he stayed where he was, allowing her to approach. an eyebrow curled upward, and his smile broke wider when she latched onto his jacket. he gave to her pulling, making it easier for her, but only if she tried. teasing, even while craving. then, her kiss was quick, bold, even for her. unexpected—though not exactly unwelcome.

nuanced changes happened in his face as she went on in his ear. it was how he looked when he did paperwork. all serious—but his eyes were different. almost drugged. feeling the capability of his brain begin to narrow, he raised a hand to put it on her shoulder. cracked a smile again.

”you beautiful, sweet angel.” he shook his head. ”yer kindness truly knows no bounds.”

but she was drunk, and he didn’t know how drunk. a king of filth as he was, he was not that kind of man. but still, he wasn’t about to leave her there to bust her ass again.

”c’mon.”

if she followed, they’d head to the empty bar.

Remi Cassel

☉

roach shrugged. ”wasn’t really expectin’ nothin’, i guess.”

the look in his eyes was definitely hunger. remi was captivating. she had attitude, power. she didn’t seem to give a shit. she’d pulled him in herself, and after he’d gotten a taste...

”yes ma’am.” he watched her leave, smirking, like the cat who'd gotten the cream. ”yes, ma’am.” with a chuckle to himself, he got up and moved on to the next table.

Remi Cassel

☉

roach smiled. ”good, good.”

how did he know? ”i’m just talented at that kinda thing.” his grin widened, as though he might charm the priest. maybe it was mocking. maybe it was perfectly friendly.

the timer rang, and roach sighed as he rose from his seat leisurely. ”yeah, you too, sir. have a good one.”

as he turned to leave, he looked up one more time. ”name’s roach, by the way. had the wrong nametag.” with a tip of his hat and another flash of teeth, he went on to the next table.

@benicio

☉

her smile was infectious. it felt tart in his cheek, and spread crooked in a smirk. there was the light metallic jangle of the lid screwed back onto his flask. it would’ve been his next move to offer her a hand, but she was already up on her own.

he watched, and after she’d dusted herself off and came closer, his eyes only twinkled with more amusement.

“could ye’now.”

roach figured drunk remi could be going in any direction. he had a hunch. he’d make a bet. he’d find out.

”like what?”

Remi Cassel

☉

this guy wasn’t so bad. roach smirked, chuckling at the thought. he’d heard plenty of those kinds of jokes. ”a bishop walks into a bar...” he broke into a grin, trailing off as his laugh grew gravelly. he sat up more.

”tell ya what: you come in, ‘n i’ll serve ye m’self.”

roach was perfectly content with small talk until the buzzer. he would not be enlightened today. today was a day or doing business and getting laid, and not simultaneously.

he nodded his chin at the priest.

”yer a whiskey guy, aintchya?”

@benicio

☉

”then i’ll keep doin’ it.”

he reflected her, smirking back. shoulders moving in the same way, as drew back again some, in a way he didn’t realize himself. she was captivating. the way her eyes traveled over his lips made him want to pull her away, somewhere else. somewhere private. but he stayed seated. he had networking to do.

he laughed at her remark.

”yer right about that. i met kyle lopez earlier.” he’d also met the famous model luka chêne . not exactly the collection of people he’d expected to be at such a function, for whatever reason.

Remi Cassel

☉

the young guy got there late. go figure.

”welcome, welcome,” he drawled at Rowan Wrynn.

roach had settled into his own seat, viewing his cards and puffing smoke. a long cloud rose above the table as he considered, soon calling with a chip.

roach calls the bet at 5 PD

Raphael Pryde Cillian Quinn Rowan Wrynn ryuuzaki amemiya Martín del Mar

☉

remi?

roach did everything to suppress a bark of laughter, grinning, figuring he knew the exact remi for which the card was meant. was he in her seat? maybe she needed this more than he did, anyways.

”i’m a bar owner,” explained. ”i own ritual downtown.”

still smiling, he attempted to make light of the situation. ”not the purest of occupations, i know. sorry if that’s a disappointment, mr. bishop.”

@benicio

☉

the look in her eye was like cinnamon in his soul. it tickled and drew him in, and soon he had left his slouch to instead lean over the table on his arms at her. she had his attention—more and more, he realized.

his voice dropped in volume, gravelly and low, but soft, ”on the contrary, darlin’. a woman that knows what she wants suits me just fine.”

comfortable looking her dead in the eyes despite the feelings she gave him, he asked with a teasing nod of his chin, ”you networkin’, too?”

Remi Cassel

☉