Never Drink Alone

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana looked at him, not saying anything for a moment as he asked where the fun in it was if things were done that way. She waited until he added his next bit about the fun being in the middle of the game before she quickly gathered her thoughts. She really did not get people sometimes, but it was not always her job to get them in the first place. "Was not aware that it was meant to be for fun. Just to satisfy a desire and that was it." Roxana said, being blunt as usual. She really didn't see it as something that was fun.

Not until that time with Pirya, but that had messed her up in general so now she saw it as more of a problem then she saw it as fun. At his next comment, Roxana actually hesitated for a moment. "Not sure I follow." Roxana replied. She didn't get what he meant by it being like attending a celebration. Did he mean it in the way as it was an obligation, expected, or what? She was a bit too literal to get these little round about ways of saying things and again she just would have preferred he let her know what he wanted instead of playing this game. She was not a fan of these games, no matter if it was for 'flirting', work, or making a point.

He informed her that he was like this all of the time and then some comment about Angles that Roxana didn't follow. People were just...she didn't get them. Why was she here again? He was then asking a question that she suppose she was in a way asking, minus the latter bit. "You are not making me nervous, it's more of I don't like playing games. Just say what you want and we can go from there." Roxana said simply. She was just not in the mood for any of it, not even sleeping with someone at the moment so she supposed she should have let him know he was wasting his time for this time around.

Perhaps another time she would be up for giving him what he desire, but for now she was just...at a loss. His next words had him shaking her head no, not really thinking he understood how people viewed her because he had a few drinks. "People don't really view me in that way. I'm little more than a machine to those that either keep their distance or involve themselves with me a little. It's simple that way so I don't mind." Roxana said as she did hesitate a moment before ordering herself another drink and quickly tossing it back. It did bother her, on some level but she was not going to admit that. Not to someone she didn't even really know.

[Rob Snow]

"People think that," Rob offered, nodding slightly. "All wrapped up in thinking all about their own desires, and that definitely is the most fun part of it," Rob shrugged slightly before leaning toward Roxana, his eyes sparking with some puckish mischief and the edges of his lips twitching in a slight smile. "But the game's fun too; gotta know how to play."

He winked before taking another swig of his drink. She expressed confusion, talking about how she didn't follow, and Rob was certain that his overly flowery language wasn't helping in that. Sometimes it helped to confuse a girl though. Fill her up with alcohol, wrap words and music around her, and gently escort her where you wanted her to go. Simple and clean, well, clean until it wasn't. Though Rob could once again see the slight edges there, along with the shaken head.

"Damn shame," he replied as she insisted she was a machine. "Though I've heard of that before. Though it strikes me that if we're all machines a little maintenance wouldn't go awry. Bit of lubrication," he swirled his drink, "or maybe a tune up," he bounced his brows and looked over at her again. "Did I mention that you're a particularly striking lass? All angles and fine features. Eastern European: reminds me a bit of home, or at least the girls around there," he winked and took another drink.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana didn't say anything more on it; she just gave a slight nod to the words that left the young man’s mouth. So he did get what Roxana meant that she didn't see the fun in it because it was all about satisfying a desire, but he seemed to think that was the fun of it. She supposed she didn't understand or could not relate because she didn't have such desires on her own. Even with the two people that she cared for a lot she still didn't fully feel all of the desires one might when it came to a relationship or longing for someone’s body to be close to yours. It was all...very confusing still.

"Perhaps because I don't know how to properly play it, is why I don't see it as fun." Roxana responded. It had to be as simple as that. So many games that people played she felt were so pointless, it was because of the game that people ended up dead. Yet she supposed if people were direct and honest they would still end up dead all the same. There was another wink but now Roxana was starting to wonder if maybe he had something in his eye or it was something that he could not help but to do since he kept doing it. It was meant to be a signal of some kind but what did it mean when it was repeatedly used?

She didn't say anything when he spoke of it being a shame; she just looked at him with a slight confused look on her face. Rox was about to ask what was a shame about it in his opinion but he was soon giving her that answer. It was different then why she thought it was a shame, but he was not her so that was to be expected. "Are you making sexual references with your references?" Roxana asked, just so she was clear on the matter. Then there was a complement, or at least what Roxana assumed was a complement.

"Thank you, you are not bad looking yourself. I'll admit that you hair seems a bit messy but nothing wrong with that and I'm assuming you are a natural red head, yes?" Roxana complimented or what she felt was a compliment.

[Rob Snow]

"You won't learn the game standing on the sidelines. best is to get in and dirty your knees a little,' Rob replied. He didn't catch the implied sexual innuendo there until after he'd said it, and the delayed realization had the singer chuckling slightly, even shaking his head a little. Leave it to his loose tongue to let something like that glide on out of there. His mind must be trapped in the gutter.

Which apparently Roxana noticed to some degree. He looked up at her at her question and wagged his eyebrows for a while. "Just a little bit of innocent conversation between two persons meeting at a bar. Tis it my fault if your mind's traveling to your nethers?" He gave her another grin before moving to take another sip of his drink. This girl was somewhat fascinating, and Rob was wondering if she was the type who actually engaged in sex as opposed to studying it like some kind of alien creature.

"If you're interested in finding out the naturalness of me hair color, there are ways of doing it. Perhaps I ought to be offended though, you being all forward and such,' Rob replied, sighing and rolling his eyes slightly before giving her another wry little smile.

[Roxana Strix]

"I'm fine with not learning the game; there are others that can play it for me." Roxana responded back simply. She again felt like there was something sexual hinted there, but she was not sure. Just the way he was wording things, the whole winking, and the complements kept making her things that was what he intended. Roxana was not certain either way and she really didn't understand this whole conversation if she was being completely honest. Perhaps the whole 'other to play it for her' was something that she should not have said but she didn't care. He could take it however way he wanted and she didn't plan to elaborate on it.

The waggling of his eyebrows just also added to why she thought he was being sexual about pretty much everything he was saying. Did this actually work on people? This kind of...charm? Roxana knew how to act interested in someone and behave in that person's type once she figured it out from some observation but she had never tried the method this guy was doing. These saying sexual things, winking a lot, and waggling of the eyebrows. She used more so simple flirts and touches when she was under orders so it was odd to see someone practicing something that she personally didn't see as effective for anything besides making someone think they were either desperate or a creep.

Which was what Rox was pretty much thinking about this guy but at the same time she could not help but to be a little curious. "Yes, if you are saying things in such a way that refers to nethers or hints to acts involving them." Roxana answered his question bluntly and to the point. What it not his fault if he was the one saying things. It clearly had to be his fault. Was it a trick question? Now Roxana was confused which had her glancing off for a moment while her mind collected its thoughts. He talked of his hair, again saying something that made Roxana give him a look like he honestly was being sexual on purpose.

He had to be. How did one take that in an innocent way if they knew of such things? "I'm not certain how to respond at this point." Roxana said honestly, because she didn't. How was she supposed to respond? Did he want her to make a move on him? Suggest they go somewhere alone so she could find out? When it was not on orders, flirting and just any of this didn't really make any sense to her.

[Rob Snow]

"Making it into a spectator sport?" Rob asked dryly. Yes, there was definitely something sexual hidden in the words, and it amused Rob on some level to have essentially sneaked that past this striking young woman. She seemed genuinely confused, and Rob didn't quite want to torment her too fully. There was only so much fun to be had in taunting and teasing, especially when the target looked more befuddled and almost hurt than anything.

Rob nodded. "that is the point indeed, luv," he added another wink to that and settled in, watching as the confusion grew. It grew to such a point that Roxana didn't even know what to say. Rob's smile faded into a look of sympathy. He reached over and gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Stop worrying there, luv," he said, giving her a slight nod.

"Do we need to exchange the secret handshakes or anything? Or perhaps we should start with occupations. I am a professional vagabond and minstrel by trade," and he finished with a slight nod of the head, gesturing in a vague, semi-dramatic manner with one hand, that smile never quite leaving.

[Roxana Strix]

"I suppose that is one way you could look at it. It is far easier to understand something after observing it for a little." Roxana said. If he had been just joking or making another sexual joke there, she had missed it. She had taken his words for what they were at that moment in time and likely would not get the other hint until later. Her mind did go into the gutter when it was put there but it did not stay there long. There were things that were far more important to think about that held her mind's attention over such things. Like why this guy was behaving the way he was with her and what it all meant.

She was confused at any rate, and remained so to the point that it was showing up on her face. "So then why did you ask? Or...it was a rhetorical question." Roxana said, letting out a sigh. This was why she didn't like to talk. This was why she left the talking to other people and preferred to listen and just follows orders that she understood. When she was not under orders, she was herself and herself didn't really know how to relate to normal people. How could you relate to people that were just so carefree and didn't have to worry or deal with the things that Roxana had to deal with?

She didn't like being touched, but she didn't flinch when she felt his hand patting her shoulder. Part of her almost had the urge to grab his arm and pull it behind him until it broke. Thankfully she remained where she was as she looked at him when he assured her that she didn't have to worry about it. There was a question about secrete handshakes but that quickly became clear that it was a joke of some kind. Roxana debated if she should drink more or make herself think she was under orders in order for this to go successful or at least seem like she understood him.

He used words most would not when talking about what he did, but Roxana understood. Yet, it was not like she could tell him what she really did. "I'm a college art major with working as an intern for my schools security on the side." Roxana responded back. There, that was true and her occupation as a normal student. No way did he need to know that she was actually a trained assassin, body guard, and secrete operative of sorts as her real job.

[Rob Snow]

Understand by looking? Now Rob was beginning to wonder if his conversation partner didn't happen to be some sort of sociology or anthropology major. Those types were always interesting to talk to: Rob had rolled with one or two before. You'd think that someone who did their share of observing would have been able to pick up more of the lingo than this poor lass though.

Didn't even seem to quite grasp the questions. Rob swore he could feel her tensing up when he touched too: which really shouldn't have surprised him. Nothing about her suggested that she was big on being touched as opposed to doing the touching. Well, the hand had already withdrawn, so Rob didn't have to worry about that. She picked up his small-talk question easily enough too.

"Arts? Would've taken you for something a bit more reserved. Aloof does work for an artist though," Rob had to smile at that, nodding slightly. Yes, he'd caught the bit about security, which pretty well assured him that she worked for the same school he attended. Wasn't as though Kalispell College would be offering security intern positions to its people. "so you transferred here from Eastern Europe and work in security and do art,' Rob paused for a moment, then leaned forward onto the bar, turning his head to look at her with something akin to rapt interest. "What sort of art? Wait, let me guess," he snapped his fingers a few times before pointing. "Sculpture. Modern pieces that take a long time to understand and require experiencing the piece."

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana still felt iffy about this whole interaction. Part of her felt like there was nothing to worry about but there was always that guarded part to her. It was not different from usual other than that she felt a little more guarded than usual. Perhaps because she was not her sharpest at the moment and that this guy was doing a lot of double worded sentences that she was having a hard time keeping up with. She was not worried that she had much to drink; she could drink so much more before it really affected her, and so lack of sleep was the only thing she could blame at the moment.

He seemed surprised to hear that she was into the arts, but she supposed other than how she would dress from time to time would be the only real indication of what her interest were in. Not like she was wearing anything too out there at the moment, so again she could understand why he would not have guessed that right away. She didn't comment on him calling her aloof, because there was no way that she could deny such a thing. "Yes, Romania to be specific." Roxana informed him, seeing no harm in telling him where she had transferred to. It was only one of the three major places that she often spent time at when she was not back here.

Her mouth opened to answer his question on the kind of art, but then he was telling her to let him guess, so she remained silent and let him do just that. He was pretty much right; while she did all forms of art, sculpture was the one that she mostly did. "Half right. I enjoy sculpture but not all of them I would call...complicated to understand. Most are very direct in what I'm trying to communicate. Paintings are when I tend to get a little out there....but not often." Roxana admitted. She was a literally person after all, so her work often reflected that side of her as well.

[Rob Snow]

Romania: Rob tilted his head slightly at the word, drumming his fingers against the bar again. "Hmm, trying to remember that, and all I can recall is the accents. Not sure I spent much time in that particular locale," also most of Eastern Europe sort of blended into a mesh of heavy sounding Russian accents, impressive churches, and girls that seemed harsh and furry at the same time (neither of which bothered Rob all that much; variety was the spice of life).

It didn't give him much to work off of with his art guess. Judging by Roxana's response, he'd done alright. Some were complicated, others not. "Sounds very Romanian of you," he replied teasingly, half-smiling again. "I think it's like that with all art. You more or less do whatever makes sense to you at the time and hope that other people get it. I swear," he tapped his fingers in a short little tune, "spend most of my time trying to explain pieces that didn't have a secret meaning when i wrote them."

He took another drink and signaled for more to appear. He looked over at Roxana. "Doing well enough to keep buying you drinks? Or did you want me to move on along?"

[Roxana Strix]

"I spent a lot of my youth and time now living in Russia when I'm not here in the school, so I might sound more Russian..." Roxana said before dropping off as she was speaking. She had gotten a little home sick at saying that, even if she had been there not too long ago. She had even gotten to see her family but things didn't really go like the whole family time like she was hoping for. However; that was her fault for hoping things would go any different then what she should have just expected by default.

She raised a brow at his comment, not sure if her art style was very Romanian of her. "Thanks?" Roxana said, it coming out more of a question because of her confusion. She figured she really needed to start acting like she got everything that he was saying so he would not think she was a fool or completely out of touch with social norms. "I think that is the best way to look at it. Art is supposed to be for the one who makes it. If others like it, that is just an added bonus." Roxana said, at least that was how she felt on the matter. Now when you were doing it for someone else, then you had to make sure they understood the message and you did it to their taste.

Yet, if it was for yourself, then you had to just go with what you felt was right and not worry what others thought about it. "I can imagine. Music is another form of art that people can easily understand right away or think has some other meaning." Roxana said with a slight nod. She had an appreciation for music and did a little bit of it herself. Mostly what she had been made to do in her family, but she enjoyed it on some level.

"I didn’t plan on drinking anymore, but if you wish to keep drinking that is fine. If I recall correctly, I did say that I was paying for myself but I don't mind paying for a few of your drinks." Roxana said, giving a small smile. She didn't know what else the guy would want to do. She was not one to talk much and if there was nothing else, she could always leave and try that whole sleeping thing.

[Rob Snow]

Time in Russia; Rob was tempted to make some crack about how nearly every Eastern European had spent some time in Russia, particularly those born during a certain period. It struck him as being slightly tasteless and, more importantly, something that Roxana would see less as humorous and more as an insult. this conversation was feeling more like a game where there were only so many proper responses before the person you spoke with just attacked you.

Which didn't bother Rob overmuch: just made things more exciting. He kept confusing her, and he did feel slightly guilty about that, with the repetition. Still, they could clearly agree on things too, such as Russia and the added bits about art and doing it for yourself. "Suppose it depends on what you're going for,' Rob admitted, "at the end of the day, luv, I am making the music because it's what I chose to do," he tapped the counter again.

They came right back around to the matter at hand, and Rob considered the young woman again. "You really aren't good at the game, are you?" he asked. He smiled, this time without as much tease and more sympathy. "You do realize," he leaned forward, "that the point of all the talking and drinking is to end up with one of us in the other's bed?" He raised his brows. "Not that I'm about to be forcing myself, but you'd think you'd be willing to loosen up and have a bit of fun when you're about to take a stranger into your bed. I could be a serial killer. I'd be a damn charming one, but still," he shrugged expressively, favoring her with a smile wide enough to make his eyes twinkle.

[Roxana Strix]

Roxana listened to Rob's point about how it all just depended on what you were going for. For him it was making music because he wanted to; things were not that simple for Roxana. While she was free to do her art however she liked, it was not like she could always just do art for the rest of her life. It was her passion, and yet at the end of the day it was going to remain nothing more than a hobby or a cover story. She had a job, one that she had been born into, raised in, and expected to fall in line until the day she died. It would also pass down to her children, had she been allowed to have children.

She just gave a simple nod at his comment, her thoughts holding most of her attention at the moment until his question. Rox was about to answer it but he was leaning in closer and adding more to what he had said. Words about how the point of talking and drinking was to end up in one of their beds. Yes, she knew that was one of the common outcomes of talking to someone at a bar. It was just not something that she actually thought about, ever. Yes, she had casual sex with people before, but it usually was because the other person was direct and kissed her, making it known what they wanted.

Talking this way...flirting, it was direct in its own way but not in the way that Roxana understood without being in a role or on her orders. Rox could not help but to glance away, almost letting out a scoff at his words about not forcing her. As if anyone could force her to do something and not end up dead or seriously injured in the process. Minus her family and organization of course, but even they had difficulty with Rox from time to time. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you and I will not be performing any coitus tonight. Others have been consuming my thoughts in that...aspect and I don't really do casual sex in this manner." Roxana said, just being blunt and straight to the point as usual.

Points for him trying or thinking that such a thing was a possibility. She was just not on orders, she was not interested in doing such an activity at this point, and he was not who she wanted to do such an activity with. Which...was extremely weird for Roxana to think about and it made her feel weird for a moment. Weird enough that she began to pull out money to pay for her own drinks as well as the drinks that Rob had order, planning on leaving.

[Rob Snow]

"Well that's rather disappointing," Rob admitted, adding a slight shrug. "I usually see sex more as a gift that we happen to give to someone else to get ourselves, but I can certainly see why your mind might be on something else. Always the trouble whenever you enter a pub."

He tapped his fingers on the bar, hesitating for a moment. This was the point in the story where the lad got up and walked away with a pleasant enough comment. Rob had played that part himself from time to time. Wasn't any harm in it: not as though he'd made an ass of himself or she'd needlessly led him on. Just a pair of strangers enjoying a bit of flirtation and a moment that fell just short of being something truly memorable. However, there were also times when sticking around just felt right. Question was: which was this?

"feeling like you need a willing ear then, luv?" Rob asked. "Because I'd wager I could pull up another round for the two of us and listen. Least I can do for such a strikingly sad lass as y'self."

[Roxana Strix]

The young man voice how that was disappointing, but he didn't seem too torn up about the matter which was a good thing. Roxana didn't feel like dealing with someone who was so desperate for the kind of physical attention at the moment. Normally those who did crave it and did something about it she would react back, but she didn't think she would at this moment in time. Now she had two people on her minds that kept holding her thoughts when it came to such a thing and just wanting to be around them. It was...awful.

Why did this have to happen to her of all people? It was so foolish and it just made her weak in ways that would end up causing her to be punished. "The gift of a STD if you are not careful." Roxana said, when he brought up it being a gift. Even when she did such an activity she didn't see it as a gift. Just someone filling another person's need and that was it. It was not gift. Anyone could do it and anyone could give it, thus it didn't really seem all that special unless there was more to it than just the sex. She didn't say anything as he spoke of how that was a common issue when someone entered a pub.

Yes, a lot of people came to such places looking to forget something to for some fun. Roxana had come in here for...what had she come in here for again? She really needed some rest. His question had her raising a brow as she already put the cash down on the table and was standing up. He wanted her to talk about it? What for? Why? "I'm not sad." Roxana responded since that most of all was what bothered her about his offer. "There is nothing to say on it. I'm attracted to these two beautiful, young women. I'm certain they do not feel that way about me and thus is does not really matter, not like I could even be with them if they did feel something towards me." Roxana said, turning to leave with that. No, she didn't want to talk about it. There was not much to say other then what she had just voiced to Rob.