Who: Elaine Mallory, Harry Dresden, Neena Thurman, and Thomas Raith What: a double date When: Thursday night Where: a bar Rating: PG for possible language. Status: complete
Neena whistled as she walked into the bar, the little bag for her pool cue in her left hand. She looked around for the rest of the group. She was pretty sure they’d be there before her, Thomas was normally more early than her.
She was wearing black pants and a purple blouse that had almost all the buttons closed. She even had on ballet flats instead of sneakers. She wanted to make a good impression on Thomas’s brother. She knew they were close. She still didn’t know what would eventually happen with her and Thomas, but she wasn’t going to risk a chance at something good by being a jerk to Harry.
Well, within reason.
Harry had rousted Thomas, then managed to make sure that Harry got his good not!rumpled suit, and he finished dressing and poked Thomas, to make sure he was ready. “Well, brother, ready to go stun the ladies?”
Thomas laughed, and ran his fingers through his hair as he surveyed his brother’s gussied-up appearance. He wasn’t sure whether Harry was trying to impress the ladies, or him, but either way, he supposed it would do. Harry’s wardrobe seemed to have improved a bit since moving to California. Work must be going well.
“Me? I was born ready.”
“Then come on. Elaine first, then we meet Neena.” Harry led the way out to the car. His car, which was big enough for all of them. With a hum, he started the car, and sent them down the street. “How are things with you two?”
“Things are pretty good,” he said, leaning back against his seat, and telling himself there was no reason to be nervous about this double-date thing. “I mean, sure, we’ve had to slow things down a bit, on the physical side, but we’ve been able to experiment a little. When we’re not being ambushed and shot at, that is.” He chuckled. His life was starting to look like Harry’s. “How are you and Elaine?”
Harry nodded. “I’ve been thinking.” as he drove, Harry spoke softly. “Maybe magic and love can help you out. It could take some time to work out, but... it might be that Elaine and I could help you get out from under this, one day.”
Maybe.
He smiled. “Elaine and I are going well. I think I might need your help sometime soon.”
Thomas gave a wry smile that was bordering on a grimace. He knew Harry had been hopeful that true love might stop the powers from manifesting, but apparently it only worked if you were actually a virgin, and not just ‘like’ one. But he knew Harry wasn’t one to give up. And neither was he. And Neena was nothing if not persistent. “I’ll just keep up the tai chi every morning, in the meantime.” His expression lightened a bit. “You should join me sometime. We can talk about this grand scheme of yours.”
“Good.” He smiled. Harry nodded. “Sure. Okay. I could use a little more flexibility.” He grinned at his brother. “And along the way, you can help me hunt for rings.”
“Oh, ho-ho!” Thomas guffawed, and whistled. Not that he was surprised. He sort of got the feeling this had been a long time coming. “Don’t worry,” he added, knowing they were not far off from Elaine’s place, “I won’t breathe a word.”
“Thanks.” He smirked as he pulled up outside Elaine’s. “I just want to do it right.”
He hopped out to go knock on her door.
Elaine had dressed up a little too, wearing a purple sweater-dress over gray leggings, with her hair pulled back in a loose chignon. She greeted Harry with a smile, and a hug. Corazon had gone to Nate’s house after dinner, so Elaine was all set and ready to go.
Harry led the way back to the car, and introduced Elaine and Thomas once more. “Make nice you two. Next stop, our evening and Neena!”
Elaine slid into the back seat, leaning forward to shake Thomas’ gloved hand. The two of them exchanged a few pleasantries while Harry drove; Thomas asking about Corazon’s upcoming recital, and Elaine inquiring about Thomas’ auditions. They were both happy to brag a little, and it made the time pass quickly.
When they pulled up, just on time, Harry led the way into the bar, grinning as he saw the woman who had to be Neena, then facepalming a moment later as he realized who she was. Holy fandoms, batman.
He extended his hand to Neena. “Hi! I’m Harry Dresden. You must be Neena Thurman. He waved a hand at Elaine. “And this is my girlfriend, Elaine Mallory.”
Neena stepped forward and shook Harry’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Thomas talks about you all the time.” They looked similar, but Thomas definitely had the better looks. For some reason that made Neena very smug. She smiled at Elaine when they were introduced and held out her hand to shake hers. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
She went over to Thomas after the pleasantries, giving him a careful hug. She didn’t want to risk touching him in front of his brother, her willful disregard for the effects of his powers (or possibly just the effects of his powers), would have them indecent in no time. “Hey.”
Thomas hung back a little while the introductions were made, stepping forward to return Neena’s embrace when she came around to him. Touching through clothes seemed to be safe, so he’d worn gloves--not wanting to dull Neena’s edge in the pool game. Maybe later, if she got tired of winning as easily as she boasted, the gloves would come off.
For now, he was keeping it low key. “Hey,” he said, “I am looking forward to this epic game of pool you keep talking about.”
Harry smiled, and grinned as the other two gathered and slid his arm around Elaine. This would be interesting. “Epic?” Harry was curious now. What would this be, anyway? Beers and pool, and who knew what else? Definitely an interesting night.
She smirked at Thomas, then turned, to smirk at Harry. “I don’t know, I’m really good at pool. Are you guys going to give me a challenge tonight?” She turned to the bartender and ordered a beer to start with, then motioned to the others so the bartender would take their orders as well.
Thomas ordered a beer, and Elaine as well. The woman freely admitted that she hadn’t played pool in a while, but that she’d try not to be too much of a drag. “Do or do not,” Thomas croaked, “There is no try!”
Harry snerked as he ordered a beer, and glanced around. Nope, not talking about mutants. “Unlikely. I haven’t played pool since...” He glanced at Elaine and grinned. “Not since the mixer all those years ago. remember that?”
Harry reached out and thwapped Thomas on the arm for his terrible Yoda.
Neena chuckled, and sighed dramatically. “Oh, fine. Then we’ll just play for fun.” She kicked an imaginary rock.
“You two are no fun at all,” Thomas teased, rolling his eyes and giving Neena a playful smirk. “I’ll take you. These two can watch.” Only after he said it did he realize the purr that crept into his voice. Down boy.
Neena groaned softly in reaction to his voice. Dammit, focus!
Harry facepalmed. “You know. I can and will knock you out, right?” He was smiling at his brother, teasing, but there was ever so slightly a bit of seriousness. This would be a really bad place for those powers to come online more. really. He glanced around the bar and nodded.
“These are not the droids you are looking for,” Elaine intoned, following Harry’s gaze and noting that Thomas had turned a couple heads. They looked away again after a moment, so she assumed that Thomas had reined himself in, but she was still ready to throw a perception filter on him if too many people started noticing. After all, they had been working on some veils with Thomas in mind.
Neena took a deep breath and shook her head. “So, uh, maybe not a game with a lot of bending over. Darts are good.” She chuckled a little, hoping to make this less awkward for everyone.
Harry nodded. “Darts is good. Might be a good time to throw things at the board. Next round is on me.”
“Sorry,” Thomas said, having the decency to look at least a little embarrassed. He didn’t mean to make things difficult. “I’ll behave, I promise.”
Neena chuckled as she paid for their first game of darts. “Don’t behave too much.” She said with a wink.
Harry snerked. “It’s okay, Thomas. Just remember to search your feelings, and all will be well.” He mixed his fandom quotes with the best of them. Sort of. Eying the dart board, he smiled. “This ought to be fun.”
Elaine just smiled, watching the interaction. Thomas and Neena certainly had chemistry. “Something tells me we might be able to put up more of a challenge at this game anyway, after all that beanbag toss with Cora.”
“Cora? That’s a sweet name.” Neena said with a smile. “How old is she?” Neena was kind of glad they were at a bar, so the little girl couldn’t attend. It was probably the wrong time in the relationship for Thomas to find out how much she wanted kids. She handed Elaine’s darts to her. “You’re up first, being the most ladylike person in the group.”
Harry grinned wider, eyes dancing. “She’s 8. She turns 9 in just a few months.” He felt a surge of newfound paternal pride, though he had already started loving his daughter as a makeshift one even before he knew he was related to her by blood.
He stepped out of the way and poked Thomas as Elaine queued up.
Thomas grinned at his brother. He knew Harry had aspired to have a family someday, and it looked like he’d had one right under his nose all along. He was glad Harry and Elaine had finally gotten their act together, and gotten on the same page. As for himself, he just hoped that if he ever had kids, someday, they’d be born free of the White Court curse in this world--even if that meant they grew up to be Dreamers.
“You just watch out,” Thomas teased, “She’s gonna be a heartbreaker like her mom, someday, and God help the boy who wants to date her!” He shot Neena a smile, and added, “She’s got Harry wrapped around her little finger already, can you tell?”
“Oh, it’s obvious.” She said with a laugh. “But a little girl should have that kind of power over her dad.” Neena hadn’t, but being the second of four girls and one of eleven kids total made the competition a little more fierce. She didn’t let that ruin her enjoyment of Harry’s goofy smile.
Harry pffted. “Bah. She’s beautiful, and she can’t date until she’s thirty.” He winked at Elaine. “Maybe Thirty-five.” He grinned at Neena and eyed her with warmth. Okay, maybe talking about his kid was a good way to get in his good graces.
“One day, it’ll happen to you two, too.”
Elaine nodded her agreement. She wasn’t ready to deal with her daughter dating--or even hitting her teens yet. She just wanted to enjoy Cora being a little girl while they still could. She took her shot, and then stepped aside; smirking as she caught the goofy look on Thomas’ face when Harry turned the tables on him.
Neena saw the look as well, and laughed, squeezing his hand. “Maybe, but I’ll have to stop poking beehives if I want to get serious about that.” She was looking forward to going seven days without being shot at. Maybe she’d even get into the double digits.
Harry laughed. “You’re next, Neena.” Then he smiled. “Poking beehives is dangerous. Enough get scrambled here in the OC as it is.” He nodded.
Thomas returned the squeeze, his neck feeling a bit warm at the thought of kids and Neena in the same sentence. It was true, though, that her life didn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. But sometimes life liked to throw a curveball and make you slow down for it.
“Look who’s talking!” he crowed, in response to Harry’s talk about the danger of poking beehives. “I don’t think any one of us could resist poking a beehive if we thought it needed poking. Except maybe Elaine.”
Elaine just laughed and shook her head. “I’d just poke it from a distance with my magical reiki powers.”
“I am so not next.” Neena replied, then realized he might be talking about the darts game. She decided to assume he was. “Magical reiki powers?”
“Mm.” Elaine nodded, glancing from Harry to Neena. “You know about Thomas’ dreams? Well, Harry and I have discovered a few tricks of our own.” She shrugged. “Besides, I wouldn’t be the first practitioner that people have described as having ‘magic fingers.’”
Harry snerked. “Very magic fingers.” He murmured. He watched Neena play, and grinned wider. Then he glanced aside at Neena and Thomas and flicked his fingers. For a moment no one was looking at them. And a dart on the floor trembled, then flung itself to his hand, causing him to swear, yank his hand back, then nearly drop it as he tried to grab it.
“Some tricks still need work.”
“Given the choice, I’m not sure if I would pick hocus pocus over hanky panky, or not,” Thomas said, “It’s kind of addicting, being the sexiest man alive. Which is probably a bad thing,” he added as a concession. “The rest of the package isn’t so bad, but I guess everything comes with a downside.”
“You were that before the dreams.” Neena noted. “You just have an unfair advantage now.” She stepped back so someone else could take their turn at the board. “I don’t know if I’d keep my powers or not, as long as the dream memories went with them.”
“Everything does, yeah.” Harry sighed as the lights above flickered. “Magic from our universe comes with the fact that it doesn’t like electricity. It makes it hard to be around computers and such. Another thing I’m working on fixing.” He grumbled.
Harry took up the darts and started his run.
“Doesn’t like electricity unless you have a talent for ferromancy,” Elaine put in, “then it’s much easier to work around electromagnetics.” She suspected that Harry’s mojo was just too big for his britches, and--especially in the dreams--he was either too impatient or too busy fighting for his life to ever learn the finesse he needed to go with all that power. But she refrained from making jokes about size, mojo, and britches for the moment.
She unwrapped the chain-link belt she was wearing and showed it to Neena, with its little electrical plug concealed behind a removable buckle that she had affixed to make it more fashion-forward. “In the absence of a good thunderstorm, I can just plug it right into the wall to recharge.”
Ferromancy? Crap, Neena had no idea what that was. She had enough trouble remembering stuff about her own dreams. “So that belt does what, exactly?”
“As I understand it, it’s like a taser,” Elaine said, “But it also doubles as a chain-whip.” And she had apparently designed it to be easily ‘concealed’ in plain sight, which made her pretty impressed with her dream self. Most of Harry’s items that had come through the dreams were very obviously wizard’s paraphernalia.
Dream Harry had always been a little more brute force than his living world self liked. A lot of his dreams seemed to involve his other self being both too busy and too lazy to spend time refining things. Harry was hoping he would have a different choice, and was already working on research and practice.
A few more throws and Harry went to collect his darts.
Neena waited until the board was clear, and turned her back to it. “Since we’re showing off what we can do. . .” She chucked the dart over her shoulder without looking, and improperly at that. It shouldn’t have hit at all, but it hit the dead center of the board.
Thomas watched her take the shot, then glanced around for mirrors or any reflective surfaces that might have helped her pull it off. Not that he didn’t believe she’d done it blind. Using a mirror could be a challenge in and of itself. He smiled, and resisted the urge to blow kisses. “Now if only we could find a way to play to each others’ strengths like Harry and Elaine do, instead of feeding our lust for danger.”
“Maybe that is our strength.” Neena noted, giving him a smirk. “I told you I was trouble, you can’t blame me for anything.” She finished her beer and took Thomas’s hand. “Okay, let’s play a game I won’t have an unfair advantage at, that will also help us get to know each other. You guys know the rules to ‘never have I ever’?”
Harry chuckled, and hmmmed. “Yeah, you say something you’ve never done, and if the others have, they take a shot. The ones who haven’t, the first one in line, gets to say the next Never Have I ever... right?”
“Sounds about right,” Elaine said, nodding. She was pretty sure she’d played it at some point in her life, though it was possible that she’d been underage, and there had been some strange concoction of cool-aid, ginger ale, and tabasco sauce substituted for alcohol--and that someone had wound up puking anyway. “Who’s on first?”
Neena ordered another round and led the way to a table. “I guess we could do rock paper scissors over it.” She sipped her beer.
“Oh, I’ll go,” Thomas volunteered, “Since I didn’t get a shot at pool, or darts.” He laughed, one hand on his bottle, and the other resting in Neena’s. It was comfortable, feeling the pressure of her grip through the supple leather of his glove. He liked that she didn’t let the barrier really come between them. “I just have to think of something I have never, ever...”
And that could be a tough one. “Oh! I’ve got one. Never have I ever shaved my entire head.”
Harry chuckled. He let others drink or not drink, then nodded. “That’s one I can actually safely say I’ve never done. So.... Never have I ever slept with a guy.” He grinned, settling back. This was a fun game.
Neena didn't drink the first time, but she did drink the second time. Obviously. She thought for a second, tapping her finger on her glass. "Never have I ever. . . Gone to a basketball game."
Elaine skipped the first, drank to the second, and skipped the third. Harry was tall enough for basketball now, but he’d been shorter when they were in school, so Elaine had skipped the basketball games in favor of whatever Harry was doing. Track and field, or the couch potato olympics.
Thomas drank to both second and third, shrugging his shoulders. “Porn. Threesome.” He was quite sure Neena already knew all about it, so he wasn’t bothered.
Then it was back to Elaine. “Well, alright then. If we’re going there. Never have I ever had sex with a woman.”
Harry was able to skip the basketball one, then laughed and drank as he grinned at Elaine. He had never really had the lesbian fantasy, just Elaine fantasies. He chuckled. "Never have I ever gone looking for trouble. " he'd never had to. It had always found him.
Neena never had a lesbian fantasy, either, so she only drank to Harry's. No surprise there. She took Thomas's hand again after she drank. It was nice to just be a normal couple doing normal couple things. "You're up." She smiled at Thomas.
Thomas laughed at Elaine’s query of, “Do toddlers count as ‘trouble?’” and drank to that. He laced his fingers with Neena’s and squeezed her hand, bumping her shoulder with his while he thought of another never. Something he didn’t already know the answer to would be more fun, and more fair, he thought. “Never have I ever...dated my best friend’s ex.”
Harry grinned as he smirked. No drink for him. This was fun. "Your turn, Neena. "
“Dated my best friend, yes,” Elaine said, tapping the rim of her drink, “But I can’t say I’ve dated any of his exes.” Harry didn’t have all that many exes to speak of, and she doubted any of them were her type. She glanced over at Neena. It looked like they might all be safe this round.
“Yeah, me either, unless you have something to tell me, Thomas.” Neena grinned at him. “Okay, uh, never have I ever. . . gotten a kid ready for school in the morning.” There weren’t any schools in the post-apocalyptic future where she’d raised her kids.
“Right, cause short grumpy guy and I totally had a gay moment before I met you,” Thomas quipped facetiously. He had yet to meet ‘short grumpy guy,’ or anyone else at Neena’s bar, for that matter. However, he did have to drink to getting a kid ready for school. “I used to help out with my youngest step-sister, before I left home.”
Harry drank for that one. “I’ve helped get Cora ready, a few mornings.” After staying over. He grinned at Elaine, eyes dancing.
Of course, Elaine was drinking to getting kids ready for school. Sometimes it was more than one, when Cora had friends over. She liked how happy Harry looked about being able to help. “Making up for lost time.” Of course, then it was her turn to start the next round. “Never have I ever had to deal with head-lice.”
“Lucky.” Neena noted, before taking a drink. “Nasty bastards.” The future had been a great place for headlice, and she’d gotten them a couple times as a kid.
“If I had,” Thomas said, harking back to his previous challenge, “I think I might have just shaved my head!” But then, he hadn’t been stuck in the middle of the apocalypse yet, even in his dreams. Yet. Things could always get worse. “Never have I ever been in jail.”
Harry thankfully didn’t have to drink at the head lice, and grinned. But then he sighed and drank, twice, to Thomas’s never have I ever. Yeaaaah. “Mom and dad got me stuck in there for contempt during one of my runs at taking them down. Fun times.” He shook his head. “Professional hazard when you help people.”
“Nice folks, your parents,” Elaine said, rolling her eyes. Luckily, she didn’t have to drink to that one either. She and Harry had never done anything too crazy during their childhood shenanigans, even with Thomas whispering ideas in their ears. At least, nothing they had gotten busted for.
“Ugh, that sucks.” Neena noted. She was glad her parents never found her after she ran away. Maybe they hadn’t cared enough about her. “Amazingly I haven’t been to a police station for misbehaving. I went there once to return a cell phone.” Neena laughed a little. “Never have I ever. . . texted while using the bathroom. Or answered my phone there.”
“Ooh, is this a double-shot challenge, since it’s a two-part never?” Thomas asked, chuckling as he added, “A Never-never?” Yeah, sometimes he was ridiculously easily amused, just like his brother. If so, he’d only have to drink to the first part. It’s not like anyone would know you were on the john while texting, like they might if you were actually taking a phone call.
Harry pffted, and didn’t drink. He just had never done so. He eyed Thomas with a laugh. “Thomas, you know, you can take two drinks if you want them...” His tone teased his brother as he chuckled.
Thomas laughed. "Should we make it a rule, Thomas drinks twice? Or do we not want to test my tolerance in public? Or anywhere else."
Elaine shook her head, and drank twice herself. "I'm a mom," she said, "any multitasking that can be done, will be done."
“Maybe we should wait to lower your inhibitions until we’re someplace private.” This time it was Neena who was unintentionally flirting. She smirked at him, feeling very relaxed and happy, for once. These were good people.
“Yes, dear,” Thomas quipped, leaning over and kissing Neena’s shoulder through the fabric of her shirt. It was a silly gesture, maybe, but it seemed mostly safe, and the fact that he was relaxed and comfortable enough himself to try it--with Harry and Elaine watching--probably said a lot. If he couldn’t get his sexy on yet, maybe he could try a little romance instead.
Harry smiled softly, and then kissed Elaine’s hair. Seemed only right, after all. “Never have I ever given birth to a baby.”
That was one he was fairly sure he and Thomas would not drink to. Mostly.
“Not to be sexist, but I would kind of hope not,” Elaine said, after she had taken her drink. “I have seen you in the hospital, and on pain meds. You’d probably end up naming the poor kid Pippin Galadriel Moonchild.”
Neena stroked Thomas’s hair in return, giving him a soft smile. She was still facing him when Harry said his never have I ever, and her eyes widened in surprise. She looked away quickly, and eyed her beer. She had about two drinks left, so she drained it, and stood. “So I’m going to get the next round.” Then she fled, if only long enough to get more beer.
Thomas gazed after Neena’s retreating figure for a moment--and for once he was not actually ogling--and then glanced back to Harry and Elaine. “Uh...” He blinked. “I guess that’ll be a story for later.”
Harry nodded slowly. “Later is good.” He sipped his beer, then and smiled. “She seems like a really nice person, Thomas. I’m glad you two are getting along so well.”
Elaine agreed, Neena was actually quite pleasant company, and she seemed to be able to adapt to Thomas’ peculiar circumstances rather well. “Thanks for letting us come out with you.”
Neena returned with another drink for everyone, and sat down again. She sipped her new beer, because it was really tasty, and looked around. “Okay, so whose turn is it?” She would tell Thomas what happened, but that was a conversation she wanted to have when they were alone.
“I think it’s my turn,” Thomas said, “If we’re all good to keep going.” He glanced at Harry and Elaine for confirmation, and conjured up another starter. “Never have I ever sewn my own clothes.”
Harry nodded, then took a drink. “I had to sew repairs and even make a few pairs of pants along the way.” Being poor was sometimes a real bummer. But it meant that Harry was a not so great Jack of all Trades.
Home ec, plus motherhood meant Elaine had done some sewing and mending as well. Whether she was any better at it than Harry was anybody’s guess. She certainly wasn’t as proficient as her own mother. But she was okay with that.
Neena drank too. “Home ec. I went through a girly phase.” Which ended the day she realized that a swift breeze would blow a short enough skirt up and expose her underwear habits (or lack thereof), to everyone. “One of us should sit out, so we don’t have to pay for a cab to go to three different places.” She could still drive now, but she didn’t want to risk it.
Thomas raised his hand. “I’ll probably metabolize faster, because of reasons,” he said, “I can be the driver, if Harry doesn’t mind--oh, wait, what am I talking about? Of course he doesn’t mind jumping in the backseat with Ela.” He winked. Why yes, he was a pain in the ass. What else were brothers for? “Since we’re not lowering my inhibitions in public anyway.”
Harry laughed and then poked Thomas. Then he smirked to Elaine. Hmmm. That brought back memories.
“Accepted. Designated driver you are. What’s your non-alcoholic pleasure?” Harry rose to go get that for Thomas.
Elaine shook her head, smiling, as Thomas asked for a coke. Those brothers could be a bit predictable, but they seemed to be having fun, and so did Neena. And it was nice to hang out with other adults.
Neena chuckled a little. “Well, in that case you’ll need to borrow Harry’s car. I don’t want to be the only one who doesn’t get to make out tonight.” She winked at Thomas, hoping they could get some time to talk together.
“The three of us came in Harry’s car anyway,” Thomas said, almost apologetically. “I’m still borrowing his couch.” But he did hope they got a chance to talk, too.
“You could drop me at Elaine’s since Cora is over at the Summers house tonight. If that’s cool with her.” He grinned at Elaine, waggling his eyebrows. He might slow down his drinking some anyway, since he wanted makeouts.
Elaine nodded. If Harry came home with her, Thomas could follow Neena home, or vice versa. “I am flexible.” Yes, she realized that statement would earn more ogling from Harry, but oh well.
“My place would probably be better. I can bum a ride in the morning and have your brother and car back to you before you notice they’re gone.” Neena smiled sweetly at Harry. “Unless you object, of course.” She turned to Thomas as she said the last part.
“Why would I object?” Thomas asked. He’d never objected to meeting at Neena’s place before. He’d still have to drop his brother and Elaine somewhere first, but that was no big deal. “Just let me know when you’re all ready to call it a night?”
Harry chuckled as he eyed the two and then hugged and kissed Elaine openly, first. And he smiled. “Okay.” He paused. “Whose turn is it, anyway?”
Elaine returned the kiss, laughing softly under her breath. "Thomas just went, so I think it's Neena?"
“Oh yeah, okay. So never have I ever. . . owned a cat.” She chuckled a little. Fish and gerbils were her only pets before Dante, and he was enough of a handful on his own.
Thomas got a pass on that one; or he would have if he hadn’t been sitting out. Elaine had owned a cat, when she was little, so she took a drink. “His name was Moki,” she elaborated, “Because I couldn’t quite say ‘my kitty’ around my pacifier at the time.”
Harry chuckled, and raised his glass to drink, just because. He had sort of owned one. Almost. This was going better than he had feared, better than he had hoped. It was possible, really, that a real social circle had started tonight. Weird.