A Half Pint and A Quarter Pounder (Shouhei)

Despite speaking in code to begin with, it took Shouhei several moments to decipher Tamsin’s message.  “...I’d be a hypocrite in sayin’ that I wouldn’t wanna endanger you, but goin’ together is safer than goin’ alone.  Besides you proved yourself to me that I shouldn’t even worry ‘bout you like that.”  I’m still gonna worry though who’m I kiddin’.

“And… if this team don’t suit my interests… ya mind introducin’ me to yours sometime?”

Tamsin swallowed, hoping the waitress would bring their food soon. Damn, of course she'd end up in this situation. She wondered absently if he'd picked up the part of her wanting to be a cadet originally. It was what Isaac did, after all. And the main reason she didn't want to join the playhouse...was because she couldn't bring herself to directly oppose him. With Patty she felt like she was helping people...like she'd found a way to be a Cadet while not being one at the same time. They were like Minutemen, dealing with problems the Cadets didn't even know were problems yet. But the playhouse fought against them...and that could only end badly.

She chewed on her words for a minute before responding. "Yeah, I don't mind making the introductions at least. You already met one of them tonight. She...was the big one." She replied, with a dismissive wave of her hand. "It's not like a formal team that you can just apply for or anything." She didn't really know how to describe it, really. Besides, they already had a pretty well-rounded team.

Tamsin tried her best not to look apologetic while he explained that he liked to march to the beat of his own drum just like them. It wasn't wrong. They were exactly that. Free-agents. They'd do what they pleased, and no doubt of that. "Yeah, basically." She agreed with a nod, then smiled a little at his last comment. "We have that in common. I don't like owing people either. But considering my situation...it ends up happening a lot. Maybe doing these night games is a way of paying that back. I guess." She shrugged.

“...Ain’t it funny how life works out like that?”  Shouhei said, and with impeccable timing, Juliet returned with their food and drinks.

“House special burger, loaded fries for the guy I wanna hear sing.  Nachos for the lovely lady.  A pint of brew, a glass of champagne, and a shot for me,” Juliet said aloud everything she placed on the table, with the exception of her own shot glass.  She raised it up for all three of them to cheer.  “Congrats to the sluggers on their victory!  And to me!  Cheers!”

“Cheers,” Shouhei clinked his mug against their glasses, smiling at both Tamsin and Juliet.  In a way he saw this as an agreement with Tamsin.

Tamsin smiled half heartedly, raising the glass to clink with the other two. Then, thirsty as she was, she tipped back the whole thing and drank it. It burned a little going down, and had a sweet and bitter taste at the same time. There was a strange sensation as she set down the empty glass and blinked a couple times. "W-what was this thing again? Is this alcohol?" She asked, with a slightly incredulous look at Shouhei. This wasn't good. She could really get in trouble for this. Especially if she went back to the orphanage and they found out...They just wouldn't find out. That was fine, right? right?

Tamsin spent the next couple moment staring at the glass in her hand as if it were a hated enemy.

“Wow, the little slugger can slam her drinks down too,” Juliet giggled.  “...Wait, you don’t know what champagne is hun?!”

“...Eh, I figured you knew when it was brought up, my fault Tamsin.”  Shouhei did feel bad about it but then he realized she didn’t like interacting with servers.  Also didn’t most people her age want to drink?  Regardless he figured this would be a life lesson for her in the long run and he shrugged it off, laughing at her reaction.  “Just eat your nachos and it’ll be fine; it’ll soak up the alcohol.  You can have some of my fries too.”

“Yeah, I’ll get ya some water and rolls of bread too.  You’ll be fine sweetie,” Juliet whirled about on her way back to the kitchen.

After all...it wasn't like having more would get her into any more trouble than having one would...right? She looked a little sheepishly at Shouhei, curious for another taste of the drink that probably should have been forbidden. He was right...kids wanted to break the rules right? She really wasn't any different, despite the face she always put on for the younger kids, and despite how much she looked up to Isaac...It felt a little good to break the mold every now and again. Somehow...she felt like she understood Patty a little bit more. Not necessarily from this particular event, but from the revelation in herself. "...Please." She added, snagging the chip with the most cheese and meat on it from the center of her nachos, and popping it fully into her mouth.

“Haha, gimme about fifteen minutes and finish at least half your food, then ask me again,” Shouhei chuckled at Tamsin’s sudden turnaround.  Besides, he didn’t want her to get her rip roaringly drunk, only buzzed, lightly tipsy at best.  “If there’s one thing I learned about alcohol, moderation is key.  You’ll learn too.”

With that said he chomped into his burger and it was one of the best tastes in his life.  Now this was what living was all about.  Smashing demon’s faces in, eating great food, drinking delicious beer, laughing at his own peer’s reaction to alcohol.  He tore off a chunk of his burger and offered it to Tamsin.

“Wan’ a piesh?” He garbled in between bites.

Tamsin pouted a little when he denied her another glass. But the way he did it was...almost brotherly. It was obvious he was looking out for her, not just saying no. She...appreciated it. Even if it did make her feel a little bit childish. She shrugged, and moved on, as if she didn't really want another one all that bad.

Had he just offered her some of his burger, she would have politely declined, but he had already tore off a piece, and she didn't want to refuse him when he'd already done that. So she nodded shortly, and accepted. It was...really greasy. But also delicious. "...Thanksh" She said, covering her mouth. Again, having waited to say it until after putting the food in her mouth.

Just like with the donut the other day, she gulped down her food fairly quickly, reaching halfway through the Nachos in no time. Finally taking a breath after a particularly large mouthful she asked, "How about now?"

Shouhei merely blinked several times at how swiftly Tamsin tore through her food.  Was that orphanage of hers starving them or something?  Either that or she was as famished as he was after delivering a solid thrashing to some demons.  Regardless he found it pretty adorable at how badly she wanted to drink, as he recalled fond memories of doing whatever it took to get drunk at her age.

“Back with some water and bread~” Juliet sang upon arrival as she placed the basket of rolls and glass of water beside Tamsin.

“...You’re off key Jules.  And my friend here seems to have changed her mind.  One more glass of champagne please,” a smirk came from Shouhei before he sipped on his beer.

“Shaddup, why don’tcha teach me with that voice of yours then huh?” Quipped back the redheaded server hotly, before a smile came to her.  “That quick though, huh?  I remember gettin’ smashed on my parents’ tequila my first time.  Lucky thing ya got a nice date like Shouhei here to give ya the good stuff!”

In return Shouhei said nothing too snappy, since he was the first to tease.  Instead he offered her another bill, still smirking.  “To think, I could be treating you instead Jules.”

“Right away good sir and madam!” Juliet snatched the money and whisked herself away.

“...And when you get it, no chugging the whole damn thing down entirely, ya hear me?  Take it easy, drink it with your meal, appreciate it more,” Shouhei said to Tamsin.  “You are kinda lucky to have someone watch out for ya on your first time drinkin’.”

Tamsin snatched a roll out of the basket almost before they'd been sat down, though after taking it, she started peeling it apart, stuffing a piece of it into her mouth as she watched the exchange between Shouhei and the server. They were both talking to her, but Tamsin could tell that they were doing it in that way that adults did to cover their own flirting when a child was around. That was fine though. She was looking at the waitress while her attention was focused on Shouhei, and realized that she really was quite pretty. Tamsin couldn't begrudge Shouhei wanting to date her, if he really did. Though Shouhei made Tamsin think more of the aloof type that never really had a girlfriend for long, until the main character came along that is. A 'lone wolf' type, maybe. In any case, She supposed it wasn't really her business.

She did watch the server walk away though, perhaps spending a few too many seconds doing it, silently chewing on a bit of bread. She turned back to Shouhei when he addressed her directly with his warning. "Hm? Okay." She said, swallowing. "That's kind of why I want it. I hardly got to taste the last one." kind of. Breaking the rules was another reason. Oh the look on Isaac's face if he knew. But, she wouldn't say that out loud. "I trust you, anyway." to a point, that is. She had a very powerful witch's number if he tried to pull anything.

“...Good to hear.  I want that same kinda trust the next time we play another ‘game.’  Speakin’ of which, whenever you wanna patrol, lemme know yeah?  I wanna swing for the fences with someone I know who can handle herself.  Those fuckers don’t stand a chance with people like us around,” while it sounded confident, Shouhei stated it more matter-of-factly, and chomped down on his fries casually.

Tamsin thought again about Shouhei hanging out with her crew, and swallowed what she was eating. She couldn't say he could, ofcourse. But if they were busy and she needed someone to run with, there was no way she wouldn't call him up. "Okay, I'll call you up sometime." She offered, slowly realizing something as she brought another chip to her mouth. "Except I don't have your number." she pointed out, pointing the chip at him before popping it into her mouth.

“...Here ya go,” Shouhei handed her his phone, already set to his contacts list.  “Just put in your number.  I’ll text ya, and et cetera.”

“Oh?  What’s this I see?” It was almost as if Juliet had instantly appeared beside them as she placed another glass of champagne on the table.  She hooked an arm around Shouhei’s shoulder as she downed another shot for herself, “Givin’ out digits… this date’s goin’ better than I expected~”

“Wouldja knock that shit off?  Besides, you’re makin’ my ‘date’ jealous when you cling to me like that,” huffed Shouhei in return, annoyed but with a smile.

Meanwhile Tamsin quietly observed while sipping her champagne...