company is going to be the great part." Jane nodded and folded her hands onto her lap.

"But-" Jane turned and raised a finger, poking his shoulder insistently. "Don't let me get drunk. I'm counting on you to keep me from getting smashed my first time drinking."

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"It could be debated than any bar is great but we'll leave that to another time."

Claudius smirked at Jane's teasing, noticing her movement out of the corner of his eye. Thinking it strange but thinking no more of it he proceeded to focus his attention more on turning the corner.

"Really, I think the company is going to be the great part."

The way Jane kept insisting his company would be the best part of the evening was doing wonders for Claudius' overly large ego. It had suffered some blows due to recent altercations with Hector and he appreciated Jane's setting it to rights.

"I'm sure it will be," he replied, smirk growing a little, a smirk which fell somewhat as Jane poked him He turned to face her again, about to protest he was trying to concentrate on the road when her words seemed to register.

"But don't let me get drunk. I'm counting on you to keep me from getting smashed my first time drinking."

Claudius was unsure whether to laugh or be concerned about Jane's misplaced trust. He was, in all technicality, sobering up and this should be no problem - but considering the trouble he'd been in before rehab was he really capable of controlling his own alcohol intake, let alone Jane's?

He shouldn't doubt himself - of course he was capable. Besides, Jane was his friend. She wanted him to stop her getting drunk - that's what he'd do.

"I'm a changed man, Jane," Claudius said. "You can count on me to keep us both on the right track."

It was even as he said this that he spotted his chosen bar up ahead and it was with a sense of dramatic finality that he parked the car, getting out to open Jane's door for her quickly but with that exuberant elegance she had come to expect from him.

[JANE EYRE]

Jane had noticed that Claudius had been a bit down since his revelation and decision to go sober. She wasn't sure how it came about, but the effect was quite obvious in her friend. Jane knew her flattery of him was a little over the top but she knew it would make him feel better.

Jane let her hands drop, stopping her fiddling and her poking. Even though, just a few weeks ago, Claudius was a drunk and, arguably, a scoundrel in his own right, she trusted him.

"I'm a changed man, Jane. You can count on me to keep us both on the right track."

"I'm holding you to that, Claudius." Jane looked at the bar they were pulling in to. It looked clean and nice enough. Not that bars were known for being nice, but at least this one didn't look like the sort of bar where serial killers and rapists communed. Of course, Jane didn't actually know what bars were like; it was pure speculation based on movies and such.

When her door was open, Jane slipped out and smoothed her dress down, one hand fluttering up to fuss with her hair. She mumbled a quick thank you to Claudius and stepped on the sidewalk, looking at the bar with butterflies in her stomach.

"Well...shall we?"

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"I'm holding you to that, Claudius."

Claudius said nothing in reply to this but as he got out of the car to open Jane's door he allowed his smile to falter a little. Only a few weeks ago he'd been an alcoholic and he'd been a murderer for only a few years less than that - a few weeks in rehab were not going to change that. His alcoholism and his villainy were part of who he was.

Jane should not trust him, especially when he couldn't even trust himself.

His smile was as bright as it ever had been in the few seconds it took him to reach Jane's door and open it. He took note of her nervous fiddling and the expression on her face as she looked at the bar. Claudius would have laughed this off or been sceptical of her apprehension were it not for the fact she was...well...Jane.

"Well...shall we?"

"Unless you'd rather we stood out here all night," Claudius said, with a chuckle. Then, abandoning his usual overblown manner in favour of something quieter - almost comforting - he put an arm around Jane's shoulder, looking at her in a manner more friendly than flirtatious.

"Don't worry, Jane, you're with me. You'll be fine."

With an encouraging smile Claudius led Jane into the bar, his arm still around her shoulder even as they walked in. The CEO couldn't help but wonder what Jane's first impression of the place would be - at any rate it was far more upscale than the bar where he'd first met Hector. He had to stop thinking about him - he had to stop feeling guilty for what he was doing. He was just taking Jane out for a friendly drink - why didn't it feel right?

[JANE EYRE]

"Unless you'd rather we stood out here all night,"

Jane responded to Claudius's arm over her shoulder by looping her's around his waist in an equally friendly manner. Patting his she nodded. "Of course not. Just standing on the curb is no fun." Jane started towards the bar, still unsure of what she was going to find. What were bars like? What was the atmosphere like? Jane brushed off that thought and decided that it wouldn't matter because she was about to find out.

"Don't worry, Jane, you're with me. You'll be fine."

Jane nodded again and when they stepped into the bar, she felt almost relieved. It was nice and warm in there, color-wise. Full of rich tones and some rather interesting art that Jane was drawn to immediately.

Slipping out of Claudius's reach, she went right to the bar and looked up at the large, abstract painting. It could be mountains, dunes, or even a loose interpretation of the human figure. Either way, it was a wonderful piece and it made Jane smile.

"You know, it's not so bad in here."