Conversation, like certain other parts of the anatomy, always did much better when lubricated.<br/><br/>He’d made his rounds, intimately entrenched in the party of gang bangers. The night had grown long. The gathering, such as it was, had been a huge success monetary-wise, and boring in other respects.<br/><br/>Taiga was seated at the poker table, owner of a shocking mound of gold-edged chips.<br/><br/>“Fold,” a drug-runner across said with disgust, and put down a terrible hand of cards, before pushing back and making his way disgustedly to the drinks table, leaving a seat empty at the table.<br/><br/>Taiga was wearing a perfect poker face. No expressions, no tells. He didn’t even smile.<br/><br/>But he was also bored. The game was over, Taiga having taken the pot, and a new game was beginning. A fresh, clean slate. But Taiga had had enough. He spoke to the dealer and left them to move his chips over and count his winnings.<br/><br/>Taiga left them to it, picking up a glass of champagne from the crystal pyramid of them and drifted towards a balcony hung with blue wisteria, leaning his forearms on the balustrade and looking out over the private courtyard of the rooftop garden. The position hitched up the back of his fine custom suit. The fog that had threatened them all evening was thickening to a drizzle, watery pinpricks on his face. He was the only one out braving the elements. He wasn’t concerned. He wasn’t ready to go back in yet.<br/><br/>He rolled the champagne glass between his palms and wondered how long it would be before Cortez found him and monopolized his presence for the rest of the night, showing him off like arm candy. Cortez did like to gloat. Taiga frowned and drained his glass. Most of the guests tonight were clients of his. It was interesting to be in a room and know what almost all of them were like in bed. Because they were clients, he couldn’t nurse a cigarette tonight until he and Cortez got home. That was a constant annoyance when he could use a calming lungful of smoke.<br/><br/>He looked up at the clouds, wondering if he’d see the moon.