Caitlin Snow (doomed_love) wrote in doorslogs, @ 2012-04-02 15:13:00 |
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Entry tags: | harley quinn, joker |
Who: Bailey & Geoff
What: Meeting (for the first time, according to Bailey)
When: Recently
Where: Molasky Park
Warnings: None!
TBailey had the afternoon off and she decided to try out what it would be like to have a dog. She’d been wanting one for a while now but a dog was a serious commitment. The best compromise was to borrow her friend’s dog whenever she wanted some canine company and their time frames usually worked out as well, which diminished her need for her own pet. The dog in question was a very friendly, very protective doberman that she’d known for nearly four years. His name was Pumpkin, but she’d decided that it was too tame for an energetic dog like him, so Bailey took to calling him Punk. She’d even gotten him a spiked collar last Christmas and that made him a little more intimidating. She loved it.
It was such a nice day out so Bailey decided to take him to Molasky Park, which was just off South Maryland Parkway. They walked there, enjoying the sun and the crowds. Bailey enjoyed the looks she got in her roman style lace up flats, denim shorts that barely covered her ass, and a blood red tank top that showed off her body. Her white blonde hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and she wore over sized sunglasses as well to complete the look. It was a bit odd to see her with a big doberman, but that was what made it fun.
After playing around for a little while, Bailey knelt down next to Punk and rubbed behind his ears affectionately. His tongue swiped all over her face and she laughed, pulling back so that he would get the hint. She ended up losing her balance and fell back, still laughing. Punk barked playfully and ran a few feet away. Bailey just shook her head and pushed herself up, which the dog took to mean that she wanted to chase him. She ran after him but after missing him a few times she gave up and caught her breath. “Punk, get back here!” she called, but the dog just barked and ran around her in a wide arc. Thankfully, he got distracted by another park goer and Bailey was able to sneak up behind Punk and grab his leash. “Thanks,” she said brightly, looking up at the man from where she was kneeling next to the Doberman.
It had been one hell of a week for Geoffrey and his sleep schedule. High rollers had come through town and were getting the full treatment from the casino staff. So working a few tables of high stakes had been certainly beneficial for his bank account. But it had played hacky-sack with his routine of sleep. It had been early afternoon when Geoff woke and he was acutely aware of the fact that if he didn’t get out, he’d mope around the house all day.
So Geoff dressed quickly, throwing on a plain black shirt and a pair of jeans. He shoved his feet into a pair of boots and packed a pack and headed for the local park. The plan was simple enough: Find himself a nice shady tree and relax with the headphones in and maybe a good book. And hope against hope that maybe he could drown out that voice that would pop up from time to time.
As soon as Geoff entered the park he threw on a pair of sunglasses and searched for that tree. He grossed over grass fields and ducked under a stray Frisbee. He laughed to himself as a pair of kids ran around playing with a ball and a dog barked in the distance. Geoff shrugged off of his backpack and threw it at the base of a tree. He dug into his pocket for his iPod when a dog came out of no where. The beast hurled himself into Geoff’s knees began sniffing around some placed he’d rather have no dog nosing around. Taking a step back the dog seemed to settle down as his master approached.
“Uh, yeah. No...” Geoff stopped when he realized who he was talking too. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind a mocking voice cooed to him. ”Ooo, now we’re talkin’” “Problem.” He ran a hand through his close cropped hair and smiled, albeit a little awkwardly. “Uh, hi.”
Bailey was so used to Punk and his way of greeting people that she barely registered her position in front of the man. The pause made her tilt her head to the side a little curiously but her smile never faltered. “He’s a sweetie, I promise. Well, as long as you’re not trying to hurt me,” Bailey explained with a laugh. She didn’t really think this guy could hurt her, even if there was some degree of familiarity about him. She couldn’t place it though, so she brushed it off. He wasn’t one of the men who’d taken her to bed; those she remembered.
“Hey,” she greeted warmly, pushing herself up so that she was standing. She slipped her hand in the loop of the leash and then wrapped it around her wrist to hold it tight so he wouldn’t run off again on her. It didn’t stop the dog from shifting on his feet and Bailey recognized it in time to stop him from jumping on this guy. “Punk, no,” she said firmly. “Sit.” The dog obeyed, turning his head to nuzzle his nose against the skin of her outer thigh.
Normally, she would’ve left it at that, but she noticed that it didn’t look like he had a dog himself. “So, how come you’re at a dog park without a dog?” she asked curiously, her dark eyes covered by the black lenses of her sunglasses. She still had no idea who he was.
Everything about the woman before him had been ingrained in his memory. They had never officially met but Geoff had seen her nearly a hundred times at Caesar’s and the majority of the time she was picking up men from his table. The glasses hid their eyes from each other but he didn’t have any illusions that she recognized him. The dealer had mastered the art of blending in that he never had to worry about standing out.
At her words the voice came up again and this time there was an edge to it that scared Geoff. ”I can show you exactly how to hurt her Geoff. Don’t you want her to remember you for once?” The deal gave her a smile and tried to hide the fact he was a little sick at that thought. Shut up. Geoff thought into that dark corner of his mind and tried to focus on the here and now.
“Hello.” He struggled for a brief moment about what to do with his hands. He settled on crossing his arms over his chest. “No, he definitely looks like a sweet dog. Very.. cute and big.” Geoff spared a glance around the park and realized that he had indeed come to a dog park. Now he looked like an idiot.
“I guess I’m lost.” Geoff admitted and his hands slid down into his pockets. “I don’t live far from here and wanted to get out for a bit. I just headed to the closest park.” He laughed at himself and hoped she wouldn’t think too poorly of him as he cast a glance at his feet. “I don’t suppose you have a dog I could borrow.”
She had to tilt her head up to get a look at his face because he was a good deal taller than her. In her flats, she was only 5’7” and he was easily six inches taller than her, if not more. Bailey was slim and toned, her clothing only accentuating her figure. She dressed to turn heads whenever she left her apartment, even if she was only going to the grocery store. What was the point of being pretty if she didn’t show it off?
Bailey laughed at his observation of Punk and affectionately scratched the dog behind his ears. As if he could hear the man, the dog barked at being called ‘cute’. “Careful,” she warned. “He doesn’t like the c-word. Isn’t that right, Punk?” A short yip was her answer and she grinned. Yes, she got along famously with the Doberman and if she ever were to get a dog, she’d want one just like him.
“I don’t. Unfortunately, this guy’s borrowed. I work a bit too much to have a dog all to myself, but I make up for it babysitting,” Bailey explained easily. “My name’s Bailey,” she introduced, holding her free hand out after pushing her sunglasses up on top of her head. “How long’ve you been livin’ here?”
His body did not shift but Geoff’s eyes glanced down to the dog as it barked up at him. Smart dog. Geoff made a note of that. Again that voice popped back up. Smart and ruthless. They’re quite effective at sending a message. Geoff wanted to put in his headphones and drown the voice out but he knew he couldn’t at the moment. Besides, he’d had a thing for Bailey for awhile and here she was talking to him. Actually talking to him. Even if it was just because her dog tried to have its way with him.
“Well then I guess I’m out of luck.” Geoff said with the hint of a sigh. “I’ll have to be that weird guy at the dog park with no dog.” He rolled a shoulder in a shrug, trying to think of someway to keep her talking. “Hopefully nobody thinks I’m here to steal a dog...” Geoff was speaking truthfully and he resisted the urge to make an uncomfortable cough.
“Uh, yeah. I know.” Geoff said and he took her hand, giving it a quick shake. His grip was firm but not painfully so. “I’m Geoff. I’ve been here for about a year and a half.”
He was kind of funny, but in a weird way. It wasn’t a bad thing per se, just different. She wasn’t really sure what to make of him and that feeling of familiarity started to nag at the corner of her mind. “I doubt it. I mean, these guys are pretty loyal to their owners. At least, the ones that bring them here.” She looked around at the kids playing with their dogs, families having picnics, and other owners generally having fun with their canine companions. She was jealous of them and their ability to have such a carefree life.
Bailey was also struck by his word choice. Steal a dog. She actually thought about it, as if it might be a real possibility. It took her a few minutes to dismiss the idea, but even then it wasn’t fully, just pushed away as far as she could. His handshake distracted her from her thoughts, firm as it was. It spoke of a hidden sort of strength behind it and that confused her along with his saying that he knew what her name was.
“Okay, I know I know you from somewhere, but I can’t place it. The only place I’m at consistently enough is Caesar’s. You don’t work there, do you?” The name Geoff wasn’t all that familiar because she knew half a dozen Jeffs at least in passing. She didn’t know her neighbors well enough to recognize him that way, so it had to be Caesar’s. “Are you a waiter or something?”
Geoff wasn’t by any definition a physically impressive man. He had a tall and rather lank building. Hints of tattoos peeked out from the edges of his sleeves and there was hint of something under the collar of his shirt. His hair was cropped short at the moment and a light dusting of stubble was present on the dealer. Despite this wraith like frame, he had rather strong dextrous fingers. It’s what he got from all the shuffling and dealing he did. He did dexterity exercises to keep from cramping during his long shifts.
“Well maybe that’ll keep them from assuming the worst about me.” Geoff gave the hint of a laugh before rubbing the back of his neck again. He was no good at talking to women. And neither was the voice. Comments made in the past had made that quite clear. You don’t need charm. You just need to know how to bend them to their will. Pretenders use these gifts for sexual conquests but the break someone completely is a much more satisfying task.
“Uh, yeah. Actually. I work there. Poker table?” Geoff offered to Bailey, ignoring the voice entirely. “I’m a dealer. Been slinging cards for about half a year now.” He resisted the urge to mention that she comes to his table at least once a night.
She didn’t recall him immediately but she could see why she wouldn’t. He looked unassuming at best and she never would’ve spared him a second glance if it hadn’t been for Punk. Even then, if he hadn’t worked at Caesar’s she probably never would have seen him again or bothered to remember him. Considering he was a dealer, it made perfect sense that she’d never given him a second glance. Her work at the casino focused more on the customers, not the dealers, though she knew one or two of them just because those tables were where her last marks had been picked up.
“Oh,” Bailey replied, albeit slowly. “Really?” She crossed one arm around her middle and propped her elbow - the one attached to the hand with the leash - on it, resting her cheek against her closed fist. “Huh. I never would’ve guessed that you were a dealer. Makes sense though, with your handshake.” It hadn’t really gone with the rest of him, but since it was easily explained away, he was a little less interesting now.
She grinned at the thought of anyone assuming the worst about him. “I think you’re safe about the assumptions. The worst they’d probably think is that you’ll forget to throw your stuff out once you’re done with whatever it is you came here to do,” she replied, though she didn’t mean it in a negative sort of way. It was just the truth that she perceived and she didn’t see anything wrong with telling him about it.
The fact that she stared at him blankly following his explanation of how he knew her was not encouraging. It was the opposite in fact. He really wasn’t standing out at all was he? Well, it wasn’t like it was entirely unexpected. It was how he spent his childhood and his teen years had been developing the very skills needed to do that. If appearing uninteresting was a talent then Geoff would be the master of it all.
“Yeah. Most people don’t recognize me.” Geoff explained away her inability to acknowledge him. You keep telling yourself one thing and eventually you make it your reality. “They’re too busy staring at their cards or with their head in their hands to pay much attention.” That’s why she didn’t know him, she was too distracted.. not that he was just so uninteresting that no one would go for him.
“Yes, well, fortunately for me I’m housebroken. So they don’t need to worry about that.” Geoff said with an amused little smile that was tinged with a hint of regret that he wasn’t more of an impressive figure. It was only then that it occurred to him that his jokes could be construed as flirting. Was he actually managing that herculean task?
Bailey knew how to blend in just the right amount. She was easily identifiable as a cocktail waitress while she was working, but she stood out because of the way she wore her uniform, the brightness of her hair, and the dark black liner she wore to make her eyes pop. When she was in more casual clothes, she stood out a bit more. She was used to turning heads, wanted to, but she was still just another person walking down the street. Would she be remembered for a few hours? Absolutely. A few days? Vaguely, and that was just the way she liked it.
“Being a dealer has to suck. Some of those guys don’t take losing well. At least security’s good at Caesar’s,” Bailey replied with a grin, dropping her bent arm down while keeping her other arm curled across the front of her body, just beneath her breasts. It wasn’t anything she did on purpose. It was just a natural stance for her.
She laughed outright when he said he was housebroken. An apt joke considering their surroundings. “I bet you’ll always be welcome around here then,” Bailey replied, shaking her head just slightly. He was amusing at least. Punk shifted next to her, distracted by a squirrel. Bailey glanced down at him then back up at Geoff. “Are you going in tonight, or are you off all day?” she asked curiously. She had a shift tonight and she wondered, idly, if she’d recognize him in a different setting or if she’d even remember him in a few hours.
Geoff had always recognized and understood why Bailey dressed the way she did. She was a waitress and the casino wanted to hire beautiful women to deliver drinks and friendly dealers at the table. It offered a more inviting environment. He understood it well.. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t able to withstand its power. Her stance, while natural on her, naturally drew the eyes to her breasts which seemed to pop more thanks to added support. Lucky for him he was wearing sun glasses otherwise she might have let Punk loose on him.
“No, it’s alright for the most part. Some of the other dealers like to mess with the customers but I..” Geoff offered a shrug as a way of finishing that sentence. “It’s how the cards play out. Besides.. if you’re friendly to them they tip rather well so I don’t really mind the errant insult here and there. Besides the pit boss is rather good.” He managed to catch a quick glimpse of the squirrel distracting Punk in her peripheral vision.
“I probably will as long as I don’t mind being investigated by every dog.” Geoff had a very matter of fact tone about him. He wasn’t condescending or overtly anything. His tone was just well mannered, paced and pitched perfectly. “I do,” His head bobbed in the affirmative. “I work nights all this week for these high rollers. Thrown me through a loop but it pays off in the long run.” Geoff gestured to her “What-what about you?”
She did notice a difference between the way some of the dealers treated their customers, but it was mostly a background observation. Her focus was always on the players, getting a feel for who could hold their liquor and who could be cajoled into playing a bit longer with a few more drinks. She had gotten better at reading tables, whether they were likely to have big winners or not, and that was always helped get her good tips. That was how she made her money after all. She had to be good at it.
“It’s not the worst place to work at, that’s for sure. Just wish the people varied a little,” Bailey replied with a shrug. “Predictability is good for tips, but it gets boring after a while.” Punk got up, ears and eyes alert as the squirrel began to climb the tree behind Geoff. There was still slack on the leash, so Bailey wasn’t worried. Plus, Punk was one of the best behaved dogs around as far as she could tell. He had moments of bad behavior, but he always listened to her. She loved that about him.
She nodded with a grin. “Yea, I’m working the high rollers tonight too. Tips should be good for both of us then,” Bailey replied with a wink. Flirtation was just natural for her, just as much as breathing. It didn’t mean anything for her and she didn’t stop to think about how she was affecting the man in front of her. He wasn’t anyone important, not really. Just another guy, and the fact that he was a co-worker meant next to nothing. She didn’t work with anyone and competition was stiff between the other cocktail waitresses. Not that she minded. She thrived in such an environment.
The antsy behavior of the dog caught his eye. Geoff idly wondered if he’d have to jump out of the way when Punk took off after the squirrel. The last thing he wanted to do was play doormat for the Doberman. “You are?” Geoff asked with genuine curiosity. If she was going to be there it would be something of a pleasant distraction. He’d have to make sure he was on the top of his game and not focused on the tight outfits she wore.
His pulse quickened at the wink and he fought to keep his urges down. If he was going to keep himself from getting distracted later he’d have to work on controlling himself. Not that it would be easy with the voice whispering such things to him. “Yeah, it should be a good night. Who knows, maybe we’ll celebrate afterwards. ”
“Yep. It’s a perk of being one of the favorites,” she replied warmly, not focused in the least on Geoff. She was more focused on Punk, who seemed tense and about ready to run. The squirrel he’d been tracking was about to jump from one tree to the next and Bailey was a little surprised to see him so focused when he was normally so well behaved and not the least bit distracted, even by squirrels.
“Maybe,” Bailey said, sounding just as distracted as she was. The squirrel jumped and Punk went, tugging her along sharply. “Gotta go. See you later!” She went with Punk, who dragged her to another tree and then across the expanse of the park until the squirrel found a good place to hide. She left the park maybe twenty minutes after leaving Geoff and, sure enough, at work that night she didn’t even notice him.