BAR HOP

[jc_superstar]

⌛ Who: Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian and anyone currently at Pete's
⌛ What: Wuxian wants to go button hunting. But first he needs to learn what a button is!
⌛ When: 1/10, post wedding party
⌛ Where: Pete's Bar
⌛ Warnings: Nothing pressing at the moment. Too cold for Thai people to be out and about with unbuttoned shirts.



Cheng didn't realize how much of an undertaking it would be to bring Wuxian to the Eastern Kingdom. Of course, it was modern here with all sorts of strange contraptions for riding and driving that Wuxian had never been exposed to before. It was like herding a cat through a room of feet and trying not to get its tail stepped on.

Finally, they made it to Pete's bar and he opened the door for Wuxian, motioning him to enter. "The place is not what we're used to from back home, just to forwarn you."

Comments

[safesex]

Vegas is behind the bar, looking bright and refreshed after a brought couple of a days, a party, and then vanishing for a few days more. Spying the familiar figure of Jiang Cheng, he lifts a hand to wave from his place.

"Yo, Wanyin! Who's your friend?"

[jc_superstar]

He hears the voice of one of his friends and he smiles graciously, lifting a hand in greeting. "Hello, Vegas! This is my brother, Wei Wuxian. Wuxian, this is Vegas, the owner of Pete's." Once Wuxian is in doors, he lets the door close and heads over to the bar. "How is everything? All's well?"

[yingyiling]

Wuxian turns when he hears his brother's name and then follows over to the bar. He notes that Cheng doesn't bow but lifts his hand, so he does that too.

"It's an honor to meet you, Vegas. I met your spouse over the network." His gaze drifts around the room every few moments as he's still taking in the unfamiliar atmosphere. "I've never seen a place like this before."

[safesex]

He nods in greeting to Wuxian and offers him a friendly grin. "Nice to meet you, Wuxian." He's careful in pronouncing the name, trying to mimic the way Wanyin said it, but he's sure he probably got wrong. His Chinese isn't that great. He'll keep trying.

He likes the way Wuxian's eyes move around. He and his little brother put a lot of effort into designing the place and it's nice to see it admired. Wuxian would probably recognize Pete in the mural on the wall since he's already seen him on the network.

"It's like a place that people I know used to go to back in Bangkok. I wanted to give them a piece of home."

Then he turns his attention to Wanyin. "Things are good, man. How are you doing? Other than showing your brother around."

[jc_superstar]

"I am well, thank you." Cheng looks content and happy as he answered. "After dealing with your younger cousin, I keep wondering if you future people are capable of defending yourselves, though." It was a light joke. Kim was a little handful but Cheng had dealt with worse. The worse is right next to him, actually.

His eyes shifted over to Wuxian, watching him look at everything. "I will prepare you-he will ask questions about anything and everything if given the chance."

[yingyiling]

It's hard to miss that mural. He finds it amusing but also sweet, especially when paired with the name. Someone is clearly very proud of his husband and it's nice.

He smiles as Vegas speaks, but there's predictably no recognition on the name of the city. "Hey!" He retorts to his brother, though the edges of his lips stayed curled upward. "If you don't ask, how will you learn anything? For instance, what liquor is best here?"

[safesex]

He can't help snorting a laugh at Wanyin's comment. He didn't know the man at all, he might've felt slighted, but in this case... Well, it's just nice to joke around with everything that happened with Riley lately. "No, no, you're right. We're all totally helpless." Nevermind the dozens of people Vegas has already murdered in hs brief time here... Or that Kim's probably the most dangerous of all of them since he didn't even require a weapon to kill half a dozen people in one sitting. But Wanyin didn't know any of that, so he'll let it slide.

He does appreciate the warning about questions, though. Vegas tends to be suspicious of too many fired all at once... or spread out. Just too many in general. "What's best? Hm. That depends on what you're looking for. Mixed drinks? Hard liquor? Wine?" He pauses and gives Wuxian a serious look. "I'll let you know upfront, I'm not the best one for mixed drinks. That's Porsche, but he's not working right now."

[jc_superstar]

No worries, Vegas. Cheng has some inkling that you modern people have some sort of dark side. He remembers you coming to Wen Qing's house in a wheelchair. But that wasn't the point and he wasn't going to press, either. It wasn't his business.

"You can learn just as much by being quiet, too," Cheng responded as he looked back to Vegas. "I'm not looking for alcohol. Whatever you have without it is fine."

[yingyiling]

He doesn't know what the other two are talking about, but it's curious to see his brother relaxed and joking around with someone. Is his time here to blame?

"Observing quietly might get you some good information, but you may make assumptions you shouldn't." He gives his brother a playful nudge with his elbow at that.

"Ah, well, if this is not your specialty then I will not judge your work too harshly," he assures humored. "I like alcohol of any kind. What is a mixed drink?" He glances at Cheng. "Is that what they call that green drink we had at Sakuranbo?"

[safesex]

"Asking questions already makes two assumptions: one, that the person wants to answer and two, that the person will answer honestly." Just a thought. From Vegas, an observer of people.

He doesn't know what they had at Sakuranbo, so he'll leave that to Wanyin. "Mixed drinks have more than one ingredient. Some are simple, but others complex. Porsche is great at those ones." He'll wait before offering any suggestions to get a better feel of what Wuxian wants. For Wanyin though? The 'special' drink he makes for the Fae: Hawaiian punch with a splash of lemon-lime soda and a scoop of sherbert.

[jc_superstar]

Upon the offered drink, Cheng lights up. He knew who normally got them and it seemed fitting he has one now, too! "Midori sours," Cheng informs them both.

[yingyiling]

"Ah but if the goal is to learn about someone then wouldn't that tell you a lot about them?" Wuxian replies, enjoying the debate. The virtues of asking questions vs silent observation!

"Plus, it isn't my responsibility to know ahead of time if someone wants to do or not do anything. I can't know what I don't know. If I am as respectful and polite as I know how to be then it is the other person's decision whether to answer or not. They always have the option of changing the conversation to something else either by asking me something- everyone loves to talk about themselves- or coming up with a new topic to discuss. I, for one, would honor that, especially when trying to get to know a new friend of my brother's."

He shrugs. "Besides, I realize you might not know the answers to my questions. For instance, I'd want to ask how that light over there is purple or if I'm allowed to see an example of a button before I start my search." He grins cheekily. "Those kinds of questions aren't too revealing are they?"

The information about the drinks is interesting, but so is that strange concoction Vegas is now making for Cheng. "That's the name. But it was also one of these mixed drinks?" He wonders what he can mix together to make different kinds of Midori sours. "May I have one of those? It looks delicious!" He points to the drink Cheng received. "But with alcohol!"

[safesex]

Vegas laughed, smile still in place. This one was either naive or just plain stupid. He quickly cycled through what booze would work best in his little concoction for the Fae (and other non-drinkers) and went with vodka. When he's done, he slide the drink over the bar and his grin turned lopsided.

"Gonna be hard to find a button if you don't know what it is."

Does that answer the question? Technically, yes. Was it helpful? Not at all.

[jc_superstar]

Cheng listened to the conversation, feeling guilty about the reunion they had. But they always bickered and fought, that was nothing new! And Cheng had so much pent up and tucked away that...sometimes he just exploded even when he knew better.

He sat in his seat, sipping his drink and watching the two interact. Cheng was usually one to keep silent and observe. Most of the time, it served him well. And even though he was younger, he was still sect leader. Even though Wuxian married into Gusu, he still felt like he needed to keep Wuxian out of trouble.

But he did help out, pointing to the round shiny thing on Vegas' shirt. "That circle is a button. Probably not the exact color, but thats what you're looking for."

[yingyiling]

Wuxian is a little disappointed when Vegas doesn't seem inclined to continue their discussion, but he leaves it alone. Some people didn't enjoy the art of debate or they took it way too personally, after all. It didn't matter really as his goal is to be friendly and get to know his brother's friends and nothing more.

He takes a sip of the strange drink and his eyes widen. The sweetness is almost enough to gag him, but it's new and he likes the frozen stuff. There's a bite of alcohol in the drink but it isn't as strong as usual. He likely won't order this again, but he loves the experience of something new.

Before he can declare how he never shrinks from a challenge, Cheng is sharing with him what a button actually is. Wuxian leans forward to see the fastener and nods. "Ah ha! I see. How is that better than a tie? Is that why these other ones got lost?"

[safesex]

More questions, of course. "Aesthetics," was his only answer. How the fuck should he know? He's not a fashion designer. But he does know a shirt front is more appealing with buttons than a little row of bows holding it closed.

"Good luck with the hunt."

[jc_superstar]

"They're like pankou, Wuxian. Only not all string." The frogs were the same concept of these buttons and Cheng merely leaned back against the bar and swirled his drink."

[yingyiling]

Wuxian thinks pankou looked sturdier than this, but he nods thoughtfully at the answer. Now that he has a better concept of what he's looking for, he takes one more sip of his drink and gets up.

"Thanks," he says to Vegas. Stepping away, he starts poking around but avoiding the other customers. He spots a few others looking around too and decides to go strike up conversations with them.