| Details for Tea for Two |
| Summary: | Briar and Kaiden go out for a night on the town, and meet the owner of the Natrix - and his latest canary. |
| Date: | August 12th, 1939 |
| Location: | The Natrix |
| Related: | — |
| Characters |
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After Kaiden stopped by to pick up Briar, the two of them have made their way to The Natrix. Kaiden is dressed to the nines, wearing a simple black suit and crisp white shirt, left casually unbuttoned near the top. He casually glances toward Briar and says, "Y'know, this doesn't really seem like your kind of place."
Briar is also rather dressed up. In a white frock with brown and bronze beadwork t the solar plexus and over the shoulders of the sleeveless v-neck dress that is all the rage.
Briar smirks at her date. "Good Italian Food, music and dancing doesn't seem like my kind of place? You really do need to get to know me outside of Hogwarts baby." She gives his cheek a kiss and his arm a hug as she waits for them to get seated. It's just enough time before the restaurant transitions from eattery to night club that they can have a meal before the fun really begins. It's a bit busy as many people do as they do and grab dinner before a long night of dancing.
It is exactly Signe's kind of place, however, and the young woman has been firmly but gently guided out of the back, and pushed towards an empty table. "Get yourself /something/, Signe. It's been hours since lunch."
"Fine, fine," she relents. The diminutive blonde is dressed in a low-cut dress with straps over the shoulders made in shimmering, mint-green fabric. A large and glittering decoration sits at the base of the collar, with matching clasps on each shoulder. She glances around, spotting a waiter she recognizes and giving him a nod, before she takes the seat her friend had urged her towards.
Kaiden smiles as the host escorts himself and Briar to a table, "I imagined your perfect date would be a day out in the garden. Thank goodness I was wrong. I'd have to get another manicure afterwards." Kaiden pulls Briar's chair out for her and will wait until she's sits down to take his own seat.
Briar chuckles and hugs his arm once more before she parts ways with him to sit on the other side of the table. "There is no such thing as the perfect date. I love coming here as much as a picnic in a park or a tour of a garden or going to the movies or going for a walk. I'm not really all that picky." She affectionately pokes her tongue out at Kaiden and then she picks up her menu. A smile is offered to the woman that's getting ushered to the table beside theirs. "Don't you just hate it when you're having so much fun you forget the little things, like eating?" She grins big and then since the woman seems like a regular she leans in a bit more towards her, "Do you have any recommendations?"
Signe smiles a bit uncertainly at the woman next to her, reaching up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "You'd be surprised how often I do just that." She glances towards one of the waiters, then back to Briar as she adds, "I really enjoy the beet salad - but it's a bit out of season, now. They make a wonderful salad with these marinated zucchinis, though. And the gnocchi are always delicious. And there's a cherry merlot granita they're serving for dessert this week, with little biscuits…"
Kaiden grins at Briar and adds, "Just as long as you're with me, right?" He crosses one leg over the other and leans back in his chair, offering a warm smile to the woman that Briar is currently addressing, adding, "That makes me want to skip straight to dessert."
Briar grins and nods her thanks to Signe, "Wow that all sounds delish, thank you!" Then to her date she gives a little eyeroll to his 'just with me, right?' but to the next thing he says, "Why don't we order dessert first then?" Those wacky Americans and bucking traditions!
Signe looks mildly surprised as the girl seems serious about ordering dessert first. "I suppose… that's one way to make certain they don't run out," she answers, though by her tone it's clearly not what she's going to do.
The waiter she had made eye contact with earlier moves towards her now with a glass of chilled white wine, setting it in front of her. "Anything to eat before you perform, Miss Crabbe?" he asks politely.
"Just the zucchini salad. Thank you."
Kaiden grins knowingly as Signe is addressed as 'Miss Crabbe' and hrmms quietly before shrugging at Briar and saying, "Sounds like a plan to me, darling." He looks over to Signe and says, "I'm afraid we've forgotten to introduce ourselves. I'm Kaiden Sykes and this is my lovely date Briar Crocker."
Briar gives a little sheepish wave over to Signe and then smiles brightly enjoying the look on the waiter's face when she says, "Could we get two Merlot Granita's please to start us off? Thank you." She looks down at the menu again. "Why don't we go completely backwards and I'll have the Ossobuco for the entree and the Saltimbocca sampler appetizer last?"
At the name 'Sykes,' Signe's gaze goes to Kaiden - locking eyes for a moment, before looking away uncertainly. If he /was/ part of the Sykes family - what was he doing here with an /American/? It was certainly strange.
"Uhh… Yes, Miss, of course. If that's what you would like, than we would be happy to accommodate you. Shall I bring any drinks?" the waiter asks politely, despite being thrown a bit off balance.
Kaiden looks across to Briar with a smile as she orders and looks up to the waiter, saying, "Just the granitas, please." The young Sykes slips his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and sets it on the table before he goes about fishing around in his other pockets for his lighter, groaning a bit as he can't find it.
It is strange indeed that a Sykes would be with Briar, but not because of the American thing, more because that they seem to have chosen to enjoy themselves along with the muggles of the club instead of going upstairs to the Wizards only VIP section! To Kaiden she wiggles her fingers in a 'gimme' sort of way and from her pocket she pulls out a zippo that has a RAF emblem (that's only available for RAF members) on it and waits for the cigarettes so she can light them up with a smile.
The waiter moves off as the two busy themselves with their cigarettes, headed towards the kitchen to deliver the ticket. Signe, for her part, seems to have decided to study her glass of wine. After a sip, she fiddles idly with her glass, turning it as she studies the light glinting off some of the condensation.
Kaiden smiles and passes the cigarette to Briar, saying, "You've always got the cure for what ails me, Tiger." He runs a hand back through his hair and looks over to Signe, "So, Miss Crabbe, what is it that you do?"
Briar quickly lights up the cigarette and takes a drag or two before it is passed Kaiden. Then a bit apologetically to Signe as she leans towards the woman again, "She sings here Kaiden, sorry, I've got big ears. Would it be really horrible of me to make a request now, Miss Crabbe?" At least she's pestering the singer before her food arrives?
"Yes, I sing," Signe confirms. "Here - and in other clubs." She smiles at Briar before adding, "It's no bother - as long as we know it, I'm happy to give it a try. What've you got in mind?" Looking between the pair she asks, "Do you mind if I ask what you both do?"
Kaiden smiles warmly at Signe as he takes a drag from his cigarette, saying, "Oh, that's fantastic. I always love bumping into those who have also been cursed with being a creative type." Kaiden chuckles responds to the question, "I've actually just been picked up for a professional…" He pauses for a moment and gets all vague, noting the surrounding Muggles, "…sports team."
Briar takes a fountain pen out of her purse and writes on a cocktail napkin something, her other hand is used to secret away what she's writing from her date. Then it's held up so that just Signe can read it with a hopeful and rather impish smile. 'My Man - Billie Holiday' isn't exactly the most romantic of songs for a request on date night. Then again Briar and Kaiden even just within first impressions don't exactly look like one of those fresh couples falling in love for the first time sort of deal. "I'm a florist, so if you ever would like a floral fastener or such. I work for… Dr. Mungo in the Gift Shop. At least right now, I'm working towards opening my own shop."
"Oh! Well. Congratulations," Signe answers Kaiden, giving him a smile, though a hint of uncertainty creeps into her features. "Which… sport?" she asks.
As the napkin is offered over, Signe accepts it, giving Briar a nod and a smile. "Well - anything by Billie, of course. Her music is just wonderful, isn't it?" Her hold on the napkin tightens just slightly as Briar mentions the name of this 'doctor.' They /must/ be wizards - the both of them. But certainly odd ones.
Kaiden is certainly an odd one. Even more so if you look at the stock he was bred from. The young Sykes takes a long drag from his cigarette, smiling warmly at Briar as he exhales the smoke in a long stream, offering her a wink. At Signe's question he coughs a bit and makes flying gestures with his hands, leaving it at that.
Briar gives a happy little noise when their dessert is brought. It's really actually a smart thing to order first, since it's all already made in the back. "This really should be a thing." She grins at Kaiden and moves to give him a bite of her dessert, even though he's got the same thing. Yeah, they are really more like an old married couple than young lovie dovies. She does steal his cigarette as a fine for her good deed though. "Good? Never had granita before. I'm more of a tiramisu girl." To Kaidens gesture she chuckles. "He's the Apple(by) of my eye. Cupids Arrow straight to my heart." She obviously has more experience disguising wizard talk into something less noticeable than a hand gesture to Muggle Eyes and Ears."
"Ah… yes, of course. That's a, umm… Excellent team," Signe remarks, seeming to have even more trouble maintaining eye-contact with the pair, now that her suspicions have been quite definitely confirmed. "I'm sure you'll have a successful season." She directs her gaze back down to her glass of wine, lifting it for another sip.
Kaiden smiles at the offered bite and gladly accepts it before 'mmmm'ing and plucking up his own fork to have a piece of his own. He looks over to Signe and says, "I surely do hope so." He offers her a warm smile before returning his attention to his dessert.
Briar beams over at Signe and nods, in a way that shows she's proud of her date's new profession but without a glimmer of gold digger or groupie about her. "I love your dress by the way and thank you for the suggestion, this stuff is amazing." She's carefully eating the granita because red wine and the white silk she's wearing are rather traditional nemesi.
"Well - most things they serve here are quite good," Signe responds. "But that's a seasonal specialty - and it caught my fancy. I'm glad you like it." She gives Briar another smile, before her gaze returns to her glass - just as her salad is delivered to her. "Oh, thank you," she says, looking up at the server. "It looks as lovely as ever."
Kaiden quickly dispatches his dessert like the uncultured brigand that he is and sits back in his chair, a happy smile creeping onto his face, "You know, I think I actually quite like it here, Tiger. Seems like a good sort of place."
Briar shakes her head at her date when he finishes his dessert in record time. "Do you even know the meaning of the word 'Savor' baby?" A tiny eye roll accompanies her tease but now that his hands are free she slides her own free hand over the white crisp table linen. Offering it over to him passively. She is still working on her dessert when dinner comes. "Do we want some champagne?" She asks Kaiden curiously.
"I'm quite fond of the Natrix," Signe offers softly. And it is doing wonders for her career - thanks to Wolfgang's help. If he hadn't invited her on stage with him… She picks at her salad, adding, "I'll even come here on nights when I'm not working. It's nice to get a chance to just listen, sometimes."
"Oh…um…sorry," Kaiden responds, looking a bit embarrassed before taking Briar's hand in his. He looks over to Signe and says, "I can see why. I'll definitely be coming back."
Briar smiles and squeezes his hand. "Just teasing baby. You're fine. If you want to pay for something that's gone before you even taste it, that's all well and good for you." To the talk about it being a great place gets her thumb of approval as she takes the first bite of her entree. "If the food is as good as the dancing and music later, yeah, I might just become a regular."
Meanwhile the owner of the establishment has made an appearance. It's usual for him to do so around now, he makes the rounds welcoming new customers and chatting up the regulars. He also taps tables that are being vacated after people have eaten their dinner and his staff sweep in and have the table cleared off and folded up in such well choreographed way it could be something seen in a Fred Astaire Musical. "Siggy Dollface! There you are." He leans over the back of her to place a kiss on her cheek. "Send you a lemon tea? Keep those gorgeous pipes shining?"
Kaiden grins at Briar and bites back a response, simply looking towards Wolfgang as he makes his rounds, saying quietly to Briar, "So, that's the man himself, huh?"
"Wolfgang - hello," Signe greets the man, turning her face to return the cheek-kiss in kind. "Could you?" she responds. "That would be just perfect. I was just speaking with Mister Sykes and Miss Crocker - I believe it's their first time here," she offers helpfully. "Mister Sykes was just hired on as a professional sportsman."
Briar gives a little clueless shrug to Kaiden, Wolfgang's Muggle Record haven't come with pictures of the artist on them just yet, at most they have caricatures. But when he talks there's the light bulb and she smiles and nods. "I think so. He sure acts like it." To her merit after Wolfgang's been identified she's still got her attention zoomed in on Kaiden. That is until they are introduced and she gives a wave. "Everything is delicious." When Wolfgang informs them that dessert is on the house she graciously thanks him as he slides in next to Signe after he's given one of his staff an order for lemon tea.
Kaiden offers a respectful nod to Wolfgang, saying, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Your establishment is lovely." He looks over to Briar and says, "You think I could get another one of those cigarettes, Tiger?"
"So - I talked to the director," Signe says as Wolfgang sits down beside her. "And you're welcome to come watch our next practice, if you'd like." Her days, of late, have been filled with practices for La Boheme - an opera she'll be singing in, as Musetta. "It may be he's trying to poach you away from a career of singing in clubs. Do you think it'd work?"
Wolfgang lets out a little brief howl of laughter. "Not a chance. Not wholly at least. Though if he wants to cast me as someone that duets with you, I might be persuaded dollface." He nods his thanks to the waiter that brings the lemon tea and an ammeretto on the rocks for him. One arm goes around behind Signe and he caresses her back a little while resting on the back of her chair. A good swallow of his drink is taken with a light 'Ah'. "Nothing like a little almond juice for breakfast."
"Well - he can't tempt me away entirely, either. But one or two shows a season…" Signe answers, with a delicate shrug of her shoulders. "If it's the right show. And I've always had a soft spot for La Boheme." She picks up her tea for a sip as it arrives, a thoughtful look on her features. "It would be fun - and a special treat for anyone in the audience who'se being particularly astute - if you had a small role in the performance one of the nights. Maybe filling in for Alcindoro…" she suggests in a musing tone.
Wolfgang tilts his head in a way that's reminiscent of a curious puppy, but then he smiles and looks wounded all at the same time. "Alcindoro and not Marcello!? You wound me Sinny, right to the bone." He then takes dips his finger into his drink and 'paints' Musetta onto the table cloth and in a lull in the pleasant quiet background music he starts off softly but then his volume grows as does the attention he gathers as he sings a Marcello excerpt.
~Io non so come sia
che il mio pennel lavori
ed impasti colori
contro la voglia mia.
Se pingere mi piace
o cieli o terre o inverni o primavere,
egli mi traccia due pupille nere
e una bocca procace,
e n'esce di Musetta
e il viso ancor…
E n'esce di Musetta
il viso tutto vezzi e tutto frode.
Musetta intanto gode
e il mio cuor vil la chiama
e aspetta il vil mio cuor…~
Wolfgang fades off and returns full attention to Signe, "It is a soft spot of mine as well."
Signe laughs, smiling at Wolfgang and leaning towards him. "Not my intention, and you know that. I am certain you could do the role justice - you would shine. But it would take quite a bit of preparation to do such a large role - Alcindoro would take less of your time away from here. I would /love/ to do Musetta and Marcello with you."
Wolfgang's fingers that are still resting on the back of her chair once more start to stroke her back and he leans right in again as she comes in towards him. She is made the envy of the room when he smiles to what she tells him and plants a kiss to her temple. "We shall see, but if you ever need someone to practice with and can't get ahold of your cast mates. You stop by here and unless I'm in a life or death situation, I would be happy to help you practice. Il mio amato Musetta."
A flush of pleasure and embarrassment creeps into Signe's features, as she turns her face just far enough to catch Wolfgang's gaze, a smile on her features. "The pleasure would be mine," she answers back in Italian. "I enjoy singing with you. You'll join me for a duet tonight, won't you?"
Wolfgang leans in a little more, he's really just woken up so his aftershave is still rather potent and his cheek as it caresses along her cheek is baby smooth. His lips almost caress here ear, but where his lips fall short, his breath does not. The words whispered in her ear are Italian, with Venitian tones. "I live to bring you pleasure. What would you care to sing with me?"
Signe's eyes close as Wolfgang whisper's in her ear - remaining silent for a long pause. She picks up her tea for a sip before she tries her voice, glancing towards him as she suggests, "Let's Do It - Let's Fall in Love?" she suggests. "Or would you rather Embraceable You?" Both were easily performed as duets - and quite fun.
Wolfgang hmmms and perhaps looks a bit uncertain. "Those are good, perhaps we could practice those. They will take a bit of practice to get just right. What about Tea for Two? It's high on the charts right now. I'll be on piano and we can go back and forth with the lyrics." He smiles as he points to himself and sings the first verse softly, ~"I'm discontented with homes, that are rented. So I have invented my own."~ He then points over to her with an encouraging smile filled with hope that she knows the song and will sing the next two verses before he'll tak over at the fourth verse about it being cozy.
Signe playfully catches the finger he points at her, shifting her grip to lace fingers with his… before pulling free, leaving him to continue his pointing, and prompting the switch in the lyrics. "Darling, this place is lovely oasis, Where life's weary taste is unknown, Far from the crowded city, Where flowers pretty caress the stream," Signe continues, her volume mimicking his own - a private duet for Briar and Kaiden alone, it seems.
Wolfgang tangles up her finger and keeps them and uses that hold to sweep her over onto his knee and serenades her with the lyric, ~"Picture you upon my knee,"~ He refills her lemon tea and lifts up the cup for her. ~"Just tea for two and two for tea."~ It's not just the young couple that is starting to realize there's an impromptu performance going on. Some start to lean or meander closer all trying not to look too much like they are listening in, but they are! He points to her again to sing what's coming up next.
Signe laughs as she's pulled into his lap, and offered the tea. She nuzzles herself briefly against his neck, before straightening enough to take the offered cup. "Just me for you and you for me, alone! Nobody near us to see us or hear us," she sings, seemingly so lost in his gaze that she's oblivious to the audience around them. "No friends or relations on weekend vacations. We won't have it known, dear, that we have a telephone dear." When he breaks back in, she lifts the tea to her lips, taking a sip - only to playful hold the cup of tea to /his/ lips, once it's her turn to sing again. Tea for two - but only the one cup.
Wolfgang is really enjoying himself if the smile on his face wide and dazzling is any sign. He takes up the rim of the offered tea cup after he sings, ~"Day wil break and you'll awake and start to bake, a sugar cake…"~ a lick of his lips after he sips he taps his cheek when he talk of her sugar cake, requesting a kiss right there. ~"For all the boys to see." Not to mention all of the other prying peeping eyes that are growing more numerous by the moment. He realizes they do have an audience, but his attention remains on Signe as they give a practice duet that's as polished as a studio version.
Signe seems equally enthralled in the song, and her singing partner, as she kisses him upon request - perfectly happy to dangle upon his lap as they share the cup of lemon tea. "We will raise family, a boy for you, a girl for me. Oh, can't you see how happy life would be? You are revealing a plan so appealing…" She lifts one finger to run it down his cheek, "I can't help but falling for you."
Wolfgang turns his pointing back to himself into a playful sort of 'who me!?' with a grin. He then wraps his arms around her and looks quite adorably mock smug as he triumphantly sings. "Darling, I planned it! Can't you understand, it's yours to command it. So dooOoooOooo."
"I will," Signe interrupts the song to assert softly, a teasing smile on her features, before she'll finish off the verse. "All of your schemes I'm admiring, they're worth desiring, but can't you see?" She leans into his arms, to rest her head against his shoulder. "I'd like to wait there for some future date, dear. It won't be too late, dear, for me."
Wolfgang chuckles silently and he takes another sip of tea but his happy sit is interupted by a sad sad puppy dog frown when she talks about waiting. But then he smiles and starts up the back and forth of the chorus while unbeknownst to those watching his hand slides down and rest on her rump giving it a playful pat, ~"Picture you upon my knee, just tea for two and two for tea. Just me for you and you for me, alone!"~
Signe lets out a huff of amused air against his throat as he pats her on the rump, staying right where she is, nestled against his shoulder as she begins to sing again. "Just me for you and you for me, alone! Nobody near us to see us or hear us." She straightens as she sings this line, to look directly into his eyes, again. "No friends or relations on weekend vacations. We won't have it known, dear, that we have a telephone dear." She cups his face with one hand - the other still holding the tea.
Wolfgang tilts his face into her touch with a big old smile. He really looks like he'd be wagging his tail in time with the song if he had a tail. ~"Day will break and you'll awak and start to bake, a sugar cake…" This time he taps his lips. "…for me to take. For all the club to seeeeeee." He is getting cheekier by the verse!
The word substitution does not go over Signe's head as she smiles at him, her head shaking just slightly. It isn't a /no/, though, just amusement over the man's gall. "We will raise a family, a boy for you, a darling girl for me. Oh can't you see how happy we would be?" As she finishes the song she leans in for that kiss - on the lips as requested, and she would have had it no other way, one hand still cupping his cheek.
Wolfgang strengthens the hold he has on her at the finale so that he can turn her kiss into something with a dip. Every good kiss in the 1930s has a dip in it. Of course their audience becomes exceptionally apparent when many d'aww at the kiss and the whole begins to cheer and applaud. Wolfgang looks up from the kiss and breaks it waving them off, "This isn't a free show!" a smile on his lips he lowers his head back down to continue the dramatic smooch. Nothing gets him more amourous than a good duet!
Signe is forced to be /very/ careful with the tea as she's dipped, and she's happy to be kissed not once, but twice in reward for the duet. "We don't do this enough," she murmurs near his ear when they straighten again. "Il mio amato Marcello."
Wolfgang also was careful with the tea! He gives he a smile that does little to hide how he enjoyed the duet. "We should, thus far we have been rather like tha pair, no? Together and then apart, together again. Always coming back together just when it's needed the most."
"We should fix that," Signe agrees, seeming oblivious of the fact that many eyes remain trained on them - despite the fact that they're stopped performing for their audience. "Perhaps have a rehersal this week to work on some of those other duets?" she suggests. "Maybe even some dance steps." There's no way that could possibly have a double meaning. Right? No matter how she twines her fingers with his.