Happy Hour

[henry_jones_jr]

Indy was pretty drunk when he left Lilly at the wedding reception in Tortall and returned to the bar. The relatively simple task of removing his tunic, boots and leggings turned into a long and arduous event—a battle royale in which victory very nearly went to the hose. However, doggedness eventually won through over malcoordination, and the

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[river_meimei]

River drifts over, peering intently at something on the back wall.

Possibly one of the many, many bottles of alcohol there. Possibly not.

[henry_jones_jr]

After a glance in her direction of gaze, Indy strolls down the bar.

"Hey, River. Can I get y'something?"

[river_meimei]

River glances at him a few seconds too late for normalcy, looking surprised and a little confused by the question. It's a moment before her face clears.

"Yes," she says, very seriously.

[henry_jones_jr]

He leans his head over and smiles.

"Drink? Food? Pleasant company and conversation? Or some combination thereof?"

[river_meimei]

"Hot chocolate," says River, still serious, and then gives Indy a sudden bright smile.

"Please."

River's idea of hot chocolate, for the record, tends to be about equal parts hot chocolate and marshmallows.

[henry_jones_jr]

Indy can't help but blink at the sudden change of expression. But a grin of his own isn't far behind.

"Okay. Gimme a sec."

He disappears into the kitchen and returns shortly with a decent-sized mug and a bowl of marshmallows.

"Marshmallows on the side," he explains, "'cause everyone likes different amounts."

[river_meimei]

Indy is smart.

"They're a suitable complement," River informs him, and sets about dropping the marshmallows in one by one.

[henry_jones_jr]

He sets about watching the process, mostly for future reference.

And time passes...

"You gonna need another bowl of 'em?" he asks amusedly after a while.

[river_meimei]

River glances at him.

Plop, goes another marshmallow. There aren't too many left in the bowl by now.

"No," she says patiently, as if explaining something that should be obvious. "I'm colocating the discrepancy. Well's running dry."

Plop.

[henry_jones_jr]

"Right," he says uncertainly. "Collocating."

After a scrape of his chin stubble, he decides to risk a follow-up question.

"Which well would this be?"

[river_meimei]

River gives him a very, very patient look. This is, she feels, patently obvious.

Plop.

Plop.

She shoves the empty bowl towards him with an air of self-satisfaction.

[henry_jones_jr]

"Ahhh. Simple as that."

With a more enlightened expression, Indy takes the bowl and hands it off to a passing wait rat. He's not entirely certain that he infered correctly, but he's actually okay with that.

"How are things on Serenity?"

[river_meimei]

River is still, for a moment, looking down at her chocolate-and-marshmallow sludge. Her face is hard to read.

And then, a small smile. "Everything's shiny."

[henry_jones_jr]

"Shiny's always good," he says with a happy nod. It is as far as Indy knows from time spent with Inara and Lilly anyway.

He's got no idea about River's recent trials and tribulations. For what it's worth though, now is what's always been important to him.

"You still got my other hat?" he asks idly, tipping the brim of his current one. "Not sure I've seen you since I got this one back."

"This is the original."

[river_meimei]

"They're twins."

[henry_jones_jr]

Indy lets out a fond chuckle.

"Heh. I guess they are, yeah. Yours is a replica that Bar gave Meg, entirely based on this one."

He takes his off and spins it between his palms. His tone is a bit dubious.

"Used to think this one brought me luck. Now... it's just more of an image thing, I guess."