[open] let's not act our age

[doublesmall]

WHO: Chuuya Nakahara, other Inkwell staff, and anyone else who knows him or happens to pop in!
WHERE: Around a few bars
WHEN: 5/1, evening to late night
WHAT: A late birthday outing for Chuuya's 23rd.
WARNINGS: drunk idiots, probably (will edit if needed)


[For the last few days, there's been a sign on the Inkwell's door noting that it will be closed for business on Monday. It may not be his actual birthday, but he wasn't about to close up on the weekend-- so Monday night it is. What's a work week if you don't start it off with a couple regrets, anyway? It's karaoke and barhopping time (though he will take additional suggestions. He's easy to convince, honestly.)

Anyone who knows Chuuya well enough to text him (or any regulars he likes) will have been given a heads-up and an invite to the outing, provided they're old enough; anyone under 21 can show up for karaoke before the group hits the bars, but after that they're unfortunately getting ditched. It's not mandatory for staff to go, but he's closing up shop so everyone can if they want!]

((putting a header or two in the comments, feel free to add your own!))

Comments

[doublesmall]

a. give me the mic;

[Anyone who's not a karaoke fan will probably want to join up later, when they move on from this. Until then, though? It's time to chill out and maybe drag people into a duet or two. If you're a friend of his, Chuuya is definitely going to insist on one, though he'll pick some solo songs as well (and takes requests in exchange for buying him drinks. Any song you want. Make it something embarrassing, he probably won't care after a few.)

He'll also be encouraging anyone who doesn't seem to want to take a turn, casually slinging an arm around their shoulders.]

C'mon, c'mon, it's not that bad. If they can make me do fucking Disney music, you can sing something.

[...or, once he's had a few more, he'll do the same (leaning on them a little, probably) but more insistent:]

You're doing this one with me, let's go!

[enjoy your small drunk friend attempting to physically drag you along with him. it's his birthday. do it, nerd.]

b. bar hopping time;

[The rest of the outing probably consists of Chuuya dragging people around to various other bars he likes, unless they have other ideas. He's down for whatever. It's definitely going to make up a chunk of the night, though, and he might have to be escorted to and from the last ones. For someone who loves alcohol, he sure doesn't have much of a tolerance.

Someone please keep him from falling off a barstool.

...and stop him from starting arguments with anyone who tries to cut him off.]

Seriously?! That's-- it's against the fuckin' law. It's my birthday. Can't refuse a guy a drink on his birthday, s'unfair--

c. wildcard;

[for any other shenanigans you might want with chuuya. hit me with it, or feel free to ping me on plurk (teag) to work out a thread!]

A

[thesettingsun]

[Chuuya runs his favorite bar, how would he turn down an invitation to go drinking? And karaoke's not bad - at least, he doesn't mind listening to other people sing.

When Chuuya suggests that Shuji take a turn singing himself, though-]

I, uh, that's okay, I wouldn't want to take the spotlight away from you!

[Please don't make him sing. He doesn't think he's that good at it but he also doesn't want to admit he's bad at anything.]

[doublesmall]

Cute, but flattery's not gonna get you out of this.

[That comes with a quick wink, his grin widening.

he's still just going to tug Shuji along, too.]

It's not gonna kill you, is it? Now pick something, I'm not gonna make you sing shit you don't even know. That's just cruel.

[thesettingsun]

[He was sure flattery would work!! That was his only plan...

Having failed to come up with a better plan while Chuuya pulled him along, he sighs and starts flipping through pages. Not anything really hard... not anything sung by a girl... not a love song... not a sex song... Okay, okay, that's fine. You can't go wrong with the Spinning Rocks.]

Here goes nothing...

[Shuji's voice, when he starts to sing, is... solidly okay. It won't hurt your ears to listen to, but it's definitely nothing special.

It wouldn't be as embarrassing if Shuji wasn't the type of person to want to absolutely nail anything he does in front of other people. He is not nailing it.]

[doublesmall]

[Maybe he's not nailing it, but Chuuya doesn't care. Aggressively does not care. That's not the point in karaoke, anyway-- so he's just whistling and applauding like this is a concert or something.

He may have already had a few drinks.]

See! I told you it wasn't that bad, nothin' to be so shy about. If nobody's ears are bleeding you're good.

[and he's just shoving a drink into Shuji's hands, there. you're welcome.]

A

[biellmann]

[ on one hand, she really, really doesn't want to sing in front of all her coworkers. on the other hand, this is her boss, so maybe she shouldn't say no to him. It all seems like a harmless good time, but still? There's this weird mental thing going on?? At least for her.

But she's also probably had at least one drink by now, so her judgement's a bit off. She'll be laughing a little, gently trying to pry his arm off of her. ]

No way. You'll ruin your birthday if you have to listen to me sing - trust me.

[doublesmall]

Now I have to find out! You can't say something like that and expect me not to be curious, c'mon.

[He lets her pry his arm off, at least-- small blessings-- but he doesn't get out of her personal space or give up his mission just yet.]

Promise you I've heard way worse. It's not about being good.

[biellmann]

[ considering she was a performer before, it really shouldn't be that bad... but the problem is that all these people will see her again? a lot?? still. she sighs. ]

It is your day, I guess. You have to do it with me, though. I'm not going up there by myself.

[ you're going down with her baws ]

[doublesmall]

Deal. Pick whatever you want, and if it's not a real duet I'll make it one.

[awful big words for someone who's been encouraged into a couple of pretty embarrassing songs already-- but he's fully confident in it. he will Make It Work, we're going full Project Karaoke here.]

A

[goen]

[ FUCKIN' DOING IT. ]

You got it, boss!

[ Yato is still banged up from a certain series of events in the past week or two, but he wouldn't miss Chuuya's birthday celebration for anything world. Also alcohol is fantastic at taking the edge off the pain, so here is Doctor Yato's self-prescription: lots of booze and lots of partying. ]

Let's do this one!

[ going straight for the bohemian rhapsody ]

[doublesmall]

[BLESS YOU FOR BEING A BRO, YATO.]

Hell yes.

[it's not a song you can do alone, after all. this is a multiple person and preferably half-the-establishment type of song. he's so down for this.

Yato is probably the only person being spared their duty as his personal leaning post-- Chuuya knows he's banged up, he'll behave until he can't remember that-- so he's just doing his best to stay upright in the face of his own energy. whatever, if he tips over he will sing from the damn floor, try to stop him.]

Knew you had good taste in there somewhere, Yato.

[because he sure doesn't have it for fashion]

1/2

[goen]

...

2/2

[goen]

[ fuckin ow

That backhanded compliment was more vicious than any blow to his body. ]

Uh, thanks...

[ Time for a biiiig oooold drink. And then he punches the number in for the song. Let's do this, bossman. ]

b.

[arahoushi]

Boss, whoa--

[Please don't fall off the barstool, Chuuya, that's just embarrassing. He puts a hand on Chuuya's back to stop that from happening, disregarding the fact that he's also...somewhat less steady than he was an hour ago (but in his defense, he's not fall off the barstool drunk...)]

Sorry-- [He's apologizing to the bartender, who's looking a little annoyed by now.] Boss, c'mon. C'mon, it's fine.

[doublesmall]

It's not fine!

[He struggles to shove Toshi's hand off his back, despite the fact that he's attempting to hold Chuuya up... he doesn't want to be calm right now, okay.]

Lemme give him a piece of my mind--

[arahoushi]

[Okay. Okay, Chuuya's still technically his boss....and Toshi is also drunk...but screw it.]

Nah, boss.

[...He's picking Chuuya up.]

b

[vitis]

[ was john invited? who knows. but he's been pacing himself decently well throughout the night; the difficulty is that it's been a while. yet while the room has a bit of a spin to it, he's steady enough that he can at least step up to chuuya's side.

this conversation is pretty outrageous. clearly trashed or not, what's the point of capitalism if you can't even but a drink on your birthday. he'll put a hand to chuuya's shoulder so that he doesn't topple right off his seat. nonchalantly, as an aside to the birthday boy, ]

Ah, hey. Might wanna simmer down, y'know? Not much use in fightin' about it.

[ then, when he looks up, he points to chuuya's drink: ]

I'll have whatever he's havin'. [ and seeing as john doesn't appear about to keel over, the bartender begins to oblige him. hooray. ]

yesssss

[doublesmall]

Not gonna make anything happen if you don't fight about it-

[and outright telling him to stop would probably have him picking a fight with john, too. the suggestion works to keep that from happening; he thinks about shoving that hand away, but he'll allow it for now, shoulders slumped as he glowers at the bartender.]

...oh, I see how it is, he's fine and I'm not? S'discriminal- no. Discrimination.

* u*

[vitis]

Discrimination?

[ john laughs a little more loudly than is probably warranted by the comment. he supposes it's technically not not discrimination... and he can't help but reflect on the fact that all sorts of aspects of this situation would probably be illegal in oklahoma. anyway, the bartender slides him the drink, to which he slides back an appropriate amount of cash plus a healthy tip. (the most he'll spend all week.) ]

[ then he pushes the drink chuuya's way, tossing an unwelcome wink at the disgruntled bartender. ]

Enjoy it, all right? Happy birthday and all!

[ yeah, enjoy it because they're definitely getting kicked out sooner rather than later. ]

[wordcarvings]

[ Koutarou had brought along the original of the image with the poem and the drawing that he sent a photo of to Chuuya on his birthday. It was for his dear cousin, after all, there's no way he wouldn't get the original.

Either way, that was handed over before. Now, Koutarou has moved his chair closer to Chuuya's so he can lean against him while he drinks, instead of toppling over. Chuuya's cousin is stupidly tolerant against alcohol, so he's only a little flushed in comparison. ]

Chuuya, you've had lots of drinks already. Your eyes are swimming, you know?

[ Dear cousin, you're worrying him. Not that he's not seen this before. ]

[doublesmall]

[Honestly, it's less leaning and more a full-on slump. If Koutarou moved, Chuuya would be on the floor in a second flat.

He squints up at his cousin, mulling over those words for a moment-- and that might be a good start to something, he thinks he could work with that as a lyric. he's got to remember it.]

...my eyes aren't fish, Koutarou.

[wordcarvings]

[ Koutarou better not move much at all, or else the risk that Chuuya falls increases. Maybe he should use his other hand when drinking, too. Use the arm Chuuya isn’t slumped against. He doesn’t want Chuuya to hurt himself on the floor.

He’s thinking about something though, isn’t he? A little seriously. ]

Your eyes are fish and your head is a bowl.

a

[stopbleeding]

[the only reason he is here is because the karaoke place has cheap beer. Not once did Zoro have any intention of singing and he's been having a fine time just drifting along with the ridiculousness of the party. It's been fun being a wallflower. He'd like to keep it that way.

He's not too fond when Chuuya keeps insisting on trying to change it.

Zoro digs his heels into the ground like a cat resisting a bath.]

HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU?! I'M NOT SINGING LIKE A VIRGIN!

[doublesmall]

Why not?

[Chuuya is not going to give up!! he keeps trying to tug Zoro along, miraculously not spilling the drink he's holding at the same time.]

Come ooon, I know you know it-- is it just the song choice? I'll let you pick one and everything.

[stopbleeding]

THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE YOU PICKED MADONNA!

[Oh. Chuuya's got a bit of purchase there when Zoro leaned forward to shout. He's off-balance. One more tug should get him out of the booth.]