now we got bad blood ♞ 1

[limitstorm]

Who: Riku
Broadcast: N/A
Action: Down on the planet.
When: 31st; forward-dating!

[ riku has made himself quite scarce in the past few days. he says it's about crowds, it's about the natives being too welcoming. he finds it weird; good treatment is a rarity in his book, but so are actual people. but today, he's actually ventured out past the few tiny shops near the ships. hooded and walking slow, you may note that he's trying not to be noticed again, but there's not much to say in how he looks around a lot, constantly surveying his surroundings.

he's more or less a proverbial wallflower as he stands back, watching everyone have fun and dance with the locals. well, whoever is willing to. it's not really halloween, there's no chocolate, there's no kids running around in costumes, but... he supposes people are finding it fun, and that's what matters. ... he thinks.

the skulls are a little creepy, though. ]

I guess this is a happy birthday? [ admittedly, he sounds a tad amused. ] Maybe I could go a year without chocolate.

[ a pause; ] Or I guess I could try alcohol...? Wonder if they've got an interplanetary age law here...

[ creep creep creeping on over to a nearby bar... ]

Comments

[save_the_souls]

[If he reaches the bar, he may encounter a strange sight inside near the back. A white haired boy, who physically looks around sixteen, cheerfully playing cards with a group of local men who, well, a number of them are pretty much down to their undergarments. Behind the boy, there is a growing pile of loot from his winnings]

[Which speaking of? He'll lay down another hand]

Full House! Looks like I win again!

[A few of the other players let out cries of anguish.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[Robin, meanwhile, has been spending a lot of time out of the ship and has been working hard to keep a near-constant buzz going while the shitty booze is still free... so he hasn't seen Riku a whole lot this last week!

which means he will, of course, try to sneak up the moment he sees him outside of the bar and drop an arm around his shoulders. invasive? yeah. does he smell like a bar? hell yeah.]

Heeey, you're outside!

[limitstorm]

[ ... cards? he's good at cards. meandering over, he looks towards the local men before looking at the winner. and hey, more people with white hair... he doesn't feel nearly as weird nowadays. ]

Looks like you're pretty good. What're you playing?

[ is it something he knows...? are card games universal? ]

[limitstorm]

[ riku's mind is a flurry of thoughts, so much so that he doesn't notice robin coming up behind him. immediately when he feels his arm over his shoulder, he bends his fist and turns to smack it into his face before he notes the scent.

that's robin. ... smelling like alcohol. his fist stops a few centimeters before his nose before he exhales lowly and closes his eyes. ]

Quit creeping up on me.

[save_the_souls]

[As Riku approaches, a couple of the players throw down the last of their possessions before moving off. Allen looks slightly surprised to see someone else young with hair like his, but he smiles as he collects his new winnings]

Poker! Are you familiar with it?

[optimystic]

[Maya is abuzz with energy. While she's still grappling with the fact that she's here instead of home, she knows that moping isn't going to do anything. And arriving on a new planet? Is a genuinely cool thing. So she's trying to have fun. At one point in the afternoon she likely had paint on her face to match the locals, but a lot of it is smudged and messy from a long day of having fun.

So, when Riku walks by her and mentions something about a birthday, she turns towards him and raises her mug of space beer (she's not much of a drinker, but she's technically legal (even if those years at Paradisa don't show physically) and if she only has a little she knows it'll be fine)]

Happy birthday!

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[strangely (or maybe not so strange, at point), his reaction is minimal. a surprised blink, not even enough to be called a flinch. he looks around his fist--and Riku can see that his hair is back to its usual black!]

Great reflex control. That's pretty impressive. What's the occasion?

[limitstorm]

I've just learned your scent by now so I can tell it's just my dumb captain instead of someone dangerous. No special occasion.

[ intentionally misinterpreting his question? yes. ]

[limitstorm]

[ he makes a surprised noise. ]

Yeah, actually... I didn't know if people would know it. We're from different worlds and on a different planet, after all.

[save_the_souls]

[He laughs] True, but maybe it's just one of those universal things.

[From what he says, he's guessing this guy is part of the fleet. There's a moment where he is torn about if it's a good idea to invite him in if there's a good chance he'll have to see this guy again- but eh. It'd be more suspicious if he didn't, right?]

If you have anything to wager, you're welcome to join us! It looks like some of the ones not doing too well already left.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[GIGGLES.]

That's creepy.

[he's also still draped over his shoulder.]

[limitstorm]

Not that kind of scent.

You're starting to seep alcohol from your skin. I think you've had enough.

[limitstorm]

[ ahahaha... no. ]

I don't think so. [ he gives a one-shouldered shrug. ] I haven't played in a while. I'm probably rusty.

I'll just watch.

[limitstorm]

[ STEPPING BACK BECAUSE SKULLFA--oh no it's a girl. doesn't seem like she means harm... he scratches his cheek sheepishly. ]

Uh... thanks. I think.

I'm Riku. Nice to meet you.

[birdsbirdsbirds]

No, no. I'm a lot more sober than I'm acting.

[which... actually, if Riku can stand to look at his eyes for more than a couple of seconds, he'll notice that they still seem sharp and alert, even if the rest of his body language is a mess.]

So, kid, why'd you decide to leave the ship?

[limitstorm]

[ riku hates direct questions. he can't dodge them. however, he can just... not answer. however, that seems like a cop out. ]

It's my birthday. Thought I'd like to see the celebration for a day. [ quickly; ]

Why're you acting drunk, then?

[save_the_souls]

[He hides his relief. Oh good. That could have been an uncomfortable situation]

Alright, that's fine with me! [He'll gesture at the now empty chair near him for Riku to have a seat before waving for the waitress to come by]

You're from the fleet, aren't you? I'm having good luck [ha.], so I'll buy your first drink.

[optimystic]

[she looks slightly aghast] How can you not be sure? Getting wished a happy birthday is always a good thing.

[she smiles] I'm Maya Fey, nice to meet you Riku. You're on the fleet too, right? Which ship?

[birdsbirdsbirds]

Happy birthday.

[he pats the front of his shoulder with his other arm. good job, buddy! lucky for Riku, he doesn't seem like he's going to make a big deal of it.]

People let you get away with all kinds of stuff while you're drunk. Want to grab a drink with me? [--as if that's the next obvious way to steer the conversation.] I can find you something that doesn't taste like drain cleaner.

[limitstorm]

[ ... drink? he straightens slightly, honestly debating if he should say yes or no--before he exhales and takes a seat carefully. ]

Guess one couldn't hurt. I'm from the SS Bloodsport, yeah. [ he pulls a little towards himself when he sees the others light up a little. getting good reactions is really weird. ]

[limitstorm]

[ well... for many different reasons. ]

I'm on the SS Bloodsport. What about you?

[limitstorm]

I'm only 18, not 21. [ nnnevermind that he was going to get one anyway. somehow he's not sure about getting drunk with robin, though. ]

... thanks, I think. If it tastes horrible, why're you even drinking it?

[save_the_souls]

[Nope sorry Riku, you come to this table, you're gonna be social. Or at least friendly. Tis the shonen rule]

Bloodsport- that's Robin's ship isn't it? I'm on the Tourist.

[When the waitress comes by, he smiles and very politely orders whatever this world's equivalent to a Virgin Bloody Mary is before looking at Riku to see what he'd like.]

[birdsbirdsbirds]

[he... tilts his head so that he can... squint at him...]

...Gods, you aren't talking about legal drinking age, are you?

[optimystic]

SS Huntress, pretty cool name, huh? A lot of the other ones I've heard are pretty weird... but Bloodsport. [she silently mouths the word again. Bloood.... Spoooort....]

Yep, you're on our level of cool.