“​You look like hell, man.” Alaric shook his head as he leaned against the counter. It was a slow night, not that that was a terribly bad thing, gave him time to catch up on things, talk to a few regulars. “Drinks are on me tonight. Seems like I haven’t seen you in here in ages.”

“ Not definitively but I may sign up for that thing that Audrey is doing as I like to support her endeavors even if they are not my personal cup of tea. But I may have arrived back too late. I’ll have to ask her. ”

“Hm. New blood, aren’t we?” A werewolf, obviously. But not one that Alaric had come across before. And he liked to think he knew most people--owning a bar meant you had a lot of--well, he wouldn’t say ‘friends’ so much as ‘acquaintances’. “Have a drink. On the house. You’re gonna need it.” He grabbed a glass, waiting to see what the other man would order. “Name’s Alaric, if you care to know it. If you don’t, well, that’s fair too.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Alaric held up a hand, stopping Christian before he walked into the bar. “Can’t let you in there, senior citizens night is on Thursday.” A moment passes, then another before Alaric laughs, clapping the other on the shoulder. “The hell, man? Too good to visit me? Don’t worry, I’ll forgive you. That memory of yours has to be going at this point, right?”

“Simon.” Alaric folded his arms across his chest, smiling down at the other werewolf. “Why am I always the last to hear the gossip in the pack?” He sighed heavily, clicking his tongue. “Who is Elena and why haven’t I met her yet? Is she nice?”

“Look what the cat dragged in. Should’ve known trouble would come waltzing back through my door.” How long had it been since he’d last seen Celine? He remembered the ‘where’ well enough, London. But the ‘when’? That’s where he always got a little blurry. “Here for a drink or to reminisce?”