After quickly downing a shot of Absolut, he became vaguely aware that he was being watched. He didn't turn to see who was watching him, instead setting down his shot glass and signaling to the bartender for another, this time a double.

Tristan: "It's really rude to stare, you know."
Chris: "You look like hell. Bad night?"

Tristan finished the double shot as quickly as the first then turned to the familiar blond man sitting next to him. He'd changed out of the ridiculous cow costume he'd been wearing earlier, now dressed head to toe in black.

Tristan: "That look suits you much better."
Chris: "I think so, too. So- bad night?"
Tristan: "That's putting it mildly."
Chris: "That's what you get for letting yourself live with them, you know."

Tristan raised an eyebrow.

Tristan: "Live with them?"
Chris: "Humans. Living with them's a bad idea."
Tristan: "If we'd had this conversation earlier, I'd have disagreed with you. Now, I'm not so sure."

Chris: "You know what your problem is?"
Tristan: "I can think of a few things…"

Chris: "You're trying to be something you're not. You can't go on denying your nature and be surprised when you end up living in constant misery."
Tristan: "Is that so."

Chris: "Absolutely. We're like Jaguars, you and I."
Tristan: "Over-priced luxury cars?"

Chris: "No, the big cats. We're predators- it's part of our nature. Occasionally someone will come along and try to keep one of us as a pet- and hell, it might even be tempting to let them -but really there's not a whole lot stopping us from tearing their throats out without warning."

They sat in relative quiet for a few minutes. Tristan stared at the counter in front of him; the incessant pulse of the bass from the dance floor combined with the alcohol to make him feel slightly dizzy.

Chris: "Speaking of tearing throats out, I'm simply ravenous. You up for a little hunting?"
Tristan: "I don't 'hunt'."
Chris: "Ahh, see- there's another one of your problems! Of course, it goes back to the whole 'denying your very nature' thing we were talking about."
Tristan: "Killing people is not in my nature."

Chris: "When was the last time you fed from something other than a glass?"
Tristan: "I honestly couldn't tell you, even if I wanted to. Which I don't."
Chris: "Hey, no need for hostilities. Didn't mean to touch a nerve."

Chris: "As much as I've enjoyed our conversation this evening, I'm going to go indulge my basic nature. Think about what I said tonight- I think you'll be happier for it."

Chris was walking away before Tristan even had a chance to not respond to him. He'd only gone a few feet when he stopped and turned back.

Chris: "One other thing- try to remember how it feels to feed. I mean really feed, not just drink."

He turned again, this time disappearing into the crowd of costumed people dancing like fools in the main room.