I didn' say it was the only reason. Plenty o' reason's t' like y', love. [ He quipped back with ease, truth be told though. She was right saving his tail that first night they met had been the biggest part of it. Getting to know her and start to make friends with an actual Avenger? That was just a bonus. He knew a lot of people, but friends were in small numbers.
Looking up from where he was shuffling with another chuckle.] Well, that checks out. [ AS she told the story, he grinned a bit shaking his head some.] Well, don' leave me hangin', did you humor the fella? Not that I blame him, its a great way t' pass time.
[Backup was one thing, but friends were another thing entirely. There was a different level of trust inherent in a friendship that was hard to come by. But she was never one to turn down the promise of a new friend.
A secretive smirk curled the corner of her mouth and she turned her head to shoot him a quick look. Her brow arched as if to say what do you think?] It was too much of a risk to untie him completely. So I undid one arm and we played war.
[ It was an interesting path they were both one. Even if their journeys might not even lead to the same place. At least it was sure to be an interesting adventure along the way.
He shook his head and laughed when he saw that quick look. The arched brow said it all.]
Damn, see now that's a fun way t' spend some time, love. I bet I could beat y' at war.
[ Always a bet with this one. ] Next time, anyway.
Oh, I think I know better than to make a bet with you. And you should definitely know better than to make a bet with me.
[Her voice was amused as she said it, the sentence capped off with a low chuckle. Look, she wasn't opposed to letting people enjoy their vices. But it seemed like his particular vice had a real grip on him, and she tried not to be in the business of leading people into temptation anymore.
She was hardly a card shark, but she was slippery. And her aim when she played those kinds of games was almost never to win. It was information.]
I should know better, but doesn' mean I wont do it anyway.
[ That was two thirds of his financial woes. He used to be so good with money, and the bets he placed when he first ended up in this life style. Years and bad choices had changed that. Yet, he still somehow makes his rent every month. His vices certainly did have a grip on him, but he had chosen the path he was walking, and yet yet to find a reason a half demon like himself deserved better.
No matter how hard he hides that demon side.
Still, he let free a mirthful chuckle before nodding. ]
[Natasha certainly had. It had been a long road to find herself in a good place. A long, winding road. Definitely a bumpy one. And the way he'd phrased that said a lot about the things that he hadn't said. About how he'd ended up in the place he was in. They'd get around to that conversation one day.]
I'll make sure I've got cards on hand once the bugs are planted.
T'is the greatest joy o' life. Just toein' the line.
[ He chuckled as he shuffled the cards a bit more to keep his hands busy. They would get to that conversation one day but it would certainly take time.]
Even if you don' I always got a set on me. Force o' habit an' all.
[ A good way to fleece money from tourist with cheap magic tricks, or get an impromptu game going with some of his drinking buddies. Plus that fidgety nature of his being the biggest reason. ]
Oh yeah? How many of the cards in your deck can you tell what's on the face just by the way the back looks?
[She shot him a quick, pointed look, though it was clear she was amused as she said it. It clearly wouldn't be the first time she'd seen a trick like that. Nor was she entirely above using a trick like that herself, under the right circumstances.]
Now, see, I can't just give away trade secrets like that.
[ That grin that crossed his face, pure amusement. She was right though, Doyle had a lot of tricks up his sleeve and sometimes it was what lead to his troubles. ]
That you'd make a decent spy or that people get offended when I tell them that? Because both are true.
[She got it, more or less. There was a certain amount of...compartmentalization involved in spy work that people didn't like to think of themselves being capable of.]
See. Now, that tells me you're cool. If you're comfortable with everythin', then you're mighty hard to offend, [ A shrug given as he said it.] an' that means we'll get on swimmin'ly.
[ His cards slipped back into his pockets for now as he looked back to her.]
It does more than I should admit, but I've also found bein' down on my luck also tends to open doors too. Weird as that might sound. An' I'll take it as a complement for sure.
[Admittedly, some topics were touchier than others. But they weren't ones that tended to come up in day to day life, thankfully.]
It doesn't sound weird. I meant more that it's more likely to get you in trouble with foreign assets. It's an exploitable in. If someone were looking to take advantage of your position, they'd quietly pay off all your debts and then make a point of telling you about it before asking you for a favor.
[Comfortable with everything encompassed a lot more than being hard to offend.]
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no subject
Looking up from where he was shuffling with another chuckle.] Well, that checks out. [ AS she told the story, he grinned a bit shaking his head some.] Well, don' leave me hangin', did you humor the fella? Not that I blame him, its a great way t' pass time.
no subject
A secretive smirk curled the corner of her mouth and she turned her head to shoot him a quick look. Her brow arched as if to say what do you think?] It was too much of a risk to untie him completely. So I undid one arm and we played war.
no subject
He shook his head and laughed when he saw that quick look. The arched brow said it all.]
Damn, see now that's a fun way t' spend some time, love. I bet I could beat y' at war.
[ Always a bet with this one. ] Next time, anyway.
no subject
[Her voice was amused as she said it, the sentence capped off with a low chuckle. Look, she wasn't opposed to letting people enjoy their vices. But it seemed like his particular vice had a real grip on him, and she tried not to be in the business of leading people into temptation anymore.
She was hardly a card shark, but she was slippery. And her aim when she played those kinds of games was almost never to win. It was information.]
But I'm down for a game without a bet.
no subject
[ That was two thirds of his financial woes. He used to be so good with money, and the bets he placed when he first ended up in this life style. Years and bad choices had changed that. Yet, he still somehow makes his rent every month. His vices certainly did have a grip on him, but he had chosen the path he was walking, and yet yet to find a reason a half demon like himself deserved better.
No matter how hard he hides that demon side.
Still, he let free a mirthful chuckle before nodding. ]
Sounds jus' as fun, love. Count me in.
no subject
[Natasha certainly had. It had been a long road to find herself in a good place. A long, winding road. Definitely a bumpy one. And the way he'd phrased that said a lot about the things that he hadn't said. About how he'd ended up in the place he was in. They'd get around to that conversation one day.]
I'll make sure I've got cards on hand once the bugs are planted.
no subject
[ He chuckled as he shuffled the cards a bit more to keep his hands busy. They would get to that conversation one day but it would certainly take time.]
Even if you don' I always got a set on me. Force o' habit an' all.
[ A good way to fleece money from tourist with cheap magic tricks, or get an impromptu game going with some of his drinking buddies. Plus that fidgety nature of his being the biggest reason. ]
no subject
[She shot him a quick, pointed look, though it was clear she was amused as she said it. It clearly wouldn't be the first time she'd seen a trick like that. Nor was she entirely above using a trick like that herself, under the right circumstances.]
no subject
[ That grin that crossed his face, pure amusement. She was right though, Doyle had a lot of tricks up his sleeve and sometimes it was what lead to his troubles. ]
no subject
[She gave him a grin.]
I'd tell you you'd make a decent spy but people tend to take offense when I tell them that.
no subject
[ He shook his head again. Before looking shocked. ]
You're kiddin' right?
no subject
[She got it, more or less. There was a certain amount of...compartmentalization involved in spy work that people didn't like to think of themselves being capable of.]
no subject
[ He shrugged some then looked to her. He had that compartmentalizing down pat. ]
The me bein' a decent spy bit. Never considered it.
no subject
[It forced them to connect some dots about her past that were better left unconnected for most people. It was easier to swallow when it was abstract.]
Admittedly, the gambling thing would probably get you in trouble. But you've got a knack for gathering intel.
no subject
[ His cards slipped back into his pockets for now as he looked back to her.]
It does more than I should admit, but I've also found bein' down on my luck also tends to open doors too. Weird as that might sound. An' I'll take it as a complement for sure.
no subject
[Admittedly, some topics were touchier than others. But they weren't ones that tended to come up in day to day life, thankfully.]
It doesn't sound weird. I meant more that it's more likely to get you in trouble with foreign assets. It's an exploitable in. If someone were looking to take advantage of your position, they'd quietly pay off all your debts and then make a point of telling you about it before asking you for a favor.
[Comfortable with everything encompassed a lot more than being hard to offend.]