Your Best Shot

[Maya Deveraux]

She had recently caught a bug and against her sister's advice, Maya did not stay at home and mope until she got better from the ridiculous flu. She needed fresh air, she needed a drink that did not come from her own personal wine cellar.

So there she was, drinking an unnamed alcoholic drink that tasted a lot like mud, trying to get a good buzz going.

Maya was good at knowing when people were staring. She may not know who was staring at her but she knew when they were. The staring, she deduced, was mostly due to her shades. Her walking stick was usually folded up neatly on her lap so it was definitely the shades. Not a lot of people wore shades in a dimly lit place.

She wanted to turn to see who was staring at her but that required a lot of effort so she didn't bother. Not to mention the headache that could cause. She asked for a whiskey from the bartender, telling him to quit making that sorry excuse for a drink in a bar.

Little did she know that the person staring was walking up to her right then.

[Blake Harlow]

Blake had gone out for a few drinks to get a break from work and just being in her dorm room. Not that she had an issue with being in her dorm room because she was lazy and liked her roommates a lot. One of which was basically like a sister to her, but she felt like she needed to give Lordan her space every now and again. She would hate it if the other woman that she cared about a lot got tired of seeing her a lot. Since they had been together for a very long time and while Blake did have a small crush on the other woman; like she had on all of her friends, she still saw Lordan as family and didn't want to ever end up on the woman’s bad side. So every now and again she would go out alone and do her own thing from drinking, strip cubs, or something she was going to feel in the morning. Tonight’s poison was getting some drinks and that was why she was here.

She had already had a few drinks by this point, feeling a little bit tipsy and was wearing her Serpent dog tag. Flirting it up a bit with a few guys and girls around the place. Someone with shades had come in and it was a bit odd to be wearing shades inside a building. That was the first thing that caught Blake attention, and then it was the person wearing the shades that held Blake's attention. She was staring and swearing she knew the person but could not recall for sure. She just knew whoever it was, was smoking hot. The walking stick did make something else click in Blake's head, making her feel like for sure she knew this person. She waited for a moment still, staring in silence as she sipped at her drink for a moment. Working her tipsy mind to try and figure out who this person was. She probably would have remembered better with a sober mind, but as it was she was not sober. Not being able to figure it out she got up and went over to the woman, reaching out to tap her on the shoulder to get her attention.

"This is the part where I say some cool pick up line, but I mainly want to just know who you are and why I can't get you out of my mind." Blake said in sort of a question way. It could have still counted as a pick up line but Blake really could not get this woman off her mind. She had to figure out who she was and was not planning on leaving or anything else until she found out. Well there was her drink in her hand, she could sip at that and she did but mainly she was here to find out who this person was.

[Maya Deveraux]

The telltale signs of her power activating was a little buzzing in her ear. It was annoying but she had grown to live with it but when it happened this time, she was alert. Mostly because it was familiar. Very familiar.

Though she didn't magically get heightened senses because of her disability, her ability did allow her to recognise her fellow mutants a lot easier, without even hearing their voices or smell their distinct odour.

That familiar creeping feeling brought back memories of broom closets and scratches. A smirk shaped its way on to her lips when she did hear the familiar voice.

"You never quit flirting do you?" With a raised eyebrow, Maya turned to face her old...friend, a term used very loosely in this context.

[Blake Harlow]

Blake could sense the power, it was something that was always on for her and would cause her to get headache a lot. Still she already felt that this person was familiar and with their power it just made it almost all too clear to her. Everything was adding up. The walking stick, the shades, and that power. Yes, Blake knew this woman all too well, but she wanted to be sure. As if wanting to check and make sure this was not some ghost from her past that had come to haunt her. She had been a while for a while after all and was reconnecting with past friends. This person was not really a friend, more of a rival and borderline enemy with a twist.

A twist that had all started off in some closet or probably even before that. Always there and just waiting for its moment to spring up and use itself against the too woman. Blake hated it, but also like it and it was just a mass of confliction. The voice confirmed it as well as Maya turned around to face in Blake's directions with that smirk on her lips. A smirk that Blake half wanted to punch and half wanted to insists upon its connection to hers. Damn this woman. Blake thought to herself but could not actually be fully made at the moment since she had been drinking.

"I actually do. Some of us have self-control." Blake said as she moved to get a seat next to Maya and sipped at her drink. "What are you doing out here by yourself? Don't you have like someone you could be fooling right now?" Blake asked with a hint of a challenge there but also was trying to make conversation and check up on her 'friend'.

[Maya Deveraux]

Maya didn't need eyes or psychic abilities to figure out what Blake was feeling as she responded to Maya's one liner. The smirk deepened as she heard the other woman take a seat beside her.

The blind power mimic turned back to the front to take a sip of her drink. "Well..." she started, as she turned her just slightly in Blake's direction. "Fooled you into sitting here, didn't I?"

Okay, so maybe she didn't actually fool the woman but hell, anything to get a rise out of her ex-school mate. "You sound like you've had a few too many gin and tonics. Hoping to get lucky tonight?"

[Blake Harlow]

That smirk seemed to just be getting deeper that just made Blake glare all the more at the other woman. Oh how she wished sometimes that Maya could actually see the look that Blake was giving her. She had to feel it at least, the anger, agitation, the tension in general. Those feelings only seeming to rise all the more within Blake as the other woman pointed out that it had fooled Blake into sitting there. It certainly did not...but did it? Blake was starting to wonder if Maya was currently holding onto a power that was letting her manipulate Blake like Maya seemed to love to do to others. That skillful manipulation even without stealing the power from another mutant.

"No, I sat down because the room was moving a little bit and if I'm going to chat with someone who is sitting I might as well sit too." Blake said, trying to make a point but not even sure if it was successful or not. Darn the drink, darn being tipsy, and darn running into Maya. Blake knew that Maya was trying to get a rise out of her and she was falling for it. Now Blake didn't like to be cocky, but when she was dealing with Maya sometimes she could not help herself. Even less when Maya pointed out the whole getting lucky that had Blake scoffing. "That was not actually my plan. I was more so here to just unwind from some stress." Blake admitted with a nod, sipping more of her drink until it was gone and motioned for another and one for Maya as well.

While she waited Blake looked over at Maya, looking her over, checking her out, and also just noting that something seemed a little off. Like Maya had a little less color to her or something. "Are you sick?" Blake ended up asking after a moment of silence, still looking at the other woman.

[Maya Deveraux]

Oh she was feeling it alright. All Blake had to do was open her mouth and Maya would know how annoyed she was. Most of the time, Maya thought she could read people a lot more than seeing people simply because she paid more attention to what was being said and in what tone than most people do looking at someone's face. It wasn't a super power but if it was, Maya had it ready.

"Aww, so sad. Drank too much did you?" The power mimic chuckled. Maya was being extra annoying tonight. She would blame the illness, but really who was she kidding, she was annoying all the time. And she knew Blake hated that side of her. Which made her use all the more with this woman in particular.

Maya cooed when Blake said she had a lot of stress. Most people would ask what was stressing her out but Maya? She used it as fuel. "Boohoo, poor Blake. Taking care of the children in school stressing you out? That's too bad. Nobody asked you to work there." Maya shook her head.

She finished her drink and knocked the bar top with the glass to signal for the bartender. "Give me the whole damn bottle. And not the cheap stuff either." She said before turning to Blake at her concern.

"Blake, I know you're in love with me and your concern is deeply sweet but whether or not I'm sick is seriously none of your concern." She shrugged, though to decimate her point, she sneezed into her hand and she sighed.

[Blake Harlow]

Maya was speaking and while Blake wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, see if Maya was less of a pain in the neck since the last time she saw the woman, it was becoming clear that no Maya was still the same. The same pain in the neck who just knew how to get under Blake's skin more than anyone she had ever met in her entire life. "Not too much. Going to have to drink more to forget this night I bet." Blake said, more of a grumbled and under her breath tone but Maya had really good hearing so Blake expected the other woman to hear it. Perhaps wanted her to head it, but was still at least trying in some small way to be nice and civil. Blake did hate this side of Maya and she had seen the other sides to the woman so Maya was doing this on purpose. Getting under Blake's skin and making her want to just punch her right there.

Here I thought I was not a violent person. Blake thought to herself as she let out a sigh but things always ended up in some form of physically between her and Maya. There was a coo and as expected Maya teasing Blake on almost an elementary level and Blake blaming the fact that she had a few drinks as to why it was bothering her. "Actually I was asked to work there because of my ability. Shows how much you know." Blake said as she tossed back her shot, hinting at a little bit of 'haha, you don't know anything you are dumb' sort of thing. Man to think if they knew one another in elementary how things would have been like then too. Probably on the level of throwing dirt at one another, cutting each other hair, sticking gum in each other’s hair, or well all the name calling. Yeah people would probably think that they would have had some childhood crush or something, but that was not the case with the two of them and they only knew one another since high school.

Maya was asking for a whole bottle and not anything cheap, such a high roller. Blake could not help but to roll her eyes cause she was no were near as wealthy as Maya. Heck Blake's family and well Blake herself would have been called rednecks or country people when you knew about where Blake grew up and the style of living she had. Blake was scowling now when Maya went on talking about how Blake apparently was in love with her and how the concern was sweet it was none of her business. "First I'm not in love with you; you are in love with me clearly. Second I was just being nice so don't falter yourself." Blake said with a scoff mixed in their ordering herself a few shots now.

[Maya Deveraux]

Maya smirked at Blake's response, pleased that she had obviously gotten under the woman's skin. "And here I was thinking we were having so much fun. I'm hurt, Blake. So very hurt." She placed a hand over her chest and tried to look sincerely hurt. It didn't last long before she snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, important woman I see. Well, I shouldn't bother such an important woman now should I?" Maya responded, fanning herself in mock awe.

Blake's indignant reply made Maya chuckle quietly. "Oh am I? Oh no, I should have known that my vitriol towards you was borne out of sexual tension. Thank you for pointing it out to me, Blake. Yes, yes I am so in love with you." Maya reached over to where she thought Blake was seated, patting whatever came close to her, which just so happened to be Blake's lap.

"Let's make love and have babies and get a house with a picket fence and a dog."

[Blake Harlow]

Blake rolled her eyes at Maya's words about how hurt she apparently was, not buying it for a second. She knew Maya better than that and would not fall for such a ploy even if the other woman put her hand on her chest and was trying to look sincerely hurt. Blake would not buy it until she saw some tears and oh how she would marvel in the tears. That was a bit odd to think about it in that way but the day she would actually get to see tears out of Maya's eyes she would count it as a win. The question was if she would actually be able to still remain mean or would she falter and fall into a possible trap with Maya just using tears as a way to manipulate Blake. She had to always be on her guard around the other woman. "What you see as fun is probably vastly different then what I see as fun." Blake pointed out throwing back another shot as she moved a little in her seat.

"Keep it up and we are going to have a bar fight on our hands." Blake warned after throwing back yet another shot and slamming it down on the counter a little harder then she should have. It didn't break thankfully but it had made a clear thud/clank sound with the glass colliding with the wood. Blake was downright glaring at Maya as the woman went on to talk about how she should have known that her vitriol towards Blake was created because of their sexual tension. Stupid sexual tension that should not have even been there but somehow it was and Blake still had not even figured out way. Just going to throw back another shot and ignoring the whole 'confession of love' from the other woman. She did go still for a moment at feeling the hand patting her leg and ended up scoffing at Maya's next words.

"If we made babies they would be too beautiful and there is no way in hell I'm carrying around a kid for nine months or touching it until it’s like six or seven. Second when you say house you probably mean mansion and there is no way I would want to live in a huge creepy house. Lastly more than one dog, many dogs, at least four." Blake pointed out as she took another drink reaching down to the hand on her lap and sliding it down a bit. "Watch where you are putting your hands." Blake said, not trusting the other woman to behave.

[Maya Deveraux]

"Oh no, are we going to rumble?" Maya curled her hands into fists and jabbed playfully into the air with a chuckle. The satisfaction she got from hearing the thud was one she was sure she was going to savour for a while.

Laughing at Blake's response, Maya shook her head and made it a point to squeeze it a little before pulling it back to her own lap.

"My dear, if I had to settle for someone, it would have to be someone a lot more impressive than a teacher at a boarding school." Maya said with a cocky air. "I'm not a bitch scraping for seconds behind an alley, am I?" She blatantly insulted Blake with a chuckle.

No, she didn't have a death wish but her mouth sure didn't guarantee her a long life.

[Blake Harlow]

"If we do don't expect me to go easy on you. You know I won't." Blake snapped back quickly at Maya, man did she feel really on edge now. She was surprised she had managed to keep her voice from yelling so far but she did feel like this was going to end up a fight if Maya kept it up. It would be the girls fault and Blake was not going to let the fact that Maya could not even see stop her. Okay it would a little bit maybe in public but she could probably drag the other girl outside the bar and have a fight with her in the alley or something. When was the last time they had a physically fight. Scratch that, when was the last time they had a fight that didn't end up being something else. Blake could feel her headache coming on so pulled out one of her special lollypops and put it in her mouth. Enjoying the flavor and trying not to bite down on it as she heard Maya laughing.

There was that whole squeezing of her lap that had Blake going still for a moment and then a fist forming. Yeah, Maya for sure was asking for it. She was practically begging for it now when she started to speak about how she would only settle for someone a lot more impressive then Blake. The hell! I'm fucking hot! Blake practically yelled in her head but again remembered that Maya was blind so probably didn't care about looks. Even if Maya probably still sort of knew what Blake looked like with that whole face mapping with hands. "I'm a trainer and a recruiter. Remind me again what you do for a living." Blake practically seemed to almost growl that word out. Yes a trainer did fall under a teacher but it was like a cool teacher or something. There was the insult then that just seemed to take it home for Blake as she stood up and shoved at Maya, intent on getting her off her seat.

"Outside now so I can kick you cocky self." Blake said, the anger still clear in her voice and she was mostly asking for the fight to be taken outside so that they would not end up getting kicked out for fighting in the first place.

[Maya Deveraux]

Maya held back her laughter, seemingly not wanting to be rude but really she was just making sure that Blake got more fed up with her than she was with Blake. And yes, she did know how Blake would go all out on her. She still had scratches on her back that proved that theory.

Pretending to be offended by Blake's question, Maya finally relented and gave out a chuckle. "I sit on my ass while the money comes pouring in. I'm living the good life, my friend." She shrugged, not meaning the term she used at all. Blake would know that.

The shove came as a surprise and Maya actually jumped out of her seat and laughed. "How long have you been holding that back?" She asked, still chuckling at the fact that she had managed to be taken by surprise.

"You know, all I can do is pretend to fall on my ass right now and people would just clamber to try and save me."

[Blake Harlow]

Blake would not hold back, at least for the most part when there was no one around to see what would go down. It was hard to prove that someone was a threat or a bad person when they could play the whole 'i'm blind card' at any second. Blake had to just keep telling herself that it was just words. Words that were getting under her skin and making her angry and Maya was doing it on purpose. It might have been the fact that Blake knew the other woman was doing it on purpose that had the effect of really getting under her skin. An answer to the question, something simple and nothing that she actually had to put effort into. That just made Blake even angrier so she figured that was just enough to cover her butt from the whole shoving thing.

Rolling her eyes at the words, she was at least happy that she did manage to catch Maya by surprise. Maya jumped out of her seat however and was laughing, asking how long Blake had been holding back. Obviously not that long since she just retaliated. Blake's mouth opening to shot something out the other woman but the words didn't even get to leave her mouth when Maya pointed out something very true. All Maya had to do was fall down and people would come to help her and those who didn't would be looked at like they were heartless monsters or what have you. "I swear the fact that you are blind is probably the only thing that is keeping you alive so long. That and your money." Blake pointed out taking a deep breath and sitting back down, rubbing at her head.

No she did not want to kill the other woman or anything like that; she just wanted to hurt her. To get under her skin like the other woman had seemed to be able to do to her so easily. "Don't ever run into when we are alone." Blake warned, throwing back another shot after removing her lollypop for a second and then crunching done on it.

[Maya Deveraux]

"Now you're making some sense, Blake." Maya smirked as she went back on to her seat. There was no way do-gooder Blake Harlow would ever do something damaging to sully her reputation just to satisfy her need to punch a blind lady.

"Scared you'd be on your back the whole time, Blake?" The smirk deepened as Maya threw back her drink. Oh she definitely had Blake right where she wanted her.