soul_logs | [closed] no, I don’t like you

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[closed] no, I don’t like you

Characters: Kotetsu, Barnaby & Hughes
Location: a very quaint little bar in the Red Light District ~~aka Bitch's Brew Bar but that's such a crude name~~
Rating: as worksafe as immature drunk adults can keep themselves
Time: March 5th, late evening
Description: two oyajis decide to chill and a poor bunny gets dragged along for the fun

[If there was any word you could use to describe the last few days Kotetsu and Barnaby recently had, 'hectic' seemed like the best one. Along with a whole bunch of other ones. It just seemed like no matter what, they couldn't seem to catch a break in Death City for too long and before Kotetsu could find himself practically tearing out his hair in frustration, a solution had dawned on him. What did people usually do in order to relax from such a stressful state of events?

...well really, what did Kotetsu do to relax from stress? Drink. And it just so happened that he recalled promising a certain someone a night of drinks. Perfect! The only real task was convincing his stingy shut-in of a partner to come along, and after a whole lot of convincing and whining (mostly whining), Kotetsu and Barnaby finally found themselves inside Bitch's Brew, Kotetsu keeping an eye out for wherever Hughes happened to be. Initially he'd been a little wary of going into the place until he'd had his own infrequent trips there and he realized that aside from the unfortunate name of sorts, the bar really wasn't that bad. And hey, any bar was a good bar as long as it had decent booze and a good atmosphere.]

Oh--! There he is! [Finally catching sight of the person that would make them a trio for a few hours, Kotetsu gave one last tug of Barnaby's arm before making his way over to the front of the bar, waving a hand happily to get Hughes' attention.] Oooi! Hope we didn't keep ya waitin' too long!

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[Wow both of you suck. Fine, Kotetsu will gladly drink enough for all three of them... and then plague Barnaby with dealing with his hangover the next day. Welp!

Kotetsu eased his way happily into the seat, already ordering himself a beer of his own before directing his attention to his partner first. He'd been fully aware of how little Barnaby wished to have come along with him that evening but he still figured that it would do him some good to relax for the night. Besides, what sort of person just left a good friend behind in order to enjoy themselves on their own? Even if this sort of outing wasn't exactly Barnaby's specialty, he was still bound to enjoy himself somehow. At least, that's what Kotetsu continuously told himself, and thee was no way he could be wrong.] You can try asking if they've got any wine but they probably don't.

[Then to Hughes:] If he tries sneaking off to a corner or somethin', you've got full permission to drag him on back. He's good at talking in public but he always gets really grumpy with things like this.

Good to see you're doing well, Mr. Hughes.

[His only comment before making his way to sit in the free seat next to Kotetsu. Barnaby just did his best to suck up any super miserable expressions as he glanced up, trying to decide on something that wouldn't be a complete waste of money or absolutely disgusting. He had a feeling that no matter the choice, it'd still be either.

That wine comment was unfunny and unappreciated, old man. That was it, securing Barnaby's hate for this evening. How many minutes had he wasted in Kotetsu's company tonight? Thirty-seven? Thirty-eight? He ordered himself a Guinness.]

I don't plan on sneaking off to any corner, so no one needs to drag me anywhere. And stop telling him I'm grumpy! I'm not. [He was. Needless to say, he looked it too.]

[Hughes chuckled lightly. These two were like polar opposites. How were the friends again? Ah, no, wait, they were coworkers according to Barnaby. Roy's and his dynamic was rather similar though, when he thought about it. Except Roy was never against going out for drinks.

Wait, why was he comparing Barnaby to Roy? Damn. That idiot seemed to pop up in his mind constantly. Despite not really worrying about how Roy was fairing, it was disturbingly obvious how much he missed his best friend. It was pretty pathetic. He sighed faintly while smiling wryly and tried to brush off the thought as he took a drink.]

Hehehe. Don't worry, Barnaby, it won't be that bad. Just think of it like a break, hm? Some time off for working hard. [Not that the outright exclamation of denial did not sound like...denial. Hanging out with friends-slash-coworkers should be fun though!] Anyhow, how've you guys been? Busy with that Watch business I take? I'm sure that hasn't been very pleasant.

[If Kotetsu hadn't been occupied with his beer, he would have at least sent Barnaby a little bit of an exasperated look, urging him to chill and enjoy this well deserved few hours of relaxation, but instead he just gave him a pat on the back.]

Then stop making that face! People are gonna think we kidnapped you and are holding you hostage. [Kotetsu was prompted into another long drink at Hughes' words, dropping it down to the table with a thunk and letting out a long, tired sigh.]

If only it was just the Watch stuff. I'd at least be able to handle wondering just what the heck we should be expecting from it, other than what we've been told so far, which is nothing but the usual. [He scoffed, removing his hat and running a hand through his hair. Now he was thinking about Legend again, which made him stare forlornly at his beer.]

A break... [Barnaby didn't take breaks. He didn't like them, and he really didn't think he needed one. Of course, with the recent injury, the murders, and the new arrival, a lot had piled on the two at once, but he honestly just wanted to take care of those now, or at least get started.

But here he was, staring at his beer and wondering if he really looked like he being kidnapped. With a sigh, he took a sip and set the bottle down.]

I'm sure it will be easily handled once we get to it. [With that, he glanced at Kotetsu and frowned, nudging the older man gently with his elbow before nodding to the drink. They were out here because of the stress; staring at a beer wasn't going to make it leap down your throat, Kotetsu.]

[Hughes hummed faintly and took a drink from his beer. He was not sure about what was going on for the two of them other than standard Watch work, but now hardly seemed like the time to pry. Going out drinking was supposed to be fun and not depressing! And ranting about problems—in Hughes' experience—usually just made people more frustrated. They really seemed like they could do without anymore business talk for the night...]

I'm sure things will turn out okay. Don't stress over it too much though, or you'll lose hairs in the meantime. [But, really now, it was not good to let that subject continue. Time to play subject roulette!] Anyway. You two ever go drinking together before? Er. Before now and before being nabbed here, that is.

[The word 'break' was very elusive to Kotetsu's vocabulary too, but if there was anything he'd make an exception for, it was spending time with people he liked or booze. Obviously both were very difficult to say no to in this situation, so a break wouldn't be a complete loss.

Upon being nudged, he looked over at Barnaby quickly then followed his line of sight, taking his drink in hand and taking another sip. After setting it down, he had to chuckle a little at Hughes' comment.] Not that losing hair'll be much of a worry for me. I'm already kinda reaching that age anyway, but I guess speeding up the process would be a pain.

[He grinned as he looked over at his partner, trying to imagine him bald and it almost made him choke on nothing. Thankfully the next thing Hughes said was enough to keep him from making an idiot of himself with random outbursts. He tapped at his glass, shrugging a shoulder as his smile fell just slightly.]

Not really, no. This one's not much of a drinker. [He nodded over at Barnaby.] Usually I just do this kind of stuff in the apartment. Back home... was kinda the same thing, hah.

[ Admittedly it wasn't a far-off stretch from the truth. Kotetsu and Barnaby had never really gone out drinking together very often, even through the better year or so of their partnership. He'd been over to Barnaby's house a few times though, just to check up on him and make sure he was doing well, and they'd share a few drinks then.]

[Barnaby wasn't stressed. Just miserable and not wanting to be there. And with his dislike of social outings and drinking with people. Bars were nothing like a flute of rosé wine and Hadyn while looking out on Sternbild's cityscape. But here he was, with a bottle of beer, sipping it as he looked at the two.]

I... don't go to many social outings outside of work. [He preferred it that way. Hopefully Hughes and Kotetsu could have fun in their own company and let him just party-poop over on the side.]

[Hughes nodded at Kotetsu's words. He certainly understood the aspect of drinking alone occasionally. He had done his own fair share of it before Gracia had moved in with him whenever Roy was not feeling up for going out or was otherwise preoccupied.

He turned to Barnaby when the man spoke up.] I'm sure you're quite the ladies man, though. [Hughes chuckled and raised his brows.] Well, if you bothered to be more social, at least. Don't like the atmosphere, or do you just prefer solitude? If you don't mine me asking. [As someone who habitually observed others analytically, Hughes was curious.]

[He'd been about to take another drink from his beer until Hughes' words caught his ear, and Kotetsu just about did a spit-take. Thankfully he knew better than to waste good booze in such a way so instead he just set his drink down and quickly covered his mouth with the back of his hand to hide his snickering. As ridiculous as it was to hear, Barnaby being a ladies man made perfect sense, though he certainly never took advantage of it, otherwise he wouldn't be such a loner.

He wouldn't interrupt with his thoughts though, not unless either of them asked for his input. He suspected Barnaby would probably scold him for his laughter but, hey, at least he'd sort-of kept his mouth shut?!]

[Barnaby caught that snicker. He sent a glare over his shoulder at the older hero, already planning on cutting an hour out of his time in their presence--they'd let him leave early, right?--and just sighed before turning back to Hughes. A ladies man, him? Well... While he couldn't really deny what he portrayed himself as to his fangirls, he didn't really... see himself as such.]

I'm normally too busy for social outings. [After all, Ouroboros and his own problems take up his free time. Why would he waste precious research getting drunk?]

[Hughes offered Kotetsu a vaguely amused look before looking back at Barnaby again and taking another drink. He did not really understand what that was about, but it was an interesting reaction nonetheless.]

Busy? Were you guys as busy back home as you are here? [Because even the busiest people Hughes new usually still had time for social outings. Or, at least, they made time for it.] You can't always be that swamped, can you? [Then again, Roy had basically been that way before he was returned home...]

[Once Kotetsu finally managed to settle down, he took another drink and then waited for the right moment to slip back into the conversation, which ended up sooner instead of later. Ah... how to answer this question.]

We're actually a lot busier back home than we are here. Full time job for both of us. It gets kinda... hectic. [His eyes glanced over at Barnaby as if seeking some kind of approval to the vague description of their work, since Kotetsu still wasn't terribly enthusiastic about telling just anyone that he was a hero.] But I've always got time afterward for drinks! Bunny usually never does though. He's a busy-body at every hour.

[Barnaby just took a few more swigs of his drink, finding himself rather thirsty. It didn't take long for his bottle to end up empty, unfortunately, and he found himself rather bothered that it didn't last longer. Not because of alcohol, but because just wanted more.

But glancing over at Kotetsu as the older hero explained their jobs, he nearly rolled his eyes. Why Kotetsu was being so cautious here over their identities seemed like overkill on top of his old-fashioned ideals anyway.]

It's on-call when we're not actively working. I have other engagements. Outside of our normal duties, I do a lot of promotional work and public appearances. And I've... got other pressing matters when I am free.

[No such thing as a day off, anyway. Except tonight... Maybe a second beer wouldn't hurt. So he flagged down the bartender and let him recommend a drink for him.]

[Hughes listened to the both of them silently and waited for them to finish before responding to Barnaby.]

Promotional work? Care to expand on that? [Though the pause also caught Hughes' attention, he knew better than to pry into personal matters where his curiosity was likely not welcome.]

You basically had multiple jobs, then, from what I understand...? How did you not get exhausted from it? I mean, I had a full time on-call job myself, so to speak, and that was pretty grueling on its own. In my off time, I basically kicked back and relaxed as much as possible with family or friends, be it at home or at the bar. Don't know how much my workload was compared to yours, but I'd say Kotetsu's route would be the way to go. [He nodded toward the fellow father as he said this.] It gives you a chance to unwind, at least.

[Too bad for you Barnaby, Kotetsu will remain as vintage as they come, so unless his partner planned on revealing their status as heroes then Kotetsu would continue to be as ridiculously vague as possible.] Uh, call it something like... public services! And, civic duties? --some office work too! A lot of complicated stuff basically. It sounds easy but it actually takes up a large chunk of our time. I've been at it a lot longer than Bunny though so I'm used to taking some time off for myself, especially since I'm living away from my family. The most I can give 'em is a phonecall every couple days or so.

[Even if it was a reality he'd settled with, Kotetsu still would feel a little bad about never getting to properly see his family, especially his daughter, but they were content with how he was living and they supported him fully, so asking for anything more was merely a far-off thought now.

Not exactly willing to divulge into those sorts of matters, Kotetsu moved on quickly and gave Barnaby's arm a playful swat.] Basically, this one just hasn't developed a proper off switch yet. He's too new and too eager to get stuff done to know what 'time off' is.

Interviews and guest appearances, as well as commercials, advertisements, or photoshoots... It takes up a lot of time.

[And then some, that was for sure. Barnaby just did his best not to roll his eyes as Kotetsu tiptoed over revealing his hero status. Really, it was just too much, especially since there were very few from Sternbild in the city, but he decided to just go along with it. Mostly.]

I have no need for a 'proper off switch', as he puts it. I've got enough on my plate; I'd rather work than pass the time with nothing on my plate. [Mostly because his extra time was spend researching his parents and getting swept up in his emotions. Rolling his eyes, Barnaby took the new drink offered and began to drink it. At that 'ignore Kotetsu' rate he was going, he'd probably end up drunk in minutes.]

[Hughes glanced at Kotetsu and raised a brow.] You know, I worked as an investigator, and everything you just said sounds extremely suspicious... That sounds like something a mafioso would say about his line of business. [Hughes lifted his glass to his lips and chuckled faintly.] Not that I could ever see you being one. You're way too forward. [Hughes took a drink before returning his attention back to Barnaby.

Kotetsu had a point. Maintaining what one could handle and not taking on too much was a delicate balance. Hughes had seen plenty of that struggle over the years with Roy, and even though years had passed since their youth, Roy never seemed to learn to do any better, mostly because he never knew when to quit. Yet, it was never a bad thing to know when to stop and say no more.]

I'm sorry to say, but I agree with Kotetsu. It sounds like you ran a celebrity job in parallel with whatever else you had going on, and that's hardly anything...ah, normally manageable, if you will. Both are very much full time jobs on their own. From what I understand, you were likely running around all the time, and the only time you ever stopped was to eat or sleep, right? [Hughes shrugged.] I have nothing against it if that's how you want to run your life, but while there is a thing as having enough on your plate, there is also such a thing as having too much, and more often than not, the cause of that happening is being young and biting off more than you can chew. You might think you understand your limits now, but, trust me, that's probably going to change for you sometime in the next ten years of your life.

[Kotetsu could just about spit out his drink once more at Hughes accusing him of being part of the mafia of all things. A mafioso? Him?! He would never be caught doing such underhanded and dirty work! Especially since he was... too, forward?]

--oi, there's nothing wrong with being too forward! I'd rather be that than... too backward! [The meaning of this entire conversation is slowly derailing and crashing by the second. Huffing loudly, Kotetsu simply occupied himself with ordering something a little stronger than some simple booze, asking the bartender for a shot of whiskey on ice, only partially listening to whatever Hughes had to say from there.

...oh, he was agreeing with him. Kotetsu watched the two from the corner of his eye, more than curious to see how Barnaby would be able to argue against actual reason. Granted he knew exactly what other sorts of things occupied Barnaby's time enough that it kept him incredibly busy, far better than anyone else could know, and though he wasn't quite as objective about how hard Barnaby worked as he was before, he was still interested to see what he'd do about someone approaching him with the issue like this, concerns that he himself still secretly had. Come on partner, show him what you've got.]

[Barnaby almost choked on his own drink. Kotetsu as a mafioso was seriously the most unfitting job for the older hero. Barnaby ended up smiling for a moment, just shaking his head. Kotetsu being forward... this was nothing compared to the sort of behavior Barnaby had gotten used to.

But once Hughes joined Kotetsu on the lecture on wearing himself out, Barnaby lowered his drink. He had his own reasons for his research, things Hughes probably didn't understand--or wouldn't be able to, seeing as Barnaby had no intention of explaining it to him--but worrying about exhaustion wasn't on his current menu. After all, being the workaholic he was, he doubted he would change that anytime soon. So, turning to Hughes, he smiled that quiet, polite smile.]

While I appreciate the concern, Mr. Hughes, it isn't necessary. I don't overwork myself more than needed, and I'm sure I'll be able to keep up. If aging requires me to take a slower pace, then I shall accommodate when I come to it.

[Hughes snorted faintly at Kotetsu's comeback but refrained from commenting further since, well, who knew where the conversation would head if he bothered to.

He watched Barnaby quietly as the man responded and had to hold back a chuckle. How many times had he seen that exact smile and heard nearly the same explanation? It was a bit uncanny despite the circumstances, maybe even a bit amusing when Kotetsu's role, daughter, and suggestions were taken into account. Hughes had to wonder briefly if this world was just mocking him over the fact that Roy had recently disappeared, but it probably was not surprising that there would be someone else that was similar to that idiotic workaholic. At least Barnaby was not a part time womanizer.]

Okay. I'll take your word on that. [For now. Maybe Barnaby was actually capable of keeping that claim, though Hughes highly doubted it based on his personal experience.] However, if I ever see that you aren't, since you've just claimed that you don't, you can't get upset at me if I ever point it out to you and tell you to take it easy again at a later date. Does that sound plausible to you?

[Oh jeez, Barnaby was doing his Excuse Me Sir But Butt Out routine. He almost had to wonder if Hughes would really fall for it, and just like that he was taking his word for it? There was a loud scoff from Kotetsu's side.]

Oh c'mon, if you're aware of it then the least you can do is put a little more effort into getting Bunny to embrace the idea of down time. You're not gettin' him to change unless it's by force. Trust me, I know! If you really want the kid to understand what us old men are talking about then forget about all those lectures and pointing fingers. Those aren't gonna do a single thing.

[With his whiskey done, Kotetsu waved the bartender back over for another before patting Barnaby rather roughly on the back.] Hear that Bunny? One day you'll know what we're talking about and you're gonna wonder why you didn't catch on to this kinda stuff sooner. It's like a waste!

[Barnaby smirked a little at that. At least Hughes wouldn't completely pester him on this matter, but he doubted he would be out of his eye for long. But so long as he wouldn't completely pester him about it, Barnaby would just smile and pretend all was normal. As it was anyway, or should be, seeing as Hughes didn't need to be involved.]

It sounds fine to me, Mr. Hughes.

[And rolling his eyes at Kotetsu, he turned his chair around and picked up his drink again.] I'm not going to regret not understanding the follies of old men, old man.

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[closed] no, I don’t like you

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sorry for the delay OTL

DELAYS FOR EVERYONE w-woooo

and then sunny did her logs!!!

partaaaaayyy!!

this tag party will be done in like a year orz

the drunkest year of our lives.

when we drink, we do it right, gettin' slizzard

no i forbid that song as our drinking song

sippin' sizzurp in my ride, like Three 6...

now i'm feelin' so fly like G6 :v

i'm gonna rage-quit this log

not allowed, like a G6

yeah, not allowed 8( , like a G6

/buys you both drinks and takes you home with me >:|

ahhh I'm livin' la vida loca

i want seconds, daisy. CAN'T WE STAY? 8(

no time to take our clothes off and go dancing in the rain

can we just have another pina colada?