abstractborders | ShinRA Trash Party

Parties are... not particularly Tseng's favorite activity. No, he's not as stuck up as everyone supposes he is, and he lets loose in his own ways now and then. But he'd been urged to at least make an appearance, so there you have him. The Turk had stationed himself at a high table off to the side near the center of a wall so he could see everything and react quickly should anything arise.

Off duty didn't mean off his guard.

That said, he had a half-finished glass of whiskey in hand, his third actually, so it wasn't as though he wasn't allowing himself a vice here or there. Polite smiles are sent in the direction of anyone whose gaze lingers too long, trying to dispel the idea that Turks are capable of killing with a glance and are prone to doing so constantly. Honestly, it isn't going well, and most would rather avoid looking at Tseng at all, let alone go anywhere near him. For the most part, this suits him just fine.

Oh Tseng. You just never change.

Sliding into one of the open seats at the table the lead Turk had claimed, Cissnei is nursing her second drink of the night--a bottle of some sort of beer that isn't the greatest but it'll do. She cups her chin in her hand, elbow propped on the table as she lifts her bottle at him with her free hand, a hint of a smile teasing at her lips.

"Really loosening up tonight, aren't you sir?" she muses in a teasing tone, well aware that the other Turk had actually been drinking his fair share.

There is no surprised evident on Tseng's face when Cissnei approaches, taking a seat, but he has to wonder. She's a beautiful young woman with a great deal of charm. She had no need to remain by her boss at a party, yet there she was.

"More than usual, yes," he responds with a slight smile. "Are you enjoying the evening?"

She wasn't out to find herself a bed warmer, Tseng. Thanks but no thanks. Tonight was about clearing her head and just enjoying some time with the people she might actually consider friends. Not that she'd say it out loud.

"Surprisingly, yes," Cissnei said with a growing smile. "I want the record to state that it is in no way my fault if Reno can't walk out of here tonight."

That elicited a chuckle from the Wutaian, his glass lifted to his lips for another sip.

"I never blame anyone but Reno for that," he offered with a shrug, letting her off the hook. "Despite what he'd have us believe, he's an adult. He can be responsible for himself once in a while."

"I'm glad you have as much faith in him as you do the rest of us, sir." She liked Reno. Really. But Cissnei also knew that he wasn't everyone's favorite so it was nice to hear that their boss actually did seem to trust that Reno could handle himself.

Lifting her bottle to take another sip, her gaze slid towards the bar where the others had gathered.

"I didn't expect you to join us tonight."

Rather than respond verbally, he just nods. If there was someone Tseng didn't trust, they wouldn't be a Turk. It was just that simple. Suffice to say he trusted every single one of his subordinates.

"It was highly encouraged that I make an attempt to seem human," he teased lightly, repeating the words of someone else he'd heard earlier in the night. "Does it make you uncomfortable?"

Cissnei can't help but roll her eyes a bit playfully, side eyeing the other Turk.

"Oh yes, extremely. I never wanted to know that underneath that stoic exterior is a real person," she drawled before taking another sip of her beer and sitting back in her chair. "It's nice to see you out and about when duty doesn't force you, Tseng."

"And it's nice to hear you call me something besides 'sir'," he remarked back, noting her change in demeanor with a friendly smile.

Not that his sense of duty hadn't been a factor in the outing this evening. They should probably not mention that.

"I'm sure you have something more entertaining to be doing than keeping me company, however."

"We are off duty, aren't we?" she mused with a grin at the other Turk, sipping at her drink.

Uh huh. She's well aware, Tseng.

"I'm fine, Tseng. Your company is a lot more enjoyable than you seem to think. More intelligent than some of the other company I could have as well." Her tone is definitely a teasing one but..there is some truth to it.

"As we were a few minutes ago, and yet you still addressed me formally," Tseng pointed out. Not that he cared.

He finished his own drink as she spoke, watching her curiously. "If you say so."

Now he was at a crossroads. Get another drink to be social, or stop drinking so he won't be impaired? He could try being social without a drink...

"Is this what you prefer to do on your time off?"

Cissnei can't help but roll her eyes. "I'll make sure to refrain next time." Smartass.

"Not really. I've come out with the others sometimes but I'm not a fan of bars most of the time," she admitted, nursing her drink some more. "A little too loud for my liking. And crowded. Though it's not too terrible tonight."

"I see." Being in a crowd has never bothered Tseng. There were times for peace and serenity, and there were times for boisterousness. A bar was hardly a place to expect peace, and so Tseng never did, and mentally prepared himself for any situation that could arise.

"I enjoy reading, when I have the time," he ventured, putting a bit of himself out for Cissnei.

Oh she could deal with crowds when need be but she really just didn't like spending her free time around them. Free time was meant to be relaxing. This? Not really all that relaxing most of the time.

"Oh? What sorts of books?" she asked, intrigued by this small little tidbit she was being tossed.

"History, mostly," he stated, sitting back and folding his hands on his lap since his empty glass wasn't something he could really justify keeping in hand at the moment.

"What about you?"

"Anything I can get my hands on," Cissnei said thoughtfully. "I've never really been picky when it comes to reading, though I do like the more fantastical things, I suppose."

"Fantasy?" He asked, raising an eyebrow curiously at the admission. "I'm a bit surprised, but also not."

Cissnei's lips quirked in a faint grin.

"I get enough serious things in life every day. Reading is my escape," she said as one shoulder lifted in a shrug. "Helps me forget about things for a little while so I can come back with a fresh outlook."

Parties aren't anything Zack's adverse to in the least- at least when they aren't involving politics. And this so happens to be a loose one if not a... well, different one. It feels strange to feel the eyes of the Turk on him and everyone else there. He just seems so... out of place. Maybe even feels that way, too, for that matter.

It's hard to say. Tseng's hard to read. Sometimes frustratingly so. It doesn't stop Zack from barging over though. He raises a glass to him, an unspoken offer to try it (because seriously, whiskey, man? Boring with a capital 'B'!)

"Not much of a party-goer, huh."

Out of place is an understatement, but Tseng is trying his best anyhow.

"Perhaps this just isn't my type of party," he responded with a genuine smile, though it scarcely moved his face. Obliging, he takes the glass from the other, lifting it to sniff before taking a sip, more flavoring it than anything. After a moment, he handed it back, no discernible reaction.

The Turk wasn't afraid to admit that he liked Zack's company, but it would be frowned on for him to mention such things aloud, and it may put the SOLDIER in a bad position if someone thought to do something against Tseng with the information. Not that Tseng was at all afraid for Zack.

"Somehow I expected you to be a bit more into the scene than you are." He hadn't thought Zack was a total party boy, but definitely some level of party boy.

ShinRA Trash Party

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