Hot Summer Days and Karaoke Nights

[deal_me_in]

WHO: Cayde-6 probably and you
WHERE: The Deep End
WHAT: Absolutely nothing
WHEN: Through this month
WARNINGS: N/A


I. BYOB

Things have been slow and quiet, both things of which Cayde never trusts, especially around a place like this. Naturally it leaves a Hunter bored, but when there's nothing to be found or done around the city and even less beyond, it's almost enough to make him desperate to do even paperwork.

Almost. He's not that desperate.

At least the temperatures don't bother him, but he knows the heat makes things miserable for a lot of people. The lights are always low in the bar, the water out the window at least keeping it from being too warm since the light's got a whole lot of gallons to filter through.

Cayde doesn't spend too much time behind the bar counter, so it'd be easy to think the bar's empty as it more often than not is. The Exo himself has parked himself at the table nearest the bar however, over by the window. Sometimes he'll be shuffling cards, or he'll be balancing them in a precarious cardhouse with Colonel settled in the opposite chair if she's not roaming the bar floor for inspections.

He looks up when he does find himself with company other than a chicken, flashing a grin. "Hey, you busy?" This may not be the Tower but he's not beyond handing out a quest or two if someone's just as bored as he is. Although it probably isn't much of a quest so much as it is an errand.


II. Music Makes the People Come Together. Yeah.

There's an off chance one might come across the Hunter in the opposite corner of the bar, feet propped up on a chair as he idly strums the guitar Tony had made him what seems like ages ago. It's been more of a communal sort of instrument by now. Cayde's at least managed to learn a few chords enough to play a song or two, which is enough for him to add to the subtle western vibe he tries to evoke now and then.

He's better with a harmonica, although it's anyone's guess as to where he gets the breath for it, much less manages a tune with no lips.

"Oh, didn't know I had an audience. What's with the face?" He smiles crookedly. "Thing's all set if you have something else in mind," he says, nodding towards the karaoke machine.

Comments

BYOB

[thelastechidna]

Knuckles is just aimlessly wandering around and happens to enter The Deep End rather by accident, liking the cooler temperatures. He's technically a minor anyway, even though he acts more like he's in his 20s, but having been sheltered for much of his life, he doesn't even realize quite what he walked into.

He blinks in surprise at the sudden question. "Huh? ... Well, no, I guess not...."

[deal_me_in]

Oh boy, a volunteer! Cayde however doesn't look up just yet as he finishes placing another card.

"Nice! Wait-" he hesitates, squinting over at the kid. "Oh. Never mind. You're probably not here for a hard drink, are you?"

[thelastechidna]

Knuckles flushes in embarrassment. "No.... That's what this is? I came in because it's cooler in here...."

[deal_me_in]

Cayde laughs. "Uh, yeah. See right there?" he points towards the bar counter. And then he points at the neon sign that he's rather proud of, with its bright colors of a spade hooked around the edge of a glass. So what if the writing wasn't one anyone except maybe one person in the city could read, he's still happy about the acquisition.

"Not that I'll kick anyone out for wanting to hide from the sun."

[thelastechidna]

Knuckles flushes, feeling foolish now. The sign is creative, though.

"... So, what was it you needed help with?" he wondered, mostly curious but also trying to make an effort to be social. Funny how without Sonic here, Knuckles is trying harder to actually integrate into the group. Maybe he's lonely for Sonic, even though the guy wasn't even the Sonic he knows back home. Or maybe he's actually trying to take some of Sonic's advice. Maybe both.

[deal_me_in]

"Eh, don't worry about it," the Exo says, waving a hand before picking up another pair of cards to balance. "No point in sending you out when you wanted to find some shade. I'll just wait for someone who actually wants a drink. Running low here and got some stock but it's in the ship."

[thelastechidna]

"Oh." He can't help thinking how fast Sonic could grab it.

"... How do you have any, anyway? I mean, do you make it yourself or do you get it from the replicator or the supplies thing?"

[deal_me_in]

Careful, careful. Cayde slowly lets go of the cards he's placed, pulling his hands back with a grin as they hold.

"Sure, got a still, but the most opportunity I have to restock is on those rare trips we get off-world."

[thelastechidna]

Knuckles looks at the cards with some curiosity. He always wonders how people do that.

This surprises him. "But hasn't that only happened a couple of times?" At least since he's been there.

[deal_me_in]

"Pretty much! Which is why I try to make the most of it. Helps that there aren't too many people around but I can only stock so much too," Cayde laughs. "...although when people get the idea to make molotov cocktails out of your good stuff then that really tends to put a dent in supply."

[thelastechidna]

"Yeah.... The ships look like they'd hold a lot, but there'd be the problems of loading the crates and then having room for them here," Knuckles says. "Do a lot of people take it for cocktails?"

[deal_me_in]

"Nah, space isn't the problem so much as funds," the Exo points out with a grin. He laughs again then.

"Thankfully not! Just the one time when them faceless critters were running around! At least I had the really good stuff stashed. Red juice does fine to light things up- I've got a whole load of molotov cocktails ready for emergencies but I guess that only works if other people know."

[thelastechidna]

Knuckles flushes. "Oh. Right." Money wasn't really something he had to worry about back home.

"Well, that's ... good then. Weren't you angry they were taking your stuff?"

BYOB

[tempredmental]

Keith glanced over at Cayde's voice, and then shrugged.

"If I was, I wouldn't be here, I guess."

[deal_me_in]

The Exo grinned brightly then.

"Oh good! Then you wouldn't mind giving me a hand then," he said cheerfully as he rolled to his feet.

[tempredmental]

"....." Keith frowned a bit at the presumptiveness in that statement.

"I wouldn't?"

[deal_me_in]

"Nope!" Cayde chirped, wandering on towards the door. He clapped a hand on Keith's shoulder, half dragging him along.

"Gotta go get drinks if you want to drink anything. Stock's low and while we're not out, it's all in the ship."

[tempredmental]

"Uh..." Keith frowned a bit. Seemed like an odd way to run a business, sending someone out as soon as they arrived... Though, he supposed the comment about being low made sense that he'd want to restock, sure. Look, give him a moment. He was a little shell-shocked at being voluntold. The last time that happened, he'd ended up being the Paladin of the Red Lion of Voltron.

"You mean the replicators?" He wasn't going to be asked to use his credits for this guy, was he? Because that was a tall ask.

[deal_me_in]

Here Cayde's just being Cayde. A lot of what he used to do when stuck as Vanguard back at the Tower or the Farm was throw some fetch missions or some such at restless Guardians. Things that needed to be done. ...and on occasion, things that he just needed someone to check on old stashes of his since he couldn't feasibly go off to do it himself, as much as he wanted.

"Oh, no! I have some crates from the spaceport. Gotta stock up when we get the opportunity, right? I figured it was better to leave some there for whenever we might have to go for a long trip, and partially so they won't get subjected to people raiding them for molotov cocktails when red juice will do perfectly fine."

[tempredmental]

"Ah..." Keith paused at the door, though, once they reached it. "Um... which ship, though? Ours?" If someone on the other ship had been holding those bottles for Cayde, Keith couldn't access them without asking someone else for a favor here, and he really didn't want to go on some wild goose chase around town to find another person when Cayde could just ask that other person to bring the bottles over directly.

[deal_me_in]

"Of course! What's the point of me stashing something I can't have access to?" Cayde laughed. Maybe for security purposes, but there seemed little reason for him to make it that much more difficult for himself.

[tempredmental]

"Right... of course." Keith nodded.

"Okay... I guess." He looked confused as to why Cayde was sending someone else to get it, but.......

"Where on the ship are they?"

[deal_me_in]

Gotta keep you people from being complacent. Also, it seemed only fair given he wasn't charging for drinks. Cayde was at least going along.

"Conveniently? Where the replica of the Deep End is." Some of it, anyway, but that's really all they need.

[tempredmental]

"Oh." Yeah, that made sense. Keith nodded. And, when he noticed Cayde was coming with, he definitely felt a little less... used.

"How much of it is there?" he asked as they started walking.

[deal_me_in]

The Exo tilted his head as he did some imaginary math. "Several crates. I think if we take one apiece then that should hold us over through the summer." At least things balanced out between the fact that there weren't too many people who came by to drink at a time, and they didn't usually overdo it.