Their Last Drinks [Aeluri/Iris/Ahote]

It was a subdued sort of meeting, at least where the three teammates were concerned. There wasn't a definitive reason why. Maybe it was just the vibe the suspiciously pleasant Ahote was giving off, or even the emptiness of the normally raucous club. It certainly wasn't because the Buzz Killers were taking it easy on the libations. They had a name to live up to, after all. Iris had consumed plenty of strong alcohols from a myriad of diversely shaped glasses, but had managed to stay perfectly coherent. The worst thing he'd done so far was run his foot up Aelu's leg, but considering their normal activities, the cosmic being currently rocking his poster boy body was on good behavior. Sure, his voice was a little loud, but he had a very nice one at least-- smooth and lilting and forever flirty.

"Tired? We've only just started," Iris grinned, tipping back his shot of horrendously colored booze and savoring the high alcohol content as it buzzed through his nerves. Yes, though it neared last call, this was still a time when the rowdy trio would just be winding up for a long night. While it was unclear whether the lilac haired man was answering the question literally or how Ahote lowkey meant it, the answer still stood. The stardust might seem too drunk to comprehend, but he was deceptively perceptive at times. However, he couldn't show all his cards! If he was pinged at being too quick, it'd make it that much harder for him to get away with things in the future. It was far better to be underestimated than the opposite. "Buuut, if you're finally willing to join us in our room, I won't complain. There's this whip that the girls just can't use right..."

Once his words slunk out of his mouth, the cheerful face flushed with the heat of drink broke into giggles. It was a joke, a long running one between the guild master and his poster boy. It could be said that if Iris didn't make some sort of suggestive joke to their superior he wouldn't be true to himself, but anyone who knew him also knew that wasn't true. While the lovely lavender eyes he normally sported projected this particular personality they'd become comfortable with, it was hard to say it was who Iris was. Every set of eyes affected him differently. Each new pair changed nearly everything about him. And though he joined Basilisk Fang and the mafia following it, he'd yet to glean any leads to where the man holding his true eyes hostage might be. Did Iris drink to try and remember who he was or did he drink to try and forget?

Iris basked in the expected, comfortable with the people he spent his time with. Unsurprisingly their leader fended off his suggestions in stride, as did Aelu engage in a footsie battle just below their field of view. He faked an impressive pout at them both, questioning their abilities to reject him so often and so completely when he looked like he did. Aelu he knew would most likely give in later once they were out of Ahote's view, but Papa Snek never wavered. He both respected it and regretted it. Ahote was a snack he longed to taste, but it was locked away under a glass dome, tantalizing but out of reach. Iris had always meant to test him with a female form to see if it was gender preference that stood in the way, but the opportunity simply never arose.

'Family' was still a foreign concept to the galaxy nomad. It'd been millennia since he'd seen let alone thought of the groups of particles that gave him life. They weren't the image of what humans would consider parents. They simply made sure black holes didn't suck him up before setting him off on his adventures through the universe. As far as a gathering of people he felt fond of went, he supposed this fell under his understanding of family. You usually didn't sleep with family, though...

Ahote resumed speaking, arriving at a strange point that seemed unconnected to the previous conversation. Iris idly wondered if he'd missed the segway conversation due to drunkenness or if Ahote was just being his usual cryptic self. Either way, he downed another shot before continuing. He'd need a shot to survive such an awful scenario. "God, I imagine that would be awful," the drunken Iris cringed, listing slightly on his stool but gracefully slouching into a comfortable position propped by one elbow. The frown didn't last long before it melted back into thoughtful neutrality. "I can't picture it since I've done...uh....extensive traveling~" the currently male Buzz Killer grinned coyly, mind hopping through some dry memories he'd not elaborate on. Why dry, you ask? It was because as much as they were informative, they were void of any feeling. It was like watching a modern movie in monochrome and subtitles. They were his, but he had no attachment to them. Those feelings were trapped in the eyes that had been stolen away from him and was one of the big reasons he desperately wanted them returned. Still, even if they were boring and near-documentary, he was well aware that he'd made his way through lightyears of space. He'd visited many planets, but fancied this one the most. Humans were his aesthetic, and what curious and exciting creatures they were. The chaos was delicious, so much so he never got bored of playing with them. Even on Earthland alone, he'd traveled extensively, so the idea of staying in one little place maddening to think of. "What brought that up, boss?"


[Group WC: 1963/7000]

"Mmm, she speaks so affluently...I'm hot under the collar," Iris commented with a teasing smirk, mock fanning himself with a nearby napkin that had managed to avoid becoming soggy from drink spillage so far. The fanning ceased at some point during their leader's confession, though. The flirty man became enthralled in this new development. Bright lilac hues grew distant, trying to put himself in Papa Snek's immaculately polished shoes. Running a guild, a leader to the chaotic lot of them, nigh imprisoned in one place... he hadn't realized the warm water connoisseur was so miserable. Sure, he was broody and frowny and angsty, but Iris had always assumed that was just Ahote's default mode. Perhaps he should have explored a little deeper. Well, that wouldn't have worked either. Ahote always held everyone at an arm's length. Now Iris wondered if it was just due to social awkwardness inexperience with the outside world. That would certainly explain how the dark mage had managed to deftly evade every attempt at seduction. Ah, everything made sense!

Leaning over to Aeluri's ear, Iris hissed some words followed by a giggle. "Isn't he cute when he's like this?" he asked, making a very small gesture to Ahote and flushed with both attraction and drink. The shyness and bumbling syllables were adorable and a side rarely seen from the stoic young man. Iris adored discovering the various facets of humans. Always a surprise. Always exciting.

Even as the last words sunk in and revealed their true meanings, implications, and consequences, Iris found he wasn't upset in the slightest. He formed attachments to people over places and things, and while it would be more difficult to visit those he'd formed said bonds with, it was far from impossible. They'd always have Boomslang, right? Sympathizing with Ahote was easy. He'd never been able to experience worlds like the extraterrestrial had, or even on a smaller scale like his teammate. "You've been like a snake in a tank your whole life, haven't you? Maybe you should have taken the opportunity earlier...like when that a-hole blew up the castle," Iris drawled with surprising sincerity, but not without his usual hint of humor. This news didn't come without a little sadness, but his nomadic spirit wouldn't allow too much dwelling. He'd already stayed in one place for quite a while. The only other time he'd been settled for longer was far in the past and was the jumping point for his anarchic crusade against the Magic Council and to regain his original eyes that had lead him to Basilisk Fang to begin with. Perhaps getting too comfortable with a family of sorts had not been the best for him. He'd been idle too long. Everything had come full circle. It was time to get to work.

"This is fine, Boss-- Ahote," Iris smiled, sobering despite the copious amounts of alcohol in his system. "You have to promise you'll see the ocean first. If you want some company we'll come, but I'll understand if you want to explore the world alone. Just promise we'll meet up every so often, okay?"


[Post WC: 518 || Personal Total: 1466 || Thread Total: 3330/7000]

So many startling things happened at in tandem that, for once, Iris was left gaping and speechless. His entire body froze mid-sip of his strong drink, lavender eyes widening and training on the face he scarcely recognized now. Lilac brows lifted and made homes higher on his forehead. Ahote was crying. Weeping. And ordering an actual drink? Were body snatchers things on this planet? If so, he was pretty sure their former boss had just been snatched. Had the occupation of guild master put such a burden on the young man that this was the very first time he'd been able to let go? It was pitiful. Once he recovered his cool, Iris reached for a nearby napkin and held it out to Ahote, hoping it would help soak up the waterfalls. "It's like watching a caged bird being released from a cage and flying for the first time," he commented to Aeluri, shooting his teammate a concerned glance.

Despite the jarring burst of the most emotion and vulnerability he'd ever witnessed in the man prior to this moment, Iris was now filled with the thrill of the unknown. The curiosity lighting his eyes almost caused them to glow. What would this newly freed Ahote be like? He intended to find out! "Bartender! Get this kid a juice!" the space dust nearly sang, teasing their present company. "And by juice, I mean...Hm. Get him an apple pie cinnamon cocktail," continued the nearly purring male, trying to pick a good first drink for his friend. Deviousness soon took over, however, and the tell-tale grin appeared on his lips. "Also, some shots. Surprise us." The bartender got to work and soon the drinks were presented. The delicious cocktail was slid toward Ahote, while the three shots stood at the ready for each of them whenever they were ready. Was he a facilitator? Perhaps. But if anything, he just wanted the last leader of the basilisks to relax and have fun and maybe even bond with his two friends. "Let it all out, Ahote. We won't judge, will we, Aelu~?"


[Post WC: 347 || Personal Total: 1813 || Thread Total:  4479/7000]

There it was! Ahote's first drink. One for the history books. Like a human infant taking its first thick breath and sputtering its cries of confusion and fear, their ex-fearless leader sob-gulped his first cocktail and shrieked. It'd been an obscenely long time since he'd had his first battery acid-esque first drink, but he did still remember. The violette snickered to himself, amused with the scene, though still a bit unnerved by the continuing emotional display. If he was already letting all those feels loose, did that mean they'd have a sad drunk on their hands this night? "Sure, you can have another," Iris uttered, though he took great pains trying to find one that was more tolerable. "It's an Apple Pie cinnamon cocktail, but I might be able to get you one that tastes less like alcohol...though it could be dangerous-- No, this is even stronger! I said make him something more fruity, mask it with apple juice," the man chided the bartender, trying to guide the employee to make something more to Ahote's liking. Iris was an expert bartender, obviously, and what he had in mind was far from complicated.

At this point, a few more failed drinks had quickly passed. Iris was frustrated with the bartender and crawled over the bar, anointing himself as the new drink maker for the near future with a quick shot of Spirytus vodka. No, he'd not be giving any of that to the budding drinker, since the strongest alcohol known to the common man had even him wheezing for a moment, and he was used to it! He made quick work of the drink he had in mind. With a fruit juice as a mixer, it masked the taste of vodka so well it couldn't really be tasted. With a shake of apple pie spice and a green-apple slice as a garnish, he slid the new drink to his old boss with keen interest sparkling in his beautiful eyes. "Try that one~" he purred, nearly giddy with anticipation. While he observed, he poured himself and Aeluri a couple more shots of the hard stuff, though he did make and nurse a drink identical to Ahote's. Boomslang had a very nice apple juice.


[Post WC: 371 || Personal Total: 2184 || Thread Total: 5483/7000]

Iris's mouth screwed up in disappointment. Ah, a sad drunk. Of course, Ahote'd be a sad drunk. Sending a disparaging glance at his teammate accompanied by a heavy sigh, the cosmic being resigned that this would be a whole lot less fun than he'd fantasized about. A shame. There'd been just a twinkle of hope that their former leader would ease up and perhaps let loose, maybe get a bit cozy, but it was all shattered. All it did was loosen his pent up emotional wounds so they could break through the walls and splay out for anyone within 10 meters to see.

In a rather un-Iris-like moment of pity, the purple enthusiast hopped back over the bar and entered Ahote's personal space, but not to do anything self-serving or overly flirty as would be assumed. Instead, he simply offered his comfort by holding his arms outstretched. Did it look a little awkward? Yes. Iris was an unrepentant creature of vices and seduction, so soothing hurting people without obviously trying to get in their pants wasn't his bag. Still, Ahote was a friend, and the otherworldly man was content to try and ease his pain. He might only look human, but he'd been around them and had enough sets of eyes to truly feel sorry for the mess of a creature sitting before him, orphaned and homeless and lost. Being the very physical type and preferring action over words, he stopped waiting for permission and hugged Ahote. "The ocean is very nice. Everyone should visit. I used to live basically in the ocean, and it was very sad when I had to leave," his smooth tone hummed, "There's no shame in wanting to explore your new life. You're free to do as you wish with no worries. Embrace it," Iris encouraged. The little snake had spent far too long cooped up in its tank. It was time to stretch.

The next part caught him a little extra off guard, but he continued to embrace his ex boss. Abandonment, betrayal-- he knew those. Though the brunt of those feelings from his past were lost to him and reduced to just clinical knowledge, the set of emotions that came with his current and favorite eyes allowed him to feel them again at least in a sympathetic aspect. "I may love humans, but I can acknowledge the species is a bit of a mess. A beautiful mess. They can suck and hurt each other. Speaking for myself, though, I'm not really human, so I can safely say I won't abandon you. I'm rather fond of you, even though you fend off my flirting as if you don't find me ravishing, which I know is impossible..." Yes, he did throw a little humor in to try and lighten the mood, though he was a bit serious. How dare Ahote resist him! HIs fashion was impeccable and any face he chose was a gorgeous one. Whichever gender he chose, any soul who saw it and touched it was truly blessed. In truth, the rejections only made his masochistic heart soar with thrilling frustration and delicious anguish, but that was neither here nor there. There was a time and a place. He wasn't a savage. Releasing one arm from the hug, Iris snatched another dry napkin from the counter and offered it to the soggy novice drinker. "Don't worry so much! The point of living is to try and find something you enjoy, so you have all the rights and freedom to do that right now. I think it's something to celebrate, don't you, Aelu~?"


[Post WC: 600 || Personal Total: 2784 || Thread Total: 6727/7000]