Re: quicklog -- steph/bruce: dive bar.
So, there's this guy-- [She started off, really dramatic while affecting a high-pitched teenaged voice. Clearly joking. She grinned then, a quick thing but he couldn't miss it. She watched his interaction with the waitress, the smile slowly slipping from her face into a sterner sort of thing. Okay, so they were both big real wrecks, and she managed to get the attention of the waitress before she flitted away again, ordering another tequila soda and two shots -- surprise me, Steph said -- because both bats needed it. Desperately. Once the waitress had gone away, she raised her glass in a cheers, grimace curling up her mouth, and she said:] Not it on the designated driver. [And then she downed the rest of her first drink really quickly. A shiver as the warmth hit her fast, and she cleared her throat quietly, turning to Marty at the bar for a moment with narrowed eyes. 3/4ths tequila, 1/4th soda.]
You don't have to give up on her. [Her lip pursed for a moment.] I don't mean that. [Her face went stern, and she shook her head.] But-- you can't beat yourself up about it. And there has to be a point where we need to decide whether it's better to interfere or to step away and let her make her mistakes. [A pause:] Right? [Stephanie had never been good at keeping her hands off, and she looked at Bruce, lost and more like that young blonde he met all those years ago. She sighed. All she wanted was answers, but the funny thing was that no one knew how to help her. Or help themselves. Or help each other. She gave Bruce a sad look and fell quiet for a moment.] Have you tried talking to him? Eddie? I'm sure he misses the hell out of you. [The waitress came back with her tequila soda and two shots of tequila as well, along with some salt and two lime slices. Steph smiled at the waitress approvingly before turning back to Bruce.] Everyone has their own shit going on. It's not an excuse, just a condition. [Sighing.] Reach out to them? Eddie and Selina? Give the boys a little bit to cool off after everything that just happened.
[And then? She one of those shots towards him and angled the plate towards him.] I'm not messing around tonight. [And then, a real, genuine smile that was heavy with pain underneath it all. But god, she was glad to have him there.] You've done tequila shots the proper way before, right?