Potatoes?

[plantussy]

CHARACTERS: Vash & You
TIME: Today
LOCATION: Mess Hall
WARNINGS: Alcohol and being blackout drunk

[ There's a bit of a mess in the cafeteria, and the mess is named Vash Saverem. Slumped over the table like an oversized toddler, the engineer is clutching a pail like it's the most important item in the world.

Whatever is in it smells awful. Like straight up death and dumb ideas. Trying to grow potatoes from synthesized ones was one horrible mistake, and trying to ferment them into alcohol an even worse one. How he's even managed to drink himself stupid on it without throwing it up from the taste alone is impressive.

He just - he needed to get that image out of his brain by any means possible. His twin, filling the sky with blades, slicing through stone like it was butter. His laughter. So yeah, he might have been binge-drinking from a pail of cloudy death vodka.

...the only redeeming quality in this pathetic display is the P-HYMN-1.A on the table next to him, showing acceptable levels of methanol. He'll live, but he'll be wishing he didn't when the terrible moonshine has run its course. ]

Comments

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Vash gets a whole 12 seconds before Rin starts going tense under the contact. If Vash doesn't start disentangling himself sooner or later he might be faced with Rin extricating themself, but for now he's got someone solid to lean against. Maybe uncomfortable- there's more metal components in their legs and torso than an their arms and face.]

I guess. [There's silence as Rin processes that. They’re pretty sure they remember Vash had parents on the ship as settlers, but they didn't forget about sime brother, right?] You have a brother?

[plantussy]

[ That's just fine - Rin can detach themself easily, Vash isn't holding on tightly at all. maybe for Rin's comfort - or maybe he's too drunk to. It's just nice to have another person there.

Maybe he's missing said brother a little after that 'dream', no matter how horrifying it was. ]

Yeah, I... I have a twin. [ The expression in his eyes is haunted as he speaks. ] He's not good. Very bad. Keeps... keeps hunting me. So I fled Tellus.

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[They edge a little bit further away, making sure the bucket hasn't ended up back in range. Then they have to figure out what to do with that information. Because leaving Tellus to escape something, that's something they get. Family, on the other hand? Fuck no.

They're not watching Vash, but they stay still and quiet as they listen, letting the silence echo through the dim room.]

Okay.

[It's not an 'and what do you want me to do about it' okay, it's an 'okay' okay.]

Is it some kind of... anniversary? Like your birthday?

[plantussy]

[ A simple 'okay' is more than enough. Rin isn't judging him about running away from his twin. ]

I... had a dream. Or a hall... halluci... I saw stuff.

[ Vash leans his head against the table again. It's nice and cool. ]

He was destroying a little town... with all these blades. The sky was filled with them. It was so real, Rin. So real.

[ His prosthetic wiggles his fingers a little. ]

...I know how to load bullets in an old gun, now. Click-click-click. Super speed.

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Oh.]

Oh. A memory insertion.

[They don't pull a Wolfwood and insist that it's a dream - they frown at the far side of the room.]

You should try shooting one. On the holodeck.

[They're not... ignoring the town thing. It's just that they have no idea what to say. Agree that it's shit? Tell Vash that they get it? He doesn't want to hear about their fucked up memories, and even if he did he won't remember it. He probably can't even see straight.]

Later, I mean.

[plantussy]

[ He's not sure he believes Wolfwood's idea of it being dreams, considering he's glowing now. Dreams do not do that, but if the man needs to tell himself that's all they are, Vash's not going to make a big deal of it. ]

Y-yeah. It was bad.

[ He reaches out for the pail again, but his flesh hand is unsteady. ]

Maybe I'll try. Later, yeah. Much later.

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Rin sees that and tugs the thing to their far side, where Vash will have to go or reach around them to get it. Nope, none of that, you fucker. The airlock rule is still in effect.]

You should drink water.

[plantussy]

Come on, I just don't want to exist for a while...

[ Vash protests, but there's no way in hell he can get up right now. The pail could just as well be on another planet. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Tough shitI, they want to say, but they bite it back before their terrible new mod can get mad about that. Instead they say, in the driest, most Pleasant Robot voice they can manage;]

That would be medically inadvisable. Would you like to go to the Medics to request a sedative instead?

[They're entirely unmoved in the face of Vash's pouting, given that they haven't even looked back towards him, crossing their arms defensively over their chest.]

[plantussy]

[ Vash groans at that and leans his head on the table again. ]

...do you think they'd do that?

[ Doubtful. Then again, it's not like he's any good to anyone right now. Hopefully there's no engineering emergency. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[The smart thing would probably be to lie and tell Vash yes, maybe so they can get him to the medics, but, reluctantly they admit;]

When you're sober again.

[plantussy]

[ If he remembers anything in the morning, he's going to be mortified by the whine that leaves him at Rin's words.

He doesn't want to be sober again. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[No shoulder pats this time - Vash is going to have to lie in the bed he made.

There's a moment where Rin says nothing else, just moves away from the table where Vash has settled himself - but if (big if) Vash is registering anything other than the immediate fact of their sudden distance, he might register that they're headed towards the synthesizer.]

[plantussy]

[ Rin's given more physical support than this drunk idiot deserves already, so that's more than fair. Vash mostly just keeps his face on the table, looking like he wants to hold on to it to make the ship stop spinning.

No more puking, at least. Instead he just silently listens to Rin walking away. First he assumes they're heading off to let him drown in his shame, so when he notices they're going to the syntheziser his drunk brain is confused. ]

Huh?

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[It doesn't take long, whatever they're doing. When they return to the table, it's with a completely full glass that they plunk down in front of Vash.]

Electrolytes.

[Come on Vash, doesn't that look better than potato death vodka?]

[plantussy]

[ Vash flinches a bit as the glass is put down in front of him, but as soon as he can focus on what it is, his expression turns very soft. They're is such a sweet person inside. ]

Rin...

[ It looks amazing, honestly. He has to grab the glass with two hands since he's so unsteady - and he's probably spilling some anyway. At least he's drinking it. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Rin isn't looking anywhere near Vash, and withdraws as soon as he's got a good hold on his drink, folding their arms over their chest.]

Don't mention it.

[No really, don't. They might actually flee.]

[plantussy]

[ Thankfully Vash manages to actually empty the glass pretty quickly. Once it filled his mouth and washed away the taste of the swill, he can't get enough. Hopefully he can keep it down, too. ]

Okay. Not.. not saying anything. Buddy.

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Rin stares long enough to make sure that Vash actually finishes off the water, before shrugging. They're not going to leave the booze unsupervised here no matter how nice Vash acts.]

Great.

[At least he seems distracted from whatever part of the memory had him so fucked up.]

[plantussy]

[ He is quite distracted by alcohol and having a good good friend, so Rin did well. Less great is then way Vash topples slightly to the side when he finishes, doing the best he can to not pass out. ]

I think... think I need a nap.

[ You sure do, you drunk disaster. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[... Yeah about that, huh.]

I don't think you should move.

[Aka, they're not carrying you anywhere, Vash.]

[plantussy]

[ That's just fine, Rin. Vash is already passing out at the table, face on his (thankfully) flesh arm. ]

Mhm... that's... that's....

[ Yep, out like a light. ]

[itdoesntlikeyou]

[Rin gives it five minutes, sets down another glass of water, and then leaves Vash to himself. They'll send him a message tomorrow to make sure he didn't die.]