[Tai-Lau] Like Catching Smoke

[Li-Yan Zhang]

They played off each other's ideas like this often--It's what had made them so good in the group they were in before. It's also what kept them alive that whole time. Never assume anything. You never know the whole story, even when it seems all the facts are laid out for you.

"Mm. You know, now part of me hopes this does turn into a big deal. I'm curious about this gang and this girl. Seems like it might be fun. So long as we don't end up getting... too involved. Find the girl, then step back and watch it all play out before us." He nodded at the barkeep as his drink was brought over, his hand automatically moving to pick up the glass and raise it to his lips, sipping at it much slower now--It was an interesting drink. Not pure alcohol, obviously. More like a tea mead of some sort. Interesting combination,... not that Zhang would complain.

"At this point, anything is fair game."

[Tai-Lau Xinhua]

Tai-Lau smirked at the idea just a bit before pursing her lips to dispose of it. Despite her general disdain for their lack of knowledge concerning the job, she had always had a twisted love for observing and manipulating people, ever since she was a child. She especially wanted to know why this gang wanted the girl so badly; what and how deep the connection was between the two factors. She was also curious about who else could possibly be involved. The entire situation particularly intrigued her to be completely honest.

"I'm sure it will have an interesting outcome, whatever events unfold...assuming that this gang isn't too careful...and chooses to kill us because of our involvement." She smiled faintly again, a glint in her eyes that could almost be called bloodthirsty. "After all, if they were a powerful underground gang and we happened upon more than we should...we'd become a...liability..." Her voice changed from its typical impassive tone to one easily identified as cruel amusement. "Wouldn't that be entertaining?"

After a short moment of indulging in these thoughts, she regained her composure, easily withdrawing her mind from its darkest corners, as she'd done many times before. She looked over at her partner then, her face showing no sign whatsoever of any emotion at all, especially not the mild brutality that had been there only a moment ago. 

[Li-Yan Zhang]

"Tai-Lau, you say that as if no one has ever tried to kill us before. We may have a few scars, but we haven't been killed yet." He moved a hand to his chest as he spoke, just covering the spot where a deep, long scar across his chest marked the first, and last time he'd come that close to losing.

"I suppose it might be... amusing, though. Though let's not go digging too far unless we have to, yes? I much prefer money and my life over any information we might get." Li-Yan sighed, once again sounding much more indifferent than anything as he spoke

His attention began to waver---as it often did when boredom seeped into his body. His eyes wandered here and there throughout the room, glancing over the patrons of the lounge. Most seemed to just be enjoying the music, or enjoying whoever they were with now that there was no overly obnoxious person stealing away the comfortable atmosphere the lounge had at this usual time.

There was one man in particular though. Silent, rosy faced--no doubt from the now empty four mugs of once-ale in front of him. He was staring, border-line drool-faced at Tai-Lau. Or, more specifically, at her rather side-revealing dress, and slightly short attire in general, despite the leggings.
Zhang smirked, turning his gaze back to his partner.

"Looks like you're getting some attention here, Tai."

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[Tai-Lau Xinhua]

"I simply meant that it'd be fun to watch them try. But you're right, money and life is far more appealing." It was true; several people had tried to kill them before, though none had come all that close. As fun as fighting was however, it was much less troublesome to just avoid such situations.

After a moment she closed her eyes, just listening to the peaceful hum of the lounge. Occasionally she would concentrate on one conversation she could hear; using the tones in the voices and the few words she could manage to pick up to deduce the nature of the conversation, as well as the accents and dialects to assume the origins of the people. It was a game she played when there was nothing better to do.

At Li-Yan's words, she opened her eyes only to narrow them in disgust. "Exactly what kind of attention would that be?"

[Li-Yan Zhang]

At the girl's reaction, he gave a slight, lop-sided smirk, head rolling to the opposite side as he peeked out from under his bands, motioning with a slight tilt of his chin in the direction of the intoxicated onlooker.

"The sort of attention that involves mental images of your skirt being shorter, your dress having a keyhole on the chest, and you not wearing leggings. You know, the sort of attention that the boys in the old gang used to give you before I came around to play the big, older, protective brother figure." Liyan chuckled quietly after he spoke, reaching one of his hands over to toy with one of the small, gold tassels on the other's dress, before simply flicking it, hand returning to his glass afterwards so he could continue in the slow, enjoying sips.

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[Tai-Lau Xinhua]

"Does he look like someone who would be missed if he died?" She smirked slightly, from the memories rather than from the current situation, in which she was actually thoroughly disgusted.

It had honestly been quite a relief to have someone like Liyan come around when she was still in that gang. It had grown annoying having to put up with being surrounded by disgusting perverted men, only permitted to kill maybe one or two. After Liyan joined, that had disappeared for the most part.

After a moment Tai-Lau took the chance of looking over at her admirer. This however only furthered her general disgust. She really hated men-- Well. Except for Liyan-- especially when they were drunk. That was when they became the most vulgar and crude they could possibly be and it made her want to just exterminate them all.

[Li-Yan Zhang]

"To be honest, not really, no. But looks can be deceiving, even in his case, I'm sure."

Li-Yan let out a quiet snort then, finishing off his drink and simply watching Tai-Lau's expression as she turned her full attention onto the fat drunk admiring her pale skin from across the room. She was unamused, of course. It was an expression he'd grown rather accustomed to over the years. She'd start out like that, then gradually become more and more irritated.

He let out a sigh finally, shaking his head as he reached into one of his pouches in the back of his belt. "Come on, Tai. Let's just get out of here before the ale gives him enough courage to come over and say something." He placed a few yuans on the counter, flicking a fast wave at the bar tender, before sliding his arm over Tai-Lau's shoulders, pulling her from her seat and tucking the girl to his side.

He chanced a glance at the drunk again, silently, expressionlessly amused at the disappointment that glowed on the other's face.


ooc// shit reply is shit but I wanted to reply before bed shit. /

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[Tai-Lau Xinhua]

As Li-Yan pulled her close, Tai-Lau managed a sweet smile, only to further crush the drunken man across the lounge. After all, who knows? Maybe the fool was drunk enough to go kill himself because he couldn't have her, though Tai-Lau doubted anyone was truly that stupid, even drunk. The simple satisfaction of the idea made her forget to glare at Li-Yan for his amusement.

"Where should we go?" The sweetness of her smile certainly didn't penetrate the impassive tone of her voice.

Honestly, she didn't quite know where they would go or what they would do at this time. Probably the most practical thing to do would be to start their search for Kana, or at least begin to research the gang that was after her. However there were always the options of simply wandering the streets or going home.

She of course, didn't really care what they did at the moment, as long as they got out of the lounge and away from the disgusting eyes all over her.