I Can't Drink You Away...

[pidgewidgeon]

WHO: Pidge, Luke, and whoever else shows up
WHERE: Pidge and Luke's House
WHEN: A few days after returning from the Fractured World; right after this post
WHAT: Drinking time at the Beach House in order to forget the last month
WARNINGS: Vast amounts of alcohol consumption, cursing, probable talk of mind control



It had taken Pidge a few days to be able to even look at Luke, but she'd steeled herself against the bolt of uncertain terror and proposed they take advantage of the stash of alcohol in the house and get wasted. There was nothing quite as therapeutic as a bender so while Luke addressed the network she got to work setting out the stash of bottles she'd found, putting out red solo cups (just to get Luke to make that face when he saw the brand), and had moved anything fragile into the basement before sealing the door.

It took less than 10 minutes to get everything set up and so she poured herself a glass while waiting for whoever was going to show to show.

Comments

[faithfulson]

Luke wasn't exactly well versed in what alcohol was what. Han had gotten him to try some Corellian ale once, but it was basically the equivalent of swill, and he had cough up most of the swallow he managed before giving the rest to the smuggler.

Taking one sip of whatever bottle he grabbed first was... slightly less of a horrifying experience. It still made his face scrunch up, though.

"I know the idea was to drink until the Force gave up," he muttered, more to himself than whomever was near enough to hear him, "but I'm not sure I'll be able to tolerate it."

[pidgewidgeon]

Pidge grabbed the bottle out of Luke's hand to read the label before moving to the fridge to select some mixers, putting everything on the island. She pulled a cup closer and set about mixing a drink for Luke that wouldn't have his taste buds revolting.

"You don't start with immediately drinking out of the bottle. Start with mixed drinks and then work your way towards the bottle."

She closed the last container and took a small sip of the mix to test it before nodding and passing it over to Luke.

"Try that instead."

[faithfulson]

Luke couldn't help but stare at this... magic being performed in front of him, trying to do math in his head. He's... fairly certain Pidge was supposed to be younger than him -- not significantly so, but definitely younger than him. The fact that she so easily mixed together a drink that would probably make a Rodian smile left him utterly and completely baffled.

He hesitantly took the drink, carefully taking a sip of it. It definitely went down a lot smoother than just straight from the bottle, and he couldn't help but lick his lips in appreciation.

"How... did you do that?"

[pidgewidgeon]

Pidge smiled at Luke, attempting to make it look as innocent and angelic as possible while she answered.

"I was in the military you know. And then I ended up in space with species who ate and drank things very different from what I was used to. You learn how to make anything taste good. Even this shit."

She mixed her own drink while she spoke and once it was finished she tapped her cup against Luke's. "Cheers."

[faithfulson]

Luke paused a moment, mulling that over in his head, before he just shrugged. Yeah, no; that made perfect sense. Just because he pretty much subsisted on rations since joining the Rebellion, it didn't mean others would have the same experience.

"Cheers," he returned, tapping his cup against hers, before downing the whole thing.

[fauxmarth]

She wasn't very punctual to this particular gathering, though not out of resentment. Things are more complicated than that, of late.

Rather...she didn't know if she'd be welcome -- really welcome, not just in formal invitation. After all, she doesn't know whether Luke remembers or not, and she had kneed him rather intensely back there...

"You shouldn't force yourself like that," she says, slowing to a stop a few steps away from where he's opted to hole himself up. "It might make you ill..."

Unless he wants to be ill. Her eyes wince. Gods, why is she always trying to tell him what to do? Is that any way to lead into conversation?

"...Hello."

[faithfulson]

By the time Lucina had arrived, Luke was well on through his second Long Island ice tea, thanks to Pidge. He turned up toward the sound of her voice, spotting her and smiling warmly, though he wasn't entirely sure if that was because of the buzz or if he was just that happy to see her. Honestly, it was probably both, but the Force was already feeling too fuzzy for him to tell for certain.

"Lu, you made it," he said, sounding a little too mellow for Luke. He paused a moment as if he realized that was... off for him, turning to the glass in his hand with mild appreciation, before setting it down and looking up at her again.

"Hey, can we talk a moment?" he asked.

[fauxmarth]

She hesitates -- not because it's Luke, but because it's not-sober Luke. She doesn't have much of a fondness for the way alcohol can change the people she likes...and she's not sure if she can trust his smile when he's inebriated.

Gods help her, though, she'll take a drunk Luke who knows her over...whatever the hell he was in that other world any day.

"Of course," she replies, nodding slightly. "Of course... Do you mind if I sit?"

[faithfulson]

He looked more than a little relieved when she asked to sit, waving her to whatever spot she wanted to pick as a sheepish look came to his face.

"Of course; I don't think I can trust myself standing right now," he replied honestly. Not that that was a bad thing at the moment, all things considered. He set the glass aside to show that he was being serious, curling his legs up a little to give her extra room she probably didn't need.

"I've... been wanting to apologize," he started once she had settled into a spot. "For just about... uh... everything."

shows up 10000 years late with space starbucks

[patchricide]

As soon as Allura was invited to a get-together with Pidge — one in which copious alcohol was involved, humanity's elixir of stress recovery, as their way of dealing with the previous interdimensional shenanigans — she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Which is why, instead of bringing more alcohol for the stockpile, she's shown up now with an entire cooler filled with ice cream in one hand, and a canvas tote bag containing various snacks in the other. She's already long since learned how alcohol works, especially when consumed in excess and on an empty stomach, so the least she can do is play Space Mom and buffer what's going to happen.

And besides, everything she's brought is junk food, sweet and salty treats that go down particularly easy when nothing else does. There shouldn't be many complaints.

It takes her a moment, though, to figure out how to redistribute what she's carrying to one arm, so the other one is free to knock on the door of the Beach House. "Pidge? You haven't gotten too far into it already, have you?"

Seems in character except for the space starbucks

[pidgewidgeon]

Pidge swung the door open, registered it was Allura, and immediately threw herself at the princess for a hug. The other Luke's comment about Allura having died came rushing back and even though she didn't know how true it was, it had still stuck with her.

Eventually she pulled away, tried to wipe a tear from her eye discretely, and grabbed some of what Allura was carrying.

"Luke's had a few drinks already but I'm still on my first. Come in, come in. What'd you bring?"

[patchricide]

It's an awkward hug, given that Allura hasn't put anything down, but she does her best to embrace Pidge without bumping the cooler into her head.

"Anything and everything that looked good. It sounded as though you were all set for drinks, so..."

She heaves the cooler onto a table, and pops it open to reveal pints of ice cream, in just about every flavor from the supermarket's freezer. Including a few novelty flavors themed after imPorts, like Pidge-stachio.

(In the brand's defense, there's only so many ways to make ice cream green.)

[pidgewidgeon]

"You're the absolute best Allura. I didn't think of ice cream and I'm so glad you did."

She picked up the Pidge-stachio, rolled her eyes at the name and flavor, and simply stated, "Calling this one. I didn't even know anyone made a me themed ice cream."

[patchricide]

"I thought that one would be a good treat to welcome you back." You know, back to a dimension where things aren't so politically tangled, and imPorts are celebrated through merchandise. She pulls out some others, including one that mixes two types of chocolate, creating a light side and a dark side of the dessert (which may or may not be based on a real flavor that's incredibly delicious), and another that's streaked with blueberry and salted caramel to look like the color palette of a certain blacksmith.

"And if nothing else, I assume there's some way to mix these into cocktails. I've heard some things."

But she holds off on taking a pint of her own for now. Or even opening one of the many bags of other snacks, featuring things like pretzel rods and cheese curls and anything else that seems like someone might eat it in one sitting instead of dealing with their feelings through healthy coping mechanisms. Instead, she looks over at Pidge again, smiling with only the smallest touch of concern.

"It's good to be home, isn't it?"

OTA

[forgeabettertomorrow]

It really doesn't take Darin long to arrive. It doesn't even have anything to do with getting drunk. In fact, thanks to his stupid god-body, he can't get drunk.

But he sure as hell doesn't have to be drunk to make a scene.

It's probably a good thing that Allura is there to possibly temper him because he's got a chip on his shoulder the size of...well, one might liken it to a moon.

But that's no moon.

"I've got a lot of questions and I don't have a drink in hand so someone better have answers and shots."

[patchricide]

"I think I have a question, first. Why do you need shots? Wouldn't you prefer something more satisfying?"

She absolutely doesn't understand the Earthling rules of drinking.

"You're going to have to pick a question to pose if you want any answers, too."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Because I heard a lot of things about what happened in that place and I don't like any of 'em. And as for my question?"

Darin turns and just bellows out.

"WHY?"

[patchricide]

She sighs, lining up a shot glass. It still seems like a waste. It's barely a mouthful, and no matter how potent it is, Darin won't feel its affects.

Maybe she can pour him something else, and see if he even notices.

"If I knew that, I would have a lot more answers about how the Porter operates here."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Darin takes the shot and downs it.

"Look, all I know is that I lost a month of my life and there's an alternate me out there who isn't slowly dying but also is kind of a tyrant? The details are sketchy but I know a whole lot of people are afraid of me now."

He places the glass down.

"Another."

[pidgewidgeon]

Pidge rolled her eyes at Darin's outburst even as she ducked down to grab something from a lower cabinet.

She reemerged carrying a bottle that clearly hadn't come from any legal liquor store and walked with it over to Darin.

"For you. The person I got it from claimed it could get anyone drunk so I figure you may at least feel it at maximum." She held the bottle out to him and when his hand closed around it she held on so he'd make eye contact.

"I don't know how much you remember of last month, but if you ever hit on me again the next bottle I hand you will be mixed with the nastiest poison or acid I can find."

She released the bottle and patted Darin's arm.

"Now lets never speak of it again."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"I DID WHAT?!"

Sorry, Pidge, but if you think he's just going to leave that there, then you really should know better.

"Wait...were we?? Did Dark Darin and Alter Pidge...?"

He lets the terrifying implications hang.

[pidgewidgeon]

The glare she turned on him could have curdled milk but she still answered.

"Alt you was just fu... messing with me, but if you ever do it again there will be pain. Lots of pain."

She reached out and pulled the cork off the bottle.

"Now sit down, don't bring it up again, and drink."

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"Why would I ever bring it up again?! Why would I ever do that in the first place?! And why did you feel the need to tell me?!"

[patchricide]

"... excuse me, did I hear that right?"

And just a minute ago, Allura had been talking about not mixing up Darin with his alternate universe counterpart.

Now? She looks about five ticks away from wrecking the kitchen. Her hand tightens on the neck of a heavy bottle menacingly.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

"IT WASN'T ME! I GUESS DARK DARIN WAS A SHAMELESS FLIRT?? I'VE NEVER FLIRTED WITH ANYONE IN MY LIFE!"

Says the man to his fiancé.