Participants:
Scene Title | City Slickers |
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Synopsis | Godfrey whisks Asi away for some time off, much to the chagrin of the security guard assigned to her. |
Date | December 28, 2018 |
The elevator slows smoothly as it nears the sub-level parking garage, to the point it takes a subjectively agonizing amount of time to line up outer door to inner door. Asi tilts her head at it, brow twitching as she waits, trying to exude a patience she doesn't feel after the end-of-day conference call she'd just exited. The security team member by her side looks downright bored to have to tail after her, and she can't exactly blame him for it.
It's been a long month.
When the elevator finally dings, Asi shoulders her way through the gap before the doors can fully open, zipping up her leather jacket a bit more securely against the cold that seeps in as soon as she breaks free of the climate-controlled lift. Her brow knits at it, shoulders curling up as she angles to head for her car.
Before she can really even step too far into the structure, there is the distinct sound of a car’s engine and a squeal and squeak of tires, just before a black 69 Camaro convertible comes to a sudden stop in her path. The bright and shining face of Yamagato’s business liaison grin cheekily from the driver's seat. Dark eyes regard her from behind a stylish pair of sunglasses. The rest of him rather casual for him, with a nice deep blue pair of jeans and instead of a suit jacket, he wears a rather nice looking black leather jacket over a button up.
The suddenly tense security guard is completely ignored by the Brit in favor of the woman. “Ms. Asi!” Godfrey calls rather loudly and brightly, sound like he is rather happy to see her. “Well, don’t you look dreadfully bored.” He leans over towards her, grin growing, ”This simply won’t do.” Leaning over further, he snags the handle of the passenger's side door and pops it open. “Come on. Quick. Get in.” he motions her into the car with a beckoning wave of his hand as he straightens.
Stopping in place with an at-first bewildered expression, an eyebrow ticks up at the car blocking her from crossing the aisle. At the sound of her name, Asi's head tilts to the side ever so slightly while she places the vehicle's cheerful driver. At first annoyed, like a kenneled cat who's had its cage rattled, her expression returns quickly to interest when it sounds like he intends to do something about her day.
The car door opening toward her puts her on the spot. Her lack of an immediate rejection says more than anything else, tracking from the door to the driver. "Major Tetsuyama—" she can hear the security guard behind her start to caution, which tips the scales on her self-restraint. She looks back toward him with a deadpan expression void of apology for what she's about to do.
"Try not to take too long to catch up," is the only warning she gives her shadow. She jogs the last step to the car and pulls the door shut behind her quickly, glancing sidelong at her fellow leather-clad agent of mischief. Go, it says, before she focuses on the upramp to the street like it's the proverbial light at the end of a long, long tunnel.
Godfrey doesn’t go just yet, turning a wicked smile to the security guard and lifting the sunglasses to look at him. “Sorry, chap. No room for wet blankets.” The guards gets a sorry not sorry look, before the sunglasses drop into place, the car shifted into gear and the pair leave the poor guard behind in the dust.
“I must admit,” Godfrey says with a barely contained chuckle, “I did not think you’d do that. Stepping into a car with a man you barely knew.” He watched the guard in the rearview mirror for a moment, before cutting an amused look over to the woman. “Look at you being a rebel. Bravo.” He does sound impressed and a little proud. He seems to relax a little once they take their leave of the garage. Focusing ahead. “Don’t worry though, I know we both value our jobs,” he pats the dashboard of the car, “I know I do.”
Settling back into his seat, Godfrey concentrate on getting them further and further from the guard. “I needed someone to join me tonight. Never fun to fly solo.” His brows lift a bit suggestively, though not too seriously. “Anyhow, my plans were to check out a place in the Park I heard mention of. Said it was the best place for billiards. Place called City Slickers.” There is a subtle upward shift of his shoulders. “Figured it was worth a look.”
The greater the distance grows, Asi leans back into the passenger seat, relaxing. She settles in, arm resting along the door's paneling. At the compliments for being a rebel, her normally severe demeanor cracks and she laughs, head tilting back to the aurora-lined skies.
"There are more damning things I could decide to do with my free time. Besides," she pauses to sigh, weight shedding off of her with the action. When done, she's grinning. "I believe I owe you a drink after my last recommendation failed you." Asi lifts a hand to adjust the scarf wound round her neck, making sure it won't fly off as they cruise. "I'm certain I'll be hearing about this later, but I'll be certain to emphasise the entire event was a result of my poor judgment, not yours." Glancing back at him, she quirks her head to the side for a moment. "Though if any teleporting would-be assassins appear, you have been warned in advance of that possibility."
Nonplussed, Asi returns her attention ahead to the road, still smiling. This was already a small victory in its own right, after how stifling the last few weeks had been for her.
She blinks as the billiards hall is named, one eyebrow arching. "City Slickers? What kind of …"
Some Time Later…
City Slickers Bar and Billiards
Backs of knuckles against her lips to try and stifle any laughter that might come from her, Asi lets out a seemingly polite "Oh," to acknowledge the appearance of the establishment they've walked into. What she tries to hide in her expression fails to pass into her eyes, which glimmer in amusement, and embarrassment, but not on her behalf. "… Best place for billiards, you said?"
Dark brows arch high above above equally dark sunglasses, as Godfrey takes in City Slickers choice of decor. The tinny sounds of some bloke named Billy Ray Cyrus drift through singing about not taking his heart… his achy… breaky… heart. “So they said,” Godfrey comments blandly, as he slowly pulls the sunglasses off his face. He looks very disappointed. There were pool tables way in the back surrounded by neon beer signs and American flags. In fact, one long wall of the bar is painted with an giant American flag mural. “I admit I was hoping it was a stripclub. Though I think the rather large neon cowboy outside should have been a clue of the travesty within… Yet, here I still stand completely… “ He really didn’t have a word for it really.
He doesn’t need to think about it, because his thoughts are interrupted by the thrilled screams of a woman on a bull riding machine, especially when she is immediately thrown off into the mats around it. But that wasn’t the worst of it…. Godfrey can’t help by stare when his eyes fall on the bar with its saddle seat barstools.
At least point, he’s seen plenty and there is a step taken back. “Ah… I am starting to think this was a bad idea.” He gives Asi an amused look. “Maybe we should find a better place, yeah?” There is a crunch under his expensive leather shoes, which has him looking down and lifting his foot as if he stepped in something far worse. “One with less peanuts on the floor, preferably?”
"Not. a. chance," Asi laughs quietly between her fingers, taking it all in. Real America was only a spanse of city blocks away, yet here was this garish caricature dreamt up by what was surely the most well-meaning of minds. She imagines just how much traffic this place sees from visiting Japanese businessmen, enamored with the Hollywood ideas of the American West, and is forced to admit the bar's validity as a business venture; here lay all of the stylized American experience with none of the chance of actually getting shot, stabbed, or robbed by heading to any bars just outside Yamagato Park.
"No, we are definitely appreciating this for all it's worth," she insists, delighted with Godfrey's discomfort and even with her own. In the event he would attempt to back out, as his expression hints he might just leave her here on her own, her hand snares the lapel of his coat to drag him along, walking backward with crunches underfoot. "What happened to your sense of adventure?" Her well-worn black combat boots chart a path toward the distant bar tables, but there's simply so much else to see on the way over to it. She seems particularly enamored with a portion of wall set up to look like a blank, yellowed Wanted poster, a rack of cowboy hats and stereotypically Western add-ons adjacent to the apparent photo opportunity spot.
"We should take a picture to commemorate it, even." There's a solid attempt on Asi's part at a serious expression, a wicked grin working its way forward anyway as she suppresses a snigger.
He looks a little put off and surprised at her delight. Even more so as she grabs is jacket and drags him along, deeper into this cowboy filled nightmare. His mouth opens in the start of protest, but then closes again, before he simply sighs out, “Alright. Fine…” He passes a server in brightly colored western clothes with the long fringe down the sleeves. Steady Godfrey you can do this. “Fine.” is said again with much more force. “But I’m not about to go on that.” He points to the bull machine, giving her a ‘don’t even ask’ look, as it jerks and kicks around trying to buck its current passenger.
The pointing out of the selfie wall, gets a completely flat look, which is then turned to her with a shake of his head. “Absolutely not,” He waves a dismissive hand at it… though chances are she just has to wait a few drinks. “No. No matter how pretty the lady is, there will be no photographic evidence of this poor life choice of a night,” he declares stubbornly.
Though Godfrey does stop short, digging in heels at the array of bottles behind the bartender. “If I must be submitted to this torture, I think a good stiff drink it in order.” He tugs his jacket straighter and turns to the man behind the bar with a bright smile. Set on ordering, but then looks to Asi again. “See if you can get us a pool table and I’ll get this round.” A brow arching to see if she’s alright with that.
There's something to be said for seeing the charismatically self-assured man so visibly out of place. Asi relents and releases his coat as he declares he needs the services of the bar, if only because it sounds like he's not liable to sprint for the door. At least at this moment. Her head tips forward as she leans in to warn him, "Should I find myself alone at the table, without a drink in my hand, I will find you tomorrow at work, Mr. Wells. And in my care will be a ten-gallon hat meant for your head."
She can honestly think of no worse threat to make, and her smile even turns sympathetic for it. Certainly she would not want to be chased down by anyone with intentions like those.
Swiveling on her heel to head for the pool tables, she can't help but find it remarkable the décor extends even that far, the surface of the durable arcade-style table painted (perhaps even hand-painted) with a desert scenery. Truth be told, it's all starting to give her a headache, but at least she wouldn't be alone in having one. She leans to one side to judge if the machine has a digital interface, frowning when she finds the table possesses a decidedly mechanical setup requiring five coins. A glance later, and she locates a nearby change machine.
Standing in front of it, she looks over her shoulder to check on Godfrey's progress before lifting a hand to the machine. Were one not paying close enough attention, it looks like she's inserting a bill to exchange … except there's nothing in her hand. Her fingers touch the simple device, eyes gleaming for just a moment before she looks to the coin dispensary. A healthy handful of quarters, enough to make five dollars, are scooped into fists as she heads back, dumping the cache on a high-top table near the bar. "I'm sure this cost less than the round you bought," Asi asides to him as he comes back, shoving the row of coins into the side of the table to trigger the satisfying sound of the balls releasing out of lock.
The look at follows her retreating back is a perplex one, “You know.. I think I believe her,” Godfrey says as an aside to the bartender. “Well,” he offers the man a brilliant smile, “I best not keep the lady waiting.” He turns to regard the selection behind the bar…. And his expression turning slowly to one of disappointment. “No scotch?”
“I’m sure you’re right, it’s like highway robbery,” Godfrey say in response as he arrives at the table with the drinks… or are they even drinks. Both look like bad tourist attraction glasses. One is a ceramic representation of a 6 shooter, with an over emphasized barrel for the booze. The other a horse head with painted on googly eyes that don’t appear to be looking the same direction. He holds them a bit like he was holding something rather offensive.
“Well, I don’t think things could get much more… “ Godfrey can’t think of the words so he simply says, “Extra.” The ceramic gun cup is offered over. “There you go, my dear. The finest American beer the place offers.” He sniffs at it and looks at it funny. “Which I highly doubt.” He stares at it for a moment, but then with a shrug he takes a drink. There is a grimace, but another drink is taken before it is set down. This is so he can remove his coat and the long sleeves of his deep blue shirt can be unbuttoned and rolled up. “I should tell you. I’ve only played this a little, so… I will be most likely be terrible at it.”
Asi's expression finally falters when she sees the pistol-cup, having found something in such poor taste she can't overlook it. Returning to the table, she touches the side of the glass, turning it to see if there's a suitable angle of approach. The lip is annoyingly thick. "… Is the purpose of this glass to make you spill your beer as you drink it, and wish you could shoot yourself as a result?" she asks rhetorically. Her tone is flat as she looks back to Godfrey. "Because if so, it's going to do a fantastic job of it."
When she shrugs off her own coat and sets her thin printed scarf atop it, a plain white work shirt is better revealed, buttoned to her neck. She wastes no time in buttoning it down so it looks less like it's about to choke her. "Don't worry, it's just a game of pressure and angles. So long as you have a steady hand…" Asi trails off as she takes a very careful sip of her own beer. She'd likely appreciate the IPA more if she if she didn't have to be so cautious with it. Head tilting to one side, brow furrowed in a loud, skeptical pronouncement of how she finds it, she sets the gunglass back aside to begin organizing the balls inside the triangle-shaped rack.
Between crouches to scoop more to the table's top, she glances back at him. "Why billiards, might I ask?"
“Why not?” Godfrey quips back with a shrugs. “When in America….” he says purposely trailing off as he turns to select a stick. When he turns back around with a bit of a flourish stick in hand, he gives her a big toothy grin. “Besides, if you were your bodyguards would you think to look for you in a billiards hall?” He steps around the edge of the table gesturing to the decor, “Though I must admit, this worked out far better than I thought it would. Might even be able to ward off… what did you call it? Teleporting would-be assassins?” There is a flicker of concern, before it smooths out again into that confident smile. Pointing the stick at her from across the table, he motions to her whole self with the tip of it. “I certainly wouldn’t think to find you here. Me either.”
Revelation out, the stick flips back to rest across Godfrey’s shoulders, arms draped over the ends, his brows giving a bit of a waggle, “It’s the perfect hiding place. If you ask me.” Which might have been the plan all along. How long did he wait for this opportunity? He gives the barest of a gentleman’s bow looking rather smug and proud of himself, as if he’s saying ‘you're welcome.’
Odds were, if Jiba were tapped, they would know exactly where the pair were already. Seeing as they're not being glared at by Yamagato Security, Asi assumes word hasn't made it quite that far yet. Still, she half-grins, because who would think to find her in a place like this? Her head shakes as she rattles the balls in the rack before pulling it away smoothly, afterward gesturing at the table with a downward tip of the frame. He can go first.
"Well…" she voices, taking the time to look him over a bit more appraisingly than before. What was his stake in it, anyway? Asi doesn't find the answer just by looking at him, tapping the rack against her palm thoughtfully. Having seen the brief look that had passed over him, hearing a phrase she likely shouldn't have uttered in the first place being repeated back to her, she gives him a small smile she almost certainly means to be reassuring. "I'll certainly say, best efforts have been made here. I appreciate it, at least."
Looking back down at the pool table, the rack held in her hand is spun rapidly on an axis before being caught and stored. "It's been a while since I've had any 'off-campus meetings'. It was past due." Ever on the clock, it seems. Reaching to snare herself a cue of her own, the tip is wagged in his direction once she picks it up. "Though I can't say it was you I expected to be having one with."
There is an amused tug at one corner of Godfrey’s mouth at he watches her appraise him. A single brow tips up waiting her to finish her assessment. He knows very well, they could find them quickly, yet… here they were.
“Yes… well, despite appearances, I can assure you that I can sympathize,” Godfrey comment a little more seriously, with a little there you have it. The smile softens a little at the edges, but never truly goes away. “Havin’ someone watch your every move, puts a real damper on ones day.” He lets out an annoyed huff and moves to pick up his funky horse glass, the wonky eyes staring woefully at Asi. “S’why I decided ta give you a bit of a break,” he says, motioning towards her with a slight tip of the glass. “Plus you seem rather stressed. What a better way than with me… here.” He straightens a little, squaring his shoulder, and flashes her a smug smile.
He manages another drink from the glass, it’s amusing to watch really, and gives the sets up a look over. Godfrey moves around the table, before motioning to the game before them, “Ladies first.”
"Does it not?" Asi remarks drily to the comment about constantly being watched, more than hinting how much she dislikes it. She moves around the side of the pool table as he moves for his drink, a careful juxtaposition to keep them opposite of each other, both of them on opposite sides of the table. She folds her hands on the tip of the cue, leaning on it like it's an oversized cane.
Her lips firm into an approximation of a smile as he remarks on her stress, continuing to watch him even as he reverses her polite gesture and offers that she shoot first. To be fair, he used his words for his.
"I have had a time of things lately," she admits abruptly, eyes falling to the table as the cue is slid between her hands to a position more amenable to lining up a shot. "Assigned security notwithstanding." Leaning over the table, the pyramid of balls suddenly scatter with a satisfying crash, becoming individuals and bouncing off of each other with additional clicks.
She'd put quite a bit of focused force behind that shot.
"This case is carrying on longer than my superiors care for. They're unhappy with a lack of presentable results." Asi lets out a quiet huff of amusement as she leans back from the table. No balls had sunk on the scatter. "I think it irritates them the most detailed report I've sent back so far is regarding an unrelated discovery."
The look in her eye shifts, thoughtful but unwilling to discuss specifics. "So how has your time with Yamagato been so far? You were hired recently enough, were you not?" Asi looks up as if she hadn't reviewed his name in the stack of details she'd received regarding new hires and transfers.
“Actually, no. I have worked for Yamagato for a couple of years now, but just not here,” Godfrey offers a lopsided smile before taking another drink of the beer. He looks at the cup in his hand, “You know. It kinda grows on you.” His nose then wrinkles suddenly. “Maybe not.” He sets it aside and moves to consider his shot.
Dark eyes consider where the balls rest in relation to the cue ball, as he continues to talk. “They decided to actually bring in a liaison to talk to the US businesses now that they are working so close with many, like Raytech.” There is a moment of silence as he bends down to line up the shot. There is a clack and balls shoot around, one almost makes it in, but pauses at the edge. Godfrey looks rather put off by it’s sudden betrayal, but he doesn't let it bother the conversation. “Not to mention I’m an extra layer of protection for their more brilliant minds… especially in light of the bombing.” What does that say about him?
Taking a step back, Godfrey allows her the space to make her next shot, leaning on the empty table next to them, feet crossed at the ankles. “As for my thoughts…” Taking a deep breath, he lets it out as he considers his words. “It’s boring,” he admits. After a thought he adds, “Mostly. And I don’t know how anyone lives outside of the park. It’s like stepping into a third world country.” He doesn’t even look sheepish for his assessment. “Though I admit, I’ve only been here a short time. Maybe this new New York will grow on me.” He doesn’t sound overly convinced. “Though it’s certainly, nothing like when I lived here before the war.”
"My mistake. Your time with the Park, specifically." Asi clarifies with a flash of a smile. "The New York City Safe Zone, as it were." When Godfrey approaches the pool table, she rotates around for a drink of her own, minding his shot out of the corner of her eye while she minds the gaudy glass she sips from. It's lowered as he passes the comment about the extra protection. "It all sounds very noble, when you phrase it like that."
She restrains herself from chuckling openly at the very near miss on his shot, leaning forward to the table. She's not above taking advantage of someone else's work, and wastes little time in swiveling the stick around in her hand to send the cue ball right back at betraying ball to knock it in. "Solids," Asi announces to the table itself as she listens to it roll around inside the table. Once done, she rotates around the table, closer to to Godfrey now as she attempts to sink a second shot.
"Well, it could be worse out here. At least New York has stable electricity. Though, I was advised on arrival that the land outside the Park is little more than a frontier." A grouping of balls are broken apart by her shot, though nothing is pocketed. As she stands again, her wrist rotates to spin the stick idly, fingers twirling to accommodate the cue's revolution. "While the Park may be 'boring' in comparison—" Her head dips, hands parting to show that she's simply voicing back that clearly subjective description for the sake of the conversation, "depending on your tastes…" is added for clarification, "frontier does seem like a justly applied descriptor."
Her opinion, judging by her tone and expression, is neither positive nor negative. It simply is. And an interesting reality it is, indeed. Pausing for just a moment, Asi tips her head back toward Godfrey almost delicately. "I take it you've not explored much outside of the Park?" There's a lack of a yet featured in the question.
There is a sort of intensity to the way he watches her, as if Godfrey were trying to figure her out. Eyes narrow slightly considering her words; thoughtful. “Noble,” there is a huff of amusement at the descriptor. “And noble isn’t a woman, flown half way across the world to investigate that same bomb?” His smile pulls to one side briefly. “It’s all in how you look at it I guess. I would describe your work as more noble than mine. I only have to talk a pretty game. You…” Eyes dip down taking the whole of her in.
“Either way… “ Godfrey says after that examination, the word sighed out as he turns his attention to the pool table. “I’d say you are ahead.” The swift change of the conversation as he takes a side step and moves towards the cue ball. “Stripes, eh…” he studies the field and makes his move. This time… he sinks one, just barely. He looks rather proud of himself as he straightens.
Even though it is only the beginning of the game, he looks like he just won the prize. “And no,” Godfrey says, glancing at he out of the corner of his eye. “I have not yet had the pleasure of exploring the area. Just what I’ve seen briefly is depressin’ enough.” His smile dims a bit at that, “But I imagine I’ll eventually see what happened to all my old haunts.” He didn’t really relish that idea. “Maybe looking into these rumors I heard that Staten Island has some fun, I might have to check that out sometime.” A brow tips up with his curiosity, moving back to his leaning spot so that she can go, “How about you? Have you got explorin’?”
As Godfrey gets hung up on the use of the word noble, Asi glances at him out of the corner of her eye, unsmiling in return. Shifts to businesslike topics often do that to her. She remains like that for a while, before the pool cue is swung in her hand to block his path back to the other table. "If you get a ball in, you earn a follow-up shot," she advises him. "One can work up quite the chain, if they get lucky." Her brow quirks, like she'd be interested in seeing that happen.
Stick tossed to her other hand, she shrugs nonchalantly at the mention of Staten Island, lips firmed into the ghost of a smile. "I've been out to Staten Island, and it is…" she lingers on that done as she searches for a polite enough, vague enough descriptor. "… it is nothing like I've ever seen before." Asi's head tilts back, peering at some distant spot on the ceiling thoughtfully. "Out there, a place called the Crucible attracts many visitors. I imagine it's one of the Island's only simultaneously tame and adventurous attractions." Her lips quirk back momentarily in an expression like disapproval, but it's over quickly, and she looks back down to watch him make his shot.
Even as the pool cue block his retreat, bringing him up short… “Crucible?” …that name catches Godfrey’s attention, brows lifting a bit in interest. “I may have to take a look myself.” He moves back to the table, considering his next move.
“So. I must ask.” However, he leaves that hanging as he takes another shot. Balls bounce around, but nothing sinks. His look flatten briefly, before settling into that smug smile again. “What do you enjoy? Hmm? As much as this…” he motions to a wall lamp made out of a used beer bottle and a cowboy hat lampshade, “… is amusing. Next time I manage to zip you away from your babysitters, maybe something a wee bit less… adventurous is in order.”
Of course, Godfrey is making the assumption she’ll want to hang again.
“Me. I’m rather easy,” which could be taken any way really, but really Godfrey means, “A club, a piano and drinks, I’ve even been known to do a bit of singing every now and then. I like to roll with whomever I am with at the time.” He offers this information brightly while swinging around his glass, before a drink.
What does Asi enjoy?
A question that doesn't appear to be considered, her attention firmly on the game now as she considers her next shot. Her steps slide her around the side of the pool table carefully, the stick lining up to shoot the cue ball at … a stripe. Her head tilts as she follows through with the gesture, the striped ball wheeling off into a wall, bouncing back to collide with a solid. It sinks. There's a gentle relaxation in her posture, shoulders dipping for just a moment as Asi walks back around the table in silence to fire off a second shot. Nothing as calculated, nothing with intent. Another noisy clatter separates a cloister of three balls.
She rises slowly, eyes still on the table in an approximation of deep thought for the shot she'd given. "I enjoy any amount free time. Adventurously spent time included." Inhaling, her gaze shoots back to Godfrey finally. "For example, I've discovered a new fencing partner here in New York," The information is offered out mildly. "But otherwise, I've developed the terrible habit of overwork with too little time taken for myself. Anything I can get reminds me of just what I've been missing out on."
Her absent humor returns with a sudden warming of her expression, a wry grin beginning to form. "Such as … dreadfully embarrassing trips to Western-themed bars."
Godfrey is quiet as she works her magic. He wasn’t joking when he stated that he wasn’t good at the game. He moves around the table as she does, finding some amusement in the moment. When she is done, he finally looks back up at her. “Fencing?” He looks like he is seeing her in a different light. “My…You are full of surprises,” he offers in mild compliment, steeped in respect.
“Though, you being overworked is concerning,” he comments with a sort of false concern, moving to the picture wall a short distance away. “Well then,” Godfrey starts considering the collection of hats, “It’s a good thing I came along to save you from such a dreary existence.” A black cowboy hat is plucked off its stand and he turns on his heels towards her. “It can be said that I am a bad influence for the overworked.” He slides the hat onto his head. “I will do my best, Ms Asi, to ensure that you avoid the title of….” he tips the hat up with the end of the cue, “work-a-holic.” He says it like it an evil word.
With hat in place, Godfrey is allowing himself to embrace the ridiculousness of their situation. He focuses again on the game… which he will continue to play rather poorly. While he does manage to sink another stripe, “Ha!” he also sinks the white ball. Turning to look back at her, he asks simply, “I’m going to guess that is bad. Yeah?”
His near overreaction to the casual sharing of her hobby causes her brow to tip up, amused despite herself. "Oh?" she challenges in return, wondering what might be surprising about that. Here in this place of stereotypes overblown, she's surprised some aren't applied to her in turn by the Brit. "Do you have any peculiar talents yourself, aside from your acts of showmanship?" Asi asks over the top of her glass before she drinks again, aught left now of it.
It's pressed to her lips to hide a wry smirk as Godfrey dedicates himself to being a bad influence, eyes glimmering with mirth at that. "Don't you look the part of a determined lawbreaker." she teases around the side of the glass, tilting it in his direction with an overdramatic bounce of it in her hand. 'Bang' is whispered along with it. She's supposed to be the law, after all. It's an action that might be a joke only funny to her, though, for its layers of irony.
She takes a moment then to glance toward the table with mock sadness, placing aside her glass to reapproach the table. "Yes, that is unfortunate. You forgo your second shot when that happens." When Asi fishes the cue ball out and places it back on the table, it's placed outside bounds it should be. She glances back up at him thoughtfully for a moment, hand still on the ball. "An early happy hour is always a tempting proposition…" she starts, her eyes afterward drifting to the rack of hats and other paraphernalia.
“Me?” He asks with a bit of a chuckle. Godfrey doesn’t much mind talking about himself. “I enjoy the piano. I find it calming and relaxing, plus… who doesn’t love a man who can play?” He tips a brow at her as if asking her that, though he doesn’t wait for an answer. “Beyond that.. Trouble is my middle name.” He takes a moment to seat the hat better on his head.
There is a bit of sheepishness to the smile that follows that bang. “I’m sure much to my father’s disappointment, that isn’t far from the truth.” Godfrey spreads his hands a bit. “This country often requires a bit of law bending to get by… Or did really.” Brows furrow, a glance goes to the woman across the table from him. “I was lucky that Yamagato gave me a chance,” he offers a bit more truthfully, sobering a bit. “Somethin’ I will be eternally grateful for.”
That said, Godfrey clears his throat, looking towards the bar. “I am, however, not near drunk enough for that conversation I’m afraid.” He leans his pool cue against the table and gives his hands a clap. “Shots.” Teeth shine white as he offers her a smile, so clearly not the type taken in their game. “Considering the theme, I feel confident there may either be decent whiskey or tequila.” He slide a foot in the direction of the bar, “Any preference?”
For one reason or another, Asi doesn't actually play the shot, abandoning the table entirely to snare herself one of those cowboy hats for herself. A grey one is lifted and settled securely on her head with a self-assured nod before she looks back, hands lifted in a silent ask of 'What do you think?' Smirking, she follows him to the bar.
"In the spirit of going whole-hog," Asi muses, and who knew where she picked up that phrase, "Probably tequila." Looking every part the fancy rancher, she rests her hands on her hips and waits for the order to be fulfilled. Somewhere in the silence, her jaw works and she offers up unexpectedly, "We could drink to both being disappointments to our parents."
The suggestion is accompanied with a deadpan glance. "To that, and well-meaning lawbreaking both." she adds, then nods to the bar. "Though as you said— first we drink."
Absolutely refusing to sit on the saddle barstool, Godfrey casually leans on an elbow at the bar. He turns to look at Asi when amusement at the hat. “Just need a sheriff’s badge and you would be the prettiest law woman on this side of the Rio Grande.” The last is said in a horrible southern accent. He can’t help but chuckle at himself and reaches for the pair of shots as they are delivered. Tequila. One is offered out to her, with a grin.
“To being rebels and disappointments?” Godfrey asks holding up his shot glass for her to clink with her own. Though he doesn’t drink yet, as the door to the bar slams opens to a small herd of security personnel. “Well… fun’s over it seems,” in a disappointed aside to Asi.
He doesn’t look at all worried by the appearance of security, continuing that casual lean, looking silly in that black hat. “Gentlemen and lady…” Godfrey greets them brightly, “Good of you to join us. Shots on me,” he hold his up, before downing it in a gulp. There is a wink to the potential party poopers, as he sets the shot glass down and motions to the bartender to fill it again.
There's something to be said for the timing of the toast, for the language of it, given who rolls through the door right then. Asi's shotglass is held up in a toast to them in particular, a vaguely apologetic smirk for the frazzled security guard who they'd left behind at the parking garage. "You finally made it."
To being rebels and disappointments. Asi beams to herself just before tipping the shot back.