The Last Twenty Minutes [Derrick.]

[Kaiser Fell]

“India?”

To that he gave a nod, though he didn't miss the surprise in her voice. It was almost identical to the reaction that he usually got. Most people would go someplace like Italy or Japan. Maybe Spain or even France. But no, he'd gone to India. Essentially it'd been a smart decision in the long run. How many times did he hear people complain because they would call up their cable company or something and wind up talking to someone in India with an accent so thick that they could barely understand? Not that he ever needed to, he was perfectly capable of fixing his own technological issues, what few he had. But it had made him invaluable to the company. Even when he'd been at his lowest they wouldn't have even considered firing him. He was an asset. He should feel important, pleased about being needed. Instead...well, he wasn't sure. He didn't feel much of anything.

The waitress was back though before he could go into any details - would he have? Not likely. But there was the waitress and the sake, and Adeline's voice. “You know the better quality saki, the colder you can drink it. The more expensive it is, too."

"Then I hope that this is very cold sake," he said with a grin. The waitress was kind enough to pour them each a small cup. He took his in hand, pausing. "To shitty jobs?"

[Adeline]

“Why not,” Adeline agrees with a tip to that tiny glass so the lips of each may clink together with the distinct sound of ceramic upon ceramic. No doubt these were crafted in some factory in china. Still, they were an adorable addition to anyone’s cupboard. Not that Adeline would be getting herself a set of saki cups anytime soon.

She kicks back that cool liquid with an almost satisfied hiss.

“About this India trip,” Adeline picks up without a hitch. Sure, he’d confirmed that he had, in fact, been to India, but by no means was Adeline done poking and prodding him over such a thing. It was simply interesting, even to a girl who’d been from one side of the states to the other, “Do you plan on going back anytime soon? Or ever?” she proposes with wide eyes, looking all too young and almost innocent in that moment.

Fingertips smooth over her jeans before lifting to pluck at the hem of her shirt, righting it, though anything had gone askew. “I’ve never been out of the US. Well, aside Canada, but that doesn’t really count,” mostly because no one wants to be there, or so Adeline thinks.

Once more she shifts in her seat, resting elbows to the bartop and her face within her hands. Despite the right fine time she was having Adeline was well tuckered out. It’d been a long and boring day at work, perhaps if she’d known she’d be heading out she could have mustered up more excitement for the moment, but for now she was running on empty.

A single eye pinches shut and she rubs her face once over before sitting upright once more, stifling a broad yawn.

[Kaiser Fell]

“Why not.”

He gave a nod at her agreement, leaning his glass ever so slightly for them to touch while his lips were in ever so slight a smile. One, two, three, down the hatch. His head tilted back ever so slightly to take it down before setting the tiny cup back on the bar in front of them. Immediately she was getting the conversation back on track without any kind of hesitation. He was glad that she was able to steer and direct it, because surely he would stammer and all there would be was silence. He hadn't done badly when he had been meeting with Damiana but that had been a long, long time ago and again he was out of practice - so to speak. Derrick was more than content to let her take charge of the discussion.

“About this India trip. Do you plan on going back anytime soon? Or ever?”

"I doubt it," he said with a tense shrug. "It was a lot of fun when I was younger. An adventure for sure. But I'm getting older now. And it probably wouldn't be quite as good of an experience now that I know how to speak the language. Going there without knowing a word, and having just a dictionary in my pocket was half the fun." It'd taken hours for him to get from the airport to his hotel.

“I’ve never been out of the US. Well, aside Canada, but that doesn’t really count."

"You should go abroad though," he found himself urging, much to his surprise. "It's one of the most fun things that you can do during your life. You might like Japan. I've never been there myself but, if I were to ever go to another foreign country, that'd probably be it."

Immediately he felt abashed by her yawn.

"I'm sorry, am I boring you?"

[Adeline]

Why wouldn’t he go back? If he had the money to do so, Adeline saw no reason to avoid another trip, especially if he’d enjoyed the first one he had! Maybe he was busy with work, or perhaps it was something else entirely. Could countries have restraining orders on people? Well, maybe but Adeline was sure it wasn’t referred to as a country wide restraining order. That simply sounded… well, stupid. Adeline’s mind churns for the proper terminology.

Nothing. She’s drawing a blank.

“I should,” she agrees without hesitance, though there’s a crinkle to the bridge of her nose. She should, but she probably won’t have an opportunity. Maybe it was because she was a woman, or maybe it was simply her personality, but Adeline wasn’t the type of person to take a trip over to, well, Japan, as he’d suggested, or anywhere else for that manner, at least not alone, anyway. Maybe if she found someone to tag along with her. Everything was better with a partner; “Have you been anywhere else? Besides India, that is?”

Of course Adeline wasn’t exactly actively seeking a mate, or a best friend, or even some mooching sucker to go on world wide trips with.

Of course, these were all weak sort of excuses for not going abroad.

She was almost caught offgaurd by his next question, and those dark eyes of hers widen in retaliation to his offence. “No!” she defends quickly, busying her hands with that empty cup of hers, turning that ceramic piece over and onto the napkin settled before her, “Minimum wage jobs just suck the life right out of a girl,” Adeline teases, biting upon her lower lip thereafter.

Once more she lifts that glass of hers only to insert her tongue shamelessly, lapping the remainder of that liquid from within.

[Adeline]

[OOC; POSTED ON BEHALF OF DERRICK.]

“I should,” she said and he gave a slight tip of his head forward in further agreement.

“Do it,” he urged, “It is one of the most enlightening things you can ever do in your life. And I don’t mean go to like Hawaii for a week. No tourist destinations. And it has to be for a while -- total submersion.”

That was how his time in India had been. Leaping into the shark-tank headfirst, almost recklessly. It had made him feel so alive. As he sat there he suddenly wondered it if was something he should do again. Just to get the blood pumping. What had getting a motorcycle done for him, beside putting back months in therapy? It had made his blood move. It had made his skin grow goosebumps with a non-medicinal chill. Did he have it in him to do it again? To go back to India where he’d fumbled through alien culture like a hasty pubescent boy fumbling at panties. Maybe. Or maybe someplace else entirely. China, or Japan, Korea, Chile, Costa Rica, the Netherlands was dying to be explored by a man who had no good reason to live.

“I’m glad I’m not boring you,” Derrick said, relieved at her words and explanation, “And here I thought my job was sucking the life out of me.”

The laugh he supplied was weak.

His life was already gone, he was holding on by a thin, rapidly breaking thread.

[Adeline]

What sort of places would Adeline visit? She wasn’t so sure, more for the fact that next to everywhere short of South Africa, was turning into some sort of tourist hot-spot; “It’s just so homely and humble,” or “the food here is great,” and “It’s really nothing like you’d think!” What was left? There was the middle-east and Africa, though Adeline wouldn’t be embarking on any sort of peace corps first-aid mission.

What sort of places could she see without being a tourist? Finland? Did they speak English there? Adeline didn’t know, plus it was too cold up there, Adeline - despite having been raised within the wondrous state of Alaska - hated the cold. Was discomfort part of Derrick’s “total submersion” plan? Maybe not intentionally.

“Hawaii is too fussy,” Adeline mutters in vague complaint. She’d already spent a vacation there “The weather, I mean,” the small girl clarifies quickly. One moment it was warm and balmy, and the next, it would be all too rainy. Still, at least they spoke English there.

“The Philippines would be…” Adeline hesitates, searching for her words, “Interesting,” she finally decides. That was about the right word.

Any further thoughts would be tossed out the window, though, as that small, Asian waitress wandered over once more. This time with a platter hosting both Adeline and Derrick’s bowls of soup. Spoons? Would there be spoons? Or would she be forced to sip the soup though she were slurping the dregs from a cereal bowl?

They’d find out soon enough!

“Thank you,” Addi utters quickly, “For asking me to come out,” the young woman offers up a warming grin, then, “It’s nice to get out every now and then. You don’t make such bad company, either,” she teases, that smile of hers only widening.

[Kaiser Fell]

"Hawaii is too fussy." To that he gave her a curious look, waiting for the clarification that came a few seconds later. "The weather, I mean." Derrick nodded - he heard it was rainy. He'd personally never been to Hawaii and he had no interest in going there. Sunny beaches, alohas and leis somehow weren't his cup of tea. Or his cup of sake, which he refilled quietly. As he poured he listened intently to Adeline.

“The Philippines would be…Interesting."

"It would be," he agreed. "When I was younger I wanted to visit someplace like Russia sometime, but it's always so cold there. Nowadays I'd be more likely to go to someplace warm. Maybe South America." A small snort escaped him. "But I'm getting too old for adventures."

Too old, too worn out and he didn't enough of a shit about what he'd do there. What was he supposed to do? Wander through the jungle without a guide for excitement? When he was younger and more alive he would have jumped at the opportunity, more likely than not. But now it wasn't worth waking up every day, let alone trying to do something. This was the most outgoing that he had been in ages. Would O'Grady be able to tell that he had done something during the past week at their next appointment? He didn't know. She had known when he had crossed paths with Ambrosia - a grimace was bestowed upon his countenance at the thought, but Derrick brushed it away in an almost cold hearted manner.

His hand tilted upward, stopping the flow of the alcohol as the waitress approached them with the soup. He set the sake down and moved slightly to make room for her to reach past him and set the bowls down in front of them along with a spoon - convenient little thing.

“Thank you. For asking me to come out.”

Derrick's head turned in Adeline's direction at her unexpected gratitude, and was struck by an even more unexpected smile. She looked like she was actually enjoying herself. In that moment...he felt like an ass. He was selfishly wallowing in his loathing and self hatred instead of trying to be a gentleman. And still she thanked him.

“It’s nice to get out every now and then. You don’t make such bad company, either."

A huge ass.

"Thank you for accepting the invitation," he replied, and his lips cracked into a grin. What would he be doing if he wasn't here? Sitting at home doing more wanting to die. He could do that later when she wasn't around. For now he had company to entertain. "And I'm glad to hear that I'm not a complete waste of time."

Christ, if she said he was then he probably would've gone home and put his wallowing to a permanent and premature end.

"More sake?" Derrick asked - cheerfully, no less - as he took the sake in hand and holding it over her cup.

[Adeline]

Too old? How old was he anyway? Would it be rude of her to ask? As a rule Adeline’s none too shy about confessing her very own age, and, as a rule, women aren’t suppose to be so into that. And, well, if Adeline could admit her age without the slightest bit of embarrassment, why couldn’t he? “You’re not that old,” Adeline argues first and foremost, “Are you? You’re like what? Thirty? Thirty one?” Adeline guesses. She truly had no clue. And hopefully he wouldn’t be insulted if she guessed too high.

Adeline was a young and dandy twenty-six, on the other hand, and perhaps that’s why she wasn’t too shy to confess her own age. Still, she’d recalled feeling all too ancient when she’d first turned twenty, and she’d expected to feel very much the same when she turned thirty, and maybe every year after that would simply serve as a reminder of just how old she was.

Only time would tell, though.

More sake though? She did have drinking to do, after all.

“Sure,” Adeline coos, inclining her glass in a more than inviting manner, or rather simply nudging it closer toward him, discouraging any chance at spilling. With that Adeline simply shoulders back into her seat, seeking some semblance of comfort within that stiff chair.

“You could get TB in south America,” Adeline argues suddenly. Then again, what non-tourist area didn’t have some sort of risk of disease, or at least of food poisoning? Hell, even some tourist areas held the risk of food poisoning and diseases. It’s a wonder Adeline ever left her apartment these days.