[ The passage of time here has definitely been intentional. Hugo had looked up Vander’s username the day after they had met, and he’d just sat with that knowledge since. Not without minor internal conflict, mind you, because on one hand, Hugo is inclined to just “hit it and quit it”, as it were. One evening of a little fun doesn’t mean all that much to him.
…But on the other hand, that’s the kind of impulse that he always tried to be better about. He knew it wasn’t a good thing to do, and it was part of his personality that he wasn’t exactly proud of.
Yet. Even so. He’d still waited until now. It was a thought that became less of an idle one after dying. He won’t think too hard about why that might be. ]
Hello Vander~
This is Hugo. Hopefully you remember me?
[ That’s a joke. He thinks it was pretty memorable, no matter what. ]
My apologies for not reaching out sooner. Let’s just call it a mix of mild embarrassment and being busy. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time?
No, I... I should've reached out too. Sorry, I'm not the best with these devices, more of an in-person kind of guy. But you're welcome by the bar any time- I work at Cherry's.
Not a bad time. You've nothing to be embarrassed for. Anything I can do for you?
[Part of him hopes the embarrassment isn't some kind of regret for what they did. But if it was that, he wouldn't be reaching out, he tells himself.]
Please, don't worry about it! Actually, I feel a bit better knowing that I hadn't left you hanging, so to speak. I might be a tad impulsive, but I wouldn't want to be thought of as a scoundrel~
[ Says the thief, but. That's a joke for himself... ]
Reaching out was really just to say hello and that we didn't have to be strangers, but you've brought up a better idea for that. I believe I know Cherry's, though I've only passed by it rather than partaking.
If you're not opposed, I'll drop by to grab a drink sometime soon. Have a less charged chat, as it were.
And of course, if you're not interested, you need only say the word. I won't take offense, I assure you.
I'm glad to hear it. Both that you're up for chatting and the positive review of past performance~.
I'll stop by sometime this week after my own work, then! Probably sooner rather than later, but I'll also admit that it depends on how much time I have to spend cataloguing stock that day.
In any case! See you then, Vander.
—
And indeed, the following Thursday, Hugo makes a point to head to Cherry’s after he’s finished his work at the antique shop. It feels like the best day of the options, since Friday and Saturday would be busier, and Tuesday afternoons… Well. His excuse would be that he was working, but in reality, he just finds the daytime nearly unbearable nowadays. Stopping by in an evening shift means he’ll be in a better mood.
Immediately, Hugo stands out, because much like the last time they’d met, he’s stylishly dressed. It’s a crisp and tailored Karterian suit in a dark, rich plum color, and with a hat, umbrella, and metallic briefcase, he gives off the immediate impression of someone fashionable, to be sure, but also maybe out of place here. Naturally, Hugo doesn’t seem to care about this at all. He simply smiles once he looks around and sees Vander and approaches the bar as if this were his regular haunt.
“Hello there. Glad to see I caught you on a shift,” he says as a cheery as he approaches. His accessories are smoothly taken off before he sits—umbrella on the arm of the chair, his jacket over it, and his hat set down neatly on the bar. The briefcase stays in his lap, interestingly.
“And luckily, there was a plethora of new stock to catalogue today. It’s a perfect day to chat and drink away the dull malaise of paperwork.”
Vander looks up when Hugo walks in, and just as soon as his eyes fall on Hugo, they shift to the other patrons to watch their reaction to the newcomer. Monitoring the vibe and social dynamics of the bar is something that's become automatic and second nature over his years of owning one. He may seem casual, but he knows exactly what's taking place in his bar at all times, and has a sense for when things are going to be shaken up well before it happens. However, in this case, his gaze is also protective. Willing the other patrons not to try anything funny. A sharply dressed man with a shiny briefcase in a seedier bar like this can be a target. Like Councillor Jayce, Golden Boy stepping into The Last Drop with not a hair out of place.
Hugo definitely grabs their attention, but aside from one or two confused or unimpressed looks, there isn't a stir at his arrival. Good.
Vander's assessment is not made obvious. As Hugo approaches the bar, his facial expression and body language is easy and casual, a small smile showing fang-tips.
"You caught me. Welcome. What'll it be for you?" He tosses a shaker cup in the air and it flips a few times before he catches it. Is he showing off, or does he just do that all the time? Hard to say (both).
It might seem like Hugo is perhaps a little ignorant by the contrast of his styling to the bar’s, but as their earlier (albeit brief) conversation had implied, that’s not the case. He knows places like this, and maybe they wouldn’t be his first choice, but he’s hardly uncomfortable in them. Hugo is perfectly confident and at ease as he becomes the center of attention. He doesn’t even seem to notice it, really, since it’s a phenomenon he’s well used to.
Besides. Of no offense to the rest of the patrons, but Hugo’s attention is more focused on Vander anyways. He assumes it’s mutual attention, considering the dramatic flair, but he’s charmed all the same.
“Well, I was thinking another Old Fashioned, but with that kind of flair, well. A whiskey sour instead? Or anything you feel like showing off with sounds delightful, honestly,” he says with a warm laugh, though it fades as he gets to his more practical explanation. “I work at an antique shop. So, really, it’s not so bad. It’s just when there’s new stock that it’s the tedium of cataloguing, appraising, and et cetera, which is a bit dull. Slow as well, since it’s not like I can rely on my knowledge from home. A fine piece to me is sometimes just junk here.”
Luckily, he has something to demonstrate, though that’s more coincidence. He reaches back into the pocket of his jacket to produce a showy trinket which he sets on the bar. It might look like another to-showy display of something like wealth, but a closer look will show that the gold is just plated on, and cheaply at that.
“Though, it does mean that I can grab fun little trinkets cheaply. This one caught my eye today. I don’t smoke, but I also couldn’t resist such an unusual lighter.”
Striding in with confidence is the thing to do, so no one sees you as a target. Hugo's attitude is that he fits right in here, which seems to fool the others.
Vander chuckles warmly in return, a little sheepish for being called out on showing off. "Righto," he agrees, and gets to work. His movements are incredibly practiced and automatic as he listens to Hugo. Into the shaker: bourbon, lemon juice, syrup. He's never historically had much access to egg whites, and Karteria's food shortage makes that difficult as well, so he substitutes a little aquafaba from a can of beans to get the frothiness.
He stops to pick up the trinket and examine it. It's neat, and a nostalgic smile crosses his face. "It's a lighter?" Vander smokes, but he doesn't say so- doesn't want to make it seem like he's trying to steal it.
"My friend Benzo has a-- had a shop like that," his smile dampens a little as he switches to the past tense. "Well, callin' it an antique shop would be generous. It was more like a pawn shop. Still, he'd have stuff like this." His smile returns as he sets it back on the counter and starts to shake the cocktail.
Hugo’s smile warms in the face of that sheepishness, but it’s kind. Clearly, he hadn’t pointed it out to discourage him, since he watches Vander’s work with casual interest. Whether there’s a panache for performance or not, he does always enjoy watching a bartender work. And as the egg is swapped out, Hugo realizes that he’d asked for something a bit difficult here in Karteria out of habit, so he nods appreciatively for the creativity to substitute it.
“That it is. Quite charming, isn’t it? It’s not worth much, apparently, but I thought it was such an interesting little curiosity that I had to have it. It’ll be a stylish way to provide a light for others once I get it operational again, at least.”
He’s absolutely the kind of person that would carry around a lighter for other people, but also purely for the style of it all. That, and he does like to have little projects like this. He feels like he’ll be needing them more now that he doesn’t sleep.
Hugo hums out a sympathetic note at how Vander changes the tense for his friend. It’s easy to guess why, but of course he doesn’t inquire for details. He just focuses on the warm sentiment as he tucks the lighter back into his pocket.
“Well, the difference between an antique shop and a pawn shop is probably one of semantics, when it comes down to it. And clientele, I suppose, but they both have their charm, and I frequented both back home. I was an art dealer, so I have a fondness for beautiful, old things.”
Which, considering their brief conversation, maybe that’s being playfully flirtatious, maybe not. There’s not a strong sense either way, which is exactly why he phrases it that way.
Well, if he wants to flirt with Vander he'll have to be a little more clear than that, as Vander doesn't ascribe the word 'beautiful' to himself ever, so thinks nothing of it.
After finishing his vigorous shaking: "An art dealer, eh? What exactly does an art dealer do? Sell paintings?"
Clearly, Hugo has taste-- evidenced by the lighter and his personal style. Him liking Vander is incidental.
He sets up a glass with ice and a lime wedge and strains the cocktail into it, then slides it toward Hugo.
“Paintings, sculptures, jewelry—just about anything that could be called ‘art’, really. I once sold a gown that had been worn by a celebrity where I’m from, so the wares tends to be broad.”
With an appreciative tip of his head, he takes the drink, though he finishes up his explanation before sampling it.
“Though, admittedly, it’s just complicated money laundering and tax evasion, more often than not. Alas, the rich don’t have nearly as much interest in the art as I do.”
Hugo huffs out a little note of a laugh when he’s perfectly honest about the profession. He’d never been so candid about it before, even when he knew perfectly well that half of the things he sold would simply go into storage to never be seen. It didn’t seem so important now, though.
He gladly takes a drink of the cocktail, and after taking a moment to savor it, he tips the glass Vander’s way.
“—Clever, by the way. It’s a good substitute, so I must thank you for your artistry~” he says, maybe teasing, maybe not, but he sets the glass back down. He’ll savor it, since the conversation is the main draw. “And you? You seem comfortable behind the bar, so was that your work at home too?”
Vander hums thoughtfully, then mirrors that huff of a laugh about the money laundering.
"The rich are the same anywhere you go, I guess." Corrupt. Fake. Strategizing for their own gain.
He watches Hugo as he drinks, measuring his reaction. Not that he expects applause, but he does want to make sure he's satisfied. And it seems so. He chuckles, soft and warm, and gives him a wink.
"No problem. Where I'm from the food supply is just as limited, so you learn to make do." Which is true, but really, it's a trick most bartenders know. Even if you're in a rich area, working with eggs can be a pain, or can introduce unwanted bacteria.
"It was. When I was young I worked in the mines, but after that I owned a bar for over a decade. The Last Drop."
“Exactly so. Or, at least so far as I’ve seen. I’m only working with a sample size of two, but,” he says with a sly little laugh and a shrug. He expects that the rich are the rich, no matter the world. It’s a character problem, after all. He hasn’t seen anything about Karteria that would imply that they would have overcome it.
And though he’s interested in the fact that Vander is also from a place that seems to be struggling, he doesn’t actually want the conversation to turn that serious this quickly. He’d come by for a casual visit, after all. The topic of a bar is much more fun, so while there’s something thoughtful and sympathetic in Hugo’s expression briefly, it brightens at the bar’s name especially.
“I like the name. A bar with a play on words already has my heart. So, two questions about it. One, what was the favorite drink? And two—” He tosses Vander a playful little wink, “Would I look as out of place there as I do here?”
"Our house ale was pretty popular. Zaunites aren't a fancy bunch. And there were all types of moonshine down there. Some I brewed myself." He smiles, innocent with just a hint of deviousness. "And 'fraid to say, with that sharp suit and shiny briefcase, you'd probably get mugged before you even stepped foot in my bar. Not to worry, though, I'd give you a freebie." He winks.
Hugo nods agreeably, since a local ale or moonshine sounds fun to him, but the thought is interrupted with a laugh as Vander continues. With a playful, dramatic air, he places a hand on his chest with a faux-scandalized gasp.
“Mugged? Before I even made it to your door? Why, Vander, I worry about just where your fine establishment was with such a welcoming party…” he teases, but he also leans more comfortably on the bar in turn. It’s all perfectly good-natured, and he’s also unbothered by the prospect, clearly. His voice tilts just a little quieter, since it’s not good to brag about this too openly.
“Then, between the two of us, it’s good that I’m a more difficult target for a mugging than I look, hm?” Mysterious, perhaps, since there’s nothing about Hugo that really implies a combat prowess, and yet. He keeps the details secret, since the mystery is the fun part in the first place. “…Though I would take that freebie all the same, though.”
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
@ mockingbird
Date: 2025-08-21 09:32 pm (UTC)…But on the other hand, that’s the kind of impulse that he always tried to be better about. He knew it wasn’t a good thing to do, and it was part of his personality that he wasn’t exactly proud of.
Yet. Even so. He’d still waited until now. It was a thought that became less of an idle one after dying. He won’t think too hard about why that might be. ]
Hello Vander~
This is Hugo. Hopefully you remember me?
[ That’s a joke. He thinks it was pretty memorable, no matter what. ]
My apologies for not reaching out sooner. Let’s just call it a mix of mild embarrassment and being busy. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time?
@ thehound
Date: 2025-08-22 12:09 am (UTC)No, I... I should've reached out too. Sorry, I'm not the best with these devices, more of an in-person kind of guy. But you're welcome by the bar any time- I work at Cherry's.
Not a bad time. You've nothing to be embarrassed for. Anything I can do for you?
[Part of him hopes the embarrassment isn't some kind of regret for what they did. But if it was that, he wouldn't be reaching out, he tells himself.]
no subject
Date: 2025-08-22 01:42 am (UTC)[ Says the thief, but. That's a joke for himself... ]
Reaching out was really just to say hello and that we didn't have to be strangers, but you've brought up a better idea for that. I believe I know Cherry's, though I've only passed by it rather than partaking.
If you're not opposed, I'll drop by to grab a drink sometime soon. Have a less charged chat, as it were.
And of course, if you're not interested, you need only say the word. I won't take offense, I assure you.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-22 04:41 pm (UTC)I'm always up for a chat. Especially at work- it passes the time.
Generally I work nights, Thursday to Saturday. Sometimes I open on Tuesday afternoons
→ 🎬
Date: 2025-08-22 05:41 pm (UTC)I'll stop by sometime this week after my own work, then! Probably sooner rather than later, but I'll also admit that it depends on how much time I have to spend cataloguing stock that day.
In any case! See you then, Vander.
—
And indeed, the following Thursday, Hugo makes a point to head to Cherry’s after he’s finished his work at the antique shop. It feels like the best day of the options, since Friday and Saturday would be busier, and Tuesday afternoons… Well. His excuse would be that he was working, but in reality, he just finds the daytime nearly unbearable nowadays. Stopping by in an evening shift means he’ll be in a better mood.
Immediately, Hugo stands out, because much like the last time they’d met, he’s stylishly dressed. It’s a crisp and tailored Karterian suit in a dark, rich plum color, and with a hat, umbrella, and metallic briefcase, he gives off the immediate impression of someone fashionable, to be sure, but also maybe out of place here. Naturally, Hugo doesn’t seem to care about this at all. He simply smiles once he looks around and sees Vander and approaches the bar as if this were his regular haunt.
“Hello there. Glad to see I caught you on a shift,” he says as a cheery as he approaches. His accessories are smoothly taken off before he sits—umbrella on the arm of the chair, his jacket over it, and his hat set down neatly on the bar. The briefcase stays in his lap, interestingly.
“And luckily, there was a plethora of new stock to catalogue today. It’s a perfect day to chat and drink away the dull malaise of paperwork.”
no subject
Date: 2025-08-25 01:35 am (UTC)Hugo definitely grabs their attention, but aside from one or two confused or unimpressed looks, there isn't a stir at his arrival. Good.
Vander's assessment is not made obvious. As Hugo approaches the bar, his facial expression and body language is easy and casual, a small smile showing fang-tips.
"You caught me. Welcome. What'll it be for you?" He tosses a shaker cup in the air and it flips a few times before he catches it. Is he showing off, or does he just do that all the time? Hard to say (both).
"Sounds riveting. Where d'you work, anyway?"
no subject
Date: 2025-08-25 03:43 pm (UTC)Besides. Of no offense to the rest of the patrons, but Hugo’s attention is more focused on Vander anyways. He assumes it’s mutual attention, considering the dramatic flair, but he’s charmed all the same.
“Well, I was thinking another Old Fashioned, but with that kind of flair, well. A whiskey sour instead? Or anything you feel like showing off with sounds delightful, honestly,” he says with a warm laugh, though it fades as he gets to his more practical explanation. “I work at an antique shop. So, really, it’s not so bad. It’s just when there’s new stock that it’s the tedium of cataloguing, appraising, and et cetera, which is a bit dull. Slow as well, since it’s not like I can rely on my knowledge from home. A fine piece to me is sometimes just junk here.”
Luckily, he has something to demonstrate, though that’s more coincidence. He reaches back into the pocket of his jacket to produce a showy trinket which he sets on the bar. It might look like another to-showy display of something like wealth, but a closer look will show that the gold is just plated on, and cheaply at that.
“Though, it does mean that I can grab fun little trinkets cheaply. This one caught my eye today. I don’t smoke, but I also couldn’t resist such an unusual lighter.”
no subject
Date: 2025-08-25 04:12 pm (UTC)Vander chuckles warmly in return, a little sheepish for being called out on showing off. "Righto," he agrees, and gets to work. His movements are incredibly practiced and automatic as he listens to Hugo. Into the shaker: bourbon, lemon juice, syrup. He's never historically had much access to egg whites, and Karteria's food shortage makes that difficult as well, so he substitutes a little aquafaba from a can of beans to get the frothiness.
He stops to pick up the trinket and examine it. It's neat, and a nostalgic smile crosses his face. "It's a lighter?" Vander smokes, but he doesn't say so- doesn't want to make it seem like he's trying to steal it.
"My friend Benzo has a-- had a shop like that," his smile dampens a little as he switches to the past tense. "Well, callin' it an antique shop would be generous. It was more like a pawn shop. Still, he'd have stuff like this." His smile returns as he sets it back on the counter and starts to shake the cocktail.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-25 06:22 pm (UTC)“That it is. Quite charming, isn’t it? It’s not worth much, apparently, but I thought it was such an interesting little curiosity that I had to have it. It’ll be a stylish way to provide a light for others once I get it operational again, at least.”
He’s absolutely the kind of person that would carry around a lighter for other people, but also purely for the style of it all. That, and he does like to have little projects like this. He feels like he’ll be needing them more now that he doesn’t sleep.
Hugo hums out a sympathetic note at how Vander changes the tense for his friend. It’s easy to guess why, but of course he doesn’t inquire for details. He just focuses on the warm sentiment as he tucks the lighter back into his pocket.
“Well, the difference between an antique shop and a pawn shop is probably one of semantics, when it comes down to it. And clientele, I suppose, but they both have their charm, and I frequented both back home. I was an art dealer, so I have a fondness for beautiful, old things.”
Which, considering their brief conversation, maybe that’s being playfully flirtatious, maybe not. There’s not a strong sense either way, which is exactly why he phrases it that way.
no subject
Date: 2025-08-30 03:11 am (UTC)After finishing his vigorous shaking: "An art dealer, eh? What exactly does an art dealer do? Sell paintings?"
Clearly, Hugo has taste-- evidenced by the lighter and his personal style. Him liking Vander is incidental.
He sets up a glass with ice and a lime wedge and strains the cocktail into it, then slides it toward Hugo.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-03 04:27 pm (UTC)With an appreciative tip of his head, he takes the drink, though he finishes up his explanation before sampling it.
“Though, admittedly, it’s just complicated money laundering and tax evasion, more often than not. Alas, the rich don’t have nearly as much interest in the art as I do.”
Hugo huffs out a little note of a laugh when he’s perfectly honest about the profession. He’d never been so candid about it before, even when he knew perfectly well that half of the things he sold would simply go into storage to never be seen. It didn’t seem so important now, though.
He gladly takes a drink of the cocktail, and after taking a moment to savor it, he tips the glass Vander’s way.
“—Clever, by the way. It’s a good substitute, so I must thank you for your artistry~” he says, maybe teasing, maybe not, but he sets the glass back down. He’ll savor it, since the conversation is the main draw. “And you? You seem comfortable behind the bar, so was that your work at home too?”
no subject
Date: 2025-09-06 05:48 am (UTC)"The rich are the same anywhere you go, I guess." Corrupt. Fake. Strategizing for their own gain.
He watches Hugo as he drinks, measuring his reaction. Not that he expects applause, but he does want to make sure he's satisfied. And it seems so. He chuckles, soft and warm, and gives him a wink.
"No problem. Where I'm from the food supply is just as limited, so you learn to make do." Which is true, but really, it's a trick most bartenders know. Even if you're in a rich area, working with eggs can be a pain, or can introduce unwanted bacteria.
"It was. When I was young I worked in the mines, but after that I owned a bar for over a decade. The Last Drop."
no subject
Date: 2025-09-12 06:26 pm (UTC)And though he’s interested in the fact that Vander is also from a place that seems to be struggling, he doesn’t actually want the conversation to turn that serious this quickly. He’d come by for a casual visit, after all. The topic of a bar is much more fun, so while there’s something thoughtful and sympathetic in Hugo’s expression briefly, it brightens at the bar’s name especially.
“I like the name. A bar with a play on words already has my heart. So, two questions about it. One, what was the favorite drink? And two—” He tosses Vander a playful little wink, “Would I look as out of place there as I do here?”
no subject
Date: 2025-09-20 05:19 am (UTC)He laughs at the second question, in particular.
"Our house ale was pretty popular. Zaunites aren't a fancy bunch. And there were all types of moonshine down there. Some I brewed myself." He smiles, innocent with just a hint of deviousness. "And 'fraid to say, with that sharp suit and shiny briefcase, you'd probably get mugged before you even stepped foot in my bar. Not to worry, though, I'd give you a freebie." He winks.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-22 06:04 pm (UTC)“Mugged? Before I even made it to your door? Why, Vander, I worry about just where your fine establishment was with such a welcoming party…” he teases, but he also leans more comfortably on the bar in turn. It’s all perfectly good-natured, and he’s also unbothered by the prospect, clearly. His voice tilts just a little quieter, since it’s not good to brag about this too openly.
“Then, between the two of us, it’s good that I’m a more difficult target for a mugging than I look, hm?” Mysterious, perhaps, since there’s nothing about Hugo that really implies a combat prowess, and yet. He keeps the details secret, since the mystery is the fun part in the first place. “…Though I would take that freebie all the same, though.”