he came! oh, he came, just to see her. and she’s ecstatic, although outwardly she seems less than amused. it’s all about the first impressions, after all. she remains stoic as ever, and to be fair she has been awfully bored. there’s not much fun in waiting an hour for him to arrive ( she had to get the setup just right, complete with her getaway vehicle waiting to leave at the drop of a time ).
she perks up at his introduction, though her posture remains abhorrent, sitting sideways in her wing chair. long legs are draped over one arm of the chair, her back resting against the other, the folds of her floor length coat draping to the floor beneath her. and of course, her head adorned with the classic black top hat, still obscuring part of her face.
‘ you’re nothing if not persistent, mr. smith, ‘ she says, almost a compliment rolling off her tongue, in response to something that was most definitely flattering to her. she is very good at what she does, and she’s glad he knows it. ‘ but i hope you know i’m letting you see me, now. and one wrong move and you will never see me again. is that clear? ‘ he’s on her turf, playing by rules that are set by her and ever changing.
for pursuing someone as evasive as she was, john had no real idea what he’d gotten himself into. he hadn’t met someone as theatrical as she was, but that was what made her all the more alluring. he stands still, smirk etching on his face as he motions to her that the floor is hers. an acknowledgement that he was on her property. a gentleman’s agreement.
he's careful, however, to not lose sight of her, or have his hand hover over his pistol, in case she decided to up the ante. it was more than likely that this was only a means of introduction, and nothing too short of it, but he could never figure her out. their game was already one that was already unraveling fast, and if he were to survive, it would be best to be careful for himself and that he doesn’t fuck it up.
❛ any particular reason why you decided to meet here ? we could’ve had dinner. some place nice. ❜
his attempt to lure her out further is followed by a more obvious motion from his hand. like himself, miss salmon notices everything. but in this moment, he forgoes being mindful, to get the message across to her that while he is open to playing her game, he too is a brute force.
❛ you've built up quite the reputation. so unknown to the public and yet feared amongst the underbelly of the world. the sharp-dressed criminal. but enlighten me for a moment — why are you letting me go after you, hm ? surely you can’t be bored enough to, but if so, i am honored. but i play fair. ❜
