Happy Hour

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi hasn't been in the Bar in a long time--less time in his world, but he hasn't been getting enough sleep, so it feels about as long--but when a waitrat brings him a napkin, he regards it for a moment before getting a wry look of something almost like relief.

At least Bartending is simple, productive, and not war or politics.

Still, he's tired, so he's going the route of least resistance today--which is why the chalk board now covered in liquid, precise script is incredibly basic.

Specials:
Ale
Wine
Cider (non-alcoholic)

The bread is free. Please enjoy.
Make the bartender laugh and your drink is half off.

There's baskets of bread and plates with spiced olive oil, olives, and cheese scattered at intervals on the counter of the Bar. Tavi himself, still in an admittedly slightly dusty military uniform, has pulled up a chair to sit on. A plain circle of steel is dangling from one of the finials. Getting his attention might take a little effort, today: he's reading and occasionally writing between serving drinks.

Comments

[heatherandsteel]

Free food is always good and Quentin yawns as he starts on one of the plates and tries to think of what would make someone laugh while he looks for the bartender, "This is good."

His disguise is down and he can slightly feel the circle of steel near him.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi looks up after a moment. "In my experience, there's always someone who needs free food. Usually they're students," he remembers his Academy days, "but there's also those who just forget."

Or get overworked.

The long and the short is that Tavi knows himself and his grandfather and his mother all well enough that if everyone else gets to yell at him for bad habits he came by entirely honestly, well, he'll just preempt other people's.

[heatherandsteel]

"Or detectives, my knight's always forgetting to eat," She's a little better since they're actually living in a house.

[student_of_impossibility]

Detective? Tavi raises an eyebrow, thinking about that. Alera doesn't really have those, except in terms of how the Civic Legions keep order in cities--but then, he used to hang out around them back in Alera Imperia.

"Let me guess--works too hard, at personal risk?" he asks dryly.

There's a type.

[heatherandsteel]

"Always and too much blood," He sighs and finishes the last bit of bread on his platter, "But my boyfriend dyed his hair blue."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi gives Quentin a sharp look at "too much blood." As a rule that would sound bad; to Tavi, who did another round of blood donations just two days ago (part of why he's so tired, to be honest) it has a little more personal meaning.

It also helps him remind himself to keep from blushing slightly, because Alera hasn't left him terribly prepared for certain ideas. But he's a politician, his embarrassment doesn't show.

"My fiancee dyed hers red and blue," he replies wryly. Kitai's logic was, of course, that no one could object as it was royal colors.

[heatherandsteel]

Too much blood is Quentin's life and he smiles at that image, "How did she do it? Alternating, stripes, highlights, lowlights?"

This man is wearing something Roman looking but he's known Fae who wear older style clothing so he's not making a lot of assumptions.

[student_of_impossibility]

For what it's worth, Tavi certainly looks human enough, and there's no overt smell of magic or anything to cue otherwise. And it looks more like Roman-inspired with awful anachronisms that would make an SCAer have an apoplexy.

"Her hair's cut in-- well, it looks more or less like a horse's mane. Four stripes, alternating colors. Why'd he dye his hair?"

Kitai really enjoys giving Alerans heart attacks. The other Marat just like bright colors.

[heatherandsteel]

"That's cool. He had the magic flu and thought he was someone else who normally had dyed hair. It'll come out soon, but he doesn't look like himself,"

He can't easily picture that but it sounds neat.

[student_of_impossibility]

"That," Tavi says with a scowl. "My sympathies, then." He's been lucky enough to avoid the stuff so far, but he's always wary of it nonetheless.

At least Kitai's color is entirely her idea.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yes, it was. I know odd magic but that was one of the strangest things I've ever seen," And it didn't have an easy answer, Fae don't get sick that often so he had to wait.

[student_of_impossibility]

"Fairly regular for this place, although I have long since lost track of how time does and doesn't run here," Tavi says sourly. "I've yet to hear of anyone coming up with a way to prevent it." He's just grateful for his lazy player his good luck.

[heatherandsteel]

"I'll know to look out for it now. Its not too bad for me but then I'm used to that at home,"

There's always time differences between the Summerlands and the mortal world.

[student_of_impossibility]

Interesting. Tavi files that away. "It's useful, I admit," he glances ruefully at the work he never seems to enter Milliways without. "I get more sleep this way."

And meals, and healing time... honestly, he sometimes wonders if his grandfather would have done well with a place like Milliways to recover in. Then he remembers that's the worst idea anyone ever had.

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin laughs at that, he lives during the night, "Oh yes, though Milliways always tends to find me when I'm waking up."

[student_of_impossibility]

"At least you can get breakfast that way," Tavi offers.

Although, really, he gets fed plenty these days. Somehow people seem to think the First Lord needs to eat regularly and keep putting food in front of him.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yes, its nice to be able to get everything and not what's in the kitchen," And he doesn't have to cook as much.

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi thinks about Vord wax and makes a face. "The variety is definitely nice. And getting things out of season."

He is grateful for this place, these days.

[heatherandsteel]

"Yes and she's generous. Problems getting food where you are?"

[student_of_impossibility]

"We're coming out of a war," Tavi says by way of explanation.

It's a good quick and easy summary without getting into the full horror of the Vord.

[heatherandsteel]

That does cover a lot and Quentin nods, "Then its good you have Milliways."

[tattling]

"Hi!"

A small preteen peers over Bar at the menu, then nods thoughtfully.

"Can I try some cider? Non-alcoholic, that means I won't get drunk and my mom won't freak out, right?"

[student_of_impossibility]

Aww. A kid.

Tavi's thinking about kids a lot more these days.

"Yes," he agrees with a slight smile. "Nothing for your mother to worry about, no matter what the drinking age in your world is. Large or small?"

[tattling]

Franklin nods, hopping up on a stool (and puts the hat and camera beside him on the Bar).

"Just a small, please. I dunno if I'll like it. And it's twenty-one in my country, I know cause my friend Alex whines a lot, he's nineteen, but it's eighteen in other places, and sometimes sixteen? I'm only eleven and not interested anyway, though."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi nods and reaches for a small glass to fill with cider.

"My people never really bothered with any such thing. I've never entirely understood the reasoning," he admits as he slides the glass across to Franklin.

[tattling]

Franklin examines the cider for a moment, then takes a sip. Ooh. Not bad.

"Well, I guess they don't want drunk kids around. Like, my little sister Val, she's four, I definitely don't want her with alcohol."

He shakes his head. Drunk Valeria would just be bad for ... everyone.

"I think Alex deserves it though. He says he has a fake ID. Oh," Franklin adds with a concerned frown, "he told me that in secret, don't tell my mom and dad or anyone, okay?"

[student_of_impossibility]

A spy this kid is definitely not. Tavi can't help the faint smile on his face.

He was more circumspect as a child, but then, he had a human lie detector to learn to get around. His mother was good training. "I won't," he promises with some amusement. "Why does Alex deserve it?"

[tattling]

Relieved, Franklin sips his cider.

"He looks after us all, y'know? I mean, obviously my mom and dad do that most, but Alex is there too." (Alex is there more.) "Plus, he's in New York while his family are in, like, Seattle or something. Totally deserves it."

[student_of_impossibility]

"If he's living independently and taking care of others," Tavi shrugs, "and especially if he's an adult," and he recognizes 'New York' as Earth and knows just enough to know what the age of legal adulthood is, "as far as I'm concerned his decisions are his to make--and if they're bad ones, either his friends will help him or he'll learn on his own."

He does not understand what the fuss about drinking is. He really doesn't. Partly it's a Roman culture thing. Partly it's a 'trained to be an assassin by 17' thing. Normal people's restrictions on young people seem utterly ridiculous to him.

[tattling]

Franklin snorts, blowing bubbles in his cider before taking another long pull.

"I guess. ...I dunno if he has any friends besides us and his brother and sisters."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi eyes Franklin thoughtfully. "That sounds like a hard way to live," he says quietly. "I'm sure your friendship makes a lot of difference."

Certainly having Ehren and Max as his friends mattered to him, back when he had basically no one.

[tattling]

Franklin's still sipping his cider, but considers the bartender thoughtfully.

"...I guess you're right. He moved here-- I mean, to New York-- on his own, no friends his own age." For a moment, Franklin frowns and worries about Alex Power. "But I bet you're right! He loves our Mario Kart sessions."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi blinks a little. "Mario Kart sessions?"

He is not educated in the ways of video games. This is probably a good thing for the worlds.

[tattling]

WIDE EYES.

"You don't know about Mario Kart?"

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi does not actually glance down at his notably not 20th/21st-century Earth outfit. He only thinks about it.

"No. I don't."

[tattling]

"WHOA."

Franklin nods meaningfully at the man, then hops off his stool and runs to the nearest big TV. There probably wasn't an N64 below it before, but there is now, along with four controllers. He checks everything's hooked up, then as soon as the intro screen appears, nods and runs back,

"You gotta play Mario Kart with me."

[student_of_impossibility]

Shaking his head, Tavi lets the kid run off and do whatever it is he intended to do. When he comes back, Tavi gives Franklin a gentle smile. "I'm working right now," he points out, "and I have to finish the shift while Bar naps."

Beat.

"But I'd be happy to join you after, if you still have the time then."

Okay, so maybe Tavi's trying to get in a little practice in balancing work and relaxation.

[tattling]

"Oh..." Franklin rests a hand on Bar and senses her sleeping state. He frowns, then sighs.

"Okay, it doesn't matter til we start the game. And now other people can play until we do!

"My name's Franklin, by the way."

[student_of_impossibility]

Tavi smiles a little and offers a hand to shake.

"I'm Tavi."

It's so nice not having to be anything more than just Tavi, here in Milliways.

[tattling]

Franklin smiles and offers his own hand in return.

"Ummm, I hope your shift is going well?"

[student_of_impossibility]

"Quietly, which is no bad thing," as it gives him a chance to get some of his reading done, "so well enough."

He gives the boy a small smile. "Do you want anything to eat while I finish working?"