my friends and i, we got a lot of problems (rp for ihatepuns)

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

The morning after returning to Emon and Vox Machnia is right back where it started. Sort of. They are, thankfully, not still in the Underdark and there's light, real light, spilling in from the window beyond the table and turning the remains of more than a dozen breakfast dishes from silver to gold, but the arguments have started again. Vax really isn't surprised, given the gravity of the situation, the Horn, whether or not they can trust Kima and her people, whether or not they can trust Allura for the same reasons, but they're all going around in circles, now, and anytime someone tries to step up, to say their idea is what they're going with, the end, the others shoot them down in unison. It's the only thing they can seem to agree on, really, and it's getting fucking tedious.

That in mind and despite the fact that he already unofficially excused himself from this conversation long ago, throwing the towel in on trying to be heard over the others, he shoots a sideways glance at Clarota. A glance turns into a thoughtful look, accompanied by a frown, a moment after that, and a moment after that, Vax focuses himself inwards, practically shouting in his own head, even if his only outwards tell is him vaguely tilting in Clarota's direction.

Hey, Noodles. If I think really loud, can you hear me?

Comments

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Yeah," Vax answers, for lack of anything better to say. He has no idea how Clarota's skill level compares to Tiberius's -- they both looked good in a fight, to him?

Though, if he really thinks he has that much to learn from Tiberius, he should probably warn him. He should probably warn him, regardless, and so, after a beat, he continues, "I should probably tell you that Tibs is kind of ... an intellectual snob. And he's got kind of a temper. So, there may be a lot of yelling in your future."

Another beat.

"I wouldn't take it personally, though. He yells at Scanlan all the time and they're pretty close." Scanlan just knows how to not take Tiberius personally when he's on one of his tirades. They all do. Tiberius always runs out of bluster, eventually.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota turns his head to look at Vax, and there's something bemused in his voice when he answers. I appreciate the warning. All of your family express their emotions more readily than anyone I have had reason to associate with before.

He's mostly only had much experience with people expressing fear. Anything else is something else he's going to need to get used to.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Yeah, well. We're pretty emotional people." Tiberius and Grog and their tempers. Him not being shy about how much he cares for his sister or Gilmore or -- well, lots of people, really. And so on and so forth.

He doesn't get as far as saying that aloud, however, if he planned on it at all, if only because his train of thought seems to derail abruptly and with a breath of a laugh. Without thinking, he nudges Clarota lightly, and tells him, "And you think this is bad, you're in for a treat when we're all drunk. I can't remember, exactly, what happened last time, but I can guarantee you it was ridiculous."

[ihatepuns]

Clarota looks down at his arm, at the point where Vax made contact. Casual contact like that is still going to take him a lot of getting used to - though he's finding, increasingly, that he doesn't mind as much as he could have.

Something tells me I should likely not admit that I have never experienced being 'drunk' before.

He has a feeling Vax might take it as a challenge.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Too late, Noodles," Vax answers, grinning widely. "We're so getting you drunk." Hopefully before Tiberius, spoil sport that he is when it comes to their pub crawls, can drag him away from the booze.

[ihatepuns]

He looks abruptly unsure, now, eyebrows climbing up his forehead. This is something I should be looking forward to, yes?

He knows what "drunk" means from his collective's absorbed memories, but he's a little nervous, suddenly.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"It's not that bad," he tells him, something more gentle in his tone, now. He may not be a mindreader, not like Clarota, but he can still all but sense his nervousness. "We'll start you off small, and Tibs doesn't really drink, so he can get some water in you, so you don't end up with a hangover."

[ihatepuns]

I would appreciate that, he returns, still sounding a little unsure, though he's also at least partly joking, now. He's actually looking forward to getting to know Vox Machina better and spending more social time with them instead of just fighting with them.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"You and the rest of the world," Vax assures him. "Hangover's the worst part." Being drunk, on the other hand, is the fun part, and he really, really wants to see Clarota drunk, now. The mental images he's already getting are hilarious; the real thing is probably better.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota hums something like agreement to that. He can imagine the after effects of drinking might be less fun than the actual drinking itself. You have favorite places here in the city, I assume?

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"'course," Vax answers, shrugging. "Though, are we still talking about drinking or is this a general question?" Because where he likes to drink is very different from where he likes to hang out when he's with the rest of Vox Machina or when he needs to get away or -- well, point is that Clarota needs to be more specific.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota pauses a moment, considering he had meant to ask about places they went to drink, but he also wouldn't mind if Vax answered it more generally. A general question, he returns, finally.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

As far as drinking establishments go, Vax lists a handful easily, including what part of the city they're in and a vague sense of direction from the Keep. Everything else takes Vax longer to come up with, silence falling between them as he tries to decide where to start and which of his hidey holes he really wants to give up and so on. Eventually, he pauses in the street, turning to face Clarota.

"You mind a quick, little detour?" It's not a detour, not really, not when they'll have to walk back away from the Keep, then back again. He figures it'll be easier, somehow, to actually show Clarota rather than just name places blindly, however.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota hesitates a moment before answering that - but then shakes his head. He needs to get used to being around people, around cities, if he's ever going to hope to be of any use to Vox Machina. Where are we going? he asks after a moment, and it really is more out of curiosity than concern about dark alleys and the like.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Somewhere I like to hang out, when I need a few minutes," he answers, hesitating himself, trying to decide if Clarota is really okay with this -- or if he is, even he's not sure. Either way, after a minute, he seems to decide the answer to that is yes, and so he turns, leading them back towards the city but into a quieter part of it, if only for the number of people.

Sooner rather than later, they're standing at the foot of a ladder, propped against the back of a blacksmith's and half-hidden in the dark and dirt. Vax gestures to it before climbing up and when he reaches the top, and after getting out of the way so that Clarota can follow, he takes a long look around. Across the way there are other shops -- a leatherworker, a fletcher and so on -- and all the sounds and smells weave together to remind him why he loves the people he loves when he forgets, when he's frustrated, when he's tired.

"Here we are," he says belatedly, quietly.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota follows silently. He's a little tense, still, an edge remaining from their encounter at Gilmore's, but he also trusts Vax. He hesitates a moment at the bottom of the ladder before following Vax up to the top of it, doing more levitating than actual climbing. He looks around at the top, taking in the scene around them. This is... he begins - but then trails off, not actually sure what words he meant to use. They'll come to him in a moment.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"A little much -- " In the sensory department, never mind the fact that he's pretty sure that's not where Clarota was going with that. Still, he's working up towards actually spitting out what went through his head, bringing him up here in the first place. " -- but at least there aren't a lot of people around, up here? And it all kind of reminds me why I threw in with the group, when it was just me and my sister for a long time."

[ihatepuns]

I understand why you like it here, Clarota returns, finally looking away from the view to look at Vax again. I have only seen cities through the memories of others. This is not unpleasant, he finishes, in case Vax thinks his indecision about what to say has anything to do with not liking it.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Definitely not," he agrees, registering vague relief despite how casual that comment seems otherwise. When it passes, he adds, "And you're welcome to come up here, yourself, if you need to get out of the house for awhile -- on one condition."

[ihatepuns]

Clarota looks away from the view, finally, to look at Vax, tilting his head slightly to consider the other. And that would be?

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"Next time I disappear up here, and my sister starts poking everyone to see if they know where I ended up, don't tell her about this place." He feels guilty asking that of him, though it's more because he feels guilty admitting he needs time away from his twin, sometimes, than anything else. He loves his sister to death and will destroy anyone or anything that tries to hurt her, but -- well, see also this chart about twins. He's pretty sure it goes both ways.

[ihatepuns]

Clarota nods. I can agree to that, he returns. And thank you for showing this to me. He's a little touched to realize now that Vax shared this secret with him. Having friends is still so new.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

"All yours, then," Vax offers, flashing him a smile, real and warm, despite that stab of guilt. The expression lingers, even as he nudges Clarota with his shoulder, because he does, and continues, "But yeah. Welcome."

[ihatepuns]

Clarota looks slightly puzzled at the nudge, looking down at his own shoulder and then to Vax before returning the gesture more tentatively, not sure he's doing this right.

[dagger_dagger_dagger]

Smile brightening, Vax seems to debate nudging Clarota again, just because he can, hoping, ridiculously, for a not-quite-slap fight. He thinks better of it if only because they're on a roof and that might end badly, and instead, after a beat, nods towards the ladder. "C'mmon, Noodles. Let's go home."