I can't take no L and I can't let you take no chance with me [Ashley]

After fighting with her husband, Jane had made her way to a nearby bar. She wasn't in the mood for a nightclub, nor was she dressed for one. She'd just thrown on a pair of jeans, grabbed a black flannel that she thought that she remembered stealing from Ryan to tie around her waist, put on a hat, grabbed her handbag, and left. The hole-in-the-wall look of this particular establishment meant that her wardrobe was of little concern, though some of the older wizards had given her predominantly muggle attire disapproving looks from the corner. She paid them no mind and sat quietly at the bar.

"Another, please?" She'd already had a margarita before Piers had even gotten home, and now she'd just finished a glass of firewhisky. Luckily she had a strong liver and wasn't quite drunk yet, though drunk was the end goal. Jane was too angry to think of how dangerous it was to be drunk and alone in London-- wizard London even. Perhaps she should have joined her coworkers after all? Hm, better not. They were probably somewhere nicer, like Inferno, and she'd have been under-dressed if she'd decided to show up now. Besides that, she didn't need any of them gossiping about her personal life. The HR lady, in particular, had a big mouth.

So, there she sat, alone and sipping her drink. Pathetic.

@Ashley Morigan

Wearing jeans and a t-shirt in a wizarding bar was perfectly on-color for Ashley, regardless of the looks given by older wizards. British wizards seemed so much more uppity than the American ones at home. He had never felt out of place in a bar before, and he wasn’t about to start now. He had been playing darts with one of the older gentleman—well, could he say he was playing if he was absolutely wiping the floor with him?—but he was a little distracted, his eyes tailored to the blonde witch as soon as she came in. She seemed… put off, and the way she was drinking made her think that there was something wrong. He cashed in a bit earlier than he could have, and brought his winnings to the bar.

“Put that on my tab?” He asked the bartender, about her Firewhisky. “And one for me, yeah?” He smiled. The bartender grinned at him and he winked back. He turned to Jane. “Long day?” He asked.

Things had been hard for him lately, too, but he was trying this best to avoid thinking about it. This summer, he would be starting a trip on the Corutois cruise teaching a course in his specialty, and he was nervous of leaving London for the first time in a long time, but he didn’t have much to keep him here… with Ros going back to her day job and all, it wasn’t like he had much else. He was chicken to tell her how he felt.

It had been just like it was with Casey. He let his fear come in between them, and he didn’t know what to do about it. For a brave adventurer, he was a coward in love.

Jane wasn't sure whether she should feel grateful or annoyed. On one hand, now she didn't have to pay for her drinks. On the other, the last thing that she wanted to do tonight was to put up with another man and his bullshit. Still, he seemed nice enough and she didn't want to seem unappreciative of the gesture. There was still a ring on her finger, and she hoped he'd take note of it before embarrassing himself. She couldn't help but think that he was handsome, though, and he had an oddly familiar, comfortable presence.

"You could say that." Jane offered a small smile. "You?" She paused, taking her drink from the barman. "Thank you for the drink." She hadn't expected an American to be so courteous. She'd been to America, though mostly just places like New York, and it was definitely a country not built for the weak in her experience. She noted the accent and wondered where he might have been from.

"I saw you playing darts earlier." She admitted. "You're really good."