snow is (fair) wrote in doorslogs, @ 2012-09-24 11:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | harley quinn, snow white |
WHO: Kevin and Tess
WHAT: Seeing the ex again
WHERE: Caesars Palace
WHEN: Oh you know, recently.
WARNINGS: None!
He’d known, one day, that he would run into Tess again. He’d worked it out perfectly in his mind. It would be an ordinary day, sunny and warm, and he’d see her at a store of some sort or something like that. He’d see her, but she wouldn’t see him, and she’d look good, happy, and he’d slink off without bothering her because he didn’t have the right to. Coming to Vegas hadn’t been a risk, just like his time spent making his way gambling and scheming his way across the US hadn’t been much of a risk. Tess didn’t approve, didn’t want to be a part of that, so if he was going to avoid her, those were the places to do it. Vegas, and that journal, seemed to have an entirely different idea of what ‘avoiding an ex’ meant. The conversation they had on said journal left him not really sure where he stood with her and he hadn’t really dealt with his mistake five years ago either. He’d just moved on and started delving deeper into the life he knew she didn’t approve of.
In an attempt to distract himself, Kevin made his way over to Caesar’s, intent on gambling and winning enough money to start saving to get out of town. If Tess didn’t want him around, and he didn’t think she had much of a reason to want him around, then he wasn’t going to make a big deal about it. In and out, and maybe he wouldn’t have to sign anymore divorce papers. Not that he was ever walking down the aisle ever again. Or driving, which apparently you could do in Las Vegas. He walked into the casino dressed in a casual tailored suit, something he’d had for nearly three years, and headed right for the tables. It was easier to con people out of their money then risk pure luck at the slots. Poker was something he’d developed a knack for and he had every intention of putting that knack to good use. Ceasar’s was as good a place as any to escape from Excalibur and hopefully, also Tess.
How unfortunate for him that escaping Tess was not what the universe had in mind. Their conversation had rattled her too and she took his complaining about the giant medieval casino to mean he was staying put there. Therefore she went elsewhere, hoping to distract her long enough so she could relax. Gambling wasn’t really her thing but it was something and she sat down at a poker table and let them deal her in. It required enough brain power to pay attention but was still mind-numbingly simple she could let her thoughts wander. She could still smoke, the cocktail waitress was making sure to keep her drinks flowing, and every once in a one of the guys at her table would toss an expensive chip her way while she batted her lashes. She knew it was a good thing to wear her lucky little red dress.
Though she didn’t win big, she hadn’t lost big either and she started to call it a night as she gathered up her chips. The other players whined and cajoled but she wouldn’t be swayed, nimbly climbing off her seat and bidding them all farewell with a blown kiss. Once back on her heeled feet she tossed her loose hair over her should, smoothed down the fabric of her dress and took a step.
Right into the last person she expected to see.
“Kevin!” She half hoped she was just mistaken. A lot of cocktails would do that. “Hi.”
The table he walked toward was chosen simply because someone was leaving and that meant an empty seat primed for the taking. It didn’t matter whether or not the person had good luck or not because Kevin was determined to make his own luck tonight. All of that flew out the window when the woman - certainly attractive from the back near as he could see - turned and walked right into him. It was pure instinct that had his hand moving to her waist to steady her and his gaze dropping to her face. He froze as soon as he recognized her and he couldn’t help the muttered, “Fuck,” that slipped past his lips. Well, at least some things never changed.
A quick glance at the table told him everything he cared to know. She’d been gambling, somewhat successfully from the amount of chips in her hand, and the men had certainly been taken with her charm from the way they were eyeing her. He had to pull his hand away from her side to stop himself from holding her more possessively - something he was sure she’d comment on. Kevin’s attention shifted solely to her and somehow, he pulled out a warm, easy going smile. “Tess, what a surprise,” he greeted as if he hadn’t simply refused to think about her for the past five years. “And here I was, thinking going to a casino would be staying out of your hair. Care for a drink?” Things were always better with alcohol, in Kevin’s mind.
“As long as you’re buying,” she cooed, leaning into him and falling into step with the familiarity out of habit though she would swear it was simply to stop her from making a scene. She still hadn’t decided if she wanted to storm out or slap him, or both, but the night was still young and she stayed in his arms as she led them to the nearest quiet bar. Once they edged out far enough from the poker tables and slot machines she swung around in his grasp as she disentangled easily from him.
“You can drop the act. We’re not the happy couple anymore,” she said by way of explanation, though the saunter hadn’t left her hips as she walked to the bar. She took a barstool on the far end, feeling a Talk (capital and everything) brewing there between them and the less people around, the better. She ordered her cocktail as she patiently waited for him to take a seat beside her, clutch and chips on the counter as she rested her chin on her hand. “I thought you were staying at Excalibur?”
An eyebrow quirked when she leaned in and fell into step beside him, but Kevin was nothing if not easy going for the most part so he went with it, his hand resting at the small of her back. It was so utterly familiar, the way they walked together so in sync, and he knew that he was projecting onto the crowd that they were together. It was just habit, and maybe a bit of wishful thinking. Kevin didn’t think it would be smart to point out that they rarely paid for drinks, so instead he just replied, “Always do,” and left it at that. She seemed to know the hotel better than he did, bypassing the louder, more populated bars, for a quiet one, and Kevin knew what was coming.
“I am. Pretty cheap place. Figured I’d check out another place to gamble,” he replied, ignoring the comment about the act as he slid onto the barstool next to her. He ordered his whiskey, knowing he was going to need it for the conversation if her face was anything to go by. “Didn’t think I’d see you here,” Kevin said, his own way of asking what she was doing her besides the voice - which he still didn’t really grasp the concept of. Sometimes, there was a feeling that wasn’t necessarily his, but Kevin was perfectly okay with chalking it up to just a weird feeling instead of anything more. “Been here long?”
“Here: Vegas or here: Caesar’s?” She was cool as ever, face softened into a mostly neutral expression, the only sign of irritation, or perhaps just nervousness, was the way her foot found the edges of his barstool, tapping her heel on the metal legs idly. But before he could elaborate she found her glass being slid across the countertop toward her, interrupting whatever further question he might have, but she let him off the hook.
“I got here, here, I don’t know… a few hours ago? That’s how they get you. Block out the doors and windows. Keep your drinks flowing and the cards coming. No sense of time, even with a watch, so you don’t notice.” She raised her drink to her lips, taking a small sip and sighing happily. “Vegas… a few months ago? Got tired of being back east. Wanted a lot more sunshine.” One more sip and she gave it a smile before setting it back down, thumb wiping away at the bit of red lipstick she left on the rim. “Got a plan tonight, Kev?” She had no idea when he had gotten there but she figured he was going to try something. “Who’s the mark?”
Kevin didn’t make any move to clarify which one he meant because he figured if he stayed quiet enough, she’d answer both. If she didn’t, he’d just take what he could get. He’d meant it, when he asked how she was doing, because he honestly still cared about her. There hadn’t been anyone in his life like her and he didn’t think for a second that there ever could be. If he’d been the type to believe in soulmates, she would’ve been it. Maybe if he’d believed, he would’ve tried harder. Maybes and what ifs weren’t really his style so he set those thoughts away as he nursed his drink and listened to the voice of the woman he never thought he’d be sitting across from again.
“Definitely picked a good place then. Warmer here too,” was all he said about that. He’d come because it was just the next logical step as he headed west. “No plan, no mark,” he replied, and it was an honest shake of his head that accompanied it. He wasn’t insulted by the question, in fact he probably would have been insulted if she hadn’t asked. “Would’ve picked someone at the table. It’s easy enough.” He’d practiced his way to success along the east coast, but he doubted she would care about that. “And the voice?” Because he still didn’t get it and maybe she’d share a bit more.
“None?” The shock was clear even in the low lighting of the bar, green eyes wide and lips parting in soft surprise. He always had work on the mind. Always. Nothing trumped the thrill and reward of a con – not her, not their marriage, nothing at all, at least that’s how it always seemed.
But he distracted her from pressing the issue, talking about a voice and making her frown in confusion. “Vo—oh.” She nodded, swaying a bit more than necessary after too many drinks. “The headcase,” she confirmed, fingers coming up to tuck her hair behind her ears. “What about her?”
The shock made the truth worth it and he didn’t bother to hide his smile. He’d changed a bit in the past five years, not enough to be considered ‘out of the game’ by any means, but it wasn’t all he did anymore. So maybe he charmed the women at the front desk for some special treatment and maybe he was still really good at spinning a story, but playing poker against the man not the cards was a bit more profitable some days and people tended to like actual money. He wasn’t drifting aimlessly anymore, and that was certainly a change for him between now and the last time she saw him.
“None, and it’s a her?” That was interesting. “Still don’t know who’s up here,” Kevin offered, tapping his forehead with his free hand before bringing it down on his knee, which coincidentally wasn’t more than an inch from her own. “What about the key? And the hotel, Passages?” It wasn’t what he really wanted to talk about, like how she was, what she was doing, if she was seeing anyone... After he finished his first drink, he’d delve into the heavier questions.
“What about them?” The shock in her voice had given way to nothing but clear amusement, with more than a touch of smugness. She took a long sip of her cocktail, savoring the taste and the time it wasted, before turning her attention to Kevin, brushing her close knee to his. There was something incredibly thrilling about being the knowledgeable one this time. She had mostly flung herself headlong into the madness, not quite believing anything Sam had told her until it was too late. Oh she could enlighten Kevin. Didn’t mind it, even. But she did love to make him work for it.
“Have you been to the hotel and tried the key yet?” A beat passed and her voice returned, a low, secretive whisper. “Do you have it on you?”
Oh, had he missed her. He was completely in the dark on this one, a place he didn’t usually find himself, but if he had to be there, at least it was Tess hanging it over his head and not someone else. At least with her, it’d be fun. Kevin only arched an eyebrow and waited for her to finish her drink, noticing but not reacting to the brush of her knee against his. “I haven’t. Only just got here, remember?” He was amused, or came off that way, but it was all calculated as his hand slid further down his knee so that his fingertips could brush against her bare skin. “Oh, I’ve got it,” he added, leaning in just slightly, making the conversation just a touch more intimate before draining what was left in his glass. His eyes didn’t leave her’s as he asked for a refill from the bartender.
“But I think the real question is, what do I get if I show you?” And then, because yea, definitely still had feelings for her, his gaze dropped for the briefest of moments to her lips, then back up to eyes. He gave her a little smirk, the same one he’d always given her when he thought he was going to get lucky. It was scary easy to just fall back into it and he wondered if it was like that for her.
Too easy, and she knew it too, but her normal insistence that she kept her distance was not as loud as usual. He pulled in closer and she did too, not caring about his hand on her leg, her smile widening even. Her hand raised two fingers up to the bartender, “Make that two drinks,” she said without breaking his gaze. Then she slipped one of her hands over his arm as she leaned in close, lips barely grazing his cheek and ear to whisper, “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.” She leaned to catch his eyes once more, a cheeky grin tugging at her lips as her free hand rapped at bartop, drawing his attention to her purse, her chips, and a small pile of keys, just in case he had forgotten what she was truly offering.
She didn’t complain about the brush of his fingers so, emboldened by that, Kevin slipped his hand beneath the fabric of her dress just enough to spread his hand out just above her knee. So fucking easy, and he wondered if he was going to pay for this in the morning. It was just like old times, his smile sincere and sinful the same way it always had been for her. As she leaned in close, whispered against his ear, a chill went down his spine and his grin was in full force by the time she drew his attention to the keys next to her purse. He hadn’t forgotten about the keys, but it wasn’t the least bit interesting compared to her. With his free hand, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a lacquered key that was blood red on one side and impossibly black on the other. He didn’t even look at it as he slid it down the bartop to where her keys were, black side up. Red was such a bad fucking color for them. With his foot, he pulled her barstool closer to him, a chuckle escaping him before he commenting, “Fancy key you got there.”
“Compared to yours,” she said, the force of his moving her chair closer making her sway toward him, nose nearly bumping his before she settled back properly into her seat. But soon her smile was softening as she turned away, bare leg sliding against his palm as she moved. He might find her more interesting than the keys but they had all her attention now. True to her word she unhooked hers from her keyring, sliding the small metal key towards him, apple end first.
His key she picked up and flipped between her fingers, sparing a smile to the bartender as he gave her a drink but didn’t let go of it quite yet. Black and red, she spun it around, seemingly trying to find some clue as to what it meant and where it might lead. “Modern key, at least.” Unlike her own. “No idea what the colors are for. Really, you have no clue who’s running around your head?” She turned to look at him, blinking back a start and ducking her chin to hide a small smile as she recalled just how close they were sitting, before freeing one hand to grab her drink. Definitely would be needing more booze now that it didn’t look like a short conversation.
It took a great deal of self control for him to not kiss her with as close as she was, but he was good at hiding what he really wanted most days so he made it work. He kept his hand on her leg, taking the opportunity of her shifting to slide just a touch further, the pad of his thumb swiping back and forth across her creamy, smooth skin. As she slid her key to him, Kevin turned away from her to focus on it. “An apple? Seems ominous,” he commented, turning the key over and running his fingers along the cool metal. “No clue,” he replied, shaking his head just slightly. “Got a...feeling, ‘bout coming to Vegas, but I’d been planning on coming here anyway. Didn’t think much of it at the time but...” Kevin shrugged. Whoever it was, they clearly either weren’t interested in his life, weren’t keen on going across the door, or too damn weak to make him do anything.
Kevin put her key down and took a healthy drink from his glass. “She bad, your girl? What’s it even like? She talk to you now?” His hand moved from his drink to her face, carefully and all too intimately reaching up to push her hair back behind her ear. His touch lingered longer than strictly necessary, but she’d say something if she didn’t want it. She always did.
And object she did, a huff and sigh before she leaned away slightly with a soft, “Don’t start.” Truly it was a bit late, the hand on her knee, the chair, but the tucking behind her ear was more intimate than flirtatious, a simple gesture meant for more familiar acquaintances, not handsy stranger types. They could scratch the surface of bar room flirting all they wanted. Tess could handle that. Acting like they had years ago, however, was not on the table.
She centered her thoughts for several quiet moments, the moment of panic cutting through her buzz and she took another long sip before turning her attention to his key. “She talks, sometimes,” she finally said, though keeping her eyes on the shifting black and red spinning between her fingers. “Not bad. Bitchy and boring, maybe.” One side of her mouth quirked up into a smirk. “But definitely not a baddie.” She twisted the key on the tips of her fingers before turning back to Kevin, downing another long sip before speaking. “Who would you want for your headcase? Where would you like this door to go?”
There it was, and he wasn't surprised. A little disappointed maybe, but he wasn't about to let it get him down. Kevin gave her a short nod, honest and serious, before the playfulness took over his expression and his hand curled around his glass. He didn't move the hand at her knee, wondering if she'd forgotten it was there or if she simply didn't care. Kevin didn't bother wasting time or effort trying to dissect if she wanted it or not. He thought she might, but there was always a chance he was wrong. They had been apart for five years after all, and the last time they'd seen each other hadn't been pleasant.
Kevin's gaze was focused on the key twirling between her fingers, occasionally drifting to her just to see what he could see. "Bitchy an' boring? Take that over some psycho any day." At least he wouldn't have to figure out about worrying without seeming like he was worrying. Maybe he could find someone to keep an eye on her, tell him how she was doing when he left. Because leaving was pretty much the plan, unless there was a reason to stay. "Don't know. What are the options? Wouldn't want a girl, that's for sure. Or someone likely to get shot at or the like. That'd suck." He shrugged and took another swallow of the amber liquid, leaving less than a finger's worth in the glass. He gestured for the bartender to fill him up again. "What's it like, going through?"
The hand on her knee she hadn’t forgotten but it was such a simple thing. It was flirty but obvious, and it wasn’t going to get much further than her knee. Tess could enjoy that. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy attention.
“Going through,” she sighed with a low whistle and a shake of her head. “Complete trip,” she started, taking another sip and trying to find the best way to describe. “I think it’s different for everyone but for me? Like suddenly watching a movie. One minute I’m me and then boom! I’m Sn—Someone else.” She gave her glass a rueful smile, not yet ready to impart her headcase’s identity. Not when he couldn’t trade her one bit of information for it. “You need to try it. When you can. And you need to tell me who you get.”
Lucky for her, Kevin was an expert at showering attention on beautiful women and Tess was at the top of the list as far as he was concerned. Always had been, always would be. That third round of drinks came, but he just swirled the liquid around in the glass as she talked about going through the door. He couldn’t help the smile or the slight squeeze he gave her at the near slip. It was cute, how much she didn’t want to tell him who was in her head. Lucky for her, he didn’t know shit about fairytales other than most women wanted to be a damn princess.
“I need to, huh?” Kevin was grinning though because he’d tell her if she was interested. He nursed his drink for a moment as he considered going to Passages. There was a hesitancy in him because he didn’t know what crossing the door would bring. Would whoever was in his head suddenly get stronger once he crossed the door? What if they didn’t allow him to leave? Suddenly, he was even more grateful that he didn’t keep a steady job. Less the other person could fuck up his life. Theoretically at least. “We’ll see,” was all he said, downing the rest of his drink. He traded the glass for his key and slid it back in his pocket. “And what do I get for going? Your headcase’s name?”
He was persistent, but Tess would have been hard pressed not to admire it. She gave him a look over the rim of her glass, thoroughly spoiled by the way her mouth curved into a grin, but she tried her best to look shocked. “Satisfying your curiosity isn’t enough?” She took another sip of her drink before she leaned in his direction, elbows and arms folding lightly on the top of the bar. “You don’t want to know? Even just a little bit?”
“It never is,” he replied cheekily, stopping the bartender from pouring him another drink. He fished his wallet out and put down a fifty dollar bill, real if anyone cared to notice. He only had eighty dollars on him but she didn’t need to know that, at least not explicitly. The point he was trying to make was that he could afford his own drinks and quite a few other things without conning his way out of them. He’d changed, even if only a little. Kevin stood as he replied, “Not really. Or at all. Whoever it is, they aren’t around. Must not be interested.” He stood just next to her, his hand moving to his side instead of staying on her knee. “But we can negotiate over dinner once I’ve crossed,” Kevin said rather easily, as if it was a sure thing she’d accompany him to dinner.
She wasn’t shy about the way her brow raised. Five years had passed but she hadn’t expected him to change so much as to easily ponying up for drinks. She was about to comment on it when he oh so confidently told her they would have dinner once he crossed and returned. The laugh she gave him was equal parts incredulous and amused, all very warm. “Will we?” Confident men were her weakness, one he knew so well since he was one of them, but she did like to try and put up a fight. Though, really, there wasn’t much trying. “That sounds like a very bad idea,” she reminded, finger waving ever so slightly, even if her words didn’t have quite the heat a proper warning should have.
Kevin just grinned. "The worst, but you'll come anyway," he replied confidently. It was, in part, because he knew of her weakness for confidence, but it was also because he truly believed she'd come anyway. If anything, it was a chance for her to be wined and dined. Before she could stop him, he leaned in and kissed her cheek. "See you soon, Tess," he said by way of goodbye before walking away. Not once did he look back to see if she was looking, but he hoped she was.