the tavern. (huntingacroc)

[lucency]

Home is still far away for Belle.

That's something that's fully intentional on her part. A bit because, well, she has quite a way to go from the Dark Castle. And another bit because she still wonders if she shouldn't go back to Rumplestiltskin. Let things simmer down. Check on him. Talk it over.

But she tries not to think about it. After all, home being as far away as it is gives her a chance to take in a fair bit of that world she's always longed to see. Taverns and bars included. She's getting quite good at navigating them, dealing with the regulars; for the most part, she knows what to expect.

Belle wanders through and manages to perch herself on a stool by the bar and asks for a drink. Nothing adventurous, not this time - just wine, as she was used to. She sits quietly, but it isn't long before her attention starts to wander as she observes the others nearby.

Comments

[huntingacroc]

Killian is not with his crew when he enters the tavern. They're in one of the bigger taverns near the docks, likely drinking away all the money they'd made off their latest haul. He doesn't join them today because he is in a Mood, as Smee calls it. When the captain is in a Mood, it's best to let him attend to his own business.

They never spoke of it but they all know it has everything to do with what happened to Milah.

Killian doesn't want to think about her, but the thoughts just keep coming and coming and coming at him. That's why he makes a beeline for the bar and grunts out an order for ale.

"And keep it coming till I pass out in a puddle of my own spit, will you?" The barkeep gives him this look of understanding and wordlessly hands him a flagon that is as wide as his open palm.

[lucency]

She hears him and she tries not to stare. His words are enough to tell her what kind of mood he's in, if not the kind of person he is, but even if Belle can keep her eyes averted, she can't help but let out the slightest bit of a laugh.

"Interesting imagery," she finally says to him over a sip of her wine. It's an innocuous enough response that could be ignored - and she could be the better for it; she's fully aware that this isn't exactly a good place for light conversation. It isn't that she's struck up plenty of conversations in bars, really, but common sense and observation.

[huntingacroc]

It's the giggle that catches his attention first. He hadn't noticed the young woman beside him in his misery. Now he wonders why he hadn't. She is pretty and he guesses that the anonymous clothing is a means to guard against the sort of advances that often befell a pretty young lass who visited this sort of establishment.

He isn't in the mood to flirt for once. After he glances at her, he takes another long drink of ale before responding to her comment. "It's not a pretty sight either if you plan to stay."

[lucency]

"You were serious," she says in response, blinking back the surprise from her face. And then, after a brief pause: "Celebrating?"

In her experience, there were two kinds of potential drunks: those looking to drown, numb, and forget whatever sorrows, and those looking to revel in whatever merriment had been kind enough to befall them. Though, she's also aware that with his gruffness, he could all too easily be the former. But nothing wrong with hoping for the best, especially with a stranger.

[huntingacroc]

For a moment he is tempted to brush her off, but he rather prides himself on being a gentleman (when it suited). After another swig, he answers her honestly.

"I wouldn't say I was in a festive mood at the moment, so no."

He figures there were worst things he could do than indulge a young maiden's curiosity.

[lucency]

Belle nods, just the slightest bit awkward. Not so much in that she was wrong, but rather due to the possibility that she'd stirred something up. She looks down into her glass, but then flicks her eyes back to him. It's only in her nature to want to know the story, and there's a twinge of that, but to outright ask would be nothing but trouble.

"Well, whatever it is," she says, "whatever's happened, I hope you manage not to dwell on it. At least for a little while." And then, a pause before, "Maybe don't faint."

She lifts her glass a tiny bit off the bar to reassure him.