[EP] What's all this then?

[st_icetomeetyou]

It started small. He found a second pack of cards, persuaded a few people to play a few rounds with him for drinks on occasion. And then the idea struck him. What did people need most of all here? Well, other than a way home which was beyond him at the moment.

A distraction.

And so it started, just a little at a time. There was enough bits and pieces around the hotel that he could scrounge up to make up a couple of tables - a table for blackjack, a table for poker. What more did you need? Well, more eventually, but until he could persuade people to find him more resources, he'd start with this. He could build if he had to (could do anything if he had to), but he'd rather use people to get what he wanted, and temptation could be the greatest motivator.

And as for what was in it for him? Well, eventually people would want to start bartering, or create their own currency. Len wanted to be at the heart of it, to be the go-to person, to be the one who could help people start whatever they wanted, when they needed in it. He had faith in capitalism, it would win through in the end, and there always were those who naturally rose to the top. This time in life, it was his turn.

And so he was to be found in one of the bars, sitting by a table, shuffling cards in a professional manner, and just waiting on people dropping in. Even if he didn't get enough this time, word would travel, especially in a place like this.

Comments

[st_everybodylives]

"You look like a man with purpose," River had been watching the man for a little while, nursing her own drink. She knew when someone was up to something, and this man was a plotter.

[st_icetomeetyou]

It was hard to miss a woman with hair like hers, and her confidence was something else. He gave her a smirk as she approached. "Well, isn't it better to have a purpose in life? It stops you from being bored, after all."

[st_everybodylives]

"Depends on the purpose I think," she gestured to an empty seat as though asking for permission to sit, but didn't wait for a nod or any other signal.

"Why cards?"

[st_icetomeetyou]

The way she just sat down? It didn't surprise him in the slightest. This was a woman who knew what she wanted, and she took it. He had no issues with that.

As to his purpose - he knew what it always was, whether that in keeping what anyone else wanted was tough. "Why not? Cards are universal."

[st_everybodylives]

"I might argue that point, except you're right." Cards, or something similar in style were in fact universal.

"But I suppose I meant to ask what you were hoping to acquire with the cards." Information? Money? An entree to meeting people?

[st_icetomeetyou]

Oh really, you think he was going to give up that information just like that when he didn't know you? Len was definitely not that kind of person. More a cards close to the chest man.

"Company isn't enough of a reason?" Highly unlikely with him, but you never know.

[st_everybodylives]

"Never has been for me," she put out a hand, silently asking for the cards.

[st_icetomeetyou]

He handed over the cards with a smirk. "Have any preferences on choice of game?" he asked her. After all, it would be useful information to have for the future.

[st_everybodylives]

"Depends on the stakes, but personally I prefer poker." She deftly shuffled the cards. With poker you matched wits with other players, games like blackjack you were playing against the house. "Less dependent on luck."

[st_icetomeetyou]

He was watching her shuffle the cards, just to be sure. After all, he'd cheat, so he'd never put it past anyone else to cheat as well. "Luck, or chance. There is always a tiny element of it there." But then, Len always liked to make his own luck, it's why he tried so desperately to change the past so his father wouldn't end up in prison.

[st_everybodylives]

Oh she wasn't above cheating, but only when she wanted something, all she wanted right now was to talk to someone interesting.

"I've never been a fan of chance," she set the deck out in front of him to cut.

[st_icetomeetyou]

Well. Len likes the idea that he is interesting to talk to, but he'd never really thought about it before now. But today? He'd take it.

"No, I must admit, I prefer to plan things out," he said, cutting the deck for her. "I like all the variables covered." It is what made him such a good thief - he planned everything down to the last detail, and he usually managed to get away with the goods.

[st_everybodylives]

Everyone was interesting in some way, though that might have had something to do with how few actual people she's had to talk to once upon a time.

She took the deck back and started to deal, two handed poker wouldn't be the most thrilling of games, but she didn't think the game was really all that important.

"I tend to fly by the seat of my pants, if I'm honest." But then she was a decent thief herself, and she did plan, just not all the little details.

[captaincorsair]

Yasmeen draped her arm over the back of the chair beside hers as she took a seat at the table. "I heard card game, and somehow I kew I'd find you here," she all but purred.

As a general rule, Yasmeen didn't gamble. She worked hard enough for her fortunate that pissing it away wasn't her style. But you didn't get to where she was without being able to dive for fish with dragons, and Yasmeen was bored out of her mind.

[st_icetomeetyou]

He cocked an eyebrow at her, that faint smirk appearing. "Did you really?" he asked her, leaning back and watching her. "Well, there has to be a way to pass the time, hasn't there?"

Boredom was going to be problematic, and this was the easiest way Len could see to relieve it, short of causing some real chaos, and that would come later.

[captaincorsair]

"My usual entertainment needed a break."

Her smirk was anything but faint. After all, she'd left Raleigh bitten and clawed and thoroughly well fucked as often as he would come to her room. He did need a break from her, and she from him. She hadn't slept with the same man so regularly since Bart and she didn't like the way that crawled beneath her skin.

That was nothing she cared to think about here and now, and so she didn't. "Are you offering drink with your pastime?"

[st_icetomeetyou]

"I hope you left them at least able to walk around a bit," he smirked in response to her. He didn't care about her preferences - he just knew that personally he would struggle as much with sleeping with one person. He far preferred one night stands. Feelings were problematic. Look at him and Mick, after all.

"Drink and cards do go hand in hand," he pointed out, before glancing up to ask for another drink for himself and one for Yasmeen. "So of course." Tipsy people were far easier to con out of money.

[captaincorsair]

"Wouldn't want him to be there when I get back, after all." Her smirk didn't fade and nor did her mannerisms betray the awareness that she would, actually, not mind at all if Raleigh stayed in her room or returned there.

"Appreciate the drink." From her casual sprawl in the chair, Yasmeen gestured idly at the cards. "So what are we playing?"

[st_icetomeetyou]

He smirked back in response. He certainly appreciated the thought of someone there, but since he never trusted anyone except himself, they certainly wouldn't be warming his bed. "Whatever you want," he said in reference to the cards. "I'm fond of poker, but with two it can be a little... tedious. Unless the stakes are high."

[captaincorsair]

"Reputation is the only stake high enough and I'll not gamble with mine," Yasmeen observed dryly. She flicked her gaze over him and found him attractive, if not her usual fare. "If you want to gamble for garments, I'm not averse." Nor did she particular care what they played.

[st_icetomeetyou]

"Strip poker? Now that's something I haven't played for a long time," he said with a smirk, looking Yasmeen up and down. "Not that I'm averse to it." Certainly not with her. He might regret it later, but boredom and interest made a powerful combination. "But it might shock the locals here."

[captaincorsair]

"You don't strike me as the kind of man to be concerned what the locals might think." And Yasmeen only cared if her reputation were damaged. She was every bit as lethal naked as not, so it hardly mattered, and it would pass the time.

[st_icetomeetyou]

As a rule, he wasn't. But there were certain things about him that showed the past he'd been through. Abuse left physical scars as well as mental, and that he really didn't want to display to the world at large. But then, he was stronger than Lewis (may he rot in hell) had ever been, so he pushed past that and shrugged. "Fine. Deal."

[captaincorsair]

As neither gave anything away, and both played aggressively, it had only been a few rounds of drinks when Yasmeen had to toss her bra on the pile. He'd stripped down to boxers and a black undershirt, and Yasmeen got the sense he was as reluctant to part with it as she with her headscarf.

He took the round, and she folded. "I'm out." Her ears were no one's business. With a smirk, she looked him over and asked, "What do you want in exchange for my clothes?"

[st_icetomeetyou]

Leonard had lost more clothing than he had intended to, but hey, he was still in a better state than Yasmeen. He leaned back and gazed at her. Certainly he wasn't going to complain at the view.

He mused about it for a moment or two. Well, there was the obvious, of course, but did he want to take advantage of the moment? Who was he kidding. "Well, I could suggest finding food other than chicken." God, he missed his burgers. "But I'm tempted to go with the more obvious."