RP:A Chance for Family

Synopsis: Tiber is letting himself drown in alcohol at the Whaler's when Aarika comes along with the lycan Henry. Aarika admits that she is looking for someone loyal to join the Steel Collective, and Tiber proves that coincidentally by starting a brawl. Three on three. In the end, when Aarika asks, Tiber is not quite sure whether he should join or not, but something tells him inside that he is broken and needs the back up.

Whaler's Bar

Tiber had been drinking—again—even if the Adventurer’s Guild venture to battle some drakes gave him a small high of adrenaline. The evening’s poison had been a cliché, cheap bottle of cinnamon-tanged whiskey. The typical whiskey that most bard college students drank. Although coin was one of the values he had, he settled for cheap alcohol because… he did not care about the taste. Only the numbness it provided. So, there he is… on the barstool of the Whaler’s with a shot glass in front of him. The blonde sits with elbows leaned forward as he knocks back the next shot that gave him a mild buzz. How many had he knocked back again? Did not matter. He was still functioning. The man is dressed in the usual suit and tie. His dark blue tie is loose around his neck, and he seems to be talking to some random chick that stares wide-eyed with extra enthusiasm about her own life. “So, the bard college chose –me- for the solo. –Me-! So, in a few days, I’ll be performing for the market downtown Cenril on Merchant Street! Isn’t that cool?” The girl babbles and Tiber is staring forward with a blank look. Only giving small answers such as ‘mhmm’ and ‘yeah’.

Aarika rarely traveled solo and this wasn't one of those nights. The door of the Whaler's bar swung out and a petite blonde walked through the threshold, Henry on her heels. The duo would appear to be attached at the hip, though this was the Steel Collective's order, having been targeted a few times earned herself a baby-sitter/bodyguard. Sharp taps of her boots carried her closer to the bar that Tiber haunted. The chatty Kathy was far too perky for the audience leaving Aarika to interject. "I am sure you will be splendid." She smiled with a jut of her chin. The motion moved Henry towards the bard to absorb most of her babble. "How about a bottle of whiskey and a pint of ale, please." She knocked a knuckle against the wooden bar top after her order to Darius. "Rough night?" Aarika inquired with a tilt of her head while she awaited her order.

Tiber was about to order another round for himself. Only himself when Aarika intervenes. Thank Sven. The girl who is babbling admires the woman who actually listened to her, for that meant she had been impressive to the eye. “Thank you!” The girl squeals before looking towards the new lycan who had caught her attention. She continues on about music and dancing. The whole sort. It is nonstop. As for Tiber, in his peripheral, he gazes at the blonde woman who cut in. “Something like that.” The Catalian is short with response. Rough few months, really. There is a moment of silence before he waves a finger to bring a shot his way. The alcohol is poured into the same shot glass Tiber has in front of him. He waits to take it, however. “And why are you here?” Tiber was a little rough around the edges. He seemed… rude, but genuinely curious nevertheless.

Aarika had her own expression but for Tiber, it was playful with a sadistic twist, "Well..." She began as she leaned towards the lycan, "I wanted to promote my upcoming performance actually." There was a soft laugh and a braid tucked away behind a pointed ear as she poured her own shot. "Your soul looks tortured enough before that girl is added into the equation, figured I'd offer you a break." The blonde would toast the other blonde before she threw back her shot, if he followed along or not she wouldn't care. "Just scoping out the joint for extra muscle, truth be told." She mentioned casually while refiling her glass, if Tiber shot back too she'd top him off as well.

Aarika’s expression was playful, but Tiber’s remains stoic as a board as she leans towards him. He understood the humor, and although he wanted to remain in that flat position, a twitch in his lips form a smirk. His gaze moving to her and looking back forward again. “Glad someone noticed because she didn’t. Dear Gods. Hope your friend is that auditory,” his voice is low. The man then grabs his shot glass and tilts his slightly in cheers before tossing his back. His cheeks suck in to down the alcohol before he looks at her again. His eyes squint slightly before exhaling. “Extra muscle. Well, you got a whole pub of burly cargo men. Take your pick.” He grins before nudging the glass towards her for the refill. “Scoping out muscles, huh. I suggest the cargo workers… they dwindle days on ships carrying loads. What’s the criteria for ‘muscles’?”

Aarika sized up the cargo workers for a good minute before she replied to her new drinking partner. "Ah I'm looking for more than a one night stand." She snickered before washing away her words with the second shot. "Oooof." Aarika shook her head, even cringed for a moment while the liquid burned on it's path to her gut. "These men belong to the sea. I'm looking to grow my sell-sword company...So someone like a new family member." The blonde leaned around Tiber to gesture at Henry, who was working his charm at the learned bardess, "Like him. Your current savior." There a pause and her oceanic gaze trailed after Darius while he worked, "I leave work with the bar-keep and come back to see if there are any bites. Though the lack of parchment tells me already it's a bit of a bust."

Tiber was getting drunker by the minute, although still coherent it seemed. “Well, it seems you’re in the wrong bar,” he gives her a lazy grin. As she squints in pain about the shot, he smirks. “Once you hit five, it’s easier. Trust me.” The glaze in his eyes then moves about the place before she talks about the sell-sword company. His head slowly turns before he looks the woman up and down. “Company, eh?” The Catalian smirks before saying something foreign in Catal on the words of ‘lovely’. “Well, I say your eyes have not open so well in this place. I happen to know a guy,” he leans back and runs a hand through sandy hair. “Tall, blonde, charming. Easy on the eyes. A bit rough around the edges, but is a mercenary. Likes the term ‘business’, actually. Suits the city roots. He can be loyal though, as long as others don’t… you know, wrong him. Very persuasive too.” His hands sort of lean behind his head. Him. Tiber was talking about himself.

Aarika smiled as Tiber volunteered himself and nodded along to his descriptors, she showed full interest, "Oooo tall...blonde...charming...." Aarika poured yet another shot as she waited for Tiber's modest introduction. "Hmmm." There would be a long pause between the two as she scanned the room, "Must have just missed him it would seem." The matriarch was clearly playing , her expression conveying such. However as the two poked at one another Henry was getting into his verbal exchange. It seemed the young female bard had another admirer who was arriving late to the party. The seaman didn't seem too fond of Henry and his assigned interest in the musician and after a couple of choice words he shoved the sellsword towards Tiber and Aarika, the force would be strong enough to knock the two back - Henry wasn't a small guy.

Tiber nods with raised brows. “He’s quite the guy,” he says as if he knows the man like he was a completely different dude. Instead of taking a shot, waves Darius over to pour him a glass of rum to sip on instead. Tiber felt numb now. It was a good feeling to having feelings slip through the door, and a light conversation that was actually worth-while. “Well, you’re in luck because—“ and that was when Henry was pushed towards the two. The dark liquor that was in Tiber’s hand, spills on his pants. “You’ve got to be joking—“ there was no light banter, the lycan was bitter. The blonde stands so he can shake off the spilled liquid on over his hands while setting the glass down. If anyone knew Tiberius, he was one to get into heavy, petty arguments. Ones that ranged to jealousy to rage to protective banter. Tiberius, too, was not a small guy—he was tall and toned. Actively stealthy. One that knew how to get a job done and get away. Immediately he steps around Aarika to the seaman who shoved Henry. Henry had took one for the team with sweeping the musician away, so Tiber was in a small bit of favor. “You better watch it, pal. This is the wrong place to play some damn mediocre childish play because some guy was listening to your girlfriend brag. Piss off.”

Aarika would have been equally annoyed if Tiber's reaction hadn't been a comic relief. He seemed to already have had a pisser of a day, now it looked like he had messed his pants on top of losing his rum. "Listen here pretty boy." The sailor began, rearing his his attention to Tiber now, "Why don't you mind yer own damn business?" A step brought him closer while Aarika mused in the background, "Aww he thinks you're pretty." She snored humorously while the new lunatic balled up a fist and pulled back for a swing. However Herny had a bone to pick so he would manage the first punch. A loud crack sent the sailor over a table and the bardess screamed pressing against the bar to avoid the altercation. Soon the sellswords and co would realize the man wasn't here solo, two additional men helping the envious drunk back to his feet were a strong indication. Three on Three weren't bad odds.

Tiber has a grip on the back of Aarika’s stool to refrain from physically stepping closer. “Your business was brought to my own when you brought your jealousy into the equation and spilling the drink, dude. Get over yourself.” He then glances briefly at the blonde behind him who cracks the joke. Tiber had more of a tight aura about him. “Obviously since I smell low self-esteem,” Tiber’s intense gaze observes over the stranger’s structure. When the man steps towards him, Tiber lets go of the chair to size the man up before him. “Hit me,” Tiber dares until Henry throws a punch. Then the other two men come into the question and well, knowing the men behind the knocked man helped him. Tiber striding himself forward to take care of one of the two men by forcing his own fist forward to knock one of their jaws. It was drunken antics, honestly—for the most part, anyway.

Aarika raised both her hands to gesture for the room to simmer down though lacking any authority in the pub made all efforts ignored. Henry and, let's call him Rupert, went toe to toe. Cracks and smacks echoed between the two while the poxed man still moved in on Tiber. "You really should have minded your own busi..." The reddish man didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before Tiber knocked the words from his lips. When he twisted back to face the lycan a fist followed. Now Tiber had two ship-hands on him, seeing how Aarika managed to fly under the radar. Nonchalantly Aarika coiled her fingers around that whiskey bottle she had ordered and issued an apology to the booze before sliding behind one of the two ruffians to shatter the glass over a noggin. Things were escalating rather quickly. After the crack to the skull the petite blonde would mount her victim and attempt a sleeper hold.

When the fist is thrown at Tiber, it does, in fact, crack him in the lip that leaves a small trail of blood. Tiber was a scrapper. Better with a knife. Better with a bow. Better with persuasion. Better with being a mobster-esc type of person. Being a drunk, however? Did not suit him well, so yes, he was targeted rather easily. Thankfully Aarika was there for the second dude, which, mind you, would be appreciated by the lycan, so he did not have to deal with two men. And he was impressed by the hold, though Aarika seemed like she had some backbone in general. The hit on the blonde did not stop the lycan instinct that made him want to knock a dude out. Tiber then lunges forward and grabs the reddish man by his sleeves, throws a kick towards the dude’s leg to throw him off balance before Tiber uses his other leg to make the reddish man’s weight come from beneath him to throw him on the ground. Hard. Strength, after all. Like Henry, Tiber was also a great stature which would make the wind knock out of the dude that he threw down. Tiberius would then back up before wiping the blood off his lip from the adrenaline. “Don’t be an idiot next time. Realize your friend is in the wrong and call him for it. Jackass.”

Aarika 's hold was met with aggressive slams against the bar, enough to also know the wind out of her. Glasses shattered, stools toppled over and candle wax molded over the woodgrain bar top. The tussle wouldn't go for much long before Darius stepped in - Not in his pub. The traditional rolling up the sleeves started his extraction. Those on the ground would receive kicks and those standing, shoves. All efforts to push the discord out of the bar and into the street. Once out in the muddled street the trio made a break for it leaving Aarika to cover the damages, "Sorry about that." A sweet smile took over her expression and gold traded hands, "Might want to let them boys know they owe me." After a few grumbles the door shut them out. "Those cowards." Henry growled as a calloused palm wiped blood from his face, it wasn't his.

Tiber got the hint when Darius was on his nerve of shutting the fight down. Amber eyes would glare at the barkeep before realizing he was in the wrong… well, somewhat. Hopefully he would not be banned. Time to find a new bar to drink at for a couple weeks. The lycan was then shoved and he stumbles onto the street with the rest. Once the trio leaves, he sneers and rolls his eyes. His face finally cools when he looks at Aarika who is still looking shiny to the world. The sneer on his face turns into a thin line. “Trust me, if I find them, and you know I will, they’ll pay back every cent their friend caused.” The lycan then looks to Henry. “No freaking kidding. Sorry, man,” he says to Henry. He was. “It was petty.” Tiber then looks to Aarika. Amber eyes gazing over her for a moment. “Here, you’re in my area of town. Let me cover the costs.” The man did have enough with all the ritzy jobs he did.

Aarika would press her hand to Tiber's to halt his movements for coin, "No no don't worry. " She insisted and Henry nodded along, "Ol' sugar momma here." Henry's tease got him a cheeky slap to the arm, "Yeah yeah." Soon her attention fell back to Tiber, "I gotta say you've got some a solid punch." Aarika complimented, then squinted at Tiber's busted lip, "Could work a little on your bob and weave. Why don't you come check out the Steel Collective? I think you could be a valuable addition to our family. No pressure though."

Tiber stops his hand reaching back towards the coin pouch he was reaching for. The ‘sugar momma’ comment earns a smirk with a raised brow. “I was raised with a group of angsty teens,” he meant orphanage, but she most likely would not get that lingo. His knuckle rises to wipe the blood off his lip again. It was drying thankfully. “I know I need some work, but I get by.” After all, he was about intimidation and threatening with blades. As she mentions the Steel Collective, he cants his head. “Sounds like… I’d be collecting… steel? Define it.” His tongue runs over the blood that is now drying to clean it up momentarily.

Aarika smirked and a hand found her hip, "We do collect...but coin. The steel is what we use." Aarika would let her words sink in for a moment, "We're mercenaries, and we come from all walks of life, so a colored past is welcomed. We are like family, which makes it easier to fight side by side since you can trust your battle brother and shield sister to have your back." Aarika scanned Tiber from head to toe and back, "Not to judge or press but you look like you're having a hard time, could be a safe haven until you can clear that pretty head of yours." She teased trying to lighten her observation.

Tiber blinks. ‘Coin’. Steel was what he used to get his way anyway if he needed to. The words sink and all the man could think of is the coin that would make him feel better. If it was not lust it would be… wealth. “Family…” He trails. The last family he had had was Nadine, but she was gone too without a word. He is quiet while the blonde continues further. The woman does press on him, which makes his drunken mind linger on the witch that had left him. Lanara. The letters were scarce nowadays, and when they did come, they were almost impossible to read, or even obtain. A safe haven would be a place to at least take his mind somewhere else, right? The tease she gives him is left with a blank stare. One that is distant at first before he squints in curiosity. “I do know a thing or two about business…” meaning being a mercenary. It would be like a family club. Another… orphanage? No. Whatever it was, there was a broken part of him that wanted something to fill a voided gap, although stubborn. “Maybe I’ll stop by. Write me the address… maybe we can sit down more about it…” Maybe it was a drunken vulnerable state that made him say maybe, or maybe it was truth. Either way, he was beginning to back away in guard. “Leave a note at the Whaler’s. I’ll find you. Let’s actually talk… Err, I—“ He shakes his head. “I’ll see you around.” The guard envelopes him again before backing up even further to make his departure without barely a ‘goodbye’. That was Tiberius Lowell. Always not able to show himself.

Aarika and Henry exchanged a shrug before making their way to the horses, "Shall we make moves then?" Soon the two would be chatting as usual and reliving their night. Laughter showing the duo's deposition.