Happy Hour

[balancingminds]

When Charles goes to the counter to get a scotch, he smiles and nods. He's glad to do a happy hour, Milliways has received a few shocks lately and if this will help then he's happy to do it. The cocktail book provides some good options as he starts to write.

Specials
Golden Friendship
Hedgehog
Dignified Iced Tea
If you've had a difficult week, share your troubles and your drink is free.

Its not a huge amount but he hopes its enough that he might make a few people smile tonight.

(OOC: Charles is listening passively so please include your character's thoughts in the narration or a reason why he wouldn't hear them. Thank you and at 1:30 am closed for the night. Open for new threads until the next Happy Hour goes up.)

Comments

[cook_the_rude]

The stranger who comes up to the bar with his iPad dangling from his fingers is still thinking about the article about the Imperial kitchens of Istanbul he had just been re-reading on his tablet.

"Good evening," he says, pleasantly. "What makes that ice tea so dignified?"

[balancingminds]

Charles has seen those pads about the article seems interesting and complex,

"I'm not actually certain why. None of the ingredients are of that high a quality."

[cook_the_rude]

"Then I should probably not drink it," the man with the iPad says. "Recommend me something that you personally find dignified."

He thinks of opening a door as he says so, and beyond the door are shelves, with bottles on, sorted and labelled and colour coded and quite varied, from home-brewed beer to ancient single malts, and everything in between.

[balancingminds]

"That's rather simple then. I recommend a fine scotch,"

He turns behind him to get a tumbler and pulls down one of his favorites, Balvenie that he then pours.

[cook_the_rude]

In his mind, the man with the iPad quickly homes in on a bottle just like the one in Charles' hand, then consults the colour code on the shelf, and its relative position in the room.

"The Balvenie," he says, sounding appreciative. "Citrus notes, very sophisticated in the making. Excellent choice."

He swirls the liquid in the tumbler, and inhales.

[balancingminds]

Charles pours himself a glass and considers how tightly organized the man's mind is, there seems little room for emotions or memories,

"Its always been a favorite of mine."

[cook_the_rude]

Charles' face appears before the man's inner eye, checking and comparing details as if to determine his age.

"Have you been drinking scotch very long?" he asks.

[balancingminds]

Due to the seriousness of his eyes, Charles sometimes seems older than his actual age in his early thirties,

"A good part of my life."

He's curious to see how this man interprets him because the fact that there's yet to be anything emotional is disconcerting.

[cook_the_rude]

The man compares the eyes, the barely receding hairline, and the set of Charles' mouth, contrasting the expensive scotch and the outward signs Charles gives by his manner of dress and speaking, and comes to a conclusion: early thirties, from a well-to-do background that he is not entirely comfortable with, wanting to be his own person and to be judged by what he does and knows, not where he comes from. Quickly, all these points are checked on a list that the man visualises in his hands as he stands in the room with the bottles.

"An excellent tradition to uphold," he says. "It's good to appreciate something for its own sake, as well as the memories it brings us."

He sips the scotch, and in his mind, a hodge-podge of sensual impressions (lemon! lime! oak cask! flowers breaking out from an egg made of barrel-wood! a clear spring morning!) open up like a stage magician's handkerchiefs.

Some new coloured dots are added to the shelf in that imaginary room.

[heartofthedream]

"Tea." Is in an easy, well known voice.

Though he may not have noticed her appear, or heard her walk up.

It's always sort of questionable. How much she does and doesn't do. Around him. Now.

But there's still a smile she can't help from gracing her lips when he sees her, even clarifying. "Earl Grey."

[balancingminds]

"Hello, Jean,"

Its always a pleasure to see her and the tea is easily made and handed to her.

[heartofthedream]

"Hello, again." Hi, and goodbye, don't they seem such strange references. "And thank you."

When once upon a time she could have stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, or the wall of any room, in any day, while talking to him. But she takes the cup, with an easy sort of countenance. Cupping it within her fingers and listening the faint fire there. Stirred up molecules batting around each other, faster and faster, right now.

"Which one is your choice favorite?" That goes with a glance toward the special's board not far from them.

[balancingminds]

"You're welcome. None of them are particular favorites of mine but I do think I've had the Golden Friendship when I was younger in New York. I chose them more for the names which made me smile,"

He enjoys exploring the options of drinks in Milliways.

[heartofthedream]

Jean considered it. The young man, younger than ever, still and ever, here, than any of the memories that came and went. Considering it a long second, before her emerald eyes finally went back to find his face again. "Would it not be your duty to try them, then? So that people who don't know what to pick have some knowledgable to advise them?"

[balancingminds]

"Oh yes and I would recommend the Dignified Iced Tea for a simple and refreshing drink, the Hedgehog for someone in the mood to experiment and the Golden Friendship for someone who enjoys a nice cocktail,"

His drink preferences just remain fairly simple in a good scotch or beer.

[heartofthedream]

"Convenient," Jean smiled, resting her chin on a curl of fingers.

"I guess I won't suggest we shoulder try them, then."

[balancingminds]

"They won't be going anywhere if you want something other than tea."

[04_after]

A young man, refastening his cufflinks, approaches the Bar. Quatre's relatively dressed down: no jacket, and he has a loose cravat tucked into his waistcoat. There's an initial disappointment at seeing someone staffing the Bar -- he'd been hoping to pick up an industry paper, but that's quickly swept aside.

Quatre reads the Specials board quickly, smiling softly at the names. He turns his smile on Charles. "Is there any chance Dignified Iced Tea is non-alcoholic?"

He's low-level monitoring Charles, more of a faint air of listening than any observations yet being drawn, except for one thing -- he clearly, sincerely, wants to believe Charles is a good person.

[balancingminds]

"No, but it can easily be made non-alcoholic as it only has vodka added to it,"

This young man is more formally dressed than Charles has seen outside of Oxford but wears it easily. Charles is in his normal wear of a button down shirt with a tweed jacket over it with the collar of his shirt partially unbuttoned.

He does wonder about the industry paper, it reminds him of some of his own reading choices. The low level monitoring feels like a subtler version of what spies he's met does but without the same paranoia.

[04_after]

Quatre's smile quirks. "I'll have some un-dignified iced tea, then," he allows, amusement strong as he takes a seat.

He's tired (not as tired as he will be in a few weeks time), but content; there's the memory of a large family sharing an even larger meal, laid out on a series of tables in what looks to be a classical ballroom but the atmosphere is casual and comfortable chaotic. He is always glad to see his family for iftar, but he's relieved by the relative quiet of the bar.

"I'm Quatre Winner."

[balancingminds]

"Charles Xavier,"

He pours out the iced tea into an elegant tall glass with a thoughtful smile, the memory is wonderful. His family has never been that big, but to him that's what family should be, comfort around each other.

[04_after]

Quatre can't place his accent -- he thought it was English, at first, but now he's thinking maybe somewhere in North America. Or another world, entirely.

In any case: educated. Probably doesn't tend bar anywhere else.

"It's good to meet you, Charles," he says. "Is your night going well?"

[balancingminds]

"Its been interesting so far as I do always enjoy the chance to meet more people,"

His accent does seem to confuse people but he's gone back and forth from England his entire life. Jean was a pleasure though Hannibal worried him and he still wishes he knew more.

[04_after]

"Yes," Quatre says, smile softening. "People are always interesting." He mentally hesitates, before closing the mental drawer on any expansions on the topic.

"Where are you visiting from?"

There's a flicker of thought to his own home colony, suspended between the gravity fields of Earth and the Sun.

[balancingminds]

"Outside Washington DC, I'm doing some work there. I find them to be,"

That closing is intriguing but Charles won't push as its clear Quatre doesn't wish to talk.