A Small Bar in Lucca, Tuesday Evening

[suitably_heroic]

"This'll do okay."

The bar was small and cramped, but it had seats outside - one of which Atton dropped himself into. This was one of these weeks where the lines between what he did and what he pretended to do were kind of blurred, the practical side-effect of which being that he'd already had one or two drinks before coming here.

Which... probably explained why he'd been stupid enough to ask Sia to come along with him. Whatever. What was done was done, and at least out here he could always just stalk off (or better yet, make her stalk off) if he really didn't want to deal with any of it any more. "I take it you'll want something neon."

[[ for that girl ]]

Comments

[notconflicted]

Technically, yes she was! She lifted her glass and said, "Besides, I don't hang out with you to relax."

[suitably_heroic]

Atton raised an eyebrow. "I always knew you were in it for my good looks," he drawled.

[notconflicted]

"Yes, that's exactly why," Sia nodded. "You've figured me out."

[suitably_heroic]

"So what is it?" he asked, slumping further in his seat. "Not that I care."

[notconflicted]

"Being with you is never not interesting," she said honestly.

The pretty did help.

[suitably_heroic]

"Huh," Atton said.

After a moment, he added, "Write that one in my yearbook."

[notconflicted]

"Are you surprised?" she wondered.

[suitably_heroic]

"That you'd say it aloud? Sure." Had to keep the old ego up front-- the last thing he needed was for her to think he had depths or something.

[notconflicted]

Sia looked interested. "Why wouldn't I?"

[suitably_heroic]

"Because you're stubborn and you think I'm an asshole most of the time?"

Hey, it was true.

[notconflicted]

"Not most of the time. Though you can be," she said honestly. "If there weren't pluses, I wouldn't bother."

[suitably_heroic]

"This conversation is really starting to confuse me," Atton said. Perfect excuse to down the rest of his wine.

[notconflicted]

"Because I don't hate you?"

[suitably_heroic]

"I think you're complimenting me, I just can't tell," Atton explained.

[notconflicted]

"I'm just stating my opinion," she said. Cryptically. On purpose.

[suitably_heroic]

"Ugh," Atton said, grabbing the bottle to pour himself another glass. "You need to stop enjoying yourself so much when you do that."

[notconflicted]

Sia smiled. "But it's so much fun."

[suitably_heroic]

"You've got a glass of local drinks and this--" He gestured at the bar, "...Music. Sound. Noise. Whatever it is. But no, you just have to torment me."

[notconflicted]

"I think if you really minded, we'd be arguing by now," Sia said, sipping her drink.

[suitably_heroic]

"This isn't arguing?" Sigh. He took a long sip of his own drink. "Okay. Next topic."

[notconflicted]

"Your turn to come up with one," she said.

[suitably_heroic]

Beat.

"Game of pazaak?"

That was your go-to for everything, Atton.

[notconflicted]

"I should have known," she said, but shrugged. "Sure."

[suitably_heroic]

"Hey, you ask me for a topic, I'm going to talk about the only thing I know anything about," Atton said, reaching into his jacket for the cards.