Hard Deck (Closed)

[sweetlilith]

Samantha Helbourne observed the crowd inside the legendary Hard Deck for a few moments before making her way to the bar. While it was still fairly early for a Saturday rush, the place was already beginning to hum with a decent crowd, with at least half in some sort of uniform. The early evening sun was setting over the ocean horizon and bathed the bar in golden light through the wall of windows along the back of the building. Some were open, allowing the warm, salty breeze to drift with the music from the jukebox. Before the redhead could even get a read of some of the signs along the back of the bar, something about rules, she was greeted by a young blonde with a bright smile, seeming to be barely out of her teens. “Well, you’re a new face. How’s it going? Anything to drink?”

“I’m good, thanks. Can I get a vodka cranberry with a splash of soda?” she requested, watching as the blonde popped bottle caps off of 6 beers rapid fire before sliding them across to a group of men, who shouted ‘Thanks Amelia!’ before strutting off to a corner that held a pool table.

It seemed most of the crowd were regulars, and Sam had no doubt she would become one as well. She had gotten her papers only a few days ago to go from NAS Lemoore down to NAS North Island for an indeterminate amount of time for a mission, one that no one could tell her anything about. All she knew was she was hand picked, and was to report on Monday. Unlike nearly every other Naval officer in the bar wearing a khaki uniform, she decided to dress in civilian’s clothes for the night. She kept it simple with a pair of jeans and a black thin-strapped blouse. It wasn’t often that she dressed out of uniform or t-shirt and shorts or leggings, so she figured what may be one of the last few days off she gets in a while was a good enough occasion.

The drink was in front of her in barely over a minute, along with several beers for other patrons gathered to her left. “Thanks, how much do I owe you?”

“Nah, this one’s on me. I’m sure you’ll be getting some of these guys to buy the rest of your drinks tonight.” Amelia winked at her before turning to greet a group of men across the way and get their orders.

Sam took a sip from her glass and turned to observe the growing crowd in the bar once more, chatter and laughter mixed with the music.

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

Markus Roth wasn't sure why he'd shown up at the Hard Deck. He was, despite his best efforts, seen as something of hard ass by his co-workers, dedicated more to his job than interpersonal connections. But here he was, dressed in a simple t-shirt and slacks, on the suggestion of one of his few friends, "unwinding" after a particularly long day. It was, by his own admittance, a miracle he'd bothered to show up at all. With the number of people here though, it was almost instantly like being lost in the crowd, and the numbers only seemed to be growing larger. Some bit of him rebelled at the mere idea that anyone would go drinking in uniform, but he'd long since come to terms with the fact that nobody was anywhere near as interested in following regulations when it came to the North Island. It was a wonder the base ran so well at all, but by some miracle it managed, and certainly some of the greatest pilots in the world found their way here.

He found himself at the bar quickly enough, moving through the crowds with the ease of someone who was familiar with the place. The noise was picked up enough that hearing anything was difficult over the music, the talking and the general revelry. But even if he rarely came out to party, everyone knew the Hard Deck, and everyone had been in it at one point or another.

"Amelia! Whisky!"

The bartender flashed him a grin before slipping away, no doubt to round up the next set of drinks before getting them where they needed to go. Markus turned away himself, eyes scanning the crowds for anyone he might know or care to talk to. He spotted a few of the other officers he worked with, though they were lost in drink, conversation or flirting with whatever pretty face would give them the time of day. A slight sigh of... something he couldn't quite place, an emotion he didn't have the word for. Being so married to his work, finding the chance for a proper relationship wasn't really in the cards, was it?

"Markus! Whisky!"

He turned back to the bar, collecting his drink from a smiling Amelia, offering her a small smile of his own.

"Thanks!"

"Rare to see you around. Things going alright?"

"Just out for a bit of relaxation, that's all... or at least a stiff drink."

She laughed, flashing him another grin before dashing off again, tending to the endless streams of men and women seeking to get drunk. Markus found himself leaning against the bar, nursing the whisky while continuing is somewhat silent vigil, scanning for anyone of note. It was a moment later that he suddenly realized there was another at the bar much like him, back to the countertop and gazing set outward. Someone, he noted, that he didn't recognize.

 

[sweetlilith]

Sam people watched for a bit. A where a few were egging on a couple other friends who were half protesting to do another round of shots, laughter cascading between all of them as they all knew they would be stumbling out of there in the early hours of the morning. There were others who very obviously were on the prowl to find someone to sate their libido. And the few who were there to socialize over a beer or two before calling it a night, whether to return home to families or just not cut out for the late nights anymore.

It was odd, she felt completely out of place but right where she belonged at the same time. It would help if she knew someone, though. She had half a hope when she arrived that she’d come across a familiar face, someone she went to flight school with or a former marshaller. But even in this bar full of strangers, they were her people. She just needed to find the right cluster to wander up to.

Tucking a strand of loose curling auburn hair behind her ear, she glanced around and caught sight of one other person who seemed to be alone. Funny, she wasn’t the only one tonight. He chatted with Amelia momentarily, obviously familiarity between them, before she ran off to serve others. Then he glanced up in her direction. She paused for a moment, instinctively wanting to glance away, but smiled and gave a small wave before wandering closer. “Hi,” she greeted, lifting her glass to his. “I’m Samantha.”

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

He hadn't actually expected anything to come of his attention on the woman. To be entirely truthful, he expected she was already waiting on someone else, and or that she'd ignore him and slip into the crowd. Instead, she wandered over the short distance between them, raising her glass to introduce herself. A moment passed, Markus taking the slight pause to process what had just happened, before his glass clinked gently against hers.

"Markus."

It was, he thought, a safe enough question, as such things went. Socializing was hardly his thing, outside of those he knew from work. But she has made the effort to introduce herself, and he could make the effort to at least engage in conversation. Besides, Samantha was certainly an easier prospect than diving into the crowds, fighting to find someone he knew or contend with the crush of people. A dozen questions sprang to mind, almost all of them prying into the mundane, what she did for work, where she'd come from before, things so inconsequential that they were pointless. Who asked a random stranger they'd just met about work at a bar? Instead, he struggled to come up with someone of more interest, the question tumbling out instead sound awkward even as it came out.

"New to town?" He inwardly groaned as he processed that one, and visibly frowned at his own stupidity. New to town? For all he knew she was just someone who rarely came out to the Hard Deck. This is why it was easier to stick to what he knew. "Don't answer that, it was a stupid question. Can't seem to help sticking my foot in my mouth at the worst times."

A sip of whiskey, to mask the heat he could feel in his face. God, he sucked at this socializing thing.

 

[sweetlilith]

She fought back a giggle as she watched redness creep across his cheeks as he took in a sip of whiskey versus instead of his foot, and she could only imagine the internal dialog he was having with himself. "Well, I'll answer anyway. Yes, I just got in this afternoon." Sam followed suit and takes a sip of her own drink, glancing over his shoulder at Amelia. "I'm assuming you're not since you two know each other by name," she motions to the bartendress before noticing the sign.

Disrespect a lady, the Navy, or put your cell phone on my bar, you buy a round.

She edged closer to Markus as pilots, sailors, and the people who couldn't tell the difference between the two from 50 feet away were starting to swarm the bar for their drinks, a rather lively group coming up on the other side of her. The energy seemed to shift as the sunlight faded outside to that of excited anticipation.

"So am I keeping you from your friends, or were you going to also people watch?"

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

The press of people, only growing more severe, was an unwelcome reason he rarely found his way into the Hard Deck. One of a handful at any rate. But he'd come here to relax and socialize, and Markus would be damned if he didn't at least attempt it. As he turned his attention more fully on Samantha, he took the opportunity to glance back at Amelia, who gave him a wink and a thumbs up. He'd have grumbled in discontent if he could actually claim he wasn't at pleased to be talking to someone, much less

"I've been around awhile, though I can't say I'm a regular of the Hard Deck. Crowds can get to be a bit much. But Amelia knows everyone, and can probably rattle off the orders of most anybody who comes in. I wouldn't be surprised if she can remember your from this one meeting alone." Another sip of whiskey, to mask the momentary pause as he thought up a response to her latest question. "I'm on my own tonight. Just stopping in, though maybe I could be convinced to stick around."

It felt awkward again, even as the words left his lips, but liquid courage was a heady thing, and the whiskey, despite how little of it he had, was a convenient excuse for terrible pick-up lines that should never see the light of day. Hopefully she'd buy that, if it came to it.

 

[sweetlilith]

"Oh? So how should I go about convincing you?" The question came across maybe a bit more forward and flirtatious than she normally would be talking with a total stranger. She could hear her friends' words in the back in the back of her mind, always telling her she needed to 'put herself out there more' instead of waiting for someone to talk to her. Maybe it was the alcohol, but at least if she humiliated herself, she likely wouldn't cross paths with him again, especially once her assignment was done.

She startled when suddenly the bell rang loudly. The low roar of conversations ceased, with a split-second moment of silence save for the music that continued to play throughout the bar, before the throng of patrons erupted in a cheer. Her eyes darted around the horde before watching a man a few to her right deflate in stature, his face going red as a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance washed over him and he pulls a cell phone off the bar.

"Here you go!" Samantha barely missed Amelia breezing by, 2 new, full drinks in front of herself and Markus. "Break a rule, buy a round..." she thought aloud, trading her first, now empty drink for the fresh one. "Do they really have to buy everyone a drink?"

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

He found himself blinking at her question, the sheer forwardness of it catching him off guard. While he was used to being flirted with to some extent, it was rare for someone to come out with something that aggressive a handful of sentences into a conversation. Thankfully, he was saved from immediately answering by the ringing of THE bell. Markus let his attention snap around, expecting the sudden drink that seemingly materialized thanks to Amelia. He gave her a nod, draining his first to set the empty glass down before taking up the second, resolving to nurse this one and avoid ending up completely hammered before the night was over. The next day might have been a day off, but he'd never enjoyed waking up to a splitting headache.

"They do. I've done it a few times myself, when I first got here. You learn real quick to keep your cellphone in your pocket." He didn't feel it necessary to bother mentioning the other two thirds of the rules. It was a given that disrespecting either was something of a rarity, at least enough so that it was rarely the cause for a fresh round. "It happens at least once a night, if I didn't know better I'd think it's what keeps this place afloat!"

His voice rose enough so that Amelia was certain to here him, he was sent only the briefest of glares before she was moving on again. Markus sipped at his new drink before turning his full attention onto Samantha.

"So, you here looking for anyone yourself, or just to see the sights?"

 

[sweetlilith]

An amused smile came to her face as she caught the glare Amelia gave to his comment. Even if it were a main reason for the bar to do well, it works so why change it?

She gave a slight shrug to his question, "Well, I was prepared to just people watch unless I found myself in good company." Being honest with herself, she wasn't sure what her intentions were for the evening. Talking up a complete stranger at the bar was already a big step out of her comfort zone. Her friends always poked fun at her for it, because she was very much the opposite when with them or working. Maybe it was the liquid courage at this point? She was only a drink and a half in, the drinks were poured heavy. "But, I guess we'll see at this point how the night goes."

 

[WeaverofWorlds]

"Does that make me good company? Or are you reserving judgement, giving me the benefit of the doubt?"

Markus could feel himself floundering. Idle conversation had never been his strong suit, though he found himself not wanting to let Sam wander off. He wouldn't dare call instant chemistry, or anything else similar. He found that particular fantasy somewhat inane. But all the same, he didn't mind standing her shooting the breeze, sharing drinks and, hopefully, idle conversation that didn't sound like he was trying to drag it out of himself at gunpoint. Or were they flirting? It felt like they had been, and possibly were... and now he was going to be standing here second guessing everything.

"Either way, I hope I'm at least leaving a good impression."

 

[sweetlilith]

"You're doing alright, I guess," she teased. Samantha swirled what was left of her drink a bit, watching the fading pink liquid whirlpool as what was left of the ice clattered gently against the sides of the glass. "In all honesty, I'm not usually the type to just chat up someone at the bar. I was fully expecting to be out of here after one or two drinks. So, thanks for making my night a little less lonely."