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Post by Croupier on Feb 6, 2022 20:46:09 GMT -8
Dan's turn on the table was over, and he felt on top of the world.
Another dealer Dan did not recognize tapped him on the shoulder to interrupt his session. He gave her a quick glance, nodded, and finished dealing out his current hand of Blackjack.
"Nineteen. Sixteen - too many." the chips and cards were swept up, and with them the player's face. "Twelve - eighteen. Elven - double down - twenty one!" finally it was time to flip his card over to reveal - "Twenty." His fingers danced along the tray of his bank and moved from spot to spot, paying winners and taking losers. Each and every one of them felt so good.
Finally, Dan swept up the cards, put them in the rack and burned a card before clearing his hands with a clap and flourish, "Ladies and gentlemen, it's been a pleasure! Have a great night!"
The players who had won returned the greeting; the losers were more quiet and sullen. So in all, a typical night.
Dan walked out of the pit with a pronounced spring in his step and smile on his lips. He was still riding high off the lingering joy from the table, and his crackling lights glowed even brighter. In the back of his mind, he knew this was only a temporary fix. Another twenty minutes or a half hour from now, the lows would come to dip him back down, and Dan would need another turn to get back up. Thankfully, his break would be over by then, and he would already be back waiting for another group of guests.
Through the employee entrance and down the backroom corridor, Dan slipped passed the security check-in desk and stepped out the heavy door and into the parking lot. As always, the lot was filled with cars, along with a handful of people making their way to or from their vehicles. The pedestrians and travelers were little on Dan's mind right now. At the moment, he needed a smoke, and his only concern was if there was anyone around the ashtray and folding chairs the casino provided as a "smoking lounge" for dealers.
As he approached, there was only one other person sitting in the lounge - a tall, pale woman with a face of corroded bronze. She looked almost like a metallic statue come to life, dressed in a suit and smoking away without a care in the world.
Flashing his best smile, Dan approached the woman and waved.
"Excuse me," he broke the ice, "Do you have another I could bum off? Finished off my last pack before my shift."
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Lotus Eater
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Presence (4) Capable |Rigid Mask | Winter Mantle | Status (Licensed Security) | Autumn Goodwill (1)
Posts: 74 
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Post by Lotus Eater on Feb 7, 2022 10:20:45 GMT -8
As the mortals knew her, Lindsey sat smoking a cigarette staring into the middle distance. She had set her folded jack on the back of the chair next to her. The look on her face suggested she was puzzling over something before Dan's voice caught her attention.
Her focus flicked back as she turned to face him and gave a small smile. She didn't know the dealer well but was aware of him. Of course, she had to be mindful of all the dealers, but a Lost tends to stand out amongst the crowd.
"Sure," She said, pulling her smokes from her jacket and offering the pack over to Dan.
"How's the pit?"
Her tone was light, but there was a seriousness to her face; even when on break, she held an air of professionalism.
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Post by Croupier on Feb 7, 2022 19:28:42 GMT -8
With a quick clearing of his hands, Dan reached out and accepted one of the cancer sticks protruding from the pack. Taking a seat, he scooped up the communal lighter kept on on the ashtray/table combination and lit the cigarette, taking a deep puff as he did. The nicotine and menthol flooded his lungs with minty acrid smoke; his nostrils flared white smoke, giving him the appearance of a sharp-dressed dragon.
"Thanks," he nodded to her and took another drag before answering, "Well, it's not too bad tonight. Tips could always be better."
Dan took a moment to take in the woman next to him. He had seen Lost before, some of them even worked the Strip, but most of them tended to keep to themselves. Those who didn't were the ones you had to look out for.
"How about you?" he offered with a smile and extended a hand, "Dan Miller, by the way."
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Lotus Eater
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Presence (4) Capable |Rigid Mask | Winter Mantle | Status (Licensed Security) | Autumn Goodwill (1)
Posts: 74
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Post by Lotus Eater on Feb 8, 2022 8:46:36 GMT -8
She t took a long drag from her cigarette before delicately balancing it between her inky fingers to her side.
"Tips could be better. A motto for life."
She let out a soft chuckle before tapping her ash into the tray.
"Lindsey Brick, nice to put a name to face. " She shook his hand with a steady grip and two well-measured bounces of the hand. Practiced.
The wizened considered the fairest for a moment. Dressed sharply as a knife and seemed kind of enough. In honesty, it was a surprise Dan wasn't getting more tips. But then again, gamblers weren't known for their charity.
"Tonight has been quiet. Nothing too exciting on my end. A few drunks and a couple of folks needed to be reminded of manors. But otherwise quite."
Lotus didn't handle those problems; the floor security did. She, however, was paying attention to the more subtle trouble makers. A quiet night for Lotus meant a good night for the Casino. She didn't mind so much. However, the calm always made her more alert. It was hard to turn off.
Curiosity provoked the next question.
"The strip hasn't been an issue since things got dicey?"
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Post by Croupier on Feb 8, 2022 11:08:48 GMT -8
Although they were strangers, the casualness of the conversation brought down Dan's defenses in a way he had not expected. Most of the time, he talked to get others to talk, because talking was the fastest way to get at the thing he really wanted. But now, the small talk was nice.
Or, it was until she asked that last question.
Dan's Adam's Apple bounced in his throat and he took another drag, "No more than expected." He scoffed and shook his head, "Though I have to admit, I didn't expect things to be as crazy as they have. But... I don't mind, at the same time? Like, it's sort of exciting."
When Dan turned back to look at Lindsey, he studied her expression just as she was trying to read him. It had been almost a year since Dan had gotten out of Arcadia, although he had to admit it was more by dumb luck and pure uncut stupidity than by any active effort on his part. He was just as likely to have been washed up in the Hedge forever or found and devoured by something waiting for him. But in that moment of his escape, Dan wouldn't have cared. Hell, he was barely even aware of anything at the time.
Except... the One Thing...
Taking another puff, Dan added, "Sorry, that's probably not the answer you were looking for. Just... I don't know the last couple of weeks, I've been feeling this pull to do something... stupid. And fun. Ever do bungie jumping?"
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Lotus Eater
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Presence (4) Capable |Rigid Mask | Winter Mantle | Status (Licensed Security) | Autumn Goodwill (1)
Posts: 74
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Post by Lotus Eater on Feb 8, 2022 15:23:20 GMT -8
Exciting?
That was an unexcepted answer given the context. Lindsey's face, however, did not betray her thoughts on the matter, almost indecipherable. After a moment, she let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head side to side.
"If I knew the answer, I wouldn't have asked," she says, somewhat blunt regarding his suggestion that was not the answer she was looking for.
"No, never gone Bungie jumping. I get my kicks elsewhere. A bit of an adrenaline seeker? "
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Post by Croupier on Feb 8, 2022 15:38:47 GMT -8
Some little part of Dan, the cautious part that always told him to step back from the ledge or not make the next bet, scolded him for being so blatantly honest with a relative stranger. He looked for any sign, any tell that she was leaning towards keeping things friendly or eyeing him as a potential threat. To his disappointment, her mask gave nothing away.
Dan chuckled at her question, "Yeah, been that way since I got out, feels like. It's like..." he leaned forward, searching for the right words as he put the cigarette back to his lips, "like I left something behind. Something I really liked and want back, and the only things so far that have given it back are bungie jumping, fencing and -" he pointed to the building, " - this job. But even then, it doesn't last long."
When Dan pulled the cigarette away, he played with it in his hands. Thin wisps of gray smoke billowed from the burning tip: a pillar of ash with a thin red line of heat burning itself closer to the filter. A countdown to the inevitable.
Taking another drag, he asked, "How about you? What do you like to do for fun?"
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Lotus Eater
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Presence (4) Capable |Rigid Mask | Winter Mantle | Status (Licensed Security) | Autumn Goodwill (1)
Posts: 74
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Post by Lotus Eater on Feb 8, 2022 16:10:50 GMT -8
The Riddleseeker watched as Dan struggled to find words for what he was feeling. It wasn't uncommon for their kind to struggle with emotions or express them. Ironic, given they harvest the very power of emotions for their own means.
She took another drag from her cigarette, letting Dan process what he thought before he began listing activities he's perused to find this ephemeral feeling. She raised an eyebrow at the mention of Fencing, interesting.
Reaching across the table and tapping the ash into the tray, she addresses his question.
"Fun?" she says it dryly as if to suggest she never heard the word before. Before a smirk betrayed her sense of humor.
"A good book, a glass of wine, maybe a cocktail at the bar. Board games or word puzzles are also enjoyable. But you mentioned fencing, so I feel obliged to mention that I, too, fence. I participate with the SCA; I do HEMA, particularly long sword."
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Post by Croupier on Feb 8, 2022 16:42:37 GMT -8
That last activity struck a chord with Dan. His ears perked, "HEMA, you say? Didn't know there was a group around here." He sucked in the last dregs of his cigarette, "Sounds like something worth checking out next chance I get."
After a quick glance at his watch, Dan snuffed out his cigarette and stood up, "Hey, I gotta get back to the pit. But thanks for the smokes and the chat..." His hands flourished a quick clearing motion. "Maybe next time I'll bring the smokes?"
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Lotus Eater
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Presence (4) Capable |Rigid Mask | Winter Mantle | Status (Licensed Security) | Autumn Goodwill (1)
Posts: 74
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Post by Lotus Eater on Feb 8, 2022 17:27:32 GMT -8
"its a small one, but they're around. Might give you that thrill."
She nods as he begins to head into work again. She places the butt in the tray stands, leisurely placing her jacket once more.
"It was a pleasure. Catch you around." Lindsy nods before adding.
" Don't give me a reason to visit the table. Careful out there Dan"
It was hard to tell if the last statement was a joke or warning, but the Winter courtiers demeanor didn't help decipher it.
The Wizened went back to work.
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Post by Croupier on Feb 8, 2022 17:52:11 GMT -8
The Lost's last words hit Dan like a slap across the face - not hard or threatening, but firm enough to remind him for all their casual talk, there was a duty she took very seriously.
"Give you a reason?" Dan muttered to himself as he strode across the parking lot and back to the security entrance, "Well, I'll try not to."
As he walked back to the pit, he couldn't help if she was warning him to be careful about more than cheating the players or getting greedy with his needs. She may not have pressed him on current events, but maybe that was what she was truly concerned about.
By the time he was assigned to roulette, Dan resolved to give Gavin a call after work - see if he was free for drinks later.
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