in or out.

did

someone

say

O

T

mother -

fucking

P

BRUH ?

　　　⊰ ♖ ⊱　❝ you’re the one that always complaining 　　　　　　　   about the whispers. maybe it’s stress - 　　　　　　　   related : i bet if you took some time off, 　　　　　　　   you’d be right as rain… — ❞

　　　　　　　　　　[　a slight cough at the final comment, 　　　　　　　　　　　 as well as a scratch of an eyebrow.　]

             { ♠ } ❝--------......... ❞                                                                                                                                        How rude. Have you forgotten who                                                            got us into this mess, Rusty? Have                                                            you let the memories of the job slide,                                                            so that you can work them to your own                                                            advantage -- even though this job                                                            could potentially be on in a million?

     ❝Did we miss         somethin’?❞

　　　⊰ ♖ ⊱　oh, don’t treat him especially ; 　　　　　　 he knows that pout well and 　　　　　　 good. hazel eyes roll in their 　　　　　　 sockets as he runs a tongue 　　　　　　 across chapped lips in slight 　　　　　　 anticipation of the necessary 　　　　　　 caffeine crutch. there’s only 　　　　　　 so many hours in a day, and 　　　　　　 if not for that drug, then he’d 　　　　　　 be abusing others to stay up 　　　　　　 for all twenty - four of them.

　　　　　　　　　❝ wife doesn’t get to make decisions. 　　　　　　　　　　if you don’t agree, go back in time & 　　　　　　　　　　make society matriarchal. until then,  　　　　　　　　　　you can put up with all that playing 　　　　　　　　　　wife comes with. including food. you 　　　　　　　　　　can cook, can’t you ? i might divorce 　　　　　　　　　　you if you can’t, danny. this is serious. ❞

             { ♠ } He does know where the filters are, thank                            you very much. That doesn't mean that his                            face isn't still set in that petulant grimace                            or that he doesn't direct a scowl in Rusty's                            direction. Even as his finger jabs at the button                            to turn on the coffeemaker, he's turning to look                            at his false 'husband.'

                                          ❝Are you living in the fifties?                                                           If you hadn't noticed, Rus,                                                           wives have become a lot more                                                           independent. A lot of women                                                           are self-sufficient. And make                                                           decisions for their families.❞

                     A pause. No, wait --

　　　⊰ ♖ ⊱　❝ alright, if we’re actually doing this 　　　　　　　 undercover marriage shit, you’re 　　　　　　　 gonna have to make some more 　　　　　　　 goddamn coffee. the pike roast. ❞

             { ♠ } ❝Is this your not-so-subtle way of                              saying I'm the wife? 'Cause I think                              I should get some say in that                              decision. ... Do I need to remind                              you that this was your damn idea in the                              first place?❞

　　　⊰ ♖ ⊱　was he getting that predictable 　　　　　　 already? should he be thinking 　　　　　　 about mid-life crisis things yet ? 　　　　　　 no, no. he’s got time; you, on 　　　　　　 the other hand, got called 48 　　　　　　 and 52 by the mormon twins.

　　　　　　 　　　( but he is glad that locating 　　　　　　　　　   him wasn’t a hard time; it’s 　　　　　　　　　   about time you showed up : 　　　　　　　　　   god, is he bored. give him a 　　　　　　　　　   goddamn project to play with )

             { ♠ } His smile grows, and it's not because of the alcohol.                            Being around people -- people like him, people who know                            what's what in the world, people who know the difference                            between a Ponzi scheme and a Matrix scale -- never fails                            to bring a smile to an otherwise world-weary face.

                                                  ❝Coulda told you that myself, Rus.                                                      You probably wouldn't've listened, though.                                                      Thick-headed like always. Hey -- listen.❞

                    And now his best 'I've got a sales-pitch' voice is on. Time                            for the show, Daniel.

　　　⊰ ♖ ⊱　now there's a great man. 　　　　　　 mark this as event no. 2 　　　　　　 in which the con artist & 　　　　　　 the details man happen 　　　　　　 upon one another in the 　　　　　　 safety and sanctity of a 　　　　　　 cash bar. unfortunately 　　　　　— or fortunately? — there 　　　　　　 is no such thing as a 　　　　　　 C O I N C I D E N C E .

　　　　　　　　　❝ hello to you, too. ❞

             { ♠ } And he's pushing the lip of the cup between                            his lips, taking a generous sip of the amber                             liquid contained within. His own answering smirk                            is a bit more subdued, quieted by his discreet                             nature.

                                                            ❝Never too hard to find you, Rusty.❞

                   Of course it isn't a coincidence -- Ocean has a way                           of knowing where his friends and enemies are.