The Devil's Nest, Monday night

[texted3times]

Eric was investigating the tiny ski resort that had sprung up around his axe throwing station, frowning in light annoyance.

He would be spending the rest of evening moving it to the top of Lucifer's piano.

There! Problem solved.

The Devil's Nest was open. Eric was throwing axes.

Comments

[sword_chocobro]

Gladio definitely took a moment to admire how the move of the mini-ski resort really helped highlight its particular quaint charm before heading to the bar to compliment Tiny on as much (Gladio, no) before grabbing a drink and appreciating some of the other aesthetics offered by the Nest on a Monday night in particular.

[texted3times]

Well, Eric had made sure the lighting was particularly flattering for him.

"Gladio," he said with a nod.

[sword_chocobro]

"Eric," Gladio met his nod with a nod of his own. "How've ya been?"

[texted3times]

"Well," Eric said, smiling. "I'm slightly confused about the tiny ski lodge but I'm not asking follow-up questions. You?"

[sword_chocobro]

"The man's just got too much creative energy," Gladio noted, almost admirably, "he's gotta let it out somehow, right? I, for one, always look forward to seeing what form it'll take next."

He lifted his drink with a salute Tiny's way, before his attention shifted back to Eric.

"And I'm alright. Busy weekend."

There'd been babysitting, a fire, and...well, more babysitting, kind of.

[texted3times]

"Fire or something less traumatizing?" Eric asked.

[sword_chocobro]

"Depends on what your thoughts on babysitting are," Gladio said with a snort.

[texted3times]

"About the same," Eric admitted. "I am not an expert on teacup humans."

[sword_chocobro]

"Had a feeling that's about where you'd land on the issue," Gladio said with a nod. "Neither am I, really, but, thankfully, she slept mostly the whole time and when she did wake up, I could just foist her on Iggy, since he's got way more experience with kids than me."

None quite as young as Noctra, but still.

"Managed to miss the fire, though I know a few people can't say the same."

[texted3times]

"Was Iggy--" oh, Eric was remembering that nickname gleefully, "--happy to take over?"

[stykera]

Stark, who had absolutely not forgotten to mention the Cup Noodle(TM) left for him by a large tattooed man in his clinic post, thought perhaps he might find Gladio here to thank him for the thoughtful gesture.

And, of course, Stark could also get a drink because why not mix painkillers with alcohol and see what happened? Or maybe he'd just get a fancy soda or something tonight. Who could say?

First he had to admire the tiny village on the piano anyway.

[sword_chocobro]

Honestly, at this point, calling Ignis by his actual given name felt weird and unnatural.

"I don't think Iggy's ever really 'happy'," yes, Gladio was doing the airquotes there, "about anything, but he didn't complain too much," or at all, really, but that didn't make as interesting a story, "so I don't think he really minded."

[somethingwithturquoise]

Look, Summer had gone through a very long overdue and quite frankly brutal therapy session with Dr. Wong that weekend, because that woman did not pull any punches (and, let's face it, she hadn't told Summer anything Summer didn't already know, right down to the fact that Summer finally coming to her was so that she could lean on the excuse of 'my therapist said…' in an attempt to avoid a modicum of accountabilty, but anyway). She'd also missed a fire (at least she had an alibi!), been glared at judgily by one of her students for….what? Trying to impart helpful information? She had no idea, but then she also had to deal with Apu. So yeah…..she was kind of feeling she needed a drink right now.

And if that bar just so happened to be the one where she could convince the bartender to mix up a Cup Noodle cocktail and send it down to the shirtless beefcake down the way, then SO BE IT.

The beefcake did remind her to not drink too much tonight, though, since she had to workout tomorrow, but she could definitely admire the axe throwing, too.

The whole chalet-lodge-piano vibe, she would just have to try and swing by tomorrow to see what Lucifer's take was in that.

[stykera]

"The nurses said you left me noodles," Stark said. "At least, one said a very large tattooed man left me noodles. Thank you. I had some for lunch."

[sword_chocobro]

"Coulda been McGarrett," Gladio pointed out, since he knew he was in some good, large, tattooed company here on the island, but he grinned a little, nodding his his and lifting his drink in salute. "But you're welcome. Glad you got 'em. Good to see you're doing okay, too."

He was, however, definitely giving him a once-over to access if that 'okay' was really 'going out to the bar' okay or not.

"How're you feeling?"

[texted3times]

"Why were you babysitting, anyway? You don't seem like an immediate first choice for that task," Eric said.

[texted3times]

"Stark," Eric said, greeting him with a slightly toothy smile.

[texted3times]

"Summer," Eric said with a smile. "It's been a while."

[stykera]

Steve was not nearly so large! And far less likely to bring noodles.

"It hurts," Stark admitted, leaning his head to the right. "I'll live."

Should he be home resting? Probably. But his bandage was fine and he wasn't coughing!

[stykera]

"Hello, Eric."

The answering smile was a little hesitant and not nearly so toothy.

[texted3times]

"Long few days at the clinic?" he guessed.

[stykera]

"I got burned. A little."

No big deal, Eric. Really. Totally fine here!

[somethingwithturquoise]

"Hiiiii, Eric!" said Summer, with an absolutely beaming smile back. "It has been a while, hasn't it?"

So long, in fact, that a terrible, terrible idea just popped right into her head and straight out her mouth before she could even think better of it.

"You know, I'm actually single now."

Welp. There was about a thousand dollars worth of therapy thrown right out the window in about two seconds flat.

[texted3times]

Eric preferred his Starks un-charred!

"How much is 'a little'?" he asked suspiciously.

[texted3times]

Eric, who embraced all terrible ideas if they meant he might get laid (sorry not sorry, Jaskier), smirked back. "Oh, really."