Working Out

[Riamah]

After concluding her business transaction with a man she only knew as Captain Grimm, Ra left the table they had been sitting at and moved to the bar of the cantina. She doesn't often drink anything more than the local beer, but today had been profitable and she went with something stronger. A rare fruit tasting drink that is purple, you could drink it like juice, but get drunk very quickly if you did that.

While waiting for her drink, Ra turned to look around the cantina and the people there. Mostly local folk with a couple off worlders, like herself. After a few minutes, her drink arrived and she took her first drink of bliss. She let out of a sigh after her sip and set the glass down on the counter. Tipping her head to the maker of the drink.

"Wonderful job."

She grabbed her glass again and turned back around, leaning against the counter to watch the people come and go from the cantina.

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"]

This stench.. it was something Zhin remembered very well. Maybe he even liked it in a way. He did work at a bar for awhile before the mess he got himself into, so that could be part of it. But that's not important. Today he came here to drink, with the goal of getting drunk. There was no reason for it other than his craving for the expensive liquids. Of course, in his situation this wasn't a wise thing to do. That wasn't enough to stop him though.

Zhin stepped into the bar and made his way towards a seat at the end of the line of bar stools. As he sat down his hand pulled out credits that slammed onto the counter. "Surprise me." he said. Zhin's appearance was made up of a black hoodie with a t-shit underneath, blue jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. His beard was the only other notable thing which could be described as long stubble, due to not being shaved for some time.

 

[Riamah]

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

As Ra turned around to watch the people around, a man about her age stepped up to the counter and told the bartender to surprise him. He happened to do this next to her as she was already at the end. Ra pulled away slightly as he was close to touching her, but she didn't like jump out her seat or anything.

She lifted her glass to her mouth, taking a sip and set it down on the bar. Ra turned her head to look at the stranger out of the corner of her eye that had just sat down next to her. Pointing at her glass and looking at him now.

"If you like sweet drinks, you might like this one."

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"]
(ooc: don't know why it says t-poodoo instead of t-shirt lol)

A lady who sat next to him spoke up talking about her drink. Zhin smiled at her as a way of getting her. After a moment he spoke as well. "I'm not really a picky man when it comes to liquor fortunately." he said as the bartender delivered his drink.

Zhin picked up the glass and sipped some of it. He nodded in a satisfied way. "Wine? Very interesting choice." he set the glass down and returned his attention to the lady beside him. "Well, that was fun. I didn't expect him to give me just wine." he said with a smirk.

 

[Riamah]

"I'm not picky too much either."

Ra replied to Zhin and took another sip of her drink. She wanted to take it slowly as not to get tipsy too quickly. She didn't have her hair in a braid tonight, but she did have it pulled back into a tail. Without the braid it went to the small of her back.

"Just wine is sometimes nice though."

Her glass back on the counter, she turned to look fully at Zhin. She noticed his T-shirt said "poodoo" on it and wondered slightly if it was a vintage or a copy of one and if he liked pod races.

Ra's eyes took a mischievous look and glittered a little like gold in the lighting of the cantina.

(I go with the flow.)

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"]

"Yes I agree." he said in response to her comment on the wine. Wine was the universal drink to Zhin. It didn't matter when or where he consumed it, the taste was always enjoyable. Which could be seen by him drinking the whole glass of it so quickly. Zhin signaled the bartender to refill the glass immediately after.

He brought it to his lips and took a quick sip, then set it down. Zhin glanced over at the lady to see her analyzing himself. This led to him making a joke as per usual. He smiled and got a little closer to the lady while pretending to be drunk. Zhin softly asked, "What's a pretty little lady like you doing at this place anyway?"

 

[Riamah]

Ra watched as he quickly finished his first glass of wine and ordered a second. The bartender brought it over quickly sensing more money coming from them both. He took another sip, set the glass down and leaned closer to Ra. She's not sure if he's seriously drunk or just playing when he asks her what she is doing there nor if she positive if he's hitting on her or not.

She takes another sip of drink as she considers how to answer him. There was nothing against any law in her business transaction and she was here for work so that's the answer she went with.

"Work brought me here. I've finished that up and now enjoying a rewarding drink."

With that answer, Ra takes another drink of hers and sets it back down. She does her best to hide her smirk, but the side of her mouth turns up just a fraction.

"What about you?"

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"]

Zhin went back to his normal sitting position and drunk some more of his drink. When she said work was the reason for her being here, he laughed quietly. "I guess asking you what kind of work wouldn't get me too far would it?" He set his glass down and laid his head on the counter.

His head lifted off of it when she asked him about his reason for coming to the bar. Zhin tilted the glass almost all the way upside down, as the last drops of wine emptied from it. He put it down onto the bar and blinked before answering. "To put it simply... I was thirsty." he said grinning.

 

[Riamah]

Ra considered an answer to Zhin about her work. She tiled her head to the side slightly before answering.

"I'm a curier of sorts. Cargo and people, sometimes both."

She's sure some of her jobs are questionable, but nothing major. Her drink is almost empty and she finishes that, ordering another. One more is all she can drink before she would start feeling tipsy. Right now, she's fine though.

Zhin says his reason for being there was that he's thirsy, a good enough reason to come. She turns to face him, body language indicating Ra is interested in knowing more about him, but her face not showing any emotion.

"I'm known as Ra."

They had to exchange names so she offered hers first.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"] (I apologize for not replying for days, I am a little busy.)

Zhin had enough drinks himself, he wasn't drunk but didn't want to enter that state while talking with the lady. "Transporter?" he mumbled to himself while looking at the empty glass. He turned his head to face the lady after that. "Oh okay, but I wonder... by people you mean travelers, correct?" he asked. It wasn't uncommon that slaves were transported on cargo ships. Zhin asked the question with a curious face, which turned into an amused one. He grinned and spoke up. "Of course I'm just joking. That's not my business even if you do take part in that work."

The lady gave him her name, Ra. He let that bounce around in his mind for a bit before responding. It was a simple enough name to remember. Zhin also turned his body to towards Ra. He smiled and analyzed her since he didn't see all that much while occupied with his drink. Short, white hair, golden eyes... he realized he probably looked weird just staring at her and not giving her his name. Clearing his throat and making eye contact, he held out his hand. "My name is Zhin." he breathed for a moment. "You are beautiful by the way, I love your golden eyes that blends in with your white hair so well. Truly amazing." he said complimenting Ra hoping to get her to smile, though he meant it.

 

[Riamah]

Zhin spoke into his now empty glass before setting it down and taking a look at her.

"Oh everything has been above the board. I'm not a slave trader if that is what you're implying. "

Ra is sure that's what he meant. However, some of the cargo she had carried might not have vouched for...

She takes his offered hand and returns the hand shake. His name is Zhin and he promptly commented on her beauty. Yep, he was certainly flirting with her now. The drink had let down some of Ra's control of her own facade and she smiled at him.

Chuckling slightly, Ra let out small breath and took a drink before looking again at Zhin.

"Pleasure to meet you, Zhin."

Her head tips down slightly, but she kept eye contact with him. Her golden eyes glancing down at her drink for a moment and back to Zhin's. She takes another drink while maintaining eye contact. The drink is gone now and Ra sets the glass down on the counter.

"Thank you."

The reply comes with a small smile.

Her previous thought about his pod racing shirt gone from her mind jumps in again.

"Are you a fan of pod races?"

Her hand points slightly at his T-shirt and the artwork it depicts.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"] (No worries)

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

[member="Maulkat"]

He nodded when she explained what she transported. It seemed Zhin's attempt at breaking her poker face was successful. "Likewise, Miss Ra." he smiled back and set his hand back on the bar. Zhin enjoyed the gaze for a moment before hearing her speak.

Zhin pulled the shirt up from under the hoodie to show it a little more.
"I think races are exciting and all.. but I actually had an old friend get this for me. We don't talk anymore though." he stuffed it back down into the hoodie. Zhin laid his head on the bar face down and closed his eyes. "What about you Miss Ra, got any friends you don't talk to right now? Or maybe a boyfriend?"

 

[Riamah]

Ra looks at the shirt as he pulls up more to show off the picture and artwork on it. She had never had the benefit of friends growing up, too many kids at the orphanage coming and going to get attached to them. At school, she had focused on her lessons and then the herding the smaller children in the home around. Cooking dinner for them all when she old enough and delegating housework. It was almost as if she had been the parent there instead of a lost child.

Playing with her now empty glass, she almost wished for more. Knowing another would knock her on her arse, she didn't give into the temptation. She shook her head in answer to Zhin and looked at him again, his head laid down on the counter, but looking at her from the side of his vision.

"No, I have no friends. Never really did and no boyfriend either."

That was another thing she had never really thought about. Never having known love, she didn't know what it was like or if she could even feel it.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

@Ra'a'mah

Zhin lifted up his head now with a shocked face. "No way." he said while his mouth was slightly opened. He closed it before speaking again. The tone of his voice was curious when he talked. "Sorry, I just don't get it. You're attractive enough and you seem to have a nice personality. How?" The sudden questioning probably wasn't a good thing to do to someone you just met, he realised this and shook his head. "Ah, nevermind that."

The craving for another drink had hit him hard. Zhin threw some credits on the bar and said loud enough for the bartender to hear, "A water please." An odd request at a bar? Yes. What made it acceptable was a fully-aware Zhin. While he awaited the arrival of his drink, Zhin talked some more with his new acquaintance. His gaze was in the bar this time. "Whatever your reason for not having relationships is, time isn't infinite for us living unfortunately. So you should at some point experience friendship and love." he paused and smiled keeping the gaze on the bar. "I use to know a girl, she was the best friend in the galaxy. An unlucky morning ended our relationship, that was the worst day of my life. But that was an experience that I needed though I didn't wish for." Zhin's drink was set down onto the counter as he grabbed it and held it in the air. He drank a bit and then set it down while turning his head to make eye contact with Ra once again. "That's enough of my rambling. I want to know more about you, Miss Ra."

 

[Riamah]

Her answers appeared to surprise Zhin, at least that's what it looked like to Ra. Continuing to play with the glass after he broke eye contact with her, she thought of how best phrase her words.

"So many people don't see the forest and it's beauty for all the mess they bring at the end of the season. People live day to day, just trying to get along. Looking for thier next meal or day to relax."

He had said to nevermind, but the words came out anyway. Even she had been too busy to think about a realationship. She had fallen victom to life and lived day to day, only thinking about her next meal or where she was going to be the next day.

Zhin said he had a best friend, but that something had ended thier friendship. Ra looked over at him curiously. He was facing the counter and not looking at her. Some water for him arrived and it was then he looked at her again.

"What happened to your friendship, Zhin? Feel free to ask me anything and I'll answer."

The drink still making her slightly tipsy, Ra was more open with Zhin than she had with anybody in a long time.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

@Ra'a'mah

When she replied anyways his curiosity died down, however he didn't follow what she was saying. He nodded after she finished.

Zhin felt like time had stopped when she asked that dreadful question. The time resumed when he noticed he had to get his act together. He grabbed his water and sipped some of it, then set it down once again. "I'll give you the short story, I failed. I couldn't protect my dear friend." he slammed his fist onto the bar in anger. This memory fueled such a dangerous fire. He relaxed his hand and cleared his throat.

"That's all you get my friend." he said smiling while looking her way. Zhin finished the water and just sat there for a moment. He accepted her offer of asking any question. His posture became straight as he thought if a question. "Alright, any question? Well it isn't really a question, but a request... Be my friend."

 

[Riamah]

Ra could tell she had touched something that bothered him, even if he had opened that part of the conversation by mentioning his friend in the first place. He says he failed to protect her. Protect her from what though? She left the question unasked because Zhin had reacted so violently when he answered. Though he calmed down very quickly, she could still tell he was upset. Very quickly he buried even that and turned to look at her.

He finished his water and didn't ask a question, but made more of statement or a request. She actually returned his smile and nodded.

"I will be your friend, my friend."

It might have sounded silly, but it was how she felt and that's what came out.

[member="Zhin Zondaar"]

 

[Zhin Zondaar]

@Rah'a'mah (your name doesn't like the mentioning system )

The answer was yes, this left Zhin with a grin. His now empty glass rose into the air towards Ra's way by his hand. The grin on his face remained. "Okay, friend. Let's drink to our newly formed friendship." Though his glass was empty he still went ahead and held it up ready for the clinging of their glasses. Then he would ask the bartender for more liquor, after setting some more credits on the table.