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[both_neither]

[This afternoon Gren can be found sitting at the bar of the Lux, his winter coat slung over the stool next to him and his boots slowly dripping slush onto the floor.]

I was starting to think my place could use some air conditioning, but this might be a little much...

[Still, his tone seems more bemused than anything]

Ah well. At least it means hot drinks are back in.

[Accordingly, the mug he's got his hands around is brimming some artfully spiked hot chocolate topped with a pile of marshmallows.]

((OOC:open to kisses))

Comments

[nothingtobelieve]

[Vicious might be annoyed by the weather and the sudden ill-timed holiday, but he was annoyed by almost everything in existence, so it didn't really show on his face any more than usual as he walked into the Lux.

Misery loved company, and at least this was company he generally enjoyed.

He was going to give that pile of marshmallows a critical look as he took a seat beside Gren, however.]

[both_neither]

[He knows that look, just like he knows a cheery holiday is pretty far down the list of Vicious' favorite things, probably right next to sweet snacks.

He gave the other man a small smile and popped one of the slightly melted marshmallows into this mouth]

Hey.

[nothingtobelieve]

You seem to be enjoying this.

[Not that... he was terribly surprised. Gren could be appallingly up-beat much of the time]

[both_neither]

[He was mostly good at taking things in stride. Because the alternative was go crazy and well...been there, done that. After giant spiders and freak indoor rainstorms, this was a cakewalk.

He shrugged.]

I like to try. If we can't find anything to enjoy about life, then what's the point?

[nothingtobelieve]

A good question.

[One he really had no answer too. Not that he was about to start enjoying himself around here. Sometimes he had a hard time believing this wasn't a very specifically designed version of Hell.]

[both_neither]

[They'd already been other this territory in their conversations before, and Gren knew that Vicious had difficulty attaching any feeling of enjoyment to his life, even before Paradisa. There was certainly some kind of fulfillment there, but he was hard-pressed to really understand the way his comrade perceived it. He let that part of the conversation drop, then, and gestured instead to his cup after a quiet beat]

Do you want some?

[nothingtobelieve]

[Vicious looks at the cup as though it were filled with live snakes, and then gives Gren an equally skeptical look]

Only if there's more than chocolate in it.

[both_neither]

[Gren smiled but didn't laugh] I assume you're not talking about the marshamllows... [Which he knew was the case, but it was a good excuse to pop another of the half-melted sweets into his mouth. The real ingredient is marshmallow-flavored vodka, but he's not telling that much.]

Castle, can I get another one of these? Minus the marshmallows. [Another mug accordingly appears]

[nothingtobelieve]

[Vicious eyes the mug in front of him with a healthy dose of skepticism, before picking it up and taking a sip, the way one might drink from a cup they think has been poisoned.

But it's not all that bad, even if it's far more sweet than he'd care for]

It could use less chocolate.

[As in, none, but he won't go as far as to say that.]

[both_neither]

[It's a start. He could have turned his nose up at it entirely.]

Something a little different now and again doesn't hurt.

[nothingtobelieve]

[It doesn't help much either, he'd argue, but he's not about to waste alcohol]

And yet, it seems we just did this.

[Not the cocoa, obviously, but the whole obnoxiously festive season]

[both_neither]

[Gren let out a short huff of a laugh]

I think a lot of people say that even when Christmas comes at the normal time...

[nothingtobelieve]

I don't blame them.

[He'd never been big on 'holiday cheer.']

dictated

[givetheslip]

I think it's a little refreshing.

dictated;

[both_neither]

Maybe. But it feels it little like it was only recently that this place de-frosted.

dictated;

[givetheslip]

True. But a little cold isn't such a hardship to bear.

dictated;

[both_neither]

Not if you're used to it. And even if you're not, there are definitely worse things. Although you'll find what people are anxious about isn't the cold, but the holiday.

dictated;

[givetheslip]

Oh? Why is that? It's just another day.

dictated;

[both_neither]

Well, for one, Christmas is a big deal kind of holiday for most people, and it usually only comes once a year. And two, the castle likes to celebrate it in particular ways.

dictated;

[givetheslip]

It's a rather dull day in my experience. I wouldn't call it worthy of celebration.

dictated;

[both_neither]

I'm sure there are people that agree with you, even where I come from. Or would it be a when?

dictated;

[givetheslip]

Both, most likely. I've been told I'm very far behind just about everyone else.

dictated;

[both_neither]

Mmm. I suppose a lot of this is a more modern invention. What was Christmas like for you, before?

dictated;

[givetheslip]

Full of prayers a lengthy service at the church. Nothing particularly enjoyable.

dictated;

[both_neither]

Not a big fan of church?