AN: First of all sorry for the long wait and thank you for everyone who have faved or followed!
I have tried to figure out the direction of this collection. Right now, I have 2-4 more or less ready pieces, however, my muse had an idea of a small story, but the more I dig into it the more my muse seems to be abandoning it. The written pieces would fit into the story well, but I think the possibilities of them seeing the daylight is much better if I just update them here as one-shots. I'm also considering raising the rating of this collection to M for darker one-shots, but we'll see. Okay, less talk, more action and on with the show.
Disclaimer: I don't own Halo, it belongs to Bungie and 343i.
(Edited 15.7.2018 with minor corrections.)
AU, human!Cortana, somewhere 1920-40's. Or simply a crossover with some old black-and-white film.
Oh baby, with this amount of luck you won't even count the odds
The door closed softly as the tall man entered the bar. It was cold outside, and it had been snowing nonstop for hours. The man, however, had gotten used to many kinds of weathers during his life and had not even bothered with an extra winter coat to keep himself safe from the weather. The lack of a winter coat also did little to protect him from the eyes of bypassers, more so making him a target for curious stares.
It wasn't exceptionally warm in the bar either, only a handful of people had gotten out of their homes or offices to face the whirling snow in the dark streets.
The man, though, was a nomad, living everywhere and nowhere. Others decided where he ought to have his lonely wander.
The bar looked slightly outdated, even though it had definitely been well-off years back. The whole outline focused on faded red with gold-colored details. Small plant decorations were in a couple of tables, accompanied by ashtrays and menus. The tall man let his gaze wander around the room slowly. Despite his cool demeanor, he focused on every detail. In the end, however, his eyes stopped on the dark-haired woman sitting at the bar. For whatever reason, he felt inclined to sit next to her.
He took off his hat and ordered a beer, which the bartender poured quickly before leaving to organize the bottles further back in the room, thus leaving the two people alone.
He inspected the woman. She had made no acknowledgment towards him, twirling an old-fashioned cigarette holder slowly in her fingers. The woman's black hair framed nicely her small face and blue eyes, and she was wearing a modestly decorated blouse and a pair of tailored pants; the outfit complimenting her figure.
She raised a glass on her lips and took a sip, the strong smell indicating the drink to be much stronger than his own. Putting it down she raised him an eyebrow, challenging him to start a conversation.
The man wasn't much of a conversational type of a person, life had taught him to be wary of people. The woman, however, wasn't pushing the conversation, but instead, let him have his space. A fact that strengthened his original inclination towards her.
"John."
She seemed to smile on some inward joke. "Cortana."
Even though there was no explicit friendliness, no conversational edge in her words, John could feel himself cracking a small smile. "Unusual name."
"I think it's better to be original than resemble ten in a dozen." She replied matter-of-fact, offering a self-confident smirk in response.
The silence between lasted for several minutes, both surveying the other from the corners of their eyes, feeling the pull between them.
"You don't really drink do you?" The woman broke the silence in the end, making a small head gesture towards the untouched beer.
"No."
"To each his own," Cortana replied lightly, raising her hand slightly from the table to ask a refill from the bartender. She gazed behind her for a moment.
There were no questions of job, house or family. Sometimes outside information isn't necessary.
After a couple of minutes, the woman started to play with a small green chip on the table. Focusing enough on it, to make the man look what she had in her hands. The small round object appeared to be a poker chip, from the Casino of Monte Carlo.
"I've spent a big part of my life in Italy, Monaco is close." She explained to him still playing with the chip.
"So you are a gambler as well?" John joked dryly which earned him a blushing smile and an intentionally exaggerated eye roll.
"I don't appear to be much of gambler to have an unused chip with me."
"Why didn't you play it?" John asked taking a gulp of the beer. He was certainly, albeit secretly, getting more and more intrigued.
"I guess I just didn't feel to have enough luck on my side." The dark-haired woman replied deep in thoughts, before turning her gaze to him. She surveyed him for a second before coming to some private conclusion. "There," holding out the chip between her index and middle finger for him to take.
The gesture had an ability to surprise the wary man, making him stare at her perplexed.
The woman just grinned and nudged him to take the chip.
Afterward, she got up, emptied her glass with one big swig and threw her coat over herself. John watched her with a composed mask, nevertheless some part of his brain most definitely admiring the woman in front of her.
"Keep it, just in case you ever happen to travel to Monaco." She took a business card out of her purse and left it on the countertop, "Were you to feel yourself lucky".
She winked at him and left, making the nomad stare at the small chip in his hand. It wasn't really even an offer to consider. He put his hat back on, left rest of his drink untouched, but took the business card in his pocket, along with the chip, before heading back to the cold.
After all, even though, he unquestionably knew how to take risks that would later pay off, he wasn't really a gambler either.
Just lucky.
AN: Just in case anyone is interested in historical (in)accuracy. There seems to have been no green chips of any real value in Monaco at the start of 20th century, although, there might have been one green plaque type worth 500 000, but I thought that would have been little extravagant :D. Also with different currencies and inflation, I decided to leave the actual worth of the poker chip for the reader to decide. Just some nice sum of money, which could actually profit when played right.
Also if anyone is wondering Cortana's drinking. (Although she drinks only two drinks. :D) I just have always thought she seems in the early Halo-games like a person who could drink others under the table just by the sheer will of winning. And, even though there would be no Gravemind incident, some of that Halo 4:ish quietness fit well into her character in this one. Not sure though if I should have put John finish his beer (meeting Cortana left budding change in his character) or left it untouched (falling immediately back into his old restraints when Cortana walked out of the scene).
Hope you enjoyed!