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

[spaceforged]

"The lens were old so under sudden continuous use they broke. ...We didn't have spares...the ship hadn't been used in ten thousand years and most makers of the lens stopped producing them." For a hell of a lot of reasons. He blinks when his drink that had been at the bar is set by him. Well, guess he made friends among the staff for helping them out?

Blinking he takes a swallow of his whiskey. It burns on the way down as he settles into his seat. He sets the drink back down. He has to stay sober for now. The moment he gets blasted he will be pretty useless. "Hunk sort of baked lens that had trace elements of what focuses the energy? I still am not sure how that happened. Didn't think about it at the time. We were in a hurry."

[warpstriking]

"Shh... I know, Prom." Noctis answered, still rubbing his back. "I know." He affirmed. Had a hard time talking about his own time; his little one-on-one time with their 'favorite' Chancellor. And Shiro saw some of it. They all saw some of it.

"If you need to, hide in our room." He said quietly, because that meant there would be a door between him and Clarus. "And I'm not gonna fight him, Prom. Just clear the air a bit." He knew Prompto didn't want anyone fighting over him. Knew his self-worth was even worse than before. Which was why he was gonna be sure not to escalate it if he could help it. For the sake of everyone in the housing district.

He pulled away just a little, so he could look into Prom's glazed over eyes with his own and brush his cheek with his thumb.

... They were close again, and that warm breath on his neck was-

He gently pressed his lips onto Prom's forehead. It ok, bb bro. He's got you.

[chocobosnap]

Prompto nodded a little bit. "Yeah, thanks." He smiled a little at the thought of hiding. "I will, if I need to, I just-" He sucked in a breath. "It was my mistake. I thought I'd be okay on the couch, I just..."

Part of the problem was Clarus infiltrated his personal space and he felt a little more unsafe in the house, when someone could just sneak up on him. His room would be better, it would just be Noct after all.

The brushing of his thumb against his cheek made him stop speaking, he was just staring at Noctis. If he weren't so intoxicated, he'd be panicking. Why were they sitting like this, looking at each other?

Noctis might, in that case, find out how he felt and he'd been so good and constantly stomping down on those until they were gone. Until everything was as innocent as it ever had been.

"Noctis." He breathed his name slightly, and then his lips were on his forehead and he mentally berated himself. He was reading into things again, wasn't he?

and then it got kinda gay

[warpstriking]

If he remembered this conversation in the morning, he'll take steps to help make the place feel safe for Prompto again. They all kind of needed that after the hell they went through.

There was just two tiny problems with that. And one of them was currently sitting on his lap and he was not able to really think straight. He pulled away at the sound of his name, looked Prompto in the eye...

Eh, screw it.

...and suddenly found his lips meeting Prompto's. In a crowded bar. Which would scream scandal if this were at home but they're in a quiet corner and no one should be looking over here and he really gives zero fucks about it because the alcohol's talking over common sense.

[warpstriking]

"Makes sense," Well, as much as anything makes sense right about now. He'll probably not even remember this conversation in the morning but he doesn't care right now. He's kinda fascinated by both the table and the discussion.

"So he jus' so happened to bake the thing you needed. In a weaker form." What the hell is that guy, some sort of super hero level baker? How did one simply do that kinda thing? "Shit, I know Iggy can werk miracles with midgardsormr shanks and jabberwock meat but that's insane."

Insanely awesome!!!

[spaceforged]

"Hi." He sets a glass of water down on the table by Prompto in case he'll be up to drinking it. He recognizes him from Noctis memory. By default that means watching out for him while Noctis is...blasted. "I'm pretty sure you don't want to wander outside while you're like this." Or maybe he does.

"It wouldn't be a good idea." He adds in case he just accidentally planted the seed of an idea.

tiny bit

[chocobosnap]

Those were concerns, definitely, but Noctis did probably the only thing he could do to completely distract him.

Noctis kissed him.

Prompto responded instinctively, returning the kiss and moving his hand to the back of Noctis' head, just for a moment he could be selfish and enjoy the kiss.

What other problems?

This was incredibly unexpected, for so many reasons, but it wasn't at all unwelcome, and hopefully this he would remember, even if they were just drunk and probably doing something stupid and meaningless, no matter how much that would hurt later.

Being drunk meant he was making less than ideal decisions, he could deal with the fallout later.

<3

[warpstriking]

Well, that happened. He might regret it in the morning but it happened, and Prompto was kissing him back. Not to mention it got Prompto to stop thinking about the pain that was what happened.

Then again he's kinda wondering what they were talking about a couple seconds ago, himself.He can't think straight. At all. Aside from how Prompto's lips feel against his and those fingers on the back of his head, tangling into his hair...

...

After Six knows how long, he pulled back. Slowly. Not red in the face from something other than the alcohol, nope. No idea what you're talking about. He'd kiss more but the room's starting to spin so maybe more isn't the smartest of ideas so he's just. Gonna lay his head on Prompto's shoulder. Yep. Totally the best plan.

<3

[chocobosnap]

It was intoxicating in its own way, the soft strands of hair in his hand, those lips he'd wanted to feel pressed against his, it was better than he could have imagined. A few minutes of kissing, or longer, he couldn't be sure, Noct was pulling back, but leaning in to rest on his shoulder.

Prompto sucked in a breath, cheeks red and flushed from a blush. He was never going to get over the blushing at this rate.

He didn't know what to say to this, so instead he ran his fingers through Noct's hair, still comfortably on his lap, even though that had to be heavy. Perhaps he shouldn't say anything at all, only they couldn't sit there forever, they had to make it back home somehow.

[boomchucka]

Selphie looks at Clarus before she realizes that she's encountered the older man before. With a bob of her head, Selphie pulls out the identification card and holds it out to him. The bartender watches behind the duo with quiet amusement before placing the soda on the counter.

"I did," she protests stubbornly. "He said that it looks fake."

"It's scratched way too much for a newcomer that's only been here for a couple of months and even then, that might be a lie as well. Little girls should be in bed at this time of night. You have school in the morning, hm?"

Selphie glowers darkly at the bartender and has a retort on the tip of her tongue before she states the facts again. "Like I've told you three times already, it got bounced around a lot in my pouch when I was up at Myste Aure fighting a Chocobo Hunter.

"Besides," Selphie continues. "If you're refusing to give me a drink then why'd you let those girls from earlier have one? Seems like a stupid idea to treat one person differently from all the rest if you ask me."

[warpstriking]

Noctis wouldn't have minded kissing him more but room spinning. Not a good idea. Also Prompto is warm and he likes warm. It's comfy and he doesn't mind the weight on him. That's also comfy and what are sentences? What's words?

He mumbled something incoherent. Most likely something about what just happened before he adds, just a little more clarity: "...prolly finish our meal 'n' go..."

But that involves letting go and he doesn't want Prom to be sad again.

I - Let's get this bit of awkward out of the way...

[boomchucka]

There was a person that Selphie had been intentionally avoiding for the past couple of months. The last time she had seen that face was back after a world had been saved so naturally, she had her reservations about bringing up old memories. Granted, she hadn't the old man very well either but she couldn't let her own worries get the best of her. Perhaps, and Selphie was hoping beyond all hope, that everything would be fine.

After the earlier debacle with the barkeep, Selphie has opted to remain with the sugary drinks as she founds herself nearby Noctis as she hops up on a barstool to get a better look at the spread that the bar was offering. Contrary to the dark look that the barkeep was giving her, she smiled sweetly at him before propping her elbows and looking at the young man beside her curiously. She doesn't let the look linger for too long before she brings her attention back to the drinks on the wall.

"So..." she began conversationally. "What do you recommend?"

[chocobosnap]

He just relaxed in Noctis' arms, holding onto him with a little sigh, breath warm against his neck again. "Yeah. Yeah, probably."

Prompto thought they should say something about what just happened, but he couldn't string the words together.

He didn't want to let go for the moment either, and he embraced him for a moment or two before he leaned back a little, reaching for his bun.

He couldn't reach it so he shrugged. "Or...we can jus' go home. Somehow."

[regalblaze]

"I supposed that whoever gets three strikes for hitting outside of the circle loses." That seems fair enough. If the world starts becoming double in front of his eyes then it's probably a good sign to stop

"Drink of choice?" He'd suggest vodka because it's good for shots but he's afraid they'll burn a hole in their stomachs.

[littlemhigan]

"Cheers!"

Castor takes hers back easily and shakes her head a little, smiling. As drunk as she might already be, the shot didn't seem to phase her too much.

"Not bad! Better than the swill I usually come across back 'ome. "

II

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus had seen Noctis when he entered the bar, but had not approached right away. After reaching the end of one bottle of wine and telling the bartender to leave the second bottle on the table, he wanders to the king's side. His body and his tongue are both loosened with drink, though he walks with deliberately over-exaggerated straight posture to prove that he is still completely in control.]

You.

[He waves has hand at the moogle to shoo her.] Leave us. I must speak to his Noctis. [Wait, that doesn't sound right. His highness. Close enough.

He leans toward the king, not swaying at all probably.]

Were you with me earlier, or was that a...a construct of my mind?

II - A family that drinks together...

[hashtagdaddy]

Walking over to his father, Gladio slowed and gave an empty seat next to Clarus a nudge with his foot.

"This seat taken, Dad?" Without caring if it actually had been occupied, the younger Amicitia plopped down and turned to face Clarus. They'd had a ... disagreement earlier but Gladio really wanted to share some drinks with his dad again.

[regalblaze]

He could see how this would worry Lord Clarus but that is not a reason to instantly accuse anyone for being a threat.

Interesting to see that Ignis' judgment in any of this is thrown out of the window. As well as Gladio's. If Prompto was any kind of threat, Ignis and Gladio would react back in Crown City, years ago.

"With all respects to Lord Clarus," Ignis says while taking a sip of his drink, "that's bullshit."

...he has nothing else to add. And just continues sipping his drink. Okay, maybe he had enough to untie his tongue to swearing. Sorry.

[littlemhigan]

"This is pacin' meself; aint had a thing stronger'n ale so far. Ye playin' at Nurse tonight?"

She covers her irritation at being called out with the gentle barb. No point in getting mad at someone who, really, probably only has good intentions.

"Don' think a conjuror can do much for a hangover at any rate. Never bothered to ask."

[chocobosnap]

"He saw my memory. It was.." He paused a moment, getting his bearings.

"When I found out what happened. How I was made." Prompto murmured, grimacing. "And so he wanted to know what my motivations were getting close to Noct. He just..." He sighed.

"Yeah. It's bullshit."

III because I have no self control

[littlemhigan]

Castor does not often trip.

She never trips.

She just tripped. And with none of her usual grace, either; alcohol has her senses good and clouded and her arms and legs feel like lead. She lands heavily next to whatever the hell she tripped over and turns an angry drunk glare at...

Oh it's Noctis. Sleepy guy. Sleepy neighbour up at unholy hours guy kid.....hey.

"Th' fuck're ye doin on the floor?"

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus considers ignoring the other man, not being naturally inclined to talk to strangers, but ultimately, the wine he's been downing has loosened his lips.]

Indeed. Why have they not developed drones to traverse the Dream Width? The cost could not be worse than having to go through...that.

[Ravus is not a fan, to put it mildly.]

One bourbon, one scotch, one beer

[hashtagdaddy]

Gladio had walked in not too long ago and his eyes immediately saw Prompto downing drink after drink. Shit, this kid was skinny on a good day - even if he had eaten decently he was heading for an night of puking if he didn't slow down at least a little.

Finishing his own (third) drink, Gladio approached the freckled young man.

"Hey blondie, y'gotta slow down if you wanna really savor the drinks." Sitting near enough that he could reach over to drape an arm over slender shoulders but far enough not to be totally inside Prompto's personal space, the bigger man gave him a concerned look while signalling the bartender to send two drinks their way.

He could tell his friend was still NotOkay from earlier, and had no idea what he could offer other than his presence. "Y'wanna talk? Doesn't have to be about what happened in the house. Or what happened to make that whole thing go down. Whatever you want, Prom."

[regalblaze]

Alright, something more happened than just 'talk'. What did Lord Clarus do?!

"He just what?" What did he do? Ignis needs to know so that when the topic is eventually brought up to Ignis, with how things are going, Ignis wants to know all the details.

"Your motivations haven't changed in the slightest ever since you were admitted to Crownsguard. I do not know what else is there to be said."

II

[sonoftenebrae]

[Ravus takes the stool beside Ignis and waves for the Bartender to refill the empty glass. He does not have gil in this world, but Estoc has agreed to cover his tab for the night in exchange for his delaying his complaint to the Curti housing office for a week.]

...some days, it is merited.

[He raises his own glass in salute before downing it. There's no amount of alcohol that will erase what they've been through, but they can surely dull it for the night.]