tabularasa_rp | (open) can't hold on or life won't change

(Ah. He knows those eyes, Blue. He knows what you're planning, so he narrows his own at the comment.

But then Akechi speaks, and he isn't expecting the bluntness when it's not towards him. What the hell went down between these two, he doesn't know, but he sort of wants to laugh before he shakes his head, taking a sip of the coffee. It's good, perhaps just a tad watery, but nevertheless, it's good and he smiles to let the other know.

Look. Ren doesn't like talking much and it's kind of a habit now to just have Akechi be the talkative one between the two with a third party.)

Edited 2020-10-05 00:37 (UTC)

Well, not really, since I work here,

[Blue shrugs the pointedness off casually; Ren can wonder all he likes, glancing between the two of them. Blue clearly doesn't take it personally, if his utterly undampened grin is anything to judge by.]

[Blue slips himself behind the counter to do his daily(?) bottle-count, like he always does when he comes into the bar after a break, and continues his own conversation like there wasn't already one in place before he entered.]

Gonna start helping out around here, huh, Akechi-kun?

[His tone is still polite at least! Just his word choices, less so.

His back stiffens as he leans back in the booth, gaze flicking to Ren for a moment with an unreadable expression. For a moment, it looks like he's almost about to ask permission to work there from Ren, which is stupid. So he looks to Blue instead.

Unlike the last time Blue saw him, there's a fresh stiffness to Akechi's left shoulder, though the bandages and gauze are hidden beneath his clothes. It would be hard to tell he's injured at all without a closer look.]

"Help," might be a strong word for my current skill level, but with your permission, I'll do what I can.

[He's not Ren "have five part-time jobs just because like, why not" Amamiya. He's not blessed with that kind of skillset.]

( ? Ren blinks a few times, unable to grasp what the eyes want to tell him. He's happy to take another sip, a finger curling the tips of his hair while he watches the interactions unfold.)

You'll do fine. (He's a perfectionist, after all.)

[Idiot. That's what Blue determined, looking between the two when Ren just blinks at Akechi's meaningful look, but he turns back to his bottles, determined to mind his business........... for this exact moment, anyway.]

Heheh, well, I can't let you help out with the booze-- Tifa-chan'd kick my ass! But feel free to help out with the kitchen and café upkeep.

If Ren-chan doesn't get all territorial about it.... [Blue shoots a teasing look over his shoulder. He's only shitstirring a little.]

Considering this was his idea, I doubt it.

[Akechi takes a sip from his coffee cup and frowns. It's not as good as Ren's, not even close. Which step did he go wrong? Did he pour the boiling water too fast? Maybe the blend isn't quite right? Ren's right about one thing, he's nothing short of a perfectionist.]

Now, Blue-san, I have to admit, I am curious. What, exactly, is the legal drinking age where you're from? In Japan it's twenty years old, of course, but in many other countries across the world, it's eighteen, or even as young as sixteen.

[He rests his chin in his right hand, elbow on the table, the corner of his lip quirking into a smirk.]

Why should anyone be bound to the laws of a place that they aren't in? While one could also make the argument for extraterritoriality, where one is only bound by the laws of their home nation, and not the one in which they're currently residing, such laws are generally only used when one has already broken the law of a host nation. And I think one could safely say that there aren't much in the way of "laws" here, when it comes to the nation. Even those we would normally consider to be scientific laws seem more than malleable here.

[What is he getting at... he doesn't even like drinking. He's just being a shit.]

Edited 2020-10-05 06:10 (UTC)

Huh?

(Ren hasn't stopped to think about it. Would he get territorial over the coffee? Perhaps a little, if it were someone other than Akechi or Ann, who have spent time in the real LeBlanc. The place itself means too much to Ren, it being the home of the man who took him in, the safe space of one of his favorite people, and even his literal home. The least he can do is to keep Sojiro's legacy going with excellence and try to meet his standards.

The eyes flick to the attic for a second, before returning to the two men when Akechi speaks. He smiles, because of course it was. Akechi is injured and it's not only a great distraction for him, a way too keep him out of trouble, but also Ren gets to keep an eye on him while he recovers, making sure he stays put at least for a while. Win-win!

... But then Akechi starts speaking again, and Ren's head tilts, a hand trying to hide the smile and hopefully he can contain the laugh. How was it that he once put it? He can't stop himself from starting an argument, or something of the sort? What's funny is... Blue is chill about the whole drinking thing, when it's not here, seen that Ren has drunk with him before. Wrong person to bring this to, maybe?)

She would.

(He agrees, nodding to Blue's words.)

Enough out of you. (He says to Akechi, tone much more playful than stern.) You know you have a point.

(Mix of expectations and cultures make it much harder to check on what is acceptable and what isn't.)

The question you should be asking is about ethics and morality. (Who is he to talk when he has gotten drunk a few times already? Maybe he just likes arguing against Akechi, who knows.)

Edited 2020-10-05 10:02 (UTC)

Ummmm......

[Akechi’s long-winded morality argument is met with the same exhausted disdain as the juicier parts of his memories. Bound by? Extraterritorial???]

Look, man, drink if you want. I just don’t want Tifa-Chan beating me up about it, [Blue shrugs tiredly, turning the bottles label-forward properly as he checks them.] Kanto is 20. Hmmm, my first drink, though... That was when I started studying abroad, in Kalos. Their age is lower than ours, but it’s not exactly like anyone waited... I think it was 18.

Ren-chan, fix your face. [He grins toothily, shaking a mostly-empty bottle of rum at him.]

[If Ren's expecting a flirty oh yeah~? in response to being shut down, Akechi's from the wrong semester for that. He just gets a smirk and a quirk of his eyebrow as his gaze turns to Ren.]

Ethics and morality? [he echoes, in a tone that implies that he doesn't much care for either of those things, actually.] What a strange argument to make for something as simple as alcohol. Unless you're trying to argue that it's unethical to go against Tifa-san's wishes?

[His gaze shifts to Blue, brow furrowing at the mention of Ren fixing his face, before returning to the original topic.]

In any case, I'm not interested, thank you. I prefer to remain in control of my mental facilities at all times, and alcohol doesn't lend itself well to that. I simply meant that if you were willing to teach me, I'd be willing to assist you in serving it.

(He is not! He wants to be a brat, is all. :) Ah, but it's a good argument that Akechi is not seeing, on whether it's ok to let the ones still in development engage without limitation when knowing the damage it can do in the long run. He's saving it for another time.)

I'll tell you later. (You know. At (temporarily) home. At Blue's comment, he frowns himself, what's wrong with his f--, oh. There are glasses missing, he notices.

Ren reaches to his pocket, taking the accessory back to his face.)

Edited 2020-10-07 03:46 (UTC)

Hah! I sure don't, [As if it wasn't obvious, Blue. At one time he worried the same as Akechi- the loss of control, the inability to prevent advantage being taken of him, but at some point, well...]

[Things changed. Though he doesn't think that Akechi's way of thinking is wrong, exactly.]

I was gonna teach Ren-chan, too, but since it's a no-no, I guess you guys'll just have to watch without tasting or touching, huh? Kind of a tease, isn't it.

[He grins at the both of them, finishing his check to lean on the counter, chin in hand.] You two are in a pretty decent mood, huh?

...

[At the mention of his mood, Akechi's face smooths immediately into something neutral and impassive. Like Blue's just ruined his good mood immediately by pointing it out.]

Aren't we always? Recent events notwithstanding, it does no one any good to simply... stew.

I can mix. (After all, he has spent a long time with Tifa, with not much to do but watch, and back home at Crossroads bar as well. Both told him he couldn't pick up the booze, but alas. He can learn by observation, can't he?

Blue talks, grin plastered on his face and Ren, who naively did not expect the change in subject, just leaves out a huh? before he processes it. Ah.)

Glad the nightmare is over, I guess.

Uhn-hnmmmm..... [Blue lofts a delicate brow and leans off the counter slowly, casually reaching for a glass to start cleaning them for his serving shift.]

I hope you kept in mind all the advice that I gave you, boys....

[It doesn't matter if it was asked for!! It's important health information!!]

[Akechi quirks an eyebrow at Ren's assertion that he can mix, a wordless prove it. Because to Akechi's experience, Ren simply served him straight vodka, and both can attest it was absolutely terrible.

His gut clenches as Blue keeps speaking, and he can feel the burning heat of a flush creeping up the back of his neck as his gaze sharpens into a naked glare.]

I don't have any idea what you're talking about, but I can assure you, I'm not interested in opening the discussion.

[Fuck that!! Fuck that!!]

(He sees the eyebrow, to which he just gestures, as to say ?, he told you he had nothing to mix it with in his apartment, Akechi!)

Seconded.

(He doesn't know if Akechi also gets the notes, but Ren surely does get a bunch of Sex 101 slipped under his door - while some are greatly helpful, he does not want them!!

So he's just as serious as Akechi, mostly to mask the embarrassment.)

Sure you don't.

[Don't worry, guys; he's well aware that his smugness on the point is grating. That's the point.]

[He tosses his hands up in an exaggerated shrug, and sets the glass he was working on down, reaching for another.] Fine! Let the whole apartment complex hear you frolicking around, see if I care! Long as you boys're responsible about it.

[He nods sagely, lifting the glass up to the light to check for smudges.] Akechi-kun's gotta walk sometimes, right?

[There's a bit of a strangled noise, like someone's stepped on a cat as the back of Akechi's neck flushes a deep red.]

If I may ask, [he bites out, fingers splayed out open on the table as if wishing he claws to scratch it with,] This is the second time you've made such an assumption about me. Why?

[What aspect of his personality makes Blue think he's inferior to Ren in any way? So he can fix it immediately.]

(Ren only raises a brow - he surely soundproofed their room to the best of his abilities, so he's certain that Blue is just poking for a reaction... Which is why he really wants to laugh when Akechi makes that sound and the words that come after them.

Well, they have moods, but Akechi tends to be the bottom... Even if in intent, because they haven't gone where Blue's head is at. Why is Akechi so pressed about this?)

Huh?

[Blue pauses in arranging the glasses, giving Akechi a look of confusion- as if he's asking something with an absolutely obvious answer, and it's just suddenly dawned on Blue that maybe something is missing between their understanding, here....]

Hmmm...

[Instead of answering right away, Blue chooses himself a glass and sets to mixing a quick drink (because he needs it, maybe), as he muses over what to do with this predicament.] Well, it's a shame because Ren-chan's right here, but I guess I'll out and say it anyway. Sorry, Ren-chan; nothing personal.

You mean, what, taking it up the Feebas? Why is it that you think that's something bad? [Blue pours a splash of vodka into his glass, following up a start of a juice base, and then gives it a quick bit of syrup.] --Oh, I get it, you must think it's like, 'losing' or whatever to be the one taking it, right? I guess when I was a brat I probably thought something like that, too. I always imagined myself on top until a-- certain age, heh.

[Blue comes out from around the back of the bar and flops into a stool, crossing one leg over a knee and sipping his drink.] But, the truth is, you have a lot more power when you're the one that can deny him action. You get what I mean, right? Ren-chan's probably that stubborn type, so it's the path of least resistance-- uh, no pun intended-- right?

[He grins- lecherously- and then glances at Ren again.] Sorry, I'm gonna make your life harder, but it's only fair. He's your rival, after all!

[Siiiiip.]

(open) can't hold on or life won't change

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