open

[inkindled]

WHO: Matthias, Nikos, Salvio (tbd if Doki, Val, and Darras will get open stuff. how did I get all of these characters) + YOU
WHAT: just open stuff, man
WHEN: NOW
WHERE: various
NOTES: tiny bit of self-harm but it's so small and it gets fixed so fast

Comments

[thereneverwas]

[The witty comeback dies on Barrow's lips when he sees how Nikos wobbles. He... drinks? For Riftwatch?

Perhaps this is less funny than he thought.]

...everything all right, mate?

[He knows before he even says it that the 'mate' will be thrown back at him, but it's an impulse he can't help.]

[exsecutus]

Fucking fine, [he says, with venom,] mate.

[Annoyed, Nikos hunches over the bar again, and finishes off the last of his wine. He pushes the cup to the other side and flags down the barkeep for a refill.]

What do you do for Riftwatch?

[thereneverwas]

[There it is. No one can ever just let him call them mate.]

Dumb muscle mostly. [Barrow glances to Nikos' cup as he has it refilled again for the second time since they've been up here, which... hasn't been long.]

And I train the new blood. Heavy weapons for most, but also teaching a few mages to fight without magic.

[He remembers something.]

Think I saw your brother there once.

[exsecutus]

Kostos is the mage. Don't teach him too well. Fighting without magic is all I have on him.

[He takes another mouthful of wine.]

Never bothered with heavy weapons. Don't know why.

[thereneverwas]

One mage, one not?

[Things are starting to come together, even if they don't quite make sense yet.]

That must've been hard on the family.

[exsecutus]

[He snorts.]

Please. We're Nevarran. We love mages.

[thereneverwas]

Oh, well that's good.

[Barrow sips pleasantly at his ale.]

You seem like you love a lot of things.

[exsecutus]

I do. [THANKS.] Just because I don't wear a fucking badge on my chest for every one of the things that I love doesn't mean I don't.

[What a stupid sentence. Nikos scowls into his wine.]

Don't speculate.

[thereneverwas]

[Barrow can't help but grin. Maker's breath, this person.]

I'm not!

[exsecutus]

Just grinning like an idiot for no reason?

[He raises his eyebrows at Barrow, mocking.]

What do you love?

[thereneverwas]

People who don't hide their feelings.

[It's true enough.]

... and ale.

[He pauses.]

And tits.

[exsecutus]

[ew, or--]

Fine, overrated, overrated.

[thereneverwas]

Really? Pity.

[He doesn't seem that bothered.]

More for me, then.

[exsecutus]

[Sure, says the gesture Nikos does with his cup, welcome to it.]

Probably should be in a different tavern.

[thereneverwas]

[It takes Barrow a moment to realize what he means, but then he does so with a start.]

What!

[He looks around.]

Really?

[exsecutus]

Not a lot of tits.

[He takes another mouthful of wine, which prompts the follow-up:]

Or ale.

[thereneverwas]

Well, I have what I need.

[He raises his cup, which decidedly contains ale.]

You're right about the tits though.

[exsecutus]

I hope you can survive the drought.