fibrosis | ___ open post.

[ Dutch is sitting at the bar, unaccompanied by either Jacobis brother, turning a glass in one hand, the other draped along the countertop in front of her. Today? Tonight? Now, her hair has small pink and purple flowers braided into it, and they catch the light oddly when she turns her head towards the door.

She looks tired. But she smiles at Alvis anyway. ]

There you are.

[ it's habit to appear as to the status quo, reflexive in as much as anything else that he's happily ingrained into himself. it's not really a learned skill to appear more natural, more authentic, to those he likes and trusts, but more just... a conscious decision.

that said, there's still deeply entrenched elements of survivalism. he used to be something other than a scarback, after all, and everyone from oldtown has their ways.

so it's telling when he can purely appreciate dutch simply sitting there, tired but apparently happy to see him, and it's both time and naturally learned restraint that keeps his reaction similarly tacit but none the less genuine.

he could comment on how people might think her hair means she has something to give up, how pretty she looks with it and how dangerous that might be, even though she knows both and whatever else he might come up with. there's no need for that sort of thing, here, between them. ]

Looking for me? [ he asks, moving over to sit beside her. ]

[ If they were different people there would be hugging, now; Dutch considers it, idly, but she only knows about 68% of the people in the room, so.

No hugs.

Instead they sit side by side and that's good too. Comfortable and familiar in an uncomfortable, constantly shifting reality. Dangerous, perhaps, but he is considered the leader of his faction and she? One of the best of her own. Small gestures of friendship can be afforded. A relaxing in the shoulders, the slight cant of her body in his direction, a lingering glance; they won't cost her much.

She hates when her mind takes the political turn, evaluating how she is observed by others in quiet moments. She hates it because it is a part of her that didn't fully develop unlike, say, her knowledge of poisons and their chemical counter-responses, and thus she isn't completely assured in its capabilities.

Is it paranoia or is she good at reading people? Does it matter?

Probably not. ]

I may have been. [ She takes a drink. ] It's nothing serious, I just have the night off.

[ regardless of her reasons for being here, he's happy to see her. he doubts that's ever something that's likely to change - he certainly hopes it isn't, at least, because if it did then some serious shit would have had to go down between them and he's just not sure if he's willing to handle that. there's been enough shit going down and turning up and he's already having a hard time here and there with that as it is.

but it's easier to shed some of that and leave it elsewhere for a little while, if only to properly enjoy the opportunity to just share company. it's not exactly a rare moment neither of them needs a favour of the other, but it's not exactly been how things have been going lately. ]

A night off? What's that like?

I don't know, exactly. It's usually either full of extremely questionable decisions or moping, neither of which I'm in the mood for. So I suppose it looks like this: alcohol, catching up with a friend, seeing where the night takes us?

[ It's a thin sort of response coming from Dutch, but that thinness applies the same to her nerves it seems like since all this started. When hate is enough to keep someone going for years, what happens when that hate runs dry? What happens when things change, and you have to look at them more closely?

She trusts Alvis in a way she doesn't always trust herself. ]

If you're not too busy.

[ he wouldn't be too certain he's a good place for that level of trust if he knew that, although it would be pure hypocrisy given the way he feels about her in turn. he's never put too much thought into the hows and whys of their friendship, complicated and mismatched though it appears at times. a mercenary and a monk. someone fighting for westerlyn freedom and someone sworn to have no connection to anything. religion and ritual versus warrant and instinct. self sacrifice and - well, that one's pretty even. thinking about the logistics of it takes away from purely appreciating that it exists at all, and he's got enough other things on his mind at any given moment.

there's a drink placed in front of him - alvis makes eye contact long enough to convey a tacit 'thank you' even as pree moves towards someone else - and he sips it as he considers her part of the conversation. ]

You're in luck, my schedule's been uncharacteristically open lately. And that sounds kind of nice, actually. [ slight pause. ] Your version, not the regular one.

Who knows? The night is young. Extremely questionable decisions may yet be had. [ Gentle ones. Ones that don't get anyone killed. Ones that end up with bruises in strange places, perhaps, but gentle nonetheless. ]

What would you like to do?

[ Dutch doubts that he's had the option to just do...whatever (with a built-in partner in crime, even!) and she herself tends to default to behaviors that aren't bad, per se, but there's booty calls and then there's hanging out.

There's also the option of hanging out with sex after but those are the most fun when they just sort of happen. Spontaneously. Like controlled demolitions. ] Or is that too open ended of a choice?

[ not just any old questionable decisions, but extremely questionable decisions, gosh.

he slightly raises an eyebrow at her because that's what you do when your friend is telling you that it's pretty much time to cause a little ruckus, in some form or another. sometimes ruckus is bad and causes problems, and sometimes it's fun and a hell of a lot more interesting than anything else you may or may not have had planned otherwise. ]

It... Might be, actually. Hard to tell. It might already be happening. But you know me - I'm up for almost anything.

Okay let's start with the basics. Food? [ She can remember how to do this thing, really. ] Anyone need beating up? A rooftop we can trespass our way onto, stare at the stars?

[ "What aren't you up for" might have been a better question but she isn't so worried about that. ]

[ look being a regular person is hard. especially apparently when you're.... any of them.

he considers these options, sipping again from the drink. ] One and three? Probably wouldn't help my reputation any if I started instigating fights. Or, more accurately, holding onto your jacket while you do it.

Food on rooftops. [ So it has been decided. It may yet lead to reminiscing but Dutch will keep true to her word. No moping. Not allowed.

She does snort a little. ]

You could point them out and I could beat them up later?

Plausible deniability. I might have bring that one up again later. [ he says, most of his expression sitting around his eyes as they crinkle a little with amusement. tag team law enforcement or... something.

i'm going to say he's had enough to finish the rest of that drink now before he stands back up. now that food's been brought into things he's a little eager to get it in front of him, and isn't that just always how that works. ]

Come on, I know a guy.

Fair. [ Dutch also finishes her drink, pulling her jacket up over her shoulders and heading out, giving Pree a little wave as the door shuts behind them.

Then she sticks her hands in her pockets, turns a circle around Alvis, and grins at him while walking backwards. ]

What are we getting? Noodles? Rice? Soup? Meat-on-a-stick? [ Eyebrow waggle. ]

___ open post.

nO THIS IS PERF especially now that i've seen. everything.

hahaha 'seen. everything.' yes good phrasing

/bows

sorry sorry

never apologize

hahhahaha i don't think i can do that dave

WELL THEN I'm sorry for being new with her ha!...because that's how this works

dammit

cackles into the night

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