Late, even in GMT

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

And even more late in Daylight Savings...Justin had no idea that the Milliways timeline was as far forward as this, and gapes a bit at the curt note he receives from Bar before she switches off.

...he may have just worked out that he's not as old as he thinks he is. Anyway! What with the Late and all, he has no time to search for specials and so the board reads;

Name me a cocktail that makes me laugh, get it for free. Has to be real!

Given that he laughs a lot, this one should be easy.

'We're go for Happy Hour, everyone.'

Comments

[ostro_goth]

This is a tavern. There is a tavern-keeper.

Teja is still truly confused, but he would have some drink, so he walks up to the counter.

"A cup of well-watered red wine," he orders.

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'Yeah, I know. Hi, Teja.'

Justin grins as usual and had seen him coming; hence, he's already pouring the wine.

'How's things?'

[ostro_goth]

That all these would address him with such familiarity and lack of respect, as if he was not dreaded and dangerous!

"You claim to know me, also?" Teja asks.

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

Justin looks blank.

'I do know you. It's not a claim.'

Wtf?

[ostro_goth]

"I know you not," Teja says. "I know no tavern-keepers, no wenches, nor catamites. I would not go to such places while alive; I cannot fathom why my afterlife should banish me to such a place of lewdness, where all will blankly address me by my name, as if they were my friends."

Pause.

"But I would not impugn your honour in supposing you might be one of them; honest hard-working men may serve drinks to guests!"

He takes the watered wine, and drinks.

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

He blinks, slowly offended.

'Well. If my translation of your archaic fucking language is right, I am a catamite and I'm getting deja vu. We've been through this before.'

Yeah, he realises that something's up here but he hasn't experienced the time shifts Milliways is so fond of before and this hits enough of a raw nerve that he's overlooking the Weird for the time being.

'So 'impugn my honour' all you like - it only matters if I give a shit what you think.'

Which he doesn't.

[ostro_goth]

"The wine is good," Teja says, "but I know you not, youth! I died but an hour ago, and came to this strange afterlife, where all pretend to know me, call me by my name, or even claim to have had impure relations with me! At least you try not to kiss me lewdly, or throw yourself upon me!"

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'You wish,' he says, tartly, but is beginning to see what the problem is here and so, relaxes a little bit.

'You died an hour ago?'

Hmm.

'You must have come from a different point in the timeline. You've been here before although you were dead then too. You have friends here and a boyfriend.'

He's only met Charlie the once but he hopes for his sake that someone else has tried to kiss Teja already this evening.

[ostro_goth]

"I died an hour ago; this is my first drink in this afterlife," Teja says. "And there was a nithing, a man, not even a youth like you, that claimed to be my catamite, and tried to kiss me! I have never takes such a creature in my life!"

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'You will though' he says, off-handedly.

'This is Milliways and you change. You finally admit that you're gay, start sleeping with guys - get over it. I assume you're talking about Charlie and you love him so chill the fuck out.'

Harsh, perhaps. But he only says it like that because he's pretty sure that nothing he says right now will make a blind bit of difference to Teja's mindset.

[ostro_goth]

"Gay?" Teja says. "I have not even been cheerful since I was a boy of your age!"

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'Then I feel sorry for you.'

Truly.

'But that's what I meant. In my time - and mostly here - gay means queer. Homosexual.'

He's tries to think of a way to word it that Teja will be able to relate to.

'A man who loves other men.'

[ostro_goth]

Teja looks into the depths of his wine and shakes his head, grimly. "It is some laughable mistake," he says.

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

(Mind if I play?)

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

[OOC: 'course not! :)]

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

"In that case . . . well, there's a drink called Assassin that I'm rather fond of." Croup smirks.

"And one called Serial Killer," adds Vandemar, helpfully.

Hello there, Justin.

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

Justin does not laugh. Indeed, he sighs.

'Hold on,' he says, by way of greeting, and goes to collect the book of cocktails stashed back here somewhere.

Hi yourself, guys.

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

Well, it's close enough.

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

He finds the recipes eventually and perhaps takes longer to make them than he would normally, in the hope that they might get bored and go away.

He knows thats a vain hope. And he's the type to try and make the best of a situation so when he comes back with the drinks, he's got a smile pasted on.

'There you go.'

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, my dear boy." Croup smiles slightly. "And how have you been doing lately?"

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

He shrugs a shoulder casually and leans against the back of the bar, arms crossed.

'Not too bad. Discovered this evening my birthday hasn't happened at home so I'm a bit pissed.

...I'd ask how you two have been but I get the feeling I already know the answer.'

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

"You never know, we might have changed." Croup rolls his eyes. "We haven't though."

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'Do you ever?'

He's honestly curious about this, and sounds it.

'In all your years, have you ever?'

[mr-v-and-mr-c.livejournal.com]

"Not very much. Our forms have changed, but the minds behind them? Have always taken the most pleasure from other creatures' pain."

[art-and-brian.livejournal.com]

'You know, you should try therapy. That's what they do with sociopaths in prison.'

Being flip is the only way to really cope with these two, he thinks.