nachetanya | Recollé Overflow Post

[while Natalia blends, Lina polishes off most of her drink in a protracted swig. it's not very graceful or ladylike, but it still tastes good and gives her an excuse to make a second for herself.]

I'd say you moved at exactly the right speed. [she starts walking around the bar area looking for the ingredients for her replacement drink while she talks.] I mean, I sent some back, didn't I?

You did! You did and those were very, very cute.

[ And hot? Probably hot.

... Definitely hot? But mostly cute, apparently. ]

I'm glad you thought so!

[she's not about to give Natalia a repeat performance, not remotely being prepared for it physically or emotionally, but as she mixes her drink up she does let herself be a little proud. her half of the talk continues over her shoulder.]

That's high praise coming from somebody as cute as you. It's hard to believe that conversation even happened sometimes. I really don't just go around flirting with everybody I meet, you know.

Lina, you were flirting with me the minute I offered to dhow you some of those animals out in the wilderness. You can't tell me that you're exclusive about it.

[ Or if she did, she'd doubt it and tbh feel a little bad for what a flirt she is. ]

Was I?

[oh, she can barely even get through that without giggling. of course she was. her drink's more or less done; all she needs is the garnish.]

Nobody else has reacted like you did before! You were always ready to flirt right back at me. I couldn't just stop.

[because then Natalia would've won.]

No one, seriously? I doubt that a little...

[ Lina's too cute for most people to resist, she's sure... ]

Well, I might be stretching the truth a little.

[just a tad. she's got an identical version of the Blue Hawaiian that Natalia made, only with a little bit more alcohol in it, and she takes a sip—and she nailed it. excellent.]

But you made it so much fun. That's the kind of thing that made me, um, move faster than usual with you. [she's not especially embarrassed by what she's saying, but her free hand goes up to idly curl a strand of her own hair all the same.] I knew I could talk to you about something serious, get it off my chest, and still smooth everything over with some dumb jokes or flirting.

You're kind of the whole package.

[ So she's special, huh? Lina doesn't just move this fast with everyone...? She's not sure what to make of that, but she leans back against the counter with her own drink, watching Lina go about things over here, her red eyes piercing the other as she considers.

... She was taken to be someone she could talk about with serious things, huh? It's true she had offered, but if she was honest, a lot of that was to get more dirt on Lina's sisters, a lot of it was her spite at Clover. But ... she did like the girl. A lot, actually. She keeps this to herself, and she shrugs, as if she was magnanimous. ]

A lot of my most special connections seem to come out of something like that, things being fun.

[certainly not this fast. it takes a special kind of person to get risque photos that early in the friendship, after all—but it helps, of course, that Natalia flirted back.]

You know how to have fun. And for people who aren't quite as good at it as you are, maybe it's a quality they really appreciate about you. Not that I'd be speaking from experience or anything.

[she gives Natalia an obviously fake sly look and hides her mouth behind her glass for a moment.]

You have a way of spicing things up. [another sip.]

Some people might call that me being silly or reckless!

[ It's said with her own little wink! But then, watching the other one sipping her drink, she smiles a bit wider. ]

But if you vibe on it, I can't deny I'm proud! Though I'm actually really bad with spicy foods.

[ FUN FACT ]

Are you?

[Lina will remember that.]

I'll keep that in mind if you ever decide you want to come over for dinner. I'd love to try my hand at cooking your favorite dish. Which is...?

[oh, she could not be anticipating this answer more.]

[ What a question. She laughs all the same though, considering... her favorite dish... ]

Mmm! That's a good question. It feels like it changes by the day... I think right now I've actually been on a Mediterranean kick!

[ There is a more sincere answer though, ones she grew up with back in the orchard. But even now, especially as she hadn't seen her family in a while... it feels weird to answer that. ]

Really? Lucky you!

[she's definitely getting bubblier, to the point where she's ready to set down her drink and start talking with a lot more energy in her voice. not that it's been in short supply since they found this bar.]

I'm trying to branch out and learn how to cook more things because everything I know by heart is very... western, you know? Which is fine on its own, but there's a whole world of culinary adventures I can go on and I'm just not doing enough if I keep everything in one country or one style of cooking.

[she reaches forward to put a hand on Natalia's shoulder, which she'd be doing even if she weren't running on more alcohol than food and a lot of confusing, difficult emotions.]

You have to give me some of your favorites so I can focus on them when I get home. Right now I'm trying to get this dish from the Philippines right, but I'll add yours to my list as soon as I get it down.

Grape leaves and Baba Ganoush are two decent places to start! But I'll be sure to line up a few more ideas for you before we're done here, don't worry.

[ It's... it is shallow of her, she knows it, but she's glad to see Lina being this energetic again. Even if it's a lie, even if she's faking it. It makes Natalia feel a little better on some level, and she laughs some, leaning into the touch. ]

But I know, I know! I grew up in a rural town, you know.

[maybe she's faking it, but maybe it's easier right now. maybe the circumstances are a little different. maybe Natalia's making it better just by being here and engaging her.]

You did? Oh my gosh, I didn't know that! I've been here in the city for as much of my life as I can remember so I barely know anything about what it's like out there in the country. I bet it was really hard work making a living out there.

[oh. oh, she's extremely interested in this right now. and the part of her that isn't starting to get drunk is seeing this as an opportunity to try to get more information from her friend. the rest of her is just enjoying herself for once.]

What was it like? Did you grow anything? Oh my gosh, tell me as much as you want.

[ Natalia giggles at that and waves a hand, ]

Of course we did! The Fairweather Clan has some pretty big farms out there! Specifically, my mama and dad and the others have an apple orchard! [ A sage nod ] So it's actually pretty stable, as long as the crop keeps itself together. [ Basically there isn't a frost. But as much as she wants, huh... ]

I always felt a little bad I wasn't suited for the family business... And then I lost my arm, and it got even more obvious I couldn't do as much to help out. I did some things, of course! But not as much.

[this is exciting! how could it not be exciting? Lina's learning about Natalia, and it's getting her to giggle and talk openly about things, and it's just a very good, high-energy vibe that she's feeling. it makes her happy. and it gives her an idea for the next time they decide to do one of these private meetings.]

Your life is so interesting, Natalia. And I know everyone else in your, um, clan appreciated everything you could do to help out, even when it got harder. I mean, how could anyone not appreciate the things you do? They'd have to hold a serious grudge against you.

[or just be kind of mean. and two-faced. and be named Clover.]

And now you've got the casino and that's something else you should be really proud of. It's almost hard to believe you're my age when you've done so much more than me. [she's taking a guess, and she doesn't really sound despondent about it.] I guess I have something else to live up to now!

The "clan" thing's just an ironic little name we have. It's a huge extended family, once you connect all the cousins and everything. Buuuuut-! I know they did, I just feel bad of my own accord.

[ Natalia shifts a little bit, honestly both basking in and slightly denying the praise. She laughs, even, and she brings her drink to her lips for a moment, ] It's not that much though. I just grew up, I lost my arm, and I moved out here because I had the job waiting for me.

[this is more information than she was expecting to get out of Natalia, uh, for a while, to be honest. Lina's surprised, but mostly grateful that her friend trusts her enough to tell her things about her family. maybe that's indicative of some family problems Lina's dealing with, that she thinks this is some top secret information! naaaah.]

You could make anything sound unimpressive if you say it like that, though. You should take more pride in what you do! I mean, don't you think you're really good at what you do at the casino?

[Lina knows very well that she couldn't pull off the kinds of things Natalia does. she's got too terrible of a poker face and she's nowhere near clever enough—though she does pretend as well as she can.]

I have to assume that's where you learned how to make our conversations so fun.

Oh no, I'm great at it.

[ Her eyes flash. She's more saying her beginnings are humble, but to cement the moment, her eyelashes flutter as her right hand comes out to once more tilt up Lina's chin with one finger, ]

I'm the best at making people work against their own self-interest. And I make it fun.

[that's really not fair. and it's completely correct, but Lina sees an opening she can go for anyway, even if it's one of the more obvious ones. like she said, she's not that clever.]

How are you at making people work for their own self-interest, then?

[she's more than content to let herself be touched and toyed with like this, but she wishes she were good enough to catch Natalia off-guard sometimes. maybe one day. maybe one day she'll take to all of this tension like a hot knife through butter... or maybe she won't. because this is a lot of fun.]

Because it seems to me that you're just really good at people.

Maybe you're just an easier mark with some alcohol in your system.

[ but from the way she says it, she's mostly teasing Lina. She takes the compliment, of course she does! But she does...

Well, she is amused a little bit. No, a lot amused with it, her red eyes glinting and dances her finger there, before she slides it up and off of Lina, more so she can take her own drink again. ]

Who knows?

[she's quiet with that response, light sparkling in her eyes as they crinkle up with her smile. she's been fairly aggressive with this drink of hers and she hasn't had much to eat lately, so yeah, maybe she is. it's a mystery.]

Is that the way you look at people? How easy of a mark they are? [she's trying to be playful about this; they both know, or at least she hopes they both know, that people are much, much more than that.] I don't think I'm as easy as you think I am, even when I'm drunk.

[she might be easier when she's sober, at the rate their friendship has gone.]

No, no, I'm not that cynical!

[ Or... was she? The princess of piena definitely was. Natalia frowns a little bit and then shakes her head, the smile coming back on her lips just as quickly. With that done, she waves her hand, the drink in it before finishing it off. ]

I do believe in compassion and awareness of others being an incredibly important part of life! I just do happen to be good at observing people!

Oh, I can tell.

[that's the answer she expected, and she's glad to break that bit of tension that she herself had introduced.]

After all, you've been observing me all night. [she giggles. that opening was right there for her, almost as if it were on purpose.] Did you want to observe me from the comfort of one of those tables? Or maybe from somewhere else?

[she doubts that'll get her far, but, well, it's the right thing to say right now.]

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