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[bluescreenwhitedragon]

"This is Intensity. Leave a message."

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[carnivorouscarnival]

'Course not. Gotta have that spark, too.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And how many people have that spark, hmmm?

[Leaning in a little closer]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ leans in a little himself, enough that their faces are close to touching again. ]

How many do you think?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

One other for sure.

But the other cards you keep pretty close to your chest. By design, I imagine.

Are you going to make me guess an actual number?

[carnivorouscarnival]

I won't make you do anything. You're the one who asked.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And are you going to answer?

[carnivorouscarnival]

. . .

[ instead of answering that immediately, he abruptly pulls away from Intensity to turn back to the bar and take another drink.

but eventually, after he puts the glass back down: ]

Only one that really counts.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

. . .

[There are so many follow ups he could ask to that answer.

And exactly 0 of them he wants to do in a crowded bar in Liar Hell.

And so.

Cryptically:]

I see.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ dry, maybe just a touch surly: ]

What can I say, I have a one-track mind.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I don't believe that's true at all.

[And he lightly reaches out to touch Izumu's wrist]

Shall we take this somewhere more private?

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ looks down at his wrist with a passing moment's uncertainty. did he just trigger a Talk? shit. ]

... If you know where to find privacy around here, sure.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[You played yourself, Izumu. Played yourself.

His fingers curl around Izumu's wrist as he stands up.]

I might know one.

[And then he's tugging him out of the crowded establishment.]

[carnivorouscarnival]

You've really learned the lay of the land, huh.

[ he just lets Intensity pull him along. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[If by lay of the land, Izumu means he knows where a seedy alleyway they can duck into -- then yes, Intensity does have a good grasp of where things are]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ WELL. that works. ]

Bold choice of meeting spot for the number one person you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I like to live dangerously. Or so I'm told.

[And leaning in, trying to corner Izumu up against the wall]

So.

Shall we continue?

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he raises his chin defiantly, back resting against the wall. ]

If you've got something to say, then say it.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

What are your expectations? So I can properly not live up to them.

[The last part might be a bit bitter.

Just a little bit.]

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ furrows his brow, expression shifting from belligerent to just confused and defensive. ]

What does that have to do with anything?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Unintentional is not my style. I prefer to be much more deliberate about things.

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ bristling very slightly ]

... Well, I don't do expectations.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Raises an eyebrow at him]

And that's your final stance on the matter?

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ an uncomfortably long stretch of silence. ]

I'm telling you, it's got nothing to do with expectations. I live in reality.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

... And what about living in reality forgoes expectations?

[carnivorouscarnival]

I just mean that I'm not trying to make any impossible demands, so chill out.

... What'd I do to piss you off so bad, anyway?