After the snow has fallen

[valmont-vicomte.livejournal.com]

Wednesday, early evening; after the snow has stopped but the power is still out.

It seems that I missed some excitement last night. When I came through from the apartment to the inn proper in the late morning, I found a note from Adam.

Boss -
There was a bit of a ruckus here last night. Some girl took her clothes off and got offended when Billy Hogan got fresh. A fight broke out - just the usual broken glasses. Will tell you more about it when I'm in next. Don't believe everything any of the regulars tell you - I was the only one who wasn't drunk.
A.

I would, perhaps, have got to hear some of those stories, and I must say I'm terribly curious, but then it started snowing. It has been a long time since I saw snow fall like it did this afternoon; since I lived in New London, I think, for Versailles was warmer. The Whitechapel is quiet enough during the early afternoons anyway, so we locked the front door, Cora and Peter soon settled into a high stakes game of gin rummy, and I went to make sure that Hermia and Alice were alright. Luckily we have plenty of food and firewood, and the apartment is well furnished with candles.

The snow has settled down now, but it is very dark outside and the power is still out. So I come back into the bar and Cora - cheerful for once, having managed to take most of Peter's wages for this week - and I get the fire banked as high as possible and line the windows with candles so that passerby can see that we are open, and I unlock the front door. I imagine that many people's homes will be very cold and very dark this evening, and what better cure for that than company and alcohol?

[OPEN]

Comments

[iago-excolo.livejournal.com]

"If I told you that what just happened has been a 'quiet night' for me, would you believe me?" I look over at him and chuckle, knowing full well exactly what he means by that. Truly, I blame Excolo most of all.

I continue on, commenting about other people when Lannie chimes in, "Yeah well that's what you get for thinking." I give her an amused look as I add, "Yes, I'll have to work on that. Damn thinking always gets me in trouble," and I laugh before Lucien says, "I know there's something wrong with your memory..."

He taps my head and has a mock-serious tone as he continues, "... but it is a rather weak line coming from a man that passed over an almost naked Wanda wriggling beneath him to go find his wife." He smiles and I laugh before he adds, "You don't remember that, do you?"

I laugh a bit more and say, "Oh, I remember Wanda quite clearly and no disrespect to my current wife, but costumed Wanda as I encountered her was not easily forgotten." I take a drag and continue, "I recall turning down the firefly and then Wanda and Miao, but for the life of me, I don't know why. I'd figured out their identities but what bearing it had on the situation escapes me."

I make my plans for petty revenge and Lucien comments, "Remind me not to piss you off, I like my vodka." I chuckle, pleased that my mood's shifted so quickly to something better as Lannie replies, "Not a good idea to piss off wait staff as a general, But I think your drinks will be just fine," and I chuckle again before saying, "It's amazing how many people forget that one simple truth but yes, Lucien, your drinks will be fine. Just don't upset Verdi, otherwise there are no guarantees."

Lucien and Lannie discuss my amnesia, and Lannie adds, "Its nice of you to help. I'm just trying to keep him safe. Trying and not doing so well." I give Lannie a serious look and say, "You did well but I doubt he'll forget you after this, and please don't say his name. Verdi says he can hear that and I'd rather not risk a second encounter, if you please."

I grin and it widens as I say, "We did well though. How many can say they stood up to a god, most especially him. I'd pat us on the back but I'd like to make it to the tavern before we celebrate. No need to jinx it."

[docconstantine.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I remember Wanda quite clearly and no disrespect to my current wife, but costumed Wanda as I encountered her was not easily forgotten." I manage to keep smiling, since I was the one that brought her up, but it is difficult. Wish I could have been there with them, wish I did a lot of things differently... "I have no idea who the firefly is, but you turned down both Miao and Wanda for a very good reason. Must've been some hell of a woman to make you walk away from those two."

Yeah... thinking about them and that one perfect night and how good it might have been, it sucks.

I am immensely glad when we start speaking of drinks and not pissing off the bartenders again, and my smile does return to something resembling normal.

"Its nice of you to help. I'm just trying to keep him safe. Trying and not doing so well." I laugh a little at that, and Iago gives her a stern warning about Gaeuko. Hopefully two of us in one day will make an impact. "You did well but I doubt he'll forget you after this, and please don't say his name. Verdi says he can hear that and I'd rather not risk a second encounter, if you please." I nod grimly and throw my cigarette into the snow. "He can. Trust me. Have a friend that can vouch for that."

"We did well though. How many can say they stood up to a god, most especially him. I'd pat us on the back but I'd like to make it to the tavern before we celebrate. No need to jinx it."

"I played truth or dare with the devil recently... does that count?" I ask flatly as we continue to walk.

[melania-lowell.livejournal.com]

"I have no idea who the firefly is, but you turned down both Miao and Wanda for a very good reason. Must've been some hell of a woman to make you walk away from those two."

I snort a laugh. The way he's been going, I'm glad he didn't have to make that choice again. Probably better than that Edie tart though. Something about her bugs me and makes me sneeze. Wanda seemed nice though. Aside from that whole lemming thing she had going on, I got the impression she might be a lot of fun. The mood lightens some when we talk about watered down drinks and then nod and sigh when Iago adds his own warnings about the god. They really should come with a manual. Ours didn't hang out at bars and bogart drinks.

"You did well but I doubt he'll forget you after this, and please don't say his name. Verdi says he can hear that and I'd rather not risk a second encounter, if you please."

"He can. Trust me. Have a friend that can vouch for that."

Are they serious? I consider them both for a minute before deciding they're not just fucking off and I smile. "You sure you don't want another round? But that one was so much fun," I tease. I'm tempted to say his name just to get Iago in a twist but If its true, I'm not going to get us all killed for a laugh. Once tonight was bad enough. Can't help the little streak of pride that runs through me at the fact that we didn't back down. Iago adds his own thoughts "We did well though. How many can say they stood up to a god, most especially him. I'd pat us on the back but I'd like to make it to the tavern before we celebrate. No need to jinx it."

I laugh and Lucien chimes in, not in a joking tone, "I played truth or dare with the devil recently... does that count?"

Speeding my steps, I look at him. No smile on his face anymore. We didn't believe in the devil but I've heard enough to know some do. The only thing Grandpa used to say when I asked was, "It is other peoples creation, and they can keep it."

He must've gotten played by one of the guys at the White Chapel. Devil is one of the nicer things I've heard someone there be called. Their games aren't all on the level.I don't play on the level either, but knowing that makes me feel less bad about winning because of my unfair advantage. "Only if you won," I laugh and playfully nudge him with my arm. I hope he did win and isn't like this cos he lost. We're almost to the tavern door. Hopefully he'll feel better once we're safely inside.