milliways_bar | (no subject)

*Kay glances up, and sees Will.

One eyebrow quirks.*

*Will sees the glance, and returns it mildly.*

*He comes over, though he's willing to casually veer away again if Kay doesn't want company.*

My lord Stanton.

*Kay gives him a perfunctorily polite sort of nod.*

My lord Kay.

*Will returns the nod, polite and amiable.*

How goes the day?

As all other days here, my lord Stanton. Full of things that the minds of mere dead mortals like me can't possibly hope to understand.

*An eyebrow rises, and he gives Kay an inquiring look. It may possibly be a little sympathetic, too.*

*ruefully* I don't think anyone understands all of what goes on around here.

I would say that presumably someone does.

*Kay raises an eyebrow.*

There's always someone about a place who knows all of what's going on. It would never run, otherwise.

Oh, knows, certainly, I suppose. Understands? Properly, I mean, everyone and all of it?

*he shrugs*

Maybe the Landlord.

You say that as if you're talking of a god.

*Will looks amused.*

Not exactly. I don't know. No one's ever met him, or anything of the sort. Or her, I suppose. A few people went on a quest to find him, once.

*He shrugs. It's not a subject he spends much time worrying about.*

*Kay wonders idly if the Landlord ever appears as green.

And speaking of which, asks suddenly:*

You've been here a while, my lord Stanton, haven't you? Met most of the people, seen most of the quirks?

*amiably* I suppose so. Bit rash to say I've seen most of it, around here. But I've been coming for a few months, yes.

You've never come across a rather green, apparently periodically headless gentleman on a horse, then?

*Will blinks. Whatever question he was expecting, it wasn't that.*

No.

...You have, I take it?

No, I'm only asking out of idle curiosity. Why, don't you generally get people querying you about strange imaginary figments?

*Kay's voice is dry.*

*equally drily* You'd be surprised.

*He frowns.*

Did he do anything in particular? Other than being green and headless, I mean?

*A green man, headless, on a horse -- Ah. His expression does not change, but the question suddenly makes a great deal more sense, to the Old One in Will.*

Periodically headless, *Kay corrects.* The condition was an acquired one.

mm.

Acquired in the bar? Or I suppose it would have had to be out back.

*The question is light, curious, a little perplexed.*

Out back indeed.

*Kay's tone is light, his eyes on the ceiling.*

He's to return tonight, to repeat the exercise. With a small role reversal, of course - playing the same part all the time apparently gets rather dull.

*soberly* ...I see.

Who's to take his part, then? That sounds dangerous.

*He knows the answer, of course. But there's no need to tell Kay that.*

Why, only the one who orchestrated the original removal to begin with, of course.

*This is not exactly an answer. Still, Will shrugs with a facial expression that says "Fair enough," without diminishing the sober concern on his face.*

*Kay takes a judicious sip of wine, watching Will closely.*

Your young friend also found himself involved.

*a slightly sharper look*

Oh?

The situation, *Kay says, his tone still dry,* seemed to amuse him.

*Will frowns a little, still looking inquiring.*

*Kay shrugs eloquently.* Harmless mischief, I suppose. Considering.

Mischief?

*This is not actually explaining anything, says Will's face.*

*Now what made you think Kay would ever be so obliging as to explain things?*

Well, it unnerved his lover a trifle.

*Will stares at him.*

...Er, who are we talking about, exactly?

Arthur's son, of course. *Kay raises his eyebrows, in mild surprise.* I wouldn't recognize terribly many people around here, you know.

Mordred.

*A statement. With perhaps a little bit of relief and a little bit of exasperation, both faint.*

Well, yes. Who else would I be speaking of?

Bran, I thought.

*he waves the confusion away with a hand.*

*Kay shrugs.*

No, Arthur's other son I still haven't had the honor of meeting, I'm afraid.

*Will nods. And diplomatically does not say anything about Mordred tending to find unnerving situations amusing.*

*Ah! Diplomacy! Kay recognizes that.

He takes another sip of wine.*

Well, if you're interested, the show tonight should be quite a spectacle.

*Will looks rather amused.*

*lightly* Sounds charming.

*He shrugs a little. Perhaps it's saying that he'll try to be there, perhaps not.*

Rather.

*Perhaps Kay thinks that a mini-Merlin might be a useful thing to have around.

Perhaps he's simply snarking, as always.*