Open: And they're gonna bend their branches down to lay their fruit upon the ground

[vineleaves]

Dionysus is in a kitchen, apron tied over a purple dress with vine details, singing to himself as he uses a melon baller to scoop out a watermelon. The large bowl next to him is already full of honeydew melon and cantaloupe, and he's got a few other ingredients nearby ready to add in once he's done with the watermelon. Mint leaves, some honey, some lemon juice, and some lime juice.

It has been quite an eventful time lately, but overall his life is pretty great right now.

Comments

[futaille]

"The true offering in this particular case, I think, is the symbolism. Two indulgences in one! I'm sure they'll enjoy the concept, at the very least."

[vineleaves]

"That's a very excellent point, darling. Besides, if they didn't want to potentially have a disgusting offering, they could've just temporarily hidden the cups from us," he says with a shrug.

[futaille]

"Or taken slips away, as they've certainly added some." He polishes off his coffee wine.

[vineleaves]

"Another excellent point! It's entirely possible that this is actually their drink of choice." It's not, it's really not, but Dionysus doesn't know that.

[futaille]

"It could very well be¹. We know they're odd, after all."

¹It's still not.

[vineleaves]

Dionysus drains the rest of his coffee wine and sets that glass down, so he can pick up the Dr Pepper wine instead. "I'm... cautiously optimistic that this might be better, but I suppose it could also be worse."

[futaille]

"It could be either, yes." He reaches for his own Dr Pepper wine. "Of course, it could also be exactly as good as the first, which would be an incredible achievement."

[vineleaves]

He laughs and clinks his glass to Grantaire's before taking a big sip and ... definitely still making a face, but it's not as bad as the first drink, in his opinion.

[futaille]

He has a drink from his own and contemplates. "There is a lot happening in that one. It's better, though."

[vineleaves]

"There is a lot happening," he laughs and takes another sip. "Maybe because," and he points to the part of the Dr Pepper can that proudly advertises it as being an AUTHENTIC BLEND OF 23 FLAVORS, and laughs again.

[futaille]

"That's a lot of flavors for one drink."

[vineleaves]

"It is, especially since I suspect most of the flavors are fake anyway."

[futaille]

"In that case, it makes perfect sense to serve fictional flavors to fictional people."

[vineleaves]

"Oh, that's a good point. Artificial flavoring for artificial people," he laughs and drinks the rest of his glass in one go.

[futaille]

He grins and downs his own as well. "An offering for our gracious hosts!"

[vineleaves]

"D'you think the spirits are also fictional?" he says, making his way back to the cups to draw again, this time just for funsies. "Or do you think they're real? I mean, they're obviously real here, someone had to collect us, but -- ah, you know what I mean."

[futaille]

"They're at least as real as we are, let's go with that." He rests his chin on his hand, his elbow on the bar, to watch Dionysus draw.

[vineleaves]

This time he draws all three slips before reading any of them. "Okay... Ooh, another wine! Pinot grigio, ginger ale and -- oh. Barbeque sauce."

[futaille]

"Clearly the cup just wants to serve wine around--" He bursts into giggles as Dionysus reads the last ingredient.

[vineleaves]

"Clearly the cup just wants me to ruin wine, actually," he says as he starts gathering the supplies.

[futaille]

"Maybe the barbecue sauce will add complexity and richness."

[vineleaves]

"I mean, anything's possible."

[futaille]

"Especially here!"

[vineleaves]

"Which one?" he asks, holding up two bottles of barbeque sauce, one marked "Honey Sweet" and another marked "Smokin'"

[futaille]

"Hm. Honey sweet, I think."