sticksandbones | You Guys Had A Rough Month(s), Time To Drink

Entry tags:

You Guys Had A Rough Month(s), Time To Drink

Who: Anyone and everyone.
What: It’s a bar log, throw your characters on here.
When: After the Arbor has gone away but before the snakes come to play.
Where: The Watchtower Bar
Warnings: Alcohol, per usual.

Well, it’s been a long few months. A lot of you have died. Some of you probably repeatedly. But there’s good news to be had. The bar is still open, and between Luca and his spirit companion, there’s plenty of hands to pass everything around. In fact, Luca actually seems to be encouraging it. Anyone found to be in a state of melancholy is encouraged to stop by.

It isn’t just alcohol, mind you. Anyone in need of a hot meal will find one waiting for them on the hearth. Rather than stew, he’s serving something else this month. And of course, there is the usual assortment of cheeses to go around.

He’s also set up something special. All of the tables are more pushed to the side than usual, leaving a fair bit of room at the center of the room. Set up nearby are the records he’d received for the holiday, playing some more lively tunes. Need a dance? You’ll have one. Just mind the hearth, he can’t exactly move that.

Luca, of course, will put it best. “Come and revel. The months have been long and cold, and we know not what tomorrow brings.”

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[Well, this is awkward. Dion has made a habit of coming to the bar not only to check in on Clive and his planning, but because it's an easy source of free food. It's here that he sits now, observing the crowds with a bemused expression.

That is, until the door opens and Joshua comes in. Then his head promptly dips down. He knows he can't exactly hide, and at this point it's a miracle the man hasn't burst down his door but...

He sighs. He doubts Joshua will make a scene of it, or even say anything at all. It should be a comfort to Dion, but at this point he just feels more unnerved. Briefly, he entertains the idea of leaving, and in fact stands to do so.

Except, his feet take him to Joshua's table and -]

Phoenix. It is good to see you. Are you well?

[ Dion indeed cannot hide. Joshua notices his presence, but the fact that he's ducking his head and trying not to be seen makes Joshua frown thoughtfully. With this and the missed appointment, he's almost certain that the prince is avoiding him.

He doesn't want to press things, if that's the case. Not here, not in a bar. So, he indeed does not make a scene of it, and takes a seat at a table, minding his own business. Later, when they can speak in private, he will address the issue. Perhaps apologize again for overstepping, because he's certain that he did.

But when Dion does eventually approach his table, Joshua is pleasantly surprised. Maybe he had read the situation incorrectly. Maybe Dion isn't avoiding him after all...? ]

Hello, Dion. I am as well as can be expected, I suppose. Are you?

[ You missed your appointment, sir. ]

You're welcome to have a seat, if you like.

[Dion is quick to shake his head, holding a hand up to quell any further arguments or protests before he can properly speak.]

While the offer is appreciated, I was on my way out. [That isn't true by any stretch. He still has half of a glass of wine and a piece of bread left unfinished. He'll just have to hope the bartender forgives his mess and harried escape. He'd already handed over his share of shells, at least.]

But I am well. Your bandages and salve have held well, and my injuries have seen continued improvement. [He holds his fully clothed arm out, as if that provided any indication as to his status.] You need not worry over me any further.

[ Oh. ]

I... see. Well, that is good to hear. I am glad that you are feeling better.

[ Does he look disappointed? Maybe a little bit, but he's hoping it doesn't show. Maybe he was right about Dion trying to avoid him after all. Joshua turns back to his own table, looking at the mug and the plate of cheese there, and the open book laying on a page that speaks of numbing herbs. Frowning at the contents of it. How much of what Dion is saying is true, and how much of it is to rid him of his examinations?

He moves his hands to close the book, at least for now. It's still worth studying regardless, but he will take a break for the moment. ]

If you are leaving, then, would you mind terribly if I accompanied you back to the Inn? Not for another examination. [ He's quick to add. ] I'm simply finished here for the time being.

[ Besides, Clive is... clearly busy. He'd seen his brother and Luca ascend the stairs earlier, and he honestly doesn't know how long he'll be occupied. ]

[There is a long moment of hesitation at Joshua's offer. Dion knows he's a smart man, just as he also knows that his lack of presence at the clinic despite the Phoenix's insistence would be noted. It sends a pang of guilt through Dion's chest for having troubled him so, even in the same moment that he feels his resolve steel.

But if it isn't about an examination, then what reason did Dion truly have to refuse? It wasn't as if he disliked Joshua's company — quite the opposite, in fact. It was for that fondness that Dion felt he had to step away from the man. If Joshua found himself unable to resist the temptation to use his fleeting magic on him, then Dion would simply have to avoid evoking the desire at all.

Still, there could be little harm found in navigating to the inn, just as long as Dion was sure to separate from the other man. And he would be lying if he did not admit to having missed Joshua's presence, even in the few days he'd spent avoiding him.]

Very well. Better to move in pairs, in any case.

[He nods his assent and offers an arm — the one unmarred by injury — to help Joshua up. It's the perfect picture of the Sanbrequois chivalry he'd been raised into.]

[ The silence that passes between them is damn near tangible, and Joshua realizes after a second of it that he's unconsciously holding his breath. He doesn't know why he's so tense about this - it's well within Dion's right to refuse his company, and he knows it. But now that Ultima isn't their biggest threat, now that the world isn't under immediate threat of ending and they aren't needed as Dominants, he finds himself wanting to take advantage of the opportunity presented to them.

If not for the events at Phoenix Gate, he's certain they would have been fast friends over the years. And he's keen to make up for that lost time, as he has already begun to make up for it with Clive.

But the moment that Dion relents, he is rewarded by a bright, warm smile. Joshua gladly takes his hand without even a blink of questioning, pulling himself to his feet. ]

Thank you. Truly.

[ It takes only a few seconds to gather his things, leaving some shells on the table for Luca. He will check later to make sure he has received them, when the man is no longer... occupied. ]

Shall we?

[For a blinding moment, Dion can't help but feel as if he's been pierced by the might of Ifrit once more. Pinned by that smile, he feels his chest ache, albeit in a way that is far from unpleasant. It takes everything in his power not to visibly react, especially when the feeling of Joshua's hand against his arm sends further waves through him.]

Of course. [Does his voice sound smaller than usual? Breathless, perhaps? He hopes not. It doesn't bode well for his resolve, to be so spellbound by such a simple gesture. He'll have to hope, then, that Joshua does not push the issue at hand, and leaves things as simple as their walk.

He does cast a quick glance at Joshua's belongings, though. Perhaps he needed to be wary about being alone with the man, but he could still continue to be polite, right?]

Do you need assistance? I will gladly carry your book, if you wish.

[One way or another, though, he does begin making for the door.]

[ If Dion's voice sounds affected at all, Joshua doesn't register it as anything concerning. He's simply happy that the other man has agreed to be in his company, when it's seemed as though he didn't want to be. But, just in case it is politeness, he won't press any issues.

Yet. ]

Oh, no, I'm all right. But thank you.

[ He will hold off on further conversation until they leave the bar. It's still chilly outside, and Joshua finds himself shivering just once, though it's mostly noticeable in the way his feathers ruffle. Ah, he'll have to make some tea when he gets back, just to warm up.

But, speaking of tea: ]

Did you enjoy the tea that I left for you?

[The shiver is not lost on Dion, who promptly whips his head around to check on the young man. It's hard to forget just how sickly Joshua once had been, and he can't help the pang of worry. Some part of him even manages to feel a bit frustrated that he had not thought to bring a jacket, if only to offer it to Joshua.

... That thought alone threatens to upend him once more, so he quickly shifts to the topic at hand.]

I did. And not just the cup we were meant to share. [He still feels a little guilty about that part, at least.] I have enjoyed a drink every evening before bed since. I find it relaxes me enough to face my dreams, whatever they may be.

[Ah, but, he quickly clams up. He knows he's liable to provoke concern from Joshua, and that's the last thing he wants right now.]

[ Luckily, as Joshua's wings are mostly leather with a covering of feathers, they do well to block the chill and insulate his body heat. He tucks them around himself, sort of like a cape - it looks a little ridiculous, but it does the job.

The fact that Dion has been enjoying the tea on multiple occasions makes Joshua smile, though. Even if they couldn't share a cup, it's good to know that he likes it so much. ]

I'm glad that you can enjoy it, then. It isn't as invigorating a blend as what one might drink in the morning. I should have advised as such, but it seems you've figured it out on your own just fine.

[ It's especially good if it's helping him relax to get a proper night's sleep. He hadn't been aware that Dion suffered from any sort of nightmares, but... well, after what they've been through, he isn't surprised. So he doesn't comment on it, though he does raise an eyebrow in curiosity. ]

Have you had the chance to try coffee yet? Clive rather likes it.

[Ridiculous though Joshua may look, it's also familiar. It's a melancholy sort of memory, all things considered, but he brings it up nonetheless.]

Like this, you look a touch like I used to. [Semi-primed, that is. He didn't often bandy about with just his wings out, not when it was far more effective to fully prime and finish the fight cleanly.

He smiles at Joshua's clarification. He isn't sure if the man is outright concerned, but he's touched by his efforts nonetheless.]

Apparently you needn't have worried about it. Your intentions were intuited all the same.

[He's relieved that Joshua doesn't press regarding his sleep. Like Joshua, though, he wouldn't be particularly surprised if it were a common occurrence among the the trio that found themselves in this world.]

Coffee? I am unfamiliar. And I do not know that I trust Ifrit's judgement at passing glance. What is it?

[ Oh? Joshua looks up from where they're walking, lifting his eyebrows at Dion. ]

I do? Do you mean your semi-primed form...?

[ It's all he can think of. He's never seen it, but now that he's thinking of it, he's curious. How much would it look like the dragons' blessings, he wonders? Is Dion still able to access that form, after Clive took Bahamut from him? He can't imagine he wouldn't - he still managed the full transformation, after all, so it must be possible.

But the question of coffee derails that thought, just a little. Because he loves explaining this part. Clive had responded so well to it. ]

It's a more bitter, stronger-flavored drink. Made of roasted, ground beans.

[ Yes, he says this with a straight face. But only barely. ]

I would take it with caution, however. I have had it before, and it made me feel as though I would never sleep again.

Indeed. It was never my favored way of fighting, but I do know what it looks like.

[He won't be showing it off any time soon though, sorry, Joshua. He's hesitant to access any form of Bahamut, especially now. The slightest likelihood of going out of control was too much for him to bear, now that there wasn't a world-ending threat hanging over them.]

Bitter and strong? [He admits that he's curious about it, moreso when Joshua mentions that it might keep him awake. Sleep already comes to him so poorly, so an extra kick to keep him going when exhausted couldn't hurt.]

I shall have to seek it out. Where do you source it from?

[ To that, Joshua nods. He understands. He, himself, is hesitant to access one of his forms - Phoenix, not so much his semi-primed state but certainly his primed one - because he doesn't want to risk it. Despite how curious he might be, he wouldn't ask Dion to risk his personal comfort. ]

I should like to see it someday. If only in a description.

[ Not that he really has any right to see it, or even know what it looked like. It's just curiosity.

But of course Dion expresses interest in it. It's something new - he'd had the same response. ]

From Ezell, but we found a tin of it in the kitchens as well. It's quite similar in preparation to tea, though you do have to filter the ground beans while the water seeps through them. I could show you sometime, perhaps?

That curious are you?

[While Dion won't dare indulge Joshua's curiosity physically, they still have some time before they reach the inn. And even if not, it's easy to lose himself in conversation with the man.]

Great and fierce wings, the same color of Bahamut's own. A tail to whip about and upend enemies. And horns, too. [He looks at Joshua and finds himself chuckling faintly.] No, not so unlike you as you are now.

[He listens to Joshua's description of coffee and... makes a face.]

It sounds rather complex. Is it truly worth the effort?

[ Oh. He hadn't meant now, exactly, but he certainly doesn't complain! The visual comes easily enough - Dion, wrapped in shimmering light in the same way that he and Clive are wrapped in flame. Bahamut's magnificent wings at his back, tail and horns completing the picture. Had he had claws, too? Scales? ]

I bet it was truly a sight to behold.

[ Fearsome. Beautiful.

But the comment makes him lift his free hand, touching his own horns. His are firm, but rounded, blunt, soft-looking. Nowhere near as fierce as he knows Bahamut's to be. ]

In a way, I suppose. I am much more... fluffy.

[ A quip, at his own expense. He turns to look at Dion, tucking his hand away once more beneath the cape of his wings... and laughs softly at the face, sorry, Dion. ]

To try it once, I suppose. Some like it enough to dedicate their time toward it. When I had it, though, my heart felt as though it might burst from my chest, so I try not to drink it often.

[Would that Dion knew the direction Joshua's thoughts had gone in. He might have found himself too flustered to continue on. It's probably better, then, that Joshua leaves it as he does. Though it does manage to elicit a flutter from within Dion's chest, he's able to swallow it down.]

I was never one for half-measures, so I cannot say I share your sentiment. I do appreciate it all the same.

[He takes a moment to ponder Joshua's own changes. His expression turns thoughtful, and before he can stop himself, the words come spilling out:]

Is it not befitting of your character? [He nods to the feathers at his wings, and then to the rounded horns.] You have always had a softer touch than your brother or myself. And there is nothing wrong with that. I can attest that your kindness has made many journeys that much easier.

[He realizes that he's starting to go on a tangent and clears his throat.]

All that is to say... the fluffiness suits you.

[If Dion is offended at all by the laughter, he doesn't show it. If anything, his chest feels all the lighter for the teasing. It's better than the sour feeling that had consumed him only a few minutes prior.]

I shall take its measure once and see what it reveals. But I do not suspect it will make a regular habit.

[ Ah. Dion's words settle in his chest, a warmth there that does not abate. Softer features for one with a softer touch. Clive had been all edges and points in comparison.

Joshua feels warmth flood his cheeks, but he will blame it on the cold, shrugging his shoulders up to bring his wings closer to his chin. ]

I suppose you're right. You haven't yet seen the form that Ydalir accidentally gifted me, either.

[ His lips curl up at that. Surely Dion will enjoy the fluffiness of that one. Not even as large as a stolas, that form, and covered in downy feathers.

But he nods, in response to Dion's commitment to trying it. ]

That was my response, as well. To each his own, though. You may surprise yourself.

[Seeing the motion only serves to stoke Dion's concern all the more. He shifts the slightest bit closer, as if the fleeting touch of his body heat might some how help against the cold. Some part of him does entertain wrapping an arm around Joshua, but even he knows that would be a step too far.]

No, I would say I have not. Though now I find myself curious.

[What could that be like, he wonders? The way Joshua speaks of it sounds as if it might be less than pleasant, but then why bring it up at all? Food for thought, he supposes.]

We shall have to see. Whenever I do try it, I will be sure to let you know my thoughts. Provided you are interested, that is.

[ Oh, he'll be all right. Probably. It isn't as cold as the day they arrived here, after all, and the inn isn't far! He will be warm enough shortly. In the meantime, he will let the warmth from Dion's compliments help him along. ]

She has given me the ability to turn into a very small Phoenix.

[ It's said with a clear laugh in his voice, and he shakes his head. ]

In an effort to find a way to use my abilities without progressing the curse, I asked her for a solution. And it... well. It was not the solution I'd expected, but it does seem to work. Should you need a candle lit, or the facial hair of a particularly rude nobleman burned from his face.

[ But to the question of interest, Joshua simply nods his head, turning to look at Dion. ]

Of course I am interested. Please, do let me know what you think whenever you do.

[Well, at least Dion doesn't have to feel bad when a baffled laugh escapes him. He tries to picture it, a tiny little thing perched on Clive's shoulder perhaps, but he can't wrap his head around it. Once, he might have called it a disgrace to their abilities. Knowing their origin, however, only makes it all the more satisfying.]

Well, should I ever meet a nobleman worth smiting here, I shall have to let you know. [The laughter is still clear within his voice.] Unless you feel like showing off before then. I should like to see just how small you are.

[He catches sight of Joshua looking at him and... quickly looks away. It's foolish for his heart to skip a beat over something so small. Clearly he needs to get inside and clear his head. Thankfully they seem to be but a few yards from the inn. He can hold himself together for that long.]

You have my word.

[He doesn't sound stiff at all, what are you talking about.]

[ Oh? Dion wants to know? Joshua lifts his eyebrows, but in pleasant surprise. It seems that perhaps the tension between them is... ebbing, a bit? He won't say no to that. ]

I could show you now, if you like.

[ Though the inn is right there, and he knows it's cold outside. But they could go in - it isn't like his bird form takes up much space. ]

It takes very little effort, truly, and I can change as quickly as I need to.

[Though Dion can't help but worry for Joshua in the cold, he also isn't particularly eager to reach the inn. That was where he would draw the line, separate from the other man before anything further could happen. As long as they remained outside, though, Dion could continue to pretend that things were normal.

He steps slow, then come to a stop. He considers Joshua for long moment, finds whatever answer he seems to seek, and then gives a quick nod.]

Only if you feel up to the task.

[ The fact that Dion slows to a stop tells Joshua that he's just fine with doing this outside. Which is fine, really. He can stand the cold, particularly as the Phoenix - even if he is small. ]

Of course. Hold out your arm for me?

[ So he'll have something to land on. Because as soon as Dion does so, Joshua calls on the power bestowed in the bracelet at his wrist. It's similar to priming, except on a far smaller scale - the flames are still there, but rather than grow, he shrinks down to the size of a songbird. And there flaps the Phoenix, small and fluffy, long tail feathers flowing behind him as he lights on Dion's arm. ]

There we are.

[Dion expected small. He did not expect this small. In many ways, it seems a mockery of the Phoenix's might. In others, he feels relieved knowing that Joshua could still access a precious part of his being, without the strain upon his body.

Either way, he finds himself staring. And when staring isn't enough, he holds a finger out like he might to the average bird. He can't help stroking over the top of Joshua's head, wondering if it all might be an illusion. When actual feathers greet him, he can't help but exhale sharply in wonderment.]

You were not lying to me. [A smile forms despite himself.] And you look -

[Cute might have come to mind, but he stops himself before he can say it. Surely it would be insulting, and not anything like embarrassing.]

You are as incredible as ever.

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