RP:Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

Summary: The day before the intended "date" at the bar with Meri, Cal heads home from a long day at the seaside market in Cenril. On the way home, with every ounce of his bad luck in play, he manages to run into the blonde woman, and ends up getting that drink anyway, even if it is a quick one.

Intersection, Cenril City

Callum was wandering back from the marketplace near the shore, shoving a pouch of gold into his satchel. He pulled up the collar of his military-style coat, shielding his face from the unfortunately cool breeze that came with the coast this late at night, as the raven-haired male walked along, heading further into city. His pace would slow, however, as he came to the intersection, a brow raised and a thoughtful chewing of the inside of his cheek given as he pondered over whether or not he should actually head to that damned tavern. Work had been tiring, as it often was for most, and he wasn’t exactly sure if he had the energy to deal with anyone there at all. With the shake of his head, and a sigh, he’d continue on slowly towards the west, in the direction of home, instead of heading towards The Whaler’s.

Meri 's direction is pitted against Callum's, moving east toward the intersection instead of west. She too is dressed for the night time weather, opting for a black jacket that presently has hood drawn up for much the same reason that Cal is shielding his own face. The night. The ocean. The breeze. It definitely made things chilly. Meri was a wuss, shh. At some point, their paths come to head, perhaps not right in the middle of the intersection but it does happen. When it does Meri stands right in front of Cal, brow lifted a bit but her hood does well to shield that. "You were just going to completely leave me hanging weren't you." If she was mad or disappointed, she did well to keep it out of her tone, which was quite even. It is almost as if she wasn't even shocked. "I mean, I am sure if you were quick -- and I know you are, you could come with some bit about how it's not Monday ...blah blah blah. But you were just going to straight up stand me up, eh?"

Callum sighed heavily as blue eyes peered over at Meri, a frown alighting his lips as he came to a halt before running into her, “First of all, it was a frakkin’ ‘maybe’. Second, I’m incredibly people’d out for today. I don’t often come here on a Sunday and I tend to forget how busy the marketplace gets.” He raised a hand, pressing colds fingers and palm to his face in an effort to wipe away and hide how tired he actually was. It didn’t work well, though. One of the many carriages that sped through this area was coming just a hair too close for comfort from behind the female, a hand moving to Meri’s right shoulder to move her closer to the buildings when he does, though he doesn’t actually touch her. “What are you even doing here this late anyway? Do you seriously just always wander around in the most dangerous parts of this city for fun?”

Meri 's red lips part during the first portion of what Callum has to say but the man is spared the words, perhaps just temporarily. The carriage coming from behind is heard, which is the main reason that Callum is able to herd Meri out of the road and toward the building without resistance. Stubborn as a mule. It doesn't matter that she can hear the carriage, a look is cast over her shoulder to inspect the carriage. Maybe glare at the driver just a bit. Cutting it close there, bub. Distraction aside, Callum is safe no longer, "Oh, there it is. That's the justification." It still doesn't seem like Meri is taking it to heart, for the woman turns so that she can have a clear view of the road, both east and west. "Do I seriously always wander the most dangerous parts of the city. Cal. Please." The woman crinkles her nose up at the many implications of that statement. "I was going to the Whaler." A shrug comes as she sets her gaze on the path Callum was walking, as a grin pulls at her lips, "But you know this is such a dangerous part of town and a good looking guy like you really should not be wandering around unattended. It's late. There are thugs, you know? I should walk with you, you know, just to keep you safe."

Callum rolled his eyes once they were out of harm’s way. “You’re welcome. Also, don’t frakkin’ turn this around on me. I can damn well take care of myself and fine, if you can take care of yourself too.” Regardless of whether or not she actually meant what she was saying the was a little on the defensive. Poor guy worked all day; he was tired! “One less damned thing for me to have to worry about tonight.” Polished, yet clearly worn shoes wheel him backwards a few steps, away from her and closer to the intersection itself before he pivoted away towards the direction he’d come from. “Come then, you frakkin’ siren. Lure me to my death, or rather, the death of my coin purse.”

Meri perhaps should feel victorious that she is ultimately getting what she wants out of all of this? Cal had effectively taken any sweetness out of this victory and it is with a grumble that Meri follows. No denial that Meri wasn't trying to give Callum a taste of his own medicine with that role-reversal bit there. "You...." Meri starts, before finally starting into motion. It was Cal that was on the receiving end of her glare now. Following this glare is a sigh, "May be one of the most prickly and confusing men I've met yet, Cal." Tattooed hands are shoved into the pockets of her jacket as Meri starts to rethink this venture, feet still carrying her northward despite the doubt inspired, "Look, I'm not trying to twist your arm to make you have a couple of drinks with me. Head home if you want to."

The Whaler's Bar

Callum didn’t stop in his path towards the bar, saying along the way, “You just need to understand that not everyone’s got the frakkin’ luxury to be sitting at the bar all hours of the night. Runnin’ a business solely by yourself isn’t easy. When I am at the bar, it's still work. Can't really trust any of those people as far as I can throw them.” He sighed, though, attempting to be a little nicer, “ I did warn you that I'm exhausted.” Cal would continue on to the bar, open up the door, step inside, and hold the door open just enough for Meri to grab it. He’s not much for the whole holding open doors for females it’d seem. “What do you want?” was asked as he headed to the counter, his own drink order placed before hers: peach schnapps, vodka, and cranberry juice.

Meri thankfully was not the sort of woman who actually expected the door to be held open for her. "Whiskey," she informs the barkeep, except Cal wouldn't be given the opportunity to pay for it. Pride would not allow it, not after he'd straight up said she was going to be the death of his coin purse. "You do understand that I have a job myself? Maybe I don't own the shop but it's not like I am some crap tattoo artist that doesn't have several pieces in the works, thank you very much. You are tired...I offered to let you off the hook with this many times...." A frown weighs at red lips, thankfully their drinks are brought soon. "Well look, I had meant to drag you out here, try and get you to play a drinking game with me, ask you a bunch of nosey questions, maybe let you ask me a bunch of nosey questions. Then I was going to see if you wanted to come out to a strip joint with me because I think you and my friends would get along nicely....I think they'd kind of want to talk to you. I think you might be interested in some of the things they have to say...buuuut I don't feel like you're going to be having much of that tonight."

Callum felt a little bad at this point, his own frown reappearing. Coins would be pushed across the counter, his alcohol grabbed, and a long drink taken. “I’m sorry.” He regarded her with a side glance, letting silence linger for a few moments as another sip was taken. The tables were pretty full at this point; games of poker, long sea tales, and roaring, drunken laughter happening in various parts of the room. So, he opted to stay where they were, taking a seat at the bar, “I wasn’t trying to insinuate that you’re bad at your job just because you don’t own the place. I just--” He shook his head, “--it just wasn’t a good day for profits.” His drink was soon finished and the empty glass set upon the table, “ ‘Your friends’? The ones you were here with that one day? Not too keen on the strip club, but I guess if that’s were you all meet up then… Maybe not tonight, though, no. Tomorrow. If you’re fine with that. Sold what I needed to sell, so for once my day’s actually free.”

Meri follows suit and settles into a stool at the bar, it was as good a spot as any to her. The artist ignored the din of the bar, it was nothing out of the ordinary as far as Meri was concerned. Here, the Broken Barrel, it was much the same environment: full of rowdy sailors enjoying their time on land. There is a point during that poker game where one bloc accuses another of being a cheat, but the reality is that someone got a little confident with the bet and lost. That passes and her gaze wanders back to Callum. His apology earns him a lifted brow, "Well I'm sorry it was a crap day for you. And then you had to go dealing with this feisty blonde who's often too obnoxious for her own good? Geez, Cal, the worst." A smirk, this time the joke was at her own expense. "Tomorrow, yeah. We can meet up. Say in front of Cenril's Inn? Let's meet there. Don't bring your book though. Fair warning. And for the record? The strip joint is not my hang out spot. It's theirs."

Callum’s frown shifted into a smirk as he hears her joke, “Mhm. It is the worst. I’ve never had such an awful day before. Frakkin’ women.” Well, that’s not entirely true. He’d had worse days, and surprisingly the worst of all was caused by men. “Yeah, that’s fine. No book. Not really my fault that first day though. You all crashed my “party”.” He considered another drink, but instead pushed the glass away, another look given in her direction. He eyed all the tattoos that were visible, studying them carefully, “How painful is that anyway?” a motion of his hand given in the direction of her arm.

Meri drains her whiskey and also pushes the glass away, after tipping it upside down to single that one was enough. It wasn't fun getting hammered when the company kept was also not getting hammered. It usually meant that the intoxicated party made for horrible conversation and ultimately ended up doing something that would likely embarrass them. No, Cal would not get an embarrassing story on Meri. There were so many tattoos to study that Cal would be at it for awhile, mermaids, krakens, nautical stars, a sparrow. "It depends on where you decide to get one. The closer to bone the more it tends to hurt." A tattooed hand reaches up to pull her blonde hair away from the side of her neck, giving Cal a clean view of that tattoo. "The neck probably hurt the most for me. Of course, the most important factor in how much pain there will be is me, Cal-baby." Meri leans into Cal just a bit so she can pointlessly whisper the obvious, "That means you should be nice to me if you want a tattoo from me..."

Callum shifted uncomfortably when Meri got close, his expression shifting to like that of a deer in headlights at being called ‘Cal-baby’. It’s a good thing he wasn’t drinking anything else because he surely would’ve choked on it. “Right, uh. It was more making conversation than anything. Not so sure I’m the tattoo type, honestly. At least, what I’d get likely would get a few laughs at my expense.” He shakes his head, “Anyway, I should be getting home. If I’m to meet your friends tomorrow, I should get some sleep so I’m not a complete bumbling mess--just mostly, “ the last bit obviously a jab at himself. Her glass had been seen, and of course he knew what it meant, but regardless, he’d get the barkeep’s attention and motion to the glass to get her another as he pushed more coins across the counter. “You, uh, you stay out of trouble, yeah? And, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He’d slide off his stool, still vaguely uncomfortable, but trying to hide it.

Meri was really just left to form her own opinions over Callum's sudden discomfort, as much as he tries to hide it. Crossed a line there, Meri, with what was thought to be nothing more than cheeky humor. Awkward is as awkward does and Meri is at a loss for a smooth recovery on this one, as she was not entirely fully sure what she had done wrong. "Oh. Right. Sorry. Misunderstood. My bad. Anyway, yup, sure. Out of trouble. Whatever you say. I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep well and all that." Meri turns back to the barkeep and her newly refilled drink so that Cal gets to make his escape without any further commentary from the peanut gallery. Run, Callum.

Callum frowned again, but she wasn’t allowed to see it. Well, that was a close one--maybe too close. With a sigh, he’d turn away and head towards the door. There’d be a moment of hesitation, as if maybe he’d got the nerve to try to explain his awkwardness, but nope, he just left with nothing more than a “Goodbye, Meri.”