jigokulogs | ( open ) you doing anything to keep her by your side

[ hmm. barton appears to ponder that. it's one thing when you're bitching to coworkers about a place they've also seen, it's another to smear it to someone completely unfamiliar to the place. ]

[ well, whatever. for that reason, it doesn't matter, right? ]

[ after taking another sip of his beer, he laughs, pretty openly. ] Yeah, it's a crime-ridden cesspit! Compared to this place, though, it's somehow more functional. For instance, there isn't an [ ... how to say this: ] ineffective Department trying to whip the place into something it's evolved past. Still a money-hungry shithole, though.

[ eula raises his brow at him. can he say that out loud? they may be at neutral territory but...

she gives the interior of the tavern a cursory scan for a hot second. each table for the most part is minding their own business, too busy whooping it up and yelling orders for them to be noticed. and she hasn't spotted anyone from the department who might be here to overhear their grievances, so—

the second glass of beer arrive, along with the yakitori. she'll take a sip of that first. ]

It is a lost cause. But if the Department is abolished completely, the entire realm will be sent into utter chaos. The low morale surrounding us lately is only making matters worse.

But it's all right. If anything, I should be thankful that I'm here. For it'll be easier to have my vengeance on the Enma himself.

[ what the fuck

although with the way she's taking another huge swig of her beer after that bombshell, one can easily chalk that up to mindless chatter of an soon-to-be drunk. right...? ]

[ thankfully, there is a general hubbub of pleasant noise, and they have yet to attract too much attention to themselves, thanks in part to their non-uniformed garb. barton listens, and then it's really really hard not to spit his drink with laughter. he claps a hand to the surface of the table - that's the spirit. ]

Ohh? I think the guy's holding back... He may have the charisma of wet cardboard, but I think he's a nice guy.

[ it's about as simultaneously insulting - and yet hopeful, that the enma could really bring down the hammer of the law, should he be provoked into it - as one can manage when calling someone "nice." leaning back in his seat more casually this time, he finishes off his beverage. ]

You know, I'm still curious as to what all this vengeance is gonna look like - I'd like to see that showdown.

[ he really held back on her, huh

but whatever, she's going to roll her eyes at that. ] Too nice for his own good. He thinks staying mum about more important matters and leaving us to fend for ourselves from the media is a good idea for both parties. Hmph, I'll show him a better one.

[ god

she really is frustrated, though. with the alcohol settling in her system, she sets her half-empty glass down and places an elbow on the tabletop, planting her chin on her palm as she blearily stares at her drinking partner. ]

You're going to have to wait your turn. This world alone warrants a much longer list—but if you make me angry I'll gladly show it to you.

[ she's being petulant at this point. her threats are actually ineffective for the most part, but no one here really knows that. ]

[ for that reason, he does think eula a Tiny Bit Scary(tm), despite all the lofty talk of vengeance having yet to lead to - as far as as he knows - any truly, bloody incidents... barton doesn't really want to skip that mentioned line, even if it is tempting to prod the bear just to see if he could take it. he flags down their server for another drink, eyebrows raised almost inquisitively as she explains. ]

[ so he does chuckle at her assurance, just a little bit. it's probably the pleasant buzz. ]

Is that right? Here I thought I'd already ticked you off a few times. [ musingly. ] Giving you a few driving lessons hadn't really been so punishing, you know.

[ the fact that she still strikes fear in him somehow will delight her somewhat. but seriously, what did he mean by that? ]

Oh, you have. Plenty of times already. [ her smile comes and goes just as quickly. ] So you wanted a more severe punishment for last time? You should have said so before you'd let me choose.

[ maybe forcing him to grovel for being an idiot at the beach would be punishment enough. but now that she thinks about it, as she takes a bite of yakitori, ]

Perhaps I could have forced you to take swimming lessons instead?

[ what the - oh, lord. barton takes a longer drought of his beer, nearing to catching up with eula (and also buying his brain some time to reflect on that proposition, cover up any immediate grimace the suggestion may have brought). she's right though; she's hit the nail on the head in terms of just about as challenging as it could get. ]

I'm -

[ he huffs, putting his mug down, and glaring in a determined look. ]

Aah, you don't think I'd actually gonna say no to that, do you...?

[ haha, gottem. it's her turn to lean back against her seat with a slight smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. ]

Well, are you?

[ it's just a few backstrokes, it's not going to kill him.

...is it? ]

Of course not!!

[ wow, he's fired up... and kinda noisy; a few fellow bar patrons glance their way. biting back any embarrassment at announcing this, he taps his mug against the table in a way that's supposed to be meaningful or something. ]

I'm aware it's a stupid skill not to have... [ especially for like. a dude that's supposed to lead on boats. ] I'm gonna conquer it!

[ wow, isn't he loud. he's clearly hiding something if he's trying to brush it off with his own bravado. eula orders another glass while she's at it. ]

Of course you will. Since you sound that excited, I shall sign you up to a swimming course first thing tomorrow. I might even find it in me to help you.

[ she's joking, clearly. ]

[ the joking tone helps. running a hand through his hair, barton then folds his arms over his chest. ]

Ah! Back home, you'd have a lotta guts, poking fun at a commander.

[ he's not there, though, is he. he's aware. it may not be the most graceful of attempted topic shifts, but he'd rather it than this one -- ]

But you're supposed to be a scout back home or something, right?

[ luckily, she doesn't notice the clumsy topic change with how inebriated she's starting to become. she huffs out a short laugh. ]

Not just a scout. Captain of the Knights of Favonius' Reconnaissance Company.

And you, for the record, are not the boss of me. I'm free to say whatever I want.

[ saying that as her third glass arrives, taking another sip from it... uh oh. ]

Oh?? This is news.

[ welcome to his own dose of dry humor, eula. while he doesn't bother to try to peruse the menu this time, included in their all-you-can drink special or not - barton proceeds to order a shot of rum for himself. seems like he's gotten bored of beer... ]

[ while he doesn't uncross his arms, he does look a touch more amused. ]

So you're a Captain and a Knight--? No clue how knightly rankings work, that sounds pretty old-fashioned. [ a tipsy explanation, please. ]

[ does she have to explain knight titles of all things while she's on her way to getting drunk?? barton???

but it's. whatever. fine! fine, she'll do it. drunk history, let's fucking go. ]

Knight Captains serve under the Grand Master of the Ordo Favonius. But despite us being called the Knights, none of us were knighted by any royalty since we've gone away with a form of government as per the Anemo Archon's request and it is more of a title we earned from the noble duties we assume...

[ is that right? yeah, sounds about right. ]

Edited 2022-07-14 14:21 (UTC)

[ yeah! fuck em royals! and his grin probably said as much, even if it's only brief before barton pounds his shot back. he stares at her a moment, listening, even if the finer points of those titles are lost on him with being a few beers deep. ]

[ he sounds incredulous, ]

Noble duties? Really? You do more than scoff and spit on peasants.

[ huh??? where did the sudden hostility come from? no, maybe she explained it wrong— ]

Don't jump to conclusions. The Knights of Favonius was established after the aristocracy was overthrown, in the hopes that they'll never have to go through such dark times with the Lawrence clan. When I said noble duties I meant our obligations as knights, you dolt.

[ but why is she getting so heated too... perhaps it's the mention of her family name that she hasn't uttered a word to after all this time. ]

[ it's barton's turn to scoff. he leans back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. trying to absorb as much as he can, particularly names (he can't try to feign sobriety in that instance), is a tall ask. but the lawrence clan, huh? sounds like bad news. ]

You offended by that—?

[ at least she's made it more than evident that her heatedness is due to confusing her duties with that of nobility; that's plenty to be insulted over. he taps his empty shot glass against the table. ]

Good! Most of 'em are all real pieces of work.

[ a hollow pit starts to form at the bottom of eula's stomach when barton puts it like that. the slip of the tongue regarding the lawrence clan is a huge blunder on her part, but it's too late to turn back — like how she's already been disowned by the clan itself, really. it doesn't matter what he thinks of the nobility in general, right? she agrees with the sentiment, in fact.

and yet curiosity gets the better of her, as she rests her cheek on the palm of her hand and tries her very best to focus her gaze on him. ]

Didn't think you have such strong feelings towards the aristocracy too.

Edited 2022-07-14 17:43 (UTC)

Oh, yeah!

[ -- but certainly not as personally intense as any that eula may harbor, unbeknownst to barton. he lifts two fingers this time to hail for two shots. the topic is something he's enthusiastic to allegedly agree on, what with the askew grin and how his voice has lifted in volume. ]

There's this city - Lumopolis. Full 'a buncha nobles that talk 'bout the purity of bloodlines, crap like that... [ he waves a hand. ] Ah, it's 'bout high time they're knocked off their high horse. If if it were up to me, we'd have steamrolled 'em by now!

[ oh jeez, doesn't that sound familiar. the lawrence clan too would think that they're too good for the common folk at mondstadt, yet they still wish to exact vengeance on the city of freedom and take it back for themselves once more in the present day. ]

...They're all the same.

[ she's going to steal the other shot when it arrives at the table, knocking it back in one go. ahh, that one hit different this time. must be the spite she's feeling right now. ]

What's stopping you from eliminating them completely, then?

[ sniped! barton does let out a little hey! as it disappears, though there's plenty where that came from. he picks up his full shot glass. propping an elbow to the table, he leans forward conspiratorially, in a can you believe this shit kind of way. ]

Because the Committee and the Grand Marshal would have my head over it.

[ replied with a slight slur to his words. while he makes no secret of those ambitions, he probably shouldn't be sharing this much - he's banking on the presumption there aren't any other aurorians to hear, and it's not as if eula has a stake in this. ]

Ah, it's not something I could pull off with the Second Legion alone... Not enough man or fire power! And I wouldn't wanna pull my troops into a war we don't have authorization for, besides.

[ it's true that eula doesn't have a stake in it, considering how her noble family kicked her out a long time ago, but... wow. he doesn't seem to have a personal vendetta against the aristocracy, but he's still willing to go to war with them if the higher-ups would let him. that's almost terrifying to think about.

well, that's fine. she'll have to one-up him in that department. ]

You don't have to bring an army. Be more discreet and take them down on your own if they make you that angry. [ her hold around the shotglass tightens. ] I'll show them. I'll end the Lawrence clan with my own hands if I have to. They're on the very top of my list of grievances, after all. I'll...

[ her head nods a little. ah, she's starting to ramble there. ]

[ barton tips his shot back. should he order another one...? well, he has yet to succeed in getting the attention of their server. they actually look like they're going to fetch some waters for the table instead. ]

Ahaha! The only way I'm infiltrating is after I've dropped a missile on its dome.

[ -- lumopolis has the power of god and anime on its side, unfortunately. barton clacks his shot glass back to the table, peering at eula as she begins to rattle off her intentions. ]

With that kinda determination - yeah, you will! [ -- cheering this with a closed fist and all. though he also does sort of - laugh again. sorry, eula, it might be the flush to her cheeks, or that wandering declaration. while that definitely sounds scary - ] You don't look that intimidating though, right now.

[ if she were more sober she would've cringed at the idea of nukes being dropped at buildings. but nope, she's starting to tap out already. this still isn't enough though, she should order another glass at this rate--

but instead all she can make out is a glass of water that's been wordlessly delivered to them. hold on, let her drink that for a bit... ]

Didn't ask for your opinion on that. [ she's totally intimidating! look at her leer at your direction, barton, red cheeks and all. ] I may look like this now, but tomorrow... Tomorrow.

[ do they still have work tomorrow. please don't remind her. ]

Yeahh! Tomorrow's gonna be waaaay worse. [ he raises his glass of water to that point. ] But - but don't think 'bout that.

[ thankfully, past barton did at least ensure he didn't have any morning patrols. and the moment the server's snuck them some water, he doesn't have an issue ordering... whatever he'd had before. is there such a thing as being overserved in hell? ]

Ah, it's a good thing you can have it anyway, huh!

[ not to worry. he is always Ready to give an opinion. ]

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