[Open]

[pullmeapint]

Finn cleared the last of the dishes from the dinner rush and carted them into the kitchen for Tandy, laughing when she asked if he'd been demoted to busser.

That chore done, he headed back into the bar to do a walk around, checking with those in the game room and those at the tables and booths scattered around the bar area. He joked with a few of the regulars and greeted the faces he couldn't remember seeing before taking his position behind the bar again.

Leaning against the back counter, he surveyed his pub and couldn't help the smile that formed. For as much flak as he'd received from his family over his choosing such a small town when he finally struck out on his own, he really did love the town. The atmosphere was open, accepting, and the sheer fact that he could use his abilities without causing the National Enquirer to drop onto his head made it perfect.

He looked up when the door opened and called out a welcome to the newcomer.

"Welcome to the Pub."

Comments

[starting_over]

"He seems like a nice enough guy, so I'm sure he would but it's, ah, very cold outside tonight and, given where the spill is..." Samantha started and then brought her beer to her mouth to keep more idiocy from trickling out unbidden. She shrugged her shoulders and quickly changed tacks.

"Roosevelt? Like the presidents?" she asked, eyebrows disappearing into her bangs. "I can't imagine that was an easy one going through school."

[keirasullivan]

"Shame," Keira replied, before pressing the money into the palm of his hand. Blowing him a kiss, she laughed and turned to head out.

[keirasullivan]

"I know, all my exes think so. Me with my trail of broken hearts," Keira said. Aoife knew about her non-commitment to people, preferring to flirt with them then actually commit to anything. She also knew about Keira's first ex-boyfriend 'Rusty' who Keira had broken up with before going to college. She just hadn't exactly told her best friend everything about him but then not even Kaitlin had known about him or how serious she'd felt for a guy once.

[jiyunnies]

"Love cinnamon," she grins, watching him work. Riley leans onto the counter after depositing her bag into the seat next to her, comfortable with the atmosphere of the place. "One of my favourite ingredients to use, actually."

[pullmeapint]

"Then you should have fun with this one," Finn told her as he popped the cap and poured it into a glass. "And if its not for you, don't be shy about telling me. Bar policy is to not charge if the bartender fucks up."

He slid the bottle over to her then picked up his coffee cup and sipped, waiting for the verdict.

[aoife_coombs]

"Honestly, it makes it really tough to follow you around, with that trail. I don't want to make a bigger mess of it."

She smiled, because that was pretty quick on her feet thinking for Aoife. "But do you even want a boyfriend?"

[jiyunnies]

"Honesty is the best policy." Riley takes the glass with a thanks and sips at the beer a few times before glancing back at the bartender with a smile.

"Mmm. Oh yeah. This is a good one." She takes another drink, enjoying the flavour. "The cinnamon definitely makes it."

[pullmeapint]

"To your health then," Finn grinned and toasted her with his coffee cup. "Glad you like it. I've got about a 75% average when it comes to picking beer out for people, and it seriously sucks when I get it wrong. Makes me feel like a failure of a bartender. So thank you, for helping support my fragile ego by enjoying the beer."

He managed, barely, to keep from outright grinning like an idiot.

[keirasullivan]

"You say that like I haven't had a boyfriend," Keira replied. She'd dated "Rusty" for two years before college, not one of her friends had met him though, not even her sister. Which was what happened when you were an alternative girl dating the school's top jock and no one knew. "I don't know maybe, I just have other things I need to take care of first."

[aoife_coombs]

"I don't. Or at least I don't intended to. I'm definitely not one of those people that think you can't have a happy life as long as you're single."

She toyed with her glass. "The only reason I know is that I'm not happier off without Isaiah is because the thought makes me chest hurt. Which annoys me, because I don't know if anyone should have such power over anyone."

[keirasullivan]

She does, she knows what it's like to let someone have that much power over her. She didn't like to think about it though, she certainly didn't let anyone close. Not since Roosevelt... since "Rusy" rather.

"No, they shouldn't. But that's what love is, taking that chance that the hurt is worth it. And sometimes it is," Keira replied with a small fond smile. Remembering all the times that- she couldn't think like that.

[aoife_coombs]

"But when will I know that?"

Honestly, it didn't even anger her anymore, just made her feel bad that she could never live up to what he would want from her. In any possible way. Aoife Coombs wasn't a good girlfriend, she'd just be a proper wife some day.

"He asked me if I heard about the Cabot masked ball. Isn't that adorable? If I heard about it."

[comeonbro]

Roosevelt could never understand how someone could just do something casually. It wasn't in his nature to do something like that, although he knew that he was probably unusual in that aspect. Still, he wouldn't harass anyone too much about what they chose to do with their hobbies.

"Were you good at it when you competed?" he asked, more casual now and curious about what Finn's life was like.

[comeonbro]

"At least it 's some of the good presidents. My old man is a big fan of Teddy Roosevelt and thought the name would build character," Roosevelt said with a shrug. He never really thought about how unusual his name was these days unless he met someone new. He was actually a big fan of his name. "I like it a lot better than if he had gone with Theodore."

[pullmeapint]

"Hmm. This is where I have to decide on false modesty or being an insufferable braggart," Finn remarked, rubbing at the stubble on his cheek and chin. "I was considered for the Olympics right after I got my black belt, and I actually considered it for a while. Came down to a choice of what I wanted to do - compete or run my own place someday. I decided to go to college and scale back the competitions. I lost my ranking, but I got the chance to start this place. I wouldn't change it for anything."

[starting_over]

"It's definitely more unique without being the whole trendy thing of replacing vowels with the letter y or other equally mystifying things parents call their children," Samantha nodded, "And I can't blame him the man. Roosevelt was an amazing president, and very ahead of his times."

Then twitched her mouth into a wry smile. "Any siblings? Adams? Washington? Fillmore?"

[keirasullivan]

"When will you know it's love? I don't know, you just do." Keira replied with a smile of a woman who had in fact, despite all denying the knowledge of it, had been in love. Once. A long time ago. "You know what he meant, and what are you worried your current beau and your long term engagement beau are going to fight for you?"

[aoife_coombs]

"You're such a Buddha right now, stop it. You're supposed to make me uncomfortable and wonder if I finally turned from underwear to lingerie."

God, did Aoife love Keira. "Ed is not my long term engagement beau. And I'm pretty sure that both of them know better than to think I would appreciate them fighting over me. I just - it's just going to be worlds colliding, Keira."

[comeonbro]

"Modesty, who needs modesty?" Roosevelt laughed. Still, it was impressive that Finn was so good at it. It must have taken a lot of drive and practice to become that talented at such a difficult discipline. "You didn't even think though that you could go to the Olympics and then open a bar? The bar dream was that big?"

Either way, he admired that sort of focus and just going out and getting what it was that you wanted.

[comeonbro]

"Those names are completely ridiculous and that trend needs to be stopped immediately. People should just make up new names at that point. Future archaeologists are going to be completely confused about our naming conventions."

It was one of those ways in which Roosevelt was old school, a crotchety old man yelling from his front porch about the kids on his lawn. He had no problem with that though.

"One of each, although more reasonable heads prevailed with their names."

[jiyunnies]

"75%?" she asks, taking another sip before setting the glass down on the bar. "Impressive. Given my 35% while bartending at Watersong part time. I'm god-awful at recommending drinks unless they're designed to help with your health."

Riley matches his grin. "Of course! I'm very good supporting fragile egos. If you ever need a pep talk, I'm your gal."

[pullmeapint]

Finn had heard of Watersong, of course, but he'd only been in once to scope the place out. He hadn't had the best feeling about the place, so he hadn't stayed long. He still wasn't sure why it hadn't sit right with him, but he'd stayed away because he knew better than to ignore his instincts.

"I'll remember that, thanks," he told her and extended a hand towards her. "I'm Finn. Good to meet you."

[jiyunnies]

"Riley." She takes his hand with a firm shake before letting it go, returning to finish off her drink. "Nice to meet you as well. I really like your place. Seems like a food fit for Siren Cove."

[pullmeapint]

"Thanks," Finn returned. "I've never once regretted my decision to set up here. Just something about this town, you know? Felt like home the first time I came here to scout locations."

[jiyunnies]

"It does have that homey vibe to it. Even with all the drama," she muses, tilting her head. "So not a Siren Cove native, huh?"