How to Start a Barfight Like a Professional and Flirt While Doing It

[delilah_dirk]

Who: Bolin and Delilah Dirk
What: Two chaotic people meet. Turns out similar vibes do not cancel out.
When: Evening, late month
Where: A pub in Trench



She righted wrongs. It's what it said on her little business stand she set up, whenever the occasion took her. She'd earned a good wage at it so far. Maybe? She hadn't really figured out the rocks part yet. Finance wasn't exactly her forte, as it happened. But she also kept stashing them like a squirrel because she didn't trust banks much.

But she earned something from it. In this case, a young woman had approached her - timid, worried - with quite the take. A music box she had, a relic from her family. Stolen by a brigand who had attempted to seduce her and, when that had failed, had stolen it in pique.

It was exactly the sort of person she had the urge to pound until they were about a foot and a half shorter.

She'd gone with a name and a description and that had led her to a little dive sort of pub. She sat herself in a corner, waiting for him to make his appearance.

Comments

[pabugotmoves]

Pretty boy. Humph. Humph? Mmm... yeah, Humph.

He looks over the bar and squints like that will help him hear better. Man it sure would be helpful to have a Beifong around right now. They'd be able to feel.. but there isn't and he can't, so he just hops over the bar to wrench up the floor the old fashioned way.

Good thing he's strong.

And sure enough, it was a trap door all along, with dark stairs leading into a mysterious(?) cellar.

"Oh that is.. that is spooky. You're good at this.. what was your name again?"

[delilah_dirk]

"There's always a hidden room," she says, reaching down into one of her tall boots and pulling out what looks suspiciously like a smoke grenade. "They always think it's clever, too. Pull a book, candlestick. Something like that."

She pauses, flicking a match to light the fuse.

"Delilah Dirk, adventuress." The fuse hisses into life and she casually tosses it down the stairs.

"No chance they'll ambush us now, if there's a them to ambush. Still, might want to do the glowy rock thing, so I don't mistake you in the gloom, Mr...?"

[pabugotmoves]

Oh wow she is.. she is so cool when she isn't trying to stab him.

That's a very low bar, Bolin.

But he listens and hoiks a few pebbles up from the ground to phase shift. Magma doesn't cast a lot of light but it's enough as they spin, hovering in the palm of his hand.

"Bolin," comes the answer as he tugs his scarf up over his nose and mouth. A covert, smoke screen, huh. She's done this before.

"Just Bolin."

[delilah_dirk]

Many times. She turns, placing her hands on the edge of the ripped-up hole he's made, crouching down.

"Bolin, that's a new one."

She gripped the edge, half-hopping and swinging herself body-length down the stairs, a mass of chestnut hair flowing out behind her like a battle flag.

There is a meaty sort of thud at the bottom of the stairs.

"Got one!" she calls up.

[pabugotmoves]

"Ha!" he pumps his fist in the air with success, before catching himself and giving his arm a look like he still isn't sure if they're on the same side now or what.

He hopes so though, because that was cool.

"I hope it's who you're looking for."

Because the alternative would paint a nasty picture of them and then there very well may be a bounty out with his likeness.

Still...

He gestures at the cellar.

"Ladies first?"

[delilah_dirk]

She's already down the stairs, practically, and there's some sounds from down in the smoke.

"Think it's just him!" she calls up, and then...then she's dragging a man by the shoulders up the stairs, grunting in exertion.

A man who looks...significantly like Bolin, just with...a rubbish beard. And terrible hair.

[pabugotmoves]

Ew he sure is. Bo follows and stops when he meets her, stooping down and squinting for a better look.

"Well would you look at that."

He tugs on the mustache a time or two before letting go and motioning for her to give him over, hefting the thief up and over his shoulder with ease.

"I guess we better turn him in for your reward, right?"

[delilah_dirk]

She holds up a hand for a moment, fishing in the man's pockets...and pulling out an ornate necklace. She nods, satisfied.

"Sixty/forty split on him?"

[pabugotmoves]

Bolin looks over his free shoulder with surprise.

"Really? You don't have to do that."

[delilah_dirk]

She shrugged, smiling a bit.

"I did threaten to stab you. You deserve something for that. And the mistaken identity."

[pabugotmoves]

"Mmmmm," he considers.

"Deal. Plus a big fat I'm sorry."

[delilah_dirk]

Her eyes narrow. She hadn't bargained on that part.

"Fine, fifty-fifty."

[pabugotmoves]

Ooh we're haggling now? Haggling is fun. But no one ever said he was good at math.

"thirty-sixty, a sorry, and you buy me a drink."

[delilah_dirk]

"Look, I think you've got that the wrong way 'round - and I don't think that it's strictly nece..."

She paused, tilting her head.

"Wait, are you trying to chat me up?"

[pabugotmoves]

... wait.

"Up to where?"

[delilah_dirk]

She gives him a bit of a look, gesturing between them, hand pointing down, waggling a finger back and forth.

"Asking a lady to buy you a drink. It's the other way around, pretty boy. Well, usually. Depends on your line of work, I suppose."

Just in case, she clarifies. "You know. Two people, getting drinks...?"

[pabugotmoves]

“Oh- oH OH right— right well. No I mean I wasn’t suggesting a date as payment I’m not that guy.”

..

“Would that have worked, though?”

[delilah_dirk]

She shrugs.

"Dunno. Nobody's really tried before," she replied, regarding the necklace very carefully so as not to give away anything.

And, finally, after a silence.

"Drop the formal apology and I'll consider it."

[pabugotmoves]

"But that part is worth the most."

Is it Bo? Are you just being stubborn.

[delilah_dirk]

She crossed her arms, huffing. "It's not like I actually stabbed you or anything."

She sighed, finally throwing up her hands.

"Alright! Fine! I'm sorry I tried to sword you!"

[pabugotmoves]

"Aha! Oh, sweet sweet victory."

His feelings aren't even hurt, he just wanted her to give the thing she didn't want to.

"Well in that case, I owe you a drink, fair warrior."

the guy over his shoulder moans and Bolin turns, clunking the thief's head against the stone wall. He goes limp again.

"After we drop this fella off."

[delilah_dirk]

"Yes," she replied through gritted teeth and an aggrieved face, her fists balled, "after."

[pabugotmoves]

Satisfied, Bolin smiles and adjusts the thief on his shoulder. He's got a pep in his step the whole way to the bounty drop off. Or whatever? He doesn't know how it works, all he knows is that he's got a big shiny stone and a drink... date? with a feisty brunette. What a good day this has turned out to be.

[delilah_dirk]

Visibly. Grumbly. There might as well be a little black cloud over her as she directs him this way and that, until they're back to her client. She takes care of the actual transaction, giving Bolin a bit of a glare when she hands over his portion of the reward.

"Right then," she says, "now, or...?"

She'd absolutely hate to owe him for a while.

[pabugotmoves]

"Now is good."

Pleased. As. Punch.

"Do you know a place? I only really hang out at The Raccoon Room."

[delilah_dirk]

"Never been, prefer other places," she replied, pointing.

"Good dive bar a few blocks that way."

[pabugotmoves]

Eeeh.. could be worse.

"Is that your thing? Dive.. bars? Do we have to swim? Because I'm not prepared for that. I don't have a swim suit, here."

[delilah_dirk]

"Hmm? Oh, no, they're usually cheap and have the better food. You know, proper pub food."

[pabugotmoves]

"I have no idea what that means but cheap is good and I like food."

[delilah_dirk]

She sighs, finally just giving in and deciding to go with the flow.

"Oh, alright then. Let's get on with things."