(no subject)

[inthenickoftime]

WHO:  Nicholas Angel and OPEN!
WHERE:  An english-style pub a little ways away from the Police Station
WHEN: Evening of March 31st
WARNINGS: English Grumblings
SUMMARY: Nick's at the pub for a bit of home to have a think.
FORMAT: quicklog~

[One month.

It'd been a whole month since this strange dream started. A whole month as his life turned upside down and everything stopped making sense.

He'd gotten the job back, that was what was important. He'd even gotten his japanese peace lily.

But he'd thought the job was in a good place and with good people, and that didn't look to be the case. He stared down at his pint, untouched on the bar.

For the greater good.]

Comments

[aggressiveapathy]

[Gay bars or seedy clubs where guys bought her drinks when she smiled for a minute were more her scene, but living in the big city was all about experiencing new things. Or going to whatever bar the guy you climbed into a cab after was going to so you didn't have to pay your own way. Whatever.

Elbows resting on the bar and a beer in front of her, it took her a moment to glance over and recognize an internet-familiar face. Oh. Him.]

I'm still waiting.

[inthenickoftime]

[Startled out of his thoughts by the voice, he looked up and towards it and-- Ah. Right.]

Hot sauce. [As if that was her name. He knew he'd seen it on the communicator, but he couldn't remember.... Started with an A...?]

The map didn't help, then.

[aggressiveapathy]

Yeah. I kept yelling at it. But it never went to the store. Weird. But I can take a drink instead, I guess.

[inthenickoftime]

[He couldn't help the slight twitch of a smile.] Lazy sod.

And sure, why not. [His best I'm-totally-cheerful face as he made a motion to the bar tender with a wave of his hand to come over.]

[aggressiveapathy]

Triple whiskey.

[April didn't waste time getting to the good stuff when drinks were being paid for by other people.]

So. How's communitying. Emergency Group Hug Squad formed up yet.

[inthenickoftime]

Heh. Well. You've seen the news I guess. [He forced a smile. Hugs weren't really his area anyway.]

And I thought it was an uphill battle already.

[aggressiveapathy]

Some of us spend our Saturdays doing normal things. Like not watching the news. What.Is the Mayor turn into a cannery or something now. That's so not my job.

[So..no. She hasn't heard.]

[inthenickoftime]

[It's almost a relief and he relaxes slightly.]

Somehow I think that might actually have a positive effect. He still in hospital? [He'd only heard vague whispers...]

[snidepiper]

[Piper hadn't missed the news. How could you? It was big. He was used, as a rule, to people disappointing--he'd had enough practice disappointing other people, he ought to be braced to get it back.

Some people weren't, though.

He got some nasty looks from the natives as he slipped in with his cloak on, but he was a gay ex-supervillain socialist from the Midwestern United States, he could handle some import bias. Wandered over and stopped next to Nick, canting his head.]

...want some company?

[inthenickoftime]

[Halfway into his beer, now, and his face in his hand, he turned his eyes up to catch the familiar cape and cowl, and couldn't help the slight twitch to his lips.]

On a night like tonight? .... Yeah. Yeah, might be best.

[He shifted on his bar stool and pushed the one next to him a bit closer to Piper.]

[snidepiper]

[he didn't look it, but he was keeping a superhuman ear out for trouble, sitting casually back against the offered stool and leaning on the bar with both elbows.]

It wasn't your fault.

[inthenickoftime]

[He gave a long sigh, bent down over his glass.]

I wasn't there, no. But I could have been. I should have been. If the allegations are true-- [He cut himself off. He didn't want to believe that they were, but it wouldn't exactly be something new to him.]

Thought this place might be different.

[snidepiper]

People are the same everywhere. [a beat. That's not reassuring. He reached over, resting a light fingered hand on Nick's arm.]

People screw up. They make bad decisions, and selfish decisions, and cruel decisions. It's just something that they do.

The only way you'll ever get around that is robbing everybody of their free will.

[inthenickoftime]

Yeah, the difference is some of us are supposed to go out of our way to make the right ones, or at least attempt to. [His face was tight, but he didn't move from the reassuring touch.]

We're put in a place of trust, and we have to respect that. Uphold it. I didn't realise -- [He shook his head. No. Just allegations, so far. He needed proof before he started to make judgements.]

It's not good, Piper.

[snidepiper]

I saw a report on it. [he patted the arm a little, withdrew and gestured to the bartender] Another, thanks.

Nick, be fair to yourself. You just got here. You're not a telepath. You took people on faith--that's not a crime... okay?

[he's driving this hard because he knows regardless of what Bauer did or didn't do, Nick seems the type to hog responsibility no matter who's at fault for what.]

[inthenickoftime]

No. You're right.

[It wasn't really what had happened that ate away slowly at him. It was what he would have to do. He couldn't let this just be buried or swept under the rug. And it wasn't going to make him any friends at the station, that much was for sure.

But it was his job. And beyond that, his duty.]

I'll be fine. [He picked up the glass, downed what was left of his beer and put it back down on the bar while making a small face. American beer really was awful.]

I hadn't -- I haven't filed your paperwork yet. If you were worried.

[newbvampire]

[Seras hadn't ever been in this pub, but since she was on limited duty right now because of her injuries she figured she might as well check it out. It wasn't as if she was going to be blowing work off, she'd brought a folder full of paperwork to do. She just wanted a change of scenery. Finding Nick there was a happy surprise though and she made her way over to where he was sitting.]

Mind if I sit down, Nick?

[inthenickoftime]

[He was half out of his seat by the time she said his name, pulling out a stool for her.]

Seras. Hey- yeah, of course. Take a seat. [His expression was mixed as he glanced over her.]

You-- How are you?

[newbvampire]

[She looked alright, but the bandage on her arm and the flinch as she sat down made it obvious she was still healing.]

I'm okay. Darov had a silver knife, the bastard was actually expecting me to be there. I'll heal though. I've...I've dealt with a lot worse before.

[inthenickoftime]

[He had no idea how much damage she could take - or deal out - but watching a vampire wince was... something incredibly strange onto itself.]

Silver... really? Just like in the stories... [He straightens up a bit, frowning.] I'm glad you're alright.

[newbvampire]

Yeah, but garlic is a bunch of rubbish thankfully.

[Running water and sunlight on the other hand.]

And thank you. I'm just glad we didn't lose anybody.

[inthenickoftime]

Yeah. Me too. [It was something to be thankful for, at least. The rest -- Well he was completely unsettled by it, but it wasn't something to bring up here, now. Not with Seras.

His eyes glanced over the file and he force a small rueful smile to his lips.]

And now about a decade worth of paperwork?

[newbvampire]

Every single case comes with it anymore. Good thing I'll be around to take care of it, but not really how I was hoping to spend the next hundred years.

[inthenickoftime]

[He even chuckled, lowly.]

Well. Learn to write with both hands and maybe you can get it done twice as fast.

and then zoe remembered she has a character that can and will drink alcohol for once

[dishbestserved]

[ Truth was, Len preferred to stay at home to drink, but every once in a while a drink at a bar or pub was nice. In this case, it came with pub food. Len wasn't much of a cook.

When he sits down at the bar near Nick (in civvies - costume would attract attention), he only spares the man a glance before ordering a pint. He takes a drink and winces. He pauses. The glass fogs and ice starts to creep up the sides.

It still surprised him - the new power. The ability to make things cold. But he was still having problems controlling it - as evidenced by the beer freezing solid. ]

Shit.