✘ calix meus inebrians

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

[At the Astral Bar, Sebastian has lined up a number of alcoholic drinks in glasses. He is currently straightening them out so they are in a proper line.]

[It is an absurd act of orderliness in the face of future drunkenness. His teddy bear sits on the bar beside the last glass.]

And I don't even know what you are... Oh, Aloysius, if only Charles were here, I would not get into such trouble as taking advantage of this bar shall lead me to do.

[nudging a glass into place]

Or at least he would share half the drinks with me so I would only get half as inebriated. I think that counts for something. But there are drinks to test and and tastes to discover! Science, poetry, and cartography must go on, even in the absence of dear friends.

[and so Sebastian drinks from his first glass]

Comments

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[in as smug and superior of a tone as he can muster:] My dear boy, I would not be related to anybody from your planet. Not ever.

[but he considers a drink. that idea doesn't sound half bad. (honestly, the Time Lords will all be alcoholics at this rate)] Oh, I may as well.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

[into his wine glass] Now you sound a bit like him.

What would you like? I don't know half the names and I'm afraid I don't know how to make a Brandy Alexander.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[mutters] Oh, what a bunch of nonsense.

Sadly, neither do I. [never mind he's never heard of one] What have you got here?

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

I don't know! That's why it's studying. I could look at the bottles over there if I wanted something more guaranteed, but this is far more entertaining.

[the resemblance still bothers him a bit]

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

I'd stay away from anything clear. I've not found an alcohol yet that has had little to no hint of colour to it. [picks a nice red one from somewhere in the middle. he's trying not to think about the fact that he resembles a human being. it's rather disturbing]

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

[watching him with open curiosity] Are you not very familiar with drinks?

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I was distracted. [takes a sip of the red one--ohhh, a nice red wine] I meant that I do not like any of those. But something like this? I have a bit of fondness for. [takes another sip]

But otherwise, no, I'm not very familiar with alcohol. We have nothing like these on Gallifrey.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

["She so much resembled Sebastian that, sitting beside her in the gathering dusk, I was confused by the double illusion of familiarity and strangeness." Sebastian tries not to be too confused by the, well, double illusion of familiarity and strangeness in Straxus's voice - the tones are just different, but too similar, yet the speech is far from Anthony's]

It sounds like somewhere in Ireland.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

Ireland? Oh, hardly. [sips again, arching an eyebrow at the strange human.]

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

Where is it?

[his manners catch up with his mouth]

I'm Sebastian Flyte. How do you do?

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[smiles slightly. he likes a human with manners. they're so rare.] My name is Straxus, young Sebastian, and I'm perfectly fine. Thank you for asking.

[a longer sip] Oh yes, you asked where Gallifrey is. It's a planet about 250 million light years away from Earth in the constellation of Kasterborous.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Straxus. [though now he is even more curious] So you are extraterrestrial in origin. [it occurs to him, in a vague way, that this would explain a lot about Anthony. The thought is put aside as easily as any other thought he bothers to have] I don't think I know that constellation.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

No doubt you were a little confused. I don't normally wear clothing such as this. [pulls on the lapel of his Argyll jumper.] And Kasterborous isn't visible from Earth. Not in the correct angle one should be able to view it from.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

Do you like it? I mean the clothing, not your planet. I should hope you like your planet. I'm very fond of mine, though the winters are too long.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

As of late? No, no I do not. It's become...far too cumbersome for my tastes. [whether he means just the clothing, well, that's another story]

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

[a pause] It doesn't look too awful. It suits you nicely. But I think you could do with something for the buttonhole.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[blinks] ...The what?

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

On the lapel. [pulling the red carnation from his own buttonhole and twirling it between his fingers] If I may?

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[looks at him uncertainly, but he figures it's only a flower--and one of Earth origin at that--so it shouldn't harm anything] Erm, all right. Go ahead.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

[Sebastian smiles at him, then leans over to put the flower through Straxus's buttonhole. He pulls back to look him over]

There! Not so bad. I might've picked a different colour with that, but I think it brightens everything up considerably.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

Does it? [considers it and nods slightly] Well, I should thank you then. Though to be quite honest, I'm not quite sure how.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

You don't? Oh dear. Still, you've time to learn. Would you mind terribly passing me the, ahh [he indicates it with a twiddle of his fingers] the greenish one. I don't really know what it is. Have you ever been to Earth? It's just you look so much like this friend of mine.

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

Neither do I. [hands Sebastian the glass he wants] But I have been to Earth on a few occasions.

[then it dawns on him what Sebastian might be implying and he makes a face] However, any passing resemblance to this friend of yours is purely coincidental.

[fruitbrandy.livejournal.com]

Hm? [he doesn't seem to realize why Straxus is making the face] It's a very peculiar coincidence. I'm sorry if I'm bothering you. It's just he's a dear friend of mine, of sorts, and the similarities are difficult to ignore. But he is a bit---more loud than you are. I'm sure I'll brush it off if you give me a moment longer and perhaps a glass more. [thus, to stop himself from bothering poor Straxus, he drinks the weird green stuff]

[damn-time-ring.livejournal.com]

[shrugs. honestly, he's not bothered.] The universe is known to sometimes mimic a form it has taken a liking to. Take yours, for instance. The bipedal hominid form is common throughout the universe. [and the Time Lords were some of the first to settle on that form.] The chances of it repeating on a favoured visage or appearance wouldn't be completely unheard of. The same can be said for those in other universes. For example, I've met the same man three times--but one is slightly different when compared to the other two.