[Felicity Everette]

After a long and taxing day at her bakery, Felicity decided she needed a change of scenery. As the sun dipped below the skyline, she found herself drawn to the vibrant, welcoming atmosphere of Fantasia. Known for its lively crowd and inclusive vibe, Fantasia was the perfect place for Felicity to unwind, enjoy shot or two, and let the stress of her day melt away. Especially after the rough end of last week. She still hadn’t talked herself into checking on the guy whose heart had stopped in her bakery last weekend… honestly; she was afraid to find out. She hadn’t meant to hurt him, and honestly; her lack of control was growing increasingly frustrating, especially when her gift could kill someone if she wasn’t careful.

The petite blonde paused at the door to show her ID, very used to being carded despite being twenty-five. She was barely five-foot-two, of course she didn’t be them. While the bar scene wasn’t exactly ‘calm’ or ‘quiet’, she would rather drink out and around people versus drinking at home with her cat.

Okay, so maybe she was more afraid of electrocuting her cat than she was of electrocuting a stranger.

Of course, that was just the ‘extreme’ end of what she was capable of, but she didn’t want to think of that. She just wanted to enjoy a few drinks and the environment offered at Fantasia. She hadn’t even bothered stopping at her place to change, just wearing a pair of cream colored jeans and a black v-neck tee shirt; her blond hair pinned half back with the rest just down loose. She took a seat at the bar and waited for the bartender to be available. Pulling out her phone and opening Tinder, not bothering with messages at the moment and swiping through some profiles with an amused smile.

---

Tag: Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

Six o'clock in the evening at Fantasia was always a party. Not quite the roaring dance and night club scene that it became later on in the late hours of night and early hours of morning, but after all the nine to five jobs closed their doors and the city folk sought to loosen up from a long day, that was when the local pubs and bars and nightlife caught the largest crowd. The bar Ezra ran with his siblings cast a wide net, with colorful customers of all sorts, from the LGBQ+ community to Gifted and beyond. Funnily enough, the first of those communities was the one that was talked about openly.

If one had asked Ezra whether running a night club with his triplet siblings had always been his dream job, he would have just caught himself in asking what a 'bar' was. Or he might not have. As a joke, of course, he was totally sarcastic. But honestly, he'd had no idea what one called a drinking establishment, let alone that places such as that even existed. And don't get him started on his definition of 'gay' or his own sexuality before running away from a cult.

Tonight, the attractive young man found himself in the main office and then playing host and helping with drinks at the bar when one of their usual bartenders said they would be running late. He left the food to the kitchen staff and the servers, since he wasn't much of a cook and otherwise would be too tempted to eat. As much as he loved to get hammered, Ezra had always managed to draw a line at hard drinks. He blamed his beyond Christian upbringing.

Of course, if Emery were here, she would have shooed him out of her domain and he would have gladly conceded, but for now, until the night got a bit later, there was really only need for one bouncer checking IDs at the door and his time was better spent elsewhere.

Music tonight consisted of one of their more generic, popular music playlists, with some covers and other local bands mixed in. The tables were a bit more crowded than the bar, seeing as most there were usuals or part of the early crowd who weren't looking to get too wasted, just needed a drink and a bite before heading home. He didn't recognize all of them, but being that the largest portion of his job was minding faces and dress code and IDs at the door, he saw a lot of faces. Generally, he only remembered the ones that were problems or the ones that were cute. Those that were both he tried to avoid.

The tiny blonde at the bar flipping through her phone, for example, needed a drink. And provided it wasn't something crazy, he could probably handle it. though, in his experience, it was the tiny one he had to look out for. Not necessarily because they were teens trying to score on a fake ID, but that they could be feisty. Speaking from experience with his sister and she wasn't even that small. Ezra didn't readily know the young lady, but he felt like he might have seen her before. Maybe she just had one of those faces.

"Hola, miss. What are you drinking tonight?" He asked, hands clad in fingerless gloves resting on his hips as he looked her up and down. Tinder was his best guess from the swiping. Or Pokémon Go maybe. She looked young enough. Ezra was just as attached to his phone now that he had one, though it remained in the back pocket of his dark jeans. And only because he was working, he had a dark tank top on underneath his unbuttoned shirt. So he didn't like clothes, what was the problem with that? "I feel like I've seen you before?" Which meant she probably fell in one of the two larger buckets of their usual crowd. Or both.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity looked up from her phone, her brown eyes sharp and a bit glassy. She gave Ezra a once-over, noting his casual confidence and the way he carried himself, like he had seen a lot but wasn’t entirely jaded by it.

"Tequila neat," She said, her voice soft but still clear enough to be understood. She tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind her ear, a practiced motion that did little to hide the faint tremor in her hand. Her electrokinesis had been acting up all day, tiny sparks occasionally leaping from her fingertips to her phone, causing the screen to glitch.

"I've been here a few times," She continued, trying to sound nonchalant. "Guess I must have made an impression." She offered a small, wry smile, though her eyes betrayed a hint of weariness. Running her bakery had been particularly exhausting lately, and she wasn’t sure if Ezra would recognize her from her frequent visits or from her shop. Either way, she appreciated the distraction.

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. The bar was starting to fill up, the early evening crowd giving way to the night owls. She felt a familiar itch in her fingers, a low hum of electricity that she needed to control. Alcohol usually helped, numbing her senses just enough to keep her powers in check. But it hadn’t been the most successful as of late.

"Busy night, huh?" She asked, glancing around. She had a feeling she’d be here for a while. Better to keep the conversation light, avoid drawing too much attention. "Always is at Fantasia. You must see all kinds of people working here."

Her eyes flicked back to her phone, but she wasn’t really seeing the screen anymore. The truth was, she didn’t want to go home. Not yet. Here, amidst the noise and the people, she could almost forget about the stress of the day. The drink couldn’t come fast enough.

---

Tag: Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

"Tequila neat," he repeated, mostly to himself out of habit. He didn't bartend all that, and especially when it came to mixed drinks, he'd taught himself to repeat the order to help him stay on task with what he was making. Not that this woman's order was specifically difficult. He could easily handle pouring tequila into a glass and still hold conversation. Though it wouldn't be as fancy as the tricks his sister pulled. He grabbed a small glass and set that on the bar, then turned to select a bottle of tequila and set in on the bar for her to okay. They had plenty of options and he wasn't about to pick for her, not when he didn't drink the stuff.

Ezra was generally not a morning person. As such, while breakfast food and coffee and baked goods and that entire host of foods and drinks wasn't solely bound to the time of day he often slept through, he didn't often make it out to places that catered to that mealtime. It was a pity, really, because he'd never met a food he didn't like. But from hearing the woman's voice and looking her over up close, he definitely remembered seeing her here more than once. "I'm very impressionable," Ezra said with a grin, purposefully playing just a bit naive and a lot coy.

Her deep breath made him wonder, giving her another once over. The cute outfit, the phone on the counter, her nervous twitches, like she couldn't quite hold still. It was a sort of nervousness he had once had, learning to function like a normal human with his own Gift. And now look at him, handling glasses and bottles with casual poise, impossibly far from a bull in a China shop. Of course, it might just be normal nerves. Always hard to know around here.

"Slow night, actually," he said, pouring her tequila and sliding it over the bar top gently. It was a bit of an over pour, but in his defense... "I'm Ezra. Usually the bouncer. My sister mans the bar." He pursed his lips. "Womans the bar. Never thought about that phrase, but they both sound wrong. My sister is the bartender. Much better," he decided, allowing the woman to hear his stupid thought process with a grin, hoping to set her a bit more at ease. She was here for a distraction, after all. "I do. All kinds are my favorite kinds," he agreed. "Always been a sort of magical place, you know? Running this place with my siblings." So maybe he was trying a bit too hard to figure out which bucket she was in.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity watched Ezra with a mix of curiosity and amusement. The way he repeated her order and carefully selected the tequila bottles made her feel a bit more relaxed. She appreciated his attention to detail, even if it was just for a simple drink. And that he let her okay the specific tequila, pointing to the Patron Silver tequila bottle.

As he set the glass down and poured the tequila, she leaned forward a bit, resting her elbows on the bar. "That looks perfect," She said, giving him a warm smile. "Thanks, Ezra."

His playful naivety and coy grin were charming, and she found herself smiling back, feeling a little more at ease. She took a sip of her drink, savoring the warmth that spread through her chest.

"Felicity," She introduced herself, offering her hand for a quick shake, almost forgetting her finicky ability lately. "'Womans the bar' actually sounds kinda cool." She laughed lightly, appreciating his attempt to make her feel comfortable.

She took another sip of her drink, feeling the familiar burn starting to settle in. "So, running this place with your siblings, huh? That must be... interesting. And probably a bit crazy at times." Her eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity.

Felicity shifted a bit, trying to steady her nerves. "I'm here for a bit of a distraction, to be honest," She admitted, her voice softer. "Needed a break from the usual routine." That, and her preference to drinking in public versus home alone.

She glanced around the bar, taking in the atmosphere. "This place does have a certain magic to it," She agreed, her gaze returning to Ezra. "And it seems like you enjoy being a part of that magic. Even if you're usually the bouncer." She smiled, feeling a bit more at home in the conversation.

"Tell me," She continued, leaning in a bit, "What's the craziest thing that's happened here while you were working?" Her eyes twinkled with interest, eager to hear a good story to take her mind off things.

---

Tag: Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

He set the bottle of Patron Silver back with its mates, the glass bottles tinkling against each other for a moment, shaking and then settling again. He turned back and set his hands on the bar, awaiting her approval even as he looked up and down the stretch to make sure the collection of patrons at the bar all had drinks. Good. Perfect. He hated pouring drinks. Emery was sure to give him an earful for over pouring this or under pouring that and drunkenly threatening to call Bar Rescue on him, which was always more hilarious than a threat. She watched way too much TV, but he supposed she felt the need to back up for it, just like he felt the need to make up for all the movies they had missed.

While the young man wasn't the expert barista he decidedly did not claim to be, he was very good at people. Most of the time. And he was even better at giving people a show, not at all above a bit of lewd behavior for tips. Nothing as scandalous as stripping or lap dances or making out with customers (at least, not on the bar) but he wasn't afraid to show a little skin or be a little playful if that was what the person on the other side of the bar needed. But he liked to leave that up to them. Felicity certainly seemed in need of a distraction, but the sort of distraction she needed...that he didn't know. Once again, his sister was much better that plying people for their inmost desires and emotions. He should really suggest she look into becoming a therapist or something.

"You think so?" he mused along with her. "It does have a very different flavor to it, yeah? Womans the deck. Woman the check-out counter..." He looked thoughtful for a moment, letting the phrases hang there, and then nodded. "You're right, 'cool' is fitting. Tell me, do you woman something?" He asked, changing the direction of the conversation to be about her and dropping the enunciation he had been using on the word, letting the verb stand for itself. Or Herself. Did verbs have genders? He knew nouns did in some languages.

Ezra shrugged. "Interesting and crazy. We've been through a lot together and I wouldn't rather be anywhere else. Having a whole triumvirate to make decisions can be a bit much sometimes, but we manage," he said with a firm nod. Sure, sometimes they didn't always get along, but Ezra loved Em and Zeke. He smiled and nodded as Felicity mention breaking up the usual routine. "That's what Fantasia is here for," he said with a grin.

"I do. Like Disney World. But cheaper. And less rides. And more alcohol. No screaming kids. Occasionally we do get a furry though," he added, his words just a tad quick, clearly in the habit of just spitting out words. He blamed that on being in a big family that was part of a cult. He'd never been given a chance to get a word in edgewise unless he fought for it and eventually, he stopped fighting for it, so now that he was away from all that, sometimes he couldn't stop. "I've never actually been to Disney World," he admitted with a chuckle.

Ezra bit his lip in thought. Craziest thing? He eyed the woman up and down, debating on what level of crazy she was qualified for. "Did I mention the furries?" he asked playfully, giving himself another moment to think. He leaned forward on the bar, crossing his arms.

"Okay, so, one time, we had a bachelorette party. Like eight of them, in these clingy dresses, right, get absolutely plastered. Fine, no big deal. But then the maid of honor leans on the bar," he gestures all the way to his left, her right, where at the moment, two guys with beers are slouched against the bar top, talking about some sporting event on the TV. "And starts practically cutting the whole music video to Milkshake while the DJ that night mixes the song with something else. Mind you," Ezra placed a hand to his chest, along with other gestures as he speaks, "I've never seen this music video, but I know that's what it is because all the rest of them join in with the dance," he even mines the way the woman crossed their hands over there laps and turned to an invisible camera to enunciate the "La-la, la-la, la" bit and seductively run his hand under his chin and then turn blends that perfectly into Kelis' dance, running his hands up his body and into his hair twerking his hips, perfectly in time to the unheard beat because he had seen it and that was all the man needed to mime perfect choreography.

"So the seven of them have this down, and the maid of honor climbs onto the bar and is on her knees, dress up to her thighs, cocktail in one hand, belting out the words and then crawls over to some guy (this is where I start to walk over, cause consent and drinking and I'm thinking he's gonna do something dumb and that she needs to get a ride home) and she gets in his lap, pulls a 'hold my cocktail' with the bride, and straight up takes her dress off. Over her head. Like it's nothing. Which is, shockingly, exactly what she has on underneath.

"Dude has no idea what to do and thank God he's only had one drink. He just looks at me and we have a whole silent conversation of like 'I know, she's hot, look at those perfect elbows, but she's so fucking wasted.' And I grab him just to make some space, 'cause I can't grab a nude drunk girl, and she's got her arms around his neck and comes with him. Thankfully, one of the other women hands me her dress so I wrap that around her like a lasso and get her a water. At this point the whole party is mortified and she's crying and apologizing and everyone not on the dance floor is either staring cause this woman is still half naked or laughing because it's a disaster. and they're making puppy dog eyes 'cause they don't know what to do. And then I asked them who the driver is, and they just look at me." He fixes Felicity with a deadpan stare. "Because it's the maid of honor." It also happened that, at the same time as the woman was on the bar, everything on tap flash froze solid because the maid of honor was Gifted but he left that out for the moment. "Best crazy part, was not a one of them threw up on me," he added with a grin.

"That was...a couple weeks ago?" Ezra shook his head and shrugged in a sort of 'what are you gonna do' manner. There were plenty of stories. Some more...'magical' than others. Many with a lot more fists or cops involved, but he preferred his music video re-enactment.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity chuckled softly, sipping her drink as she listened to Ezra’s animated retelling of the bachelorette party escapade.

"Wow, Ezra, that’s a wild one," She said, shaking her head in amusement. "You’ve definitely got a knack for handling all kinds of situations, that’s for sure. I can’t even imagine dealing with something like that in my bakery—though I've had my fair share of odd moments, like the time a bride insisted on decorating her own wedding cake right before the ceremony. Flowers and frosting everywhere!"

She glanced around the bar, taking in the lively atmosphere of Fantasia. "It’s nice to be on this side of things for once. Just enjoying the chaos instead of managing it.."

Felicity leaned forward, her curiosity piqued. "So, what’s it like working here with your siblings? Must be quite the dynamic. And hey, tell me more about these ‘magical’ stories you hinted at. Sounds like there’s more to Fantasia than meets the eye."

---

Tag: Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

"It wasn't too disruptive, but it was pretty wild to watch," he agreed. The bouncer had gotten between plenty of fights, even been stabbed once. Most of the time, he could handle a fight easy enough and only called the cops if there were injuries dished out to others. Or people wanted to press assault charges. But even that sort of thing could be rather tame. Besides, those sorts of stories were everywhere. Plus, he didn't like touting his physical prowess to strangers.

Ezra leaned against the bar. "Sure do," he said with a chuckle, though even his agreement was somewhat modest. "I'm a people person. Most of the time. Same as my sister." His brother...not so much. But Ezra liked Zeke that way. "Bakery, eh? I'd sure hope no one gets that wasted in a bakery."

He snorted. "In your shop? Was that for Bridezillas or something?" he asked, amused. If someone tried to pour drinks at Em's bar, she'd probably slap them. Or kick them in the unmentionables. "Don't tell me - she didn't even pretend to offer to clean up, did she?" He asked, shaking his head. Weddings. People got so bent out of shape in all sorts of directs over swearing vows to each other. The normal world was so crazy. Sometimes, he missed the simplicity they had grown up with. Until he recalled how it treated his siblings. And him.

Ezra offered Felicity a 'wait one' gesture, sliding down to some new arrivals at the bar. He put in an order for some snacks and then fixed them a few drinks, in the same careful manner as he has Felicity's. They weren't all that impressed, but it was hard to complain about decent service. Then he slid back, running a hand through his hair. "Need another?" he asked, indicating her glass with a tilt of his chin.

He grinned and nodded as she asked about working with his siblings and then segwayed into asking about the Fantasia proper. Only...this seemed to be more than a normal question. He studied her a moment, eyes sparkling. And then he smiled again. She seemed to have caught his drift. Most people just thought it was him trying to be playful, what with the bar name, after all. "Oh, you know, gay bar and club by day. Gay bar and nightclub by night. But in between," he leaned forward a bit, lowering his voice. "We like to think of ourselves as a safe place for those special few with powerful personalities. If you know what I mean." So maybe he wasn't all that subtle, but there were enough people around and he was aware enough not to just say 'Gifted'.' Not that most people would know what that word meant, but even still.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Bridezillas would have been an improvement, honestly. She was one of those brides who thought she could do it all herself. Flour, frosting, and sequins everywhere. It was like a sugary tornado hit the place."

She watched Ezra handle the new arrivals with ease, appreciating his skill with people. When he returned, she smiled and tilted her glass toward him. "Sure, I’ll take another. Thanks."

As Ezra leaned in and spoke in a lowered voice, Felicity’s eyes sparkled with amusement. "Powerful personalities, huh? That’s one way to put it.” She said, glancing at the dimly lit neon sign behind the bar. She held her hand over her empty glass, fingers splayed, and with a subtle flick of her wrist, a tiny spark of electricity danced between her fingertips, illuminating her glass for a brief moment before fading away.

"You could say I know a thing or two about that," She added, her voice playful yet mysterious. "Fantasia sounds like just the place for someone like me to unwind after a long day. And hey, maybe I can help light up the place a bit more—literally." She winked, leaning back in her seat with a knowing smile. “Another drink sounds perfect.”

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

Ez chuckled in honest amusement. He knew very little about cooking and even less about baking. But he could certainly imagine an impressive mess in their own kitchen. Add in a bit more flour... "Sounds like this place on drag nights," he teased with a grin.

They weren't so busy that he had forgotten her order and her preference of tequila, so this time he didn't ask. But his bar tending was much more purposeful than showy, and it was very easy to stop him. He left the entertaining to his sister and simply made the drinks, setting her neat tequila on the bar.

He studied Felicities expression and reply. So maybe he was flirting a little bit. She was cute. But what he was trying to determine, besides that he liked her pretty features, was if she understood. "A thing or two?" he grinned. That seemed an odd thing to say if she was a regular human, especially with that aloof tone. The bouncer was content to leave it there, to invite her to the back sometime. But the woman hadn't stopped there. The spark between her fingers, however brief, sealed the moment. "I think you do," he confirmed, relieved he'd guessed right. It didn't always go over so well.

"Fantasia is always open," to people like her, he said without saying. Of course, her showing off her powers made him feel the urge to return the favor. "I'd return the show, but I've been warned from breaking anything at the bar," he admitted. Shattering a glass with the barest touch or bending the on-tap levers was frowned upon. "Though, technically, I'm always showing off," he said honestly, though his tone remained teasing. The strength to break metal and glass and bone came naturally. The real skill was being able to rein that in and pour a tequila neat. "The dance moves, for one," he said simply, redirecting her attention. He wasn't a good choreographer, but he took direction perfectly.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity couldn’t help but smile at his response. “Drag nights, huh? Sounds like a blast. I’ll have to drop by for one of those,” She teased, taking the freshly poured tequila and raising it in a silent toast before taking a sip.

She met his gaze, noticing the way he seemed to be sizing her up—not just as a potential flirtation, but as something more. It was refreshing to be around someone who wasn’t easily intimidated or put off by her little display. “Yeah, a thing or two,” She repeated with a smirk, enjoying the way his curiosity was piqued.

When he mentioned being warned about breaking things, Felicity chuckled softly. “I get that. Sometimes it’s hard to hold back. I’ve had my fair share of workplace incidents that resulted in replacing items.” She said, her tone sincere but still light. She could tell he was being cautious, but also that he was more comfortable with her than most people were after finding out what she could do.

She leaned in slightly, her voice lowering just a touch. “I’ve got to see those dance moves, then. You know, if you’re always showing off, it’d be a shame if I didn’t get the full experience,” She said playfully, her eyes twinkling with challenge. “But no pressure—I wouldn’t want to be responsible for any broken glass tonight.”

[Ezra 'Ez' Donnovan]

"Absolutely," he agreed. He wasn't a queen, but he had made plenty of friends here who were and they were fun no matter the night. But it was extra fun when they turned the club floor up to eleven. Or sixty-nine, or some other sexy number above ten.

For everyone, not just Ez's life in Em's hands if he broke too many glasses behind the bar, it was best not to get too obvious or too playful. There were times and places to show off. But the man knew for a fact that there were non-Gifted locals at the bar right now and it was best to not. The staff might make this a safe space, but keeping things 'normal' levels of wild was the goal for the bouncer, in more ways than one.

He winced dramatically as Felicity mentioned replacing things at work. But that was also concerning. He only broke things when he got carried away. Control and finesse with his ability wasn't something he could just turn off. Maybe once time, he hadn't learned those things. But now...it was like breathing. He could hold his breath, turn things off, but it would require more effect. His gaze softened slightly. Sometimes, he forgot that not everyone had had it ingrained in them from birth that they were worth little more than the control of their power. "Sounds like you could use some more...workplace training?" he suggested hesitantly, smiling turning a bit goofier to deflect. "Bakery, right? We might have some similar equipment. Maybe you could...stop by during off hours?" Not that Ez considered himself some teacher, but...sometimes, just being able to stretch one's metaphorical wings helped make everyday functions easier. Gifts were muscles, after all.

He nodded. "You and me both are hoping my replacement shows up soon. Trust me, the regular crowd doesn't have the patience for my mixology skills," he confirmed. "No need to worry about the glasses if I'm not behind the bar," he added with a grin.

Ez was stuck manning the bar a bit longer, chatting with different groups, serving drinks, always coming back to check in on Felicity though, to make sure she hadn't gone anywhere yet. He toyed with asking for her number. For multiple reasons. It was the right amount of forward that he was. But he kept finding himself distracted until one of the regular bartender's showed up. He helped clean up a bit and restock a few things before retiring from his temporary service to grab a snack. Some wings and mozzarella sticks at one of the bar side tall tables. If he caught Felicity looking at him while he licked BBQ sauce from his fingers and skimmed his phone, he'd offer a smile. "Break first, then maybe dancing," he teased, flicking his gaze to the empty seat across from him, should she want to sit with him.

[Felicity Everette]

Felicity raised an eyebrow, her smile growing at Ezra’s suggestion. “Workplace training, huh? That sounds intriguing. I could definitely use some tips on how to manage my ‘equipment’ better.” She leaned in slightly, her voice playful. “And an after-hours visit sounds like it might be worth exploring. I’d be curious to see how you handle your gifts in a more controlled setting.”

She chuckled as Ezra talked about his mixology skills and the need for a replacement. “I’m sure your regulars are lucky to have you. I’ve seen how attentive you are about keeping the bar running smoothly. And as for dancing, well, I’m definitely up for that.”

When Ezra took a break and settled at a tall table, Felicity glanced over as he enjoyed his snack. She couldn’t help but laugh softly at the sight of him licking BBQ sauce from his fingers. She made her way over and slid into the seat across from him, her gaze meeting his with a mix of amusement and curiosity.

“Break first, then dancing? Sounds like a plan. I’d love to see your moves in action.” She grinned, leaning back comfortably in her seat. “And while we’re at it, maybe you can tell me more about those ‘magical’ stories you hinted at earlier. I’m all ears.”