Welcome to Gaia! ::

When Al lifted his head, Horace put his hand back on the counter. "Oh, that was a much less prickly response than I thought! Maybe you're warming up." Clacking his tongue piercing against his teeth, Horace drew yet another smiley face, this time in the fading condensation on his glass.

"You knoooow, I don't believe Rep would ever run a gay bar. Not like I came in here looking for more than a good drink, anyway." He took another gulp. "But Deus is full of men and women who are easy on the eyes. And you happen to be one of 'em."

"Whether you feel it or not, you most definitely are." Even in his fuzzy-minded state, he could tell something more was at work than him being upset at a little harmless flirting.

"Well, I don't feel batshit. Then again, I'm still fresh-ish. And," he drew out the word for emphasis. "I tend to trust easily - heart on my sleeve. It makes things nicer, easier. You should try trusting, just a little bit." Or getting laid, he thought. Although, Horace supposed those could go hand in hand, really.

"Because trusting is better than being alone. You can't live your life not-living 'cause you don't want to trust." Horace chewed on his lip thoughtfully. ...well, as thoughtfully as a drunken him could be. "There's lots of great people here - even if they're a bit... violent." Horace really, really, really wanted to know what soured Al's look on life. However, he was still marginally aware of delicacy. He settled for making what he thought was 'curious' eyes at Al.

"Oh? Your shift ends soon?" He frowned sadly. Al was fun to tease a bit, to try and softly soften. IThat phrase seemed a bit of a non-sequiter, though. Ugh, did that mean Rep was coming along soon and he would have to scoot? His fingers tapped along the bar. Al was attractive and Horace was feeling a little lonely. (Even though he shouldn't be, some bit of his mind grumbled. He couldn't shake the insecurities and suspicions... yet.) But if Al was leaving, then that meant Horace had failed, although it had been a fun diversion.

Suddenly, a sort of vague realization dawned on him. Or, at least, he thought he was getting those sort of signals. Horace reached out and fiddled with the end of Al's sleeve. "And after that?"

Horace reached up to toy with a bit of Al's hair, twisting the strands just a bit, because why not, really? That low voice sent a shiver down his spine and he felt delciously light. "I think you'll be surprised, Al."

He laughed and held both hands up. Al was certainly prickly, but he didn't really mind. "Fair enough. Why don't you let me know what you do like?" Horace still leaned forward, but he crossed his arms on the counter. If he leaned on his hands, he wouldn't be so touchy, he thought. It was a fail-proof plan.

"And when you get off." He swallowed the crude joke that sprang to his lips (haha get off, get it?) and smiled a little instead.

He arched a brow at Al. (Al would never know, but this was a skill carefully cultivated in front of the mirror as a young teenager - Horace was proud of it.) "Ain't looking for anything more either. Just like a bit of a flirt. But if you're all business, then-" He shrugged. It wasn't a bad thing, after all. Horace just liked a little romance in everything, even in picking up guys in a bar. Which he shouldn't be doing, but right now, he didn't particularly care. At Al's rather blatent assertion, Horace chuckled, flushing a little.

"Didn't think you would, Al. I'm okay with anything at all." Al didn't want flirting or romance or any of the fun extras, alas. At the mention of Rep, he sighed. "D'you want me to wait somewhere for you? Or here?"