flicking fire like saltwater into my eyes

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah thinks maybe he should feel something other than fatigue about his Kate brother. He’d come to the Grounds as soon as he’d heard, not expecting to find anything but just to say that he had. He and Gideon hasn’t been close in years, had only seen each other once in that time, but it was still a loss. Even if it was neutered by the fact that this was his late brothers fault entirely, that it could have been avoided easily.

Guilt should start seeping in soon, now that he’s here. It’d make a nice change if place from the complicated n’est his brother usually inhabited in the back of his mind.

Regardless of what he is or isn’t feeling, what he should or shouldn’t be feeling, Jonah heads to the only place in the Grounds to get drunk. Maybe he can kick off the mourning. While this isn’t his first visit to the one shrouded region, it is his first to the strangely named bar, and he dawdles for a moment in the doorway, taking everything in. It’s quiet, too early in the day for most people, and shrouded with an air of malaise. He makes his way to the car spelt and orders something dark and strong, something that suits his mood, and the mood he should be in. It seems appropriate.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

It is early – too early by some accounts to be drinking – but Sunjata doesn’t pay attention much to timing. So long as the twins are cared for (and my, how he’s been paying to have them watched constantly as he works to suffer through the time of having Nate back; call him a terrible father or what not.) he considers it to be a little… Experience, like a small vacation for the two. Luckily for him, they’re young enough they likely won’t remember.

Regardless, he finds himself here on the other side – it’s still his bar, is it not? He pours himself a glass and looks up from the counter to peer at the newcomer, raising a brow and searching for some amount of anything that screams Ascended. And when he doesn’t, and realizes he’s actually here to drink something and feel it, his accented voice leaves him as he moves the drink toward Jonah with a nod. “Reminiscing?” He asks, despite it not being his place. He lifts his own glass to his lips after, a smokey whiskey deep within.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

There’s no judgement for the early hour, something Jonah is surprisingly thankful for. Just a glass pressed into his hand, filled with amber liquid that he focuses on, turning it this way and that in the light coming in from the windows. The question has a brow lifting though, Jonah humming while he considers what he’s trying to do.

“I haven’t decided yet.” He admits, surprising himself with the truth of the words. There’s no real way to explain it though, so he sips at the drink and hums against the burn, unused to it. A rough cough huffs out of him as he shakes his head, trying to clear it before he looks back up at the bartender. “Should you be drinking on the job?” Jonah tries to make it sound like a joke, but there’s something in his voice that drags on it, makes it strange.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

He regards Jonah as the answer is given, sipping from his own glass. “I suppose you have time.” Sunjata murmurs, not knowing what exactly the other man is looking for nose deep in the glass. He doesn’t know if he’ll find it either, knowing that he intends to do the same exact thing, likely unable to find the answer within it himself.

With the question reflected toward him, he hums a soft laugh, takes another sip of the liquor and then sets it down to rumble in the drawer for a box of matches and a cigarette, lighting his own before offering the item toward Jonah. All the while he hasn’t responded, simply waiting and biding his time, letting the liquor burn easily through his system. “Technically no. But I own it, so.” A tattooed shoulder rises and falls in a shrug and he flashes Jonah a small smirk.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah blinks at the words, then sighs through his nose, shaking his head again. “Yeah.” He agrees readily, a note of melancholy in his voice. “I guess I do.” The drink in his glass is sipped at again, more carefully this time so he can avoid choking with the burn and making a fool of himself. Dark eyes look over Sunjata again, roaming until they meet steel and then flick away  quickly, Jonah swallowing dryly.

He considers the offered cigarette for a moment before reaching out to accept it, a murmured Thanks leaving him. He doesn’t reach for a match though, watching Sunjata light his with no small amount of interest. “Ah!” He hums, offering his own slight grin. “I suppose that does change things.” A proper laugh leaves him with the words, sobered when he takes another sip of his drink, the unlit cigarette still held delicately between his fingers.

“Not to be uh, presumptuous,” Jonah starts, presumptuously, “but what makes a man open a bar in a place where most of the residents can’t drink?”

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

Jonah doesn’t seem interested initially in the offered cigarette, but once the man takes one Sunjata slides the box of matches over and puts the pack of cigarettes away, drawing from his and exhaling in a small plume of smoke. The murmured thanks, heard due to the gilded earrings hanging in his ear, is given a nod and a soft huff of a laugh as the other man returns the slight smile.

It’s a knowing glance sent his way that answers that question before his guest becomes presumptuous, arising another huff of laughter from the Flood. “Mm, well, I helped burn down the other one. Then built this one before the rest of Caido was available to the Grounders.” And with the choice between the Greatwood and here? Here was as good a choice as any to move to. “Besides, it’s not all a loss. You’re here arent you?” His question curls along his lips, along the scarred edge, along with the smoke of his cigarette.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

The box of matches is a not so subtle hint that Jonah considers for all of a second before he ignores it, opting to twirl the thin paper tube between his fingers instead. He doesn’t seem to have an issue with the smoke though, all but leaning in to catch the faintly sweet trails wafting from Sunjata’s cigarette.

“I guess I never thought there was a point before the ascended.” Jonah admits easily, realizing he really hasn’t done that much thinking about the Grounds before, not when there was the rest of Caido to explore as well. “It’s only my second time here, so I’m just glad there was some place like this.” And with that, he finally downs the rest of his drink, his whole face pinching with the burn as he sets the now empty glass down.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

The man sitting opposite of him doesn’t reach for the matches which is a sight that intrigues Sunjata. A little side note thought of why accept the cigarette if one doesn’t intend to smoke it – though perhaps he’s saving it for later. Who’s Sunjata to judge? Instead, another plume of smoke leaves him – curling around and escaping into the air closer to Jonah as Sunjata hums in response to the other man’s admission, his head tilting slightly, just enough for the dangled set of earrings in his ear to move against his neck.

“And what brings you to a place like this, then? It isn’t exactly a good vacation spot. Torchline’s far more suited to that type of thing.” Is he trying to feel him out a little? Maybe. Who’s judging? Certainly not the Flood who upon Jonah’s downing of the glass, grabs the bottle to fill it another knuckle’s worth, and flashes the Accepted a wink.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

“My uh, brother died recently.” He offers haltingly, licking his lips as he does. There’s still no guilt to summon up, no sorrow, just a strange resignation. “We weren’t close but… I feel like I should still be here.” His glass is filled again, prompting a grateful smile from Jonah.

The second finger goes down faster, feeding the flush of colour in his cheeks. His tongue dips out to catch the last few drops of liquor from his lips, that smile still clinging there. “You this nice to everyone who comes in?”

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

“Ah.” Sunjata murmurs, prepared for the conversation to end there. After all, he’s a stranger. A stranger that’s supplying liquor, but a stranger nonetheless. But the man opposite seems to not mind sharing a bit more and it’s something that Sunjata can’t exactly relate to. It prompts a low hum from his throat in acknowledgement, nodding as he fills his own glass as well. “Sometimes it’s cathartic.” The Flood offers, a hint indifferent.

The cigarette burns down to nearly nothing, however, as the drinks are shared, as his gaze flickers along Jonah’s face a moment longer (spying that dip of the tongue) before glancing around to anyone else in the VlamVloed. It’s a ghost town in here, despite it still being early, and he finds himself moving the stool behind the counter to sit in so that he doesn’t quite tower the way he usually does. “Not everyone. Consider yourself special.” He flashes a small smirk, tugging on the scarred corner of his lips again. “Another?” He asks, wiggling the bottle in the air between them.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

“Sometimes.” Jonah agrees readily, though catharsis isn’t exactly what he’s feeling having come here. Especially not now that he’s in the VlamVloed. There’s no complaints though, not with the liquor brightening his veins.

He’s more than happy to move past his own should be tragedies, to slip into a companionable silence. Jonah takes the opportunity to look at Sunjata while the other man looks around the bar, finally letting his hand creep out to grab a match and finally lighting his own cigarette. He sneaks it between Sunjata’s fingers with a grin, returning his hands to his glass as another refill is offered out.

It’s pushed out towards the bottle, Jonah setting his elbow on the bar and holding his head up. “Wouldn’t be very special if I said no, would I?”

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

It’s likely for the best that Sunjata doesn’t figure out who Jonah’s related to – who exactly the man that’s brightening his bar is contemplating missing. And it’s probably for the best that he doesn’t advertise it, given the current events that have befell Stormbreak and shaken up his own life. So it’s companionable silence they enter and companionable silence that doesn’t feel stilted or awkward, allowing Sunjata some time to look around the bar and see if anyone else needs anything else. When he comes up empty, however, his gaze returns just as he feels the cigarette slip between his fingers, arching a brow toward Jonah with a huff of a laugh.

So, he isn’t much of a smoker then. That’s fine.

The hand with the cigarette that Jonah’s started, lifts to place it between his lips as he moves to pour another knuckle’s worth of liquor into the glass before he sets the bottle down. “Oh absolutely not.” Sunjata murmurs, a faux seriousness coming from him, regarding Jonah a moment longer as he drags off the cigarette and leans in toward the Accepted. “Then you’d be just like everyone else and that isn’t fun, now is it?” It comes out closer to a whisper toward the end, the smoke curling around his lips as they tug into a smirk.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA

and well, I can’t explain what happened to my faith

Jonah’s eyes grow a little wider as the faux stern tone plucks at something in him, sending a shiver down his spine. He leans in closer, as if to meet Sunjata, his fingers slipping up his cheek as he repositions. Maybe it’s just because Jonah had seen how tall the bartender towered when he walked it, but it felt right to look up at the other man.

Leaning in a little closer than he means, Jonah let’s himself get swept up in the heady smell of smoke and sweet incense. A flush starts to grow across his cheeks, light enough for the moment that he could blame it on the alcohol and have it be believable. “It’s not fun at all.” Without thinking about it, Jonah matches the soft whisper, the glass lifting to his lips again, shy honeyed eyes not leaving Sunjata’s face.

JONAH

// i may never sleep tonight as long as you're still burning bright
if i could trade mistakes for sheep, count me away before you sleep //

His steel gaze watches as Jonah seems to reposition himself, fingers pressing against his cheek instead of his chin, and it’s something Sunjata keeps in mind as he regards the Accepted’s answer. The smirk widens, a scarred brow arches, spying the closeness of the other man in this whispering position, something that has Sunjata filtering through options and opportunities of just who had walked into his bar today.

He blinks for a moment, keeping his eye contact with the Accepted as he watches him drink and Sunjata moves the cigarette back between his lips to take another drag, exhaling it slowly through his nose as he makes to withdraw just a fraction, moving to tap some of the ash off into an ashtray on the scarred table top of the bar. “You know what is fun, though?” He asks in that very same, husky whisper, chin tilting up as he appraises the stranger, awaiting an answer.

i'll stay awake 'til i trade my mistakes, or they fade away

SUNJATA