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     Today seemed like just any other day. Droog was technically on a day off but... Heck, did he really care? No. Not really...
     He sunk another ball into a hole, and thought for a moment about his move... Sure this was all just for practice, but had there been a better way to play? A more clear option that wouldn't result in other balls ricocheting off his own?... No. Of course not. That was an air-tight move.
     It was only when he moved to hit the cue-ball on the other side of the table, that he realized he was being watched. At first old instincts kicked in and told him to get into a defensive stance, but his fears were quelled when you turned back to wiping some glasses clean, as a matter of fact, part of him smiled when his eyes settled on your soft figure.
     Things were going.... Pretty good, he thought. Sure, it's not like he made it a point to flirt with you, but after griping at you the first month of your job he was happy just to be around you without a stiff air. There was no need to rush things. Just flirt.

     Droog opened his mouth; "You've been watching me play all evening."
     You set the glass down along with your wash-cloth and turned to him. "And?... It's an interesting game."
     Droog thought for a moment, hoping that the billiard game wasn't the only thing you watched. "Can you play?"
     You held up your hands. "No, I never learned. And I am sure that I'm not near as good as you."
     He smiled a bit, only a smirk. "Want me to teach you?"
     You turned a bit red around the cheeks, and fumbled a bit. "W-what now?... Um... I can't. I gotta make sure these glasses are all spotless and... Well, if not I really need to crack open my history book."
     Droog raised an eyebrow at you. It didn't take a good listener to understand or see clearly that studying was the thing you least wanted to do. "A test soon?"
     Your cheeks reddened a bit more, though you hadn't looked the least bit surprised. Maybe you had gotten used to his semi-omniscience. "Yeah.... I just... Want to get it done and over with. I spent my last day off doing nothing but studying."
     Droog finally gave you a wrinkled stare, one of confusion. He could understand doing something on your day off if you loved it, he loved playing pool, but... Still, even he had days where he just sat around his house and read. "So you haven't really had a day off in... What? Two weeks?"
     You shook your head, daring a smirk. "I got some down-time too. I just try to study as often as possible, is all."
     "Well no. It's just that you were hired particularly because of your... Your love for being social. To hear that you didn't go to another speak-easy or a party is just surprising to me."
     Your hand met the back of your neck. "Well... I work at a speak-easy now... I'm not missing much from not going out..."
     Droog shrugged, seeing the conversation was going nowhere, fast.... But what the hell was he supposed to say?... Flirting was much harder to do intentionally than he had remembered, and it was (unluckily or luckily) because of Slick that he had come this close to being acceptable in your eyes.
     So, nearly defeated, Droog returned to his practice... Three more sinkers in his concentration was broken. "So, Droog?"
     He looked up, not moving from his position, ready to hit the next ball and send it tumbling down the hole. "Yeah?"
     "How old are you?"
     Droog thought for a moment. Should he tell you the truth? He knew that for a man his age he looked quite healthy and relatively young, but... Still. To some women age was important.
     "I'm thirty-five."
     "HOLY COW! Really?!" you shouted in surprise.
     Droog frowned at you... Did you really have to be so loud?
     "... I mean... I wouldn't have pinned you past twenty-nine, or thirty..."
     Droog sighed and made the shot, missing just by a hair... The first hole had missed since he started practicing.
     "... I should have guessed you were older though..."
     Droog's insides curled into a knot. God. He understood. He was old, but seriously, what the hell?
     "Your patient, and disciplined, and know how to take care of yourself... You're blunt, and don't apologize for anything you intended to do, just for their out-come. You're super intuitive and a lot of young girls like you."
     The knot was quickly unwound as compliment after compliment flew from your mouth, but, in surprise, Droog looked up at the last one. "Young girls?"
    He saw you struggle a bit to find your next words as you focused on the glass in front of you. "A lot of girls like older men, it contrasts to their youth and calms them down a bit."
     Droog could have guessed that. "So what you're saying is, that young women like me because I am mature?"
     "And you're skilled, and take your job seriously. You're a heart-breaker, I guess..."
     Droog moved from his position and set his cue-stick against the felt lining of the pool table. "What brought this on?"
     You turned to him; "Hm?"
     "I'm just asking what brought up the question."
     You nervously ringed the cloth in your hand. "I just noticed that you have a lot of 'fans' when you play pool.... A lot of them tend to be my age or a little older."
     "Oh..." A moment of pause. "What about yourself?"
     "Wait? Me? A fangi-"
     "No. I mean your age... I've noticed a lot of repetitive, single, gentlemanly customers come by the bar."
     "I'm... I'm twenty three," you finally answered. "And I... Well. I haven't noticed it."
     "Huh?"
     "I've been distracted with everything. I... I'm afraid that my friend ____________ is the really popular one, I'm just a wall-flower."
     "I wouldn't say that..." Droog replied. "Are you sure you're just not... After someone else?"
     For a moment you turned red, making Droog narrow his eyes in anticipation a bit as he looked for any hint of flirting... Wait. If this wasn't awkward flirting, than what was?
     Finally all red flushed from your face as you took a sigh and gave him a pure, and composed look. "Are you?"
     "... Touche..." he smiled despite himself... But he knew there was no way you'd notice he was smiling because of you, and take it just as a compliment to your rebuttal. "I am, actually... She's a darling little thing...I just keep making myself look like an ass in front of her."
     A playful chuckle came from the bar. "Droog, you are an ass... But in a necessary and good way... Most of the time."
     He chuckled back too. "Oxymoron."
     "No it's not. You're the realist that EVERYONE tries to hate because you're so painfully truthful... But no one can hate you because you know what to do, and how to do it, and how to do it well, and gracefully... You're like.... The A+ student in every class who corrects the teachers."
     "Am I now?... Well I wish that was more true. Every time I try to talk with this girl, I don't know what to say."
     "Oh, that's simple enough!... First things first, is you got to be yourself. If you're around her, and talking to some one else, don't put on airs... That'll only lead to trouble..."
     "I've tried that.... She... Finds me difficult, but alright, I suppose..."
    "Oh, okay then... Hm... Flirting advice... Um... It really depends on the type of girl she is." In your heart you felt a small twang of jealousy...Okay. A pretty large punch of envy. But... At the same time though, you had only just started to like Droog. Maybe these feelings had been brought up at the possibility, and not at what was actually going on... And maybe you wouldn't have worked out.
     "I know that I'm a total hopeless romantic, so... Flirting and maybe being not-so-subtle about dropping the hint of interest is cool... But that's just to me. Don't try to spend too much time with her at first though. Some guys get the girl they like then drop everything to be with them... It doesn't work out. Things go to fast, and it happens to guys too. Just take it slow, and be considerate. Dates or special meets set aside just for her, is okay though... Nothing too big though. Fancy dining is expensive and should be saved for later."
     Droog gave you a curious look. "Wow... You... Know quite a lot about this."
     "It's only my opinion," you said as you got back to work. "Make sure she feels loved and cared for, and she'll be happy."
     Droog nodded, taking in the information like a sponge. "So... How would a man ask you out?"
     "... I'm not that pretty, so I don't think a lot of effort would go into-"
     "Scratch that. How would you enjoy being asked out?"
     "... Oh um... By you?... I don't know... An honest confession. I'd think differently if it was someone else. Slick would just be straight and blunt. Tons of innuendo, but that's part of his charm. Boxcars would be blunt, but sweet... Deuce would be completely nervous and cute as a button."
     "An honest confession?..."
     "Um... Yeah... Why? Do you have something going through your head already?"
      Droog poker-faced and lit a cigarette... He'd need it. "... No not really. I just figured I'd let you know that I've been interested in you since we met, and I wanted to know if the feeling had been mutual is all."
      Your heart skipped a beat, and your breath snagged for a moment, but then you realized that it was likely just a quote of what he was thinking. "... That was a bit... Blunt."
      "It's true," Droog said as he grabbed his jacket. "I'm going to go and get some shut-eye. Study plenty for that test, and think about my confession, okay? If I come back tomorrow and it still hasn't hit you. I'm going to make you play pool in front of everyone tomorrow."
     Droog then left, leaving you at the bar, quite confused.
     "Wait...." you thought for a moment... "OHMYGOD!"
      From outside Droog chuckled as he heard your squeal from inside... Yeah. You'd need a long time to study for your test if you were that slow at processing.
     … Droog DID get distracted on the way home, though...