Backdated to 22 November

[outstandingbalance]

Natasha's never much been the sort to celebrate her birthdays. Wasn't even when she was alive and aging. Call it the result of not having anyone to celebrate with. Family had all died when she was young, and growing up in thin times, in and out of orphanages and boarding schools, there weren't many people interested in splurging to buy her presents or take her out to dinner. She could count the number of birthday parties she's had in her whole like—seventy-eight years today—on one hand and still have fingers leftover.

She's not sure why she's thinking of it at all this year. Maybe just because there's been so many changes. New city. New allegiances. New friends, maybe. New life, maybe.

Maybe she just didn't actually expect to live to see this one after she fled Russia.

Whatever it is, Natasha goes out drinking tonight with purpose, making the rounds and her regular bars and drinking a toast at each of them. Sometimes she drinks them to herself. Sometimes she drinks them to the people who didn't make it this far. If, along the way, she runs into anyone she knows? In the event that happens, they might find themselves with a bottle of beer or a glass of whiskey being set in front of them, a silent invitation to join her for this round.

If she doesn't, then she has her drink alone and moves on.

Comments

[freelife]

"What's the occasion?" Evie slides up to her friend easily, letting her know she's there by casually running a hand over her back, perhaps a bit closer to her lower back than she should.

She holds up a hand towards the bartender, and orders two whiskeys. She's buying, right now.

Of course, she knows what the occasion is. She's done her research. It's a birthday, and she has a small gift in her pocket for her friend. She was awful with gifts, but she hoped it was something that would be appreciated.

[specifiercity]

Arthur sees Nat the minute she walks in the door of the bar he's currently posted up at, ever observant and alerted to the presence of attractive women that he already knows. He waits until she sits down on the bar before he excuses himself from his friends and joins her there.

She seems like she's already been drinking, which means this is just the next stop, and he can relate to that. He doesn't know that this her birthday but he did exactly the same thing.

"Having a good night?"

[falsify]

Eames drinks alone a lot. Not for any sad reasons, just because sometimes a quiet beer and an evening of people watching is a nice change of pace. Plus it’s a good environment for any work that needs doing and can be done alone, he’s found, and he has a lot of work these days.

He’s finishing up a call when a drink’s set down in front of him, and when he gives a quizzical look, it’s met with a gesture to a head of red hair at the bar. Eames nods in understanding, finishing what he’s doing before he takes his drink over and slides into a seat next to Natasha with a smile.

“So this is about where I’d say we should stop meeting like this.”