Paying Tolls [Flashback] [Selina & Theo]

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Harvey sat at the bar, his belly and the bartop negotiating how far his barstool would be from the bar itself.  He was leaned back against the back of the barstool a little, quickly catching it from tipping backward by slamming his hands on the table.

The tender looked over to him and then he looked to Selina and then back to the tender.

"Ten shots of Maker's, five for us each.  C'mon, baby, lets put some hair on that chest of yours, HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAA"

It is safe to say that Sergeant Harvey Bullock was a little tipsy.  He'd already downed four shots within the hour, but, then again, he had gained some weight these days.  The stubble on his chin was at least three or four days old, his suit a little rumpled.  He'd been dealing with too much terrible the last couple of years that he ended up letting himself go a little, but underneath all of it that ol' Harv was still there.

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Selina was sitting on the bartop, right in front of Theo. Winking at both the bartender, and her partner-in-crime, she just shook her finger at him, then leaned down, proudly touting her 'chest' at him. "I don't think this chest needs any more accents there, mister. But make those shots Jameson, not Makers. And I'd love one of creme de menthe, if you wouldn't mind." Twisting at the waist, she slaps a $50 on the bar.

Kicking her heeled legs slightly, she nudges Theo, and then reaches down to snag his tie. "Dance with me until he gets our shots." She widens those green eyes, a bit bright from her own shots she's taken. "You're too serious right now," She mopes, sliding from the bar neatly without flipping up the hem of her skirt. She'd jazzed up tonight, a slinkly little black skirt with a lovely, lovely tanktop and heels that bring her up almost eye to eye, but not quite. More like eye to chin. Even with tall heels, her own 5'7" height is nothing to his 6'3" statre. A bit of mascara and lipgloss had topped off her now shoulder length long tresses, which seemed to have a mind of their own tonight.

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"Awww why? You know I hate danc-"

Harvey was yanked away and on the floor. He just drunkenly shook his head over and over. Finally he moseyed up to her and grabbed her at the waist.

"Look, I ain't as good as I was at this a few years ago. I got a little more love to be throwing around her, y'know."

God damn it, Selina, a fat guy looks terrible dancing. WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME DO THIS!! OH-OH-OH NO!!

Harvey was making little baby steps, moving as little as possible. People knew him here, he couldn't let them see him dancing with some beautiful woman, knowing Harvey they'd likely assume she was some sort of hooker.

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She rolled her eyes, swaying her hips as he followed. He always got like this. There was no gut on him. No fat. He'd just filled out since she'd met him, not the lanky beat-cop he once was. She blamed it on the doughnuts he loved, and of course the good food. But hell, that meant there was more of him, and who gave a shit at that point when they were having fun?

Not her. "Sh. Sh. Sh. Your mother taught you, and you know I can dance, so shush, Theo. Just dance. We have time.." And she didn't want to pound shots as quickly as he could. She'd die. Or get crazy. But he'd be there with her, so it was fine. If anything, as her hand moved to his upper arm, he'd been working out more. Just as she had fully turned from a gangly seventeen year old into a young woman.

As he kept shuffling, she shook her head. "You're being stubborn, Theo. Everyone loves bacon, you know that. Just breathe." She murmured, resting her head on his chest.

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"Bacon? What? You're drunk."

Harvey rolled a long chuckle as he started, not realizing it either, to dance a little more fluidly and willingly. About a minute later he looked at her with a grimace.

"You callin' me a pig er somethin'? You know guys like me don't like that word."

He'd been called that enough in his life time. He smirked a bit later, it was funny, because now he got it. She was saying he gained a little, but to hell with it, bacon is amazing.


"What-What the hell are we even dancing to, Selina?"

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"I'm buzzed. There is a difference between that and drunk. And you've been working out. There is a difference between fat, and muscle. And I don't know. Bacon. Everyone loves it."

He was starting to lead, and she liked it. There was even a little twirl as he extended out his arm for her to swish her skirts. She liked that. And she was keenly aware of the eyes on the two of them. Whatever!

"No. Not a pig. I'm calling you something that everyone wants a piece of, Detective!" She laughed, back in his arms again as they 'danced.'

"To life. What else? Can't a girl enjoy a night away from school?" As his name was called by the bartender, she threw her head in the direction of the bar. "Told you so. Sounds like our drinks are up." Letting him go, she turned on her heel and sashayed back to where they had set up camp at the bar.

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Harvey sighed at the sight of her sashaying to the bar. It was always a nice sight. He pulled up next to her again and picked up two of his own shots and held them out toward her.

"Takes two to tango, don't it, baby?"

With a loud 'HA' Harvey downed them each, one after the other. he set the two shot glasses down and hissed at the burn and Selina.

"Ooh, mmm, yeah. After this we have to go get waffles."

A guy walked up and moseyed up next to Selina and looked her over.

"Hey there, can I buy you a drink?"

"Hey, woah, woah, woah.  If you want to buy the lady a drink you gotta pay the troll toll, bud."

The man smirked a bit at Harvey.

"And what's that exactly entail?"

"You buy her one, you gotta buy me two."

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Taking a drink in each hand, she was ready. One, then the next tossed back as her mouth, lungs, and throat were on fire. Gasping, she screwed her eyes shut, exhaling loudly as she felt the liquid flame subside slowly. "Waffles, now? I thought we were going to stay a while." She had no idea where her tolerance came from, but she was sure glad of it with Theo. He could drink like a fish, and had a height advantage, too, it seemed.

Thankfully the bartender had caught on, and there was a glass of soda and OJ waiting at her elbow for her. She had been tossing out money like it was pouring outside, and no one was asking questions. The more liquor, the more fun, was her motto tonight.

As Mr. Wide-eyes leered at her, she'd not even been given a chance to say a thng before Theo was touting the troll toll. Biting her lower lip to keep from laughing, she nodded, her cue to play the 'dumb girl' given, ane executed perfectly. "I'm drinking J&B, straight up. Thank you kindly." She offered her hand for the man to kiss.

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The man was gone fairly fast, shaking his head and muttering something under his breath.

"What was that, pal?"

"I said I think I'll try elsewhere."

"Mhmmm."

Once the creep was gone Harvey looked back to Selina, silent for a moment and then just a burst of laughter.  He picked up two more shots and hit them hard.  He followed them with the third.

Harvey shook his head cartoonishly and put his fingers over his ears for a second and then removed them and repeated this several times.

"Man, I think I got tennitus, or whatever."

Harvey had been around enough of explosions and gun shots that he had indeed developped it, at least mildly.  He shrugged and picked up his beer off the counter and guzzled some of it down.

"What, no more drinkin' for you, or what, baby?  We gotta do at least one slow song."

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Selina feigned being let down, instead throwing back one of her shots, and following it with a sip of her OJ soda.

"Well shit, Theo. I guess he doesn't like Maker's!" She laughed, watching him with fascination as he downed two, then three shots. Feeling a bit behind, she shot her last one, biting the burn as she inhaled sharply.

"Probably, considering you use your gun all the time, sans that protective crap they have you wear in the lanes." She never understood that. They made you wear all that protective gear while practicing, but never when on the job.

"I never said that!" She claimed, narrowing her eyes at him. When had she even hinted she was done drinking? "At least two more songs!"

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"DEAL!"

Harvey guzzled down the remainder of his beer and marched over to the jukebox. After a couple of minutes he started to return holding his hand out to her once the song started to fade into the next.

Harvey was surprisingly smooth on his feet. He was selective about what he enjoyed actually cutting rug to. He let the bass line of the song guide him and his dancing. It was subtle as much as it was well done.

"You'll like the next one, too."

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She couldn't believe him. Snickering into her OJ and soda, she watched him pound his beer. When the beat starting on, she had to restrain herself from standing up and screaming like a thralled fan. He just knew what to play for her. Every damn time. And even though her heels were tall, she was keen on her feet. Her mother had taught her to dance, after-all.

As he, himself sashayed back to her, she smiled, taking his lead as they twirled, stepped, and laughed. It was nice to finally be able to dance with someone willing, first off, and secondly; he was taller than her. "I trust your taste, Theo. Always have." She winked at him.

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"I have the best taste in town, baby, you know it."

Harvey had his arm around her waist and he would bob his shoulders along to the melodies while his lower body seemed to stay in line with bass tones.

"Oooooh we been havin' a good time tonight, girly. I'm drunk as a skunk, too."

Harvey snickered, drunkenly, for someone who was a little smashed held it all down very well, then again, Harvey was a bit of a professional when it came to keeping his liquor down and cool. He'd only been truly drunk once or twice. It was a rare thing for him to need to hurl.

His breath smelled like whiskey and his collar smelled like cologne.

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If he did have the best taste in town, she wouldn't know. She blushed, nodding as they moved to the music. She was getting tipsy, but as long as she could walk in her heels, she was fine. Her mother had passed that on, and she remembered it, sitting as a little girl while her mother would prepare for a night out. "Taller, the better, because when you start to lose your balance, you'll know, honey."

And it was true. She was probably a shot or two from being blitzed, but she hadn't taken as many shots as him, yet. They were still moving, and she was still upright.

"Mhm," was all she said as she was lost for moment, well, in the moment.

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Harvey got quiet too, just dancing along, still bobbing his shoulders smoothly. Once the song faded out and the new one in Harvey pulled her into a more traditional slow dancing hold and looked down at her with a smile.

"Now I know you love this one."

She'd always loved Peter Gabriel. She'd already worn out two copies of the album. Any time she was over it was playing. He could never get that damn John Cusack movie out of his brain out of his head when he heard the song. Then again, he had a lot to relate to, using a song to win a woman's heart.

He'd been trying to do it for years, but, truthfully, he'd won that heart years ago, he didn't have to try as hard as he thought.