Skeleton City // AU

[hatesblindjokes]

[you, sir or madam, have just been transferred across dimensions to The Hanged Maiden, which is really quite an unfortunate name for a grubby-but-popular little bar on one of the higher levels of the Skeleton City Underground. it's a work night, so the place isn't packed and rowdy so much as it is buzzing and kind of hungover.

there's a guy at the bar, near the end, who kind of sicks out. he's near seven feet tall and conscious of it, seeing as he's hunched over in the way that really tall people just seem to subconsciously manage. he's got a drink with ice in it and seems perfectly content to stare vacantly and broodily down at the counter in front of him.

part of that's because he can't actually see, but that's not immediately obvious.]

Comments

[tabbytastic]

Well, shit. You'd think you'd be working harder to have a good time.

Let's start with this, at least.

[motioning to the bartender--wherever the hell she went--get this man a new drink!]

[hatesblindjokes]

[said bartender is probably just pleased that permanent-resident Vincent is making friends, so she will get on making his drink pretty quickly. Vincent tilts his head a little, like that'll help him hear how she's motioning better or something.]

...You gonna have anything?

[tabbytastic]

You buyin'?

[hatesblindjokes]

[...ugh, he really doesn't have the money to be doing this, but... maybe he'll ask Robin to spot him some rent money later, or something. he'd understand if he says it was for a (probably) hot chick, right? right. so he waves a hand a little, just as another drink gets set down in front of him.]

I'm already sunk, guess another twenty on my bill won't kill me.

[tabbytastic]

Aw, what a gentleman you are.

[welp, looks like she doesn't have a choice now] I'll have what he's having. [on the off-chance that the drinks are as weird as everything else down here]

[hatesblindjokes]

Yeah, well. [he shrugs and kind of sinks down closer to the counter.]

Welcome to Skeleton City, I guess.

[tabbytastic]

Thanks, handsome.

[she'll at least make sure to rattle the ice in her drink when she gets it, mimics the motion of taking a sip for the benefit of anyone who might be watching]

[hatesblindjokes]

[he doesn't notice--he's busy choking a little on his drink at being called 'handsome'. the boy's got a good recovery time, but that doesn't save him from blushing.

and looking away. despite not actually being able to see.]

[tabbytastic]

[oh no... of all the reactions to something like that, this is the rarest and it's her favorite. It's hard not to grin too wide as she smacks him on the back a little there]

You okay there?

[hatesblindjokes]

[c-cough.]

Y-Yeah. Fine.

[tabbytastic]

...Are you blushing?

[hatesblindjokes]

Yeah, whatever.

[GRUMP.]

[tabbytastic]

[okay okay she really can't not laugh at him a little now. sorry, she tried.]

I knew you were shy! I called it!

[hatesblindjokes]

[he manages a very distinct frown before he suddenly socks her in the arm.

which is a little weird, since he didn't bother turning his face to do it, and he did it with a lot more accuracy than you would expect out of a blind person.]

Hey! Don't be a fuckin' pain about it, all right?

[tabbytastic]

[she probably should notice that oddity right away. but she doesn't. it'll probably dawn on her later. ...maybe.

also, at least she doesn't really feel much like what hitting a girl usually feels like. she certainly feels like she can take the roughhousing without flinching... and, since he kind of went ahead and broke the ice on that front, she automatically elbows him back]

No, I think it's cute!

[hatesblindjokes]

[he doesn't jostle her back. this isn't Robin, he's not about to start a barfight over it. but he'll sink back into being properly surly and sip some more of his new drink.]

That's still bein' a pain.

[tabbytastic]

Since when is complimenting somebody being a pain?

[but she's grinning while she says it. she knows she's a pain.]

[hatesblindjokes]

Since right now, 'cause I said so.

[goodness this drink is very interesting.]

[tabbytastic]

Jeez, you think you'd be used to it.

[another fake-drink from her glass, and then she kind of... pauses]

...You do know you're cute, right? [with him being blind and all]

[hatesblindjokes]

[he makes... a face. it's accompanied by a nonsensical grumble.]

You're just sayin' that to bother me again. I ain't cute.

[tabbytastic]

[she snorts]

Why else would I be talkin' to you if I didn't think you were cute? [--voice just a little closer than it was a moment ago]

[hatesblindjokes]

Dunno.

[actually, he does know. that little possibility that hasn't been completely shoved out of his mind. call him paranoid, but...

he shows no reaction to her getting closer. but he noticed.]

[tabbytastic]

[huh. she's leaning just a little bit closer, like she's looking for something in his face]

...Wait.

You're not gay, are you?

[hatesblindjokes]

[yeah, he almost spits gin all over the counter.]

No, I am fucking not!

[which is also louder than it needs to be.]

[tabbytastic]

Jeez, you don't gotta get so defensive, I was just asking.