[open] bars & bookstores

[specifiercity]

ONE

Arthur has visited a number of used book stores in the past year. Sometimes he wanders into them when he has a few minutes to spare on his way to and from the train, and on occasion he makes a point to visit one and sift through their collections to find something interesting. He'll read just about anything, but his old client taught him what to look for in everything from old fairytales to modern journals, how to see the clues left behind by the supernatural world that no one would pick up on if they didn't already know. Arthur is accumulating a small bookshelf's worth of books with high-lighted passages, with everything from children's nursery rhymes to new journalism from the 60's and 70's.

That's where he is now, standing outside of a small storefront on a sunny day, looking down at a bin of cheap books for something that he might be able to analyze just for fun. It'd be a shame if someone were to interrupt him.

TWO

Arthur's not a guy who hangs out at a bar alone for an hour by choice. Maybe this is obvious by his slouched posture and frown as he stares down at the remainder of his second beer, some shitty draught that seemed a safe choice when he arrived. Having politely rebuffed all of the bartender's attempts at conversation, he must look stood up - and he has been, only not for a date. He was supposed to meet a witch here, someone who could offer a bit of a different insight into what's been going on with Circle Midnight, but she never showed.

He knows he can't expect everyone to be perfectly punctual, but Arthur's in the process of giving up hope that she'll ever walk in. He checks his phone to confirm that it has indeed been fifty eight minutes since he sat down, and then he sighs as he puts it back in his pocket. Guess it's time to polish off this crappy beer that he paid too much for and then head out - that is, unless someone else happens to distract him.

WILDCARD

[Please hit me up if you'd like a different situation!]

Comments

[specifiercity]

Arthur laughs softly, shaking his head. "No, it wasn't like that. I just wanted to talk to her."

His expression sobers a little when he looks into his empty glass, so he glances around for a bartender and asks quickly if they have any scotch. After the bartender replies in the affirmative, Arthur looks back at Nancy with an inquisitive look. He's decided there might be an opportunity in this interaction after all, even if it's not what Nancy's looking for.

"You spend a lot of time in this neighbourhood?"

[stauncherhearted]

"Got it," Nancy responded, taking another small sip of her gin. "Scotch, huh? Wise choice." Though she did enjoy her beer, don't get her wrong.

He seems to be settling, so she does, too, if he's gone for a scotch.

"Enough time. I was born and raised in London. I know a lot of it better than most. Looking for recommendations?"

[specifiercity]

The bartender puts his scotch down on the bar and Arthur takes a sip before he continues, deciding quickly that it's up to his standards, even if it's not actually that great. He puts his glass down and leans in a little more toward Nancy.

"Just wondering if you've noticed anything strange going on lately. You must meet a lot of people around here."

[stauncherhearted]

"Yeah?" She raises an eyebrow carefully. Strange goings on. Yes, yes she has. Lots of them. But her world and (presumably) his are drastically different.

"Strange like what? It's London during a hot summer, there's lots of strange things going on every day." She plays it off casually, with another drink.

[specifiercity]

Arthur smiles thoughtfully at her. He doesn't want this to turn into an interrogation, so he shrugs a shoulder and leans away, taking another sip of his scotch.

"I've just been noticing a lot of activity lately. Especially in the north. People are behaving strangely."

[stauncherhearted]

Oh no.

"A bit, yeah. Nothing too unusual. Just drunken idiots, mostly, yeah?" She scratches the back of her neck with her free hand. The hunt. That had been a very miserable week, when she'd been the one being hunted. As much as she was loathe to admit it, Eames had been extremely helpful in keeping her safe and alive.

"Not the sort of people I like to spend time with."

[specifiercity]

His expression sobers a bit as he nods, gazing down at his scotch. He's sitting up straight in his chair now, both hands on his glass.

"Well, I hope you have somewhere to go when it gets bad. I don't see it getting better."

[stauncherhearted]

"I do," she explained. "Those sorts can't get to my place." Well. Unless she invited them. Or they knew where it was, and she tried to keep it as secret as she could, for safety reasons. But bloody Eames knew where it was.

"We'll see. It's like this every summer." She sighs. "Once classes start up again, I'm sure it'll change. Maybe even before then." She knows it will.

[specifiercity]

"Maybe," he says, tilting his head. He flashes her a quick smile and then lifts his drink to take a sip. "Well, I won't keep you. I'm sure you have other things you'd rather do with your night than talk to me."

[stauncherhearted]

Alright, here was the moment. She set down her drink and gently reached over to touch his knee. "But I'd rather spend the night with you." For a fee.

[specifiercity]

Arthur looks down at the hand on his knee, and if he weren't drunk he'd give her a 'no' and just be done with it. As it is, he is a bit drunk, and he has to contemplate it again, but he arrives at the same conclusion.

He gives her another glance up and down, as if considering, but his smile has faded into something far more sober than he feels. "I'm sorry, it's just not in the cards tonight."

[stauncherhearted]

She tries not to frown. "You sure?" She offers again, blinking her false lashes slowly. "We can just talk, if you'd rather." But her time was available at an hourly rate.

[specifiercity]

"I'm sure," he says. He twists and takes his leather jacket off the back of his stool, slipping off of it one foot at a time.

"I think it's time for me to go home anyway. It was nice meeting you, Nancy."

[stauncherhearted]

At least he's kind about it. She just nods, letting go of his leg and turning back to the bar.

"Right. Lovely to meet you, too." Though they likely wouldn't run into each other again. She finishes her gin. Maybe it's time for her to go home, too.