After all of the greetings and well-wishes and knowing looks, Re-L's simple acceptance and silence were welcome. Keeping up appearances was exhausting, and properly dealing with the sympathy of others had never been one of Roy's stronger suits.

The walk cleared his head well enough, though, and by the time they were stepping into the Bitch's Brew, Roy was nodding and smiling at the round of greetings he received from the other regulars. He glanced over at Re-L at that point.

"Should we go for the bar, or a booth?"