Falice

Speakeasy

Hermione came to the speakeasy to check on the new interior she and Veronica settled with. She was more than proud of her daughter. Hiram came along out of spite. He was still petty that Veronica claimed it, along with the diner. Hermione was going in on her own. She was not waiting for Hiram who was straggling behind. Penelope caught up with him upstairs in the diner. They engaged in a rendezvous they had planned to have prior to his arrival.

Hermione took the steps downstairs to the basement. She scanned the room to see what was going on. She spotted Tom and Sierra sharing a drink at a table. She saw Fred carrying crates of liquor to the bar. FP was behind the counter stacking the bottles into their place. Alice had a big, wide smile on her face as she was talking to him. "Well then Jonesy I'd just have to see for myself."

"Is that so?" He leaned on the counter, closer to her. She had this smile that was to die for. It was tempting him a little too much to kiss those lips of hers. "I'm pretty sure we're all caught up." He teased.

"Caught up on what?" Fred walked by and placed a crate on the counter.

"The fact that Alice here is fearlessly willing to pet a snake like back in the good 'ol days." FP cracked open two of the beers. He placed one on the counter for Alice and kept one in his hand for himself.

"Is that some kind of Serpent thing?" Fred arched an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Alice shrugged her shoulders. "It's actually more fun when you wait for it to rise for you." She took a sip of beer and looked at FP for his reaction. FP, as expected, spat out the beer in his mouth.

"Are you good?" Fred asked concerned.

"Yeah yeah. Just drank a little too fast." FP was intrigued by Alice's comment.

"Well then chug slower. You're going to choke." Fred shook his head and went to grab the rest of the load from upstairs.

"Fred," Hermione smiled.

"Hermione, it's nice to see you stop by. What brings you 'round?"

"Well as mayor I wanted to check out the place. See if I could help and what not," Hermione explained.

"Well I-" Fred was distracted by her husband coming down the stairs into the speakeasy. Hiram was walking with his head held up high and his shoulders pushed back to declare his dominance. Fred glared at him and was quick to approach him. "What are you doing here?" Fred shoved him a few steps back. He was still irritated with him for what he cost his family. "Here to lurch on another Andrews to feed that big ego of yours?"

"Look Fred," Hiram shoved him away from his personal space. "I'm not here to pick a fight. I'm here to simply accompany my wife."

"Like I'd believe that."

"I wouldn't if I were you," Hiram hissed with his brown eyes eyeing him.

"Or else what?" Fred gritted through his teeth. Hiram grabbed a hold of Fred by the collar and shoved him into a wall.

FP looked up from his conversation from Alice. "Hey!" FP yelled at them. He walked out of the bar and rushed over to them to try to pry them off of each other. "Cut it out!" He got in between them and shoved them apart. "If you're going to fight take it outside." FP kept his arms out to keep them on opposite sides.

"Then we might as well," Hiram was about to pounce on Fred but Tom held him back. FP held Fred back.

"Knock it off, idiots!"

"Why would they listen to southside scum like you?" Marty Mantle walked into the room and saw the brawl that commenced in front of him.

"What did you say?" FP gave him the chance to change his answer. He let go of Fred and scrunched his face at Marty.

"You heard me. Serpents like you are the reason this town fails to be safe. It's already bad enough you, southsiders, integrated into Riverdale High. My son shouldn't be around low lifes like your son." Marty was not holding back on his small rant-like comment.

Penelope made her presence after him. Alice spotted her first. "Here to find another client?" Alice scoffed. "Just because your entry into my ex husband's pants expired doesn't mean you need to go around promoting your cat house."

"Bite me," Penelope hissed.

"You've got some nerve showing up here." Alice made her way towards the stairs. "Those inbred family genes-" She was starting to climb up to her. "-are really making their way to your head."

"Easy, Alice." FP held her back before she got herself into a catfight. She was trapped in his bear hug.

"Everyone needs to calm down." Tom directed at everyone in the room. Hiram moved out of his hold.

"Yeah," Sierra backed him up. "We're not in high school anymore."

"Oh really," Marty sarcastically said. He pointed at her and Tom. "Affair." He then pointed at Fred and Hermione. "Secret affair." That meant Hiram was next. "Crime boss." He pointed behind him at Penelope. "Runs a brothel." Lastly he pointed at FP and Alice. "And well these two southsiders," Marty scornfully looked at them. "His hands are still on her."

FP still had his arms wrapped around Alice. He didn't really think about letting go. His hands had lowered to her waist earlier yet no one had noticed. "And your point is?" The adults all took note of the fact he hadn't let her go. She wasn't planning to attack Penelope anymore.

"First off all how'd you know about that?" Fred questioned.

"So it's true?" Marty asked away.

"Does no one in this damn town marry the right person?" Penelope thought out loud. "This is why we Blossoms keep it pure Blossom blood." She muttered.

"Okay, are you done?" FP rolled his eyes at Marty. He didn't understand why he randomly showed up.

"Can we stop acting like stupid teenagers and grow up?" Hermione sighed. Tom put a hand on Sierra's back and walked her back to their table. Penelope rolled her eyes and left. Marty left too. Alice led FP to the bar where the two kept trying to discreetly show their affection for each other. Fred tagged along somehow. That left Hermione to look at Hiram. She gave him a look of disapproval.

"What?" Hiram furrowed his eyebrows.

"You suck," Hermione crossed her arms and walked away towards the bar whers her friends were.

"Now who's the teenager?"

There were four stools at the bar. FP occupied the first one in the row. The next was filled by Alice. She leaned back onto him and he kept a hand resting on her thigh. Hermione took a seat beside Fred. He was sulking but then chimed into the conversation the three of them were having. "What?" FP and Alice both questioned the looks on their faces.

"Nothing," Hermione and Fred looked at their position. Were they really not seeing what they were doing? Hermione and Fred both looked at each other. They were thinking the same thing about those two.

"Well then grab a drink." FP slid them some drinks from the crate. Alice drank more from her bottle. She then held her hand back to pour some in FP's mouth. "I think I might actually like working down here."

"Good," Alice said with a smirk. "That means free drinks for muah."

"And me," Fred cleared his throat. "Don't forget about me."

"Eh, why not?" FP chuckled.