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Post by seraaches on Apr 9, 2008 18:56:34 GMT -5
The last time he'd come to the bar to trying and drown his sorrows. . . Gads, he couldn't even remember when that was. Not that it mattered today. Not a great deal seemed to matter today. Well, the last few days. It was also rare for him to come to the bar in human form; he almost always came in bipedal, but today Rai was here for the sole purpose of getting completely and utterly sloshed and human form was physically weaker and much more likely to succumb. Also, he could vomit in this form and not have to worry about colic. Another plus. All of these thoughts, random as they were, couldn't keep back the shuddering wave of emotion pounding at the back of his mind. Emotions echoing words that he was doing everything in his power to ignore. Serafino's dead. Serafino's dead. Serafino's dead.Rai groaned in the back his throat, chugging down his mug of beer and starting on the next one waiting atop the table even as he signalled to the barkeeper to keep them coming and regularly. The man gave him a slight nod, and turned his eyes away from the long-time customer. They had an agreement and today Rai was going to push the boundaries of it. He wasn't going to cry. Nor was he going to scream. Or go on a killing rage. But it was going to be a close thing. |
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Post by Tigeress on Apr 9, 2008 19:07:06 GMT -5
 She'd never been in here before, the only bar she'd been in had been a small respectable one in Morganberry. It had taken years to get over the fear of going back in to one of those places again and meeting someone like... him. A shudder ran through her as she remembered the first man to claim he loved her, but she was old enough to know now that a man who loves you won't leave you black and blue and bloody of a shared accord due to his irresponsible lust. Nothing but bad memories were coming to her lately, plaguing her sleep and driving her to find a way to just lie down and not wake up for a long time. Sleeping pills were risky, they chanced getting addicted to, but a night here and there of mindless drinking wouldn't be so bad, surely. Just until this wave of... whatever it was, chose to pass. Guilt? Yes, guilt. She'd let down the first person to ever give her a helping hand, she hadn't been as strong as he'd expected her to be, she hadn't recovered in the way that she should have after that night with his King. The grief she must have caused him, and then she'd been too cowardly to apologise. There was always tomorrow, right? Not anymore, not for him. She was significantly closer to breaking down and crying than the man who caught her eye, sitting by the bar. There was no way... "Shi- err... Your Majesty? What brings you here?" Being someone who didn't often use their title in the courts, she had hard time remebering that some people demanded it even off of 'business time'. Not that she knew Shinrai was one of those people, but better to be safe than sorry. Not knowing what else to do, she grabbed a seat and waved the bartender over, tequila was her choice of poison, and only because it went down hard and fast, and you had to drink very little to achieve intended results of drunken stupors. She should have been more conscious of what Shinrai was thinking about his King being in the bar, obviously with full intent of drowing her feelings in something strong, but hell, he was there too doing the same damn thing. Any fool could see that. |
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Post by seraaches on Apr 9, 2008 19:20:19 GMT -5
The man didn't seem immediately aware of the woman standing before him, though he answered the question in a hoarse voice, "A large stock of ready alcohol."
He didn't turn to look towards her even when she sat down and seemed to be settling in. He wasn't thinking. He wasn't going to remember. Definitely was not going to think. The echoes continued in his head. He swallowed another half glass without hesitation.
It was Sekhmet. Oh. He vaguely wondered if there should be some sort of concern that she was in a bar and evidently not actually looking for him. Nope, just relief that no one was here to drag him back to the Court just yet. Though, he was rather expecting a certain red mouse to show up eventually.
Well, he couldn't afford a week in the bar. But he could take one night, one night for himself where he could just stop thinking.
Serafino's. . . SHUT UP!
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Post by Tigeress on Apr 9, 2008 19:31:18 GMT -5
This was unusual. She'd never seen the abnormally attentive man so... unattentive. It was like a whole 'nother world was existing around the Queen and he was completely lost in it, unaware that this one still existed. Her lips pursed with concern, but, then again, she knew the feeling. She'd been locked in her room for an embarassing amount of time, in pretty much the same state he was in now. She sympathized, but at the same time, she wondered what was going on in his head. Was he thinking of the future already and what this might mean for him? Or was he too scared to move past what had happened?
He was certainly locked in himself. The shots arrived just as she opened her mouth to speak however, and she found herself in a seriously stuck position. Alcohol now or conversation now? It did take a few seconds, but she'd been waiting so long... the alcohol eventually won out, and the threw the liquid back, a grainy white line of salt dissapearing from the back of her hand. She was an expert with this stuff. Luckily the Queen seemed too out of it to probably register that, and even if he did, she would probably be a shady ghost in his memory when he woke up tomorrow.
"I see that." She commented lightly, face contorting into a half-hearted smirk.
"Care for some company?" It was better than asking 'are you alright?' because obviously, the answer was right in front of her. At least she could keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't hurt himself. Though, that meant she'd have to slow down on the shots in order to do that. The bridge of her nose was already pulsating in a warning manner to let her know her empty stomach was trying it's best to absorb the alcohol and it was indeed failing.
He looked worse off than she felt, and she would have winced, except she had fully intended to be in a similar state in about another hour... maybe less. However, the last thing the courts needed was two royals making idiots of themselves and causing more harm and chaos than was already flowing around. Damn. Well, as long as she didn't get completely smashed... And on that thought, another shot was on it's way.
"Feel like talking?" It was a start, if she could get him to just ramble it out in his half-conscious state, maybe it would ease the pain a little. People tended to be much looser lipped when intoxicated anyway.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 9, 2008 19:48:04 GMT -5
Despite wot she thought, he was still aware of his surroundings-- how could he not be?-- and the one part of his brain that continued to record things noticed how expertly she threw back the shots. No part of him, however, really cared at all. At some point she'd likely learn this about him, but, for now, the stallion was a lot more interested in trying to find oblivion. For once, he thought wryly, his years of building up a resistance to alcohol was definitely working against him in a way he distinctly minded.
"Care for some company?"
He looked suddenly up at her, face blank though his eyes looked haunted. "Would it matter?" Because he might be on his way to lovely oblivion, but he was still a thinking man. Now that someone from the Courts had found him, there was an unspoken obligation that they keep an eye on him. They'd just lost The Queen of Hearts. They couldn't afford to lose the only remaining Queen. He was a needed commodity right now. Blast it.
"Feel like talking?"
No. Gads, no. Light, no. By all that was holy and good, no.
"Probably not wise."
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Post by Tigeress on Apr 9, 2008 20:01:07 GMT -5
He seemed to come around more and more, as long as she kept bothering him. Well, she could do with that, it was one of her fortes. When he turned his head towards her though, her tanned complexion went down a shade or so. The look in his eyes... she knew she'd seen that look before. Or rather, someone had seen that look on her. A cowardly part of her had to look away, less she loose the small bit of composure she'd gained in focussing on someone else's pain for a moment. It was selfish, but if she could focus on the man before her, she could lock herself out of her own mind for a while.
"Probably not. You look like you could use some, though." She knew she wasn't even on the list of people he'd call for a night out at the bar, nor to come help his sorry drunk ass home, but they weren't here right now and she was. It wasn't an obligation that kept her, so much as it was her memories of being alone in this state. She would have given anything for someone to have just stayed by her side, no matter how much she protested, swore, threatened with physical violence.
When he spoke again, she knew the answer was coming, but she expected it to be a lot less... polite. 'Hmm'ing at this, she nodded her head and quickly went through the shot that she'd so recently called over. That should be enough to last a good ten minutes of conversation or so. Unlike Rai, she'd been keeping herself away from alcohol very strictly since joining the courts, and that was most certainly working For her right now. Well, and against her, as she had previously decided not to get shitfaced in front of her Queen.
"Never thought in a million years I'd be drowning my sorrows with my Queen in a dingy bar. I guess I'm a bit shaken up. Didn't know where else to go, really." So he didn't want to talk? Well, that was fine. She could talk to herself. Either she'd open up enough to coax him into letting something, anything out, or she'd have a good long talk to the wall and stumble home, after him of course. He didn't seem like the kind of man to be pushed, whatever would happen would happen in it's own sweet time. The best she could do was try and be around to listen or hold him back, or whatever other action was necessary when it all came falling down.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 9, 2008 20:15:08 GMT -5
Rai finished another beer just as the waitress delivered two more for him. She fetched the empty glasses and went on her way; she was well-used to this regular as well. His hat was still pulled down over his right eye, the leather sleeve in place and the deep blue cloak obscuring his rank and suit. He wouldn't cause trouble-- he never did-- and he would just drink a great deal and then leave. She would just keep his table well supplied until he left the tip or the bartender told her to stop.
Rai wasn't entirely certain whether or not the woman expected him to answer her. He was fighting his natural inclination to try and be helpful. He didn't want to. He wanted to ignore everything; but she seemed to be doing only mildly better than him and that was probably because he'd been here longer.
"This is a good bar," the words should have been sullen and unclear, but he really just sounded tired. "Good alcohol. No questions."
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Post by Tigeress on Apr 9, 2008 20:24:11 GMT -5
She watched him out of the corner of her eye, noting how he hid himself even here, in the obscure darkness of the hazy bar. He just never took any chances that someone might see those part of him that he hated so much. He really didn't stop to realize how attractive he was despite all that, and instead hid himself away. It was a shame, but really, she might have done the same. Luckily for her, all she had was a glass heart, and that was carefully hidden. Thinking about it made a hand touch lightly over her chest, making a rhythm that no longer existed. It always made her feel cold inside and out when she pictured it... sitting there.
Shaking her head visibly, she was glad for the distraction his comments offered her. Well, it wasn't much, but at least he was aknowledging that she'd said anything. It gave her a bit of hope.
"First time here, I guess it's not that bad. I just assume all bars are rather unpleasant places... bad memories will do that to you." She closed her eyes tight for a second, as if that would block out the sight hiding behind her eyes. He had been so charming... sweet like poisoned candy. And she had been so very young, and drunk, and just generally irresponsible. It was enough to make her blink at the shot that had been offered up to her without her even having to ask this time.
It was time to make a change and to stop being so scared of the world around her. But she left the alcohol sitting for now, as her head began to distort the green shade of Shinrai's hair so that now and again it blended into the pale skin of his face. This was really hitting her rather hard. She'd over-estimated her ability to consume this much alcohol without a problem. Years had passed since she could go through half a bottle of this stuff and laugh... until she was alone where she could promptly rid herself of alcohol poisoning.
"Do you come here often, then?" Small talk was good for both of them, she assumed. Anything to keep those memories, all those thoughts at bay for a while.
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Post by seraaches on Apr 9, 2008 20:39:22 GMT -5
Bad memories of a bar. . . none of his bad memories had ever stopped him from returning to the bar and he doubted anything actually could stop him from coming back over and over. He liked the bar far too much to let himself be dissuaded from coming in.
She seemed to be determined to talk and Rai resigned himself to that knowledge, even though all he really wanted was to sit and get really, really drunk. Blast it all. With a sigh, he went from large swallows to more normal-sized sips.
"Not as much anymore," the stallion responded without looking at her. He hadn't liked her expression the last time he'd done so, and he didn't really want to repeat that experience just now. It was another reminder of wot was lost, wot was gone.
#*$&. He didn't want to be The Queen of Hearts.
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Post by Tigeress on Apr 9, 2008 20:49:54 GMT -5
She kept glancing over even when he seemed happy with starting off into space. The woman could tell he wanted to be left alone, but it wasn't what was good for him. He couldn't keep pushing people away. Didn't he cherish the fact that almost complete strangers cared so much about him? What she would give to know that feeling. It was probably what kept her so close to Samid and Lawrence. Two people who just accepted her without question, cared for her just because they chose to do so. Genuine emotions she'd just accepted would never be directed at her.
It was something she'd learned to live without.
"Why is that?" She probably wouldn't receive much of an answer to that one, but it kept the conversation going. She was having a hard time thinking as well, but did it ever feel Good. She had the idea now that he was purposefully avoiding looking at her now, whereas he'd been fine with it just moments ago. He was a strange man, but she was willing to try and understand his breed of strangeness, if he accepted hers. She still didn't completely know how he'd taken the information about her, and Pravus, and Serafino... he was probably pissed at her for the stress she'd caused The Queen.
"Not looking at me won't make me abandon you, just so you know." She teased lightly, hoping to get some form of response that wasn't a half-hearted automated response. It was eerie, but it was something she understood. He'd probably be shocked to know how many recent events of his life that were less than pleasant that she understood. Having kids forced onto you who hated you... oh yeah, she could sympathize with that. Having to leave them to the destructive influence of the other parent who you could just never be with. Yep, all familiar things. But she didn't know any of this, she realized she didn't know much about him at all. He was as much a mystery to her as everyone else the courts had surrounded her with. And yet she'd die for him, just because it was her duty.
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