#« interactions » mariko braun

[soliloquivm]

he doesn’t see her come in ; broad shoulders are turned toward the entrance, a wall of well-worn flannel ( threadbare would be a more apt description of the garment ― it’s nearly as old as charlie, if not just a hair older ― but he’s too sentimental to toss it ) facing the door as he busies himself polishing highballs and pint glasses. it’s mindless work, and likely a task he would have passed along to one of his staff were they not so slow this evening that he could do it himself. ( and look, he doesn’t bring it up because he’s not that guy, but they never look as good as when he’s the one wielding the towel, alright ? ) he doesn’t see her come in, and it’s all the more reason for his head to whip around in surprise at the sound of her voice, smooth and sharp as his favorite aged whisky as it cuts through the din of the bar. nose wrinkles at her words, though dom’s not sure if it’s more for the implied insult or the idea of her having a better time when he’s not here. ( is she taunting him ? trying to get a rise ? if that’s her tactic, dom’s reluctant to admit it’s working. fuck, it’s working. ) ❝ purely coincidence. gotta be. ❞ for all that he tries to maintain a level face, the start of a smirk twitches at the corners of his lips as he turns to face her. ❝ i’ll have you know i’ve been called the life of the party. more than once. ❞ brows lift as dom nods toward mariko, and he’s already reaching for a bottle and a glass, ready to pour up her usual. and he’s not exactly lying, those very words have been spoken to him a handful of times, typically on karaoke night after he’s had a few beverages himself. ( the notorious feather boa from last year’s pride still hangs behind the bar, and if you know, you know. ) there’s something vaguely flippant in how he tosses a coaster onto the bar top in front of her before placing her drink atop it. ❝ you want me doing tricks back here or something ? is what what micah does when i’m not here ? flipping and tossing bottles or some shit ? ❞ dom shakes his head, but there’s something defensive, almost indignant about it. ❝ i could do that too. i’m a fun boss. right ? ❞

‘ THE LIFE OF THE PARTY ? ‘ she returns the smirk as long nails drag through her hair as way to push it away from her face . her chin rests on the knuckles of the other and she playfully bats eyelashes towards him , ‘ you know — they say that speaking good things about yourself is a way to boost your own self image , but you’re also not supposed to overdo it . ‘ of course she’s teasing him , it’s something of a love language so she’s been told , and why does she keep doing it to dom ? well , easy enough of an answer is basic flirtation , and she loves flirting with the gruff man often poised behind the bar in such an overbearing way that she can’t help but want to watch him squirm .

so she does taunt him , mercilessly in fact , getting a rise out of him is something that only makes her day better . — seeing him , makes her day that much better , she’s come to reluctantly notice as well .

mariko laughs at how he tries to make her toss micah under the bus , but she goes for it as to not allow him to get the upper verbal hand , ‘ oh trust me , i’ve watched him stand up on this bartop and dance the night away to the latest hits ‘ the smirk turns into an almost childish grin before she takes the drink in her palm and raises it in his direction . once a pleasurable sip is taken and it’s placed back down , ‘ you know , i would pay good money to watch you get on this bar and dance like nobody — i repeat nobody is watching , what do you say hot stuff ? want to go and show the younger generation how it’s done ? ‘ a daring look wears in her gaze , pointed and challenging before she settles back in her seat , ‘ but i’m sure the fun boss has too much to do , isn’t that right ? ‘ @thecryptidcottage because again , tumblr hates us .

[soliloquivm]

RED WINE AT A BAR WASN’T MARIKO’S usual go - to , but of course , she couldn’t help but jump on the chance . after all … she has plenty of bottles at home . ‘ what sucks is that what happens when you start getting old ‘ she sighs , dejected as she considers her own age for a minute ‘ but you know what ? who in their right mind would turn down a free glass of wine ‘ she raises it in toast , ‘ to terrible livers , right ? ‘

open starter for @nottinghillstarters.

location: hammond's pub.

With two glasses of red wine on the bar in front of her, despite ordering and paying for just one, Alice wasn't one to turn down a free drink. Though, this early into the evening, she decided she was going to start slow. "Are you a fan of red wine by any chance? They gave me an extra glass." The brunette enquired with a smile as she turned to the person by her side. "You're welcome to have it. It's probably best if I begin with just one... my liver isn't what it used to be."

[prcsopa]

alcide herveaux , adalyn roth , mariko braun ! 

[ofeden]

mariko  ,  miraç , milo

[sarpelui]

mariko ,  miraç , milo !

[soliloquivm]

‘ RUNNIN’ ON ABOUT THREE HOURS OF SLEEP , ‘ she responds easily , though that is likely a bit of a lie . it was definitely less , but that isn’t the important part of the conversation . ‘ i guess it depends , did you steal some sap’s wallet and you’re just looking to share the wealth ? ‘

@nottinghillstarters

LOCATION: Badger and Boar

"𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐘𝐀 𝐒𝐎 down in the dumps? Anything a drink on someone else's dime can fix? And by that someone, I mean me."

[soliloquivm]

location : knock out gym status : closed for @pullumtendies ( zekai )

TIME AT THE GYM WAS WELL SPENT , while retired , mariko prided herself in keeping in shape . she’d spent more than enough time there . it wasn’t too busy that evening , slow enough that she was able to keep attention on the door as she worked one of the punching dummies in the corner — and that is when she saw a familiar face come in . at first , she was uncertain , thrown off , one could say , but the larger part of her decided to cut whatever the hell this was from the quick . ‘ hey — ‘ she buries the concern of zekai’s presence down while approaching , ‘ look what the cat dragged in . ‘

[soliloquivm]

✯ location : the wolfe's den ✯ status : closed ( @thecryptidcottage )

SHE HAS A HABIT OF WALKING INTO ROOMS like she owns the place , and whenever mariko makes her way into the wolfe’s den ? she can’t help but do the same . curious eyes scour the bar area for a place to sit and to check out the customers that have taken over the high tops . luckily , the bar seating is few and far between , so she’s able to take a spot at the end . settled , it only takes half of a glance up to spot the towering figure of the quiet reason she prefers sitting in this spot , ‘ you know, last time i was in here , it was a blast , but you weren’t anywhere in sight — today it seems like a drag , mr wolfe are you a fun sponge kind of boss ? ‘

[soliloquivm]

IF THERE IS ONE THING THAT MARIKO has always loved — it was a challenge . dominik wolfe ? he’s just that . the rough exterior , the bar that looks as if it’s been pulled right out of a charlaine harris novel ? beneath all of that she’s begun to catch glimpses here and there of the soft teddy bear inside - even if it’s wrapped up tight in a grizzly kind of exterior . ‘ your facts sound like they are ripped from the headlines of an american newspaper ‘ she would know , after all , the amount of times she’s read one and let out the audible groan of annoyance . ‘ all fluff ? no substance ? c’mon wolfe , seeing is believing , isn’t that right ? ‘ she takes a sip of her drink , as if patiently waiting for him to bend to the very push that she’s given him , but eventually , she relents . ‘

‘ as busy of a worker you are , do you actually polish anything ? ‘ it’s another show of banter of course , she knows he runs a tight ship … when he’s around , so she makes dramatic flair to drag her finger tip across the bartop and examine it closely , ‘ i don’t know dom , if you ask me , i think you’re slacking a little . ‘ perhaps retirement has gotten to her a bit more than she would like to admit – that she has to go to the bar just to see some dangerously good looking guy that can match her wit to keep herself cool . she’d claim it’s a distraction , but considering the timing of her visits , almost always when he’s around ? if anyone were to notice they would be wildly disappointed .

when he leans against the counter , mariko can’t help but lean forward as well . she’s cat like , a sleek smile training the corner of her mouth as if ready to pounce over the bar to meet the challenging gaze he gives her . she doesn’t though , instead a brow perks high upon her forehead , and her chin rests in the palm of her hand . ‘ and to think , this whole time i thought you were trying to sweep me off my feet , only to find out that your own are pretty cold . ‘ two fingers reach up to tap at the bottom of his chin before returning to her glass , ‘ i think it’s cute how easy you think i am – watching the country boy dance the night away , you’re right , the thought of it already has me swooning . ‘

soliloquivm​.

‘ THE LIFE OF THE PARTY ? ‘ she returns the smirk as long nails drag through her hair as way to push it away from her face . her chin rests on the knuckles of the other and she playfully bats eyelashes towards him , ‘ you know — they say that speaking good things about yourself is a way to boost your own self image , but you’re also not supposed to overdo it . ‘ of course she’s teasing him , it’s something of a love language so she’s been told , and why does she keep doing it to dom ? well , easy enough of an answer is basic flirtation , and she loves flirting with the gruff man often poised behind the bar in such an overbearing way that she can’t help but want to watch him squirm .

so she does taunt him , mercilessly in fact , getting a rise out of him is something that only makes her day better . — seeing him , makes her day that much better , she’s come to reluctantly notice as well .

mariko laughs at how he tries to make her toss micah under the bus , but she goes for it as to not allow him to get the upper verbal hand , ‘ oh trust me , i’ve watched him stand up on this bartop and dance the night away to the latest hits ‘ the smirk turns into an almost childish grin before she takes the drink in her palm and raises it in his direction . once a pleasurable sip is taken and it’s placed back down , ‘ you know , i would pay good money to watch you get on this bar and dance like nobody — i repeat nobody is watching , what do you say hot stuff ? want to go and show the younger generation how it’s done ? ‘ a daring look wears in her gaze , pointed and challenging before she settles back in her seat , ‘ but i’m sure the fun boss has too much to do , isn’t that right ? ‘ @thecryptidcottage because again , tumblr hates us .

          a steely hazel gaze narrows in mariko’s direction when she questions him and dom makes a point to look indignant, flannel-clad arms crossing over his chest as eyes roll to combat her dark, fluttering lashes. he already knows that he’ll never win with her, that every move he makes, every word he utters is subject to a critical quip from the spitfire brunette. but don’t let his unimpressed stare fool you ; dom is actually rather fond of this game of cat-and-mouse he finds himself caught up with whenever mariko shows up at his bar. ❝ that’s a direct quote, love, ❞ he replies coolly, and any air of defense he puts on is a front, just as playful as her jibes. mostly. it takes a lot to get to him, alright ? he’s raising a teenage son, for christ’s sake, he’s got to have the patience of a goddamn saint. ❝ i’m not overdoing anything, simply stating facts. ❞

         brows arch, skeptical, as mariko calls his bluff. deep down, there’s a part of him that suspects she’s doing this on purpose, that she’s lying through her teeth ― innocently, of course ― just to get a rise out of him. but he also knows the kinds of kids he employs, and he’s witnessed first-hand just how quickly things at the den can turn wild, especially on the weekend. ❝ izz’at why i’m always polishing scuff marks off my bar top ? ❞ dom counters, a fib in its own right, and snatches up the bar rag he’d just been using to shine glasses if only so he can shake it in her direction, a vague and meaningless threat. ❝ you know what ? the answer’s still no, but before you go causing a fuss about it, i’m gonna tell you why it’s actually for your good that i'm saying that. ❞

          there’s the glint of a challenge in her eyes as dom meets mariko’s gaze, and he keeps his own stare level, serious, as he approaches the bar opposite her and rests his arms against the counter. ❝ if i climbed up on this bar top right here, right now, and danced like nobody’s watching ? ❞ he shakes his head, scoffs. ❝ you’d fall in love. just like that. hey, don't look at me like that, i don’t make the rules. ❞

[soliloquivm]

‘ OH , YOU KNOW ME - EVERYONE’S SAVIOR ‘ mariko lets out a dry laugh , stepping through the door with a brief glance around the foyer . there’s a bottle of wine in hand which she shows off with a half smile , ‘ you know — you really should try that thing called personal boundaries … or better yet , use the do not disturb option on your phone , i promise – it’s a life saver ‘ making way through the house , she turns back to imogen , ‘ now , how about you and i crack this bad boy open , huh ? ‘

@nottinghillstarters

LOCATION: Imogen's home.

"𝐆𝐎𝐃, 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐀𝐑𝐄. Your arrival is certainly my sign to avoid my phone for the rest of the night.. if I have to respond to another e-mail marked important, I might scream. Everyone seems to think that their quandary should be at the top of my list these days."