Devil's Nest | Thursday

[knife_bender]

The twins were kicking Annie's ass in a puke-related way, so there was no way she was making it into work. But she felt bad about leaving Tiny alone, and Diego really couldn't take the sad eyes even when they were coming from someone whose head had been in the toilet for the better part of the day. So, he decided he'd cover for her.

It wasn't until he entered the bar he realized he had no idea what he was doing.

Specials
Beer
Water (no lemon)
Wine where the bottle has already been opened

[Cheerful wife is AFK so you get grumpy husband. Open and OCD-free]

Comments

[sword_chocobro]

"Well," Gladio, a master of observation, noted as he gravitated toward his spot at the bar with a mildly impressed but mostly intrigued look on his face, "this is definitely different."

He was pretty sure it wasn't some kind of weird sort of Fandom body-switching thing going on, but that would be one helluva way to inspire some sympathy in a soon-to-be-dad, wouldn't it?

[knife_bender]

He would be such a baby if he had to experience pregnancy. He'd definitely call an ambulance for morning sickness.

"Yeah, the twins are kicking Annie's ass," Diego said with a shrug. "She felt bad about not being at work so I came to the rescue."

[sword_chocobro]

"Oof," Gladio winced a little with his own touch of sympathy, even though he figured he really wouldn't be able to have any clue as to what that was actually like, and he was perfectly fine with that gap in his knowledge and personal experience. "Send her my regards, then. And....I would almost suggest that the bar can probably go on without her, but, at the same time, we all know how Tiny is when left to his own devices."

[knife_bender]

"I think part of it also came from wanting me out of the house," Diego said. "Sometimes you gotta puke in peace."

[sword_chocobro]

"There is that, too," Gladio allowed, with a nod, now that he realized that was a very likely possibility, too. "Well, then....how'd you been, man? Outside of being puke exiled, anyway."

Which, as far as types of exile went, didn't seem all too terrible, really. Maybe even a blessing in disguise.

[knife_bender]

"I've been good. Mostly getting ready for the chaos," he admitted. "What about you? Oh, do you want a drink?"

[sword_chocobro]

"Pretty good," he nodded, "for the most part."

Which was feeling like the simplest, most honest way to answer that question these days, leaving plenty of wiggle room for the vast disparity of where he seemed to be at any given moment.

"And, yeah, sure. Beer's good. I mean, I was really looking forward to some water, but without lemon? Forget about it."

[hasaknightjob]

Marc could respect that specials board. He wouldn't be ordering off it but he could respect it.

The notable change in bartender did raise an obvious question. "Annie all right?"

Had he avoided wording it like a song lyric on purpose? The world may never know.

[knife_bender]

"She's mostly fine," Diego said with a nod. "I think she's cursing whoever told her morning sickness ends after the first trimester."

[hasaknightjob]

"That sucks," Marc said. "At least it's not the world ending?"

Hey, after the part where she was pregnant was the part where Annie was a superhero. If Annie bailed on her mundane job at the last minute, some kind of emergency on her home world would be Marc's first guess.

Well, or Diego's but the guy was right here so fair to rule that one out.

"Straight whiskey is fine by the way."

[knife_bender]

"The kids already dealt with one apocalypse in utero, two would be pushing it," Diego said. "Are you like a picky bitch when it comes to whiskey or is Jack Daniels fine?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Honestly? Not surprised your kids have already started handling that shit," Marc said. Sure he and Diego hadn't really talked much but Marc still knew enough thanks to Annie and Steven to know both the kids' parents had dealt with world ending situations. "And my preference is that it's got alcohol."

So Jack Daniels or whatever was open already was more than fine.

[knife_bender]

"Good answer." Because Diego had no idea what good whiskey looked like. "How have you been?"

[hasaknightjob]

"Not as in need of a drink as I could be," Marc said. Hey, for him that counted as fine. "You? Still dealing with the move?"

[pocketpretzels]

Watts made his way inside as usual, deposited his hat atop one of the axes hanging over at the axe range, and was about to do his usual twirl down into a seat when-

“Where’s Annie?” he asked with a frown.

[knife_bender]

"At home," Diego replied. "For some reason she didn't think people would want to drink with her barfing all over the bar."

[pocketpretzels]

Another one of those words he didn’t actually know but could guess from context. “I see. Well. She has a point, there.” A beat. “Pass along my sympathies when you return home for the night.”

[knife_bender]

"I will," Diego said with a nod. "Can I get you something uncomplicated to drink?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Wine,” Watts said. “Not from an already open bottle,” he amended, with a side-eye to that specials board. “But if you give me a closer look at those few there,” he gestured to a selection of bottles behind Diego, “I shall pick one.”

Somehow he didn’t see Diego having the patience for a hunt for something incredibly specific the way Summer (barely, sometimes) did.

[knife_bender]

"You gonna open it too?" Because Diego tended to open bottles with swords and knives and the like.

[hasaknightjob]

Marc gave a nod when he spotted Watts.

"Watts."

And also said his name, since he was obvious like that.

[pocketpretzels]

“Marc,” Watts replied in kind. “How are you?”

Not that he ever expected an answer that wasn’t along the lines of ‘fine’, but he was asking all the same.

[hasaknightjob]

"Can't complain," Marc said, effectively proving Watts's expectation albeit with different words. "You?"

[pocketpretzels]

“Much the same,” Watts said. “It’s been a good week.”

Yesterday had been especially nice, of course, but those were details Marc did not need.

[hasaknightjob]

Watts's understanding of what Marc did and did not need regarding such things was always appreciated, even if Marc didn't do things like say so out loud.

"Normal plans for the weekend?" Marc asked. "Hitting the mainland?"

Marc could've asked Steven but Marc had been holding off on catching up with Steven for a little bit. He might need to fix that soon though.