Day 28: Crossroader's Bar and Casino

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

[ from here. reserved for Reno. ]

White sneakers gleaming in contrast to the dusty floorboards, Dean approached the bar at a snail's pace, hopelessly immersed in his surroundings. It was a taste of something close to home. He was in his element.

And he loved it.

His face seemed to ache the instant he smiled his first genuine smile of the day. Previous shakiness in his bearing abandoned, he swiveled on a chair to allow his restless eyes the chance to roam the features of the tavern that really weren't as captivating as the hunter found them. His wry expression faded as he glanced disapprovingly at himself. These clothes made him look like some overgrown kid who'd taken a wrong turn on his way to the Nerd Convention.

Comments

[offduty.livejournal.com]

[from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/245151.html?thread=17670815#t17670815).]

Goddamn, it'd been way too long since Reno had set foot into a bar of any sort. Well, okay, less than two weeks, but dammit, that was a long time for him.

He hadn't expected to see anyone worth sitting down with, but a quick scan over the interior led him to spot a familiar face he hadn't seen in a couple days. Though come to think of it, he really wasn't that surprised that Dean had ended up attracted to this place, too.

"Figures I'd find you here," he remarked, sliding onto a seat beside the other man.

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

Dean automatically opened his mouth to call the bartender, clasping it shut when he remembered he didn't have a bit of scratch on him. Huffing quietly, he shook his head and scowled at the counter. When a voice sounded beside him, he turned a slightly narrowed eye on Reno. He hadn't given a thought to the man since... well, since Sam's arrival, actually. Apart from reservations that led to him not informing his brother of his allies and their less-than-saintly background.

He arched a brow at the Turk, glanced elsewhere... then looked back at him and sighed, shifting himself to completely face the other man as he leaned in to mumble:

"You wouldn't happen t- ...? Nah." He waved a hand absent-mindedly, slumping sideways.

[offduty.livejournal.com]

Curious, Reno matched the arched eyebrow, head tilted slightly as he rested his chin in his palm. "Wouldn't happen to...?"

Actually, come to think of it, Dean didn't look so hot at the moment. But then again, around here, who the hell was gonna really enjoy themselves?

[thehellismycar.livejournal.com]

He clicked his tongue, fingers drumming the bar.

"Well... y'know." He half-shrugged, slapping his palm down. "Can't get booze for free. Actually," he feigned a thoughtful expression, a smirk emerging as he gave a mock tilt of the head. "Didn't you say you owed me one?" Aah, but a hunter had to keep his wits about him. Couldn't lose sight of his goals.

[offduty.livejournal.com]

Reno snorted, amused. "I did, yeah? You're gonna have to collect later. If I were back home, I could score you as much free booze as you want. Don't think I can do that here."

This sucked mildly. He could really use a shot of something hard. He could use a smoke, too. Actually, he could use a hell of a lot of things.

He shifted his gaze over to the old bartender before giving Dean a wry, sidelong glance.

"So what're the chances he's got a daughter or younger sister or something around we can charm into handing us a free drink?"

[be-my-tool.livejournal.com]

[not reserved for anyone, just sulking]

Zabuza entered the place because it seemed like the sort of place he could go to be alone. The night before still weighed heavily on his mind, as did the trip over here. Had he really been trying to help that woman? What the hell was wrong with him?

He doubted this place would let him drink, and he didn't like the feeling of being drunk anyway, but at least a there was a place to think that wasn't too bright where he could think. Later he might try and have a conversation with someone, try to make some alliances, but for now he was just hoping that Haku was being more productive than he was.

[bewarethecute.livejournal.com]

[From here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/245151.html?thread=17971103#t17971103)]

While the last place they had gone to had been bad for Rukia-san's nose, Ururu's nose thought this place just smelled weird. It wasn't quite like the scent of sake that she sometimes back home, but it certainly was strong. And kind of dark inside too. It made the girl wonder if maybe there was a light bulb burned out somewhere.

The tiny girl dressed in pink and white waited for the other two to come in, looking up at the pair once they had. "Now what do we do?" Ururu questioned with the utmost innocence. "We don't have a coupon for this place."

[not-rly-fai.livejournal.com]

He shrugged innocently at Rukia as he followed Ururu to the bar. "I'm sure it'll be fine!" he said with a smile.

There wasn't much to the place, once they'd arrived. While Ururu might not like the smell, it was familiar and something of a comfort to Yuuhi. Usually the others had managed to earn enough money through a couple of games of cards to buy them all a place to say and the occasional drink. But it didn't look like he'd be that lucky this time.

The man at the counter was aged and looked wary of all the new-comers, though that didn't do much to deter him. "Hmm... well I guess we just say hello and see what we can find out."

For the second time today, he leaned over a counter, setting a good portion of his weight on it. "Oh hey, excuse me!" he said cheerfully to the bartender. The man seemed to be busy talking to some of the bar's other occupants, but maybe he would make time for them as well. "Mind if we take a quick minute of your time?"

[haiiro-no-chou.livejournal.com]

Rukia followed the other two into the bar and took a look around. There were only a few people there, aside from the barkeep, and at least three of them were other patients; she had seen them at the Institute before, but never spoken with them. The place was dark and dingy, and the smell reminded Rukia of an abandoned woodcutter's hut that she, Renji, and the other boys had sheltered in during a particularly cold winter. The hut hadn't smelled like booze, of course, but the woody, earthy scent was there.

This was certainly the type of place her brother would disapprove of, and just then she didn't really care. He already disapproved of the most important part of her life, so what did a simple thing like going to a bar matter?

Stepping forward with Fai, Rukia had to clamber onto a stool to see over the bar.

[bewarethecute.livejournal.com]

Unlike her two companions, Ururu didn't immediately walk up to the bar. Instead, the small girl had noticed something on the ground, and picked it up. A peanut?

Looking around, Ururu noticed several more of the nuts on the ground. Someone had made a mess, which wasn't good. A desire formed in the little girl's head, a longing for the familiar, and she quickly bounded over to Fai-san.

"Um, excuse me, Fai-san?" Ururu looked innocently up at the man. "Could you ask if they have a broom? I'd like to sweep the floor, please."

[not-rly-fai.livejournal.com]

Apparently the barkeep was either busy or ignoring them. Not that it really mattered much to him. Sometimes trying to get someone's attention was half the fun. He waved a scrawny arm at the man and did his best impression of a whistle. It didn't come out quite right, but it was loud enough that the man had to have heard him.

It didn't take long for Rukia to make herself at home. While she had to sit atop the stool just to be at eyelevel with most of the adults in the room, Yuuhi was bent over the counter, shoulders slightly hunched. He turned to Ururu when she called him.

A broom? The place definitely needed it. And it might be just the distraction Ururu needed while the adults talked about... more adult things. "Mm, of course, anything for you Ururu. As soon as I can get his attention, I'll ask."

He glanced back at Rukia, "any more odd requests? I might as well bombard him all at once." The townsfolk already thought they were crazy, might as well supply them with some evidence.

[bigshotbarret.livejournal.com]

[waiting for Kiddo]

Strangely, a beer seemed a bit more appetizing than a burger at this particular moment. Even though he knew he wasn't able to purchase one himself, he was banking on intimidating someone just enough to get them to either give up the one in their possession or have them buy one for him. He was in that kind of mood. He wasn't normally much of a drinker, but he could throw 'em done like a monster given the right circumstances.

Speaking with Lust invited a bit a calmness to enter his troubled mind, yet he still felt like breaking someone something. He watched Reno and some other guy fuck with the peanuts at the other end of the bar, and merely smirked at the antics. At least they seemed to be having a good time.

For the time being, he reached into the peanuts close by and smashed the shell around it, eating what was within as he casually sought out a victim willing gentlemen that might buy a potential ass-kicker pal a brew.

[quickdrawbkiddo.livejournal.com]

[from Wicker Street]

Beatrix pushed the door to the bar open and took in the scene in a few sweeps of her eyes. She'd made the tactical decision to not stay at the diner, a small part of her feeling guilty for ditching Mion like she did, but she'd spent too much of the day pretending to care about things she didn't. It seemed as if she wasn't going to be getting a chance to kill Martin Landel since he wasn't showing himself, despite his words before they left to the contrary.

She was starting to think finding BB wasn't going to be something she accomplished in the immediate future.

Setting herself down at the bar, not really paying attention to the big man on the stool nearby, the Bride stared at the bottles lining the wall for a brief moment, looking over the choice of alcohol. Shame she didn't have anything to get something to drink with other than her deadly charm, which she didn't have the inspiration to access at the moment.

Besides, the bartender looked like he wouldn't go for doing favors for a pretty face. She tapped the surface of the bar with a hand to get the man's attention.

"Water, please," she requested.

[bigshotbarret.livejournal.com]

Barret shot a glance at the woman who'd approached his side, listening to her with a small grin. She looked just as out of place as he, though he wasn't completely sure he had it right. However, based on her drink order, he had a pretty good idea his hunch was correct.

Risking her wrath, as she looked like she could dish out a few fistfuls of it, he partially turned to face her, a peanut shell between his fingers to occupy his non-metal hand, "This town doesn't seem much better than that prison they keep us in, huh?"

[damned-town.livejournal.com]

Mathers was going to eye the larger crowd at the bar until a young woman and her companion asked for his attention. While water wasn't exactly the sort of order he was used to, he knew the patients couldn't pay for anything more than what was free. "And for your friend there?"

He set a glass of ice water down in front of Beatrix along with a bowl of peanuts and waited.

[Kaze]

[quickdrawbkiddo.livejournal.com]

The Bride glanced over at the man, taking in his big frame and the way he moved, summing him up in an instant.

"It's just another extension of it," she said without much care as the bartender walked toward them. "I'm sure they have their fair share of crazies here. It's just the other side of the same coin."

Beatrix nodded in thanks to the bartender and picked up the water, swirling it around for a moment. She set it back down and pulled her completely unused pack of coupons out, setting them on the counter. "If you can take these and give him a drink for them, fine by me," she said the the bartender.

"I have no use for them."

[numberii.livejournal.com]

((From here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/244549.html?thread=17720133#t18012741) ))

Was he good, or was he good? After just a few minutes of looking, Xigbar found his way right to Crossroader's, bursting through the door with a wide grin. Hah, he still had it! Who needed Tom-Tom when you had Xig-Xig? The fact that there was no obvious way of snatching some booze didn't matter at all to the Freeshooter; the simple fact that he had succeeded so well filled his non-existent heart with false triumph.

Didn't stop him from looking like a cross of a successful Even with a bantam rooster. "Here we are! Now that wasn't so bad, was it?"

[judgemagister.livejournal.com]

Noah wouldn't have lied about his skepticism concerning Xigbar's "Master of Space" title, even if he knew the true connotations behind the words. But somehow the harem group had followed II in the right direction, landing them exactly where they wanted to be.

And how agreeable the place was, to a magister that had been far from home and drink during the war. It smelled of warm liquour and roasted nuts, neither of which Noah would object to. "Perhaps you can further aid us by providing the means for four penniless patrons to somehow acquire money? I doubt any of us even carry one paltry gil."

Without waiting for an answer, he passed by the grinning Freeshooter to move to the bar stools, noting the faces he passed. Quite crowded, but of who? Regulars, or patients? Not to mention that children seemed to have littered the place, one small girl sweeping in the corner, while another two sat at the bar.

Well, this wasn't the first time he'd been in a bar, nary a gil to his name. The judge settled on occupying himself with deshelling peanuts, the allergies of his roommate long-forgotten while he looked to the barkeep already in conversation with two others.

[clockmongler.livejournal.com]

At first, the Nobody's eyes were almost aglow with insane childish delight once taking in the sight. A bar, after all this time! And it had games! "I should be of help with that," he offered to his roommate in false-cheer. After all, he could quite easily win a few bets to pay off whatever price be needed without so much of a worry.

But whatever memories of joy the blond could use were always shot dead faster than they could be dredged up, weren't they? Of course, after noticing those damned shells littering the tables and floors he could feel his skin begin to crawl and all senses telling him to get the hell out of there.

Damn it!

The end result was the younger Nobody backpedaling past both II and Celes to escape outside in favor of its allergen-free environment. Why? Why?! Of all the times to- why did Fortuna always do this to him!

[lady-general.livejournal.com]

So, there was a bar, and the so-called "Master of Space" had found it. Celes paused in the entryway. Noah had made himself comfortable, already shelling nuts. She was just about to make him hold her pocket sit next to him, when all the sudden Luxord began to flail furiously backwards.

The general gave the Gambler a highly confused look. Just what in the world was he doing? "Is there something the matter?"

[numberii.livejournal.com]

Xigbar rolled his eye at the judge-magister, unable to believe what he had just heard. Seriously, did they expect him to do everything? Well, probably, but if he was the only one working to get the booze, he was going to be enjoying it all by himself. ...well, no, he'd be sharing with Celes. A little something to loosen her up? Very much in Xigbar's plans for the future. So he grinned and whispered, very very quietly, into Gabranth's ear. "Who needs money, huh? I might be able to whip something up."

But then... then there was Luxord. Ah right, he was allergic to peanuts. Well wasn't that a b-? Mm. For a moment, Xigbar considered all the times that Luxord really didn't deserve a drink. But in the end, he couldn't feel angry or anything. And he had to fulfill the law- bros did come before hos, at least when said bro was a bucket of laughs when he got something cheery down. So he hopped over to Celes, whispering into her ear in an attempt to salvage some of Luxord's dignity. "Y'see, this just isn't his kind o' place. Think we could come up with some way to get the booze and then head out for a bit?"

[i-promised.livejournal.com]

[coming from here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/245151.html?thread=17919647#t18032031)]

Zoro entered the bar casually, almost as if he hadn't just taken stock of all its patrons with a glance. The ones who could've posed a threat were easy enough to identify. The others would merit careful observation.

He held the door open for Max on instinct and he stepped aside to let her through. His glance was at the bar. Booze!

[i-promised.livejournal.com]

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up to you."

The Pirate nodded and went on ahead. It wasn't his business. He let the door close behind him and took a seat at the bar. Maybe if he got lucky the bartender would decide that real men shared alcohol at low or, possibly, null prices.

He glanced at the guy who was talking to a bunch of... kids? Feh. Whatever. He looked to be the only one running the place but Zoro couldn't be sure. Anyway, the man looked busy and so Zoro decided to wait, managing to look as casual and inconspicuous as he always did despite his hair and clothes.

Dark eyes roved over the bottles and glasses in front of him.

So close and yet so far...

[damned-town.livejournal.com]

Old man Mathers appeared in front of Zoro's vision with a quirk of his eyebrow. He set a bowl of peanuts down in front of the man and crossed his arms. "Need anything or are you just here to stare at bottles?"

[Kaze]

[i-promised.livejournal.com]

"A drink would be nice," Zoro said nonchalantly, neither rude nor pleasant as the situation brought back memories of his original "profession". His heavy gaze didn't even transfer to the curious bowl of peanuts in front of him but his hungry stomach clearly took note of it.

From experience, most bar owners rarely, if ever, gave anything for free but Zoro figured that it was still worth a shot.