(no subject)

[herr_bookman]

"But musing what an easy thing it were to mix our opiates in a larger cup," Autor says, patting the counter in preparation to hop over it. "And drink, and not perceive"—and here he hops—"sleep deepening lead his truer kinsman up, like undistinguished Night, darkening the skirts of Eve.*"

After a few minutes of setting up his prior preparations, the boy reaches for the specials board. "Good night, Bar."

Bitter Chocolate Aria
Hot chocolate & one croissant

Submission Sonata
Virgin strawberry & wasabi daiquiri

Ode to Blood
Giga ant eggs, sour apple juice, seltzer water, flavored ice

Fiery Trigon
Grenadine, lemon juice, apple juice, passion fruit juice, & cinnamon

Silent Overture
Free coffee if you can prove that you’re knighted

Note: Virgin bar.


[This post is open forever.]

*Ode to Sleep, Richard Chenevix Trench

Comments

[guppy_sandhu]

A piece of paper seems to have fallen out of Autor's bag.

Fry picks it up, and looks at it for a few minutes. Then he slips around the bar and puts it back. He then disappears off to a nearby table to do some drawing.

Guppy, oblivious of this accidental series of events, heads up to the bar.

"Evening, Autor."

[herr_bookman]

Autor looks up from his book. He nods, and then glances around Guppy to see how many of the kids he may have brought with him. "Hello. Care for a drink?"

[guppy_sandhu]

Two, tonight. Fry is working industriously at the table, Brooke the baby is being placed on the bar.

"Orange juice for me, please. Fry, do you want apple juice?"

"Yes please." Fry says, not looking up.

"And apple juice in a beaker, any colour except red, one with a sippy top please." Guppy says.

[not_his_pa]

William's been keeping busy with chores and reading, The Prince and the Pauper is a good distraction from his own thoughts.

When he sees someone almost his age behind the counter, he gets on a stool and reads through the specials, "I'll have the first one, please."

[herr_bookman]

Autor nods once, taking in relevant details like his age and hat and such. He turns to his pot and pours out a simmering mug of hot chocolate. Then he calls a rather warm chocolate croissant out of his sylladex and presents everything to the boy.

"What do you think of it?" he says, and motions to the book with the wooden spoon.

[not_his_pa]

"Its good, but Twain's always good. Thanks. I don't think I've seen you behind there,"

He's seen Autor around, usually with many books but never talked to him.

[the_cupbearer]

"Really, I wouldn't think she's a virgin. Not after this long," says Ganymede, studying both the specials board and presumably its author.

"What would you suggest?"

[herr_bookman]

"Oh, no, I'd be shocked if she wasn't," Autor murmurs into his tea. His breath catches in his throat, and then he looks up. At first his eyes widen, and then they narrow again--but only for a second.

Then he smiles. "Not sure. Depends on what you're looking for. The Ode to Blood is sour, the Sonata burns."

[the_cupbearer]

"Then the Sonata," he says with a calm smile. "If you don't mind. I may ask you to pass me the bottle of rum later if necessary."

He doubts it will be.

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Huh," says Ellen, glancing up at the sign. "What constitutes proof?"

[herr_bookman]

Autor smiles at Ellen's approach. It's a grin, really, one that says that 'it's been a while, hello, how are you?'

He presents her with a cup of coffee right away. "Oh, you've told me enough stories and you have the Paladin title anyway. Hello, Ellen. How are you?"

[aaaaaaaagh_sky]

"Thank you," says Ellen. "I had to do a night's vigil before the eternal flame the Brotherhood maintains in honor of their fallen before they made me a Knight anyway, so that probably counts for something... I've been all right, though. And yourself?"

[sunbaked_baker]

A swirl of snow sneaks in through the front door when it opens, allowing Rae to pass through. She's in a bright orange coat that clashes violently with her hair, purple gloves, along with thick, warm boots into which her jeans are tucked.

"Thank all the listening gods," she mutters, seeing where she is and heading over towards the bar. Upon noticing who the bartender is, Rae grins. "Taking another job, Autor?"

[herr_bookman]

"Always," Autor says, and calls out a chocolate croissant for her to go with the hot cocoa he'd prepped when he saw her step in.

"Is that the winter of your discontent?" he says, and gestures at the door.

[sunbaked_baker]

"Every winter's the winter of my discontent," she replies, dry, as she claims a barstool for herself, and the stool next to her for her coat and gloves. "It's supposed to be spring all ready, and yet it's snowing again."

The outrage!

"Warmer weather needs to get a move on."

[knightoftheswan]

Know who hasn't been in the bar a while?

A man and woman can be heard talking on the other side of the door before it opens a crack. The Knight has backed into it, leaning slightly as he continues his conversation.

"-to be gone, I don't mind as much. It will be-"

It's here that Lohengrin actually goes through the door and realizes he's in the bar, the specials board and the person behind the counter plain as day.

"-better."

[herr_bookman]

The kid glances up from his book at the conversation, of course, and smiles briefly at the entrant. He turns to fill up a cup of coffee, which he sets two seats away from his position. And a croissant, for good measure.

Then he turns back to his reading.

[howling_laugh]

Coyote wanders up, this time dressed in worn blue jeans and an oil-stained t-shirt. She's wearing boots, and there is no jewelry in sight.

She squints at the specials list. Then she grabs a piece of chalk and adds several letters to the last word. It now reads 'Virgin bartender.'

"Fixed that for you."

[herr_bookman]

"Your handwriting is atrocious," Autor says, but lets the change stand. He grins at her. "I assume you want the Ode to Blood, to match your sourness?"

[lyricaltokarev]

Punie had intended to go straight out to the greenhouse upon entering the bar. She has a pair of work gloves (in delicate shades of pink and white, but made of sturdy fabric and leather) and a set of small garden snips (marked with the all-seeing eye of Magical Land on the hinge) all ready to go. But upon seeing the person behind the bar, she immediately changes course. There's a definite spring in her step as she comes nearer.

"Are you helping out here today?" she asks, her smile as cheerful as ever. At this distance, it's possible to catch a faint scent of ashes and burnt rubber lingering in her clothes and hair.

(School was a bit...exciting, this afternoon.)

[herr_bookman]

"Better," Autor says, with a steely, conspiratorial smile. "Bar is asleep, so I'm running the show."

Her scent is interesting. It's a change from licorice, but it's not surprising given... well, given Punie. "Are you heading to the greenhouse, today?" he asks, clearly inspecting her attire. "Would you like a drink before you go?"

[iambetadraconis]

You can't have very many Autor EPs without a certain wizard showing up.

He eyes the specials once he's moseyed over to the bar after seeing who was behind it.

And reads the addition Coyote made under everything else.

"'Virgin Bartender?' So. Going for a little truth in advertising tonight, eh?"

He is highly amused by this.

[herr_bookman]

"If you can't trust me," Autor says, looking up from his book with a ruthless smile, "who can you trust, really? What are you ordering? I don't have all day."

[poins]

Poins gazes up at the board, his face a-frown.

"It is not true," he then pronounces, "tell me it is not true, my friend, and I shall yet forgive thee."

[herr_bookman]

Autor sets his book down, blinking. "What, Poins? What has upset you?"