(no subject)

[fey_bear]

With three days before the full moon, Luci was up for a bartending stint at the Circle. He loved the Circle, and always had, even before he'd ended up in the line of work he had done. It was one of the few truly neutral bars in the city, the same as it had been back in the beginning when it had been a speakeasy.

The decor hadn't changed much except for being cleaned and polished and updated for code now and again, but the feel of the place was very film noir and it suited him whether he was playing along as part of the high-end clientele in the booths -all of them some combination of old money and new blood of all species- or whether he was behind the bar.

The latter amused him more, partly because he was good at it, but partly because the bouncer occasionally let him oust a problem customer on the rare occasions that they had one, and that always made him feel better because no one expected the narrow-framed, high-cheekboned and altogether too-fey thing behind the bar to be able to literally throw someone clearly two or three times his weight.

It was quiet at the moment, with only a couple of the regulars at the far end of the bar, though it was likely to get busy soon enough.

Comments

[notanactualbear]

Max wasn't a particular stranger to the bar, even if he wasn't a regular, so he prowled over to the counter and fixed the man behind it with a wide, friendly grin and a companionable wave in greeting. He gestured behind the bar towards the pull tabs for beer as he settled on a stool, pulling out his talk-box and placing it on the wood with a gingerness that didn't quite fit with his general bulk, just in case he needed it.

[fey_bear]

A smile like that got a smile in return, and although it wasn't quite as broad or as bright it was definitely amused and not a threat, "Sure thing." He replied, pulling a glass down from a shelf, brows both lifting, "You have a preference for lighter or darker?"

Most everyone did, which was why the owner kept several on tap plus a rotating selection of seasonal ciders and a monthly special. Most of the others could guess what someone would like, and the regulars usually said if they wanted something other than their regular, but Luci didn't like to guess, and didn't recall that he'd seen the man around before, but that wouldn't be much of a surprise, his own turns behind the bar not being all that regular.

[notanactualbear]

Max considered the question, looking for all the world like it was a very important question before finally raising a hand, putting up two fingers as answer. It didn't matter, really, but if there was a question he was happy enough to pick one.

On a whim, he pointed at the bartender too, head tilting in a silent question.

Drink with me?

[fey_bear]

He glanced at the clock even as he filled the glass, setting it carefully in front of the other man, giving a one-shouldered shrug a moment later, "Sure, looks like we could both use the company."

That and with his physiology one drink wasn't going to do much to him, even this close to the moon. He poured a cider for himself before shifting closer to just lean against the bar with a hip, tilting his glass with an amused: "Za vstrechu." It was a toast his parents both used, his father in earnest and his mother because it amused her, because for the Fae, the meeting really was the important thing regardless of what came of it.

[notanactualbear]

And at that, Max's eyes lit up with a mix of surprise and delight, clapping a hand down on the bartop in approval as he grinned, a dry, wheezing croak escaping his throat, about as much of a laugh as he could manage through long-mangled vocal cords.

He toasted, raising his glass and taking a long swig before bending over the talk box to tap out a question, spinning it around so it was readable.

You speak Russian?

[fey_bear]

The sound was almost enough to startle him, but the obvious approval was enough to clue him in that it wasn't an objection at least, and the box was enough of a further explanation for the time being and he smiled in return, "Not as much as I should, but enough to get by. Haven't been for a visit since I was small."

It wasn't that the family didn't approve of his mother -they did, she could hold her own against any of them despite her size- but just that it hadn't been a trip they could make often, and less so as he got older. Mostly he remembered that there had been a lot of cousins.

His smile edged into place again, "Obvious enough that you do as well." Or understood it, at least, which Luci could surmise meant he'd been able to speak it even if he couldn't now.

[notanactualbear]

Max's head bobbed excitedly, immensely pleased over the discovery; there weren't many here, that he'd found anyway, that were both enough of his world and spoke his native tongue. It was novel, bore more curiosity. He tapped more words out, this time more jumbled in his enthusiasm, practically radiating off of him.

was born there. only came here a few years ago

[fey_bear]

That excitement was infectious and Luci couldn't help but smile, "I was born here, da' was born there, so I learned Russian and ma's Fae-Gaelic at the same time I learned English."
He said, setting his glass down and shifting over so that he could offer a handshake across the top of the bar, "Lucien, just Luci to my friends." Which he was fairly sure they were going to be soon if they weren't already.

[notanactualbear]

As tall and lanky as Max was, it didn't take much effort to close the distance even if he wasn't already leaned over towards the other, and he shook the offered hand firmly with a warm smile before tapping out a response.

Max. Only ever Max. Nice to meet you Luci!

[fey_bear]

"Max it is." He replied with a grin, "Don't recall I've seen you around before, but if I did I was probably blonde and wearing a skirt at the time and wouldn't have been paying much attention to anyone in particular."

He liked to think that he would have noticed someone like Max, but if he'd been working security he wouldn't have, not unless he'd done something suspicious.