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Jeremiah had tried, he really did. Hellbine was not having it, the small white kitten firmly attached to his face. Not really but the kitten had made a nook for itself between his collar and his neck and that was his place (and the detective had to loosen his collar because of it).

Don't think about changing it, Jeremiah. Even if the scent of flowers was not leaving his nose anytime soon.

He was still taking time off of work, another few days, when it crossed his mind again. Taking some vodka to Aleksy as an apology. The young man had been through a lot with everything that had happened in other ashdown and had to deal with the police after he had gone missing.

Which meant giving him vodka as an apology. It was the best apology.

Jeremiah was pushing the door open to Darlene's, dressed warmer than he should be for the weather, and was heading straight for the bar. When you needed some expensive, possibly imported alcohol he was the man you went to.

"Borr," Jeremiah said, his lips actually twitching towards a slight smile. He had known the man for years and he was one of the few that actually got that as a response from him. "... and it's been extended for a little bit longer."

With his memory being the way it was now and having to adjust to the way his back simply was now ...

"I'm actually here to buy a couple things from you." His eyes flicked towards the two old men in the bar as he sat down, mostly because they were the two that Algie and himself always got into it with at some point over the course of the evening. Though it was always good natured - to a certain point.

Jeremiah immediately frowned and raised a hand to press against his forehead. He must have already been by for vodka for Aleksy then.

Hellbine butted his head, flowers tickling his neck, and Jeremiah's hand slid from his head to rest against the kitten's fur before he gave Borr a wry look. "Something like that." As long as he knew Borr, knew the man was aware of some of the other things going on in the town, he wanted to keep him safe. "... but I do need to replace my favorite bottle of scotch and get a couple others."

Which meant, yes, he had been sharing it.

Jeremiah just shot Borr a look for that smirk. He knew what that smirk meant. If he was going to say something, it was derailed at the mentioning of his friend and the detective reflexively scratched again at Hellbine's fur.

"I don't think he would care." A snort. "Mostly because he's not see dogs quite as big as yours yet." Not that he was quite in a rush to find out. "He was a surprise gift," only because he had forgotten, "from a very nice young woman. His name is Hellbine," Jeremiah said with a smirk.

Definitely one of the names of the parasitic vine-like plants and it was kind of obvious as to why he called the kitten that when he was all up in the detective's space. Hellbine was starting to move a bit, pressing along Jeremiah's jaw before he was moving to the other side and do the same thing. Stubble was the best to rub up against for scritches.

He glanced to the bottle of scotch and then rattled off a particular brand of whiskey. One that was Algie's favored brand. Don't say a word, Borr. "... the two of those should be fine, though I may want to get two bottles of the scotch. Oh actually, there was that bottle that you recommended to me a few months back? One of that as well."

"... he's got company at home," Jeremiah said slowly, "and there's worse things than him shredding everything." Like flowers. Everywhere. Hellbine did have Violetta and when he was being a little brat there was Algie's hands. They worked wonders.

"I'm not worried about it. I did train Mogget," he let out a huff of laughter, leaning to rest his chin on an upturned palm. Hellbine moved easily with him. His eyes narrowed, flicking to the box and then Borr. Jeremiah weighed his options carefully.

"Assuming that there's nothing that stops us, we'll be in to watch that game on Saturday." Which was his way of saying everything was fine. Just how fine was his business. Even if, after all these years, Borr could probably read his expressions well enough to make some assumptions.

Jeremiah's eye twitched.

"... and on that note, I want a shot." Just one because he was driving. It also meant he would be at Darlene's a bit longer to let it settle.

A shot and then he would talk about this.

On the house just meant that Borr was going to get a tip.

Jeremiah threw back the shot, not even trying to savor it. He wanted the burn of it. Hellbine did not even seemed phased by the motion, paws carefully caught on clothing to hold himself in place. There may have been a face scrunch at the smell of alcohol however.

"Thank you, Borr," he said as he set down the shot glass. "As for how I am doing. It's fine." Fine was variable. "I just ..." Trailing off a moment he sighed. "Nasir is the saving grace." As long as Nasir was also around he really was not worried.

"Never mind that my personal aversion to someone should not affect my son's," he had been saying that more often without realizing the slip, "life or where he wants to live."

"It could be worse," Jeremiah agreed, then made a face because he even said that. Borr had the benefit of having known him for years and the detective was a little less guarded with his expressions.

"... and what they are likely up to is not what I was up to." He snorted, fingers going to scratch at Hellbine's fur again. "Or I'd see them far more often." At the station. With them in a cell and him looking in.