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WHO: Noctis and Rosalind
WHERE: Rosalind's apartment
WHEN: 9/29 - Evening
WHAT: Drinking with mom.
WARNINGS: Will update as needed.

[ It's a Friday, so of course, Noctis is more than ready for the weekend and very much about ignoring the homework that he has for now. Papers on top of papers, projects, reading, but he's putting all of that on the back burner for his sake. He'd just gotten done working on an outline for hours, and he's ready to ignore the fact that he's a student for a hot minute.

Noctis doesn't at all miss the irony in the fact that he's visiting his professor late at night for drinking. But the relationship he has with Rosalind is special and unique, so it isn't all that odd that he's showing up at her apartment. Much less with a bag of various bottles of alcohol in one arm, a bag with their dinner in the other.

And yes, Ros, he got healthy food this time. Not for him, but at least for you. ~~Also I'm still half-asleep so you can decide what they're eating if you want~~.

Noctis knocks on the door; even if Rosalind's expecting him, he doesn't just let himself in. ]

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[One of these nights-- not tonight, obviously, because of course she's sitting at home and going over the results of the first exam she'd handed out-- but one of these nights Noctis is going to learn he's got to start calling before he comes over, because her weekend evenings aren't all free anymore. But to tell him that now would be pointless, because as it happens she is home alone tonight and she's not doing anything special.

But she might have been.

Anyway: she opens the door and smiles to see who it is, although that smile is soon replaced with a raised eyebrow as she catches sight of what he's got gathering in his arms.]

And here I was going to suggest watching old reruns of Monty Python. I see we've a plan for the evening?

[ Noctis wears his usual sleepy smile, holding up the bag of food first. ]

Dinner, and...

[ Then he holds up the bag of booze. ]

Figured we could follow through on that bet we made.

That eager to cut your hair, are you? Come along, then. And thank you for dinner-- what is it?

[At least the kitchen table is clear, free from the usual scattered papers and textbooks that usually clutter it. I mean, Kawaii-san is sitting in the kitchen and staring suspiciously up at Noctis, but such is life.

God, there's so many cat things around here now.]

Funny.

[ No, he's not losing this bet at all. He's had practice!!!

He'll still probably lose

Noctis walks over to set the bags on the kitchen counter. He doesn't start unloading quite yet, because cat. He smiles at the kitty, reaching down to give him a good little scritch on the head. ]

Hey, little buddy.

[ Noctis: a sucker for kitties, instantly made a cooing fool by them. ]

Italian. Yours came with a salad, by the way. Their portions are pretty big.

Edited 2017-09-28 18:53 (UTC)

You're going to turn my cat against me.

[Indeed: Kawaii-san melts in an instant, coming over to press himself firmly against Noctis' legs. Friendship ended with Rosalind; now Noctis is his best friend.

(This is because Rosalind talks to him like an adult; she still isn't ready to coo nonsensically at a cat. She'll get there).]

But that's good, I suppose. Not only will I have something to eat tomorrow, but you won't get so drunk so easily tonight. It's best doing it on a full stomach.

[A beat, and then she amends:]

Unless you're on a budget. In which case it's easiest to simply get drunk when you're hungry, as you won't need nearly as much alcohol.

[Life lessons with Dr. Lutece.]

[ Noctis takes a bit longer to pay some attention to the kitty, because of course cats get priority. He kneels down, brushing his hand along Kawaii-san's back, happy when the kitty rubs against his legs. ]

Maybe because you don't tell him how cute he is enough.

[ At the kitty: ]

You are, though.

[ Noctis gives him one last little pet before standing up straight again, coming over to the bags to finally start unloading them. ]

Don't you want me to get drunk easily? If I didn't, you wouldn't get your way.

[He's a hideous little goblin, and in other conversations, Rosalind would tell Noctis just that. But right now there's more important things to focus on.]

I'm going to win either way. It'd be nice for you to have a fighting chance.

Uh-huh.

Sure.

[ Noctis goes ahead and helps himself to setting the table. He's been over enough to know where everything is, and it's only good manners to set it up properly. ]

I am an adult now, you know. I've built a pretty good tolerance.

[ No he hasn't. ]

You woke me up at two in the morning, hours after I'd picked you up, because you were so drunk you called your professor.

[So suck it, Caelum.

Soon enough they're settled, though, plates and glasses and milk (or whatever else Noctis wants to drink) set between them. Rosalind has her salad and though surely Noctis' poor body is crying out for a vegetable, she's content to let him eat whatever carb-rich food he'd brought by.]

Besides: no matter how much of a tolerance you've built up, I've still got years on you.

[ Milk is fine. Noctis accepts a glass before taking a seat with his meal. And yes, he got baked penne. And that's plenty full of carbs and cheese, thank you very much. He's fine with his choices.

He's about to start digging in, but he stops. ]

I did what?

[ Clearly, he doesn't remember calling Ardyn at 2 in the morning. ]

[The smile that slowly spreads across her face is just mean.]

You called Ardyn. You called him at about . . . oh, two AM? And started laughing so loudly you woke me up, and then you got a bit fussy when I took your phone from you.

[ ...

Well that's sure embarrassing. Noctis looks a bit bewildered here, and his face starts to turn just a touch red at it just before he puts his attention back on his food. But he's mostly just poking away at it with his fork. ]

That, uh.

That, I don't remember. S...orry about that.

Frankly, we both found it amusing.

[Or, well, Ardyn did, anyway. But now that the incident is in the past, she can look back at it with amusement, especially if it brings Noctis a bit of embarrassment.]

But it serves nicely as an illustration to my point.

[ It's only slightly odd that he doesn't recall anything. That's the most that he's ever drank in his entire life, and he hadn't intended to go overboard. It just happened. He remembers some bits and pieces of that night, but hardly the entirety of it.

He laughs, at least, at his expense. Only slightly. Because while it is embarrassing, it's kind of hilarious to know that the only numbers outside of Prompto that he felt appropriate to call were Rosalind and Ardyn. Both of which are his professors. ]

Welp.

There goes my Law grade.

No, no. That would have happened if you'd called me at two in the morning. Ardyn's much more reasonable. And you did show up the next day.

[Besides, a family member has to go easy on you, she nearly says, but bites her tongue. No need to bring that up tonight.]

Eat your pasta.

Man, I really did go overboard.

[ Noctis acknowledges the reminder of his dinner, taking a bite. He looks slightly embarrassed, and so his gaze stays on his plate. ]

Sorry about waking you up. Guess I learned my limit that day.

It could have been worse. You didn't throw up, which is both admirable and means I'm far more amiable towards drinking with you tonight.

So I didn't do anything else potentially damning?

[She thinks of their conversations. She won't bring up Prompto, not tonight, but--]

. . . you called me, ah . . .

[She glances down at her dinner, and then:]

You called me Mum. Do you remember that?

[ Noctis stops with his dinner, staring at his plate still. His eyes widen a touch, and his face instantly gets a little warm. ]

[ Meekly... Looks... Over to her. ]

N...o, I don't.

[ That's embarrassing. Noctis has always looked up to Rosalind as a sort of mother or sister-figure She's been in his life for so long, it doesn't entirely surprise him that it slipped out.

Except... He's never had a mother, so this is awkward. ]

It was when I'd just picked you up. You were hanging on to me, and . . .

[Mmkay, Mum, sleepy and soft and warm, his face tucked into the crook of her neck and his breath reeking of cheap beer. It's just two words, but they've been on her mind for weeks now.]

In any case. I wouldn't quite classify that as damning.

[ He awkwardly chuckles, and it's forced. Noctis reaches back to rub at his neck, feeling all sorts of embarrassed and small. It's a thought he's had plenty of times, since he was little, even. He just never reflected on it. ]

Don't... Really know what having a mom is like. But, uh--

[ He purses his lips, shrugging. Noctis lets his hands rest at the table as he shifts his gaze elsewhere. ]

I don't know, I think I made that kind of connection ages ago and never thought much on it.

[ He glances back at her again. ]

Was that weird?

No. Not weird.

[But that's not quite right. It was weird, because though she looks at Noctis protectively and lovingly, she'd never once considered herself in a motherly role. She's not a maternal figure; she's never been. But . . .

It's not as if he's a child. It's not as if he's desperately seeking advice or looking for her to coddle him. It's not that he wants anything to change, but simply that he looks at her as a-- a mentor. As someone safe to speak to.]

Or rather: it was . . . unexpected. But that doesn't mean it was a bad thing.

Mm. Okay.

Good.

[ Noctis feels... Better, actually. It's a strange thing to be admitted while absolutely plastered, but he obviously called her for a reason that night. He trusts her, she's taken care of him in the past; it's only natural he feel that way. So he goes back to eating his meal, smiling softly. ]

Thanks for picking me up. That night's kinda a blur, so I'm glad I got ahold of you.

As am I. Though I suppose you could have crashed on a couch at the party, but frankly, that's a rite of passage I recommend you skip.

[That comes out easily. She says it with no real thought, and with it, a knot in her chest slowly loosens.]

Are you certain you still want to do this tonight?

I'd prefer to dodge a bullet like that.

[ He calms down a touch. It's not as embarrassing anymore, knowing that this isn't weird. ]

Yeah. It's been a long week, figured we both could use it.

All right.

[Her supper is only half-finished, but Rosalind gets to her feet, heading to her cabinet and pulling out two shot glasses. Setting them down, she raises an eyebrow.]

Now. Pick your poison and pour us our drinks, then. Four shots, and we'll see who can pour the fifth steadily.

[ Noctis has about the same amount of food finished, but he easily sets it aside once Rosalind gives the signal. He gets up briefly, grabbing the bottles he'd purchased and sitting back down. ]

Let's see...

Vodka. SoCo. Tequila.

[ The good stuff. Plenty to choose from. ]

I vote SoCo. You?

Certainly not tequila . . . all right, SoCo it is.

[She offers him her glass, feeling a reckless sort of cheer gripping her. Here they go, one way or another.]

And what shall we toast it to, hm?

[ Noctis chuckles a bit, filling her glass before filling his own. He raises it to her. ]

To...

Me not getting a stupid haircut.

Hah.

[Good luck to that. But no, that's as good a reason to drink as any, and Rosalind tips her head back, tossing back the shot with practiced ease. Southern Comfort is far from her favorite drink, but she's had it, and knows what to expect.]

[ Noctis snickers a bit as their glasses tap together, just before he throws back the drink in tandem to her. He wrinkles his nose, exhaling once the drink trickles down his throat. It burns, warranting a hoarse sort of exhale. ]

Guh.

I'll never get used to that taste.

[ He sets the glass down. ]

Your turn to pour.

And you were the one to choose the drink, too. Just imagine if I'd allowed us tequila.

[She pours steadily, though. It'll take some time for the drink to hit, after all.]

Mm . . . to a productive semester, I think.

I'll admit one thing: I know squat about alcohol. This is kinda new to me.

[ Somewhat. Hence the overdoing it at a college party. Noctis takes his shot glass and holds it up, clinking it with hers yet again. ]

To a productive semester, then.

[ Aaaand throwing back number two! It hasn't kicked in yet. That will take a minute or two. He exhales sharply, because it still burns.
But at least not as much this time. ]

Alright.

Round three.

[ He can pour this one still. ]

[SHE'S SO PROUD OF HIM . . . but wait for it to kick in.]

One of these days we'll sit down and go over them. In the meantime, avoid tequila and don't mix beer with liquor. Frankly, don't drink beer at all, it's not worth it.

I don't know about you, but I have no plans to mix again. Wasn't worth the hangover.

[ Or the embarrassment.

Welp, either way.

1. 2. 3... SHOT! ]

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