PREFER STRONG. ONLY PREFERENCE, the puck scrawled out haphazardly onto the table’s top. His frost was faint; but a bare murmur now that Amari was gone. That scent of decay had wafted out the door along with her. No longer was Fenn flipping out with his middle finger; his energy had vanished. Only a faint squeezy cavity was left behind in his chest. SORRY FOR TODAY WEIRDNESS. PROMISE NOT STEALING ANYTHING THIS TIME, BEING GOOD NOW.

The alchemist gave off a small scoff and set a bottle down in front of the fae, causing him to go cross-eyed staring at it. “I would prefer it if ‘not stealing’ my wares would be the standard rule for every meeting between us.”

Shrug. Unable to hold back a loopy grin, Fenn reached for the bottle, not even bothering to check what it kind was. It was booze. And if it wasn’t, he was so done with the day that he couldn’t care. The bitter liquid was downed in a couple of trusting gulps. Wiping his mouth on his sleeve, he glanced sheepishly up to Nevin and handed the bottle back. His head was comfortably fogging up now. Thoughtlessly, the fae poked at the bandages around his thumb. It tingled comfortably. Nevin didn’t have to fix that. It was such a tiny thing; such a small pain to ease. The puck hoped he at least made good use of the blood sometime. He aware, blearily, of a hand on his shoulder — and then a sheet draped around him. Maybe a blanket. Maybe something like a tablecloth, something one could at least use like a blanket. Fenn glanced up.

“You need rest, young Glenwey,” Nevin spoke, frowning in his common detached concern.

Psssh. Fine. A strangled squeak of agreement was given in reply. Fenn laid his head down on the countertop and closed his eyes. Morning would come, and then he’d be off again. But this was an acceptable arrangement for the night. As he finally drifted off, he swore he heard an affectionate muttering (possibly including the phrase “tiny idiot”), and the clinking of glass as the alchemist went back to tidying his wares, awaiting whatever other mid-night customers would come his way.