Brooklyn - Flanaghan's
It takes more than an Irish name and a shamrock in the window to be regarded as a true Irish pub. Flanaghan's has that real Irish, purchased from a third generation Irishman by an Irishman. The head manager is Irish born and bred, and the pub touts imperial pint glasses, Guinness and Harp, live Irish music, a fireplace, and authentic Irish food, including fish and chips, Shepard's pie and Guinness Pasty.
Flanaghan's has a warm and relaxing atmosphere. The music, when it's not a live band, is just loud enough to fill the space, but not so loud that it impedes conversation. Styled in the Victorian style which harkens back to Dublin, it's filled with beveled mirrors, elaborate tiling and decorative brass.
The counter is carved from highly-polished hardwood and the walls paneled with rich, dark timbers. The dark wood is off-set with dark greens and deep, rich golds for seating and trim. There is stained glass in the windows and stained glass decor throughout.
Characters
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| Kieran Collins | Bryn Blackwell |
Kieran is killing two birds with one stone. He needs to pay a visit to Flanaghan's and he needs to talk to The Priory sorcerer about the soulmates thing and possibly about the chit chat that's been going on with Lilith. He was surprised to find out that the man would be available on Friday night, leaving Serafine to her own devices, but who's he to judge? He thinks Bryn Blackwell is half-mad anyway if he thinks he can rein in the vampiress, and it's only so long before she chomps at the bit.
He supposes the question could be asked of why he's alone tonight, and he doesn't have an answer. Frankly, he's been waiting all evening for a call from Brooke regarding the little sideline in the tabloid. The vampire doesn't expect jealousy, because Brooke knows how these things work, but he really did anticipate some sort of telephone call.
Kieran is right on time as he steps into the pub, and gives a few nods of greeting to some of the regular. There's a local band tonight, not the caliber of Steel Clover, but not bad either. He tilts his hat, and scans for the sorcerer.
-
Bryn has been here for a while. It's really one of the few decent places in the city to have a proper pint. It's where he usually drags Kevin when they're done work early enough, but tonight as promised, he's here alone.
He does happen to have plans with Serafine, but he also knows that the vampiress needs to feed and take care of other things, thus it is what he's left her to do.
He may not like that she has the necessity to feed sexually from others, but he understands it.
A brief nod is offered in Kieran's direction as he lifts the pint.
-
"Evening," Kieran greets with a lift of his brows and his usual smirk. He flips his hat off and onto the table as he slides into the booth across from the other man. "I hope you haven't been waiting long." The vampire means it sincerely. He was on time and not fashionably (annoyingly) late as he sometimes is.
Turning to make eye contact with the bartender, Maeve has taken the night off for once, and the burly man behind the bar is not as pretty as she is, but he's a damn good 'tender, Kieran indicates that he'll have what Bryn is having.
-
"No longer than I wanted to wait," Bryn points out. He did enjoy a pint with Callum before sending him to the Undercity to take care of something for him. He knows the werewolf will be fine on his own, even if he has no clue of the layout just yet. It's a good experience to wander and find his way. "Just long enough to enjoy a pint, and debate whether I should have another or switch to scotch. Though I am surprised that you are alone on a Friday evening. Especially after that article."
-
Kieran shrugs and laughs. "You should be familiar with the tabloids by now, I'm sure you've had clients who may have dealt with a few in your line of work."
He shifts in his seat, sliding his hat further down the table and leans back against the booth. "It was an information exchange and nothing more. However, every reporter in the city seems to assume that I'm shagging any and every attractive woman whom I'm spending time with." Kieran has to admit that it does help his cover with Brooke for Regina if it looks as though he's continuing his usual playboy ways. If he hasn't heard from Brooke by the time he's done here with Bryn, he may give her a call. "Brooke deals with it everyday, I'm sure she knows not to judge anything on first sight."
-
"A few, but it is more than idle curiosity on my part. I get the feeling from speaking with Serafine that Brooke is already agitated with me, and I would rather she not be further agitated if I knew you were seeing someone on the side and did not tell her." Fingers tap at the side of his mug, and he nods at Kieran. He does know, from Kevin, that Graves is a necromancer that was working with one of the dead girls.
"I do happen to know that Lilith Graves is not your type. Nor would you possibly be comfortable shagging her, knowing that she holds both your soul and your body in her hands and could snuff it out in a matter of seconds."
-
"Then allow me to ease your troubled mind. I am not shagging Lilith Graves. Nor am I interested in shagging the woman. She's easy on the eyes, from a distance, but as you so succinctly pointed out, there's a reason my sort avoid her sort."
Kieran pauses while a pint is set in front of him and continues when the server wanders away. She's a new girl, one who keeps looking back at the table, and from the looks she's shooting at them she's either imagining the pair of men together, or imagining the pair of men together with her. If she didn't work for him, he might have a spot of fun with that.
"I think she likes us."
-
"Who?"
Yes, Bryn is more often than not oblivious to the looks women are sending his way. He's happy with Serafine. He has no need to look elsewhere. Nor does he focus his attention on women that seem to want to catch his eye.
"I know that your kind needs to take certain things with more than one partner, just please do not hurt Brooke. She has had more than enough pain for one lifetime." Fingers tap against the side of the glass again, and he sighs. "Have you explained that part of things to her?"
-
Kieran stares at the man for a moment, and then shakes his head with a roll of his eyes. "You really trying to tell me that you didn't notice?"
Taking a drink from his pint, Kieran gives another dramatic eye roll. "I haven't explained a lot of anything to her. We're still getting past the whole age thing and dietary habits thing. Oh, and the exploding pain from induced anuerysms."
Beat.
"Let's just say we're still trying to find our footing." Kieran bites the inside of his jaw and gazes across the table at the sorcerer a moment. "You know, mate, I'm not grilling you about Serafine. Just saying."
-
"Did not notice what?" Bryn raises his brow, then glances around trying to figure out who Kieran is talking about.
"Aneurysms? That is fairly dark for Brooke. Sorcerer blood magic generally, not something one can just do on a whim." Which makes the sorcerer curious as to whether or not she was able to pull it off due to her mixed blood.
"No, you are not grilling me about Serafine, but that is because you know if anyone is going to wind up truly hurt in my relationship with her, it would be me." A grin is given to the vampire before he laughs. "You did give me the talk last time we spoke if you recall. I figured I would give you warning that Brooke's life was not always easy and she is very easily hurt. Which is more than likely why she did what she did upon remembering."
-
"The server," Kieran replies as though it's the most obvious thing in the world. "She likes you. Or she likes me." The vampire pauses with a sly, leering grin and waggles his brows, "Or she has some interesting fantasies about a threesome."
Raking his hand lightly through his hair, Kieran frowns. "Fairly painful, too." It's not something that he wants to go through again any time soon, and he's been more than tempted to go seeking a protective charm or amulet of some sort. Except he's not got a clue of what sorts of magic he should be protecting himself from.
"So long as you're aware of it." The vampire lifts his glass in a salute. "For what it's worth, she is more taken with you than she has been with anyone for quite some time." A sip is taken from the pint, and Kieran swallows slowly. "I have a responsibility to Sera. You were the one that came touting the talk of mystical soulmates or whatever, and it's important that I see to her protection if I'm no longer able to provide it."
Beat.
The vampire's gaze drifts over Bryn's shoulder and he sighs heavily. "I imagine that Brooke isn't going to take well to the other facets of what I am?"
-
"The server? She cannot be more than what? Twenty?" Bryn glances at the girl then shrugs. "Possibly twenty-one." Raking his hand through his hair, he glances back at the vampire, and does his best not to turn red. "Well I do suppose she is welcome to enjoy whatever fantasies that she wants to, but she is too young for me, and you really are not my type." It is offered completely deadpan, despite his embarrassment.
"I am aware of it, and I did make my promise to you. I will protect her with my life."
A frown appears on his face, and he watches the vampire for a moment. "Chances are that… she will not. Though I do not know if I am the best judge of her current character. We did not speak for twelve years. I do know from experience that it is difficult to come to terms with."
-
"Too young for you? What does that make her for me?" Kieran jokes, because quite frankly, other than fellow vampires, it's not like Kieran is going to find a woman, or man, that's anywhere near his age. He waggles his brows again, "How do you know if you've never tried it?"
"Have you?" Sobering, Kieran takes another long pull on the pint. "Come to terms with it?"
-
"I prefer women my own age," Bryn comments. Which is true. Though he does add, "Or older." Grinning at his companion, he shakes his head. "It makes you a horrible cradle robber." He opens his mouth to say something, then closes it quickly.
Clearing his throat, he shakes his head. "Not entirely. For now, she is trying to keep her promise to me to feed only from women. I know that will not fulfill her completely though, I just really do not like sharing what is mine."
-
Kieran can't help but grin and laugh softly. "I did draw the line at barely-legal, just so you know. If they can't buy their own beer then it's a bit too young." Everyone has to have standards, and it's a lot easier to suffer through conversation with a twenty-two year old than an eighteen year old. Not a whole lot, but somewhat.
"Yes, I've noticed that." The last few times they've fed together, Serafine has admired the pretty boys and men, but she's left them to Kieran's amusement and feeding, focusing instead on the women. He's been partly amused and partly intrigued by her willingness to sucumb to the sorcerer's desires, though he wonders if that isn't just a facet of her submissive side.
"Yours?" Kieran chuckles softly. "Now you sound like one of us."
-
"Try to be discreet with Brooke around? Please?" Bryn is really just concerned for someone that he knows he hurt a long time ago. "I think if she sees you with someone nearly ten years her junior, she will be upset."
The hand in his hair drops to his neck and he shrugs. "I know she will need to feed from a male eventually, but even the fact that she is willing to try in order to ease me into things means a great deal. It would be comparable to a human woman saying that she loves me." That does make him smile, thinking of Serafine's feelings.
"She is mine. In every way that matters. Just as I am hers."
-
"I am the epitome of discretion," Kieran remarks, raising his pint. He takes a swallow and then noisily exhales a breath of exasperation. "Except when I'm doing nothing wrong in the middle of my own club, and it's a slow day for the gossip columns." Maybe it's time to make a few rounds with Serafine again; at least they will laugh at those stories.
"I'll tell her," Kieran says quietly. "Eventually." Frankly, he's never had to explain himself, nor has he ever wanted to do so. It's always been acceptance or not, and no sweat off his brow. There's an uncomfortable tightness inside when he thinks of not having Brooke around or her being disappointed and he doesn't know what to make of it.
The sorcerer's smile and his change in demeanor are noted, as is the conviction in his words and the subtle change in his scent. The sorcerer isn't a wolf, but that marked change in scent is as close as a human can get to animal phremones. "Interesting."
-
"Good. Then I will close the discussion on Brooke Bishop and allow you to handle her on your own." Bryn has said his piece. He's put it out there that Kieran may need to be careful with how he handles her, and cleared some of the remaining guilt that he was carrying around.
"Let me know when you are planning to tell her so that I can have Serafine on standby. She does appear to be good at talking Brooke down, and may be able to help her understand things if she is upset."
Raising the pint, he finishes what remains and raises his brow. "Interesting? It is the truth."
-
"I'll do that," Kieran says. It's not sarcastic. He really doesn't want to be on the receiving end of one of those anuerysms again.
"It's interesting that you're so very willing to lay claim on her that way." Kieran observes. "To me, of all people." Serafine's Maker, which could be a stick situation in other circumstances. Kieran isn't fond of sharing either, and whatever may happen or be happening with he and Brooke, the vampiress was his first. Still is his on some level.
However, while he's not one hundred percent certain that the soulmate principle applies to he and Brooke, he's not willing to do anything to jeopardize Serafine's happiness and security, either. On the off chance that it may be true.
"Tell me more about the soulmate … idea. Did you learn anything else?"
-
Laughing, Bryn watches the vampire for a moment. "It has to be to you. I know the bond the two of you share, and quite frankly if I am to share her with anyone it would be you." Because Kieran is her Maker, and that bond is more than just parent and child. The sorcerer knows this, and he knows that the bond they have isn't one that either can break just because they have each found someone else. "I might not like it, but that is the one thing I cannot and will not refuse her."
He allows for a pause there, simply so he can recall everything that he and Gideon discussed.
"Yes. I have contacted my source again, but only because Serafine pointed out that it would be beneficial to see what the benefits to the human partner of such a union might be."
-
"Of course she would," Kieran says with quiet understanding. That is just like Serafine, and it only half has to do with her curiosity. The rest would be concern for the human involved, in this case, Brooke. Unless she truly believes and is trying to paint the same for herself and Bryn.
The fact that that doesn't make him unsettled or upset is curious. The feelings of protectiveness and possession are still in fact there, and the thought of losing Serafine completely in any shape or form causes him to tense, but he doesn't completely balk at the sorcerer's presence in her life.
"And? What might those be?"
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"I did not think to ask before, simply because that was not an answer to the question you were curious about." Bryn does exactly what his clients want him to. If they want a question answered, he'll answer it. It doesn't mean they get full information or disclosure, but they get their question answered.
"The human benefits only come with a true, permanent blood bond. The human becomes healthier, they heal more swiftly, and they tend to have a greater longevity."
Beat.
"In Brooke's case, her abilities and innate gifts would be strengthened. She will not tire so easily from casting spells. The spells she casts would become stronger and more potent."
-
"The letter of the request and not the spirit of the request?" Kieran inquires. He's done the same with information, though it's surprising to hear that Bryn does the same.
"How does a blood bond become permanent and is it breakable?"
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"At times it is necessary to do things that way. You wanted to know what could cause a glamour not to work. You did not ask the full details of the soulmate principle, as you did not know it existed." Bryn glances over to the server, smiles, and holds up his empty glass. He may not be interested in looking at the barely-legal girl, but he does know how to politely ask for a refill. "Serafine, however, wants as many details as she can get."
Setting his mug down as he waits, the sorcerer exhales a sigh. "So far as my contact was aware, the permanent bond is actually a metaphysical thing. A blood bond must exist, and the soulmate pair simply needs to decide that they wish to fully commit to one another. It can be done legally, or ritualistically. It must be a joint commitment that comes from the heart to forge a permanent bond."
Beat.
"Once that is set in stone, it is extremely difficult to break it. Death of one involved can break it. There may be other means, but they have been long forgotten."
