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

[regisrex]

"I see." Fine. With cuddly Noctis - and he is just enough smaller for this to feel comfortable - Regis reaches up and strokes lightly the tip of the onion-spiked hair. "It's all right, we can pick him up on the way out. When you're ready to go, of course.

"Are you all right?"

He can tell you're making faces, Noct.

[warpstriking]

Noct leans into that touch. It's a lot more solid than the ground under his feet and it feels nice.

"Mm, you give the best hugs, dad." A sentence that likely confuses any and all bystanders but he is waaay beyond giving a damn about it. Though he kinda means that he's fine. Ish. But hella drunk. He hasn't drank anything this strong since before Insomnia fell and it's kind of showing. "Mm fiiine, jus' sleepy..."

Yeah, it's probably a good idea to head back home but he's still (very drunkenly) keeping an eye on the blond in the corner.

[regisrex]

These are words that Regis hasn't dreamed of, but hearing them is so good. So, so good. He hugs tighter, and rests his cheek on Noct's hair.

"Good. There's... there's nothing like dad hugs, after all."

Oh. Ah... moving on.

"Sleepy is fine." So long as it's not queasy. "Just rest like this a bit, all right? I'm not going anywhere."

[warpstriking]

Noct may be drunk, but he's just lucid enough to catch that note of sadness. Sadness that is not allowed at the moment. So he hugs back tighter, too. Nuzzling a little bit into his shoulder and completely forgetting about the decreased age gap. Because it's him; he's really here.

"Mm... 'Never do." Which is probably at least a tiny bit reassuring. Even though Regis has no idea at this point of time.

[regisrex]

"I'm glad." Softly. Soothingly. His fingers carding into the dark strands in a slow and rhythmic way.

He wants to ask, so much, what's wrong. But he knows that if he does it right now, the fragile peace that Noctis has will break and...

Noctis probably needs it very much.

Instead, after a while, he murmurs, "so. Did you pick a favorite drink, or did you stick to one thing through the evening?"

Not letting go until Noct does.

[warpstriking]

The way Regis' hands are running through his hair is going to make him doze off if this keeps up. And Noctis's glad that he doesn't ask. That can be something for the morning, after the hangover. For now, he needed a night off.

And they are going to be there for a very long time if neither one is going to let go, just saying.

"No... but no matter where it is, beer still tastes like cactuar piss." Don't ask him how he knows that.

[regisrex]

Night off he can usually do. (The one place it didn't quite work? Well. It's so many ways complicated, with Clarus.)

Instead of questions, Noctis gets to realize that his father is suddenly shaking in silent laughter.

"I guess our tastes do run along similar lines..."

Things that Regis has yet to discover the deep and abiding truth in.

[warpstriking]

He hates complicated. Why does it have to be a third language for them? It's dumb.

Noct slides just a little bit away (in order to look him in the eyes in a sec), also laughing but a little less silently. Arms still draped over his young dad's shoulders as he grins a little.

"You've no idea, Dad." He states with a very odd bit of clarity for how much alcohol he's had. His forehead falls back on Regis' shoulder. "Twen'y years an' I still barely deal with-" he shudders, "-beeeeaaans..."

[regisrex]

Good, very good sound. And sight. The laughing blue eyes such far cry from the hollow ache in them when they first met.

"Well. Beans can, on some rare occasions, be all right. Especially in Galahdin recipes. [ Which are so spicy that you can't usually taste the beans much. ] But when you get to zucchini and asparagus..."

Asparagus being all fancy, wealthy and powerful people food.

Regis still can't understand why.

shh it's fine it happens

[warpstriking]

"Pretty sure that's the one exception." Because of said spices, but one does not simply have much bean soup (or canned beans) when you share a tent with three other fully grown men. Especially when one is an Amicitia.

He smiles faintly. "Still don't get why Ignis put those on a lasagna... with jabberwock meat."

It's okay, Regis.

Noctis doesn't understand why, either.

Sigh

[regisrex]

"Ah. Ignis does that, does he? And yet he is the one who cooks?" Because that sounded like a repeated offense, and Regis can guess. "He must make up for it spectacularly."

Yes. Dad is curious about everything.

[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.

[regisrex]

"Mm. Of course I won't." Chances are, as far as Regis can tell, that Ignis might be fully aware, but...

Not the time.

"What is your favorite thing that he makes for you? Your overall favorite?"

[warpstriking]

Most likely, but... shhhh he's too drunk to think of that. His recollections are a bit hazy as it is.

But, his favorite...? Oh, that's an easy one.

"His pastries," he answers honestly, and without filter. "There was one that I had when we visited - well, will visit - Tenebrae. He spent years trying to remake it from what I remembered of it but I couldn't remember the berry used? He finally figured it out after we helped the chef at Galdin Quay locate it. She was-" Oh. That certainly is him slumping slightly and leaning more into the other.

"...Coctura was- working on a dessert to celebrate my marriage to Luna," he says, far quieter and subdued. Sorry, Dad. This was probably a question better for sober!Noct. So, he's just gonna cling a little tighter and say it's the ceiling that's slowly dripping water from a leak in the roof. What a bad night for rain, huh.

[regisrex]

It takes... a moment, for Regis to interpret both the words and the tears in any way that makes sense, but when he does, he shifts to hold Noctis more comfortably. And tighter.

"I am sorry, Noctis." Was she in Insomnia?

No. Not a question for now.

"So, now I know what to look forward to most, of his. Beans in lasagna notwithstanding." Back to... back to the present, perhaps, or the future. But also soft words, giving Noctis space to regain his own footing, without demands for his attention of any significance.

[warpstriking]

One day, he will tell his dad all about her. How her messages in a simple yet elegant orange notebook always brought a smile to his face. Tonight is not that night, however. For he is not nearly sober enough and those arms are holding onto him tighter.

"'Not your fault." He didn't know.

"Most of what he makes is really good. Might be a bit biased, though." Because, well, he is a brother in all but blood. He squeezes back a little tighter. "...Should probably go back." To their houses, that is.

and long late heading towards wrap?

[regisrex]

Regis watches him for a moment, then nods. He'll ask about Luna. Eventually.

"So like Weskham's cooking, then." Fond. Look, he doesn't know his old buddy's cooking is hella expensive now. "And sure. Let me get your moogle and we can head out. Then I'll come back for whoever else needs it."

He's got you, Noct.

and another long late wrap up, yes?

[warpstriking]

When he does ask, at least have alcohol on the ready. He might need it later, but he'll want to be sober for that conversation. At least at the start.

"'s gotten a bit pricey now, but... yeah." He smiles faintly, nodding and just as fond. "Let 'er sober up. Last I saw her she was floppin' on a table like a fish on land."

Yes, he's dead serious. She got herself into this mess. Let Ebony get her instead.