neutral_omens | (no subject)

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(no subject)

Date: December 31, 2000, 9:00 PM
Status: Public
Setting: Bar
Summary: Free Alcohol!

Wensley walked from his kitchen to the entrance to the bar, sign under his arm. No one had planned any sort of Manor event for the evening, so he took it upon himself to give people who hadn't any plans something to do.

Pulling the sign out from under his arm, he propped the doors open and leaned the sign against one. "Open Bar, 9:00 PM- 1:00 AM," it proclaimed in large letters, then underneath, much smaller, "Entertainment Provided". He didn't actually have anyone lined up, but he was sure something entertaining would end up happening.

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"Aowww, Pep! Abuse!" Brian whined, clutching his stomach. "You're mean." I shall get my revenge! he vowed. Moohahaha.

He turned to Wens and grinned again, a bit sheepishly. "So what've you got lined up for the evening, mate? Besides free alcohol, which, by the way, is truly a brilliant idea."

Blushing furiously at Pepper's suggestion, and Brian's reaction, he turned his attention back to Adam. "Well, I'm not sure, actually," he admitted. "But if we've got the ingredients, I'm sure I can make whatever you want. And as for entertainment..." he gave Brian a little push forward. "He's your man!" Leaning forward, he whispered an urgent "Think of something!" before scampering off to the safety of the bar.

"Wait, wait, what?" Brian squawked, nearly falling over. "Wens!" Why me. . . .

He turned to Adam and Pepper and shrugged helplessly. "Am I entertaining? No, don't answer that." He scratched his chin. "I suppose I could juggle. . . ."

Adam just laughed, endlessly pleased to have all his friends around him again. 'Entertainment' or not, he expected that the evening would be entertaining.

Misinterpreting Adam's laugh, Brian wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, I'd probably end up concussing people. Probably not the best way to start the new year, eh?"

He ran down his endless list of talents* and had a thought.

"We-ell . . ." he said slowly. "I suppose I could bring my guitar down and entertain the, er, masses with my mad skills. Or something."

________
* About three inches long. In large writing.

"That'd be great," Adam smiled. "I haven't heard you play in ages."

"Aw..." Pepper mock whined, "but I was lookin' forward to havin' you as my own personal court jester, Brian." She pouted her lips pitifully and slouched. "You three never want to do anythin' fun." Not that she didn't want Brian to play. But she figured he knew by now that if he played, she'd listen.

"Never satisfied, are ya, Pep?" Brian sighed dramatically. "How about this. If you can find a jester hat with those dangly bell things on 'em, I'll wear it. All night. 'Til midnight. Right?" He pointed at her. "That is your quest! I'll be right back." He turned and sprinted up the stairs to get his gear, smacking Pepper on the back of the head as he went and giggling to himself.

Pepper listened to the deal skeptically, then looked over at Adam and sighed. "I think he's tryin' to get rid of me, dun't you? Givin' me a quest to look for a hat wot's not there, and - " and then that hand landed on the back of her head and her eyes narrowed into slits, but Brian was already sprinting up the stairs, so she shouted after him. "Oh, you will not bein makin' it to the New Year, you hear me? Coward!" She punched Adam's shoulder in frustration because he was the closest thing to her, and she had to hit something after that.

"Ow, Pep! What's that for?" Adam protested. "I bet you could so find that hat if you wanted..."

"Sorry," she grumbled irately. "You know what happens if I dun't get the last punch...."

She snorted at that suggestion. "Oh really? Where, exactly would that hat be? In the secret 'costume box' under the bar? Oh, or do you have a court jester that you haven't been tellin' us about?" She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know," said Adam rubbing his arm and smiling, "I do."

He shook his head, still grinning. "'Course not. But you know people who can make stuff, dun't you...?"

Ah. She got it now. She grinned too wide and blinked her eyes like an eager little kid. "You could, couldn't you, Adam?" she said too sweetly in a voice that wasn't used to staying up in that octave. "Pleeease?"

"I could, but I ain't gonna. You can try them puppy eyes on someone who'll believe 'em." He laughed. "Dog can do better."

....And she was pouting again. "Well, I'm not a puppy, so it stands ta reason that my puppy eyes wouldn't be very good," she said petulantly. Then she bounced on the balls of her feet and tugged at the edge of Adam's t-shirt. "C'mon, Adam! Don't you wanna see Brian in a jester hat for the rest of the evenin'? I know you do." Let it never be said that she was mature in the face of funny hats.

"Sure I do, but you're just gonna hafta talk someone else into it. I bet Brian wouldn't accept it if I just made one. He said you hadda find one."

"So make one and hide it in the bar, an' I'll find it!" Pepper insisted. "I'll do somethin' for you?" she offered. Not that she really could offer anything to the boy who could have whatever he wanted, but it was worth a try.

Adam took a deep breath. "You're worse'n Crowley you are, tryin' to be temptin' like that. I can't, Pep."

Wow. She wasn't looking to be compared to the original tempter, but it was sort of flattering at the same. Perhaps she was learning something from the demon without realizing it. She frowned. "Is this one of those, 'I can't do it because then I'm not neutral anymore' sort of things? It's only a hat, Adam." Why did it seem like they got into the conversation every time they were around each other?

They needed to have a serious talk sometime soon.

Adam didn't want to get into that discussion again either, so he took what was likely to be the less painful option. In the long run anyway. "No, it's one of them, 'Brian hits harder than you do' sorta things."

But the fact of the matter was that he didn't like using his powers for frivolous matters. Because only a hat became only a horse, which became only a hotel, which became only a country. Not that Pepper would ask for those things, but someone would and there'd be precedent for him having provided something else. Mostly he was scared of what he could do, so he tried to do nothing at all.

"Does not!" she exclaimed vehemently. "Or do you have to be reminded?" Raising a threatening fist, she stepped in a little closer. Probably too close for comfort, but her rep was on the line here.

"I been reminded!" he protested. "Jus' a second ago. I'm just sayin' that 'cause of when Brian and Shadow gave me all them bruises on my birthday." He'd been really sore the next day because of that rubgy session. Well, mostly because of that rugby session...

"Yeah, but bruises from runnin' into someone and knockin' 'em over is not the same as bruises from hittin'," Pepper told him smartly. "Dun't know how you could count 'em as the same thing."