How Green Becomes Wood

Laughing, Claire told him, "That's how I feel about it too! I want to like it so badly, but I don't at all! My sister keeps telling me it's an acquired taste, but I don't think I have it in me to acquire it."
 
"That's how I feel about coffee," Alec said, making a face. "The way my Ba makes it looks like some kind of magic alchemy, and it's amazing to watch! But I hate the taste. Xander says I'm not allowed, anyway, because it wires me up so much."
 
Alec tried to describe to her exactly how Dark made coffee the Arab way, flourishing his hand as he did so. "It's not just how he makes it, though, it's the way he makes it. He's got a flair!" he said as they stepped up to order. He ordered first and pulled out his wallet as Claire ordered.
 
"That's really cool," Claire replied, "Do you know, I used to be terrified of your dad? Of your whole house, actually." Seeing Alec take out his wallet, she also reached for hers. Inside, she hoped he would pay for her, but she was not the sort to assume, and definitely didn't want him to think she was the sort of girl who just guessed boys would pay for her.
 
"Oh, I fully get it. The house is pretty intense, and the people no less so," Alec chuckled. He waited until Claire had ordered and quickly said to the cashier, "Both on my bill, please." To Claire, he said with a quick smile, "The one who asks pays, right?"
 
"I just remember visiting Sloan when I was like... six? I think? And I'd look up at that big stone house, and when you're that small he blots out the sun, and I just thought he must be the evilest, scariest man in the world." She admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit it. "I think I thought he was a vampire? But that doesn't even make sense because I saw him outside in the daytime."

When Alec offered to pay for her, she smiled bashfully and thanked him, but still put a couple dollars into the tip jar. It was only fair, she thought.
 
"He kind of likes being viewed that way, as long as people aren't too scared of him," Alec grinned. He moved aside to where they could wait out of the way. He leaned in and lowered his voice, sharing a funny secret. "Actually, where I work, he helped out during the Valentine's Day rush, and these two kids were sure he was a vampire. He didn't just play along; he encouraged it! I think he said he was being hunted by vampire slayers or something. They come in now and then, and my boss tells them stories of his exploits."
 
"Awww, that's so cute!" Claire cooed, "That's really sweet, actually. Like, I've had him as a teacher, so I know he's not, like, tying damsels to train tracks like I presumed as a literal child, but I dunno. It's nice to know he's got an internal teddy bear."
 
"He is basically a teddy bear incarnate, but never let him know you know that. He loves being mysterious," Alec grinned. "My Ma loves it, and she also enjoys a good mysterious flair."
 
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