[C] For Good

The night was young and he spirits were high.

Especially in a little Irish pub at the edge of town, wherein a large group of people, dressed in full costume and enjoying life, were celebrating.

For months these people had been performing their hearts out in a production of Wicked that had taken Catania by storm. The night before they had performed their last show, and tonight they'd decided to go out, dressed in full costume, just for the fun of it.

They'd happened upon this pub, with an open mic tonight.

That opportunity had been snapped up right away, and currently two women were stood up on stage, sharing a microphone, and holding hands as they sang.

One woman was tall and thin, a blonde beauty kitted out in a large blue sparkly dress. The other a skinnier woman with bright green skin swathed in black.

"Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better"

The tall blonde woman smiled a breathtaking smile.

"And because I knew you"

"Because I knew you," the green-skinned woman echoed.

"Because I knew you
I have been changed for good."

A roar came upon the pub as both woman took their bows - the blonde revealing a good amount of cleavage as she did so - and were helped off stage by two well-dressed men, obviously part of their group.

The blonde slipped from the crowd, making her way to the bar, head held high.

Jace watched from the bar, admiring the performance. And the girls. The blond in particular. She radiated confidence as brightly as the sun. He liked that in people.

Green eyes were on the blond as she made her way through the crowd, right next to where he were sitting.

He smoothed down his shirt. It felt a little odd doing that. It was the first time he has taken a more masculine approach to fashion in weeks.

Then he rested his chin on his well manicured hand, leaning into the corner of her eyesight.

"You have a voice of an angel," he complimented, lips curled into a pleasant smile. Cheesy, but it normally worked. People always seemed to fall for them. "Will you let me buy you a drink?"

Blue eyes flickered over Jace, then took the time to give him a long once-over.

She liked the long haired look.

"I'll take a gin and tonic."

She leaned against the bar, twirling her prop wand. "I was going for witch, but I suppose angel will do."

Jace ordered two for both of them on his tab, grin widening. So, cheesy pick up lines won't win her over. This was going to be fun.

"Let me rephrase then: You sound like a witch. Not quite as charming though, is it?"

"Given the circumstances, I'd say it's a pretty good compliment." She lifted the top skirt of her layered dress to show off the 'circumstances.'

At the moment she was a witch, so sounding like one was a good compliment.

"Thanks, babe." She blew a kiss to the bartender as he set down her gin and tonic, then picked it up and took a sip.

Jace laughed. Not only were cheesy lines weren't working, but she was playing hard to get. That, or she was just here for the free drink. Right now, he had the bets on the later.

He watched as the bartenders eyes lingered. So did the man behind them. So did the Elphaba from their group.

"You could have the pick of anyone tonight," he commented. "Anyone you fancy?"

She took another dainty sip and glanced around the bar.

"There are a few on the might-do list," she revealed with a quirk of her lips. "But I'm nowhere near drunk enough to make a final decision yet."

Her blue eyes leered at him. "It'll be a few more drinks until I get to that point."

He noted how the blue eyes leered at him. Maybe she wasn't just here for the free drink.

Then again, she was an actress. He could be the means for her to get a few more drinks until she decides.

"Well, while you are thinking about it, could I get a name? I'm Jace."

"Glinda the Good," she prepped up her tone with the same voice throwing she had used while she was singing, to emulate the tone of the character.

Then she dropped the tone, her voice returning to the slightly deeper notes of her natural voice. "You'll have to really impress me if you want my name."

Jace laughed behind his fingers. It was rather fascinating how she slipped in and out of character. She was talented, that was for sure.

"Okay then, Glinda the Good, pleasure to meet you."

He lifted his glass to her before taking a sip in a rather feminine manner.

"Will it be as easy as just asking you what impresses you?"

The tip of a nude painted index finger nail tickled along Jace's throat, and up to his chin, drawing his face up just a little towards her.

"You know it won't," she replied with a throaty purr.

She was a prize. He needed to play this game to be in for a chance of winning said prize.

He followed her finger, surprising himself when his cheeks heated up. He was the one normally causing a rise out of others. Not be on the receiving end.

It just made him desire her all the more.

He tilted his head to the side.

"Always worth a try. It's a pretty successful tactic."

"That makes for a boring game of chase."

She downed the last sip of her gin and tonic then leaned forwards to press a kiss to Jace's cheek.

Then she turned, fluffed up her hair, and went to dance with her Elpheba.

Jace touched his check where she placed her lips. Green eyes on her as she made her way back through the crowd.

She was playing hard to get, that was now obvious. But he wasn't going to go to bound straight over to her, like some lap dog. As she put it; it would be a very boring game of chess.

Besides, he knew fully well that she wasn't the only one gaining intrest tonight as he flashed a smile to the same man that leered at her.

So he stayed where he was, and made polite conversation with the barman.

She was more than happy to play the long game here.

So she danced with her Elpheba, getting as close as she could in her big dress.

After a couple dances (one of which got very hot with her sandwiched between Fiyero and Ehpheba), she returned to the bar, pulling the bodice of her dress up with a little wiggle.

It was difficult not to turn and look on. Especially when the barman made boring conversation.

He spotted her coming back, and appreciated the little wiggle. So did everyone else.

Casually he turned. Tilting his head, still rested on the back of his hand, in her direction.

"So, is that the sign for another drink?"

"If you're paying for it, sweetheart, it's always time for another drink."

She'd never say no to a free drink. That just wasn't in her nature.

"You haven't moved. Were you just waiting for me to get back?"

"I was making pleasent conversation to the barman here. On the very interesting topic of how busy it is tonight."

Whenever he spoke to people who worked in service, that was always their favourite topic. God knows why. Surely they must be bored about talking about it themselves.

The barman set down two more gin and tonics for them.

"Dull," she drawled back, picking up her glass and taking a sip.

She couldn't deal with such a boring topic of conversation herself. Just the thought was making her cringe.

Her eyes set downcast at her drink, and she swirled her glass, letting the ice in it clinked together. her eyes turned back up to him, through her thick, dark lashes.

"You should make a move," she stated quite bluntly.

Jace raised an eyebrow.

"Should I?"

He leaned in. Just a tad.

"I clearly remember you saying something about a boring game of chest. I thought that meant an interesting game of chest would be dancing around each other all evening before finally screwing?"

He was closer now, eyes on her lips then back up into her blue eyes.

"Problem is I'm not very good at chest. Awful, really."

"You should."

She leaned in, too, a little.

"Me, too." She was terrible at strategy games. Playing the fucking game was great, but right now she didn't have the patience for it.

"I want your face between my thighs." She spoke with the same blunt tone.

Jace hummed, lips curling up further at her bluntness.

"Hmm, I bet that would be a nice place to be."

His head tilted to the right and leaned in a little more. Lips inches away from hers.

"Just you face?"

"Could you handle more than that?" she questioned with a smirk.

Her eyes flickered down to his lips, and her tongue ran slowly over her own.

She wanted him.

"The question is, can you?"

He watched how her tongue ran over her lips and he couldn't stand it anymore. He closed the gap between them.

He kissed carefully, not hungrily. He wasn't desperate.

Eyes fluttered shut, his hand found her waist on top of the large, puffy skirt.

She gave a quiet cat-like huff, and would have said something if he hadn't leaned forwards and made the move she'd just demanded of him.

She marvelled how gentle he was for a moment. It wasn't often people were this gentle and considerate when she pushed them to make their move on her.

That had to change post-haste. She pushed into the kiss, and physically pushed him back until his back was pressed against the bar. One hand clasped firmly around a bicep, and the other rested on his shoulder as she took control of the kiss.