2021-03-01 - Mass Murder 101 with Irish and Darth

Notes. Lots of notes. Ravn Abildgaard has entirely too many notes to read through and try to piece together in his mind after yesterday's rather unconventional birthday party for Hyacinth Addington; and by birthday party we mean that the so-called lumber baroness set up a meeting for Baxters, Addingtons, and other interested parties, to discuss the very real family feud and its hundreds of casualties over the decades -- and she did so on her birthday. Some people seem to enjoy punishment.

It's not a very pretty story. He knew that. He still feels like there is not quite enough whiskey back home to cope with reading up on all of this, and hence, the folklorist has scampered on to a barstool in the Poorhouse. If he manages to drink this place out of scotch while working, maybe it is time for an intervention.

As is becoming all too familiar when Seth finishes his 'day' job over at the Firefly, the bouncer, lighting tech, and mob enforcer makes his way out for a few drinks before heading home. Tonight he heads towards the Poorhouse instead of the Twofer. Maybe Vic is working and he doesn't want to disturb her.

Sliding into a stool near Ravn, Seth acknowledges the Dane with an upnod, "Darth, that looks dangerously close to work or something resembling it. How dare you?!"

Xavier doesn't get out much and that's usually by choice. He spends his free time either writing, reading or running; all activities that are best done alone. So he's taking his nagging aunts advice and leaving the house in the evenings which is what brings him here. Looking around he sees a face that looks vaguely familiar, but he doesn't seem ready to walk up to a near by stranger and interrupt his pile of notes. So he settles in a few spots down the bar and orders himself a beer.

Ravn honestly should just set up a desk right here at the counter, plug in his laptop, and offer the Gyres to pay rent for use of their bar as office space. He's even found an ashtray somewhere. The Dane straightens up at the greeting of the big ginger and upnods right back. "They tell me I have to work if I want to eat," he mock-complains.

Then, fishing out a cigarette and lighting it, he glances back at the sheets of paper and his notebook. "This is on my own time, though. Sorting through local history. How this place has avoided being rounded up into cattle carts and collectively being transported to Area 51 is beyond me. The murder rate here is higher than the rest of the state combined. You know how they say the Veil protects itself? I feel like if you ever want job security, you should apply for a job with it. Bloody hell, the kind of covering up that goes on around here is... If I saw it described on some late night TV show I'd turn it off. Anyhow, how are you?"

Maybe it's his long term memory tapping him on the shoulder and going so, remember the guy in the sunken temple who disappeared and you guys never found him and for all you know Cthulhu ate him -- at least he falls quiet a moment upon spotting Xavier walking in. With a glance to Seth he says, "I know that guy. Bad dream."

Then he raises his whiskey glass in a lazy salute at the newcomer. "Good to see you're walking. Looked for you down there, couldn't find you." It's a greeting of a sorts, right?

"I wouldn't know a damn thing about cover-ups, Ravn. Not a damn thing." Seth says with a little smirk on his face as he slides up to the bar and orders himself a whiskey. "What bug crawled up your ass that made you decide you had to do this kind of research right now? I mean, I know you and your general historian inquisitiveness gets that brain of yours working, but something had to stir the pot enough that you ended up here doing...this."

Moving on, Seth hitches his shoulder and mutters, "I'm good. After you left Vic and me uh...banged out our issues. I'm pretty sure I have a new tattoo on my ass that says 'mine'. Not that I am complaining about it."

As the new guy walks into the Pourhouse, Seth's fixes his eye on him for a while as he assesses the gentleman with a predatory gaze. A moment passes before Seth returns his gaze to Ravn with a snort, "Which one? The one where you had the leading role wearing Sean Connery's outfit from Zardoz? "

Xavier nods his head to Ravn and once he receives his pint he raises his own glass. "Good to see you're well too. Yeah it got real weird down there, I'm not sure what happened but I woke up with a nasty bang to the head. Did everyone else get out okay?" Well he knows Turner did, but everyone else he barely knows. He quirks a brow at Seth before he shakes his head. "No I think his outfit was more, I'm the son of a nobleman and I'll be damned if my father tells me I have to wear a shirt to dinner." Someone has an imagination. "Xavier Rousseau." He says, introducing himself properly this time.

Ravn stares at Seth a moment. He gets that movie reference. He is now picturing himself in that costume. He's going to need therapy. With a shudder he nods. "That dream, yes. He disappeared, along with Kyle -- Mac's shop guy. We couldn't find them."

He raises his tumbler again in a small salute. "Ravn Abildgaard. Not sure we've been formally introduced -- we got a little busy down there, being attacked by crazy fish people and all. I think I was supposed to be some kind of fantasy movie rogue. At least I had more lock picks in one boot than I had socks. Should have held on to them, they were pretty high quality. Big Irish guy here is Seth Monaghan. Good to meet you properly, Xavier." They technically met at the library once too, but perhaps that encounter was so brief that Ravn's either forgotten about it, or considers it inconsequential.

Seth smirks again, lifting his glass to his lips and taking a sip of the amber liquid inside. "Zardoz, son of a nobleman without a shirt, same difference really." The bouncer looks over at Xavier again with a more 'formal' greeting of an upnod, "As Darth here said, I'm Seth. Glad to see you made it out of there then, I'd hate to have Darth here worrying about you and wondering if you made it out. He's the type that would dwell on that for a while."

Seth shifts his eyes to Ravn again and chuckles, "At least they were just in your boot, man. I've known people to hide those things in some interesting places. Much more uncomfortable places."

"No I don't think we have been. Most everyone in that dream was wearing something they probably don't wear normally. I for one didn't have pants and I can say that I did not enjoy the feeling of hiding under a fancy Gandalf robe." The huge spell book was nice, he would not have minded taking that with him out of the dream. "A pleasure to meet the both of you." He says with a nod. He rubs the back of his neck as he smirks. "Oh I'm not worth worrying over really, and now that I know dreams are terrible I'll be more careful in them." He's getting a crash course in living in Gray Harbor.

"Yes, thank you, I actually do know what a prison purse is." Ravn makes a face at the big Irishman and sips his whiskey. "There are sacrifices I am not prepared to make."

He gathers up some of the notes and tucks them back into the notebook with a glance at Seth. "Reason I'm looking at this is a researcher's meeting at Addington House yesterday. I realised there are more than a few chapters of local history I'm still drawing blanks on. But, I'm not sure I need to read more about crazed mass murderers and ghosts tossing people into wood chippers right now. Whole thing is key to this town's weirdness, though."

Something in Xavier's tone causes the folklorist to glance at him and shake his head. "Every single human being in this town is worth worrying over. And every single human being in this town who dies in a dream or gets lost in the Veil helps make this bloody curse stronger. There's no such thing as an insignificant life here. Irish here will tell you I'm an idealist. I consider myself practical. Every life saved is ammo the other side doesn't have."

Seth just smiles sweetly at Ravn in an 'I'm innocent, really' kind of way that looks totally like a wolf trying to pass itself off as a sheep before he takes another sip from his glass.

"Darth here is right. He is an idealist. And while I won't say he is wrong, I disagree that every life saved is worth it. Some lives...say Reyes for instance, or Liu even, just don't balance the scale as much as others, but I am much more pragmatic in that regard."

"That sounds like a very unpleasant place to store anything." Xavier says thoughtfully, though his eyes grow a touch wider. However the research information does grab his interest and he tilts his head. "There are researcher meetings? That sounds intriguing." Though the topic seems worrying, perhaps this town isn't everything his aunt sold it to be. "Is that something anyone can join or..?" Ravn's words catch him off guard and he clears his throat. "Of course, sorry it's just my knee jerk reaction to say things like that, I know it's wrong but... from what I understand the other side doesn't need any extra help."

"An idealist would say that even Reyes' and Liu's lives are worth saving." Ravn lights another cigarette. "But since one of those bastards blew the head off a woman next to me, and the other hired a sniper to put a bullet through me, I'll go with, they can go die somewhere not here. Practical. Don't want them serving the Dark Men one last time. Hopefully they'll both rot in jail for the rest of their miserable lives."

He nods at Xavier. "Damn straight. It's doing just fine. Definitely no need to feed it free labour force."

Then the folklorist glances back to his papers and nods. "I don't know if I'd call it a formal researcher's circle -- but there are a number of people in town who are trying to piece together how this place works, and why it is the way it is. I'm one of them -- I'm a historian, specialising in folklore and the application of myths to social dynamics. I'm also pretty new in town myself -- been here some six months or so. Seems like people of our kind find each other pretty quick. Probably because the ones who don't either have the good sense to get back out of town while they can or -- something happens to them. Town's not so terrible as long as we keep an eye out for each other."

Seth hitches a shoulder into a shrug and lifts his glass to his lips for another sip. "This is all out of my wheelhouse, so I'm just going to sit here and smile and nod my head like I understand all the academics of all this. I am not a researcher, at least not in the way you are. Darth. I don't have the temperament to look at books all day."

Speaking of crazy Irishmen, in walks the roughest, hardest working man in the whole goddamn town looking like there's a shit storm of aggression brewing on the horizon...so it's like a typical Monday or something. If there's an issue though it doesn't seem to be anyone present. Seeing Seth and Ravn and...someone he starts to wade in looking like trouble until someone from the side gives a shout out, "Hey coach." His eyebrow arches and gives the outlier an upnod. "Sup, man." One hand there seems to be some gauze taped over the back of his hand. Looking to the person at the counter he orders the Russian Imperial Stout. It's oatmeal chocolate. How is that not a win? "Sup."

"Oh well it does still sound interesting, and if you need an extra set of eyes on something I do love to stare at books until they tell me their secrets." Xavier smirks at Seth. "Some people are like that, my sister can't stand being cooped up in the house, she gets antsy if she's stayed in a place for more than an hour." He on the other hand could lock himself in the house for a week and be fine. "My boss said that I should get out of town, but I'm sure I'd just find my way back here anyway." He raises his glass to the new comer and nods. "Evening."

"Evening, Coach Kelly." If Ravn looks guilty a moment it might be due to remembering that he hasn't attended gym in several weeks. Getting shot twice is fairly legit as far as excuses to skip leg day go -- but the muscular trainer does have an intimidating glare when he applies it. "Maybe we should sit down and have a talk about local history some time, then," he tells Xavier. "Might be able to introduce you to a few other people with the same passion."

And with a wink to Seth he adds, "Might have to make it some other time, though, lest we bore Irish here to sleep. He's a little heavy for me to drag home at least -- my legs are still a mess after that underwater adventure."

Joey murmurs in that gravel baritone, "Your sister's a smart woman." There's a pause and he does nod to Xavier gruff, but not rudely, "Evenin." He looks to Ravn and Seth and back muttering, "Don't need to hear about anyone's underwear adventures." He looks Ravn down and up again and blinks. "You done being Swiss cheese or whatever?" This is Joey for 'concern'. He didn't do first response on the unconscious guy to watch him fall apart. Even if Ravn may never be aware.

Seth gives Joey a return upnod. "Joey. How are you doing? Healing up ok it seems." the enforcer says to the underboss.

Seth looks over to Ravn and smirks, "I'm a big boy, I can stay awake even though your boring speeches. I haven't fallen asleep on you yet have I, and I have sat and listened to you and Alexander. Talk about a snooze fest." The bouncer gives Ravn a joking wink, "But I certainly know who to call if I have a bout of insomnia."

"Of course, some other time. I'm usually at Likely Stories if you need to find me." Xavier nods as Seth does not appear to be the sort you want bored. Looking at the new comer he shrugs his shoulders. "She is sometimes, others not so much. I don't think she has the same drive I do, and is happy in her gilded cage." He laughs at Seth's response before he finally tucks into his beer, letting everyone else catch up.

"Underwater," Ravn corrects with obvious amusement glittering in grey eyes. "I'm working on it. Finally getting the all clear from my doctor on the gun related injuries when this underwater adventure screwed up my legs instead. Why, does your horse miss me?" Whether he is aware that he probably owes his life to Coach Kelly's first aid routines is anyone's guess. With a glance back to Xavier the Dane asks, "Likely Stories sounds like a book shop? Downtown, I take it?"

Straight-faced he elbows the ginger. "Yes. Call your damn girlfriend. Now that she officially has bagged your kilted backside. And congratulations on that, by the way. Soon I'll be the last bachelor standing."

Joey loos confused but doesn't ask. His beer is here and that's what . The rest of the conversation he missed. There's a pause looking between the two men giving Isolde an upnod because, well it's Isolde and he's partial. Fight him. There's a full stop pause and he looks confused, "Your boat leak or somethin? I thought you were stayin in Huckleberry?"

Speaking of...well, nothing really! It's shift change time and Isolde comes up from the back, tying one of those half aprons around her waist. She has a brief conversation with the other bartender and then flashes a smile to those gathered. "Afternoon everyone." She greets cheerfully enough. "Anyone need refills or anything?" She pulls her hair back into a ponytail and then relaxed against the counter lightly - but not invading anyone's space.

There's a nod towards Ravn. Having heard the bit about Likely Stories at least. "Yeah, it's a pretty neat store. Lots of book variety and stuff."

"You want me to call Vic? Sure. I'll let her know you're asking for her." Seth says with a shrug of his shoulder as he pulls out his phone and starts to tap away on it. "Jesus, Darth, you make it sound like we got married or something," snorts Seth good-naturedly.

Seth looks over to Joey, and then back to Ravn, "You know, I was thinking about opening a hookah shop. GH doesn't have one, and I was wanting a hookah something fierce the other night. I priced it out, and the most expensive part of it would be the rent on a place. Hookahs and tobacco are relatively cheap. It would be easy to make a nice profit, or at least enough to keep it self-funded as long as people came in."

Xavier looks between Seth and Ravn and quirks a brow. He isn't sure what they're talking about but it almost sounds like a marriage to him. "Uhm, congrats?" He says in confusion before he nods to Isolde as she takes her shift, but his beer is only a quarter empty at this point. "Yes it's a lovely little bookstore and I'm not just saying that because I'm paid to." He winks as a hint of a smirk flashes over his lips. "I like it though, it gets quiet and Elias lets me write if I'm not busy. It beats doing people's taxes."

"Staying in Hufflepuff until April 1 -- that's when I get her back in, provided the weather stays friendly. This was... a swimsuit adventure gone horribly wrong. Bad dream." It makes sense, surely -- to most people here, anyway. Ravn still hasn't quite worked out where Kelly stands on all of this; sometimes he has the impression that the gym coach just... doesn't get it. Or doesn't want to get it. Or both.

He smiles at Isolde as she draws up. "Hey there. Wouldn't mind topping up my scotch. How's life?" For someone who's only stayed in town for six months, the Dane really does seem to know everybody. Maybe life in Huckleberry trailer park is just miserable enough that he spends most of his time anywhere else. "Somebody's got to do the taxes, though. Hell, I pay somebody to do mine so that I don't have to. Sounds like you provide an essential service to me."

Seth gets a look, though. "No, Vic looking like she couldn't decide whether to punch me first or Nova first, that sounds like marriage, Irish."

Joey murmurs "Evenin, Isolde. I did that thing you asked me to do. how you holdin up?" Eyebrow arching to her for a moment before...way to confuse him Seth. "You a goddamn caterpillar or something?" And then more confusion, "Huffle... oh the park. And that's not marriage that's assault. Also do I want to know why you're getting hit by other people's...whatever's?" The whole 'bad dream thing gets a quiet furrow of his brow looking the Dane over. To Xavier he jsut. stares. for a long moment while the guy talk and then goes back to his own business murmuring "Elias is good people. "

"What kind of stuff do you write?" Isolde asked Xavier with a touch of curiosity as she checks Ravn's glass briefly and snags the bottle of scotch to top him off. "There you go!" Scotch bottle is exchanged for water bottle, cracking it open and taking a sip. Answering Ravn, "It's life. Trucking along, keeping my head down and stayin' out of trouble." Mostly.

She gives another smile towards Joey. "I'm doing a lot better than I used to be. Still kinda getting settled in to being back. Isolde looks a little amused at the mention of Vic wanting to punch some people over Seth but doesn't directly comment on it. "How have you all been in general?" The question, instead, posed to the group.

Seth glances to Joey and shrugs, "Who are you? What do you mean by that? Explain yourself?" quotes the enforcer as he goes down the list of the questions the caterpillar asks Alice before finishing it off with a grin that the Cheshire cat would envy.

"As for Ravn, he happened to be in the wrong place at the right time. Or the right place at the wrong time? I guess on how you look at it. He came over to my place, then Nova came over to my place and proceeded to try and enjoy my company. Ravn being there put a damper on that, thankfully, and then when Vic got home and saw Nova, well.... Let's just say that the whole 'no label' thing was in word only judging by the reaction and the subsequent slapping of labels on things that happened the first time someone else showed any interest."

Seth smirks, sipping at his drink. "So, I have been now officially labeled as 'off-limits'."

Joey turns to Seth asking him who he is and replies, "You ask em that again I'll shoot you in your good leg." here's a snicker with that though and a shake of his head. "I'm failing to see how this is suddenly your problem. But as I said, that's all you man. It is what it is." Looking to Isolde he admits, "Good. Glad to hear it. we like having you around. It's been... something around here." And then his phone is kicking off. He stares at it a moment and informs Seth, "Jaime. Might be headed back in town now that the 'neighbors' moved out. Don't let Ravn get eatn while I'm not looking please."

"Well yes, but I left New York to get away from soul sucking life and I didn't want to continue having my soul sucked out here as well. I don't mind helping people with their taxes, but it leaves very little brain space for anything else." Xavier replies with a shrug. "What I write? Mostly short stories right now. I'm getting practice with just writing and not over researching something until I'm too confused to write. Which is what used to happen to me." He laughs quietly to himself before he tilts his head at Seth's story. "She sounds intense." He smirks.

"I am heartbroken," Ravn murmurs with decidedly fake heartbreak. "Seth is forever out of my reach. Seriously, though, I did think for a moment they were going to claw each other's faces off there. Bloody hell. Jealous women scare me. Walked Nova home, though. She didn't stab me." He waves at Joey as the gym coach leaves, phone in hand. "I generally try to not get eaten. Or at least make myself an inconvenient meal to catch."

Xavier's comment warrants a small, wry smile. "All women are intense if they think some other woman is eyeing up something that belongs to them, whether justified or not." Old grudges there? Possibly. They're some sour grapes.

Isolde gave Joey a wave as he left and then focused on the remaining trio. "Practice makes perfect and all that." She gave a bit of a grin towards Xavier. "Maybe I'll get to read one of your stories some time." She tsks a bit at the story with Seth and Ravn. "Jealous women are a handful." There's a knowing chuckle to go along with it. She was a jealous woman once. But it got old pretty fast. "But I'm glad no one got hurt."

"I don't know, I think a little jealousy is kinda hot. Makes you know you're wanted. Now if it gets to be an extreme thing, then yeah, those are red flags. Let's be honest, Nova was there with a bottle of tequila, a crop top, short shorts, and was only missing a giant neon sign over her head that said 'DTF'. Even though I kept telling her no, it wasn't like it was a subtle thing there and had you not been there she probably would have lost clothing 'on accident' to continue to try and lure me in. Truly, I think you being there probably defused that whole thing because it could have been much, much worse." Seth says with a shrug of his shoulders. "Now Vic, she wasn't innocent in all that either. She is the one that didn't want to put labels on things, it's just a good thing that I was slapping my own self-imposed non-label on it. I could have easily taken that no label thing to heart and that whole thing would have been much worse than it really was. At least the silver lining of all of this was that it forced her to confront her feelings on the whole thing and make a decision on how she wants things."

Seth takes a sip of his drink, waving after Joey as he continues, "Still, I do feel bad for Nova. I can't imagine it felt good to have gone through that, and I wouldn't blame her if she hated me now. I haven't tried to talk to her since, but maybe I should at least go down to the club and see if she will take an apology for all of it. Or maybe I will just get stabbed. Either works."

Xavier nods to Isolde. "I'll let you know if I post anything anywhere. Right now I'm hoarding it to myself until I write something coherent." Looking between Ravn and Seth his eyes get wide and he shakes his head. "I've only had one relationship and it was primarily long distance? I suppose there wasn't time for jealousy or, anything of the sort. Though it is nice to feel wanted." He says thoughtfully. "The fighting maybe not so much."

"Think talking to her might be a good idea," Ravn agrees. "Pretty sure she saw an invitation there, even if you might not have intended to extend one. Leaving a trail of angry women is never a good idea."

He nods at Xavier with renewed enthusiasm. "See? He gets it. Same deal, except not long distance. Ended miserably, as only Gray Harbor can make you miserable. She was jealous as all hell, and would stab another woman for looking at me. Haven't gone on a date since, and it's been five bloody years. Am finally considering whether I should perhaps ease up on my principles a bit."

Seth snaps his eyes over towards Ravn, "Ohhhhh?" he asks questioningly. "Did someone finally catch someone else's eye, or are we just talking hypotheticals?"

As for Nova, Seth nods a couple of times. "I know I told her about Vic. I guess my mistake was mentioning that Vic didn't put labels on it, so I guess that was interpreted as 'open game'. I can't say I am blameless in all of it. Nova did say she wasn't going to give up, and I didn't exactly discourage her from flirting either. That is on me."

He sets his drink down, sliding it away from him for the moment, "There really wasn't much fighting. It was more of a cold shoulder situation. I don't think it really came close to blows? But maybe I am nieve."

Xavier laughs at the idea of Seth leaving behind a string of angry women. "That's probably not wise, though it seems you're both on the same page now so congrats." He salutes with his beer. "Dating is complicated and I wouldn't even know where to start. Everyone likes apps today, and there is some sort of texting etiquette that I missed learning about. It's probably better to be single." At least that's what he keeps telling himself.

Ravn actually colours a little. The otherwise stoic Dane looks into his drink as a somewhat wry smile flits across his face. "Somebody suggested to me in no uncertain tones that I should invite her for dinner, after an otherwise quite pleasant conversation about antique furniture. That's all it is. But there is the potential of it becoming more than that in time, maybe. If both of us decide that it feels like a good idea, and neither of us decide that it's too much effort. I also told her we probably shouldn't mention it to anyone until we've decided whether we want to give a second date a shot too, so I'm a big fucking hypocrite."

With a glance at Seth he adds, "I'm really not the right person to ask, Seth. Woman puts on that 'you are looking at something that belongs to me' expression, all I want to do is jump out a window before somebody has to call the police."

Seth shrugs his shoulders again, "Well, good luck on....whatever, I won't mention it again unless you do." He is totally lying of course. He will likely prod at it occasionally.

"Of course, but you have a reason. Your ex was...your ex."

Seth looks over at Xavier, "I wouldn't know the first thing about those apps. Vic and I, well, we are in the same general line of work so we have that in common. It kinda bridged the gap, and we have known each other for a while so this didn't 'just happen'."

"Your secret is safe with me." Xavier also has no idea who the lady in question is so that makes it easy. "But good luck to you none the less. Not everyone is stabby, and jealous." He finishes off the rest of his beer and sets the glass down. He nods to Seth and smirks. "That's my hope, to find some bookworm who doesn't hate me for ignoring them all day because what I'm reading is interesting. I'm sure I'll find something when I'm ready to."

Ravn shakes his head. "I know those apps exist, but I don't think I ever installed one. People are tricky enough face to face. I'm not a very adventurous spirit in that regard, and I have a couple of medical issues that would probably be deal breakers on Tindr anyway, at least if what I've heard about how it works is true."

He finds himself nodding at Xavier again, a little to his own surprise. "People give you the 'there's somebody for everyone, just keep your heart open' line as well? I find it tedious. An assumption that being single is somehow tragic. Worked better for me than the year I wasn't. Never had the absence of a girlfriend try to stab me, either."

"No," says Seth with a smirk, 'Just the ghost of one."

"I haven't really been single? Well sort of. We've been together since we were kids so it's hard to say I was single, but I spent most of those years on my own. It was actually strange to go to the same college and have her around all the time. I think that's when I started to dislike her." Xavier says thoughtfully. "But yes, it's hard to get stabbed by the absence of a girlfriend." He laughs at Seth's observation. "Or that."

The glare Seth gets for that remark could probably wither small flowers. "And still people wonder why I'm in no rush to get involved again unless I know exactly what the deal entails," the Dane murmurs. "So far, the answer to that is 'seafood dinner'. This is acceptable. Further options can be negotiated."

Boy, isn't he a romantic.

The withering stare causes Seth to raise a hand in surrender. "OK, that was uncalled for. I apologize. But in my defense you set yourself up for that one and I couldn't not spike that ball. I just couldn't. You would have done the same."

Joey wades back in looking oddly optimistic. "Were my last words to you all not in fact 'don't let Ravn get stabbed?' This is not how to do that." He just shakes head. On the up side... "Jaime comin home means we get lil sprout back too." For all he said that mitt that can crush bricks clasps Seth's shoulder followed by a slap on the back. "So you married yet or what? I get to ask you questions and shit?"

Xavier leans back away from the glare that Ravn is giving Seth, he could almost feel the heat from his stool. "From what Elias told me there isn't much in the way of good restaurants around here, so let me know how 'seafood dinner' goes." Not that he has any date plans in the near future nor does he want to incur the man's wrath.. He nods to Joey when he returns. "You missed the whole story."

"I'm pretty sure no one tried to stab me in your absence, Kelly." Ravn chuckles and sips his drink. "Just talking about -- well, girlfriends and dating. Inspired, of course, by Irish here finally getting his situation sorted out."

If he and the big ginger are about to fight, they hide it very well.

He glances over to Xavier instead. "There's Sitka, but that's a little too -- suit and tie for me. They don't actually enforce a dress code but they do prefer it if you adhere to it anyway. Lady tells me she knows a good and sneaky little place on the boardwalk named Russo's, though. Never been, but there's a first for everything."

"Hey, nobody has stabbed him, and to my knowledge nobody is going to stab him. If anyone is on anyone's list to be stabbed it is likely me." Seth says with a smirk as Joey returns. "And no, I am not married you motherfucker. But yeah, feel free to ask all the questions you want."

He glances over at Ravn, "Sometimes the little hole in the wall places are better than the fancy-ass restaurants anyway, but don't tell Dante I said that."

Joey actually cracks the ghost of a grin that gets a little wider when Seth calls him a Motherfucker. Yes, likely anyone else doing this might wind up on the floor. This is different. He regains his drink and looks back to Ravn and asks, "Do I wanna know?" though there's a pause and he admits, "Ya know Russo's ain't back. Also you both suck for introductions. Who the fuck is this you're talking to for an hour and won't introduce?" He looks to Xavier and offers him a greeting. "Joey. Nice't meet you."

"Interesting, I'll have to give them a look. I do like a good hole in the wall, but sometimes I am in the mood for something fancy." Xavier makes a mental note of it before he laughs. "No one stabbed anyone yet, but I do believe Ravn gave Seth a glare that could have killed him." He nods his head to Joey and raises his glass. "Xavier, I'm new in town, if it wasn't obvious."

"Oi, I've met Joey's mum. She's nice." Ravn upends his glass; the man can and does routinely put away impressive amounts of whiskey without appearing very affected on the outside; those who know him, of course, soon learn to tell that the more irreverent he gets, the less sober he is. "I was going to introduce you. And then you stormed off with your phone. Met Xavier here in that underwater dream where I hurt my legs."

Then he hops off the barstool and gathers up his sortiment of notes and notebooks. "I need to get my backside back to my computer before one of my students check in. Nice guy, love him, but he gets the time wrong every damn time. I'm the one who's nine hours ahead of him -- not the other way around." Pulling his leather jacket on -- look, not even any bullet holes, it must be new -- he upnods at all three men before leaving money and a tip on the counter. "Stay safe, all right? If the bedbugs bite, drag them into the next dream with you, make them suffer too."

And off he is. Like a -- something Danish that does something or other in the night, somewhere else.

"Ravn's glares aren't going to do anymore to me than maybe make me feel a tad tinge of guilt for ribbing him. Death? I think it would take a hell of a lot more than one of his glares." laughs Seth. He returns to wave to Ravn as he leaves, giving a glance over to Joey "I just met the guy, Ravn went through some dream with the guy which seemed bizarrely lacking in clothes, though I can't say much. Still, seemed to me he was more knowledgeable about the guy than I was, so figured I would let him do the intros."

A pause

"And I suck at introductions, so sue me." shrugs Seth. "So, what's up Joey? Good to see you out and about."

Joey nods slowly. Damn right his mama's a saint. He looks to Ravn for the clarification and says "Stop skipping leg day. Go make your students do things." Something he can weirdly relate to. Who knew?

"Xavier, welcome to the Harbor. Seth's just lucky Ravn didn't punch em again. It's kinda hilarious one holding his face, the other holding his hand." He shakes his head. He still wins on that one. "Eh, healing up from being someone's goddamn pin cushion." Oh yeah being shot to shit. Aaaah the shitshow shootout. "My partner's back in town a bit. Gotta talk to her. Nicole's okay. Bro and Sprout are coming home ow that they can do so. Dunno when. Something about Iowa first. Some asshole needs potatoes." Like they do.

Still something something nightmarish thing water. One might legit wonder how information actually filters through his brain. He does seem to be looking the man over curiously, "They didn't try to drown you did they?"

Xavier raises his hand to Ravn as he takes off and turns in his seat to face the other men. "Yeah some people are terrible at introductions, I am one of them." He smiles before he shrugs his shoulders. "Thank you, it's been absolutely bizarre." He orders himself another beer allowing the men to catch up with each other before he pipes back in. "I think I woke up before it got too crazy. So I can't say what would have happened, but from what I hear from the others it was weird. I did have a dream where I was attacked by books, that was bizarre."

"Could be worse," the other big Irishman says with a snort, "You could have had a pregnant toad deliver all over your chest."

Seth stands, reaching into his pocket and pulling a few bills off of a money clip, tossing them onto the bar. "And with that lovely image, I'm out of...oh fuck you Joey. You know that Ravn getting that hit it was a one in a million. I don't know what stars aligned in what way, but that was not normal."

Seth flips off the other Irishman, a grin on his face that expresses the good humor it is all meant in, and starts for the door. "Ya rat bastard."

Joey mutters bitterly, "Seth, for the rest of our lives let's...never bring that up again. And also like she was pregnant. The miracle of like ain't tidy and shit. That ain't her fault...she did hit on you though." At the epiteth there's a grin and he laughs it off admitting to Xavier, "One in a million but it was a hell of a fuckin thing. Later, Seth. G'luck brother."

I have to pause and will be back in like 20

Xavier's eyes get a bit wide as he watches the exchange between Seth and Joey. The must know each other well then. "It was nice meeting you." He says to Seth as he flips off Joey. "It sounds like a hell of a thing. I can't say that I have any idea what your talking about but the story sounds amusing none the less." He says brightly.

Joey nods and rolls his hand, "I grew up with Seth. We give each other shit all the time. I, i um, I run the boxing gym down in Elm. Also coach high school P.E. Ravn's in the ring. Seth's runnin him through drills and told him what to do. Didn't think he'd do it and Ravn just popped him one. And then the other guy. I was like that wasn't fuckin beginner's luck. That was veteran hubris guys. Everyone's fine. So what's got you up here in the Harbor, man?" Not that Joey does small talk but they're there. He's new. Yeah he's gonna ask and not be a dick.

"Ah that makes total sense then." Xavier nods knowing how he is with his oldest friends. "It does sound like beginners luck, but he also seems the sort to know how to throw a punch. Either way it must have been amusing to see." He sips his beer and shrugs at the question. "I needed a change of pace from 'big city life' and came to live out here with my Aunt. My parents are calling it a quarter life crisis."

Joey listens and tilts his head< "Cities do that. Weirdly everyone likes to ask people if they need their head examined for coming here. " Shaking his head he murmurs, "Small town like any other. Cities prolly too but with so much going on it's probably jsut harder to notice. You out of Seattle then or like outthere?" Tilting his head he listens patiently. Maybe the guy doesn't want to share his story too. Joey seems to accept this as a possibility. "While you're here tho? Get the tater tots."

"New York actually. It's very loud there, and I'm not saying that I want to be isolated in the mountains, but I like having less people around, and less pressure to perform." He says as he leans into the bar and smirks. "I realized I hated my job so I came out here for something different. My parents are hoping it's a phase." He shrugs. "Oh I'll definitely get the tots. What about you? Is there something besides a gym in your life?"

Joey arching an eyebrow he says "Itzhak and his pal are from there. You'll know em when you hear em if you ain't met him yet. " He stands and tells Xavier, "Look I gotta take off and get back. Drop by he gym sometime and if they give you shit? Tell em Joey said to." Looking around he leaves Isolde a tip on the bar and tells the New Yorker, "Don't let the place get to ya."