#( everyone else is vibing and these two are playing 4d chess over a stove )

[tacticalvalor]

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for: @unrclypirxte muse: lalo salamanca; charming cartel head and master chef extraordinaire. continued from a prior interaction, linked in source!

There was a lot of curiosity to be had with this new arrival, but it was out of his hands. The higher ups said they'd found interest in some South African dealer who was… where was he again? Rook Islands? The locale escaped Lalo. But, the group seemed trustworthy enough if Eladio's reactions were anything to go by. He was enthusiastic; almost scarily so. 'Anything to get an edge on the Chicken Man', he'd said. Most of the gaggle that'd been sent mainland weren't too much to look at. Typical mercenary types who liked to amp up the 'big and tough' act. It was amusing in a weird way, and had it not been for the recent nature of their allianceship, Lalo would have absolutely tried poking the bear and seeing where the cards fell.

Then, there was Hoyt's right hand.

Lalo hummed at the compliment she'd tossed. Admirable. He'd be lying if he said the thought didn't swell his pride, at least a little bit. But he was more curious in her curiosity. Curious of how she casually waltzed over and looked over the array before him. A warm snicker escaped at her pun, eyes squinting with a hint of playfulness as he'd shot a faux disappointed look at the cheesiness of the joke.

"Carne asada steak tacos—Family recipe." He grinned, proud of that fact. "I'll make sure to save you a plate when it's done."

It wouldn't be too long, by the looks of it. The meat was turning a nice, rich color thanks to the added marinade. After that, it was just a matter of tossing everything together and folding it up real nice. So, at least for now, he would indulge the small talk. It would be useful to gain a bit more information about things, after all.

"Ah… Sometimes. Most people here know better than to make assumptions like that, but every now and again," he laughed, shaking his head, "it can get pretty interesting. But hey, better to catch people off guard, no?"