perfectible | duplicity ic inbox

So you're well-traveled, [ she puts a positive spin on it, at least.] I grew up in a small town and this is the first time I've lived anywhere else, if you can even count this.

I'd count it. Even if it wasn't really your choice.

( unless her arrival was something different than his. if that was the case then he'd want to know why she chose to come here. but, he doesn't think so.

he twists his glass on the counter, thoughtful. )

How long you been here now?

It really wasn't. [ her choice, either time she'd been brought here, she still doesn't understand how. that's what makes this place and the people who run it so scary. ]

On and off for over a year. I got sent home for a while, so... it's kind of hard to know the exact time.

Yeah, I've only been here for a little while and I've gotten that feeling. It doesn't feel like that long's passed but I know it's been at least a month. Maybe longer.

( he shakes his head, laughing a little. )

Has it been hard? Being here? Adjusting to all the...crap this place thinks is okay to make you do and say and whatever else?

It's weird, right? Clear time passes, there's hours and days, the sun rises and sets but sometimes it feels hard to keep track.

[ she grins around the rim of her beer before she nods gently at his question.]

Yes. I won't sugarcoat it and say it's been easy. It takes time to find a rhythm and to learn to be... okay--[ she makes a face like that's not the right word for it.] to accept the situation and do what you can to live with it.

Yeah.

( he guesses that this place drugging you is one very roundabout way of getting you used to this place and getting you comfortable with sex. he's already had that happen a few times, getting himself drugged and being unable to resist.

she'd been present for one of those things. his cheeks heat up at the thought and he huffs a laugh before he takes another drink. )

You learn to survive, you mean. Deal with it enough that you don't fall apart or lose your mind.

Exactly but if you fall apart... no one's going to blame you. [ she's had her moments, granted this place has done as much as it can to run her down, to drive her mad.]

And then there's bars to get distracted in, I guess.

( he hasn't had his fall apart moment yet and he hopes that he can keep putting it off for as long as possible. he needs to stay focused and alert especially considering recent events. )

Yeah, the bars are a nice distraction.

( he knows better than to lean on them too heavily lest he pick up another bad habit. but, it's good to be able to unwind a bit. )

Maybe I'll take up knitting. ( he's kidding. ) Or something else to keep my hands and mind busy.

There's lots of things here to get distracted in. [ she says before she takes a long sip of her beer. granted her distraction lately has been camgirl-ing.]

And people-- [ she says with a laugh, laughing again at his knitting comment.] Will you make me a scarf?

( her request makes him laugh and he nods even though that's never going to happen. )

Sure. I can make you a scarf. Maybe a pair of mittens to match.

( don't let him do that. )

Might take me about five years to finish but I'll get 'em to you.

And then a hat in ten years? [ she has no expectations of getting any knit goods but it's fun to consider him knitting even if she doesn't know him all that well.

she waves at the bartender to get another drink.] I'm pretty crafty I guess... I kind of had to be one of those all-around pretty good at everything girls back home. Here... I'm just a bartender and sometimes I perform. [ a pause.] I sing sometimes at the Magic Bell, between dancers. Bellamy won't let me dance.

What kind of dancing are you wanting to do?

( he'd ask for forgiveness for his obliviousness but he hasn't really been into very many businesses since he'd gotten here. he'd explored but mostly just to get a lay of the land. )

And why wouldn't he let you especially if you're an adult and it's something you wanna do?

[ she has to bite back a laugh at his perfectly valid questions because yeah, he hasn't been here long enough to realize that the majority of the businesses here are sex-based in one way or another.]

The kind of dancing I did the night you met me. [ she gives him a long, coy look before she turns to take the beer the bartender gives her in exchange for her empty bottle.]

He's like my big brother here so... he doesn't exactly want to see me stripping on stage which is fine. I make good money at the bar.

Ah.

( well, he doesn't blush, at least. he laughs a bit and looks down at his glass, tapping it with a finger before he looks back at her. )

But it's something you want to do? The...dancing like that?

( the stripping. he can say it, he just...doesn't say it. )

[ she, however, does blush a little despite herself. there's nothing to be embarrassed about. and honestly, she'd felt more empowered on that night than she'd ever felt in this place.]

I don't think so. [ she takes a sip of her beer again.] Making it my job would, I think, take the fun out of it. [ she holds the beer to her lips.]

It's not something I've ever really done before either. [ other than the time in the white wyrm back home but that was a completely different thing.] That night was my first time.

That was your first time?

( well, damn. he laughs a little, shaking his head because he would not have guessed that. nothing wrong with dancing like that and he's definitely not reacting like this because he thinks badly of that sort of thing. )

Well, I wouldn't have guessed that. You were...very, very good at that.

( considering what she'd made him do and all. )

You were good.

[ she flushes a little more at the compliment, especially the way he makes it very clear that he means it by the way he gives it.

she lets out a little, bashful laugh before she takes a sip of her beer.] Thank you. [ her eyes lift to look at him.] It was fun. [ she grins.] I had fun.

So did I.

( if that wasn't evident but he thinks that was very, very evident. he laughs a little shyly and shakes his head. )

I had a good time so I'm glad you did too.

( he downs the rest of the drink before he pushes it away from him and orders another though he doesn't think he'll drink it all. he doesn't want to get smashed. )

[ hey, feeling good doesn't always mean you're having fun. and yeah, it was pretty damn clear he was feeling good but it's nice to hear he had fun.

she feels a flutter of nerves because she hasn't really been this bold with people she only sort of knows. it's either with strangers or people she feels completely comfortable with that she's completely direct with but... she takes a sip of her beer and gives him a coy, side glance.]

We can always have a good time again.

( that was...very true. they could. and while his life and his head are both messes that he's yet to figure out, he tells himself there's no harm in having a good time, especially not here.

he's not doing anything wrong. he doesn't answer right away but a smile does curve his lips and he tries to hide it by rubbing at his upper lip with his fingers. )

We could.

( he's still smiling a bit when he looks over at her. )

If you want.

[ for a moment, her nerves twist her stomach when she thinks she may have been too forward which is a little ridiculous considering she literally made him come the first time they met.

but betty's still navigating this kind of thing.

so she's pleased when she catches his smile, her own strengthening as a result.]

I'd like that.

All right.

( marcos has been out of the...whole dating/hookup whatever this is called game for awhile. he's either been with someone or too wrapped up in his own issues to really give it the time.

so, he doesn't even know if he's doing this right. she agrees so that's a good start. )

You, uh, wanna get out of here?

[ while she hadn't exactly meant right now, she realizes that there's no reason not to seize the moment, right now. and a surge of confidence wrests away any nerves she might have been feeling.

with a smile, she nods.] Yeah, I do. [ she takes another swig of her drink before she sets down enough money to cover them both, glancing at him with the hopes he won't mind.] You can get it next time. [ because if he's new and without a contract, he needs to save all the money he can.]

( he starts to protest but then stops, nodding. yes, he'll get things next time and he absolutely won't let her forget that she said that. he's not super old fashioned but he does want to be...nice. not selfish. )

Next time.

( he wants to hope that he has a job and a lot more money next time. )

Where to?

( he'll take her to his place and hope she doesn't mind the down and that shitty apartment he's been given. )

[ she's the more established one right now so she doesn't think twice of paying the bill this time. it's more in case his pride needs the reassurance that she reminds him that he can cover next time.

she nods when he agrees, happy that he did before she considers his question.] Mine's not too far. Unless you'd rather to go to yours?

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