interstellar5555 | Locked in a Room

Now you're just overselling it.

[A song just for her, and being something worth living for? It was like romance 101, except she can't do anything but grin at such distinctly sweet words. But she raises her glass to his anyway, because there's nothing wrong with hearing the words even if they don't really have a home with her in any real way. Salute, indeed, though she doesn't push herself so terribly this time! She's already heading for Drunksville and nothing is going to put a stop to that.

That and she has to watch him attempt this. And he ... Manages it!]

Holy shit, you're amazing. [Though obviously far more off balance than he was before. She laughs anyway, reaching out to try and steady him by his arm alone.] You did your obligatory one shot, don't push your system into overdrive.

[Because there was an incredibly high chance that he might not come out of it quite right, if he did.]

[ Leave him be. He was raised to be a smarmy rich gentleman before he got better and found metal. There are still times when he goes and acts like he's still living the high life where laying on thick with the ladies is expected and even encouraged. But whatever because she's accepting his toast. ]

Of course I am. You're only noticing this now? Damn. That means I'll have to do a lot better in the future. [ He takes two tries to get the bottle on the countertop. Her steadying hand helps a lot. ] Yes yes. I'm cut off. I still have to make sure you get safely back to your penthouse.

[Oh he's ... Yeah, he's absolutely done. If he tries to take even one more drink she'll have to smack him with a bottle and then he'll go down and they'll both have to sleep on the floor. She watches his struggle with the bottle like a cat paying attention to a lazer light, and she breaks out into a little cheer when he manages it!!]

If we're really gonna ... Y'know. Head that way? That - [She tries to point without letting go of Xanxus' arm. It doesn't really end well.]

That way. We need to go now. Like, now-now.

[Because she's already done for and he's on his way, so it's probably best to get a head start.]

[ Totally done. This is probably the most drunk he's been in a very very long time. There's almost a novelty to it. His hangover in the morning won't thank him for it but right now, it's a blast to know that yes, he can actually still get hammered. Guess all he needs is being enabled by pretty girls. ]

You're totally right. Might be best. [ He can still somehow manage to walk straight around the bar to stop before her but it takes every single ounce of his concentration. He offers up an arm ] Your chariot awaits bella donna.

[He's even throwing out different languages? That's what that is, right? Not that she's questioning something that slides off his tongue so wonderfully. Grinning, she tries to hop off the bar stool but just outright tumbles, kind of smacking into the side of the bar, which ... just makes her laugh.

She gets herself back up, though!] Okay, okay, we can do this! We're gonna win!

[Her hand brushes at his arm, and then she forcefully clings to it in order to avoid falling again.] On our way!!!

[ Well, welcome to memory regains, Nariko. Somewhere along the line, he picked up his birth language. Everything sounds better in Italian anyway. Especially nicknames. Too bad, you're going to be "beautiful lady" forever now. A beautiful lady having troubles standing. But she's also laughing so he's not too worried. ]

You bet your ass we're going to win! Victory is right in our grasp!

[ He wraps his free arm around her side, pulling her right next to him. Easier to balance the both of them and teeter their way back to the elevator. ] Next floor. Cosmic Indulgence. Going up.

[ Let's hope he hits the right button the first time because well... he might just hit a few trying to get the right one, so they might be in for a little elevator ride. ]

Man, you're just so determined to get me home on time! Look at you and your responsible-ness! [But let's face it, she can only get away with walking to the elevator because Xanxus is still able enough to know better. When they've gotten inside she kind of slouches against him and watches as he hits buttons.

... But then for every button he hits she reaches forward, unfocused and swaying all over again, to try and push some, too! They way they light up is just fucking amazing in her drunken stupor and she ends up giggling.

They are going to be in this elevator for ages.]

Xanxus. [She manages to sound serious for maybe five seconds.] Can we have cake. Is it almost your birthday? I could buy you cake and then eat it all.

[ ... Her brain is completely done.]

[ A snorting laugh because that's hilarious. Him. Responsible? God, he hopes not. But he's just trying to do right by her. Besides, pressing buttons is great. They're probably going to stop on every damn floor. Hopefully no one wanted to use this specific elevator. ]

Hmmm? [ Another laugh and he uses his arm to pull her even closer to his side. Any more and he'll just be picking her up. He's still almost stable enough to do it while drunk. ] I just had my birthday. It was in October. Did you know...I'm already 25! [ But that's wrong and he knows it. He knows he's younger than that. His 17...but he's also 25. Two ages at the same time. How's that possible? Whatever, he's drunk. Who cares! ]

But we can have cake. I want a whiskey cake. Cause then I could eat it with you. Or off of you. You know. Whatever's more fun.

[Do right by her, not let her exist in a corner as a drunken pile of limbs ... These all might be different terms for responsibility, Xanxus. Sorry, you're kind of an adult! In the elevator she ends up laughing entirely too hard at the suggestion of a whiskey cake. It sounds really, really good, but:] Do they even make those?! And I'm not sure I could stay too still if I had any of it.

[Because clearly eating it off of her would be fun, but as he could see now she was too happy and energetic a drunk.] Oh, oh, I could feed it to you!

[He'd have frosting all over the place but it is a possibility! But then for whatever reason she attaches to his age.] I didn't get you anything! Oh, man, that's so bad! So, so, so bad!!! Happy Birthday!

[She lets go of him to try and throw her hands up in -- celebration?? Something like that, but it just makes her wobble and smack into the nearest elevator wall.]

I don't know. If they don't make one, they need to. I mean they have cake flavored vodka so why not cake made with whiskey? And I don't mind if you moved around. That just makes it a challenge and I might end up nibbling on things that aren't cake. Fun for the both of us. So maybe next birthday...maybe yours.

[ He watches her wobble and collide and laughs a little. He walks towards her to wrap his arms about her and plant his chin on her shoulder. It's a way down for him since he's so tall. ]

And you don't have to get me anything. [ He turns a little to press a little kiss to her cheek ] I got what I want right now, so we're all good. Now, lean on me, we're headed up.

[ He'll not let go until they get to the right floor. Until then, he'll happily help as a stable object for her to lean against. ]

Maybe next week?

[Her birthday is in August! So it seems they're both very off and that's just no fun. But she takes the relative pain of hitting the wall with nothing more than a little whine, and she feels better when he comes and holds her anyway. She feels a little bad that he has to bend so much but she tries to make up for it by wrapping her arms around him, and letting one set of fingers pet and card through his hair rather affectionately. Tall people are just the best.]

Mm, no, no don't do all that. It can only go one direction. [The little kisses and the affectionate terms. But she'd being lying if she said it wasn't making her feel better.

That, and she does end up holding onto him for the entirety of the elevator ride, long as it may be.]

[ He's pretty much stuck like this now. Holding her, being held back. It's nice. It's warm. It's just too bad she's so drunk and he's s drunk as he's ever going to get. Because she's right. This can only go one direction and with how well their decision making skills are going, it's probably a very bad idea to go that way right now. But he's started so he's going to just milk it for all he can while he can. Cuddling her until the door opens back to her floor after stopping at nearly every single floor between the ground floor and that. ]

Final stop. Everyone off. Let me walk you to your door, Nariko.

[There's definitely a lot of milking, but with every floor they stop at, and every round light that goes out as quickly as it was pressed and subsequently brightened, she feels a little flattened, and grips him a little harder at times.]

Wahhhhhhhhhh!!!! [... Who knows what that noise even was, but it was grumbly and displeased, half released into Xanxus' shoulder.] I wonder if everyone's okay, though.

[Koumei hadn't been doing well, she hadn't seen hide nor tail of Richard, Terry was awesome as ever, and Garnet - well.]

[ He laughs softly at the sound. He slides a hand down to her lower back and murmurs. ] I'm going to pick you up... [ He's going to just sweep her up in his arms, bridal style to step out of the elevator towards her penthouse. ]

I'm sure everyone's just fine. You don't have to worry, okay, Nariko. I'm sure if they are having troubles, they'll tell you. Until they do, you just have to be you and know that we're all here. When everything else is going to hell, Pride stands together.

What?

[What?! But there she goes, shifting up from the ground and right into his arms because she is short, and unable to stop him in any meaningful way. She squeaks a little, but then has the good sense to get her arms around his neck.] You don't know them very well if you think they actually tell me stuff. Everyone's all 'don't worry the baby!!!!', 'she's the youngest so she can't handle anything!!' and all that shit.

[Is it possible to love people for protecting and looking out for you, while also loathing it? Ahh, well. The idea of just being herself in order to return things to normal, if even slightly? That sits incredibly well with her, and even in her sloshed state she's happy to know he feels the same way about their label as a whole.]

You're right. Definitely right. Just, y'know. Don't think you're exempt with all that cool guy badass stuff. Because you aren't. You're a Pride like me and Koumei and Yuffie and Sora.

[Everyone. But she couldn't possibly say all their names even if she does give it a fair shot.]

[ He won't drop her. Even drunk, he won't. She's pretty much perfectly safe just like this. Of course safe when it comes to someone like Xanxus is a relative term. But for right now she is.

He frowns a little at her as he approaches her door. ]

You might be young, but you're hardly the baby. You're totally capable and competent. I don't bang kids, Nariko. If you're old enough for me to screw your old enough to be able to handle things just like everyone else.

[ He laughs again at her list. She's doing a good job of naming everyone in their huge extended family. He lets her end before he stops before her door. ]

And here we are. Down we go. [ It's careful the way he puts her down and keeps hold of her until he's certain she's got her feet. ] I should know better than to give you a kiss goodnight, bella donna but I think I need one for good luck. I have to brave the elevator back to Chez Carnie all by myself.

[It's a shame she isn't sober enough to hear those words and really take them in. He wasn't saying anything she didn't know about herself, but it was nice to hear - to know that someone didn't view her as incapable or in need of such overbearing protection the way Koumei and Garnet could be known for. But as it is she just smiles really big, and her eyes kind of well up with happy tears.] You're the best!

[It's greatly understating what the whole thing meant to her but, eh, he'll get a fruit basket later and that'll have to be enough. And as they make it to her suite's door she stumbles upon putting weight back onto her legs, holding onto him for a few extra seconds even after she can trust herself to stand.]

Or! [She draws the word out a little, looking up at him with nothing short of pure mischief.] Or!!! We could avoid the kiss and you could just come inside. I will wear three layers of clothing, promise.

[Because he can't want anything enough to make it through three layers. That's just too much.] That's so many clothes. So much cloth.

[ There's only a few people here that Xanxus thinks are incapable and all of them are well below the age of consent. Is she below it...oh well, too late for that. To him, she's totally capable. Anyone that could drink with him (even for a short time) was considered able by his book. Still, her wet wide eyes make him strangely happy. He's okay with that. That look of happiness. He just can't be humble about it. ] Of course I'm the best. I'm Xanxus.

[ He likes that look even more. He's really enjoying her drunk. He just can't enjoy her. ] Oh. Offering me a nightcap, Nariko? Are you sure that's safe. Even with three layers? I could just cut them off of you. But then you'd be mad at me because I ruined your clothing.

[ He makes no move to leave though ] How about I promise I'll sit on my hands and sleep on your couch. How about that.

[What an arrogant dick. She loves it, though.

No, there shouldn't be any enjoying, but she also doesn't want to be alone and right now, and while there is a part of her that wants him? That's the consistently horny would-focus-on-almost-anyone part, nothing that really matters. Mostly she just wants to cuddle, and to know someone else is beside her. But he's being very stubborn and she may be drunk but she's not completely stupid right now.]

Okay. The couch, then.

[.... She's totally going to wait till he's asleep and then come out to sleep in the living room. Whether Xanxus can make that out by how cheerfully she responds and the extra dumb grin on her face is mostly up to him and fate.]

[ He's going to walk into her penthouse then to flop on the couch like he owns it as soon as he's let inside. Honestly, though he's not really a snuggler but he'll totally let her crawl on his lap and snuggle if she wants. He'll even keep his hands to himself mostly. ]

It's a good couch. Me and it are going to be good friends. I can tell. I might not even have a hangover tomorrow. So I guess this is goodnight, Nariko. [ He gives her a small smile. ] Buona notte , bella donna

Nah, you're totally gonna be hungover tomorrow! [Which she isn't happy about, really! She just has no control over her tone right now and the closer she gets to her bed the more exhausted she feels. Him and his Italian, he actually gets her to giggle a little bit.]

Goodnight. Just don't fall off it 'cause I can't pick you up. Like, at all. You're a heavy motherfucker.

[And she does go, even if it's a bit depressing at first. Whether she actually sneaks back out relies on whether she falls asleep or not. But for now, at least, she does make her way there, flopping heavily on her too-big bed.

... Hadn't she been upset about something before? Oh well, she definitely can't remember, now, and maybe that was the point.]

Locked in a Room

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