defies_reason | ⚔ i thought we might have a little chat.

I'm looking for the owner.

[He does give Isaak an appraising look, then, and though he can't exactly remember what Isaak had looked like before -- it's all so vague and fuzzy now, like it had been a dream -- he's relatively certain that he's who he's looking for.]

I assume that's you?

[Unlike when he'd been a young child, his English now is impeccable and precise. What distinguishable accent he has is more New York than anything else, though there might be a hint of something more foreign below it. He doesn't expect Isaak to make the connection from the six year old Russian child he'd met that weekend to the young man standing before him now, and that's always been purposeful on his part -- being that child was never pleasant, and he tries to distance himself as much as possible.]

[He hums a low assent, nodding, and offers a hand. It's not as if he has anything to hide, after all. A definite upside of being a legitimate businessman for once.]

Isaak Sirko, [he affirms.] What can I do for you?

[He smiles slightly and shakes Isaak's hand.]

Meyer Lansky. I'm told I owe you a debt of gratitude for your help during a particularly unfortunate weekend where I was stuck as a child.

Ah, yes. The young man from Grodno, am I right?

[Of course he is right. He pays attention to that sort of thing. And, evidently, he did indeed make his way to America, to judge by the accent.]

It was nothing, really. Would you care for a drink?

That's me.

[Although really, he'd prefer to be the young man from New York and pretend his childhood had had no influence on him at all, but since Isaak had seen him as a child, that might be difficult to argue.]

A drink sounds great. Thanks.

Anything you like,

[He says easily, with a wave to the bartender. Meyer isn't likely to getaway with forgetting his childhood here; really, it's a wonder that Isaak is keeping to English, since given his choice he often doesn't.]

Quite a few people found themselves in that state, the other weekend.

Vodka and tonic, I suppose.

[Being able to get good alcohol is still a novelty to him. It's amazing that the City has it so readily available. He nods.]

I know. Several of us were much smaller than normal. I hope I wasn't too much of a bother.

Not in the least. I couldn't in good conscience leave children to starve.

[Not that conscience is usually much of a bother, but he's keeping up a certain image here.]

And I'll admit it is pleasant to hear a familiar voice now and again.

And I imagine that I was overjoyed to find someone who spoke my language.

[A pause.]

Although, admittedly, I remember very little of it.

It made it a bit easier on you, I'm sure. Though there are a few of us.

I've noticed, although I'm not as fluent as I was as a kid. It isn't my first language, and there wasn't a whole lot of use for it in New York.

I'm certain you could manage well enough. It's much harder to lose a language than to gain one.

True -- no matter how many languages I've picked up in the interim, Russian does tend to stick around somewhere in my brain.

[He looks around the bar again.]

Impressive place you've got here.

I'm rather fond of it,

[he agrees, never one for false modesty.]

One must have something to pass the time here.

Yeah, I know the feeling. That's why I run the casino. It appears that you do good business.

[Although it's curious, how all of the patrons of the bar seem to be men. No, he still hasn't worked it out.]

Having a bit of a niche market does help.

[The best thing about being stuck in the City, Isaak finds, is the fact that he doesn't even have to pretend to feel guilty about his preferences.]

A niche market?

[Yes, this will probably have to be spelled out to him.]

[Oh, that's always rather fun. He raises an eyebrow mildly.]

It's a gay bar, you know.

[Well then. A faint blush slowly begins to spread across his cheeks. Dammit.]

I wasn't aware.

You needn't worry. I do make an effort to be welcoming to everyone.

[He'll make sure you escape with your virtue, Meyer.]

[~~What virtue~~.]

I don't, of course, have anything against the idea. I just wasn't aware that...

[That what? His brain appears to have stopped functioning.]

[~~Well, isn't it the thought that counts?~~

If he's hoping for a slick conversational rescue, he's out of luck. Isaak is going to patiently wait for him to finish as he will.]

[Let him just take a far too huge swig of his drink before continuing. He regains some composure, at least.]

This isn't the sort of thing that would be common, in the time I'm from. It takes some... adjustment, to get used to the idea.

[Actually, that's admirably open-minded. Drink as fast as you need to, Meyer.]

The City's rather more liberal than a great many places are, I've found.

[Oh, when it comes to think kind of thing, he's more liberal than anyone will know. Ever.]

I have to ask, does being seen here imply that one is...

[Why does he have no idea how to phrase this? It's like being that little kid who couldn't speak English all over again.]

I know you say you're welcoming to everyone, but there might be certain assumptions...

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