Reflections of Light

Drinks

"Mate, chill. Your glares will scare off half my customers. Relax, no one cares you're here. They're all probably too pickled to notice anyway." Dec said with a grin, as he plucked glasses out of a cupboard behind the bar.
"So, what's your poison?"

Sebastian shrugged.

Dec plucked a bottle out from under the bar, pouring the drinks anyway. "Wow, something's ruffled your feathers. Bet it weren't the guys out front either, aggravating as that lot are. Eh, hopefully they'll now get the message. One can only hope you've knocked some sense into them, eh? Cheers." He threw back his own drink,  making a satisfied noise as he put down the glass. "Needed that. So... Guess the rumours are true, then. Surprisingly often are, I tend to find. No smoke without fire, eh?"

Sebastian look both confused and annoyed. "What?"

"You know. That you're... Not dead." Dec grinned wickedly, going to refill his glass. "Well done, I'm impressed."

He took another draught, studying Sebastian with non-blinking eyes.
He seemed amused as he replaced his glass on the top.
"I've just worked it out. Alright, who are they and what are you in the dog house for?"

Sebastian's look said it all. 'As if I'd tell you.'

Dec smirked, his theory having been confirmed. "Man, talking to you is like trying to draw blood from a stone." He chuckled. "Eh, can't blame you, though. Everyone's got their secrets. Still, I'm extending the olive branch here.
There ain't much that happens around here I don't know about, and there ain't much I can't get ahold of."

Sebastian laughed then, surprisingly. "Are you saying if I need a 'favour' to come to you?"

Dec grinned, shrugging. "Eh, I like you. Never hurts to offer. They ain't managed to get anything on me yet."

It was very clear who 'they' was supposed to be.

"Let me guess though, you do me a favour, I do you a favour?"

"Hey, don't judge me, that's just how life works." Dec said, still in keeping with his jovial manner. "I'm trying to run a business here."

He took another drink, clearly taking a pause to think to change the subject. "So... This... Person, you been staying with them? Just cause if you've been kicked out or something, need a place to stay, I've gotten ahold of some that I just cannot shift for love nor money..."

"No, I wasn't staying with her." Sebastian responded, shaking his head.

"So you've got somewhere. Darn." Dec joked, snapping his fingers. "Ah, well. You change your mind, let me know. I'll most likely be here."