[ The mention of Wanda makes things...mildly worrisome. Mostly because Wanda would err towards putting him in something silly - if only to tease him. ]
[ Because Nami isn't interested in answering any questions about what she's up to, well aware that it more likely than not, will get back to the guys. ]
[ And he technically does mean that. Potential for teasing from Wanda aside, they're likely thinking along the same lines in that the less people involved in this, the better. Not that he's aware that Nami is worried about more than just Wanda getting involved. If he did though he'd understand why the secrecy.
The shopping trip is relatively uneventful in that they find him a suit that looks tailored enough for him to wear. Funnily enough, the card game follows a similar theme of uneventfulness which, by his standards, is refreshing for once. Not once is he recognized for his antics with the loan sharks and when that becomes apparent he lets down his guard - but not by much. He could never be too careful. Especially if he was also inadvertently keeping an eye out for Nami.
All the same Cassian slips into the part with ease, throwing out a false name ("Alyx"), keeping an ear out for the gossip and the banter about illicit petty crimes that seem to make up the lifeblood of Panorama. He also keeps his word to Nami: doing well enough at cards but not enough that it would draw ire or suspicion. They leave with a tidy lump sum split between them and information on going's on between the middle men of these raider groups that he doesn't know what quite what to do with yet.
And surprisingly, he's invited back. Apparently his charm had worked. And he can't help but be somewhat amused by it as a heaping pile of waffle fries and very strong smelling cocktails are slid in front of them in the dive bar they'd found not too far from the bar they were playing at. He tugs slightly at the tie he'd donned as part of his disguise and runs a hand through his hair mussing up the slicked back style Nami had suggested he go with as his nose wrinkles some at the fumes wafting from the cocktail. ]
[ While she isn't afforded the luxury of a fake name with a few of Chasing Tail's regulars in attendance, this room is still easy enough to work. It helps that while her choice of dress is the curve hugging kind, not dissimilar in cut to the outfit she has to wear to work, she doesn't have those stupid bunny ears on. Feeling cute while descending into the proverbial underworld is important– after all, any con is a confidence game.
She'd been sure Cassian wasn't the kind of guy to blow something as simple as a few hands of cards, but based on how he carried himself, she feels confident in thinking she's discovered a useful ally. He may not have done specifically this before, she thinks she can tell that this isn't the man's first time telling a few well-placed lies to achieve his ends. Useful information to file away for later, much like a good deal of the conversations she's privy to around the card table. Names, businesses, all of it not useful yet, but she's working on it. Nami even goes so far as to assign herself the job of keeping everybody's drinks topped off in between moments of leaning against the armrest of Cassian's chair, doing her bit to keep up appearances while gathering all the information she can.
By all accounts, it's a success, that the drinks being set down before her and Cassian on the bar smell as potent as she wanted them to is a very happy bonus. ]
Double whiskey sours. [ A drink she's acquired a taste for since her arrival. They cover up the piss poor quality alcohol that gets slung in most of the lower class bars. One glass gets slid towards him before she snatches up a waffle fry out of the basket to enjoy with her drink. ]
So are we gonna go to the next one or what– [ Dusting the stray grains of salt off her fingers, she fixes him with an amused smirk. ] Alyx?
[ Given the choice, Cassian would have preferred that no one in Panorama knew his actual name. But being disoriented and trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was not only on a new planet but a completely different galaxy had meant that plan had immediately gone out the window. At the very least he could ensure that the raiders and small-time criminals didn't know his name. He can protect himself that way and burn the identities that no longer serve him. It's not so different from his life at home. And that, for the time being, is enough to quell his ever present-paranoia.
He'll tell himself that this has nothing to do with falling back on old habits that seem familiar. That donning a persona for the night, hell, for a couple of hours, isn't comforting in the way that having anyone from home would be. The act itself is familiar even if the setting and the people aren't. And after everything he'd experienced, the familiar (but really an escape because that's what this is), is necessary to finding even ground once more.
The offered glass is brought up to his nose to take a whiff as if that would reveal any kind of drug or poison that may have been slipped in before gazing across the table at her. In some ways he's still playing the role, not having quite slipped the mask off yet as if wanting to cling onto normalcy just a little bit longer. ]
That depends. [ The corners of his lips curl up, conspiratorially. ] How did I do?
[ Quick to cool the flash of amusement that rises through her, seeing the pleased look on his face, Nami cocks her head to the side, her glass pausing halfway on its way to her lips so she can roll her shoulders in a noncommittal shrug. ]
The drinks are paid for, and nobody shot us, I think you know the answer to that. [ She starts, her tone quiet enough to only be heard by him over the din of the bar, and dry as a bone while she recounts their triumphs before finally having that sip of her drink, giving him a chance to come to the obvious conclusion here. ]
There are a lot of people in this city getting rich from some seriously bad lines of work. They can pay for my fries instead of financing something horrible, I don't mind. [ It's just a card game, and she knows nobody at that table ended up completely shaken down, but it's a start. There are four pirates back at the motel, each saddled with the same stupid debt she is. While she doubts the guys feel as cagey about owing such a steep price, it hits a little too close to home in a very literal sense to Nami. She put Arlong behind her, but, unfortunately, seems to have to play his kind of shitty game for another round. On the bright side, she's fresh off of years sharpening the skills she'll need to get ahead here.
The shadow that briefly runs across her expression dissipates, and when she looks back at Cassian from over the rim of her glass, her gaze is sharp and sly, almost bordering on playful. ]
[ Keen eyes catch the flit of amusement in her gaze before it turns into something nonchalant; he's been around long enough to know what the advantages of keeping reactions mostly tucked away and out of sight. And in return, he does nothing to let on that he had caught that moment of levity.
There was something satisfying, a thrill even, in knowing that everything she had listed were indicative of a job well done. But the thrill of petty crimes and getting away with it no longer fill his cup like they used to. Maarva, were she around, might snort and say dryly that it just means his brain had developed. In a much more serious turn of events he might argue that he''d simply become more aware that there were more important things in life than a self-serving job.
The information they'd gleaned could be something, eventually. He just didn't know what. And frankly, he wasn't sure if it was something he wanted to act on either. It felt like more trouble than was worth. Unfortunately the nudge to 'do good' would remain there like a seed waiting to take root.
In that short time they had both fallen into their own thoughts, but with his gaze trained on her he catches the way her typically dry and unimpressed expression shifts. The masterful change speaks to life experiences in needing to know how. It'd be impressive if he weren't mildly curious as to the reasons behind it. Instead he allows the moment to pass, regarding her a moment before clinking his glass briefly against hers as the corner of his mouth lifts a little higher. ]
You know how to pick a partner. [ And then after he takes a sip - ] You've done this sort of work before.
[ Getting the sense that she's being sized up under that casually observational exterior, Nami tilts her head up, the tips of her fingers drumming lightly on the side of her glass, apparently electing to mull over his words before responding. ]
You got me. I've poured drinks and played cards before. [ The hand not on her glass lifts, as if in a show of innocence, while her lips curve in a smirk that's about as dry as her tone of voice. ] If you're claiming I know how to pick a partner, I'm going to assume you're implying you've done this kind of work before, too.
[ The appraising look on her face disappears as Nami helps herself to another waffle fry, one shoulder rising and fall in a brief shrug. ]
It's a tough town, it's easier to avoid trouble by not working alone when you're still feeling somewhere out.
[ Where to go, who to avoid, a general lay of the land. All things he's had time to feel out more than she has. Not to mention, she doesn't like to get her hands dirty if things go bad. He might not know how to pick a lock, but he carries himself with the kind of readiness she sees in most of her crewmates. A certain kind of readiness in his gait she can't explain, but appreciates enough to invite him to the next seedy outing she can charm an invitation to. ]
[ Apparently neither of them had left the card table. Not that he would have expected any less. The impression he'd built of Nami was that she very rarely let her guard down. For what purpose, he didn't know. Nor was it his place to pry. ]
I'm implying as much as you are.
[ A former thief knew when he was talking to someone who had been involved in similar lines of work. And not just everyone knew how to pick a lock as skillfully as she had the day he'd needed to get into Janice's apartment. As for his own ability to pick a lock - well. He just happened to be caught out without the right tools. A lesson he'd since learned from. Arriving here had meant falling into some semblance of rhythm, an attempt to build a routine that felt like a life. Maybe a part of him had gotten too comfortable. ]
You don't work alone though. [ It's an observation as much a question. ] Someone like you probably has others you can call.
[ Her eyebrows raise slightly while she decides what to make of that observation before finally dismissing it with a shake of her head. If they didn't share the same motel, she would be tempted to skew the truth more heavily, and keep the guys out of this until Cassian's proven himself to be trustworthy for things beyond running a hustle. ]
I try to keep my crew out of stuff like this. [ There isn't a shift in the way she carries herself, but there's a hint of caution in her tone, as though she can't quite fully mask the broad protective streak that color her relationships with each of the guys both individually and together. ]
I worked alone for a long time, kind of habit now, though– [ Smirking coyly as she lifts her glass for another drink, her eyes touch over his face before she lowers her cocktail again to finish her thought. ] I'm not working alone right now, am I? [ Charm is an easy thing to reach for, and one of the best ways to distract anyone from almost any topic. ]
[ Calling the men he had seen her a crew only confirms that they probably weren't strangers to any sort of criminal behaviour. Considering how smoothly she'd had everything planned out, considering the caution that he hears slip into her tone - there's more loyalty there than might meet the eye.
It's a good thing. At least in Cassian's eyes. There are plenty of criminals whose only priority is themselves. Whether she intends it or not, it gives him confidence to extend a little more her way than he might have done otherwise.
Even with the coy smirk that fits back onto her face like a well-used mask. With just as much ease and without so much of a pause he offers his own smirk back.]
No. Not alone. At least until we leave this dive bar that is.
[ His hand tilts. ]
You're still planning on running jobs while you're here then?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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When is the game?
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I know the shop. I can meet you there.
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[ Because Nami isn't interested in answering any questions about what she's up to, well aware that it more likely than not, will get back to the guys. ]
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[ And he technically does mean that. Potential for teasing from Wanda aside, they're likely thinking along the same lines in that the less people involved in this, the better. Not that he's aware that Nami is worried about more than just Wanda getting involved. If he did though he'd understand why the secrecy.
The shopping trip is relatively uneventful in that they find him a suit that looks tailored enough for him to wear. Funnily enough, the card game follows a similar theme of uneventfulness which, by his standards, is refreshing for once. Not once is he recognized for his antics with the loan sharks and when that becomes apparent he lets down his guard - but not by much. He could never be too careful. Especially if he was also inadvertently keeping an eye out for Nami.
All the same Cassian slips into the part with ease, throwing out a false name ("Alyx"), keeping an ear out for the gossip and the banter about illicit petty crimes that seem to make up the lifeblood of Panorama. He also keeps his word to Nami: doing well enough at cards but not enough that it would draw ire or suspicion. They leave with a tidy lump sum split between them and information on going's on between the middle men of these raider groups that he doesn't know what quite what to do with yet.
And surprisingly, he's invited back. Apparently his charm had worked. And he can't help but be somewhat amused by it as a heaping pile of waffle fries and very strong smelling cocktails are slid in front of them in the dive bar they'd found not too far from the bar they were playing at. He tugs slightly at the tie he'd donned as part of his disguise and runs a hand through his hair mussing up the slicked back style Nami had suggested he go with as his nose wrinkles some at the fumes wafting from the cocktail. ]
What is that?
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She'd been sure Cassian wasn't the kind of guy to blow something as simple as a few hands of cards, but based on how he carried himself, she feels confident in thinking she's discovered a useful ally. He may not have done specifically this before, she thinks she can tell that this isn't the man's first time telling a few well-placed lies to achieve his ends. Useful information to file away for later, much like a good deal of the conversations she's privy to around the card table. Names, businesses, all of it not useful yet, but she's working on it. Nami even goes so far as to assign herself the job of keeping everybody's drinks topped off in between moments of leaning against the armrest of Cassian's chair, doing her bit to keep up appearances while gathering all the information she can.
By all accounts, it's a success, that the drinks being set down before her and Cassian on the bar smell as potent as she wanted them to is a very happy bonus. ]
Double whiskey sours. [ A drink she's acquired a taste for since her arrival. They cover up the piss poor quality alcohol that gets slung in most of the lower class bars. One glass gets slid towards him before she snatches up a waffle fry out of the basket to enjoy with her drink. ]
So are we gonna go to the next one or what– [ Dusting the stray grains of salt off her fingers, she fixes him with an amused smirk. ] Alyx?
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He'll tell himself that this has nothing to do with falling back on old habits that seem familiar. That donning a persona for the night, hell, for a couple of hours, isn't comforting in the way that having anyone from home would be. The act itself is familiar even if the setting and the people aren't. And after everything he'd experienced, the familiar (but really an escape because that's what this is), is necessary to finding even ground once more.
The offered glass is brought up to his nose to take a whiff as if that would reveal any kind of drug or poison that may have been slipped in before gazing across the table at her. In some ways he's still playing the role, not having quite slipped the mask off yet as if wanting to cling onto normalcy just a little bit longer. ]
That depends. [ The corners of his lips curl up, conspiratorially. ] How did I do?
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The drinks are paid for, and nobody shot us, I think you know the answer to that. [ She starts, her tone quiet enough to only be heard by him over the din of the bar, and dry as a bone while she recounts their triumphs before finally having that sip of her drink, giving him a chance to come to the obvious conclusion here. ]
There are a lot of people in this city getting rich from some seriously bad lines of work. They can pay for my fries instead of financing something horrible, I don't mind. [ It's just a card game, and she knows nobody at that table ended up completely shaken down, but it's a start. There are four pirates back at the motel, each saddled with the same stupid debt she is. While she doubts the guys feel as cagey about owing such a steep price, it hits a little too close to home in a very literal sense to Nami. She put Arlong behind her, but, unfortunately, seems to have to play his kind of shitty game for another round. On the bright side, she's fresh off of years sharpening the skills she'll need to get ahead here.
The shadow that briefly runs across her expression dissipates, and when she looks back at Cassian from over the rim of her glass, her gaze is sharp and sly, almost bordering on playful. ]
You didn't tell me how I did, by the way.
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There was something satisfying, a thrill even, in knowing that everything she had listed were indicative of a job well done. But the thrill of petty crimes and getting away with it no longer fill his cup like they used to. Maarva, were she around, might snort and say dryly that it just means his brain had developed. In a much more serious turn of events he might argue that he''d simply become more aware that there were more important things in life than a self-serving job.
The information they'd gleaned could be something, eventually. He just didn't know what. And frankly, he wasn't sure if it was something he wanted to act on either. It felt like more trouble than was worth. Unfortunately the nudge to 'do good' would remain there like a seed waiting to take root.
In that short time they had both fallen into their own thoughts, but with his gaze trained on her he catches the way her typically dry and unimpressed expression shifts. The masterful change speaks to life experiences in needing to know how. It'd be impressive if he weren't mildly curious as to the reasons behind it. Instead he allows the moment to pass, regarding her a moment before clinking his glass briefly against hers as the corner of his mouth lifts a little higher. ]
You know how to pick a partner. [ And then after he takes a sip - ] You've done this sort of work before.
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You got me. I've poured drinks and played cards before. [ The hand not on her glass lifts, as if in a show of innocence, while her lips curve in a smirk that's about as dry as her tone of voice. ] If you're claiming I know how to pick a partner, I'm going to assume you're implying you've done this kind of work before, too.
[ The appraising look on her face disappears as Nami helps herself to another waffle fry, one shoulder rising and fall in a brief shrug. ]
It's a tough town, it's easier to avoid trouble by not working alone when you're still feeling somewhere out.
[ Where to go, who to avoid, a general lay of the land. All things he's had time to feel out more than she has. Not to mention, she doesn't like to get her hands dirty if things go bad. He might not know how to pick a lock, but he carries himself with the kind of readiness she sees in most of her crewmates. A certain kind of readiness in his gait she can't explain, but appreciates enough to invite him to the next seedy outing she can charm an invitation to. ]
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I'm implying as much as you are.
[ A former thief knew when he was talking to someone who had been involved in similar lines of work. And not just everyone knew how to pick a lock as skillfully as she had the day he'd needed to get into Janice's apartment. As for his own ability to pick a lock - well. He just happened to be caught out without the right tools. A lesson he'd since learned from. Arriving here had meant falling into some semblance of rhythm, an attempt to build a routine that felt like a life. Maybe a part of him had gotten too comfortable. ]
You don't work alone though. [ It's an observation as much a question. ] Someone like you probably has others you can call.
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I try to keep my crew out of stuff like this. [ There isn't a shift in the way she carries herself, but there's a hint of caution in her tone, as though she can't quite fully mask the broad protective streak that color her relationships with each of the guys both individually and together. ]
I worked alone for a long time, kind of habit now, though– [ Smirking coyly as she lifts her glass for another drink, her eyes touch over his face before she lowers her cocktail again to finish her thought. ] I'm not working alone right now, am I? [ Charm is an easy thing to reach for, and one of the best ways to distract anyone from almost any topic. ]
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It's a good thing. At least in Cassian's eyes. There are plenty of criminals whose only priority is themselves. Whether she intends it or not, it gives him confidence to extend a little more her way than he might have done otherwise.
Even with the coy smirk that fits back onto her face like a well-used mask. With just as much ease and without so much of a pause he offers his own smirk back.]
No. Not alone. At least until we leave this dive bar that is.
[ His hand tilts. ]
You're still planning on running jobs while you're here then?