#earthrunes

"It's... powerful." He leans back from the fumes.

"I'm here because we had a lesson scheduled, and you did not send word that you'd like to cancel. Just because it's ... difficult for me to... deal with.... doesn't mean I shouldn't." A pause. "Coradel and I have talked."

"And with great power comes great responsibility. But I find that gingers can usually handle it well." A remark as he pours a measure of rum into the glass along with a greater amount of ginger ale.

"I invented this drink on a Dark and Stormy night - the dark rum, the gingery storm, and lime for balance. It mirrors your countenance, stormy and dark. Shall I drink alone?" Offering the completed drink to the Liam. "Conversing with myself, I am halfway there."

He takes the drink and dutifully tastes it.

"It's... not bad."

"Ah." He plays with the bottle cap, before carefully replacing it. "Any... any other feedback? Anything else, about this dark and story mood, that you care to share? Not bad.. is that a good start, or a downward spiral?"

August takes a deep breath. "As I said. Coradel and I have talked. I am trying..." He sets the glass down. "... very hard to ... learn to be who she needs. It is not easy for me. You... have your role to play in that, I think. And with her. I know in the past, you were ..." He swallows "... not just a friend. To either of us. I am trying to remember that."

He sighs, defeated. "It was inevitable, I suppose. I will not hold a grudge; that would be unworthy. I know she wants us to be... friendly. So. I will try to be."

Vince’s tail swishes back and forth, until he catches it up in a hand. He tugs at the tuft worrying it fitfully in his fingers for a long moment.

“Because you know she wishes it, only?”

“Do you fear that I wish to be more than friendly with you?” He also asks. “Oh, not fear- I am sure. But you understand, surely, my meaning, as clear as Swarovski.”

He shakes his head. "No. I'm sure you'd take no for an answer, and no is my answer."

“For either, or for both?”

"Vince, I don't actually remember you. There was a picture... and I've heard some stories. The stories I've heard are very impressive, and you sound like someone I would -like- to be friends with... but I think that takes time." He pauses. "I ... I did have some ... dreams. That I think might be memories but..."

“Dreams, memories, who is to say.” He murmurs, his tone melancholy. “What was, is not what is, and may never be. What wasn’t, may yet come to pass. It’s beautiful, and terrible, a storm to watch and admire and tremble. But that I could wait it out inside with a warm drink, eh? Does fate give us that much?”

August frowns, thinking. "I have no standing, or grounds, to ask you to leave. I would never ask Coradel to do that."

He tilts his head to one side. “And it would be churlish of me to put you to such. But a friend- one that is, or was, that may or may not be... there are lines, crossed or uncrossed, and I can read between them.” He turns aside, putting the rum back up on the shelf, and straightening it just so.

“I have been thinking. My Sunday nights are over filled, and I have not had time to dedicate to my studies. Perhaps we need not drink every week.”

"Ah." Neutrally. "I understand, of course."

His own voice, also attempting August’s neutrality, though he doesn’t quiet manage to keep the emotion from leaking through. “Shall I fix you a to go cup, Sir?”

"No, thank you. It's very nice but it's very strong. To me."

“A bitter pill to swallow, alas. Pardon, I find that I’m suddenly wearied. I must have skipped one or three cat naps, and I have so many memos to write in the morning. Have to make sure that all students know classes are adjourned for spring break. As you do.”

August looks down at the bar top, then stands. "For what it's worth... I didn't come here to make it worse. Although I seem to have done so. And it would pain Coradel to know that. If there is a way to.... fix it. I would be grateful if you would tell me, let me try."

He stands a moment, hands on the bar, tail swishing. “Tell me, what do you do for fun? And pray, say not drink cocktails, else you make a fool of a fool.”

“Maybe there is some -other- overlap in our Venn diagram, where we might meet.”

"That is not a bad idea. I like to read." Evenly.

"I was an Eagle scout; I like to be outdoors, enjoy nature."

"Of course, I like to help people."

“Exactly what I was going to suggest, exactly that. Perhaps then, we try the way of the Eagles rather than the lion? You just say when.”