thenearshore | [closed] it's time for big fun

Entry tags:

[closed] it's time for big fun

Who: Sharak Sanzo, Cho Hakkai, Dokugakuji and Sha Gojyo
What: The ideal recovery from a traumatic ablution experience: see something, say nothing, and drink to forget. This will end well. Definitely.
Where: Gojyo's dive bar on the Near Shore
When: July 11, evening
Warnings: Heavy alcohol consumption, language... ~~I don't think they'll start a bar fight but we'll have to see....~~ 23 comments in, there's a bar fight. #saiyukithings

[Hakkai steps through the door of the old bar, wrinkling his nose at the stale reek of smoke and old beer, and contemplates once again the fact that he has no idea why he agreed to Sharak's invitation. His limiters are cold on his ear, and his human eye doesn't adjust quite as well to the low light, leaving him squinting as he looks for Sharak.

Luckily, she's distinctive.

The bartender is at the other end of the bar talking to a couple of older men in rumpled business suits; his hair is pulled up into a messy bun, dyed punk scarlet, and Hakkai blinks against a stab of familiarity as he slides onto the bar stool next to Sharak's. Obviously it's not Gojyo tending bar in a shitty Tokyo dive. Possibly he does, in fact, need a drink or five.

He pitches his voice low to cut through the tinny sound of the TV at the other end of the bar showing a Hanshin Tigers game, inclining his head to her.]

I hope I didn't keep you waiting long?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Not at all.

[Sharak is sat at the end of the bar, eying a filthy glass that's been left sitting next to her with only a little disdain. She's just arrived herself. As in, she walked in the door maybe thirty seconds before Hakkai did. She hasn't even ordered a drink yet, not having managed to attract the red-haired bartender's attention towards this end of the bar yet. So much for gods and shinki getting quick service here, that punk on the BBS was a liar. It's not like Sharak is even following Hakkai's example and making an effort to fit in- she's still wearing her Sanzo robes and tail.]

I invited another friend as well, so he's the one keeping us waiting now.

[Her "friendship" with Dokugakuji continues to be slightly awkward, but mostly on his end, so who cares?]

Edited 2017-05-01 21:01 (UTC)

You did? Who?

[It's not that he doesn't think Sharak has friends! This surprised tone is really just the sound of someone who hadn't realized he was signing up for a drinking party rather than just a few rounds with an acquaintance.

Friend? Well, yes, he supposes: if he's willing to let her name him, even temporarily and under duress, he should admit she's a trusted friend. He attempts to spin a coaster left on the bar, absently, discovers that it's sticking to the bar, and carefully lifts his elbows from the edge of the counter before they wind up sticking as well. He'll just cross his legs and fold his hands on his knee. That's much safer.]

[She totally has friends. She has so many friends. She even has some friends who don't have to think twice about whether or not she's their friend. At least one or two.]

Dokugakuji. [Sharak leans over the counter to grab a serviette from the pile behind it and pass one to Hakkai. Just in case. She's never sure exactly what he remembers about his past, so she doesn't know if he knows about his connection to Dokugaku, but-] He tried to kill me once, but he's nice enough. It should just be the three of us.

[So, not too big, but also not just the two of them. She feels like that should be a good balance that won't result in too much drama. Hopefully.]

Edited 2017-05-01 21:40 (UTC)

Do you know, I suspect he may have tried to kill me a time or two, as well.

[He accepts the napkin, produces a tiny pocket-sized bottle of hand sanitizer to wet it, and begins cleaning the counter. If he's going to sit here all evening, it's going to be slightly more sanitary first.

This may be a silent commentary on Sharak's taste in bars.

Mildly, as he scrubs at a stubborn spot of something dried-on, he continues.]

But it was just business. He does seem nice enough.

Mhm. Anyway, he should be here soon.

[He tried to stab her in the back in her own home, in an attack that got a fair number of people under her protection killed and involved kidnapping people, so Sharak still holds a tiny grudge regarding his attempt on her life. But, you know, hold nothing and all that.]

Do you want to sneak in the back and see if we can find a mop?

[She's not cleaning up, but if this what Hakkai thinks a fun night out involves, she won't judge.]

I don't scrub floors unless I'm paid.

[He's stopping, actually, at the edges of his personal two feet of counter space. Sharak can handle her own: Hakkai folds the napkin neatly on top of the unpleasantly sticky bar coaster and puts his elbow back on the counter.]

How have you been, by the way? [His eyebrows arch curiously.] Do you have a shinki of your own yet?

[He has to admit that he feels, just slightly, proprietary.

If she doesn't, he might suggest that she take Asshole on. He could use a new name.]

Maybe they'll give you a share of the tips.

[She's not leaning on the counter more than she can help, but Sharak's not too bothered but the general griminess around them. It's kind of charming, in a way.]

I do. [Her mouth twists a little at that. She's not too pleased at being assigned a shinki like she's a child who couldn't find a partner for a group project on her own. She's perfectly content with doing the assignment on her own, thank you.] One of the new arrivals. She seems sensible and she's quiet, to say the least.

[On her own, or with the desperate last-minute help of someone else's shinki who leaves her badly blighted. One of those things, certainly.

Hakkai leans his chin on his hand, watching her.]

But you're not happy about it.

[The twist of her lips is enough to broadcast that loud and clear.]

[Sharak closes her eyes for a moment, which helps her continue to not pay any attention to the shinki bartender less than twenty feet away from them.]

... I don't like other people making that decision and I don't like the "bond" between god and shinki all that much in the first place.

[She's nosy by nature, but having a front row seat to someone's feelings without working for it doesn't sit well with her. Getting blighted from time to time- not that that's been a problem with Celty, so far- isn't something she minds, but the way the whole system works is frustrating.]

But the problem isn't with her.

Well, I can understand that.

[Hakkai finds his gaze drifting away from her again, to the redheaded bartender. He really could be a double for Gojyo: he has the same wiry frame, the same elbows-out posture, as though trying to take up twice as much space as his body naturally occupies... but he's still turned away, busy with his customers, and Gojyo is a shinki. How could he be tending bar?]

But there are worse things to build a partnership on than sensible and quiet.

[He quirks a small smile, and raises his voice. There's no need to awkwardly wonder about the bartender's posture when he can correct his curiosity about the resemblance right away.]

Excuse me! We'd like to order.

[ The advertising worked great! Lin, the owner, says the place has never been so busy, and Gojyo believes it. He's been working his butt off for the past few nights just trying to keep up with all the orders, and keeping track of inventory, and the dozen other things that go into being a bartender. And to think, when he took the job he thought he'd just be pouring beers and shooting the shit with the regulars!

There's a lot of that, though. A lot of just standing around and chatting. But the more the customers like him, the better his tips are, so if the two salarymen want to talk his ear off about office politics, then sure, he can listen. Eventually he'll have to see if anyone else needs a drink, but until--

Excuse me! calls someone from the other end of the bar, and Gojyo cuts Touma-san off with a laugh. ]

Hold that thought, okay? I'll be back in a minute.

[ His cheerful demeanor fades as soon as he turns around, though, because that's Sharak sitting at his bar. Does she ever show up anywhere and not bring trouble with her?

Guess he's gonna find out.

He greets her with a nod and a not entirely fake cocky grin. He doesn't recognize the man with her, and barely spares him half a glance -- it's Sharak he's worried about. ]

We have to stop meeting like this.

True enough, but-

[Sharak's eyes snap open when she's interrupted by a familiar voice she wasn't expecting. That is definitely not the Sha brother she invited out tonight but, nevertheless, it seems he's here. How the fuck did she miss him? She barely manages to smother her surprise when she turns to actually look at him.]

It must be because you're so popular. I just can't stay away.

[Now the question is: does she quietly try to text Dokugakuji a warning to stay away or wait for him to get here and be back up? Decisions, decisions.]

[It is Gojyo. Well, Hakkai thinks, through a haze of shocked anger, at least he's not losing his mind.

We have to stop meeting like this, Gojyo says, and Sharak shoots back, It must be because you're so popular, and Hakkai crumples the damp napkin in his hand with excessive force. She had better not have asked him to come out here from some stupid idea of keeping them safely allied. It will really be the better for her if she did not just deliberately set him up.

At least Gojyo's gaze passes over him without recognition or interest. He's never seen Hakkai with his limiters on before.]

My. Have you met here often?

[His voice is threateningly pleasant.]

[ He doesn't recognize Hakkai's face with his limiters on, but the voice doesn't change. Gojyo does an actual doubletake as Hakkai's identity registers, eyes disbelievingly wide.

She did not just bring the swamp elf to his bar. ]

Is that a problem? [ --he shoots back, every bit as casually aggressive. This is his bar (okay, it's not actually his, but he works here! Parts of it are his responsibility!) and he doesn't put up with riff raff. ] Do you try t'tell her what to do, too?

[She's losing her touch. She should have scoped the bar out days before bringing Hakkai here. Now what was supposed to be a fun night out to loosen Hakkai up and distract him from all of the drama in his life has turned into a significant portion of the drama in his life being dumped in front of his face. Half the trouble hasn't even arrived yet.]

Calm down, both of you. [Sharak fucked up, but she doesn't have to put up with this.] I didn't know you'd gotten a job, Gojyo.

[So please don't try to stab her or something, Hakkai. Sharak didn't mean for this.]

I don't particularly care what either of you do.

[That's a lie, but Sharak's cue is settling his hackles well enough that he delivers it in a believably casual tone. He tosses the napkin back down, screwed up into a much tinier and less damp ball with the force of his grip, and folds his hands carefully together.

He looks up at Gojyo, eyebrows quirking upward just a little.]

Shochu, please. Leave the bottle.

[And if anyone comments about his starting with unmixed distilled spirits at eight p.m., Hakkai will gladly accept the challenge to drink them under the table.]

[ Gojyo folds his arms, scowling at Hakkai with undisguised... well, it's not actually hatred. Annoyance is probably more accurate. Certainly some disgust, too. ]

Bottle of shochu. [ And two glasses, you rude fucker, the lady gets her own glass, even if she is the kind of badass who would probably just swig from the bottle. ] You openin' a tab or is that gonna do it?

[No comments on spirits at eight p.m. here. Sharak figures it's better to start with something like shochu than hard liquor, at least. Judging by Hakkai's unbelievably, convincing casual tone, he needs a drink fast.]

We'll start with that. [Sharak gives Hakkai a questioning look out of the corner of her eye. Does he want to make a break for it?] I think we might go get dinner somewhere in a little while.

[That wasn't at all part of the plan for the evening, but it gives them an out, if Hakkai wants to take it.]

[Hakkai would love an excuse to flee the bar, but between Gojyo looking at him as though he's something unpleasant Sharak scraped off her shoe onto the counter, and Sharak offering him an escape route, he can't find it within himself to surrender without a fight.

He returns Sharak's glance, with a tiny shake of his head.]

I've eaten, but if you haven't...?

[Is there something she wanted to say to him or Dokugakuji that Gojyo shouldn't hear?

He picks up the bottle, filling Sharak's glass first, and then his own as he avoids, unsubtly, looking at Gojyo at all.]

[ So Swamp Elf isn't gonna take the out Sharak is offering him, huh? Gojyo mentally shrugs -- sure, whatever. they can drink here, it's a free country, sort of. He doesn't have to like all his customers, so long as they pay their tabs and don't start fights.

So pay your tab and don't start a fight, you two. ]

'Kay, well, enjoy your shochu. [ And, because he can't resist... ] Try not to get any blight on the glasses.

[ He turns away and heads back to the other side of the bar, the character for gun bright against the back of his own clean and unblighted neck. ]

[She's gonna kick his ass. Sharak honestly looks like she's about to vault over the bar and go kick Gojyo's ass- actually, she's starting to stand up, that might really be a legitimate concern.]

You wanna try saying that again, asshole? I don't think I heard you right.

[Yeah, she is halfway through vaulting over the bar to follow Gojyo. She hasn't even had a drink yet and apparently this is happening already.]

[Cheap cracks about his blight. Is that where they are, really? Well, Hakkai's wearing his limiters, and his hairstyle is neatly trimmed up to reveal his own freshly clean neck, which as far as he is concerned means that he has no need to defend himself against Gojyo being self-righteous.

Sharak appears to think differently.

Hakkai watches her start to vault the bar, picks his own cup up (so it won't spill) and quietly takes a sip. Why, it was Gojyo who objected to him telling Sharak what to do, not five minutes ago.

He wouldn't dream of doing it again.]

[ What the fuck? ]

What the fuck?! [ Is she really...? Okay, she's really climbing over, what the fuck. Gojyo comes at her, gesturing angrily. ] Get the hell off the bar!

[ Does he need to physically remove her? Because he absolutely will. ]

[She's not on the bar anymore, she's behind it and meeting Gojyo halfway to grab him by the collar and tug him down to her eye-level.]

You think you get to talk shit and walk away like that?

[Not wanting to be friends is one thing, this asshole-ish behaviour is another.]

I don't know what the hell your goddamn problem is, but I'm getting sick of this attitude, you brat. Cut it out before I get really pissed off.

[Hakkai is completely certain that Gojyo can't throw Sharak out of his bar -- or even out from behind his counter -- if she doesn't want to go.

He's also completely certain that Gojyo is going to try if she keeps yelling in his face. Justified though it may be. He sets his cup back down, sighs, and raises his voice.]

Sharak, let's not disturb the other customers, please.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject