The Unnatural Death of Hangover

[Xavier]

Xavier stepped slowly into the....store?....with one thing in mind. Either coffee, or a swift and merciful death, a sweet release from the damned hangover. Well, that's the last time I try drinking a 200-year-old man under the table... He shook his head, gingerly, as it felt as if it were about to pop off of his shoulders, and sat down. "Er, look. I have gold....any chance I could get the hangover special?" With a groan, he rested his head on the table in front of him. "Oh, thank you so much, dear table, for being cool against my forehead...did I mention that I love you? Thaaaat's a nice table....."

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

You know how when you check into the Inn and there was a ward that let De’Ryanna know that someone was wanting to check in? Well, this place didn’t have that. This place simply had Titania, Starbucks extraordinaire worker. Speaking of that, when the little jingle came from the door opening she would look up from her post. Today she was not working on the front counter. Nor was she helping out the poor boy that was. He needed to get better working on his own. Besides she had recently got a promotion, not that that would surprise many people, the girl was good at her job, and she knew it. She also took personal time for some of the patrons when they required it, and instead of getting in trouble for being wasteful with her time, she got promoted.

When the man basically laid down on the table, she glanced around the place. The poor kid at the counter, the same boy whom practically stuttered when he waited on Vesta, looked over at her helplessly. He really wasn’t cut out for this job and eventually he probably would move on, if he couldn’t get a job in the back, away from the crazy people.

Wearing her Starbucks uniform, they all dressed the same, she made her way over to the man. She had caught the end of that conversation, which was him confessing his love to the table. “Pardon me, Sir. The table is not that way.” A small grin forming over her lips, “Though perhaps I can help you with something?”
She awaited for a reply, normally they did not serve people at the tables, but sometimes she made exceptions.

[Xavier]

He raised his head slowly, hearing someone speaking to him, and smiled. "Wow. I'm beginning to like this Starbucks deal all of a sudden. Hi, I'm Xavier. Bit of a sore head, I'm afraid...tell me, is there such a thing as a hangover killer on your, er, menu thing?" He stopped, realizing she had told him the tables were somewhere else, and peered down at where he was sitting. There were flyers here with a picture of...Rye? What the hell? "Huh. Sorry about that...a bit worse for wear today. Thanks, uhm...." He put his hand out, smiling his best come-hither smile, and waited. Surely she'd give a name...well, unless he looked as bad as he felt.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She laughed, it wasn't a laughing at him sort, it was a he made her laugh cause she thought it was funny sort. "I'm Titania. Yes, Starbucks is a nice place." She wasn't just saying that because she worked there. She actually liked it here. "Well we have all kinds of coffee's. Would you like a super grande?" She figured he would want the biggest cup that they had.

She noticed the look on his face when he saw those fliers. Maybe this man knew the woman on the flyer. Even though he did not ask it she decided to give him her two cents on the matter. "Two men were looking for her. I am sure they will be back by if they haven't found her. I hope she is okay though." Something about the men didn't sit well.

She looked to him, that smile was over her lips. "Rough night huh?" And then when he put his hand out, she would take it, giving it a firm shake. She learnt how to shake hands most properly. Not some weak little shake. But she didn't try to hurt him either. "Titania."

[Xavier]

Xavier smiled dazzlingly. This day was definitely looking up! "Glad to meet you, Titania. I've seen better days, but, well, it's not every day you meet your Dad for the first time in your adult life. The super grande sounds great...after last night, I don't think I'll be hitting a bottle of anything stronger than Sprite for awhile." He realized then that he had not let go of her hand, and grinned apologetically. "Sorry. So, wanna sit down? I don't know how things work around here, but I'd be honored if you'd allow me to buy you a coffee. Or two." He glanced over to where she had indicated, and after releasing her hand, walked over and sat down. "Take your time, honestly. I'm all about the patience today."

As he sat, his brow furrowed. "That's my kid sister in that picture. Someone's hunting her, I aim to find out why. Preferably before the ones doing the hunting stop breathing." He wasn't trying to be scary, or tough, or whatever. He just didn't know how to be anything else besides protective. The frown that had found its way to his features faded, though, his thoughts returning to the woman who had so kindly saved his life through the gift of caffeine. He liked that kind of handshake. It usually meant that the woman wasn't the fragile, dainty type. Which, to him, was just simply great.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

That was actually a lot of information to take in all at once. "It's nice to meet you as well Xavier." She paused here. "Met your dad in your adult life? I would say you look more like you were on a all night bender, not a father son bonding." She almost peered at him but she did not, he still had her hand. And she noticed when he noticed he still had it, but she had not tried to take her hand from his. Maybe it made him feel more comfortable telling her things when he was holding her hand. Not that she minded. "I'm working. But my shift is over in about fifteen minutes. If you want company." He had asked and well she did have a knack for going out of her way. She didn't have any plans for after work, so why not be social?

She was getting ready to go get his coffee when the next words stopped her. "She's your sister?" She did not know the woman in the picture to know anything about her. But how weird was it that the picture would be up and her big brother, he said kid sister, would be in the same place. "I'll be right back." With those words, she stepped away and behind the counter.

Once behind the counter she grabbed the largest cup that they had, slipping on the saftey holder so she didn't burn her fingers. The boy behind the counter turned around at that time for he had not a customer at the counter, and spoke very quietly to her. It took a moment for her to reassure him that she was fine. Not that he would of been much help if she wasn't. Filling the cup with straight up coffee with a few shots of caffine. He hadn't said he wanted any special flavors so she did not add any of the above.

Once she had the glass full, she stepped away from behind the counter, and brought the large cup to the man, Xavier. "Here you go. I started a tab for you at the counter." They normally did not do that either, the boy had balked until Titania told him it was fine. 13 minutes to go.

[Xavier]

Xavier was all smiles now. She was a very pretty young woman, much unlike those hammer-faced women back where he had been stationed. A small, silent prayer of thanks was offered up as he took the cup, sipped, and set it down. "Many thanks. Truth be told, you don't see many gestures like that these days, especially where I was stationed up until a few weeks ago. Oh, and the tab....I'm good for it, I swear. Leave it to me to forget something as simple as that." Another sip. "Fifteen minutes...well, as I said, I'm all about the patience today. Although I'd have to be a Light-blinded fool to not be patient enough to wait." The coffee was good....he hadn't had decent coffee since he joined up in his previous station. The coffee there was barely fitting to soak your hard-tack in to make it easier to chew! She had mentioned his sister, so he listened carefully. "Oh, right. Yes, she's De'Ryanna. She works here, I'm pretty sure. Mom's here as well, Airtia. Oh, and I don't know if you've met Gawain, but that's my Dad. Shocking stuff....came here because I thought someone was in trouble, and it turned into something between Intervention and a UFC pay-per-view." He began laughing then, shaking his head. "Ah, but I've a weird family. The thing with Dad last night, it was, I will have to admit, one part bonding, one part getting to know each other, and two parts liver damage. I got used to having a stronger constitution than practically everyone else around me, so it was quite a learning experience trying to out-drink a very well-seasoned werewolf." Well-seasoned....he knew his Dad's ears, and didn't want to come right out and say 'old as dirt', but you know. Kids.

He sighed deeply, feeling his senses returning. "This coffee is amazing! Thanks! Uh...well, I don't suppose you'd entertain the notion of my buying you a cup of something? For Light's sake, not alcohol....I believe I may be a tee-totaler after last night. Just, well....oh, but you work here, maybe you get sick of coffee. Something else then, maybe food?" His eyes were on her now, the fog lifting behind them, and he was glad he hadn't, so far and to his knowledge, made an idiot of himself.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She would be pleased to know that he did not think her hammer faced. Pretty sure, most females would not wish to be called hammer faced. Though she was sure there were a few that would rather be called such. Some females wished to rely only on their abilities, others only on their looks, she herself knew you had to rely on all of your given gifts. She blinked. “People were not kind where you were stationed?” She did not know what type of station he had been in, but she thought surely even if he was a enlisted man that there were people that would take care to see to their comforts? But then she was laughing a bit. “It’s alright, it was obvious your mind was not fully…awake.” That was a good work for it, so she thought. She nodded when he said fifteen minutes. Then a laugh, a twinkle of a thing, escaped from her. “And I take it you are not a light blinded fool, just a hung over one?” Was she playing with him, flirting even?

When he said that his sister, this De’Ryanna worked here, she looked rather puzzled. She had seen the scheduling many times for the different shifts and while there was many names on the shift, none of them had that name. Nor did shortened form of the name appear anywhere either. Nor was that her bosses name. She looked perplexed a moment. “I have not met any of those that you have mentioned. Are you sure that your sister works at Starbucks?” She asked with a small wave of her hand. The poor man had a rough night of it last night it sounded, so maybe he was confused upon where he was? There was a chance he thought he was at the Inn, which was further up the road? Oh dear! A man actually was paying her attention, a man that she did not mind that was, and he was delusional. That was just her luck! She could only hope that he was slightly confused, and that upon drinking the coffee he would be better.

And then he was speaking again, and her eyes widened just a bit. “Your father is a werewolf?” Now that was something new to her. Oh she grew up not to far from here, and she heard the stories about werewolfs, but that did not mean she had any intimate details about a were wolf. Part of her wondered if she should back away slowly, but that was tampered down. She was not one to be ran off so easily. It wasn’t as if she was completely helpless. Besides, she wanted to get to know this man.

At his words, her smile returned, full in its warmth. “It is very true that I actually do not drink coffee any more. I do enjoy food. Perhaps in about ten minutes we could go get something to eat? Away from my place of business. I do not think it would be wise for them to see me sitting here eating with you so soon after serving you? I dare say that they might think that we arranged for such a meeting. Just like some of the other’s do with their boyfriends.” Not that she was implying anything there, just how it could merely look, and she was one that did not want a mark against her. She was moving up so well at work, and did not want anything to hinder that.

[Xavier]

He shrugged nonchalantly, wearing a slight smile. "Well, hey, the way my head was twisted on this morning, I'm surprised I didn't walk out of my window to get here. Yeah, down the road a way, the Inn. That's where Rye works. Me, I'm just glad to return to the wonder of the two things I missed the most in the backwards mud-puddle I was stationed to. Television and indoor plumbing. Anyway, I'll just sit down here and nurse this suddenly large cup of coffee without being too conspicuous." With a grin, he did exactly what he said he would, and even hummed a little while he did!

He had the good sense to take note of everything she said, of course. His eighteen years had been stuffed with teachings of battle strategy, as well as courtly procedure. The Game of Houses, they called it. Funny how they can hang such an innocent name on something so deadly....kind of like friendly fire. Or civil war. He hadn't thought about how she might take the idea of his father being a...well, a mythical creature. Normally, he would have played the strong and silent card, but upon seeing that flyer, he knew he needed information. It did not hurt that the woman was pretty, nor that she had a decent sense of humor. Back on track, kid.....anyway. Xavier didn't really think he had let anything dangerous slip, considering every one he had mentioned could take care of themselves, so he let the stray doubts drop away and perked when she mentioned food. "I was thinking about that, actually. Offering coffee to someone who works in a coffee store. Sheesh, and for my next trick, I'll sell a horseshoe to a blacksmith, then an ice-maker to an Inuit." A slight chuckle there, hopefully everyone knows what an Inuit is. "So, I'll just mind my manners and let you get on with the last little bit of your shift." Rambling? Yes. It was a bad habit, and one he didn't really notice.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She felt her lips tugging upwards. "Are you sure you didn't walk out your window to get here?" She had never been to the Inn, but she heard that some places had windows that were on the ground floor, and so it would be totally possible for one to walk out thier window. She nodded her head, she could not imagine not having indoor plumbing. Even when she went camping they had places built up with indoor plumbing. Could that still be considered camping? Everything else was rustic.

Unfortunately she did not have alot of information to give to him. She only knew about the man that had dropped off the flyers. She did not even have any information to give that man, not that she would of, something about him seemed...off. She smiled at him, there was a bit of a giggle in her voice when she spoke, "Well you figure out what you think your going to be able to eat. Do you have a place in mind? Or do you want me to pick something according to what you chose to eat?" She really was rather easy going at the moment. They had just met, so why not give him the benefit of the doubt. Besides he made her laugh, more then once, and she liked that. "I will be back shortly." She only had a few moments left.

She made her way back to the counter. The boy once more spoke to her, for there was no one in line at the moment and he was making use of his time with a rag washing the counter top. The tone the boy used was whispered. When she replied her voice wasn't as quiet. "Quit fretting, it's just getting something to eat." She gave a shake of her head. She then passed him a few bucks to cover the man's tab. Just in case, which he knew when she handed it to him, that he would know what it was for. The guy was out of it still, though she hoped the coffee and the food would help him.

Then it was time for her to check out, she glanced to make sure he was still waiting for her, before stepping into the back. Clocking out, she went to the small locker, did her code, opened it. She grabbed out her bag and looking to make sure no one was coming in, she switched her shirt really quick out of the uniform, into the black crocheted sweater, with the large open neck, placed over top of a baby blue tank top. Then, making sure no one was coming she switched her work pants and apron for a pair of nice fitting jeans. Tennis shoes were thrown upon her feet. Her bag was then stuffed with her work clothes. Wallet was taken and put into her left back pocket. Taking the bag she zipped it and pulled it on over her shoulder.

Stepping out from the back she grabbed the hair scrunchie that had held her curly locks back, was pulled out of her hair. A small shake of her head, freeing it more. She made her way past the counter and back out to where Xavier was sitting. "You ready?"

[Xavier]

You know the really awesome thing about being a werewolf? Well, besides the obvious things. It's the fast healing, which even makes hangovers shorten in their duration. He was feeling better, and when Titania came back to his table, he rose, all smiles. "Hey, yeah. Say, what do you put in this stuff?" He indicated the coffee cup, which was now empty. "I feel like a million bucks!"

He wasn't very good with planning, so he just stopped for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "Er, listen. I need to stop by the inn. Kinda left all my money there. Anyway, I was wondering what you'd like to eat. I'm up for anything....now that I'm feeling like myself again, I feel as if I could eat an entire horse!" He offered an arm. "Shall we?"

[Mael Feu]

Now this was completly serendipitious and a matter of being at the right place at the right time. The young guy over there at the table had just made this mans day by being a loose- tounge drunk. After being at sea for near a week with other crew mates and hiding their paranoia from their boss about that island, he didn't expect to come into the coffee shop and hear what he did.

He had been in line for a drink when the guy had first started talking and was casually loitering at the counter that held the sugar and other drink spices. Wasn't strange for a person to be there as people always had to add something extra to their drinks. He didn't but it was a good cover. 

So that guy was her brother. The father - also a Lycan - was in town and he mentioned an Inn up the road? This was valuable information that he was sure would earn him some favor. As he continued to listen in while slowly and meticulous pouring sugar into his cup and stirred he heard the guy say he was going to go there. 

How lucky was he today? 

But to travel behind them was careless. Besides. He had enough information. 

Putting an end to his visage the man pardoned himself from squeezing behind a person and started waking to the door to exist. He flipped the phone open and reached for the door to push it open. 

"I got news."

Pushing the door open and heading out into the streets like all the other people that visited this Starbucks. 

[Xavier]

Now, some folks might think that Xavier is an idiot, or myriad other negative things. However, if his mother ever did anything positive for him, which she did, it was allowing him to learn the ways of the Cairhein nobles, Daes Dae'mar, as the practitioners called it. The Game of Houses was a useful tool, not only for nobles, but for soldiers as well. And he had learned his lessons all too well....

Xavier had caught a hint of a scent from the flyers he had picked up...a strong olfactory sense was one of the gifts his father had given him at birth...and he now knew that the man, who was trying to appear as just another customer, was the one who had left those flyers. So, he was after his sister, apparently. So be it. He would play the part of the nonchalant, loose-tongued half-wit for a time.

His mother had, indeed, done him a great service. Now it was up to him to see it through. Coming out of what would seem to anyone else as a fugue, he grinned to Titania, and nodded. "Yes, let's head over to my rooms at the inn. I have plenty of coin, and I should be able to scare up enough for dinner, not to mention some dancing, that is if you can dance?" He winked then, still grinning.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She glanced over at Xavier, and shook her head slightly, a smile touching her lips. “Caffeine.” She had not slipped anything into his drink. She was not one whom thought to drug a lunch date. Even if it wasn’t lunch time, going to get food sounded like a food date, right? And one could have such a date with a male just as well as a female. “I’m glad your feeling better now.” She was, she did not like to see people suffer, most of the time, unless of course she was the one making them suffer.

She gave a small nod, “I have yet to go to the inn, so it shall be a experience for me.” She smiled up to him. “Is it in walking distance?” She really did not go that way, she normally hopped into her car and went in the opposite direction. There were a lot of things in walking distance, if one but took the time to explore. Then she was looking thoughtful, “I dare say I don’t know anywhere that serves horse.” She frowned a bit, “Though I am sure if we search around the city we would be able to find somewhere.” And then he was bringing up dancing. She got that thoughtful look, as fingers moved to adjust her bag. "It's been forever since I have been dancing." She grins, "Are you going to hold it against me if we go dancing and I step on your feet?"

The man, whom heard what Xavier had said and what she had been saying back, had gone unnoticed by her. She had not been at the counter when he came to get his drink, nor had she waited on him at any time, and the last bit of her shift she had been distracted. And the man that had stayed by the sugar and creamer, had not had an issue, so it was not brought to her attention.

[Xavier]

He laughed, shaking his head. "I have tough feet, Titania. Comes from marching a lot. My commanding officer believed in marching for hours, then stopping only when he got tired. Which, I am afraid, was very seldom, seeing as he was a Warder and all." He again extended his arm, so she could, if she was of a mind to, take his arm. "Well, the day's all ahead of us and suchlike, so why don't we get going? I know of a good place....the ambiance is almost nonexistent, but they do a killer curry. If you don't like curry, I'm sure they could scare you up a cheeseburger or something."

It's odd how, even though he knew there was something coming, he could remain calm and composed, even light-hearted. Still, the woman accompanying him was cause enough for levity.

[-:|[ Titania ]|:-]

She gave a small nod of her head. "So then everythings really in walking distance?" It made sense, even if she had not a clue what a Warder was, she was one whom was good at asking questions, though most of the time, they stayed inside. Until the right time. "My feet aren't so tough, but I think it would be enjoyable to go out for a walk." Her head gave a bob. "The weather is warming up? It is still warming up isnt it?" She did not know if during her shift the weather had took a turn for the worse. That would be rather disapointing.

A smile formed over her lips, "That sounds like a plan. I can't say I have ever had curry. What is it?" Part of her was scared for that answer, but she hoped it wasn't something that would make her lose her appetite. She would move her arm, the side that did not have the bag, for if it was, the bag would be switched, and link her arm into his. "Shall we?"

If he took steps forward, she would move with him, no dragging the girl behind him. That would just not do! She would wave over her shoulder to the boy at the counter. He still as not happy with her, but he had made a mental note of the man that she had slipped out with, just in case she came up missing.

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