* [semi-closed post]

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan is still struggling, but she's established a little routine, specific to Dark: every morning, she goes to her favorite room - the one with all the rugs - and retrieves several bottles of alcohol. These, she ferries down to the cafe and arranges them on a corner table, where she sits for the next hour or so, passing bottles to anyone who needs a full one, and measures from the bottles to anyone who would prefer just a drink or two. By now, she's got a sense of the regulars, their preferences (though she cannot always accommodate these - it really is the queerest assortment of libations), and how much they require, but she always brings an extra bottle or two just in case.

Today, she's tireder than normal, and moving slowly. Her tea was running low, and so she's rationing it. She's even on the verge of capitulating and getting a cup of coffee to tide herself over.


[Primarily intended for Dionysus and Lan Wangji, but if anyone wants to play out the awkwardness of the daily alcohol retrieval I'm all in!]

Comments

[vineleaves]

"That it does! Oh, ah, here." He digs around in his basket and pulls out a couple of bottles of wine, handing them over. "I was going to just put these in a cabinet somewhere, but I suppose it makes more sense for you to add them to your stash. How, ah, how has that been going?" He eyes the bottles she has beside her warily, not sure if that's just today's ration or if that's everything.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Where did you find these?" Susan asks, startled. She slots them in with the rest - perhaps now she might give Grantaire some extra; he's been looking peaked about the edges lately, and he seems to like wine in particular.

[vineleaves]

The question throws him off and for a second all he can do is stare, confused. “I didn’t find them. I made them? I am a god, remember.” His tone isn’t snarky, it’s almost apologetic. “I’ve been making stuff.” He gestures to the basket.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh! Yes. I ought to have tracked you down earlier," Susan says. She hadn't really thought about the fact that a god might be able to make things, and lifts one of his bottles of wine again, inspecting it with a little more wonder. "Do you happen to know the alcohol content in this?"

[vineleaves]

“Theoretically 13%, but ah…” he looks off to the side, embarrassed. “My powers have been a little, well, difficult to control lately. I make no promises, but I’m reasonably certain it’s at least close to that.”

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Your powers don't extend to being able to assess such things?" she asks, curious and analytical.

[vineleaves]

He blushes. “Normally. But as I said, this month has been… difficult.”

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, of course," says Susan, immediately. "That must be dreadful. Still," and she nods to the bottles he provided, "this shall be a great help. I only asked because I want to ensure everyone gets what he needs."

[vineleaves]

"That's very kind of you. I hope everything has been running smoothly? Nobody's giving you a hard time with it or anything, are they?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, no, not at all! I only wish this sort of thing wasn't necessary at all. They didn't ask for me to know their business, in this matter."

[vineleaves]

"Take it as a compliment that they trust you to do something as important as this for them. It's a high honor, I'd say."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan very nearly laughs outright at that. "If you say so," she says, knowing that that's not it at all.

[vineleaves]

"Oh! Do you need anything?" he gestures to the snacks in his basket.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Oh, sure, I'll take some grapes." She pauses for a moment and then ventures, "Are you able to produce other grape-based spirits, then, or is it just the wine?"

[vineleaves]

Dionysus fishes out the grapes and hands them over. "I can make anything primarily grape-based. Some things are more difficult, even under ideal circumstances, but it can be done. Do you have a request?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Stronger things? Brandy and the like. Only if you can, of course, but some of the men prefer liquor to wine."

[vineleaves]

"I can bring some by tomorrow morning. I --" he hesitates. "I trust you've got a good idea on how long the alcohol is going to last for, but have you any estimate on how we're doing with food? I've been, well, worried, to say the least."

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"We've got enough alcohol to make it, even if this lasts two weeks longer than people think it will, as long as no-one gets precious about what he drinks. The food is more difficult. Unless we find reliable supplements, it shan't last the rest of the month unless people start eating less, and I'm loathe to be the voice to tell them so."

[vineleaves]

Dionysus has been standing throughout this conversation, but he finally sits. He has to, he feels like he's been punched, because this is exactly what he was worried about but was trying to hold out hope wouldn't happen.

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Yes, I rather feel the same way."

[vineleaves]

He remembers to breathe. "Not to question your calculations, but were you including me and the others who don't need to eat in that estimation?"

[quote_gentle_unquote]

Susan stares at him. "What? No. You don't need to eat?" She blinks. She'd just assumed... "How many of you are there, do you know?"

[vineleaves]

“I can’t exactly die of starvation. I’m fine. Don’t worry. I believe Crowley and his partner are similar, though I’ve not spoken to them directly about it, I’m just basing that off what I’ve heard.” He hasn’t even ever met the angel at all, actually. “I don’t know if there’s anyone else like us though. But that’s at least a little more food to go around.”

[quote_gentle_unquote]

"Yes." Susan runs over some quick numbers in her head. Unfortunately, three people don't extend things very far, but it is a great help. "Perhaps I ought to survey everyone again."

[vineleaves]

“Not a bad idea. Maybe if we put out a survey about it, it would be a gentle way to let everyone realize the situation.”