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Yet again behind the bar, Anneliese glances up from polishing glasses as the doorbell chimes.
One rather important part of relearning how to socialize properly outside of the freehold involved...well, not being at the freehold, and it was for that reason that Asbolus had chosen this particular establishment, allowing the city streets to lead him where they might on his wanderings. He was dressed casually in dark jeans and a black t-shirt with a long black jacket shielding against the chill, blue-grey eyes taking in every detail as he entered. Considering his purpose in coming, spotting the newly-minted Spring courtier behind the bar earned a small smirk but he gave Anneliese a nod nonetheless, moving towards said bar to claim a seat for himself.
Jack stalks into the bar, his charcoal-sketch animation particularly rough and sketchy tonight. He's still in his work clothes, dirty jeans and a worn red t-shirt under his leather jacket, and he groans as shoulders his way into a spot at the bar. Does a double take at the not one, but two other Changelings in the place.
Asbolus gets a return nod before Jack's double take earns a slight snicker. "What can I get for you today?"
One... two... three changelings. Ha Ha Ha. Lux is easy to spot among the bar, as lit up as they are. They're wearing a bright, bright lime green hoodie paired with fitted pants and black and white checkerboard sneakers. Their neon eyes flicker around the crowds, taking in the vibe of the bar before making their way towards the bar.
"Rum'n coke, thanks." He rubs his face wearily. And squints a little at the bright Changeling a little further down. Clearly, he's not having a very good evening.
"Gin and tonic, if you'd be so kind." That familiar glow made the Darkling look towards Lux, smiling politely before giving them a nod.
"Coming right up." The two drinks are poured and mixers added in quick succession, before being slid across the bar to their respective orderers. "What brings you here?"
"Closest'n cheapest place to drown my sorrows after a shitshow of a day." Jack downs an impressive, and possibly worrisome, amount of his drink in one go.
"Hey, Bo. How's it going?" they greet the fellow Winter, chin lifting towards him. Their glowing eyes flicker towards the other two as they come up to lean against the bar nearby.
Asbolus smirked at the nickname, nodding to Anneliese as the drink was offered. "Felt the want to get out and socialize a bit, and the city led me here." He looked towards Jack at his answer and the rather impressive draining of his drink, eyebrow arched a touch. Sorrow was something he knew rather well, after all... "Work, home, or something else?"
"Work." He grimaces. "Renegotiating contracts, it's a...well tense is an understatement. I'm...I'm Jack." He holds a hand out to Asbolus.
"Not a bad idea. You should get out more," they say. Lux glances aside towards Jack as he chugs, looking more impressed than worrisome. "What sort of contracts?" Then their glowing eyes pass towards Anneliese, regarding her a moment before their eyes crease in what isn't quite a smile, but close to it. "Hi. Can I get a malibu sunset?"
"Union contracts - management's dragging their feet. 'S a fucking nightmare, and if we back down here, all the other venues around're gonna try to screw us over the same way." He shakes his head and finishes his drink.
"Sure thing." Anneliese carefully pours the somewhat complicated drink, making sure not to accidentally mix the ingredients, and adds a cherry to garnish before sliding it to Lux.
"Thanks," Lux replies as they take the drink, sipping from it. The mention of unions perks their attention, glancing back towards Jack. "That does sound rough. Where do you work?"
"I'm a stagehand. And a stage manager, but that shit's not going to well these days," he says with a shrug, "so I take whatever work I can when the union calls me into work. And I'm the tech at Stardust Jazz Club on Fridays and Saturdays."
"Asbolus, pleasure." He took Jack's offered hand and shook it. The mention of stagework made him pause briefly, giving a small if knowing nod. "Done some time both on and behind the stage myself, although it's been a bit at this point. Always appreciated the work that you and yours put into it; best of luck with the negotiations."
Lux blinks--neons flickering before they let out a huff-snort of amusement. "Well, well. You're Michelle's sound guy, right? Met her earlier today." Asbolus' introduction makes them snap their fingers. "Shit. Rude. I'm Lux."
"Hey, thanks. We need all the luck we can get, at this point. And, I dunno, more people willing to be on the front fucking lines of this thing." When Lux mentions Chelle, Jack smiles, in spite of his dark mood. "Yeah, that's me. Chelle's pretty great. 'S nice to meet both of you, sorry I'm in a shit mood. Hey, can I get another of these? Easy on the coke?" He slides his glass on the bar.
Anneliese muffles a snort at Lux's name. Can't be rude to the customers, after all, especially if most of them present wouldn't get the reason. Jack's request causes her to give him a quick once-over before - presumably having decided that he's not too drunk to serve yet - she provides the refill as requested.
"Thanks." He manages a smile for her, too. Always be nice to your server, you know?
He took a sip of his drink as Jack spoke, a note of something - not quite reluctance, wariness, perhaps - briefly crossing his features before he answered. "I...may know someone who might be able to help. I'll see what I can do."
"Yeah?" He gives Asbolus a once-over. "You do any work around here, still? I swear I've seen you somewhere..."
Lux arches a brow at Anneliese at the muffled snort, but doesn't appear offended. They sip their drink, listening to the others talk.
There was another pause, a brief 'how do I put this...' look on his face and his tone lowered a touch to keep it between them as best as he could. "I haven't lately, no. One could say I have a...relation that still works in the business, if you follow."
"...Ah." He nods after a second, understanding. "That'd do it. What sorta work does he do?"
"He's a theater professor at the University of Pennsylvania here in town."
"Our paths have probably crossed then, if he does any work outside UPenn." Jack nods. This second drink goes down a little slower, and he seems to relax against the bar a little. "Yeah, our lawyers are good, but if management doesn't get their fucking act together and pretend they care about their employees even a little..."
Siiiip. Lux' attention is mostly on Asbolus now, brows creasing faintly in surprise. Whatever thought they're holding in their brain, it slips away and their attention shifts to Jack. "If you wanted to get some public pressure going, I could do some tagging on nearby buildings. Call them out on their shit. Get your customers to support you."
"He does, to my knowledge, so most likely." With that little bit of unpleasantness out of the way he took a long pull from his drink and set the glass to the side for the moment, giving Lux a bit of a 'what?' sort of look.
"Mmmm..." Jack thinks, his brow creasing as he frowns. "Shit hasn't gone super public, yet, everyone's still holding their breath for a...cordial outcome. But hey, I mean they're not gonna keep a lid on it forever. Public outcry might sway them, at this point."
Lux's lips twitch upwards juuuust a hint towards Asbolus, only offering a shrug in return. Back to Jack, "I'm happy to do it. I love stirring shit up for corporate assholes."
"Have you considered reaching out to any of the union's other branches locally?" Anneliese asks. "They might be willing to lean on their management to pressure yours to buy a clue."
"I am not gonna stop you, if I wasn't worried about stirring up trouble within the local I'd fuckin' do it myself. That and, well. I'd rather leave that sort of shit to people who actually know what they're doing."
"Certainely worth a try, at any rate."
"I'll take a look around the neighborhood. See if there's a good spot, and if inspiration strikes."
"If you're willing to risk Center City...it'd get a hell of a lot of notice."
Lux clearly wasn't the sort to back from a challenge, as their eyes start to glow even brighter. "I'll see what I can do."
"Sweet." And that's a second drink gone. Jack sighs and looks out over the admittedly small Wednesday evening crowd, casually making eyes at a guy with curly blonde hair and round glasses as he walks past.
Anneliese leans over the bar far enough to whisper in Jack's ear. "I think that one is single. Never seen him in here with a partner."
"Let me know if you need a spotter." He looked to Lux with a small smirk, taking a moment to polish off his drink before setting the glass back down.
"Oh yeah?" Jack smirks and gives the guy another look-over. "Good to know."
Lux follows Jack's eyes over to the blonde, lips quirking again. "Not bad." They peer back to Asbolus, head tilting curiously. "Yeah? I'd be into that. It'd be nice to... catch up."
He had noticed the blonde's entrance, keen-eyed as he was, but deigned to make a comment about him, instead giving a little nod to Lux. "It would...been a bit."
Jack's gaze returns to his fellow Changelings after a bit, and he leans against the bar. And orders another drink. His movements are looser, sure, but he's coherent enough.
"Do you got my number?" They ask Asbolus.
"Don't believe that I do." He moved to pull a phone from his pocket - a smartphone a few generations back, but still servicable - and readied the screen to take the offered number. "At your leisure."
They lean closer to peer at the phone while rambling off a number, checking that he's putting it in right. "Give me a call whenever. We'll run around and cause some mayhem."
"Mayhem, mm?"
Anneliese provides Jack his second refill of the night without comment, her ears perking up - metaphorically; she's not a Beast, after all - at the mention of mayhem.
It was indeed entered properly - one benefit of rarely forgetting such things - and a small smirk given towards Lux. "I look forward to it."
They lift their drink as a mock toast towards Asbolus, then shrugs at Jack. "Yeah. Public vandalism, disturbing the peace, tresspassing--all the good stuff."
"Oooh. Sounds like a good time." He's actually smiling now, some of the weight of his shitty day forgotten in the wake of good company. And alcohol. "You looking for more people or is it just a," he gestures between Lux and Asbolus, "thing"?
Lux considers the other Winter courtier for a moment, then shrugs. "Nah, you're welcome to join. More the merrier, really."
"Count me in - sounds like a decent way to blow off steam."
"No issues on my end."
"Dunno 'f...you're gonna want me for anything tonight," he holds up his glass, "but...want my number? Or something?"
"Sure. Would need it if I am able to get that other assistance, anyway." Phone still at the ready!
They eye the glass a moment. "Drunk mayhem is sometimes the best mayhem, but not the safest. Might be best to save that for round two or three." They dig out their phone, tapping at the screen. "Let me at them digits."
Jack rattles off his number to the two of them, and nods. "'S true. Now...unless either of you two are interested in an entirely different sort of drunk mayhem..?" He pauses for half a second. "If not, I'm gonna..." He gestures with his glass in the direction of the blonde guy.
Lux saves the number into their phone, then blinks--neon eyes flicker-flickering. A soft huff-laugh. "I mean, I'm in."
There was a brief pause on Asbolus' end, the not so subtle hint just barely registering after a moment. He smirked a touch, shaking his head. "Not tonight. Thank you for the offer, though."
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