Kenji didn't really feel like speaking with anyone else in the bar at the moment. He could talk to his cousin and his friends, but he did not really feel like he wanted to at the moment. They were exhausting sometimes, and he felt like having a chill time. The newcomer at the bar could be a chill time. "You need a refill?" he asked when Axel finished his vodka. He leaned forward against the counter, glancing around to make sure none of the other people in the pub needed anything. He gently brushed his fingers over Brazil's head, feeling her scaly skin under his finger tips.
Axel hummed quietly and paused. "How many more drinks would you recommend in order to get drunk enough?" He murmured quietly. "I need a distraction." He murmured quietly. It was kind of nice how the other talked to him. Like he was normal. It was certainly different, but nice. He liked it. He glances up at the man in front of him before glancing down at the snake on the counter. She was certainly pretty… and so was her owner. He quickly shoved those thoughts from his head. "Or at least… I don't know. I haven't had a drink in a while…" He mutters quietly.
Kenji chuckled at the questions. “Well, for someone your size, I would say maybe.. two more?” he suggested with a tilt of his head. “You got a ride home at all, though?” He usually checked with people who came into the pub to see how they were getting home. If they were driving themselves, he would cut them off right away, give them water and something to snack on, and make them wait until they were obviously sobered up. If they were walking home or taking public transportation, he would keep a close eye on how they were acting. If they had a ride, he would sit back and let them go all out. With the way that Axel was wanting to get himself blacked out, he would make sure to get an answer before giving him anything else to drink that night.
He nods a little bit and hums, rubbing at his head. "Yeah… sounds good…" he murmured quietly. He paused at the question, it didn't even cross his mind that he needed to get home. It didn't even cross his mind… and it's not like he had someone to call. He could try his manager, but she would absolutely loose it if she found out he was drinking and he didn't want to deal with her high ass voice. "No… I don't." He murmured quietly. He was honest at least. He felt dread sink in his gut. Just another thing to add to the list. His home wasn't far, but it was far enough that walking would be a chore. Especially when drunk. He figured he could take some sort of other public transportation, but he didn't trust himself enough to make the right decision. Plus he had never taken public transportation, so he didn't know the first thing about it. He had always been driven by his manager. "God if my manager finds out she's gonna kill me." He hissed, resting his head on the counter. That ache wasn't gone, instead it felt more intense and it hurt. He didn't like letting his feelings out, he really didn't. He just wanted to get drunk and let the world go for once.
Kenji listened to Axel, watching him place his head down on the counter. The male was obviously stressed and not having the best night. He picked up Axel’s empty glass, filling it up a tad bit with more of the cherry vodka. “Here’s the deal,” he hummed. “Since you don’t seem to have any sort of way home and you seem like a decent guy, I’ll give you a ride home after my shift, yeah? I get off in like.. 45 minutes. And I’m cutting you off after this one.” He set the glass down in front of Axel, leaning down against the counter a bit. His brow had raised at the comment about his manager being mad. He assumed he was talking about a normal boss at a place of work. “Why would your boss be mad? Not like they have any way of knowing,” he said with a shrug.
Axel glances at the other, pausing for a moment when he saw more of the alcohol being poured before nodding slowly. "I… suppose… but- You barely even know me…" He murmured quietly. He glances at the alcohol but doesn't take it. "I don't want to impose on you." He sits up slowly and stretched a little. He chuckles and glances at the other. "Ah… my manager Avery is a woman of very strict taste… not to mention I don't really do a community job. She's more of my babysitter and schedule setter." He shrugged, the alcohol was helping him open up a bit more, and he was feeling a bit more lightheaded. "She doesn't like smoking, or drinking. Which is a pain, but she's a good manager, so I can't complain." He brushed a hand through his hair and sighed deeply. He wanted to forget, but he didn't have alcohol at home and he needed some sort of distraction or he was going to go mental.
When the point that they had just only met and barely knew each other came up, Kenji shrugged his shoulders. "This pub is a small community. Besides, you seem like a good person. What, you going to mug me or something?" he asked in a joking manner. He listened to Axel explain his manager with a frown on his lips. He wondered what Axel did for work and decided on asking him. "No smoking or alcohol? Well, you're breaking some of those rules it looks like. But what do you even do as a job if that's the influence she has over your life? Seems pretty weird to me." His managers had a say over his life, considering they were his grandparents and he was under their custody and care, but that was a special circumstance that most people were not in.
He snickered quietly at that and hummed, a small smile on his lips. "Nah… not to worry." He hummed and took another tiny sip of the vodka. "I'm practically harmless." He chuckles softly before tilting his head a little bit as he listened to the other ask questions about his job and his manager. He hummed, "She's been ruling over my life since I turned 17. Until I was 18 she was my legal guardian." He shrugged and took another sip of the vodka, swallowing before continuing. "I'm an artist and musician. She basically takes care of art shows and getting me into interviews, meet and greets, stuff like that. I had a performance tonight… but she had to leave early. Something was going down with her fiance. Normally she drives me home. But… I needed a drink so I wandered here." He settles his head on his hand for a moment, a tiny sigh leaving his lips.
Kenji chuckled as Axel assured him that he was no harm. He had assumed as much, but still thought it was a safe thing to clarify considering they were practically strangers. He listened to Axel describe his job, and his brows raised. An artist and musician? That must have been by Axel looked familiar to him- he most likely had seen something about him floating around online. “Wow, that’s pretty cool. What things do you play?” he asked. He enjoyed playing instruments, himself, so he was curious to know. “Stressful night, then?” He assumed it had to be if Axel had been willing to break his managers rules just because he wanted a drink.
Axel was smaller and skinnier than the man in front of him, it really would be hard for him to beat Kenji in a one on one so it wasn't like Kenji had much to fear. But he was right, they were practically strangers if anything. Life… was hectic to say the least. He rarely got to interact with people like this. He just wanted… for once, to be seen as a normal human being. He hummed and tilts his head. "Most of the time it's violin. That's what I play professionally at least." He shrugged. "I'm trained in a few other instruments though." He shrugged and scoffed quietly at the others words. "to say tonight was stressful is an understatement… I just want to forget it and continue with my life." He looked sad for a minute. "To forget would be nice." He finished off his vodka and pushed the glass away. He didn't want to think about it now. His gut just felt heavier and he felt lonelier than ever.
Kenji grinned at the mention of Axel playing violin. "For real? I grew up playing violin. I still have mine, even thought I don't get to play it that much. More into guitar at the moment," he hummed in a chatty sort of way. As Axel finished off his drink, he grabbed the glass and took a step to the side. He was still by Axel, but was now stood by a sink behind the bar so he was able to wash the glass. He was true to his word on that being Axel's last drink. "Well, vodka will do the trick then," he assured Axel.
Through the rest of the night, Kenji had gotten a bit more busy with people coming and going. So he could chat with other people, collect payment and tips, and serve drinks in a timely manner, he had left Brazil with Axel. That was partly to get her out of the way, but to also have someone to give her some attention- and Axel seemed to like her. After about 25 minutes of that, the bar was closed up and he grabbed his coat, heading over to Axel. "You ready to leave?" he asked, taking Brazil.
Axel listened intently as the other spoke, tilting his head a bit curiously. He watched as the glass he used was washed and dried off. He didn't like that it was his last drink of the evening, but he wanted to go home without his manager knowing he was drinking. He had the day off tomorrow. So he wouldn't have to worry about her nagging him. He ran a hand through his hair. But he didn't complain, he didn't even speak. He wanted more than anything to drink, just… anything to fill the damned hole in his gut. He tried his hardest to ignore the feeling.
Axel never dared bother Kenji, only speaking when spoken to but otherwise keeping quiet. He was glad that he could at least distract himself with Brazil. She was cute and he liked how sweet she was. He hadn't moved from his spot the entire night, and he glances up when the other took Brazil back. He nods slowly, "Yeah… I'm ready to go." He murmured quietly. He didn't want to go. But he might as well. He shouldered his jacket around himself and waited patiently for the man in front of him to lead the way.
Kenji moved Brazil so she should rest around his neck, and he put his coat on. He led Axel out of the bar, shutting off the lights and locking it up behind them. The cold nipped are his exposed skin, face flushed softly because of it. He was not parked far, though, and arrived at his car pretty quickly. He unlocked it and got into the drivers side, starting it up. He switched on the warm air so they would not be completely freezing. “You good enough to give me directions or do you want to give me the address and I can put it in the GPS?” he asked Axel, not completely knowing how intoxicated the male was.
Axel had sobered up a little bit since the vodka. Definitely not enough to forget… god… he rubbed at his face and followed quietly after the male in front of him. He liked the cold air, it felt nice. It was terrible for violins though… it could cause the wood to crack. He sighed deeply and followed after the other quietly. "I can give you the address." He didn't feel like talking too much. He feared the vodka made him loose tongued, and he didn't want to deal with dumping all his pain on the poor soul who had offered him a hand. "Is there anything I can do to thank you?" He asks quietly, buckling into the care and fiddling with his fingers.
“Got it,” Kenji hummed. Once Axel gave him the address, he put the address into his phone to get the directions. He pulled out of the parking lot, beginning to drive to Axel’s home. It was not a far drive- only around fifteen minutes from the bar. He threw a brief glance over to Axel when the male spoke up again and he shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know. You really don’t need to worry about repaying me or anything. I don’t mind just doing nice favors.”
He smiled a little at the other and nods, his eyes shutting as they drove home, it was nice to know at least that his home wasn't too far. He sighed softly, his eyes becoming guilty. "I want to… somehow. You're really nice." God… the hole in his gut was just growing more and more at this point. He lost it at a performance, rarely had a kind human hand been offered to him, he just wanted to drink and forget, maybe wander to a close hotel and sleep it off there. But, the man now driving him home was kind to offer him a ride… He felt guilty. He wanted to pay the other back somehow. "Did I pay for the drinks?" He wondered woozily. He couldn't remember. He wasn't sure.
Kenji reached over to turn on the radio, turning on some alternative station. He kept the volume on a soft level as he drove down the dark streets, the only light coming from the occasional pair of oncoming headlights and streetlamps. "If I was only doing nice things just to expect to get something out of it, I wouldn't be that nice," he pointed out with a bit of laughter. The laughter stopped at the mention of paying for the drinks, and he thought back to the time at the bar. "No, I don't think so. But don't worry about it. The boss won't notice." 'The boss', aka. his grandfather, would most likely let him off easy because of the gesture to drive Axel home.
Axel was feeling more and more guilt settle into his stomach, even as the music played. He tried his hardest to relax, tried his hardest to breathe. He curled into himself as he watched the road pass by. He hadn't paid, he had gotten drunk, he had gladly taken a ride from someone… and god that feeling from tonight's performance felt like it was sucking him in. "I have money at home… I can pay you back." He murmured quietly, shutting his eyes tightly and ready to cry. Tonight was just… it wasn't his night in the slightest. He rubbed at his eyes, making sure to keep to himself. "I've already asked so much of you." He murmured quietly. He noticed his pretty looking home pop into view. It was a quaint home. With the main floor and the basement. The basement was his studio, where he kept his art. The music room, his room, and the guest room. There were some nights when his manager would stay the night, and she would often crash in the guest room.
Kenji glanced over at Axel. He was an empath, he could tell how others felt decently easily. "It's ok. No need to get stressed about it," he hummed, continuing to drive. He noticed the house as the GPS said he was nearing his destination. It was a nice looking place- much nicer than his small, one story home that he would be heading back to soon. He pulled into the driveway, putting the car in park. "Do you need help getting inside or anything like that?" he asked with an arched brow. He had no idea how intoxicated Axel was, and he did not want the male to get hurt or anything while walking up to the front door.
But he did, he felt stressed. He wasn't used to people being kind. He wasn't used to people offering something and expecting nothing in return. His manager wasn't like that, the people he met weren't like that. He was scared if he was completely honest. He didn't want to assume the worst, but he felt like he should somehow. It was late. late enough… and he was in a practically empty neighborhood since his manager wanted a home where he could practice in peace. He shook his head, not wanting to ask more of the male. He couldn't, really. He wasn't used to people being kind. He craved it, but… it was so rare to experience it. He hummed and slowly got out of the car. The world felt dizzy, shaky even. "Thank you." He murmured quietly, there was a faint amount of pain to be read in those soft eyes. He shut the car door quietly. He'd go back tomorrow, apologize and pay for the drinks.
(Do you maybe want to time skip to when Axel goes back to the bar?)
Kenji gave Axel a sort of sympathetic look as the male got out of his car. Brazil shifted around his neck, her tongue flicking out into the air a couple of times. "You're welcome. Take care, and I hope to see you back at the pub on a better occasion," he replied. When Axel shut the door, he waited in the drive for a moment to make sure Axel got to his door and went inside ok. He pulled backwards out of the driveway, turning up the alternative radio station as he drove back to his small home. It was one story- having a small kitchen and living room, one full bathroom, one half bathroom, two bedrooms, and a small attic for storage purposes. Once he got home, he first put Brazil into her tank, feeling exhausted as he got ready for bed.
(Sure!)
Axel had gone to bed after taking a soak in his bath. He might as well sleep it off. In the morning he woke up with a little bit of a headache. He got dressed and ready for the day before grabbing his wallet. He wanted to thank Kenji again and pay for the drinks from last night. He looked nice, wearing a simple grey turtle neck, a black knee length light coat, jeans and doc martins. His hair was tied up neatly in a ponytail with some stray hairs framing his face prettily. He exits his house, entering his car and driving quietly to the bar. He was nervous to say the least, parking and slowly entering. He adjusts his bag and clears his throat. He just needed to drop the money off and go.
Kenji had pretty much went straight to bed after going home. He had been tired from his long shift and had not slept well the night before. When he woke up, he showered and ate a light breakfast. He did not have to work at the bar, but would still go to hang out and have a drink or two while his cousin bartended. He left the house a bit later in the day, bringing Brazil with him as he drove down to the pub. Once there, he greeted his cousin and took a seat in one of the barstools. He ordered a beer, and took a sip once he got it. This time, he was dressed in much more casual clothes- a grey, crew neck sweatshirt, a pair of ripped black jeans, dark sneakers, various pieces of silver jewelry, and a black beanie. When Axel would have come in, he would still be sitting at the bar, chatting with his cousin as he stroked along Brazil's scaly body.
Axel was tense when he entered the bar. He wasn't sure if he should keep coming here or not. It was rather peaceful, he realized. He takes a deep breath, trying to think how to approach the other without making things awkward. He wasn't good with emotion, he never was. People were scary… And confusing. He takes a deep breath and wanders over to the bar, quietly nodding at what looked like Kenji's cousin before glancing over at Kenji. He recognized Brazil almost instantly, and his soft eyes flickered over to Kenji. "I wanted to pay… For the drinks from last night." His voice was quiet, tense even. He places the money in front of the other. "As well as for the ride home." It was more than his total, leveling out to about $150. "I'll be off then." Small talk wasn't his forte. So he stood, and moved towards the exit.
The bar was much quieter at the moment. Including Kenji, there were probably only around four people there. It was much calmer than the night before, that was for sure. When Axel came into the bar, Kenji's cousin, Jacob, looked up to greet the male. Jacob had recognized Axel as the guy Kenji had been chatting up the night before, and gave Kenji a nudge on the arm. Kenji looked over his shoulder to see Axel, and he smiled when he saw the male. "Hey, Axel," he hummed, though his brows raised at the mention of the payment. The money was set down in front of him, and he picked it up, counting the bills. $150? Kenji's jaw could have dropped to the floor. "Hold up, Axel. This is way too much. You only had a couple of drink and it was barely a ten minute drive," he protested.
He was glad that the bar was quiet, it made this easier, he supposed. He didn't really want to deal with a lot of people. He just wanted to be able to relax and wanted to get this over with. He needed to practice today after all. And he needed to get a commission done. He took a deep breath and smiled softly. "Hi," He nods to the others cousin, a nervous smile flittering over his cheeks. He hummed softly and waved glancing at the other when he was called over at. He shrugged, "I guess it's a thank you?" His hand was resting on the door knob. He wanted to go home, but he didn't want to ignore the other. His brown eyes flit over the other people in the pub. He didn't want to think about it too much.
Jacob made a home about how if Kenji did not want the money, he would take it. Kenji rolled his eyes at his laughing cousin and got up from his stool, going over to where Axel was. “Hey, man. For real, this is too much- I can’t accept all of this,” he tilting his head as he held out a couple of the bills. In the other hand, he held on to about $50, deciding that was what he deserved for the night, and Brazil, who was curled around his hand comfortably. He would give back $100, and then they would be even. It was only fair, he thought.
Axel glances over at the other, brushing some stray hair from his face and taking a deep breath. It was money, he didn't see what the big deal was. But then again he didn't really use money for material things. Axel shook his head when the other held out the money. "I suppose use it for Brazil or yourself." He shrugged a little bit. "It's really up to you." He offered a timid smile. He nods to Kenji's cousin before wandering outside of the pub and taking a deep breath.
Kenji had been about to say that if it was up to him, he would give the money back to Axel. But he was unable to say that because of how Axel hurried out of the pub. “You’re lucking out, huh?” Jacob laughed from behind the bar, and Kenji flipped his cousin off in response. He stepped out from the pub, hurrying to where he saw Axel on the sidewalk. “Hey, why are you just running off?” he questioned with a frown on his lips, brow furrowed. He had not even received a ‘goodbye’ from Axel. Was that it? Just drop off the money and leave right away?
Axel wasn't really one who liked much socializing, he feared what people saw of him. He couldn't remember the last time he had been treated as a human being, rather than a musician/artist. It had been nice, but he didn't want to think about it. He wasn't drunk right now, he wasn't chatty. Axel paused when the other asked where he was going, glancing back at the other. What the hell was he supposed to say? That he was bad with social interactions? That he had no idea how to talk to attractive men? That he wasn't used to being treated like a normal person? He shuffled and took a deep breath. "I'm…" He cleared his throat. "I didn't want to bother you too much. It looked like you were busy with your cousin." He shrugged a little bit.
