expiationlogs | [ OPEN ] willkommen, bienvenue, welcome

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[ OPEN ] willkommen, bienvenue, welcome

Who: The Adults Of Aldrip
Where: A handy dandy bar!
What: Claude has collaborated with one of the local bar-owners to host a Chosen-only night for the adults of Aldrip to have a nice night away from the prying eyes of locals.
Warnings: Alcohol, drug-use, grown men making embarrassments of themselves, potential hand-holding.

Welcome one and all to a place where the Chosen are able to unbutton that top button, sit back, and relax, free of the badgering eyes of locals, and able to mingle amongst like minds! Your local Apothecarist, Claude von Riegan, came up with this idea with one of the local bar-owners as a good way to drum up business amidst the Chosen for a place for the Chosen and the Chosen alone to be able to shed some of that weight they've been carrying. Claude himself has made no secret of the fact that he's the one who put this shindig together, openly advertising it as something of his own creation, a community building effort for everyone to bond with one another in a context in which they're not forced to do so by threat of death or imprisonment.

For this evening, liquor has been put out for the Chosen to serve themselves, and runs freely enough that everyone will be able to drink their fill, though there's a table at the back of the room laden with all sorts of bar snacks to help fill people's bellies and soak up some of that liquor; flatbreads and fried delights, a generous selection of meats and cheeses, and confections enough to satisfy even the most demanding sweet tooth.

Along the south end of the bar there are a collection of booths, far enough away from the booming sound system to be able to chat quietly amongst themselves, if you're the more retiring sort and would just like to have a nice talk over a pint or two. In this area, you may also find a few hookahs at your disposal, filled with tobacco or hashish, courtesy of Claude himself -- though he hasn't shied away from cheekily including business cards at each table, advertising his place of business should you wish to purchase teas, salves, potions, and yes, all manner of smokable delights.

In the centre of the establishment, chairs and tables have been cleared away to make room for dancing, if you so please, with the sound system at the Chosen's disposal if they want to pump up the beats or put on a slow song to rock to and fro with a honey or two (or three?).

Lastly, there's a brand new karaoke machine that's been installed along the far east corner of the room, in case anyone would like to thoroughly embarrass themselves. What do you mean, you're a good singer? Then get out of here! You should know by now that that's not what the spirit of karaoke is about!

If there's anything else you would like added, dear player -- just write it in, and it's yours! Whatever can feasibly fit into a bar, you can assume it's present for all and sundry to enjoy.

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i. c'mon bartender, treat me more tender.

[ Even though Claude isn't technically working here... it's hard to turn it off. He's in no way a trained bartender, but his memories of a past life have given him an odd fondness for it, and he's frankly too hopped up to be able to relax well at the best of times. It's easier to get straight to work, hopping behind the bar with a flourish and a wink at whoever approaches him, tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ear as he leans forward and over the counter. ]

Now, what can I get for you? Don't say a beer, or I'm going to make you get it for yourself. I'm back here exclusively to have fun and play with potions. The owner even left me with this sweet little cheat sheet!

Or, of course, I can guess what you might like. Barkeep's intuition, let's say.

ii. vibe and imbibe.

[ Eventually, Claude makes his way to the quiet tables for a little drink of his own. You can find him parked in one of the booths with a glass filled with amber liquid (his first of the night, the eagle-eyed may be able to spot; for all that he arranged for this and is plying others with liquor, he doesn't seem to indulge much himself), eager for a spot of friendly conversation. Or perhaps you find him helpfully rolling cigars and preparing the hookah for other guests, arching a brow at you and beckoning for you to come, sit down, and indulge. The night is young, and he's happy to help people have a nice night of vice before it's time to get back to business the next day.

Or perhaps you find him at the dartboard instead, whistling merrily to himself as he counts out the darts and looks over at you with a cheeky grin. ] Whoever wins owes the other a drink. Not tonight, though. It's cheating if it's free.

[ Don't take that bet. For all of Claude's failings, he's the best archer in the whole damn country, and he'll need more than one drink to dull those skills. ]

iii. a breath of fresh air.

[ As the night grows long, Claude escapes the festivities to sit outside of the bar and to get some fresh air, gazing a little wistfully at the dim stars above them. Before Aldrip had changed so dramatically, they had been as crystal clear as they were at home, even if the constellations were all different. But now... he can barely make them out behind the sheen of light pollution and the life of the city. He is, despite himself, terribly homesick.

And despite his profession -- he's not a smoker and indulges only very rarely, leaving his hands itching for something to do, and he winds up simply shoving them in his pockets, so deep in thought that he scarcely notices when someone else pops out for a breath of fresh air. ]

Oh -- hey! [ He will, however, flash them a brief smile. ] Enjoying the night? I thought it would make a nice change for us to have a night to... foster community, let's say.

[ It's not entirely altruistic. He believes that forging stronger bonds will help them in the future, when it's time to buck the people in charge of this place. To work together in tandem instead of squabbling amongst themselves. ]

iv. wildcard.

[ Claude is a merry sort of fellow -- he's eager to grab someone for a dance, or to sing his heart out at karaoke, or to do just about anything you're game for. Hit me up with whatever! ]

Edited 2024-06-15 02:06 (UTC)

[ A night out sounds like what the white mage ordered, she decides. Cloud will come along, she also decides, because he has to do everything fun with her in tow. Everyone will be here, she thinks to herself when she sees the advertisement. If not for the alcohol, then definitely for Claude.

Deja vu registers in the corners of Aerith's mind like ghosts in the corners of your eyes. She slips into a stool, hoisting herself up with a cheerful smile on her face. Bad habits die hard, don't they? A tease dances in her overbright eyes as Aerith looks at Claude, head tilted like a puppy considering playing with you. When he initiates by leaning in, she follows his charge, mimicking him beamishly. Banter. Banter, she can do. ]

Now, Claude... I believe they call this a different kind of -holic, don't they?

[Ethlyn isn't usually one for taverns and gaming houses. She knows her husband and her brother frequented them during their academy days, but that was not where the daughter of a storied ducal house was meant to be, and truth be told, she never felt as though she was missing much.

But this is a night that Claude's arranged, so it is different than going to one of the two Chosen-run bars in the city just for the sake of roistering. This is going to an event a friend is hosting. So when he beckons her over to a booth, she's happy to come over and take a seat.]

This is--[She looks up at the padded cusion behind her and the bench. This is her first time sitting in a booth like this.]--all rather cozy. What kind of favors did you have to call in?

a; i'm enveloped by the stars

[ Early in the evening, a woman in a simple dress arrives. Wrapped in a dusty shade of pink, she bears flowers in her hair that smell headily. The perfume of the florals mixes with the scents wafting from the hookahs, fruit flavors hanging in the air even thicker than cigar smoke. She loiters by the smoke, perched on a high seat, sandaled feet dangling. She's very small, but there's a glimmer in Aerith's lifestream green gaze that invites conversation, communicating that she has all the time in the world for you...

...Because she's looking to make a sale. ]

Smell nice, don't they? The flowers? [ From the crown of her skull, she pulls one yellow tulip. It's small enough to be tucked into a pocket, behind an ear. A token of affection, a love bite. ] They make a lovely gift, or outfit accessory. Could give it to someone here... or keep it for yourself so they'll never forget you. I won't tell on you! Oh, and I'll give you a nice price for a bundle of them, if you like.

b; and i want you as you are

[ Recognition happens as often as rain fall in Aldrip these days. It'd be her own fault if not for the fact that it was a different woman who grew up on the cobblestone streets of the city before, a woman with a tougher streak in her and a brattier smile. That woman gets noticed still, from time to time, a drunken suitor or two with a song request. Sing your tune, songbird. The woman who looks over to you now has a softened stare, the corners of her mouth drawn straight and thoughtful. Aerith looks at you with a thought forming in her mind, stitching itself together like atoms snapping into one another. She blinks. ]

You don't play any instruments, do you?

[ The karaoke is nice, and Aerith would use it in any other situation, but she's looking for something that's not on the machine, you see. ]

c; take me easily so far ( with cloud strife )

[ The stretch of the dancefloor fills with bodies as the night crawls on, as it is wont to do. What else do you use a dancefloor for? The cleared away seats line the room in constellations, pockets of chairs cloistered together like stars. A pair of them find the edge of the bare ground, where feet pound to the tune of the music. A pop song. The bar becomes a discotheque when the moon hangs high in the sky.

Two chairs sit, side by side, occupied by two people. The woman speaks, projecting her voice like an old timey radio host. ] I say, Cloud, quite the turn out, quite the turn out this night. All these couples and solo performances, just as unique as the last. An unforgettable night! But now you'll see Landbiscuit and Seacookie performing their legendary hip twist and heel stomp. The night's still young, though. Look at Potoooooo doing a jig! Oh, I think he's caught the attention of Citation Needed over in the corner. Well, what do you think? Who do you think will take home the gold tonight?

[ Next to the woman, the blonde-haired man puts on a similar affectation to his voice. ] Well, Aerith, you and I have seen more than our fair share of performances in our time but I gotta say I don't think we've ever had so much talent on display as we have tonight. As soon as I settle on one of our guests out on the dance floor, another catches my eye. Is it Mild and Wild performing the tango? The [ He makes a small 'ahem' noise ] 'belly dance' we saw Phantasia perform...? I just haven't been able to pick out a clear frontrunner, it truly could be anybody's night.

d; as i can dance to your guitar

[ for prompt c, this is a threeway thread! you'll get a tag from aerith or cloud (

identitycrisiscore), then the other. we'll keep on rolling that'a way, afterwards. on the flipside, if none of these are appealing to you: that's okay! you can hit aerith up with your own prompt. she will definitely play around with the karaoke machine through out the night, and is a known singer. she loiters at the bar and usually orders something nonalcoholic, but can be spotted with a fruit little cocktail through out the evening. she's not a smoker but she can be entertained by the conversation that happens when you sit and smoke together. finally, aerith likes to dance with people. she can be eased into a slow dance, but she's much more likely to enjoy a good pop routine.

on that note, you can contact me to plot, too! i'm reachable through pm, or a private plurk @

hagclub. ♥ ]

[ It's like falling into a pair of clothes that don't fit quite right, but are still comfortable on their own. Aerith dragged him out for a bit of comfort, and it's almost weird to post up to the bar that Claude is bartending behind. Unlike the last time they did this song and dance, they're different people — more baggage, a little more world-weary... but there's a bit of humor to his eyes. ]

Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Claude. What do you got back there on the 'hard and bitter' side?

( i. drinks with a dragon )

[ rafal has never cared for this. humans like to drink, he knows. it’s an activity they partake in often. pandreo and a few others from solm often set up a tent in the night, build up a large bonfire, toasting and drinking. solm prized their freedom and celebrated it on the desert sands. the other royals tend to make it more of an opulent gathering, with nobles and dukes.

this is a modern world. such barriers no longer exist. he scrunches up his nose at some of the drinks, but eventually he does ask. ]

Which one is the sweetest? I’ll have that one.

[ he has no interest in anything that’s not sweet. ]

( ii. the secret of strength )

[ none of the games truly appeal to him. he doesn’t understand the purpose of fun and enjoyment. to him, it feels like encouraging weakness to creep in, to dull your abilities.

and yet, he is also learning he’s not always right. and neither was his father. so he clears the table, propping up his elbow. ]

A test of strength. Let us wrestle.

[ there’s a gleam in his eyes that suggests he won’t go easy. he is, after all, a dragon. ]

( iii. dragons don’t dance )

[ when the dancing and singing begins, rafal inches closer and closer to the wall. this is certainly not the kind of activity he can picture himself enjoying at all. this is definitely left to humans and their ilk. he ducks his head, hoping not to be noticed. once spotted, he scowls, crossing his arms and looking petulant. ]

No. I will not make a fool of myself.

( iv. wildcard )

[ got a prompt in mind? dm this journal / hit me up @ timmtams ]

[Vi flops down at the booth with him, who knows how many beers in and feeling it.]

'Bout time you stopped working.

[she takes a long sip of her drink.]

You should be at least on your third by now.

[listen. you won't have to ask her twice for something like that.

she sits across from him, also propping up her elbow.]

Let's go, pretty boy.

[she's not really a flower person. not encountering many of them back home, she finds herself staring at them anyway. she'll never quite get used to seeing these sorts of things so easily, probably.

but she could get one for Caitlyn. or more than one.]

Didn't really think much about wearing flowers before.

[she looks at the tulip for a minute.]

I mean... that'd look nice. In someone's hair.

[she suddenly gets awkward as she says it, because she's totally not thinking about someone right now who would look pretty with it behind her ear.]

[ Her gaze rakes along the woman's body, taking in minut details that she can find. Flowers aren't her bag, sure, that much Aerith deduces with the glance. But, she thinks to herself, she has to be girls' bag. It makes her miss Gideon for a moment. ]

For you, I'd say a tulip is a little out of style. Now, a red dahlia? I'd say it'd look perfect right in your breast pocket, ma'am. [ An explosion of red, like a pinwheel. ] They mean perseverance, you know? Usually, they end up with someone who is sick, but you seem plenty well to me.

[ Ahem. ]

You should tell me about this person... What kind of flowers do they like? Oooh, is it a giiiiirlfriend?

[ The bar is hardly empty. A crowd of people have gathered here, a whole congregation just for a drink. It reminds Aerith of hot summers under the plate, neighbors pressing closer to a lemonade stand run by the kids from the orphanage. Spare gil for refreshing glass, the kind of heat that made your sweat stick to your body, sunlight pooling over the flowerbed in the church. In comparison, there's something a little gauche about the bar, but she smiles anyway. It may not be her that he speaks to, but it is Aerith who replies. ]

Honestly? Probably a Shirley Temple. It's lemon soda with cherry juice. Very sweet.

[ Tilting her head over to the stranger, Aerith laces her fingers together as she slips onto a stool, feet swinging back and forth as they hang. ] Not a drnker, are you? It's okay, me neither. I used to order hot tea at the bars when I went. Claude's was the best.

[ rafal makes a face at "pretty boy" but he does not raise an objection. he grips her hand, leaning forward. ]

Very well. On your mark then.

[ something about her demeanor strikes him as familiar. maybe it's the scent of flowers that follow. the memory of a blue-haired dragon who would tend to the flowers and wish for peace. he wonders — no. rafal blinks it away. ]

I do not spend a great deal of time in human establishments.

Do they really serve hot tea in places like this?

Human establishments...? [ Her parroting comes in tones of questioning, bemused confusion splashed across her features. She always gets the odd comments; is it because she listens, or something else that encourages him to speak honestly? Aerith supposes, too, it might be a part of his personality. ]

Yeah, some of these human establishments carry it, but won't put it on their menu. See, they're usually reserved for the entertainment. [ Giggling, she tilts her head. ] I'm sure you could charm your way into a cup, though.

[ that prompts a dry, sharp laugh. charming is definitely not a word anyone has ever used to describe rafal. intimidating. terrifying. once voted most frightening ally in the army.

and yet, he still sees them in her. it would be something alear would say. ]

I highly doubt that. In fact, I'd say you would beat me in charm quite easily.

[ Her perspective is not so harsh. She sees a handsome man before her, gentle features contrasted with a sharpness like the angled snip of a flower stem, or the harsh leaves around a bulb. With that view, she can only assume he's teasing her— which is fine by Aerith. ]

Oooh, that so? In that case, how about we make a bet? Whoever actually gets a cup of tea from the bartender wins.

[ rafal perks a little. he's not one for bets or games, but he does enjoy challenges. having a competitive nature is part of being a fell dragon. his father encouraged nothing less. ]

And what happens when one wins?

[ It's tempting to say "gloating rights" and nothing else. The problem rests in the way he perks up at her suggestion. Aerith fears that saying the prize is nothing but "gloating rights" would be like taking a toy from a puppy now... and as much as she enjoys picking on people, actually disappointing them sucks. ]

Uh... Well... What do you want?

[ She didn't think that far ahead. ]

[ he won't ask for anything too serious. he's not in a position to ask for things from nel's little ones. it would defeat the purpose of his oath and his atonement.

but something small should suffice. ]

Your favourite dessert.

[ The sigh that puffs out of her betrays what she's going to say is not good before she even fixes her mouth to say it. Aerith shakes her head. ]

My favorite dessert unfortunately isn't possible here. My mom's still living under the plate of Sector 5 in Midgar. Unless you're saying you want me to make it for you?

[ hmm. ]

The recipe then.

[ he likes learning about desserts, though he is picky about sweetness. ]

Will that do?

[It feels a bit dejavu, sitting at the bar with Claude on the opposite side. And he seems right at home, which makes Caitlyn smile a bit. She'd definitely struggled a bit, since that strange month of altered memories. Since many of her memories about Silco were still mixed up, it had been...challenging, to say the least. But Claude seems to be thriving at embracing that experience, and she's glad for him.]

Oh, no. No beer. Have a guess, if you'd like?

[He has served her before. Maybe he'll remember? If not, she's up for a surprise. As long as it wasn't beer.]

[ To Aerith, a box mix is a recipe, so... ]

In that case, sure thing! And if I win, you'll have to tell me your name. Seems fair, right?

[ Her favorite dessert for his name; information for information. Learning about the other in exchange for... learning about the other. Really, it'd be odd if she weren't pleased by it. ] Assuming you're fine with that, you do know how to order at the bar, right?

That is fair.

[ at her question though, rafal pauses. ]

You go up to the counter and ask for a drink, do you not?

[ The complacency. It is impossible to fight it back. From his first steps along the cobblestone into the former Aldrip to the month-long stint of believing they’d originated here to now, Miller has resisted it all every step of the way. Yet even he has come to realize that they cannot live with their hackles raised twenty-four seven, try as he might to keep that energy going. While he continues to brew resentment for it, this is a long game now. It has probably always been that way and he was one of the only few unwilling to accept it.

But he has met some like minds, or at least some he tolerates, some he hasn't given up hope for just yet. The young Duke von Riegan here is one of them – so, that being said? Fuck it. Maybe he can use this little shindig he's prepared to find more, or maybe it will really only amount to allowing himself indulgence in so plentiful of a supply of alcohol and tobacco that it would his crew come to blows in jealousy. It's too bad they aren't here to share it with. Either way, the point is that he's cajoled himself into attending. ]

i.
[ One can find him making conversation at the bar. In fact, he'll greet anyone he recognizes and ask for a status report or introduce himself to anyone he doesn't. Granted, should the attendee he approaches be looking to simply take a load off and enjoy a beer for once, the often interrogatory tone or refusal to do that may understandably not be the most welcome...

Think questions like "Have you been summoned recently?" or "Any news, my friend?"

A man can try. ]

ii.
[ Later into the night, however, perhaps the hookah has loosened him up, because he seems more willing to sit back and just enjoy whoever stumbles onto the karaoke stage next. There’s even a bit of rhythmic handclapping to encourage anyone who has the courage to perform.

Speaking of, why hasn't [ your character ] gone up there yet? At the tail end of someone else's song, Miller slaps a hand on their back. ]

Go on. You're up next.

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[ OPEN ] willkommen, bienvenue, welcome

claude von riegan | fire emblem: three houses | ota

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aerith gainsborough | final fantasy vii | ota

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rafal | fire emblem engage | ota

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heads/tails + random winner?

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miller | metro | ota