milliways_bar | (no subject)

X, whose hair is slightly damp from aquatic maneuvers (i.e. swimming), slips over to John.

She moves very quietly.

Then--

"Hello."

Beat.

"You are okay?"

Many of her friends and acquaintances have not been, lately. She worries.

John turns and chuckles. "Always all right, Joe. And yourself?"

"I am okay."

She almost always is.

"I have been working."

John considers that and nods. "Are you working now, or would you like a sit down and a drink?"

What do you feed an asocial teenage weapon?

"A milkshake. Am I right?"

"No."

Beat.

"I work later."

She hesitates at the mention of a milkshake, shoulders gone tight.

It's hard to forget being drugged.

But--

"My teammates like rootbeer floats." Maybe she'll like them, too.

John gestures to the seat next to him. "So what's stopping you, then? Park it while you can, love." He winks and grins.

She pauses, considering the offer, then nods.

Just once.

"Okay."

She takes the offered seat, tucking one leg underneath her. Just in case she needs to move quickly, of course.

"Thank you."

And when the root beer float pops up, she very carefully takes a sip.

It is not bad. Still sweeter than she likes, but bearable.

Edited 2008-07-04 01:52 (UTC)

John looks at her consider the taste of a sweet drink like a chemical experiement. This kid never stops making him grin. "Go on, then. I doubt that one drink will stand between you and utter devastation."

"I know."

She shoots him a quick sideways glance.

"My metabolism is very fast."

What this means in practice is that she takes another sip.

"It is okay."

"Is it? Between you, me and the barstool, I have no bloody idea what it is. Never seen one before. American, is it?"

"Yes."

Beat.

"I think."

After another momentary pause, she nudges the glass toward him.

"You can try it."

John nods. "Thanks, don't mind if I do." He takes a long sip and makes a sour face. "Brilliant."

He's being sarcastic.

He hands it back to her with a smile. "More for you, then." He takes a long pull on his pint of Guinness.

X tilts her head, just a little.

"You do not like sweets, either?"

One might almost think she was taking a survey.

She isn't.

She is just that bad at small talk.

"Not that, that's foul," John says. Then he chuckles and lights a cigarette. "But look at what I stick in my mouth."

X's nostrils flare just slightly.

Then--

"It is useful."

This is said almost grudgingly.

"It makes me cough."

John considers the burning end of his cigarette. "Useful? Possibly." He takes another drag and says, "If it makes you cough, take another drink. Oi! I've had a sip of yours, now you have a sip of mine." He pushes a mostly full pint of Guinness Stout at you.

She looks a little wary, carefully sniffing the Guiness before taking a small sip.

And then, maybe because she can, she takes a larger one.

"It is okay."

Beat.

"I do not like alcohol."

"Guinness is like a loaf of bread in a glass," John laughs. "It used to have adverts up: Guinness for Strength. So what do you like to drink?"

"Water. And milk."

She pauses to think.

"Orange juice is okay, too."

She takes another tiny sip of her float.

"You do not like real bread?"

John laughs out loud. "Sure I like real bread. But it won't get you pissed on a Saturday night, will it?"

"No."

X will give him that.

"Bread also does not make you throw up."

Beat.

"Unless there is mold."

"If you want to play, you have to pay, sweetheart. Joe," he quickly adds with a quick smile. "You have to walk the balance."

She tilts her head a little, green eyes clear.

"I am good at balancing."

Beat.

"But not games. They do not make sense."

Not board games, anyway. And even poker, for her, is more about the odds than the thrill of play. She likes chess, though.

"What I meant was, if you want to risk, you have to be willing to pay up, don't you? If you roll the dice, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. So if a lad wants to get plastered, he must pay the price."

"Oh."

Beat.

"Yes."

This next pause is half as long.

"It is the same with fighting."

John smiles. "Got it in one."

X falls silent again, considering this very carefully.

Then--

"It is like that with everything?"

Maybe she can be taught. Slowly, and on a slant--at least when it comes to people.

John smiles. "Thatta girl. You know a lot more than you think you do. Now, if only we could figure out how to make you stop scowling." He winks.

She does not smile.

Instead, she says, "I will practice."

Very solemnly.

Was that a joke?

What about a curious black lab puppy, currently bounding around and pawing at strange things while her owner gets a tea from the bar.

Mel thinks John's pant leg looks like a good chew toy to her.

Edited 2008-07-04 02:46 (UTC)

Mel's about to get her cute black arse kicked across the room. "Get off!"

Mel gives him a Look, suggesting that he shouldn't go around kicking poor, defenseless puppies, but does scoot back a few inches at the harsh tone. Just in time to be scooped up into Eirene's arms, who just noticed her pet was missing.

"Hey, sweetie. Let's not bother the cranky ones."

John grunts something that could be understood as, "Too bloody right."

"Sorry. I've only had her a couple of weeks, and we're still working on the 'not running up to strangers' bit."

She will offer an apologetic smile.

"I've heard there's these things called collars and leashes," says the grumpy old man at the bar. "You might want to look into that."

"Are you always this grumpy?" Eirene is just going to ignore the leash comment, as Mel already has a collar and she'd rather the puppy come to her when she calls and be trained to stay close.

"I mean, she's just a puppy."

"Do you always go around lecturing people you don't know?"

"Only when they glare at my dog." But since Mel is safe now, Eirene figures she can cut back on the stern face. "I am sorry she bothered you. There, that's an apology. Would it kill you to smile?"

John rolls his eyes. "Jesus Christ. What is it about this place? I'm just sitting here over a pint, some dog comes along and humps my leg, and now Little Miss Sunshine wants me to smile."