Author's note: There are several brands of this drink in the US that you could almost mistake for being beer if the only thing you saw was the bottle. I decided to count "pick-me-up" as three words instead of one as the site does.
Prompt 24, Root Beer
Brains opened the dark brown bottle with a practiced hand. He poured the brown liquid into the frosted tankard, watching with satisfaction as the foamy head swelled, threatening to flow over the glass's edge. He took a long pull, smacking his lips, then wiping the bubbly moustache away.
"Are you sure you should have that now?" Virgil asked skeptically. "You're working on my 'Bird."
"I n-need a pick-me-up," Brains stuttered. He handed the bottle over.
Virgil lifted it and tasted the dregs.
"Brains!" he cried, nearly spitting out the mouthful. "Why didn't you tell me? That's root beer!"