recolle | [backdated to april 27th, OPEN] open bar time

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[backdated to april 27th, OPEN] open bar time

the inkwell bar has been opened up for the evening to celebrate the owner's birthday-- regular operations are on hold, and even the furniture has been rearranged. the tables now line the edges of the bar, leaving extra space in the middle for mingling or dancing or whatever you feel like doing, and in place of the usual slightly dim, warm lighting? it's even dimmer than usual, though there's additional lighting in the center area, around the bar itself, and above the tables. chuuya's even replaced the usual jazz and jazz cover soundtrack with a more varied and upbeat playlist that clearly had a few different people working on it; did you want both hard rock and beyonce? great! you're gonna hear both.

[as people enter, they'll be greeted by the host of the party-- chuuya is definitely progressively tipsier as the night goes on, and those greetings become more enthusiastic over time, but they're largely variations on the same thing:]

Hey, thanks for stopping in. Go grab yourself a drink, yeah? Bar's open, food's over that way. Go help yourself, have fun-- just don't start anything unless you wanna get kicked out.

[a couple npc staff members are on duty to keep an eye on things and make sure nothing gets out of hand (and that nobody tries to eat all the food or anything, despite chuuya's invitation to help themselves.)

drinks are free, but staff are under instructions to check id; if you have an agreement with chuuya or if he likes you, though, he may happen to leave one in reach. plausible deniability and all that.

there's also food provided, stacked up on a couple of tables set aside for that purpose-- the cake comes later, but throughout the party there's a variety of snacks and finger foods left out and the bar is still serving its regular menu.

anyone is welcome, whether they're friends of chuuya's or not! the bar's big enough to accommodate anyone who wants to bring a friend or two, or who happens to just wander into the party.]

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a-

[as the owner and main bartender, of course chuuya's serving up drinks to start off with-- but he's definitely not avoiding them himself. it's his party and these aren't business hours, he does what he wants. so don't be surprised if, after he slides you a cocktail, he fixes up an identical one of his own, flashing you a grin as he raises the glass to yours.]

To even more crazy times in this city.

[and after he takes a sip-]

So, enjoying yourself yet?

b-

[after a while (and several drinks), though, he's finished hanging out behind the bar and can be found mingling around instead. if he knows someone that he finds hanging around alone, he'll go ahead and throw an arm around their shoulders; if he doesn't, well, he just might do that anyway. it's not much of a party if anyone is left without company, after all.]

Hey, hey-- it's a party, y'know? What, are you waiting on people or something?

[at some point in the night - once everyone's pretty much fucking hammered and gone beyond recognition - baren wanders back to chuuya's side once he's finished up mingling with someone else. he catches chuuya's belt loop with his finger and hums a pleased note. one arm remains behind his back, holding onto a small box]

Hey hot shot, think I can borrow you for a minute?

[it's v. lucky that baren's decently independent bc honestly he doesn't like having to share chuuya's attention so much]

One minute, starting now.

[-but the grin chuuya gives him is teasing, even if his face is thoroughly flushed by now and he just sort of. falls right against baren when he's tugged in. he's definitely drunk.]

What is it, huh?

[lord above, he's gone,,

Baren just laughs then, accepting Chuuya falling against him easily because let's be real he expected this. he reaches up to steal his hat before wrapping one arm around him]

Oh you know, routine check in. Making sure you're not falling on your face or anything. [a too long pause as he looks chuuya over] Mm.... Could be doing better...

[he's just fucking around but still]

Hey-!

[chuuya huffs at that, reaching for his hat-- give it back??]

It's almost my birthday, aren't you supposed to be less of a shit?

[nope!! baren laughs at that, instead leaning down to press his forehead against chuuya's

they're in public. embarrassing.]

It wouldn't be as fun if I behaved.

[they're a public embarrassment and chuuya is too drunk to care-- but when baren presses his forehead against chuuya's, he reaches up to press a hand against baren's face and push.]

Give me my hat back first.

[then he can be as gross as he wants.]

[annoying!!!!! baren huffs and he'll remove his arm from around Chuuya to lift the hat off his own head and replace it back on its owner's.

but he'll also lightly bite at chuuya's hand because he's petty. he has half a mind to pull away but decides that's too mean for chuuya's birthday]

You're so boring. Why'd I get you a gift anyway if all you want is your hat?

I wouldn't have to want it back if you didn't steal it...

[flawless logic! chuuya reaches up to adjust the hat, making a face as he rubs idly at the spot where baren nipped him. why is he like this.

he's still staying close, though, brightening a bit with curiosity.]

-is it something you can actually give me in public?

[ . . . ]

Is that where you're mind's at...

[IN THE GUTTER but also he'll just pull out the box from behind his back to show it to him]

Might as well find out.

I just wouldn't put it past you!

[his mind isn't always in the gutter!!

just often.

but chuuya takes the box from him with a little nod, already eyeing it curiously even as he starts opening it up. he's also just going to lean against baren while he does, because he's there and it's convenient.

when he opens it and gets a look at the new choker inside, though, he stops to stare at it for a moment... before reaching up with one hand to fumble with the buckle of the one he's already wearing, a wider and more pleased smile on his face.]

Hey, give me a hand with this.

[he definitely likes it, of course he wants to put it on immediately.]

You always do have fancy tastes, huh...?

[Shuji startles when Chuuya throws an eye over his shoulder. After his shift at the bar ended, he'd sort of gravitated towards the wall, watching the party more than participating in it.]

Sorry, I'm just tired.

[It hasn't even gotten that late yet.]

Ah, yeah, you said you were working earlier too, right...?

[chuuya gives him a nudge that's really more of a shove than he means it to be, trying to direct him to a table.]

C'mon, c'mon, get off your feet then.

[Shuji wobbles a little more than he would have liked, but no one is seriously harmed in the process of him sitting at a table.]

Thanks, Chuuya. Having fun?

[It is his party, so Shuji would hope so.]

'Course I am. I might even end up remembering the whole thing this time-- shit, does that mean I'm getting old? I feel like that means I'm getting old.

[...he says, to a guy older than him. that drunk logic sure is out in full force tonight.]

If you're old, then I'm a fossil.

[They haven't even hit thirty yet, seriously...]

I think we're all just more tired now.

...yeah, maybe. Not that that's surprising, with everything that's been happening the last year or so.

[he takes another sip of the drink in his hand, then shakes his head, waving his other hand dismissively.]

--we're not gonna think about that tonight though, yeah?

Nope. That's not birthday talk at all.

[...funny how that doesn't immediately make him any less tired.]

I am, emphatically so. You're right; I really should spend more time around h— ah.

[He frowns a little, tilting his head as he regards Chuuya with a quizzical look.]

Hold still a moment, you've got something...

[And in what is literally the oldest trick in the book, he reaches across the bartop behind Chuuya's ear, and brings back a miniature iris twined with a sprig of white heather, and offers it to him.]

There it is. However could these have gotten back there.

Wh-- Foxy, come on, that's the cheesiest thing anyone's ever done to me.

[chuuya's grinning even as he says it, though, his tone far more pleased than scolding; he takes the flowers with a little nod, reaching up to twine them into his hair.]

What d'you think, do they match...? And what do these mean?

That's the cheesiest? I need to work much harder, then; I'm clearly derelict in my duty of being patently embarrassing at all times.

[What he looks most pleased about, however, is the fact that Chuuya's outright asked the meaning of the flowers — because of course, they weren't just picked at random.]

Together like this? "I hope your wish comes true".

[He indicates the iris on "hope", and the white heather on "wish".]

Seemed a reasonable enough birthday message, in my opinion.

It's a fitting one, yeah-- and I think it has.

[all he really wanted was to get people together for a good time, and he's got just about everything else he could have wanted; what wishes does he have left, at this moment?

his smile's a little warmer there, more fond.]

Can I just make my new wish to not get embarrassed then? I think Baren's got the "not letting me live" part down pretty well by now.

[for anyone who knows baren, they know he doesn’t do drunk in public. tipsy? sure. and tonight is the usual, erring just barely on the side of tipsy. he can be found at chuuya’s side for a fair portion of the night, but he also might've fired off a few texts to people he knew because he knows for a fact that when he's not with his boyfriend, he's probably just barely avoiding causing trouble

like so:]

[ i : 100 drunk wishes ]

[at some point, baren will be at the bar. starting to fold paper cranes. why? WHO CAN SAY.

but he'll have a half finished margarita at his side that he occasionally sips from, but his attention is indeed mostly focused on these fucking paper cranes. if you make the mistake of establishing eye contact, he just. smiles. and slides a stack of origami paper to you]

Birthday boy asked for a hundred of these.

[but

but did he really]

[ ii : all's fair in love and bullshit ]

Fuck, marry, kill.

[yeah let's get straight to the point. baren will now proceed to give the option between the following sets of names:]

[ a: retrospec edition ] Carly, Jimjam, Maury.

[ b: great minds ] Marie Antoinette, Aristotle [but pronounced like Chipotle], The Rock.

[ c: too close for comfort - aka he will honest to god name any 3 random people at this party or from the app. just never chuuya. don't put chuuya into the equation. don't do it.] What, you afraid they'll overhear you?

Edited 2018-05-04 04:20 (UTC)

[Why does it not surprise Shuji that this is happening?]

Kill Marie Antoinette because I can't be with somebody whose outfits are more expensive than mine and she's already dead anyway. Marry the Rock because he'd treat me right. Fuck Aristotle. [Emphasizing the correct pronunciation of his name.]

[until further notice assume baren continues to pronounce Aristotle like Chipotle now specifically bc he's noticed that it bothers Shuji]

Do you think Aristotle isn't dead?

And does that mean that Missy shops at Kohl's?

[wouldn't expect anything else]

No, but I think I'm not going to murder the Rock, who's still alive.

[Obviously.]

And I wish. Half of Mista's wardrobe comes from goodwill.

Still, fucking Aristotle over Marie...

[kind of a weird choice...... hm..........]

But wait, wait - you don't take Missy out to clothing stores and just dress him up like Malibu Ken?

[what's the fucking point of dating then]

He's my boyfriend, not my dress-up doll. And those clothes make him happy, hideous crop tops and all.

[As much as Shuji hates them, he loves Mista's happiness much more.]

Why can't he be both....

[why have a boyfriend if you can't make him look nice!!]

You know, he'd probably like it if he got to make you happy too. Just every once in a while? It's fun!

He's constantly making me happy with everything he does, he doesn't have to go out of his way like that.

[Still super doki-doki for Mista, confirmed.]

[ . . . yeah that's really sweet

so]

I need another drink...

You mentioned Mista first. You brought this on yourself.

[Shuji will take it as a tiny victory.]

[ oh this is an easy game. odasaku's tongue is loosened just a little thanks to the alcohol, and he nods. ]

Marry The Rock, fuck Marie, and...kill...kill...do I have to kill?

... you know, in the PG version of the game the last option is who you avoid?

[ . . . ]

It's pretty boring.

[ he shrugs ]

I mean...Aristotle is already dead. I can't kill his corpse.

What if Aristotle was part of the zombie apocalypse?

[ he seriously considers this for a moment, and then nods, as if understanding. ]

Then Marie Antoinette would also be part of the zombie apocalypse. [ and he doesn't want to fuck a corpse ]

Can I fuck and marry the Rock?

Now that's just getting greedy?

Also what's the point of a dry marriage...

[well

baren doesn't put a lot of stock in marriage anyway]

That's why I'm asking to fuck and marry The Rock.

[ he says this as if it's the most obvious thing. people have their needs. ]

[The Blue Moon Bakery isn’t exactly a huge name in the city just yet, so Atsushi jumps on any catering jobs that comes his way with enthusiasm to try and help the owner promote business. A birthday party at the Inkwell was the perfect opportunity to do so, and Atsushi is the one responsible for baking and decorating the cake (which is a flavor and design that Chuuya will approve of), and also for bringing a few assorted finger foods.

You can find him manning the food tables, keeping everything well-stocked and rotated for the guests. He’s got a nice catering uniform on and his hair slicked back, so anyone familiar with him might need to do a double-take to realize who it is.

Come say hi! He’ll happily chat!]

Oh, hey--

[chuuya is definitely a little drunk, but the grin he gives atsushi is bright enough despite that; he gives the cake an approving look-over, then glances up to atsushi, not quite recognizing him at first. give him a minute to figure it out.]

Looks even better than I thought. So was this your work, or-?

Hello, Chuuya-san.

[Atsushi gives Chuuya a shy little smile. Ever since their little flying lesson Atsushi has happily stayed on the ground, but he won’t hold that against Chuuya. It was actually kind of fun!

But he still never wants to do it again.]

It is. I’m glad you like it!

[He really did try his best.]

I hope you’re having a good birthday.

I always do.

[you really can't go wrong with this kind of party, right?

and while he's sure the bakery would've mentioned whose name was on the order, chuuya's still sure he knows this guy, and it sounds like he knows chuuya too-- another long look, and he finally snaps his fingers.]

Ah, Atsushi, yeah? Shit, I barely recognized you-- maybe you should try out that look more often.

Yes, that’s me!

[He’s just happy that Chuuya remembered him at all.]

Oh, do you think so? Maybe I will.

[A pause.]

Oh, doesn’t Shuji-kun work here?

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[backdated to april 27th, OPEN] open bar time

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HAHA gay (wildcard ig)

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A probably progressing into B

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II-B

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ii.b.

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