(Untitled)

[youalleverybody]

Liam comes in smiling. Then he sees a certain sign, as he approaches the Bar, and the smile fades.

It vanishes entirely by the time he's finished reading the letter that shows up with his drink, and he slumps visibly on his stool. After a few minutes, he raises his glass to the empty air behind the Bar, glumly.

Here's to you, Eddie and Susannah

Comments

[notsoyoung]

There is, conveniently, a David in the bar. Drawn to Liam because it's been a long while.

And then, there's Liam's long, glum face.

"Good Lord, that's not a good face," he says, sitting beside Liam and patting his shoulder, manishly and we don't care if that's not a word. It should be. "What's happened?"

[youalleverybody]

Possibly there should be an extra 'n', the mun thinks. Liam glances up at him, then holds up the letter.

"Did you ever meet Eddie Dean? He tended bar here."

[notsoyoung]

Manlily? Erk, this mun doesn't know.

He nods.

"Perhaps once? I never had much need for bartenders, really."

He raises an eyebrow.

"This is nothing good, obviously." Fucking Milliways.

[youalleverybody]

"No, he, uh... he died. Well, he was dead already, but... died for real."

[notsoyoung]

"Oh."

He frowns.

And then, with one arm, hugs Liam. Manishly. Or manlily. Wtf-ever the word is.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Truly."

[youalleverybody]

"I didn't really know him that well. Hadn't seen him for a while, except the odd Happy Hour. But... he understood a few things, you know? He was a friend."

[notsoyoung]

"I do understand."

He sighs.

"We feel the passing of people even if they're not our best friends. I'm sorry that you've lost a friend."

[youalleverybody]

"...yeah." He looks again at the letter in his hand. "At least... it says he went down like a hero. And laughing."

[notsoyoung]

"Laughing?" He raises an eyebrow. "Well, that's a good way to go, I suppose. If there is indeed such a thing."

[youalleverybody]

"I don't know the details, but I do know... he lost a skill that was important to him, once, and I think it made him feel useless. I'm glad he got to achieve something more before the end, like it sounds like he did."