OPEN BAR POST

[the_cupbearer]

The bar is open!

Anyone is welcome at 4713, and the bartenders are happy to carry on a conversation for anyone that needs company to drink with. Tiqua--the lead bartender when Ganymede's not there, and the shift manager when he is--says she makes the best Black Velvet ever...blackberry imperial stout and champagne, that is. Ganymede is more than likely there too, just look for the smiling man with long hair braided back, but there's plenty of booths and tables as well, just be careful of you you sit with. They might not always be strangers.


[ this is an open post! feel free to drop off notes or things, or just hop in to talk to Ganymede if you want ]

Comments

[abrightboy]

"There is always a need, yes. But this one is strictly internal. Private. His own. It's precious because he doesn't want to share it with anyone. He doesn't want to explain it. He doesn't want to be understood. He just wants... whatever gratification it is that the act itself gives him," Malcolm explains.

[the_cupbearer]

"Huh," Ganymede says. "But...clearly you understand him. Well enough, anyway. You know the guy?" he asks, picking up a glass and pouring himself some of the same whiskey Malcolm has.

[abrightboy]

"I don't know him, but I hope to meet him soon," Malcolm says archly. "Understanding them is what I do."

[the_cupbearer]

"Sounds like the worst form of dating. Finding out the worst of someone before you ever meet them," Ganymede chuckles, drinking his whiskey and leaning against the bar. "So you're a profiler, then?" he asks, at least passing familiar with the term, if not the finer points of the occupation.

Reading people is what he does as well, after all. Though he's not quite as specialized at it as Malcolm, he imagines. Still, his long life has given him enough practice that he's better than average.

[abrightboy]

"Yeah. I used to work for the FBI, but that didn't really... work out so much. So now I work for the NYPD," Malcolm tells him.

[the_cupbearer]

"Too much bureau, not enough investigation?" Ganymede guesses with a hint of a smile. He might understand more than he lets on easily.

"Well, I'm honored to have one of New York's finest in the bar. I don't often get cops here, honestly--much less profilers. It sounds like an interesting job."

[abrightboy]

"More like... creative differences," Malcolm tells him. "I wanted to put serial killers in prison and they wanted to give a free pass to scumbag sheriffs that shot suspects in the back when they were laying down their weapons," he says with a shrug, taking a sip of his drink.

[the_cupbearer]

"...No, that didn't sound pointed at all," Ganymede says lightly, looking askance at his conversation partner from across the bar. "Nothing specific in the creative differences, hm?"

[abrightboy]

"Unless taking exception to cops murdering suspects is a sign of latent psychopathy and potential narcissism," Malcolm says with a shrug.

[the_cupbearer]

"Was it the shooting in the back that makes you call it murder, or the laying a handy weapon down?" Ganymede asks, head tilted at Malcolm. He rather thinks it might be less cruel to have died than been in a mental hospital or prison...but he neglects to voice that. People learning he's been in both without the benefit of knowing the rest of the story tends to go poorly.

"How was it you took exception? Something tells me it wasn't just in writing."

[abrightboy]

"I might have punched him in his smug, cold-blooded face," Malcolm says, taking a sip of his drink.

[the_cupbearer]

At that he laughs, bright and amused and not at all judgemental. Ganymede approves of not mincing words--or actions. He might have punched a few people of his own, though not specifically for shooting anyone in the back.

Then again, he's also done far, far worse. "Good on you," Ganymede chuckles. "I have to assume that's when the FBI relationship ended. But then, that brought you here, so I can't be entirely negative."

[abrightboy]

Malcolm blinks for a moment. Was that… flirting? Couldn’t have been; not with him. He recovers himself and half laughs. “Apparently there’s an unwritten rule about not punching sheriffs. Who knew?”

[the_cupbearer]

Oh, it was flirting. Not exceedingly subtle flirting, either.

"I'd be willing to bet it's written down somewhere, but it might not be very well advertised," Ganymede chuckles. "Still, it must have been solid if he was willing to complain over it. You'd think that would fall under the purview of playing stupid games, winning stupid prizes." But, evidently not.

[abrightboy]

"They did say it's actually also a written rule," Malcolm concedes. "He wanted people to think he was a hero for what he did and he can't be a hero if he gets charged for shooting an unarmed prisoner."

[the_cupbearer]

"Not a fan of hero-worship, that's always a good sign," Ganymede chuckles. "So what do you like about your job? You know, what keeps you doing it?"

He likes talking to people, and he knows his alcohol. It seemed like a good mix.

[abrightboy]

"I like keeping people safe," Malcolm tells him. "Arresting killers - especially the ones that crave it, that need it - makes everyone safer."

[the_cupbearer]

"Keeping people safe--especially vulnerable people--is one of the highest aims there is in morality. It looks good in a man," he says, though to be fair this time it has less of an edge of flirtation, and more unfettered truth.

Which sounds slightly out of place from someone who might be twenty-five, tops.

"So...how do you profile a person? I might be curious."

[abrightboy]

"It's sort of a... Well, in person, like interrogating a suspect, I make observations about them. The way they speak, their choice of words... physical attributes, sometimes. Like their haircut or a tattoo. Their bearing. Um, and then I ask them questions or make provocative statements or guesses about their mindset or things they've done and watch how they respond. Not just what they say, but how they say it, their facial expression, the way their body language changes... and then narrow in on the truth. But when we're looking for a suspect, then I examine the crime scene, the way they committed the murder, the state of the location where they committed it - like, is the room trashed or is everything neatly arranged? - and deduce things about their state of mind and their experiences that give us clues where to look," Malcolm explains.

[the_cupbearer]

Ganymede lifts a brow at that and smiles, amused.

"Could you profile me like that?" he asks, shifting his weight to lean against the bar as he watches Malcolm. He's the very picture of at-ease-at-work like this, sleeves rolled up though it does expose the odd scars slanting up one forearm, plainly both very old and very deep from their appearance. "But you probably have people asking you that all the time."