Oracle

Part 21

 When Elison returned to the Rook it was almost three in the morning and the crowd was down to his normal drinking companions. Not ones which would really go out of their way to start a conversation like the earlier crowd. John sitting in a corner with a wad of paper he was reading through absentmindedly with a pair of thin wire glasses on.

"Welcome back Elison," Justice greeted cheerfully enough as Elison walked into the bar area. The black man looking a little ragged however with his tie off unusually. Unlike Leo, Justice tended to wear a full bartender outfit. It was in John's colours with a pale green shirt , dark green waistcoat and black trousers, complete with a black tie but today it was absent from the man's look.

"Evening Justice. Everyone behaving themselves?" Elison asked with a warm smile as he put a large bar of chocolate on the bar table and slid it towards Justice, not having forgotten his earlier promise to the boy. Justice's eyes lit up and he quickly grabbed the bar before any wandering hands could steal it from him.

"Mostly," Justice said with a wide smile on his face as he held the chocolate bar protectively. He quickly put it out of reach of the bar patrons who were starting to look at it hungrily. "Mine!" he grinned. "You guys can buy your own any day," he scolded the men who were giving him begging eyes.

Elison chuckled as he watched the interaction, moving over to John. John glanced up with half a smile at his employee's behaviour. His pastel green eyes shifted to Elison's and he looked at the chair opposite him in a clear request for him to join him. Elison sat down heavily, sinking into the soft chair. Justice appeared with his regular drink before heading back to the bar.

"What's with the glasses? I thought the fae didn't need them," Elison asked taking a sip of his drink, taking a moment to enjoy the taste after the busy day he just had. The fae didn't need glasses normally so it was strange to see one with them, especially one with as much power as John. Their natural magic healed their eyes naturally for them if their eyes were ever damaged by anything. "How was Jaspar tonight?" he added.

"Spell went wrong the other day. Nothing serious but," John shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "Happens from time to time," he commented with an edge of annoyance in his voice and folding his glasses away into his chest pocket. "Jaspar was a good little pup," John smiled softly.

Elison groaned at the term. "I'm going to have to warn Jaspar what that means soon," he sighed unhappily. "He woke up then?" Elison added in the same tone of unhappiness and concern. "Was he still teary or was he back to angry?" he asked more resignedly.

"More frustrated than anything else, but he spent an hour or two down here with Leo as he played poker with the old boys and he seemed mostly happily," John commented with an amused smile. "I think he may go back into angry again, he seems fairly stubborn."

"I'm glad denial didn't last long, I'm kind of interested in what bargaining will look like," Elison mused, leaning back and closing his eyes as he thought everything over. "I have warned him about hitting me, not that it will stop him but," Elison shrugged. "If I have to throw him over my knee, I will," he said almost darkly.

"Give the kid a little leeway. I'd want to punch you too," John teased.