Devil's Nest, Monday, 1/12

[bitten_notshy]

Jack's first week at law school had been surprisingly difficult. He was used to school coming easily: First, because he'd wanted to please Sebastien so much, and, later, because no subsequent teacher was a tenth as demanding as Sebastien had been.

But those days had ended. Jack's head was so full of case law to read and legal theory to digest -- not to mention the social complications of coming in midyear -- that he barely madeit to the bar at all.

It was refreshing, to be in a place where he was faced with no problems more demanding than overstocked absinthe and understocked vodka. He'd have to call the liquor vendor before he did anything else.

[OOC: Open post, no OCD!]

Comments

[nuclear_snide]

Well, damn. The other bartender had been much prettier. Still, people!

"And here I thought all the bartenders on the island were pretty women. It looks like my luck's run out." Bob grinned.

[bitten_notshy]

"I'm very pretty," Jack informed him haughtily -- and then stopped, sensitive nose quivering. He never knew what to make of beings without a scent but it was always unsettling. "You're ... different. New."

[nuclear_snide]

"Very old, actually," Bob answered, equally haughty, then grinned. "And you may be lovely, but you're not my type."

[bitten_notshy]

"Ah, so you cut your options in half," Jack said easily. "Can I get you anything? We stock a full range of TruBlood, if you're interested."

Though he didn't think the man would be, somehow.

[nuclear_snide]

"A range of what?" Bob asked, puzzled.

[bitten_notshy]

"TruBlood," Jack repeated more slowly. "Artificial blood for vampires. I'm told it's not bad if you spike it with vodka and hot sauce."

[nuclear_snide]

"That sounds revolting."

Tell us how you really feel, Bob!

[bitten_notshy]

Jack laughed. "I think so too, but you'd be surprised how much we sell when a vamp's around," he said. "Which I take it you aren't, so never mind."

[nuclear_snide]

"Lord, no." Bob rolled his eyes. Then he grinned. "Shall I tell you, or would you rather play twenty questions?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Twenty questions, please," Jack said dryly. "It's been ages since I met someone who wasn't either boring or too easy to suss out."

[nuclear_snide]

"I try never to be boring!" Bob grinned and spread his arms.

[bitten_notshy]

"Then we'll get along fine," Jack informed him. "All right, first question: Have you ever died?"

[nuclear_snide]

Oh, fine. Short game, then. Stupid smart people.

"Yes," Bob answered, raising a finger to count the first question.

[bitten_notshy]

"But you aren't a vampire," Jack said thoughtfully. "Are you a ghost?"

Very short game, apparently.

[nuclear_snide]

Bob rolled his eyes, looking very disgruntled. "Or we could just play two questions, apparently. Yes. Do you really get enough vampires in here to justify a full range of drinks for them?"

[bitten_notshy]

"Not right now, but our owner's one," Jack explained. "And you don't want to be out of anything Eric needs."

He eyed the man more thoughtfully. "I'm Jack. Werewolf. There are only so many reasons a person doesn't smell like anything."

[nuclear_snide]

"Oh, I see." Bob gave Jack a more speculative look. "You've a different presence than the weres I've known back home. I'm Bob, by the way." He lifted his hand in a desultory wave. "I'd offer to shake, but..." he shrugged.

[bitten_notshy]

"Ah, the challenge of being corporeal," Jack said lightly. "I'd ask why you were in a bar given your situation, but I can imagine. It's not as if this place is overflowing in social opportunities."

[nuclear_snide]

"Precisely." Bob laughed. "Maybe I should adjust my options - neither of the pretty ladies seemed to understand that. Eternity does get dreadfully boring after a while."

[bitten_notshy]

"My guardian was past a thousand," Jack nodded. "Believe me, I've heard a few hundred lectures about how tedious everything gets once you're past a hundred or so. Which pretty ladies were you bothering?"

[nuclear_snide]

Any he could find! "Kitty - she's my teaching buddy - and Kenzi. And try making it past a thousand when you can't touch anything or go outside your house."

Bob read. A lot.

[bitten_notshy]

"What did you do, learn to meditate?" Jack asked without judgment.

[nuclear_snide]

"I do a lot of reading, magical research, teaching, and arguing," Bob answered. "And these days, there's television. Meditation, is that what your guardian did? Was he a ghost, too?"

[bitten_notshy]

Jack shook his head. "No, he was a vampire. Still is, I suppose, but I haven't heard from him in some time." He waved a hand vaguely. "It's a very long story. Anyhow, he used to knit. And meditate. And read. And interfere with his courtesan's lives."

[nuclear_snide]

"Most of that sounds fun, but knit?" Bob asked dubiously. "Was he any good?"

[bitten_notshy]

"I don't know how to judge," Jack laughed. "I suppose so? His gloves had the right number of fingers."

[nuclear_snide]

"Well, I suppose that's a start," Bob answered, laughing in turn. "Though now I'm picturing...well, I don't even know. Fang-warmers? Blood bottle carriers?" What did vampires knit?

[bitten_notshy]

"Hats and gloves," Jack said, quietly but firmly. "Sometimes a blanket. He doesn't even have proper fangs, just ... pointy teeth."

[nuclear_snide]

"Not like the vampires back in my world, then." Bob nodded. "Who knew there were so many variations?"