Dives and Drinks

[Diana Warren]

Diana lifted her glass toward her cousin with an appreciative smile.


"I'll drink to that."


Raised her glass before she took a measured sip.


"I've found mistakes are expensive enough without refusing to learn from them. If I'm going to pay the tuition, I might as well earn the education."


The Prince's offer drew a brighter smile.


"You're welcome any time. No ceremonies, no expectations. Just a hike, fresh air, and enough elevation to remind us that most of our problems look much smaller from the top of a large boulder formation."


She paused as the bartender brought her a fresh drink.


"I wouldn't mind watching that chess match! Or seeing what you have to do to tune a piano. I love piano music, but I don't know much about pianos or how to play them, much less any inner secrets the mystery box might hold."


Turning back toward the giant, she rested her elbow lightly against the table.


"No," she conceded with an amused tilt of her head, "we aren't trees."


Her smile lingered.


"But we are creatures shaped by our environment. We adapt, we learn, and hopefully we become wiser for it. I don't believe compromise always costs you a piece of yourself."


She traced the rim of her glass with one finger.


"Sometimes it reveals which parts were never essential to begin with."


She shrugged.


"My principles aren't for sale. My opinions, however? Those should change whenever they're proven wrong. I'd rather be corrected than too stubborn."


A quiet chuckle escaped her.


"I suspect neither of us is likely to convince the other tonight."


When he questioned whether anyone was only what they appeared to be, Diana inclined her head in agreement.


"No."


Her hazel eyes studied him over the rim of her glass.


"But some people spend their entire lives making sure no one ever looks beyond the surface. Others leave little clues."


A playful glimmer appeared in her eyes.


"I'm still deciding which sort you are."


The story of the mugging earned an incredulous laugh.


"The poor fool folded after one punch?"


She shook her head.


"I almost feel sorry for him."


Almost.


"I imagine that was one of those moments where he replayed every decision that led him there while waiting for the ambulance."


She leaned back, a grin tugging at the corner of her mouth.


"I'll keep that in mind if you ever suggest a sparring match—but don't mistake caution for reluctance. I know how to handle myself well enough."

[Alessandra]

“I’m going to have to disagree. Compromise shows an ability to be flexible and an ability to adapt, a willingness to shift from ones original position to another. It doesn’t mean you have to give up part of yourself, but that you are willing to see things from a different perspective. Where as only insisting on having things your way, not willing to compromise will weaken connections and relationships overtime. Being flexible can be a very powerful tool when yielding correctly. But when used out of fear, or to avoid conflict, now that is when you lose and compromise your very core values.” She had been around longer than he had been alive, she’d seen these in practice. But let the cattle think he knew.

Letting the muggers live was his first mistake. But she keeps that to herself.

A chuckle, “I’ve turned many deals down in this city and outside this city.” Now she’s made deals with other Domains to keep the Domain safe and flourish, but that was a different business. “Overseas is a different story.” That was where the money and fun was. “That took work, but it has all been worth it.” And the reviews spoke for themselves.

Laughing, “I never understood those pieces myself, but I also won’t speak ill of them. If someone sees something in them, then more power to them. They’re not in my personal collection. I prefer art that has depth and allows each person that views it to see something different and can spark a conversation.” A banana wasn’t going to do it. “That would all depend on how much money was donated. Students need money for housing, food, and supplies. So the price is dependent on amount donated to each of the students, into the account’s setup for them.”

The sudden appearance of his anger didn’t frighten her, though it was a surprise. Given her actual age, she'd seen...a LOT. Given her Blood Gifts, she could do a lot...more. But seemed this cattle had some pent up anger issues. Good for him.

“I never said I was very good at chess, just that I enjoy the game. Not everything is about winning, but just enjoying the game. But should you find yourself wanting to just play, let me know.”

The smile was returned and her own glass raised.

“Guess it’s a good thing I’m not always down for ceremonies and expectations then huh?” chuckling. She might be Invictus, but she wasn’t your typical Invictus. “But I’m usually down to try something new.”

Another laugh, “Tuning a piano is not something exciting to watch, or really do for that matter. I only do it myself because I got tired of having to bring people in every time I had mine moved. Playing them can be relaxing, once you get the basics down, and if you enjoy learning to play them. I used to keep on in my business office, but had it moved.” She didn’t like how it looked there, and she hated being worried about someone touching it.

[Kray]

This is why words mattered, why they had value and why they we oh so important. Because mortals kept mixing them up and muddling the meaning. "Ah. Learning is the not the same compromise." Some did it out of ignorance, some did it try and sound smarter then they were and some did for no discernible reason the giant could determine. But it was irksome. "Ah. Or for that matter Compromise is not the same as adaptation." Even going so far as to correct Sophia, well correct in his mind. "Hm. They are different words for a reason. Because they have different meanings." So much of deceiving humans really did not require any actual deception, just say what you mean and let them work themselves into a muddle over it. "Uh. I would say being consistent is more useful then being flexible, if people know where they stand with you it makes them more inclined to do deals." Crime was at it's heart a business and like all business flourished best on patterns of stability.

Taking another swig of his brandy to wash down packet after of the salty snacks he had been devouring he ends it with a broken toothed smile, it is not a comforting thing to behold, as Diana examines him over he glass. "Huh. Well when your come to your conclusion, be sure to double check your workings." He would be most curious to see what measure some who was making an effort to actually try made, even if they had no hope of seeing anything more then cracks in the facade. The whole truth would allude her, likely till the day she died.

The great shoulders heave in another shrug. "Ah. There wasn't much to him to be fair and I throw a mean punch." Far from the nastiest thing he could do of course he could bite a man to death in handful of seconds. But that wasn't something to brag about. "Ah. I reckon they were either desperate or looking to try and prove something." It was also possible he had made enemies or they had suffered directly as part of one his many many deals but no blustering speech about revenge or payback had come so the other two options felt more likely. "Oh. I don't doubt that he was full of regrets but yeah it just was not his day." On another day under different circumstances who knows. "Ah. That's not to say I always win. last person I stepped into a ring with beat me, some blonde army lady from what I recall." There is no malice here, he had lost fair and square. "Hm. I broke something of her but she got my ribs." And that had made moving really difficult. "Ah. But if we go again I'll see about evening that score." He had not seen her before or since.

There must be some lure to criminals that prompted them to expand over seas. Circe did it, evidently Sophia did it but despite not being American himself the pull just was not there. Well maybe not in the traditional sense. "Ah. Well I hope all that continues to go well for you, but international it is a bit rich for my blood, and to volatile." Shaking his head. "Hm. No. I prefer to look someone in they and shake their hand when we make deals, and those deals be less prone to shifts in things I can not control." Geo politics made things an absolute mess right now, for everyone.

Well if those pieces did not do it then what did. "Uh. So what is in your collection, what meets the criteria and sparks conversations?" And surely would not such conversation be quite circular, no one able to agree on anything? "Uh. Okay lets measure it in years funding for each things you said. How many years of food, housing and supplies would they need to donate to students to get you to play?" While the giant had built up a fair amount of funds thanks to allies in the financial world it as doubtful he had enough to even bother to pretend this was an investment he was interested, so why he is sticking on this point is anyone's guess.

Anger, laughter, or anything else he seems to wear it quite openly, the giant lacks a degree of composure that most have. "Oh. I am interested in playing chess, if nothing more the not learn. And given i loose at just about every other game I play." Not all he had that drafts win against Sonnie after all. "Ah. I don't mind a bit if I loose at this as well. Playing people who have experience is a good way to learn." You just need to be able to take losing over and over again in the process.

[Diana Warren]

Diana smiled over the rim of her glass at her cousin.

"I had a feeling you weren't the sort to insist on ceremony for ceremony's sake." She chuckled softly.

"Then it's settled. One evening I'll find the best trail I can and show it to you, and another perhaps you'll introduce me to your piano."

The thought seemed to genuinely intrigue her.

"I imagine tuning one is one of those crafts that looks deceptively simple until you understand what's actually happening. Like restoring a painting or setting a broken bone. Most people only notice when it's done poorly."

She took another sip before continuing.

"I've always loved listening to the piano. There's something about it that can be impossibly delicate one moment and fill an entire room the next."

A thoughtful smile crossed her face.

"I never learned to play, but I've always admired the people who can. It seems less like memorizing notes and more like learning another language."

She tilted her head slightly.

"Do you have a favorite composer, or do you find yourself playing whatever suits your mood that evening?"

A quiet laugh escaped Diana as she swirled the amber liquid in her glass at the Giant.

"I'll be sure to show my work."

She met his grin without flinching, amusement lingering in her hazel eyes.

"Though I have a suspicion you're the sort of puzzle that changes shape the moment someone thinks they've solved it."

His explanation of the mugging earned an understanding nod.
"
Desperation has a way of convincing people they're ten feet tall and invincible." She smiled into her drink.
"Reality usually has a less generous opinion."

The mention of the boxer caught her attention more than the mugging had.

"Now that's a story." Her brow lifted with genuine curiosity.

"You don't strike me as someone who's bothered by losing." She rested her forearms lightly on the table.
"In fact, I'd wager you enjoyed finally finding someone capable of giving you a proper fight."

A small grin tugged at the corner of her mouth.

"I've always learned more from the things that humbled me than the things that came easily."

She glanced toward his broad frame with playful skepticism.

"Although, if someone managed to break your ribs, I imagine she earned your respect in a hurry."

Lifting her glass in a small salute, she added with a smile,

"Here's hoping you get your rematch someday. If nothing else, it sounds like it'd be entertaining to watch—from a very safe distance."