[It's a good story. One that she'd genuinely never heard before (it's usually Consuela or Maria, or 'that one time in Panama') and one that does a great deal to ease her mood, even with those shots biting back.]
You have no idea. [The slap stings, but if it bothers her it doesn't show, particularly when she leans back to bump the hard edge of her shoulder blade against the underside of his arm.]
But remind me to tell you all about it sometime. Can't leave you lingering about in the dark forever, can I?
[He leaves his arm where it is, comfortable enough. Trust him to test boundaries. Not that she's throwing many at him.]
What? And ruin the mystery? I'm surprised!
[The words are accompanied by the raise of an eyebrow and a not terribly subtle lean closer. But after a moment's consideration he shifts back into his own seat, lets his arm drop. That's more trouble than he can deal with drunk.]
You're pissed. [Because saying what he's thinking means the only thing left to do is take decisive action.
Chloe scoots forward in her seat, toeing the floor as a test to see how much feeling's in her legs: if she can't feel the ball of her foot, there's no chance of them getting out of here.
Little tingly, but not a problem. She's had worse.] C'mon you. Up you get.
[But he gets her point. It's pretty late and they're very drunk. Sure, he's been worse, but he's so far avoided passing out in strange places since he's got here and it's a habit he intends to continue. Can't bring himself to trust he won't get whisked off somewhere worse if he drops his guard.]
All right all right, no need to rush.
[He slides off the chair with relative ease, knows the trick is to hold onto the bar when he's standing, and, once he's moving, to not stop until he reaches his destination. Walking was, after all, just controlled falling, and in this state he's pretty much guaranteed to be good at falling.]
Your place or mine? [He looks away for a moment, amends his question] You want me to walk you home?
[His place is closer, but he can't quite snub out the instinct to make sure she gets where she's going safely, even though he knows she's capable of making sure of that herself. Still, being gallant has always paid off for him. Mostly.]
Aha, cute. [There's a pat on his rear for it before her arm's offered for him to lean on: they might both be in poor shape, but together they certainly stand a better chance.]
Yours. Should be sober enough to manage my own way after that-- and possibly save you the trouble of a cold stare or two. [or worse, given how Charlie might feel about Victor Sullivan turning up on his doorstep with no prior warning.]
[He grins, takes her arm with as much flourish as is safe in his current state. Two heads, in this case, are likely to be better than one, especially since he's not sure he's going to be able to navigate the narrow streets back to the apartments in his state. Oh, maybe eventually, but not very easily.]
Well ok then. [Seems smart enough. He's not going to argue with her. Still, they're drunk enough now that he's pretty sure he'll get away with asking, and she's gone and brought it up. He leaves cash on the bar as they head out, makes it all the way to the door before he decides to follow it up.]
Partners. [Is the response he gets when they step out into the street (the usual drizzle slowed to a rare sprinkle, which is a bloody miracle in her eyes)her focus dead set on the drop off between the door and the pavement, and whether or not she'll need to support his weight for it-- or if she can.]
[Ah, so forthcoming, while still being as vague as possible. Women. But it's clearly some kind of sore-subject, messier maybe than it looked. Wasn't everything.]
Got it.
[And he does, the step down goes off without a hitch. He's been doing this for awhile.
He tries to decide what he wants to add to that, maybe 'let me know when that changes', but he's not quite ready to stumble onto Chloe's bad-side. He doesn't have a lot of friends in this place, certainly not enough to burn the bridges with the one he seems to have lucked in to. Still, worth keeping an eye on. It might explain enough why the guy has a bug up his ass about him. Might.]
Me too. [And despite the unwillingness to elaborate, she is. About a lot of things, really. Having Victor back at her side being one of them, but something to keep her busy? A job run with close friends, familiar faces and all the exciting comforts of home including a kitchen sink that won't stop leaking?
Yeah. She's glad for it.] He's not so bad once you get to know him. Honestly, he and Nate have a lot in common, if you'd believe it.
[He's not. He doesn't trust that Chloe has the best taste in the world (none of them did), but he trusts she wouldn't waste her time with a guy she didn't see anything in. Sure, temporary stuff, but not for anything long-term.
Of course, saying he's like the kid... it doesn't mean much to him either. He knows for a fact the Nate he knows is not the Nate she knows. Twenty years. To him, Nate's just... a screwed up kid, a charity case if he's unkind. A surprising talent if he's not. Tougher than he should be. But to her? He doesn't know. A good enough man to endear Chloe to him and to Sully, too. That's... something.]
Still, you can't deny, he's not as sweet to me. Someday you'll have to tell me what the hell crawled up his ass.
[Flirting doesn't seem to cover it. If Cutter hated everyone who flirted with Chloe he'd probably have tried to punch the whole damn world int he face by this point.]
Rotted out car shells lining the street means walking right down the center of the road is a perfectly acceptable practice. It gives the pair of them more room to wander (or stumble) and not have to worry about colliding with the nearest lamp post.]
Between you and me? I haven't the slightest. [But whether they snarked and snarled from the start or one of their earliest jobs pressed them to their breaking point, they've snapped at one another ever since.] Still, he gets the job done like nobody's business, and you can trust him to have your back through the worst of it.
[Things are starting to look a little more familiar now, at least. Slightly. If he squints. Which he is, because it is dark and London isn't as well lit as it used to be.]
Huh. [He doesn't really believe her.] Well that's all you can ask for. [Not true. He could ask for more.]
[This place is eerily quiet at night; subdued. He knows from experience the night is never as quiet as people think, but here? He supposes it's good for sneaking, if there were anything worth sneaking in to.]
[There is and there isn't: for the locals more than transports, but before everything went to shit between them, supplies from areas like this kept communication lined easy and open. These days it takes one hell of a lot more to win anything aside from a scowl.]
Like I don't know when you're bullshitting. [She nudges him for that one-- a quick elbow to the side that's a little sharper than she means for it to be owing to drunkenness.] Please, Victor, give me a little credit, yeah?
Alright alright easy! Your little boyfriend hasn't tried to kill me yet, I'm trying not to complain. [He's still not used to someone just outright not liking him. He'd tried his usual game- being charming and likable- but he found it hard not to push Charlie's buttons. He was just so touchy. Which probably didn't help.]
Change of subject, were we supposed to turn back there?
Probably. [That said, she doesn't change course. Sure, the exchange is pleasant enough (stumbling taken well into account) but having an old friend within reach? They could stand to take the scenic route.
Chloe shoulders a touch more of his weight, does her damndest to heft him over a particularly deep puddle.]
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We could get you another one, you know.
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[There's a hint of bitterness in the laugh. This place is a reaaal shit-hole all right. Worse when you squinted.]
Aw hell, I wouldn't deserve her anyway. Didn't deserve the first one; crashed her right into a reef.
[He doesn't add 'if you'd believe it' because he is very drunk and she probably would.]
Unless you're angling to have me teach you to sail? Come on girl, all you've got to do is ask.
[He grins at his own joke (dad jokes wow), and leans back to give her a look-over. He doesn't want her to get too-sweet on him, after all.]
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For multiple reasons.] You, crash? No. I don't believe it.
And trust me, darling, I know my way around a mast.
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[He manages to keep a straight face through it, scuffs the back of his hand across his face.
Another laugh, louder this time. He slaps her on the back, slightly harder than he means to.]
You know, that I believe. You're a very capable woman Chloe Frazer.
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But remind me to tell you all about it sometime. Can't leave you lingering about in the dark forever, can I?
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What? And ruin the mystery? I'm surprised!
[The words are accompanied by the raise of an eyebrow and a not terribly subtle lean closer. But after a moment's consideration he shifts back into his own seat, lets his arm drop. That's more trouble than he can deal with drunk.]
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Chloe scoots forward in her seat, toeing the floor as a test to see how much feeling's in her legs: if she can't feel the ball of her foot, there's no chance of them getting out of here.
Little tingly, but not a problem. She's had worse.] C'mon you. Up you get.
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[But he gets her point. It's pretty late and they're very drunk. Sure, he's been worse, but he's so far avoided passing out in strange places since he's got here and it's a habit he intends to continue. Can't bring himself to trust he won't get whisked off somewhere worse if he drops his guard.]
All right all right, no need to rush.
[He slides off the chair with relative ease, knows the trick is to hold onto the bar when he's standing, and, once he's moving, to not stop until he reaches his destination. Walking was, after all, just controlled falling, and in this state he's pretty much guaranteed to be good at falling.]
Your place or mine? [He looks away for a moment, amends his question] You want me to walk you home?
[His place is closer, but he can't quite snub out the instinct to make sure she gets where she's going safely, even though he knows she's capable of making sure of that herself. Still, being gallant has always paid off for him. Mostly.]
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Yours. Should be sober enough to manage my own way after that-- and possibly save you the trouble of a cold stare or two. [or worse, given how Charlie might feel about Victor Sullivan turning up on his doorstep with no prior warning.]
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Well ok then. [Seems smart enough. He's not going to argue with her. Still, they're drunk enough now that he's pretty sure he'll get away with asking, and she's gone and brought it up. He leaves cash on the bar as they head out, makes it all the way to the door before he decides to follow it up.]
So, about that. Pretty serious?
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We're partners, Victor.
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Got it.
[And he does, the step down goes off without a hitch. He's been doing this for awhile.
He tries to decide what he wants to add to that, maybe 'let me know when that changes', but he's not quite ready to stumble onto Chloe's bad-side. He doesn't have a lot of friends in this place, certainly not enough to burn the bridges with the one he seems to have lucked in to. Still, worth keeping an eye on. It might explain enough why the guy has a bug up his ass about him. Might.]
Well I'm glad it's working out for you.
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Yeah. She's glad for it.] He's not so bad once you get to know him. Honestly, he and Nate have a lot in common, if you'd believe it.
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[He's not. He doesn't trust that Chloe has the best taste in the world (none of them did), but he trusts she wouldn't waste her time with a guy she didn't see anything in. Sure, temporary stuff, but not for anything long-term.
Of course, saying he's like the kid... it doesn't mean much to him either. He knows for a fact the Nate he knows is not the Nate she knows. Twenty years. To him, Nate's just... a screwed up kid, a charity case if he's unkind. A surprising talent if he's not. Tougher than he should be. But to her? He doesn't know. A good enough man to endear Chloe to him and to Sully, too. That's... something.]
Still, you can't deny, he's not as sweet to me. Someday you'll have to tell me what the hell crawled up his ass.
[Flirting doesn't seem to cover it. If Cutter hated everyone who flirted with Chloe he'd probably have tried to punch the whole damn world int he face by this point.]
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Rotted out car shells lining the street means walking right down the center of the road is a perfectly acceptable practice. It gives the pair of them more room to wander (or stumble) and not have to worry about colliding with the nearest lamp post.]
Between you and me? I haven't the slightest. [But whether they snarked and snarled from the start or one of their earliest jobs pressed them to their breaking point, they've snapped at one another ever since.] Still, he gets the job done like nobody's business, and you can trust him to have your back through the worst of it.
And I do mean that in the collective sense.
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Huh. [He doesn't really believe her.] Well that's all you can ask for. [Not true. He could ask for more.]
[This place is eerily quiet at night; subdued. He knows from experience the night is never as quiet as people think, but here? He supposes it's good for sneaking, if there were anything worth sneaking in to.]
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Like I don't know when you're bullshitting. [She nudges him for that one-- a quick elbow to the side that's a little sharper than she means for it to be owing to drunkenness.] Please, Victor, give me a little credit, yeah?
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Change of subject, were we supposed to turn back there?
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Chloe shoulders a touch more of his weight, does her damndest to heft him over a particularly deep puddle.]
Bothers you that much, does it?