life's a gamble

[wipeawaythedebt]

Booker's not drunk, but he wants to be. Problem is, work's been thin and he's losing more than he's winning these days. He's had streaks like this before, he knows it will get better, he's just lacking the motivation to make it better. To be honest, he's been lacking motivation for much of anything anything since Elizabeth left. Life's blended into dull days and fist-fight filled nights. Probably for the best she left he keeps telling himself, he's no one to be around, but at the same time it's a hole in his life that he misses. There was just something about her, her grit maybe, that stubborn way she digs in right when he thinks she should listen to him.

Damn girl's too smart for her own good.

"Another." He points to his empty glass and tries to tally what he's drinking with what's in his wallet. He should still be good if he nurses this one.

Pretty sure at least.

Comments

[attitude]

It's not rare for Faye to spend her evenings in local bars, listening for any information that might help her track down a bounty head. She spends most of her time people-watching rather than drinking, but nurses a glass of red wine as she sits. The owner of this particular bar is a sleazy excuse for a person, but it serves Faye well tonight, able to occupy a prime spot next to the bar even though she's not ordering much from the tender.

Her place is just central enough for Faye to catch a glimpse of him several spots away. That asshole who wouldn't back down when their wires were crossed.

Seeing as how she's about to wrap it up and has nothing better to do, she watches as he goes through his wallet to cough up the money for another drink, then makes her way over, carefully staying out of his range of view as her fingers quickly pluck his wallet out of his pocket.

With a smirk, she makes her way carefully through the crowd, coming to a stop with the wallet outside of the bar. She's not fool enough to bother with a fellow hunter's wallet. But the act of taking it, even for a minute or two, is enough to amuse her for the moment.

[wipeawaythedebt]

He's not do far into his cup that he doesn't notice the brush of a hand against him. It wouldn't be the first time he'd been pickpocketed, hell, back home it had almost been a weekly occurrence with all the kids on the street, but here it had been awhile. And didn't that just piss him off even more than his normal mood. On top of everything else, someone's trying to make him a mark.

Not tonight.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees her. That other bounty hunter who had just about ruined one of his collars when he was getting started. What the hell was her problem, anyway? He waits until she hits the door before he follows, ducking out before the bartender has a chance to wonder where his payment is. One more thing to be annoyed about, he's gonna have to wait months before he can come back here. They remember deadbeats like him for awhile.

"What do you think you're doing?" He's angry and showing it as he approaches the woman, his hands in fists.

[attitude]

In the time it takes for the man to make his way out of the bar, Faye's already gone through the contents of his wallet, holding his ID card in her fingers. She has no way of knowing whether or not this name is his true name, but it's an identity that he's using in Darrow, at least. Booker DeWitt. What an interesting name.

"Learning a little bit about the man who wasn't bold enough to leave a name when we last met," Faye remarks, keeping the card precariously balanced between her index and middle fingers, before her gaze drops down to Booker's hands.

They're still close enough to the street where people might notice.

"You know, I'm almost flattered that you're not hesitating to get those fists ready to hit a woman. Almost. I'd still advise against it," she says, sliding the ID back into the wallet and holding it out for the man.

[wipeawaythedebt]

"You now my name and that I'm not carrying enough cash to make it worth the effort, lucky you. I'm almost flattered you cared enough to try." Holding his hand out, he figures she'll either turn it over or he will have do something. If only on principle. He doesn't like being stolen from, and she's already someone he doesn't like.

[attitude]

"Spoken as though I couldn't have gotten away with it if I really wanted," Faye says with a languid arch of her brow, though she forks over the wallet, dropping it in the center of Booker's palm. She's not afraid of the man, but she's also pretty sure that he can quickly become more effort than he's worth, if she lets him. With both hands free, Faye reaches for a cigarette instead, smoothly flicking her lighter, letting the small flame lick at the mouth of the stick.

"Also that you're the sort to drink your worries away, apparently. Now there's an attractive habit," she mutters between her teeth, taking in a deep draw, then letting the smoke slip between her teeth.

She doesn't smoke as often as she used to. Now, it's more for the feeling than anything else. A gesture meant to set the mood.

[wipeawaythedebt]

"Keep thinking that, lady." Tucking the wallet back in his pocket, he tries to figure out where she's coming from. What does she want? She went out of her way to provoke tonight, but she doesn't seem to want a fight and yet she's still taking shots at him.

"Didn't think I was supposed to be anyone's, what do you call 'em, role models?" Pausing for a beat, Booker nods his head to her cigarettes, "Don't suppose I can have one of those since you dragged me away from my drink?" It's something to do at any rate, while he's sizing her up. The women in this world, he just doesn't get them. He's in the wrong century, he figures - and not for the first time.

[attitude]

"I may not be good at everything, but I know what I am good at," Faye replies in turn. Given enough time, she does earnestly believe that she can slip a theft or two without triggering his attention. But Booker's wary enough not to fall for it on the first try, and Faye knows that she'd have to practice in order to get it right.

But for now, sharing a smoke sounds like a better idea. There's a strange sort of familiarity in spending time with fellow bounty hunters, even those who aren't in her circle. Faye flips the top of her box of cigarettes, holding it out to Booker.

"The way Elizabeth talks about you, she certainly thinks of you as... something. Maybe 'role model' isn't the right phrase. But she cares. Haven't talked to her in a while, though."

[wipeawaythedebt]

"That much is obvious, if you still think she likes me." He takes the cigarette and puts it between his lips as he reaches for his pocket for his lighter, cursing when he realizes it's still back at his place. 'Course, he has other options and with a little bit of focus he's able pull up enough flame to touch to the tip. It's probably not a good idea, he's working on fumes these days and he needs to conserve the salts he has until he finds a place to get more. But maybe he's in a mood to show off, he's gotta do something to keep himself occupied these days.

He hadn't realized until recently how big a place Elizabeth had taken in his life until she was gone.

[attitude]

Faye's eyes widen when the fire flickers up from his fingertips, seemingly out of nowhere. It damn figures that this jerk has a power, Faye thinks to herself. And he shows it off in front of her so nonchalantly that Faye's also pretty sure that he wants her to see, wants her to comment on it somehow. Maybe something happened with Elizabeth. Maybe he's just looking for a distraction.

Somehow, the thought of it pisses Faye off.

"Great. So, since I'm guessing that you don't just happen to enjoy magic as a pastime, care to tell me what's running in your blood to spark that fire?" she asks, arching a brow sharply.

[wipeawaythedebt]

"Little of this, little of that." No way he's going into the ins and outs of Vigors and Salts, he likes his secrets, gives him an edge. "What's the matter, little fire make you nervous?"

Taking a step forward he smirks at the woman. Maybe he's found a button, maybe not, but either way it's amusing to him and he can use the entertainment. Besides, if it steers the conversation away from Elizabeth he's all for it. God knows he has hard enough time bringing the shit up in therapy, a pursuit he's still not convinced is going to help him in the long run.

[attitude]

"As much as it would any sane person whose body is decently flammable," Faye retorts, standing her ground and rolling her eyes. Yes, the fire has the potential of making things very painful. No, she doesn't think that even someone like Booker has the guts to light her up when they're so close to the public eye. He's an asshole. He's not, as far as Faye can tell, sociopathic.

"But if you're trying to make me quiver in my boots, you'll need something else for that. If you're not sharing the mechanics of it, well. That's your secret to keep," she adds, folding her arms across her chest, her entire stance daring him to come closer still.

[wipeawaythedebt]

It's a bluff he's willing to call, taking another step closer and using his height to his advantage. He doesn't even know why he's doing it except he's half-way to drunk, pissed off, and looking for someone to push. Maybe she'll push back. But maybe he doesn't even want a fight, hell, he doesn't know. He just knows he's feeling bottled up and ansy, ready to burst and something needs to give soon or he's going to end up on the wrong end of a bar brawl.

[attitude]

There's little that pisses Faye off more than having someone try to intimidate her with size and bulk, and her eyes narrow into dangerous slits as she continues to stand her ground, not even letting up a single step.

"Go ahead," she dares him, not even glancing at the flames close enough to sear the air by her face. "Just try me."

[wipeawaythedebt]

"I might, but not today."

Dismissing the fire, he smiles like a wolf instead. She seems to have some kind of death wish and that's something he can actually appreciate. God knows, he doesn't take any real concern over his own life these days, but it refreshing to see someone else willing to bait the bear.

[attitude]

"What an asshole," Faye says, rolling her eyes as she stretches her arms up above her head. He's either just trying to come across as intimidating, or he's on the cusp of actually trying a move on her. But if he continues looking at her like that, Faye doesn't think she'll be receptive to either.

She's not in the habit of making assholes feel like they've won a victory.

"What is it that you want, Booker? Other than showing me exactly why Elizabeth would end up tired of you."

[wipeawaythedebt]

"Maybe that's just it. Just being the horrible, terrible man I am." Taking a step back, he pulls the flask from his jacket and tries to take a pull. Empty. Figures. But it doesn't matter, it's the truth. She left him because he's a bad man, always had been, always will be.

[attitude]

"Yeah, okay. You're gonna get a whole lot of sympathy from me," Faye said sarcastically, watching as Booker stepped back. And, to be honest, there was a wave of relief which washed over her when he did. Shitty though it was to give to a type of intimidation so frequently used by men. "Knowing her, she'd probably take you back if you tried hard enough to change. But we all know how willing most people are to do that."