"And you look like someone dropped a dragon on your head," Alec said coming by with a new mug of ale for the half-elf. "What's happening?"

He's doing his barkeeper duties as he walked around to see who needed what and who needed to talk, or a refill or something to eat. It's a thing he's supposed to do. It's a thing he likes doing as it lets him get new stories about stuff happening to other people. Also let him find new shiny objects to ... steal.