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

[regalblaze]

He indeed did owe Ignis some answers but, right now, Ignis was too tired to think about it and actually make some logical connections. And the drinks he had weren't helping his situation either.

Ignis raised his glass in return and took a good sip of his own drink, letting the liquid burn his throat in both pleasant and awful way.

"I have to say I had better days. And yourself?"

[regalblaze]

No, he really doesn't. Well, he didn't at the time. It just came out as it is and his usual love for puns and quotes is just veiling this innuendo that he blurted out. It dawned on him with a bit of a delay and Gi's question helped.

"It depends on the technique I suppose," Ignis says, trying to keep his voice flat and unamused. But, honestly, he's battling himself not to burst out into chuckles. Innuendo, pick-up line and he's just adding fuel to the fire with his smartass responses.

He seriously shouldn't drink. Ever.

"Your turn," Ignis smirks, offering the dart.

[regalblaze]

Ignis gives him a slight smile too, with a nod, then turns to Ebony.

"Do you mind getting us some drinks? No beer and no carton-packaged wine."

Ebony just tilts head at him for a moment, wondering what's wrong with that type of wine and disappears to go get them drinks.

"How is your asterisks fitting you? Is your accuracy back?"

[regalblaze]

Ignis didn't know what to say to that. A guardian that eats its own villagers? It sounds awfully familiar somehow... He brushes off that uneasy, familiar feeling and tries to focus on the rest of the story.

"It would seem that saying 'best way to reach someone is through their stomach' isn't just for laughs," Ignis clicks his tongue. In the end, everything comes to basic survival.

"Mm, I have noticed. It makes quite a shade for the neighborhood." Sorry Shiro but yes, he just made a joke about your flying lion. "I speculated it might be your spaceship but I didn't get a chance to ask."

[hashtagdaddy]

Shot number four went down smoother than silk and Gladio regarded his father with warm eyes. Hearing that his dad is genuinely proud of him is ... special. As a man of action over words, his dad would often show that he was proud and that he loved his son (and his daughter, of course, but seldom did he say the words. And though Gladio never needed to hear them to know, having the words spoken to him means a lot more than he can convey.

For their last shot of this round, the younger Shield decides to honor those to whom they pledge their lives. "To the Crown."

He swallows his drink, thinking about the Crown's future and wondering about Altissia. Out of the corner of his eye he spots Ignis, and makes a note to talk to him.

Later though. For now he sets his glass down and gives Clarus a serious look. "Dad, what were you talking about before? At the house - about the Fall."

[charming_jerk]

True. But that means not helpin', then.

[He shrugs. He doesn't have to, but he feels kind of bad for people getting dragged in without knowing what's going on.]

Honestly we should see if there's a way to stop people from getting dragged in at all. But I guess that would mean knowing how it even happened in the first place.

[spaceforged]

He can't help but flush in slight embarrassment. He sigh. "...sorry about that. I couldn't think of anywhere else to put it that would be close and safe." Shiro looks aside and coughs. "The Black Lion isn't our spaceship. It's a combat fighter. But with Hunk's direction, we used the body of the former guardian to...make a giant soup. The beast ate it and passed out. Black and I were bait at the time to keep it busy."

He shoves his bangs aside. "So now they use the feast to keep it at bay. We got our lead and left."

[warpstriking]

"Yeah. It's actually pretty good? Despite the veggies." He pauses. "...Don't tell 'im I fed the greens to a chocobo."

Because he did that.

A lot.

When Ignis wasn't looking. He only partially regrets it.

[regalblaze]

"It is alright. I believe that Noct really enjoys the shade it makes in the morning. It takes additional ten minutes to get him out of bed because he thinks it's still dark outside."

A giant soup. A giant soup made in a combat fighter. Ignis can't lie- that sounds pretty cool. "Is it edible? The soup? For people? I'm just curious."

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus’s eyes narrow, uncertain if he is being mocked.]

We both know I’ve no claim to that title.

[He might have insisted on ‘High Commander’, except after what he did in Altissia, he is fairly sure the commandership is also forfeit.]

[spaceforged]

He grins, it's been several years but it's as home to him as English. "I think everyone can do without Marlboros. It took a while for us Earthlings to get a look at the stars. Then we...just couldn't stop." Shiro takes a sip of his drink and blinks. Tipsy.

Yeah, he's pretty sure he's tipsy now. A laugh bubbles up out of him. "Most of Earth has mixed so much with each other we don't really think too hard about where we come from. Well, unless it's brought up." They're just people. He shrugs and traces his fingers over the wood of the table. "So we share this too. That's cool."

[warpstriking]

Noctis' smirk only grows slightly. "Yeah, probably. Still wondering what god thought it was a good idea to have a vine monster that spits noxious fumes." The bartender places a glass of water in front of him. He thanks him in common before continuing. "Sounds about right for any people, really." He sips on his water.

"Sounds like the dream I have for Eos," he mulls over, lightly tapping his index finger on the cool surface. "No borders. No 'Niffs' or 'Lucians'. Just... people. Eosians." This feels silly. It felt silly when he told Prompto, too. So dead set on changing things for the better. "We'd been at war with one another for so long, it's like some have forgotten that the other side is full of people who also have hopes and dreams. Sure, there're monsters. Real ones, even, but... it shouldn't matter where anyone's from."

Said the guy rambling in a different language hoping no one else would understand it. Yet he can't do anything about home. Unless the guys successfully come up with another plan while he's stuck in the Crystal, he never will.

Yeah, he really needs to take it easy on the booze next time. He smiles sincerely. "Yeah. Kinda weird."

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus looks down at the old Shield.]

I am aware of Glauca's fate. Had I not tried... [It had been supreme arrogance, trying to take the king's ring, but he did not owe Clarus the recounting of it. There is no telling now, what might have been different if he had not put himself out of commission that day with that foolish attempt.]

...he claimed the king's life, and got himself killed before I could see him punished for his part in my mother's murder. I mourn neither of their passing, but justice for Tenebrae remains incomplete until the rest of those responsible are given their due.

[He meets the waitress' eye and points to an empty table across the bar from Clarus as the destination for his proffered drink.]

[failtsuninari]

Reno's not the only one to approve of his little stunt. Kenichi cracks a smile as he briefly basks in the moment before placing the empty glasses on the counter with a tip. He spots Reno and walks over to him. Sure enough, the bolder bar patrons decided to follow suit.

"Thanks. Though I probably should call it quits with that one. Had two of their equivalent of Long Island iced teas. I don't ever remember them being that strong though," he mused. Though chances were it's actually because it's his first time drinking with human limitations.

[chocobosnap]

"It's so big. I like it. Did you let Noct touch it?"

If Shiro was looking for intelligent questions, that would have to wait until he wasn't drunk.

Shiro would be glad to have missed Prompto's memories in that case, there were horrible things in his, things that were haunting him at the moment.

[chocobosnap]

He rewarded Gladio with a big squeeze around the middle as thanks for the kind words.

"I'll tell you..just not tonight. I already told Iggy and Noct. We had a talk before you came. About the future."

He breathed.

"It was better than what's happening when I am, things are so awkward we can't talk."

[chocobosnap]

"It's not as good as it was, but still pretty good." Prompto admitted and smiled a little. "If I concentrate for a moment, my aim is pretty great still but, that's different. I'm used to just..."

He mimed shooting with his finger.

[sonoftenebrae]

The task could be left to those with less demons in their past.

[There must be someone with less darkness in their minds who could assist in their stead.

But Ravus wonders if stopping people from being brought into the Dream Width is the right approach.]

My world was afflicted with a scourge and on the brink of destruction. Coming to this world may well be counted as a blessing for me. For those in similar circumstance, they may not want their arrival hindered.

II

[shinra_dog]

Reno noticed Gladiolus as soon as he saw the man. Most noticeable, the man's body.

Dayum.

In another situation, he might have approached as an eager flirt. But things were different here -- not the least of which being that he was in a committed relationship now. Not that he couldn't look when a man like Gladio walked in, because wow. But the reason for this party, the reason for this drinking with abandon, was because of all the strange and uncomfortable shit they'd all just been through and had witnessed about each other. To make matters more tense, apparently Noctis was a prince. No wonder Ignis had been so intent on finding and staying with him, and -- based on Prompto's description -- if this was who Reno thought it was, he would assume Gladio would be just as intense about protecting his ward.

With that in mind, Reno waited and gauged the other man from a difference until each of them had had a comfortable number of drinks first.

"You must be Gladio?" Reno guessed as he approached -- carefully and within view, so as not to startle any soldier instincts. He knew he was enough on edge that he could do something he regretted if a stranger came up from behind.

[hashtagdaddy]

Gladio knows Ignis doesn't always welcome casual touch, but both of them are far enough from sober - and the subject is so ... sensitive that he's pretty sure Iggy won't mind this time.

Because the little hiccup is enough to tell Gladio that his oldest and closest friend is hurting in a way the Shield thinks he hasn't ever hurt before, so he leans forward to wrap a reassuring arm over Iggy's shoulder. Honestly, there's a burning in Gladio's eyes and he's doing his best to keep them from misting over.

"Iggy... I -" Shit there's no stopping them. A Shield is supposed to be strong, but how can he not crack after learning that his Prince - his friend and brother - is destined to die?

He gives the shoulder under his arm a squeeze and his voice only wobbles a bit when he tries to speak. "That's ... that's not ... how did you see this?" Wet eyes stare imploringly at Ignis, silently asking the man to tell him everything.

"What aren't you telling me?"

[hashtagdaddy]

"Then let's focus on getting you drunker and happier." Gladio nodded to the glass in Prompto's hand.

"Drink up an' I'll get ya another one."

He kept his arms around the slim blond boy, head spinning at the partial information and wondering what the whole story actually was.

But he'd gladly honor the kid's request - and keep his own promise to boot - by not asking for any more details tonight. Instead, he planned on keeping Prompto company for a bit longer before leaving him to his own devices (which really meant leaving him to seek out Noctis).

[hashtagdaddy]

He'd been enjoying the silence, taking time to savor his current drink, when a stranger came towards him. The approach was friendly enough, if a bit slow, but Gladio honestly appreciated it. Having randos beeline towards him was always a gamble - for the rando.

"Yea, I'm Gladio." Since the others had been here longer, he figured this guy must know at least one of them if he can guess his name.

"Who're you?"

[suigojin]

No, he should drink more often, because he makes a good conversation partner. And an interesting opponent at alcoholic darts, so there's that, too.

"Right, right...I don't have any technique, so I'm gonna go with 'no'." That probably made sense in a roundabout way, but even if it didn't, he's leaning over to grab the offered dart anyway. How far would Ignis take the joke if he asked for a tutorial? He's not going to ask, biting his tongue and steering the conversation in a less flirty direction.

This throw scores a 60, and it's when he's retrieved the dart and about to hand it to Ignis that he suddenly remembers:

"Y'know...I don't think I ever got your name."

C.

[sullenstallion]

Why is this man smiling at him?

Dylas had only stopped by the bar for one drink. That's it. He wasn't planning on hanging out with anyone else, but he'd had to suffer through visiting other memories, too. Just one drink, and then he could go back to babysitting Yue and making sure he didn't bring home any strange animals or eat all the good stuff out of the fridge.

But this man is smiling at him, at his scaly ears, his snake tail, scarred face...what is this guy's problem? He's drunk, right?

"Stop."

But Dylas' voice is kind of pathetic as he looks away from his wine. This old man can't be seriously...about to hit on him or something?

"Uh, you're not my type."

Maybe, eventually, Dylas can be that asshole Cor gets to growl at. But for now? He's confused and alarmed for this poor person.

[regalblaze]

The finger-gun is more than telling to Ignis.

"I know the feeling. I have my spellblades with me but the feeling with them is still not... complete?" He's happy he has them back but without his elemental powers in them, it feels -weird-.

Ebony comes back with two big glasses with what appears to be some type of cocktail. Ebony gets a raised eyebrow from Ignis ('explain) and Ebony explains.

"Bartender's recommendation for the night- wine spiked whiskey with orange. You didn't tell me what you want to drink."