Re: Aidan, Max & Zania
“Sure thing. It’s my contribution to the bar,” Aidan said, heading there because he could use another drink. Not the moonshine because he couldn’t lift as well when he was plastered, but the Castells had a pretty good spread. The spiced wine, or whatever it was, was good enough to go back for seconds or thirds. “But come on, you know Shayna Mae means well. She’ll be so glad to see you, plus it’s a party.” He wasn’t the best with manners, but he was pretty sure tearing into your sibling was a party foul. If she was really displeased about something, hopefully she’d wait till they got home.
"Oh she won't tear into me," Max said with a little smirk. "But she'll make a face, and she'll fret, maybe even wrinkle her nose and it'll be so subtle you might even miss it - but I won't." He smiled as a cheerful looking man bounced past them and waved at them, waving back at him. Max didn't know him but there seemed to be a lot of people here he didn't know. He could see Knox across the room and it was very tempting to do a running leap at the man, tackle him and hug him from behind just to test his reflexes (which Max knew were amazing so it was definitely a bad idea) but his body felt sore and he really wanted the damn hooch before hugging more people.
"Oh, the face of disappointment and disapproval," Aidan said with a nod of recognition. "I'd rather have her bitch me out, even with an audience. Well... we could probably get you healed up. I mean, half the supernatural population is in the room, right? I don't have the shit on me to do it, but someone probably does. Definitely one of the Castells. Unless you wanna just drink up and worry about it later." Aidan looked over the selection of bottles on the bar, then grabbed the growler with a masking tape label. It wasn't fancy, but damn was it good. It was only too bad that his most legitimate way of making money was still illegal in some fashion.
It was too warm in there to keep his jacket and hoodie on so Max slipped off the jacket and draped it over his arm for now. He snagged one of the cups off the table and held it out for Aidan to fill, grinning excitedly. His little brother was good at that, like his little sister was good at her herbs, and he was looking forward to sampling both products. "Yeah I won't say no to a little touch-up, even if it's just cosmetic." He tittered, amused by his own feigned vanity. "Gotta look pretty for the holidays, am I right?"
Glamour wasn't Aidan's thing, though it was clearly Zania or Nic's if the room they were standing in was any indication, so he was willing to bet a touch up would be easy. If not that, they had to have some kind of healing salve sitting around, but that was the kind of thing Aidan would ask about instead of poking around for. Stuffing his pockets with trinkets and knick-knacks was one thing, but he knew better than to start rifling through a witch's space. "Drink up, then we'll find someone to clean you up a bit. Make you all pretty for the party," he teased as he poured his brother a healthy bit of moonshine. "So what do you want for Christmas? I've got hours left to shop for you and time's burnin' fast."
"You didn't happen to get rich while I was gone, did you?" Max said with a wan smile. "I really want my bike back." He sipped the booze and hummed in appreciation. "This? This'll do in a pinch. I don't know what I want, I'm still processing I'm home at all, you know?" Being home was present enough for him but he wasn't going to say no to actual gifts nor was he going to sulk if he didn't get any. "You're excused because of the short notice," he told Aidan. "So don't sweat it."
“No luck,” Aidan said with a sad little shake of his head. What little money they had went to pay bills for things like running water. Aidan was a damn good thief, but he didn’t rob banks or jewelry stores, which would be the kind of haul they’d need to get Max’s bike back. “Things I’d give you for free aren’t presents,” he said with a crooked smile. “I’ll come up with something. Dunno what, but you’ll love it.” It could be something he picked up tonight, or maybe he’d wander out tomorrow and find something good. He wasn’t going to worry about it, but Max was going to have something to open for sure.