Raise a Glass [OPEN]

[lordshield]

Who: The XV Cast and You!
When: June 6th
Where: Curti Center, Jiminy's Juicery (bar)
What: After saving innocents from the Dream Width, some people just need a drink.
Warnings/Notes: Alcohol consumption, possible violence, whatever people do in bars.

Their first foray into the search and rescue business in the Dream Width had been intense, to say the least. Stressful, heartbreaking, exhausting, and enlightening were other words some might use to describe the experience. After a night of rest and a day to somewhat sort things and people out, the next evening brings about a mighty need to head to the local tavern. Some drink to forget, some drink to remember, some drink to relax. There are even representatives of the Bard's Guild providing live music. You can try to make a request, but chances are they don't know your foreign songs.

Maybe you were invited by one of the excitable young men from Lucis, or maybe you came on your own. There's enough room in the bar for quite a few people, so long as they're of age. Sit right at the bar, or pull up chairs around a table, the choice is yours.

[OoC: Make your own toplevel or tag around. Please put content warnings as necessary. Have fun!]

Comments

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus absorbs that silently. Most of the time, the Lucians seem completely ignorant of the future of the Chosen, but sometimes, he wonders if they know more than they let on.]

The Six would not entrust their powers to one they deem unworthy.

[In their greed, they selected only the best to serve as their sacrifices. Lunafreya...and Noctis. He drains his glass as well.]

It is not easy, loving someone whom Fate has chosen as a pawn.

[suigojin]

"It's one of the top-shelf brands of tequila." He goes to take his turn as he talks. "Rumor has it it's made from cactuars but--ah damn."

He was aiming for the outer bullseye ring and just barely missed, landing the tip of the dart at the very edge of the 17 wedge.

"--no one's been able to prove it." Where's the alcohol, he needs to take his shot. Don't cheat while he takes his drink of momentary defeat.

[regisrex]

"To Lucis!"

It was such a small thing, really. Regis's voice wavered a little. Didn't quite break, but didn't quite manage to be upbeat and enthusiastic as he wanted to be. As he meant, because, truly, Lucis meant so much to him, always would.

But he knew...

He knew Lucis was gone. He knew he was gone. He was about 96% sure Clarus was gone. Cor was without them. His son carried the burden, and he had good friends, sure, but not a kingdom. Not a home.

The future was not bright, for those Regis loved and would love the most. And though he was taught to carry that weight on his shoulders - well. Seeing the evidence of it for himself (in Noctis's reactions) (in Cor still staring at him as though he was seeing a ghost) (in Ignis's wide eyes) was cracking him anyway.

He carefully sipped, not gulped, at his drink.

[spaceforged]

Oracle. He notes that as he takes a sip of the water and listens to Ignis. “So, it might be possible once we understand the magic here better to possibly create them?” Or make a tech version. He will bring it up to Hunk if he...remembers this in the morning.

He takes another sip and winces at the chill. Maybe he’d sober up enough to not need hauled home by his own teammate. “And yes, space can mess with your head. In a number of ways. I’d bring up some of the weirder things we’ve seen out there but, I’m too drunk to make them sound less horrifying than what I told Noctis about.”

[lordshield]

Those small tells were something Clarus was trained to see in people, but he'd never needed training when it came to Regis. He knew that man like the back of his hand, even if they were 30 years apart in their timelines. He remembered everything.

When half of his drink was gone he set the tumbler back on the table and looked the prince square in the face with a resigned sigh.

"What did the others tell you?" He asked, feeling way too sober for this despite being drunk. He knew how to function when drunk, though. To pass as sober in most cases. Somehow this situation was triggering that training.

[warpstriking]

Noct had only torn off a tiny piece, because he wanted to see how it was while it was still warm when—

"Huh?" Oh. Right. The bacon. "But it's warm..."

Yet he relents easily and nibbles on the bacon twist instead. Someone's a little weak to a certain older brother figure while drunk.

[regisrex]

Regis shook his head.

"They didn't. But Noctis was wearing the Ring of the Lucii, and Ignis asked, before he knew who I was, if I knew what had happened to Insomnia. I know what the result of the negotiations with Accordo mean. I know you. And Cor hasn't changed nearly enough for me to be unable to tell that he's staring at me as though he's seeing a ghost."

His shoulders rose and fell. Easy mask firmly in place. This was Clarus. This was Clarus who had given, if his guess was correct, all, to Lucis. For Regis.

He had no right to ask for more.

[lordshield]

{Well, surprise surprise. It seemed this planet let anyone in.]

And you look to be in worse. [The remark was a bit less flat, more amused as he gestured to the fake arm with his glass.]

I'm sorry for your loss. [This was said solemnly, all hint of joking gone from his face.] Princess Lunafreya was beloved by many.

[spaceforged]

Another sip. This is karma for talking about the giant bug in the moon. He hadn’t even given the details on that one. “The one talked about in Alice had wings.” That’s safe. He wracks his brain for the rest. “It’s about a girl that wonders about the world on the other side of the mirror. She steps through and has an adventure. It’s really...strange. I only remember parts of it.”

It felt like a drug trip and if he remembers right there is something to that. He leaves it alone. “Block puzzle? Can you tell me more about that?” He can’t say he’s joking. Not when he’s seen a lot of really weird shit in space.

[regalblaze]

"Both are warm. They are the best that way," Ignis says, taking a bite of his own food. Six, this feels like a blessing to his stomach that was trying to process all that mixed alcohol from earlier.

And Noct isn't the only one who has a soft spot for the other.

"I bought the cheese sticks in case the twist is not enough."

[lordshield]

The mask was visible and obvious, and it bothered Clarus, but this hardly seemed the place to break it down and get the prince to open up and pour out whatever was bothering him. Instead the shield nodded, confirming Regis' logic as he looked into the amber liquid in his glass. Tonight was intended to be a release, but somehow Clarus continued to feel more and more stressed. The whole affair with Prompto earlier hadn't helped in the least.

"Have you met my children?" He finally asked, his own mask in place as he looked up at the very young ghost of his friend.

[lordshield]

The elder shield could hardly help the snort that came out with that challenge from his son. "Cor the Immortal has never been able to out-drink me," he informed his son. "I doubt you will. I have been engaging in drinking games since long before you were even a thought. Rarely have I met my match."

But he planned to let Gladiolus think he might win at some point. Maybe.

He scanned the wall a moment before pointing to a short, wide bottle. "Bartender, ten shots of the gold label, please." He returned his gaze to his son and shrugged nonchalantly. "As a start."

[regalblaze]

Caem... that is even earlier than- Gladio knows nothing of what transpired in Altissia. Of what's going to transpire in the future. Those were... beautiful days in this endless nightmare that seemed to have enveloped them so tightly, not letting them to even breathe.

"My last memory of everything was- Altissia. The angered Goddess struck down Noctis. And Lady Lunafreya dying." Ignis is staring at some spot at the wall, not daring to meet Gladio's eyes. Not yet.

And drinking- it didn't block out a single image that flashed through Ignis' mind at the memory. Words got stuck in his throat for a moment before he willed himself to speak up again, eyes on the glass.

"The Prophecy that we heard so much about, back at the Citadel. Of the one True King coming to save us all and bring back the light. Remember?" He waits for Gladio to answer before continuing, "...I saw it. All of it. And... and the price for it."

[regisrex]

Regis truly did not mean to do that, but, truly, did Clarus try to keep him from information? It was his obligation to know, and he was never one to shirk on what he had to do. It had been an unfair expectation to begin with, one that Regis had not expected of Clarus, but, well. All things considered, not difficult to understand.

The next question, on the other hand, made actual genuine glimmer light up the green eyes, one that held more than a trace of amusement.

"Gladio and I were assigned to the same house, together with Cor."

This may or may not be the first time Clarus had heard Regis call his son by the abbreviated name. Blame it on how Gladiolus was introducing himself.

[lordshield]

Later. That would do for now, but...

"Just remember, there might not always be a 'later', Gladiolus." There hadn't been for Regis and Clarus.

For a few moments more Clarus stood and stoically watched the scene before him. Prompto was genuinely upset, had been genuinely upset. Torture and attempted self-mutilation had scarred him, obviously, but that didn't mean there hadn't been malicious plans in the works for the boy even if he weren't consciously involved.

Still, whatever he'd found out about his own origins beyond what Clarus saw, he'd have to find out later. For now, he turned and exited the room, then the house. The chocobos needed tending to anyhow.

[lordshield]

Yes, Clarus was trying to keep him in the dark. At this age he knew Regis would be dealing with the defeat at Accordo, more than likely, and he didn't need their future failures weighing on his mind as well. Let the young man have as much of a good time here as he could.

"Yes, of course," he recalled at the words, shaking his head at his groggy alcohol-clouded memory. Of course they'd met. Then Gladio had promptly switched houses with Clarus, so they didn't know one another well.

"And my daughter, Iris," he noted, scanning the room until he found her chatting with some folks closer to the bar itself. "They're both more than I could have ever hoped for." There was true pride and affection in his voice as he watched his daughter, a content look in his eyes.

[regalblaze]

[Ignis hums in silent acknowledgment of what Ravus says. His thoughts are a jumbled mess and the drinks he had are not helping with it. He's been doing something he really hates- jumping to conclusions- the entire night.

But- when he looks at Ravus and those words finally sink in... a pawn, unworthy, chosen... Ignis can't help but ask him-]

Were you aware of what the Prophecy entails?

[regisrex]

Yeah, no. He was already dealing with that, and with knowing his father needed him and he was stuck here. He was already dealing with the people he knew being halfway to strangers, and broken by the time in-between and their loyalty to him. Their faith in him. Being shut out meant that he couldn't even ask about the others. But.

He could deal with that.

He was an adult, after all.

He could definitely put on a shit-eating an innocent smile to tease his Clarus.

(Still his.)

"Iris. Do you think she'll grow up to as much of a flirt as her brother?"

But even with the tease, Regis bumped his elbow against Clarus's. "I can't wait to get to know them."

[regalblaze]

Ignis? Cheating? Blasphemy.

Ignis, while he knows a lot about cooking, the knowledge of hard liquor escapes him sometimes. He knows a few brands of tequila, but this is the first time he heard about. A. Cactuar tequila?

"That drink would sting a little," he adds with an amused smile and waits for the guy to take a shot before he picks up the dart and aims at the board. Surprisingly (not really) his ninja skills don't really support him, and he misses 12, hitting a 9 next to it.

[suigojin]

He doesn't expect Ignis to be a cheater, but he's only met him today, so.

"Most likely," he agrees, making a face after downing the shot. This stuff burns a little too, but that might just be because he's not a heavy drinker. "1000 Needles is more popular, and cheaper."

He'll wait for Ignis to take his shot before taking another turn at the board, hitting the outer ring for 40 this time.

[warpstriking]

For the moment, Noct's stomach is in agreement with Ignis'. He's not sure if it's the alcohol in his system or not saying this, but it tastes even better than it smelled from a distance. He hums happily, as his mouth is kinda full and something in the back of his head still says not to talk with his mouth full. No idea what, though. Can't place it. The twist is just that good and he has to remind himself not to eat too fast or he'll likely regret it.

He only finishes half of it for the moment before it dawned on him: "Should prolly get the rest to the others 'fore it gets cold..."

But it's so nice out. The struggle is real.

[regalblaze]

Ignis hums, finishing off his food a bit faster than Noct finishes his. Maybe he was just hungry more, Noct did have some snacks before Ignis joined him. He dusts off his hand and tosses the wrapper in the nearby trash (by some miracle, he doesn't miss it).

"Finish up and we will head back."

The guys should be happy they even remembered to buy something for them in their drunken state. Besides- cold cheese sticks are still goddamn good.

[immortalmarshal]

Cor nods in response to how the others reacted. That's good to know, that they knew and still treated him as a friend. "No, you can't... Takes after his dad like that."

He doesn't look horrified at Prompto's tale. In fact, there's a mix of morbid pride and deep sympathy on his face - like he's listening to a fellow soldier's war story. Which, in a way, he is. "S'called self-defense. You followed your training when you were dealing with that asshole, Besitia." He meant to say it right, but...again, tipsy.

"...shit, though... Knew Clarus was paranoid bout Niffs, but not about to one of our own..." He pats Prompto's shoulder as comforting as possible in his current state.

[immortalmarshal]

After their serious talk the other day, Cor's glad that they can focus on something so much lighter at heart. "It took a little while to find it, really. Didn't do much heavy drinking until the first time Clarus challenged me to a drinking contest."

Regis being physically close to Cor doesn't bother him much. But if he happens to be leaning up against him, the young(er) royal is going to earn a side-glance from the other man.

III

[immortalmarshal]

Cor's stomping up to Clarus, and he's clearly in a Mood. Normally, he would be jeering at Clarus for his singing skills, maybe even do some silly drunken challenge or two.

But not this time. This time, he's glaring at the older man as he roughly grabbed said older man's arm. "We need to talk." And without even waiting for a reply, he starts dragging Clarus away from the Bards and towards one of the walls.