Teasing was a great indicator that a person was at ease - flirting was even more so. So when Percy's attitude shifted from shocked, well-meaning tea clerk to playful double entendre, Asher decided that the sheepish, submissive act could probably ease off a little. Not entirely, of course - he couldn't risk being jarringly obvious, but he did look her dead in the eyes and return a smile that might have been considered on the right side of wicked.
"Hah ... I don't like sweets. Does that help?" While his expression had played into her flirtation, his words were tentative, still careful not to impose and, when he approached the counter to observe the tins she set out for him, he wished he could shrink. Environments like these made him feel like he should be akin to a bull in a china shop - but his heightened senses and agility tended to prevent that. People expected a giant, clumsy brute - and he had to give that to them if he wanted to avoid suspicion.
Rather than intentionally knocking anything over, Asher decided it would be best to simply be very obvious about how careful he was being as he leaned gingerly in to sniff the offered contents of each of her wares.
"Asher," he said, pointing at the last vessel in her lineup. "I think that one smells best. Nice to meet you, Percy." But when Metallica came up again, the hulking man shrugged his massive shoulders and leaned back. "They're alright. I'm more of an alt rock guy myself. I just thought the contradiction of metal in a little tea shop made it interesting enough to walk into." Asher was not an impulsive man - but he was a decisive one, and his decision-making process was often so quick that he certainly seemed impulsive. In this scenario, that was probably good; this would be seen as a chance encounter, rather than anything remotely considered or calculated to make the man seem less threatening than he was - or, at least, could be.
"Are you a fan, or just trying out something different to pep up a lazy Sunday morning?" He took a small step back to avoid hulking over her, and smiled briefly before being distracted by the food also set up on the counter. "Do you have anything savoury?"
"Hah ... I don't like sweets. Does that help?" While his expression had played into her flirtation, his words were tentative, still careful not to impose and, when he approached the counter to observe the tins she set out for him, he wished he could shrink. Environments like these made him feel like he should be akin to a bull in a china shop - but his heightened senses and agility tended to prevent that. People expected a giant, clumsy brute - and he had to give that to them if he wanted to avoid suspicion.
Rather than intentionally knocking anything over, Asher decided it would be best to simply be very obvious about how careful he was being as he leaned gingerly in to sniff the offered contents of each of her wares.
"Asher," he said, pointing at the last vessel in her lineup. "I think that one smells best. Nice to meet you, Percy." But when Metallica came up again, the hulking man shrugged his massive shoulders and leaned back. "They're alright. I'm more of an alt rock guy myself. I just thought the contradiction of metal in a little tea shop made it interesting enough to walk into." Asher was not an impulsive man - but he was a decisive one, and his decision-making process was often so quick that he certainly seemed impulsive. In this scenario, that was probably good; this would be seen as a chance encounter, rather than anything remotely considered or calculated to make the man seem less threatening than he was - or, at least, could be.
"Are you a fan, or just trying out something different to pep up a lazy Sunday morning?" He took a small step back to avoid hulking over her, and smiled briefly before being distracted by the food also set up on the counter. "Do you have anything savoury?"
