(Untitled)

[themanclion]

[OOM:  Plus ça change]

When he comes in this time, he's much happier than he was last time, which is good. For him, at least. Not necessarily anyone else. And one thing that can be said about Gene is that he's consistent - when he's pissed off, he drinks and when he's happy...he's drinks.

So that's what he's doing, over there at the bar.

[Small tag of

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[notaphony]

Joan's day could best be described as - well, moderate, at best.

But that doesn't mean she should neglect her mid-afternoon, post-work martini, does it?

She settles into a seat at one end of the bar to order, finding a cigarette in her purse to light up while she waits.

[themanclion]

He eyes her down the bar for a long moment, weighing up whether to speak or not. But in the end, he figures that she's going to see him anyway so it'd be pretty difficult to ignore her.

'Alrig', luv?'

He maaaaay sound a bit wary.

[notaphony]

It takes Joan a good long moment to recognize that the man sitting a few stools down is even speaking to her to begin with.

That, and she's mid-drag.

Discreetly, she exhales smoke through slightly pursed lips before responding with: "Pardon?"

[themanclion]

He frowns at her. She seems different, somehow. For one thing, she's not coming on to him like a train.

He's not sure whether to be glad of that, or disappointed.

'Gone deaf?'

[notaphony]

"Not according to my physician," Joan casually responds.

The cigarette rests between index and middle finger as she slides her hand around the martini glass, lifting it to her lips without spilling a single drop of gin.

[themanclion]

Gene, as a copper, is supposed to notice things. And he does, but mostly when he's making an effort. Some things are obvious though - he's never seen Saffron drink a Martini before, she's always had that foreign stuff he's never heard of. Never seen her smoke either, or heard her use a word such as 'physician'.

Unfortunately, he's not yet heard of the doppelganger phenomenon that sometimes crops up in Milliways and he tends to believe the evidence of his eyes. That this might not be Saffron is something that never occurs to him.

'Well then. I said, 'alrigh', luv'? Like I normally do to a bird.'

Especially one he's met before.

[notaphony]

There are other differences, too, but ones that a man - especially a man of Gene's particular caliber - wouldn't think to notice. Such as the fact that Saffron would never be caught dead in a dress like the one Joan's wearing, even if it would flatter the very similar curves.

"Love, bird - I've never heard so many nicknames in one sentence," she replies, reaching out to tap the end of her cigarette into the closest ashtray.

"But to answer your question: just fine, thanks, and you?"

[themanclion]

He has, in fact, noticed that it's something he's never seen her in before (he was eyeing up her chest), but seeing as he's only met her twice, he assumed that she was just in the mood for something different tonight. Anything else though, goes completely over his head.

'Are you complainin'?'

He taps his own smoke out over the floor and puts it back between his lips.

'An' yeah, I'm grand.'

[notaphony]

That earns him a raised eyebrow, a look perfectly perfected to the point of a near-art form - according to some of the more timid secretary girls at Sterling-Cooper.

"Did I say I was?"

There's more playfulness in her tone than annoyance, though. She motions to the drinks in front of him with a casual wave of her hand.

"I might have guessed, by the Scotches."

[themanclion]

'When 'ave you ever seen me not drink Scotch?'

He's thinking most pertinently of last time, whn he was trying to drown himself in it. That was hardly a good indiciation that drinking lots of it always makes him happy.

[notaphony]

Joan tilts her head in visible confusion.

"I can tell you I've never seen you drinking Scotch before because this is the first time I've actually seen you drinking, period."

[themanclion]

He looks just as confused, only he hates being confused so it's also tinged with a hint of annoyance.

'Wha', apart from the other two times we spoke? Hard to forget, seein' as you spent the whole time tryin' to get in me pants.'

Something is very odd about this conversation.

[notaphony]

Joan's confusion only manifests further into equal parts amusement and incredulity.

"I hate to break it to you, but I'm not the girl you're thinking of."

Besides, in her typical encounters with men, she doesn't usually need to worry about trying to do the work required to get into any pants.

[themanclion]

'Odd' moves into the territory of 'highly suspicious'.

'Well, you definitely look like the bird I 'ad to fight off with a stick.'

Maybe that's what this is? She's embarrassed about her blatant behaviour and is now...trying to pretend it never happened?

No, that doesn't feel right. Saffron definitely didn't strike him as the type to worry about such things.

[notaphony]

Joan chuckles, surprising even herself, and punctuates the laugh with another sip from the martini glass.

"Now that's one I'll admit to never having heard before."

[themanclion]

He is taken aback. Is she laughing at him?

'Wha's your name, luv?'

He sounds exasperated, and impatient.