[ Balthus sighs contently as they sit down, taking a moment to simply stretch and get comfortable. It's really been a long time since he could walk into this room without the shadow of worry following him. Drinking in and of itself is a lot harder when the amount of drink available is so painfully limited, for starters. That isn't a problem now and even without the contrast to the harsh reality of war, Balthus would not be Balthus if he didn't get excited at the smell of nice mead. ]
It's half about the drink and half about the attitude, I'll have you know. I'm not only the king of grappling but also the king of emptying my head. Even the great Abysslord Yuri can learn a few tricks from me.
[ He picks up his mug, still smiling an easy sort of smile that is less teasing and more simply content. An actual swig of the drink has him sighing in delight. ]
... okay, this will absolutely help though. Man, I've missed this.
[ All of it. Not just the alcohol but also the carefree evenings, just sitting with Yuri and betting stories on all kinds of inane things. Abyss has never been affluent, never been pretty, but it used to be happy. To Balthus, it had been the first place in the world that he really would call home. It is home in a way House Albrecht can't ever be, because Balthus is not made of the stuff lords and ladies are made of. He wonders where they went wrong in raising him, sometimes. Casting the noble lifestyle aside had not felt like punishment to Balthus but like tossing off chains. Where other nobles fret and fear about losing their titles, Balthus would take any day spent hungry and beaten on the streets over returning to his old lifestyle.
This is where he belongs, among the common folks and the outcasts. He closes his eyes for just a second, listening to the murmuring in the inn, and he feels revitalized. ]
no subject
It's half about the drink and half about the attitude, I'll have you know. I'm not only the king of grappling but also the king of emptying my head. Even the great Abysslord Yuri can learn a few tricks from me.
[ He picks up his mug, still smiling an easy sort of smile that is less teasing and more simply content. An actual swig of the drink has him sighing in delight. ]
... okay, this will absolutely help though. Man, I've missed this.
[ All of it. Not just the alcohol but also the carefree evenings, just sitting with Yuri and betting stories on all kinds of inane things. Abyss has never been affluent, never been pretty, but it used to be happy. To Balthus, it had been the first place in the world that he really would call home. It is home in a way House Albrecht can't ever be, because Balthus is not made of the stuff lords and ladies are made of. He wonders where they went wrong in raising him, sometimes. Casting the noble lifestyle aside had not felt like punishment to Balthus but like tossing off chains. Where other nobles fret and fear about losing their titles, Balthus would take any day spent hungry and beaten on the streets over returning to his old lifestyle.
This is where he belongs, among the common folks and the outcasts. He closes his eyes for just a second, listening to the murmuring in the inn, and he feels revitalized. ]