expiationlogs | (OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

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(OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

Who: The Chosen
Where: Aldrip inn
What: Open mingle log (with mod approval)!
Warnings: Nothing major anticipated, other than light (underaged) drinking and comic mischief, but PM me if any warn-worthy things happen and I can update this space.

Feel free to use this log as a completely open mingle for all characters new and old! There will be a few prompts below the cut, but you're free mess around with them or come up with your own ideas for toplevels, and tag around as you please.

Nestled in the heart of the quaint town of Aldrip, the inn, formally known as The Inn, has housed the Chosen of Expiation since their initial arrival. In spite of the occasional influx of new Chosen, they've dedicatedly provided rooms, food and drink, and basic amenities without buckling—even during the food shortages and other issues that have plagued the town. Of course, the Chosen have been no slouches themselves, repaying the hospitality with mercenary work, hunting and fishing, cooking, completing odd jobs, and much more to help bolster the economy. Even those, er, less magnanimous sorts have benefitted from this give-and-take, although there are those that prefer their living space to be a bit more solitary (or perhaps cave-ier) that might not have noticed as much.

In the days to follow, most won't be able to recount exactly how The Party started. The true story is that one particular new arrival, after having spent a day or two scouting the area out and, deciding it's chill enough, opted to do what he does best: be a public menace. What is known is that rounds of drinks start getting ordered and handed out, and soon platters of cheese, fresh bread, and other victuals make the rounds as well, appearing on tables that quickly begin filling with people. Somehow, someway, local musicians are pulled in to play and given a striking, energetic setlist to set the tone. The word gets out—party at the inn!

And boom: just like that, it's a party, and everyone's invited.

Early on, the offerings are relatively meager. The inn's food stores aren't completely bottomless after the shortages, to say the least, and there are a sight more Chosen (and local residents who also join in on the fun) than there is free food to toss at them. The drinks range from milk, water and juice to scuzzy, pisswater beer, which is a bit more plentiful. As the tavern portion of the inn fills with people, the music relatively ambient so that you can still hear the people at the table next to you talking, others bring their own food and drink, adding to the options on offer.

Others bring things like cards to play with, or dice and coins to gamble with, and set up spaces at tables toward the back. There's even an amateur fortune teller, heavy emphasis on amateur. Maybe you've got some party games of your own in mind, or you're a natural-born performer and want to hit the stage. Maybe you'd rather just grab a pint and lurk in the corner doing some people-watching. Or maybe you're just hungry and want to stuff a bunch of cheese in your pockets for later. Either way, there's something here for everyone.

As evening wears on, the peaceful inn party blossoms into a proper block bash. Even if you're not the partygoing sort, it'd be a little difficult to ignore the sheer ruckus going on downstairs while you attempt to read quietly in your room. The music, chatter and laughter carries on down the street, attracting even more people. By this point, it seems as if the food and drinks have multiplied, thanks mostly in part to others showing up with their own offerings, Chosen and local alike. It's getting rowdy in a few places—the music's louder and livelier, people are dancing and singing, and the gambling/party games' stakes seem to just keep climbing higher and higher. It's a good time all around. If you're not the quiet, loner type, anyway.

Thinking of sitting this one out? Think again: somebody starts going around to all the rooms and knocking on the doors, calling out to come join the fun. By the time you get to the door, though, whoever's up here disturbing the peace is gone, but maybe you can track them down by their voice at some point and wring their neck later.

In addition to the escalating merriment, all this imbibing also has the added benefit of loosening a few lips. Now's your chance to pick up the latest Aldrip gossip! You might even hear tell of a few pesky monsters that need slaying, so if you want to jump on that bounty before anyone else gets to it, you better act quickly. (But maybe don't run out into the woods in the middle of the night to fight monsters while inebriated... or do, nobody's stopping you.)

Late into the night, the festivities are still going, and they're... messy. Fortunately the drinks and provisions seem to have run to the bottom of the barrel, so those that've been partying hard for hours are getting cut off whether they like it or not. The band's getting tired, the tempo of the music fluctuating. Some people might like to go to bed sometime soon, so maybe now it's time for the voices of reason to tell those still dancing on top of the tables to get down. And why is there a chicken in here? ...And oh no, somebody tell those guys to take that swordfight outside!! Yeeaaahh, maybe it's about time to shut this production down.

Or maybe not. Let the good times roll until the sun comes up! That's up to you.

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[Trust the old alcoholic to know when to protect his drink. No but thank you for your good instincts, Kaeya. Saved both of them getting soaked in a disgusting sorry excuse for a beer.

A red hue is covering Akechi's ears as he gathers his bearings. Somehow he keeps finding himself from situations like these lately, as if Aldrip was using all its might to make him suffer through all the bad karma he's managed to gather during his life. Anyway, he got this. No problemo. At least he didn't stumble into woman's cleavage, that would have been a nightmare. Although, it's not that this man's attire is any better]

Hm--?

[There's another careless elbow flying their way that just barely misses hitting either of them in accident.]

Yes. I believe that is the smart solution here if one wants to remain bruise free. [Akechi raises his voice a bit, making sure he's heard despite the commotion around them.

It takes little bit of squeezing and dodging through the crowd but he does make it to the door without anymore accidents. Hooray.]

Truly, my apologies for the earlier. I swear I'm not usually so.. uncouth.

[A little touchy, isn't he? This man clearly minds his space and would prefer that others do the same, so Kaeya won't be getting too handsy with him. There's no reason for him to aggrieve Akechi on purpose— at least not yet.

Pushing open the door, Kaeya breathes the first breath he's taken of truly fresh air in a while now. He certainly doesn't mind crowded venues like loud, stuffy bars, but he prefers to stick to the sidelines and out of the spotlight. Slinking out into the evening to catch a break suits him just fine.]

Trust me when I say all is forgiven... though I must say it's surprising to find someone like you hanging around in a place like this. Were you coerced into coming here?

[Coercion is a strong word, but Kaeya's banking on it yielding a stronger response. He smells just a bit of Eau De Drama on this man, so maybe he'll agree?]

[The chill night air feels almost heavenly against his face. Only now does he realize just how hot and stifling the air had been inside. No wonder, really. It's not like the tavern in the question comes with an AC or another air filtration system. He inhales deep through his nose and letting the air flow smoothly out between his lips. Ah, yes. This is good.

With a roll of his shoulders he offers his new acquaintance a smirk.]

Someone like me? My, we've barely met and your making assumptions about me, stranger.

[Well, to be fair Akechi doesn't exactly scream a party-goer of any kind. Unlike the man in front of him, whose relaxed and confident demeanor tells him that he must feel at a home in places like these.]

No coercion. At least when it comes to partaking to such gathering. [Staying as long as he had, though? Yeah, definitely Akira's fault.]

[Ah... Touchy for sure, but Akechi is also quite the astute observer, isn't he? In addition to minding his space, Kaeya will have to choose his words wisely around this one. Nothing he isn't used to, and in fact, doing so should pose a good challenge. Whether or not he wants to fall on the right side of this man or not is something Kaeya has yet to determine, but he'll get there.

Kaeya meets that smirk with one of his own, only his is slightly more disarming.]

Call it a mere observation. I meant no offense.

[But what is it that he's observed about Akechi? Kaeya doesn't clarify.]

But were I to make an assumption, I'd imagine you didn't arrive here alone. There's no shame in being the sort of person who would rather keep a wide berth from parties such as this.

[Who knows? Maybe he saw Akechi mingling with some sussy, bespectacled nerd. Who can say?]

Tsk, tsk. [He clicks with his tongue and playfully shakes his head.]

Wrong again. I was there rather early, actually. When the party as still mild and rather easygoing. [But Kaeya is right that he did end up having company in the end. First Kotone and then Akira had showed up, which naturally meant goodbye to his personal space.] But you are right. I would normally keep a good distance between me and gatherings filled with inebriated people

You, however, appear to be a different story. Am I wrong?

[Oh Akechi... Don't you know that clicking your tongue like that is rude? Not that Kaeya minds, letting his every word roll off his back with a jovial laugh. He and Akechi may not differ too much in this regard, but Kaeya's answer suggests otherwise.]

What can I say? I'm something of a barfly, though the bars I frequent back home never get quite as rowdy as this. Simply put, the bartenders would never allow for such chaos.

[Especially not Diluc. He'd sooner knock heads together than let people throw elbows in his bar.]

[Rude and arrogant, yep! Well, if anything Akechi has stopped worrying about making the best first-impressions here. Instead of pulling out that gentle and pleasant mask he's come prefer showing more honest side of himself. Whatever that means..

He lets out an exaggerated sigh and shrugs his shoulders in approval. ]

You don't say. I see that whoever planned this event didn't bother taking security into account. Serving free alcohol like that. It's almost as if they were hoping for a brawl to happen. [Which... is a thought he kinda can get behind. Violence is always violence and if the situation were different Akechi would probably love to beat the man who had shoved him earlier bloody.]

I have to admit that his was my first time at a bar. I used to visit a music club at my homeworld but it was far more refined than this haven of degenerate boozers.

[He'll take honesty over deceit any day even if Kaeya isn't one to return the favor. It's always fascinating to watch men not too dissimilar from himself shed their modest skins and behave a little more... uncouthly. Unfortunately for Akechi, what he's done here is guarantee that Kaeya's attention will remain on him until he's had his fun with him.

Settling back against the exterior wall, Kaeya slips into a grin— easy, well-practiced.]

A good old-fashioned bar brawl, hm? I've yet to see one with my own eyes, but I can easily imagine one breaking out in an establishment like this.

[And he would be there popcorning from the sidelines right alongside Akechi. Who can say no to free entertainment?]

Ah, but a music club! That sounds quite a bit more refined than this hovel. And I presume they serve cocktails there?

Hah! [He lets out a huffed laughter.] Well, considering that this place seems to draw the scraps from the bottom of the barrel here I'd say that it's only a matter of a time before a fight breaks out.

[A small display of self-deprecation on Akechi's part? Maybe. However, there's no point in trying to deny or hide the common ground between them. Both of them had been pulled here and accused of a crime of sort. Although, Akechi isn't exactly trusting this place's judgement on the crime, especially seeing that he, who has committed several serious malicious acts, ended up being accused of something rather mild.]

Ah, yes. The bartender was rather skillful, indeed. Unfortunately, however, I'm still considered minor in my own world so I only had the pleasure to taste their mocktails.

Is that so? You carry yourself quite well for a man your age.

[He minds his phrasing carefully— man, not boy.]

But even a mocktail can taste like the real thing when made by the skillful hands of a proper bartender. If you don't mind me asking, what was your drink of choice?

[You can tell a lot about a person by their taste in cocktails, mock or otherwise. What does it say about Kaeya that his favorite drink consists of nothing but alcohol?]

Why, thank you. [Wait... Was that a flirt? The man has been quite slick with his words so far that it's quite hard to say. Either way, Akechi will just flashes him a mischievous smirk because why not.]

Although, you do not look much older than me, sir.

[But then the conversation slides to more uncomfortable ground for Akechi: his food preferences. One wouldn't probably guess that previous food blogger actually has hard time to recall a last time he enjoyed a meal, but that's Akechi for. He's certain he drank through Jazz Jin's entire mocktail menu but he can't remember any of them. All of them had been bright colored and came with a piece of decoration. He does remember the ones he claimed to like as a Detective Prince but none of that was real.

Akechi hums to himself, masking his silence as a thoughtful one rather than as uncomfortable]

Hard to say, they were all very good. Maybe the more fruity ones? I'm not a big fan of sweet things.

Really now? I'll have you know I'm approaching middle age...

[...Given how long the average person lives in Mond, he just might be? But he dismisses his own comment with a laugh. Four years between them doesn't make as much of a difference as their respective experiences do.

Still, he finds it curious that a man who strikes him as fairly exacting would fail to decisively name a favorite drink. You lying, Akechi? Kaeya is willing to bet there's a non-zero chance he is, but he plays along regardless. At present, there's little to gain by calling him out.]

I see, I see... so you enjoy fruity drinks. I suppose that means my guess fell short of the mark! I billed you as the sort who might enjoy more complex, bitter and sour flavors.

That so? Either you have very impressive skincare routine or your world has a very high mortality rate.

[Which it might as well be. Seeing that the man's outfit reminds him from some kind of adventure manga, which would imply potentially dangerous world. That or he is a just very good cosplayer. And somehow Akechi finds that less likely in this scenario.

Akechi raises a curious eyebrow at the statement.]

I see. May I ask what about me gave you that impression, sir?

[A bit of column A, a bit of column B. Kaeya does pride himself in looking just good enough to distract from whatever bullshit he's getting up to at any given time, but in either case, his answer to that is as simple as the broad grin on his lips.]

Certainly. It's in the way you carry yourself.

[Not much slips past those sharp eyes, do they? Kaeya hums, allowing himself a moment to "think," but he's already settled on his answer.]

You're young, but you carry yourself like a man who has lived a thousand different lives. That's not to say you behave as an old man would, simply that, at a glance, I can't help wondering what difficulties you've faced in your young life.

[In so many words, Akechi strikes him as the sort of person who's had to grow up quite quickly.]

[Well, what do you know. Man's assessment isn't too bad, hitting mark more often than not. It's almost a shame that he doesn't understand the joke behind 'lived thousand different lives'. Not thousand, that is more of a Joker's thing. For Akechi it's been just two.]

So old man taste for the premature youth? [He jokes teasingly and leans back on the tavern wall, relaxing his posture a bit.] Maybe my 'difficulties' and 'hardships' are nothing more than me spending more time among the grown ups than with my peers. You did call out my introverted nature, after all.

[Yeah, no. He's not gonna admit to his own trauma.]

But you are rather observant, mister. Is a people watching hobby of yours or a job?

[Hit the mark, did he? Not every shot sticks the landing, but Kaeya's impression of this man grows stronger by the minute. Needless to say, Kaeya finds Akechi quite fascinating, just... perhaps not for the best of reasons.

Grinning, he matches Akechi's posture and loosens up against the tavern wall, arms loosely folded across his chest.]

Now now, there's no need to be so humble. We've all experienced struggles in our lives, haven't we?

[But there's a limit to how much Kaeya can dig in a single conversation, so he'll leave it at that, smile gradually widening.]

Unfortunately, keen observational skills don't pay the bills. I'm stuck behind a desk more often than I'd like pushing papers, so that doesn't leave me with much free time for such things.

[...But what free time he does have is spent at the bar doing exactly that: people watching and listening in on the conversations happening around him.]

I suppose so. But, unfortunately, that is the truth in this case. I began to work with adults at rather young age, which kept me rather busy. I guess me not having time to make friends of my age-group can be counted as a tragedy of sorts.

[It's the story he's used to tell by now. His go-to answer to all those nosy reporters and fans who liked to know what he preferred to do during his free time with his friends. Sad situation but understandable, nothing unusual among Japanese youths.] But we have that in common, then! The lack of free time, I mean.

Although, I think there are several ways for a keen eye to earn the bread. It's useful tool for police, investigators, detectives. And for spies, too, of course.

[:D]

[There's a sort of witty dramaticism Akechi employs in his speech that amuses Kaeya as much as it fascinates him. They're the same in that respect, but is that a good thing or a bad thing...?

Whatever the case, Akechi makes it clear that little slips past his sharp wit. That little comment doesn't elude Kaeya's notice— spies, eh? He can't fight a crooked smile, tipping his head to gaze at Akechi sidelong and watch his eyes as he speaks.]

Spies, eh? I suppose you do have a point, but genuine tales of espionage are few and far between, don't you think?

[Akechi's comment was purely a matter of coincidence, he's sure, and yet—]

Do you believe you'd know a spy if you saw one with your own eyes?

[The comment was a coincidence, mostly at least. He doesn't necessarily think that his new companion is a spy, rather than that he's just shooting in the dark, poking playfully around to see if any of his comments would land.]

Wouldn't that make them a rather bad spy if I were to able to tell them apart that easily. [He's worked as a spy of sorts, in a way, so he knows what all goes into the act. The key is actually lie just enough to divert any suspicions, while keeping your own backstory and life as close to reality as possible. Akechi, of course, had taken things to extreme.]

Haha, but I suppose you're right. [He chuckles out a laughter, leaning head to side to look at Kaeya through his brown curls.] The romantic in me just likes to believe such stories to be true. Rather silly of me.

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(OPEN MINGLE) Ain't no party like an Aldrip party

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