[ To Tseng's question, Reno giggles, nods. It isn't the vapid, unaware sort of ditzy display that'd make him seem like a foolish little broad that doesn't belong, though, and that's something to be very careful of. It's a delicate balance, coming off as dainty and sweet but not too innocent. Nobody too innocent would come to a place like this, not even to be with her scheming boyfriend. These types of guys, they leave their little sweeties at home to play house. When a man brings his girl to a den full of thugs, she's either one of two things: a working woman, or part of the operation. Alternatively, he could be a tribute of Tseng's offering, instead, brought down for the people of this sick fucking upside-down world to feast on, too. Reno can remember seeing that happen before, too. Boys, girls, all sorts—people that hadn't been dragged and drugged and forcibly taken, or suckered in by naivete or desperation, but people who had been eased into the game and then sold wholesale before they ever even knew what was happening to them.
Truth be told, that last one would be a very nice angle to work. Maybe he still will, if it comes down to that. If he has to. But even truthier be told, the thought makes him feel desperately afraid, and he can hardly stand to think of being that kind of bait right now. Only if he has to, he tells himself. Then and only then. This is not a safe situation for him to be in. He hasn't felt actual, visceral fear like that in a long, long, long time. Fear makes you sloppy and reckless. It can't be allowed. Only in a last-ditch scenario.
For now, there's nothing to be afraid of. He leans in, presses his lips to Tseng's cheek. ]
Mm, that's right. My baby's very good. And yet he never manages to win when it's just the two of us...
[ His hand slides up Tseng's thigh, and there's two very good reasons for it. One is that it catches the eye of the man on his left, who watches the smooth movement of his fingers traveling up the seam of Tseng's pants for all of a second or two before they meet each other's gaze. Reno smiles, holding the stare with his lids lowered, his hand stilling and his lashes batting just twice in a you won't tell, will you? kind of way. It gives him just enough time for a lightning-quick gaze at the cards in the man's hand, the glance unnoticed when he's too busy being ogled instead. After he's gotten what he wanted, Reno inclines his head and sweeps his eyes across the table, and Sun Fu returns to his cards.
The second reason for that hand on Tseng's thigh, now angled far in such a way that it's difficult to make out on either side of them, is to subtly trace the shape of the characters he's seen in Sun Fu's hand against his leg. Honestly, he isn't sure what the values of some of the characters are off the top of his head, but that's fine. Tseng will know. This is minor-league shit compared to what's coming, anyway. They're going to have to play their way to the next room, and that's where he figures they'll find their man. Unless one of these seats were meant for him, in which case...
In which case it's just a lucky thing that it isn't breaking character for him to disrupt the silence of the table with some charming gab, meant to draw all the attention toward himself so that Tseng can play a perfect game, and also a much-needed relief for the high-alert nerves he's feeling. ]
no subject
Truth be told, that last one would be a very nice angle to work. Maybe he still will, if it comes down to that. If he has to. But even truthier be told, the thought makes him feel desperately afraid, and he can hardly stand to think of being that kind of bait right now. Only if he has to, he tells himself. Then and only then. This is not a safe situation for him to be in. He hasn't felt actual, visceral fear like that in a long, long, long time. Fear makes you sloppy and reckless. It can't be allowed. Only in a last-ditch scenario.
For now, there's nothing to be afraid of. He leans in, presses his lips to Tseng's cheek. ]
Mm, that's right. My baby's very good. And yet he never manages to win when it's just the two of us...
[ His hand slides up Tseng's thigh, and there's two very good reasons for it. One is that it catches the eye of the man on his left, who watches the smooth movement of his fingers traveling up the seam of Tseng's pants for all of a second or two before they meet each other's gaze. Reno smiles, holding the stare with his lids lowered, his hand stilling and his lashes batting just twice in a you won't tell, will you? kind of way. It gives him just enough time for a lightning-quick gaze at the cards in the man's hand, the glance unnoticed when he's too busy being ogled instead. After he's gotten what he wanted, Reno inclines his head and sweeps his eyes across the table, and Sun Fu returns to his cards.
The second reason for that hand on Tseng's thigh, now angled far in such a way that it's difficult to make out on either side of them, is to subtly trace the shape of the characters he's seen in Sun Fu's hand against his leg. Honestly, he isn't sure what the values of some of the characters are off the top of his head, but that's fine. Tseng will know. This is minor-league shit compared to what's coming, anyway. They're going to have to play their way to the next room, and that's where he figures they'll find their man. Unless one of these seats were meant for him, in which case...
In which case it's just a lucky thing that it isn't breaking character for him to disrupt the silence of the table with some charming gab, meant to draw all the attention toward himself so that Tseng can play a perfect game, and also a much-needed relief for the high-alert nerves he's feeling. ]