2019-07-09 - Pourhouse Shot Contest

Mariah's manning the bar tonight, because...that's where the owner is generally found. She's the short white blonde haired woman with the terminal air of going to put her foot in someones ass. Which is needed when you run a blue collar bar! She's giving out drinks and taking orders like a pro, but she does stop to talk to people between lulls in service.

Eleanor Lake isn't here to be IN the shot contest, but she's here to watch it. There are few things more amusing than watching a pile of masochists drink themselves into oblivion. Plus, people tend to talk more freely about the weird stuff in town with a few drinks in them. The redhead has a bottled beer in hand and sips from it as she squints around the bar, looking for familiar faces. Face it, most everyone is familiar when you own a coffee shop in Downtown.

Even on a good day Lyric isn't much of a drinker. I mean there's the whole bottled wine coolers and all, but this was different! With her payday coming recently she'd managed to save enough to actually go out drinking without using nickles and pennies. Seated on one of the barstools, she looks around at others gathered there for faces she recognizes. Mariah, she has seen, and Easton, both get a tentative smile. Those she doesn't exactly recognize as much get a curious look. Course she's lived in town all her life and out at the trailer park for most of it. Any from there gets an upnod since they're neighbors! "Hi." She outright greets everyone, finally.

"Maaaariah!" Easton calls rather obnoxiously from his seat at the bar. Yes he tends bar at another place in town, but that never stops him from being a fixture at the Pourhouse. It's a much rowdier bar than his tourist trap of a place on the beach, so if he's going to get properly tanked, this is his place of choice. And what better way to get obliterated than competitive drinking with strangers. And yes, he's developed a rather grating call to get Mariah's attention, but he tips well and is friendly and she hasn't thrown him out yet. That's nice.

August is here to drink beer, ostensibly cheer people on but more likely just drive home anyone he knows afterwards should they be smashed beyond comprehension. To that end he's sticking to one beer and then it's non-alcoholic after that. He's nursing a black and tan, sitting at a table for two with his long legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. He glances at Easton, recognizes him from the house of horrors and gives him an upnod of recognition.

Joey Is here for the contest. That said there's a distinct lack of glassware at the house and this is the best way to replace it. True fuckin story. It's hot so he's gone for minimum effort for public presentation: Nothin but the stretched black AC/DC t-shirt, grubby jeans, and his boots. That said even though he looks like 20 miles of dark alleys he pulls a twenty to set on the bar to slide over to Mariah. He might not say much, but the boxer's got enough decency to tip up to the bar staff beforehand.

Mariah looks up when she hears Easton and there's an 'omg' look. "I'm going to have to use the bat tonight. I can feel it." she tells herself. "What can I get you, East?" she asks him. "Place your orders people, some need a warm up before the contest." she chuckles. "Hank definitely needs a warm up." she nods to her token drunk that is usually in the bar.

Spotting August, Eleanor raises her beer bottle to him in hello from where she sits nearby at another small table. She has a notebook and pen with her, and is in jeans, a pink blouse, and sandals. "Here to watch people puke all over their shoes?" she calls to the man.

Reaching into a pocket, Lyric withdraws a twenty from her pocket as well. High hopes! She sliiiides it onto the bar top, "I want to wait until the contest starts, please." That leaves her to people watch in the meantime. Elbows find the bar and she props her chin on a hand as she looks down to Hank, the town drunk. Her nose crinkles a little, a sure sign he was emanating the smell of beer that reached across the bar already. If there's peanuts or pretzels or anything, she'll reach for a handful then turn her chair to look around.

Itzhak, damp from the brief rains rolling through, pushes open the door, muttering curses under his breath. He shakes water from his hair. The first thing he sees when he looks up is Joey Lee, and he very nearly just turns around and leaves again. The second are August and Easton, and...Easton he remembers. So he puts his shoulders back and saunters on up to the bar. He slides a twenty over it to Mariah and lifts his eyebrows at her. "Seen you around before," he says to Easton. August gets an upnod, and Joey gets a very carefully calculated upnod. Belligerent but not too belligerent. Yet.

Easton's used to Mariah pulling faces at him and only laughs at the comment about the bat, "Ooh I hope so. I like it when you play rough." The 'flirting' is more perfunctory though, and he moves past it quickly to order a lager on tap. He pulls out a bunch of small bills and lays them down. "And I'm in for the shot contest." He notices Lyric and August and gives them friendly smiles and nods in return, but doesn't approach yet. He takes a big gulp of his beer as Itzhak approaches him. He looks him up and down and then realizes where he's been seen around, he asks, "What you didn't come close enough to death the other night that you're gonna enter a drinking contest against me?"

Jaime comes ambling on in after Joey. Nope, no one is seeing double. The other half of the Kelly twin set makes his way over to his brother and claps him on the shoulder. "Shots? Shots." The question that requires no answer. Of course, shots. Then he notices Itzhak and says, "Hey. Reticulated python guy. How's it going?"

August shrugs at Eleanor, chases it with a small smile. "Drive people home, mostly," he says. He raises his beer to Itzhak, has a drink. Noting the exchange between Joey and Itzhak from Itzhak's end, August's attention lingers on Joey for a handful of seconds, then he looks back to Eleanor. "School'll be back in session soon. Whole new crop of kids for you to deal with." He has a few pretzels. "Got anything new planned for the shop?"

"Sure thing doll." Mariah tells Lyric with a smile and she tucks her money into the till safely. Then there's a look over Izthak as he comes sauntering up. Hmm. "You here for shots or you feeling generous with tips already?" she asks the man as she holds the twenty. Then there's a look between Easton and Itzhak, "The Murray House?" she frowns. "Man I was wondering who was involved." she shakes her head. Then she starts doling out shots. Because booze over SUPER CREEPY HOUSE anyday.

But something Jaime says makes her look to Itzhak and she looks him over again before smirking and going back to what she was doing.

Eleanor watches the participants coming in and looks amused. She shakes her head in the negative to August. "Nothing planned yet, except maybe getting some local musicians to come in on weekends to play in the evenings. Not sure how to set all that up though. How is business for you?" she asks. "I should probably come by to get some greenery for Espresso Yourself."

Joey just waits quietly for Mirah to get to this end of the bar He's been waiting, and seems happy to do so silently. Unlike Easton he's not in the mood to holler at her apparently. And then there's Itzhak making his usual round of unhealthy life choices. Itzhak's look is met not with an upnod or a glower but a dead stare waiting to see what's all involved with that. Jaime gets the sideglance and the dry comment in conversational, "You noticed we're outta glasses too, huh?"

"Drinking contest?" Itzhak says to Easton, blankly. "What drinking--oh. That's...with all the flyers. Right." He huffs half a rough laugh. "Sure, why the hell not." He saddles up next to him. Jaime coming in gets a glance over and a much more relaxed upnod. Jaime's the nice one. "Sup. Guess I'm drinkin' all you schmendricks under the table is what's goin'." He looks back at Mariah, mouth pulling back. "Yeah. Murray House." Then he shrugs about the twenty. "Can't let Kelly do better'n me, right?"

Mariah gets down to Joey's end of the bar, "What can I get for everyone down here?" she asks with a smile. Though she gives Itzhak a dip of the head and tucks the twenty into the till as well. "With a name like Kelly I think it's bred in that they can drink large amounts." she grins. Then she's back to grabbing others orders to be a good host!

"The Murray House?" Lyric looks as if she's seen a ghost at the mention of it and she shakes her head. "I hope you didn't go out there again. We went out once." She adds nothing further to that, just shrugs it off for the moment. "Thanks," she tells Mariah, then watches as the neighbors at the trailer park pile in, one after another. Easton gets a smile, "Good luck in the contest." Though she finds the Kelly's interesting enough to covertly look at them and watch.

"Musicians, huh?" August looks askance at Itzhak, back at Eleanor. "I might know one or two." He shifts in his chair. "Doing pretty okay so far. Have to see how many people lose plants to this heat." He sighs about that; it's good money, yet he'd rather just teach them all how to manage a garden in unpredictable weather conditions. Well, what can you do. On the topic of plants for the coffee shop, he says, "Could do--you thinking, stuff for outside, or hanging baskets inside, some pots with shrugs or trees maybe?" His attention shifts to Easton, Lyric, and Mariah when he hears Murray House, holding a little longer than strictly necessary.

Mariah also collects Joey's 20 and deposits it into the till, "Another contender." she smiles to that. Then she stands on a chair behind the bar, "Alright everyone, shots start in five minutes! Get your pregame finished and then we'll get started. Hope you all called in to work already!" she laughs as she hops off the chair.

"Murray House." Easton confirms to both Mariah and Lyric. He gives a look of 'weeeellll' to Lyric's question about if they went back. "Yeah. But, which a bit better result this time. We found the girl, and I didn't try to fight any trees with my face." Glancing back to Itzhak he looks him up and down as if sizing him up for the drinking contest. "I doubt that. But yer welcome to try." He glances back down at August, noticing the interest and waiting to see if he chimes in or not. Easton's not about to volunteer who 'we' refers to. He drinks more of his beer, but seems content to hold it around unless that's against the rules.

Joey arches an eyebrow to Itzhak's claim to worry about 'Kelly' A wry, half-grin forms faintly as he looks to Jaime, the 'nice' one, and says to he and Mariah, "I love he thinks I'm the one he's gotta worry about." Relinquishing the twenty that's been standing in wait for her he says quietly, "Yeah, sure, we're both in." He glances another look around and stops on Lyric giving her a faint nod and "The hell's gone down at the Murray House and why for the sake of fuck would anyone walk in there?"

"Sounds like a challenge," Jaime says to Itzhak. Nice is kind of relative, but between them, Jaime's certainly the more smiley and friendly of the two. He settles himself on down next to Joey and grins broadly, "Can't have too many shot glasses. Or shots. I'm not drivin' tonight." When Mariah gets down to their end of the bar, "Here for the shot contest, ma'am." He flashes her a broad grin. He forks over whatever the entry fee is for the contest as well.

Eleanor ponders for a moment before answering Augustus. "I'd like some hanging baskets for out front, and I was looking at maybe getting some wall mounted planters of some sort to put air plants or maybe succulents in? Something easy to take care of by college age kids who will likely be the ones watering or misting them." The mention of Murray House has her ear turning to the other conversation, and she opens her notebook to start jotting some things down.

"I'm sorry you wrecked your jeep the first time. I know your bestie was worried about you afterwards." Lyric leaves that explanation to exactly that, to Easton. "At least you got the girl. I don't know how, but I'm glad you got her." She also notices the looks and gives August a quick smile, not exactly sure who all is the competition now, but willing to stay on good terms with everyone. The looks she gives to Joey is almost blank. "To rescue the girl, of course."

Liking Lemondrop goes a long way in Itzhak's books, apparently. Also his niceness register might be a little mistuned. He gets kind of withdrawn when people talk about the Murray house, looking at anything except anybody else. "Ya wrecked your Jeep?" he mutters, not exactly at Easton but certainly to him. "Don't blame ya."

Mariah collects the rest of peoples money that are drinking and comes back to the register, "Yeah, that little girl is going to be hurting for a bit, but I heard they're going to get her into counseling. Not like it's going to help with what she's going through right now, but small doses." she frowns. "Alright. Shot drinkers, to the bar!" she shouts. Not wanting to talk about the Murray House.

August exchanges that look with Easton for a moment, shifts it to Lyric and bobs his eyebrows. He has more of his black and tan, doesn't offer anything concrete on the topic of the Murray House. On the other hand, he might not need to, considering how he looks to anyone with a hint of Glimmer. He shifts in his chair and taps a pretzel on the table, thinks over what Eleanor's said. "Well, I haven't met a college kid could kill a spider plant, unless they just dump an entire bottle of Smirnoff on it. Some air cactus would work pretty well too. Ficus, if you want a tree. Hoya's good too, gives you some flowers and they're scented." He waves a hand. "All kinds of stuff for outside. Come by, we'll see what fits in the space."

Eleanor hms at August as she continues to take down notes. They may or may not be about the plants. "I'll be sure to come by soon. I should get the plants in before the new crop of college employees arrives, so taking care of them can be part of their training, instead of tacked on." She finally looks up from her writing at the call for the contest participants and grins. "Care to make a wager on who is going to win?" she asks.

"Yea I managed to wrap it around a tree, after our first foray into that damned place." He leaves out the part about the little girl ghost who spooked him so badly he dropped a cigarette and blah, blah, wrecked jeepcakes. He smirks at Lyric and says, "Yea, Geoff's the worrier in our relationship." As to how they got the girl he just shrugs, "Dumb luck, far as I can tell. But yea, glad she's safe and .. " then he's getting cut off because it's drinking time. He's already at the bar, so he just does a few stretches, cracks his neck, his knuckles, slaps his face a few times. "Let's do this!"

Joey boggles and looks back to Lyric clearly having zero understanding of the situation. "Yeah the girl. Because everyone knows about every random woman in the city when we ain't been here." Yeah not everyone knows, but he doesn't ask further and seems to abandon the idea of getting involved in the discussion. He pats his twin, Jaime, on the back, "I won't let you drive home. You'd have to make it to the truck first." Oh, no such heckling as that from your closest of kin.

Sitting up a little straighter in her seat, Lyric looks all prepared for the shot competition. Catching the hint about the Murray House from Mariah, she lets it drop. For now. But she does feel that look from August and does her best not to peer over in that direction. While she doesn't look, she certainly listens and just gets a confused look at his topic of conversation. To Easton though, she does give her attention and just listens, squinting a little, considering. About to say something else, she just shakes her head when Joey offers his two-cents and focuses instead on Mariah. "Ready, willing and hopefully able!" Is voiced instead.

Jaime is already at the bar, which is convenient, because that means he doesn't need to move to participate. He smirks as Joey pats him on the back and says, "You're assuming that I brought the truck."

"Alright. First round!" Mariah calls as she settles at the counter to watch everyone!

Once her shot had been poured Lyric reaches for it and takes a steadying breath to prepare herself for it. There was going to be the burn! Lifting the shot glass to her lips she closes her eyes and tips her head back, downing the shot all at once. There was the burn! Puckering her lips she breathes in a cooling breath as the shot glass finds the bar and she slides it back into place. "One down." Lyric says in her now husky voice.

Jaime reaches out and grabs his shot, tossing it back and setting the glass back down on the bar. He is vaguely paying attention to the conversation going on around him, but he's more focused on the drinking at hand than on haunted houses and missing kids for the time being. He may have questions later, but for now.

Downing his first shot, Easton doesn't even seem to notice it's liquor. If he goes out in the single digits he may never be able to show his face around town anymore. Well, at least he wouldn't if he had any sense of shame. He does not.

Itzhak is actually glad to get to the drinking. The more drinking between him and the events of Murray House, the better. He tips the shot back, swallows, runs his tongue over his teeth, and claps the shotglass down on the bar.

Joey lifts up his shotglass and clinks it against Jaime's. One can tell Joey's in a good mood as he's not tried to feed the glass to someone or otherwise abruptly start and finish a discussion. He nods to the stool on the other side telling Lyric, "Sit. It's gonna be a long night." He slams the shot letting it burn on the way down and gently sets the glass on the bar giving it a little twist to wobble. There's a pause and his eyes roll skyward, "Christ we're gonna wind up walking home again." He doesn't seem surprised or put out about this in the slightest. "Smart move."

"I'm walking either way. I walked here tonight. If you all walk, I'll walk with you. I'm just a few trailers down, I think." Lyric easily takes the offered seat, glad she'd lasted through the first shot if her grin is any indication. Once seated closer to the other participants, she awaits round two.

August nods at Eleanor, turns his attention to the bar. He quints at the various people involved--he'd like to bet on Itzhak, but he's not feeling it. "Only if you're giving me odds," he says, and gives her a rueful, sideways glance. He drinks from his beer, settles in to watch the action. He eyes Joey, then Easton. Well, one of them, he figures, but who knows--Itzhak might get lucky.

"I'll bet you one hanging plant for outside my shop, versus the equivalent monetary value in coffee drinks on me, that the tiny little girl wins," Eleanor declares to August with an amused expression and a tip of her chin towards Lyric. In this town, she always bets on the unlikely to become likely.

August raises his eyebrows at Eleanor, gives Lyric a once over. He frowns. "Okay. You're on." He gestures at Itzhak. "My, ah, plants are on him. I guess if we both lose we just trade." He raises his glass to seal the deal, takes a drink.

Eleanor raises her beer bottle to August in return and grins before she sips. She watches the contest with a bit more enthusiasm, now that free stuff is on the line.

Itzhak proves August's bet was a bad one a few rounds later. He slides backwards off the barstool, hands gripping the edge of the bar, tattooed knuckles white. Turns out shot contests and Murray House don't mix. With a snarl of Yiddish he staggers off to the gent's.

Taking one look at the two men who are talking about walking home from a shot contest and then back at Lyric, Easton offers, "I'm headed to Huckleberry tonight, I can walk with you too, if ya want." Not so subtle subtext, are you sure you trust these two guys to walk you home after a shot contest? He doesn't quite raise his brows at her and pointedly doesn't look at the brothers. This round of shots goes down just as easily. He smirks as Itzhak takes off, "Nice."

Joey eyes his twin, and slams his second shot. He holds it for a minute as it feels like a shot of gasoline. Dayum. He's not woozy, but he's very friggen awake. He looks to the grinning devil that is Jaime and adds, "You'll be carryin my ass home, bro. I'm so damn out of practice." Looking over to Lyric offering to walk with them promising only, "You'll get home." Looking up he watches Itzhak stagger off and back to Mariah, "he's not getting out of this that easy. He'll be back."

Itzhak shouldn't feel bad. Hank, the resident drunk who looks more like a bear than a man falls over off of his stool when he's on his fourth shot. So it's not like people are going out alone. "Oh shit, Hank." Mariah laughs as she hops over the bar counter and to the other side. "Come on big guy." she mutters.

Oh boy. At least by now her throat is numb so the burn is lessened. Lyric blinks then blinks again to try and clear her vision. Wearing a lopsided smile she giggles. "I think.. I mean I'm maybe crawling home. For really real." Looking to Easton, she bobs her head and almost immediately regrets it as her eyes widen and the room spins just a little. "I'll walk with you." And she starts to nod at Joey before remembering and she gives him a thumbs up. She does manage to maintain though, watching as Itzhak totters off.

"I'm not carrying you anywhere. I'll just kick you under a bush somewhere and come find you in the morning," Jaime says with a flash of a grin over at Joey before lifting his next shot and downing it. Would he really leave Joey somewhere? Probably not, but he doesn't let facts get in the way of entertainment.

August sighs when Itzhak goes to handle his situation in private. "Sure hate being right all the time," he mutters, and nods at Eleanor. "Let's see if your girl stays in."

"Live here long enough, Roen, and you'll learn to bet on the long shots," Eleanor quips with a wink to the salt and pepper bearded man. She looks truly amused now. "So what's all the talk about Murray House? I saw that a little girl who disappeared there was found on the news."

Joey dimples a slow, amused grin to Jaime who might be one of the few souls to tell him that and come away with both legs. "Yeah you do that and lemme know next week how that worked out for you." He hops up and slams his shot and taps the bar with a nod to Mariah to fill Itzhak's glass, takes it, and turns to greet him with it. "Here. You're not gettin outta this that easy." He pauses looks him over and nods before handing it to him.

Geoff spushes his way into the pourhouse, clothed in pair of black jeans, a pair of heavy leather boots, iron maiden shirt and of course a leather jacket to complete the ensemble. Making his way up to the bar he gestures to grab the bartender's attention and says "I'll go with a whiskey, neat, and a beer. Thanks.

Itzhak takes a minute. Maybe a couple few minutes. When he makes it back out he's pale as a mushroom, but he's also got a pissed-off glower. Screw Murray House. Screw Felix Monaghan. Screw literally everybody in this Godforsaken town. You and you and ESPECIALLY YOU. He turns the glower on Joey, takes the shot from him, and slams it back like it said something about his ma. And promptly turns green, groans, and presses the back of his hand to his mouth. ...Yet, victory! He hangs an elbow on the bar, miserable but still in the fight. "Don't fuckin' talk about that place," he rasps.

A funny thing happens on his sixth shot, as Easton confidently goes to throw it back. He loses his balance and tips back off the stool and smacks his head on the ground. He gets up to his feet and holds his hands in the air, "I'm okay!" And then he makes a face, that clearly informs the crowd that maybe, just maybe he's not okay? He growls, "dammit.." as he pushes past Geoff quickly, only to turn with a confused look, but not have time to do little more than upnod at him on his way to go spray paint the bathroom stall green.

Everything is funny. The image of Joey sleeping off a good drunk under the bushes was hilarious and Lyric giggles at the imagery in her mind. "Then you'll have little Joey's sprouting up all over and we can only really handle one!" More giggles are added to it and she leans forward to rest her warm cheek on the cooler surface of the bar. Lifting her head when the time comes for the next one, she sliiiides it towards her and contemplates it. 'Cept then Geoff walks in and she offers a cheerful wave. "Hi!" she greets a little too exuberantly. That's about the time Easton falls and damned if she doesn't break loose into another fit of giggles all over again, an involuntary snort thrown in for good measure. "Geoff, he's lovesick. Help him."

August is pleasantly surprised to see Itzhak return and even try his hand at another shot. "Well," he says, giving Eleanor a smug look. "Maybe this isn't over." The smugness fades when she asks about Murray House, and August looks down at the table, drums it with his fingers. He hear's Itzhak's request that people shut up about Murray House, says in a low voice, "I'll tell you later." He chases it with a look which says he's being serious about that: not here.

Geoff returns the upnod of course and watches Easton head for the bathroom, not being a woman he decides the bro can handle himself alone in there. Cracking a grin towards Lyric he shakes his head "I'm afraid I can't do much for him being in love, we aren't frat bros so no paddling until he remembers his loyalties." as w the whiskey arrives he tilts it back to take a sip from it.

Jaime stares at Lyric as though she just proposed either the /best/ or /worst/ possible outcome of that scenario. He then looks over at Joey and says, "That would be either amazing or terrifying. Maybe both. Definitely both." He seems to be mulling over in his head all the potential scenarios in which an army of tiny Joeys descended on Gray Harbor. No, decidedly terrifying. Terrifying enough that he reaches out and slams that next drink and shakes his head with a hissed indrawn breath.

Mariah's managed to get Hank up, but the man DOES NOT WANT TO LEAVE. "Come on Hank, you gotta go. Don't make me get Betty on you." she tells him as she looks to the man. Who was Betty? "Looks like everyone is still alive..." she murmurs to another of the bartenders.

Itzhak's comment doesn't go unnoticed by Eleanor either, and she nods to August. Then she looks back to the competition and cringes at Easton. "They are really going to feel this in the morning, aren't they?" she murmurs.

Coming back from the bathroom, to take a seat next to Geoff, he announces "I'm so embarrassed." He does not sound or look embarrassed at all, and in fact has not been actually embarrassed by much of anything ever. He takes another shot and puts an arm around Geoff, "You gonna catch up or just roll me back to Bennie's when I'm done. I'll take the leg off to make it easier."

Yeah that's right. Everything is funny. Until it isn't anymore. There's a squint at Geoff as Lyric tries to make sense of what he says. And even more when Jaime can't decide on amazing or terrifying. (See the trend here, she's blaming everyone but herself.) The look goes to him as she lifts her drink and tilts her head back as she downs the shot. Oh no. Her eyes widen and she can feel the room spinning. Was it? No, just her stomach was dizzy. Scrambling to her feet she misses the floor by a good half a foot and ends up crawling partway before the urge to purge takes over and she gets to her feet pinballing her way to the bathroom, a hand clapped over her mouth.

Geoff sips his whiskey "Man what sort of competition are you guys having, because if it is one that ends in me getting drunk you gotta promise you'll help me evade the cops." clapping Easton on the shoulder he tilts the whiskey back and drains the last of it before clinking it on the counter "Are we drinking tequila, because I could absolutely go for some tequila if we're getting trashed."

"Alright. This horror show is over." Mariah laughs as she heads back behind the bar. She pulls a box out and starts to hand out shot glass sets to everyone that participated, "If you want to continue, that'll be your choice. But here is everyone's prizes." she muses as she hands them out. "I got extra, anyone else want one?" she asks them.

"Eh, I'm sure one of the diners in town has a hangover cure," August says with a shrug. He huffs a laugh. "Maybe it's time for you to whip one up. Could come in handy once the college kids are back and getting wasted." He grimaces as Lyric makes her own dash for the bathroom. "Guess we both lose."

Eleanor winces as her pony in this race goes rushing for the bathroom. "Ah well, she lasted way longer than it looked like she could. I stand by betting on her. Who'd have thought three big guys would have had to barf before that wee little thing?" she ponders.

Itzhak grabs the next shot, teeth bared, sloooooowly pours it down his throat. The burning! He's still in, he's...nope, he's out. He's way out. He shoves the empty shotglass away, then laughs, voice nice and roughed up. "'m done, go to hell." Still on his feet, so that's not a bad consolation prize, in front of these other tough guys. Oh, and a shotglass of his very own too. Laughing again he shoves Joey with a shoulder. "You know what, Kelly, you're cute when I'm drunk."

Joey keeps an eye on Lyric. It could be because any number of reasons, not the least of which are his boots. Looking to Geoff he says immediately, "Done. Pull up a stool." He looks to Jaime and while Joey Lee Kelly looks rock steady pauses shaking his head carefully. "No fuckin way I'm drivin. Having children with a bush might be in my future." Yeah yeah, Lyric, he'll relent. "Itzhak, you dead yet you you still in this?" He pulls out another ten dollars and slides it across to Mariah. He says quietly, "For the floors."

"Aw, thanks," Jaime says when Itzhak shoves Joey and calls him cute, because, well, identical, after all. He waggles his brows and then glances around, "Wait, it's over? Does that mean we won? I'm deciding we won." This is said to Joey. He reaches for a nother shot, though, just in case the contest is still on.

Joey looks up to Itzhak and points to Jaime, "That's him. I'm always god damned cute." No, Joey, that's scary as hell. Doesn't stop him from having a deadpan humor about it though. See! Jaime agrees!

When Lyric comes back she's a little green around the gills but she's upright. And walking slow. Everything between the bathroom and the barstool she was on is now a handrail before she flops back on the seat, forehead on the bar. For several moments she says nothing, just listens to the others and when she's feeling steady enough she lifts her head and smiles crookedly to Mariah. "Do you still keep new toothbrushes and paste back there? 'Cause.. I could use one." Peering at Joey she smiles. Kinda. "I'll drive!" Not that she normally drives ever.

"I'm going to guess that yes, the Kelly twins are winners." Mariah smiles at that. Then she gives a look around, "If you need a sober ride home, let us know and we can call you one. Or you can call a sober ride. No one leaves intending to drive unless they are sober." she points out. "Now...who is cleaning the bathrooms tonight?" she questions as she wanders down the bar passing out waters for those who need them.

"It was a shot competition, and I somehow didn't win? I think?" He then taps his head and says, "But I'm hammered, so in that way I still won." He says this as if it holds deep wisdom on the nature of competition. "It was whiskey, but I'm willing to switch over. I don't think it matters much at this point." He smiles at Mariah as she asks about cleaning the bathrooms and says, "Aaaand this is why I don't run shot competitions in my bar."

"Can't judge someone's ability to put it away by their size," August says. "Don't think I'd have gotten any further than she did. Well, either way, feel free to come buy and we'll pick out some things for your shop." He gets a thoughtful look. "Could do a small advertising trade, if you wanted. Some of your coffee out for customers to drink at my place, complete with a sign, and signs for my place in the plants you put out." He raises his eyebrows to see what Eleanor thinks of that. He's distracted from waiting for an answer by Itzhak's shot-induced comment to Joey. August sighs, wonders if he's going to be the lucky person to tell Itzhak about this tomorrow.

Eleanor finishes the beer she'd nursed the whole while and she gathers up her things. "I like that idea, Roen. I'd better get going. We open an hour later on Sundays but I have to be in early for a shipment. I'll stop by Branch and Bole soon though, and we can hash out that advertising trade," she promises. Then the redhead departs.

Geoff glances over to Lyric and calls out "Hey kid, do you got a ride home already or am I having to cart you and Easton back?" this coming from the man whose already in it as far as a whiskey and has already begun to work on his beer, but then again he looks like he can handle his liquor "Because god knows you don't look like you're really in a driving state."

"Nuh uh, you're the hot one, he's the cute one." Itzhak points first at Joey, then at Jaime. "And Roen, you seen him? Damn." He props his forearms on the edge of the bar and drops his head against them, wavering gently in place.

Lyric fishes in her pocket and finds gum. Lifesaver! When all else fails, get the gum out. She opens a piece and starts chewing, declining the water for now but eyeing the tequila. "There's not a mess in the women's restroom." Casting a glance towards Mariah just to reassure her. "Everything is neat and tidy." The world is still spinning a little fast for her and she eyes the door about the time Geoff makes is offer. "I'm not ready to be home yet. Long as we're not going now?"

Joey looks up to Geoff, "You give her a ride and she'll be held in contempt for cheating at the foot race." Looking to the woman he adds, "You didn't fell him in on the rules." Looking up to Mariah he asks, "Can we get one more shot glass if you got extra? I don't get one more my cousin'll steal mine and I'll never see it again." Because it's true. That looks turns to Itzhak who keeps running his mouth and the scrapper stands and squints a thousand yard stare to Itzhak pulls his hand up and shoves the mechanic to a sit on a stool. "Siddown. Stop talkin. Drink water." No fight today, then again he also lives by the golden rule: Never hit a man that looks like he might hurl on ya.

Geoff shakes his head "I just got here, of course I'm not going yet." with a snort he tells Joey "She has plenty of time for mistakes when I'm not around. Someone's gotta have the kiddo's best interest in mind." With a frown he turns to Easton and tells the man "I think I'm growing old, I'm suddenly the responsible one here."

Mariah gives a soft smile to Lyric, "It's alright if it's not. Don't worry on that." she tells her. Then she hands Joey an extra set of shot glasses with a smile, "Alright. There you go." she tells him. Then there's a look to Itzhak, "He's one of those drunk guys. Got it. Just making sure he doesn't fall over." she chuckles as she heads to put some dirty glasses in the sink.

"Who, what now? Someone's rowin' something?" Jaime asks, having gotten distracted and missed the part about him being the cute one. Fortunately, it doesn't seem to matter to him either way. He's having a grand time, and doesn't seem to be done drinking either, even when they've been declared the winners. "Oh, and a water, too, please." At least he still has his manners.

"No, he's not going until he catches up." Easton agrees that Geoff is not going anywhere anytime soon. But then his brow furrows and he asks, "Wait, are you driving?" He slooowly thinks that through and then nods, "Screw it, we can walk." He waves to one of the other bartenders and asks, "Can I get two shots of tequila?" He pulls out more small bills to pay for the drinks.

"See ya Eleanor," August says. No sooner is she gone than Itzhak begins to double-down on his drunken dishing. And Joey reacts as is, in all fairness, reasonable. August rubs at his eyes, gets up and moves to the bar. "Hey Rosencrantz, feeling like it's time to walk that off a bit maybe?" He gives Jaime and Joey a tight, not-too-friendly smile.

"I want a tequila too. With some salt and a lime." Lyric can surely handle one more shot. "In my own shot glass this time." Proud of her little trophy she lifts it between her thumb and finger and smiles. "I don't think I ever won anything before." Musing over that notion just a moment before she smiles at Joey. "Why don't we all just walk home together? "Cause we're all going to the same place." Easton's agreement to Geoff remaining for now gets a smaller head bobble, not wanting the world to spin too much, she grins. "Oh good. Home is boring."

Itzhak puts up no resistance, landing unsteadily on the barstool. "Make me," he growls, like he doesn't have the structural integrity of a cooked egg noodle. August intervenes, and he looks at him with absurd fondness. "Sure, buddy."

Jaime glances over at August and offers him a friendly smile and a loft of his shot glass, since he ha sno idea what the unfriendly look is for, evidenced by the momentarily puzzled expression on his face. "Alright.. I think this is gonna be my last one, and then walk?" This is directed toward Joey.

Joey knows the rallying battle cry of 'make me' Joey just sighs. It's like the whole world lives to start shit he's got to finish. One word comes as his reply, "A'ight." Instead of getting into it he looks to August stepping in and points, "Don't let him forget his lil glass. Fuckin collector's item." He turns away, see? He's being good because frankly he looks like he's enjoying that buzz he's got going. "Yeah Jaim. sounds good." He does take the extra glass from Mariah, "Your'e the best. Don't let anyone say different." She gets a wink of thanks and it's not Lyric but Geoff he looks to, "She ain't drivin." Now to Lyric, "We're payin out and headin back. If you're stayin he'll get you home right-side up."

August's expression relaxes a bit, even turns, if not congenial, at least appreciative of Joey letting Itzhak go without the response he'd earned. He takes the shotglass set, gestures with it to Joey. "Thanks." For not knocking his block off, is the subtext. "Come on," he says to Itzhak. "Let's find you a tree to feed n' water, huh? Don't want you barfing in the car, just had it detailed."

On second thought. Lyric snatches back her shot glass and holds it, cancelling out her order of the tequila. "Okay, I already paid before it started, but since it'll take a little while to walk home I guess it'll be fine to leave now." A wave to Easton and Geoff, "You guys have fun, I don't want to interrupt date night." Another lopsided smile and a giggle before she fumbles a little to get to her feet. "Ready then."

And with that, the cute Kelly brother (that'd be Jaime) finishes off his final shot and heads for the door.

Geoff tells Easton with a feigned moroseness "The kid is abandoning us to hang out with her friends." leveling a look at Joey he says "Get her home safely, and try not to do anything too stupid." The corners of his lips pull up at this with amusement before he is turning back to the shots before him and downing them one after another with a trained practice

Joey has zero beef going with Geoff, but they all grew up together in the same shit little neighborhood so there's respect still standing there. "Me word on it, man." It's the last he has to say on it before grabbing his bag with the shotglasses in in and following Lyric and Jaime out.

"Aww, they grow up so fast." Easton agrees with Geoff's sentiment before downing a shot of tequila. Yes, he just lost a shot competition and is still drinking. That's probably a good sign. He asides to Geoff, more seriously, "They okay?" She seemed sober enough to be making her own decisions so he's not like /overly worried/ but if Geoff's cool with it, he assumes it's fine too. He blinks, and realizes that he misses a lot as people he meant to talk to are suddenly not there anymore. He looks around for Itzhak, not sure where he went off to, even if he's sitting right across from him.

Geoff gives a dismissive wave towards the door "If Joey over there said he'd make sure she got home safe, he'll do it. Did time with the guy, not bad and his word is good. So if something /did/ happen then whoever did it would be beyond his control. Not to mention that whoever made that mistake would be getting 'talked' to by a couple of guys." shaking his head after downing the two tequila shots and dropping the one fifty one into the cider he says "So why are we getting drunk man, good news or some shit?"

Itzhak actually stands up, only wobbling kind of. Easton can't miss him now! "Need your number." Rather than wait around for it, though, he slings an arm over August's shoulders and lets him take him outside.

"Good thing you can walk," August says as he settles Itzhak's arm in place. "Or I'd be carrying you out in front of this whole fucking bar." It's a mild threat, but a threat none the less. He says to Easton, "Steelhead Service Center," nodding at Itzhak. "That's where you'll find this guy. Night fellas." And with that, he guides Itzhak from the bar.

"Two if by Sea!" Is not in fact Easton's number, but it's the easiest place to find him so he calls that out Itzhak's retreating back. Assuming Itzhak actually understands what the hell he's talking about. Easton then turns back to Geoff and nod appreciatively at the background info on one of the Kelly's, no he's not sure which. "Good good." But then his face contorts into a mask of horror and confusion, "I'm a little worried that you seem to think there needs to be a reason?"

Geoff wobbles his hand "I mean like, if you get drunk or high then that means some fucker has the drop on you and can fuck you up that much easier. So you do it when you got something to celebrate or forget because you're gambling against losing a fight, man. Always gotta be ready for that fight man." Geoff shares sagely as he sips at the cider, already seeming to be feeling the alcohol that's he's suddenly and quite rapidly downed.

Easton narrows his eyes at Geoff and thinks about what he's saying. And shocker! For possibly the first time since they've met Easton's voice takes on a slight edge. "Do you have any fucking idea how hard it is to not constantly feel like I might need to shoot the next person through the door? Or that loud noise isn't a bomb? Always being ready /is/ my problem." Geoff's primed for a fight, Easton's trying desperately not to be. He retrieves his errant beer from before the shot contest with a long reach and sets that back in front of him. With that little bit of truth out there, he retreats to his beer.

Geoff finds himself humming a 90's pop song under his breath as he listens to Easton "Man...Not gonna lie, not sure I want to turn it off. Fuck you get jumped a couple times when you're relaxing and you cut that shit out....I can appreciate we're in different places though man." Geoff glances over his shoulder as if to make sure no one' there now before pushing his unholy get you drunk cider brew towards the other man "Drink."

Easton seems assuaged by that answer from Geoff and just grunts. He exhales and just shrugs, "Yea." He doesn't talk much about it, with anyone, and that might actually be the first he's even referenced it outloud since he's gotten here. He looks at the cider and just shrugs and takes a drink. He pulls a face though and says, "I'll stick with the beer. And, I'm well on my way to a good night."