(no subject)

[collects_strays]

When Graham takes a seat at the bar, she promptly produces two things: a mug of coffee, and an opened tin of cookies that's still mostly full. He sets down a closed file folder, and reaches for the coffee first.

From the lowest rung of his barstool, a rat that had scurried with him through the door has perched to warily watch its newfound brethren as they pass by with their orders. For his part, Graham doesn't seem to be paying much attention to his rodent company.

Comments

[freedom_is_grey]

Someone is paying attention to his rodent companion.

(And his cookies.)

Can war hounds be stealthy?

No one knows, but Liranan is determined to try! And since Ysalwen is currently engrossed in her piles of papers and books, now is the perfect time to try!






Okay, so his idea of being stealthy is to walk up next to Will and the rat, sit down with his tail wagging, and pant, but still.

[collects_strays]

The rat hops up one rung, now warily watching the dog.

Graham takes a sip of his coffee, and glances sideways as he sets his cup down. He doesn't say anything, but after a moment he rises from the barstool, and steps around it toward the dog.

[freedom_is_grey]

Liranan barks twice, happily.

He's saying hello to each of them!

Then he goes back to panting. There may be a longing look thrown toward the cookies, but mostly by this point he is just looking up at Will with big brown eyes.

Hi!

Meanwhile, at her table, a slim white-haired elf looks up from her books and realizes her dog is missing.

Blame the barking.

[collects_strays]

The cookies stay on the bar. But Graham shifts to the floor, kneeling near the dog.

"Hey."

He opens his hand, holding it out a short distance from the dog, so that it can approach if it wants to.

[freedom_is_grey]

Liranan barks again.

Ysalwen should come say hi, too!

His tail is still wagging as he moves forward a step and sits down.

Then his tail starts thumping on the floor.

He is being a very good and polite dog. This should be rewarded!

Ysalwen catches a glimpse of this byplay as she moves through tables and chairs.

She'll get there in a minute.

[collects_strays]

He moves his hand slowly, reaching behind the dog's ear.

If he notices someone else approach, he doesn't look up.

[freedom_is_grey]

Liranan leans into the scratching, though he does twist just enough to see Ysalwen's approach.

This is great, right?

"Oh good," Ysalwen says, slowing her pace quite a bit.

"He doesn't seem to be bothering you."

[collects_strays]

Graham blinks up to her, but doesn't move away yet.

"No, not at all."

[freedom_is_grey]

"He likes testing boundaries, sometimes. Mostly so he can figure out in advance how careful I have to be."

Liranan whines happily.

The scratching is great! And Ysalwen appreciates his efforts!

"You like dogs, I take it?"

[hadyougoing]

Ava's not paying attention to rodent company, beyond generally noticing it.

She is paying attention to coffee.

"Bar, could I get a coffee with cream and sugar?"

To Graham, with a small smile, "Hey."

[collects_strays]

He doesn't look back to her.

"Hi, Ava."

[hadyougoing]

This is approximately what she's come to expect from him in their brief acquaintance. The smile becomes thoughtful, then becomes puffing at her coffee.

"How's it going?"

[collects_strays]

His eyes stay down, and it's a moment before he answers.

"I'm fine."

[hadyougoing]

"That's good," she says, though perhaps a little dubiously.

I'm fine seems like pretty good by trapped-in-an-asylum standards-- although he's changed his wardrobe. (The cookies and the folder are not admissible evidence, to her mind, since somebody could've given them to him here.)

And he doesn't really look fine.

[collects_strays]

"Did you want to tell me something?"

He does, at least, finally look over to her.

[hadyougoing]

Ava looks vaguely offended.

She feels caught out, and then irritated, because while she doesn't particularly want to tell Will Graham anything at all, she has to admit there's no good reason not to.

Aside from stubbornness.

"Well I wasn't just going to ignore you," she protests, though she stops short of saying can't a person say hello. "But ... fine, sure.

I met Hannibal Lecter."

[collects_strays]

He blinks back down to his coffee.

"All right."

[buh_bye]

Death looked at the new a rival over his coffee.

"Hello, Will," he said after placing the cup back down on its coaster.

[collects_strays]

He pauses, but then lifts his own cup.

It's only after he's set it down again that he says, without looking up, "Can I help you?"

[buh_bye]

"I doubt you could if you wanted to," said Death, "Are you hungry?"

If Will has a good nose, he might catch the smell of dust and an even fainter smell of decomp.

[collects_strays]

He closes his eyes for a moment, and then shakes his head.

"No, I'm not particularly."

[buh_bye]

"Too bad," said Death, "I always find it more enjoyable to eat with company. How do you find this aberration?"

Death sipped at his coffee.

[collects_strays]

"At the moment -"

He speaks slowly, still keeping his eyes down. "- it's quiet."

[buh_bye]

Death put his cup down.

"Are you talking about the Bar, or your mind?" asked Death.

[collects_strays]

"They're not always so different," he answers.