flourish_or_perish | Spaaaace, just outside of Mars' orbit

Mars was the closest planet in the solar system, regardless of whether you went to the robot-inhabited version of 2021 or caught a portal to take you to the densely-populated version of Faye's time, and so that was where she had decided to take Stark for that promised, non-hole-related ride in her ship. They could have gone further, but Faye didn't especially feel like passing through a gate and paying the associated toll -- or, honestly, letting her ship be seen at an official checkpoint, if she could help it.

Plus, Mars had cities, which meant nightlife. And this was, after all, a date. Faye could even admit it.

"All right," Faye noted quietly -- given that it was still a very snug fit in the Red Tail's cockpit, she really could keep her voice fairly low -- as she gestured out the windshield to a green spot on the red planet. "So that's Tharsis, where we're headed. Still doing good?"

He seemed like he was doing fine, but Faye had found that checking in with Stark was just a thing she'd started doing since the whole hole thing, regardless.

[for the space date and NFB for distance, self.]

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"This way," Faye told him, tugging him along towards a busy side-street, under a couple awnings, and through a crowd to find a fairly tucked-away establishment with signage indicating it was a bar, in both English and Japanese. "I figure we can start off kind of low-key?" she added, ducking in through the door into a fairly quiet, somewhat dingy, smoke-filled room. She waved with her free hand to the bartender, who gave her a nod in recognition.

Look, Faye liked being taken to nice places, but if you left the destinations up to her, she'd pick crappy holes-in-the-wall and obnoxious lighting every time.

Well, Stark would take her somewhere nice another day. Probably not on Mars though. The island even had some nicer restaurants that he'd never been in.

"Low-key is fine." He wasn't usually picky about where he was, as long as it wasn't somewhere he felt immediately unsafe. And this wasn't that. He wasn't worried, at the moment, and was just allowing himself to be led as he looked around the room. He wasn't letting go of her hand though. "I don't mind low-key. I like the quiet. We should get a drink?" Or a couple, if she really did want him to dance with her later on.

"I know you like the quiet," Faye told him, leaning a little into his side, and guess what, that was why they were starting here and not going full-tilt into somewhere with a dance floor. Not that she'd admit to putting literally any thought into what Stark would like or where he would be comfortable, much less cop to the fact that she had thought about it, quite a bit. "But drinks, yes."

She led the way over to the bar to take a seat on a stool, where the bartender immediately greeted her with a, "Hey, Faye. Usual?"

So, maybe she had been here before. Maybe she had chosen to show Stark a place she particularly liked, even. Shhhh.

"Probably shouldn't," she replied easily. "Two bloody eyes?" and the bartender gave her a nod before immediately grabbing a shaker. And maybe that was a sort of scary name for a drink but in actuality was much less frightening (and tastier) than what Faye usually ordered.

See, Stark knew she cared. Even if she wouldn't say it out loud. Because she did things like covering his right side and taking him to quiet places instead of dragging him into a crowded club immediately.

He offered a small nod to the bartender as he slid onto his own stool beside Faye.

"Bloody eye?" he asked quietly. That was an odd name for a drink, yes. "And what's your usual?" Something that tasted like jet fuel?

"You'll like it," she promised. "It's fruity. Normally I get a thing with sake and whiskey."

So not unlike jet fuel, really.

"But that seemed a little strong to start with."

"I didn't think you'd order something I wouldn't like on purpose. Unless they were both for you. But it seems like you're probably going to share." Especially since the idea was to get him willing to dance later.

"I don't mind strong, either, but I do like fruity."

"I know." Again, Faye would not easily admit to the fact that she was pretty observant. One did not routinely try Jello shot assortments without having an affinity for the sweet and fruity side of things.

And when the bartender placed two red drinks in interesting tall glasses before them, Faye did indeed only select one for herself. "And no, they're for sharing, unless you need both in order to be convinced to dance."

That was totally an option if necessary, Stark.

Stark offered a quiet thank you to the bartender and picked up his glass quickly, smiling into it as he took a sip. He knew she paid attention. That was enough, even if she wouldn't admit it.

"I don't need your drink too. I'll try dancing." For her sake. It only seemed fair. "Eventually." He still might need another drink. Or two. It might depend on the club she took him to.

Faye was certainly planning on having several more drinks. Not because she was shy about dancing -- she would start dancing here, if the situation called for it -- but because it just made it all more fun. And the laws about flying spaceships while under the influence were much more lax than those about driving under such circumstances. Particularly considering she was planning a detour to remote space before heading back towards Earth, later.

"Eventually," she echoed, teasing. "Like you have to work up to it."

Faye did not have this issue at all, no.

"Eventually," Stark repeated with a small nod before lifting his glass once more. He did need to work up to it. But if he was willing to dance he would certainly be willing to indulge her in whatever she had in mind for that detour later.

"I'll try not to take too long. So you don't have to wait."

"I can be patient," Faye told him, leaning her chin in her hand. "Sometimes. If I'm waiting for something good."

This was all, mostly, a lie. Faye was absolutely terrible about waiting for things, especially without complaining through said waiting period.

But it sure sounded good.

Did that mean he was something good and worth waiting for? That's how he took that, and looked down at the bartop for a moment.

"You've been patient with me." Sometimes. That time she broke in she hadn't been particularly patient. That had worked out well though. "When I needed it. I can't promise the dancing will be worth the wait."

Spaaaace, just outside of Mars' orbit | Monday Afternoon

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