quietly walked down the alley towards the back entrance of the bar. He was here on a mission.

leans against the wall as she smokes, glad to be away from the smell of beer at least for the moment. She noticed movement but doesn't pay much attention to it. Probably just a stray or a busboy from the bar.

noticed someone was outside the back door and narrowed his eyes before smiling a bit. He got closer before nodding to her. "Hej."

nods in return, not really paying much attention to him yet.

stopped once he got close to her. "Got a light?" He pulled out a cigarette and pressed it to his lips.

hesitates, looking him up and down before pulling out a matchbook and passing it to him.

took it and quickly lit the match, lighting his cig without any issues and handed the matchbook back to her. "Tak."

puts the matches away. So he was Nordic, too. She figures he was probably in the Mafia as well and relaxes a little.

smiled a little. "What's a pretty little thing like ye doin' in a dark alley like this?"

"What 'pretty little things' do in dark alleys is none of your concern." She straightens herself up a little, watching him closer now.

shook his head as he tapped the ash close to the ground. "Hey, I didn't mean to offend ye. I was just curious."

"I am smoking, that is what I am doing in this dark alley."

shrugged. "If ye claim so." He leaned against the wall.

rolls her eyes and moves to put out her cigarette. She hated to waste it but she didn't like being alone with people she couldn't trust. Or people who annoyed her. He was proving to be annoying.

noticed what she was doing. "Ye know, ye could just tell me to go away."

raises an eyebrow. "And would you go away?"

looked to her. "For a lady like ye? Of course. I respect women."

blinks at him before raising her still lit cigarette and starting to smoke again. She wasn't used to men with that kind of attitude.

took a drag and looked away from her. "So, yer answer?"

shrugs. "I'm sure you have important dark alley business to attend to. Who am I to stop you?"

chuckles. "Not much to do. I'm just here to pick up a special case of drinks."

glances away from him. "Not much special about this bar. Same boring kind of crowd every night." She meant that it wasn't a mafia controlled bar.

shrugs. "At least it's a break from the busy ones. Do ye work here normally?"

shakes her head. "It's not busy enough for my tastes. I like the bigger crowds. Just taking a slow night right now."

hums. "I know a bar where ye'd have some fun." He didn't know if she was in the Mafia at all. He just found her interesting.

raises an eyebrow. "Ja? Which one?" She still wasn't too sure if he was Mafia or not.

glanced to her. "The bar just off the main street. It's excitin' there."

knew that was one of the main Nordic Mafia bars. She nods slowly. "I've been there a lot. There's always a lot going on there."

smiled and raised his brow at that. "Do ye like it there?"

nods. "It's one of my favorites. I don't work there often, though."

shrugged as he tapped ash towards the ground again. "I'm occasionally the bartender there. If I ever catch ye comin' in I'll give ye a discount."

knew they wouldn't let anyone outside of the Mafia bartend there. "I drink for free anyways but thank you for the offer."

sighed. "Darn, I thought I'd be able to charm ye with cheap drinks." He smirked as he finished off his cig and headed for the back door to the small bar.

rolls her eyes. "It takes a lot more than that to charm me."

looked to her as he stood by the door. "Like what?"

makes a small noise that could have been a laugh. "Like I'd tell you."

shrugs. "Worth a shot. Guess I might see ye later, doll." He walked into the small bar, going to finally do what he came here to do.

flicks her cigarette away and follows him in, heading towards the stage. She'd already taken a little too long for her break.

headed to the storage room of the bar after talking quickly to the bartender who was there. He did keep an eye on her though.

takes off her coat and leaves it backstage. She puts her hair up and straightens out her glittering cocktail dress before walking on stage and starting her next set.

just about to walk out the back with the cases he needed, but when he saw her he stopped and decided to watch a show of hers.

starts singing, looking out over the people in the bar. She notices Soren watching and winks quickly in his direction before looking away again.

couldn't help but smile when she looked at him. He leaned against the wall as he admired her voice, and the looks.

sings a few more songs before ending her set. She walks off stage and gathers her tips from the bartender before being approached by a few inebriated men.

about to leave when she ended her show, but decided to watch her for a bit longer. He noticed the men and narrowed his eyes, not acting yet. He didn't know if she could deal with it herself, or if she wanted

assistance.

brushes the men off politely, insisting that she had to step out for a bit to freshen up and she would rejoin them after. She steps backstage and picks up her coat, heading for the back door.

held it open for her since he was near it, holding the cases of beer as well. He figured it'd make sense to hold the door for her.

...figured that she should have been the one holding the door since he was holding the cases but she steps through with a nod of thanks.

didn't find it troublesome at all. "Ye gotta great voice. And great looks. Ye're really talented."

pulls her coat on. "Having a nice appearance has nothing to do with talent."

shrugs. "Nej, but I'm sure it can become easy to get what ye want. Am I right?"

starts walking down the alley. "I'm not used to being told 'no.'"

walked beside her quietly. "Ye seemed to enjoy yerself when ye're on stage... is it fun?"

shrugs. "It's a job. Helps pay the bills."

shrugs. "That's true. Ye play the part well though. I thought ye'd be excited and proud 'bout it."

rolls her eyes.
It

"It's all just a part, every bit of it."

looked down to her. "So I guess ye'd get a lot of gossip by just bein' around, ja?"

sighs. "I don't really pay attention to what others say about me. I do my job, I help my family and that is all I need to worry about."

hummed at that. "Family is pretty important to ye I guess, eh?"

glances at him. "Probably as important as yours is to you."

hummed quietly at that, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

watches him a bit longer before looking away. She walks in silence with him.

"I guess ye're headed home?"

nods. "It's just on the next street."

shrugs. "I guess I can walk ye there. It's just a short distance to my bar after."

shakes her head. "I can get walk there on my own."

*can walk

raises his brow. "Ye sure, doll? It's no worry for me. I like night walks."

nods. "I've walked there on my own plenty of times."

smiles. "Alright." He walked to the spot where she'd need to split off. "See ye around, doll."

nods slowly and starts to walk down the street. "The name's not Doll, it's Trudy."

smirked a bit. "Godnat then, Trudy." He watched her a bit longer before continuing on with his cases to the bar.

walks for a while before turning a corner and walking down another street. She didn't like telling people what street she lived on, even if he was in the Mafia as well.

had expected she wouldn't tell him fully. She was cautious, which he liked. He'd still keep a look out for her if she ever came by. He could tell she wasn't a normal person, but was still on the edge of if she

in the Mafia or not.

had already given him more clues than she felt comfortable giving. She'd keep an eye out for him, he was certainly more interesting than the men she was usually around.

did pick up on the clues, but he didn't want to jump to conclusions. He got back to his bar and unpacked the beer he had.

steps into her apartment building and picks up her mail before heading upstairs.

might talk to the subboss about her, just to ease his mind. He knew he'd be seeing her soon anyways.

thought it was a little weird that they hadn't met before but she did make a point of working at the rival mob bars.

didn't really communicate with other members of their Mafia. He only mostly talked to the second in command.

avoided her mafia as much as she could. She knew it would blow her cover if it was known who she associated with.

wondered who she talked to then to communicate information....

dropped off coded letters at a friendly bar and sometimes met up with the subboss for time sensitive information.

could always help communicate if those methods begin to get suspicious.

might take him up on that offer.

would discuss it whenever she was around then, if she brought it up. For now he just continued on his job as being a bartender.