Bloody Mary (Claudius casual)

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

As Jane put her arm round his waist to complete the friendly gesture, Claudius could not deny he was touched. Jane had put so much trust in him, allowing him to take her to the bar, asking him to stop her from getting drunk - admittedly the latter felt like a big ask but Claudius would have to keep his word. He could abuse people's trust and manipulate in the business world - that was how he made his money - but this was different.

This was Jane. He couldn't break his word to her.

They entered the bar and he was certain he felt Jane relaxing beside him. She soon slipped from his grasp and made her way over to examine the art, just as Claudius had thought she would do. He'd scoped out all of his usual bars and, although the majority of them were incredibly well to-do and beyond the stereotypical, he knew Jane wouldn't appreciate such superfluous detail. It was when he was en route to another of his usual haunts that he came across this place - and when he saw the art he knew it would be perfect.

Claudius had followed Jane at a leisurely pace, giving her time to absorb the room's atmosphere and admire the art; he drew close to her in time to hear her say,

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

Claudius laughed lightly.

"See?" he said. "These sorts of places aren't as bad as they're made out to be."

He paused, then,

"Would you rather sit here at the bar or at one of those tables over there? And, more importantly, what can I get you to drink?"

[JANE EYRE]

Jane did small turns to look around the rest of the bar, eyeing the art happily and almost excitedly. It was all lovely art, really; the owner of the bar had great taste and a wonderful sense of coordination. Jane knew that if the bar had been decorated differently, she'd have a completely different reaction to it.

"See? These sorts of places aren't as bad as they're made out to be."

"No they aren't and I was wrong to judge hastily," Jane admitted graciously.

"Would you rather sit here at the bar or at one of those tables over there? And, more importantly, what can I get you to drink?"

Jane looked around again, this time at seating instead of what was on the walls. The bar was well lit and open but the tables were in a discreet enough spot for her to kick off the wretched heels she had squeezed her feet into. "Table, I think," She answered after a pause. "And as for a drink, I haven't a clue. I don't know what tastes good or what I'd like. So...pick for me?"

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"No they aren't and I was wrong to judge hastily,"

Claudius was not about to condemn Jane for her bad judgement - it wasn't as though she was to blame for it. Films, television, all that sort of stuff, gave the impression of all bars as seedy and disreputable, it seemed. No wonder Jane would have been influenced by the stereotype. Claudius was glad that Jane appreciated the place though - and he was sure she'd appreciate it even more when she'd sampled the drink on offer.

"Table, I think. And as for a drink, I haven't a clue. I don't know what tastes good or what I'd like. So...pick for me?"

Claudius couldn't help but smile at Jane's earnest request, though he wasn't exactly sure how he would go about answering it. He didn't want to pick something too strong for Jane's first drink and yet it couldn't be so tasteless a drink as to be dull. It had to be something special.

Well, he was up for the challenge.

"Certainly," he replied, as though he hadn't been mulling over his answer. "Why don't you pick the table you want and I'll order the drinks."

Having said this, with another flash of his signature grin, Claudius made his way to the bar. Although he was well accustomed - too well accustomed - to drinking in such establishments, deciding on Jane's first drink - and something suitably special for that occasion and her birthday too - was very different to his usual order of bourbon or, when he was out to get particularly smashed, vodka shots. Having ordered a bourbon for himself Claudius found himself consulting the list of cocktails, hoping that would help him come to some sort of decision about what to order for Jane.

He ordered a Pink Lady.

Feeling rather pleased with himself, Claudius made his way to the table Jane had chosen, carrying a drink in either hand. He set his own down before presenting Jane's to her with his typical flourish.

"Here you are, Jane," he said grandly, before sitting down and raising his own glass in a toast. "Here's to your first drink!"



ooc: I'm assuming the title of this thread had no bearing on the drinks...if I'm wrong I'll edit this post but I just couldn't help but feel a Pink Lady would be suitable. XD I know nothing about this stuff yet I write Claudius. /head desk

[JANE EYRE]

Jane walked to one of the tables against the wall and slide into the booth. Glancing around, she toed her shoes off and wiggled her feet to get the cramp out of them. She crossed her ankles and looked around, smiling a little.

She was a lot more at ease than she was expecting herself to be.

"Here you are, Jane. Here's to your first drink!"

Jane looked over at Claudius and then at the foamy pink drink he had picked out for her. She had no idea what it was but it looked pretty.

Picking the glass up, she toasted with Claudius and raised it to her lips, taking a drink.

Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't what she got. Coughing, Jane made a face and set the drink down, pushing it back, covering her mouth with her hand.

It was foul tasting.

Jane made an apologetic face and coughed into her hand again. "I'm afraid I don't care for that, too much."

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

Needless to say, Claudius, being who he was, expected Jane to enjoy the drink. Instead what he got was Jane's coughing and an apology for disliking it.

Claudius' grin fell hastily as he hurriedly scrabbled in his inside jacket pocket for hsi handkerchief, handing it to Jane the better for her to deal with the situation, then moving to take the drink and taste it himself.

"Neither do I, sorry about that" he said, with a small laugh, attempting to lighten the mood once again before passing Jane his glass of bourbon. "Here, you try this and if you don't like it, I'll go and get you something else. The drink's on me - by way of apology. That -" he indicated the offending coktail, alluding to its effect of Jane "-wasn't meant to happen."


ooc: Sorry for the late reply! D:

[JANE EYRE]

"Neither do I, sorry about that. Here, you try this and if you don't like it, I'll go and get you something else. The drink's on me - by way of apology. That wasn't meant to happen."

Jane took Claudius's handkerchief and pressed it to her mouth, still coughing slightly. She took his glass that he offered and took another small sip. This one certainly tasted better but it burned going down. Jane felt her whole body warm with it and while it felt good on its descent, Jane wasn't fond of how it made her belly feel like a pit of fire.

"Better, but it's still a tad too strong." Jane said, looking at Claudius apologetically. "I'm sorry, I seem to be picky about these things."

Jane took Claudius's handkerchief and wiped the rim of his glass off before passing it back to him.

"I wish I could be more helpful in choosing but I'm not sure what I'd like. Something fizzy, maybe?"

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

Claudius watched, strangely intent, as Jane took a tentative sip of the bourbon. Why was he so anxious that she enjoyed this experience? Well, because she was his friend, and he wanted her to enjoy herself. But could it also be because alcohol was almost as dear to him, if not more so, than such a friendship?

He inwardly shook his head at that notion and returned his attention to Jane, noticing her apologetic look and feeling increasingly dissapointed. Wasn't he suppossed to be good at this sort of thing?

"Better, but it's still a tad too strong. I'm sorry, I seem to be picky about these things."

"Don't worry about it, it's fine," Claudius said, surprisingly airily, nodding in acknowledgement as Jane cleaned the glass as best she could before handing it back. "If you don't know what you're after its no wonder its hard to find something you like."

"I wish I could be more helpful in choosing but I'm not sure what I'd like. Something fizzy, maybe?"

Something fizzy... For some reason, this comment reminded Claudius of when he'd bought those paintings for his office from Jane - he'd wanted wine to celebrate their finding the painmtings he wanted but Jane had only had lemonade, confessing she did not drink. It was then that he had an idea.

He nodded again.

"Something fizzy," he repeated. "Got it. Be right back."

With a smile he stood and returned to the bar with the offending cocktail, placing his new order to the somewhat bewildered bartender before returning to the table, feeling more triumphant than before, mimosa to hand.

He sat down and passed the drink across the table to Jane.

"I hope this is more to your liking," he said, somewhat sheepishly.

[JANE EYRE]

"Don't worry about it, it's fine. If you don't know what you're after its no wonder its hard to find something you like."

Jane shrugged and nodded sheepishly. Yes, she supposed that was right. Still, she couldn't help feeling like she was inconveniencing him somehow with being so picky. If it were anything but alcohol, Jane could deal with not liking something and tolerating it anyway but alcohol was just so strong.

"Something fizzy.Got it. Be right back."

Jane nodded again and leaned back in the booth, wiggling her toes again and stretching her legs outs a bit. She tucked them back under herself after a moment and watched Claudius head to the bar. The bartender looked so confused but she didn't blame him.

It wasn't long before Claudius was on his way back over carrying what looked like bubbly orange juice, looking rather pleased with himself.

"I hope this is more to your liking,"

Jane took the glass and took a sip, her face lighting up. That was delightful! Bubbly and fizzy and it was orange juice. "This is wonderful, Claudius. Thank you."

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"This is wonderful, Claudius. Thank you."

Claudius' grin widened as Jane tasted the drink - she clearly enjoyed it - and her expression of gratitude only served to confirm this.

"Third time lucky," he said with a laugh. "I'm glad you like it Jane."

Having said this he took another sip from his glass, and found he relished it all the more not simply because here he was, meant to be sobering up but with a drink in his hand, but because Jane too was enjoying the experience at last. It was strange - it wasn't like Claudius to go out of his way to ingratiate himself to people unless it was false and manipulative, no emotion behind it, for the purpose of business or indeed for pleasure. But this was Jane. It was always different with her. He din't want to manipulate or lie to her - he couldn't. Not when she trusted him.

"So," he said after a moment or so's pause, tone light-hearted and conversational. "How did that first big charity event of yours go, then? I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person - this stock market crisis won't fix itself, y'know."



ooc: Does that work for you, Kay? If not I'll edit it. I was planning for Claudius to give Jane a ridiculous amount of money for the charity as a birthday present but if that doesn't work in your book that's fine. Claudius gives money to everyone for their birthdays. XD

[JANE EYRE]

Jane took another drink and decided that she definitely enjoyed whatever it was. Light, fizzy and tangy. It was much, much better than that pink monstrosity that he had brought over first.

"So, how did that first big charity event of yours go, then? I'm sorry I couldn't be there in person - this stock market crisis won't fix itself, y'know."

Jane broke out into a massive smile when he asked. The charity event had gone so wonderfully. "It was great. We sold all of the paintings on display and I met a man who matched the entire event's goal! It's really so great to know that I can actually hire people and be able to afford paying them. We've already expanded our goals for this month just because we can afford to operate at a higher level now. It's so wonderful!" Jane had no doubt that she came across as positively giddy about the subject.

It was already achieving so much more than she had ever hoped for.

ooc: So sorry! I thought I had replied and obviously I haven't. :/ Your plan for the present works just fine. And sorry for the short post

[CLAUDIUS CHANDLER]

"It was great. We sold all of the paintings on display and I met a man who matched the entire event's goal! It's really so great to know that I can actually hire people and be able to afford paying them. We've already expanded our goals for this month just because we can afford to operate at a higher level now. It's so wonderful!"

Wow, Claudius thought. It certainly sounded as though it had gone well, then again Jane was deliriously happy about the whole thing as she always was, almost as a matter of principle. But then, it meant so much to her and things had gone so well - why shouldn't she be happy?

He grinned again.

"That does sound wonderful, indeed," he replied, before raising his glass in another toast to Jane's success. Having taken a subsequent drink from his glass, Claudius replaced it on the table before saying,

"Speaking of wonderful," he said, still smiling, reaching into the inside pocket of his suit jacket with his right hand to extract an envelope. "I totally forgot to give you your birthday present." Still smiling at his own apparent wit, he handed Jane the envelope.

"Happy birthday, Jane," he said.

This was done without his usual theatrics - he had seen Jane's first drink as far more important a present than the cheque in the envelope. Yes, he had given her money for her charity and yes, it wasn't the most thoughtful of gifts. But Claudius gave money to everyone - even his own nephew - on their birthdays. It had driven his brother crazy, but what could he do? He was Claudius Chandler and he did whatever the hell he wanted to do.