[Mingle] Sunday Night, Asphodel Bar

[windupgadget]

Despite the popular draw of alcohol, the local bar didn't see much regular service. If people wanted a good time, with lots of food and karaoke, they went down to that one place down near the port, and ordered a drink there. And besides that, only a small handful bothered at all, when it felt like everybody worked every single day. Who had the time?

Except this weekend the whole town had gone off its rocker, and if there was anything all of them could use, it was an escape. Unfortunately, it was having questionable results. The later it got, the more people screamed at the games showing on the televisions, or sobbed into their cups, or just outright punched someone who looked at them the wrong way.

Too bad the staff looked too frayed themselves to bother kicking the last sort out.

Comments

[negativegate]

Mariella almost never drank; it was a waste of time that clouded her mind. But tonight, she didn't want to think--her parents were being a mess, she felt like she wanted to start screaming-

And scream she did, at someone who got in her way, before she stormed over to the bar and took the first empty seat that she found, which happened to be next to Shiki. She screeched a high-pitched order for something strong and sweet, and then turned to her neighbour, whom she vaguely recognized from that day in the park.

"Don't tell me you're the only one not breaking down, here!"

[windupgadget]

Shiki didn't even notice the approach, or sit down. The noise just made Mariella one more thing loud white noise to tune out - until she yelled to her. Then she choked on her drink, flinching as she wiped her face and stared at Mariella.

An angry acquaintance asking her a no-good-answers question.

"...I guess so. You can check back later, if that's a problem."

[negativegate]

"It's not a problem," she started, then corrected herself. "Actually, it is! Why aren't you?" She couldn't help but ask, even as she just wanted to forget all of this.

[windupgadget]

She flinches again, then swivels and face the woman. And denial or not, Shiki's shaken - just stiff as a board to keep it again. Or perhaps just to manage staring right back.

"I just want to have a drink and go to bed." She swallowed, picking up her drink. "Why are you so mad?"

[negativegate]

"I--I don't know!" And with that screech, she attempted to settle in her stool as tears stung her eyes. Stupid...stupid tears. She didn't even have anything to be sad about!

She knew she was being unfair to Shiki, though, so she mumbled out a "s-sorry..."

[windupgadget]

Shiki froze, glass at her lips, staring shocked, but- Why was she shocked? Everyone was upset. She was upset.

But not in literal tears, and she skirts her glance about before clearing her throat. "No- No, it's fine. I just. Didn't know what to say..."

And at a loss, she slowly turns her stool back, still looking back at Mariella. "You want to sit down?"

[negativegate]

"I guess," she sniffed and slumped over the counter once she sat on the stool. "I still didn't mean to take it out on you, so I--" And then she stopped before she started crying. This was so bad.

It was hard for Mariella to tell if Shiki was acting any different from when they had first met--she didn't seem to be, but then Mari herself wasn't exactly in the best frame of mind to judge.

[windupgadget]

Shiki reached up her hand at the slump and apology, but. Quickly turned it into a nose scratch, and maybe a subtle eye rub. It felt too awkward to just, pat her shoulder or something, but she still wanted to do something.

"Yeah well, you didn't do any damage. I was here already, right?"

...what was it about being half-drunk that made joking about it just sad?

[negativegate]

Mari glanced over at the movement, but just ended up sniffling again. She felt like such a wreck.

"Well, yeah..." If Shiki was drunk, she thought, maybe that would help her stop being so weird, too. "How long have you been in here?"

[windupgadget]

"...ah, an hour?" Wow, did she. Did she really lose track of time? Sure, she was trying to and this form thing was eating her up, but.

She still stares at one of her watches like it's lying to her. And swallows hard.

[negativegate]

The frazzled bartender finally serves Mari a drink as she tilts her head a little curiously. "Is there something weird about that?"

[windupgadget]

"No- just." She shrugs, then jolts up straight with a quick, pressed smile for the bartender, since he refilled her drink, too.

"I'm not usually so bad at getting off track like this."

[negativegate]

"Yeah--this is just--ugh, I don't get what's going on!" With a dramatic groan, she took a deep drink. It was sickly sweet, but that suited her just fine.

"It's another weird thing, you know?"

[windupgadget]

-she's not allowed to take a sip without choking for some reason, is she?

Shiki clears her throat as she gives Mariella a confused glance. "What do you mean?" She admitted she felt a bit, off, and everyone was. Well. Troubled.

But, what else?

[negativegate]

Mariella was pretty confused herself. She returned the look right back to Shiki and shrugged. "Things are weird... Like this..." Oh, her eyes were tearing up again. Time for another gulp of that drink. "I-I'm not normally like this," she mumbled by way of an explanation.

[windupgadget]

-screw it, she's giving a shoulder pat. It's better than sympathy tears, though that's not so optional.

"It's okay. I mean- I'm not, either." Or most of town, but at least she didn't stumble too much, and she takes back her hand with a jerk at another loud noise behind them, giving one strained laugh.

"It's just an off day, you know?"

[negativegate]

Mari didn't mind, either, besides a little embarrassment--but that was nothing compared to how embarrassing it was to be crying everywhere.

"An--an off day? I-I guess, but it's like...too much." Oh, that drink was kicking in. She wasn't sure if she felt better or worse, though.

[windupgadget]

Shiki's own try to make it a laughing matter just gets all soggy, when Marielle is still upset. Trying to swallow back some gasps - with little success - she instead puts down her drink... And tries to do the same with Marielle's.

"Then come on, it's just worse in here."