[center][h1][b][color=#ed0000]Bryant O’Connor[/color] & [color=#ff00c3]Belle Locke[/color][/b][/h1]
Interactions with: Benji[@Raxacoricofallapatorius], Tas & Claire [@Lady Amalthea], Natalya-[@HushedWhispers], Dom[@Xtreme], and Lucie via text-[@Symphoni]
Location: The party

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Another buzz from her phone caused Belle to look down at it as she walked into the club where the party was being hosted. When she saw the name on the text, her face lit up in a smile. “[color=#ff00c3]Nice! Lucie’s back.[/color]” Finally, Belle’s [i]almost[/i] only friend in the group had returned and she could spend less time with her cat, and more time with another human being. Or… she could split the time between them evenly. Yeah, that worked. Excitedly pecking out a response text, Belle was all smiles.

[b]To: ♥Lucie Love♥

[color=#ff00c3]OMG. [i]Finally[/i], I’ve been going nutso without you! See ya soon :D[/color][/b]

Hitting the send button, Belle looked around the club, noting who was already there: Dom(cool, if a bit [i]too[/i] outdoorsy), Nat(fine, good, great, probably the second best of all the other girls she knew), Tas(bluh, Belle wasn’t quite sure, but she thought she’d done [i]something[/i] to piss Tas off), Claire(Belle found that clair [i]also[/i] hated her, for an equally unapparent reason), Kip(who she adored and was very fond of), Benji(who was cool), and Connor(who was great, but for some reason was huddled off in a corner by his lonesome). [color=#ff00c3][i]’Cool, gang’s all here…’[/i][/color] The girl mused to herself, eyeing her options. She could swoop in and get a drink, but that ran the risk of the greatest sin of all: interacting with Claire, or she could join Connor in his corner… Or, alternatively, she could get her own corner.

After a few short moments of careful consideration, she opted to join the group, deciding that it was the best course of action. Nat was there, and she still had to give the birthday girl her present. Connor was fine by himself, Belle was very confident of that fact. Smiling at the group huddled around the alcohol, Belle reached for a glass, pursed her lips, made a face, and retracted her hand before turning her attention to Nat. A promise was a promise, no getting smashed tonight. “[color=#ff00c3]Hey, guys. Nat, do you want to do presents now or later? Mine’s here, either way.[/color]” She explained, holding out the small wrapped object. The paper was a pale gold, shimmering in the light, a testament to Belle’s taste in aesthetics. Then she looked over at Benji and pointed toward the Connor corner. “[color=#ff00c3]He’s over there.[/color]”

Connor had indeed slipped into the building as stealthily as he could, taking refuge in a booth of the club by himself. Sitting on the table in front of him was a can of Sprite, cracked open as he sipped at it. Looking up when he felt Belle’s gaze resting on him, Connor looked over at the circle of people and frowned. So much for sitting to the side for now. Smiling over at them, he gave a short wave before he hopped to his feet and joined the group, pocketing the phone he’d been messing around on. Excellent, now he had to come face-to-face with Claire, though at least she was dressed like a leprechaun, that made this slightly less awful.

Tas and Nat, generally pretty gorgeous, looked even better now and Connor smiled at them. “[color=#ed0000]Hey. You guys look great. Even you, crazy leprechaun lady.[/color]” Looking at the tray of alcohol longingly, Connor let out a drawn out sigh. “[color=#ed0000]No booze for the big guy tonight. Gotta stay sober, so I don’t accidentally ride my bike off the Golden Gate bridge. Yes, I realize it would make for a hilarious news story, but I’m very fond of two things: my life, and this here leather jacket, and unfortunately, careening down into the SF bay late at night when it’s cold as fuggin’ balls would ruin both of them. So… the sober life for me.[/color]”

“[color=#ed0000]When are you gonna open your presents? I’ve still got that [i]super fancy mega ultra[/i] gift to give ya.[/color]” Connor said to Nat, winking at her as he laughed and shook his head. “[color=#ed0000]I’ve built it up and up and up. Prepare to get let down, everyone.[/color]” Looking over at the group, Connor frowned as he noted a few missing key members. “[color=#ed0000]Well, we’d better wait till everyone is here for [i]that[/i] gift,[/color]” he mused and Belle squinted at him.

“[color=#ff00c3]What are you planning O’Connor?[/color]” She demanded accusingly.

Connor cleared his throat for dramatic affect: “[color=#ed0000]Utter and complete world domination, one group of SF misfits at a time.[/color]”[/center]