“Maybe with your heart,” he says, a low, huffing laugh passing his lips. He could see why Gibbons had recruited him, there was a fire behind those dark eyes, a mischief and thrill for adventure they both shared. Maybe he needed to loosen up a bit. It was clear in the glint of Xiang’s eye that he would have to loosen up or Xiang would make him loosen up. There’s a silent challenge there that he thinks might be one of the best he’s had so far, but he doesn’t dwell on it before the shot’s thrown back, tequila burning its way down his throat in a way he’s honestly missed.

Of course there’s a second round. Nostrils flare as he immediately sees the challenge. Not wanting to be out done by the old man, he takes it, drinks it, hisses a bit. It was better than grenades, at least. Safer, too, which made the tips of his fingers itch to do something dangerous , to play the odds, throw himself out there again and go looking for those who were looking for them instead of waiting for them to come find them. He wondered, idly, if Ainsley was looking in on him. She had said the world would be a little less fun with him in it, maybe she wanted to make sure that fun hadn’t gone anywhere.

Xander gives the other man a bit of a shrug, “I always feel like we choose our own fate. Like those cartoons when I was a kid, ‘I have the power’. If I don’t want shit to happen, it doesn’t, I don’t let it. Can’t say that’s all in Fate’s hands.” He’s planning something, Xander can see, but though they’ve found a rhythm together, he hasn’t quite worked out the other man’s quirks, how he ticks. There’s still a mystery about him, and that’s probably why he’s still following.

Eyes narrow when he hears the word, and his hand goes up on reflex, finger holding the mechanism in place, the grenade in hand. That was the difference between them. Xander knew it wasn’t a danger, he wouldn’t drop the grenade before it was properly re-pinned–at least not in the club–but he wouldn’t have thrown it in the first place. It was almost reckless, and not in the fun way. Still, a fire ignited in him, extreme excitement was his favorite drug, and this was definitely a hefty dose. “Damn…” he laughs, though, as he follows him in.

The bodies gyrate, girls feel him brush past and think he’s their new partner, but he’s only got eyes on the man with the pin on his finger. “Yeah! I said you were!” He laughs, bobbing and weaving through the crowd. It’s a good thing Nicks wasn’t in the mood to DJ tonight. X closes in, but it’s too easy, he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop, and he never takes his eyes off that short raven hair.